Moms

Just over a month ago, our family was blessed to welcome in our third child. Adjusting to becoming a family of 5 has been so wonderful and now that we’re finally getting into a bit of a routine around here, I’m determined to start loosing this baby weight. Thankfully, my husband is on the same page with me and we’re in this together. In a few months, we’ll be celebrating our anniversary. By that date, we hope to have reached our weight loss goals. Healthy eating can certainly become terribly boring, especially if you don’t intentionally try to make delicious recipes that don’t taste like “diet” food. This salad has become a new favorite of ours. It’s packed with tons of nutrients and the flavor profiles make it taste like a bistro-style salad. With the taco meat, black beans, corn, avocados and of course, the Cilantro-Lime Dressing, this salad is fabulous and totally satisfying. Southwestern Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing Print Southwestern Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing Author: Angela Strand Ingredients Large head of romaine, chopped 15 oz. can black beans, drained 1 large orange bell pepper, diced 2 tomatoes, diced 15 oz can corn, drained 3 green onions, chopped 1 avocado, diced 1 pound hamburger, cooked with Taco Seasoning and drained Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing 1 cup cilantro leaves ½ cup plain Greek yogurt 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about ½ lime) 1-2 garlic cloves ¼ cup olive oil 1½ tsp. white vinegar ⅛ tsp. salt Black Pepper to taste Instructions Place all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend to combine. Next, place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.Toss with dressing. 3.2.1230   So — what is a good salad that you have had this month?

September is going to be a big month for us. Not only is Belle leaving primary school this summer and moving up to big school, but Bee, my precious first-born, turns into a grown-up and heads off to university in London. As if by way of a reminder, Belle bought this home from school this week. My last ever copy. It is a truly terrible publication, full of poorly designed ads, yet I can’t help but feel oddly fond of it all of a sudden: They are actually growing up and it is leaving me feeling a teeny bit sad. Of course it could just be the cold I’ve got this week. I did cry at our netball match on Tuesday night when I didn’t score any goals in the first quarter and had to come off not feeling well, (embarrassing), so it would appear I am a tad on the over-emotional side, but still, having children grow up is a thing I think you’re allowed to get a bit teary about. As if by way of rubbing salt in the wounds, last weekend I worked for three days at the Baby Show in Birmingham, surrounded by glowing pregnant women and chubby cheeked babies. It was almost enough to make me, heart-of-stone-mother that I am, a little broody. ‘It might be quite nice,’ I thought to myself, ‘to have another go. This time I could actually make an effort and do it properly, make my own sweet potato purées and not hide on my own in a corner of the playground at school pick up time. It could be fun to have a baby with chubby cheeks.’ Then I have to make myself remember that evening when Belle was about three months old. We were both lying on my bed. We had been lying there for some time in fact. I was lying on my side, Belle lying next to me. She was breastfeeding, and every ten minutes or so she would appear to fall asleep. I would wait a little while, then delicately begin to extract my boob from her mouth. Sometimes she would let me get as far as the door before waking up and crying again, but not often. It would get to the point where your options were basically to scream or cry, where every gulp she took felt like having the life literally sucked out of me. I can’t remember exactly whether it was a scream or cry moment, but I remember telling myself ‘If ever in the future you think about having more children, think about this moment and remember that you decided right here never to do it again.’ Those words have stuck in my head long past the memory of how I actually felt. I know that it’s natural to feel sentimental, that having children grow up and move on doesn’t mean you need to replace them, but I can’t help but feel I might have a tear in my eye at Belle’s final sport’s day this afternoon. Maybe it’s time to start my cat collection. How do you feel about your children growing up? The post The end of our Primary Times appeared first on Slummy single mummy.

The following conversation took place between me and my Tejano outside of his wine bar. Tejano: That couple across the street are Koreans. I think I am beginning to get good at noticing. Me: Really? why? (making a note of the baggy pants on the man who is standing with his upper torso slouching toward the woman in pony tail)...

By SHAWN TAYLOR I am blessed to have received a great education. Maybe it was a time in U.S. history when educating our nation’s children was a priority, but I don’t feel anything was lacking in what... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Is it just me, or is a “formal” graduation from preschool with caps and gown a bit over the top? Do 4 and 5-year-olds really need to walk across the stage as pomp and circumstance plays and they are handed their diploma. As a parent, I am so happy my kids school doesn’t have any [...]

After over 18 hours of travel, we’ve arrived safe and sound in Galveston to get our ocean fix. We can’t be within a few measly hours of the beach and not see it for a day. The road was LONG {no offense Missouri and Arkansas} and we ran into some crazy blankets of rain, but we were thankful for nothing more serious, as our hearts and prayers are with the people of Oklahoma. The road entertainment included some Narnia, Ninjago, and White Fang on the portable DVD player, reading Charolette’s Web and some library books, lots of snacks, coloring, and listening to their iPod shuffles (refurbished 1st generation old school Apple) . Highlights from the Honda: - I accidentally turned an 18″ turtle into instant road kill. CRUNCH! - Henry sang the Ninjago song at least 400 times. I’ve been singing in my sleep ever since. - Clark in typical form asked a hundred “what if” questions. Including today’s “What if the ocean was called the Kites to Mexico?” - The boys had “headphone hollering” and were singing and talking to each other like they were elderly. The long hours on the road quickly paid off as soon as we laid eyes on the coast. Tonight we are going to sleep smelling like salt and sand with a kiss of sun on our skin and happy hearts. More Texas Travel Tales to come!

One of the most amazing things (and there is quite a list) about being a parent is being able to watch your kids blossom and come into their own.  It is one of life’s greater joys. When The Ex and I separated, even though he tended to be a little shy, Nick slowly began filling some of the roles of being the man of the house. Taking on more responsibility. Thinking about things that normal (then) seven and eight year olds wouldn’t. Being a protector of his sister and I. And while that was wonderful, I had a keen intent on letting him continue being a child as well. I don’t want either of them to grow up before their time due to unforeseen circumstances in their environment. Kids should be kids. And things eventually leveled out and our family dynamic grew into a new normal. A new routine. New ebbs and flows and responsibilities and adventures. But something happened last year. Sometime in the second half of the year. And I can’t quite put my finger on where the shift exactly was. Or what motivated it. And it could all just be part of the evolution as children grow up. But Nick started really coming into his own. Becoming more and more outgoing. More brave. More forthright. Just plain more. And I can’t even tell you how that makes my heart swell. And especially this year. He has completely lived outside of his box. His comfort zone. Out of what normally he would do. And he couldn’t be better for it. He has a strong interest in acting. TV. Commercials. What have you. And the radio constantly plays a commercial calling kids to come out and audition for Disney shows and commercials. A cattle call, if you will. Which I’m convinced is a scam. And every time the commercial comes on, Nick asks me if that’s the legitimate one. And it isn’t. Flash forward to this past January and I came across an acting workshop at a rather large, well-established community theater. They had several different age groups and focuses, and I ended up registering Nick for it. It was a weekly evening class for three months, culminating in a performance for family and friends a few weeks ago. Three plus years ago, there is no way would Nick have allowed me to sign him up. Would have put up a fight about going. But not this time. As it is about twenty minutes away, he wouldn’t know anyone else in the workshop before beginning. We had no clue what it would be like. We were completely blind going in. But I explained that if he really wants to be involved in acting, this would be a great way to find out if he liked it and what it was all about. And he took a leap. And loved it. When it came time for performance night at the culmination of the workshop, I didn’t know anything about the play, how many lines he’d have to learn, how big the part was. He never rehearsed at home. And gave us few details. Everything took place during his weekly workshop. Madeline has a habit of being Nick’s biggest cheerleader from the sidelines, so right before the play was about to start, I told her that when she saw him, she couldn’t yell out for him like she does at his track meets. It was all she could do to quell her excitement when he first walked onto the stage. And I sat there, through the 45 minute performance, completely in awe. My once-shy kid, was standing in the middle of the stage, delivering line after line, on his own, in front of his peers, and an audience. Not one hesitation. Not one moment. I couldn’t have been more proud. And he showed this renewed sense of confidence again in the beginning of Spring, when he signed up for track. Although he has played soccer for six years, this was the first year for track. And he went out there and killed it. He runs like it is effortless and has perhaps even surprised himself as he is consistently in first place for many of his races. And this weekend in Disney World. More examples. He went on the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios (former

The following post was written by my mom, WWW. Thanks, mom!I grew up in a small town, but as an adult, I’ve only lived in suburban communities. I love where I live, but there is something to be said for being able to walk out your door to do your errands, never having to get in your car.Rachel spent the last two years getting her Master’s degree in Bowling Green, Ohio—a very small town. We were there for her graduation a couple of weeks ago and a month before that, for her recital. She lives right on Main Street in the center of town, across the street from the post office, the library, a great little coffee shop/used bookstore, and a Ben Franklin, a store I haven’t seen since I was a little girl, a store that is alive and well in Bowling Green, Ohio. Forgot coffee stirrers for an after recital party? Go to Ben Franklin’s. Want some superglue, a birthday present, party supplies, fabric, baking pans or even gluten-free pancake mix? Ben Franklin has them all. It even has really cheap moving boxes, Rachel found out, and since the store is so close, she can grab a few at a time whenever she needs more for her upcoming move. I suppose drug stores have become our modern-day variety stores, but for some reason, CVS gives me hives and Ben Franklin makes me feel like home and apple pie and everything that is right with the world. Something about the eclectic and random combination of so many wonderful things packed into one store is comforting. The minute I walked through the doors I warped back to the 60’s where every town had a five and dime store on the corner and you saved your allowance to spend there…on marbles or paper dolls or a raft. I am not normally a nostalgic person, but being in the Ben Franklin made me, just for a minute, close my eyes and remember the way it used to be. Main Street Bowling Green is also the home of several great and homey eateries. We ate fabulous hippy food at The Happy Badger, scrumptious Bulgarian food at Naslada Bistro, and Turkish coffee, Lebanese food and real Italian gelato at Café Havana. And this brings me to my post. Larry and I got food to go for the plane ride home from Café Havana as they had several gluten free vegetarian choices. We loved the food so much that I decided I wanted to try out the lentils and rice dish, a traditional Arabic recipe, at home. Lentils and rice is a staple dish all over the Arab world. In Lebanon it’s called Mdarda (also called Mjadra or Mujadara) and is traditional comfort food. What makes this dish so unbelievably delicious is the caramelized onions on top. But also, it’s easy, quick and super nutritious. It’s also very baby friendly. I decided to use quinoa instead of rice because I like adding in the extra protein to our diet and the quinoa worked perfectly. I think I even like it better with quinoa. You can improvise the recipe to suit your tastes. Add several spices or none at all. Here is my version. (If you want to make the traditional recipe, substitute rice for the quinoa.) Quinoa Mdarda 3 large onions, sliced ¼ cup olive oil 1 ½ cups quinoa, washed thoroughly 4 ½ cups water 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon allspice or cinnamon (optional) 1 cup brown or green lentils, washed and sorted 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon salt Pepper to taste (leave out for babies) Toast cumin seeds in dry hot skillet until they start to brown. Set aside. Add oil to pan and saute onions on medium-low heat until golden brown, crispy, and caramelized. Meanwhile, add two cups of water, ground cumin, cumin seeds, allspice or cinnamon and bay leaves to the lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add 2 ½ cups water, salt, and quinoa. Bring back to a boil and cook until all water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve topped with caramelized onions. Makes 4 generous servings. Rebecca has a no-cook version of this recipe. Just combine pre-cooked lentils and pre-cooked quinoa. (You could add cumin,

That beloved blue engine is back in Squamish again to fill the hearts of choo choo lovers with joy.  How many generations of boys and girls have loved Thomas the Tank Engine? I have a family pack of four to giveaway to a lucky family!! Thomas The Tank returns to Railway Heritage Park in Squamish for two separate back-to-back weekends beginning June 1 and 2. An annual favorite, the day offers plenty of fun from the ride aboard Thomas, arts & crafts, storytelling and much more! Comment below about the favourite engine in your family (Percy was here) and  I will draw a lucky winner on May 29th.    Tickets for the lucky winner will be available at will call. Good luck!!! The post Win a Trip With Thomas the Tank Engine – June 1st appeared first on crunchycarpets.com.

I am counting down the days until The Lone Ranger comes out. I love, love, love this series when I was a kid, and as soon as I found out that Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp were Tonto and the Lone Ranger, I knew I had to put this on my radar to see this summer! Have you seen the newest trailer? Check it out below! About the movie From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, the filmmaking team behind the blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, comes Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “The Lone Ranger,” a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes.  Native American warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption. Native American warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) and man of the law John Reid (Armie Hammer) are opposites brought together by fate and must join forces to battle greed and corruption. “Like” THE LONE RANGER on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theloneranger  “Follow” THE LONE RANGER on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures Visit THE LONE RANGER website: www.disney.com/theloneranger THE LONE RANGER rides into theaters on July 3rd!