Moms

A Paleo smoothie is a great way to start the morning.   Some days, I just don’t have time to enjoy a sit down breakfast.  Some days, the kids have been just pokey and disorganized enough to make me late. Others, I have an early phone call with a client.  Either way, I need something fast and portable for breakfast that is still healthy.  Most portable breakfasts are fairly high in carbohydrates and sugars. That’s not really what I want to eat first thing in the morning. I don’t find it filling and the crash after the sugar high doesn’t leave me very productive for the rest of the day. Banana Almond Paleo Smoothie Banana Almond Paleo Smoothie – Delicious & Healthy Save Print Author: Ellen Christian Recipe type: Smoothie Cuisine: Paleo Serves: 1 Ingredients 1 frozen banana 1 cup of almond milk 2 tsp almond butter 1 packet Stevia 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds – unsalted 1 tbsp heaping of slivered almonds Cinnamon to taste Instructions Add everything to the blender. Blend on your smoothie setting until well mixed. Pour in a glass. Sprinkle cinnamon on the top. Enjoy 3.2.1753 I added pumpkin seeds to my smoothie but  you could easily add sunflower seeds instead.  I have read conflicting information about Stevia and the Paleo diet.  Some articles say that it is fine in moderation since it is natural.  Other articles say that since it has been processed into a powder, it should be avoided.  I enjoy my smoothies on the sweet side so adding a packet of Stevia work for me. If you’d rather not use Stevia, you can certainly leave it out. It still tastes good. it is just not quite as sweet without the Stevia. I love the taste of the almonds and banana together.  Adding the almonds and pumpkin seeds gives this Paleo smoothie a little bit of crunch to it which is fun. The post Banana Almond Paleo Smoothie – Delicious & Healthy appeared first on Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

This post on nuts and Paleo eating is brought to you by Fisher.   I am working with Fisher to share Chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s recipes and create my own original recipe using Fisher Nuts and tools they provided. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. Nuts and Paleo eating go hand in hand.  If you’re not familiar with the Paleo diet or  Paleolithic diet, encourages people to eat mainly fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils. Our early ancestors were much healthier than we are today. This is, in part, due to the fact that they didn’t have foods like brownies, soda, potato chips, and cheese puffs available to them. They also didn’t sit in a chair all day behind a computer screen or on the couch watching television. Nuts and Paleo Eating While I don’t follow the Paleo diet all of the time, I do try to incorporate Paleo meals into my family’s meals and snacks.   I generally don’t have a problem sticking to the Paleo diet for dinner time.  Low carb is really a very healthy way to eat so leaving out the pasta or rice from my meal is not a huge problem.  Where I do seem to have a problem is with snacks and “treats” during the day.  I love to nibble and most of the things that I am used to nibbling on are salted snacks, candy or cookies. None of those are traditionally considered to fit into the Paleo diet. That’s why understanding how nuts and Paleo eating work together is important. Here are a few of the snacks that I enjoy that do fit into the Paleo diet. Celery sticks and nut butter.  Be aware that peanuts are not part of the Paleo diet. Peanuts are actually legumes and legumes are not included. However, you can enjoy cashew butter or almond butter. You can use nut flours. Because you can use nuts, you are allowed to use nut flours. Baking with them isn’t the same as baking with traditional flour but it is possible. I’m still working on this one. Almond milk can be substituted for dairy in many recipes. I admit that giving up traditional dairy products is the biggest stumbling block for me with the Paleo diet.  Almond milk lets me make things like cream soups and smoothies that are Paleo. I make a yummy Banana Almond Paleo Smoothie that is really good. Nuts as snacks.  When I really get the urge to nibble, I grab a handful of nuts to snack on.  It gives me the ability to snack without snacking on something I shouldn’t. Fisher Nuts and Chef Alex Guarnaschelli offer several tips on cooking with nuts.  While they aren’t all suitable for the Paleo diet, some are.  These are a few of my favorites: Upgraded Spice Rub: Next time you’re cooking meat, add some ground nuts to your spice rub. The nuts can mellow some of the heat from the spice and add needed richness to the mix. Spruced up Salads: Healthy greens are a great companion to nuts. Try topping a chopped Arugula salad with walnuts or adding pecans to Dandelion greens. Radicchio is delicious with almonds and apples. Using nuts can easily expand your salad horizon. Healthy Snack: Nuts add wonderful flavor and texture when mixed into recipes, but they can also be a healthy snack—season nuts with a little cayenne and quickly roast them in a little olive or nut oil One of my lucky readers will win a prize pack from Fisher Nuts so they can try a few of their recipes: The prize pack (approximately a $56 value) will include: Trudeau Melamine Mixing Bowls (Set of 3) Trudeau 5-Piece Measuring Spoon Set Casabella Jumbo Muffin Cups Fisher Chef’s Naturals Sliced Almonds Fisher Chef’s Naturals Walnut Halves & Pieces Fisher Pecan Halves Image provided by sponsor a Rafflecopter giveaway This post on nuts and Paleo eating is brought to you by Fisher.   I am working with Fisher to share Chef Alex Guarnasc

Festival season is upon us. (You can tell because it has been raining a lot lately.) We’ve been to quite a few festivals over the years, and there are a few essentials that all families need at a festival. Wipes and wellies obviously are a must, as is a wallet bulging with twenty pound notes to pay for overpriced pies and chai teas, but one thing you absolutely cannot do without is a tutu. Honestly, if I had a pound for every tutu I had seen at a festival – on everyone from babies to large bare-chested men in pink wigs – I’d have almost enough to pay for churros and chocolate for the whole family. (If I could be bothered to stand in the queue for half a day). I’m going to be off to Camp Bestival this summer again, which is one of my favourite family festivals, and so was very happy indeed to be sent a handmade tutu from Baby CoCo Bellea. Baby CoCo Bellea specialises in outrageously beautiful and decadent outfits for babies and children – (think My Gypsy Wedding meets Harrods) – and their tutus are absolutely perfect for festivals and parties. If I were four, I can’t think of anything more wonderful than dressing up in one of these, can you? When I was asked what colours I would like, I suggested ‘something lovely and peacocky’, and this is what they made for us: The colours are beautiful, and I love the peacock feathers and flower – a really lovely unique touch: Now the only slight issue is that Belle isn’t going to be coming with me to Camp Bestival this year. Good job the elastic is nice and stretchy. Now I just need to find my pink wig… The post Kids’ tutus from Baby CoCo Bellea appeared first on Slummy single mummy.

Julia, 5m4m contributor, shares her insights about Misses Dressy — a online website where you can find special occasion dresses and supplies for less. We were compensated to write this post and provided a dress for giveaway, however all opinions remain our own. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to look for a wedding dress, and even longer since my search for a prom dress, but if I could do it all again, I would do it through missesdressy.com. Their La Femme line is absolutely gorgeous! I remember searching store after store and rack after rack in high school for the perfect prom dress. Though wedding dress shopping was a little more fun, it was still a long search. Oh how I wish Misses Dressy had been around back then! The Misses Dressy internet store was founded in 2010, allowing you the comfort of dress shopping from home and making you only a few quick clicks away from your perfect dress. I love how Misses Dressy is so easy to navigate. At the top of the website you can find tabs for wedding, prom, cocktail, evening, or accessories  You can even search for new arrivals and ships today, in case you need that special dress right now. Once you narrow your search down to your occasion, you can further narrow your search by designer, style, color, or (my favorite) price. Misses Dressy makes it easy to find the perfect dress in any budget. If you need more to complete your look, Misses Dressy carries accessories of handbags, shoes, shape wear, and even lingerie! And if you need a little guidance in your decision making process? Misses Dressy offers live chat, where you will be given undivided attention and great advice. No need to worry about ordering online. Each dress comes with it’s own size guide specific to its cut, so you will know exactly what will work for you. Misses Dressy also offers a price match guarantee, FREE shipping, and a store credit for any returns. I’m in love with this site, and I’m sure you will be, too! Now if I can just find an occasion for one of these beautiful dresses. . . Enter to win One lucky reader is going to get to choose a dress from this selection here. Use the Rafflecopter form to enter this giveaway. New to Rafflecopter? Watch this 45-second video on how to enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway What will you order from MissesDressy.com? Julia is a full time mommy and part time writer who thrives on Starbucks, chocolate, and toddler kisses. When she is not chasing a toddler around, you can find her at her personal blog, http://www.elatedexhaustion.com, or playing on Twitter @juliahembree.

This week we’re leaving on a 17 hour journey south to see some dear friends in Texas.  It’s sure to be a haul, but we’ve survived road trips to Florida twice, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and a handful of nearby states, so I’m sure we’ll make the best of this one too! We like to celebrate like crazy people each time we come to a new state.  It would be fun to stop and take pictures at each state sign, but we are too “pedal to the medal” to stop like good tourists.  Instead, last time when we traveled to Gulf Shores, AL I made a road trip map. It was a great visual  geography lesson and a fun interactive way to track our progress! Here’s How to Make a Road Trip Map for Kids: 1. Print off a map of the United States. (You can find great printable maps of the United States at Education Place.)  2. Laminate it or put it in a sleeve protector. 3. Draw the route from your starting to ending point with a dry or wet erase marker. 4.  Find a car/truck/van sticker and place it on your starting dot.  (Bring some extra stickers along as back-up drivers if your sticker gets lost or looses its stickiness. ) 5. Move your vehicle from state to state until you reach each destination.  (The sleeve protector or laminated surface allows your sticker to come off easily from state to state.) 6. Erase the lines and save for your next multi-state trip! How do YOU make the most of a long road trip?  Do you stop a lot along the way?  Have you found any great apps or websites for places to stop?

IN WHICH I POWER-RANK MY CHILDREN IN ORDER OF THEIR GENERAL USEFULNESS AROUND THE HOUSE ROUND ONE: CLEANING UP TOYS Okay guys, we need to clean up the Legos. Every single Lego needs to get picked up and put in the blue Lego bag over there. Got it? Go. EZRA Sits down, then puts forehead on floor. Sl-o-o-w-ly picks up a single, solitary Lego brick. Scoots belly-down like a slug over to Lego bag. Sits up, stares at ceiling. Holds hand over bag and lets Lego fall through fingers. Lego hits the bag and immediately bounces back out onto floor. Collapses in exhaustion.  Score: 1/5 NOAH This is going to take forever. FOREVER. How long is this going to take? FOREVER. I never get to do anything because I have to clean up all the time and also FOREVER. I'm not cleaning those Legos up because I'm still playing with them. And I'm not cleaning those Legos up because even though they are right in front of me I have gone selectively blind. I will clean those Legos up, at least, but only after I've spent 10 minutes complaining about them, which equals approximately three-and-a-half FOREVERS. Score: 3/5 IKE Hurls Legos to floor, runs. Has Legos in mouth, probably. Score: 0/5 ROUND TWO: HAND ME THAT THING Okay guys, hand me that thing. That thing right in front of you. Right, that thing.  EZRA Hands me that thing, immediately and enthusiastically, but knocks over an entire cup of juice in the process. Score: 3/5 NOAH What thing? This thing? Me: NO, WRONG THING.  What is a thing? Me: *EXPLAINS THING*  What does a thing look like? Me: *DESCRIBES THING; COLOR, PURPOSE, MATERIAL, ETC.* Where is the thing? Me: RIGHT THERE, IN FRONT OF YOU. Oh! Okay. One minute. *leaves, heads to bathroom, brings back the sink drain stopper* This thing? Score: 1/5, for effort IKE Hurls thing to floor, runs. Has other thing that I need in mouth, probably. Score: 0/5 ROUND THREE: OH LAWDY IT'S A JUICE SPILL Okay guys, someone's spilled some juice. What do you do? EZRA  Is totally the one who spilled the juice. Will totally sit there and do nothing (while sitting in bonus puddle of maple syrup that will also go unnoticed and undealt-with). When asked what they teach him at that fancy-pants Montessori school that he and a good deal of our money go to everyday, will respond by getting a towel and throwing it sort-of in the direction of the spill. Will then tap towel with foot before recoiling in sticky disgust and return to his syrup-covered seat. Score: 1/5 NOAH Ezra spilled his juice Ezra spilled his juice Mom Mom Mom Ezra spilled his juice Mom it's going everywhere oh no Mom Mom Mom Ezra spilled his juice it's on the floor now too Mom Mom Mom Mom. Score: 1/5, mostly for the Amy Poehler impression IKE Hurls spill-proof sippy cup to the floor, because THAT'S how you don't spill juice, bitches. Not sure what your damage is. Score: 1/5 ROUND FOUR: THROW THIS OUT Okay guys, we've cleaned up the juice spill with some paper towels. Please throw them out. EZRA Gets immediately and irrationally attached to Mister Paper Towel Wad. Mister Paper Towel Wad is later found in his backback/lunchbox/"house"/bed, covered in ants. Score: 0/5 NOAH After a five-minute lecture about the environment and whether or not we can reuse Mister Paper Towel Wad, followed by another five minutes of anxiety over whether or not Mister Paper Towel Wad would be recyled as another paper towel specifically and not something different, I give up and throw Mister Fucking Paper Towel Wad into the trash myself, then lie about sending him upstate to live on a nice big paper towel farm.  Score: 0/5 IKE Happily and joyfully throws it out. Because throwing things out is his FAVORITE. Things that he also threw out today include a perfectly serviceable sippy cup, my good nail file, Legos, four unopen cans of tuna fish and our voter registration forms. Score: 4/5 ROUND FIVE:

Now that I'm working full time, and dealing with a couple of situations that are unmentionable, my free time during the week is virtually nonexistent. Therefore, much like the vast majority of women in the world, I'm trying to cram everything in on the weekend. I do laundry and groceries during the week, cook and bake during the week, and take everyone to their activities, games, concerts, rehearsals, etc. – but the other stuff, the more fun stuff, has to wait for the weekend. Even if the weather does not cooperate. I was determined that we were going to pick strawberries today. Next weekend is the big Strawberry Festival here, and all the fields will be depleted. After that, it's too hot for any strawberries to hang around. It's been raining off and on for a couple of days now, and the forecast for Sunday featured thunderstorms all day. After church, we ate a quick lunch, and I jumped into the car with four kids and six buckets. I told them that as soon as we got to the strawberry fields, we'd have to begin to pick fast. As we drove, the sky grew darker and darker. I alternated looking at the road and looking at the sky. What a clear up, would it stay overcast, or would the sky worsen? 3 miles from the fields, I got my answer. Looking up ahead on the road, I could see the rains. It was kind of cool, a neatly defined line of where the rain had already begun to fall. Soon, we were immersed in it. Wipers on low, wipers on high, headlights on. About 30 seconds in, I gave up. We weren't going to be able to pick strawberries today. I turned around the car, telling the kids "Maybe we'll try during the week." Everyone complained. "We really wanted to pick strawberries!" Me too, kids, me too. i had visions of jams and berry pie, of strawberry infused vodka and ice cream sauce. One of my kids asked me, "You said the field is three miles away, right? Why don't we drive there and see? Maybe it will stop. Maybe it's not even raining there!" Wisdom from a Shortie. Hmmm. Maybe she's right, I thought to myself, so we turned around again and drove to the field. It was still raining fairly heavy when we got there and so we sat in the car for about five minutes. Soon enough, the rain tapered off, and the sprinkling was pronounced tolerable - and out of the Jeep we jumped. Buckets weighed, instructions given, thumder warning heeded -  we trekked through the mud, splashed through the puddles, went to the far end of the field, and picked us some strawberries. It was INSANELY muddy. Our sneakers (duh, I wasn't thinking - if I was, I would have made everyone wear rainboots) were ankle deep in the mud. Our knees were coated, legs splattered - and we loved every minute of it.   49.5 pounds worth of fun, to be precise. We may have been a little bit overzealous.  If you need me this week, I'll be in the kitchen.

This post was submitted by Kim Crossland. Being stuck in an office can be a drag. No matter how much you love your job, sitting behind a desk for hours at a time, doing work, can make anyone feel run down and tired. To combat this, one solution many office workers turn to is working out while at work.  The concept may seem outrageous, but innovative office workers have found new ways to increase blood flow throughout the workday. The idea of being able to get a workout in even while in the office entices busy professionals. While you will not be able to get in the amount of cardio and weightlifting recommended by doctors, there are certain things you can do to keep your blood pumping and get in a little bit more exercise than you normally would while at work.  Here are a few suggestions to get you started:   Stand more often – Did you know that standing burns an average of three times the calories as sitting does? It also helps take a lot of pressure off your hips and back helping your body to feel better all around. In many offices, from homes to offices of major corporations, standing desks are a common sight. Getting one for your home office gives you the option to stand when you want and change postures frequently throughout the day. Take movement breaks – Small, short bursts of movement benefit your body more than you may realize. Set up milestones throughout your day where you will commit to doing a few rounds on the stairs, taking a quick walk around the building or doing some yoga at your desk. For example, get up after you have made 5 phone calls, or once every hour on the hour. No matter when you get up to move, it is important to set up a milestone that you will remember and commit to throughout your day. Walk while you work – Sounds impossible, right? But treadmill desks have surprised a number of professionals looking for easy ways to workout while they work. While you should not plan to go over a mile or two an hour if you want to stay productive, walking just a little bit can help you keep your blood pumping and body active even when you are stuck behind a computer screen. Eliminate your conveniences – Convenient offices make it easy to avoid getting up and moving throughout your day. To force yourself out of your chair so you can keep your body moving and somewhat active, move your trash can across the room where you will have to get up to throw something away. Create little ways that will cause you to get up and move so that your body can stay fluid. Change the way you sit – You have likely heard of the benefits of sitting on a large exercise ball instead of your chair. While this may look funny, there are benefits to using this or similar types of ergonomic chairs in your home office. Find one that forces you to use your core to sit up straight so that you can keep your abdominal muscles engaged throughout the workday and put less strain on your back at the same time.  Making small, simple updates to the way you work can help you stay healthier while at the office. What have you been able to do in terms of working out while at work?  Kimberly Crossland is passionate about fitness. She loves sharing her tips for staying healthy while at the office on blogs for busy women. Click to learn more about modern office furniture that will keep you healthier at work.

I have to be honest: as much as I adore President Obama, I tend to watch his speeches in front of African Americans with baited breath, waiting for the moment when the beautiful words I expect him to... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

My girls get out of school Friday. FRIDAY! How the heck did this school year fly by so quickly? It seems like yesterday that Miss C’s teacher was sending out information about 4th grade graduation. I’ve already asked the girls to each think of three things they really want to do this summer. It could be as simple as going to see a certain movie (Epic looks great and opens this Friday) or Miss A’s favorite outing, the public library. Summer’s going to be short for us, the girls go back to school August 1, so I want to make sure we hit all the highlights before it’s time to sharpen our No. 2 pencils and buy new backpacks. I’ve put together a list of seven must do’s for all you fellow Middle Tennessee families this summer. Check it out! And don’t forget tonight’s Music City Center Grand Opening Celebration, an all out free street party and concert featuring one of my faves, Sheryl Crowe. Yes this is on a school night but it’s the last week of school for most Nashville area kids…why not kick it off right? 12th Annual 5K for Fatherhood at Fontanel This 5K, held on the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend, will feature tons of family friendly fun, such as hot air balloon rides and live music featuring inspiring vocalist Mirka and and accomplished saxophonist and songwriter, Charles Walker. Not only will you get out and get moving with your family ona beautiful summer day, but this 5K event benefits the Family Foundation Fund, a wonderful organization that helps fatherless boys. Register here. Bluegrass Along the Harpeth Admission is free for the Fiddlers Jamboree event and competition July 27. Great way to hear some fantastic live music and watch clogging and buck dancing. Benefits the Williamson County Cultural Arts Commission. Nashville International Puppet Festival One of my friends tells me this is a can’t miss event, especially the programs on Friday featuring the Velo Theatre from France. Zoovie Nights at the Nashville Zoo Enjoy a day at the zoo and settle in to watch a movie under the stars. We’re first time zoo members this summer (tickets are available for everyone) and I definitely want to check this out! Madagascar on June 24 sounds fun although we’ll be singing “I Like to Move It, Move It” all weekend, okay, okay…summer. Leiper’s Fork Lawnchair Movie Theatre Speaking of summer movies, I’ve been wanting to check out the free Friday night family movies in Leiper’s Fork for some time. While you’re in Leiper’s Fork, you must check out Country Boy restaurant, one of our favorite Southern style restaurants. Bruce Munro Light Outdoor Exhibit at Cheekwood This outdoor art installation will be on display on the beautiful grounds of Cheekwood until November 2. and is definitely on my must do list! First Tennessee Fridays will also feature live music, cocktails, and a late closing time of 11 p.m. The Fireflies exhibit in the Japanese bamboo garden sounds amazing. Summer Saturdays at the Tennessee Agricultural Museum I’ve written about Summer Saturdays at the Ag Museum before. They’re filled with family fun, get your kids outdoors, and there’s no fee. The Hold Your Horses program July 6 sounds like a must do! Looking for more summer activity ideas here in Middle Tennessee? Check out my Frugal Family Fun Nashville Style post or this post featuring Ten Fun Frugal Family Summer Outings. What’s on your summer must do list?