Saturday, April 9, 2011
Sunday Blog Hop - BBL
Stop by the Baby Bottom Line and link up with the Sunday blog hop! If you're already "hopping" around, take a peak at some of my posts. :-) If you like what you see, feel free to follow. Leave a comment and I will follow you back. Thanks for visiting!
Friday, April 8, 2011
FATspiration Tip #3
Make ground turkey your friend. :-)
Since beginning this weight loss challenge, I've used ground turkey 3 times. I've made turkey burgers twice and added ground turkey to a lasagna as well. I was a little hesitant at first because I don't like to eat food that tastes healthy. You know... that cardboard taste.
However, I actually enjoy the ground turkey. I can't remember what ground beef tastes like now which means the turkey must be doing the trick. Plus, it's WAY healthier. I buy the 99% fat free. The best part is that my husband likes it as well. I asked him last night if he preferred regular hamburgers over the turkey we were eating, and he actually said he likes the turkey better. He feels much better after he eats it. The grease isn't just sitting in his stomach making him miserable. :-) That's a very good thing.
As I've said before, I'm still learning how to cook. I'm not good yet by any means, but if you want my advice on the turkey burgers, my "recipe" is below.
Turkey Burgers
Ingredients:
Ground Turkey
Garlic (powder or fresh minced)
Onion (powder, minced, or freshly chopped)
Salt
Pepper
Cheddar Cheese (or whatever cheese you want)
I just use the desired amount of each and mix the seasonings together, form into patties, and cook. Don't forget to top with cheese! :) If you've never used ground turkey for burgers before, know that the patties do not shrink. You don't have to form them into larger patties as you would with ground beef. Just make them the size and thickness you want.
Good luck!
Since beginning this weight loss challenge, I've used ground turkey 3 times. I've made turkey burgers twice and added ground turkey to a lasagna as well. I was a little hesitant at first because I don't like to eat food that tastes healthy. You know... that cardboard taste.
However, I actually enjoy the ground turkey. I can't remember what ground beef tastes like now which means the turkey must be doing the trick. Plus, it's WAY healthier. I buy the 99% fat free. The best part is that my husband likes it as well. I asked him last night if he preferred regular hamburgers over the turkey we were eating, and he actually said he likes the turkey better. He feels much better after he eats it. The grease isn't just sitting in his stomach making him miserable. :-) That's a very good thing.
As I've said before, I'm still learning how to cook. I'm not good yet by any means, but if you want my advice on the turkey burgers, my "recipe" is below.
Turkey Burgers
Ingredients:
Ground Turkey
Garlic (powder or fresh minced)
Onion (powder, minced, or freshly chopped)
Salt
Pepper
Cheddar Cheese (or whatever cheese you want)
I just use the desired amount of each and mix the seasonings together, form into patties, and cook. Don't forget to top with cheese! :) If you've never used ground turkey for burgers before, know that the patties do not shrink. You don't have to form them into larger patties as you would with ground beef. Just make them the size and thickness you want.
Good luck!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
FATspiration Tip #2
Keep pushing yourself!
This is my second week of eating healthier and exercising regularly. I must be perfectly honest. It's different this time. I've started thousands of diets, and I usually don't make it through the first week. I don't know why I've suddenly developed will power, but I have.
There are tough days, but I think that's what makes WW a good program for me. If I need to indulge in a sweet treat, I can. I'm training myself to think about it first though. Sure, I would rather eat chocolate all day than fruit and veggies, but are the points worth it? For me? Right now? No.
This brings me (again) to my second FATspiration tip.
KEEP PUSHING YOURSELF! Don't give up. Make yourself get up off your rear end and exercise. Make yourself experiment with food until you find healthier options you can actually enjoy. Yes, it's hard, but it gets easier. If you get past the 3rd day, you can keep going. You may not want to, but you can. :-)
FATspiration Tip #1
This is my second week of eating healthier and exercising regularly. I must be perfectly honest. It's different this time. I've started thousands of diets, and I usually don't make it through the first week. I don't know why I've suddenly developed will power, but I have.
There are tough days, but I think that's what makes WW a good program for me. If I need to indulge in a sweet treat, I can. I'm training myself to think about it first though. Sure, I would rather eat chocolate all day than fruit and veggies, but are the points worth it? For me? Right now? No.
This brings me (again) to my second FATspiration tip.
KEEP PUSHING YOURSELF! Don't give up. Make yourself get up off your rear end and exercise. Make yourself experiment with food until you find healthier options you can actually enjoy. Yes, it's hard, but it gets easier. If you get past the 3rd day, you can keep going. You may not want to, but you can. :-)
FATspiration Tip #1
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The Teething Monster (Symptoms and Remedies)
Dear Teething Monster,
I appreciate you coming in waves. I know you mean well. You're trying to give us a break here and there. I get it... but for the love of God, please just get it over with already.
Thanks,
Me
I haven't been posting regularly this week as my daughter has been teething. It is brutal, and I'm exhausted. My little angel has transformed into this screaming demon child. Of course, I don't mean that, and yes, I feel terribly sorry for her, but my goodness. I had to sit her in her playpen for less than 1 minute to stir dinner this evening. My husband heard her screaming down the road as he walked home from work. All doors and windows to the house were closed. We've been dealing with this whole teething thing since she was 4 months old, but it would come in waves and has never been so intense. Why has this week been so bad? I found the culprit. There is a tiny little hint of white on her bottom gums. :-)
This brings me to the topic of today's post. If you think your baby might be teething and are looking for signs and ways to help, you're in the right place. Most babies begin teething between 4 and 7 months, but ALL babies are different. My daughter will be 10 months tomorrow and still has no teeth surfacing. Again, please note that I am not a pediatrician; if your child is experiencing a high fever or seems to be suffering from some sort of ailment, please consult your doctor.
Signs Your Baby May Be Teething
I appreciate you coming in waves. I know you mean well. You're trying to give us a break here and there. I get it... but for the love of God, please just get it over with already.
Thanks,
Me
I haven't been posting regularly this week as my daughter has been teething. It is brutal, and I'm exhausted. My little angel has transformed into this screaming demon child. Of course, I don't mean that, and yes, I feel terribly sorry for her, but my goodness. I had to sit her in her playpen for less than 1 minute to stir dinner this evening. My husband heard her screaming down the road as he walked home from work. All doors and windows to the house were closed. We've been dealing with this whole teething thing since she was 4 months old, but it would come in waves and has never been so intense. Why has this week been so bad? I found the culprit. There is a tiny little hint of white on her bottom gums. :-)
This brings me to the topic of today's post. If you think your baby might be teething and are looking for signs and ways to help, you're in the right place. Most babies begin teething between 4 and 7 months, but ALL babies are different. My daughter will be 10 months tomorrow and still has no teeth surfacing. Again, please note that I am not a pediatrician; if your child is experiencing a high fever or seems to be suffering from some sort of ailment, please consult your doctor.
Signs Your Baby May Be Teething
- Excessive drooling
- Fussiness
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Fever
- Runny nose
- Coughing
- Decrease in appetite
Possible Ways to Help Ease Baby's Discomfort
- Chilled teething rings
- Chilled pacifiers (This is a trick I learned from my sister. I use the Soothies pacifiers because the entire thing chills and my daughter likes to chew on the base. She hasn't used pacifiers in months but likes to chew on these. Soothies also makes teething pacifiers, but I've never tried them.)
- Baby Orajel (Naturals or the original formula)
- Clove Oil
- Infant Acetaminophen and/or Motrin
- Teething Tablets
- Chilled baby food
- Water (to rehydrate)
- Use a clean finger to rub gums
- Snacks that Baby can chew (arrowroot cookies, Gerber Graduates snacks)
- If your baby develops a rash from the drooling, pat the skin dry, then coat with petroleum jelly or Aquaphor.
- Comfort and Love :)
The most important advice I can give is this:
Be patient. Take deep breaths through the crying and remember your baby is experiencing major discomfort. It isn't his fault that his gums hurt and your schedule isn't working out as planned. :-)
For further reading, visit the sites listed below.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Precious Pictures
I'm exhausted today. I spent ALL day yesterday experimenting in the kitchen. The apple cake I tried was a dud. However, the lasagna I made was amazing! I actually made the tomato sauce from scratch, and it was delicious. I used a Weight Watchers recipe but added ground turkey to half of the lasagna so my husband would have some meat. He liked it as well and still doesn't believe it was a WW recipe.
I'm too tired to think of a clever post for today, so I'm just going to upload some very cute pictures of my very cute daughter. :-) Enjoy!
I'm too tired to think of a clever post for today, so I'm just going to upload some very cute pictures of my very cute daughter. :-) Enjoy!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Ultimate Blog Party 2011!!!
If you haven't joined the Ultimate Blog Party at 5MinutesforMom, you should check it out. There are thousands of other blogs to explore and new blogging friends to meet. This is my first year as a participant, and I'm excited. :-)
If you're just now discovering my blog, let me tell you a little bit about me and the topics I discuss here at Stories and Advice for Moms. I originally started this blog a few months after my daughter was born. I had been teaching high school English, Speech, and Drama for 3 years, gave birth to a GORGEOUS baby girl on June 7, 2010, and decided to take a year off to stay home and care for her.
My husband and I have been living and working on the Navajo reservation in AZ since graduating college and getting married in 2007. We are in an isolated, rural area and far away from family and friends. We've been given this amazing gift and are on our own to try to figure out how to take care of her. :-) As a new stay-at-home mom with no family around to help, I spent hours researching lots of mom information on the internet. I became overwhelmed with all of the information out there and decided to start a blog where I could summarize the key information many new moms are seeking. That was my intention. :-)
Little did I know, this blog would help me overcome my postpartum anger and insomnia. Many of my earlier posts cover all of those postpartum issues that aren't so glamorous. I write about the ugly stuff we deal with but don't really hear too much about. :-)
In addition to writing about PPD, I also share stories about my little girl, baby development, DIY ideas, recipes, and my most recent challenge... losing the baby weight! :-) Well, maybe it's not "baby weight" that I'm losing, but it's a good cover.
My most popular posts are listed to the right. Check them out if you're interested! You can also search my blog for other topics. Please feel free to join the "followers" along the way! If you leave a comment, I'll follow you back. :-) Thanks for stopping by!
If you're just now discovering my blog, let me tell you a little bit about me and the topics I discuss here at Stories and Advice for Moms. I originally started this blog a few months after my daughter was born. I had been teaching high school English, Speech, and Drama for 3 years, gave birth to a GORGEOUS baby girl on June 7, 2010, and decided to take a year off to stay home and care for her.
My husband and I have been living and working on the Navajo reservation in AZ since graduating college and getting married in 2007. We are in an isolated, rural area and far away from family and friends. We've been given this amazing gift and are on our own to try to figure out how to take care of her. :-) As a new stay-at-home mom with no family around to help, I spent hours researching lots of mom information on the internet. I became overwhelmed with all of the information out there and decided to start a blog where I could summarize the key information many new moms are seeking. That was my intention. :-)
Little did I know, this blog would help me overcome my postpartum anger and insomnia. Many of my earlier posts cover all of those postpartum issues that aren't so glamorous. I write about the ugly stuff we deal with but don't really hear too much about. :-)
In addition to writing about PPD, I also share stories about my little girl, baby development, DIY ideas, recipes, and my most recent challenge... losing the baby weight! :-) Well, maybe it's not "baby weight" that I'm losing, but it's a good cover.
My most popular posts are listed to the right. Check them out if you're interested! You can also search my blog for other topics. Please feel free to join the "followers" along the way! If you leave a comment, I'll follow you back. :-) Thanks for stopping by!
Suddenly My Baby is a Little Girl
I am entering yet another new chapter in my crazy life and I am doing so with incredibly mixed emotions. It seems as though my baby has turned into a little girl overnight....
Our little Emma has developed a distinct personality and is starting to turn into a toddler. Don't be deceived by the lack of hair. :-) She's making calculated decisions, discovering her surroundings, and expressing emotions. She claps when she's happy and proud and cries when trying to manipulate situations. She's amazing.
I'm excited for her. She is so happy exploring things on her own and developing new skills. The selfish part in me is a little sad that I'm already losing the little baby we brought home from the hospital. I'm sad that she won't be depending on me every second of every day. Sad that this is only the beginning of a whirlwind of change. However, it's awesome to be a part of it. :-) I'm blessed to be able to share each of these new steps with this beautiful little girl.
Our little Emma has developed a distinct personality and is starting to turn into a toddler. Don't be deceived by the lack of hair. :-) She's making calculated decisions, discovering her surroundings, and expressing emotions. She claps when she's happy and proud and cries when trying to manipulate situations. She's amazing.
I'm excited for her. She is so happy exploring things on her own and developing new skills. The selfish part in me is a little sad that I'm already losing the little baby we brought home from the hospital. I'm sad that she won't be depending on me every second of every day. Sad that this is only the beginning of a whirlwind of change. However, it's awesome to be a part of it. :-) I'm blessed to be able to share each of these new steps with this beautiful little girl.
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