Family Movie Night: Toy Story

Since Toy Story 3 is now in theaters, we thought we better jog our memories of the plot by watching #1 and #2. We started with the original tonight. It has been almost 15 years since it first came out (and 15 years since I watched it) and I forgot what a good movie it is! K-man said he had seen it before (although he couldn't tell me anything about it) and V-girl said that if she saw it, she only saw parts of it.

V-girl had a friend from school spend the night and Ethan (our neighbor) joined us for the movie. All the kids seemed to like the movie and the treats! So it was another success!

Although there are many more prominent characters in Toy Story, I decided to focus on Mr. Potato Head. It may be because I just scored at a couple yard sales recently and added 3 Mr. Potato Heads (and 1 Jr.) to the play room but I think it is more because I didn't know how to make Buzz Lightyear out of Rice Krispie Treats. ;)

I used the recipe on the box and mixed the Rice Krispie Treats and then buttered my hands (numerous times) and formed the mixture into "potato heads". They were WAY too big for the kids (they maybe ate half) but I couldn't figure out how to make them look good and fit all the face pieces if they were any smaller.

I used gummy orange pieces for the ears, pull n peel licorice for the eyebrows, skittles for the eyes, peanut M&Ms for the nose, licorice for the mouth and peanut butter cups cut in half for the shoes. Although I used the same items on each one, they all turned out a little different.

Family Movie Night: Karate Kid

My niece and nephew came over to enjoy the Karate Kid movie night with us and they all had a lot of fun. We had a craft, dinner and a treat.

To start the night off, the kids made karate shirts. We used large white men's v-neck t-shirts. The kids cut up the front and then around the collar.



We then put the shirts on and used black cloth strips as the "black belt".

For the headbands, I bought cheap white fabric and made strips, then the kids decorated them with markers. We had quite an array of designs. Both the girls went with a "hippy karate" theme, Konman made an intricate color design and K-man had a science theme including an eye ball and a DNA. I made L-monster's headband to look like the one worn in the movie.

For dinner, we had pizza rolls because I thought they looked the mini egg rolls and the kids ate them with chopsticks. And for the treat, I made dessert egg rolls using this recipe (I used blueberry and apply pie filling). They were delicious!

It was a successful night!

Family Movie Night: Tooth Fairy

I can't resist a movie with The Rock in it and one that works for our family movie night is even better! For the treats I got sweet tart squeeze for "toothpaste" and put them with toothbrushes (with strict instructions to not brush the goo into their teeth - ahh! The cavities) and made blue vanilla milkshakes and put them into mouthwash bottles (I got this idea from Heather Ann Mezler).

The kids loved the movie and the treats!

Family Movie Night: Astro Boy

I found Astro Boy figurines at the dollar store and thought that would be great treat idea for a movie night. Astro Boy was a cute movie and the treats were really easy. Our neighbor, Ethan cam over to join us for the movie.

8 Ways your Baby Says, "I love you".

When babies are so young, they can't verbally tell us they love us but we know they do (and hope they do!).

I found this great article on parenting.com, written by Meagan Francis, a mom of four, the author of Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small-Family World and wanted to share.

8 Ways Your Baby Says I Love You

0-6 months: Born to Love
Smiling, even for a split second.

You know those people who say that your baby's early smiles are just gas or an involuntary reflex? Don't listen to them. Recent research indicates that an infant's grin may mean a lot more. The goofy newborn smiles may be your baby reflecting your own smile. He's instinctively building a bond with you.

The first true social smiles start brightening moms' days between 6 and 8 weeks. Your baby may smile when he sees your face -- or Dad's or a big sib's. He's starting to associate your face with feeling good. The bond deepens!

Staring at you, so intently it's practically rude.

Right from birth, a baby can recognize his mother's face, voice, and smell, says Laible. The next step is linking those sounds and smells he trusts with something he can see. That's why he'll start studying your face as if he's trying to memorize it. In a way, he is. He's making sure he knows what comfort -- and love -- looks like. So next time you catch your baby's eyes locked on you, give him time to drink you in.

6 TO 12 MONTHS: Expressing that emotion
This is when it starts to get really fun. Babies past the 6-month mark are a lot more aware of the world around them and are developing new abilities practically every day. So your baby can now show her big-time affection for you in some pretty adorable ways:

Holding up her arms so you'll pick her up.

Kerry Smith recently noticed that her 6-month-old son, Leo, has a new way of expressing whom he wants the most. "When someone else is holding him and I walk up, he'll twist his body toward me and hold out his arms," says the Prescott Valley, AZ, mom of three.

Many babies adore being held right from the start, but it takes about six months until they have the physical and cognitive abilities to ask for a pick-me-up. It's a body-language expression of how much they've come to trust and adore their parents. And it can be enough, especially on one of those endless days, to make your heart lurch, too.

Smooching (sort of).

Sometime around a year old, your baby might start giving kisses -- and they probably won't be chaste pecks. Expect wet and sloppy ones that land (sometimes hard!) on whatever part of you is closest. "When I ask my daughter Evvi for a smooch, she crunches up her nose, tilts back her head, and then swoops up to my face and plants her lips on mine," VA. "She totally melts my heart!"

Evvi's enthusiasm shows she's been paying attention to the way her mom shows affection, and she wants to do the same, says Richard Gallagher, Ph.D., director of the Parenting Institute at the NYU Child Study Center. Babies are eager learners when it comes to physical affection, and there's no one they'd rather practice on than Mom and Dad.

Bouncing, wiggling, and cheering for you.

The way your baby acts when she sees you after a few hours -- or a few minutes? You'd be forgiven for thinking you're a bit of a rock star. This glee isn't just cute; it's a sign of the deep attachment that's grown between you.

On the flip side are your baby's wails of distress when you leave. It's part of her development, and she'll learn that you always come back. She understands object permanence now (you exist even when you're not around), so it's rough for her to know that the object of her affection is out there, and not here to snuggle.

Babies this age do their emotions big, so whether it's heartbreak that you're gone or earthshaking excitement that you're back, one thing is clear: You are loved. By a tiny, crazy little person, yes, but loved.

12 TO 20 Months: Mom totally rocks
As your baby goes from blob to bright-eyed to whirlwind, the way he shows his love gets more complicated, too. In the early toddler stage, your child is exploring his little world and testing boundaries, and he relies on you -- yep, because he loves you -- to help him. It's a busy time for a toddler, and that's why the ways he expresses his love can seem indirect:

Doing what you do.

Whoever said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery must have known a toddler or two. Whether he's lugging a briefcase down the stairs or cooing over a baby doll, he's definitely showing how cool he thinks you are. Like all people -- adults included! -- toddlers imitate the activities and behaviors of the people they love most, says Laible.

Making a beeline for you when he's hurt.

When Emily Cook of Calgary, Alberta, gets a scrape or a sniffle, nothing makes her feel better like rocking on her mom's lap. The fact that your toddler runs to you for comfort -- and then can dry his eyes and run off -- means he loves and needs you.

Of course, you may also notice that your kid doesn't have to be that hurt to come to you wailing. Even a minor accident can make for big drama if Mom's around to see it. "Emily puts on this pout, coupled with dramatic sniffling. Then she throws in a big, unblinking stare that says 'Poor me!'?" says her mom, Heather. Yes, there's a plea for attention in there, but it really does make your baby feel better to get proof that you love him as much as he loves

Reserving bad behavior just for you.

What mom hasn't heard "He was an angel!" when picking up a toddler from a sitter, then witnessed downright devilish behavior mere minutes later? Toddlers test limits with abandon -- but most often with those people they love and trust. This isn't exactly the warmest, fuzziest way your child will say he loves you. But that's exactly what he's doing. "You know you've done your job well if he can hold it together in public but saves his blowups for you," says Elizabeth Short, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Case Western Reserve University. "He knows that you're safe -- he can act up and you'll still love him." You may never welcome a meltdown, but at least you can stop thinking your thrashing, screaming toddler is out to get you. He isn't. He just loves you sooo much.

Meagan Francis, a mom of four, is the author of Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small-Family World.

Two under 1?!?!

We have had some serious surprises in our house lately and we are embarking on a new adventure that neither my husband nor I am sure we are ready for. We just found out that I am four months pregnant. *faint*

Disclaimer: Apparently, you are super fertile after you give birth and it is still possible to get pregnant if you are on the pill, breastfeeding and taking other precautions. O.M.G. I wish some one would have told me this and my other precautions would have included making my husband sleep in a different room!

For those of you keeping track, L-Monster was born November 1st. I am due with this baby October 24th. I was a little worried about having 2 babies under 2 years of age but instead I get to join a VERY elite group: 2 babies under 1 year of age.

After taking a week to process the information, we are trying to only look at the positives.
* they will hopefully be very close - just as much friends as they are siblings
* I only have to loose ALL the weight once. I couldn't figure out why the last of my belly was lingering on - now I know and only have to lose those "last 10" pounds one time
* We don't have to store anything away. By the time Lucas out grows it, the next baby will be ready for it.
* It is easier than twins. Only one will be on the boob/bottle at a time. whew!
* We don't have to re-enter the diaper stage. Once we are done, we are done!

Do you have babies close in age? If so, what are your tips for maintaining your sanity?

Trying to get pregnant?

The Sacred Heart Mission is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of pregnant mothers and their babies through charitable giving.

They are giving away 10 pregnancy tests and/or ovulation predictor kits completely free (not even a shipping charge)!! Just pick the combination you would like and they will mail them to you!

Their link is: http://www.freeopks.com/ Happy TTC!

Children's Tylenol Recall 2010

I am sure that you have already heard about the "Tylenol© Recall" for childrens' Tylenol© products that also include Motrin©, Zyrtec© and Benadryl©. In case you haven't, here is a list of the products that are being recalled due to "manufacturing deficiencies".

If you have purchased any of these products, you can ask for a refund or product coupon here.

Some alternative natural treatments for colds and allergies are: using normal saline, nasal suctioning, and using a humidifier and/or personal steamer.

Here are some other natural alternatives to help with two of the most common issues Tylenol© is used for:

To reduce fever:
* Take a vinegar sponge bath. Pour ¼ to ½ cup of white vinegar into a tub of warm water and soak in it for about 10 minutes. Make sure to keep the bathroom temperature warm as well.
* Drink strong elderflower or peppermint tea. Have several cups until the fever breaks.
* Try herbal tea ice pops. This is a cool way for children (and big children) to enjoy herbal tea, since some people are not fond of the taste of some herbal remedies.
* Keep hydrated. Focus on water, herbal teas, sparkling water with lemon, low-salt broths, and products like Emergen-C and other fizzy vitamin drinks without sugar.

For Pain (talk to your Doctor before giving any of these to children):
Disclaimer: I have not used these methods personally. http://www.examiner.com/x-2994-Phoenix-Alternative-Medicine-Examiner~y2009m7d2-Natural-alternatives-to-acetaminophen
* Skullcap: The leaves of the Scutellaria lateriflora are used for medicinal purposes. Remedies can relieve joint aches and pain, fibromyalgia pain, tension headache pain, and help muscle spasms. Suggested doses are 1 to 2 grams daily of the dried herb; 2 to 4 ml (40 to 120 drops) of fluid extract three times daily; or 500 mg twice daily of the capsule or tablet. It is not usually given to children.
* Capsaicin: This is the active ingredient in chili peppers, and it is available in a cream or gel and applied topically to relieve nerve, joint, and muscle pain. It works by interfering with substance P, a chemical involved in transmitting pain signals to the brain. It is usually applied three to four times daily.
* Curcumin: The herb turmeric contains curcumin, a substance that can block substance P from sending pain messages to the brain. A suggested dose is 400 to 600 mg taken three times daily for pain and inflammation.
* White willow bark: Before there was aspirin, there was white willow bark (Salix alba). This herbal remedy contains salicin, which converts to salicylic acid in the stomach and is helpful in relieving pain, fever, and inflammation. A suggested dose is 1 to 2 dropperfuls of white willow bark tincture daily.

What natural methods do you use instead of over the counter medicine?

Family Movie Night: The Squeakquel

The kids were very excited for tonight's movie night. There must be something about talking chipmunks.

For the treats, I made Alvin's hat on cupcakes. For the hat, I used vanilla wafers for the bill and doughnut holes for the cap. I frosted it all with red frosting and drew on the "A" with yellow frosting. The didn't go on as smooth as I would have liked but luckily, it was still easy to tell what they were.

Personally, I didn't think this Alvin and the Chipmunks was as good as the first one but the kids thought it was great. V-girl really liked the girl group of chipmunks. And I have to admit it, they were pretty cute singing, "Single Ladies".

Family Movie Night: Ponyo

I read lots of reviews before we watched this movie because it seemed a little weird. And it was. But it was clean and the kids liked it!

It is supposed to be a adaptation of the Little Mermaid story and got great reviews for the animation by Hayao Miyazaki. I, personally, thought the animation was pretty basic and the story was a little strange - especially how the Mom left the little boy (only 5 years old) at home during a hurricane because she needed to take care of the elderly at her work and how it almost seemed if the little boy and Ponyo were pledging themselves to get married... at 5 years old. There were a lot of good elements as well.

For treats, I started by turning red plastic cups in to "buckets".

Then, I filled the "buckets" with water (blueberry Jelly Belly jelly beans) and put a fish inside (a chocolate foil fish). I really have to thank our local Enstrom's Candy store which let me in at 6:10, even though they close at 6:00, to by the blue Jelly Belly jelly beans. They also pointed out the colorful fish chocolates (which were much cooler than the Swedish Fish I was planning on).

Family Movie Night: Cool Runnings - in honor of the Winter Olympics

Obviously, I am a little late getting this up...

For our movie night on 2.19.2010, we watched Cool Runnings since it was in the middle of the Winter Olympic games.

I always liked this movie as a kid and was hopeful that my kids would as well. We had a visitor for the movie night this week, our cousin's son. JJ is only 4 so he lost interest very quickly.

I thought I came up with a good idea for treats. I used twinkies, cut out an area on the top and used Dots for the bobsledder's helmets. K-man said I needed something to look like the front "wing" of the bobsled so I made "wings" out of tinfoil and inserted them into the front of the twinkie.

Unfortunately, the kids weren't as thrilled with the treats. K-man doesn't like coconut (this week), V-girl said she "wasn't hungry" (which I thought was very suspect) and JJ took cues from the other two and didn't want his either. At least Mike thought they were good.

I had really wanted to get Rasta hats for the movie night this week but I was unable to find any in town and I didn't have enough time to order them.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

This was one of my favorite movie night in awhile. The movie was really cute and the treats were great. I have to thank Heather Ann Melzer because I stole her idea for the treats (she always has the greatest ideas!).

We started off the night with a spaghetti and meatball dinner and then had spaghetti and meatball cupcakes for dessert!

The cupcakes looked so real that I had to ensure the kids and Mike that they were edible and not spaghetti and meatballs!

Heather got the recipe from the book, "Hello, Cupcake" which is now on my wish list of books. The recipe was simple:

- Vanilla cupcakes in white liners

- Vanilla frosting tinted with 3 drops of yellow food coloring and 1/2 a teaspoon of cocoa powder

- Ferrero Roucher hazelnut chocolates (meatballs)

- Low sugar strawberry preserves (pasta sauce)

- Grated white chocolate (parmesan cheese)

I piped the frosting on from a ziplock bag (I didn't want to dirty frosting tips) to look like spaghetti noodles. I put the chocolates in a bowl, spooned the jelly on them and then mixed it around so they were all covered and them placed the jelly covered chocolates on the "noodles". They turned out great!!

Family Movie Nights - Christmas Movies!

We did a whole bunch of Christmas themed Family movie nights this year. It is hard to find new Christmas movies so we did repeat one - Elf - at the kids' request (which I didn't mind at all!).

Santa Buddies

The kids loved this movie! It was kind of an impromptu movie night and the kids thought Christmas cookies would be the perfect treat. And an even bigger treat... store bought cookies! :) V-girl went to the store with me to pick out the cookies and K-man begged for egg nog - so we had both and it was a big hit!

Ernest Saves Christmas

I really liked this movie as a kid and thought our kids would like it to. They thought it was funny but in their opinion it didn't hold a candle to Santa Buddies. There must be something extra funny and special about talking dogs.

For our treat we have chocolate covered marshmallow Santas. L-Monster got in on the action in this picture. V-girl and I found a baby sized hat for him at the store and couldn't resist.

Elf

This is one of my favorite Christmas movies! I have seen it many times and every time it just warms my heart. I love the idea of a 6 foot elf, his worldly innocence, eating sugar for every meal and that singing spreads Christmas cheer.

We did this for a movie night last year and I still had the elf hats that I made so we wore them again. Even L-monster got in on the action (and boy did he look cute!). Last year we did a candy buffet and that is what the kids wanted to do again this year. I would like to come up with a new treat but the kids really seem to like the all-you-can-eat (just don't get sick) rule that goes with the bowls of candy.

Polar Express

This is K-man's favorite movie and although we own it, we have never done a movie night with it. Well this Christmas season was the perfect time.

I took my cues for the treat from the book (my favorite book as a kid!) and from the movie. I wrapped nougat candies in green cellophane and tied them with ribbon and big jingle bells. And we had decadent hot chocolate with whip cream, chocolate and caramel sauce and sprinkles. And of course, we all wore our pajamas!

Prancer

I had never heard of this movie before but when I did a search for good family Christmas movies this one was on many lists. And they had it at the video store!

I was able to find M&M figurines that were filled with mini M&Ms and had antlers - just like Prancer! ;)

I made antlers for all three kids out of brown construction paper and pipe cleaners (to keep them stiff). You could also use thicker paper but it might be harder to cut out. I just free handed the design for both sizes but they also have templates online. You could also make it into a craft and use hand outlines.

It was fun watching so many Christmas movies this year. I would like to repeat the tradition and try to watch a lot next year also. Of course, there aren't that many different movies so we will surely have some repeats. Do you have any good Christmas movie ideas?

Family Movie Nights - Imagine That and Up

I am way, WAY behind on posting about our movie nights. Eek! So to make it a little easier, I am going to lump some together.

We did a movie night for Imagine That which stars Eddie Murphy and Yara Shahidi. Mike and I were both a little skeptical about it since we aren't big Eddie Murphy fans (how many times can he play the same character in different movies?) but we were pleasantly surprised and the kids liked it a lot.

There is one scene in the movie when Eddie Murphy is trying to get his daughter from a birthday party and gets attacked in the ball pit. So for our treat I made mini popcorn balls (using this yummy recipe!) to look like the balls.

The next day was our turn for treats for V-girls soccer game so I made extra and packaged them the same way and they were a big hit!!

UP was a really funny movie - although it is a little heavy at the beginning (I don't usually tear up at the beginning of animated movies).

The kids actually saw this movie in the theater but they loved it and luckily like to see movies more than once.

Knowing that the main premise of the movie is a house being carried by a huge bunch of balloons, I was determined to make a treat that incorporated this. I made mini gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and frosting and then uses floral wire to attached the floating "balloons". I would have liked to have had more balloons but I ran out of time.

Next up: Christmas Movies!

Breast is Best but most important is Love

Some people take to breast feeding like a duck to water. I didn't glide or swim quite that easy. At all. I have taken to it more like a cat to water. So has my son.

I think that the breast is best. Absolutely the best thing for Mom and baby. And before I gave birth I never thought there was any other way I would ever do it. When I heard other Moms talk about the bonding experience and the closeness it created I imagined me with my little monster as I gave him the liquid gold that my body just naturally created as I nourished and loved him. And truthfully, when I heard the stories of people that couldn't breastfeed or didn't do it for very long I thought they were lazy or just didn't try hard enough (baring any medical reasons of course).

All these thoughts were only solidified more for me when I read all my pregnancy books and went to the breastfeeding class. I was worried about breastfeeding (and being able to since I have had breast enhancement surgery) so I felt so much better when I learned that babies are naturally drawn to our nipples by sight and smell and they want to drink. And though I think that is a beautiful thing and am amazed by a woman's body, I wish they would have told me that it isn't all sunshine and roses.

Nobody told me, "breastfeeding is hard". Nobody said, "you may not enjoy it". And nobody said, "Your little one may struggle with it". But I wish they had.

After struggling with it for the first few weeks, things started to go smoother which made me very happy. And I was really relieved when he started eating quicker and not taking his standard 45-60 minutes. But it was never smooth. I actually looked forward to the times when I knew I would pump and bottle feed. It was so much easier for both of us.

When I took him in for his 2 month check-up (actually at 10 weeks) he had only gained 2 pounds in 8 weeks. Not good news. I explained that I thought he had acid reflux (which he did) and was prescribed some medicine and told not to change anything he would start gaining weight. Well a couple days after the appointment we started refusing my breast. Sometimes he would suck for a few minutes and then stop and cry. Other times he wouldn't latch on and would cry every time I would try. It was very disheartening and I felt rejected.

I did a lot of reading and asked for a lot of advice but he wouldn't eat and since he only weighed 8.5 lbs I didn't feel comfortable with letting him skip meals. So I started pumping and also supplementing with 2 ounces of formula (I just don't make enough - although I still eat oatmeal every morning and drink milk tea and lots of water). I still offer the breast at every feeding and there are times, like this morning, when he stays on 8-10 minutes. And there are other times he is completely uninterested.

Although I am coming to terms with it, I feel like a failure. Yes, I made it to 3 months *sort of* but I am 9 months short of my goal. I am still pumping but my supply seems to be slowly fading. I only get about 12 ounces out a day.

When opening up about all the issues I faced I have found a lot of other Moms that have similar stories and also had a hard time. Why don't we share that information before hand? Why don't we start with, "Breastfeeding is the very best thing for your baby. Although it comes easy to some, it is difficult for many others..."

There are things that I will probably do different with my next baby but really, there wasn't much I did *wrong* this time. Maybe this was the Lord's way of humbling me. Now when I hear women say they didn't breastfeed or only breastfed for a short time I wonder, "what is their story?".

I have learned that although breast is best, it isn't always possible. And more important than breast is love- which he gets no shortage of.

Follow Olympians on Twitter

Interested about what the athletes are thinking, seeing, feeling and doing? Now you can follow a list of verified Olympic athletes while they are at the games. How cool is that?

http://twitter.com/verified/olympians

Some of my favorites over the last little while:

First Order of Business

Before I do anything else, THIS must be done!

I would like to introduce you to our newest member of the family:

Lucas (L-Monster)
born November 1st
6 pounds, 7 ounces
18 inches long

My favorite picture from the hospital

Proud Parents

Yes world, I am still alive. I am still kickin'

So much has happened since I used to write regularly. Life got in the way and I had trouble finding my way to the keyboard for anything besides work and Facebook. I have had a lot people ask what was going on and when I would be back and although I would plan on it soon, it never happened.

I am actually quite ashamed by this. A year ago I had so many hopes on where I wanted this website to go and how I planned on doing that. Then in March 2008 I found out I was pregnant! Woo hoo! And I had so many plans on where I wanted this website to go and how I planned on doing that. But then I got behind and life got in the way and we had baseball and t-ball and softball and soccer and a big growing belly and... I just didn't know where to start again.

And then L-monster was born in November (2 weeks early which totally threw off my plan and messed this Type A girl all up) and I took 3 months maternity leave. From life. As so many of you have experienced yourself, my days and nights became consumed with feedings and diaper changes and comforting and soothing and trying to run a home that I never even came back. I didn't even try.

But my 3 month hiatus is over and I am back now! And I have SO much to write about. This Mom thing is a kick!

I want to get back to the basics and talk about natural products and trying to make green choices. And I am WAY behind on movie nights - although we have been doing them faithfully. But I also want to explore some new topics and I may even tread into the messy swamp of steplife - something I have never discussed too openly.

So hello world! It is good to see your bright eyes and beautiful face again! I hope you have missed me and will let me back in!