Kid Friendly Foods

Theme	Name	Ingredients	Directions
	Spinach Cheese Bake	½ cup cooked spinach 1 cup cooked mashed potatoes 1 tblspn grated cheese	Preheat 350 *. Wash, remove stems and cook for 5 mins, drain and puree. Combine ingredients in a glass buttered dish. Bake 15 mins.
	Cranana Crush	1 banana 1 cup cranberry juice 1/3 cup orange juice 5 iced cubes	Blend until smooth. Makes 2-3 servings.
	Sun Tea	3 caffeine free tea bags 1 gallon glass jar Honey/sugar to taste	Fill jar with water. Drop in tea bags. Place in Sunny spot for 4 hours. Remove tea bags. Chill and serve over ice.
	Plump Pear Bread	2 cups flour 2 tspn baking powder 1 cup diced pear ¼ cup pear/apple juice ½ cup honey 1/3 cup mayo 1 egg ½ tspn vanilla	Preheat 350*. Combine 1st 2 ingredients in bowl. Blend remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and mix. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans and sprinkle top with cinnamon. Bake 25 mins.
	Very Berry Muffins	2 cups flour 4 tspn baking powder ¾ cup sugar 1 tspn salt 1 cup berries 2 eggs ½ cup melted butter 1 cup milk	Preheat 400*sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Add berries and mix until coated. In a small bowl, beat eggs with milk and butter and add to dry mix, quickly stirring. Fill muffin tin 3/4 , sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake 20 mins.
	Zucchini Bran Muffin	2 cup bran cereal 1 cup shredded zucchini ¾ cup milk 1 egg ½ cup sugar 1/3 cup veg oil 1 ½ cup flour 2 tspn baking powder ½ tspn ginger / cinnamon	Preheat 375*. In a large bowl, mix bran, zucchini, milk, egg, oil, and sugar. Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices and then add to bran mixture. Stir until moistened. Drop batter into 12-well-greased muffin pans ¾ full. Bake 30 mins.
	Pumpkin bread	1 cup canned pumpkin ½ cup veg oil 2 eggs beaten ½ cup brown sugar ½ up white sugar 2 cups flour 1 tspn baking soda ½ tspn nutmeg  & cinnamon 1 cup raisim ¼ water	Preheat 350* beat eggs, oil, pumpkin & sugars, stir into dry ingredients. Stir in raisins & water  & mix. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 1 hour.
	Savory cheese muffins	2 cups flour 3 tblspn grated parm cheese 3 tblspn grated romano cheese 2 tspn baking powder ¾ tspn dill weed 1/8 garlic powder 1 cup milk ¼ cup veg oil 1 egg	Preheat 400*. Combine flour, cheeses, powders, dill weed. Make a hole in the middle and add milk, oil & egg. Stir until moistened. Spoon in ¾ full. Bake 18-20 min.
	Apricot carrot loaf	1 cup dried apricot] 1 1/3 cups flour 1 tspn baking powder ¼ tspn salt ½ tspn cinnamon ½ c veg oil 2 eggs ¾ sugar 1 tspn vanilla ¼ c apricot jelly	Preheat to 350*. Grease loaf pan. Chop apricots. Sift ingredients into a bowl. Beat together oil, eggs and sugar until fluffy and lemon color. Add vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Blend in carrots and apricots. Pour into pan. Bake 1 hour. Warm apricot jelly with 1 tblspn water and brush over.
	Hawaiian Toast	4 eggs 8 oz crushed pineapple ¼ c milk 1 tbsn: syrup, sour cream, sugar 8 slices bread Powdered sugar Shredded coconut	Blend eggs, pineapple, milk, syrup, sour cream & sugar. Place bread in shallow dish, pour mixture over & turn to coat. Cook until browned on both sides. Dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with coconut.
	Apple Fritter	4 cooking apples peeled/cored 1 ¼ c flour ½ tspn baking powder 2 tblspn sugar 2 eggs, separated ½ c milk	Cut apples into chunks. Stir together flour, powder & sugar. Beat egg yolks & milk together & stir in dry ingredients. Add apples. Beat egg whites until stiff & fold into mixture. Drop tblspns of batter into hot oil & cook until brown on both sides.
	Grilled Bananas	Bananas Raisins 1 tspn brown sugar/honey 1 tspn lemon juice / oj	Preheat 450*. Slice banana lengthwise sprinkle w raisins, lemon/oj brown sugar/honey. Cover w foil bake 5-10 min.
	Apricot chicken breasts	4 chix breasts 1 c dried apricots chopped 1 egg 1 tblspn oil, butter, ginger, brown sugar, lemon juice 2 tblspn oj 3 pears, peeled/coored	Fill a chix pocket w divided mixture of apricot, seasoning, egg & secure w toothpick. Brown chix breasts, add oj & cook 7-10 min. set aside. Cook pear & ginger 5 min, stir often, add brown sugar & lemon juice.
	Egg nests	1 ¼ lb ground meat ½ c bread crumb 4 tblspn grated cheese 4 mashed potatoes 8 eggs 7 tblspn melted butter	Preheat 350*. Mix meat, bread crumbs, cheese, potatoes & salt/pepper. Form balls, flatten and make depression in center. Cook 30 min. remove from oven crack egg in center. Return to oven 12 min.
	Layered bars	18 graham crackers 1 c margarine 1 c brown sugar ½ tspn vanilla 6 o choc. Chips Chopped nuts/coconut	Preheat oven 350*. Arrange crackers side-by-side on cookie sheet. Melt butter, sugar in pan – med heat , add vanilla & stir – boil 1 min. pour over crackers & top w nuts/coconuts. Bake till bubbly & brown, sprinkle w chips.
	Pineapple pasta	12 oz fettucine/egg noodle ¼ c peanut butter (NATURAL) 4 tblspn milk 1 tblspn salt ¼ c crushed pineapple	Boil water. Cream peanut butter, milk, salt & pineapple in a bowl. Bowl noodles gently. Cook uncovered 8 min. drain. Add noodles to peanut mixture. Stir until covered.

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Developmental Milestones

Developmental Milestones

• Cognition (thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, understanding)
• Language (expressive and receptive abilities)
• Social interaction (initiating peer contact, group play)
• Adaptive (dressing, eating,washing)

Motor Skills Milestones

By age one

• Gross Motor
• sits without support
• crawls
• pulls self to standing position and stands unaided
• walks with aid
• rolls a ball in imitation of adult
• Fine Motor
• reaches, grasps, puts object in mouth
• picks things up with pincer grasp (thumb and one finger)
• transfers object from one hand to the other
• drops and picks up toy

Between ages one and two

• Gross Motor
• walks alone
• walks backwards
• picks up toys from floor without falling
• pulls toys, pushes toys
• seats self in child size chair
• walks up and down stairs with hand held
• moves to music
• Fine Motor
• builds tower of three small blocks
• puts four rings on stick
• places five pegs in pegboard
• turns pages two or three at a time
• scribbles
• turns knobs
• throws small ball
• paints with whole arm movement, shifts hands, makes strokes

Between ages two and three

• Gross Motor
• runs forward well
• jumps in place with two feet together
• stands on one foot (with aid)
• walks on tiptoe
• kicks a ball forward
• Fine Motor
• strings four large beads
• turns single pages
• snips with scissors
• holds crayon with thumb and fingers (not fist)
• uses one hand consistently in most activities
• imitates circular, vertical, horizontal strokes
• paints with some wrist action; makes dots, lines, circular strokes
• rolls, pounds, squeezes, and pulls clay

Between ages three and four

• Gross Motor
• runs around obstacles
• walks on a line
• balances on one foot for five to ten seconds
• hops on one foot
• pushes, pulls, steers wheeled toys
• rides tricycle
• uses slide independently
• jumps over six inch high object and lands on both feet together
• throws ball overhead
• catches a bounce ball
• Fine Motor
• builds tower of nine small blocks
• drives nails and pegs
• copies circle
• imitates cross
• manipulates clay material (rolls balls, snakes, cookies)

Between ages four and five

• Gross Motor
• walks backward toe-heel
• jumps forward 10 times without falling
• walks up and down stair independently, alternating feet
• turns somersault
• Fine Motor
• cuts on line continuously
• copies cross
• copies square
• prints some capital letters

Between ages five and six

• Gross Motor
• runs lightly on toes
• walks on balance beam
• can cover 2 meters hopping
• skips on alternate feet
• jumps rope
• skates
• Fine Motor
• cuts out simple shapes
• copies triangle
• traces diamond
• copies first name
• prints numerals 1 to 5
• colors within lines
• has adult grasp of pencil
• had handedness well established
• pastes and glues appropriately

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You are NEVER too young for a tea party

American Girl Tea Party

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Birthday Party Themes

I'm a huge fan of organizing and planning, even over-doing it! 

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When trees fall

 
 On my way out the door to go to work, I saw my car.... under a tree. I did not realize how bad it was until I was actually opening the door.... utterly undriveable.
We planned on buying a new car, but we were going to be keeping my car and trading in my husband's car, unfortunately mother nature had her own plan.

My car was taken this morning to the junk yard having been deemed totaled by our insurance company. Thankfully, no one was in it.

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Another year

He's on fire! This year a big 6, we did a firefighter theme!

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My BABY's First 5k

Today we took off to the Orange County Choppers 5K. Our expectation was to bring ALL the kids., but the weather wasn't allowing for it... so 1/3 were left at home, while 2/3 remained with the "grown folk" to face the weather AND run a race.
I am proud to say, my eldest son successfully ran his first 5k.... PLACING in his age group!

Earlier in the week his doctor told us he has moderate to severe asthma and seasonal allergies and we had doubts about letting him run. But he wanted to go and was looking forward to it, so we took the chance.

When we got to OCC, we had about half an hour to burn, so we checked out a couple of the awesome OCC bikes, then headed outside for the race to kick off.

After we got him some water, snacks and grabbed a bite to eat in the cafe.

Come to find out, both my guys ended up placing third in their age groups!
 

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Mama's down for the count...

And I thought I was in the all clear because, as we know, moms don’t get sick.
Ever.
I was wrong.
And for some reason, this time around, illnesses are hitting me harder. We’re talking category 4 hurricane here.
Is it because I’m older? More stressed out? More melodramatic?
So I had been waking every morning STILL tired from the night before, (since my little Cashew doesn't like to sleep through the night, or alone for that matter -- and we moms know that when you are co-sleeping, YOU are not really sleeping), and downing 2 Tylenol before the day even had begun.
After assuming my issues were directly related to nursing; I phoned the doctor, only to discover my fever was not high enough, my pain was not severe enough, my arm was not numb enough and the 'lump' was not substantial enough. I was told I was "merely suffering from inconsistent night weaning, dehydration and severe exhaustion."
Well then.
I can drink more water, I can pump during the night, but I CANNOT as they suggested "nap mid-day". When the dr. asked if my children would "let me nap", I laughed out loud... literally.
Does that happen?
Do mothers of three nap?
The nap time is my time to clean, organize and set up afternoon activities. It IS supposed to be my working out and relaxing time, but since I am so exhausted when I go to bed and do not have time for the cleaning before I hit the hay.
Now, I am tired, out of a workout for now two weeks and losing my patience with the children from lack of  "break" and the dr. wants me to 'take a nap' ...riiiight.

 I can’t imagine how some of my single mom friends – who are the only parent in their child’s life – do it. I’m not going to ask. Parenthood is a house of cards. Try to see what one card looks like and the whole thing will tumble.

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Summer for the Second Grader

The lessons are organized into a series of chapters that introduce and cover:

1. Long vowels, punctuation, and story elements - Teaches the long vowel sounds and common vowel digraphs for the vowels e and a. Students learn phonological awareness and reading comprehension through the use of exciting exercises. Second graders will demonstrate a sound knowledge of high frequency words. An interactive story will build fluency, sequencing skills, and the ability to determine the setting of a passage. Writing exercises develop the second grader’s ability to use punctuation correctly.
2. Long and r controlled vowels, punctuation, and story elements - Teaches the long vowel sounds and common vowel digraphs using the vowels I and o. Students learn phonological awareness and reading comprehension through exciting exercises. Second graders will demonstrate a sound knowledge of high frequency words. An interactive story will build fluency using question marks, sequencing skills, and the ability to determine the main idea of a passage. Writing exercises give the student the opportunity to apply what has been learned.
3. Digraphs, r controlled vowels, punctuation, and story elements - Teaches both vowel and consonant digraphs, special sounds such as “ch”, and r controlled vowels. Students extend phonological awareness, vocabulary, and reading comprehension through the use of exciting exercises. Second graders will demonstrate an extensive knowledge of high fluency words. An interactive story will build fluency using exclamation marks, sequencing skills, and the ability to determine conflict and predict the outcome of a passage. Creative writing experiences enable the student to apply what has been learned.
4. Inflectional endings, plurals, and summarizing - Teaches inflectional endings such as “ing” or “ed.” Students extend their knowledge of vocabulary, reading a leveled text, and high frequency words. An interactive story will build fluency using phrasing and commas. The ability to identify the characters and plot, as well as summarize a story is developed. Creative writing experiences enable the student to apply what has been learned.
5. Varying consonant use, story elements, writing - Teaches double consonants, vowel exceptions, and silent consonants. Students extend their knowledge of vocabulary, reading a leveled text, and high frequency words. An interactive story will build fluency using phrasing and poetry rhythm. The ability to identify the anticipation, making inferences, and the author’s point of view of a story is developed. Creative writing experiences enable the student to apply what has been learned.
6. Antonyms, Synonyms, and Homonyms - Teaches students the proper use of antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms. Students will extend their knowledge of vocabulary, reading a leveled text, locating information in a graph, and high frequency words. Creative writing experiences enable the student to apply what has been learned.
7. Suffixes, inferences, and cause and effect - Teaches the use of the suffixes “er”, “est”, and “ly.” Students will extend their knowledge of vocabulary, high frequency words, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and cause and effect. An interactive story will build fluency focusing on stress and tone. Creative writing experiences enable the student to apply what has been learned.
8. Prefixes, context clues, and authentic literature - Teaches the use of the prefixes “re” and “un.” Students will extend their knowledge of vocabulary, use of commas and periods, and high frequency words. Fluency is built through the use of phrasing. Students are introduced to reading authentic literature. Creative writing experiences enable the student to apply what has been learned.
9. Suffixes, reading maps, and multisyllabic words - Teaches the use of the suffixes “less” and “able”, and reviews prefixes learned. Students will extend their knowledge of vocabulary, reading a leveled text, reading and interpreting maps, summarizing, and cause and effect. Creative writing experience at the end of each chapter enable the student to apply what has been learned.

The 22 language arts extensions chapters include:

1. Spiders 2. Bees 3. Worms 4. Nutrition 5. Hygiene 6. Fitness 7. Rain Forests 8. Arctic 9. Deserts 10. Directions 11. Maps and Globes

12. Symbols and Keys 13. Sound 14. Heat 15. Light 16. Hurricanes 17. Tornadoes 18. Volcanoes 19. Conflict Resolution 20. Following the Law 21. Goods and Services 22. Consumers and Producers Lessons are organized into chapters that introduce and cover: Number Sense - Second grade "Number Sense" teaches how to read, compare, match, and define whole numbers. Lessons also cover skip counting, odd and even numbers, number line use, and rounding. Fractions - Second grade "Fractions" teaches the difference between equal and unequal parts. Fractions divided by halves, thirds, fourths, and eights are introduced in lessons such as "Mangos Take Out", which you can see a screenshot of, below. Operations - Second grade "Operations" starts with math vocabulary. It distinguishes the difference between addition and subtraction facts up to 18, and teaches second graders about the associative property. Lessons move into addition and subtraction of one and two digit numbers and gives problem solving strategy using regrouping. This chapter ends with lessons on multiplication, division, and estimation. Money - Second grade "Money" teaches about coin values, how to count money, and how to add and subtract it using regrouping. Patterns - Second grade "Patterns" teaches students how to identify, sort and classify things by common patterns or attributes. Students learn to identify patterns on a "hundreds chart" and then apply those patterns to skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s as well as patterns such as tessellation. Algebra - Second grade "Algebra" introduces students to algebraic symbols and the commutative property of addition. Lessons also teach number sentences, equal vs. unequal, greater than vs. less than, real world equations, and solving for unknown numbers. Geometry - Second grade "Geometry" teaches about two and three-dimensional shapes. Lessons cover straight vs. curved lines, open vs. closed shapes, and planes vs. solid objects. Students are introduced to similar, congruent, parallel, and perpendicular shapes and asked to compare them in the lessons. Positions - Second grade "Positions" introduces basic geometry and spatial relationships. Students learn how to identify, locate and move objects according to directional (left, right, up, down) and positional (top, middle, inside) instruction. Second graders use the coordinate grid as well as the number line to plot and identify numbers. Using Shapes - Second grade "Shapes" teaches congruent shapes and symmetry. Students learn to match congruent shapes and identify lines of symmetry in two dimensional shapes. Students are also taught how to identify and create vertical and horizontal lines of symmetry. Spatial Sense - Second grade "Spatial Sense" teaches how to build and calculate perimeter and area of two dimensional shapes. It teaches how to recognize geometric shapes and how to use one shape to build another. This chapter also teaches the concepts of perimeter and area. Time - Second grade "Time" introduces different ways that time is classified, such as calendar time and clock time. Students learn about digital vs. analog time telling as well as the relationship of hours, days, weeks, and months. Length - Second grade "Length" teaches how to use, compare and measure length. Students will choose the appropriate tool and use it to measure different metrics. Students will also apply the measurement skills to measure for perimeter as well as use metric units to determine length. Weight - Second grade "Weight" teaches different attributes of weight. Students will estimate, compare and measure with customary and non-customary units of measure. Capacity - Second grade "Capacity" teaches how to measure, compare and estimate capacity. It shows students how to identify the best unit and will ask them to place objects in order according to capacity. Temperature - Second grade "Temperature" teaches how to measure temperatures. Lessons introduce Fahrenheit and Celsius and show students how to read a thermometer and compare different readings. Graphing - Second grade "Graphing" reinforces the "Patterns" chapter by asking students to sort objects. They then learn to create a tally table and record information in pictographs and bar graphs. Using Data - Second grade "Using Data" teaches the basics of statistics, showing students how to compare and make predictions based on the data that they organized into graphs. Probability - Second grade "Probability" teaches the basics of probability. It teaches the difference between principles of certainty, impossibility, likely and least likely. Second graders are prompted to identify the differences and make predictions based on data. Patterns in Nature -Students will learn the steps in the life cycle, the food chain, pond habitat, wetland habitat, and ocean habitat. Lessons will focus on the different characteristics of the different types of animals in each habitat. Force and Motion - Students learn about magnetism and the law of magnetic attraction, and apply these to real life objects. Earth and Space - Students learn about the objects in our sky, their orbits, and their characteristics. Wants and Needs - Students learn about the basic human needs of food, clothing, and shelter and how these needs are met. Earth Science - Students learn about using maps to locate the United States as well as individual states. Map symbols, use of globes, and cardinal directions are taught. Contributions to Science - Students learn about historic places, the symbols, icons, buildings, and holidays that represent American beliefs and principles. The Surface of the Earth - Students learn about the different types of jobs in the home, school, and community.

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup & Bread Bowls

 LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

 
Ingredients

• 8 potatoes (white, baking, russet or a combination of the three)
• 1/2 diced onion 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 6 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 12 slices cooked & crumbled bacon
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. American cheese
• 2 oz. Mexican cheese
• 8 oz sour cream

Directions

1. Bake potatoes in a preheated 425* oven for 45mins. - 1 hour. Scoop out the insides of the cooked potato, set it aside and discard the skin.
2. Caramelize onions in brown sugar with 1 cup water.
3. Melt butter in Rock Crok Dutch Oven over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the milk, 1 cup at a time while stirring constantly until all the milk has been added. Add the caramelized onions (and drippings). Continue to stir until the mixture starts to get thick. 
4. Add the potatoes, green onions, salt, pepper, bacon, cheddar cheese and American cheese. Stir well and continue to heat for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. Stirring well, mix in the sour cream until well blended with the soup. Serve immediately, adding a bit of Mexican cheese to each serving. 

BREAD BOWLS

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
•  1 tbspn any sweet rub or seasoning 
• 1 tsp quick rising yeast
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 1/2 up water
• 2 tbsp oil

1. Mix flour, sweet rub, salt, yeast and add water. Add 2 tbps of oil. Dough will be sticky. 
2. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and let sit 6-10 hours until dough rises.
3. Place dough on floured surface, fold two-three times and cut into small (fist size) balls. 
4. Boil 2 cups water in a glass container. Place 1 dough ball inside the Mini Baker  uncovered. Place both containers side by side in a cold oven. Let dough rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Carefully remove glass water container from oven and place top on baker. Return baker to oven preheated to 450*. 
6. Bake 15-20 minutes with lid. Remove lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 until all dough balls are made. Allowing each to cool at least 20 minutes before creating bread bowl.

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Back at it, After Baby

get going again

According to your level of fitness and strength and how you feel after giving birth, you could give yourself a training break (not counting short walks with the baby) of at least about 2 weeks AND most normally closer to 6-8 weeks.

Start with longer walks with the baby outside when you feel like it. I started with 30 minute walks, 10 days after giving birth, plus some short sets of light squats and careful stretching and mild yoga.

After that: slowly build up your stamina and physical condition.

Take the baby with you whenever you can. They love going places. And they’re asleep most of the time anyway during the first few months when they’re not eating. 

in the gym

I found that I could easily do these exercises from the gym in my home and it’s actually most of the stuff I used to do before.

• Farmers walks (Go light! Your abs are still stretched out and they need time to recover.)
• Squats (I could do these with stitches, but you might want to skip these at the start)
• Deadlifts
• Lunges
• Step-ups
• Cross trainer (heaviest setting)
• Shoulder press
• Dips
• (Modified) light Turkish get-ups

outside

No gym? No excuse: go do some exercise in the park or in your own yard.

Make your initial walks longer as the days go by to increase your stamina. Babies love being outside, and it’s good for them too.

Have fun: find a fallen tree trunk and try log walking for balance, log squatting, backflips (haha)… all fun. As an added bonus, this stuff will make you feel like you’re 10 again.

Other exercises:

• Stroller lunges (or just lunges)
• Step-ups on a handy park bench or stable non-slippery log
• Interval short pram sprints (preferably without launching your baby)
• Squats (using pram for assistance if necessary)
• Park bench push-ups
• Park bench dips
• Park bench plank
• Stretches (careful)

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