January 2014

Month

Fri
31 ^st

Nutella Filled Crescent Hearts

Posted by Pinparent — 17 Comments

Nutella is such a wonderful thing. I want to find the person that invented the delicious nutty spread & give them a giant kiss. It is guilty pleasure of mine. I have been known to just sit there with the jar & a spoon and indulge in the sweet treat right out of the jar. I also am a fan of the crescent roll. If you stuff a crescent with just about anything it is delicious. I am guessing I would even eat a dirty shoe if a crescent was rolled around it. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I decided to couple two of my favorite foods .

Ingredients:

A sheet of seamless crescent

Nutella

1/4 cup of finely chopped hazelnuts

2 Tbsp of butter or margarine

1 Tbsp of brown sugar

1/4 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Unroll the sheet of crescent dough. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out crescent hearts for the top & bottom of your treats. Gather excess crescent & roll out with a rolling pin. Cut out more hearts until you have used most of the dough. Lay one heart down on an ungreased cookie sheet & generously scoop Nutella & spread in the middle following the heart shape & avoiding the edges. Place another heart over the first heart & Nutella. Pinch the edges. Do this until you use all of your dough hearts.
In a saucepan melt butter or margarine over low heat. Add brown sugar & stir until dissolved & then add hazelnuts. Make sure they are finely chopped. Mix until coated with butter & sugar.
In the middle of your formed crescent hearts, use a smaller heart cookie cutter & press in the center. Sprinkle nut mixture in the middle of the cookie cutter until in fills in the shape. Repeat with all formed crescent hearts. Bake for about 10-15 minute or until golden.
Melt chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. Heat it in 30 second intervals. Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over your hearts & let cool.

Related Topics:

http://sesamebasket.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/hi-nutella/

http://thechristinejuang.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/foodie-nutella-cinnamon-rolls/

http://butterandsprinkles.com/2014/01/29/nutella-crumb-bars/

http://weheartcards.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/no-bake-rice-krispie-cakes-with-popcorn-nutella-and-peanut-butter/

Thu
30 ^th

10 Reasons That I Wish I Was A Toddler

Posted by Pinparent — 32 Comments

It was a bad night for mommy. The terrible twos have blown through our home like a tornado & have left exhaustion & frustration in its wake. Tonight was especially rough. My daughter had a meltdown that lasted from the moment I came home until I tucked her into her crib. Collapsing on the couch with a beer and a headache got me thinking. What is my little girl so distressed about? Sure she is contending with a lot of young emotions and her little brain is taking in a lot, but all in all, I have to say I think that she has it pretty good. I would not mind being in her shoes for a few days.

Here are 10 reasons that I wish I could be a toddler.

1. I could wear footie pajamas every day. I used to joke with my husband all the time that I wish I could spend all day in footie pajamas like our daughter did. My hubby obliged & last mother’s day I ended up with a pair of these.

2. Chubby belly & thighs are considered cute. If this were only true for me, I would be considered a goddess.

3. Running around naked is acceptable. I am sort of a nudist. If it was socially acceptable, I might never put clothes on.

4. Napping I don’t understand why my daughter fights napping so much . It is wonderful. You don’t realize how much you love a good nap until you can’t take them when you want anymore.

5. You can get away with wearing anything. As adults we are always so self-conscious of our appearance & what other people think of it. I am guessing I could not get away with this mis-matched ensemble that daddy put her in one day.

6. Everything you do is funny, smart & cute. I can’t remember the last time someone oohed & aaahed over me smelling my own feet or farting. It just doesn’t happen.

7. If you pee or poop in your pants it is not embarrassing. Ok, ok, it is not that I do these things, but if I did it would be nice to know that someone would be ready with a pack of water wipes & some powder to wipe my bum down with.

8. When you are mad, you can throw a tantrum. As adults we often have to suppress these feelings which leave us stressed. How wonderful would it be to have a toddler-like tantrum & throw things & pound your fists on the floor? I would like to try this at work tomorrow & see what happens.

9. You can be a slob. How fun would it be to enjoy your food so whole heartedly? I would drop food all over myself & not bat an eyelash. When you make a mess, somewhere is always there to clean it up for you.

10. The world is your playground. One thing that I find so wonderful about my daughter is that everything is so new & exciting to her. Things that we take for granted, fill her with such wide-eyed wonder. I would love to be able to see things again through a child’s eyes.

Thank you as always for stopping by. Please follow us on Facebook as well.

Shepherd’s Pie Soup

Posted by Pinparent — 19 Comments

I don’t know where you all live, but where we are, it is freezing. With the cold New England weather also comes the flu, colds & an assortment of other fun viruses to bounce back and forth around our home.

My husband & daughter have been sick all week. The menu this week has been soup & vitamin C. Tonight’s special for my two sniffling loves is shepherd’s pie soup.

Shepherd’s Pie Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups of peeled & cubed potatoes

1 lb of browned ground turkey

2 7oz can of corn

1/2 cup chopped onion

5 tbsp of butter or margarine

5 tbsp flour

2 cups milk

2 cups of shredded cheddar

3 1/2 cups of chicken broth

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp parsley

Directions:

Combine potatoes, onion & broth in large pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer & cover. Cook until potatoes are tender about 15-20 minutes. Add salt & pepper.

Brown ground turkey with the garlic salt, drain & set aside.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter medium low. When fully melted add the flour and stir until the flour is absorbed. Add milk slowly & stir until smooth. Add parley & 1 cup of cheese & stir until melted.

Add the cheese mixture to the potatoes & stir well. Add the corn & the ground turkey & stir well again. Add the last cup of cheese & stir until melted.

Serve to your sick family while it’s still warm.

Some goldfish swimming in the bowl for the munchkin.

Thank you as always for stopping by. Please follow us on Facebook as well.

3 Hands, 1 Heart Valentines Craft

Posted by Pinparent — 21 Comments

*This post has been updated since the original post*

One of my favorite kinds of kid’s crafts are any that have to do with there little hands or feet. I love hand prints & tracings. My daughter and I have been dabbling with tracing a lot lately. She loves trying to trace her hand. It is adorable,really. She will trace hers & then say “Mama, trace hand toooo?” Absolutely, baby!
Their sweet little hands make such wonderful keepsake art. It will be such an “awwwwww” inducing memory to look back on in the future. Here is a Valentines inspired craft featuring the whole family’s hands.

What you will need:

Construction or scrapbook paper

Glue stick

Scissors

Marker

Letter stencils

Tracings of your hands

Directions:

Place your hands (mommy, daddy, baby) on a piece of construction paper.

Outline each hand.

Cut around the outlines of each of your hands.

Place hands in an overlapping pattern to form a heart in the middle.

Using a glue stick, glue them into position over a contrasting color.

Flip over & cut any excess to the contrast paper so that only the heart shape shows.

Glue the hands & heart to another piece of contrasting paper.

Use a stencil to trace out your saying.

Let the marker dry & glue dry.

Place your new creation in a frame.

We have since made a new family heart using our family hand prints instead of the cut-outs.

Thank you as always for stopping by. Please follow us on Facebook as well.

Mon
27 ^th

Learning Through Tracing Activities

Posted by Pinparent — 14 Comments

Thu
23 ^rd

Healthy Peanut Butter & Jelly Wheat Muffins

Posted by Pinparent — 23 Comments

Conversation with my recently turned 2 year old daughter during breakfast this morning…

Mai: Mama, jelly.
Me: You want jelly on your cinnamon bun?
Mai: Yes!
I spread a little jelly on her bun
Mai: Mama, more jelly…biiiigg jelly
Me: There is no more jelly baby
Mai: Jelly at the store
I break down in laughter & against my better judgment take out the jelly to give her just a little bit more. I’m such a sucker sometimes.
Mai: Mama, find it! (Claps her hands)

It seems as if overnight my little girl has grown up. She is talking up a storm, forming full sentences & developing a mind of her own.

She recently discovered that she loves jelly. She wants to spread it on toast, pancakes & now apparently cinnamon buns.

Let’s see if she likes it in a muffin too.

Peanut butter & jelly muffins

I try to bake with whole wheat flour whenever I can. If you chose to make these using enriched flour, you will have to adjust your measurements. For every cup of enriched flour used in a recipe, it only takes 3/4 cup of wheat flour. You will need to adjust your liquid measurements as well.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat baking flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup all natural organic peanut butter

1/3 cup of apple sauce

2 egg whites

1 cup of skim milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, both sugars, salt & baking powder in a bowl. Add the peanut butter & mix until all the oils are absorbed & mixture gets clumpy. Knead between fingers until well mixed & forming crumbles. Add apple sauce, egg whites & milk & stir just until wet ingredients are absorbed. Add a spoonful of mixture to a greased muffin tin. Add a spoonful of jelly to the center of the mixture & then top with the remainder of the muffin mix. Bake for about 20 minutes. (Cook times may vary) Let cool & serve to your favorite jelly lover.

The verdict: My little girl gobbled them up and so did mommy & daddy.

Related Topics:

http://nourishedbycorynn.com/2014/01/23/snow-days-and-banana-cocao-muffins/

http://thelivefitgirl.wordpress.com/2014/01/22/banana-nut-muffins/

Avocado Chocolate Orange Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Muffins (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Wed
22 ^nd

Crunchy Soy Sauce and Ginger Chickpeas

Posted by Pinparent — 16 Comments

One of my biggest diet issues has always been that I am a huge snacker. My husband is a snacker, our 2 year old little girl is a snacker. It makes it very difficult to stay on track when bags of Doritos and Skittles are being passed around.

Roasted chickpeas are a healthy crunchy alternative to greasy chips. They are also a simple treat to make. So, if you are looking for a low fat, healthy & yummy option to your late night cravings, try these.

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas

1 tsp of soy sauce -Use the good stuff. Green Mountain or Maggi is my favorite. (Kikkoman & La Choy just don’t taste the same)

1/4 tsp of ground ginger

1/4 tsp of garlic salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.

Empty out the can of chickpeas and blot off the excess liquid.

In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix until evenly coated. Roast at 450 for about 40-45 minutes or until crunchy. Remove from the oven & let cool.

Serve and enjoy your yummy & healthy snack

Related Topics:

http://alearningwife.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/the-homemade-hummus-adventure/

http://thevegaquariantimes.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/super-fast-and-healthy-curry-kale-chickpeabowl/

Tue
21 ^st

Vacationing With Your Toddler

Posted by Pinparent — 26 Comments

My husband and I love to travel. Before having our daughter, we would plan our next trip before our suitcases were even unpacked from the last. I have a travel bucket list about a mile long. There are so many places that I want to see, people I want to meet & foods that I want to taste. I don’t think I will have the time. We were going up until my 3rd trimester when we took an anniversary trip to Iceland.

When we had Mai, we both agreed that we would continue our travels with our little passenger in tow. We thought it would be a great learning experience for her as well as a great way to create memories & bonds for us as a family.

We just took our first big family vacation last week. Hubby, Mai, Nana & I all took an 8 day cruise to the Bahamas. It is amazing how different vacationing is when you add a 2 year old into the mix.

Packing has changed for sure. I once went to Europe for 17 days with nothing but a duffel bag. Now that duffel bag would barely fit just the diapers alone. P.S. Potty training starts when we get home.

Last call at the end of the night is no longer buying a beer for each hand, it is one of us scrambling to try to find a chocolate milk before bed.

The first night on the ship there was loud music playing a few floors down. Before having kids, we would have been rushing to get ready to see where that music was coming from, instead “Oh my God!, Why is that so loud at…8 o’clock at night.” Oh yes, I am a mother now.

And maybe it is just me but I wanted to punch random strangers in the face almost daily. It was shocking to me, how easily some people walked right through my child as if she was not even there. “Heeeellllo! That is a little 2 year old that you just knocked over.” Yeeeeah, you know who you are.

Meal times are a race against the clock. You are always on the run. Sleeping in is not an option.

It is tiring…

and stressful…

…but it is still fun. Your fun has just been redefined.

Traveling with your little one can be exhausting but also rewarding and fun.

Be prepared for everything. If you think you need it, bring it. Make sure to bring extra clothes, diapers, toys, first aid etc…

Plan ahead. Call & check with your hotels to see what amenities they provide for your little one. Many places have cribs & Pack n plays for guest use. We had a crib set up in our room & it was a life saver.

Stay as close as you can to your bedtime routine. If you read stories before bed, be ready to do that on vacation too. If your child has a favorite animal or a lovee that they sleep with, bring it. If they go to sleep using a music box, it has to come.

Plan kid friendly activities. If you have a feisty toddler who like to run and explore, don’t pick long bus tours or boat rides. If you must, make sure they have toys or books to distract them. You know you child best & know what they can handle.

Dress in layers and always bring a blanket. On a very windy boat ride in the Bahamas. I was relieved that my mother-in-law had packed a blanket away. We wrapped it around Mai’s head & face to protect her from the wind.

Pack plenty of snacks & drinks. My toddler goes from thirsty to meltdown in a matter of minutes. Keep them handy at all times.

Bring hand wipes and wash everyone’s hands frequently. Vacation is never a fun time to get sick but it does happen. Try to prevent with washing up often and make sure to bring medicines in case they are needed.

And if you are fortunate enough as we were, having an extra set of hands always helps too. Thanks Nana!

Wed
08 ^th

Play-Doh Rose

Posted by Pinparent — 7 Comments

Play-Doh is not just fun for the kiddos. It is fun for the mommies too. My daughter has been on a huge Play-Doh kick lately. While picking up her piles of dough all over the coffee table, I decided it was playtime for me. Here is a mommy original Play-Doh sculpture.

I used one of Mai’s toy rolling pins to flatten out the dough.

With one of her toy knives, I cut out a circle.

Working from the bottom, I pinched & pleated the circle all the way around to form a pinched cylinder like shape that is slightly pointed on the bottom.

I repeated the first two steps & then formed another pinched layer underneath the first, working the two layers together.

Continue with these steps 1 & 2 and keep layering until you achieve the fullness for your flower that you would like. Add green Play Doh for leaves.

Tue
07 ^th

Toddlers & Technology – How Much is Too Much?

Posted by Pinparent — 21 Comments

*This post contains affiliate links*

Recently, a fellow blogger wrote in to one of the mom forums posing the question, “Should she get her child an IPad or a Tablet?” She was concerned because there is much debate on introducing technology to our young ones too soon. I have heard arguments for this coming from both sides & wanted to weigh in with my thoughts & maybe hear some of yours as well. There are a number of reasons that doctors and child psychologists list for not introducing television & computers at a young age.

1. Not enough social interaction

2. Not enough physical activity

3. Shortens attention span

4. Over stimulation

5. Not enough hands on learning time

Most argue that none of these should be introduced before 2 and that even “educational programming & applications” may bear not any real learning merit. My daughter just turned 2. A common day with our daughter begins anywhere between 6:30am-8am and lasts until about 8-9 at night. During the course of my toddler’s day she eats, reads, colors, builds, pretends, cooks with mommy, chases the dog, jumps, crafts and yes, watches TV & plays on the computer. Shocking, I know!

I first introduced her to the television with Baby Einstein videos. Her favorites were ‘My First Signs’ & ‘World Animals‘. Many may not agree with it, but it was a great learning tool for her. Mai was using sign language early on and many of her first words were animals that she had seen repeatedly from watching them on TV & seeing them in books. You may shake your head at me and say “Tsk tsk.” but sometimes, I have been even been known to throw in a video while I am trying to make supper.

I am not an expert. I am just a mommy. Here are my thoughts…
Technology is advancing every day. Computers are everywhere. To be successful in the world these days, you need a working knowledge of how they are run. Teaching our children at an early age how to use this technology gives them a great jump start to something they will need in their future. Do not let your child become a slave to technology. Make sure that they are active and that the majority of their days are still filled with several different activities. As I said before, my daughter’s days are packed with various things. She has taken swim classes, music , & is about to start tumbling too.

She has a Nabi Tablet & she is registered with ABC Mouse’s Early Learning Academy. I love both of these and so does she. She does not use either of these without mommy, daddy or Nanna doing them with her. We still engage her during the lessons, by letting her point out the pictures & asking her questions. She is very proud to show us what she is learning.
If my little girl is the little sponge that everyone says that she is, why can’t she absorb her learning from every resource that she can.
I would love to hear your feedback on this.

Thank you as always for stopping by. Please follow us on Facebook as well.

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