Daddy, Can I have a bite?

Alternate Title: Why I shouldn't bring my husband and kids to the grocery store with me.

Also: Alternate Title: For being so smart, my husband can sure be dumb.

Recently I was telling this story to a group of friends and they asked if I had blogged about it. I realized I had not. It might not be as funny as it is in person with me making gagging noises, but I'll give it a try.

About three years ago we all went to the grocery store together.  The boys were getting antsy so we put ourselves into hurry mode.  Matt walked the aisles with the boys while I ran in and out of each aisle ahead of him grabbing what we needed.

All of sudden, two aisles over, I hear Matt yell, "Tasha! Come quick!"

I run over to find all three of my children gagging, spitting and eventually, throwing up all over themselves and the grocery cart and the floor.

"What happened?" I gasped, reaching desperately into the diaper bag for wet wipes and ignoring the horrified onlookers.

"They wanted to try some coffee beans so I let them. I don't think they liked it."

I'm not normally a swearing person, but I believe my response sounded something like, "No sh*t Sherlock."

Who in their right mind would give a 7 year old, a 4 year old and a 3 year old coffee beans to munch on?  Especially knowing that our oldest is a gagger.

My husband, ladies and gentleman.

We spent the next 20 minutes cleaning up coffee bean puke covered kids.  We then spent the next 10 minutes after that browsing the children's clothing aisles for some clearanced shirts with three nekkid children and a grocery bag full of puke clothes.

It was good times.

Moral of the story: Don't give your kids a bite of something just because they ask.

P.S. Duh.

Aritificial Food Coloring: Is it safe for our kids?

I've been a long time believer that artificial anything in our foods is not ok. Why would I want to feed my kids preservatives and additives and chemicals? Why would I want to eat anything like that?!

Of course the FDA says that everything in our food is fine, no worries. Everything...in certain amounts...is ok.  But that's just the thing.  If you have a little bit of preservatives from this food and a little bit from that one and then a little bit more from your hair products (which seeps into your body) and a little bit from your favorite fast food joint, by the end of the day it's quite possible that your body has been overloaded on some nasty chemically altered...stuff.  Add in the high fructose corn syrup, the additives, the genetically modified meat and milk, a dash of nutri-sweet and a good ol' fashioned truck load of food dyes and you are sure to end up with an unhealthy body.

There is a lot of back and forth about if anything I even said above is true. They say no, we say yes...I'm not sure if we'll ever agree. I often wonder, if these things are so bad for us, why are they allowed in our food and personal care products?!  It doesn't make any sense!

That's where we have to step in and make a decision for our families. We have to do what makes the most sense to us. My golden rule of food is "If you can't read it, don't eat it."  And, though I'm not perfect in it (I love me some nasty junk food) I do try to stick to it with the foods and drinks we consume most often.

There seems to be a shift in the thinking about food dyes right now.  The FDA has started looking into the issue rather than just saying it's 100% not a problem, it sounds like they are starting to consider otherwise.  Which is a small but important step. Here is an article in the NY Times online that discusses the latest issues with food dyes and the idea that it causes negative behaviors in kids.

I agree all the way that food dyes are affecting our kids' behaviors. I've seen it in action in other kids and my own.  I would encourage you all to try omitting foods with dyes in them for a week and see if you notice a difference in your kids.  There are plenty of products out there that use all natural dyes. If you notice a change, make the switch and then consider weeding out products that use other unhealthy options like high fructose corn syrup. Even if you don't see a drastic change in behavior, look closer...are your kids sleeping better? less whiny? less likely to melt down? having fewer emotional out burts? It's not just about hyperactivity when it comes to what stuff in your food is affecting your kids.

Think about it, make a change. Just knowing that you are making healthier choices for your kids' health is going to feel great.

Recipe: Mom's Jello Cake

Every Spring my Mom makes her famous Jello Cake.   I know Easter is here when I take a bite of that moist strawberry cake deliciousness! 

Jello Cake

Ingredients:
1 white cake baked in a 9x13 inch pan (I usually make it from scratch, which I don't think I've posted the recipe here yet! Shame! But you can use a box mix if you like. Follow the box directions to make the cake normally.)
1 box (4 oz) jello mix - we always use strawberry but get creative!
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
8 oz whipped cream

Cool cake after baked.  Using a fork, poke holes into the cake all over.  But don't poke all the way to the bottom!

Make jello using both the boiling water and the cold water. 

 Pour slowly over the cake, filling all the holes.

Chill for a few hours.  Frost with whip cream.  Garnish with fruit if desired!

Enjoy!

This post linked to Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday and A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday.

You Know You're A Mom of Boys When...Purse Edition

I think you can tell what gender children someone has by looking in the mother's purse.

I imagine moms of girls have things like lip gloss, hair barrettes, unicorns, rainbows and sunshine in their purses.

I'm a mom of boys. My purse is like an artillery storage bag.

I know how to spell artillery and what it is. Also another way to know I'm a mom of boys.

Yesterday I cleaned out my purse.  You know I'm a mom of boys because I was not at all surprised to find this:

 Of course there is the obligatory jet, a matchbox car, a cough drop (For the sudden man cold urges that my oldest suffers from. thanks Daddy for teaching him the ways of the man cold!) and the obviously necessary Star Wars Lego toy. Also, a battery. Because you never know when you will need one, folks.

Not shown: wipes even though we are no longer in diapers (boys = wipes. duh.), granola bar wrappers (sorry, that was mine), lip gloss (also mine, if you recall, I am a girl) and crumbs. So many crumbs.

What would I find in your purse?

Love and Logic Parenting: DO IT NOW!

This week's Love and Logic Insider's Newsletter was really helpful for me so I wanted to pass it on!

I get asked often about the fact that when we do Love and Logic Parenting that it doesn't leave room for what to do when you need something done NOW and the child won't listen.  For me, Step 5 in the process shown below really seems to do the trick!

While the Love and Logic^® approach doesn't teach parents to be bossy or demanding, we do recognize that there are times when we simply need our kids to help us right away. Listed below are some steps for making this happen.

Step One: Make sure that you are doing a good job of helping your kids when they ask you.

Step Two: Ensure that they have something they really value. At a later date, losing this item or privilege can be used as a consequence.

Step Three: Hope and pray that they will either refuse or "forget" to do something you ask them to do for you "right away."

(Tasha's Insight: He says this because the only real way to teach your kid a lesson, is to let them fail!) 

Step Four: In a sweet and respectful tone of voice, ask them to do something for you "right now."

Step Five: When they refuse or "forget," let them think that everything is just fine. Don't say a word. Later in the day, or possibly later in the week, say something like, "I love you so much. I've noticed that you don't think it's important to help me when I ask you to do things for me right away. The sad thing is that this shows me that you aren't really mature enough to have_______________________." (Insert mp3 player, cell phone, driving privileges, etc.)

Another strategy involves saying, "This is so sad. I love you so much. I _________________ (Insert iron clothes, drive places, buy nice snacks, etc.) for kids who help me quickly when I ask them to.”

Of course, displaying empathy, resisting the urge to lecture, and holding firm will make the difference between success and failure.

 If you want to receive helpful parenting advice like this in your email, go sign up!  

And if you want to whole book, trust me you want the whole book, you can buy it on Amazon using the links* below.

Note: This is not a sponsored post!

*Amazon Affiliate Links

Household Chores - Dividing Up The Work

My blogging/twitter/Vermont friend Crunchy Vermont Mommy wrote a post about the Division of Household Labor in her home.  I started leaving her a comment on her post and felt like there was way too much to say so I thought I'd write about it here!  Thanks V, for the inspiration!

So the question is, How do you divide up the work in your household? Every home is different, I'm sure, especially considering if you work or stay home. I'm a stay at home Mom.  With the exception of some part time jobs here and there, I haven't really worked since my first son was born.  It's been a real blessing and I'm very grateful that my husband has made so many sacrifices so that I could.  Because of that, I do not expect him to do any of the household chores.

Matt works long, hard hours.  I believe as a stay at home wife/mom that it is my job to take care of the household duties.  When he comes home, I have dinner ready and the house cleaned up as often as possible.  I'm all 1950's like that.

Now don't get me wrong, I put my kids to work.  Big time.  If they make a mess, I leave it for them to pick up.  And the boys earn video game time and allowance by doing chores as well. (I'm working on a post about kids and chores too!)  After dinner, we all help take care of the mess together.  But the majority of things around here are done by me.  And I don't...can't...complain.  It's my job. And I take it very seriously!

The wonderful thing about my husband though is that because he knows that I don't expect his help with the everyday household stuff, he always willingly helps around the house.  If things need to be picked up, he's right there jumping in.  He's one of the most involved husbands/fathers I've ever seen. (Don't be jealous that I found him first) And I know that he doesn't expect to come home to dinner and a clean house, which makes me all the more willing to do it. It's my way of showing him that I'm grateful for how hard he works and he tells me all the time how he appreciates what I do.  I think when you share that mutual appreciation for what the other contributes, it naturally drives you to try harder.

One thing I have never done alone though, is taking care of the kids.

They are not my kids, they are OUR kids.  

Can I get an AMEN?!

We share the care of the kids in the evenings and on weekends.  Homework, baths, bedtime...it's never assumed that I'll handle it all because I'm a stay at home Mom.

The kids are not my job, they are our children.

I pretty much made sure my husband knew that from the beginning.  He has always more than willing to be involved with the care of the kids, but I never let him off the hook!  Don't let that man off the hook, ladies!  Make him change diapers and give baths...those are his kids too! During the day, sure, the stay at home Mom (or Dad) does all the childcare, but when you are all home together, it's all hands on deck!

OK, maybe I'm getting a little off subject, but I think you get my point.  It always comes down to my mantra...

I'm the Mom NOT the maid.

Or childcare provider, for that matter.



Taking care of the majority of the household duties does not mean that I am the maid of the house.  We have pretty clear cut standards set about what is expected of each of us when it comes to cleaning up after ourselves.  I think that is very important, even when the kids are young, so you do not end up with a family that treats you like the maid.

Even if you are a stay at home mom, that does not mean that the kids don't have to do chores and your husband doesn't have to help with the kids.  I believe if you are doing the majority of the cooking and cleaning and generally trying very hard to run your household well, (IE not sitting around eating bon-bons and watching soaps every day then telling the kids to vacuum when they get home and tell your husband to pick up take out) that everyone else should pitch in when they can.

I'm sure as the years progress and the boys get older and more involved in school and sports that they will not be able to do as many household chores and I'm ok with that.  Right now I'm instilling the ideas that even if your woman stays home, you still help her and respect what she does.  I think because my attitude is in the right place that this all works for me.  I willingly take care of the majority of chores in exchange for the freedom of staying home. I am totally #winning.

Matt and I have had many conversations about it all as well. Which I highly recommend. You can't expect a household to run smoothly when you are not on the same page about who does what.  Maybe your husband expects you to do all the dishes till the end of time because you "don't work".  Sit him down and explain that you want to teach the kids that everyone helps and you are not the maid.  Explain the whole "these are not just my kids" scenario and (nicely, calmly) discuss the roles in your household.  Discuss expectations.  Clearly say thank you to each other for what you contribute, show appreciation (men like that).  I guarantee when you offer appreciation and show that you notice your partner's hard work, they will work harder as well and return the appreciation. And if they don't then slap them across the head and tell them to snap out of it. (I'm so good at advice!)

I'd love to hear how other families split up the household chores, tell me how you make it work! We can all use fresh ideas!

Recipe: Cream Cheese Squares

For this recipe, I broke all of my "from scratch" rules and went easy and fattening.

(And then took really bad pictures with my phone.)

I found this recipe at KraftRecipes.com

Trust me, these are delightful!


Cream Cheese Squares


Ingredients: 
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, divided  
2 pkg.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened  
1 tsp. vanilla  
1   egg, slightly beaten  
3/4 cup sugar, divided  
2 Tbsp.  ground cinnamon

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Unroll 1 of the cans of crescent dough. Press onto bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan to form crust, firmly pressing seams together to seal.    BEAT cream cheese, vanilla, egg and 1/2 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread onto crust.    UNROLL remaining can of crescent dough onto large sheet of wax paper. Pat out dough to form 13x9-inch rectangle, pressing seams together to seal. Invert over cream cheese mixture to form top crust; discard wax paper.    BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until golden brown. Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle over squares before cutting.    This post linked to Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday 

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

So this recipe isn't exactly the healthiest one, but it is made with real ingredients!  So if your kids are mac and cheese lovers, leave the blue box on the shelf and make it homemade!  I promise, it's super easy and quick!  And delicious, might I add.  You need comfort food like this on these chilly winter nights!

Ingredients:
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
2 1/2 cups milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain macaroni noodles.  Melt butter in a pot and then whisk in flour.  Add salt and pepper.  Whisk in milk, stirring until somewhat thick and bubbly. Add cheese and stir until melted.  Add in cooked noodles.

If you need it quick, keep in the pot and stir together until warm.  But if you like it nice and crispy-like on top, add a bit more shredded cheese on top and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

As you can see in my picture, I added a bit of chopped ham (Matt's favorite meal!) and baked it for a full meal.  Normally, I will also add one cup of pureed squash as well for a little added nutritional boost!

Enjoy!

Recipe: Homemade Creole Seasoning

I come from a Southern family so Creole Seasoning is used in quite a few recipes I make.  My husband also likes to sprinkle it over just about everything to give it an extra kick.  Buying it in the store can be expensive, but this homemade version is made from spices you probably already have in your cupboards and it just a tasty!


Creole Seasoning

Ingredients:
2/3 cup cayenne pepper (more if you really like it hot!)
1/2 cup salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tsp pepper

Mix together and store just like you would any other spice!.  This makes a nice big batch perfect for gumbo and jambalaya and seasoning homemade fried chicken!

You Know You Live In Vermont When...

Winter in Vermont has been interesting.  It is much different than our 2 week winters in Indiana.  

Here's how...

You go from this...

(yes, that's a bulldozer, snow plows are for wusses)

...To this...in an hour.

People don't stay home just cause there's a bazillion inches of snow!

They leave piles of snow in front of town hall for kids to play on.

This is the trunk of my van at all times.

You don't mind sitting at a red light cause this is your view.

You don't have to find a hill to sled down, you can just use the piles of snow made by the snow plow.

Just when you think it's Spring, you get 20 inches of snow in March.

Good thing it's got the view going for it.

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix

Instant oatmeal packages can be pricey and have added ingredients that are unnecessary.  This is a quick and easy way to make your own!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix

Ingredients:

6 cups oats
1 1/3 cup dry milk
1 cup dried fruit
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves

Combine.  Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

To prepare: Shake mix.  Boil 1/2 cup water or milk.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the mix.  Reduce heat, cook about 1 minute or until desired consistency.  Add more milk or water if desired.  Sprinkle with brown sugar if you like it sweet or stir in a little pure maple syrup.

Sorry I don't have a picture to share! I never have time in the mornings to snap a photo before everyone scarfs theirs down. :)

Stop Telling Me I'm Not Fat

I gained some weight over the winter. Who didn't, right?

I'm not a "large" person. I'm not overweight. I'll be honest. I wear a size eight pants.  Not bad for three kids if I do say so myself.  But those size eights are barely buttoning these days.

So I mention to people that I need to lose a few pounds. Five. Ten. At least. And what do they say?

"Shut. Up. You're not fat!"

OK, maybe I'm not "fat". But I'm heavier than normal for me.  And I don't feel good. And this inter-tube around my waist is coming between me and my form fitting shirts. And I'm not even going to acknowledge the back fat. It knows how I feel.

It's frustrating to be a "thin" person who needs to drop a few pounds.  Everyone gives me a hard time about being skinny. And "Oh shut up, you have NO idea what it means to need to lose weight."

Maybe they are right. Maybe I don't.  But does that make my struggle with my weight less important?  Don't we all have the right to want to be healthier?  Because that is the bottom line for me. I'm not healthy right now.  I don't feel good about myself.  Hello, my pants don't fit.

If you are breathless after walking up a couple of flights of stairs you need to do something about it.  That has nothing to do with your pant size.

So, please, if someone "thin" says they need to exercise, drop a few pounds, and/or stop with the cookie eating...don't berate us!

Everyone deserves to be supported in their quest of living a healthier life.

And no one, whether size eight or eighteen, likes their own back fat.

Am I right?

Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce From Scratch

 

You will never need to buy another jar of pre-made alfredo sauce once you make this recipe. In fact, I insist you don't!  It's quick and easy and so tasty!

Alfredo Sauce From Scratch

1/2 pint heavy cream
1 stick of butter
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (You can use the grated Kraft parmesan as well, it works!)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

(Well I didn't say it was low fat!)

This recipe makes about 2 cups of sauce.  I use it for a whole box of Fettuccine pasta but if you like it to be more saucy, use only half a box. 

I will boil and drain my pasta and then just mix in all the sauce ingredients over medium-low heat until mixed together with the pasta.  It's the quickest and easiest way to make a pot of Fettuccine Alfredo.  Throw in some cooked chicken and you have a delicious meal in about 12 minutes!

You can also cook the sauce separate to pour over a dish. Just melt the butter over medium-low heat, add in the cream, cheese and garlic powder and mix well.  See?! So quick and easy!

Another way to make a delicious white cheese sauce is to make it like a regular cheese sauce from scratch, substituting Parmesan cheese for the cheddar.  It takes a little more time and has a thicker consistency if that is the kind of white cheese sauce you are looking for!

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday