Sleep Tight, Don't Let The Fruity Doughnuts Bite!

As a general rule, I am not a picky sleeper.

I can pretty much sleep anywhere, anytime, in any condition. I'm the girl that can curl up in an un-reclined la-z-boy without so much as a throw pillow and wake up feeling totally refreshed after a pretzel-y 8 hours. When I'm pregnant, however - this isn't the case. The anywhere-anytime part still holds true for the most part - but I need a very specific arrangement of pillows (and many of them) to get myself comfortable. With babies as big as I make, I'm sure this is no surprise.

Once I'm snoozing though, the dreaming is....ridiculous. And this is true, pregnancy or not! I have one of those relentless, vivid imaginations - and that's true even if I'm not conscious. Ask any number of my friends about the ridiculous dream recaps I've filled them in on! I remember emotions and pictures and colors and smells - clear as day.

Being that I'm 4 weeks away from lactating and never sleeping, I don't think it's a shocker to tell you that I'm dreaming about birth, hospital stays, recovery, and the baby himself - in vivid detail. I've seen his face multiple times - sometimes up close, sometimes I'm looking at pictures of him or I'm watching myself send around texts announcing his arrival. I even had one dream where I watched a nurse measure him and with wide eyes announce that he was a whopping 10lbs 15oz (which is obviously my mind's great exaggeration of what he feels like).

Last night, though - I started dreaming in CRAVINGS!

I've had this insatiable hunger for all things fatty, sugary, and terrible for you. Cake, cookies, ice cream, brownies, muffins - you name it, I would love to devour more than my fair share (and my husband's, and my son's, and yours). Yesterday, while flipping through the newest edition of Living, I literally started to DROOL and immediately ran to the pantry to stuff my face with Voortman's Tea Rings. I'm not even going to tell you how many I ate, especially since I just provided you with the nutritional facts. Yes, every craving indulgence comes with a side of shame.

(BTW, I'm attributing these cravings to the fact that a fetus' main objective in the final weeks of pregnancy is to pack on fat so it's all baby's fault! This stuff better be collecting in squishy chubby rolls on HIS body and not mine!)

In last night's dream world, I was attending Bingo with my mom and sister. We arrived extremely early to a hall I've never seen before (and I've been around the Bingo circuit!). Since we had SO much spare time (seriously, we were there like an hour early to "get good seats" - who, under the age of 90, does that?!), my mom decided that she wanted to run out for some doughnuts. This is actually a pretty realistic scenario. My mom's impulsion to indulge in a craving is probably comparable to the one I harbor while pregnant. She and my sister set out to Dunkin' Donuts, and returned with a box of doughnuts large enough to feed a police squad. After resisting for a short time (and seriously sweating about it), I decided to mosey on over to the box and find a doughnut.

Disaster.

There I stood, in my salivating, impulsive glory, staring down at dozens of jelly and fruit-filled doughnuts. Strawberry, cherry, blueberry, apple - all running rampant through the sugar-sprinkled confections. I frantically tossed pastries aside, searching for ONE bavarian cream, chocolate glazed, or even PLAIN (for goodness sake)! Flip after flip I found sugary, fruity disappointments. Steaming, I marched off to my mom and sister (who were standing in the snack bar line to buy coffee) and DEMANDED to know where all of the GOOD doughnuts were. They pointed towards the box, which is when I exploded in a fury - loudly (embarrassingly) declaring "fruity doughnuts are disgusting, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" I was met with a feeble, "well that's the kind we like!" - and just like that, the scene shifted.

Suddenly we were no longer at bingo. It was like their declaration of love for fruity doughnuts set me so far over the edge, I spontaneously transported to another time and place.

My mom was with me, and we were vising a preschool classroom. I was a college student again, and I'm not entirely sure why my mom was with me - but she came along to observe their method of doing things. I know that at least this part of the dream was due to the book I was reading just before bed, but apparently a piece from my bingo nightmare carried over. And I suppose it was so traumatic, that I brought more than my doughnut anger - I brought the source of the frustration with me, too - my mom.

So there we were, sitting at a small table at the back of the classroom, directly in front of a white board. I somehow received a message from a manager at The Mommies Network about writing an article on doughnuts. In an instant, I was flowing with energy - desperate to respond to her about letting ME write the article since I'd just had the PERFECT situation to draw experience from. Apparently, the white board could transmit messages to the forum (yeah, I don't know...), so I stood up and started writing. I can still picture it.

"O.M.G. Let me take this one! I just had the most frustrating doughnut experience - my mom bought all of the disgusting ones...."

And before I could finish, my husband was there with his hand on my arm. I turned to him, and with a look of utter disappointment that read "don't embarrass yourself in front of the professionals in this classroom" he shook his head and said, "Babe, no."

And it was at this moment that I woke up, frozen in the exact same position that I fell asleep in (I told you, I sleep HARD) - with my husbands hand actually on my arm, trying to tell me that our son was awake.

I groggily filled hubs in on the ridiculous details, and he laughed (as expected), teasing me with an exaggerated "Let the doughnuts go! It's not worth it!!!".

Excuse me.

Cravings are no laughing matter! Not to a nearly-nine-months-pregnant woman. Fulfilling them ranks up there with completing the nursery and installing a car seat. He should know that by now!

I suppose this ended up being a dream come true, considering I'm here - writing this for you. I actually did get to fulfill one craving - I'm filling wonderful women of The Mommies Network in on the horrible disappointment of fruit-filled doughnuts, and expressing the importance of the ones containing some form of chocolate. What would you do without me? You can now have pleasant, pregnant, yummy doughnut dreams.

You're welcome.

Post submitted by Jenn, National Blog Manager for The Mommies Network and quirky stay-at-home-mom who blogs at The Very Best Housewife. Originally submitted to The Very Best Housewife blog on June 20, 2011.

Internet Safety: Watching Out For Your Kids

Welcome to the age of kids on the Internet. From sites such as Starfall and Headsprout for the younger set, to Facebook and Twitter for those over 13 - the Internet can be both a wonderful wealth of education to a downright scary place. We can connect with people we have not spoken with in years, as well as meet new people that become our lifelong friends. And, of course, there are online organizations like The Mommies Network, that connect moms of all walks of life for support and more!

When your child is young and wants to play a game online, you are usually sitting there, helping them along and interacting with them and monitoring what they are doing. When they get a little older, you may feel more comfortable leaving them for longer periods of time while you get things done around the house or they look up things for homework. But what most parents do not realize is that there are many places out there where their child (in this case, I refer to children as under the age of 16 - over that, they should be able to have better judgment in most situations) can be lured into places by people lying about who they are, or posing as people they think they know. All you have to do is Google Facebook Predators and see what has been in the news the last couple years.

Even looking up something for a homework assignment might bring them to an inappropriate site or one that may steal information from your computer. Make sure that you have iffy domains and keywords blocked from search engines.

Many kids these days under the age of 13 (the “legal” age for Facebook) have a Facebook page. If you are going to let your child have one, you need to have access to everything that your child does on his or her page. I would say do not let them have it, but, admittedly, my 11 year old has one. He is rarely on it, but uses it to keep in contact with friends that live many states away, as well as family. I have access to everything and get messages every time he posts a status or other activity. As I said, he is not on it all that much, his last activity being over a month ago. I also have MY friends on his list and they, as well as family, would tell me if anything was suspicious. So if you are going to let them have it, make sure to monitor it closely. This goes for MySpace, message boards and Twitter. Though, most kids do not use Twitter.

When your child is around the 10 to 12 range and they show more interest in the Internet and all it has to offer, sit with them and go over rules and safety tips, to keep them from coming into any harm. Some of these tips for kids are:

• Do not give out personal information such as address, email and phone number
• NEVER meet up with anyone you do not know from school or other activities
• Tell your parents if someone you do not know is trying to friend you or send you messages to meet up with them
• Keep your passwords safe and only share them with mom and dad
• If someone is harassing you into meeting them or is cyber bullying you, tell your parents and also the local authorities
• If someone sends you inappropriate pictures, alert your parents and the authorities immediately
• Never download and install anything unless you or your parents know the source and that it will not harm your computer or steal information
• Be careful of sharing pictures on social networks and message boards. Many pictures, especially if taken with a smart phone (i.e. Droid or iPhone) have location data attached that may include your address and latitude/longitude coordinates, making it easy for people to locate you

And here are some tips for parents as well:

• Keep a family computer in a central, easily seen, area
• Use a domain/keyword blocker
• Consistently check on what your child is doing
• Never let a child have a computer in their room with the door shut until they have proved their responsibility (and even then, keep a close eye)
• Check your family computer history often
• Block items such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter from the central family computer until your children are old enough, or mature enough, to use them
• Do not let your children use your personal laptops or desktops

Following simple precautions and safety tips will keep your child, and you, safe from any dangers that lurk online. The Internet can be a great place is used correctly and when you proceed with caution!

Here are some safe sites for families, kids, and teens:

http://www.starfall.com a great site for young learners in early elementary school and preschool
http://headsprout.com help your 3-5 year old read, and your older child learn reading comprehension
http://www.netsmartz.org Parenting wired kids can be difficult, especially if you didn't grow up with the same technologies. These resources can help.
http://www.webwisekids.org providing unique and effective resources to equip young people to safely use and enjoy the latest technologies
http://www.safekids.com one of the oldest and most enduring sites for Internet safety

Post submitted by Becka from SaratogaCountyMommies.com

Licky's Family Gardens (Part 2)

To see the original brainstorming and planning for our garden adventure, click here for part 1!

*************************

As a long-standing wanna-be gardener, I toyed with many ideas for my first round with the dirt. Because of an impending July due date and a total lack of experience, I'd decided on taking the container garden route. My husband, on the other hand, had bigger ideas.

After a bit more research and planning, we settled on building a raised garden bed. While on a larger scale than a container garden, it's still easier to control soil and water conditions than a straight-in-the-ground garden - so I skeptically agreed.

We spent a couple weeks trying to hunt down appropriately-sized cedar planks (only to find out that no one carries them in the size we needed) before finally giving up and settling on natural unfinished lumber. The price difference was worth the sacrifice!

Google came in handy here, and we used the dimensions in THIS tutorial for our garden box.

My husband purchased all of the supplies at a local hardware store and had their employees cut all of the wood and piping down to size. When he brought it all home, assembly was pretty simple! My little man even helped his Daddy put it together.













When the basic structure was complete, hubs & our nephew (who was over to help us in the yard that day) carried the box over to it's new location. It took some digging and wiggling to get the posts buried in the ground and the box level and straight. Before long, though, it was set up and ready to go! We lined the interior with newspaper (to compost the existing grass and act as a temporary weed barrier) and topped it with what little dirt we overturned to settle the box in place.




On Earth Day (of all days!) we had a truck load of dirt delivered. We ordered Organic Topsoil, and together with our own homemade compost, we filled the bed. This was our last step for a while - we planned to just let it sit and settle. Our last frost date up here in the north is May 30th.





The posts you see sticking out are....well, up too high. They're supposed to be flush with the height of the bed. I kept telling my husband this, but he thought I was wrong (Silly men!). Their purpose is to hold thinner, more flexible pipe that acts as a structure to support mesh that keeps the birds and animals out. Hubs has to trim our piping down before we can add the mesh, and we have yet to figure out how to attach it. We scoured the tutorial for answers, but it seems to have skipped the mesh part all together! We want something temporary and easily adjustable so we can have access to the garden, obviously. You can water through it - but not weed, prune or harvest, of course.




I'm really excited about our set up! I'm glad hubs convinced me to go this route. It looks nice and neat out in the yard, and everything is nicely organized and contained. There's plenty of soil and good filtration for the plants. That doesn't mean I won't ruin them all with some other variable, though. The only things I can seem to keep alive are the plants that refuse to die.
Practice, right?




Our next step is to visit our local farmers market for our plants (we decided starting from seed was a bit too ambitious for us this year!), and create an herb garden elsewhere in the yard. I'm hoping for a location close to the house for easy snipping while I'm cooking!
Stay tuned!
Post submitted by Jenn, National Blog Manager for The Mommies Network and quirky stay-at-home-mom who blogs at The Very Best Housewife. Originally submitted to The Very Best Housewife blog on May 6, 2011.

Promote Your Business with TMN National Auction!

ViewPoints: Help The Mommies Network!

For the remainder of June, The Mommies Network is partnering with seven savings websites to bring steals and deals to you while providing funding for your chapter! With everything from baby products to fine dining, there's sure to be something for you. All you have to do is sign up for amazing offers and The Mommies Network will receive between $0.75 to $1.00 per registration!




We want your opinions! Through ViewPoints, you have the opportunities to share your product experiences regarding tablets, ereaders, headphones, care seats, baby bottles, baby carriers, strollers, mattresses, grills, lawn mowers, kitchen and home appliances, cookware, vitamins, cold medicine, electric toothbrushes, eye cream, self tanner, sunscreen, and hair coloring! Share at least 700 characters in your own words and The Mommies Network will receive $0.50 for each review up to 10 reviews per person!

Now, here are the deals . . .



 Swagbucks is a loyalty program where you can earn free stuff
including 1,000's of products for doing the things you do everyday.



Save on Premium Hair Care, Deep Discounts on Skin Care, Huge Savings on Cosmetics!



Cheap is good, but FREE is better!

FreeFlys is the largest directory of free samples and coupons.
Try brand name products for free and enjoy coupons to save on your groceries and more.



Clothes don't grow. Kids do.
thredUP, where moms swap kids clothes, toys and books online.
Thousands of moms are already trading boxes of stuff their kids no longer use for
clothes, toys and books they actually need. Join their community for free!



OpenSky is a social shopping platform that helps you discover
and buy great products that fulfill your interests in
Food, Style & Beauty, Healthy Living, and Home & Design.

Visit www.themommiesnetwork.org/viewpoints.shtml to help The Mommies Network and start saving today!

Volunteer of the Month: Leigh Ayn Smith

Our Moms Making a Difference

Moms across the country rave about the way their chapter of The Mommies Networked has enhanced their quality of life. But the truth is, we are much more than a discussion forum and a catalyst to find events with fellow mommies! Friendships and support are what we pride ourselves on, but we also try to extend that into our communities.

The Mommies Network strives to help out our neighbors as much as ourselves through organized fundraisers and other charity events - specifically those focused on providing for parents and their children. Once our communities are a year old, they organize at least two charitable events or drives each year, focused on helping moms, dads and/or kids.

Here are some excellent examples of the ways our Mommies have made a difference recently!

KnoxvilleMommies.com raised $140 at a DiningOut event…and they only had budgeted $90!

BirminghamMommies.com was affected by a devastating tornado in late April. The members have been doing a lot of outreach in the local community to help families get back on their feet during the month of May.

Saltlakecitymommies.com went to a local senior center and decorated cookies with the seniors. This was a fun event!

Charlestonmommies.com planted flowers during their Spring Fling event to beautify the special little park where they held their festivities. All of their kids did the planting, and it looked really cute when they were through. All in all a great start to their service oriented work.

Buxmontmommies.com donated 200 + books to local children's organizations. They split 100 books for each of the two donation drop off sites. They tagged each book with a BMM sticker on the inside cover. The books ranged from children books on various levels to books for parents. All of the books donated were in good condition and provided by our BMM Community.

Tooelemommies.com collected items needed for the local Children's Justice Center at their Site Birthday party. The center helps out in child abuse cases by providing a safe place for kids to be interviewed.

Portlandmetromommies.com asked members to bring packs of diapers and gently used or new books to donate to two local charities. The items were collected at their Easter Egg Hunt event at Magnolia Park in SW Portland. 8 packages of diapers were donated to http://www.northwestchildrensoutreach.org; 2 bags of books were donated to http://childrensbookbank.org

Saltlakecitymommies.com held a mommies only event at the Utah Food Bank. They stacked 16 pallets of food and sorted a full tote of food! They were told that they were amazingly fast workers!

Cincinnatimommies.com had several moms walk in the March of Dimes walk for Clermont County Ohio and raised $455 for the cause. They also had 4 moms walk for the Autism Speaks Walk at Coney Island in Cincinnati, OH and earned $835 for the charity.

Atlantaareamommies.com collected clothing, toys and baby gear at their huge 5th birthday bash. This charity supplies needed items to foster families/children in their area. They had a great turnout at the event, and many people brought donations for the charity, or some dropped them off with the misc. managers beforehand if they couldn't come. They held a raffle for prizes, and extra tickets were awarded for those who contributed.

YorkCountyMommies.com had their first Community Outreach Event that involved building a children's garden. They originally had about 12 families who had RSVP'd, but huge storms swept through the area and they had to reschedule it. The next weekend they only had 4 moms and their kiddos who were able to attend. However it was still a success to them, and they all had fun doing it!

LouisvilleMommies.com had a Pajama and Book drive for a local children's program that serves abused and neglected children

Licky's Family Gardens (Part 1)

You're all probably wondering who this "Licky" character is, and why anyone in the world would carry that moniker, so I'll tell you. It's me. (waves!) And the Licky thing? Well...it's my Mommies Network username gone awry. (Hi Jenny! haha)
I'm The Mommies Network's National Blog Manager, my REAL name is Jenn, and I'm the lady who schedules all of the wonderful, fabulous posts you see popping up here each week. My job is very behind-the-scenes, so I haven't had a chance to introduce myself. Hello, fabulous readers! If no one has told you this yet, WE LOVE YOU! ;)
Over the next few weeks, I'm going to share my family's adventures in earning our green thumbs. I'm sure there are many fellow gardeners out in the blogosphere, so while I hope my posts will act as a reference and confidence booster for newbies like me, I'm hoping to learn a thing or two from you guys, as well! This post is the first stop along my gardening adventure, originally written in February - stop in next week and see what we did! :)

*******************************************

When I was 14-ish, the gardening bug bit me.


Or maybe it was a mosquito.
Either way, I was strangely interested in growing things. Strangely - because I was a teen with an unhealthy crush on Justin Timberlake and little to no regard for foreign ideas like "environmentalism" or "fertilizer" or..."hard work".


What I did with my interest, I realize now, was kind of terrible. You see - my Grandma had all of this land and all of these ready-to-go garden plots, and considering I visited her at least once a week, I saw opportunity. She loved the idea of me planting a garden in her yard and going out to work on it when I was around, so when I asked - she ushered me right to her car and drove me to a nursery. If I remember correctly, I picked whatever was the most colorful and fabulous so when Justin Timberlake's stretch limo broke down in my Grandma's hidden rural driveway he'd notice the beautiful girl in her baby blue tank top (his favorite color, you know) digging in the best garden he'd ever seen, and a proposal would be inevitable.


Gotta think ahead!


I remember planting the flowers and painting some terracotta pots to decorate the area with - but I'm really not sure what became of it. I don't remember how long I actually took care of it or how successful it was considering I was too busy plotting out my Timberlake children's names.


When I look back on that, I feel bad for my Grandma. It obviously never amounted to much if I can't remember anything about it, and I know she had been excited about my idea. But, I hope she'll be proud of me now - because I'm gonna get that green thumb back, darn it!


I think gardening has always been in my head as something you just need to do. The way something tastes fresh off the plant, bush, or vine is so beyond anything you can find in a store! Growing up, my Dad had a veggie garden next to my swing set and I'd trample through it with my friends - eating raw green beans and corn on the cob. My Grandpa always had peas in his yard and I'll never forget picking a handful and cracking open the pods, hoping for nice fat peas to munch on. All of my Grandparents had berry bushes - raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry. I think I annoyed my parents on many occasions, begging to go pick some, then eating them unwashed and covered in dirt. Yum!
I want that for my kids. And not just as a memory to pass along through the generations, but for both health and environmental advantages as well. I don't think I'll ever be as organic or environmental as I'd like to be. Yet, making small strides and doing little things to set foundations for my kids (and a better life for us all) feels really good.
Which brings me to our 2011 garden.


My husband and I bought our (second) house in the Spring of 2010 for three main reasons - the school district, the yard, and the basement. We were so busy moving in and getting the house in our preferred condition last summer that we weren't able to take advantage of any of it, really! We did have a good time in our yard, but - we never had time to garden. Every weekend we'd talk about it, but my poor hubs would be consumed with mowing our almost-an-acre of grass or pulling weeds out of the landscaping or repairing this or that - and we'd never get around to it. We finally said, "oh well, next summer!" when speaking of our garden dreams....and then, I got pregnant.
Being due in July put a damper on things. We almost gave up the idea entirely - but then I spoke to someone with experience in my chapter of The Mommies Network (BuffaloMommies). She gave me a few tips & ideas and I think I'm fairly set on growing a small container garden on my patio. The only problem is - I'm kind of terrified to get started.


What size containers do I need?
How much do they cost?
What should they be made out of?
(I'm ultra paranoid about using plastic, especially if it will be heated - and I assume it will outdoors in the summer. I fear chemicals seeping into foods, and I think I'd rather go about this as naturally as possible.)


What things thrive in containers? What fruits and veggies are easy enough to care for while I'm very pregnant? Should I start them as seeds, or buy the already sprouted plants? What do I put in the containers? Soil I buy at the store? Fertilizer? How often do I water everything? Can I put them in the garage overnight to keep them away from animals?


Ahhhh!
The woman I spoke to suggested that I make a list of things I can't live without and would like to grow - and most of them will do well in containers if they are the right size. So, I suppose once I choose everything I'll be able to get answers to many of my questions - but goodness - is this going to cost a fortune?


I know that I want an herb garden, and some veggies that we use often - but I'd still like to chose 1-2 more herbs and 1-2 more veggies or fruits. Here's my wishlist so far:

• Basil
• Chives
• Parsley
• Tomatoes
• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• Peppers

I think that list, plus 2-4 more things will be good for our first year, especially considering my impending largeness.

So my question for you is - do you have any experience with container gardens? Do you know of any good gardening blogs? And do you know where I can get Justin Timberlake's contact information?

Post submitted by Jenn, National Blog Manager for The Mommies Network and quirky stay-at-home-mom who blogs at The Very Best Housewife. Originally submitted to The Very Best Housewife blog on February 15, 2011.

Menu Monday: Palmiers

Seriously the easiest cookies to make. Two ingredients. Parchment paper and an oven. All you'll need to wash is a knife, measuring cup and cutting board. OK, maybe the baking sheet too. But hear me out. Palmiers, you know those flaky, crisp and sweet from the sugar pastries? These are an easy peasy way to make them and on the bottom you get a crisp caramelized sugar that is just DELISH.

Use a good puff pastry, find the one that has the shortest ingredient list.

1 box thawed Puff pastry
Granulated sugar
Parchment paper

Take out one sheet of puff pastry out and unfold it. The puff pastry should be about 10x12 inches. Liberally sprinkle granulated sugar on a cutting board or clean surface. Place the pastry on top.
Press down so that the sugar will stick to the bottom of the pastry.

Sprinkle more sugar on top of the pastry, then fold in the two sides to meet at the middle. Press gently to make sure the sugar sticks to the pastry.

Sprinkle the top again with sugar and fold the two sides into the middle once more. Fold the two halves together like you're closing a book. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Repeat with the other sheet of puff pastry.
Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the pastry into about 1 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle with more sugar. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Post provided by the Please Give Peas a Chance Blog.

ViewPoints: Help The Mommies Network!

For the remainder of June, The Mommies Network is partnering with seven savings websites to bring steals and deals to you while providing funding for your chapter! With everything from baby products to fine dining, there's sure to be something for you. All you have to do is sign up for amazing offers and The Mommies Network will receive between $0.75 to $1.00 per registration!




We want your opinions! Through ViewPoints, you have the opportunities to share your product experiences regarding tablets, ereaders, headphones, care seats, baby bottles, baby carriers, strollers, mattresses, grills, lawn mowers, kitchen and home appliances, cookware, vitamins, cold medicine, electric toothbrushes, eye cream, self tanner, sunscreen, and hair coloring! Share at least 700 characters in your own words and The Mommies Network will receive $0.50 for each review up to 10 reviews per person!

Now, here are the deals . . .



 Swagbucks is a loyalty program where you can earn free stuff
including 1,000's of products for doing the things you do everyday.



Save on Premium Hair Care, Deep Discounts on Skin Care, Huge Savings on Cosmetics!



Cheap is good, but FREE is better!

FreeFlys is the largest directory of free samples and coupons.
Try brand name products for free and enjoy coupons to save on your groceries and more.



Clothes don't grow. Kids do.
thredUP, where moms swap kids clothes, toys and books online.
Thousands of moms are already trading boxes of stuff their kids no longer use for
clothes, toys and books they actually need. Join their community for free!



OpenSky is a social shopping platform that helps you discover
and buy great products that fulfill your interests in
Food, Style & Beauty, Healthy Living, and Home & Design.

Visit www.themommiesnetwork.org/viewpoints.shtml to help The Mommies Network and start saving today!

Chapter of The Month: ElPasoMommies

Mom Blogger Spotlight: Rachel, UpperBottom

Hi! I’m Rachel! Twenty seven year old wife to Charlie and co-creator of our son, Benjamin. I’m new here, dropping in from my personal blog, UpperBottom, to share with you an anecdote from my experience as a working mother of a thirteen month old. Can I get a round of applause?

(All the stay at home moms just rolled their eyes.They eat people like me for breakfast.)

Anyway, JUST ONCE if my child could cry out for me at daycare, or in general, that’d be great. No really, that’s not too much to ask. Not when I spent nine months of my life eating donuts and chicken wings- which went straight to my face, mind you- because I thought that’s what he needed. Biology knows, I thought. I wouldn’t be craving these things if the baby didn’t need them.

I was a moron.

See, Benjamin’s going through this phase when I pick him up from daycare. And it may not even be a phase but I’mma just keep calling it that so I won’t start crying and also, so I won’t start crying. But what used to be my favorite hug of the day, that precious face elated to see me, that squeal of delight because Mom’s here!, has turned to a wrestling match to keep him in my arms while he reaches back for his friends, for his classroom, for his teachers. Imagine you’re cuddling an octopus. It’s like that.

And the screaming. And the tears.

Real tears, people. The I’m dyyying tears. Not just the fake kind like when he protests a face wash. Oh yeah, my “easy baby who never cries, I’m serious” has turned into a drama toddler. Laugh it up.

Here’s the thing. I have no clue where this behavior comes from because the kid doesn’t talk yet. Is it because his teachers know more nursery rhymes than I do? Is it because he has free range at school, whereas at home we have boundaries like no stairs, no bathrooms, no iPhones? It can’t be because I’m not cool. I mean, I give him brownies. I let him watch HBO. I do a mean robot. SO WHY?

(I lied, I do know. It’s those other children. Our baby is a socialite. OH EM GEE.)

But it’s giving me a complex.

I guess it doesn’t matter because I’ve outsmarted him anyway… figured out a little trick to sidestep the meltdowns. See, there’s this bear dressed as a lamb that the Easter bunny brought Benjamin. And he loooves this lamb bear. See where I’m going with this? I bring lamb bear in to his classroom when I pick him up and he’s all LAMB BEAR! YAY! And totally distracted from his wretched mother taking him home.

Win for me! Or not.

Rachel Rankin resides in Cary, NC with her husband, Charlie, toddler, Benjamin, and two indoor herding dogs (oh, the joy). She authors UpperBottom.com, a humor blog about pregnancy, motherhood, marriage, “why me?” life experiences, and pop culture. Also, she loves carbohydrates and Twilight.

Sponsor Spotlight: Beyond Books Series

Beyond the Diaper Bag is the second book in the Beyond Books series. It is full of humorous mishaps, inspirational stories and invaluable tips from real moms. Beyond the Diaper Bag covers all topics from pregnancy through kindergarten. We are proud to donate 100% of the authors' proceeds to The Mommies Network, a national non-profit charity.

Menu Monday: Homemade Mall Pretzels

Every time I go to the mall, I can't say no to those delicious Mall Pretzels. The smell hits me as soon as I hit the food court. I love the crispy outside and soft inside. I enjoy dunking them in mustard or melted cheese.  Last night I was brain storming ideas for the Monday recipe and I thought pretzels! I told my husband right away that I was going to make mall pretzels. He looked at me and laughed so hard and said, "your going to bake homemade pretzels? Please don't burn down our apartment." Well this just made me 1000 times more excited to make pretzels, just so I could prove my husband wrong.



In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast, 2tbs. brown sugar and 1 1/8 tsp. salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water.



Stir in 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup bread flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. The video above is of me kneading dough. I thought I knew how to knead dough, but after I googled a how to video on kneading dough. I can say that I was totally wrong. Some tips I would share are first spray your surface with pam cooking spray and put flour on your hands and dough. If your surface and dough start sticking lay down more pam or flour. This will help the dough not to stick to you or your rolling surface.



Place dough in a pam cooking spray greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise for one hour.





After the dough as sat and allowed to rise for an hour, cut into twelve pieces.



Roll each piece of dough into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner.







Twist the dough into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. The baking soda solution is 2 cups warm water and baking soda combined in an 8 inch square pan. I found a helpful video on how to twist your dough into the perfect pretzel shape. The video also gives some great suggestions on other uses for your pretzel dough. Honestly, rolling the doll out into the three foot long rope is the toughest part. I found working from right to left was the best for me.





After dipping the dough into the baking soda solution, place on a towel to soak up the bottom side of the dough. Then place the pretzel on a greased cookie sheet, reshape pretzel if needed. Let the pretzels sit on the cookie sheet for twenty minutes before putting in the oven. Sprinkle dough with salt if desired, before baking.

Bake at 450 degrees F for five minutes, turn 180 degrees and cook another five minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

The best part of this recipe is it is kid friendly. Kids will love playing with the dough and seeing what creations they can make. One warning I have is not to leave your balls of dough in reach of a two year old, they will eat it. Also it takes time to roll out all the dough so you may want to bag half of the dough and put it in the refrigerator.

The finished product is hot and delicious! Kid tested and mother approved!



Post submitted by Kathy from CentralPeidmontMommies.comOriginally posted on the CentralPiedmontMommies Blog on 5/16/11

Frugal Fun for Father's Day

Father's Day is quickly approaching, so we have been thinking about how to celebrate the Dad in our house this year. He is a truly wonderful father and does so much for our family. My son is one lucky kid to have such a wonderful role model in his life. We want to show Dad that he is loved and cherished without putting a hole in our budget though. Here are some ideas from years past along with some new ideas for this year.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Minor league games are in full swing this time of year. If the Dad in your life is a sports fan, check the schedule of the local minor league teams in your area and arrange a day at the ball park. Tickets to minor league games are generally less than $10 and the games offer tons of family fun while giving dear old Dad a day at the ball park. Save money by bringing in a picnic (check to make sure it is allowed in your ball park) or by eating before the game. Find out the game schedule in your area by checking out http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp

Breakfast in Bed
Find out what Dad's favorite foods are and whip up something special for him. My husband's favorites happen to be country ham, bacon, sausage, eggs and pancakes. Can you say Oink? He would request we leave off any and all fruit, please. And be sure to include a glass of thick, creamy chocolate milk. Yes, its a heart attack waiting to happen, but its one day. If you have a fancy serving tray, put his breakfast on the tray and bring it to him in bed, along with the newspaper, a magazine or his favorite book.

King for a Day
Make the Dad in your house King for a Day with his own unique one-of-a-kind crown. My son and I made this craft for his Dad two years ago, when the little one was just two years old. I did the cutting and he had a blast putting on the aluminum foil and decorating the crown with stickers. My husband keeps this treasured item on his dresser still. If you serve Dad breakfast in bed, present him with the crown at breakfast. I bet he will love it.

Here are the supplies you will need:
thick paper - cardstock, posterboard or cardboard
scissors
scotch tape
aluminum foil
stickers
markers or crayons
one of Dad's hats
measuring tape

Step One
Take the measuring tape and measure the inside of Dad's hat. This measurement will be the inseam for Dad's new crown. If the Dad in your house does not have a hat, you will need to covertly measure his head, above his ears. Good luck with that!

Step Two
Tape together enough sheets of paper so that it is the length you will need it to be based on the inseam of Dad's hat (or his head circumference if you measured his head).

Step Three
Cut out points in the paper so that it looks like a crown.

Step Four
Cover the paper with aluminum foil. Be sure to cover the inside and outside of the crown completely.

Step Five
Decorate the crown with the stickers, markers and crayons that you have. We used an additional piece of construction paper and wrote "KING" on it, then taped it to the crown as well.

Step Six
Tape one end of the paper to the other end so that it forms a circle. Your crown is finished. Great Job!




Make Dad a Coupon Book
The best thing about a coupon book? Its simple to make, costs nothing and is tailor made for the Dad in your life. No matter the age of your little ones, they can make Dad a coupon book. You may need to help the smaller kids, but tweens and teens can handle this activity themselves. Sit down with the kids and brainstorm things that the Dad in your family would like. Write them all down on a sheet of paper. No need to write a novel - five or six things is fine. Once you have a list, the older kids can be as creative as they want in making the booklet. For the younger kids, mom will need to help construct the booklet, but the younger ones can help with the decorating. Stickers, stamps, hand prints, and finger painting are excellent ways to get the little ones involved in this gift idea.

Here are some ideas to get you started:
Let Dad pick the movie or game for family fun night.
Do one of Dad's chores without complaint.
Give Dad an hour to himself to do with as he pleases, no intteruptions.
Join Dad in one of his favorite activities.
Bake Dad a batch of his favorite cookies.
Pack a picnic lunch for Dad with all his favorite foods.
Burn a CD of Dad's favorite music.
Wash Dad's car for him. Inside and out.

The Dad in our house will also get to sleep late, pick the menu for supper that night and get lots of cuddles throughout the day. My son will make him a card, I will cook him the breakfast mentioned above, and Dad will wear his crown. My son and I are also making him a trophy, using the instructions HERE, HERE, and HERE for inspiration.

Post submitted by Melissa from TriangleMommies.com

Vivint.givesback Project - Help The Mommies Network!

Help The Mommies Network with a simple "like" on Facebook!

The deadline is fast approaching, voting is over on Saturday!

Here's the lowdown:

The Vivint Gives Back Project is a program run by Vivint, Inc. It is an opportunity for Facebook users to help Vivint support charities that are doing good work in neighborhoods and communities across the United States. It is great opportunity for these local charities to be recognized by their supporters. This program is also designed to help direct Vivint's philanthropic dollars, which are donated by Vivint employees to eligible charities who are helping restore hope for families across North America. The charity that receives the most votes will receive $250,000, while the remaining top charity in each of the five regions will receive $100,000 each.

Nominations/endorsements for local charities will begin on April 25, 2011 and will run until 11:59:59 p.m. ET on June 11, 2011. Voting for the top local charity will begin on June 14, 2011 and go until 11:59:59 ET on August 27, 2011. The top 100 charities from Phase I, as well as the final six winners from Phase II will be determined once all of the endorsements and votes have been counted and it has been determined that each of the charities has satisfied all of the program eligibility requirements.

To vote for us, you can either visit our endorsement link HERE, or click the banner at the top or bottom of this post! You can vote for us once per day! You have until Saturday to get your votes in!

If you have any other questions about this project, check out the overview page of the Vivint.givesback Project website.

Thank you for your support!

Mom Blogger Spotlight: Johanna, Mama Chocolate

Meet our fellow Mom Blogger, Johanna from Mama Chocolate!

My name is Johanna (a.k.a "Mama Chocolate") and I’m living my dream of being a stay-at-home-mama and wife! God has blessed my husband, John, and me with two beautiful daughters, and we pray He continues to give us the wisdom to bring them up, (and any future children!) in the fear of the Lord.

We are Christians and plan on homeschooling our little ones! John and I are both homeschool graduates and are excited to be passing on that vision on to our children! We enjoy living out in the sticks and raise kids, sheep, dogs, cats and weeds. :-)

I love my life and am living what I have always dreamed: out in the country, raising beautiful children with a godly, loving husband.

How many kids do you have, and what are their ages?
Our oldest daughter, Kathryn, (Katie,) just turned 2 (when did this happen?!) Victoria is our latest edition, is already 6 months old, and bringing more joy to our family every day!

Describe how being a Mom has changed you and your lifestyle:
My life is much less flexible than it used to be! I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants sort of gal, and I’ve always loved spontaneous adventures. It’s a little more difficult to have a spontaneous camping/road trip when you’ve got little ones to consider!

What is the hardest thing you've hard to learn/overcome/adjust to since becoming a mom?
The hardest thing for me is probably trying to be productive while suffering from sleep deprivation. I’ve pretty much resigned myself to never having “enough” sleep again, so I’m trying to adjust and move on!

What are the most rewarding parts of being a mom for you?
I love “being there” for my girls. I love that when they are sad or need something, they come to ME for comfort. I love Katie’s “Squeeze!” every night before I lay her down in her bed. I love it when Victoria lays her little head on my chest and sucks her thumb while she listens to me singing her to sleep.

Are you a SAHM, WAHM, or do you work out of the home?
I am a SAHM, and proud of it! I am so grateful for a husband that wants me to stay home with our precious children, and I am thankful to God for the job He has given John that allows me to be free to be at home! John works very hard to provide for us with one income and God has blessed us! I am, in a sense, a WAHM too, as I am regularly working on my blog and towards earning a little income with it eventually.

What challenges have you faced as a SAHM?
There are hundreds of little, every-day challenges! The biggest one I’m going through right now is potty training our oldest. I'm sure most of you moms can relate...I also constantly struggle to implement some sort of routine or schedule. Our days are so willy-nilly!

When and how did you get started blogging?
I started a little blog about 2 years ago that I used mostly to just update family and friends on what my adorable little baby was doing. I started getting hooked on entering giveaways in the blogosphere and got inspired to start my own “official” blog in July 2010, almost a year ago!

What is your favorite part of blogging? What are your favorite topics to cover or types of posts to share? I love bragging about my girls. I love sharing recipes that have been shared with me, and I love to tell everyone about the wonders of cloth diapering and other natural parenting topics!

What have you gained for yourself, and as a mom, through blogging?
I’ve gained some wonderful mama-bloggy friends! I love getting to review new products, (especially cloth diapers: it’s an addiction!) and it’s an outlet for my creative expression through writing!

You can visit Johanna on her blog, Mama Chocolate, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Comment on any current giveaway running on her blog with "Mommies Network Extra Entries" and she will add 5 extra entries into the giveaway for you!

What is a Doula anyway??

By now you have probably heard the name, and you may even know someone who has had one. But unless you have worked with one yourself, you most likely have some questions about who they really are, and what exactly they do.

I have worked as a Birth Doula for the past four years and would love to help you understand the benefits of our assistance. The title itself comes from an ancient Greek word meaning, “A woman who serves.” And whether we are attending a labor and delivery, or helping a family transition into life with a newborn, that is exactly what we try to do!

But of course every family, every woman, and ultimately every birth, is so unique. The specifics of our service can translate into many different things depending on what our clients want and need. This is why it can be somewhat difficult to get an exact answer to your questions.

While most of us are formally trained and/or certified we are not medically trained, so our assistance comes in the form of physical and emotional support during labor. We are passionate about all things related to pregnancy and childbirth. And we seek to educate and empower by arming our clients with information about all available choices, and the risks or benefits of each one. We are there to be your advocate, but not your voice. And to remind you that birth is natural, and you can trust your body.

We typically meet our clients up to three times before the birth, and then once after. During prenatal appointments, we ask questions about any previous deliveries, and try to get a sense of who you are as a couple. We listen for your thoughts and beliefs about pregnancy and childbirth, and we answer your questions and help ease your concerns. We can work with you to establish a birth plan, and then remind you of your desires in the midst of labor, when it takes all of your focus just to get through the contractions. During the postpartum appointment we check in to make sure mom and baby are doing well, to offer breastfeeding encouragement and review the birth experience.

One of the most common questions I hear is how our position relates to that of the baby’s father in the delivery room. Doulas are not trying to replace your partner during one of the most amazing moments in his life. In fact, quite the opposite is true. We are there to support them as well. It’s so hard for them to see the women they love in pain, and they are usually scared of doing or saying the wrong thing. Having a trained birth attendant there helps relieve an immense amount of pressure, pressure they often don’t realize they are experiencing until it’s removed by the presence of a doula. It’s absolutely amazing to meet dads beforehand that appear somewhat indifferent about having a doula, and then seeing the obvious relief on their face when I walk in the door.

We can also give guidance when needed, and offer explanations when things feel overwhelming and scary. I have seen intense worry come over dads’ faces when contractions get strong, or transition hits and mom’s body starts shaking. It’s so helpful for them to know when things like that are just a normal part of labor, and even a good sign that things are progressing. We can give him guilt-free breaks to grab a bite to eat, or take a trip to the bathroom. Having this second set of hands ensures our laboring moms are never without someone by their side. And if mom needs someone in front of her with whom to make eye contact and to remind her to breathe, she can still have someone rubbing her back or applying pressure to her hips.

I also hear a lot of misconceptions about who we are within the medical community. Often times we are viewed by doctors and hospitals as people who will go against everything they say and do. They often see our presence as an inconvenience, as someone who is going to make their job harder. We know that this line of thinking is more commonly found among Obstetricians and Nurses, but I was floored recently when I was told by one of my clients that her Certified Nurse Midwife asked if I would let her have an epidural, if she really wanted one. Thankfully, my client knew me well enough to assure her CNM I would be there to make sure she had the birth that was right for her.

And when she went into labor, I was beside her as she walked the halls. I was there to make sure her voice was heard when she wanted a Hep-lock instead of an IV. I was there to encourage use of the birth ball and the hospital’s Jacuzzi tub as labor progressed. I was there to rub her back and squeeze her hips when contractions got really strong. I was there when she asked for and received an epidural at seven centimeters. And I was there when she delivered her beautiful nine pound baby boy.

She told me later that her nurse commented the next day on what a wonderful doula I was. I think the nurse was genuinely surprised that I listened to my client, advocated for her when she made choices outside of the normal hospital routine, but didn’t stand in her way when she did.

As your doula, if you have made an educated decision to have an epidural at the hospital, my job is to support you with that. Or if you have made an educated decision to have a midwife attended homebirth, then my job is to support you with that.

Because while it is true that we want our clients to be informed, and to speak up for themselves and their choices, we are truly not there with our own agenda, we are there to support yours!!

For more information, please visit http://www.dona.org or http://www.cappa.net

Post submitted by Heather from UnionCountyMommies.com

Menu Monday: Chicken Paprikash

Chicken Paprikash is so easy to make, it requires very little effort and not a lot of past culinary experience.

Ingredients:

1 pound of chicken (diced)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 stick of butter
1 small onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of paprika
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 package of spaetzle or you can make your own

To get started gather all of your ingredients and prepare them so this meal takes you 20 minutes from start to finish!



Dice up your onion and garlic


Melt 1/2 stick of butter in skillet


Add onions and garlic to butter and saute until soft


Combine sour cream, milk, cornstarch and paprika and whisk together, then set aside.


Add spaetzle to your butter/onion/garlic mixture and saute until golden brown.

If you are using your own dumplings you may opt to omit adding them to this mixture depending on their consistency.


Warm up the olive oil and then add chicken until it is cooked completely. Add the chicken broth slowly to deglaze the pan and turn heat to medium.


Add the sour cream mixture to the chicken, mix well, then add your spaetzle/onion mixture to it.

You are done, you have now made Chicken Paprikash! How easy was that!

This recipe was brought to you by Joelyn Morgan, Chapter Manager of ClevelandMommies.
Originally posted on the ClevelandMommies Blog on May 3, 2011