At 32 weeks pregnant I am officially entering the uncomfortable phase of pregnancy. The phase where a pregnant woman spends more time getting out of bed at night to visit the restroom than actually sleeping. Or sitting in the same position for too long is not an option as a the growing baby and uterus inside your rapidly expanding body requires that you shift and move constantly.

Here’s the thing though, I’m in the uncomfortable phase but I refuse to enter the miserable phase. While I might share with Luke or a friend that I didn’t sleep well the night before or that vacuuming the stairs is exhausting I refuse to complain. I refuse to see these feelings as bad. Maybe because Maddy is somehow already on the cusp of becoming a kindergartner. Maybe because I spent so much time obsessively preparing for Maddy’s arrival that I feel I might have forgotten to be present while pregnant with her. I know that this growing baby inside of me is only there for a finite amount of time. I am very aware that soon she’ll be here and while I can’t tell you how excited I am to hold her I know that once she is here I will never again feel her kicks and bouts of hiccups inside of me. So instead of rushing to get to the birth finish line -wishing away these last weeks because of the minor discomforts and stressing over preparing every single thing – I’m trying to be present. Yeah I like getting a full nights sleep, but those frequent nighttime interruptions for bathroom breaks are a reminder that my body is changing and my baby is growing. All those less than lovely aspects of pregnancy can be a beautiful part of the process when I look at them through the my body is meant to grow a baby and that is just what it is doing filter.

So the plan is to leave the I’m so miserable point of view out of the rotation. If your wondering, yes I’m feeling large but in a perfectly good and healthy way. And yes I am a little worn out after a simple trip to the grocery store, but I know that’s because my body is already working hard to support a sweet baby. And the all too frequent trips to the bathroom? I’m just looking at those as a chance to take a seat and have a little rest throughout the day.

This much happier face is here to stay. Unless I am napping, and then I probably won’t be smiling. I’ll probably be drooling.

Cookie cutters make ordinary food a little more fun. Medium and small star cookie cutters can come together and make for a surprise for my child’s eyes. It’s also more fun for me to pack her lunch because I get to do something a little different from the norm.

What’s in the box: Star Quesadillas

• A cheese quesadilla cut into stars
• Broccoli and carrots
• Homemade peanut butter granola bar
• Organic fruit leather cut into stars
• Kiwi, strawberries and mango cut into stars

Motherhood offers a lot of things on a daily basis.

Love. Frustration. Exhaustion. Happiness. Surprises.

Surprises such as when you get an unexpected hug or “I love you.”  Or the sweet surprise of a child unexpectedly playing happily by herself for an entire afternoon. There are the other surprises too. Surprises like walking into your darling daughter’s bedroom to find half of her dinosaurs lined up in what appears to be a parade or maybe a buffet line across her floor.

Or when you walk around a corner in your home to stumble upon a mountain of crayons scattered about a main walkway.

I love creativity and independent play but when I stumble upon these surprises I am always a little less than enthused. In my time as a mom I’ve been trained to despised clean up time. The battle is -well quite frankly just that- a battle. What preschool aged kid likes cleaning up? Not mine that is for sure.

When I was asked to check out the Toydozer I was skeptical. It seemed like such a simple idea. A simple plastic gatherer and a scoop that promised less cleaning and more playing. It just didn’t seem like something Maddy would think was all that cool. Especially since it was meant for cleaning up.

Our first test came when it was time to clean up the beans from the bean boxes. Bean boxes are always a huge hit with Maddy. She loves them. She does not love cleaning up the mess afterward though. So I broke out our yellow Toydozer and encouraged her to give it a shot.

The pinto bean mess covering my entryway was cleared in no time. I even heard her saying things like “This makes cleaning my mess fun!” Can you imagine the shocked look on my face? Clean up and fun never really go in the same sentence around here unless I am saying  something like “Clean-up your mess or the rest of the day is not going to be fun for you!”

Madeline cleaned up her beans and all bean box toys spread across the floor and without any prompting from me moved on to the ABC magnets she had played with in the living room earlier.

I’m a convert. The Toydozer is great. I can see using it for all sort of messes in the future and since it is so easy for Maddy to use I can see myself having less cleanup on my plate. Okay that’s what I am hoping for at least. Now if only they made a Dishdozer or a Laundrydozer.

For more information you can visit Toydozer on Twitter and Facebook. You can also use the code BLOGGER20 at Toydozer.com for 20% off.

This post is part of a Toydozer blogger outreach campaign. Participating bloggers have been provided with a complimentary Toydozer to review and have been compensated for their time.

Is there a food in your house that gets eaten as fast as you buy it? A family favorite?

We love granola and granola bars. Apples disappear as if there are twice as many people living here. And yogurt. Yogurt is a daily staple and not just in the normal expected ways. Although we do enjoy a good bowl of yogurt. Whether it’s spelled yogurt or yoghurt we use it and a lot of it.

As a topping for pumpkin pancakes. Or blueberry pancakes. Or banana nut pancakes. Or good ol’ plain whole wheat pancakes. You get the idea.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Yogurt

The creamy touch to a frozen treat.

Crunchy Banana Pops

A base for granola addiction.

Spice Cranberry Granola

Dip for a fun lunch, or breakfast… or dinner.

French Toast Sticks

The tang and creaminess for a perfect burger topping.

Moroccan Turkey Burger with Mango Yogurt Slaw

And even in a healthy make ahead breakfast.

Overnight Mixed Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

How do you add yogurt into your diet? What are your tips and tricks for getting the most out of the yogurt you buy?

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mountain High Yoghurt. I received a gift card to purchase yogurt, a product kit, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

When we make pancakes or waffles for weekend breakfasts we always make extra. Luke likes to pull a waffle or a couple of pancakes from the freezer, toast them and slather them in peanut butter for quick on the go breakfasts. Maddy likes that too. Aw heck so do I, but I am also a fan of pancakes or waffles for lunch. It makes preparing or packing lunch quick and easy and it guarantees a enjoyable lunch for Maddy.

What’s in the box: Whole Wheat Pancakes

• Whole wheat pancakes
• Half a banana
• Kiwi
• Homemade granola bar
• Yogurt (for dipping pancakes in)
• Granola (a special treat for jazzing up the yogurt after the pancakes are gone)

Have I told you about the miniature vegetable cutters I use to make lunch more appealing visually to Maddy? We eat with our eyes first right? Back when I started shopping for bento boxes for Maddy I knew I was going to need fun tools to make things more fun too. In steps the mini vegetable cutters. These cute little cutters are like cookie cutters but at about an inch across they are much smaller than normal cookie cutters. Pepperoni is hit or miss with Maddy but a flowery pepperoni and mozzarella pizza is a winner. You might call it trickery or manipulation I call it thinking creatively. If you are looking for cute veggie cutters Amazon has different one to choose from, the specific ones I bought are here. (not an affiliate link)

What’s in the box: Mini Pepperoni Pizzas

• Pizza made on a whole wheat English muffin, topped with, pepperoni, smoked mozzarella cheese and marinara
• Carrot sticks
• Mango chunks
• Strawberry hearts

Last week I started my 28th week of pregnancy. Why hello there, third trimester! Nutrition is always an important thing for me. If you’ve spent any time around here you know I like healthy, natural foods. Now there are times that I break from this and eat less than healthy things. Raised donuts with chocolate frosting or brownies come to mind. Pregnancy has been no different. The bulk of my food consumption is healthy, nutrition packed foods with some “other stuff” thrown in here and there. I am human after all.

As my belly expands with my growing baby girl there is less and less room for food. I just can’t eat as much at one time. Making every bite count is more important than ever. Baby girl needs nutrients to grow and I need them to stay strong and healthy. There is a long list of things I am supposed to be eating every day according to my midwife and my birthing class. Dairy, leafy greens, eggs, healthy fats, fruits, citrus, whole grains, veggies and protein – lots and lots of protein – are all on the daily eating to do list. I’ve developed a few tricks to consolidate my food intake to make the most of what I am eating. One way I do this is yogurt. Yogurt is very healthy and provides me with needed dairy and protein in one bowl. Mix in some kiwi and strawberries and I am also getting my fruit and citrus too!

Many yogurts found in the grocery store are loaded with sugars, artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors, and preservatives.  I’m not naming names or pointing fingers but not all the yogurt you see in the grocery store is created equal. I make it a point to buy dairy products without rBGH or rBST ( recombinant bovine somatotropin and recombinant bovine growth hormone) and all the artificial ingredients that make it into so many yogurts unnecessarily. As a Mountain High Ambassador I genuinely appreciate that I can feel comfortable feeding my family, including my unborn baby, a quality yoghurt without all the unwanted “extras” found in some other brands. I don’t need artificial sweeteners and flavors when real fruit, cinnamon, and homemade granola do the trick.

With just a short time left to help this baby have a healthy start, I am feeling more and more focused on being as healthy as possible. I love it when foods I love, such as yogurt, are so good for pregnant women to eat.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mountain High Yoghurt. I received a gift card to purchase yogurt, a product kit, and a promotional item to thank me for participating. All opinions are my own.

In the not so distant future Maddy is slated to start Kindergarten. This means there are some big changes on our horizons. On top of having a newborn. School starts at 7:55 am which means Luke and Maddy will have to get out the door much earlier than they are used to. I’m already gearing up for the struggle. We all know we will need to get out of bed earlier. Honestly though, baby girl will probably help us out with that.

As I watch the clock in the morning it is evident we need to shave some time off our morning routine. One way I plan to do this is breakfast. Sure cereal is quick but for a full day of school I would rather have Maddy start her day off with something heartier and more filling. I’ve started making lists of possible healthy make ahead breakfasts and practicing and perfecting new recipes in anticipation. Hopefully we’ll be ready for the earlier start-time kindergarten is bringing our way, and as a bonus maybe it will help us with our transition from a family of three to a family of four.

A while back a friend of mine mentioned a breakfast one of her friends was raving about. Oats soaked in yogurt overnight. It sounded easy and healthy. You know how I feel about quick, easy and healthy right? I kept the idea in the back of my mind waiting for the perfect time to try it out. Okay really I needed the motivation to try it out too. So after some trial and error, testing and tweaking I have an overnight oatmeal of my own. This breakfast meets the healthy, hearty, filling and make ahead requirements I’ve set for the upcoming school year. And talk about easy. I could make a bunch of these Sunday night and have a quick breakfast option ready to go for the week. Fantastic if ask me. In fact I think smaller portions could make a great after school snack too.

Overnight Mixed Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal Ingredients

1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup plain yoghurt
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flaxmeal
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries, cut large berries in half

How to Make Overnight Mixed Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal

Add all ingredients to a 12 jar or tupperware container. Once all ingredients are in the jar put the lid on and shake it until thoroughly mixed.

Place the jar in the refrigerator overnight. The oats will soak up the liquid and make for a thick and creamy breakfast you can eat right out of the jar. If you do not have overnight the oats should soak for at least and hour, but the longer the better. Serve cold.

If you have a bit more time you can pour your oatmeal into a bowl and top it with a couple tablespoons of chopped walnuts or sliced almonds.

I think the possibilities are endless for mix-ins and combinations for this yogurt. Maddy loves peanut butter oatmeal with dried cranberries, so I think my next batch will be a peanut butter cranberry party in a jar. As a side note you could use any flavor yoghurt you would like. I’m a big fan of plain yoghurt because its healthy and has a lower sugar content then flavored yoghurts. If you did choose to use a flavored yogurt I would recommend cutting back – or cutting out – the honey in the recipe above.

Now all I need to do is figure out how Maddy will get the same amount of sleep while having to wake up earlier in the morning and not having her go to bed before dinner time. Any suggestions?

If your looking for some inspiration for cooking with yoghurt Mountain High has lots of recipes to check out.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mountain High Yoghurt. I received a gift card to purchase yogurt, a product kit, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Maddy and I headed out to the craft store yesterday with a mission. We were in the mood to craft, or in other words make something cute while also making a big mess. While wandering the aisles looking for something fun to do we came across the Easter merchandise. In an attempt to be a cool mom I let Maddy have a few minutes to check it all out. Standing there looking at the baskets with her I noticed a basket that looked like a bunny head. You know, the face and ears and such on the bucket of the basket with a little handle on top. Later in our very long tour of the craft store we reached the  section featuring fake flowers and pots. The rows of terra cotta caught my eye and inspiration struck. A bunny pot. Sort of like the bunny Easter baskets but smaller and homemade.

Maddy was instantly sold on the idea. Googly eyes and paint are not something she turns down.

After getting home and making out craft we both thought we were crafting geniuses. Then I came across other crafting geniuses that had already made variations of this craft. Apparently, I was not the first to think of this cuteness, but we love it nonetheless. Maddy did all of this crafting on her own. This craft is perfect for kids, although adults will enjoy it too. I’m kind of wishing I had gotten myself a pot or two to make. There are countless ways to jazz up this bunny too. A “hair” bow or flower, pink cheeks, glitter, so many adorable possibilities. I wouldn’t be surprised if we made a few more between now and Easter.

Supplies needed to make a clay pot Easter Bunny:

 

• clay pot, one per bunny to plan to make
• white paint
• pink paint
• black paint (or a permanent black marker
• paintbrushes
• googly eyes, two for each pot you plan to make
• sheets of craft foam in pink and white
• tacky glue or a hot glue gun
• white pom poms, one for each pot you plan to make

How to make a clay pot Easter Bunny:

 

Step 1: Paint your pot white inside and out.

Step 2: While the paint dries cut ears from craft foam. Each ear is made up of pink and white. The white should be cut slightly larger than the pink. Glue the pink ear cut-outs on top of the whites to make cute pink filled bunny ears. Once the white paint is dry glue the ears to the inside of the clay pots rim on the same side you plan to have the bunny’s face.

Step 3: Glue googly eyes  on the outside of the pot below where you glued the ears. The eyes should be just below the rim of the clay pot.

Step 4: Glue a pom pom to the back of the pot for the fluffy bunny tail.

Step 5: Draw a little triangular shaped nose on the middle of the pot centered between the ears. Below the nose draw an upside-down m to form the bunny’s mouth. On each side of the nose add 2-3 whiskers.

Step 6: Using pink paint and a small paint brush fill in the triangle.

Step 7: Using black paint and a clean small brush trace the bunnies mouth and whiskers. A permanent black market will also work for this step and may be easier for younger children.

 

Maddy decided to give one of her bunnies to a friend. I can see these little guys being cute table decorations. Larger terra cotta pots could make for cute alternatives to Easter baskets. Imagine colorful Easter eggs and grass spilling out of the tops. Or maybe lining them with a bit of tissue paper and filling them with jelly beans for an festive candy dish.

How would you use these clay pot bunnies?