tales from the crib

it's the most wonderful time of the year...chicago toy and game fair! #chitag2018

2018-11-13T21:10:00.003-06:00

we received free passes to the chicago toy and game fair in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

we are entering a time of year when we start thinking about all our family traditions and the things we like to do every single year. i'm always hesitant to add anything new to this time of year because the kids will insist on doing it every year from here on out.

our favorite tradition that kicks off this season of traditions is the chicago toy and game fair. we've been pretty busy this year, so we had a family meeting to see if everyone wanted still to go this year. sure enough, no one wants to miss it!

when people ask me what we like the most about going, i have to say i'm most thankful for the time just to hang out with my kids and play. we don't think about homework. we don't worry about other responsibilities. i don't have to think about all the laundry piled up.

we. just. play.

it's fun.

think about joining us! we would love to see friends and family there. we love to compare notes about who has found the best new game. and of course, we can't make our christmas lists until we find out which new toys are the best.

here are just a few of the activities happening this year:

hang out with big stars like santa, princess etch-a-sketch, and greedy granny
take part in the stratego national tournament
see your favorite characters from star wars
watch the best yo-yoers at the yo-yo championship
meet toy and game inventors from around the world

if you want to come, purchase your tickets here and be sure to use the code CHITAG3 for a discount on your tickets!

what our family loves about the chicago toy and game fair - a reflection

2017-11-30T21:14:00.002-06:00

our family received free passes to chitag. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

every year, our family gets super excited about the chicago toy and game fair. and every year, i wonder what it is everyone likes about it.

i apologize for the blurry pic. first thing in the morning is not my best photographic hour

a friend of mine was worried chitag would make her kids too materialistic. maybe they would want to own everything they see. somehow this doesn't really happen to us. we don't leave with bags and bags of games. in fact, we don't usually buy much of anything.

usually the kids leave with a few ideas for their christmas lists, but this really isn't much different from what happens when they spend time scrolling through amazon lists. i feel better about what they add to their lists from the toy and game fair, because they have actually played the games or played with the toys, and they know what they actually enjoy. they aren't just guessing from the ads or from looking at the box.

something happens at the fair that makes this event a highlight for our family each year. i have to admit, it doesn't happen for the first couple hours. we start out feeling completely overwhelmed. whatever we are playing with or checking out, we can't help feeling like we are missing out on something better somewhere else in the festival hall. we have to adjust our bearings as we notice that some of our old favorites might not be there (tate was super disappointed that razor wasn't there this year), and try to figure out which of the newcomers we might actually like.

but about hour three, we all kind of settle in and find our groove. we make friends with some of the inventors and distributors in the booths.

every year i personally look forward to seeing the inventor of klask and bonk. he comes from europe each year, and he is a phenomenal guy who has come up with some really amazing games. we especially like to play klask when we are feeling tired and are getting slap-happy. there is something about playing this game that can really make us crack up. i think i may have even fallen off my chair a time or two.

this year, our family really gravitated toward university games. the man working there got to know each kid and made us feel particularly welcome and special. tessa and zoe faced off head to head in both rubik's flip and rubik's race. tessa has added rubik's flip to her christmas list now. lilianna got to play fishing for words with the inventor! my favorite was house of boing, since i like the fast-paced games better.

tessa spent nearly an hour there trying to solve one of their hanayama diecast puzzles (and she solved it so she got to take it home!).

we don't even see lilianna half the time. she wanders off and manages to develop her own relationships with game vendors and inventors. she comes home with stickers and business cards from people we haven't even always seen. i don't know what people think about a little girl who seems to be there without parents, but i think it is a good experience for her to be a person apart from the shadow of three outgoing siblings. i think she gains independence and self-confidence from her time at the fair. her favorite booth is always the giant wordwinder. she can spend hours making words with plastic plates. i will say her words have improved every year--a few years ago, i think she was more interested in randomly putting out plates than in forming actual words!

tate came away with two new great loves. he played treasures and traps with the inventor and absolutely must have it for christmas now. this is a card game in which you are trying to collect three treasures: gold, silver and bronze. but as you are working to collect them, your opponents may force you contend with a two-headed troll and a variety of thieves. tate played this over and over.

his other great love is one that should make his future science teachers happy. it is called valence by science ninjas. this is another card game. you look in your hand at your cards with different elements on them. if you add up valence numbers to get zero, and then match colors to create a molecule then you have the knack of the game. it is a great way to learn about chemistry and the periodic table. this game is also on tate's list, but it might have more to do with the cool drawings of "science ninjas" than the fact that he has a passionate love for the periodic table!

last, but not least, our new favorite family game is sure to be ice cool by brain games. we love this one because it works for all ages. the kids like flicking the penguins around the board. the penguins collect fish, while one person, the "catcher," is trying to collect the penguins who are racing around trying to get fish. this game has enough action in it to keep everyone satisfied.

by the end of the day, we are all exhausted. looking back, i see how we have grown closer as a family through our shared experience. we have learned a little bit more about ourselves and where our passions lie. and we have another positive experience of fun and laughter to add to our memory banks. this is what we love about chicago toy and game fair.

bonk the board game makes family game night family great night!

2017-11-17T14:33:00.003-06:00

we received a copy of this game for the purpose of this review. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

we recently tried out a new family board game, and we are in love! the game is called bonk.

this fast-paced game requires dexterity, planning and a fair bit of chance. check out this craziness for yourself:

we love family game night. one night, divided up into teams of two and played each other in a tournament-style to see who would become the reigning champs.

this game moves so fast, all our pictures of playing it are blurry!

basically, each player starts with three metal balls. after a group high five, each player must roll those balls down the wooden shoot to keep the other team from knocking the wooden ball into their goal chute. 6 points wins the game!

don't forget to start with an all player high-five!

you can see another video of our family hijinks here, but turn down your volume. for my family, passions run high during family game night!

what i appreciate most about this game is that it is so sturdily built. you can see in the video that our family doesn't always lose well--this game has already stood up to quite a bit of abuse from sore losers!

also, it moves pretty fast. sometimes we only have limited time for family game night. this game sets up quickly and easily. games go fast so we can easily play tournament-style and still get the kiddos to bed on time.

for your family gatherings this holiday season, consider bringing this game along for lots of fun and hilarity!

come out and play! join us at the chicago toy and game fair! #chitag

2017-11-17T13:46:00.001-06:00

we received free passes to the chicago toy and game fair in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

we are getting ready for another fun-filled day at the chicago toy and game fair tomorrow! i could hardly get the kids to focus on getting ready for school this morning because they are so excited about tomorrow.

the chicago toy and game fair (or #chitag) has given us so many good memories. i can't believe this photo is five years old! have we really been going for that many years?

we will be trying out the latest and greatest toys and games tomorrow. the kids always get ideas for their christmas lists when we go. but the best part is really just having an entire day devoted to play.

did you know that kids are playing less and less? some experts wonder if the decrease in play is tied to the rise in sensory and anxiety issues. encourage your kids to play and use their imagination. you can get lots of ideas at chitag!

if you decide to join our family, use the code ChiTAGPLAY when you purchase your tickets here, and get a 50% discount on the ticket price. worried about parking? reserve your spor with spothero in advance; use the promo code CHITAG and save $5 on parking. we would love to see you there!

life lessons with chicago children's theatre's a year with frog and toad

2017-10-04T10:13:00.002-05:00

lilianna and i received free tickets to a performance of cct's a year with frog and toad. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

if there is one thing i would like my kids (and, frankly, all kids everywhere) to be learning right now, it is that we can be friends with people who are different from us.

one of the reasons we decided to settle down in chicago was because we wanted our kids to have opportunities to have relationships with people who are different from them. over and over, what i see on facebook or hear on the news are people who are angry about people who are different from them.

in the beloved frog and toad books by arnold lobel, frog is a frog with a laid-back, carefree, happy-go-lucky personality. toad is worried, leaning toward grumpy, and more high-strung, not to mention that he is a toad and not a frog. nevertheless, over and over again, through a variety of adventures, frog and toad's friendship proves strong and true, able to weather both literal and figurative storms. what a great reminder for our kids and for us about the power and value of friendship.

this is why i was more than excited to attend chicago children's theatre's production of a year with frog and toad. in the opening number of the musical, frog acknowledges that toad isn't good at sports, and, "of course, he's got those warts," but toad is still "a lovely friend" to frog. both frog and toad conclude that, in each other, they find "no better friend for me."

matthew c. yee and andy nagraj. photo by evan barr

what follows is a delightful series of escapades and adventures for frog and toad, with a hilarious and spirited cadre of companions thrown into the mix. during the course of the 60 minute production, we laughed and groaned and maybe even shed a tear as frog and toad shared life together through each season of the year.

frog and toad production photo by charles osgood

the casting of this production is perfection. everyone in the performance did an amazing job of evoking the character of the variety of animals, with just a few slight clothing changes. we laughed at the snail delivering the mail, and groaned at the mouse and squirrel who made a mess of the raked-up leaves. matthew c. yee and andy nagraj made me believe that they really were a frog and a toad. everyone played more than one instrument: the talent was awe-inspiring!

frog and toad production photo by charles osgood

lilianna and i both want to listen to the songs over and over again (and we can, thanks to spotify!). of course, the songs are much more enjoyable when we can actually watch the characters in this video!

the show runs now through october 29, 2017 in the new, 149-seat pritzker family studio theatre at chicago children's theatre, the station, 100 s. racine ave, chicago (which has a parking lot!).

performance times are tuesday through friday at 10 am, saturday at 10.30 am, 12.30 pm and 3 pm and sunday at 10.30 am and 12.30 pm. tickets are $35, but there are a variety of subscription packages for those who would like to attend multiple shows throughout the year. for tickets and information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.or or call (872) 222-9555.

for those with special needs, there will be an access weekend on saturday and sunday, october 7 and 8, 2017. asl interpretation will be available on october 7 at the 10.30 pm performance. open captioning will be provided for the 10.30 pm, 12.30 pm and 3 pm performances on october 7. the october 8 performances will be sensory-friendly, with both a quiet room and family restroom available.

taylor farms and stonyfield make a delicious salad combination!

2017-07-13T11:02:00.000-05:00

i received coupons for taylor farms and stonyfield in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

the last thing i want to do this summer is turn on the oven. i'm pretty sure we have such an old oven that whole kitchen heats up the second i turn it on.

our favorite salad these days is on a weekly rotation at our house. it also make a great dish for company.

we use a big box of spring mix (thank you, taylor farms!). i divide it up between two platters when i serve my family.

next i cut up some rotisserie chicken or some baked chicken breasts, whatever we have on hand.

we like this salad best with fresh blueberries, but black berries, mango, strawberries or even cherries would also be good.

on one salad platter, i sprinkle feta cheese because that is my favorite. the kids don't really like it, so on the other platter i cut up a goat cheese log and sprinkle that on their salad.

finally, i roast some chopped pecans and sprinkle that over everything else.

stonyfield yogurt makes a great dressing that is perfect for this fruity, tangy salad. to make a poppyseed dressing, i used 1 cup stonyfield organic greek yogurt. one teaspoon dijon mustard, one teaspoon lemon juice, one teaspoon honey, and two tablespoons poppy seeds. salt and pepper to taste. put all the ingredients in a jar and shake them up, or stir them up together, and refrigerate until ready to use.

you would be amazed how addictive this salad is! i actually horde the leftovers because i love this salad so much!

recipe:

1 box taylor farms organic baby spring mix salad
2 roasted chicken breasts or 1/2 rotisserie chicken
1 box fresh blueberries (or other fresh fruit of choice)
1 cup roasted chopped pecans
2 (8 oz) packages feta cheese or goat cheese

for creamy poppyseed dressing:
1 cup stonyfield organic greek yogurt
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
salt and pepper to taste

layer salad ingredients to make the salad.
mix dressing ingredients together and pour over salad when serving.

date night with g. h. cretors popcorn!

2017-07-12T12:06:00.001-05:00

i received a sample of g. h. cretors popcorn and some other gifts in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

we love popcorn. we are a popcorn eating family. a movie just isn't a movie without a great big bowl of fluffy popcorn.

when we make popcorn, we make a mix of white and yellow kernal popcorn. white because it has better flavor, yellow because it pops into bigger, fluffier popcorn. how can you possibly choose between the two?

and now we are in love with g. h. cretors popcorn. they take their popcorn just as seriously as our family does. they have been creating handcrafted, gourmet popcorn since 1885.

for their cheese popcorn, it isn't just some unnaturally colored orange cheese dust. they use premium, aged cheddar cheese to cover their popcorn. and the caramel for their caramel corn is cooked by actual candy chefs.

g. h. creters popcorn is made without any genetically modified ingredients and popcorn. their organics line uses only organically certified ingredients. in addition, they use brown rice syrup to sweeten their popcorn, which is better for our bodies and also provides a crisp sweetness to the popcorn. popcorn is naturally gluten-free and g. h. cretors makes sure to keep all their products and their facility gluten-free.

they also offer some pretty amazing flavors. you can't go wrong with the classic mix of cheddar cheese and caramel corn. you can also get just the cheese corn or just the cheddar. they recently released their organic line with a choice of extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, dill pickle flavoring (yummy!) or chile jalapeño white cheddar for those who like a bit of kick with their snack.

some of the popcorn disappeared before the picture was taken! oops!

bill and love to put the kids to bed and collect all our favorite snacks and then put in a great movie to watch together. thanks to g. h. cretors, we will get to catch up on some academy award favorites that we never got to see in theaters (because we never make it to the theater!).

how about you? which flavor would you choose for a special in home date night?

music to lift your spirit

2017-06-08T11:34:00.002-05:00

i have lost control of the car radio.

apparently, the "rule" (which was never communicated to me, let alone by me!) is that whoever sits "shotgun" in the van with me gets to choose what we listen to on the radio.

(my thought: why doesn't everyone want to learn all the interesting things we learn from listening to npr?)

of course, i always have the power of veto, since there are just some things that i don't want the "little ones" to hear, let alone be singing!

sometimes after spending too much time in the car listening to the music that the kids picked, i feel like listening to something that will lift my spirits (and clear my brain!).

one of my favorite things to listen to lately is a new release by a friend of bill's family, glenna marshall. she does a great job celebrating our greatest loves and joys, as well as expressing our deepest and loneliest moments. when i need a mental "palette cleansing," glenna's album exactly meets my need.

we just can't ignore the fact that music speaks to us on an emotional level. glenna's willingness to share her own emotions so honestly, as well as the emotions of those with whom she has walked and those she has counseled, makes this an album that seems to express my own emotions so well.

listening to glenna's album reminds me that i am not alone in my journey, with all its particular highs and lows. i feel thankful to celebrate the goodness and love of God, as well as to mourn the difficulties in my relationships with someone who really seems to get me.

watch her video and see what you think. her album is available on amazon for purchase, and on spotify for streaming....

see an aza accredited zoo this summer with #stonyfield! #stonyfieldblogger

2017-05-26T10:45:00.000-05:00

as a stonyfield yogetter, i often get stonyfield coupons and a small amount of compensation for passing along information like what you find here. regardless, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own. i hope you enjoy learning more about the efforts being made by a great company like stonyfield to make the world a better place.

zoe turned 15 yesterday, which means everyone in chicago should watch out! this is going to be a common sight around here pretty soon--hopefully not with the flat tires and all the luggage strapped to the top--we are a big family, but so far we can still fit all our stuff in the trunk!

this is one of my favorite pictures from our trip to one of our favorite aza-accredited zoos, binder park zoo in battle creek, michigan. this zoo has always been a favorite destination spot for me, from the time i was little, but i can't believe how much things have changed since then (even if it was only a short time ago!).

my first memories of the zoo include chickens, goats, and peacocks the most exotic display was the prairie dogs. these days, the zoo is hardly recognizable.

binder park zoo now occupies 433 acres, has approximately 600 animals of over 139 species, and welcomes over 225,000 visitors per year. in addition, binder park zoo is one of only five accredited zoos in the state of michigan. it definitely puts my hometown on the map. it is worth a visit!

the peacocks roam freely all over the zoo, so you never know when you will run into one, as we did here...

it may have been mating season when we were there because we saw many peacocks in their full glory when we were there--including a white peacock!

the petting zoo has greatly expanded from when i was little. it is much bigger and lets you get up close and personal with fuzzy guys like this one...

doesn't it seem like he is just asking for a kiss? (uh...no thanks!)

the kids loved feeding and petting llamas, goats, and even giraffes!

not sure why i have another llama picture and not giraffes!

how about these giraffes? (can you tell tessa didn't want me to take this picture?!)

the best addition to the zoo is the african safari section. you actually get on a tram and ride to "africa." they have designed the whole exhibit so you feel like you have actually traveled to africa during your 15 minute tram ride!

on the grassy plain you can see giraffes (and feed them!), zebras, ostriches, buzzards, stork, african wild dogs, cheetah, antelope, an aviary, and many african domestic animals.

on our visit, we were cracking up at a buzzard we nicknamed "bob." he kept following us from one viewing point to another, and it really seemed like he wanted a particular ostrich to give him some extra attention. either it was actually hilarious, or we were just slap-happy. either way, we laughed really hard, and that was a high point of our visit!

stonyfield doesn't just care about giving us healthy, sustainable options for our diet. they want to make the whole world healthier and more sustainable. each year they keep over 185,000 pounds of toxic pesticides out of the environment, helping to safeguard species and their eco-systems.

now they are sponsoring the aza s.a.v.e (saving animals from extinction) programs. as part of this year-long effort, stonyfield will be contributing funds to field work, as well as aiming to drive kids and their family to see animals and conservation projects first hand at zoos, aquariums and on the ground where the research is happening.

aza-accredited zoos are dedicated to providing excellent care for the animals, as well as a better future for all living things.

aza-accredited zoos like binder park zoo are home to many species survival plan (ssp) animals in which aza-accredited zoos coordinate efforts to improve the genetics and survivability of threated and endangered species.

stonyfield yokids is featuring an on-pack offer to get families out to visit any of the 131 particpating aza-accredited member zoos and aquariums in your own community (but i'd still recommend a trip to binder park zoo in battle creek, michigan. you can say "hi" to my parents while you are there!). check here for a list of zoos near you.

do your part to make this world a better place, and have a great time at a local aza-accredited zoo or aquarium while you do so!

celebrate spring by celebrating #thewholeyou! #stonyfieldblogger

2017-05-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

i received a free dress from prana and some stonyfield yogurt coupons in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

although i am grateful that we had a relatively easy winter, i am really ready for some nice and sunny spring days.

By Quartl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

instead, we are having lots and lots (and lots) of rain. *sigh*

By Juni from Kyoto, Japan - Flickr, CC BY 2.0

since the weather refuses to cooperate, i'm looking for other excuses to choose joy and find happiness.

i feel like one of the advantages of being at this stage of...maturity is that i'm finally more conscious of what i like to wear and eat to reflect what is inside, instead of trying to fit into someone else's idea of what i should wear or eat.

when i think about what it means to eat or dress in a way that reflects #thewholeyou, i think about foods that make me feel better after i'm done eating, instead of feeling worse about myself. i want to wear clothing that is flattering and comfortable, but still makes me feel a little flirty, like someone who knows how to have fun.

this is why i really like working with stonyfield, and why i'm particularly glad they have partnered with prana. everything that i own that is from prana is instantly my favorite. my favorite jeans, my favorite dresses, everything is my favorite!

since it is another rainy and gloomy day, this is what i'm doing. i'm listening to some great summery music....

i'm drinking some delicious tea...

i'm eating some of my favorite stonyfield whole milk greek yogurt with my favorite toppings mixed in...

and i'm wearing my new favorite summer dress from prana. i might have to wear it with leggings and a cardigan for now, but it is absolutely going to be the best thing when the temperatures start to climb this summer!

blerg--this is how much i love you--i'm including
this picture of myself even though i hate all photos of me!

how about you? what do you do to keep a summertime frame of mind when the clouds are hanging low?

if you think a prana addition to your wardrobe could help you think summer and celebrate #thewholeyou, feel free to use this discount code: WHOLES17MMK from now until may 31, 2017. you can get 15% off your entire order. (make sure to check out their swimming suits too!) let me know what you pick out!

happy world penguin day!! #stonyfieldblogger

2017-04-25T15:01:00.001-05:00

i received free passes to an aza zoo and some stonyfield coupons in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

what do cows and penguins have in common?

they are both a part of the animal kingdom, and, without us, they do not have a voice to ask for protection and care for their sustainability.

cows also make milk, which is used to make yogurt, which is sold by stonyfield, which is sponsoring aza safe (saving animals from extinction, which is working with stonyfield to help save endangered species, of which the african penguin is one. (see that connection there?!?)

this year, stonyfield wants kids and their families to see animals and conservation projects first hand at zoos, aquariums and on the ground where the research is happening.

you wouldn't think a yogurt company would have much to do with zoos and wildlife, but stonyfield has long been focused on conservation and sustainability. with your help, they keep over 185,000 pounds of toxic pesticides out of the environment every year. think about how much this helps a wide variety of species and their ecosystems.

the lovable african penguin and most endangered aza safe species can be found on stonyfield yokids packaging this year. also be on the lookout for an on-pack offer to get families out to visit any of the 131 participating accredited member zooes and aquariums in your own community. now through september, if you buy two specially-marked yokids multipacks, you can receive a free kid's ticket to an aza accredited zoo or aquarium with the purchase of an adult ticket.

if you are still on the fence about buying stonyfield yogurt, you might be glad to know that stonyfield recently announced a sugar reduction across its yogurt portfolio--including yokids (i have never heard of a yogurt portfolio, but i am thinking about starting one. after that, i will start a chocolate portfolio!). yokids yogurt now has as much as 40% less sugar and is available in squeezer, cups and smoothies.

if you are looking for more ways to get your kids involved in and thinking about conservation, wildlife, and environmental responsiblity, stonyfield has put together some fun activities and videos here for your kids to enjoy and explore.

yo! baby!!--yobaby® yogurt now has probiotics for baby's tummy! #stonyfieldblogger

2017-03-14T22:16:00.001-05:00

i received some coupons for stonyfield yobaby yogurt in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

this is lilianna and i hanging out after opening our presents this christmas. aren't you just totally impressed with our chill factor? we are so. totally. chill.

we've been spending quite a bit of time together lately. chilling, of course. but maybe a little more time than i would prefer, unfortunately. lilianna has been sick quite frequently lately so we are spending a lot of time together when she is supposed to be at school.

i wish i knew what was going on with her. her stomach is upset just about every day. we've been to the doctor, but he doesn't have any ideas or suggestions for what is wrong with her.

so i'm trying a variety of things to see what helps and what hurts. milk seems to bother her, so for breakfast, lilianna has been eating a lot of yogurt.

we've also been trying peppermint oil, enzymes and probiotics. i just want to do whatever i can to help her have a healthy tummy.

stonyfield has made two changes to their yobaby® yogurt that i hope catch on for their other yogurts as well. first, they have added probiotic bb-12® to the yobaby® line. bb-12® has been shown to have a digestive health benefit, by promoting regularity and beneficial gut bacteria when consumed regularly.

i think this will be particularly helpful for lilianna while we try to figure out how to get her tummy situated. the other change this is coming is that stonyfield is working to remove added sugars from the whole yobaby® line. right now, there is no added sugar to the yobaby® plain yogurt. added sugar has no nutritional benefit, and can do other damage to our bodies, so i am trying to reduce lilianna's sugar intake as well.

this is why lilianna and i have been eating more plain yogurt.

but for those of you with babies, i would love to tell you why yobaby® is a great choice for your baby. it is the #1 pediatrician-recommended brand of refrigerated yogurts for babies ages 6 months to 2 years. it is also the only yogurt formulated especially for babies, and it is made with organic whole milk.

if you are trying to figure out first foods for your 6 month old, stonyfield yobaby® yogurt is a great first choice. you can know that your kids are getting vitamin d, calcium and, now, probiotic bb-12®.

you can get yobaby® yogurt in plain, vanilla, banana/mango, blueberry/apple and peach/pear in a 4 oz. 6-pack.

because what we do matters...#stonyfieldblogger

2017-03-06T23:03:00.001-06:00

i received a package of goodies from some b corps companies as a thank you for writing this post. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

scan through facebook posts, or articles from the washington post or new york times, or watch an episode of one of the late night news shows, and you will quickly understand that there is a lot going on in our country right now.

fear.

anger.

misunderstanding.

judgment.

misinformation.

uneasiness.

secrets.

sadness.

dismay.

agitation.

despair.

triumph.

defeat.

i think it is easy to feel overwhelmed. on whatever side of the battle lines you find yourself, what can we as individuals to to make a difference for good? yet at this time more than ever, i think even our smallest decisions and actions have the potential to make a difference for good.

recently i learned more about b corp certification. b corporations are for-profit companies that seek to use business as a force for good. they are certified by the nonprofit b lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performances, accountability and transparency.

can you imagine? using business as a force for good instead of cutting corners or causing problems for communities or for the environment for the good of your product?

b corp companies believe...

they must be the change they seek.
that all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.
that through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.
to do so requires that they act with the understanding that they are dependent on each other and thus responsible for each other and future generations.

isn't that refreshing?

you might not realize that some of the companies you already know, love and use are certified b corps:

method cleaning products
klean kanteen reusable food and beverage containers
ben and jerry's ice cream (yum!)
cabot creamery cheeses
yogi teas
king arthur baking products
patagonia clothing
seventh generation cleaning products
numi organic teas
etsy

this barely scratches the surface of b corp companies: in fact, today, 2048 certified b corps from 50 countries and 130 industries are working together for this 1 goal: to redefine success in business.

i recently learned about (and sampled!) items from a few other b corps companies as well.

i got to try the turmeric glow flavor of pukka tea. you might not expect turmeric tea to taste good, but it surprising delicious. and i felt extremely healthy when i finished it!

purely elizabeth is a natural food company that creates gluten-free, nutrient-rich and organic products. i tried a sample of granola, and it made a great addition to my morning yogurt.

speaking of yogurt, stonyfield recently received b corps certification. it has always been stonyfield's mission to support healthy people, healthy food, healthy planet and healthy business. of course it makes sense for them to receive this certification! and their grassfed yogurt is my very favorite!

and if you are wondering what should happen with all the plastic yogurt cups we use every day, you will definitely want to check out preserve. they take those plastic yogurt cups, keurig cups, and a bunch of other plastic things (#5) that do not decompose and aren't always seen as recyclable and turn them into really great products that we need every single day. i love the shape of my new preserve toothbrush, and i'm definitely looking into trying the preserve razors. be sure to check out their compostables and their food storage products as well.

i also recently joined grove collaborative as a way to access more b corps products at very affordable prices. you can check out the site and even order some products and get $10 off if you are a first time customer. i love the cleaning products that i have bought through this collaborative, and i feel good about the good i am doing for my family and the earth when i use them.

i really believe that even these little decisions that we make: what cleaning products to use, what yogurt to eat, what tea to drink, can make a difference for good in the world. our family wants to be the change we seek, and choosing products like these is one way that we can do so. will you join us?

on the go...with stonyfield, thank goodness! #stonyfieldblogger

2017-01-31T21:42:00.000-06:00

this post is sponsored by stonyfield. they sent me some free samples of their new stonyfield smoothies so i could try them out and tell you about them. regardless, all thoughts and opinions are purely my own.

um...our schedules these days are cuckoo.

what were we thinking?

3 kids in basketball, one in volleyball, one in ballet, youth group, practices, homework, birthday parties, play dates, tests, projects, final exams (!), home owner emergencies (!), multiple jobs, volunteering...and 'round and 'round we go (and that's not even mentioning the piles and piles of laundry, the mountains of groceries everyone is eating these days, and the amount of cooking and cleaning that someone needs to do to keep this place fully functional!).

the piles! oh the piles of laundry.
i dream that i am being suffocated by the piles of laundry (not really!)

i find myself thinking, "when things slow down, i'll...," but who am i kidding, really. things are only going to get worse from here on out.

the other problem is that our day starts so stinking early. the kids catch the bus at 7.15 am, and we barely make it on time each day. when the alarm goes off, i promise myself i can go back to bed once they are out the door and gone for the day, but when i step back in the door, the laundry starts calling me, and my list of the day's responsibilities presses in, so i promise myself a nap later in the day (though we all know 'later' rarely comes!)

there is a bright spot to all this gloominess, however (yes, in the gloomy days of chicago's winter when the sun rarely, if ever, shines)...

(did you hear the angels' voices just then, just a little?) stonyfield has a new product that is bringing joy to my heart just now. organic smoothies are available in strawberry, peach, wildberry, strawberry banana. if you prefer whole milk in your smoothies, you can also get a peach and strawberry version in whole milk.

these little jugs of pure delciousness bring so much light and delight to my day. i just heard again this morning how important breakfast is. with these in the house, i have no excuse not to eat in the morning. unfortunately, the kids really like them too. that means it's hard to keep them in the house. i'll just have to make more trips to the grocery store!

if you are looking for a quick and easy start to the day that is also delicious, healthy and packed with calcium (and 6g of protein), you will definitely want to watch for these to appear in your local grocery store.

the kids and i highly recommend them!

food brings family together for the holidays--at least when it is gluten-free! #stonyfield

2017-01-03T16:01:00.002-06:00

i'm writing this post as part of my involvement with stonyfield yogurt. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

we try to bring a lot of treats with us when we travel to see family. we like to do our part to contribute to the holiday deliciousness.

this year, i made these muffins to bring to share with my family. since my sister has a gluten-intolerance, i decided to make them gluten-free.

bob's red mill makes gluten-free oats that worked perfectly in this recipe. bob is committed to making sure people with all kinds of gluten issues can safely eat their products so they built a separate gluten-free facility with specialized machinery to make sure that their products maintain their purity.

for the flour, i used king arthur's measure for measure flour.

i like this kind because i don't have to worry about buying xanthum gum or any other additives to go with the flour--i can just use the flour from this bag as if it were the flour i normally buy.

usually i make these muffins with shredded sweet potato instead of the sweet potato puree, but my turned out kind of dry. if i were to make them again (which i'm sure i will), i would try using the sweet potato puree with the gluten-free ingredients, and even add a little extra to make them more moist.

mine were kind of dry, so i thought they tasted better with some delicious stonyfield vanilla yogurt.

how about you? which recipes would you like to try making gluten-free for friends or family members?

the kids just keep growing...and growing...#stonyfield @toms_of_maine

2017-01-03T15:10:00.001-06:00

i received some free samples of tom's of maine hygiene products and some stonyfield yogurt coupons in exchange for writing this post. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

if there is one thing that being with our extended family has made me realize, it is that our kids just keep growing and growing...

that, and those stinkin' "look back at your life x many years ago" that google and facebook keep posting. i mean, what are you supposed to do when you see pictures like this on your phone:

my sister and i look the same (right?...right?!?), but look how much the girls have changed?! zoe is missing her front tooth there, but now she has all her adult teeth in and is almost done with her braces.

those sweet cheeks of tessa's are long gone--she's completely slimmed down and looks like a beautiful gazelle out on the basketball court. tate wouldn't dream of taking a bath in the sink any more.

now when it comes to hygiene, my kids have a few more steps to add to their routine. we are trying to instill in them good...and healthy...habits as they get older.

recently we had the opportunity to try out a variety of tom's personal hygiene products. we have a really cool toothbrush, tom's rapid relief sensitive toothpaste, summer fun tween deodorant, freestyle boy's deodorant and men's naturally dry north woods antiperspirant.

i have already been a fan of tom's toothpaste, but i am really glad for this sensitive version. i think that i am a little too overconscientious about brushing so, while i look the same today in that picture up there, my gums are rapidly vanishing and making my teeth more sensitive than ever.

i think it is a hard transition to get kids to realize that they need to start wearing deodorant every day. we had quite a few days where...well...let's just say they forgot, and my nose is still trying to recover. the kids really seem to like the scents of tom's deodorant and getting them to wear it every day hasn't been a problem since we started using it.

of course, i want to make sure they also learn healthy eating habits too. i'm sure you aren't surprised to learn that stonyfield yogurt is an important part of our daily diet. i'm thankful that the kids like eating it in a variety of forms. we've always limited sweets and other junk foods, so you would think that they would always make great choices about food, but, sadly, i'm learning this is not the case.

i feel like this is the next challenge ahead of me. i can make sure the kids eat healthy when they are at home, but how do i get them to make good choices when they are away from home. while they know they can only have one cookie or sweet treat at home, they enjoy (over)indulging when they are away from home.

does anyone have any suggestions for how to instill the healthy eating habits inside of them so they can make good choices for themselves when i'm not around?

on the road again...with radio theatre classic literature

2017-01-03T12:04:00.002-06:00

i received a free copy of the les miserables cds by focus on the family radio theatre. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

everyone knows that christmas is a time for celebrating with family--but when all your family lives far away, christmas means lots of traveling. multiply this video times nine hours, and you know what our experience was like...

over the years, our family has come up with lots of tricks to keep us all entertained on the road. one of the tricks most used in recent years is for everyone to have their own kindle or device and to spend nearly the whole trip with their heads buried in the device.

mmm.

this is not my favorite. particularly because everyone is crazy crabby when they finally pull their heads out of the devices.

i am a big fan of audiobooks, and, thankfully, the kids are too. we get a lot of different books from our overdrive account, but sometimes we are looking for something a little different.

this is where radio theatre comes in. we love hearing our favorite stories dramatized with different actors, voices and sound effects.

we have the whole series of the chronicles of narnia (thank you, auntie erika) which has been listened to over and over again. our new favorite is les miserables.

if you have ever tried to read the book, you know it is incredibly long. i remember someone telling me that les miserables by victor hugo is the only book that is okay to read in the abridged version. i have tried to read it multiple times myself and have never been able to get through the whole thing (it is really, really long!).

but the thing is, it is a really good story. really good. and it spurs so many good discussion opportunities about justice, mercy, grace and salvation. this is a story i really want my kids to know and be familiar with, but there is just no way on God's green earth i am going to get them to read this book.

the radio theatre version is a great way for them to get to know the story and to feel like they have a chance to live the drama of the student revolution, the hunger and drive of those in poverty, and the desperation of those who are trying to stay alive when the world seems to be working against them.

if you are looking for ways to keep your kids occupied during long drives, or to introduce classic literature to them in a way they can receive, i would suggest taking a look at the radio theatre offerings. i'm sure you can find one that will become a well loved story for your whole family.

stonyfield gives me a chance to pay it forward #standwithaleppo #

2016-12-19T22:53:00.002-06:00

my to-do list is longer than my arm. and every night, tate opens his "wonderful" new app that conveniently counts down the days until christmas. tonight he reminded me that there is only a little more than five days until christmas. did you hear me scream in horror?

i work so hard as a parent to remind my kids about the "real reason" for the holiday, but how am i supposed to keep myself properly focused when i have to do things like buy 436 christmas presents, send out 86 cards, and make 557 christmas cookies? hmmm.

something needs to change.

thankfully, stonyfield yogurt doesn't just care about having integrity when they create their yogurt products. they also care about compassion and making the world a better place.

this season they have inspired me to remember exactly what the holiday season is supposed to be about. they gave me a gift card to "pay it forward" to someone else who may not be feeling like they are going to have the most jolly of holidays, in the hopes that their commitment to compassion will inspire others to do the same.

we have been learning more and more about the dire situation in syria. did you know that" since the syrian revolution and the subsequent unrest in syria, [over] 4 million refugees have been registered by the united nations"? 6.5 million more refugees are internally displaced. an average of 50 syrian families are forced to fell their homes every hour of every day. so far only 17,000 of 4 million syrian refugees have been resettled in other countries. we ourselves have only approved admitting hundreds of those refugees into the united states this year.

the families that do make it to the united states have left jobs, homes and families and are struggling to find sources of income, form communities and figure out how to navigate american society. in the communities where they try to make a new "home" for themselves, individuals and families often find their new neighbors resentful and threatening.

the kids and i have been talking together about how hard it would be to have to leave our home and our community and try to make our way in a new place, with a new language and no friends or family. it certainly would be hard to feel like celebrating a holiday when everyone else is focused on making themselves and their own families happy.

the more i read, the more my heart breaks for the people of aleppo, particularly the children. what can we do for the children of aleppo?

obviously, we need to do something. you can make donations through a variety of organizations. the international rescue committee is working to bring families out of aleppo, and provide help for other emergencies.

the syrian community network works to settle syrian refugee families into communities in syria.

covenant world relief aleppo supports work with local partners responding in the midst of the tragedy in syria and with syrian refugees.

presbyterian disaster assistance (pda) is working to respond to the needs of displaced persons and refugees.

each of these are viable organizations for dispersing your charitable giving where it can directly impact the needs of those who are suffering right now.

but our family wanted to do a little more than that, to be a little more hands on. we will be visiting a refugee family in our neighborhood and just...getting to know them. we want to let them know that we are glad they have found a place in our community. we would like to learn more about both the ups and downs of their new way of life.

and we want to be their friends.

i hope that you would consider looking in your area to see if there are some families who could use your encouragement or even your friendship. we just can't sit idly by. we have to do something.

we will let you know how it goes...

"moon shot: a race to space" is a total blast!

2016-11-16T08:02:00.001-06:00

tessa and i were able to attend the performance of moon shot: a race to space for free so that we could share this review with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

some days it seems like it would be great if we could go back to simpler times. surely our parents had a life that was much simpler than what we have today. self-driving cars? one new iphone after another (and you absolutely have to have the latest and greatest, right?)? the siren song of facebook sucking away years of my life?

then i remember the cuban missile crisis. jfk's assasination. crinolines and hot rollers. the race to space.

maybe life wasn't so much simpler back then after all...

most of us probably don't know that much about the race with russia to get the first person to space. did you know that russia had the first female astronaut, and it took the united states a lot longer even to give women a chance to enter the program?

did you know that neil armstrong and his wife divorced?

these are all things i learned from watching chicago children's theatre's production of moon shot: a race to space. tessa and i were amazed at all we were able to learn about america's space program and the extreme tension with russia, germany's influence, and neil armstrong's life while watching the production, which, incidentally, took place on a 21-square foot table with only 7 actors.

if you have kids who are usually more interested in science than the arts, this would be a great show to take them to see. this is an amazingly action-packed show for such a small performance space, and it provides a lot of history, science and heart as you watch the journey that eventually culminated in neil armstrong's first steps on the moon.

chicago children's theatre presents the world premiere of moon shot: the race for space;commissioned by palo alto children's theatre, november 1-20 at the ruth page center for the arts, 1016 n. dearborn st., chicago.

show times are tuesdays through friday at 10 a.m.; saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; and sundays at 2:30 p.m. (exception: no show tuesday, november 8.)

moon shot: a race to space runs approximately one hour and is ideal for ages 10 to adult.

single tickets are $10-$39. for tickets and information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555.

for a little background, check out this video!

a favorable forecast for "another snowy day with beatrix potter and friends"

2016-11-07T20:12:00.000-06:00

lilianna and i were able to attend the production for free so that we could share this review with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions are purely are own.

do you ever wish that someone else could read your children stories at bedtime?

i mean, in a perfect world, i love reading to my kids. i love doing all the voices and being all dramatic and making the stories come alive for my kids.

have you noticed we don't live in a perfect world? (don't answer that)

the reality is, that i can hardly get my kids in bed fast enough at night because i'm so exhausted from our day (and, truth be told, my kids are usually pretty wiped out themselves), that the time it takes to get them put to bed feels interminable.

what if the best story tellers in the world could tell your children stories that they would actually really enjoy hearing? and what if, even better, those story tellers had a british accent? and they told stories in a wonderfully whimsical way that makes you think of mary poppins, maria (von trapp) or nanny mcphee?

this is exactly the kind of storytelling that you can find in the chicago children's theatre's production of another snowy day with beatrix potter & friends. while, unfortunately, they aren't willing to go home with you and read to your kids at bedtime, they do an amazing job of bringing three of beatrix potter's stories to life.

as if that weren't enough, these three magnificent storytellers (and musicians as well, incidentally), they also cater to children's love of gifts, packages, mechanics and comedic errors.

each story comes to life as another trunk, package or box is opened and the main characters are revealed. there is one significant character who doesn't fit into a box, and that large antagonist even makes his way into the audience, to everyone's amazement.

once the show is done, questions are answered and children are invited up onto the stage to give storytelling a try for themselves. children can pull levers, turn cranks and even give the toy piano a try. lilianna was quite pleased to have inside information on the way that peter rabbit hid in the watering can and lost his jacket. she was able to tell me something i didn't know.

this show is definitely must-see!

chicago children's theatre, chicago's "no shushing" theater, will present another snowy day with beatrix potter & friends on saturdays and sundays, november 5 through 20, at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the ruth page center for the arts, 1016 n. dearborn st., chicago. the production runs one hour.

single tickets are $10-$39. for tickets and information,visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555.

when i tuck them into bed...#standforaleppo

2016-11-07T20:07:00.003-06:00

the weather is changing. i have had to dig through our boxes in the basement to get out the wool blankets for the kids' beds so they stay warm at night.

we got out winter pajamas too: fleece pants and flannel nightgowns, cozy, comfy and warm.

before i go to bed at night, i check on all four of the kids to make sure they are still covered up. i know they won't sleep as well if they get chilled in the night.

in tate's case, i'm checking to make sure he isn't going to
suffocate when his weird sleep cave collapses on him!

it's what parents do, right? we do what we can to make sure our kids are comfortable and can get enough sleep at night.

unless you are a parent in aleppo, syria.

James Gordon, Los Angeles, California, USA

when i tuck my children in at night, i sigh, wondering if and when they will ever pick up their dirty clothes, clean up their toys and put away their clean clothes.

if you are the parent of a child from aleppo, when you tuck your child in at night, you sigh, wondering where you and your child will sleep the next night, if you will even have a place to sleep.

we are so happy to have moved into a house finally. now our kids can each have their own space, their own room and we have more than one bathroom. people ask us how we could ever have survived as family of six with just one bathroom.

Geraki

syrian refugees, including parents of small children, wonder if they will have any space at all...any place to sit, or rest or lay down.

in america, we have special celebrations that nearly always incorporate our favorite foods. in fact, any occasion is a reason to have yummy food, and plenty of it.

DFID - UK Department for International Development

in syrian refugee camps in amman, jordan, parents hope that their food vouchers will last through the month, and be able to give them enough food to keep their children healthy in spite of difficult living conditions.

when tate broke his arm, we went right to the doctor who called ahead and made sure we were taken care of at one of the many hospitals in our area.

if you are a parent in aleppo, syria, you wonder if there are any hospitals left, any place you can bring your child when they are injured from the violence that is a regular part of every day life.

as a parent, i try to keep track of the fun events that are happening around the city. i want my kids to have plenty of opportunity for fun, excitement and maybe even a little learning along the way.

Voice of America News: Henry Ridgwell on the Turkish border

if you are a parent in aleppo, you are trying to figure out how to get your children out of the country before they are killed or maimed. you wonder if the journey is more dangerous than staying in your country, but the truth is, no matter how treacherous the trip, it cannot be worse than staying where you are.

when my children hear a helicopter, we all look to see if it is a news helicopter, a rescue helicopter, or maybe even the president on marine one.

if you hear a helicopter in aleppo, you are waiting to see where the barrel bomb drop, wondering if your neighborhood will be the target.

this thanksgiving we are getting ready to visit family. we know how excited they are to see us, to take us in and give us a place to stay during our visit. our time will be filled with expressions of love, laughter and memories to last a lifetime.

if you are a syrian parent, this thanksgiving, you wonder if a country will be willing to take you and your child in, to provide a place for you to live, for your child to grow and thrive, or if hatred, prejudice and fear will be the deciding factor for a country to close its borders and refuse to offer your family a home.

the truth is, the numbers continue to grow. each report is declared "unprecedented." according to the united nations high commissioner for refugees (unhcr), 4.8 million refugees have fled to turkey, lebanon, jordan, egypt and iraq. 6.6 million syrians are displaced within syria, trying to find a place to stay safe as attacks continue. 1 million refugees have requested asylum to europe.

as of august 31, the united states admitted its 10,000th refugee.

if this election has you wondering how you can reach out and help people who need our support, help and encouragement, consider signing up for this newsletter from the syrian community network. you may even think about donating to give refugees help and a chance for celebration. you can also follow the syrian community network on facebook, twitter or instagram.

if you are looking to do some holiday shopping, take a look at blue meets blue, an ethical clothing line that employs refugee women in the united states. they have elegant and modest clothing that is wonderful for gift-giving or for that holiday event that you have to attend.

i think that we cannot just sit by while these things are happening in our world. whether we take a small action, or a bigger one, there is something that each one of us can do.

“‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:…

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe them,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,…’”

find inspiration in chicago children's theatre's a light in the dark

2016-10-18T20:02:00.003-05:00

zoe and i recieved free passes to see chicago children's theatre's a light in the dark. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

i'll just go ahead and say it...

the ugliness being brought out across our country during this political campaign is more than a little depressing. it is hard not to wonder if people have just forgotten how to be kind, how to think about other people.

then zoe and i went to see chicago children's theatre's production of a light in the dark, a retelling of annie sullivan and helen keller's inspirational story through modern dance.

all photos courtesy of thodos dance chicago

i could hardly catch my breath watching annie sullivan give herself so wholeheartedly to the care of her brother, and then to her students, and ultimately to helen keller. here (at last) is a person who gave selflessly and wholeheartedly for the good of another person.

i will admit i wasn't so sure i would enjoy watching the story being told in the form of modern dance, but the choreography of this show did an amazing job of making the story come alive. i thought there was a greater emphasis on telling the story well than showcasing amazing dance moves, although there were plenty of those as well.

i also had a concern that the acting out of helen keller's blindness would be overplayed or distract from the story. the opposite was true; the actress/dancer did a fabulous job playing the part of someone both blind and deaf as well as showing the incredible strong-willed nature of young helen.

my only regret was that i didn't review the story of annie and helen ahead of time. there were a few moments in the performance where i found myself desperately wracking my brain trying to remember what happened in various situations. i think looking again at their story would have helped me enjoy the whole performance.

you only have two more days to see this wonderful performance. october 22 and 23 are the last two days of the show. performances are at 11 am and 2 pm both days. tickets are $10-$39. post show question and answer times will also be offered after all performances. the recommended age is 6 and up. i think i would feel more comfortable with something more like 9 and up just because some of the material is quite emotional and could be difficult for younger audiences.

this weekend is also an access weekend. for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing, asl interpretation will be offered october 22 at 11 am. live open captioning will be offered during all four performances.

for guests who are blind or with low vision, a pre-show touch tour of the set, props and costumes will be offered october 22 at 9.15 am. the 11 am performance that follows will have real-time audio description delivered via personal headset.

a sensory-friendly performances with quiet room is october 22 at 2 pm.

for more information about access weekend and other access performances coming up, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/access or contact administrator alex mauney at cmauney@chicagochildrenstheatre.org

september is national breakfast month!

2016-09-17T15:02:00.004-05:00

in exchange for sharing this information, i received a package of egg-themed goodies and coupons for pete and gerry's organic eggs. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

september is my favorite month of all. not only does it mean that my kids go back to school (sweet relief!), but it is also my birthday month (not that i really get excited about turning another year older any more).

now i have learned that september is also national breakfast month! and breakfast foods are my favorite foods of all! it just can't get any better!

with all four kids having to get out the door by 7.15 a.m., i am finding that we can't really sit around the table and enjoy breakfast the way i would normally like to do. as for me, sometimes i just plain forget to get breakfast because i get so caught up in my morning to-do list. i know that breakfast is 'the most important meal of the day,' but it just gets hard sometimes to fit a healthy breakfast into our schedules.

with this in mind, i have been on the hunt for healthy, filling, protein-rich breakfasts for my kids and for myself. i find it an added bonus if the breakfast is easily portable, since we sometimes have to eat our breakfast on-the-go.

when i received a coupon for pete and gerry's organic eggs, i felt inspired to work ahead to make some breakfasts that have healthy (organic) protein and are easy to take on the road.

look at these beautiful eggs. for some reason, my kids are particularly interested in eating brown eggs. i'm not sure that the color impacts the flavor at all, but i'm happy to serve them organic eggs and happy they are excited to eat them.

i decided to scramble the eggs. i'm sure it would work (maybe even better) to fry each egg individually, but i was in the mood to get things cooked up more quickly so i went ahead and scrambled them.

while i was waiting for them to cook, i took english muffins and put a slice of cheese and a slice of canadian bacon on each one. now all they need are eggs!

maybe this isn't quite as good as mcdonalds, but i think my kids will enjoy them. i wrapped each of them up in plastic wrap and tinfoil. now all we have to do is stick them in the toaster oven to get nice and toasty and breakfast is ready to go!

what about you? what will you do to celebrate national breakfast month? maybe you will want to give pete and gerry's certified free range organic eggs or nellie's certified humane free range eggs a try when you celebrate breakfast!

on putting those baby-years-worries in perspective

2016-09-17T13:44:00.000-05:00

i am part of the stonyfield blogging moms group so i receive a small remuneration for letting you know about stonyfield news and offers. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

look at this girl...

can you believe that at one point in time she looked like this...

i have to admit: there is a part of me that misses this. she was just so cuddly and smiley. i would love to have some of that again, now that i have a six-year-old-going-on-thirty-year-old.

but when i see this picture, i also remember the challenges that seemed so overwhelming at that time. this little baby was incredibly, amazingly stubborn. she had absolutely no interest in baby food. i would try to feed her vegetables, fruit, anything pureed and she would lock her lips together and absolutely refuse to take a bite.

it got to the point where we had to bring in a speech therapist to work with her and us on getting her to eat.

her recommendation was to give her something she did like to eat, like those fruit puffs, and then quickly give her a bite of something she was less crazy about, like pureed carrots.

one thing lilianna liked then (and still likes today!) is yogurt. i was particularly grateful for stonyfield yobaby yogurt, because there just weren't many (if any) baby-specific yogurts around at the time. i didn't want to give her any weird chemicals or preservatives, but i did want to feed her foods that were good for her that she was willing to eat.

we kept plenty of yogurt in the refrigerator, and then we were able to add in the vegetables and other purees that she didn't care to eat.

now, she is a wonderful eater, so i realize that i probably didn't need to freak out as much as i did. a lot of the problems that seem so big when our kids are babies seem to resolve on their own with time.

i am not surprised now to learn that stonyfield yobaby is the #1 pediatrician-recommended brand for 6 months to 2-year-olds among refrigerated yogurt*

if you are looking for a safe and healthy food for your baby/toddler, give stonyfield yobaby yogurt a try. i found it to be a great food to make my baby happy, and to give me as a mom peace of mind.

* (IMS Health ProVoice Survey, 12/01/15 -02/29/16). The claim was validated by AlphaImpactRx, a provider of primary research-based insights, analytics and solutions. Using the ProVoice survey methodology, AlphalmpacRx fielded to 736 U.S. pediatricians from 12/01/15 to 02/29/16, recording recommendations and validating the claim.

make a difference for your family by "canning it forward"!

2016-07-22T16:05:00.001-05:00

i received a free set of canning jars, a canning and preserving cookbook and a $5 gift certificate in exchange for sharing this information with you. regardless, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

you may not have known this, but today is "can-it-forward day"...

maybe that doesn't sound as exciting as "national ice cream day" or "national doughnut day," but for the sixth year in a row, people have had a desire to share, or pay forward, the joys and benefits of canning. canners, gardeners and food enthusiasts have joined together to encourage us all do a better job of preserving our own food. you can ask experts your questions on twitter until 5 pm eastern time (on july 22, 2016) using the hashtag #canitforward.

also, on the ball® brand website, you can access all kinds of videos to help you learn how to make really amazing recipes for things like apricot lavender jam, spicy heirloom tomato chutney, green tomato pickles, fiesta peppers, chipotle peach salsa, and more, all of which i would not dream of attempting on my own without the guidance and wisdom of these experts. you can also check out the fun on facebook...

what are your thoughts on canning and preserving? i grew up in a home with bags and bags of freezer corn and green beans, jars and jars of jelly and tomatos, and lots of other preserved things from our extremely large garden. my sister and i did the weeding and harvesting, and my mom did all the preserving.

one time, i managed to make a jar of jam. once. with my mom watching over my shoulder guiding me step by step. but my kids love her homemade jam so much better than store-bought. and, now that we have a house, we are hoping to have at least a smallish garden, and i would love to be able to preserve some of our "bounty"--if we ever have any.

this year i took the can-it-forward pledge. i pledge to try harder to can and preserve more items for the enjoyment and healthfulness of my family.

i have a copy of the all new ball® book of canning and preserving. i spent hours drooling over recipes and ideas for things to can and preserve and then other recipes at how to use your preserves in cooking and baking.

i have to admit i'm going to need to watch some more videos to really get a good understanding of how to do canning with hot liquids. but i decided to give the yogurt recipe and the lemon curd recipe a try.

my family eats a lot of yogurt (as you have probably guessed), so i thought it would be fun to make my own. i myself love lemon curd, but i hate how expensive it is at the store, so i decided to make that as a potential mix-in for the yogurt.

clearly, i am not a food photographer, but i did my best!

the first step for lemon curd is to get about 2 tbsp of lemon zest and 1 cup of lemon juice. you can see all my squeezed out lemons here. i like to microwave them a bit to make it easy to get the juice out.

next i beat two cups of sugar (!) with 1/2 cup butter softened. then i gradually added the lemon juice and the lemon zest. i transferred the whole mixture to my heavy saucepan and stirred and stirred and stirred (14-16 minutes). i found myself wishing i hadn't picked one of the hottest days of the summer to make this. then i thought for awhile about the pioneers. they didn't have fans or air conditioning to cool them off while stirring stuff over a hot stove. how did they survive? do you think they made lemon curd on hot days?

i spooned that mixture into my two beautiful blue ball® canning jars and put some plastic wrap on the warm curd to keep a film from forming. an hour later, i was able to put one jar into the freezer and one into the refrigerator to use now. what do you think?

i remember my mom making homemade yogurt for us when i was growing up, so i was really excited to give this recipe a try.

it turns out that making yogurt requires a lot of whisking also. you whisk 2 quarts of whole milk on the stovetop until it reaches a temperature of 180 degrees. let me just say, this takes a long time! once you get it that hot, you let it cool to 110 degrees.

meanwhile, put 3 tbsp of plain yogurt with active live cultures in two quart jars. once the milk has cooled, add the milk and stir it up with the yogurt. here is the tricky part: you have to keep it in a warm place (about 100 to 110 degrees) for 6-8 hours. the recipe suggests a cooler with a heating pad or an oven with a lightbulb. i didn't have either of these, so i used my crock pot on warm (but i think it might have been too hot)--things didn't work out quite as well as i was hoping.

thankfully, i had a little yogurt in reserve and i was able to serve my kids this for breakfast this morning!

doesn't that look yummy? i'm going to have to try the yogurt recipe again, or tweet the experts and ask if i can just strain the strange mixture i have to turn it into yogurt.

how about you? are you willing to take the pledge? what would you like to try canning or preserving? if you take the pledge, you will get $5 to spend at the freshpreserving.com store. let me know what you make and if you get better results than i did!