Inspiring Mama

14 Day Menu 2-1 - 2-14-2010

2010-02-02T12:10:00.004-05:00

Saturday: Turkey Sandwiches & Chips

Sunday: Taco Salad w/ Ground Turkey

Monday: Chipotle Black Bean Burgers, Fries, and vegan milkshakes

Tuesday: Turkey Lasagna with Salad

Wednesday:Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Thursday:Chicken Bouillabaisse with Rice & Potatoes, and Broccoli

Friday:Free Day

Saturday: Turkey Paninis on Homemade Foccacia Bread & Chips

Sunday:Nigerian Curry with Naan(cut up chicken in a red coconut curry sauce, served over basmati rice & garnished with golden raisins, slivered almonds, diced tomatoes, bananas, and pineapple...it's fantastic)

Monday:Free Day

Tuesday: Chicken smothered in a White Wine & Portabello Mushroom Sauce, Wild Rice & Steamed green Beans

Wednesday:Jambalaya, yellow rice & peas

Thursday:Chicken Noodle Soup & PB&J Sandwiches

Friday: Free Day

DIY Happy Meals {no need for fast food}

2010-01-20T16:00:00.004-05:00

I have been meaning to share this little tip for quite some time now. If any of you moms are like me, then you may have kids who thinks that a happy meal or any kids meal at a fast food restaurant is super exciting. The problem on our end is that we do not eat that much fast food that would include cute boxes and trade marked toys. So, to make a long story short, I decided to make my own happy meal for the little one not too long ago. I fixed him chicken nuggets and fries and packaged it up in a brown paper bag that I glued coloring sheet and activity cut-outs to (the front is a free Phineas & Pherb coloring sheet that I trimmed, and the back is a cut-out of a free activity worksheet). He LOVED it! You can find all sorts of activity sheets for free on the web. Simply scale them down a bit to fit your bag or box. I also included a few of his crayons so that he can "play" as he ate. I also used some card stock paper and made a little box to put the chicken nuggets in and made a pouch for the fries and lined the box with tin foil.

I plan to make more of these for him with different foods and I will gather up some inexpensive toys to include in them. I loved this idea because for all of you who prefer not to give your kids fast food, who are vegans and vegetarians, or if your child has to follow a special diet, then this is a fun way to make their meal happy without the side effects of processed food from the local fast food joint! So, when you have a moment, definitely give this idea a try, your kids are sure to love it!

14 Day Menu 1/16 - 1/29 2010

2010-01-19T14:38:00.004-05:00

Hello lovely ladies...yes, I am still here! I have not forgotten about you, yet I am going on 6 months preggo(round two in two years..lol) and things can get a bit hectic. Nevertheless I wanted to share our current 14 day menu plan with you all! Hopefully it will spark some ideas for your own kitchen and if you get the chance, you simply must try the Haitian Tea Cake that we enjoyed for dessert this past Sunday. It's enhanced with warm chai spices! Enjoy!

Saturday: Free Day

Sunday: Haitian Inspired Dinner: Riz Djon Djon(spiced rice with dried mushrooms & lima beans), Cabbage, Poule En Sauce(stewed chicken in a tomato sauce seasoned with peppers and herbs), Banane Pesee(lightly fried plantains).

Monday: Turkey Dogs & French Fries

Tuesday: Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs

Wednesday: Seafood Gumbo with Sweet Pepper Hush Puppies

Thursday: Free Day

Friday: Fried Chicken Salad w/Honey Mustard Dressing & Homemade Yeast Rolls

Saturday: Sun-dried Tomato & Mozzarella Paninis & Chips.

Sunday: Field Peas, Collards & a Whole Roasted Rosemary Chicken

Monday: Jamaican Jerk Patties & Minestrone Soup

Tuesday: Chicken Breast stuffed with Scalloped Potatoes, Cheese & Spinach, with cream of broccoli

Wednesday: Turkey Subs & Chips

Thursday: Free Day

Friday: Homemade Sun-dried Tomato, Feta, and Artichoke Pizza & Salad

Desserts: Haitian Tea Cake, homemade donuts & Fruit & Granola Parfaits!

Inspiring Mama: Amanda {mandajuice}

2009-10-06T00:00:00.002-04:00

Every now and then I will be highlighting some of the most inspiring mamas in the blogosphere..lol. I have sent out many interview requests and cannot wait to share their motherly inspiration here on Inspiring Mama. First up in our inspiring mama collection is Amanda of Mandajuice. Enjoy...she shares some great words of motherly wisdom & advice!
Who: Amanda
Where: Mandajuice
Why: I really enjoy Amandas humorous in your face sort of writing style on her blog, I like her honesty, her love for her children, her amazing dedication to taking photos and videos of her children and family, and I am beyond inspired by her weight loss story. You can find parts 2-9 on the left rail of her blog.
Occupation: Writer! Aspiring novelist.
Hometown: Vancouver, WA
Number of Children: 2
Her Perfect “Me Time”: Couch, coffee, Kindle.

Inspiring Mama: What do you enjoy the most about motherhood & what do you least like about it that you wish you could change?

Amanda: The answer to both questions is the same: the decibel level. I love having a chaotic house filled with noise. But sometimes I wish they'd all shut up so I could read.

Inspiring Mama: Since becoming a mother, what have you learned from your kids about yourself and or life?

Amanda: I've learned that we're all born into our personalities. When you have one kid, you get this God complex where you actually believe that you have a say in who they become. By the time you have two, you realize you have NOTHING to do with it. We are all born to be the people we become. I should have known this before having kids because I come from a big family. All four of my brothers and sisters and I are so totally different that it's impossible to imagine we share any DNA. But we do. I love watching old home videos because I was just as bossy and independent at six as I am now. I try to take a lot of videos of my kids because I'm sure some day they'll look back and see that they were always themselves. I'll never try to change them.

Her Recipes: Cashew Chicken,Simple Pizza Crust, Mushroom Orzo Pasta, Tasty Roasted Cauliflower.

Inspiring Mama: What do you hope your child(ren) will learn from you and carry with them through life?

Amanda: Optimism. Enthusiasm. Logic. I mostly just want them to embrace those personalities they were born into. And read. I hope my children love words as much as I do.

Inspiring Mama: Considering you were a financial planner before becoming a stay at home mom, do you have any tips or advice for managing the family finances?

Amanda: I think my biggest piece of advice is the simplest one: HAVE A PLAN. I repeat: HAVE. A. PLAN. Nothing breaks my heart more than to see families living paycheck to paycheck, never achieving any goals because they never SET any. It doesn't matter how much money you make, you still need to be the captain of your own ship, even if the winds aren't blowing in the right direction.

Inspiring Mama: Just for fun, describe the perfect meal for your son, and the perfect ,meal for your daughter?

Amanda: Both kids love macaroni and cheese (Annie's organic white cheddar shells) with chocolate milk.

Mimi Lou {whimsical decals}

2009-10-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

OMG I love these! How cute. This company called MIMI'Lou out of France creates some of the most cutest wall decals for the little tots. These are my favorites. I also wanted to post this because for those of us that cannot afford such a splurge for the little ones, these sort of images can work for all the artsy moms by using a stencil transfer or freehand drawing of your own designs onto a wall or nestled within a corner or two, or you could use different fabric patterns to fill in shapes such as circles, mushrooms, hearts, and flowers!

Organize It {ikea shelves}

2009-10-02T00:01:00.004-04:00

You know, I have re-arranged Sety's room so many times and have purged lots of toys that he has outgrown and even items that he has "collected" from around the house and turned into toys, but no matter what I do, he still seems to find a way to make a huge mess with random little trinkets. I do not necessarily blame him for the untidiness. My theory is that if I had a better way of keeping his room ORGANIZED, then he would have an easier time keeping it tidy.

Whenever we move to our next home (I just do not feel like re-decorating this apartment of ours) I want to design his room with lots of "cubby" holes, wide bookshelves, and plenty of organized spaces. One thing about decorating a child's room is that we as moms can get a little bit unrealistic. Sometimes we try to make it LOOK good and we tend to forget about the practicality of it for the little ones...lol.

So while browsing the web for inspiration, I came across a cool flickr group called "Ikea Shelves". I grew quite fond of these shelves featured in an array of kids rooms!

FunChi! {sweet baby knits for fall}

2009-08-21T00:00:00.002-04:00

This post makes me daydream of the upcoming Christmas season. Can you believe that Fall is just around the corner? Oh my, where did the year 2009 go?

I recently ran across this lovely knitted organic baby clothing line called FunChi House of Inspiration. They are all lovingly made by Mateja in Slovenia. I love the style and the colors she uses...perfect for the upcoming fall and winter seasons; and to know that they are all organic makes them even sweeter. I would so love to have this pair for baby Halima. Cute!

Hello There...

2009-08-20T00:30:00.004-04:00

Hi there to all my fellow inspiring mamas out there! I am so excited to have many of you following this little abode of mine! I am forever inspired by so many of you out there. It amazes me as to how many moms there are who carry a passion for creative motherhood, homeschool education, and crafting a warm home. I hope to bring more posts to Inspiring Mama which will highlight the many creative and inspiring mothers that I have stumbled upon in my blog hopping.

So, things have been a bit busy around here. Imsety has officially started the k12 kindergarten homeschool program. Me being me, I thought that I would get all advantageous and try waking up at 7am to start school at 9am...needless to say that is so not going to work for me. I am NOT a morning person, I NEVER have been. I find that my creative spirit comes alive at night, and many times quite late at night, so waking up at 7am after being up until 2 or 3am does not do my body any good. So I am being a bit more realistic with my schedule and have decided to start his schooling at 10am and I will wake up around 8:30 or 9am. Funny how much an hour or two can make, but I definitely feel more at ease starting a bit later in the morning. Our schooling lasts for about 4 hours and we take an hour lunch break and a 15 minute snack break as well. Imsety is loving the k12 program thus far. He even woke up at 7am, got dressed, brushed his teeth, and made up his bed and had on his back pack Monday morning(which was the first day of school). Little did he know that I had no plans to start until about 9am. He is so funny! He's adjusting well though, as the television consumption has pretty much dwindled down during the day. I let him watch it while we have lunch and then allow him to turn it back on around 3pm.

In other news, I have launched two more blogs...yes..please do not consider me crazy..lol. I honestly use blogging as a tool of visual reflection,organizing my life goals, and a way to reach out for inspiration as well as a way to offer inspiration for anyone who cares to listen. The first new blog is a food blog all about cooking and foodie inspiration called Bohemian Plates. The other is my baking/dessert blog called Copper Sweets. I heart them both and they are so much fun to blog to when I have the time to do so. I have tons of recipes scattered in a binder and I sort of felt like I was overwhelming this blog with food posts, which is not what I intended for Inspiring Mama. So I will resume with the 14 day meal plans and will link off to Bohemian Plates and Copper Sweets when it comes to the recipes!

I really want Inspiring Mama to flourish into a portal featuring not only my ideas and forms of inspiration but also a hub to learn about other creative moms around the world, and I am beyond elated to have you all on board.

I'm also in the midst of trying to loose my baby weight from having Halima this past May...35 pounds to be exact. I must be crazy because I continuously ask myself: "why oh why did you decide to launch a dessert blog while trying to loose weight?"...lol. Needless to say it will be challenging because I will be baking and experimenting for Copper Sweets, but eating it all is another story. I've asked the hubby to take the majority of my concoctions into work so that I will not pig out on sweets all week!

Ok, so that pretty much sums of the latest happenings. I must say that if you do not find me here, you can always find me on one of my other 6 blogs listed on the right rail. I tend to blog to different ones according to my mood at the time, so catch me if you can!

Livie and Luca {adorable little shoes}

2009-08-20T00:11:00.004-04:00

Oh how adorable! I love these cute shoes for the little tikes over at Livie and Luca. They are super durable with a cost of $47...not terribly bad for chic baby style!

Clean Inspiration {the laundry room}

2009-06-24T04:57:00.003-04:00

I have always wanted to makeover my cleaning regimen and one thing in particular that I have been meaning to do is to get rid of all the clashy boxes and bottles that the laundry detergent and cleaning supplies come in. In fact, I have done this with our cereal. I made some simple white drop cloth bags to keep our cereal in because there is nothing more irritating to me than seeing a bunch of cereal boxes lined up on top of the fridge.

This photo pretty much sums up what I envision in my head. This idea really does make a difference in how you feel when you go to do laundry or tidy up. I actually have a few of these type of bottles(mine look just like these and are french lemonade bottles in which you can find them in the soda aisle at the market). I mean for most of us cleaning is not a pretty task, so why not add a little decorative flair to such a mundane activity and make cleaning a bit more cute!

Currently Loving {sunsets & lemonade}

2009-06-19T12:57:00.005-04:00

I am currently loving...

The smell of blooming roses, the scent of lavender and cedarwood candles, and freshly squeezed lemonade in pretty glass jars... I think that every home in the spring and summer should be adorned with fresh flowers and candles. I especially like to light mine after all is clean and tidy!

Learning to count money with the little one... After doing some printable math worksheets that I printed on the web, I grabbed some toys from his room and put prices on them. Then I would ask him what he wanted to "buy" and he would have to read the amount and get the correct amount from his bank to give to me. If he gives me the correct amount, he gets to keep "buy" it and if not, he has to put it back and try again.

Blooming tomatoes...I hope to get a few more herbs and flowers this weekend. I will be sure to share pics if I do!

Cotton candy and ocean blue sunsets beyond my window...

Halima and her BaBa napping...

& homemade cardboard forts handcrafted by little hands!

Dimples & Dandelions {bedding to build a dream on}

2009-06-10T16:04:00.003-04:00

Oh how darling. Not only do I love the name of the website "Dimples & Dandelions", but I adore these bedding collections for girls! From pretty and frilly to simple and chic, these designs are sure to make your little girl feel like the magical princess she is!

Preparing Dinner Early {tips that work}

2009-06-10T14:14:00.005-04:00

Many of us can relate to the all to familiar "rush hour" within our homes. You know, that block of time somewhere between 4:30 and 7:00pm, when you find yourself running around the house trying to: pick up toys, cook dinner, tidy up, clear the sink from breakfast and lunch, all while you waste a bit of time trying to chat it up on your twitter or facebook accounts.

This is the usual for me, but I have realized that with me being a stay at home mom, I can take maximum advantage of scheduling my time to the best of my ability to keep my sanity in tact! So, I say all this to highly recommend to you all who are stay at home moms to give cooking dinner early(before 5pm)a try; and be sure to clean up and transfer any food to your tupperware afterwards, because you do not want to have to deal with that after dinner either!

For those of you who work, you should definitely invest in a slow cooker and a meal plan. This way when you get home from work you either already have the meal prepared from the slow cooker, and with a planned menu, you will not find yourself staring into the fridge wondering what to cook because you have already planned and scheduled it out.

Nevertheless, it feels great to have the rest of the day/evening with no rushing around in a hot kitchen and missing out on dinner around the table, and it cuts down on clean up time after dinner when all you want to do is relax!

Great Gardens for Kids {creative ideas}

2009-06-09T15:11:00.004-04:00

Recently we went to our local library and I ran across this book called "Great Gardening With Kids". While most of the book did not offer up the "wow" factor, I did find these photos to be quite inspirational. I cannot wait to have a backyard to grow fresh veggies, fruits, and plants for our home.

I think these little grass sitting pots are absolutely adorable! I can picture setting these around a bright and cheerfully colored table in the backyard, making it a great little spot to play and color in the spring and summer days. The rustic bird feeder branches are fantastic as well! You could change them out seasonally with different fruits and nuts.

I also thought that this in-laid playing "table/floor"& painted tire sandbox was genius!

When I Grow Up I Want To Be An Artist {when a mother creates}

2009-06-09T12:31:00.006-04:00

Motherhood Is Art...Balancing the art of motherhood and creativity can sometimes come easy but many times it is quite a task to master. I appreciate this documentary entitled "Who Does She Think She Is" regarding being a mother and an artist collectively. I have always wanted to be an artist and a stay at home mother. In fact while I was still in high school I told my mother that these were my life goals. She did not discourage me with words like "well, you can be a career woman", but she nodded her head, gave me a smile, and said "That's A Good Thing", and I forever appreciate her for that response. I think that if she had shown any dis-agreement about it, it could have reshaped my thoughts and values. Nevertheless, while attending the Savannah College of Art & Design, I feel that I started out on the right path towards becoming an artist, yet with the interventions of life and motherhood, I must say that my creative spirit took a back seat for quite some time.

Now I feel have a bit more clarity when it comes to my creative time and goals, which is why I started my craft blog: Crafty Hues. I truly feel that creativity and motherhood goes hand in hand. I tell everyone that "A Mothers Creativity Can Save The World." As corny as it may sound, I truly believe this! Imagine a world where our mothers used ALL of their forms of creative expression and love to raise their children..imagine the level of confidence this world could have! I hear a lot of moms say that they are not creative, but I beg to differ...we create life, therefore, we can develop creativity within any shape and form.

So, as I grow up and as each day sets and rises, I hope to become an artist, but not just the kind of artist that creates beautiful paintings and decadent designs, but the kind of artist that also creates a masterpiece within my family..and with the help of my husband...sculpting each of my kids as you would on a potters wheel..with gentleness, creativity, and thought. We as mothers are all artists...as we bring out the art of life with each creative moment that we offer up to our families.

And Then There Were Two

2009-06-09T05:38:00.004-04:00

She is quite animated, she has dimples, her eyes seem to tell a story that will be told with wisdom in the future, she loves to stretch, she finds comfort in closeness, she is a messy eater, she smiles and laughs out loud in her sleep, her hair curls up when she cries, her big brother gave her a “tour” of our apartment, he picks out her sleep clothes and kisses her goodnight, she has no streaming tears yet, her feet are absolutely adorable, she loves her pacifier and throws a true conniption each and every time it falls out, and will literally knock your hand away as you try to give it back to her, she falls asleep while and after nursing and wakes up 2 minutes later to finish, she only likes baths when she is draped with warm rags, she hardly sleeps in her crib, she loves riding in her pink and brown stroller, she grunts more than she cries, she loves her boppy, she hates for her hands to be touched, purple is her color, she can stare at an object for a good 3 minutes, she sometimes makes a face of pure disgust when you try to give her the pacifier that she loves so much, she watches television with me, she sucks her arm and fist, you know she is in a deep sleep when she spits the pacifier out, I think she enjoys pooping consecutively after I have changed her diaper consecutively, she is hard to burp, and most importantly she sleeps through the night...she's our little goddess..Halima Ava Marie!

Hi everybody! Well, I am back! Our little family has grown by one and we could not be any happier. Her name is Halima Ava Marie Taylor and she joined us in this world at 10:35am Sunday May 17th at 7 pounds and 3 ounces. My delivery went pretty fast in my opinion, especially in comparison to the delivery of our son, which took around 16 hours. This time it took only 6 hours! I started having contractions Saturday, but they were so sporadic and not that strong, that I did not worry about them. It was not until 3am Sunday morning did I realize that um, hey these are labor contractions. Mind you I did not go into labor on my own with our son, so I honestly did not remember how a real contraction felt, but boy was I reminded. The contractions became faster and much harder as to where I would have to stop mid-walk and kneel down a bit. It was an odd feeling, because for a few seconds you feel absolutely miserable and then for several minutes it's pure bliss. So my mood went in and out from controlled breathing and a bit of tension to laughing and joking around with my husband.

At first they were not sure if they were going to keep me until the nurse saw how hard the contractions were. So after walking from about 4 up until 5:30am the contractions were getting even stronger and quicker. I opted not to go “au natural” with this birth as well, so after the nurse gave me a bit of pain relief I was in total bliss. I'm not going to lie, I felt great. I could still feel when I was having contractions, but the intensity of it was ten times lighter. My husband laughed as I was EXTREMELY relaxed by that point and then came the epidural. Not too shortly after that I found myself pushing so hard that once again, I felt as though I was pushing my organs out..lol. As I felt the shoulders of baby girl come out I took a sigh of relief which was immediately followed up by random questions and thoughts to myself like: will she cry(our sons cord was wrapped around his neck, so it was total silence at first, which had both my husband and I a bit scared)...is she ok, what does she look like, I hope we bond, does she have all ten fingers and toes, and is her head shaped ok..lol.

I was able to watch as they gave her her first bath, something I missed with my son, as they took him out of the room. I could not wait to meet her..to hold her, and to gaze into her eyes. She smelled heavenly and was quite cozy as I nursed her for the first time. I was quite happy..I could not believe it, we now had a baby girl...sweetness, delicateness, gentleness. We named her Halima..which means gentle.

So after all the usual cleanup all I could think about was how I was ready to get out of there. For some reason the nurses and doctors could not comprehend why I wanted to leave the next morning, and I'm like..um, because I would rather not be disturbed every 2 hours for pressure checks and temperature checks and offerings of medicines that I did not want. So we left the next morning with our bundle of joy and have been enjoying her presence since.

Inspiring Mama: Nursery Hoops

2009-05-11T22:06:00.003-04:00

I love the decor of Lorena & Davids San Francisco nursery, especially the art of using embroidery hoops to accent the ceiling. What pretty colors and some of the screens have glow in the dark screen prints on them! Super cute!

14 Day Menu 4/25 - 5/8/09

2009-04-25T20:26:00.003-04:00

The Menu:

Hey! Sorry, I have missed a round of menus. Only because I failed to do them, which definitely threw me for a loop as I totally stress out on the daily when I do not know what we are having for dinner..LOL. So here is our dinner menu for the next two weeks. I am actually working on one for the 2 weeks after because I am expected to go into labor around the 17th of May! I do not plan on doing much cooking, but i want to pre-cook a few things and freeze them ahead of time. Ok, so here is the menu..Enjoy, and I hope it sparks some ideas for your own menus!

1. Vegetarian Taco Salads(you can add some roasted shrimp or fish) garnished with Spinach & Artichoke Dip and Frozen Pineapple Lemonade.

2. No Pasta Lasagna made with breaded eggplant, mozarella, ground turkey, marinara, and zucchini

3. Turkey Bacon Cheeseburgers(ground turkey & turkey bacon) with smoked provolone

4. Stuffed wheat pitas with cool shrimp & dill salad, mixed fruit, and garden salsa Sun Chips

5. Whole Herbed Roasted Chicken with Mango BBQ Glaze, Sweet Plantains, and Ginger & Coconut Green Beans

6. Tofu Subs & fruit

7. Fried Chicken Salad

8. Baked Tilapia pockets steamed with Yellow Squash, Wild Rice Pilaf & cream of Mushroom Sauce

9. Chicken Alfredo Pizza w/ Salad

10. Lentil Roast, sweet potato fritters, and steamed broccoli

11. Grilled Turkey Sandwiches on Flat Bread w/ Grilled peaches in Sparkling Pear Cider

12. Shrimp Filo Rolls w/ Salad & Sweet Asian Dressing & Seared Sea Scallops

13. Dill Chicken Rotis with Fruit Salad & Strawberry Ginger Ale

14. Wild Card..Dining Out!

Dessert Ideas: brownies, grilled poundcake with warm peaches and ice cream.

Bring In The Dining Out! {tips that work}

2009-04-10T19:40:00.004-04:00

Hi everybody! So, As I was preparing dinner for tonight, I figured I would take a quick moment to share a cost saving dining tip with all you fabulous moms! Many times if we all look over our budget, we will see that we can spend an insane amount of money on dining out. At least this is the case for me. Whether it is because of my lack of dinner planning or for the days that I just simply don't feel like cooking...the dining bill can get way out of hand. So quite some time ago, I started collecting take out menus from our favorite restaurants, cafes, and smoothie shops, and instead of going there and giving them my money, I figured out a way to make some of our favorite dishes from their menu. For instance, we love O'Charleys Chicken Salad which is served w/their signature honey mustard dressing. Yet instead of going out and spending about 20 bucks plus tip, I made my own version (pictured above), and purchased their homey mustard salad dressing from the market. Not only did this save us money tonight, but there are plenty of leftovers for tomorrows lunch!

Not only will this tip save you money, but by collecting to-go menus, you will collect a HUGE amount of dinner, appetizer, snack, beverage, breakfast, and dessert ideas for you and your family to enjoy!

Psst: Put all of your to-go menus in a cute little 3 ring binder and organize them with tabbed dividers according to categories. Also, In addition to collecting your to-go menus, you can also browse the restaurant menus that are available from lots of destinations online!

Cinnamon & Apple Juice {kids love it}

2009-04-08T15:18:00.002-04:00

The little one and I just made some fresh apple juice. There is nothing more refreshing and tasty than some cool apples juiced and then served over ice. We added some cinnamon sticks to ours and it added some great flavor, especially when you get towards the bottom of the cup. We used 4 Braeburn apples and it made 2 cups. We use the Champion juicer. It works well, yet I do wish I could put bigger pieces of fruit and veggies in there, but as far as juicing it works great!

Mini Pops (mini tips)

2009-04-02T12:53:00.003-04:00

So our little one has been begging me day after day to make some popsicles for him. Although they are probably the easiest dessert to make, I just kept putting it off. anyhow last night we made what we call mini pops. They are quite yummy and a perfect size for a little treat or snack.

For the strawberry pops we used fresh strawberries, added some sugar. The sugar helps your pops freeze better, otherwise you will end up with ice pops..LOL, but be careful not to add too much sugar as it will make your pops too soft and will not mold properly. I would say we added about a Tbsp. We also added just a little bit of lemonade to it..just a little and blended it into a puree. For the pineapple-lemonade we blended fresh pineapple, and lemonade together, added a bit of sugar and poured them into the ice tray.

Once you have poured your puree and juice into the molds, place a piece of foil on top. Gently press your palm along the ice tray ridges so that you will be able to tell where the center of each mold is. Using a sharp kitchen knife, gently poke hole/lines in the center of each ice mold. Place your popsicles in the holes and carefully place your tray in the freezer. Straighten any sticks that may have moved while moving.

Shhh...There's Veggies In It {make mama laugh}

2009-03-24T11:54:00.004-04:00

Ok, so I could not resist finding this commercial and posting it here. I find it to be not only hilarious but true in many cases.

I can't tell you how many times I have hidden veggies in my meals and especially in homemade fruit juices and smoothies. I remember the day when our son saw me put some spinach leaves in his fruit smoothies and he goes: "hey, you put spinach in my smoothies?". Hilarious, but as we all know, it can be a challenge to get the kiddos to eat their veggies.

Not to long ago I came up with this recipe for some muffins in which I have named "Garden Harvest Muffins" LOL. I think they came out great and the little one loved it. I also put a light coat of icing on top and that was a big hit, but these really don't need any icing and would make a great breakfast muffin. Here is the recipe:

Garden Harvest Muffins

Inspiring Tip: Instead of icing, try using lowfat vanilla yogurt to top these muffins off!

Ingredients:

For the Fruit & Veggies:
1 Apple, peeled, cored, and dices thin & small
1 C. Shredded Carrots
1/2 C. Grated Zucchini
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions: Mix all together and set aside.

For The Batter:
1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
2 C. Unbleached Flour
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup natural Organic Apple Juice
2 Tbsp. Honey
1/2 C. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Dark Brown Sugar
2/4 C. Canola Oil
1 C. Almond Milk - vanilla flavored (I use Blue Diamond)

Directions: Mix all of your ingredients together until smooth and then add in your fruit and veggie mix. Spray your muffin pan with non-stick canola spray. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, pour your batter into your muffin pan or cupcake liners. Sprinkle the top with a little raw sugar and bake at 350 degrees until golden browned and when the top of the muffins spring back! Enjoy!

One book to check out for creative ideas is "The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals" by Missy Chase Lapine. I have heard all but good things about this book, so I think it is safe to say that I would recommend it too!

There is another book out there in which I personally own called Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. While I do not necessarily suggest this book for the recipes, I do however think that it is a great book to have on hand for inspirational ideas. the photos are fantastic and there are some pretty helpful tips in the book. For instance the Oatmeal raisin cookies did not come out so good..they tasted good, but came out more like a bread...so they were a no go. Yet, i used the same veggie purees and used them in my own recipe! So I would suggest this book for meal inspiration, and hey you can grab a copy for just $6 bucks on amazon!

Here is a one recipe from the book. I have heard both good and bad things, so it's best that you be the judge according to your taste!

Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes(with yellow squash, blueberry, and spinach)

{excerpt from Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld}

Ingredients:
Non Stick Cooking Spray

Filling:
4 oz. reduced fat or non-fat cream cheese
1/3 C. Confectioners Sugar
1/2 C. Yellow Squash Puree
1 Large Egg White
1/8 tsp. Salt

Cupcake Batter:
1 C. Granulated Sugar
1/2 C. Nonfat (skim milk) milk (psst. I would use almond milk!)
1/2 C. Blueberry Puree
1/2 C. Spinach Puree
1/4 C. Canola or Vegetable Oil
1 C. All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tap. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Coat 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with baking cups.

For the filling: beat the cream cheese, sugar, squash puree, egg white, and salt in a bowl until smooth. Set aside. For the batter, combine the sugar, milk, blueberry and spinach purees, and oil in a large bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Add flour, making soda, and salt, and mix until just combined.

Using about half of the batter, fill each muffin cup about one-third full. Drop a teaspoon of the filling on the top of each, and then cover with the rest of your batter. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes are lightly browned and spring back to the touch (about 20-25 minutes). Let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to two days or wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.

Strawberry Banana Pancakes {what's for breakfast}

2009-03-22T12:41:00.003-04:00

We had these for breakfast this morning and they came out pretty good in my opinion(I was experimenting with my pancake recipes), so I thought I would share the recipe here! After the first bite our son goes: "What did you put in these...they taste healthy"...LOL, he says this anytime I use wheat flour, anyhow, he ate every bit of it and said that it tasted good! Ok, here is the recipe:

Strawberry & Banana Pancakes:

Ingredients
1 C. Unbleached Flour
1/2 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
2/4 C. Sugar
2/4 C. Nonfat Plain Yogurt
1 Egg
2/4 C. Almond Milk: Vanilla (I use Blue Diamond unsweetened vanilla)
2 tsp. Olive Oil

Directions: using your mixer, mix together all of your dry ingredients. Add your egg, yogurt, and milk & mix. Fold in your olive oil.

Pour batter into a non-stick skillet(i use canola non-sticking spray) on low heat. Using a 1/4 measuring cup pour batter into your skillet and spread batter a bit to create a larger circle. Place the top on your skillet and let cook/steam on one side until the edges are firm enough to turn. Do the same on the other side & continue this process until your batter is gone.

Serve pancakes warm and top with sliced bananas and strawberries. Here i used a sprinkle of powdered sugar, but that is totally optional.

Suggestion: Blend some strawberries with your syrup or honey to make a great strawberry flavored syrup!

10 Things I Hope To Do for My Kids {raising them up}

2009-03-19T02:59:00.003-04:00

What things do you hope you instill in your children that they will carry and remember when they are all grown up?

There are so many things that I hope and wish for our children. It is beyond scary when you sit and visualize their future, especially when we as parents know how intense life can get. I always just hope that my husband and I will succeed on teaching them gems of how to get through the rough and smooth patches of it all. Nevertheless, I thought I would share 10 things(yeah, and there are a lot more, but these are the basics...LOL) that I hope to surround,teach, and instill in our kids:

1. I want to cook & bake delectable dishes and sweets that they will talk about when they are all frown up.

2. I want them to reminisce about how their mother was always creating something new.

3. I want them to have a special memory/ritual that they can't wait to share with their own children.

4. I want them to not feel like they have to be obligated to love me, but to love me for who I am with all of my flaws and all.

5. I want them to see that true love can exist between a man and woman.

6. I want them to never fear failure.

7. I want them to always think outside of the box and to be open minded.

8. I want them to remember that if you don't have it or if you cannot afford it then try to create your own!

9. I hope that they will always stay true to their dreams and respect the dreams of others.

10. I want them to carry a huge appreciation for all forms of art, music, and cultures.

Handmade Home {amanda soule}

2009-03-19T02:42:00.003-04:00

There are so many mothers out there that are doing amazing things within their careers and within their families, and one mom that never ceases to inspire me is Amanda Soule of Soule Mama. I absolutely adore every aspect of motherhood that she lovingly takes the time to provide and create within her home. I am so inspired by her and I only hope to grow into the type of mother who takes pride in the domestic arts, enjoys teaching my kids at home, instilling free-thought within their minds, and I guess just providing that one-of-a-kind experience that each one of us as mothers have the gift to give!

Ok, so with that said, I wanted to make sure I posted about Amanda's new book entitled "Handmade Home", which is currently available for pre-ordering for just $12.89. This book focuses on re-purposing cherished objects and making them home treasures. Handmade Home will be available August of this year! Also, you may want to pick up her first book called "The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination & Nurture Family Connections", which is filled with so many wonderful ideas on keeping the creative flow within your abode.

Playroom Inspiration {colorfully fun}

2009-03-19T02:37:00.002-04:00

Colorful inspiration for a cute and fun playroom for a little girl!

14 day Menu 3/14- 3/27 2009

2009-03-16T14:12:00.003-04:00

The Menu:
1. Spaghetti & turkey meatballs

2. Chicken Cacciatore w/steamed green beans & jasmine rice(recipe & pic coming this week)

3. Turkey Burgers & homemade onion rings

4. Shrimp Salad sandwiches

5. Calzones & salad

6. Jerk Chicken K-bobs, gingered green beans & sweet plantains

7. Pad Thai Stir Fry (I have yet to fix this from my previous menus..lol)

8. Vegetable vindaloo w/ lentils & flat bread

9. Vegetable Minestrone w/ Rustic Bread

10. Broccoli & Rice Casserole, fish & steamed cabbage

11. Gumbo w/peach muffins

12. Turkey Subs & Chips

13. Turkey Tacos (hard & soft)w/ pico de gallo, chips, & salsa

14. Wild Card..LOL..I have no idea!

Dessert Ideas: Frozen yogurt pops, blueberry oatmeal bars, white chocolate cake w/ chocolate icing.

Cooking for Baby: Purees {mom watch}

2009-03-16T02:09:00.001-04:00

I very much hope to have the opportunity to make my own baby food for baby girl when she arrives, even if it is not for every meal. It would be nice to know that I am taking out a bit of time to concoct some gourmet mash for her liking..LOL.

Cooking for Baby: Plum Porridge Pancakes {mom watch}

2009-03-16T02:03:00.001-04:00

One Day You Should Get a Real Job{words from the kiddo}

2009-03-09T04:53:00.002-04:00

So, what do you do when you are sitting on the couch watching an Episode of Spongebob Squarepants with the kiddo for the 400th time(because nickelodean loves their repeats) and your little one goes: “You should get a real job like BaBa(this is what he calls his dad)? I was a bit caught off guard with his statement as part of me wanted to laugh and then another part of me felt quite offended and a little paranoid (yes I can get offended by a 5 year old). But it made me think, maybe he really does not understand my role here as a Stay At Home Mom. He knows that his BaBa wakes up every morning, gets dressed, goes out to work, comes home, and makes money. Now with me on the other hand, the only time he feels that I am “working” is when I pull the laptop out.

So, instead of reflecting on all of the articles that I have read on how stay at home moms don't do anything or that they are bored out of their minds (which is totally not the case for myself). I just took that time to explain to him that both his BaBa and myself work, but that we just have different jobs; and that my job was to be a good YaYa(mother). I explained to him that my job was to make sure that he learned, ate his veggies and fruit, and to make our home warm and fun. I also told him that I also work at night on the computer after he has gone to bed.

He seemed to understand and that made me feel good, because even though I am a stay at home mom, the last thing that I would want is for my son to feel that their is no “work” put into such a role. So, if you are stay at home mother yourself, I highly suggest you explain to your kids what you do, your job, your responsibilities, and why your job as well as your husbands are equally important and how you two work together for their sake!

Fort Couch {imagine your playtime}

2009-03-03T13:16:00.002-05:00

So, what do you get when you leave me with a five year old, lots of blankets and pillows and a combination of little imaginations and grownup daydreams? You get the "Fort Couch", that's what you get. I'm writing this post from his so called clubhouse in which he insists has windows and a rooftop, yet I see neither...LOL. Nevertheless, I must admit that there is a magical element to playtime "undercover". It's like you are separated from the rest of the world and anything your imagination carries can happen within those few inches..ahem, with that said..do they make big people forts? These "patchwork" forts are my favorite, made with all sorts of blankets carrying different patterns and colors, and the amount of imagination that your child can put into building them is amazing...true architects they are indeed!

Nevertheless, I love that our son has the imagination to build and I always imagine a space where I could make him a teepee to play in outside or a small one for our future house..I can see it now: Him and his little abode upon hardwood floors, flashlights, random toys, and reading books. Aaah! So, with all this talk about play forts and clubhouses I though i would search around a bit to find some cute teepee style tents. needless to say they were all well overpriced but I did find this awesome tutorial on making your own teepee by Meg of Boutique Nutmeg Designs Click here for the tutorial: Make Your Own Teepee

I also ran across Three Monkeys and Sewing, in which she makes the teepees for you at a pretty decent price of $100-175 bucks!

Make Your Own Baby Registry Cards {happy monday}

2009-03-02T03:31:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday everybody! I went for my check up for baby this past Friday and everything seems to be fine. She had me have an ultrasound as she wanted to monitor the kidneys after she saw a slight dilation from the previous ultrasound. They are no longer dilated and little baby bella now weighs 3 pounds! During the ultrasound she was yawning and smacking her lips:)

So, I finally finished my registry announcement cards! I hope I have not waited to late, as we have not acquired much for baby yet. But I am sure everything will come together fine. I also have to make the bedding for her crib(bumper & blanket). Oh my, so much to do. I remember when it felt as though we had so much time and now I feel as though March is already over. Here are the registry cards that I sent out this weekend. I did them on the computer and I was a bit tired, so they are not totally up to par as to what I envisioned, but they will do. I registered at both Target & Wal-Mart to make things simple. If you are on a budget such as I, then I highly suggest making your own invites and announcements, heck, even if you are not on a budget, it is still quite fun to make your own!

14 day Menu 2/28- 3/13 2009

2009-03-02T03:28:00.000-05:00

Ok, so this week, I only have 11 dinner ideas for you as I have no clue what I am going to cook for the remaining 4 days. I am supposed to find one dinner idea a day, yet it never fails that I find myself scrambling for recipes and ideas the Friday before I am supposed to go grocery shopping! Hopefully I will stick to my plan as it would make things even easier when grocery shopping time comes around. Anyhow, here is our menu for the next couple of weeks:

1.Black Bean Burgers w/ Sauteed Mushrooms & Onions & Provolone w/ Homemade Oven Fries

2.Turkey Meatloaf, Asparagus & Corn Salad, & Herbed Mashed Potatoes

3.Chicken Parmesean w/ Linguine & baby Portobella Mushrooms

4.Roasted Chicken w/ Pico De Gallo, Rice & Avocado

5.Potato & Leek Soup w/ Broccoli & Chicken Quiche

6.Stuffed Eggplant w/ Baked Penne Pasta

7.Shrimp Scampi w/ Herbed Rice & Steamed Broccoli

8.Pad Thai w/ Broccoli or Spinach

9.BBQ Chicken w/ Mac & Cheese & Veggies

10.Lobster w/ Lemon Butter Sauce, Pasta, & Salad

11.Cannellini Bean Soup w/ Foccacio Bread

12.Shrimp Stew w/ Hush Puppies

13.Tomato Basil Soup w/ Bruschetta & Marinara

14.Shrimp salad Sandwiches w/ Chips, Pickles, & Lemonade

Dryer Sheets Refreshed {tips that work}

2009-03-02T03:25:00.000-05:00

Need a quick boost of fresh air in your abode? Then try placing several dryer sheets on top of your air conditioning/heater filter & the next time you run your heater or AC you will get a nice little whisk of fresh air!

Chicken Tortilla Soup {recipe}

2009-02-26T02:23:00.002-05:00

This soup is super easy & quick to make and tastes so delicious! If you can, I would suggest preparing this one day before you plan to have it for dinner to let all the flavors marinate, or if you cannot make it a day in advance, try making it in the morning & let marinate in the fridge! The measurements used below was enough for 4 servings, so feel free to add more depending on the size of your family!

Ingredients:
1 Chicken Breast, thawed
Taco Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Cilantro, dries or freshly chopped
Salt for seasoning
Olive Oil
1 yellow Onion, chopped
1 Stalk of celery, chopped
1 dried/roasted red chili pepper
1 Tbsp. Poblano Pepper, finely chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic
3 Cups of Chicken broth
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 Can of Black Beans
1 Stalk of White Corn
1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
Black pepper
4-5 Tbsp. Sour Cream
3 Tbsp. Flour
Tortillas
Vegetable Oil, for frying
1 Avocado, mashed
Salsa
Shredded Cheese

Directions for Chicken: Season your chicken with: salt, desires amount of cayenne & garlic powder, taco seasoning, and cilantro. Drizzle the top with a bit of olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until tender and done. Cut into small thin strips.

Preparing The Soup: Place about 2 Tbsp of your olive oil into your pot. Saute your onions, celery, garlic, and peppers until onion has browned and celery is tender. Add about 1/2 a cup of your broth to your pot, then add your chicken.

Add tomatoes and black beans. Stir. Now add the remainder of your broth and your fresh corn. Season with black pepper, coriander & cumin, and salt only if necessary.let simmer for about 10 minutes. Mix your sour cream with your flower. Now add a few spoon fulls of your soup into your sour cream and flour mixture & stir well. Pour & stir mixture into pot.

For Your Fried Tortillas: Simply cut your tortillas into short 1/2 inch strips. Fry your strips in your heated oil(make sure your oil is not too hot). STRIPS WILL BROWN VERY QUICKLY therefore you will only need to keep them in the oil for two or three seconds. Place your strips on a plate. Top with shredded cheese and cilantro. Place in the microwave long enough to let the cheese melt.

To Serve: Pour your soup into a bowl and garnish with shredded cheese. Serve salsa, sour cream and avocado on the side for both your soup and tortilla strips! Enjoy.

This meal would go great with a lime/lemonade over ice or if you really need a kick..a lime margarita:)

Fawn & Forest {for the chic-contempo kid}

2009-02-26T02:11:00.003-05:00

How adorable! I love these pieces from Fawn & Forest! Their kid products are contemporary, fun, and colorful. I especially love the mobile below & I am trying to think of a way to make one of these myself to hang over the crib for our baby girl which is due in May! I'm thinking pastel butterflies! I will keep you posted on that! Anyhow, if your kids room or nursery has a contemporary feel, then you should head on over and check them out. Even if you do not have a contemporary feel in your child's room, they still carry some adorable pieces that would fit any style of decor!

Cardboard Picture Frames {craft time with the kids}

2009-02-26T01:49:00.008-05:00

Lesson Learned: shapes, colors, centering,and measuring.

Need a new idea for your arts & crafts time? Then try making these super easy picture frames with your little one! We found this project out of Highlights Magazine and not only was it easy but all of the supplies needed you most likely have at home already.

Supplies Needed:
Paint Brushes
Scrap Paper, torn(construction paper/newspaper, etc.)
Cardboard/Cardboard Box
Scissors
Box Cutter / X-Acto Knife
Tape
Pencil
Ruler
Photos
Glue
Water
Computer Paper

Directions: mix your glue and a little but of water water together. Set aside.

Place a sheet of computer paper over your photo. draw the shape that you want to frame the picture(the inside of the frame, which the picture will show through. Now cut out your shape. Place your shape onto your cardboard and trace around your shape. Then draw the shape of your frame around that shape, making sure the opening will be centered.

Use your box cutter/X-Acto Knife and cut out the inside and outside of your frame.

Glue scraps of paper to the front of your frame. Let Dry. Center your photo where you want it through the opening and tape the corners of your photo to the cardboard. Use a strip of cardboard that is about four inches longer than your frame and tape it to the back of the frame, folding the remaining portion of your cardboard strip upward so that your frame can stand on it's own.

Mary Janes Attic {vibrant yarn & fibers}

2009-02-20T02:44:00.001-05:00

I love the color palettes of yarn and fibers that you can find on Mary Janes Attic! The colors are fantastic and their yarn seems reasonably priced, so all of you knitters felters, and crocheters better click on over for some fiber goodness! I am dying to get back into learning the proper way to knit. It has been much too long since I have held a pair of knitting needles!

PS to all of my fiber readers in San Francisco! Visit the storefront for Mary Janes Attic:

Urban Fauna Studio
Fiber Boutique & Craft Studio
1311 16th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
415-664-1267

Linguini With Garlic Crab Sauce {recipe}

2009-02-18T12:57:00.003-05:00

Ingredients for Crab Sauce:
Crab Legs, fresh
2-3 C. Water
Salt for water
Beer (optional, yet the alcohol cooks out and adds a GREAT sweetness to your crab)
1/2 Lemon, fresh & cut into small wedges
3-4 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp.Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Flat Leaf Parsley
4 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine
1 Tbsp. Sour Cream
1 Roma Tomato, diced
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Bay Leaf
1/8 tsp. Black pepper
Pinch of Crushed/fresh Basil
1/2 Tbsp. Red Wine

Ingredients for Linguine:
Salt for Boiling Water
3 Cups Spinach Leaves
1 Tbsp. Sour Cream
1/4 Tsp. Crushed Basil
Dash of Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Butter
Drizzle of Olive Oil

Topping/Garnish: Fresh Parmesean Cheese

Directions for Crab Sauce: Pour your water, salt, lemon, & beer(optional) into a large pot. Add crab legs & let steam until warmed. Remove from heat. Crack open your crab legs and remove the meat from them. Place meat into a bowl or onto a plate.

With stove OFF, drizzle your olive oil into a pan. Add remaining ingredients including the lemon wedges from your steamed crab and simmer on high until your butter has melted. Continue simmering on low for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and set to the side, as you do not want your crab meat to overcook.

Directions for Linguine: After your linguine has boiled to a tender texture in your salt water, add all of your ingredients and toss together.

To Plate: lay a bed of linguine onto your plate and top with your crab sauce. Garnish with fresh parmesean cheese!

My Days {little black books & organization}

2009-02-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

I recently went through a long period of time where I would re-write, and re-format written out schedules on sheets of notebook paper to help clarify my life and my responsibilities. I had the hardest time trying to figure out how in the heck to organize my days, especially with having so many responsibilities and goals. Well, just recently I finally came up with an idea that seems to keep me inspired and organized and it involves two "little" black books!

I am in charge of the budget for now so I keep a 4 column ledger in which I keep track of EVERY single transaction that is made with our card as well as savings. I also do this for our business accounts as well. I keep small "check" registries at hand for those. In a large 3 ring binder is where I keep my life..LOL! But really, it feels that way. I love this book! I keep EVERYTHING tabbed in here that includes in this order:

In the front I keep a Daily Schedule/To-Do-List & a Two Week Menu(where i try to write down dinner ideas for 14 days) & a Pre-Printed Grocery list with space for special ingredients(I write down ingredients needed for the dinner ideas here & this way by the time i go grocery shopping i will have everything i need already in a list format)

Special Holidays/Birthdays

2009 Calendar

Address of special friends

Categories of My Life: Special Friends, Event Planning, Budget, Ymib, JuBella, Style Gypsy, Inspiring Mama, Crafty Hues, Tulips & Honey, Mery Tut)

Projects-to-Do & Project Wish lists: This is where I keep a running list of craft projects that I need and want to do as well as little notes about the current crafts I'm learning about

Homeschool Tabs: Reading, Writing, Spelling, Phonics, Math, Science, History, geography, Culture, Arts & Crafts, & Culinary(our little one LOVES to cook and says he wants to be a chef, so for now we are entertaining the thought...hey ya never know!)

So, in respect to not making this post into a book, I will spare you the details of each tab and will most likely share many of them in a few "Tips That Work" posts later on. I wanted to share this because like I said, organizing all of our responsibilities within motherhood can be not only challenging but can get really out of hand, which leads to unnecessary stress, & believe me, I have had so many stressful days and still do at times! I use to try to keep all of my life categories organized in separate binders, and it was beginning to get quite aggravating keeping up with them all. Having everything at hand in one binder is so much better!

The funny thing is that once baby arrives and our son starts his homeschool program through k12 this fall(we will register next month..keep your fingers crossed for us as far as getting through the registration process easily), I will have to totally re-arrange all of this! yet for now it works, and I am beyond thankful to have at least some sort of guide to live by!

After All Have Gone To Bed

2009-02-15T03:14:00.002-05:00

How Do You End Or Begin Your Days?

As much as I would like to say that I am a morning person, I am just not! I happen to enjoy the late hours of the day when everyone has snuggled up in bed and have fallen off to sleep. This is when I find my quiet time. I take a hot shower/bath, find something good to sip on/snack upon, light a candle, grab my favorite floral/thrifted sheet and nestle in to the corner of my couch. Usually you can find me in this spot up until about 2am blogging, working, budgeting, dreaming, watching either the food network, nick-at-nite or some random movie. I find total peace at night. I have always been that way ever since high school! My favorite is to have a cup of chai and something sweet to keep my taste buds company while I write.

I think it is crucial for all mothers...anyone really, to find that special time within the day as well as a special place that you can just be at peace. A place to daydream, a place to feel inspired. Whether it is morning, night, or mid-day!

14 Day Menu : 2/14 - 2/27 2009

2009-02-15T03:07:00.001-05:00

Hi everybody! So, as mothers, we all know how frustrating dinner can be, yet one thing that I have found to be lifesaving is to develop a 2 week menu for my dinners. I cannot begin to express how much time and stress having a pre-made menu has helped me! I am always on the prowl for fresh ideas for dinner because leftovers pretty much does not exist in our home and repetitive meals can get quite boring(but I must say that I do have my standard "back-me up, because I do not feel like cooking a darn thing dishes...aka pizza, sandwiches, burgers, etc.)

I watch the Food Network during the day at random, and this helps me get at least an idea if not an entire recipe of new things that I can try in the kitchen. My favorite is Ina Garten/"Barefoot Contessa", "Everyday Italian" with Gaida, "Jamie At Home", and I have started watching "Healthy Appetites". I truly think that you do not need hamburger helper or fast food to make your family happy. All you need is a bit of patience, creativity, and the will to feed your family wholesome food with love! Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, a raw foodist, or an avid meat eater, you can make most of your meals specials!

In addition to planning out my menus, I also have pre-printed grocery lists and menu outlines that I can just grab and take with me when I go grocery shopping, which is usually every two weeks. I wake up Every other Saturday around 7am and head out to the market, grab some hot tea or a "Naked Mighty Mango" smoothie, pull out my list held firmly on a clip board along with a pencil and calculator(oh yes, I am serious about our budget...LOL). The grocery lists have all the basic items that 99% of the time I will end up needing. I did this because I was growing tired of writing out grocery lists every 2 weeks that contained the EXACT same ingredients more or less. I keep a space at the bottom for miscellaneous ingredients that any special recipes may call for.

Ok, so here is our tentative menu for the next two weeks. I will try my best to share these lists with you all as I make them twice a month as well as photos every now and then! Ok, here ya go. Bon Appetit!

The Menu:

Baked Zuchinni Crisps w/ Roasted Tomatoes over Marinara Spaghetti. Red Wine

Chipotle Tofu Burritos w/ Chips & Salsa & Lemon Chillers

Chicken & Chick Pea "Tagine" w/ Cinnamon Oranges & Bananas. Sweet Tea

Pizza w/ Salad

Turkey Burgers w/ Fruit Salad

Sea Scallops Wrapped in Smoked Salmon over Homemade Pasta/Rice & Withered Spinach

Linguine w/ Crab Sauce

Lasagna w/ Turkey Meat Sauce

Tomato Basil Soup w/ Personal Spinach Quiche Cups

Shrimp Ceasar Salad w/ Homemade Rustic Bread

Baked Tilapia w/ Avocado, Tomato, & Corn Salsa, Jasmine Rice, Broccoli

Shrimp w/ Brussel Sprouts & Corn on the cob

Black Bean & Portobello Mushroom Burgers w/ Baked Fries. Lemonade

Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwiches w/ Fruit Salad & Chips

Dessert Ideas:

White Chocolate & Macadamian Nut Brownies

Personal Fruit Tarts w/ Lemon Cream

Pineapple Smoothies

Meal Idea: Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Casserole

2009-02-15T02:00:00.000-05:00

Note: please forgive me for my lack of measurements, as I am usually stepping into the kitchen freestyle and just taste and test until I get it to where I want it, Yet as I grow this blog, I will make it a point to offer exact or approximate measurements for you! I promise!

Here is a super simple meal idea for those nights that you feel like whipping up something quick but tasty! If you are not a fan of chicken, then you can also try substituting the chicken with some baked shrimp seasoned the same way as you would the chicken below.

Ingredients I used:

Large Macaroni Noodles,cooked & salted
Chopped Spinach
Fresh Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
Olive Oil
Mozzarella Cheese

For The Alfredo Sauce:
1 Block of Cream Cheese
Olive Oil
Crushed Basil
Dried Oregano
Salt to taste
Hot Water or Cream (I used water)
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Dash of Sugar

For The Chicken Breast:
Olive Oil
Salt
Crushed Basil
Garlic Powder
Dried Oregano
Black Pepper

Directions: Simply combine your noodles, chopped spinach, cooked chicken and sauce into a casserole dish. Stir until well combined & sprinkle mozzarella on top. Top with fresh bread crumbs and drizzle with a bit of olive oil on top. bake until fresh bread crumbs are golden brown and crisp. Garnish with a fresh sprig of parsley. Serve with a nice red whine or iced tea!

Lesson Plan: I Spy a Word

2009-02-15T01:39:00.001-05:00

A great way to reinforce the sounds of letters that your young child may be learning while reading is to take a few moments after you are done reading and ask them to think or find things within the room that starts with the letter. For example, if you are learning the sound that "P" makes, then ask her: "what words can you think of that start with letter "P" or ask him "can you find something in the room that starts with the letter "P"?" Write down as many words that you and your child can come up with. Another great thing to do is to help them think of words that they themselves say during the day to make the letters even more relative! Sometimes while you are talking, you or they may say a word that starts with the desired letter, and when you do, make it exciting, and point it out!

Once you have a list of words, you can use the words on your list and practice spelling and writing them for another lesson!

Tips That Work: Pre - Seasoning

2009-02-15T01:29:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick tip that can save you at least a few minutes in the kitchen while preparing dinner. If you you already know what you will be having for dinner during the week, try pre-seasoning your meats before freezing them after you come home from the grocery store. This works especially well with ground meats such as turkey, beef, and chicken! if you eat chicken, you can also pre-season your chicken breast as well as fish filets!
*Do you have an Inspiring Mama Tip? Share them with us by sending us an e-mail or by leaving a comment!

Zid Zid Kids {safari enchantment}

2009-02-15T01:01:00.000-05:00

I am in love with these pieces from the Zid Zid Kids line! I absolutely love the poofs and the plush toys are simply adorable. I can imagine a childs room decorated with these up against a simple white/beige wall. A very simple room, with lots of fabulous accents such as these...perfect! And if you cannot afford their designer prices, I am sure it would be a breeze to make your own versions, especially for all of you crafty ladies!

Make Your Own Candy Kits {learn something: eat something}

2009-02-14T14:20:00.001-05:00

If you like this review, then be sure to check back often for a wonderful giveaway sponsored by Glee Gum themselves. 3 lucky Inspiring Mamas will receive their very own candy making kit. Stay tuned for details! Yay!

Recently we received two "Make Your Own Candy Kits" from Glee Gum. One kit was for making chewing gum(not bubble gum), and chocolate candy. I must say that both of these kits were exceptional and to top it all off, each kit comes with easy to read directions and a really great educational lesson on the back.

With the chewing gum kit you will learn about how the natural chicle ingredient, which is included within the kit is harvested & it's relation to the Guatemalan rainforest! The kit also comes with packets of both fruit and peppermint flavoring. I must note that the flavor is very mild, so let your children know ahead of time, that this is no bubble-liscious that you will be making! I really like this because it used a natural gum base and none of the synthetic stuff you tend to find in other gum kits.

$13 Chewing Gum Kit Includes:
Chicle gum base
Confectioners Sugar
Corn Syrup
2 Flavor packets
Pan for softening chicle gum base
Instructions & the story of chicle

Makes Approximately 50 pieces

With the chocolate candy kit you and your child will learn about the history of cacao, it's harvesting in Costa Rica, and the development of how chocolate candy came about. The cool thing about this kit is that you can add so many ingredients from your own pantry to make these little candies even more delectable!

$13 Chocolate Candy Kit Includes:
Certified Organic Cocoa Butter
Cocoa Powder
2 Cocoa Beans to Study
Confectioner's Sugar
Starter Crystals
A Temperature Indicator
Paper Candy Liners
Instructions & the story of chocolate

Makes 8oz. of dark chocolate

You can really make these kits into a great science and history lesson. As well as: art, math, writing, and brainstorming. We cut our chewing gum pieces into large strips(you could cut yours much smaller) and wrapped them up in tin foil and then used typing paper to make little wrappers for them. Break out the markers and crayons & let your child get creative with the wrapping! Now as far as the chocolate, I must say that this was our favorite kit, even though the gum follows up close! I highly suggest having some extras around such as marshmallows, nuts, coconut, cherries, etc. to fill the center of your chocolate candies. Here we used marshmallows in some of them.

My biggest tip with the chocolate kit is to not think that your temperature strip does not work. it may take a while for your chocolate to cool to 94 degrees. Also, you will want to make sure you DO NOT add the starter crystals until your melted chocolate mixture has reached the desired 94 degrees fahrenheit. Once our chocolate was cooled we ate a few of them and then chopped the rest up and baked a small batch of chocolate chip cookies!

The kits are recommended for ages 8 & up, however I was able to do these kits with my five year old and it worked great. He was able to help with putting in the time for the microwave, stirring, and opening some of the packages. I was highly impressed with both of these kits and would recommend it to any mom with kids, and most of all it makes wonderful and rewarding lesson plan. In fact you can find guided lesson plans for both the chewing gum and the chocolate kits on the Glee Gum website:

Chewing Gum Lesson Plan Chocolate Candy Lesson Plan

Recycle My Craft: Soy Candles

2009-02-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

Lesson Learned: the importance of recycling, color, scent(if you use a fragrance),temperature, time.

This is a great project for those empty cans from your canned food, that would just otherwise in up in the trash. Try preserving them just a bit longer by turning them into soy candles!

Supplies Needed:
Empty Can, washed and dried
Soy Candle Wax, microwavable
Colored string or any other decorative element you would like to use on the outside of your can
Acrylic paint
Modge Podge or any clear drying sealer
Glue Stick, quality
Candle wick

How To Make It: Take your can and paint/decorate the edges and the bottom your can. If using acrylic paints, you will have to do a few coats to obtain a nice rich & even color. Let dry and seal your painted edges and bottom with modge podge. Once your modge podge/sealer has dried. Grab your glue stick & cover a portion of the side of your can with glue. Starting from the top of your can wrap your string around the sides gradually covering the entire can as you work your way down to the bottom. Trim off ends If you are using a different embellishment, simply use your glue and embellishments to decorate your can. Let sit & dry for about 10 minutes.

Place your wick in the center of your can. You can use a small dab from your glue stick or double sided tape to keep it in place. Melt your wax (once melted you can stir in your fragrance oil) as directed and slowly pour the hot wax into your can. Trim your wick & let your wax dry according to directions.

Light and enjoy!

Psst..Here is a good video on making soy and beeswax candles. They do make lovely gifts!

Mothering Balance

2009-02-11T02:43:00.000-05:00

So, we as mothers tend to have to juggle a lot of little things that tend to snowball into one big enormous task that at many times can be truly hard to carry. I have found myself writing and re-writing, and formatting, and re-formatting a daily schedule for myself for months now; and while I think I have a decent schedule to follow, I find it quite hard to actually...well..follow it!

It's funny how life may seem complicated, but for the most part it can be very easy to manage if one can learn and discipline themselves to manage themselves properly. I find that when I fight the ongoing battle with procrastination, and push myself to put things back where they belong, that my life and my day to day tasks just flow perfectly. I think that life is about not only living within this world, but understanding that their must be balancement, and sometimes we may not be able to accomplish each and everything on our list, but, we can accomplish a portion of the tasks, and set goals to accomplish them over time.

When you can spread your patience amongst the time allowed within the week to accomplish your tasks..that to me is balancement. Balancement is not accomplishing one thing while letting something else fall under but allowing yourself to focus and nurture each task for a given amount of time during the day until it is done by the end of the week or month, or however long it takes to complete it.

So, as I learn by trial and error the art of balancing it all, I hope to learn more about myself, my standards, and to set a good impression for my children to live by. If I ever had to tell my children something to live by on my death bed, I would say: “live simple, live organized, and lived balanced”.

Question: How do you try to stay organized and balanced throughout your goals and days? Any helpful mama tips? Please share by leaving a comment!

Friendship Day. Love Day. Valentines Day {Whatever You Want To Call It, Here's A Craft Project For It}

2009-02-11T01:46:00.000-05:00

Lesson Learned: with this project you can incorporate so many learning opportunities such as writing, spelling, the meaning of love, measuring, eye-hand-coordination, and math!

So, the little one and I made some friendship day cards for a few of his friends and his grandparents this past Friday. He thoroughly enjoyed this project, but I think he enjoyed “test tasting” the candy than actually putting together the cards. Every time I asked him to cut or stick something somewhere, he would say “hold on, I have to taste this one”. Anyhow, we were very frugal with this project.

Here are the supplies we used to make our cards in case you want to make something similar next year:

Red Poster Board
1 Square of Pink Felt
Heart Shaped Lollipops, wrapped
Chocolate Hearts, wrapped
Typing Paper
Glue Stick
Scissors
Pink Crayon
Stickers
Tape
Copier/Scanner(Optional..but I had him write “Happy Love Day” once on a heart shape cut out of typing paper, as sitting there with him to do write it 8 times properly would have worked both his and my nerves)
Brown Lunch Bags & Mailing Tape

We were able to get 8 heart shaped cards out of a large piece of poster board. I folded it in half length wise first and placed my heart template over it. You want to be sure to have the fold in tact, as this is what will make it a “card” and not just single hearts. Then I strategically folded areas of what was left to get the remaining cards, as you will only get about 6 from your first fold. However, if you make your heart smaller, I am sure you could get a lot more from your initial fold.

With a pen or marker, draw a heart shape on a piece of typing paper that is slightly smaller than your cards. Then have your child write a message within it. If your child is learning to write straight, you may want to write the words out using dashes and let him/her trace over it. Then place on your copier and copy the amount needed. Color each heart with a pink crayon and proceed to cut the hearts out. Use your glue stick to adhere it to the inside of your cards.

Next your will assemble the front of the card. We just cut out small felt hearts. Our lollipops were wrapped in a clear wrapper, so we put heart shaped stickers in the center on each side of the wrapper. Then we positioned the lollipop where we wanted it(you can use a rolled piece of tape on the back of the lollipop wrapper to keep it in place if you like. Now glue your felt heart over the lollipop stick. Place a piece of rolled tape on the back of your chocolate heart and adhere it onto the felt heart.

Packaging: We used a simple brown paper lunch bag to mail our cards in. Lay your bag flat and cut the bottom square piece off. Place your card inside, making sure to leave room at the bottom and top for closure. Flatten the top of the bag so the edges are equal and roll the edges up. Secure with mailing tape. You can decorate the paper bag with stickers and if mailing, you can use labels for your address.

Meal Idea: Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes

2009-02-11T01:30:00.000-05:00

So, just the other night I prepared a great dish for the family that involved some orzo stuffed tomatoes. I served it alongside a shrimp ceasar salad, yet this is supposed to be a vegetarian post, so please do feel free to leave off the shrimp(psst..I made the ceasar dressing myself..this was the first time making a creamy dressing, and I was so excited...the hubby loved it! I will be sure to share that recipe with you all the next time I make it!) Ok, so back to the orzo.

After cooking the orzo in salted water, I seasoned it with the following ingredients:

Garlic powder
Pesto
Marinara
Blackened sun dried tomatoes, julienne cut(sear tomatoes in some olive oil until blackened and crisp)
Olive oil
Dash of salt
Crushed basil
Feta Cheese
Red wine

I must say that the red wine really topped it off. It brought out ALL of the flavors and the sweetness from the tomatoes. This is definitely a dish that I will be making again! You will want to cut the tops and the bottoms slightly off some large steak tomatoes. Rub them all over w/ a bit of olive oil and bake them in the oven on 350 degrees & for a few minutes I put it under the broiler to get a mice "roasted" effect along the edges of the tomatoes(be sure that you so not leave it under the broiler or baking for too long as your tomatoes could burst)! Then stuff with your seasoned orzo. This meal is truly delish and is vegetarian friendly also, but you can easily add some roasted chicken breast to the orzo to make it more filling. Bon Appetit!

Welcome To Inspiring Mama {enjoy}

2009-02-10T00:08:00.001-05:00

Oh hi there! I finally got around to getting this blog up and running. So, let me start off by introducing myself.

About The Blog:
Inspiring Mama is a blog that I not only wanted to create to categorize my life as a stay at home/home-schooling mom & wife, artist, and writer, but a blog that I felt would really help keep me inspired to be a better mom each time I come here to post or share a motherly rant! LOL. Here on Inspiring Mama you will find an eclectic mix of my days within motherhood, creative mothering & teaching ideas, recipes & menus, as well as product highlights & reviews of all the things that I'm currently loving!

About The Mama:
My name is Ericka & I am a stay at home mom of a 5 year old little boy(Imsety) who is filled to the rim with creativity and imagination, and we are expecting another bundle of energy next May! I create within a home with my talented husband Dante, as we strive to make our dreams of raising a free and creative family come true. I heart all things creative and hate anything ordinary, anything taken to the extreme, and overly mainstream style & opinions(hey, I'm an artist, I like my individualism!) In between picking up toys over and over and over, and cooking dinner, and folding laundry, and all the other things we mothers have on our to do lists, I enjoy painting, creative cooking, arts & crafts, hot chai tea after everyone has gone to bed, mid-day naps, fashion, decor/design, and well, basically any and everything that inspires a creative life!

So, I hope you enjoy my little abode for motherhood! Leave a comment should you feel compelled, or simply drop by to pay a visit or two, either way I'm glad you came to visit!