Ingredients:4 tbs EVOO
4 tbs white wine vinegar
juice from a lemon
2 tsp raw honey
Directions:
1. Mix everything in a mason jar with a whisk or a nice shake. Drizzle over your salad.
2. Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Lemon Vinaigrette
I am completed addicted to this salad dressing! This is so simple to make and absolutely the most refreshing salad dressing I've ever tasted; it is so light and summery. Not only do I make this at least twice a week for refreshing summer salads.....but I want to drink it. Yes, I just admitted that I would drink a salad dressing; it is that good. Don't judge me because once you make it, you will agree with me. Try it and see!
Ingredients:
4 tbs EVOO
4 tbs white wine vinegar
juice from a lemon
2 tsp raw honey
Directions:
1. Mix everything in a mason jar with a whisk or a nice shake. Drizzle over your salad.
2. Enjoy!
Ingredients:4 tbs EVOO
4 tbs white wine vinegar
juice from a lemon
2 tsp raw honey
Directions:
1. Mix everything in a mason jar with a whisk or a nice shake. Drizzle over your salad.
2. Enjoy!
Monday, April 24, 2017
Sticker Numbers with TWO Levels
I've mentioned it before, but this spring we've been working on numbers (identification, counting, and writing). I shared some other learning activities that we've been using with you already (the motor loops, cereal numbers, and chalkboard tracing). Today I have another easy and powerful number activity.
Do you remember those color coordinated stickers for file folders in the office?! Everything is in the digital world now and color coordinated there, so let's use those sticker circles for something new in the classroom. What toddler doesn't love stickers? I order these stickers and these dot pens, and print off some dot activities.
There are two levels, a basic and more advance option for this sticker number matching activity. The more basic way, LEVEL 1, is to write the numbers on the stickers and on the paper and get your toddler to match the numbers. OR you could just use the dot markers to fill in the dots on the paper and get your toddler to match the colors by applying the stickers to the color dots you made.
The more advance option, LEVEL 2, is to put the color dots on the dot paper, and write numbers on the stickers. Then your toddler has to identify & match both the color and the number. For example, they have to distinguish between the red two and the blue two. I didn't think Dutch would be able to do the more advance option, but I thought I would give it a try any ways and he surprised me by easily matching the stickers based on color and number. Looks like I need more colors and numbers :-)
Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post; I just really like these products.
Do you remember those color coordinated stickers for file folders in the office?! Everything is in the digital world now and color coordinated there, so let's use those sticker circles for something new in the classroom. What toddler doesn't love stickers? I order these stickers and these dot pens, and print off some dot activities.
There are two levels, a basic and more advance option for this sticker number matching activity. The more basic way, LEVEL 1, is to write the numbers on the stickers and on the paper and get your toddler to match the numbers. OR you could just use the dot markers to fill in the dots on the paper and get your toddler to match the colors by applying the stickers to the color dots you made.
The more advance option, LEVEL 2, is to put the color dots on the dot paper, and write numbers on the stickers. Then your toddler has to identify & match both the color and the number. For example, they have to distinguish between the red two and the blue two. I didn't think Dutch would be able to do the more advance option, but I thought I would give it a try any ways and he surprised me by easily matching the stickers based on color and number. Looks like I need more colors and numbers :-)
Give this a try and tell me what you think!
What activities are you doing your toddler to facilitate fun learning?
Friday, April 21, 2017
A Day in the Life {Take 3}
The last time I did one of these posts, was back in April 2016 and August 2015, and to say that life is different would be an understatement. With little babies they change so quickly so even though it isn't even a year later, life is so different. I tried to capture just a regular day so that I would have a little time capsule of what my life was like. This was March 16, 2017:
2:10 pm: I zoned out for a few minutes because I knew the baby would be up soon and this would be the only break I would get today. I caught up on the "Real Housewives of New York" Yes I love almost all of these series. They make me laugh. Ellis still sleeps in our room. At night she's in bed with me and during the day she is in her bed. When she wakes up she likes to throw everything in her bed onto the floor; she thinks it's hilarious. Dutch did the same thing at this age.
7 am: Bring Ellis to bed with me. She was up every hour last night so we're very tired. I didn't grab the camera at 7am, so you're just going to have to trust that this is my bed and this is where we were sleeping.
8 am: Ellis has one and one time with mama since Dutch is still sleeping. I'm drinking my coffee, listening to the Today show (I listen to it every morning), make breakfast & put dishes away from last night.
9 am: Dutch is up & we're out for a walk with one of your friends from the neighborhood. The kids are eating their french toast on the go this morning.
10 am: We're back from our walk. I nurse the baby and she goes down for her nap, I get another cup of coffee and hop in the shower really quick before we start school. While I'm in the shower Dutch is watching "Planet Earth: Life Reptiles and Amphibians". He really likes the kimono dragon.
10:30 am: We've started school for the day. On this day we're working on St. Patrick's Day, weather, our senses and the number 8.
12:45 pm: I'm making lunch after school. Dutch had a breakfast burrito and I had a chicken & cabbage salad. I call the Mr. for our midday check-in while I'm cooking lunch.
1:30 pm: Dutch is down for his nap, and I send the Mr. pictures from our school day. He likes to know what we're doing every day. I check my email & reheat my coffee that I haven't touched since 10 am.
2:10 pm: I zoned out for a few minutes because I knew the baby would be up soon and this would be the only break I would get today. I caught up on the "Real Housewives of New York" Yes I love almost all of these series. They make me laugh. Ellis still sleeps in our room. At night she's in bed with me and during the day she is in her bed. When she wakes up she likes to throw everything in her bed onto the floor; she thinks it's hilarious. Dutch did the same thing at this age.
2:40 pm: Ellis has been nursed & changed. She's watching me make her lunch.
3:30 pm: I'm making dinner and washing diapers. Ellis is still eating her lunch with me in the kitchen (she's a slow eater) and Dutch is still napping. I've learned that it is much easier to cook while the kids are eating or while one is sleeping, so I cook dinner pretty early in the day and just heat it up at dinner time. This helps our evenings so much smoother too, because I don't have to try cooking with two kids melting down and I don't have to stay up late to clean the kitchen. This just works well for us right now.
4:15 pm: Dinner is done. I'm cleaning up the kitchen & switching the diaper laundry. Glamorous life, right? ;-)
4:30 pm: Dutch is up and awake. New diapers for both babies.
5:00 pm: We read books in the afternoon until dinner or daddy comes home. I'm also a book doctor. Did you know that? Dutch has never ripped a book, but Ellis, she definitely has. We have to be careful when we read around her.
6:20 pm: Dinner and dishes are done. Dutch has gone fishing.
7:30 pm: We went to Lowe's to pick out some paint colors for our next DIY project. The Mr. got me a new computer because mine was 5 years old and running slow. We were stalking Best Buys Daily Deals for a few months and the one we were waiting for went on sale today so the Mr. bought it online this morning & we had to go to the store to pick it up. We also stopped to get a milkshake because I was craving one all day long (don't over read that; I'm not pregnant).
8:20 pm: We're home! Clothes are laid out for tomorrow, I'm diffusing lavender for the evening, the kids are in bed, the paint sample are being tested.
9:20 pm: I'm setting up my new computer and making sure my blog post is ready to go for tomorrow morning. Just an FYI, all of my posts are pre-written & scheduled. I have to do it that way or posts would never get written.
10:15 pm: Sweeping the kitchen, vacuuming the living room, and going through my massive to do list that never gets shorter.
11 pm: I wash my face and sit on the couch for some reality TV before bed. I usually go to bed between 12 and 1 (whenever Ellis wakes up for her feeding).
So that's my day! Some may call it boring, hey, even I call it dull sometimes, but for the most part, to me this is the dream life and such a blessing!
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Mama Natural- For Now & For Tomorrow
I have had 3 pregnancies, 2 natural labors, and 2 incredibly traumatic births. Y'all know me, and you know that I try to live as natural as possible. But through my first & second pregnancy there was very little, evidence-based, information for a natural pregnancy and childbirth available. For my third pregnancy I found a community for a lot more support. As a #crunchymama myself, I cannot tell you how excited I was to receive this book to review. When it arrived, I literally tore into this book with the hope that it would be such a valuable resource for the natural community. Let me assure you, this week by week guide to natural pregnancy and childbirth does NOT disappoint. 
By now you've probably heard all about Mama Natural, she's ah-maz-ing! She saw a need for more natural resources for expectant mothers so she set out to have a third baby: The Mama Natural Week-By-Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth. This book follows mama and baby through every week of the pregnancy. She gives you a manageable chapter to get through each week (remember you're totally tired being pregnant or chasing another toddler around so time is limited!). Each week starts with a quick update of what is going on with mama and baby and then dives into an important topic for that week or common questions mama might be having at that time in the pregnancy. At the end of each week she leaves mama with a list of 2-3 items to accomplish. And these items are attainable....one was "sleep". Can I get an amen?! The weeks are packed with beautiful illustrations and birth affirmations (here are some of her affirmation cards that I highly recommend, and here are my far less pretty but scripture cards for labor & delivery affirmations). There are also various checklists provided for mama to physically put a check mark next to as she prepares for baby's arrival, for things mama has been worrying about as well as things that haven't even crossed her mind yet.
By now you've probably heard all about Mama Natural, she's ah-maz-ing! She saw a need for more natural resources for expectant mothers so she set out to have a third baby: The Mama Natural Week-By-Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth. This book follows mama and baby through every week of the pregnancy. She gives you a manageable chapter to get through each week (remember you're totally tired being pregnant or chasing another toddler around so time is limited!). Each week starts with a quick update of what is going on with mama and baby and then dives into an important topic for that week or common questions mama might be having at that time in the pregnancy. At the end of each week she leaves mama with a list of 2-3 items to accomplish. And these items are attainable....one was "sleep". Can I get an amen?! The weeks are packed with beautiful illustrations and birth affirmations (here are some of her affirmation cards that I highly recommend, and here are my far less pretty but scripture cards for labor & delivery affirmations). There are also various checklists provided for mama to physically put a check mark next to as she prepares for baby's arrival, for things mama has been worrying about as well as things that haven't even crossed her mind yet.
This hearty guide covers everything from a natural perspective, cover to cover, and everything is all gathered in one place. Here are some of my favorite topics covered: essential oils, water birth, various forms of midwife certification, safe recipes, safe home cleaners, natural remedies, EMF exposure, state & local laws, over the counter drugs, maternity clothes, registries, cloth diapers, personal anecdotes, intercourse while pregnant, various forms of birth classes, pelvis exercises for best baby positioning, skin conditions, lovely hemorrhoids and stretch marks ;-), bed sharing, VBAC, birth plans, interventions, tests and screenings, placentas, breech babies, breastfeeding, pain management, stages of labor, cord clamping, circumcision, mama-baby bonding, babywearing & soooo much more! That was a long list, but it was really hard to narrow down!
Of course, I have to note that Week 13 is my all time favorite; this neuroscientist just couldn't help herself! It's all about the brain and how it changes in response to the experience of pregnancy and childbirth. And it was all accurate folks!
In a world of mommy-shaming, this book is all-inclusive. While it is naturally focused, there is no shaming. This guide does address fertility, loss, epidurals, and c-sections (or as I prefer to call it surgical birth), and gentle cesarean. All of these options are respected & honored for their ability to save lives.
What I love about this book, is not only is it naturally-focused, but it acknowledges that mama plays a huge role in this pregnancy thing. You cannot have birth without mama and yet so many apps and books only focus on baby. Of course the health and development are important and Mama Natural discusses those topics too, but I love the immense emphasis placed on mama because her desires should be honored and respected. I had to search high and low for care providers who would respect my preferences with my birth plan. While I'm grateful that I had such amazingly intelligent and attentive caregivers, it shouldn't have been that hard to find. What was so "weird" or "different" about my wishes being more natural? Why did I have to work so hard to be respected?! Doesn't that sound shameful for the 21st century? There is a trend happening now with a huge shift in the natural direction. It is my hope that all women, no matter what their birth preference is, are respected for their choices. I want my daughter to have a world that respects her choices and wants to support her in that path. I pray that not only does this book help the Natural Mama now, but the Natural Mamas of the future as well. 
I cannot recommend this book enough; it is phenomenal and a great reference to have on hand. This book is not on sale yet, but you can preorder it now here. This awesome guide goes on sale April 25, 2017
Monday, April 17, 2017
Fancy Tuna Sandwich
One afternoon both of my kids were sleeping at the same time (#momwin), and I already had the laundry going, so I got to play in the kitchen and actually have lunch. WHAT??!! It's amazing (and delicious) what my brain can come up with when it's free from distractions but starving. This has become a go-to lunch for me during the week and fast last-minute dinner idea during the warmer weather, but could also be a fancy tea sandwich for a baby shower or something like that. I love this sandwich, and there really is a lot of room for freedom. So I'm not going to give you a lot of measurements and instructions. DON'T FREAK OUT! It's good! Be liberated! It will be delicious! This is a fairly big batch, but I make it big at the beginning of the week for sandwiches. Please modify it to your taste.
Ingredients:
two 12 oz can of tuna in water, drained
two 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
dried cherries (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup)
pecans, roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup greek yogurt
mayo (maybe start with 1/4 cup and add to your taste)
juice from one lemon
sea salt & ground pepper, to taste
Ezekiel bread, toasted
Directions:
1. Mix everything together in a bowl and serve over toasted bread.
2. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
two 12 oz can of tuna in water, drained
two 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
dried cherries (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup)
pecans, roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup greek yogurt
mayo (maybe start with 1/4 cup and add to your taste)
juice from one lemon
sea salt & ground pepper, to taste
Ezekiel bread, toasted
Directions:
1. Mix everything together in a bowl and serve over toasted bread.
2. Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Chipotle Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos
It's rare, but sometimes, I hit a home run! One night I was going through my kitchen thinking, "I have to make dinner tonight?! Again?! Okay, who doesn't love taco night? Tacos will be good tonight" About half-way through preparing this dinner, there was a moment. You know the moment I'm talking about. You know when you start salivating and take a picture to send to your husband that says, "You're going to really like dinner tonight. Come home early! I miss you!" This was one of those meals. There were ZERO leftovers and it was sad because we all wanted more. This is a winner y'all. Please try it!
Ingredients:
5 slices of really good thick bacon, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced small
1 medium sweet potato, diced small
15 oz can (or 1/2 cup fresh) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 inch chipotle adobo sauce
2 tbs adobo sauce
1 tbs raw honey
juice from one lime
2 large avocados
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 serrano pepper, membranes removed & finely diced
1/4 tsp sea salt
juice from another lime
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup multicolor tomatoes, diced (you can use all red if you want I just think it's prettier with all of the colors)
corn tortillas
Directions:
1. In a skillet, I use cast iron, cook diced up bacon. When nice and crispy remove from the grease and put on a paper towel. Add the onions to the grease in the same skillet and stir until softened (about 3 minutes) on high heat, & then stir in the potatoes for another 4 minutes.
2. While the onion & sweet potato are cooking, combine in a mortar, chipotle, adobo sauce, honey & lime juice. Using the pestle, crush and mix everything together and then pour into the skillet with the potatoes and onions. Add the bacon & black beans into the skill and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
3. While the potatoes & beans are cooking, make the guacamole. Mash & mix together avocado, red onion, garlic powder, serrano pepper, sea salt, lime, & cilantro. Then fold in the tomatoes so they don't get crushed.
4. For serving, toast corn tortillas, then add the potato mixture and top with the guacamole.
5. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
5 slices of really good thick bacon, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced small
1 medium sweet potato, diced small
15 oz can (or 1/2 cup fresh) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 inch chipotle adobo sauce
2 tbs adobo sauce
1 tbs raw honey
juice from one lime
2 large avocados
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 serrano pepper, membranes removed & finely diced
1/4 tsp sea salt
juice from another lime
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup multicolor tomatoes, diced (you can use all red if you want I just think it's prettier with all of the colors)
corn tortillas
Directions:
1. In a skillet, I use cast iron, cook diced up bacon. When nice and crispy remove from the grease and put on a paper towel. Add the onions to the grease in the same skillet and stir until softened (about 3 minutes) on high heat, & then stir in the potatoes for another 4 minutes.
2. While the onion & sweet potato are cooking, combine in a mortar, chipotle, adobo sauce, honey & lime juice. Using the pestle, crush and mix everything together and then pour into the skillet with the potatoes and onions. Add the bacon & black beans into the skill and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
3. While the potatoes & beans are cooking, make the guacamole. Mash & mix together avocado, red onion, garlic powder, serrano pepper, sea salt, lime, & cilantro. Then fold in the tomatoes so they don't get crushed.
4. For serving, toast corn tortillas, then add the potato mixture and top with the guacamole.
5. Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Easter Books & Activities
Last week I shared a couple number and color activities to do with your preschooler with a focus on Easter. Today I'm sharing some Easter books that we love and have been reading the past few weeks. These would be great ideas to add to an Easter basket :-)
He is Risen ~ A Treasury of Peter Rabbit and Other Stories ~ Guess How Much I Love You
Please share with me the Easter or spring books you're reading lately, and let me know if there are some I need to add to our Easter baskets next week! Also, in case you missed it last week here are the Easter Egg activities I shared:
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