Menu Plan: Meatless

Lent started a couple of weeks ago, so that means I have to remember to cook meatless meals on Friday. I try to cook a couple of meatless meals per week anyway, but it always seems like I have a harder time deciding what to make when it's a requirement.

Here's what we'll be eating:

**Ham with Mustard Cream Sauce--This is one of my favorite fast fix meals, great for a busy day, because it's ready in minutes. I always serve it with couscous and some kind of microwavable veggie.
**Busy Day Round Steak--This is a fast and easy crockpot meal, also great for a busy day, and even better on a cold winter day. I use the cut up potato version instead of hash browns, and serve it with salad and steamed veggies.
**Shrimp Lo Mein--A Healthy Cooking Magazine recipe, I'm making this for my shrimp loving husband, and the kids will at least eat the pasta and vegetables.
**Chicken Saltimboca with Mushroom Sauce--Also a Healthy Cooking Magazine recipe, the photo for this one looks amazing. And for the fancy name, it looks incredibly easy. Garlic bread and steamed corn to go with it.
**Meatball Soup--It wouldn't be winter without soup in the menu. This version of Italian Meatball Soup comes together easily, and the kids like the mini meatballs. Salad to go with it.
**Indonesian Peanut Chicken--Also a crockpot meal, this one is fresh and flavorful, as well as simple.
**Cheeseburger Cups--A kid friendly favorite that also tastes good for adults. Homemade fries to go with it.
**Tarragon Tuna Wraps--A little bit of tarragon and some capers liven up plain tuna for tasty (and fast) wraps. Strawberries and cheese straws to go with it.

What are you eating lately?

Eating Locally And Giveaway

Perhaps eating healthier was a new year's resolution. Or perhaps you already eat well and take care to scan ingredient lists for additives to avoid. If you're looking to improve your health, shop wisely and keep your food bills down this year, here is one more thing you can do.

When the people at Florida's Natural contacted me about their Food For Thought Breakfast Sessions, I wasn't sure if it applied to me. We already eat plenty of fresh meat and produce, cook most of our meals at home, avoid artificial ingredients and choose homemade over pre-made. But when I read more, I realized it goes further than just what we eat. Where our food comes from is just as important.

I already knew that Florida's Natural is the only major brand of orange juice that does not contain juice from oranges imported from outside the US. But when I went to my kitchen and started looking at other items, I was shocked to see how many include ingredients that have come from Costa Rica, Brazil, or even China.

Eating local and seasonal food is important for so many reasons.

• Locally grown food travels less distance to get to the store or market where you buy it. That means it's fresher and retains more nutrients.
• The freshness of locally grown food not only means it tastes better, but it lasts longer. Anyone who has ever bought a pint of strawberries flown halfway across the country, only to have them rot in the refrigerator overnight knows this. Last summer, my mom's backyard garden produced more green onions than she and my dad could eat, so she passed on the extras to me. Not only were the onions crisper and more flavorful, they lasted so much longer than storebought green onions.
• Buying local produce reduces pollution and use of fuel.
• Buying local supports US farmers and keeps our jobs here.
• Buying local keeps farmers honest. When farmers sell to their communities, it becomes less about money and more about providing high quality produce.
• Buying locally grown food means you'll have access to a larger variety. I've never seen rhubarb at my local grocery store; I've certainly seen it at the Farmer's Market.
• Buying local keeps money in your pocket. When your food is locally grown, it's also seasonally appropriate, abundant, and therefore cheaper. And since it lasts longer, that's less rotten produce going into your garbage or compost.

So what can you do? Start by being more aware of where your food comes from. If it seems unlikely that item could be grown in your area at that time, it probably came a long distance to get to you. That doesn't mean you have to give up all your favorites, we eat tomatoes year round. But you'll find that simply being aware may change your perception of a food.

Also, try planning your meals in advance and include lots of seasonal produce in them. If you don't know what's seasonal, you can search online for ideas, or you can check out cookbooks from the library. Over time, you'll learn that locally grown watermelons aren't available in December, and that asparagus peaks in April.

One reader will win a copy of Earth To Table: Seasonal Recipes From An Organic Farm by Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann. To enter, leave me a comment and tell me how easy or difficult it is for you to cook with local and seasonal foods. This contest will be open for one week, and I will choose the winner on Friday, March 5th. I MUST have a valid email address for your entry to count! Without it, I can't contact you to get your address. This contest is only open to residents of the USA.

If you'd like to host a Food For Thought Breakfast Session, click here to download all the materials you will need, and for more information about eating locally and seasonally.

edited to add: Congrats to Not There Yet for winning the cookbook!

Tell The Truth

On the evening the Opening Ceremonies for the Vancouver Winter Olympic games were to start, I bathed my kids early and got them into their pajamas, then all four of us settled on the couch with blankets and popcorn to watch the show.

I knew that an athlete from Georgia had been killed earlier in the day, and I expected there to be a mention of the tragedy at some point in the broadcast, but I was not expecting the topic to be at the beginning of the coverage. Nor was I expecting NBC to show footage of the crash. Bob Costas did say that the images might be disturbing to some, but 5 seconds later, the crash was shown, and my 5 year old and 3 year old were right there on the couch, front and center.

My daughter was pretty oblivious, but when I glanced at my son, he looked stunned. He asked what happened, he asked about the fate of the athlete.

I told him the truth. "He was hurt really bad and he died."

Since then, I've noticed a barrage of questions from my 5 year old.

"If I touch my jammies and then put my hand in my mouth, will I die?"

"If I slip on a toy and fall on the floor, will I die?"

"If I don't eat my peas, will I die?"

"If I stay up all night and don't get enough rest, will I die?"

Easter is fast approaching and he has questions about that too.

"What is a soul? Do I have one?"

"Why did Jesus die and then come back to life and go up to Heaven to live with his dad God?"

At first, I was a little disturbed by his fixation on death, but then I realized it's just his way of making sense of a difficult subject. In addition, it's a topic he'll have to face at some point in his life, whether it's a beloved pet or someone he knows. That's why I chose to tell him the truth when he asked what happened to the Georgian luger. It would have been really easy to lie to him and tell him the athlete was fine. It would have been really easy to avoid the word "died." But I felt like lying to him wouldn't help teach him the lessons he needs to know. In addition, coverage of the death is everywhere and people are talking about it. What if I lied to him and then he overheard that the man really did die? What would that do to my credibility? What would that do to his trust in me?

My husband and I have tried to find a balance between telling the truth and shielding our children from things they really don't need to know yet. For example, my son knows there was an earthquake in Haiti and that people lost their lives and homes, and he knows we gave money at church to help the people who live there. He has not seen any of the pictures from the Haitian disaster, because, frankly, as an adult I found the images upsetting and didn't think it was appropriate for a child to see them.

As Easter approaches, he knows that Jesus died for mankind and that he ascended into Heaven. He does not know that Jesus was crucified.

I try to keep the local news off when both kids are around, because it's usually filled with bad news. And while all people eventually need to accept that bad things happen, full disclosure is just too much for a 5 year old to wrap his head around. So we've chosen to answer truthfully when asked a direct question, but to also not purposely expose our children to stories of violence, dishonesty or tragedy until they are old enough to handle it.

How about you? To what extent do you shelter your children from the grittier aspects of the world, and how do you find a balance between educating them about reality while making sure they still feel secure?

Non-TV Ideas To Connect With Your Kids

In early February, back to back blizzards dumped nearly four feet of snow on my city, a place in the country that averages maybe 18 inches of snow per winter. That much snow is especially challenging when you live in the city and there is no place to put it all and "snow removal" is more of a case of "pushing snow around where it will be least in the way of traffic and pedestrians."

Long story short, the storms meant school was cancelled and local government was closed, and at the height of the second blizzard, unauthorized drivers could be ticketed or arrested for being out on the roads. Moms everywhere struggled to keep cooped up children occupied and unwhiny without turning on the TV and letting them have at it.

Of course, it doesn't take a monster snowstorm to be stuck in the house with bored kids. Parents who work at home, or parents with lots of little ones may find themselves in the same boat. And while many of us would love to interact with our children all day long, someone has to cook dinner and wash the laundry and schedule doctors appointments, or just might want 5 minutes alone from time to time.


While the AAP recommends no TV at all for children under two, and less than two hours of screen time (including computer) for older kids, I have no particular objection to television. We don't have cable, so my kids watch primarily PBS or selections from a small collection of various DVDs. We do try to limit the amount of TV they watch, and there are certain cartoons they are not allowed to view whenever we do go someplace that has cable, but I don't feel like turning on the TV from time to time is a bad thing.


However, I like to save TV for when I really need it. For example, the times when I have a splitting headache and need to lie on the couch in relative quiet; or when I need to call our health insurance company and it's bound to be a complicated and frustrating conversation; or when it's 5PM, both kids are tired and cranky and running around and bothering each other, and I'm trying to cook and keep tripping over the cat because he wants his dinner. Those are the times I put on the TV, because it's guaranteed to give me 20 minutes or so of quiet time before someone wants something.


I'm the first to admit that sometimes I struggle with sitting on the floor to play with my kids. It's not that I don't enjoy playing with them, it has more to do with an ever present itch to do as much as possible and be as efficient as possible and get to the next thing on the list. But I've found that if we do activities that draw me in more, it's easier to remain fully present and to lose myself in that precious time with my kids.


And for those times when I really need a few minutes to fold laundry by myself, or make a less important phone call, if I find something that really draws my kids in, they are more likely to stick with it.


Some ideas that have worked for us:


**Visit your local library and cultivate the children's librarian--Not only are the books from the library free, a knowledgeable children's librarian is an incredible tool in not only helping kids love books, but in discovering talents and interests in your kids. The librarian at our local branch knows my kids by name, and also knows the things they like. She recommends books she think they will like all the time, and she hasn't been wrong yet.
**Read aloud and revisit old favorites.--It can get boring reading the same simple books over and over again. I've gotten around the dullness factor by reading chapter books aloud to my 5 and 3 year olds, and I've been choosing books that I enjoyed as a child. The benefits are two-fold. I get to introduce my kids to wonderful stories, and I also get to reread a story I haven't heard in years.
**Books on tape--Many libraries have a sizable audio section. Books on tape allow you to get your chores done, and older kids can follow along in the book.
**Try some creative art projects that don't need as much supervision--For example, one rainy day, I cut paper grocery bags open so they lay flat, then taped them to the floor and traced outlines of my kids on them. Then I gave them a pile of markers, crayons, glue, yarn and other random items and they created self portraits. It was fun to see what they came up with, plus they were able to work with minimal supervision from me, so I was able to sit nearby and pay bills.
**Bring the sports inside.--Some days, particularly in the winter, we're so busy with errands or preschool that by the time we have some down time, it's too dark to go outside. So I let my kids rollerskate in the house (we have wood floors). A friend lets her kids ride their scooters inside because she says some days it's the only exercise they get. Christmas gifts from my brother-in-law included an indoor bowling set and a basketball hoop with a soft indoor ball. If you can ignore the noise, it's a great way to wear them out before bedtime.
**Make your own Mad Libs--When a 5 year old and a 3 year old are involved in creating a story, it gets pretty funny (not to mention random). Make up a story, then remove words and replace them with others. This is a great way for older kids to learn sentence structure.
**Send them on a treasure hunt.--I got this idea from a blogger who doesn't even own a television. She made a treasure map for her kids, complete with wrinkling the paper and dyeing it with tea to look old. I didn't go that far, but I did make a map of our house and the "treasure" was a pile of stickers and new art supplies.


How about you? Do you struggle to avoid turning on the TV? What activities do you like to do with your children that allow you to really connect with them? Do you have any tips for keeping kids occupied without turning on the television?

The Kindness Of Strangers

The Olympics are supposed to bring the world together for 2 weeks, but this year it seems like all they are doing is providing fodder for Internet trolls. At least on the Yahoo sports blog.

I like to read the latest about what's going on in Vancouver, I like to read the behind the scenes details, and I like to look at the pictures. But I've stopped reading the comments on the posts, because of what's there. Between making fun of Apolo Ohno's facial hair, or hurling insults at Johnny Weir's sexual orientation, I was feeling a bit down about the state of humanity and wondering if people really are such heartless jerks in real life.

Yesterday, Johnny went back to school (finally!), and we left a bit early so we could stop at the library. We had some books to return, plus there were some being held for me that I've been anxious to read. While much of the snow from the back to back blizzards has been removed, it's definitely still around. Our temperatures have been in the high-30's to low-40's during the day and freezing at night. So the snow melts some, then freezes into sheets of ice. I walked to work on Saturday and had to walk much of the way, very gingerly, in the street because the sidewalks were just too slick.

Enough melting has occurred that I thought it was safe to head to the library and school without sticking the shovel in the back, but I was sooooooo wrong.

The spot I parked in by the library didn't have much snow in it, and if it was ten degrees colder, it wouldn't have been a problem. But the thin layer of snow and slush under my front wheels was incredibly slick. I wasn't going anywhere. I was stuck. And the shovel was at home.

I kicked some snow out from under the tires and tried again. Still stuck. I was near tears from frustration and weighing my options when a man parked across the street and came over to help me. He didn't have a shovel either. As we were both kicking clods of dirty, wet snow from under the van, another car stopped and the driver handed over a shovel, told me I could keep it, and drove off.

The first man spent nearly half an hour of his time helping me dig, attempting to push my van, and directing me which was to turn my wheels, until I finally got out. For a complete stranger.

Two people that I had never met before saw that I needed a hand, and then helped me out. It makes me feel better about the state of the world, and it makes me more determined to stay away from the Yahoo sports blog.

So Kim, wherever you are, thanks. Not just for digging me out, but for restoring my faith in the essential goodness of people.

Join MomsRising To Protect Your Family From BPA

Plastic is everywhere in our lives. It makes up some of my kids' toys, it makes up the packaging my food comes in, it even makes up some of the components of the laptop I type my blog posts on.

Plastic has certainly made aspects of my life easier, but I find myself increasingly uncomfortable with the pervasiveness of the material. I worry about the vast amounts of petroleum used to make plastic products. I worry about all the plastic that ends up in landfills. And lately, I worry that the plastic in our lives might be poisoning my family.

Ever since we learned about BPA and the dangers it poses, my husband has been obsessively checking our tupperware and getting rid of any that may have been made with BPA. When possible, we use glass containers. But still, the chemical is so widely used, it's impossible to avoid it.

Last week, I received this announcement from MomsRising about BPA and the chance we have to ban it in products intended for babies and children.

This last week in Maryland as kids enjoyed an endless parade of snow days, parents faced a similarly endless parade of snow stresses. Cars to shovel out, power lines down, kids home from school; by now, you're probably in need of a few carefree snow days of your own! As parents, we already have enough to worry about without adding snow into the mix. Unfortunately, we can't change the weather. But we can change the fact that our children are exposed to the toxic chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) through their food and drink containers.

Right now, Maryland legislators are considering banning BPA in children's products. Urge them to make children's health a priority by passing the BPA-Free Babies and Children Act!

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is one of the most pervasive chemicals in our modern lives. It's used to make a range of plastic products, including baby bottles, sippy cups, and other food containers. With 2 billion pounds of BPA produced annually in the US, it's no wonder that 93% of Americans have detectable levels of BPA in their bodies. Hundreds of studies have linked BPA to serious health problems, including obesity, heart disease, liver abnormalities, impaired brain development, cancer, and a number of reproductive problems. We must protect our health, and particularly the health of our children, from this risky chemical.

Ask your Maryland legislators to vote for the BPA-Free Babies and Children Act and protect our kids from toxic chemicals.

We have an opportunity right now to pass a law in Maryland ensuring all baby bottles, sippy cups and other children's products are BPA-free. This bill's sponsors, Delegate Jim Hubbard and Senator Brian Frosh, have just held committee hearings on this bill. Now is the time for you to raise your voices to pass this important legislation. Let Maryland legislators know parents already have enough to worry about, and it should be the government's job to protect us and our kids from toxic chemicals.

We already know that there are plenty of safer alternatives to using BPA in containers. Last year, Minnesota, Connecticut, Chicago, and three New York counties successfully banned BPA from kids' products. More than 30 states and localities in the US are considering legislation to regulate BPA this year - including Maryland.

Urge your state legislators to take care of Maryland's kids by supporting the BPA-Free Babies and Children Act!"

You can find a letter written here and send it to your legislators. Also check out Momsrising.org for more information and issues affecting families today.

Slob-Proof Decorating To Make Your House A Home

The furniture in my living room is a light khaki color with moss green welts. The couch and matching chair and a half (smaller than a loveseat, but larger than a regular chair) were the first major purchase my husband and I made as a married couple. They are sturdy and comfortable and when our brown and black tabby cat sheds on it, his hair barely shows. In fact, there is only one thing wrong with my sofa and chair. The color. Chosen before we had children, it was fine for two fairly neat people that don't tend to spill or projectile vomit. But after nearly eight years and two children, the couch and chair have been peed on, puked on, spilled on and colored on. Having a light colored couch means we have a "no food in the living room" rule, and it means I spent a decent amount of money to have the furniture professionally cleaned.

It means that when the time eventually comes to replace our sofa and chair, I'll be taking Debbie Wiener's book along with me to the furniture store before we decide which pieces to buy.

Debbie Wiener is a designer in Bethesda, MD and she is also the author of Slob-Proof! Real-Life Design Solutions. Debbie credits her slob husband for teaching her how to decorate rooms that look great while also being livable. Who wants a house that looks like a magazine layout if you can't sit on the chairs or walk on the carpet? Debbie's book is filled with tips on choosing flooring, seating, lighting, window coverings and paint so that your home holds up to whatever your kids or pets or garden might throw at it without sacrificing style and comfort.

Some of my favorite tips:

• Choose the color of your new furniture by looking at the stains on your existing furniture. You might not be able to keep your kids from eating Oreos on the couch, but you can choose a new couch on which the chocolate will blend in.
• You get what you pay for. I was amused by Debbie's use of the word "crap" to describe so-called bargain furniture, but she has a great point. Cheaper furniture will fall apart or start to look worn quickly.
• Invest in good quality flooring and seating, because these are the areas of your home that will take the most abuse. I want a floor that can withstand having ice skates dropped on it, and a couch that won't sag after a couple of kids use it as a trampoline.
• Look for window coverings that won't collect dust. Consider coverings that go up and down, as opposed to side to side.
• Use color and patterns to hide dirt. I especially loved the idea of a reversible area rug.
• Use recessed lighting. Not only do table lamps need to be dusted and have cords that need to be hidden, they are always in danger from indoor football games. Adjustable recessed lights give you flexibility to redirect light to highlight artwork or brighten a dark corner.

The section on seating taught me more than I ever thought I needed to know about how furniture is put together, and that there's more to chair padding than I assumed. I will admit I rolled my eyes at the idea of remote control shades and again at the suggestion of giving kids a remote to turn off their bedroom lights. At times, I wondered if Wiener's husband is really as much of a slob as she says. If he is, she's a saint for staying married to a man who once wiped his hands on the draperies. Also, I found myself balking at the suggestion that invisible dirt doesn't matter, but that's probably my neat freak tendencies coming out. I don't want guests sitting on my carpet and coming up covered in cat hair, even if you can't actually see it on the floor. I was also a little surprised at the recommendation to cover tables with glass. Glass will protect a wood surface, but I never would have considered glass to be slob-proof. In fact, we stored our glass topped coffee table because I got tired of cleaning fingerprints off it.

The room makeovers featured in the book show that even the most hopeless rooms can be transformed into something special. While the colors and patterns shown in the book are not necessarily those that appeal to everyone, it makes me feel like there's hope for designing a home that looks good, while also being able to withstand life with a couple of active kids that just want to have fun. With the help of Debbie's wisdom and wit, I have a place to start and I know what to look for.

Debbie was also gracious enough to answer a couple questions.

1. We live in a small, narrow Baltimore rowhome with little to no storage space and two active and growing kids. Many of our furnishing choices have come down to the width of the front door. It doesn't matter how nice and durable the leather couch is if we can't get it into the house. What are some general recommendations for maximizing space in a narrow rowhome with exposed brick?

Yes! First of all- there are several people around the area who specialize in getting big furniture into small spaces. I’ve used them several times myself. All furniture comes apart- don’t let the width of the door stop you. And where there’s little floor space, there’s usually more wall space…so get creative when it comes to your walls. From individual wall shelves, to leaning wall ladders, wall-mounted cabinets and cubbies to suspending chairs or hammocks from your ceiling…there’s lots you can do to take advantage of wall space when floor space is at a premium. In your dining room, try wall mounted shelving for crystal display. In your kids’ rooms, mount cubbies on the wall for storing toys. In a corner of your living room, suspend a chair from the ceiling and in your kitchen, used tiered hanging baskets for fruits and veggies. And I love those leaning ladder-style shelves. They’re inexpensive and take up very little floor space wherever they go.

2--While we're staying put for a couple more years, we eventually plan to move. So we don't want to do anything drastic to our home that might reduce either our chances of selling it, or the amount of money we'll get for it. For example, we once went to an open house in which the carpet was a gorgeous green color and the back wall of the family room was painted with a custom mural. But as attractive as it was, we would have passed because the carpet and walls completely clashed with our furniture and replacing the furniture or redoing the floor were both not options. Are there tips for decorating a house that the homeowner doesn't plan to stay in long term, so that it is comfortable and livable, but also sellable?

You can lay an area rug as if it is wall to wall, so that it moves with you, hopefully into a larger room, and gets a second life. You can also add mural as well- but have it painted on a large board that is then mounted to wall. Time to move? Take it with you! The key is choosing furnishings that are flexible enough to move with you and using paint as your permanent decorative fix. Why? Paint is relatively cheap and easy to apply. Go ahead and stripe your walls, paint polka-dots, add black striping around all the doors and windows…..as long as you love it. When it’s time to sell the house, you can go over anything objectionable with fresh paint.

For more information and tips, check out Debbie's blog and become a fan on Facebook.

One reader will win a copy of Slob-Proof! Real-Life Design Solutions by Debbie Wiener. To enter, leave a comment telling me about your biggest design problem. I'll choose a winner on Monday, February 22, and post the winner's name in this space. I must have a valid email address for your comment to count as an entry!!

Disclaimer--I received a complimentary copy of the book as part of my review. I am not being paid for a positive review and my opinions are entirely my own.

Congratulations to Jen! She wins a copy of Debbie Wiener's book. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day

The hearts in the background are salt dough that we painted and turned into magnets for the kids to give their classmates. Happy Heart Day!

Bye Bye Baby

Little by little, the baby gear has been passed on. The high chair went nearly a year ago. Friends of ours took the changing table last month and another friend took the Pack N Play, baby gate and doorway jumper. Bottles, pacifiers, toddler silverware. The boppy pillow, training potty, swim diapers and bathtub faucet guard. All gone. We don't have a baby anymore, we don't need to keep the baby stuff.

Wednesday, in the midst of the second blizzard in less than a week, we had another big transition.

Maureen has been ready to move out of the crib for awhile, but we've delayed for several reasons. She and Johnny share a room, and besides the lack of space, I wasn't keen on the idea of them both being free in the room at night. Johnny was a decent sleeper until we moved him out of the crib shortly after he turned two; then he dropped his nap and fought bedtime harder than ever.

Maureen has been napping in Johnny's bed just fine, and she slept in a regular bed on our last vacation. Just last week, she proclaimed she was "done with my crib," so it was time. Off came the side of the crib, and at bedtime, she was in and out of the toddler bed until she eventually fell asleep on the floor.

The only "baby" stuff I can think of that is left are the carseats, which will remain until age 8, and the safety gate at the top of the steps. It's a tiny bit weird, and sort of freeing. I can permanently cross "pack n play and sheets" off our vacation packing list. (Particularly since I already gave it away.)

Congrats to my big girl!!

Product Review: Stretch Island Fruit Strips And Fruit Rolls

While my kids are both pretty good about eating their vegetables, neither one is a big fruit eater. Bananas, apple slices and sometimes grapes are about it. Those are all great choices, and certainly better than junky snack food, but sometimes I wish there was a way to get other fruits into my kids. In addition, fresh fruit has a tendency to get shuffled to the bottom of my overstuffed bag and ends up squashed.

The Stretch Island Fruit Company sent me a box of fruit strips and fruit rolls to try with my family. While a piece of actual fruit is always better, sometimes it's nice to have other options on hand for when the fruit bowl is empty, or to toss into a lunch bag for an on the go snack. They come in flavors like Abundant Apricot, Orchard Cherry and Mango Sunrise, so I was interested to see if my kids would eat the unusual flavors that they usually don't go for.

What I Liked
The fruit strips are less sticky than other brands, so my kids were able to get the wrappers off on their own. The ingredients are fruit puree and nothing else, and no added sugar.

What I Didn't Like
The fruit rolls got stuck in our teeth. At home, we were able to brush afterwards, but if we were out and about, I'd worry about the stickiness contributing to tooth decay. While I liked the mango and autumn apple flavors of fruits strips, my kids didn't care for them. Calorie-wise, I thought the fruit rolls were a little high compared to how little product there was. I was still hungry after eating one, actual strawberries or apples would have been more filling.

Would I Recommend Stretch Island Fruit Leather And Fruit Rolls?
Yes, they taste good and are highly portable. I'll continue to give my kids fresh fruit at home, but liked being able to toss some fruit strips into my purse and head out the door.

Disclaimer: I was provided a box of products to try in exchange for my review. I am not being paid for a positive review and my opinions are entirely my own.

Menu Plan: After The Storm

The snow finally stopped. Thank goodness. After back to back storms dumped 50 inches of snow on us in less than a week, I'm done with snow, I'm done with shoveling, and I'm really done with being stuck in the house. But now that the snow is over and the dig out has begun, I'm also a little afraid to go to the grocery store. Therefore, this menu plan revolves around things that we already have, so when I do have to go to the store, I can get in and get out. Maybe.

Here's what we'll be eating:

**Tangy Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes--I made this recipe for the first time a few months ago and it's delicious, especially the onion-vinegar sauce. Salads and some kind of veggie to go with it.
**Beef and Wild Rice Medley--This is an old favorite from Light and Tasty. I almost always cook the beef in the crockpot so it's super tender, and everything else goes into one pot. Steamed broccoli and maybe bread to go with it.
**Slowcooked Chicken with Rice--My brother refers to this dish as "chicken slop" because the chicken tends to fall into pieces and mix with the rice and sauce. It still tastes delicious, and is also easy in the crockpot.
**Tilapia with Tomato Shallot Sauce--The original to this recipe used salmon, but my husband isn't a big fan, so I almost always sub tilapia. Bread, salads, steamed lima beans on the side.
**Toasted Clubs with Dill Mayo-- I love sandwich dinners for their ease, and in the summer, for the lack of cooking. Since heat isn't an issue right now, I'll probably make homemade fries to go with it, and maybe steamed corn.
**Italian Tortellini Soup--Winter equals soup. Especially the kind that tastes even better the next day. Garlic bread on the side.

Have you dug out yet? And what are you eating now that the streets are clear again?

An Excess Of Snow

The people on the news said the average snowfall for a winter in Baltimore is 18 inches. So far, we've gotten 60+ this winter.

Blizzard 2010 dumped something like 24-27 inches on us over the weekend, with drifts over my head. We got plowed, but that also means both vehicles had to be dug out from underneath 3 feet of solid packed snow. Where on earth is is all supposed to go?

The photo at the top was taken Sunday, Johnny having conquered the ice castle. The following photos were taken two storms ago.

Why Dads Have Back Pain

One Body

When I was 11 or 12, my mom took me shopping for a new bathing suit. When she suggested a style that was popular at that time, a one-piece tank suit with a large circle cut out on the stomach area, I told her, "I'm too fat too wear one of those." I have no idea why this particular memory sticks in my head, but I also remember how upset my mom was with what I said. I didn't understand her distress then, but I certainly understand it now.

Everywhere I look, it seems like there are drastic cases of kids and unhealthy lifestyles. On one side, there are 400 pound teenagers having gastric bypass surgery to save their lives, and on the other side there are skeletal celebrities on TV and 17 Magazine proclaiming, "Get A Smaller Butt By The First Day Of School."

Although my children are only 5 and 3, I feel like the seeds of discontent with one's physical self (and by extension, one's inner self) start to grow early, and I don't ever intend to stand in the middle of Macy's and listen to my daughter tell me she's too fat for a bathing suit.

To drive home the message of how important it is to take care of yourself, I started using a phrase borrowed from my mother-in-law. I once heard her tell my 5 year old that we only get one body in our lives, so you have to take care of it to make it last. In our household, "One Body" has become our catch phrase for everything from eating healthfully to making sure we get enough sleep.

Still, I worry that my children will fall victim to advertising, peer pressure and airbrushed images. It's my opinion that poor self image will sabotage efforts in everything from grades to relationships, so I'm much more interested in fostering healthy self esteem in my children than I am in teaching my 5 year old how to read.

Some of the things we do to encourage healthy habits are:

**We eat dinner as a family almost every night. According to a study at Columbia University, teens who eat dinner with their families six to seven times a week are almost 50 percent more likely to remain substance-free than teens who eat dinner with their families twice a week or less. Teens who eat dinner often with their families are more likely to have better grades, lower stress levels and healthier diets.
**When possible, the kids help me prepare dinner, and even if all they did was press the buttons on the microwave, they are more likely to try a food if they "cooked" it.
**I frequently take both kids grocery shopping with me, and while we shop, we talk about good foods and how they help keep you healthy. I usually let my 5 year old pick out one or two items to try at home, and it's interesting to see what he chooses. For example, one day he wanted to buy "junk food" and picked out a box of Fruity Cheerios. Another day he opted for pears and broccoli.
**We try to avoid the words "fat," "skinny," and "diet" in our conversations.
**I try to silence my inner critic and make sure I never say negative things about myself in front of my kids.
**We stay active. We try to include physical activities when we do things as a family, such as hiking or ice skating. Weather permitting, I get my kids outside to ride bikes or just wander around the neighborhood frequently. We walk instead of driving places when possible.
**I include my kids in my workouts. We do yoga before bedtime. I'm also training for a half marathon later this year, and when I do my outdoor runs, I take my son along on his bike to keep me motivated.
**We try to focus not on what we can't do, but what we can. I might not be able to fit into my jeans from high school, but I can lift 175 pounds on the leg press at the gym. My son can't dribble a basketball, but he can ride for miles on his bike.
**I have been very open with my kids about my diet soda habit and the fact that I'm not happy with it, it's not a good choice, and that I'm struggling to quit it. I think it's important for kids to see that adults also struggle with temptation, and the value in trying to do better.

**We follow the 80-20 rule. I don't mean to imply that my kids never veg in front of the TV or don't ever eat junk food, because that's simply not true. We just try to make sure that 80% of what they eat and what they do are good choices and don't worry about the other 20%

I think the One Body mantra has been good for me too. We joined a gym last year and while my main goal at that time was to lose a little weight, my whole outlook has changed. I did lose about 9 pounds in the 10 months we've been members, but the other changes are much more drastic. I'm sleeping better, feeling better and have more energy. My body looks healthy and strong. And in the kitchen, instead of paying attention to fat grams and calories, my food choices are much more influenced by how that food will make me feel, if it's a food that will help build up my One Body.

I have years to go before my kids are teenagers, but hopefully the steps we are taking now will teach them to make good choices and take care of their precious bodies.

How about you? What methods do you use to teach your kids about being healthy and what have you found most helpful? Those of you with teenagers, do you feel there is strong pressure for kids to be thin?

Valentine's Day Is Coming Up

Listen up, fellas, it's almost Valentine's Day, and if you don't have any ideas what to get your gal, keep reading.

For a long time, I rarely wore jewelry, or if I did, it was stud earrings. Babies like to grab things that dangle, and after having my hoops yanked out of my ears, and several chains broken, it was easier to just put away the sparkle and wait for them to outgrow the grabby phase.

The grabby phase is long gone, and I'm happy to be able to wear a little bling now and then without worry. And you know what, it's nice to feel pretty, even if all you are doing is making peanut butter sandwiches or reading Goldalicious for the twelfth time in a row.

Sarah at Jewelry Art Designs offered me a piece of jewelry to try out. In addition to the pendant I chose, you can also find a variety of earrings, rings and CZ earrings.

I chose the Chelsea Leaf Design Pendant, partially because one of the stones is my birthstone. My order shipped quickly, and came in a sturdy box.


I have worn the pendant while out and about and have received many compliments on it. The sale price on this and other pieces of jewelry at the site are very reasonable.

Just in time for V-Day.

Thanks to Jewelry Art Designs for this opportunity.

**disclaimer--The jewelry mentioned was provided for no cost to me. My opinions are my own and I have not been paid for a positive review.

Menu Plan: Snowstorm

Supposedly, we're looking at a large amount of snow this weekend, which I am not thrilled about. This winter has been snowier than any I remember recently, and it's also made me realize that I don't have any real winter weather outer gear. The fake Uggs I bought at Target 5 years ago aren't cutting it and I realized the coat I wear most in the winter is one my mom bought me from a store called Northern Reflections, when I was somewhere around 19 or 20. Do the math. My coat is old.

One thing I like to do when it snows is send my H outside with the kids while I stay inside and cook. And then I get to deal with the pile of snowy clothes melting on the floor when they come in.

Here's what my latest menu plan looks like.

**Hearty Lentil Soup and Grilled Cheese--I have half a bag of lentils in the cabinet and the kids will always eat sandwiches. Fast and easy for a chilly day.
**Whiskey Sirloin Steak with Mashed Potatoes--Nothing hits the spot after a day of shoveling like a nice tender steak. I'm not sure how my H will feel about me using his whiskey to marinate meat. But I'm pretty sure he'll like the end results. Salads and veggies to go with it.
**Orange Tilapia in Parchment Paper--The thing I like best about this recipe is the lack of dirty pans at the end. Wild rice and steamed corn to go with it.
**Applesauce Pork Chops--Pork with some kind of glaze is a fast and easy meal to make when I'm feeding lots of people. I'll probably save this one for Monday, when my inlaws are here. Salads, edamame and bread on the side.
**Chicken Thighs with Shallots and Spinach--I like chicken thighs because they are nice and moist, and also the cheaper option when white meat is too pricey. The side dish is a homemade version of creamed spinach, the pre-made versions of which are usually too high in fat, salt and calories.

What do you like to eat when it snows?