Wakey, Wakey Sleepyhead

Keurig Platinum B70 Gourmet Single Cup Brewing System
When Heath was in a very busy period of his residency and we had a toddler and newborn my parents gave us one of the most valuable Christmas gifts we could have received...a Keurig brewer. Hallelujah! The freshest morning coffee at the touch of a button was a lifesaver for those late night shifts for Heath at the hospital and the late night shifts for me with a newborn and a two year old.
To this day we are still very much in love with our Keurig, as are our friends and guests that come to our house! It is great to have a variety of coffees on hand to appeal to every coffee, tea and hot chocolate drinker who visits. One coffee drinker may need a jolt of caffeine at 8:00 p.m. while another wants a cup of decaf to go with after dinner dessert. It's so versatile and efficient...a must have!
PROS: Super fresh coffee, a variety of flavors, cup-by-cup brewing, brews quickly in multiple sizes, eliminates the need to set the coffee pot at night and waste half empty pots of coffee
CONS: K-cups can be pricey (I used to have a favorite company to purchase from online but they have since raised their prices so I'm still looking for a good vendor),
A NOTE ON K-CUPS: K-cups are available at Bed, Bath and Beyond which is convenient and cheaper with the 20% off coupons or $5 off $15 coupons. There is also a removable filter basket in which you can put your own coffee grounds but this can get annoying and messy, much less 'fun' and satisfying than the K-cup varieties. Finally, Folgers has produced their own line of K-cup that are actually very tasty, cheaper and can be found at grocery stores, Target and Wal-mart so very convenient!

Namaste, Baby

Gaiam Kids: Yogakids Fun Collection

As you know, I am a fan of yoga. There are so many scientifically proven benefits of this form of exercise and literally every person can be helped mentally and physically from some level of consistent yoga practice.

Having said this, my first born grew up watching me do yoga almost every single day. I would practice while she rocked to sleep in her swing at 6 weeks old, I would practice while holding her to help her to calm down, I even purchased a couple of mommy and baby yoga videos so she could reap some of the benefits as well. Needless to say, it wasn't too long before she would pull my yoga mat out and do a downward dog (very handy for bottom wiping, by the way) or would contort her body into all sorts of positions exclaiming, "Mommy, look! I'm doing yoga!".

When she was two years old she requested that Santa bring her a yoga mat. I found some darling child-size mats online and purchased one with turtles on it. In my search for this mat I came across the Gaiam Kids: Yogakids Fun Collection Yoga DVD. It got great reviews so I decided to try it. When she opened that DVD on Christmas morning we put it on and had the greatest time!

The poses are not traditional yoga poses but are so fun to do. Each pose is assigned a letter A through Z and takes you through a video that shows different animals, landscapes and components of nature. The kids in the video are so cute and engaging. Now, two years later, we still like to pull our yoga mats out and get silly together...the neighborhood kids love to do it with us, too!

This is an excellent Christmas gift for preschool and elementary school aged kids. With cold weather keeping the kids indoors I love having the video on hand to give us something fun and active to do together!

around her house Blog Update

It's that time of year again. The time when we all prepare for guests, plan for holiday meals, decorate, bake, mail out a mountain of Christmas cards, shop for Christmas gifts, attend holiday parties; basically lots of cooking, lots of cleaning, lots of energy to make the holidays as memorable as possible for family and friends.

I've already started the Christmas shopping and am mostly done (yay!) but with the guests starting to roll in next week, two holiday meals and a holiday party being hosted at our house I will have to cut back on the daily blog. Mom goes into overdrive now so there are some things that must go on the backburner for a while. I will post weekly (on Mondays, hopefully!) and may resume the daily posts once the holiday rush is over.

The blog has been a big success with over 4,200 page views since September. Thank you for your interest, comments, texts and emails!

Happy holidays to all!

Suck it Up

Dirt Devil Extreme Power Hand Vac M0914 (former model is the Dirt Devil Accucharge)

There are a few things that every household needs and, in my opinion, a good handheld vacuum cleaner is a must. Since our marriage in 2003 we are on our third handheld vacuum and this one is my favorite. This handy little tool is ready when you need it and I use mine many times every day!

The battery fully charges within 24 hours and provides heavy duty suction. It is lightweight but the best feature is the 'quick flip crevice tool' that allows you to get into corners, under cabinets and in all nooks and crannies with the press of a button.

PROS: Powerful suction, convenient, easy to empty, replacement filters are available at Target and Wal-mart stores, quick flip crevice tool, price (about $30)

CONS: None!

Give Me a Hand

Weleda Skin Food

It's that time of year when your lips, face, hands and the rest of your body feel dry and chapped. There are some great hand lotions that I use during the spring and summer that are light and non-greasy but they just don't hold up to the cold outdoor air and dry, heated indoor air. In comes Weleda Skin Food. I originally purchased this for Zoe's eczema but it just seemed to irritate her, as do most lotions and creams. So, I decided to try the cream on my dry, rough hands and I am so glad I did!

This super nourishing, thick, wonderfully smelling cream really does the trick. It is soothing to dry, chapped hands, elbows and feet and coats your skin without feeling greasy. An added bonus is that it smells amazing as it is filled with extracts of pansy, calendula, chamomile, lavendar, rosemary and sweet orange oil.

PROS: Smells amazing, thick consistency, moisturizes well

CONS: Price (I paid $16 at Whole Foods but this will last about one year)

TIP: Vitacost.com has a full tube on sale for $10.78. If you buy more than $49 worth of products, you get free shipping...otherwise shipping is $4.99!

Get a Grip

OXO Good Grips Pop Containers

At one time we had a strange group of tiny moths living on the ceiling of our pantry. If any of you know me, you know that I don't care for bugs and critters inside my house, so I made a quick call to our exterminator. He came out and took a look at these pests and told me to take everything out of our pantry so he could take care of the problem. I asked him how we could possibly have acquired these moths to which he replied that they could have come home with us from the grocery store in just about any of the containers in our pantry (flour, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.). GROSS. He suggested I put as many of our pantry items in air tight storage containers as possible.

I ventured out for a suitable storage solution and came across the OXO Good Grips Pop Containers. I fell in love. The plastic is thick and durable and with the press of the button on top, an airtight seal is made. I transferred as many of our dry goods to these containers as possible. I would like to store more of our pantry items in these storage units but they are a bit pricey! I will have to acquire a few more over time...hopefully before the moths can find their way back into our pantry.

PROS: Durable, tight seal, feel and look very nice, stack well

CONS: Pricey, difficult to know exactly which size you will need for each of your items (this requires a bit of advance planning!)

You can find these containers at Macy's, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohls, TJ Maxx and other retailers.

Ready or Not, Here I Come!

Melissa and Doug Hide and Seek Puzzle

Our second child (now two years old) received this puzzle for Christmas last year and it is by far the best puzzle we own. There are so many skills she can work on when doing this puzzle! Finger dexterity, memory, color recognition, association of objects, critical thinking and more. I never get tired of doing this puzzle with her. It makes a great gift for the hard to shop for toddler!

PROS: Well constructed, builds a number of skills, great size for play and for storage

CONS: A number of pieces so you have to keep track of them!

Bottoms Up!

Tervis Tumbler 24 Ounce Insulated Tumbler

We have all heard of the 'eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day' rule. As a physical therapist who specialized in women's health and disorders associated with urination I can tell you that this rule does not apply to everyone. To figure out exactly how many ounces of water you should be drinking every day, do this:

Take your weight in pounds and divide it by two

This gives you the total number of ounces of fluid you should drink daily

Multiply this number by 2/3 and this gives you the amount in ounces of water you should be drinking daily

For example: a 120 pound female should drink 60 ounces of fluid daily, 40 ounces of this should be water (the other 20 ounces can be tea, coffee, juice, etc.). This equals five eight ounce glasses of water daily. More, of course, is perfectly fine.

I received the Tervis Tumbler as a gift when I was pregnant with my second child along with a note saying that "now that I was pregnant I need to make sure I'm drinking enough water"! I use this cup almost every single day. I fill it in the morning and drink from it all day. It is a 24 ounce tumbler so it makes it very easy to remember how many times I need to refill it (for me, I need to drink two of these tumblers daily). It fits in my car cupholder and goes with me inside and outside of the house all day!

You can find a large selection of these tumblers at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Amazon.com

So That's What They're For!

The Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra by Bravado

Lets face it...nursing can be uncomfortable. Your breasts become excessively large, nipples overly sensitive, you let down at some inopportune times...but there are also so many positives associated with breastfeeding. I nursed both of our children for a year each and while it was difficult at times (especially with Zoe's allergies modifying my diet tremendously) it was so worth all of the inconveniences. The least you can do for your ready-for-action-24-7 breasts is to give them some nice support, comfort and easy accessibility. This is where the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra by Bravado comes in.

This bra makes a great nursing bra but it also makes a great maternity bra. The material allows for fluctuation in breast size and is so comfortable. It has soft, molded cups that provide extra nipple coverage and really mold to your shape. A must-have for the pregnant and nursing mom!
PROS: Seamless, removable foam cups, great nursing bra for yoga class, easy sizing, clips securely and folds down fully for access for nursing, proprietary conversion kit (new) allows you to change this bra into a regular bra when nursing journey is complete

CONS: On the pricier side ($50) but worth it since it is so functional and you will wear it every day!

Hi, My Name Is...

Custom Orbit Label from InchBug

At playdates and school there are so many cups floating around (along with the germs of their owners) that it is almost essential for your child and you to identify your sippy cups at a glance. I bought a set of the custom orbit labels from http://www.inchbug.com/ when we had our first child because they were pretty cute and super handy. When our second child came along, little did we know that these labels would be lifesaving for her. Since she has a milk allergy it is so important for her cups to be clearly labeled and these things do the trick!

PROS: Non-adhesive so no sticky residue, won't come off in dishwasher, easy to slip on and off but won't come off unless you want it to, fits a variety of cups and bowls, reusable and lasts for years, great variety of colors and customizing options

CONS: A little bit of an investment ($12.95 plus shipping for four labels)

Chop, Chop!

Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus

For a couple of years now Heath and I have mulled over the thought of buying a super nice, ultra fancy food processor. I have watched videos, checked them out at Williams-Sonoma, used friends, read online reviews and just couldn't decide on the capacity or model that would suit our needs best. While at Target one day I happened upon this little gadget. Seeing that the price tag was only $25 (on sale) I decided to give it a whirl.

I use this thing almost every single day! I haven't chopped an onion by hand for months now. I pull out my little chopper, throw in an onion cut in quarters and with the press of the button I have diced onions with no tears at all. Now I quickly make bread crumbs, chop herbs and do lots of little food prep tasks with the press of a button. The best part: ALL PARTS ARE DISHWASHER SAFE! I pull off the bowl, the blade and the lid and stick them all in the dishwasher. Love it!

This is a great Christmas gift idea for the hard to shop for wife (hint, hint boys) or friend.

PROS: Sturdy, user friendly design, very affordable, dishwasher safe, efficient

CONS: None!

So...How's the Weather?

TIP: Mobile Text Alerts (http://www.digtriad.com/)

Every morning at 8:00 a.m. I hear the 'ding' of my cell phone alerting me that I received a new text. Months ago I signed up at http://www.digtriad.com/ (our local text alert system) to have the daily forecast texted to my phone, school closings texted to me and weather watches and warnings texted to me. This has been such a useful little service! In this area it is not unheard of to have a severe shift in weather that could lead to tornado watches and warnings so I feel secure knowing that no matter where I am, I will be alerted of an event such as this. It is also convenient to determine if the girls will need a sweater or coat that day and, later when the weather turns to snow and ice, it will be so handy to get those school closings texted straight to my phone.

Check your local weather and/or news station to see if there is a service such as this offered in your area. You may even try Googling "(name of your city) weather text alerts" and see what pops up. Ours is free but I believe there are some areas of the country that would charge a small fee for this handy little service.

What's for Lunch?

Tip: School Lunch Ideas

Per request from one of my wonderful neighbors, I am going to give some ideas for school lunches. Since my oldest is four years old and eats lunch at school only one day each week, I don't have to pack too many school lunches BUT we are always on the go so here are a few ideas that work for us. These ideas are nut allergy friendly since so many schools are starting to adopt that policy!

Drinks:

I am a fan of good, old fashioned, plain water (I really like the Nalgene sippy cups for preschoolers)

Main Course:

Sandwiches on whole grain bread: turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, cucumber and cream cheese, tuna salad, chicken salad

Leftovers: spaghetti, grilled or rotisserie chicken, rice and beans (my kids like Zattarain's red beans and rice), meatballs

Pizza (Home Run Inn makes a great, all natural cheese pizza)

Spiral pasta (my kids like Wacky Mac) or macaroni and cheese (my daughter likes Annie's Aged Shells and Cheddar) with cut up hot dogs (I get nitrate free: either Smart Chicken Uncured Chicken Frankfurters or Oscar Mayer Angus)

Spiral pasta with black beans, olive oil, oregano and garlic powder

A whole wheat tortilla roll with melted cheese and/or hot dog (see above for hot dog recommendations) or diced, grilled chicken

Sides

Chobani Champions (Greek yogurt for kids)

String cheese

Cottage cheese

Feta and kalamata olives (my daughter loves this!)

Steamed vegetables

Green pepper strips

Mini red, orange, yellow peppers (Costco has a big bag at a great price!)

Baby carrots or carrot chips

Cherry or grape tomatoes

All fruits (bananas, oranges, apples, grapes, mangoes, berries)

Diced avocado or guacamole

Pretzels

Multigrain tortilla chips

Cascadian Farms granola bars

Back to Nature has a great line of crackers, check them out at Whole Foods or Wal-Mart

Treat/Dessert

I give my daughter the same treat in her lunch box every week and that is one Newman's Own Newman O's Cream Filled Chocolate Cookie in either Original flavor or Hint O' Mint (like a traditional Oreo cookie but this is a more natural, 'healthier' option)

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

JJ Cole Bundle Me

When we had our first child I created quite a baby registry. I bought books on baby gear, checked out Consumer Reports online, read countless reviews, and even called some companies before adding anything to our registry. One of my favorite little finds was the JJ Cole Bundle Me. Our child was born in October and, though it was in Texas, those fall and winter months were chilly for a newborn. This little contraption is a must-have for the infant carseat!

The interior of the Bundle Me is a super soft, non-irritating fleece material while the exterior is a soft thermaplush. The zip-off, removable top is an excellent feature allowing you to remove it when the baby is too warm or to remove it to lay down on other people's couches or floors for diaper changes or for your baby to nap on when you are at a playdate or visiting your friends. The Bundle Me has elastic straps on the back that snugly secure it to your infant carseat and is easily removable for machine washing.

PROS: Great color choices, soft for baby, machine washable, keeps baby warm and cozy, removable top, affordable and worth every penny

CONS: None!

Time to Wash Up

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Hand Soap Geranium Scent
One of my favorite things to make my house feel a bit more 'home-y' is to have a nice handsoap in the kitchen and bathrooms. I knew about Mrs. Meyer's and her range of products and came across her line at Whole Foods. The price tag was a little steeper than I wanted to spend (considering I could get hand soap at Bath and Body Works for much cheaper) so I passed. Then, one day while at Wal-Mart, I saw that they carry Mrs. Meyer's products at a much more budget friendly price! I opened the bottles of hand soap, sniffed and fell in love with the 'geranium scent'. If you aren't a lover of floral scents then this is not for you. I, on the other hand, love super feminine smells so I snatched up a bottle right away.
PROS: Smells amazing...like fresh cut flowers! Makes hands super soft,paraben free, great price tag (I paid just over $2!)
CONS: It can be difficult to find this particular scent, bottles are on the smaller side

Bag Lady

Thirty One Organizing Utility Tote

For Mother's Day this year I asked Heath to get me some sort of vehicle to carry things to my car and then back into the house again. I'm talking about sippy cups, mail, paperwork for the girl's school, my binders for board meetings, coupons...all those things that I just don't have enough hands to carry while helping the girls down the stairs and into the car. I searched online, through magazines and in stores and couldn't find anything that would be as functional as I wanted. Then I remembered about Thirty One and how they specialize in cute, functional storage pieces and bags. Low and behold, I stumbled across the Organizing Utility Tote and it has fit my need perfectly! This is a must-have for every busy mom...don't forget, Christmas is right around the corner!

PROS: Holds a lot (papers, binders, even lunch boxes), the side pockets are the perfect size for sippy cups and bottles of water, mesh pouches on the ends hold keys and cell phone well, very affordable! ($25)

CONS: I don't love the fabric choices, however, I think they have added a few more options since I purchased mine so it might be easier for you to decide than it was for me!