Mom4Life Blog

Hear our radio appearance by Heather Ledeboer

On November 16th I was asked to be a guest on the Madness of Motherhood radio show.  I talked about how I started my business.  I invite you to click here to listen the show (it was show number 27).  They have a new show every Friday, check it out!

Angel Guard Seatbelt Release Cover - Weekly Giveaway

Happy Friday!  Man Friday came quick for me this week.  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  We had a great time with family and even had some fun time out in the snow sledding down a hill together.

Our winner this week for the ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer is Valerie.  If you didn't win, head on over to our website and get yours for 10% off!

This week we are giving away the Angel Guard Car Seatbelt Release Cover.  This handy item (normally comes in a pack of 2 but this giveaway is for just one) and deters small children from disengaging the seat belt holding their car/booster seat in place yet it takes seconds for an adult to remove. It has also been tested and endorsed by the Spring Hill Fire & Rescue for ease of removal in an emergency. Is your peace of mind worth those extra five seconds?

Surveys  have found that children disengaging the seat belt is an ongoing problem that many parents face. In other cases, an older sibling may undo the seat belt which is anchoring a nearby infant seat thereby compromising the safety of the baby. The ANGEL GUARD has become increasingly popular with parents of special needs children as they strive to keep them buckled in as well.  There is a video you can view from our website to show more about it as well.  The retail price is $19.99 for two.

Thankfully, this has not yet been an issue for my children but I have heard that many other moms have struggled with this especially as their children get old enough to ride in booster seats. 

To enter: simply leave a comment below letting us know if you have any any problems with your child disengaging the seat belt.  You have until midnight on Jan 2 to enter, good luck!

How Birth Practices Effects Breastfeeding Part 2: by Julie Johnson

I have been a doula for over 9 years, including running a hospital based doula program at a county facility. There I saw everything from women shackled to the bed watched over by a prison guard 24/7, to teenage girls who insisted that they be back home before 6:00 AM the next day so their mothers wouldn't know they had been gone. Since becoming a breastfeeding professional, I can look back and see how birth does indeed effect the breastfeeding outcome.   Being a birth advocate I want the woman to have what ever she wants during her delivery. It is her choice.  However, if she can labor for as long as possible at home, plan to have her labor un-medicated (easier said than done these days) and avoid routine inductions, her chances of having a complicated delivery decreases and she most likely will experience less breastfeeding difficulties.    

The good news is almost all breastfeeding barriers work themselves out.  In all situations, having a positive attitude goes along way.  Furthermore, research states that having a doula (labor support professional) or just having another woman continually present in the room increases 30% a woman's chance of breastfeeding 6 weeks postpartum.  That sounds good to me.Please keep sharing your birth and breastfeeding experiences. We can learn so much from each other.

CAPPA's Certified Lactation Educator and Trainer, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant,  Lamaze childbirth educator, doula, momowner of Birth and Breastfeeding Solutions

Fun with Christmas Cards by Kristina B.

So, now that your family and friends were kind enough to remember you with Christmas cards, what do you do with them?  I know some people just throw them out, but I usually don't.  I'm kind of a card hoarder.  Maybe you like to keep them, too, and if you do, here are a few fun things you can do with them.

1. Make rubbings.  Occasionally, you'll get a card that has a textured border, or the whole illustration may be textured.  Lay a piece of paper on top, and color over it with a crayon and see the pattern come through.

2. Play memory.  If you've gotten a fairly large amount of cards, play Christmas Card Memory with your children.  Lay out the cards, face up, and let your kids try to remember who sent them.

3. Make puzzles.  I heard about cutting up cards to make puzzles, but I suggest taking this idea a little further.  Instead of just cutting up the card and that's the puzzle, try to leave most of the card intact, so you have a puzzle and puzzle frame.  Now, these instructions are for you as the parent to do, since it involves sharp objects.  Use a craft knife or pair of sharp scissors to remove the main part of the illustration on the front of the card (you can see my rather poor cutting job in the picture).  You should have a thin border left on the card itself.  Glue this border to the back part of the card, so it stays closed.  This is the puzzle frame.  With the illustration you removed, cut into as many pieces as you'd like, but remember to keep it age-appropriate.

There are my thoughts.  What about you?  Do you have anything special you do with your Christmas cards?

ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer - 4 Free Friday giveaway

Welcome back!

Our winner last week was Jill (our lucky number 58 as chosen by Random.org).  Jill won the Breast Soother by SmartChoices, congratulations!!  For those of you who didn't win, go get yours now for 10% off and you better go soon as it looks like our inventory is getting low (if we run out just email us to pre order).

This week you can win what I think is a super cool tool to help you stay sane during those crazy times of sleeplessness as a new parent!  The ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer was invented by a new mom and dad who found themselves sleep-deprived and needing help to remember baby care details, such as when their baby last ate or napped. They tried charts and journals, but thought there had to be a better way. So, they invented the ITZBEEN™: a multi-purpose nursery tool that helps new parents remember the basic details of baby care. The ITZBEEN™ has four timers that count up with the touch of a button, and a host of other helpful features, all designed with the needs of a new parent in mind.

The ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer has a host of helpful features all designed with the new parent in mind. As every new parent knows, your memory is one of the first things to go when a newborn arrives. The ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer is a multi-purpose tool that helps you remember the basic details of baby care. ITZBEEN has four timers that count up with the touch of a button…so you will always know how long it's been!  The ITZBEEN retails for $26.99 and I think would make a really fun gift to a new set of parents so even if you are not needing one right now I bet you might know someone that would love one!

To win: Simply leave a comment about what you do/or did (or don't do/didn't do) to keep track of your child's schedule.  Did you have a journal, chart, software, just try to remember, etc?  Would something like this be helpful (or would it have been helpful) and why?  You have until December 26th at midnight PST to post your entry, good luck and have a Merry Christmas!

Don't forget about our Christmas Special that lasts until December 24th, the more you buy, the more you save, click here for details!

4titude Award Winner - Michal Chesal (owner of Baby K'tan)

Please share the trial, set back or loss you have experienced:
I wouldn’t call it a loss by any means, but probably just a set back and trial. My son Coby was born in 1999 with Down syndrome. It was a healthy pregnancy, my first, and we were young, so the diagnosis really caught us by surprise.  We had a lot of adjusting to do mentally, spiritually and physically. Instead of running to mommy and me classes I found myself running to therapies and medical specialists. I started learning about a whole new world I would have never in my wildest dreams imagined I’d be a part of.  Life had changed as we knew it.

Despite the pain you have endured, what beauty have you seen come out of this? 
We really have not endured too much pain. At first maybe selfish pain, like “why me?”, but I got over that pretty quickly and fell in love with Coby for who he was. And to tell you the truth, he really was no different than any other baby. So I proceeded to treat him like “any other baby”.  However, we did still have some adjustments to make regarding our circumstances and his disability.  I needed to create an environment for him that would facilitate his development and provide the extra stimulation he needed for optimal growth. In addition to his developmental delays, Coby was born with hypotonia (low muscle tone) and was adversely affected by carriers that placed his legs in excessive abduction (legs spread too far apart). He also required tight swaddling.  It was disheartening not being able to carry him in a forward facing position as used in traditional baby carriers. I kept reading everywhere how good it was to “wear” your baby. And so not only did I want to hold Coby closely and show him the world, I wanted to do it appropriately. I could not use any carriers that were currently on the market, and with advice from his physical therapist, I ended up partially modifying existing carriers to provide a position for him where he could face forward and see the world and get the developmental stimulation and closeness from me, while having his legs in a more developmentally appropriate posture and having a tight swaddled and secure feeling. To fast forward a number of years, this carrier (which we named Baby K’tan –it means “Little Baby” in Hebrew) became very popular and I realized it was a great carrier for all babies, which is when we began to market it.  So the end result has been that so much beauty came out of his birth, diagnosis and addition to our family. He has taught us so much about appreciating the little things, showing true love, and marching to your own beat.  We have met wonderful people and been a part of wonderful charities and organizations in connection to his disability and all special needs kids.  And we now have a wonderful company with a product that would not have been designed had Coby not been born.

To what or to whom do you credit this beauty? 
Mainly to Coby. But I know deep down inside there is a higher being that made this all happen, and that everything happens for a reason.

What advice or wisdom do you wish to share with others having been through this experience?
The simplest way to put it is not to give up, because things have a funny way of turning around in ways you never expected. And the sky might look gray in the beginning, but there is always a blue sky behind it, and if you have a hard time seeing that yourself, make sure you surround yourself with friends & family that know it’s there!

If someone else reading this is going though something similar, do you have any resources to recommend they look into further for help or support?
The best thing to do is find a local organization and support group that is connected to the disability your child has.  There may be more than one, and you might want to tackle them all or take it slow, but whatever your personality, keep yourself educated and surround yourself with others who know what you are going through. That is a great resource in itself. 

Plastic in our Food? by Jenny Lee

Can plastics or other chemicals affect our hormone and endocrine system which is responsible for checks and balances in our bodies?  Scientists are focusing on a class of chemicals called endocrine disrupters. Such chemicals and plastics seem to interfere with or mimic the action of hormones and thus may upset the normal growth, behavior, and reproduction of people and animals. Babies and small children are more vulnerable.

PCBs and DDT were banned in the U.S.in the 1970s, but dioxins are still being released and can be found at low levels  in air, water, and soil. From there, they can enter the food chain, working their way into animals and, eventually, people.

Endocrine disrupters may affect intelligence, cause birth defects, cause prostrate and increase breast cancer.  The following research company found the following:

“Of seven national and store brands Of plastic wrap we analyzed America's Choice, Dow brands Saran Wrap, Duane Reade, Foodtown, Glad Crystal Clear Polyethylene, Reynolds Wrap, and White Rose--only Reynolds Wrap and Saran Wrap contained any of the five plasticizers we looked for.

Would a cooked hamburger that was wrapped in plastic Reynolds Wrap or Saran Wrap and reheated in a microwave oven absorb plasticizers? Yes, a little bit, our tests showed, but only where the fat contacted the wrap.

It's impossible to say whether a tiny serving of plasticizers is risky. If you want to play it safe, buy one of the wraps we found to be free of suspect plasticizers, or buy any polyethylene wrap. (Polyethylene lacks plasticizers; the product's label should say what it's made of.)

In any case, do as some wrap makers recommended and leave a gap between wrap and food when heating. In fact, that's sound advice at any temperature. Studies have indicated that some migration of plasticizers can occur with refrigerated food, too. That's what we found when we analyzed 14 national and local brands of grocery- store and deli cheese wrapped in six types of plastic. The wraps themselves had a wide range of concentrations of two families of problematic plasticizers, adipates and phthalates.  We found no plasticizers at all in eight new microwavable Rubbermaid and Tupperware bowls.” 

It all goes back to being aware of what you are eating and you will help you family live a healthier life.  Next blog we will talk about theses endocrine disrupters found in baby food! 

Jenny Lee – Founder of the Bee-Z Snack Shop

Bath Time=Eyebrow Time by Heather Ledeboer

Something that always makes me feel good is when I have time to pluck my eyebrows.  BUT, my problem is finding time for such a tedious task!  Well I discovered that bath time works great for me.  Not only are the kids in one place and entertained but I can sit and "watch them" via the mirror as I have plenty of time to finish my task at hand (no more half finished brows for me)!  So you might just try keeping your tweezers next to your kid's bath toys this week and see what happens in your spare time!

Those Foods You Forget About - Game Hens by Christine Steendahl

Do you ever forget about a food you actually really like?  Every once in awhile I come across a recipe in my recipe box, a food at the grocery store, or a dish at a party and all the sudden remember I really like that food, but I haven't made it for a LONG time because... well...  I kind of forgot about it! 

So this is what happened to me with Game Hens.  My mom used to make them all the time when I was young, and I have made them a few times, but not for several years.  I was shopping in the grocery store last week and viola - there they were in the freezer case - game hens.  I'm sure they have probably been there for years, (I mean, not those particular ones... but you know what I mean) but I have missed them.  Must be something about shopping with three rambunctious boys the majority of the time - this time I just happened to be alone!  Anyway...  For those of you who may not know...

Game hens can be described as smaller chickens.  In fact, you can make almost any recipe that requires chicken with game hens.  Game hens usually are somewhat smaller weighing in at about 1 to 2 pounds with 1 ¼ pound being the average size.  This size makes each game hen perfect for one serving.  Game hens are quite tasty and while they taste extremely similar to chicken, they add elegance to any dinner.  For best taste, game hens are usually roasted.  If you have never cooked game hens before, you should know that most recipes are simple to prepare and do not require a long prep time.  Here are a couple of yummy recipes to get you started. 

Game Hens with Dried Fruit

4 Cornish hens (approximately 1 to 1 ½ pounds each)
2 cups white or brown rice cooked
4 ounces of mixed, dried fruit
¼ cup of orange marmalade
2 ounces of butter
Paprika, garlic powder and onion powder
Salt and pepper, season to taste

Directions:

First cook rice and place in large mixing bowl.  In the mixing bowl, add all other ingredients including the mixed fruit and orange marmalade.  Prepare hens by first washing them gently and pat dry.  Stuff hens with rice mixture.  Tie legs together with cooking twine.  Gently melt butter and add seasoning such as garlic, paprika, onion, salt and pepper.  Brush each hen with the mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roast the hens for about one hour.  Once almost complete, you can brown the hens by raising the temperature to 500 degrees F. for about 5 minutes.  Serve hot.  This recipe yields four servings.

Easy Cornish Game Hens

4 whole Cornish game hens (approximately 1 to 1 ½ pounds each)
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 celery stalks -- chopped
6 ounces mushrooms -- chopped
1 garlic clove -- minced
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 tablespoons parsley
3/4 cup butter – melted
Salt and pepper, seasoned to taste

Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter with onion, celery, mushrooms, herbs and garlic.  Wash hens and pat dry.  Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper.  Insert vegetable mixture inside each bird. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place on baking sheet, brush with remaining butter and spices.  Cover with aluminum foil and let bake for about 1 to 1 ½ hours.  Brown hens for 5 minutes at 500 degrees F.  Serve hot.  This recipe yields four servings.

So let me know if you cook up some Game Hens, or what food you have recently discovered again..  (or perhaps I am the only one who does that?) 

Have a great week!

Christine Steendahl
"The Menu Mom"

Weekly Giveaway - Breast Soothers by SmartChoices

Happy Friday!

This wee our winner was #7 as chosen by Random.Org.  Cryssy won the bracelet by Vienna's Treasures.  For the rest of you head on over to Mom 4 Life to get your bracelet by Vienna's Treasures for 10% off for the next week only!

This week we are giving away another item for breastfeeding moms called the Breast Soother by SmartChoices.  Designed by an experienced nurse midwife and used by nursing mothers all over the world, the Breast Soother by SmartChoices provides warming therapy for blocked milk ducts, mastitis, or weaning and cooling therapy for engorgement.  Retail price is $15.00 for a pack of 2.  Features include:

Provides both cooling and warming therapy

Eases discomfort that may be associated with nursing

Does not affect milk production

Reusable product is simple to use in both the hospital and at home

2 Soothers per package

For a chance to win this product for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a friend, simply leave a comment below letting us know if you chose to breastfeed and if you ever had any bumps along the way and how you handled them.  For myself, I have breastfeed both my children (my son until about 18 months and my daughter is still nursing occasionally at 23 months).  I had Mastitis with my son three times and a Thrush infection once that lasted a few months as we passed it back and forth amidst attempted treatments for it.  That thrush infection was simply AWFUL.  Toward the end I couldn't take the pain any longer and tried to switch to formula (my son was about 8 months old at this point) but he wanted nothing to do with it.  I tried a few different times but in the end we both stuck it out and made it through amazingly.  I would wish that on no one!!:)  Thankfully it has been much easier with my daughter.  So there is my story, what is yours?  Please post your comments here by December 18 at midnight PST.  The winner will be posted on our blog on the 21st.  Good luck!

Playing with your Food by Heather Ledeboer

  A little while back I posted that we were having fun playing with Hunter's lunch food.  I wanted to post a few more photos that we did recently.  The first one is of a sun (made of a pocket sandwich, apple and cheese) and flowers (made of oranges, apples and grapes) and some inchworms (made of Cheerios and grapes) and soil (made of raisins). 

Hunter finished off the first meal and the next day requested that I get a little more creative.  He brought me one of his picture books and asked me to do the dragon on the page!!  "Oh my, this might be getting out of hand", I thought.  You can see my attempt with a sandwich of bread, mayo, roast beef, cheese, grapes and bananas):).  I hope you are having fun playing with your own food!

How the Birth Experience Effects Breastfeeding: by Julie Johnson

Many people have no idea that there is a correlation between what happened during birth and the breastfeeding outcome.  A few days ago, I brought dinner to a mom in my play group who had recently given birth. She said, "Julie, I am so glad you are here! I was told to supplement and I don't want to supplement." First question I always ask is, "Tell me about your birth experience?" She answered that she had had a cesarean and the baby lost a lot of weight and had not regained the birth weight at the two week check up. I then asked how long she had her IV in, and she answered that she had it for 24 hours. I told her that the IV received in labor or for surgery not only swells other parts of the extremities but that her breasts also got a fluid over-load. Therefore, if her breasts were already full of "fluid" not to be mistaken for milk, then there tends to be a delay in milk production, and wowla the reason her baby hadn't regained his birth weight by 2 weeks.

My friend thanked me, and was angry that no one had explained this reasoning. She was  feeling like a failure not being able to provide enough milk for her baby. Since the swelling had gone away three days before I arrived, she had noticed the baby swallowing more and her breasts softer after a feeding and now she knew what was happening.

Does anybody else see any correlation between what happened during their birth and afterwards with breastfeeding? I am going to continue this topic next week as this is such an important link to successful breastfeeding.   

Julie Johnson

CAPPA's Certified Lactation Educator and Trainer
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Lamaze childbirth educator
doula
mom
owner of Birth and Breastfeeding Solutions

Cleaning up my Christmas Cards by Heather Ledeboer

It is finished!  As of Monday, my cards are in the mail--phew, what a job it is to send out Christmas cards!  I decided next week to offer people the option to be added to my email list and get our letter and photo via email if they choose.  That would be nice to have less to send in the mail!

I wanted to share with you how I seal my envelopes.  It isn't fancy and perhaps you already do this but it works so great I wanted to put the idea out there for anyone who may need it.  I use a baby wipe to wet the envelopes for sealing.  I have also used a wet washcloth in the past and they both work well.

Want to be added to our e-Christmas list? :)  Just give me your email address and I will put you on and even send you this years!

Looking for your opinions please by Heather Ledeboer

Hey mamas,

I was approached by a company recently with a Yoga DVD for children to consider for Mom 4 Life.  They sent me a sample to review.  I had never had any direct experience with Yoga before so I wasn't sure what to expect.  The DVD is set up like a safari though the Australian outback and all the yoga moves are "animal" related and they are learning about the animals and Australia along the way.  I thought it was well done overall and my son really liked it.  Can you give me your feedback on this product?  Do you feel it would be a good fit for Mom 4 Life and give me your reasoning?  Before viewing it I had a few hesitations about offering a Yoga product but after seeing it I feel pretty comfortable with it.  I would like your feedback as well however.  Thanks!  You can see the product here www.yogainspirations.com.

Mommy: Monster Slayer by Kristina B

My three-year-old son never considered the idea of monsters until watching an episode of PBS' Curious George.  After getting lost in a cave, George is afraid of monsters.  The Man in the Yellow hat sets out to prove to George that there are no monsters.  Well, the Man's lesson may have taught George about the nature of reality, but all my little guy heard was "monster, monster, monster."

Time and time again I've told my son that monsters aren't real.  He didn't believe me.  One day, an older member of our extended family told him that monsters are more afraid of him than he is of them.  Was she crazy?  I was trying to convince him that monsters aren't real, and she was acting like they were!

Weeks later, my son still maintained that monsters are real, no matter how many times I contradicted him.  I recalled an article that I read several months before, stating that no matter how silly a child's fears are to you, they are very real to the child.  Perhaps that family member was on to something after all.  So, I searched my jewelry box and came up with an old anklet that I never wear anymore, and hung it up in his room, and came up with a little story.

"Now, when monsters come in, they'll see this and say 'Owen has a mommy!  We can't stay here!' and they'll run away."

The monsters have not bothered him since.  He's sure that my little anklet scares away any of those scary creatures that may find their way into his room.

If your little one is afraid of "things that go bump in the night," and you are having trouble convincing them that they are safe, try this.  After all, nothing is more scary to a monster than a mommy. 

Do you have any other ideas for getting rid of monsters you can share?

Motherhood and Politics with TodaysMama

With the 2008 Presidential election already looming large, the team at TodaysMama.com is busy hunting down relevant information and resources to help you stay on top of the never ending media storm in one handy place.  The Mama Vote section of their site features article links, interviews, blog listings and more all centered on a monthly theme – topical concerns for every family and mother across the country.  Visit each Monday for the latest and greatest in the world of motherhood and politics.

Drink your Eggnog and Eat Christmas Cookies Without the Guilt by Jenny Lee

As the holidays are right around the corner,  I have compiled and would like to share a few of your favorite holiday Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza recipes that are still delicious in taste and tradition but lower in calories and fat.  I would like for you to share your own low fat recipe holiday recipes with all my readers by dropping an email to me or posting a comment below.   ENJOY!

Jenny Lee - Inventor of Bee- Z Snack Shop



LOW FAT EGGNOG

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1 1/2 cups fat free half-and-half
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup rum or brandy (optional)
freshly grated nutmeg to garnish

PREPARATION:
Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add egg and egg whites, and beat with a mixer for 3-4 minutes.
Gently heat fat free milk in a large saucepan. Gradually stir egg mixture into the hot milk.
Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in vanilla extract and remove from heat.
Let the milk and egg mixture cool a little before blending with fat-free half-and-half milk. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, add rum or brandy if desired and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg on top.


LOW FAT GINGERBREAD MEN COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/3 cup dark molasses
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

PREPARATION:
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth. Add egg and molasses and mix well. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices. Add to sugar and molasses mixture, stirring well.
Divide dough in two; cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/4 or 1/8-inch thickness. Cut gingerbread men with a cookie cutter. Add candies or raisins to decorate. Place 1-2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Add frosting or more decorations when cool. Makes 30 cookies.


CHRISTMAS TURKEY

To reduce your fat intake, be sure to remove the skin before eating the meat.

INGREDIENTS:
1 12-14-pound turkey, fresh or frozen (thawed)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 lemon, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh sage
Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove giblets and neck from inside the turkey and reserve to make stock if you wish.
Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
Place onion, half a lemon and 4 sprigs of each herb inside the bird's cavity.
Secure legs with kitchen string. Place turkey breast side up on roasting rack in pan. Squeeze lemon half into a small bowl. Brush bird with lemon juice and olive oil, and add salt and pepper.
Place in oven and roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees for an initial blast of heat.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Baste turkey frequently with pan juices plus lemon and oil, and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees - about 3 to 3 3/4 hours.
Remove turkey from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer to a warm platter and garnish with remaining herbs.

LOW FAT CHANUKAH  POTATOE LATKES

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes
1 medium onion
1/4 cup flour
2 egg whites
Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel, cut and shred potatoes and onion, using either a grater or a food processor.
Place a large cookie sheet in hot oven.
Empty shredded potatoes and onion into a colander and squeeze out as much excess moisture as you can.
Transfer potato and onion mixture to a large bowl. Add flour, egg whites and black pepper, and combine well with a fork.
Remove cookie sheet from oven. Coat with nonstick cooking spray
Form 2-2 1/2-inch flattened rounds with the potato mixture and place on hot cookie sheet.
Return cookie sheet to oven and cook for 7-8 minutes each side, until crisp and golden.

COLLARD RED AND GREEN BEANS

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbs olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 bunch fresh collard greens, stemmed chopped
2 tbs cider vinegar
2 tbs water
½ tsp
Tabasco
1 ½ cups canned kidney beans
Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat; add the garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute; add the greens, vinegar, water and hot sauce; cook, stirring often, until greens slightly soften, about 5 minutes.
Cover; cook 5 more minutes.
Add the beans with 1/2 cup of the beans cooking liquid (if using canned beans, use water), cover; cook until the collards are tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in salt, pepper and more hot sauce to taste.

Checking in on a past winner by Heather Ledeboer

Remember our great month of giveaways in October?  Amy,(she won the photo contest during week one) recently sent me two photos of her kids wearing a few of the items she won (Canddesigns Customizable shirts and a shirt by HonestBaby), check out how cute they are!  I would love to see more photos from winners so send them in:)!

Weekly Giveaway - Vienna's Treasures handmade bracelet

This week flew by for me!  We had a few different things going on and then all of the sudden, it is Friday!  One fun thing we got to do was have an ultrasound at Open Arms and our kids came along to see.  Hunter really got into it and was so cute asking me if I was "ok" or making sure she wasn't "hurting me" while the ultrasound was being done.  He liked seeing the photos and asked to see them before he went to bed that night.

The snow all melted this week which we are sort of sad about but we are pretty sure it will return:).  I almost have my Christmas cards ready to send out and at 15 weeks of pregnancy, I feel like I am eating ALL the time (how handy that it is also the holidays).  Other than that, all is pretty normal around here.

Our winner for the Nursing T Shirt Tess Bra by Nummies is Sara.  We have had a few Sara's win in the past!  It was fun to read all your favorite new items last week and it sounds like many of you could use a new bra!  Check back to our new items page over the next week or so as we just a shipment of two brand new styles from Bravado (in addition to the new Lifestyles bra from Bravado that we just added) that are super great as well if you are needing to choose a good nursing bra or two.  If you didn't win the Nummies bra but would like to get one, do it this week while it is on sale for 10% off and save $5.00!

This week we have a fun bracelet by Vienna's Treasures.  Vienna's Treasures makes adorable handmade bracelets featuring  one handmade polymer clay bead, accented with cats eye glass, sterling silver daisy spacers and Swarovski crystals.  There are 15 different styles in a variety of colors and characters from cows to flowers, cherries to butterflies.  The retail price is $25.99.  This would make a great Christmas present!

To win you can enter in one of two ways: 1) Send an email to at least 3 friends with a link to the giveaway, encourage them to sign up and then leave a comment letting me know you did it.  OR 2) Visit our website www.mom4life.com and then come back here to leave a comment providing me with a suggestion on a way to improve its functionality (the Mom 4 Life.com website NOT this blog).  We are in the beginning stages of switching to a new company to do the back end details of our website and have the opportunity to update or improve in areas that currently we have not been able to change.  I would love your feedback on what would make the website more user friendly for you so I can consider these changes in our updates.  You can just do one of the two options to enter unless you wish to do both but please leave only one post per person for one entry.  Please post your comments here by December 11 at midnight PST.  The winner will be posted on our blog on the 14th.  Good luck!

Trashy Treasures by Kristina B.

A few years ago, I read an article in a parenting magazine about trash being used as toys for children.  Most of these trashy treasures are plastic containers that would end up in your recycling bin, and indeed can be recycled in your little one's hands.  My three-year-old's favorites include soda bottles, plastic coffee containers, and boxes.  He makes these into any number of things.  Why is he holding up that small box, mustard bottle, and coffee creamer container?  Believe it or not, he claims that is a camera.  The mustard bottle is the part you look in.

If you've never tried this idea, it's a great way to let your little one's imagination run wild, not to mention the learning applications, such as colors (the mustard container is yellow) and size (which bottle is bigger?).  But before you get started on going through your recycling bin, here's a few guidelines to follow for your peace of mind and your child's safety.

1. Never give your child a glass, metal, or tiny container.
2. Remove caps and cap rings (that little circle that separates from the cap when you first open a soda bottle or milk jug) before giving them to your child.  A child can easily choke on these.  And don't assume that if you tighten the cap enough, it won't come open.  It's better to just remove it.
3. Remove labels.  Yes, labels.  Some labels easily come off and shred in the hands of a child.  I learned this the hard way.  These bits, or even the whole label, are choking hazards.
4. Always clean containers before giving them to your child.
5. If your child still puts things in his or her mouth, do not give anything made of cardboard or paper.  These will come apart as your child chews and drools on them, posing a chocking hazard.
6. Do not put small items into the containers, even if you think your child can't remove them.

Don't forget the best part about these "toys."  As they wear out and get dented and crushed, as they eventually will, you can simply toss them in the recycling bin and replace them with a newer milk jug, plastic bottle, or box.  If your house is like mine, you generate these trashy treasures constantly.  So, why not let your child give trashy treasures a try?  You may be amazed at what your little one will do with these.

Christmas Traditions by Heather Ledeboer

I love traditions, especially around the holidays!  It can be fun to discover how as parents you can bring together traditions from your childhood and add new ones to the mix.  I would love to hear some of the traditions you guys enjoy this time of year.  The main ones we do now are: Decorating the house the day after Thanksgiving, watching our list of Christmas movies before Christmas comes, opening at least one gift on Christmas Eve and new this year, making a gingerbread house (seen to the left).  We are still looking to add some new ones. 

This year I was sent a book called "Fun Family Christmas Devotions, Advent Guide for Busy Parents" written by Kathy Overman, a mom who lives local to me.  I enjoyed hearing her story.  Kathy wanted to create a book that would be a resource of fun, creative, meaningful food, games crafts and discussion starters (and music) that will draw our children in and focus on the meaning of Christmas.  She recognizes that moms are busy and wanted to make a step - by -step guide that could help build family traditions and nurture Christian faith.  The book that she created comes with a CD and retails for $19.95.  To order it you can call 877-624-0230 (Kathy can accept credit cards, etc. via phone.) For more information you can visit www.familypearls.org

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway from MomFinds

Oh my, this is fun.  My friends over at MomFinds tlet me know about something fun that started today to share with you!  Their 12 Days of Christmas giveaway starts now!

Look at the great prizes:

Day 1        Two Pairs of Shoes from Stride Rite ($80; three winners)
Day 2        Svan Scooter ($120)
Day 3        Dante Beatrix Stroller Tote and Matching Envelope ($128)
Day 4        Robeez  Shoes ($30; five winners)
Day 5        Boon Flair High Chair ($199)
Day 6        P’Kolino Little Reader ($95; two winners)
Day 7        Sony Cyber-shot DCS-W55 Digital Camera ($199)
Day 8        Tea Collection Shopping Spree ($250)
Day 9        Cariboo Gentle Motions Bassinet ($300)
Day 10      Timi & Leslie Femme Chic Diaper Bag ($360)
Day 11      Valco Buggster Stroller ($325)
Day 12      Monte Design Luca Glider ($895)

Minimizing The Holiday Grocery Bill by Christine Steendahl

With Christmas approaching, many of us feel both the financial and time pressures put upon us.  Today I compiled a few ways to save money & time this holiday season with your grocery bill - leaving more money for holiday gifts and more time for activities.

1.) Watch the grocery sales flyers and stock up on neccesary items. You can often find turkey, ham, stuffing, cool whip, canned pumpkin etc. at exceptionally low prices this time of year. Calculate what you will need and if it can be frozen or is a dry food item, stock up while it is on sale - not last minute the day before Christmas when it isn’t on sale and the store shelves are empty.

2.) With the holiday rush, you might find yourself eating out more frequently. If at all possible try to eat at home before you go out on your shopping trip or evening activity - it’s cheaper, healthier and really won’t take extra time if you follow our the next tip. If you are going to be gone for quite awhile, take a protein bar or other healthy snack along with you.

3.) When you are home for an evening prepare a meal that can be frozen. Either make an extra pan of what you are making for supper (for example if you are making a casserole or lasagna, make an extra and pop it in the freezer all ready to cook on a busy day) or if you are making soup or chicken breasts make extra and freeze them in individual or family size portions. You can then pull these items out when you’re in a time crunch.

4.) Enjoy Potlucks. If you are in charge of hosting a holiday gathering, make it a potluck. Most people enjoy sharing their favorite holiday recipe with others and having others pitch in with the food will most certainly help with the budget and time management.

5.) Make a menu for the week, make a grocery list and stick with it. If you go to the grocery store without a plan, you generally will purchase more than you need. Grab your sales flyer of the store you frequent, plan a menu around the items that are on sale, make a grocery list and stick with it. You will spend less then you would if you went in without a plan and you also will save time each evening as you already know what you are cooking and you for sure have all the necessary ingredients on hand.

If you are very crunched on time, consider picking up a sample menu at www.dinewithoutwhine.com/sample.htm  - there is a complete menu and grocery shopping list there for you.

Happy Holidays!

Christine Steendahl
"The Menu Mom"