SuperNoots... Healthy Eating for Kids

A Mother's Mumblings

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:52:00 +0000

I’ve seriously got to watch my mumblings.

I’m talking about those under the breath comments a mother makes as her children talk smack, or spill their milk for the third time that day, or when her five-year-old decides to talk like a baby ALL DAY LONG.

In the South, if you listen closely, you’ll hear mother mumblings like this:

for cryin’ out loud, for Heaven’s sake, for Pete’s sake, and my favorite, have mercy

Don’t get me wrong, a mother’s mumblings are a good thing. After all, frustrations must escape somehow, and mumblings are way better than a yell.

But like I mentioned, I need to watch my mumblings, because the children are tuning in.

Here’s the scenario.

Yesterday, we suffered a series of potty-training setbacks.

While on my hands and knees wiping up pee, I told Blondie to take off her wet clothes, and in her struggle to remove her pee-soaked panties, she flung them right in my face.

I was too stunned to speak, so she spoke for me.

“Mommy, was that for heaven sake?”

I laughed. But not out loud, because I had pee on my lips.

You love that story, don’t you?

Moving along, now...

BooMama's post today inspired me to share something salty.
When I crave salt, there's nothing that hits the spot more than these chips. Go here to see why blue corn is slightly better for you than yellow corn. It's also important to mention that taking this bag with you to the sofa will prove detrimental to your diet. You WILL eat the whole bag, so please please please grab a bowl and a handful of chips, then put the bag AWAY!!

You'll thank me later when you're trying on bathing suits.

WAT-AHH! product review

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Welcome to my very first product review! To be first, the product has to be pretty fabulous, so get ready for… WAT-AHH! (For my fellow southerners out there who will stare at this word for ten minutes like I did before getting it, "WAT-AHH!" is the word "water" with a Brooklyn accent.)

Besides having a really cute name, let’s hear what WAT-AAH's Christine has to say...

…we are the first functional water made for kids by kids and their moms. WAT-AAH! Has absolutely NO SUGAR, NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, COLORS or UNNATURAL ADDITIVES! It is simply pure water containing just the right amount of essential mineral to fortify and maintain children’s health. We have given water a new face-full of attitude, edge and spunk! We want to create a way to convince kids to turn away from sugar-laden beverages like sodas, sports drinks and “fruit” juices.

Well said, Christine. In my opinion, fruit juices are sneaky little sugar devils, because many parents out there think the word “fruit” automatically means healthy. Insisting that kids make water a regular part of their day is a good thing, and free, so hey, who can argue that one?

So, let’s get right down to it. My nephew spent the night with us a few nights ago, so it was the perfect opportunity to try out the 4 different versions of WAT-AAH! When they saw the cute bottles with the kid screaming his head off, they were intrigued, and excited!

Biscuit opted for WAT-AHH! for bones, which is ultra purified water with added magnesium, essential for strong bones. His choice made me wonder if I should stop comparing his bird legs to my bird legs. Do you think he has a complex?

Red chose WAT-AAH! for the brain, which is ultra purified water with added electrolytes. The natural choice for my middle child, who already at two-years-old, knows it all.

Blondie chose WAT-AHH! for the body, which is simply pure spring water. I’d like to say there’s a reason she chose it, but truthfully, the label was pink, so the boys stuck her with it.

And lastly, my nephew, otherwise known as “Phew!” because this wild man will flat run circles around you. So, of course, he chose WAT-AHH! for energy, which is ultra purified water with energizing oxygen. P.S. His real name is SugarBear, because on top of being a wild man, he's also my sweet baby.

OKAY, EVERYBODY! ONE, TWO, THREE, DRINK!!

The verdict? Delicious! Yum! That's good, Mommy! We took their G2 drinks out of their lunchbox to make room for their fabulous WAT-AHH! bottles. Biscuit especially couldn’t wait to tell his friends that he had bigger bones today than yesterday. All this excitement over drinking water makes me one of WAT-AHH's biggest fans!

Please visit WAT-AHH!'s site for information on how to get this fabulous new product. I wish Christine and her crew the best of luck in helping kids make healthier choices!

Can't Take Me Anywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:55:00 +0000

This morning, as I read the usual suspects of fabulous blogs on my blogroll, my friend Francesca had me laughing with her embarrassing car moment. It seems in Francesca's attempt to wave at her son's preschool teacher, she ended up nearly causing the poor woman to run off the road, much to her embarrassment. But as usual, one person's misfortune is another person's amusement, so I thought I would jump in here and offer my own embarrassing car moment.

If you've ever seen a Baby Einstein DVD, then you are most likely familiar with the little green puppet that delights children by sticking out its tongue and saying, "BLAAAAH!" My children loved this little puppet back in the day, and with every "BLAAAAH" came little toddler laughter that would melt your heart.

So, one day, after dropping Biscuit off at his preschool, the twins were enjoying this particular video in the car as I came to a stop at a redlight. At this same moment, I heard, "BLAAAAH!" from the little green puppet. Like any good mother would do, I turned around, and with a huge smile, tongue sticking way out, chimed in with my own "BLAAAAH!"

Funny, right? Well, the gentleman in the car behind me was not amused. I guess he couldn't understand why this lady was sticking her tongue out at him like she was at a Kiss concert. The reeeeally embarrassing part? This gentleman was the father of one of Biscuit's classmates.

So, with no chance to explain myself and blame it on the little green puppet, I lapsed into an embarrassment coma. Should I drive really fast to escape the situation? Should I swerve like a maniac so he thinks I'm drunk? Should I pull over to the side of the road in hopes he will think there's something wrong and pull over, too, giving me a chance to explain? Should I try to follow him to work to explain myself? Should I start shopping around for other preschools? Other cities to live?

Oh, the shame. I bet you have an embarrassing car moment. I'd love to hear it!

On a side note, after I told Red what I had done, he lapsed into his own embarrassment coma.

Quick and Healthy Breakfasts for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:12:00 +0000

So, the parties are over. We've almost recovered. I'm still nursing a bruised tailbone. I'd tell you the story about how I fell in Wal-Mart, but it's too embarrassing. Especially the part about how my bags of party stuff went everywhere and I shot a mean look to the woman who tried to help me because she was talking too loud, and like I said, it was all so embarrassing, so I'm not going to tell you about it.

I thought instead I better jump in here with some useful information for a change.

Healthy breakfasts for the kids. I can't say enough about how important it is for your little darlin' to start his or her day with nutritous, substantial food. Essential.

Why do kids need to eat a healthy breakfast?

Nutritious foods are "brain foods," so kids will stay more alert and perform better in school
Eating early keeps weight under control by kick-starting metabolism
Better nutrition means less sickness
Kids will have "full feeling" longer with a low-sugar breakfast
Economic value of eating at home

Now, I hear what you're saying, and don't think I can't see you shaking your head over there on the other side of my computer. But there isn't time. There just isn't tiiiime, if only we had time to fix healthy breakfasts, but we don't. No time at all.

Go back and read my fancy bulleted list. Healthy breakfasts are important, worth making the time. I've put together a list of quick, healthy breakfasts that will help you send your kiddies on their way when time is short.

Whole grain cereal with milk, topped with fruit (choose cereal with whole grain as first ingredient)
Yogurt parfaits (layer yogurt/fruit/granola or whole grain cereal in a clear up, because even little kids appreciate presentation)
Whole grain waffle, topped with fruit and 100% maple syrup (a little goes a long way) OR whole grain waffle topped with peanut butter
Breakfast bar (choose lowest-sugar option, again choose a whole grain option), fruit and milk
Oatmeal and boiled egg

Some of you may need tips on motivating kids to eat breakfast.

Present several options, and let them choose
Discuss the night before what they might like for breakfast
Consider filling out a menu for the week

I'm all about the lists today!

Got any questions? I'll be glad to tackle them for you. Also, stay tuned... I'm doing a fancy product review soon. I'll also post a few pics from the birthday chaos. Don't worry. One of them will not be my bruised tailbone.

Happy Birthday!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Look who is three years old today!!

SuperNoots on TV!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:02:00 +0000

Not much can make a mother of three little kids panic. It's simply hard to do, because who else is better apt to deal with crisis and stress than she is? Yes, it's hard to do.

Until the co-anchor of a local news show calls her at 10 AM, in hopes of coming to her house in a few hours to film a piece on her business.

While this would send a normal person into hysterics, the mother of three little kids looks around at her hazmat-suit-required-home, her filthy children, her dishelveled appearance in the mirror and says, "Let's do it."

She hangs up with the nice lady on the phone, and hits every speed dial button. And the army which is her family arrives within minutes. Her husband, who only thought he had a busy day at work, is notified that he will be taking the next few hours off, and handed a list of chores.

She tries to collect her thoughts on her upcoming interview while in the shower, but she is distracted by a cat drinking out of the toilet and several children who find this humorous and try to push her in.

As she finishes applying her mascara, she knocks over her tea, which would be no big deal, except she has the impulse to squint, and every woman knows that you can't squint right after applying mascara, or you end up with imprints of your lashes below your eyes. Pretty.

She realizes that the blue shirt she wants to wear is crumpled at the bottom of the hamper. (She has mad ironing skills, though).

She keeps her cool when her youngest boy refuses to wear pants, only swimtrunks. Then he pees on his shirt, not the swimtrunks. It can be done. When you're a boy.

Her daughter whines and cries incessently, because she has been told we will have visitors.

She looks at her well-dressed, oldest boy in admiration, until she remembers he was the one that did this. And you can still see the holes.

She coats her throat with Chloroseptic, hoping to mask the sinus issues she's been dealing with for days.

And the doorbell rings. The fabulous Beth Haynes walks into her home. Beth and her cameraman/producer are immediately instructed to look straight ahead at all times, and please oh please whatever you do don't film in that room, or that room, or that room...

The unnerved mother of three little ones tries not to notice as Beth pauses briefly before taking her seat... dern, forgot to clean the chairs... and calmly answers questions, coherently, and trying not to smile when talking about obesity statistics, but smile slightly when talking about those little rascal kids who don't eat their veggies...

Then Beth says goodbye.

The kids are tired, and so is mother. She looks at her sweet family, who threw aside all their plans and responsibilities for her and the business today, and she wonders if anything is greater than having so many people believe in her and her dream.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO, Live at Five at Four, March 17, 2009

By the way, all the above is true, except for the part where the mother is calm, cool and collected. My mother-in-law sent me upstairs when it was all over. Just because she was afraid I was going to have some sort of episode. Please. Me?!?

Working Healthy Eating into the Conversation

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Time for a healthy eating tip! (**Reminder... I sort of have this business, that sort of deals with this kind of thing, I tend to digress a lot, and my kids distract me, so I'll try harder to consider those of you who visit my blog to learn about something other than Red's potty triumphs, Blondie's pink eye, or Biscuit's Halloween costume drama.) So, let's get to it.

Ever hear the rumor that kids who sit down to dinner with the family, versus with the T.V., are more likely to develop healthy eating habits? Look here and here to see this is no rumor, but true as can be. I'm a big believer in this I also believe there is even more you can do as a parent to help your kids eat healthy, which brings me to my big point...

A great way to help your kids eat healthy is to talk about healthy eating away from the dinner table.

Here's a true story.

Little Red crawled into bed with us one morning, and in the midst of kisses and snuggles, we examined our hands.

Red: Your hands are big, Mommy. My hands are little.

Mommy: You're right. And one day your hands will be big like mine. Probably even bigger.

Red: **giggle**

Mommy: That's because you're growing up fast.

Red: Like Biscuit?

Mommy: Just like Biscuit. Do you know why you're getting so big?

Red: (look of interest)

Mommy: Because you eat things like broccoli and noodles and drink lots of milk.

Red: And suckers don't make me big?

Mommy: Not big and strong.

Red: Bananas make me strong.

Mommy: Bananas, peppers, rice, oatmeal...

And this continued. Until he got tired of naming off all the foods he could think of.

Now, to me, this conversation came very natural. Because I eat, sleep and breathe the subject every day. For you other hard-working parents, who might have other things on their mind besides SuperNoots, it's a conscious effort to have conversations like this, but imagine the benefits.

When kids are little, the last thing they need are parents lecturing them on why Cheerios will reduce their cholesterol, or why there are starving children in Ethiopia who would give anything for a bite of broccoli. However, working in relevant, encouraging conversations like these into your child's life make a tremendous impact on their eating habits.

Okay, now I have to throw this in, especially for my California friend, Francesca, who is constantly amused by my East Tennessee antics...

Once upon a time, one of our children touched an outlet. No harm done, but an adult, who shall remain nameless, said, "Don't mess with plugs." I realize this statement would only be made south of the Mason-Dixon line, so to clarify its meaning, these four words mean touching an outlet is dangerous so don't do it. That being said, after Red and I rattled off healthy foods in the aforementioned conversation, he said,

Red: And when I get big I can mess with plugs?

Mommy: **laughing** Yes, when you get big you can mess with plugs.

Red: **pause** And blinds?

Mommy: **more laughing**

Red: And lamps?

And so it went, until he named off all the no-no's in his little life. My favorite?

Red: And EggNog's tail?

When it Snows in Tennessee...

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:36:00 +0000

I believe in global warming.

I can't give you hard statistics, nor can I recall the theoretic details of melting ice caps and unusual weather phenomena, but I can tell you what I think is proof of global warming...

When I was a kid, East Tennessee saw lots of snow, and as of the last five years, nothin' but empty promises from the weather man and a little white dust.

Until today.

Here's my little Red enjoying his first snow.

Now, I have to stop here for a second and give you a little insight into how much it snowed when I was a kid, and how little it snows now. This is important, because it will explain a very confusing picture at the end of this post of a child careening down a hill in a cardboard box.

Back then:

1. Snow days were factored into the school calendar for a reason, and we used every one of them.

2. Everyone owned gear. Water-proof gloves. Hat with a chin strap. Snow boots. And most importantly, a sled (or an inverted garbage can lid with the handle broken off, God bless the innovative Southerner)

3. Speaking of sleds, we all have at least three scars from crashing those things into curbs or a parked car at the bottom of a hill.

4. Every family had a snow routine. Play outside until you couldn't feel your fingers and toes. Sit by the fireplace while Mom rubbed feeling back into your limbs and gave you hot chocolate with marshmallows. Listen to Mom try to convince you to stay inside. Go back outside.

Now:

1. No.

2. No. Gloves, maybe.

3. Nope.

4. Afraid not.

That's right. Sad, sad, sad. The snow boots section at Target is like half a shelf. I'm guessing there are probably a few sleds for sale in Knoxville somewhere, but I've never seen them.

So today when the snow hit, we improvised. Try to follow me here, I'll start from top to bottom.

Hats, check. No longjohns, so each child was layered with two pajama tops. Red has a big head, so he needed a scarf since the neck holes of his pajama tops are stretched out. To keep legs warm, we pulled Biscuit's soccer socks all the way up to Red and Blondie's thighs. Then pajama bottoms. Then the ever-so-classy plastic shopping bags for the feet, then warm-up pants over that to hide the embarrassing plastic bags. A pair of socks over the bags, then insufficient shoes, but that's what the bags are for... water-proofing (we already know we're genius, you don't have to say it). Coats, check. Mittens, check. Except for Biscuit, who had to wear his mother's gloves, which explains why he looked like Edward Scissorhands.

And now for the pictures. As you will see, we do not own a sled, but our children will not be denied.

TDH caught this picture of me on our snow day. Joy.

Okay, so i was tagged...

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 19:53:00 +0000

1. When I count my blessings, I always start with my faith.
2. I have one brunette, one blonde, and one red-headed child.
3. I had myself a big fat Greek wedding.
4. One of the first things I loved, and still love, about my hubby is the way he walks into a room.
5. When I was a little girl, I aspired to be a Solid Gold Dancer.
6. I hate beans.
7. I have the heart of a race car driver, trapped in a minivan.
8. I hate to fly, thanks to one white-knuckle experience with turbulance.
9. My grandparents are the coolest people I know.
10. I love to bake, but I'm not very good at it.
11. One of the first things I taught my children was how to open a public restroom door with their elbows.
12. I'm psychic, sort of.
13. (I'm superstitious, so I'm going to skip this one)
14. I'd rather hike in the mountains than lie on the beach.
15. I secretly love Britney Spears's song 'Womanizer'
16. I had an imaginary sister named Stephanie up until the second grade.
17. I'm not as sweet as I used to be.
18. Every day I balance the fine line of letting my kids be themselves while not letting them get away with everything.
19. When my children were 4, 18 months and 18 months, I started a business. Because I'm crazy!
20. I sold knives for a very brief time in college.
21. I believe the American food industry is out to kill us all.
22. I gave up caffeine for lent 10 years ago and haven't had it since.
23. I love my church.
24. I treasure my girlfriends.
25. I hope y'all have a good day!

The Comeback

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:41:00 +0000

Yes, sirreee, I'm alive!! Thanks for all your well wishes, they were bright spots on this dark and lonely highway called "wisdom teeth removal." I went to the doctor yet again this morning, to fix my third dry socket, but I'm not going to talk about it any more, because I'm as sick of hearing about it as anybody else.

In my lucid moments, I've been keeping busy by organizing my office, reading this book, working on SuperNoots stuff, fighting the CPSIA, keeping KFC afloat by purchasing 7,498 orders of mashed potatoes, oh, and trying to resurrect some semblance of order in my household.

Yes, the members of this family have been spoiled by Mama's inability to command a room like she used to. I'm talking about backtalk, excessive whining, and complete memory loss of every rule and responsibility. And that's just TDH.

But since coming off pain meds, uncrossing my eyes and splashing cold water on my face a few times throughout the day, Mama is making her comeback.

My children once again look at their mother with a healthy amount of fear, and I'm okay with that.

Still Here

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:00:00 +0000

hullo.

still alive.

but minus four severely impacted wisdom teeth.

i have a little mouth.

ouch.

Ibuprofen is Calling

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Okay, so apparently when you have tooth pain, you should go to the dentist.

Not wait 3 months until one morning you can't chew.

I can see you out there, shaking your little heads and wagging your fingers at me. So, let me just say, I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW.

My four impacted wisdom teeth have been trying to tell me for quite some time now that they are tired of being in my mouth. They want out, and really who can blame them? So surgery it is.

Now those of you who know me will be shocked by what I am about to share with you. If you are just joining us, a short recap... I eat healthy.

My diet yesterday? Applesauce, Panera chicken noodle soup, 1/2 a kashi bar (swallowed whole), and for dinner, Kentucky Fried Chicken mashed potatoes. By the time TDH brought them home for me, I was in tears from being so hungry, and I don't think I've ever appreciated anything more in my life.

I'll keep you updated.

I'm off to pack up lots of SuperNoots. But first, Ibuprofen.

The Lassie Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:21:00 +0000

From time to time, for absolutely no reason in particular, I decide I no longer want to be a member of my generation, and I bake biscuits from scratch, consider moving my whole family to Montana, and buy things like this...

I have no idea why, but the why is not the point of this post but possibly the basis for an in-depth psychological study, but I digress...

The following is our Lassie experience, and it takes place in our minivan. You'll be afraid for me and the children at first, but don't worry, it has a happy ending.

One morning on the way to school, we began watching an episode of Lassie in which she accidentally gets locked in the back of a delivery truck, and as a result ends up hopelessly lost, 600 miles away from home.

Now, it takes us 25 minutes to get to school, so by the time we had gotten there, this episode had ended as a "to be continued," with Lassie wet, hungry and sad, and Timmy heartbroken. Biscuit was extremely concerned, but I explained to him that Lassie would find her way home soon.

When I picked up the kids, Biscuit was anxious to start the show. The poor little guy had been on the edge of his seat all day over Lassie finding her way home. But by the time we made it to karate, the poor dog was still lost. Not only was she still lost, but she had been stalked by a bear, attacked by a horrible dog, and barely made it across a river. On the homefront, Timmy was completely beside himself, and the parents were telling each other it was hopeless.

When karate was over, the kids ran, not skipped as joyful, carefree children should do, but RAN to the DVD player. Shortly after we got in the car, the second episode of the day ended, and alas, Lassie was. still. lost. Not only was she lost, but Timmy's parents asked a friend to bring over a new puppy to ease the pain.

At this point, I'm starting to panic. I'm looking in the rear view mirror at my impressionable, sensitive five-year-old, and thinking he'll remember for the rest of his life that his mother was excited to show him the story of Lassie.

So, now I do the honorable thing, and start blaming the dog. Well, Biscuit, I can't believe Lassie's not home yet! She's supposed to be home by now, Timmy's really missing her, and she should be home. She needs to be home. Come on, Lassie, go home!

Ten minutes from our house, episode three begins. Timmy is desolate, refuses to love the new puppy, and returns it. Lassie is being helped by a kind man now, but the director doesn't hint to any happy endings. We are now in our neighborhood, so I pull over on a sidestreet to watch what I hope will be some form of closure.

A hopeless, tearful Timmy gathers Lassie's toys and heads out to the backyard to bury them. Biscuit is crying, I am crying, then...

A bark.

Let me just tell you, when Timmy looked up and saw Lassie coming over that hill, I cannot explain to you the immense joy that flowed throughout that minivan. Lassie and Timmy ran as fast as they could into each other's arms...

And I breathed an immeasureable sigh of relief. Then I silently cursed the 1950's for their cruelty and lack of cell phones.

Boys, Boys, Boys

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Last night, it was just me and the boys.

And when I say me and the boys, I mean "me," a thirty-something-sweet-talkin-but-liberal-smart-mouthin-Southern-belle-blonde, and "boys," three sixty-something-professional-conservative-church-officiating-Greek-men."

And we all had a big ol' date.

Mind you one of those men was my super cool father-in-law, and the other two, his pals, I'd just as well hang out with than my own girlfriends. (ok, maybe not at the mall)

Our destination? The UT men's basketball game. Bruce Pearl. J.P. Prince. Tyler Smith. Wayne Chism. Cameron Tatum. More boys.

The game started at 9:00, which means I had to drink diet coke at 6:00 to make it to 12:00.

Usually at these events I sit when everyone else sits, clap at our good shots but not the other team's errors, and even raise my hand with a "Whoo!" at the appropriate pause in Rocky Top.

But that's assuming that the refs don't tick me off. And that's also assuming that we don't go into overtime. And it's ALSO assuming that I don't detect an attitude, or "tude" as it's called in the stands, from the other team.

So, yes, sweet readers, do not be shocked when I tell you that more than once during this game, I let the boobird fly. (For those of you confused by "boobird," it means screaming the word "boo" really loud, not giving the finger). And when the boobird starts flying, it is hard to bring him to roost. And when the boobird flies with 20,000+ other boobirds, you can forget about it.

I must give credit here to the man sitting to my left. His mother apparently brought him up a little better than the rest of us, because when the boobirds were at their worst, he chimed in with a "GAAH-LEE!," which if you're an Andy Griffith fan, you might recognize this from Gomer Pyle. I kid you not, this was his derogatory exclamation. I was highly amused.

Man, I had a blast. But we lost. And we were in a bad mood for a little while. But not for long.

So, where was TDH in the midst of all these boys?

He was home, giving baths and brushing teeth, reading a story, and planting kisses. Then he watched the game on TV, and enjoyed the fact that his wife was one of the crazy, boobird-slingin' Vol fans. That man, folks, is my favorite boy of all.

Crayons, Play-Doh, and Glue, Oh My! / Chicken Parmesan

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:30:00 +0000

Over the holidays, TDH and I carried out our brilliant plan to ignore the kids for two days while we got our home together, all in an effort to play, undistracted by clutter, for the other 363 days of the year. In other words, they had a two-day holiday at Nannie's house.

While TDH was busy with manly, heavy, garage and basement stuff, I was left to the painting and organizing. I was particularly proud of my efforts with the kids' art stuff, which normally is a three-basket-random-compilation of markers, construction paper, paint, Play-Doh, crayons, googly eyes, glue, chenille stems... you get the idea.

So, for Works for Me Wednesday, I thought I'd share my little self-proclaimed masterpiece, which has worked out great for almost a month now :)

I had this multi-drawer storage bin from my teacher days, and I organized the drawers like so...

Biscuit's workbooks
coloring books and plain paper
crayons
markers
paint/paintbrushes/plastic egg cartons (to hold paint)
random stuff, like googly eyes, glue, stencils, sponges, etc.
vinyl tablecloth, a prerequisite for all the above
*Play-Doh and clay bin sits on top

I like using the pull-out drawers because the kids can easily access only what they need. Also, the bin drawers are clear, and big enough to see what's going on (we used to keep crayons in wipes containers, and it was inevitable the whole thing would be dumped out to find a certain color).

Our kitchen table has never seen so much daylight since the birth of this little system. We even have room to eat these days, and tonight's dinner was a simple, delicious and healthy Chicken Parmesan. I was in a rush, so instead of the dijon mixture, I just used an egg wash, and it was still very flavorful.

An EggNog update... what you see in the following picture is a little kitten, half-asleep at the head of TDH's poker table. What you DON'T see are six grown men, sweet-talking this little kitten, snapping camera phone pics, and even sharing chips and cards. Needless to say, EggNog is sooooo golden.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!!!

Watching and Waiting / Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:48:00 +0000

When your mom is the creator of SuperNoots, it comes with a price.

These are my kids.

These are my kids watching cookies bake.

Pitiful, isn't it?

I've been using this recipe for Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut cookies. Made partially with whole wheat flour, you won't feel too guilty about serving up these little gems. Enjoy!!

Egg-a-Nog

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:06:00 +0000

AAAHHHHH. Breathing now.

Has everyone settled down from what I hope was a beautiful and blessed holiday season?

We had a big Christmas surprise in our house. A new little addition to our family.

May I present... Egg Nog.

Have you ever heard of a cat that will sit in a two-year-old's lap without being held down against their will?

And just look how she sleeps, on or next to their unpredictable, spastic little feet and hands...

I thought Biscuit might want to change her shelter-given name, but turns out "Egg Nog" grows on you. Red says it with a french accent. Egg-a-nog. Cute.

We love her.

We also celebrated the christening of our little Goddaughter. She is even cuter than Egg Nog. Here she is with her parents and brother.

The SuperNoots family... (that's us)

And now TDH and I are gearing up to celebrate the New Year. I hope with all my heart that you and yours have a blessed and meaningful 2009. I love y'all!

The Wise Man? / Healthy Breakfast Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:21:00 +0000

Yesterday, the boys discovered that scissors were not just for paper.

This happened just in time for the Christmas play at church today.

The irony? Biscuit was a Wise Man.

Stinkers like my boys need an extra healthy breakfast so they can think of other creative ways to play besides cutting their own hair.

Ellie Krieger gave me the idea for a no brainer healthy breakfast sandwich, and the SuperNoots kids love it. Most grocery stores have whole grain English muffins, and this along with egg whites, Canadian bacon, and tomato makes for a filling, healthy start to the day.

I Told You So / Angel Food Cake with Fruit Topping

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:02:00 +0000

I'm trying to think of a way to describe my present mood... mischievous? sassy? sultry temptress? Uh, no, not that last one.

How about trouble-maker, or flat-out-STINKER? Probably. Why am I telling you this?

Because it explains why I laughed so hard when I stumbled across this picture.

Imagine a four-year-old, dead set on this dinosaur-sweat-box costume for Halloween. Now imagine his mother, sweetly trying to talk him out of it, explaining it will be too hot and uncomfortable. And last, imagine a bull-headed little boy telling his mother she is wrong.

Does this picture not say it all? When I see this picture, I think I told you so.

And for some reason, I have been laughing about this picture all day, and wanted to share my I told you so joy with you. Poor Biscuit.

So, when you have a mom as mean as me, you'll need a dessert to soothe the pain. It doesn't have to be terribly unhealthy, though, and here's an example...

Angel Food Cake with Fruit Topping

Cut up Angel Food cake into bite-sized pieces. In a small sauce pan, bring fresh berries and a splash of water to a simmer, and add just enough sugar to sweeten. Let simmer about 10 minutes. Pour fruit syrup over cake, and enjoy.

Sweet Little Pack Rat

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:39:00 +0000

I am many things, but a pack rat, I am not.

Not only am I not a pack rat, but the very idea of having a too-small shirt in the closet, an under-played toy in the vicinity, or superfluous papers cluttering my counters is enough to make me crazy.

My little Biscuit, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. He wants to display every Lego creation, play-doh masterpiece, and scribble/artwork... pretty much anything he creates he deems worthy of archival.

So, while this is a cute little quirk, our home simply cannot hold the mass production, nor can I handle the clutter.

And, this morning, we had the talk. The balance of production and display. The joy of tearing down and rebuilding. The impossibility of buying new Legos, etc. The inevitability of running out of space.

The thought of breaking down his trains, airplanes, and long-neck dinosaurs were too much, so we made a deal. We're going to start taking pictures of his favorites, and printing them out to keep in a special box. He seemed very satisfied with this, and even more excited to be the one to take the picture.

So, if you have a sweet little pack rat like me, give this idea a try and let me know how it works!

Also, I am having a big sale on SuperNoots this week, so get your order in now to guarantee holiday delivery :) http://www.supernoots.com/. Also, please forward the link on to anyone you know struggling to help their kids make healthy food choices. Thank you so very much!!!

For other Works for Me Wednesday ideas, visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer.

Villainous Time-Sucker / G2 drink option

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:49:00 +0000

Ok, ok, I know, where have I been...

Over the past few weeks, I've fallen prey to one of the deadliest, most villainous time-suckers of our generation...

facebook.

I listened helplessly as my husband, children, and house suffered intense bouts of neglect, all as I typed away, wondering what Jennifer has been up to all these years, and who all is on Ashley's friend list, and what part of my day is exciting enough to include in an update?

Tragic, folks. After several weeks, however, it is finally wearing off a touch, and now I keep the computer out of the kitchen. And yes, I am aware that this whole thing is completely ridiculous!!

I wanted to share with you a favorite lunch tip of mine, a product I find to be one of the best drink options out there to include in your kids' lunch.

This little gem has a low sugar count, something missing from most juice options. I did my own little comparison of other products I've purchased...

Honest Kids Organic juice pouch, 10 g. sugar per 200 milliliter

Apple & Eve 100%juice No Sugar Added juice box, 21 g. sugar per 200 milliliter

and G2? 6 g. sugar per 200 milliliter *

And it tastes great, according to the SuperNoots kids. *The small G2 containers are a total of 355 milliliters, which is a lot, more than what my kids will down in one meal. SO, I pack their lunches using half a bottle, stretching my dollar a little by reusing water bottles to pack the other half the next day.

If you pack the entire bottle, the sugar total is 10 g., but still just as good as the best juice pouch out there.

A Lesson in Humility

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:02:00 +0000

Blondie was so cute yesterday. She lined up all her dolls and stuffed animals along the hallway, and proceeded to talk to them as if they were her children. I was in a nearby room, listening to it all...

What would you like to do today?

We'll need to get dressed so we can go bye-bye.

Would you like to play puzzles?

And then something happened. Her sweet dialogue took an ugly turn.

No! No! No!

You're going to sit right there in time out!

You're not doing what I say.

I was sure little Blondie was only repeating things she heard from mean teachers, mean grandparents, and of course, TDH, but with this next phrase, there was no denying where she was getting it...

That's it! I've had it!

I coined this one. It's my go-to line when the straw breaks the camel's back, as it often does.

It was a humbling experience to say the least, and I apologize to the innocent stuffed pigs, frogs, and shirtless dolls who suffered the most.

Red's Little Victory / Lori's Favorite Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:57:00 +0000

A big shout out today to our little Red. Yesterday, he used the potty every single time. Yay!!!

Of course, the money he saved us in diapers he made up for in toilet paper. I don't mind, though, because I'm remembering when Biscuit started pottying, he would only use one square. Unpleasant. He's the conservative one in the family.

Now if we can just get Blondie on the bandwagon. She likes to do things on her own time.

OK, if you can stomach talking about food now, then I'm offering up my favorite salad of all times. If you could put together your 'dream ingredients' on a salad, what would they be?

Lori's Favorite Salad

fresh spinach
romaine lettuce
bibb lettuce
grilled chicken
feta cheese
cranberries
pine nuts
cucumber
red onion
balsamic vinaigrette

Mmmmm....

Painting Pink Noodles / Warm Peachy

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:54:00 +0000

The pink eye has subsided for now. In honor of its departure, we celebrated by painting things pink.

We like painting on random things in our house. The kids love painting dried pasta.

In fact, Blondie and I are considering starting our own jewelry line. So, who wants to buy a pink noodle necklace? We'll donate all proceeds to finding a cure for pink eye.

On sick days like these, it's temping to prop them on the couch with cookies, cake and Blue's Clues, and disregard all healthy eating principles. Consider this treat as an alternative...

(We're eating frozen peaches now because cheap, fresh fruit is slim pickins these days. Substitute fresh peaches in the summer months)

Warm Peachy

frozen peaches
granola
cinnamon
low-fat vanilla ice cream

In an oven-safe bowl, bake thawed peaches topped with a dash of cinnamon and granola at 350 degrees until bubbly. Serve with ice cream. This will make any booboo better.

Holed Up Today / Kid Pizza Night

noreply@blogger.com (Lori) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Pink eye.

On a child with any tint at all to their skin, pink eye means pinkish-coloring, swelling, and the crusty stuff. On a child like my Red, with pale skin and red hair, pink eye means a total transformation from sweet little red-headed child to a creature from Lord of the Rings.

Bless his heart.

I didn't have to tell my other children to keep their distance. They were already on the other side of the room.

This morning, Red noticed the lawn service guy out in our yard, and in the process of watching him, Red discovered the joy of drawing on windows after you've breathed on them.

Which is fine, but when the lawn service guy caught me breathing on the window, it was a little embarrassing. After that, I made an exaggerated effort to make clear what what going on, drawing shape after shape after shape, but of course, I'm sure he never glanced in that direction again. Kind of like when you scoot a chair back, and it makes a toot-resembling sound, so you keep scooting the chair, so everyone knows in fact, it was the chair. Whatever.

Anyway, we're holed up today, and I'm thinking it's kid pizza night tonight. We usually grab a whole wheat ready-made crust, combine canned fire roasted tomatoes and a little red sauce to spread on top, add shredded mozzarella cheese, then let the kids go wild with toppings. They pick a spot on the pizza and add toppings like peppers, mushrooms, feta, turkey pepperoni, olives, tomatoes, and onions.

Fun for them, easy for me!