Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sweet Ending
I was going to come back tonight and fill you in on my birthday treats & surprises as well as include some pictures of items in the giveaway. However, when I went in to check on the boys I found our girl in there too. Our girl that is not allowed on the couches or beds...ahem...Really though, how precious is this?!
more favs
As the day progressed today I kept thinking of more things to add to my favs list but then it would be more than 33. So if I turned 35 yesterday, also on my list would be JAMMERS...DUH ~ how did I forget that one and almond butter rice cakes w/ craisins. YUMMY! So...which 2 would I switch out so I stay w/ 33?! I would scratch off Trader Joes coffee b/c I am not drinking coffee! (I have quit both coffee & DT COKE for a while now ~ well except I did have some Dt. Coke yesterday...it was a bday present) and I would also take Jammers over the beach. All that said I still LOVE Trader Joes and can't wait to stock up on the other yummy treats from there in April and I look forward to getting to the beach sometime this summer. So...scratch the beach & TJ coffee for now anyway. ;) I think I'll go have a rice cake w/ almond butter and craisins in my jammers and feel the warm sunshine & breezes blow through our windows.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
33 Favs Give Away
1. JM's love & leadership 2. Jacob's giggles & skin 3. Ben's kisses & cuddles 4. recipes 5. blogs
6. girlfriends 7. ribbon 8. Chik Fil A 9. Target 10. polka dots 11. buttons 12. magazines 13. green
14. scripture 15. the beach 16. little brown pen 17. Trader Joes Coffee 18. tradition 19. koozies
20. open windows 21. papers 22. beads 23. vegitable gardens 24. sunshine 25. chocolate chip cookies 26. flower pots 27. flip flops 28. Christy Nockels 29. letters/words 30. avocado 31. Richmond 32. glass jars 33. MAIL
and the last is why I want to give away something to 1 of you! It's my birthday and I want to do something I enjoy! This package will include some of my top favorite things...but not all of them! ;) I just told you some of my favorite things...now it's your turn to tell. Leave a comment with either a few of your favorite things or your favorite things about birthdays and I'll send some of my favs to one of you! I'll choose a name Saturday so comment away!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Yummy Treats to Drool Over
I've got polka dots & cupcakes on my mind
so I spent some time on Flickr.
1. polka dot cupcake, 2. Set of 2 Glitter Cupcake Rectangle Valentines Day Gift or Hang Tags, 3. Polka Dots Cupcake Hair Clips, 4. Big cupcake love, 5. Polka Dot cupcakes, 6. Striped Cupcake Tags, 7. Polka dots with cupcakes, 8. cupcake magnets, 9. Chocolate Cupcakes with Cocoa-Coffee Glaze, 10. polka dot cupcakes, 11. christmas cupcakes, 12. Polka Dot Cupcake, 13. Smash Cake
I'm working on a list of some more of my 33 Favorite Things!
Come back tomorrow for a Fun Give Away!
Terri's Tip Tuesday
Terri's Back! We had a few questions about allergies so here's what Terri suggests.
If you have kids with allergies, asthma, or eczema, they likely have a"leaky gut". This is an underlying factor in many illnesses of childhood, but also in adulthood. (Think autoimmune disorders) To heal a leaky gut, start with adding back beneficial bacteria (probiotics).The best quality will be found in a refrigerator section of a healthfood store. Probiotics are also the number one supplement offering benefit for people with chemical sensitivities and is a great idea for kids with ADD or autism.
Another important factor to heal a leaky gut, is the addition of digestive enzymes and
l-glutamine, which can also be found at anatural supplement store.
Lastly, an elimination diet is VERY helpful! It allows the gut time to heal from foods that it has become irritated by. Once the lining is healed, however, these foods may no longer be irritating. A great elimination diet is Dr Hyman's book, "The Ultrasimple Diet" and it is only about $7. Basically, you eat rice, beans, chicken, and greens for 1 week with a healthy broth soup.
Because 50% of the body's immune system and much of the nervous system is located in the gut, this strategy can help with virtually all chronic diseases. See a holistic doc, functional med doc, naturopathic physician, or chiropractor for more info.
OK, so I am back from the Integrative Healthcare Symposium in NYC and learned tons of cutting edge health tips. I will share a new one withyou next week. So come on back!
Remember, your health is in your hands. Take care of it!
Terri
If you have kids with allergies, asthma, or eczema, they likely have a"leaky gut". This is an underlying factor in many illnesses of childhood, but also in adulthood. (Think autoimmune disorders) To heal a leaky gut, start with adding back beneficial bacteria (probiotics).The best quality will be found in a refrigerator section of a healthfood store. Probiotics are also the number one supplement offering benefit for people with chemical sensitivities and is a great idea for kids with ADD or autism.
Another important factor to heal a leaky gut, is the addition of digestive enzymes and
l-glutamine, which can also be found at anatural supplement store.
Lastly, an elimination diet is VERY helpful! It allows the gut time to heal from foods that it has become irritated by. Once the lining is healed, however, these foods may no longer be irritating. A great elimination diet is Dr Hyman's book, "The Ultrasimple Diet" and it is only about $7. Basically, you eat rice, beans, chicken, and greens for 1 week with a healthy broth soup.
Because 50% of the body's immune system and much of the nervous system is located in the gut, this strategy can help with virtually all chronic diseases. See a holistic doc, functional med doc, naturopathic physician, or chiropractor for more info.
OK, so I am back from the Integrative Healthcare Symposium in NYC and learned tons of cutting edge health tips. I will share a new one withyou next week. So come on back!
Remember, your health is in your hands. Take care of it!
Terri
Star of the Day & Toothless Grins
Ben was the Star of the Day in his preschool class yesterday.Dadu made a "video" of pictures to show to Ben's class.
I made little blue star treats to go home with his friends.
and on the way to school Dadu & Ben stopped by Blue Collar Doughnuts
to get a special snack to share w/ Ben's class.
The video was such a hit that the children wanted to watch it again!
Many of the children were out sick yesterday...
This is Ben with some of his favs!
Jacob got to go too yesterday...I think the boys enjoyed that!
A sleepy little star at 4:00 in the afternoon!Speaking of Jacob...
Look at this cutie!
I LOVE his new smile!
I'll be back later today w/ Terri's Tip for Today!
She's back!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Happy Birthday Kevin!
or as the boys fondly refer to him asBOOGEYMAN!
all of this is just experimenting w/ our camera.
all of this is just experimenting w/ our camera.
this one w/ the timer...
Obviously we still have a lot to learn about it
but we had fun trying different settings out today with it.
We enjoyed spending the day with so many of our favorite people.
Emily & Jennifer would have made the "groups" complete.
Obviously we still have a lot to learn about it
but we had fun trying different settings out today with it.
We enjoyed spending the day with so many of our favorite people.
Emily & Jennifer would have made the "groups" complete.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Terri's Tip Tuesday #5
As promised, Terri's suggestions for snack time & school lunch extras.
When my daughter began preschool, her teacher had a list of healthy snacks that each parent would bring to school on a rotating basis. When it was my turn I was asked to bring in Chex Mix. When I picked the bag up at the supermarket I was appalled by the ingredients. I stood in the aisle teetering back and forth about whether or not I should just buy them so that my daughter fits in or to choose something that did not contain ingredients known to cause cancer. In the end, I put them back and chose to deviate from the list.
So, what really is a healthy snack? Obviously the healthiest choices are made by God, not man. This means fruits, veggies, and wholesome fats and proteins (like gaucamole, nuts, almond butter, etc) But what about those of you who want your kids to feel a little more "normal". How about sending them off to school with junk food that isn't junk?
I recommend Annie's brand cookies and crackers. They don't contain any harmful chemicals. They have little "goldfish" crackers, except theyare shaped like bunnies. They have lots of other varieties as well. For an awesome "oreo cookie", check out Country Classics, theirs taste better than oreos. Even my husband agrees, without the chemicals. Lastly, try some smooshed fruit instead of those nasty chemical-laden fruit roll ups.
So, this week try to replace some of the yuckier snacks(chemical-wise) with healthier ones.
A rule of thumb: NEVER EVER buy anything with high fructose corn syrup. Also, avoid preservatives called BHA, BHT, propyl gallate, and TBHQ.
Happy and healthy shopping!
PS If they are too expensive, wait for a sale or reduce the portionsize. Remember, most foreign countries don't even have a translatable word for snack!
Next Tuesday Terri will be back to answer some questions regarding allergies. I've received a couple emails with questions for Terri. Keep them coming either in the comments or send me an email. Eventually I will run out of questions for her so send some more our way!
When my daughter began preschool, her teacher had a list of healthy snacks that each parent would bring to school on a rotating basis. When it was my turn I was asked to bring in Chex Mix. When I picked the bag up at the supermarket I was appalled by the ingredients. I stood in the aisle teetering back and forth about whether or not I should just buy them so that my daughter fits in or to choose something that did not contain ingredients known to cause cancer. In the end, I put them back and chose to deviate from the list.
So, what really is a healthy snack? Obviously the healthiest choices are made by God, not man. This means fruits, veggies, and wholesome fats and proteins (like gaucamole, nuts, almond butter, etc) But what about those of you who want your kids to feel a little more "normal". How about sending them off to school with junk food that isn't junk?
I recommend Annie's brand cookies and crackers. They don't contain any harmful chemicals. They have little "goldfish" crackers, except theyare shaped like bunnies. They have lots of other varieties as well. For an awesome "oreo cookie", check out Country Classics, theirs taste better than oreos. Even my husband agrees, without the chemicals. Lastly, try some smooshed fruit instead of those nasty chemical-laden fruit roll ups.
So, this week try to replace some of the yuckier snacks(chemical-wise) with healthier ones.
A rule of thumb: NEVER EVER buy anything with high fructose corn syrup. Also, avoid preservatives called BHA, BHT, propyl gallate, and TBHQ.
Happy and healthy shopping!
PS If they are too expensive, wait for a sale or reduce the portionsize. Remember, most foreign countries don't even have a translatable word for snack!
Next Tuesday Terri will be back to answer some questions regarding allergies. I've received a couple emails with questions for Terri. Keep them coming either in the comments or send me an email. Eventually I will run out of questions for her so send some more our way!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
My Facebook 25 things
So...if you are in any way familiar with Facebook you are also familiar w/ the 25 Random Things that is going around. I LOVED reading all of my friends' responses but am just not creative enough to come up w/ my own 25 random things. I procrastinated & protested this until Maggie chipped in her 20 random thoughts on me. So here's her take and I did the last five. I did comment on a few w/ my thoughts in parenthesis. I had to share here as well as on FB b/c there are a few of you that don't do facebook but I thought you would enjoy this.
1. Regina's faith and love for the Lord, her family, and friends, is immeasurable.
2. Regina routinely took care of her neighbors cats even when she didn't want to.
3. Regina can make the best crafts out of anything. Just give her a shoe string and a rubber band. She can make something and sell it!!
4. Regina's kids wear only their underwear for way too long on non-school days...maybe on school days too. (I have to add that our Jacob used to only wear underwear to bed and then on stay home jammer days...well he was in his jammers ~ RS)
5. John hates for Regina to wear nail polish..I think she secretly puts in on and wears it until he gets home.
6. Regina loves cereal.
7. Regina is probably the best preschool teacher any mom could ask for their young child to experience school with.
8. Regina calls pajamas jammers...much to her neighbors dismay.
9. Regina can walk into Picture People and use the free 8X10 coupon and walk right out without spending a dime...will power I tell you. (I have sense moved onto Portrait Innovations 9.99 deal ~ RS)
10. Regina once worried whether she should keep her children inside b/c we had a big owl in the back yard...I still mean #7 with all my heart.
11. Diet Coke is a must for Regina. (I have been Dt. Coke free since LAST Sunday...that's over a week people! ~ RS)
12. Regina's mom is no-nonsense and complete hoot.
13. Regina learned to cut the grass this past summer and was extremely proud of herself. I think this really cut in on BJ's job though. (For those of you who don't know...BJ is JM's amazing dad ~ RS)
14. Regina can make a mean baked spaghetti. (Got the recipe from Kelly Gobble and tweaked it to be my own ~ RS)
15. Regina once tried to teach me to make some crafts...then she told me to pick colors that I liked and she would make things for me.
16. Regina and her family moved from Richmond to Roanoke this past summer.
17. The Skammers adopted a new puppy.
18. Once Regina sent Ben over with blueberry muffins one morning...we saw him drop them on the drive way and pick them all up and still deliver them to us hot and fresh. We love you Ben :) (I love that I am just now finding out this fact!! ~ RS)
19. Regina has a birthday coming up this month.
20. The Skammers didn't buy a trampoline until they moved all the way to Roanoke..NO FAIR :( (apparently Maggie has not heard about our trampoline saga! ~RS)
Maggie did a great job. I'll take it from here though! She saved me a lot of time & creative juices!
21. I Love snail mail...fun packages, letters, etc!
22. I love giving & doing for others especially to make people happy & cheerful. friends, neighbors, teachers you know it. I'm not kissing up, I just like to give. Sometimes it may be with a cheezy theme or something though.
23. I love celebrations!! Christmas, Holidays, Birthdays & other big days. I also LOVE making a big deal out of a little occasion. I can't believe Maggie didn't have one on here regarding St. Patricks Day! I want to come up w/ theme snacks to fit the occasion big or small. Super Bowl, Birthdays, last day of school, snow days, etc. oh...but I HATE Valentines day! sorry!
24. I love love love my boys' skin. I love rubbing their backs at bed time and sometimes I can still get away w/ rubbing our cheeks together. I just love the way they feel.
25. lastly...it's no secret to how much i miss richmond, mainly b/c of our friends & schools, but i love the relationships we have started here in Roanoke and the "greener" way of living
1. Regina's faith and love for the Lord, her family, and friends, is immeasurable.
2. Regina routinely took care of her neighbors cats even when she didn't want to.
3. Regina can make the best crafts out of anything. Just give her a shoe string and a rubber band. She can make something and sell it!!
4. Regina's kids wear only their underwear for way too long on non-school days...maybe on school days too. (I have to add that our Jacob used to only wear underwear to bed and then on stay home jammer days...well he was in his jammers ~ RS)
5. John hates for Regina to wear nail polish..I think she secretly puts in on and wears it until he gets home.
6. Regina loves cereal.
7. Regina is probably the best preschool teacher any mom could ask for their young child to experience school with.
8. Regina calls pajamas jammers...much to her neighbors dismay.
9. Regina can walk into Picture People and use the free 8X10 coupon and walk right out without spending a dime...will power I tell you. (I have sense moved onto Portrait Innovations 9.99 deal ~ RS)
10. Regina once worried whether she should keep her children inside b/c we had a big owl in the back yard...I still mean #7 with all my heart.
11. Diet Coke is a must for Regina. (I have been Dt. Coke free since LAST Sunday...that's over a week people! ~ RS)
12. Regina's mom is no-nonsense and complete hoot.
13. Regina learned to cut the grass this past summer and was extremely proud of herself. I think this really cut in on BJ's job though. (For those of you who don't know...BJ is JM's amazing dad ~ RS)
14. Regina can make a mean baked spaghetti. (Got the recipe from Kelly Gobble and tweaked it to be my own ~ RS)
15. Regina once tried to teach me to make some crafts...then she told me to pick colors that I liked and she would make things for me.
16. Regina and her family moved from Richmond to Roanoke this past summer.
17. The Skammers adopted a new puppy.
18. Once Regina sent Ben over with blueberry muffins one morning...we saw him drop them on the drive way and pick them all up and still deliver them to us hot and fresh. We love you Ben :) (I love that I am just now finding out this fact!! ~ RS)
19. Regina has a birthday coming up this month.
20. The Skammers didn't buy a trampoline until they moved all the way to Roanoke..NO FAIR :( (apparently Maggie has not heard about our trampoline saga! ~RS)
Maggie did a great job. I'll take it from here though! She saved me a lot of time & creative juices!
21. I Love snail mail...fun packages, letters, etc!
22. I love giving & doing for others especially to make people happy & cheerful. friends, neighbors, teachers you know it. I'm not kissing up, I just like to give. Sometimes it may be with a cheezy theme or something though.
23. I love celebrations!! Christmas, Holidays, Birthdays & other big days. I also LOVE making a big deal out of a little occasion. I can't believe Maggie didn't have one on here regarding St. Patricks Day! I want to come up w/ theme snacks to fit the occasion big or small. Super Bowl, Birthdays, last day of school, snow days, etc. oh...but I HATE Valentines day! sorry!
24. I love love love my boys' skin. I love rubbing their backs at bed time and sometimes I can still get away w/ rubbing our cheeks together. I just love the way they feel.
25. lastly...it's no secret to how much i miss richmond, mainly b/c of our friends & schools, but i love the relationships we have started here in Roanoke and the "greener" way of living
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Terri's Tip # 4
Terri's Back!
In continuing with lunch box ideas, here are 3 healthy lunch options.
Remember to start with the healthy bread you found last week. If you struggled, check out Nature's Own organic, Arnold, and NaturallyPreferred. Some of their varieties are good.
1. PB and J ~ Make sure you choose a healthy variety of peanut butter.Preferably organic so it doesn't come from a large manufacturer polluted by salmonella, and other garbage. Be sure it is free of sugar and corn syrup. It should be stored in the refrigerator so the nuts don't get rancid, which is very bad for health. The jelly should be 100% fruit and preferably without added sugar. Remember to avoid highfructose corn syrup in everything! If you want to take this to an even healthier level, try almond butter instead of peanut butter. (If your child is allergic to peanuts, you will need to forego this until you heal their gut first)
2. Deli sandwich ~ Try to find nitrate free deli meat. (Nitrates cause childhood cancers) Boarshead makes a variety. Just use a little to keep the sandwich from being overly pricey. We eat way more meat than we need to in America. Add cheese that is rBST free. Cabot is a good choice, organic varieties, or imported cheeses. (We are the only country that allows this garbage in food). Add whatever veggiesyour child will accept. A couple pieces of baby lettuce may be a good start for kids who don't like veggies. Add a little mayo.
3. Egg salad ~ Use free range eggs and add a healthy mayo. (Spectrum has a good variety) Mash up and try to add a little lettuce and other veggies as you can get away with.
Next week Terri will offer some snack time suggestions as well as lunch box sides. I hope this helps you as it does me. I love having variety in the boys' lunch boxes so I love hearing what other parents put in the lunch boxes!
One thing I have done is the plain or lightly salted rice cakes (the kind w/ only whole grain & brown rice) with healthy peanut butter & craisins sprinkled on top. Jacob enjoys it but Ben prefers his craisins on the side. I LOVE this yummy treat! I would love to hear other healthy lunch ideas!
In continuing with lunch box ideas, here are 3 healthy lunch options.
Remember to start with the healthy bread you found last week. If you struggled, check out Nature's Own organic, Arnold, and NaturallyPreferred. Some of their varieties are good.
1. PB and J ~ Make sure you choose a healthy variety of peanut butter.Preferably organic so it doesn't come from a large manufacturer polluted by salmonella, and other garbage. Be sure it is free of sugar and corn syrup. It should be stored in the refrigerator so the nuts don't get rancid, which is very bad for health. The jelly should be 100% fruit and preferably without added sugar. Remember to avoid highfructose corn syrup in everything! If you want to take this to an even healthier level, try almond butter instead of peanut butter. (If your child is allergic to peanuts, you will need to forego this until you heal their gut first)
2. Deli sandwich ~ Try to find nitrate free deli meat. (Nitrates cause childhood cancers) Boarshead makes a variety. Just use a little to keep the sandwich from being overly pricey. We eat way more meat than we need to in America. Add cheese that is rBST free. Cabot is a good choice, organic varieties, or imported cheeses. (We are the only country that allows this garbage in food). Add whatever veggiesyour child will accept. A couple pieces of baby lettuce may be a good start for kids who don't like veggies. Add a little mayo.
3. Egg salad ~ Use free range eggs and add a healthy mayo. (Spectrum has a good variety) Mash up and try to add a little lettuce and other veggies as you can get away with.
Next week Terri will offer some snack time suggestions as well as lunch box sides. I hope this helps you as it does me. I love having variety in the boys' lunch boxes so I love hearing what other parents put in the lunch boxes!
One thing I have done is the plain or lightly salted rice cakes (the kind w/ only whole grain & brown rice) with healthy peanut butter & craisins sprinkled on top. Jacob enjoys it but Ben prefers his craisins on the side. I LOVE this yummy treat! I would love to hear other healthy lunch ideas!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Hey Dad
This is for you!
I've just recently been introduced to these!And boy are they YUMMY!
They've definitely curbed my cravings for graham crackers & peanut butter!
btw...I only have 10 a day!
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