Wash Your Rice!

I love rice. Yeah, I never bought into the whole "low carb" thing. I lived in Japan for 4 years. I also had the opportunity to travel around Asia on my own... so I ate a lot of rice. My friends ate rice, my students ate rice... plain, good 'ole rice... and you know what? They were all pretty thin. Anyway....

I love rice. Sticky rice, or Japanese rice, is a short grain. It has the bran taken off and then it is polished down. the starch is right on the surface, ready to make it stick together. Sometimes called "sushi rice", I will address that whole issue in another post... it is very starchy. Now, show of hands, how many of you wash your rice? No?

I am always surprised to find people don't rinse their rice before cooking. So, place your hand over your heart and promise to wash your rice next time. Turn on some water, swish is a bit and drain it off. You will always rinse when you notice how much stuff comes off your rice. Now with sticky rice it is even more important. Don't be intimidated. Just turn on the faucet.


Don't agitate too much. Just a gentle swirl with your hand. See how murky the water is?


Rinse, drain & repeat. So simple. It will take you a few minutes. My Japanese friends Kimmy taught me the importance of this step.

Now see how pretty and clear the water is? So simple, but it really makes all the difference. We made Oyakodon tonight. I will be posting the recipe soon. Until then, enjoy your rice. And, don't forget to wash it first!!!

Make Your Own Soap - Save Loads!

I don't know about you, but I do a lot of laundry. First there is the load of diapers every day or two... then all of Evan's dirty work clothes... then the babies clothes (I think teething biscuits are a joke on parents!)... then the toddler's clothes (he is a dirt magnet!) ...my clothes and the normal house laundry. Jeesh! It really adds up. We are now the proud owners of a fabulous HE washer, but the laundry detergent costs an arm & a leg!!

So, why not make your own? Okay, a bottle usually costs us about $12, but we made it for a couple of bucks for over 2 gallons. So simple, really. See, even my DH can make it!

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated Castile soap)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer has a box you can buy with the regular detergents)

• Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until the soap is melted. Keep it on low heat until the soap melts.
• Add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until it is all dissolved.
• Add the warm mixture to a clean bucket filled with 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
• Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel). *We used slightly less for our HE washer. The good part is, only the Castile soap sudses, there are no additives to make it suds up too much.

I have seen recipes for dry, but we decided the liquid would work the best. We also decided that to make it easiest to use, we will reuse the laundry detergent bottle (hello, my friend the funnel!) so we have the measuring cap and it is easier to pour & shake before use. -Just another way to re-use the jug we have left over.

Okay, I would love to see if anyone else has a good recipe for laundry detergent. As always, Dare to go Greener!

Aloha Friday - #12

Aloha Everyone! In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Can you believe we made it to Friday? We survived the week, so to celebrate let's sit back and relax. No heavy mental lifting today... just one simple little question...

Do you look to books on parenting? Or for activities to do with your kids? (want to share a title or tip?)

Okay, so a little later posting this than usual. This was prompted by an email from a friend who is home with her child for the summer and wanted ideas for what to do. I was a little surprised. My kids are a part of my day.

My day includes chores around the house, caring for the chickens, gardening and cooking/baking. I think those are all great life skills for my kids to learn. They also have time to play, but for most of the day my toddler loves to help me. It hadn't even occured to me to look for suggestions in a book... or that I needed to come up with activities for them.

So, I am now curious if I have been missing the "parental boat" here. Do you get your ideas from a book? Okay, if you want more Aloha Friday fun, go to An Island Life and check out the other posts on the Linky. Have a great weekend!

A Day of Rest. Ahhh...

Usually Friday is the day to have my Aloha Friday post & Follow Friday up before I even wake up. This week I am taking a bit of a break. I should have my Aloha Friday up later today... at least one giveaway by midnight. (PST) check back to see. I promise this one will be yummy! I just need a morning to get things together. The laundry and dirty dishes are haunting my every thought!

Just curious... what kinds of giveaways do you like to enter? I tend to have food or children's giveaways. But, am thinking of branching out. Let me know.

Still Coupe Crazy!

Okay, have you by any chance seen the other Litte Tike's Coupes? Yeah, the Cozy Coupe would be the classic, but they also have a Fire Truck that sprays water and a Patrol Car! You can find a giveaway for the Patrol Car over at Diaries of a Domestic Goddess.

I would love this for my son! He would get such a kick out of it. This giveaway is sponsored by our friends over at CSN Stores who sponsored my Bubble & Brown Bakewear Set Giveaway a while back. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/1. Good luck!

Do You Love Pediped?

My kiddos are both small, but boy do their feet grow fast! My son has only had a few brands of shoes... and my daughter has only worn two. One of our big favorites are Pedipeds footwear. They are stylish, durable and great for growing feet. And did I mention they now make completely washable shoes? Now, I know we all wash our kiddos shoes... can children stay out of dirt & mud puddles?... but, these actually hold up & dry without hassle.

I was so excited to see that Annies Home is currently hosting a giveaway for Pediped footwear .
ENTER HERE. This giveaway will end 5/18. Good luck!

Get Rid of The Stink! - Little Stinker Review

I change diapers all day. With two kiddos under 3, I see it all! The wet, the dirty and the smelly. And no matter how often I change the diapers, sometimes the smell still kinda lingers. Of course I would love my kiddos to smell fresh and clean all the time so, I feel fortunate that I found this great little product called Little Stinker Baby Butt Spray.

I just love the name! So cute and true.

Now, my DH & I try to avoid perfumes and scents since we are both very sensitive, but I really enjoyed the light lavender vanilla scent of the spray. I also enjoy the fact it moisturizes, is paraben free, hypoallergenic, and uses Allergen free fragrances.

And my kids? Well, now my son asks for his "spitz pleeeease!" after his diaper change. Now it has become part of our regular routine.

And here is what the company says about its product,
Our Mission
To use the science of natural, organic, and botanical ingredients to create unique, essential, safe, and effective cosmetic products, which can be applied with confidence to maintain the health and beauty of skin. We take the "un" out of "unpleasant".

And what other uses can you use the spray for? Well, besides using it as a bum spritz, try it in your diaper pail, bathroom or any other areas that need "de-stinkification". Not too shabby!

And for an added giggle, read the back of the label. "...Not intended as a diaper-rash treatment or as a substitute for actually bathing your kid." Lol

This is now a product I don't want to be without and it would also make a lovely shower gift for my friends who are expecting. If you want to buy your own bottle of Baby Butt Spray, head over to the Little Stinker website. Price: 4 fl oz. / 118 ml for $11.95.

Be sure to check out the other products they will have soon. I could really use the nursing balm right about now since my daughter is cutting teeth! Ouch!

*Disclaimer - I received product to review but was not compensated monetarily. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wordless Wednesday - Weekly Blood Tests

This Wordless Wednesday is a little more word full than normal, but I didn't want to post these without an explanation. I share these for others who worry about doing blood tests on their children. It can be hard at first, but it is necessary to keep them healthy.

Both of my kids have Phenylketonuria (PKU), an inborn error of metabolism, so they both have their blood tested every week. This helps to keep them healthy and developing normally. We warm up my daughter's foot with a warm washcloth to help.

A lancet makes a small poke.

The blood is collected on a Guthrie card much like the ones used to do Newborn Screening before your baby leaves the hospital. That is when babies are diagnosed with PKU. The difference is that this one only has one circle to fill.


Since my son is older, he can do the pokes on his finger much like a diabetic can. He prefers it to his foot. We will send off the test papers to the state lab and within a week will have the results. His dietary therapy changes depending on those levels.

For more fun check out :Wordless Wednesday List

Seven Clown Circus, too!

For even more Wordless Wednesday, visit:
5 Minutes for Mom ~ A Daily Dose of Toni ~ Go Graham Go! ~ Jolly Mom ~ A Lot OF Loves
Look What Mom Found… ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Momma Findings ~J. Leigh Designz
Momspective ~ MomStart ~ Robyn’s Online World ~ The Shopping Mama
Table for Five ~ Two of a Kind… Frosted Fingers ~The Frugal Kennedys

Toddler Tuesdays - Cooking!

At my son's first birthday, his Mimi got him his play kitchen. I wanted him to be able to mimic what I was doing in the kitchen.


Just through observing he has picked up on several safety tips. Hot pads are required for all sorts of projects in his kitchen.
Cooking with a toddler can be, well, a big mess. But, it can also be fun and educational at the same time. But armed with a simple recipe it can be wonderful.



Our favorite recipe to make together is banana bread. Very simple and really delicious. Found out of the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook it isn't fancy. It gives my son the chance to learn how to mash, measure and mix (his favorite part). I have to admit, he is actually getting rather good at making it. What do you like to make with your toddler?

Meal Plan Monday! - 4/26

Well, last week's meal plan was a big success! I over planned a bit and never got around to the Italian Restaurant Chicken or Lentil Soup recipes. We opted for leftovers on Sunday because we were all so busy. My DH was tilling berry rows & I was busy with the kiddos & working on my garden. I can't wait till the veggies & fruit start to roll in for the year.

So, our top 2 favortites were definitely the quesadillas with fresh tortillas. I even had two left over that we used for breakfast burritos. Yum! My tip for the making thin, even and round tortillas would be to use wax paper to roll them out. Below is my DH and son... DH is proudly showing his quesadilla wedge and my son is showing off an olive. His dinner was made with a PKU friendly tortilla from Cambridge Foods.

And the fresh pizza with leek & mushrooms was a big hit with my DH. I will be making that again. The smell of the crust with those fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme & oregano) was amazing!


Okay, here is what I have planned for this week:
Monday: Dinner - Italian Chicken (from Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms -Win a Copy!)
Tuesday: Dinner - Spaghetti Night
* home made pasta (standard recipe will be posted, I promise to do it this week!)
* home made marinara sauce (will be posted)
Wednesday: Dinner - Oyakodon (Japanese chicken & egg over rice - I will try to get this recipe up)
Thursday: Dinner - Fettuccine Carbonara (recipe from Cook's Country)
* home made pasta
* Reduced fat version uses evaporated milk and is supposed to be quick
Friday: Dinner - Lentil Soup & Fresh Baked Breadsticks
Saturday: Dinner - Baked potatoes & steamed broccoli
Sunday: Dinner - Probably Sunday dinner with family (TBA)

* Don't forget to enter my current giveaways: Zestra Sample Giveaway (3 winners!) Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook
$25 Amazon GC

Monday Giveaways Elsewhere

I will be adding to this post all day, so be sure to check back later or tomorrow with a complete listing of all the giveaways. I want to combine them into one post if possible.

First off, I am still trying to win one of those adorable Cozy Coupes from Little Tikes' 40th Anniversary bash. This giveaway is over at a new blog I found, Susan Heim on Parenting.


ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/9 and is only open to US Residents.

And for another chance at one of those adorable Cozy Coupes head over to Emmy's Boos & Rawrs

Be sure to check out her other giveaways while you are there. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/26 so lots of time to get in those extra entries!

There is one of those great Soda Stream Starter Kit Giveaways at Blommi

I am really interested in their Cherry Cola flavor & also mixing it up with my own home made strawberry lemonade. Mmmm... ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 4/28.

Now any of you with toddlers should be aware of the great balance bikes out there. Since it is frustrating to learn balance as well as pedaling on a bike, a balance bike allows children to get comfortable on a bike as well as build their balancing skills. Currently there is a giveaway over at Canadian Natural Mama for a beautiful wooden Runners bike.



Isn't it a dandy? I would love one of these for my son. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/20.

And don't miss out on these amazing nightgowns being featured over at Take it From Me

These look so comfortable. I wish they had matching Mother/Daughter sets. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/3

Over at The Art of Being Mom there is a great giveaway for an adorable looking book called, Bedtime for Mommy.

I am sure my son would love to read this one to me. Currently his favorite is No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. I would love another bedtime book to add to our repertoire. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/7.

Giveaway: Zestra - Lovin' It! (3 Winners!)

I was given the chance to review a rather different product from TwitterMoms & the fabulous ladies at Zestra. I don't usually review intimate products, and I hope you will all bear with me, but the saying, If Mama ain't happy, nobody's happy, comes to mind.
Truthfully, I spend every waking hour giving. Whether I am cooking, cleaning, changing diapers or problem solving, it leaves me feeling exhausted. Add to this 9 years of marriage and having known my DH for most of my life. Well, things can get pretty routine in our lives. We deserve to add a little romance back into the marriage as well as model a loving relationship for our two kids.

This is where Zestra® comes in. Zestra Essential Arousal Oils were a pleasant surprise. You could call it just a little something extra, or a bit of spice in the old love life! Zestra is a patented blend of botanical oils and extracts, clinically proven to increase a woman's feelings of desire, arousal and (ahem) satisfaction. It is all natural and created by Semprae Laboratories – a company run by two dynamic working moms. How does it work? Well, lets just say it turns up the heat.
How would I rate it? Well, I was sent a 2-pack and hope to buy more in the future. Sometimes a little extra spice is all you need in and out of the kitchen! Oh, but don't take my word for it... it has been raved by Dr. Laura Berman on the Dr. Oz show, and Rachael Ray said, "(it) sends you to the moon, baby!".

Be sure to check out www.zestra.com for more information about this fabulous product.

Would you like to try some for yourself? Well, the great folks at Zestra want you to have that chance. 3 of my lucky readers can win a sample 2-pack. Yaow-za! Let's keep this giveaway nice and simple, shall we?

• Mandatory Entry Head over to www.zestra.com and comment with something you learned there about this product. Now, isn't that easy?
  
  For extra entries, do any or all of the following and leave a comment letting me know after you do the mandatory entry mentioned above:
  
  
• Subscribe by email with my new Feedburner box (2 entries)
• Subscribe to my RSS feed (1 entry)
• Comment on any of my other blog posts. Just let me know where you commented (1 entry per comment)
• Enter any other giveaway on this blog. 2 other posted. Make-Ahead Meals Cookbook & a $25 Amazon GC (1 entry each)

Open to the US and Canada. Please leave a separate comment for each entry to get full credit. Giveaway ends on May 4th at 11:59 pm PST. A winner will be chosen on the 5th via Random.org. and will be emailed. They will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. The sample will be mailed from the company.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any monetary compensation. I was sent a sample to try and opinions expressed are my own.

Dirt Under My Fingernails

Today started off with a wonderful surprise! We were all set to clean out our apartment. It is the final loose end in our move. When my MIL called to drop off 6 lovely blueberry plants. Yum! I even have the perfect spot all set out to put them. So it looks like tomorrow I will be up to my elbows in manure and dirt. I don't think I would want it any other way.

So, that means we have the 2 grape plants, 3 rhubarb and I planted a clump of cilantro today. Tomorrow I would love to amend the soil and get some chives, 3 tomato plants and a few other various herbs into the ground. I think this means we need to take a quick trip to get mulch & peat moss... maybe some bone meal for the tomato plants.

My seeds are starting to sprout and it is really exciting!!! I was shocked to see how fast the sunflowers (mainly for looks) sprouted. Nothing yet from the artichoke or eggplant seeds, but they still have some time.

I need to wait until Oregon is a little warmer before I take the basil and lettuce out to the garden. I can't wait!

So, what are you planting? Do you start you own seeds or buy plants?

V.Smile Motion Giveaway

I am a big fan of VTech toys in this house and every since I learned about those fabulous V.Smile Motion systems. I have never been a big fan of letting kids play video games. I would prefer to have my kids playing outside. The problem is, living in Oregon, we have more wet days than dry. So the compromise? Well, a video game system made for kids that requires them to move to play!



Coffee with the Mrs. has a great giveaway to win a V.Smile Motion system. ENTER HERE. This giveaway will end 5/14.

More Cozy Coupe Opportunities!

Yes, I have been looking high & low and have found 2 more of the fabulous Little Tike Cozy Coupes (LittleTikes.com) to share with you. Wouldn't it be fun to win one for your little guy or gal?

First off, check out 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires

Their giveaway can be found HERE, and will end 5/10. She currently has a whole bunch of giveaways posted. So check them out.

Then head over to Night Owl Mama


She is also giving away a Cozy Coupe. ENTER HERE. This giveaway will end 5/1.

Celebrate Mother's Day - The 5 Minutes for Mom Way!

Yes, those great ...and busy! ladies over at 5 Minutes for Mom are at it again...



This time with a great Mother's Day 2010 Bash. April 22nd - May 4th.

So far there are 3 giveaways open, but they say to keep checking back to see what else has been added. I will be entering the 3 posted so far...

• Indio Leather Hobo from The Sak
• Snapily Giveaway
• Celebrity Mother’s Day Gift Basket, retail value $544.00

I would love that Hobo bag! Or just a gift basket (worth a teensie $544!!!)
As always ENTER on the Page. Good luck!

Aloha Friday - #11

Aloha Everyone! In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Can you believe we made it to Friday? We survived the week, so to celebrate let's sit back and relax. No heavy mental lifting today... just one simple little question...

Do you own a bread machine? And fess up, do you use it?

I actually have 2, both previously used. One was a hand-me-down and the other was a garage sale find. I actually use them both, and just this week I made our sandwich bread and pizza dough. I know there must be lots of them floating around, but I never hear anyone talk about them anymore. Just curious!

I have a few breads I make in it. A basic sandwich bread & a honey oat loaf. I also love to use it to prepare my dough for rolls or pizza dough. My kids require special bread recipes and the machines I have make their special bread turn out the best.

Okay, if you want more Aloha Friday fun, go to An Island Life and check out the other posts on the Linky. Have a great weekend!

Follow Friday - April 22nd

Happy Earth Day & welcome to the April 22 Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! If you are new to my blog, grab a drink a feel free to take a look around. Just don't look under the couch - that is where are pet dust bunnies live!

I currently have 2 giveaways running:
$25 Amazon Gift Card to giveaway & a copy of the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook. Be sure to get your entries in! Also take an extra entry for each if you subscribe via email. You must confirm your subscription & just say, "email subscriber" for each giveaway.

You can also join the Friday Follow celebration:

--Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky on either of the three blogs listed above. You only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops. See either of those three fabulous blogs for all the details on participating.

The list is new each week. The links do not carry over. link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

Get a Jump on Spring Cleaning!

I love good cleaning products! I love how they make my counters all clean and ready to be dirtied up again. I love how the tub gets all shiny and inviting after a good scrub. Well, have you ever tried Seventh Generation Cleaning Products? I have only tried the multi-surface cleaner, but I would love the chance to try some of their other great products. Lucky for you there are some giveaways currently going on around the blogisphere to win a cleaning package! (maid not included!)



This is a great little blog and she is giving away a Healthy Home Kit with a wealth of great Seventh Generation products. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends tomorrow!! (4/23)

Pine-Sol "Making A Powerful Difference"™

Mmmm... just thinking about the Pine-Sol brand has me smelling that clean pine scent! This is one of those time tested and trusted products. In fact, For 80 years, Pine-Sol® Brand Cleaner has been making a powerful difference at home by cleaning America's toughest grease and grime. That is a lot of clean homes!

Now they are encouraging women everywhere to make a powerful difference outside the home as well. Pine-Sol®'s Powerful Difference™ program awards dozens of grants to women leading the charge for change and helps provides tools, resources and inspiration to help and encourage others to start championing and creating change in their own communities.

Since Facebook is such a powerful social networking community, Pine-Sol® has launched the Powerful Difference™ Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/PowerfulDifference, allowing fans to connect with and get inspired by other difference makers. There, you'll find an easy-to-use Facebook application which allows you to display on your Wall the five women who have made a powerful difference in your life, helping inspire others to do the same. Honor someone you know today at http://apps.facebook.com/powerfuldifference/. You can also learn more about the program and get ideas on how to take action by visiting www.PowerfulDifference.com.

What a great application to try out with Mother's Day just around the corner. I know I will be displaying some of the women in my life on my Wall. What about you?

*Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a gift card in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place.

Fluff Talk Thursday - Earth Day Edition

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

This week for Fluff Talk Thursday, we are talking all about how we can Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Now, the last "R" seems to get all the attention, so I would like to focus you back on the first "R". That is where I try to spend my time and attention. I try to first and foremost, reduce!
And how do I reduce my family's waste, you ask? Well, we try to find alternatives to all the things we so easily throw away. Starting with cloth. Cloth is a great thing, and unlike paper, it can be washed and reused multiple times. If you are already a cloth diapering Mama you know the benefits of cloth. Easier on the environment, easier on the bum (baby's that is!), and easier on the wallet. But, have you tried cloth wipes? I love mine. I have a wide array of sizes, colors and materials. In a pinch they can work for drooly chins, dirty fingers, and my DH has even used them as a hanky. I love multi-purpose items!

Then there are the "un-paper" towels. I won a lovely set of Autumn colors and have been loving them. They are soft and gentle for wiping little hands and faces, but they also wipe down my counters wonderfully. I also have the regular white "rags", dishcloths and washcloths in my cloth drawer in the kitchen.

What about all the ziplock bags? Or resealable bags with the food saver? Or the plastic containers (probably full of BPA...) in your kitchen? Well, we switched to the always economical and very reusable mason jar. I actually think they look rather pretty showing off all my beans and rice. What do you think?
Okay, these are just a few of my Earth Day tips. Do you have any to share? Please leave a comment. If you want to read more blogs on this topic, be sure to click on the Fluff Talk Thursday button at the top. Happily Domestic has a collection of blogs on her Linky. Cheers!

Wordless Wednesday - My Farmers

My two farmers (okay, farmer and farmer in training) in their work clothes. Yay! Carhart!

Boys and their toys!

For more fun check out :Wordless Wednesday List

Seven Clown Circus, too!

For even more Wordless Wednesday, visit:
5 Minutes for Mom ~ A Daily Dose of Toni ~ Go Graham Go! ~ Jolly Mom ~ A Lot OF Loves
Look What Mom Found… ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Momma Findings ~J. Leigh Designz
Momspective ~ MomStart ~ Robyn’s Online World ~ The Shopping Mama
Table for Five ~ Two of a Kind… Frosted Fingers ~The Frugal Kennedys

10 Little Things that Lead to a Happier, Healthier You

TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 have teamed up to bring you a "Spring Renewal" and have posted the topic "10 Little Things That Lead to a Happier, Healthier You". I am excited to blog on this topic as I am always striving to make my family happier & healthier! If you would like to find other blogs posting on this topic head over to the TwitterMoms discussion board.

Okay, so how did you New Year's Resolution go? Mine, well... we don't really need to talk about that, do we? I actually like Spring better than January as a time to start little changes in my life. I love the idea of Spring change. Sometimes it helps just to write down the goals you have. That way it isn't so overwhelming. These are 10 things I strive for everyday. They help to make me & my family happier & healthier.

1. Start my day with a healthy breakfast - I try to incorporate whole grains, protein and fruit or vegetables. This helps get us up and going!

2. Drink 8 glasses of water everyday - We all know it is good for us, but how often do we get all we need?

3. Do something active everyday - Garden, yoga or just doing a silly dance with my kids in the living room. Just get up and get moving everyday!

4. Don't forget your manners - Simple isn't it? I have two small children so being a good role model is high on my list, but honestly being appreciative and considerate of others is contagious. It is interesting to see how people pay it forward. Being kind to one person can cause them to give some else a kind word... and it spreads. It also just makes me feel good to hold a door, or help someone reach something on a top shelf at the grocery store.

5. Try a new healthy menu item every week - Whether it is a new healthy food or a new way to prepare an old favorite, mix it up! Healthy never needs to be boring.

6. Get your kids involved cooking - I bought my son an apron & he has his own kitchen tools. I want him to be involved and interested in preparing his own food. That way he will be more interested in eating. It also gives us a great activity to do together.

7. Take my kids out for a walk - get out the stroller and soak in a little bit of sunshine as I get my blood pumping. It is a big deal pushing a double stroller up hill!

8. Sit down as a family to eat - This is big for us since my DH also comes home for lunch. It helps my kids to see us eating our fruits & vegetables. I hope it is setting them up with good eating habits.

9. Tell your family you love them - Since my son was born it has been my goal to never go a day without telling my kids that I love them. So simple, but so important!

10. Don't forget to schedule "Me" time - This is the hardest to fit in, but just a cup of tea or listening to my IPod can help reinvigorate me. ...and if I am healthy & happy, then I can do a better job of making sure my family is healthy & happy.

Whew! I am sure I left a few good suggestions off. What do you do to lead a happier & healthier life? I would love to hear all your suggestions. For reading my top 10 tips & to get you started on your way to a happier & healthier you, Tropicana Trop50 is offering a TwitterMoms Juicy Rewards code to get you started:

TWMOM-READR

(worth one Juicy Rewards point – that’s up to $5 in savings) This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account. Limit one new account bonus code per new account. All accounts must be created and all codes entered by May 7, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST. For more codes, look under specially marked caps or on the back of specially marked products.

Tropicana Trop50 provides the goodness of juice with 50 percent less calories and sugars, and no artificial sweeteners. Trop50 is a part of Tropicana’s Juicy Rewards program, which gives consumers more from their juice by offering 20,000 ways to save on fun, healthy pursuits. With Juicy Rewards, the savings come easily – up to $15 for one carton of Tropicana Pure Premium and up to $30 in savings for one carton of Trop50!

Disclaimer -I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 blogging program to be eligible to win 6 free Juicy Rewards points and a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Giveaways Going On Other Blogs -2

Have you ever seen the Soda Stream Home Soda Maker? If you have been reading my blog for a while, you have probably heard me talk about home much I would love to have one. We started making our own lemonade last year and I would love to add some bubbles to it! Well, I have already tried the Soda Stream and even though we are not huge pop drinkers, I think it would be fun to have around.

Luckily for you, there are a few giveaways currently going on to win a fabulous starter set! First head over to:



Where she is running a great giveaway for a set. ENTER HERE. This ends 4/27.

Then head on over to I'm Just Your Average Mom
She is also giving away a Fountain Jet Soda Lover’s Start Up Kit (approx. $100 retail value) from SodaStream. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 4/25. So hurry!

And thanks Maria for the heads up! Over at Fitteds and Pockets and Snappis, oh, my
there is another great giveaway. She also has a fabulous photo essay on using and enjoying the Soda Stream. Be sure to check this out. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/5.

Toddler Tuesdays - Let's Garden

This weekend was the perfect chance for us to get outside and start on our garden. One of the few rare warm and beautiful spring days in Oregon. A few weeks ago my MIL picked up an adorable Elmo set of tools and seeds from Home Depot. It was time to plant our seeds. A big part of my desire to have a garden has been for my kids. I think learning where their food comes from, as well as helping to grow it, is an important life lesson. My son already enjoys eating his vegetables, but I hope our garden will cause him to be even more interested in trying new things.
Well, and then there was Dad helping with a machine. My son is absolutely in love with all sorts of machines.

I look forward to our time gardening. This weekend we started sunflowers, cherry tomatoes and a few various herbs. We will have more to start soon. I think my son's favorite part was watering the pots after the seeds were planted.

Soil + Water = Mud. If you didn't know, toddler boys love mud!

Meal Plan Monday!

I have seen several blogs posting what they will feed their family for a week, and since I love to plan this seemed like something to join in on. I am also secretly hoping this will help me stick with my meal plan, too! So here is what is on tap this week:

Monday: Dinner- Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas
* home made tortillas recipe from Finding Joy in My Kitchen
Tuesday: Dinner - Spaghetti Night
* home made past (standard recipe will be posted)
* home made marinara sauce (will be posted)
Wednesday: Dinner - Yum Cups
Thursday: Dinner - Leek & Mushroom Pizza
* home made pizza dough & recipe from Katydid and Kid
Friday: Dinner - Lentil Soup & Fresh Baked Breadsticks
Saturday: Dinner - Mac n' Cheese & Steamed Veggies (Freeze Ahead recipe from Cook's Country)
Sunday: Dinner - Italian Chicken (from Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms -Win a Copy!)

* Don't forget to enter my current giveaways: Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook
$25 Amazon GC

...More Summer Giveaways!

Okay, there are so many fabulous giveaways to get you and your family in the mood for Summer. I just have to share! There are too many to keep to myself.

Over at Simply Being Mommy

There is yet another Cozy Coupe Giveaway! I just love those little cars. I guess they are the longest running and best "car" on the market. Way to go Little Tikes!
ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 4/28, so hurry!

And for a Step 2 Giveaway head over to Two of a kind, working on a full house

I would love a little playhouse for my kids outside. Now that we actually have a yard I want them to spend as much time there as possible. It being Oregon and all, we need to capitalize on the days it isn't raining. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 5/17.