Add Some Fun To Your Fruits and Vegetables

Getting most kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be a difficult task.  While we all know that it’s important, I know that many parents give up the fight because sometimes, after a long day, they just don’t have the energy.

Stella and now little Carter have always been decent eaters. Stella eats fruits and vegetables but definitely has to be in the mood for them.  If she feels like carrots, and carrots are on menu, then she’s gobbling them down. If she wants brussel sprouts and I serve carrots, then she’s choking them down as if I gave her dirt to eat.

Stella laying out her new delivery.

Carter, although we are still on baby food, seems to eat anything we put in front of him. I can tell his distaste by nothing more than a small grimace at first bite. He still eats the stuff anyway. Since he is my second child, I know this may not last for long.

One of the best things that I have done for my family is to sign up for a produce delivery service. There are many of these coming into existence ranging from services that support local services to larger services that full produce from various regions.

The great thing about the produce service is that is shows up on my doorstep early Tuesday mornings. Stella loves to wake up and look through the box. I then will let her choose what fruits and vegetables she wants us to eat for a snack or dinner. I have found that her interest in eating fruits and vegetables has grown immensely.

We are not eating things that I normally would never buy – rainbow chard, grapefruit, parsnips are showing up at the table (and being eaten) in addition to some family favorites like strawberries, apples, asparagus and brussel sprouts.

It may not be for everyone, but for us, having fresh produce delivered to our home and gotten us to eat our fruits and vegetables “outside the box” and has proven to be some fun for the little ones too.

Haute Mom Must Have Technology

Tablets & iPhone for All Ages

It wasn’t that long ago that computer equipment, like laptops, was mainly used for business purposes. Now, thanks to the emergence to technologies like tablets, Kindles, and iPhones, everyone can utilize all the new tech toys that are available, regardless of ability level.

It’s all about the iPhone

One of the most popular products on the market today is the iPhone. They are used by both kids and businesses alike. The amount of apps available at the App Store from Apple can fit every need, regardless of a person’s tech-level. So no matter if you need to edit a spreadsheet or just want to find fun games, as the commercials say, “there’s an app for that.”

Something people love to do with their iPhones is purchase different covers and cases to fit their mood and style. There are so many different ways to customize your iPhone case, it is almost inconceivable. Many people love to do custom iPhone photo cases with their favorite pictures of family and friends. Shutterfly offers great options for iPhone cases for any level of creativity. Many iPhone users today have several cases so they can switch things up depending on their style or mood that day.

Tablets

Tablets and the iPad have also revolutionized the computing market. Just as powerful as laptops in many cases, using a tablet is a great way to take portable computing to an entirely new level. Just like the iPad has an app store, non-iOS tablets (namely the Android platform) has their own app store called Google Play. With tablets today, you can do more than just answer email messages. You can read books, watch movies, play games, and plenty more. And one of the best parts of using a tablet is that it weighs far less than a laptop, making it perfect for travel, and to entertain the kids!

So regardless of your ability level or budget, think about what you would use your tablet for and then go and try them out at your local electronics store before you make you final decision. Then once you made your purchase, you will find plenty of covers and accessories to make your tech toy your own.

Written by guest blogger Kristin Lynn Stewart

It's All About Being a Mom

Being a mom is hard. I learned that long time ago, when I had my first child.  And just when I thought I had figured it all out, I got pregnant. And now I have two little ones. Stella is just shy of three years old and our new addition, Carter is seven months.

My reward for sucking it up.

To make things a little more complicated, I just went back to work. Back to work as in my full time job and my part-time evening job. I love both jobs so it wasn’t difficult to go back except for the fact that now all the other things that have to get done have to wait until after 5 pm.

Some people say since the hubby is home (he lost his job at the beginning of 2013,) he can do those things that need to get done around the house.  For those of you who have hubbies, you can laugh with me. Ha.

Every now and then, I feel like a superhero. And it’s a good feeling.  Yesterday, I got to work at 7 a.m. I ran home at lunch to nurse Carter. I had to be at my second job by 4:00 and got back home around 6:00. I threw dinner on the stove, put the running shoes on and hit the pavement for a four mile run. I got back in time to have dinner with my family. Granted I was sweaty but beggars can’t be choosers.

There was a day when I might have thrown myself a pity party.  I would have been bummed because I had too many things to do to go out for a run.  Or I would have felt guilty for choosing to run (which keeps me sane) and then ordering take out, or not having dinner with my kids.

But this time I grabbed the bull by the horns and took charge. It felt good.  I have learned that sometimes, you just have to suck it up. Because maybe, every now and then, you can be a good mom. And that is what it's all about.

Back to Work...Again

The time has come again. My second extended child care leave is coming to an end and I am about to transition from the world of Stay At Home Moms into that of the Working Mom. Times two.

I am so gratfeul to have been able to spend seven months at home with our little guy. The same amount of time that I had with Stella. I could not enjoy my time with my little ones any more than I have been and I am so fortunate to have a job where I am able to do this.

Of course, I am mixed with excitement and anxiety as I spend one last week at home. Going back to work means having a full time job as well as a part time job, but now with two little babes instead of one. I worry about the house, cooking dinner, and being able to have enough energy to be a good mom and wife.

This time, instead of having to find a nanny, the hubby will be staying at home with little Carter as he has been out of work since January. I am comforted knowing that the kids will have one parent around even though I know that eventhough one parent is home, the laundry and the cleaning is no more likely to be done (you all know what I mean.)

We took Stella out of day care last week to take advantage of a rare, end of winter, amazingly warm day. It was declared family time at the beach and aside from being Carter's first time there, we had a blast.

This maked me so thankful for my family and the time that we do have together. Remind me that next week when my alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m.

Mommy Needs a Meltdown

Why can’t I have a meltdown?

This is something I often wonder when I watch Stella, who is almost 3 years old, emotionally crumble when something doesn’t go her way.
 The "terrible twos" stage continues. The other day I watched her sob uncontrollably in a hunched over position after she learned that there were only orange popsicles left in the freezer.

Sometimes I want to hunch over and sob uncontrollably over things. Times in our household are not easy since we closed our retail store down at the end of last year. This has hit our pocketbooks, and our savings, which meant to supplement my income during child care leave, is dwindling away faster than we hoped.

Why can’t I just have one little meltdown?

My Meltdown Prevention Program -
finishing a half marathon last Sunday

In a world where being emotionally stable is a must, I wonder how others get through the tough times. As a parent, it is so important to model emotions in a healthy way. We need to teach our children how to be resilient and handle disappointment and frustration with a grain of salt. But sometimes, don’t we just want to scream at the top of our lungs?

I rarely cry. I keep it inside and let it build up until it eventually explodes. It maybe explodes once a year. Since our store has closed, perhaps a little more frequently.

Parents are supposed to be the “strong ones” and that just makes it even more important for us to have an outlet. Something we can do or someplace we can go to let it all out.

For me it is running. The one thing I can do on my own, in silence, alone with my thoughts. We all need a place like that. It keeps me from going into meltdown mode … most of the time.

Keeping Stella Too Busy?

As a teacher, I have always felt bad for my students who would tell me that their afternoons and evenings were full of lessons and practice. Some of them literally would moan and groan about how they wouldn't get home until 8 pm from one thing or another. I vowed to never do that to my children.

Fast forward to having a two-and-a-half year old who wants to do EVERYTHING! Anything she sees she wants to do. So I thought I was being a good mommy when I took her to Mommy and Me swim lesson and a year old and allowed her to continue with swim lessons to this very day.

What are they doing?! (In the blue)

I found a Parent and Me soccer class through our local park program and since Stella loves kicking the ball around I enrolled us in it. It was a perfect chance to get her exposed to the premise o the game and give her a chance to run around with other kids on a Saturday morning. This was a six week class that she enjoyed.

Not long ago, Stella began to express interest in gymnastics and dance. She actually asked if we could take her to do those two things. I decided inctead of re-enrolling her for soccer, we would find a dance class through the park system to let her try out. She started the class last week and loved it.

I wonder if I am exposing her to too much. Is it that or am I doing the right thing by letting her try one thing out at a time to see what she likes? Can I make sure I don't turn into that parent that has her kids in five different activities a week?

I think as long as she is having fun and I am keeping her in her weekly swim lesson and maybe one other activity we should be good. I hope I am helping shape a well rounded young lady and not an extra curricular monster!

Check out the video of her! Hilarious!

Stella's First Dance Class

Fashion Week - Stella Style

Fashionista, trendsetter or stylish have never been used to describe me.

I am not the world’s worst dresser, but on my good days, my style is attributed to whatever fashion-forward person I copied.


One of her favorite things to wear...and not on Halloween.

Sometimes I wish I could be that person who could throw on random clothes and accessories and look absolutely dashing. But I am not.

Stella appears to have been born with some generation-skipping gene that allows her to do just that. She has a certain style about her and knows what she wants. Some days her outfits are “crazy” as she likes to call them, but I can only appreciate the uncensored choices that she makes for herself.

This is all good until it is time to step outside. We (before parenthood mostly) have all looked at little kids with the crazy outfits on and thought to ourselves: “Their parents REALLY let them go out in public like that?”

Like many other situations since becoming a parent, those things are now being said about me.
I have chosen to not care. I have decided that my daughter’s (and one day my son’s) creativity and fashion freedom are more important to me than those judging stares that I get when she is in a tutu, leggings, her dad’s beanie and purple rain boots. Or, like a couple of days ago, the stares I got at Rite Aid when I took her in with her pants inside out (she happens to like the inside piping.)

Shouldn’t the strict dress codes come later on, like in her teenage years? Is it really hurting anybody that she often looks like a hobo (as my mom likes to say) or like some odd princess or garden fairy (depending on her dress up mood.)

Am I wrong here? Was my common sense more in line when I used to look at other children and wonder why their parents didn’t change their clothes? What are the fashion rules for a toddler and where can I find them?

Until I get ahold of the rule book, I am going to live vicariously through my daughter and enjoy watching her in her fashion glory with all the glitter that it holds.

In case you want to join me, just look for us around town. She is easy to spot.