Disney's ABC Halloween movie line-up

We LOVE Halloween in our home and all of the autumn goodness that comes with it.  When the California weather finally decides to cooperate, nothing is better than the doors open on a cool evening, chili in the crock pot, apple candles burning, a blanket and movie to cuddle up with.

I love Disneyland at Halloween-time (heck, I love Disneyland anytime when it isn't crowded).  We have taken the kids down a few times for the Halloween party and spent our 6th anniversary there as well, where the hubby and I dressed as Mary Poppins and Bert the chimney sweep.  

When we cannot go to Disneyland, the next best thing is Disney at home.  Halloween movie nights are a tradition in my home and I love the movie line-up that ABC puts out.  They play all of your favorite Halloween movies and often have encore presentations in case you miss them.  

These are not all of the movies that will be playing.  I just focused on the night's main feature.  Go to their website to get the full line-up.  Enjoy!!!

Plan to Succeed

Is anyone else glad to see summer come to an end and watch the kids head back to school?  This summer has just blown by and has been full of fun with friends and family.  We have been so busy that blogging took a major back seat.  I am pretty eager to share about some of our adventures this summer though, so stay tuned for that!

I have been continuing to work on getting back into shape and losing weight.  During my vacation last month I actually lost 5 pounds!  What a nice surprise considering I enjoyed all of the local fare I could find.  

After five weeks of not running (having the kids home makes that task so much more difficult!) I started back up again.  Currently, the plan is to run a mile a day.  Today was day 5 and my time is improving!  

So while some things are helping, one thing I noticed as I read blogs and talked to others who have lost weight, the one thing that fit people tend to have in common is that they plan out their meals.  And not just write them down, but prep, cook and store their weekly meals.  This may be the one thing that boosts my efforts in a positive way.  Yesterday, I sat down and wrote out a meal plan - breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks - and went to the store to purchase the items I needed.  Then I came home, nursed Baby B to sleep, and set to work.

I do shakes/smoothies twice a day and eat every 3-3.5 hours to keep my metabolism up.  Keeping that in mind, here is my plan:

Meal 1 (7:30 am): shake

Meal 2 (11:00am): M-W Sweet potatoes, asparagus, and turkey meatballs
                                 T-Sun: Brown rice with chicken, red bell pepper and pineapple

Meal 3 (2:30): shake

Meal 4 (6:00 pm): M-Th: Veggie Burger with a salad
                               Fri-Sun: Grilled chicken with brown rice and green beans

Meal 5 (9:00pm): M-W: Blackberries with almonds
                              Th-Su: Greek yogurt with banana slices, flax seed and agave nectar. 

First thing you should do is make sure your counters are clean and clear and that you have all of the containers you will need.  Wash all of your produce and make sure meat is thawed.  I also like to do all of the veggie chopping first and get everything in little prep bowls so that I feel cool like chefs on TV ;)

The first thing I made was the asparagus.  All I do is mix a bowl of lemon juice, olive oil, lemon pepper, fresh garlic, and pepper in a prep bowl.  I spread the asparagus out on a foil-lined baking tray, drizzle the sauce over them, shake the pan to coat each spear, and pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.  Easy!

I also start cooking my rice at this point.  After the asparagus is done I move them to a plate and start the sweet potatoes.  For these, I diced them and followed this easy and delicious recipe.  Baby B even gobbled a few up before I packaged them up.

Here is the sweet and spicy chicken I love to make.  You can find the recipe here. I omitted the tortilla and served it over brown rice.

For my turkey meatballs, I mixed together a pound of ground turkey, 1/4 bread crumbs, 2 tbsp diced onion, 1 egg white, and added cilantro, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper to taste.   rolled them into 18 (that's how many I was able to make) meatballs  and baked them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

The quickest part was prepping the snacks.  I tossed a handful of berries and almonds into some cups for one.  The other was a serving of yogurt topped with sliced banana, a spoonfool of flax seed and a drizzle of agave nectar.  

I also whipped up some protein balls.  I used 3/4 cups oats, a scoop of chocolate protein powder, 2 egg whites, 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips, 2 tbsp Skippy Natural Peanut Butter and mixed everything together.  I formed them into 8 balls.  These of course, must stay in the fridge to stay good.

A few things I am missing from my photos - I also made some pizza veggie burgers that I found at Trader Joes and stored those in a container for easy reheating.  Today I will finish my last set of meals which will be the grilled chicken strips and green beans and add them to my leftover rice.

That is it!  Everything included, this all took me about 3 hours and now all of my meals are ready for the week!

From One Mom to a New Mom: Tips for Before You Deliver

I have said it a million times, I feel, but really - I have learned more from parenting Baby B than I did with both of my boys combined.  Age and maturity have helped me get a better grasp on what I should be doing as a mom.  It is fun watching friends get ready for their first babies and raise their first babies and I find myself giving tidbits of advice when asked.  Occasionally I become "that woman" who gives the unsolicited advice when I feel like the parent really should know something - and it is almost always that bit of advice I wish someone would have shared with me.

The more I sit and ponder how amazing it is to be a parent in 2014, the more I thought about what I really want to say to mom and dad-to-be's before they welcome their new baby into their lives and home.  So here are my tips you should read BEFORE you get to the end of your pregnancy.

1.  Don't plan on drugs at the hospital.  I was induced with my first son (at age 20) due to medical issues with him, which ultimately led to pitocin which lead to the epidural to ease the pain.  I was still scared of the pain when I had my second son, so again I had the pitocin and the epidural.  During my third pregnancy, I was blessed to have watched several friends show me the strength I could unleash from inside of me.  Friends of mine had successful homebirths, drug free -  if they could do it, so could I.  I did my research; I watched videos and read books and talked with my doctor.  At age 31 I was going to show how strong women really are and do this birth thing all natural.  Thanks to the support of my husband, an amazing doula, and encouraging nurses and my doctor - I had Baby B WITHOUT DRUGS.  It hurt.  Honestly, I think the pain helped me get her out faster.  I was in such a state of euphoria during my labor that never happened with my previous two children, that I felt like She-rah.  The rush of endorphin's after I had my daughter was amazing and I felt so at peace afterwards.  So I am here to say, "You can do it!  You can do it without drugs!"  Believe in yourself and the power you DO have inside of you.  You can get more information on the relationship between drugs and labor complications here.  Watch the video - it is so informative!  

Seconds after birth.

"Hmmm...real life is not what I imagined."

2. Have a Birth Plan. Going on from no-drugs, make sure you know what you want during your labor, delivery, and hours after birth.  It is harder to make decisions while you are going through all of that.  Having a plan in place and people that know your plan will make everything smoother.  With my first child, I wanted certain people in the room with me during delivery, but in the heat of the moment - other people came in and photos were taken and things did not go the way I wanted them to.  And I was in no position to say anything about it as I was pushing a baby out.  By the time I had Baby B, I knew what I wanted.  My husband and I did our research.  We decided to only have ourselves, my doula (best decision ever!!!) and my mom in the room.  We opted for delayed cord clamping to give my baby extra nutrients.  Measurements and wiping down the baby were delayed to give me an hour of skin-to-skin time to encourage bonding.  We had measurements taken after that golden hour and then my husband had an hour of skin-to-skin time before we allowed anyone else to hold Baby B.  We delayed bath time so she could stay under the protection of her vernix.  We knew what measures we wanted taken if a complication arose with either the baby or I.  The amazing thing was that I hardly knew about any of this stuff!  I am so glad I was told about all of these natural processes ahead of time so that my baby could start life out with a positive start.  The template I used for my birth plan can be found here.


3. Take belly photos.  This is something I did not do with either of my sons and it was sad to not have them to compare my belly with each week.  It is fun to look back and see how my baby girl was growing and I wish I had the same memories from my first two pregnancies.  

4. Babywear!  I was introduced to the world of babywearing by my Doula and was invited to a local babywearing group through an old friend from college who had started up a group.  Babywearing has made life easier - I can get chores done, dinner cooked, and go shopping without struggling with a handful of baby.  I prefer my Ergo, but also highly recommend Tula's and Kinderpacks.  On occasions we use ring slings.  Many women prefer woven wraps; there are so many beautiful options out there.  Check your area for local groups.  They are everywhere! 

5. Look into cloth diapering.  It is easier than you think!  While there are tons of cloth diapering options out there for all lifestyles and budgets, we found All-in-Ones worked best for our family.  They are all one piece, hence the name, and function similar to a disposable.  My husband loves that they are so easy and we are saving money.  We have spent around $500 on diapers and we will never have to purchase another diaper again.  Disposables will run the average family close to, if not over, $2000.  We are also not contributing to landfill pileups which is a huge perk for this mom who wants a beautiful world for her children.  Last fall a friend turned her nose up at my cloth diaper and stated,"I won't cloth diaper because I don't want to touch poop."  Another perk to cloth diapering?  NO BLOWOUTS!  All the time I hear about how friends who have used disposables had to clean poop off of car seats, clothes, floors, and high chairs because the 'sposie couldn't contain it all.  After 11 months of cloth diapering and many large messes - we have yet to have a blowout thanks to the genius design of cloth diapers.  And I have not had to touch any poop. ;)

I also make my own wipes and wipes solution.

6. Don't waste your money. There are so many things out there for babies that you just do not need.  I hear the same items making this "list" all of the time.  They include: bottle warmers, wipe warmers, fancy baby bathtubs, cribs (if you co-sleep or bed share), and baby shoes.  Really think about each item you purchase and register for.  Is it worth the cost?  How long will it realistically be used for?  Can I find it second-hand?  So many items like jumperoo's and walkers are not used for long and can be found for less money through online yard sales and friends.

7. Make sure you have breastfeeding support. Breastfeeding isn't always a cake walk.  Sometimes it can be a real struggle for weeks or months.  However, it is highly rewarding, providing essential nutrients to baby that formula just cannot replicate and providing countless benefits to the mama.  The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding until age 2, worldwide average is 3-7 years old.  When you do not have a support team in place for breastfeeding, you tend to give up sooner.  I am constantly around breastfeeding moms, so it always surprises me that we are not in the majority.  So few moms continue to breastfeed after 6 months of age even when breast milk is the best source of nutrition and is easier to prepare than formula.  *I am not anti-formula - there are few cases where parents must use formula, I am not attacking those families.  One of the best things you can do is to surround yourself with women who are breastfeeding and will offer support when you need it most.

Breastfeeding Baby B just a few hours after birth.

8. Skip the bucket seat.  Car seats are expensive.  There are also so many options out there that making a choice can be confusing.  Many parents feel they need the bucket seat; then after the first year when their baby has outgrown the bucket seat, they spend more money on a convertible car seat.  THEN, once the baby becomes a small child, they spend MORE money purchasing a booster seat.  Here is some fantastic news: they make seats that will grow with your child from birth until they are out of car seats!  Hooray!!!  We actually purchased the Graco SnugRide 35 and ended up using it for 4 months before we switched Baby B to a Diono Radian RXT.  I wish I had just started with this seat.  It is the only seat she will ever need.  Instead of spending $150 for a bucket seat, and then $200+ for a convertible; we could have just purchased the convertible!  

Trying out the seat before it is installed!

While I have your attention about car seats, here are a few important tips:
1. Check out Car Seats for the Littles to get updated safety information on carseats.
2. The LAW in every state in the U.S. states that children must be a year old AND 20lbs to rear face.  That is not either or, it is both.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear facing until AT LEAST age 2.  Here are some informative (and scientific!) links to help you learn more.  Rear Facing Myths Busted & Science Behind Rear Facing.  The video below shows the crash test dummies in rear facing and forward facing accidents.  



9.  RESEARCH EVERYTHING.  The last bit of advice I have is to do your research.  While you are pregnant, before baby arrives.  Decide how you want to handle vaccinations.  Learn about giving solids and why so many parents are opting to skip cereals which are often pushed by doctors (who are often not trained in infant nutrition.)  Read your car seat manual through and through - make sure you know proper use and have correct installation - this device can save your baby's life!  Read about Baby Led Weaning (I think it is awesome) and why so many parents are starting solids this way.  Learn about the different theories behind sleep training and decide what you want to do (or none at all!)  Read about the different baby carriers and why some are not recommended.  Just know your stuff and follow the law!

No matter what, make the best decisions for your baby and your family.  No one way is right for every mom, baby and family.  You will make mistakes.  You will learn new ways and find what works best for you.  Welcome to the journey of parenthood with all of it's ups & downs.  Good luck!  



Resources:
Natural Hospital Birth: An excellent book teaching you about getting through labor without the drugs.
Kelly Mom offers fantastic support and advice for breastfeeding and parenting. 
La Leche Leauge: Breastfeeding support. 
Aha! Parenting: Tons of advice for parenting all ages.
Money Saving Moms: Helping you with meal plans, couponing, and saving money.

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wrap

I LOVE mixing flavors and textures!  When Taco Bell came out with the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, I was in love....soft and crunchy?!  When chocolate covers bacon, I want to run away with it to the alter.  Food is great, isn't it?

Unfortunately, food makes me fat when I cannot step away so I am always looking out for ways to eat delicious meals that won't compromise my waistline.  The other day in my kitchen, I was playing around with ingredients and stumbled upon this delicious (and HEALTHY) lunch.  The best part?  It was pretty quick to make and under 300 calories.

You will see the picture of my ingredients and you may wonder why the photo shows a spinach wrap, when my wrap CLEARLY is not green.  Well folks, even the best of us forget to read labels.  The spinach wrap is a whopping 210 calories.  While that is fine and dandy when I am spreading hummus on it and wrapping up a little lunch meat, it is not great for this particular recipe when the goal is to keep calories low.

So I opted to swap it out for a regular tortilla which was 170 calories.  An even better option would be a low-carb or whole wheat tortilla or wrap, but I wasn't about to run out to the store for this one thing.

First I seasoned my chicken breast with Cajun seasoning, Garlic & Herb seasoning mix, and coconut aminos.  I sprayed my pan with some coconut oil and let it brown.

Meanwhile...I used my little cast iron pan (these things are kitchen ESSENTIALS!) to cook up the diced pineapple and red bell pepper.  You can leave the bell pepper in larger chunks if you want, but I can only handle them when they are small.

Once they are cooked and peppers have a nice crunch to them, add the Siracha and spicy mustard and combine.  The first time I made this, I was a bit heavy handed with the Siracha - my nose was running it was so hot!  Even with just a tablespoon, you get a nice kick. 

About this time, the chicken should be about done.  Dice it up and toss it in with the pineapple and pepper mix.  Now all you have to do is roll it up in your tortilla and wrap and enjoy!  Grab a napkin; this meal can get messy!

Ingredients: 

1 chicken breast

Cajun seasoning to taste

Garlic & Herb seasoning to taste

1 tbsp coconut aminos

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

2/3 cup diced pineapple

1 tbsp spicy brown mustard

1 tbsp Siracha 

Family Night at the Drive In's

As a kid, my family went to the drive-in's fairly regularly.  Back then there were several we could pick from and it was always a great time.  Since then, they have been closing down which makes me super bummed.

Thankfully though, we still have one in our area, but we do not go as often as I would like.  My husband and I have never been to one together, and the last time I went was over 4 years ago when I took the boys while my husband was away on military orders.

Last night we decided to pack up the Chevy and head out to watch "Maleficent."  In the movies, people head to the drive-in's and sit in their cars, watching through the window (or making out), and little seems to be packed for the excursion.  Do not do this!  Most people lay out in the backs of trucks and  SUV's or sit out in front of their cars.  It is a great community atmosphere!  Here are some suggestions of things to pack to make the evening more enjoyable for your family.  

Blankets or sleeping bags to keep warm

Lawn chairs

Inflatable mattress (to make your truck bed more comfy!)

Pillows

A battery-operated stereo (so you don't drain your car battery while listening to the movie)

Snacks: popcorn, candy, soda, water, granola bars, yogurt covered raisins, etc.

Sweatshirt

Pj's (just wear 'em there)

Napkins

We did not charge our radio long enough and it died 15 minutes into the movie.  There were awesome people next to us though with an amazing sound system in their truck and it was better than the traditional movie theater sound!

What was the last movie you saw at the drive-in's?

What great memories do you have of going when you were younger?

Free Summer Fun!

Every summer to curb boredom, I pack our schedule with a variety of fun activities to keep the kids busy and entertained.  Otherwise we get one of two scenarios: 1. Kids stare at the video games or tv all day - or - 2. "Mom....there is no one around, nothing to do...can we play video games?"  My kids do not seem to have the same scope of imagination that I had as a kid.  I remember inventing this one game where we would throw these large, colorful toy coins all over my lawn and race each other to pick up the most.  Sounds thrilling, right?  Hey, at least it kept us entertained.

Well, instead of throwing things around your yard, here are a bunch of free activities you can take the kids to to keep them happy (and keep you sane!)

Home Depot offers FREE workshops that are great for kids ages 5-12 and they run the first Saturday of every month from 9 am until about noon.  These activities are first come, first serve, so make sure you arrive early to ensure your child gets a kit.  You can also register here   Kids will receive a kit, apron, and pin to show that they participated.  

Lowes also offers their Build and Grow clinics for kids on select Saturday's at 10 am.  You can see their full schedule here.  Classes are typically every other Saturday and are usually focused around a recent DreamWorks movie.  Apron and hammer are provided and the kids receive a badge for participating.   You must pre-register and parents must sign a waiver for their kids to use a hammer. 

Disney Store is hosting daily Summer Play Days from June 3-September 1st.  Each week a new button is given out for free.  Check your local store for times and details.  These fun days are for ages 3 and up.

Pottery Barn Kids is hosting a Summer Reading Challenge.  Kids can read books from their list to earn a free book.  PBK also offers Story time from 11-11:30 on Tuesdays.  Certain days are themed, like the July 1st Hero Day.  Check your local store for more information.

Learning Express offers Story time every Tuesday and Friday at 10 am.  Story time is followed by a fun craft and a snack - all for free!  Check your local store as times may vary.  

Kids Bowl Free This is something we look forward to every summer!  Register your children and they can play 2 free games each day during the summer, shoe rental not included.  

Kids Skate Free This is the same idea as the bowling, preregister your kids and let them have a great time roller skating.  This is for kids ages 12 and under, skate rental is not included, but is not expensive.  

Westfield Malls - If you are lucky to have a Westfield Mall near you, check their events schedule as they offer a host of fun activities for the family.  My local mall sets up an outdoor "theater" with free movies and snacks for purchase.  

Barnes and Noble Kids can earn a free book by logging the 8 books they have read, and returning the list to their local B&N store.  The prize?  A book!  It is the gift that keeps on giving. 

Local Library - check your local library for story times and other events.  Our's has many fun, free activities to participate in and even hosts a reading program with prizes.

Many cities also offer free movies in the park and concerts throughout the summer.  Check your city calendar to see.  Just last Saturday, I took the kids to watch "A Bug's Life" at a local park and halfway through the movie the sprinklers came on!  It definitely made for more adventure!

Check with your local zoo and museums as well and see if they are having any free days.  Places like the Exploratorium in San Francisco offer several free days throughout the year.

I am so thankful that businesses provide events and activities like these to help my boys stay busy, entertained, and learning while they are out of school.

What free or inexpensive activities does your family do during the summer months?

{365} Challenge: Make Blessing Bags

Last October I was caravaning to Hume Lake for a leaders retreat with the youth group staff I was apart of.  We stopped for lunch at In N Out and out in front was a homeless guy with a sign asking for food.  I am always so scared to go up to them, nervous I may get robbed, scared if I try handing them my lunch they will throw it at me (the stories you hear!)

My friend Aleisa purchased a meal and drink just before we left and walked it out to him.  She was even so bold as to pray with him.  It was such an amazing testament of brotherly love and selfless service.  I want to be more like her. 

Since then, I have been eager to make Blessing Bags, so that I have the opportunity to give something to the men and women I see on the corner needing assistance.  

First, I searched my closet and grabbed from the tons of travel sized goodies I always have on hand.  I then wrote out a list of needs and headed to the store.  I ended up doing one bag for a woman (I hardly see women out), and five for men.  

If you decide to put together bags, here is a list of items you can use:

Shampoo

Body wash/soap

toothbrush

toothpaste

floss

ibuprofen (I used a low, 200mg bottle)

deodorant

shaving items (razor, gel)

bottle of water

crackers

granola or protein bars

applesauce (don't forget a spoon!)

pretzels

trail mix

an encouraging note

coins (for food or a phone call)

a small gift card for food or coffee

socks

baby wipes

nail clippers

comb

feminine hygiene products 

lotion

Another thing you can do, instead of tossing old sleeping bags, give them to homeless people.  I know a local mom who collects them every winter and takes them out to the area homeless.  What a thoughtful project!