Twins N Tidbits

Deconstructed Sushi

2012-09-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Sushi. Most people associate that with chunks of raw fish and rice. I do not like raw fish but I like sushi. I like sushi with shrimp, vegetables, crab, and fruit. Yes - fruit! I have tried sushi with salmon several times but just can't say I like it. Now true sushi lovers are going to cringe but most of the sushi that I get comes from KROGER. On special occasions Hubby will take me to the local Japanese restaurant and I get the real/fresh/delicious sushi. My favorite is the mexican roll which has fried shrimp, some vegetables, jalapenos, and a yummy sauce. I am not someone who likes spicy things but for some reason this one appeals to my taste buds. I have been thinking about making sushi at home for a long time but I don't have patience and skills to do it. Hubby was out of town this week which left me several nights to eat yummy healthy foods he wouldn't touch. I was craving sushi and decided to make my own...my way. I went to the grocery store and got a bunch of food (some of it not healthy but oh so good).

Here is what I picked up:
Baby Cucumbers
Avocados
Shrimp
Cream Cheese

I already had brown rice, soy sauce, and vinegar at home. I forgot to pick up some seaweed sheets to add in but it was great without it. I am normally not a cucumber fan but the baby cucumber always taste better to me and when mixed in with all the ingredients were quite good. I cooked 2 cups of brown rice as this was also going to be my work dinners for several nights. While the rice was cooking I peeled and chopped up the cucumber. The first time I only used half a cucumber but the other nights I used a whole one. I sliced half an avocado up and took the tails off 8 cocktail shrimp. Once the rice was cooked I added in a little bit of cream cheese and soy sauce and stirred it up until it was all melted and mixed. I dumped my veggies and shrimp on top, stirred a little, and dug in! It was amazing and I enjoyed every bit of the 4 meals I ate it. It is a very light meal but filling. I was stuffed after each meal and was satisfied. I should have made this months ago when I thought about it but I won't be waiting months to make it again...maybe a week!

All mixed up and ready to eat!

A Book for Tube Fed Children

2012-08-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

We love this book-"My Tubey: A day in the life of a Tube Fed Boy". J and L love sitting down and listening to the story. L always has to pull up his shirt and show his tube when we read it. This book came about because a mom (Rhiannon Merritt-Rubadue) wanted a kid's book for her toddler who was tube fed. The toddler was starting to notice that no one else in her family had a feeding tube and there were no books written for kids about children with feeding tubes. She didn't get to writing it immediately as she was busy with a tubey toddler and siblings but her idea remained active in her head. In 2011 she wrote "My Tubey: A Day in the Life of a Tube Fed (Boy/Girl)". I love that she wrote a book for a boy and a book for a girl. We found out about this book from a support group we were attending for parents of special needs children. The book hadn't been published yet but we anxiously waited until it was for sale and got it as soon as it was available. The boys were too young to really understand what it all meant at that time but now they understand and like hearing the story.

J asking questions about one of the pictures showing a bolus syringe and feeding pump.

L loves to sit and look at pictures.

She is currently writing several more books including:

There's More Than One Way to Eat
Bye-Bye Tubey: It's Time to Remove My Tube!
My Tubey Goes to Preschool

From what I can tell none of the new books are not out yet but looking at her facebook page there was a comment stating that she is working hard to get the first book finished and it should be out in September. I am looking forward to seeing and getting the Bye-Bye Tubey book whenever it gets published. I pray we get to read it to L to prep him for getting his tube out soon (like within the next 2 years).

Take a look around her website there are several different thing to point out:

There is a link to her Amazon store where you can purchase her books

There is a little photo gallery that she shows some pictures from first NG to tube being taken out. Her quote is "I hope these pictures are a comfort to you as you may see your own tube feeding life mirrored back!". My FAVORITE picture is about half way through where mom and daughter are sitting on the floor and both are covered in formula throw up. It is my favorite because the first year L had his feeding tube that was our daily normal until he got his GJ tube. Glad that we aren't the only ones!

There is a feeding tube resources page. I will be posting about some of those sites at another time along with some other cool sites I have found!

My second favorite picture on the website is on the "Contact Us" page. It is the mom holding her little girl and reading her a homemade book about getting her tube out. I love it because it is such a simple thing to do--make a quick fun book--but I would have never thought about making L a book. This mom has lots of imagination and a drive to make it happen! I envy those creative types that can bring a dream into reality. I can dream but when I wake up it is left behind and quickly forgotten.

You can go to the My Tubey website or you can also click on the tab above for our Amazon store to find the books.

Sometimes Paying More Is Well Worth It

2012-08-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

We were very fortunate and thankful to have two baby showers and receive lots of things for J and L. The shower given by church friends was first and the biggest gift was our Graco Pack N' Play Playard. It has been great for every stage. There is a small "napper" bed that we used when the boys were tiny and swaddled. The changer is a drop-in attachment that keeps diapers, wipes, blankets, toys and anything else you need very close and easily accessible without having to bend and reach to get something from the bottom level of the pack n' play. We bought a second pack n' play used at a consignment sale since we had twin babies and used it for trips and the few times that we were away from home and needed two, but our Graco is still used today and after almost three years is still in excellent condition! The boys sleep well in the same room at night, but not at naptime during the day. Since they are in different classrooms at preschool during the week, it's just easier for us to split them up and nap in separate rooms. J naps in his crib in the boys' room and L naps in the Graco pack n' play in our bedroom. Yes, it is pricey and we were surprised to receive it, but it made things much easier for us and almost three years later has help up with constant use and is still in like-new condition.

The pack n' play fit well when the boys were very small and spent the night with Ken's parents in their RV.

The boys only napped or slept together a few times when they were very little, but this time was only for one night and it made packing a lot easier.

Chocolate Frosting Shots

2012-08-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Picture by Chocolate Covered Katie

Chocolate Covered Katie is another blog that I am following. She specializes in healthy desserts! Now most of them are a little out of my comfort zone because they use ingredients that I am not sure I like. I thought this recipe was a perfect way to ease myself into her recipes.

She has the chocolate frosting shot recipe and also a strawberry frosting shot recipe. I was originally going to try the strawberry recipe but my love for chocolate won. The recipes are very easy to make. The only disappointment is that you have to open the can of coconut milk and leave it in the fridge overnight. I didn't realize that until I was ready to make it and eat some chocolate, and then re-read the recipe. I was a little bummed but went ahead and started the process so I could have chocolate goodness the next day.

Here is what you need:

Chocolate Frosting:

1 can full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
sweetener to taste (I used a little Stevia, but any dry sweetener will do.)

Strawberry Frosting:

1 can full-fat coconut milk
2-5 strawberries (more will yield a thinner mousse)
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
sweetener to taste (Stevia or powdered sugar)
tiny pinch salt (trust me)

Here are the directions:

Open the coconut milk, and leave the can (or transfer to a bowl) uncovered in the fridge overnight, unless it’s already thick like mousse. (Don’t shake the can before opening.) It should get very, very thick. (If it doesn’t, you’ve gotten a bad can that won’t work for the recipe. I highly recommend Thai Kitchen Organic, because I’ve had the most success with that brand.) Once thick, transfer to a bowl (you can opt to leave out the watery bit at the bottom of the can, if you want it even thicker) and whip in your cocoa, vanilla, and sweetener with a fork, or even beaters if you want to be fancy. Stored uncovered in the fridge, the mixture gets even thicker.

My Thoughts:

Ok so I don't read directions sometimes very well and this time was one of those times. I had already opened the can and dumped it into a bowl to leave in refrigerator overnight and oops..stirred it up! So the next day it was thin and the next day it still hadn't thickened up. I started thinking about how I could save it and not waste perfectly good coconut milk. I decided to go ahead and put the cocoa powder in it and some powdered sugar. I got the hand mixer out and used it for about 3 minutes. It still was thin so I put it into the freezer......if I couldn't make frosting MAYBE it would freeze well. Two day later I tried it and it was delicious. It was similar to chocolate coconut ice cream. I was headed out to work and couldn't wait until I was off to eat some more. Another 3 days passed and it is still very good. It was a little harder but I let it sit for several minutes and it was perfect. Next time I will try to make one with Splenda and another one with sweet n low. I will let you know now it goes and what they taste like. IF one of the sweeteners works and is just as good then I will be making this all the time because it will be low sugar (just whatever naturally occurs in the coconut milk) and non-dairy!

Candied Carrots

2012-08-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

picture from Undressed Skeleton

A new leaf....I love food whether it be sweet, salty, greasy, and healthy. I have been working nights for the last 6 months. I haven't gained any weight (fluctuating +/-5lbs) but I haven't been motivated to lose any weight either. Most of the recipes I have posted aren't too healthy either but that is about to change. I have several recipes that I am trying out and will give you my honest opinion about how they taste to a fatty food lover! I am starting a weight loss competition at my work that will be running over the next 8 weeks and I am hoping to lose about 15 lbs.

A blog (Undressed Skeleton by Taralynn McNitt) I just started following posted a recipe for candied carrots. Now when talking about it with several coworkers the opinions of how this would taste were mostly negative but I had hopes for this one. I made it with one box sugar free strawberry and one box regular orange jello. If it turns out good then next time I will do both boxes sugar free so it will be more diabetic friendly. I shredded some whole carrots myself instead of buying the bag of already shredded carrots--cheaper!

My Thoughts:
The next day I was worried when I tried it out because the carrots were very carroty but two days after making it was very good. The carrots were softer and sweeter. It was very good with some cool whip too. I took it for dessert during my 3 nights of work and it was a perfect sweet treat. I don't even think I will make it all sugar free next time because it didn't have a negative effect on my blood sugars--even with regular cool whip! J liked it the first time he tried it and kept asking for more. He also asked for more "school whip". Very sweet little man!

Best Baby Registry Gift (Still Used Every Day)

2012-08-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

We are grateful for everything we received at our two baby showers for J and L. Rachel's mom and sister hosted a shower for family and friends. That day we were given the most useful gift that has been used at every stage and is still used every single day. Ken's aunt and uncle gave us a Fisher Price Smart Stages 3-in-1 Rocker Swing and it has been amazing! We had a bouncer seat on the floor that the boys started in, but it didn't take long for them to enjoy being rocked in the swing (and it was a great way to soothe and occupy one baby while the other was being changed, held, fed or rocked). The rocker easily detaches from the swing and has a fold-out kick-stand that reclines the seat and keeps it from moving. The straps kept the boys secure and the seat worked well for sleeping or giving them a different view.

Very early use - J with his oxygen and pulse-ox monitor before L came home from the hospital

One of L's first days at home

J in the walker playing with L. Great example of how the rocker keeps baby strapped in and secure. They did this many times and no, L never fell out...

The swing frame folds together and has been put away for about a year since J and L have outgrown it, but the rocker is still used every day. That chair quickly became L's favorite, and he loves relaxing, reading books, watching TV and playing with his toys in it. The only time it's not used is when we travel, and L definitely misses it! This 3-in-1 rocker swing has been so great for us, but unfortunately it looks like Fisher Price has discontinued it. The link I shared above is from Wal-Mart, the only site I found selling a similar model to ours, but it is marked as clearance and unavailable online. Looks like there may be a few left in the stores and they'll soon be all gone. Just checked to see if it had been recalled, and it has not. Too bad - it's been great for us and we'll definitely pass it on if/when L is finished with it so that someone else can have a great experience too.

Resting after a long, hard day at preschool

L watching J run around the living room with a toy

From last month - chair still fits L well, but a growth spurt might make it uncomfortable on the back of his head. Looks like he might need a new chair for Christmas.

Music For Kids - Part 3

2012-07-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the third and last post about some of the music that we have discovered and introduced to the boys this past year. Last fall our small group from church focused on how to guard a child's heart and mind while raising them in today's society. We studied the book Guarding Your Child's Heart by Dr. Gary Smalley. It explains how important Scripture memory and meditation is to our everyday life and encourages parents to get the Bible into your child's heart as early as possible.

One of the easiest things we have done to begin planting positive seeds into J and L is through music. We found some really great music that the boys love and so do we! Not nursery rhymes or the kind of songs that will drive you crazy after just a few seconds - really good modern music that makes Jesus and the Bible cool. This week we are sharing music that your kids are sure to love. We've introduced you to The Rizers and Go Fish - the last group we'll share for now is Hillsong Kids.

Hillsong Kids is the children's ministry of Hillsong Church, a global church that is one of the largest and most influential in the world. Hillsong has two other worship ministries, Hillsong Live and Hillsong United, that write and release songs year after year that are used in churches around the world. J and L love the music at church. We pass our church on the way to and from preschool and every morning and afternoon they say they want to go to church! This is an easy way to bring church home with us and have great music all week long. Here are some of Hillsong Kids' releases:

Hillsong Kids Ultimate Collection (CD)

Follow You (DVD)

Tell The World (DVD)

Supernatural (CD)

Music For Kids - Part 2

2012-07-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the second of a three-part post about some of the music that we have discovered and introduced to the boys this past year. Last fall our small group from church focused on how to guard a child's heart and mind while raising them in today's society. We studied the book Guarding Your Child's Heart by Dr. Gary Smalley. It explains how important Scripture memory and meditation is to our everyday life and encourages parents to get the Bible into your child's heart as early as possible.

One of the easiest things we have done to begin planting positive seeds into J and L is through music. We found some really great music that the boys love and so do we! Not nursery rhymes or the kind of songs that will drive you crazy after just a few seconds - really good modern music that makes Jesus and the Bible cool. This week we are sharing music that your kids are sure to love. The last post introduced you to The Rizers, and today we want to share our newest discovery - Go Fish.

Their tagline is "great music for kids that won't drive their parents bonkers!" Leaving a promising career in Christian pop music behind, they have been making music exclusively for kids since 2003. Their new audience might be smaller in stature, but not in numbers. They found that good news—and good music—travels fast, especially with moms. Go Fish's latest release, Kickin' It Old School, passes foundational songs down to the next generation. Many of today's kids have never seen a hymnal, so this project was created to introduce them to these classic songs. While the music is great, Go Fish also created Vacation Bible School curriculum to encourage kids to get into the Bible. Here is a list of their releases:

Kickin' It Old School (2010)

Party Like A Preschooler (2008)

Snazzy (2007)

Snow (Christmas - 2006)

Snooze (2006)

Superstar (2004)

Splash (2003)

These links are the for the audio CDs, but you can also listen to previews and download the MP3s at Amazon.

Music To Teach And Train Your Kids

2012-07-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the first of a three-part post about some of the music that we have discovered and introduced to the boys this past year. Last fall our small group from church focused on how to guard a child's heart and mind while raising them in today's society. We studied the book Guarding Your Child's Heart by Dr. Gary Smalley. It explains how important Scripture memory and meditation is to our everyday life and encourages parents to get the Bible into your child's heart as early as possible.

One of the easiest things we have done to begin planting positive seeds into J and L is through music. We found some really great music that the boys love and so do we! Not nursery rhymes or the kind of songs that will drive you crazy after just a few seconds - really good modern music that makes Jesus and the Bible cool. This week we are sharing music that your kids are sure to love, and first up is The Rizers.

The mission of The Rizers (short for Memorizers) is to instill in kids a love for Jesus Christ and his Word through Scripture memory, praise and worship. They have two great Scripture memory CDs - Meet The Rizers and Rise Up. These links are the for the audio CDs, but you can also listen to previews and download the MP3s at Amazon.

Review: Nap Nanny

2012-07-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Our lifesaver with L. I remember looking at parenting magazines before the twins were born and seeing this thing called the Nap Nanny. I thought it was neat and I checked out the website. I liked it but thought it was a little expensive. Flash forward a couple months and I had two premature boys that both liked to reflux and spit up. J only did it a little bit but L was a puker. He spent a lot of time on a hospital reflux wedge and still puked. I was sitting there one day in the NICU doing skin-to-skin with L and flipping through a magazine and saw another add for the Nap Nanny. I wanted it! I put it on our (and the boys) Christmas list and luckily some of my hubby's family pitched in and got us one. Once L came home he spent many hours on the reflux wedge until he outgrew it and then we started putting him on the Nap Nanny. He stayed in it until he was almost 2. The only reason he stopped sleeping in it was he was too active and he kept crawling out of it. The night he crawled out and pulled his feeding tube out of his belly was his last night! He still uses it when he is sick to lay in the living room and watch TV. J even likes to lay in it when he is sick too. This product was well worth every penny we didn't pay for it and would recommend it to anybody that has a baby! It is great for the severe refluxers like L but also for babies with colds or just a little reflux. We all hear stories about the babies that can only sleep in their car seat or baby swing...this is the perfect option for a comfortable and safe inclined sleeper.

L watching tv while getting a tube feed. We had a system of layering blankets over the Nap Nanny since we had many episodes of throwing up a day and an occasional diaper blow out. When a blanket would get dirty we would just peel it off and there was a clean one under it. This helped us from having to wash our Nap Nanny every day several times! You can also buy extra covers for them which is what we should have done but our sleep deprived minds didn't even think about that!

We would take the Nap Nanny to the hospital with us because it make L feel more secure and rest easier. It was something familiar from home. This picture was from a 10 day pneumonia stay and he was on the mend-note toy in mouth!

The cover has a zipper on the bottom to take it off and on the foam piece. There are also D-rings that help secure the cover to the foam. This is from the first generation when the lap belt was just attached to the cover. The newer generation of Nap Nanny's lap belts are more secure and actually attach to the foam.

Another great thing that helped us was they made a travel cover for it so it helped us keep it clean and prevented any damage!

One thing to note is the Nap Nanny is to only be used on the floor-Never in a crib or elevated surface. L didn't sleep in his crib until he was almost 2! This is one of the reasons....escape artists! They can climb out and then get stuck and then be in a dangerous situation. As L got older he became pretty good at escaping the Nap Nanny.

So bottom line: BUY IT! We would have paid for 20 of them if needed......

Pot Roast

2012-07-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ken jokes that every time we have friends or family over I use them as guinea pigs! It always gives me a reason to cook and try new things. We love the crock pot for Saturday nights so food is ready for us when we get home from church. This is something I got off Pinterest. I would usually post the original link but this one was just a link to a picture and a recipe in the comments area. The roast turned out fantastic and this is going in the KEEP bin!

One pack each: Ranch Dressing Pack, Italian Dressing Pack, Brown Gravy Pack

Mix with 1/2 cup water and then pour over the roast. I didn't turn it or touch it in any way while it was cooking. Right before we left for church I added a couple cans of green beans, fresh carrots, and potatoes. Everything was perfect when we got home! We just started to use the temp probe feature on our crock pot and it works so much better than just the standard high/low setting. Try it! It is super yummy! Enjoy.

L's current backpack

2012-07-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

After scouring the Internet for different kinds of feeding tube backpacks we quickly found that there aren't many out there. I talked about the Super Mini Backpack and The Feeding Essential Kiwi backpack and there are only one or two other backpacks out there for small kids. So Ken and I decided to try our hand at making a backpack for L. We bought an Elmo backpack at Wal-Mart that was really small but quickly decided that is wasn't going to work for a feeding tube backpack. The straps weren't padded and didn't get tight enough so he could quickly slip out of it. The back material was not really strong enough to hold the weight of the feeding tube and bag either. After searching Amazon and researching backpacks we decided to get a Littlelife Runabout Toddler Daypack. It was small, had a chest strap, padded shoulder straps, is super cute and is just the right price! It was $28, so compared to the $80 we paid for the Super Mini Backpack it was a steal. Thanks to my mom for helping us make this backpack into a feeding tube backpack. She did all of the sewing and work...we just told her what we wanted and she made it happen. Here is what we did:

1. We had some Toy Story ribbon that we had bought on clearance from a previous (failed!) project that we used to tie the bag. We doubled the ribbon to make it more sturdy and then put it at the top so the feeding bag would hang above the pump. I wanted it long enough to tie a bow but Hubby thinks it is too long...It is a perfect length! I decided I wanted to do ribbon instead of velcro because I think it will last longer than velcro. The super mini backpack's velcro doesn't stick anymore and pretty much after 10 minutes the feeding bag has fallen down.

2. My mom did an extra big button hole on the back of the backpack on the left side. The fabric was a little hard to get a nice clean button hole but it works and doesn't really get seen!

One thing to note is we ordered the blue backpack with the dinosaur on it and got this one instead so just beware you might not get a dino backpack. The hedgehog is cute though!

That is all we had to do! There was another backpack that I thought about getting but it didn't have a chest strap already so the Littlelife backpack won. It wouldn't be hard to add a chest strap to a backpack but for our first time we wanted to make it as simple as possible. The backpack is really small so figuring out how to get the pump and bag and emergency supplies in it took a couple of days to figure out. The supplies sit in the bottom of the bag, the pump sits vertical with the side where the tubes come out at the bottom, and the bag hangs from the ribbon. The weight distribution is similar to the super mini backpack, so it was an easy transition for L to make. We (I and the teachers and the therapist--Hubby is still unsure) actually like this backpack the best out of all of them because it fits him so well. It isn't bulky, sits perfect on his back, and is even a little more compact than the super mini backpack. L has a favorite rocking chair at home that he couldn't sit in when he wore his super mini but he can sit and be comfortable in it with the Littlelife backpack. It is also easier to cuddle with him with the Littlelife backpack!

The chest strap fits him perfect! The super mini backpack "chest strap" was very low and always bothered his GJ tube.

Review: Feeding Essentials Kiwi Backpack

2012-07-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

I had been following this company's Facebook page for a while. They are cheaper than the super mini backpacks and a lot cuter. When a mom was selling her gently used Kiwi backpack we decided to buy it and give it a try. It was a cute navy backpack with robots on it. It came with the optional matching padded shoulder straps too. We tried it on L a couple times and here is what I think:

1. The quality of fabric and the durability of the backpacks are great. I don't know how long the previous mom used the backpack..there was significant fading and some wear spots...but the seams and all stitching was still strong and intact. This company knows how to make a durable pack. GREAT!

2. The additional padded shoulder straps were nice. They added a little comfort to the straps for L when his feeding bag was full of formula. GOOD!

3. This backpack also came with the additional chest straps. Here is where I get to some of the negatives of the Kiwi backpack FOR US. There are many people who love them for their child but it wasn't for L. The straps fit him good but without the strap pals (padded straps) the straps tended to dig into L's neck and shoulders especially first thing in the morning when his bag was heaviest. The additional chest strap was great to help us keep the backpack on L but it wasn't fixed to a certain site and would slide up and down the straps. We could never get it to stay where we wanted it too even after multiple strap adjustments. Another negative to the chest strap was that it bunched/wrinkled the shoulder straps and the shoulder straps wouldn't lay flat. I did some google searches and a majority of the pictures of other kids wearing the Kiwi backpack have the same issue. L was always pulling at the straps to try to make it feel better and would get frustrated with it. NOT SO GOOD!

Notice how the straps wrinkle at the site where the chest strap are located. No matter how we adjusted we could never get them to lay flat. Maybe if they were sewn and in a fixed location.....

4. The size of the backpack is great. It is small and thin and easy for little kids to wear. The pump sits in the top zipper pouch and the feeding bag sits below it in the Velcro pocket. The only problem with the size was that there wasn't enough room to put our emergency supply bag in it like we could in the super mini. There is a little pocket to put stuff in but it was too small and easy for little hands (Like L's twin brother J) to get into. The weight distribution was an issue for L. He is used to the majority of the weight being lower in the bag and he could never got used to it sitting higher. He would try to lean over to pick something up and the backpack would slide up, hit him in the head, and make him fall over. L never really complains about wearing his backpack but usually after 45min of wearing this backpack he would ask for it to be taken off and if you said no he would try to take it off himself.
Actual Size: GOOD
Weight Distribution: Not for L
Extra Storage Site/Size: BAD

Top flap open to reveal the plastic sheet that allows for pump screen and buttons to be seen. That compartment is accessible through the top zipper.

The storage area is between the robot fabric and the fabric that covers the feeding bag compartment. Not much room to put our supplies and since it is on top it is easy for curious brother to get into. Also there isn't extra room inside the feeding bag area to put supplies.

This is the opening to the area that the feeding bag goes into. It is hard to get the bag into and also the Velcro piece to hold the bag on is very short. It is good quality Velcro that still holds strong even with a overfilled 500ml bag! One thing that I didn't talk about was that getting the tubing to the feeding pump and making sure it wasn't kinked was a hassle too.

My hand is the the area that the feeding pump goes. Sorry I didn't use the pump but it was busy feeding a little boy! The top of the bag has a zipper opening for the pump and the clear plastic piece to see the pump.

For us it wasn't the best pick for L so back to the drawing board we went. We keep it around because you never know when you will need an extra backpack and it is acceptable for an emergency backup backpack! I think if we had started with this backpack that L might not have had issues with it but since he was used to different straps and where the weight sits he didn't like it. Check out the site. There are more features and helpful AND cute products I didn't talk about but it is a company worth supporting!

Here is their website and a link to videos on Facebook showing how to use/load the backpack:
http://www.feedingessentials.com/
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=501840457096

New and improved potty seat

2012-07-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

The boys are coming along with the potty training. J is wearing pull-ups all day long and is getting better at letting us know when he needs to go. L is getting better too and will usually follow brother into the bathroom and go or at least try. L usually uses the frog potty seat that sits on the floor, and J usually will sit on his Sesame Street Elmo potty seat that is on the toilet in their bathroom.

We bought the Elmo seat at a consignment sale and the boys love it, but it did not come with a splash guard. We soon discovered that the splash guard was a critical part of the seat and would make things much easier for all of us. I looked on Amazon.com and found a Disney Cars potty seat with an over-sized splash guard for less than $11.00. It arrived today and was simple to assemble. The price was great and the splash guard will make potty and cleanup time so much easier!

Here's what J has been using

New and improved seat with much bigger splash guard

Oriental Salad with Ramen Noodles

2012-07-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love this "salad" and it is a very popular potluck item. I made this several weeks ago for book club and have been craving it every since. Yes I love to read and love my book clubbers! I work nights and don't always feel great and finding foods that settle well with the stomach are very limited. I was working Wednesday night and thought about making this and my mouth started watering. I sent hubby to the grocery store while I slept and when I got up I made this salad for dinner. It is super easy and delicious and it lasted 4 days of eating it two times a day. I love to cook and very rarely follow a recipe. I love to make it my own and add my own preferences. I am posting the original recipe and will tell you how I changed it.

Oriental Salad with Ramen Noodles

1 bag of cole slaw

1 bag of broccoli slaw (I don't like cole slaw so I do two bags of broccoli slaw)

1 pkg. Oriental Ramen noodles (I like 2 packs)

1 small bag of slivered almonds

cashews or peanuts (optional) (NOPE)

Dressing

1/2 cup canola oil (I use lighter flavor olive oil)

1/2 cup sugar *see note at bottom

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 TBS. soy sauce

Season packet from the Ramen noodles

Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil to save on clean up and spread out the almonds and crushed uncooked Ramen noodles. Bake the noodles and almonds for 12 minutes until they are a golden color. Let them cool.

Place both bags of broccoli slaw into a bowl. I go ahead and add the toasted Ramen and almonds as I don't really care if the noodles get soft. If you are taking this to a potluck don't add them until right before serving. Now to mix up the yummy dressing!

I put everything into a Ziplock twist top container so it is easy to shake. Add the oil, sugar, cider vinegar, soy sauce, and the season packs. Put lid on tight and shake really well so everything mixes evenly. Pour and toss. I would do the dressing a couple hours before so the dressing can soften the broccoli some. I make a double batch of the dressing. The noodles and broccoli will absorb a lot and I like my salad dripping! I added boiled and chopped chicken into the salad this week so it was a complete meal for me.

**I try to watch the sugar intake (even though you can't tell by my chocolate cake recipe) so when I made it this week I tried making it with Splenda. Spenda isn't my favorite sweetener but it is the best for cooking/baking. Sweet'N Low is my favorite for drinks. Anyways, I made it with Splenda (about 4 big spoonfuls) and it was okay but was better after adding 2 spoonfuls of sugar. So all in all I cut the sugar down from 1 cup (for the double batch) to 2 spoonfuls! I am happy with that.

*Also..sorry for the dark pictures. I am still working on getting the lighting and camera setting just right! Still needs some work....

L's First Backpack for EnteraLite Infinity feeding pump

2012-06-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

L got his feeding tube when he was almost 17 months old and changed to a GJ tube when he was almost 2. Because the GJ tube feeds the intestines (bypasses the stomach) you have to do continuous feeds. We needed a backpack that he could wear for 10 hours during the day. The backpack that came with his feeding tube was huge for him. It was almost as tall as he was so we searched for a backpack that would fit him. We found a super-mini backpack on Amazon that was made for the EnteraLite Infinity pump that L was using. The problem was that it was 80 dollars. We live on one income so that was a lot for one little backpack but L needed it so we scraped some money together and bought this one. We thought the blue and grey was cute and better than just the plain black. At that time there was also a red Hawaiian backpack that hubby thought was too girly. We got the backpack and it fit him perfectly. It took him some time to get his balance adjusted but after a couple days his backpack was a part of him. His little backpack didn't even slow him down. He put it on about 8 am and wore it until around 4 pm when he got to run around without it on for a couple hours before bed. At bedtime we would hang the backpack on the knob of the dresser right next to his crib and his pump would run all night.

L wearing his super mini backpack

L's first day of school wearing his super mini backpack

Fast forward 6 months....His backpack started coming apart at the zipper seam and pulling apart. We were a little disappointed that it had only been 6 months and we were already having to buy another backpack but considering he wore it every day all day long we were okay with getting him another one. We bought a solid black one this time from the same company on Amazon even though the solid black was $100 now. Not even 2 week into wearing the new backpack it started falling apart. We were mad! How could something so expensive that is made by a medical company that knew that kids were wearing this backpack just fall apart after 2 weeks? Well we returned it to that company and after some angry emails we got our money back. Luckily we had a friend whose child had a feeding tube but didn't need the super-mini backpack anymore so she gave it to us. It was amazing at the quality difference between that older one and the one we just returned. It was heavier duty with thicker fabric and the seams were strongly reinforced. It was like the company making the backpacks decreased the quality of the backpack over time while increasing the price. Ridiculous! We also found someone giving away their backpack on Facebook so we had 2 good backpacks and those lasted us until last month. When we looked to see how much the backpacks were currently running we found prices between 75-130 dollars. We decided to try a couple different backpacks and I will tell you about those another day! Here are some pictures of the old backpacks and the good and bad of the super-mini backpack:

The back pack has a front zipper so you can access the pump easily and elastic to hold in place.

You can see that the bag (500ml bag) sits a little above and behind the pump. The location of the pump and bag disperses the weight evenly.

Behind the feeding bag is a little mesh pocket that we use to have our emergency items in case we need them. We keep a 5ml syringe, roll of tape, NG tube, armband (from a hospital admission) with his information on it, extra GT button, drain sponge, and extension tube. Sounds like a lot but it is pretty compact.

The backpack has a "chest" strap that is really helpful for when your stubborn 2 year old gets mad and thinks the way to defy you is to take off his backpack! Even if he gets his arms out of the shoulder straps the chest strap keeps it from falling and possibly pulling out his tube. The problem with this strap is that it is very low and sit right on his GJ tube which can sometime cause irritation. One of the backpacks we got from Facebook had the straps cut off so we had to tie the extra length on the shoulder straps together. He can't get the bag off when we do that so now he will drop his pants. Another story for another time!

The Good: Velcro strap that fits around the bag and there is a hook for extra support to keep the bag lifted up and prevents lines from getting kinked.

The Bad: The velcro wears out very fast and most of the time comes undone but the hook keeps it from falling down. The newer bags are a little harder to hook as the holes to hang the bag with are more compact than they used to be and there isn't a really easy spot to clip the hook anymore.

The next two pictures are of the bag that the zipper has fallen apart on. You can see that the thread that holds the zipper to the backpack seam has come undone and the zipper actually separates from the bag. Once the zipper starts separating from the seam it makes it really hard to zip up and usually starts damaging the zipper. At that point there isn't much you can do with the bag. J likes to play with them and put his matchbox cars in them. Both worn out bags are in the toy box! The bag that we returned had issues with the seams. They were poorly sewn and came apart but the zipper was still intact. The only good thing about that was that we were able to use safety pins on the seams until we quickly found a replacement bag.

*Something to remember--always have a back up bag! You never know when you will need it. It always seemed we were on a trip when the bags fell apart.

*Also remember that you can click any of the pictures to see it larger and in more detail!

BLT Pasta Salad recipe

2012-06-27T09:40:00.001-05:00

Time for a healthy recipe! I got this a long time ago and I don't even remember where I got it. It is another good summer recipe that is best with fresh tomatoes, crispy bacon, and perfectly ripe avocados. You can make it with your favorite pasta. I like it with the spiral noodles but have made it elbow noodles too. This is the original recipe and while I haven't made it in a long time I know that I tweaked it a little bit to fit my liking. So taste the dressing before you mix it with your salad and make it your own. This definitely is best fresh and doesn't get better with time. Usually after 2-3 days the lettuce and avocados are turning brown, the noodles get soggy, and the dressing becomes pretty bitter. So make it, share it, and eat it all day!

BLT Pasta Salad
1 small box spiral noodles or the noodles of your liking
4 cups cut-up tomatoes
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 cups thin sliced lettuce (the easy way is to buy the shredded lettuce in the salad section)
1/2-1 sliced avocado (I love lots of avocado in my salad)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup fat free Mayo
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook your noodles and then rinse them in cold water. Next you mix the noodles with bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes in a big bowl with room to toss/stir the salad. In another bowl mix the sugar, vinegar, mayo, sour cream, and mustard. This is where you need to make sure that it pleases your taste buds. I usually leave out the mustard and add a little more vinegar and sugar. I like my dressing strong! Poor hubby hates the smell of vinegar and always complains but too bad because this is good! Pour the dressing over the noodle salad, stir really well and put into fridge. I can't wait for it to get fridge cold and will eat a big bowl first. Then later in the day I will eat some more. And then eat some for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next day. Yes I have a problem...I can eat something every day for a week and then be done with it for several months!

Best Ever Chocolate Cake

2012-06-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

We had college friends over this weekend that we haven't seen in over 4 years and we had a lot of fun. I wanted to make something yummy that we could stay up late and eat over while remembering all the fun we had in college. This cake is my favorite and pretty easy to ~~eat~~ cook. It is very moist and very rich. A little piece goes a long way to soothe my chocolate cravings. It is the closest thing to Chili's Molten Chocolate Cake that I have made that isn't a lava cake. Trust me...it is good and I don't think I have one person not like it! It has been years since I have made this and I was so excited that I forgot to take pictures until I was all ready to put it into the oven!

I also forgot to take a picture of it as a finished product before we dug into it! This is what was left after 2 days of eating.

It has been in the fridge for 2 days so the chocolate icing is a little discolored

Best chocolate cake EVER

Cake:
1(18 1/4 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

Icing:

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bunt pan (I use Pam baking Spray) In a large bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, milk, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until blended. Mix in the 2 cups chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a wire rack (or serving plate). Cool completely.

To make the glaze: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and stir continuously until smooth. Be careful to keep stirring and not to have the heat on too high. We wouldn't want to burn the delicious chocolate! Drizzle over the cake.

I always keep the cake in the fridge just because of all the eggs and dairy products that go into the cake. To make it taste more like the molten chocolate cake this is what I do: Heat in microwave for 25-30 seconds and add your vanilla ice cream on top! I love when the ice cream melts down in the cake and the chocolate icing is slightly melted. Yum.....I think I hear some cake calling me from the fridge.

Easiest And Cheapest Way To Buy Diapers

2012-06-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Besides our premiums for healthcare, our biggest baby expense was the cost of diapers. Having twins also means twice the diapers, so I took my time researching the easiest and cheapest way for us to get diapers. I won't repeat the description of our situation from the last post (read it here), but we did not have the time (and sometimes did not have the ability) to make a special or late-night trip for diapers.

I had heard of Diapers.com from a friend and tried them first. Prices were good - the same or a little cheaper than buying from our local Wal-Mart, Kroger or Walgreens. They have free 2-day shipping on orders of $49 or more. Buying for two babies meant going through two of the largest-sized boxes of diapers each month, so our order always shipped free. Diapers.com regularly had online manufacturers coupons of $1 or $2 off (like the coupons you would get in the newspaper or mail) and you could also mail in your own coupons to use for purchases on the site. This worked very well and saved a lot of time and hassle - when I noticed the diapers were starting to run low, I jumped online, took less than 2 minutes to order, and two days later they would show up at the front door. No complaints at all expect that after 10-12 months, Pampers raised their prices on everything, so I started looking around and quickly found a better and even easier deal.

We are huge fans of Amazon.com and have been using them for diapers ever since. Amazon Mom is a free program for parents and caretakers of small children. Amazon Mom members receive benefits such as three months of FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime, 20% off diapers and wipes which are auto-delivered to your doorstep with Subscribe & Save and other promotions geared toward parents. The Subscribe & Save program offers automatic monthly delivery of many household items. You choose how often to deliver (from one to six months) and receive a nice discount in addition to the convenience. You can space shipments out to avoid overbuying or cancel immediately after the first shipment, so it's really a no-strings-attached membership.

J and L are potty training, so instead of getting two boxes of diapers each month, I've changed it to one box of diapers and one box of pull-ups. If we're running low, an extra shipment can be sent with the same discount. A week before scheduled shipments, Amazon emails a reminder and gives the option of skipping the shipment or cancelling the subscription. This has really saved us time and frustration while providing the lowest cost for diapers.

How We Chose Diapers For The Boys

2012-06-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

I know there are very many options when it comes to diapers. Since J and L were premature twins with reflux and other needs (home oxygen, pulse-ox monitor, L had to spend most of his time being held or laying on a wedge to stay elevated) we did not even consider cloth diapers. I've heard they save money and some have used delivery services that make it convenient. If cloth diapers have worked for you, please leave a comment and let me know. For us, our first year was consumed with round-the-clock feeding, changing, and medicating (J had a couple and L had 7 daily medications) while trying to get a little sleep, monthly appointments with multiple doctors and hospital clinics, therapies, surgeries, and much much more.

Before the boys were born, I heard one of our friends talk about ordering diapers online, and that is where we began. I'll write a detailed post about the sites we used, how we liked it, costs and convenience, and what we've found to be the best. For now, I'll just say that the boys began their lives using Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive in the hospital. J was there for 6 weeks and it was 4 months before L was able to come home - those diapers worked well for them, so we saw no reason to change.

Yes, brand-name diapers are more expensive and after a few months at home we tried other brands to try saving money. Every baby is different and you may have had great experiences with store-brand diapers, but they just did not work for us. The Target brand did not fit as well, were much thinner, and we had to change the boys at least twice as often (plus deal with many more blowouts than normal). The Wal-Mart brand fit better, but again were thinner, less absorbent, and L's skin had a bad reaction to them. We buy store-brand food and most other things almost exclusively, but when it came to diapers, Pampers were the softest, held the most, and required less changing. For us, the premium price was definitely worth it.

Couscous Salad

2012-06-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Need a quick and easy lunch? Couscous is our favorite side dish that we usually eat with some variety of chicken. It is super easy to make: Boil water, put couscous in pan, stir, turn off heat, let sit for 5-8 minutes, and fluff with fork. That's it! You can find it in the rice section even though it is a pasta made from wheat. We buy a big container of RiceSelect Original Couscous and spice it up the way we (I) like it--usually boil it with a chicken bullion cube and once done add parmesan cheese, ranch powder, and garlic salt. Lots of parmesan....we go through it real fast. This is a light but filling meal that is great for summer time when you can get fresh ingredients to go in it. I need to go raid my parents garden soon for some fresh tomatoes! Here is how this recipe goes:

The amount of broth/water depends on how much couscous you want to make. It is a 1:1 ratio. Usually one cup of couscous is enough for hubby and me with a little left over. We will go with 2 cups for the recipe.

Place 2 cups chicken broth/ or water with a bullion cube on the stove and bring to a boil.

Once water is boiling add in your 2 cups of couscous, stir, cover, turn off heat, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Once the 5 minutes is over get a fork and fluff up your couscous. It looks very dense but once you start fluffing you will be amazed how light and how much it bulk up. I also always add a little butter when fluffing up the couscous to keep it from getting too dry.

Cut up and add: 12 grape tomatoes, 2 green onion sliced, 1/2 cup feta cheese, 1/4 cup red onion minced, and 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese. Toss with a fork and Enjoy--see super easy

Now the fun comes in when you start adding and taking away ingredients to make it the perfect meal for you. I like to add shrimp in my salad for a little protein. I have done many different varieties and loved most of them. There were a few that were placed on the do not repeat list!

Let me know if you try this and what your perfect recipe combo has in it.

--R

L and his feeding tube

2012-06-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

L has a Mic-key GJ Tube (a tube that bypasses his stomach) that provides all his nutrition because he will not/cannot eat enough to keep himself alive. L didn't get his tube until he was 16 months old and we had tried everything we could and followed every advice we could to try to get him to eat and gain weight. Getting his feeding tube was something we knew had to be done but we waited until we had exhausted every other idea before we consented. He started with a Gastric Tube (GT) that put formula into his stomach. He couldn't keep the formula down and was tiny because he couldn't gain weight so we switched to the tube that bypassed his stomach. He started gaining weight and became a happier healthier boy! This is the short side of the story.

We struggled with his eating, weight gain, reflux, vomiting, and many other things until he was almost 2 years old. He will have had his GJ Tube a year in August and even though life is easier, we still have our struggles. L still won't eat and only drinks about 1-2 ounces of fluid (usually water) on a good day. He is in therapy at his daycare and S L O W L Y takes little steps toward our goal of getting rid of his feeding tube. We are about to do one of the last tests to check him for something that may be causing his swallowing problems. After that we are going to really push eating and drinking and maybe do an intensive feeding program. I will say that one thing hubby and I both agree on is that if L has to be tube fed his whole life, we are okay with that. He is a miracle little boy who has an amazing story of God's healing in his life. With all that "could have been" we are so thankful that this is his only major lingering issue. There is so much more that I could write about but it would take months to get it all down!

There are many things that hubby and I want to use this blog for: sharing our thoughts, saving you money, sharing yummy recipes, and technical stuff I have no clue about! I also want to talk about what we go through with a son with a feeding tube. There are very few resources/information for children with feeding tubes and we want to share what we find. The more people that talk about it, the more attention it will receive, and more resources will become available! Even if you don't have a child with a feeding tube, chances are you will run into someone who does or a friend of a friend will surface that could use information. I hope that we can become a place where people can turn to for information!

I LOVE MY TUBIE AND HIS TWIN!

-R

Vinegar Rinse

2012-06-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Back to the fresh strawberries! I heard from friends about rinsing them in vinegar to make them last a little longer. I decided to try it and see if it worked. I got a half flat of strawberries from the farmers market and they were beautiful. I was working and couldn't get to them for several days and by the second day they were starting to get soft. I decided to freeze most of them but wanted some to take to work the last day.

I got a big bowl and put the strawberries that I wanted to keep fresh in it. I got a measuring cup and did 1/4 cup vinegar and 3/4 cup water. I dumped that in the bowls with the strawberries and gently hand tossed the berries in the water. I let them sit while I cleaned and cut up the berries I wanted to freeze. After I finished with those berries I returned to the berries sitting in the vinegar water. I drained the water and rinsed them with running water. I ate the few that were already getting mushy with no bitter vinegar taste and placed them into the fridge.

I was very surprised that 3 and 4 days later I still had beautiful strawberries that hadn't molded or turned to mush! I will be doing this every time I get some fresh fruit. I am pretty sure this will work on most berries but don't know about other fruits like peaches or plums. I can't wait until peaches are in season and I can find out!

-R

NFL - Please Take My Money!

2012-06-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I had the privilege of writing a guest column for one of my favorite blogs, Fangs Bites, which does a great job covering sports media and broadcasting. Follow the link below to see why I want to give the NFL my money:

Guest Column: NFL — Please Take My Money | Fang's Bites

Swimming Holes

2012-06-08T08:30:00.000-05:00

It is HOT! We do not have a pool (except a small plastic one in the back yard) and we do not have access to a pool that doesn't cost an arm and leg to join. I stumbled on this website when looking for cheap/ free alternatives to a community pool since my boys LOVE the water. It is http://swimmingholes.org and you can search for parks and off beat swimming holes in your area. Some of them are close to home and others you can take a day trip to go swim and enjoy the summer.

The website tells you many things like what town it is close, a link to Google maps, what type of water it is (hot spring, swimming hole, wading area, park), descriptions, and directions. Some have pictures attached and if there are facilities on site or near the area.

Here are a couple examples for states across the country:

Georgia:

Hike through the Cochran Mill Park along a medium-sized creek (Bear Creek) with several beautiful waterfalls and rock slides. Not really a swimming place, more a wading, water-play and sliding place. There is also a nature center here

Florida:

Rainbow Springs is a large spring and is the headwater for the Rainbow River. Can swim and snorkel (tube also but only at the campground) in the river. A beautiful park (used to be a private tourist attraction) and well worth a trip to visit this first magnitude spring and the Rainbow River, which is crystal clear over it's entire length. Great hike through the park also.

Utah:

Beautiful falls which drop 126 feet into a cool desert swimming pool. Three mile hike each way. Not much elevation change but it can be hot and much of it is on a sandy trail which is tiring. Popular hike, lots of people on weekends. Park at campground (may be crowded parking on weekends)and pay day use fee. Follow the well-marked trail north about 3 miles (each way) to the waterfall. May be shallow late in season.

New York:

There is a very beautifully developed official swimming beach (with lifeguard) here in a glacier-scoured, spring-fed "kettle" lake.

Arizona:

There is a very beautifully developed official swimming beach (with lifeguard) here in a glacier-scoured, spring-fed "kettle" lake.

Hope you find some place nearby that you can enjoy! If you go, take some pictures and send them to us!