The B Keeps Us Honest North Carolina Mom Blogger

Are You Getting Enough Whole Grain #Giveaway

2012-01-28T16:32:00.004-05:00

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That is what "they" say. I'm not sure who "they" are but "they" are probably right. I used to skip breakfast every day and by lunch time I was starving and would eat anything I could get my hands on. But now that I have kids I make myself eat breakfast. I mean I need all the energy I can get to keep up with these guys.

I don't often have time to cook a full breakfast but I do try to feed my family right and opt for the healthier choices. But who wants to put wheat germ on their Cheerios? I know I don't because my mom used to make us do that every day when I was little. So I opt to feed my family General Mills Whole Grain Cereals.

The Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. But identifying whole grain products can be challenging. Dr. Travis Stork, emergency room physician and host of "The Doctors", explains how to read the list of ingredients to know weather or not your are eating whole grains. Ingredient Lists detail ingredients in order of prevalence. So if "Whole Grain" is before other grains like wheat or oats it means the food contains more whole grain than any other single ingredient.

General Mills makes it even easier for you to identify their products that contain Whole Grain by including a white check mark on the box. Make a commitment to add more whole grain to your diet by simply pouring a bowl of cereal with the white check including Cheerios^®, Lucky Charms^®, Cinnamon Toast Crunch^®, Honey Nut Cheerios^® and Total^®.

So every morning while Jude eat his, "cereal and Cheerios" I feel confident knowing he's getting whole grains in his diet.

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win 5 boxes of General Mills Whole Grain Cereal.

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment answering the following question...

What is your favorite General Mills Cereal?

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "Start your day with whole grain, #win 5 boxes of General Mills Whole Grain Cereal @bkeepsushonest 2/6 http://tinyurl.com/6lh6eeu #MyBlogSpark #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 2.6 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

All I Want is Quiet

2012-01-28T09:26:00.001-05:00

Jude has reached the point of no silence.

He's constantly talking, singing or humming.

I crave silence. My inner being longs for quiet. Yet I rarely experience this beautiful thing called silence.

I can't concentrate. I sit down to write a blog post and the wall of sound that hits be from behind obliterates any cohesive thoughts I may have joined together.

I just want a few moments of quiet. Time to gather my thoughts. Process all of the information my mind has aimlessly flying around.

To sit still. In silence. Oh how refreshing that sounds.

The sound of silence.

It's really not a lot I'm asking for.

All I want is quiet!

Happiness is... Peanuts: Forever Friends DVD Review

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jude loves Charlie Brown. He was very excited about the new Peanuts DVD we received the other day, Happiness is... Peanuts: Friends Forever. He watched the DVD 5 times in a row.

The newest DVD release from the Peanuts gang is Happiness is... Peanuts: Friends Forever a series of favorite Peanuts television programs complied together on DVD. The DVD pairs TV special You're in Love, Charlie Brown, with an episode from The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show on one disc. The DVD was release on December 27, 2011 and retails for $14.97.

Happiness is... Peanuts: Friends Forever would make a great Valentines day gift for the Charlie Brown and Snoopy fan in your life.

I received the feature products free from Warner Home Video. However, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Great Giveaway Links

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

Every Thursday The B Keeps Us Honest offers a place to promote your giveaways, Great Giveaway Links. Be sure to link directly to your giveaway and not your homepage. Links that are not directed to the giveaway will be deleted.

Jude Aidan - 3 and a half Years Old

2012-01-25T19:27:00.001-05:00

With all of my monthly updates on Noah I thought Jude deserved a little mentioning as well. His growth and milestones aren't as exciting from month to month but he did just celebrate his half birthday and had his physical at the doctor.

Jude Stats

Age: 3.5 years

Weight: 35 lbs

Height: 38 inches

Fav Foods: Raisins, any Fruit, Chicken Nuggets (Chick-fil-a to be exact), Spaghetti, Tomatoes, Cheese, and Chocolate Milk.

Fav Toys: Anything Star Wars, Puzzles, Blocks, Trains, and pretend cooking

Fav TV or Movie: Wallace and Gromit, Leap Frog, Rio, Peanuts, Ratatouille and more...

Jude had his physical yesterday and he did wonderfully. He loves going to the doctor, mostly because they have toys there. He happily greeted the doctor with a "Hi Doctor!" Then pointed out her stethoscope and asked her, "listen to my chest, doctor" while lifting up his shirt. As she put her stethoscope to his chest he said, "thank you, doctor". Then proclaim that is was cold and he wanted to put his shirt down. He happily agreed to all of the physical until it came time to look in his ears. He's super ticklish and couldn't sit still for her to get close enough to examine his ears. They had to call in extra help so we could hold him down while she peeked in his ears. He squirmed and laughed the entire time. All-in-all he's a healthy little boy. Charted at 50% in all areas and developmentally right on track!

We are still working on potty training. He can do everything by himself. He just doesn't want to take the time away from whatever he is doing to stop and go to the potty. So I'm still cleaning up a lot of accidents or he's wearing a pull-up. Everyone says he'll eventually get it. I sure hope so.

Otherwise, he is doing great. He's a busy and curious little boy which causes him to get in trouble often but he's learning how to behave properly. We have a lot of fun together doing projects, playing outside, coloring and exploring. I'm one blessed mama to have such a great kid.

Why Am I Always Cleaning?

2012-01-25T09:22:00.001-05:00

Fact: I clean ALOT more now than before I had kids.

Fact: My house is dirtier than before I had kids.

Fact: Kids generate messes faster than I can clean it.

And this is why I'm always cleaning.

Noah Asher - 7 Months (and a few days)

2012-01-23T17:59:00.000-05:00

Last week Noah turned 7 months old. The same day my parents celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary. It was a busy week as we prepared to have family visit from out of town so I didn't get to post about it but I did manage to take a few 7 month pictures.

I asked Noah a few questions about what it's like being 7 months old...

What are you most excited about now that you are 7 months old?

I'm pretty stoked about sleeping in my own bed in my own room. I'll admit to do miss sleeping right next to the milkies but the space in my own place is totally worth it. I think we all sleep a little better too. I know I've been sleeping 10-12 hours at night and I feel wonderful!

What is your biggest accomplishment?

I think I've mastered this sitting thing. I can't get myself into the sitting position just yet but once I'm there nothing can tip me over... except for a cool toy that I must hurl myself toward because I HAVE to put it in my mouth.

What are you looking forward to most?

This stuff mom and dad and jude keep putting in their mouths. It looks fascinating. I think they call it food. Mom has given me a few things that just didn't sit well with me and I'm pretty content with my milkies but since I do love putting things in my mouth I must know what all the fuss is about over this solid food.

How do you pass the time?

Well there's a lot of sleeping and eating. Then I enjoying playing with things I can put in my mouth and I LOVE watching my brother act all sorts of crazy. He cracks me up. That kid will do just about anything to make me laugh... it's hysterical. Sometimes he gets a little too crazy and hurts me but I'm keeping a running tab and I will undoubtedly be larger than him so I am devising a little payback plan of my own.

What makes you happy?

Oh this one is easy. My mommy. No doubt about it. I just melt when she picks me up and kisses my chubby cheeks. I try to let her know how much I love her by grabbing her hair and kissing her back but sometimes she acts like she doesn't like it... saying OUCH. Nevertheless I still try. I mean she is the total package. Kisses, Cuddles, Smiles, Milkies and Comfort all wrapped around my little finger.

So there you have it.... life as a 7 month old seems pretty awesome.

He's my chunk-a-pottomus.

Stats:

Disposable Diaper Size - 4

Clothes - 18 mo (sometimes 12 mo if they are elastic waist)

Sleeps - 10-12 at night

Naps - Either 2 Long or 3 Short

Fav Food - Milkies

Fav Toy - The tag on anything (except for the taggie tags - he only likes the actual tag on taggies)

8 Useful Energy Saving Tips to Lower Your Electric Bill

2012-01-23T08:52:00.000-05:00

Abig electric bill can really make adent in your monthly budget. TV's,computers, HVAC units, lights, refrigerators, fans—they all drain energy.Sometimes it seems impossible to keep the electric bill down, but it may beeasier than you think. Consider these energy-savingtips to save on your next energy bill.

Get an Energy Audit

Checkwith your energy provider to see whether or not they provide free energy audits. If so, take advantage ofthe service. It will help you determine what you need to do to maximize the energy efficiency of your home, thusminimizing monthly electric bills. If your utility company does not providesuch service, conduct an audit yourself. Refer to EnergySavers.gov forinformation on how to evaluate your home's energy usage.^[3]

Use a Programmable Thermostat

Programmablethermostats are quite popular, both for their convenience and energy-savingcapabilities. As pointed out by Don Vandervort of HomeTips.com, "Thisdevice can be set to automatically adjust temperature settings to energy-savinglevels when you’re sleeping or away from the house."^[2]

Pack Your Fridge and Freezer

Foodacts as insulation, so keeping your fridge and freezer stocked lessens theamount of time it has to run to stay cool. For even more energy conservation, Vandervort recommends the use of PowerPlanners. "To reduce the amount of power the refrigerator’s motor uses,consider plugging it into an electronic induction motor control such as thePower Planner, available in home improvement centers."^[2]

Use Fans

Ceilingfans don't use much electricity at all. Install two or three in your home tokeep the air cool and circulated. This will enable you to scale back thethermostat a few degrees. When it's not too warm, you can also flip yourthermostat to fan mode to save extra bucks. Also, replace your heating andcooling system's air filters to maintain high energy efficiency.

Dry Laundry the Old Fashioned Way

You'dbe surprised at how much you save by ditching your dryer. In the summer, use anoutdoor line. In the winter, you can use a drying rack. Put the rack nearwindows on sunny days to expedite the drying process.

Use Power Strips

We'reall guilty of leaving lights, TVs, and computers on. Try using power strips.With all your cords plugged into the same area, you'll have an easier timeremembering to turn everything off.

Shield Your Home from the Sun

Youcan help control heating and cooling costs by using curtains and blinds to keepheat from coming in through your windows. This should conserve energy and save you a few extra bucks, while keepingthings more comfortable during the summer months. Conversely, let the sun induring the winter months so you don't have to blast the heat.

Get the Family Involved

Ifyou have a family at home, get everyone involved. Make energy savings part of the list of household chores. You may evenwant to offer your children rewards for turning everything off when they leavea room. Be sure to take a tally of energyusage and try to lower the number every month.

About the Author:

Check'n Go is the fourth largest consumer financial service institution offeringcheck cashing and online payday loans in the United States. As a foundingmember of the Consumer Financial Services Association (CFSA), Check 'n Go hasalways been committed to responsible lending and works with legislators toimprove the credibility of the cash advance industry. Check 'n Go has check cashing and payday loan locationsin 28 states, with online locations in an additional 3.

This is a sponsored post made possible by Check'n Go.

[1]Bluestein, Adam, and Melanie Wagner. "How to Save on Your Electric Bill |RealSimple.com." Real Simple - Recipes,Organizing, Beauty, Fashion, Holidays. Web. 27 Dec. 2011..

[2]Vandervort, Don. "Home Tips : 10 Easy Ways to Slash Your ElectricBills." Home Tips - The Web's MostHelpful Home Improvement and Repair Site. Web. 27 Dec. 2011. .

[3]Huffstetler, Erin. "Lower Your Electric Bill." FrugalLiving. Web. 27Dec. 2011..

The Making of My Meal Plan - 2 Week Plan

2012-01-19T08:50:00.000-05:00

Every 2 Weeks I do our big trip to the grocery store. My goal is to buy enough food to last us for 2 weeks (with the exception of perishable items that will need to be restocked after the 1st week.) While I shop I'm meal planning in my head. We have a handful of go-to meals like tacos, spaghetti, pizza, etc... Then I see what's on sale and try to devise a plan based on what's a good deal. And on occasion I will shop with a specific new recipe in mind. I usually get everything I need in 1 trip.

After all the groceries are put away I study my purchase and sit down to devise a meal plan.

I write out all the possible meals.
I look at our calendar to see what days I need to use the slow cooker or have a quick, easy meal available.
I organize all of the meal on the giant chalk board in the kitchen. I try to stagger meals throughout the weeks so we don't eat pasta 3 days in a row or so I don't have to clean my slow cooker every night.

I like that we have this big chalk board in our kitchen so I can easily reference it to remember what I need to prepare for dinner, plus everyone else can see what we are having for dinner too.

Although meal planning is somewhat time consuming and a bit of a pain I'm always glad to have my plan in place. It keeps us from spending more money than we need on groceries and ensures the food I buy at the grocery store doesn't go to waist. However, I need to extent my meal plan to lunch so I'm not stuck cobbling something together at noon each day. I'll get there eventually but for now I'm pretty proud of my 2 week meal plan.

Do you meal plan?
Do you stick to your meal plan?

Great Giveaways

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Portion Control is my Enemy. The Yum Yum Dish is My Friend.

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

A few crackers here, a bunch of grapes there and a little bit of cheese. Throughout the day I find myself grazing in the kitchen, eating not because I'm all that hungry but just because. I typically don't eat foods that are bad for me it's the quantity of the foods that work against me and my battle to lose this baby weight.

Yum Yum Dishes were created by Tracy Adler after the birth of her second child. She didn't realize how much she was eating therefore not losing her baby weight. The 4 ounce ceramic bowl is easy to use. I just fill the bowl with my snack for the day and once it's gone snack time is over. It's such a simple idea. Now I can eat some of favorite foods and stay on track with my weight loss goals.

I like that I can fill up the bowl at the beginning of the day, pop on the plastic lid and graze throughout the day from my one bowl. When the snack is gone... it's gone. With only a finite amount of snack I will be more selective about my grazing and eat only really I want, not just because. The Yum Yum Dish is dishwasher safe too.

The Yum Yum Dish is also great for kids to teach them about portion control. With the ever growing number of overweight children in the United States the Yum Yum Dish is a great tool that parents can use to help teach children healthy eating habits.

Finally, I really love that Yum Yum Dish is a North Carolina mom owned business.

Connect with Yum Yum Dish

Like Yum Yum Dish on Facebook

I received the feature products free from Yum Yum Dishes. However, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Family Game Night Just Got A Little More Exciting

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jude is just at that age where he is interested in video games and actually possesses the hand-eye coordination needed. In our house video games are a special treat and a family event. EA Games and Hasbro have teamed up to give your family the ultimate game night with, Hasbro Family Game Night 4.

Hasbro Family Game Night 4: The Game Show bring a whole new excitement to some of Hasbro's most loved board games. It includes games like Connect Four Basketball, Yahtzee Bowling, Scrabble Flash, Sorry! Sliders and Bop-It Boptagon and Monopoly Crazy Cash.

The thing I like about this video game is that it offers a diverse selection of games. There really is something for everyone. Games like Connect Four Basketball and Sorry! Sliders are a little bit easier for younger kids. However, games like Yahtzee Bowling and Scrabble Flash require a little more skill that older kids will love.

I was concerned that Jude, being almost 4 year old, wouldn't be able to catch on to the principles of even the simple games but after a little practice and observation he got the hand of Connect Four Basketball and Sorry! Sliders. Family Game Night 4 is actually a pretty great tool to help teach kids hand-eye coordination, strategy, quick thinking, decision making, math skill not to mention playing with your family builds relationships.

I really can't wait for our kids to get a little bit older so we can incorporate more family game nights.

I received the feature products free from EA Games. However, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Oh Yeah, I'm A Mom.

2012-01-15T18:12:00.001-05:00

After getting 8 straight hours of sleep last night I decided to put a little extra effort into my look today. I put together a nice outfit. Put on Makeup. Styled My Hair. I have to say I looked pretty hot.

Then as I snuggle with my cute bear he spits up. All over my nice outfit. All over my face with makeup done. All in my styled hair.

Oh yeah,

I'm a mom.

Jude's First Brain Freeze

2012-01-13T09:08:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a gloriously warm spring-like January day. (We've had a lot of those lately.) So I decided we needed to take full advantage of this warm weather and get out of the house.

Lately, Jude has been a bit of a homebody so it took some persuasions (aka bribery) to get him into the van. I told him we could get a special treat while we were out. I gave him the option of either a cupcake or ice cream and without hesitation he chose ice cream (he is his father's son).

So we went to Goodberrys, our favorite local frozen custard shop. I then gave Jude the choice of vanilla or chocolate and surprisingly he choose vanilla (he must not be my son). He began devouring his ice cream and within seconds experienced his first brain freeze. I was fortunate enough to capture this momentous occasion on my camera.

He declared, "My eyeball hurts!"

But a little brain freeze didn't stop him....

This stuff is good mama!

What a milestone.

P.S. I love the lady eating her ice cream in the background!

Great Giveaway Links

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Words that Sound Worse Coming From a Child

2012-01-11T13:57:00.003-05:00

Oh God!

That is Jude's current favorite phrase.

It started as "Oh Gosh" but that Gosh rapidly evolved to God.

"Oh Gosh" was cute but "Oh God" made me cringe.

I'm not sure where he picked up either of the phrases. I don't think I use either of them but it only takes one time for kids to repeat a phrase.

Immediately Joe and I reprimanded Jude and told him that "Oh God" was not nice to say. But he continued. I know he doesn't understand the concept of bad words. And Joe and I try very hard to watch what we say around the kids knowing they will repeat anything. But I kept trying to explain that there were words that were nice and words that were not. I don't think it clicked. He didn't understand why some words were bad and others weren't. So I offered up a few alternatives like "Oh Man" or "My Goodness". (I've learn that instead of telling kids to just not do something you need to offer them an alternative - this rule applies to most anything: dangerous situations, bad words, fighting over a toy...) He quickly adjusted to these phrases but has slipped up a few times at which point he quickly turns and looks at me to see if I noticed. I give him my stern mom face and he says sorry then corrects himself to say "Oh Man".

I don't consider myself to be super strict about bad words. I know some parents that consider poop and penis bad words. To me that's just what those things are called. Boys have a penis and everybody poops. Nevertheless, I want my children to be respectful and stay innocent as long as possible.

Its funny how phrases like Oh God, Crap, Stupid or Dumb don't sound that bad coming from the mouth of an adult but sound horrible when innocent little children speak them.

How do you deal with bad language from your kids?

Haircut Before and After: Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

Tummy Time with Infantino

2012-01-10T01:30:00.000-05:00

Noah was a big baby at birth, 11lbs to be exact, so he developed skills a little fast than most kids his age. He was rolling to one side at 2 months, which meant he had self imposed tummy time a lot. I would still get on the floor and play with him and encourage him to strengthen his neck muscles with tummy time.

Infantion has a new product called the Right Angle Tummy Triangle which is designed to help babies enjoy tummy time a little more and develop upper body strength. It's a pretty smart product since the reason most babies hate tummy time is because their face is buried in the rug. The Right Angle Tummy Triangle helps elevate baby and offers them a more interesting view.

Noah enjoyed the Tummy Triangle for the short period of time that he could use it. Because he is such a big baby he was rolling right off the edge of the Tummy Triangle. He did however enjoy looking at that cute little baby in the mirror and the music. I was a little sad he didn't get more use out of this toy as I thought it was pretty neat.

BUY
The Infantino Right Angle Tummy Triangle is available online at Target for $29.99

I have received the Right Angle Tummy Triangle from Infantino to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed in this review and my own and not influenced by the company.

Tale of the Vansishing Sleeping Baby

2012-01-09T16:49:00.003-05:00

Not so long ago and not so far away lived a sweet little baby that was always content. He smiled and he ate and he slept like a champ until one day an evil witch cast a spell on him. It was a cocktail of a curse with a dash of teething, a splash of gas and a hint of growth spurt. The sweet little babe no longer smiled, ate or slept like a champ.

He was a sad little babe. He cried and he fussed and slept only so often. His poor mom and dad knew not what to do. They rocked and they swayed. They swaddled. They cuddled. They gave the sweet little baby tinctures that claimed to bring relief. They changed diaper upon diaper. Alas, there was no end to the babe's crying.

He was so tired and sad. Mom and Dad were so tired and also sad. But Mom and Dad knew this was only a phase and it too shall pass. Praying relief would come sooner than later. They knew that their sweet little babe would soon return and he would smile, eat and sleep like a champ.

Reclaiming Pasta Night with Jovial Foods

2012-01-08T18:12:00.001-05:00

Pasta gets a bad rap. Pasta contains wheat and wheat contains gluten and gluten is bad. But that is not all entirely true. Without getting into a lot of the science here's why pasta gets a bad rap.

Over thousands of years wheat has been transforming. Most of the wheat we eat today is a complex hybrid of preferred seeds selected by farmers. Because of this hybridization our modern wheat contains high levels of gluten which is why so many today have trouble digesting gluten. Gluten isn't necessarily bad it's just the elevated levels in modern wheat which give people so much trouble.

Well, Jovial Foods has a wonderful solution, Einkorn. Einkorn is the purest form of wheat possible. This doesn't mean it's gluten free but it does mean it has seen the least amount of hybridization of wheat today. Einkorn Whole Wheat Pasta offers a healthy solution for those of us that aren't ready to give up our pasta but want to reduce our gluten intake. People that are sensitive to gluten may be able to enjoy Einkorn pasta more than regular pastas. Although, Celiac Patients should not consume einkorn products until further clinical studies are completed and their findings are evaluated by the FDA.

The other night I made a baked vegetable spaghetti using Jovial Food's Einkorn Whole Wheat Pasta and it was great. I don't typically like whole wheat pastas as they can have little gritty texture but the Einkorn pasta was smooth and not unlike standard white pasta. My boys couldn't tell a difference. We are trying to eat healthier this year but since Jude's favorite meal is spaghetti so I'm glad I've found a solution that will enable us to eat the foods we enjoy but using healthier ingredients.

Connect

Like Jovial Foods on Facebook

Follow Jovial Foods on Twitter

I received the feature products free from Jovial Foods. However, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Kids Eating More Vegetables

2012-01-06T07:31:00.000-05:00

Our Family Goal for 2012 is to Eat Less Meat - I think as Americans we eat too much meat. So this year I will be adding more kid-friendly vegetarian recipes to our weekly meal plan. So far everything I've tried has been a success, we've increased our vegetable intake and I can already feel a difference in my body.

I started with a veggie filled tortellini soup which included tomatoes, spinach, asparagus and a cheese filled tortellini. Then I discovered a collection of Kid-Friendly Vegetarian Recipes from Martha Stewart. I was a little disappointed that so many of the recipes are so carb heavy and don't actually contain any vegetables however, there area few good recipes that I'm excited to try. Like the Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas we had for lunch, we included tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, feta, and mozzarella. Then for dinner we had Black-Bean Tostadas with Corn Relish. Jude devoured that, avocado and all. Both were big hits. Joe even said he wouldn't mind if they made their way into the regular meal rotation. We were both surprised with how filling both were.

I want my boys to be good eaters. I want them to try new things and have an appreciation for more than just chicken nuggets and french fries. It's not always easy to get Jude to try new things but typically once we persuade him to try it he discovers that it's delicious. The more we expose him to healthy food options now increases the chances that he will make good diet choices later in life.

I'm a firm believer that if a child is hungry they will eat almost anything you offer them. That is why I try to offer new foods at the beginning of the meal. If I put everything on Jude's plate he will immediately devour his favorite thing and then have no interest in the new, strange food on his plate. I also try to use positive peer pressure instead of punishment or forcing him to try it. I want him to be excited about trying new foods so it shouldn't be a chore. I will admit that we do occasionally use bribery because... well it works. All the work is worth it when he declares, "mommy, I love abacado!" or "more hummus please."

What is your favorite family-friendly vegetarian meal?

Jude's Attempt at Breaking a Guinness World Record

2012-01-05T20:47:00.002-05:00

My child is crazy and I love it. You seriously never know what to expect when he walks into the room. Today while I was playing on the floor with Noah, Jude walked into the room wearing only a pair of pajama pants. He needed my help turning the matching top right side out. After I fixed his shirt he thanked me and ran back into his bedroom. It was getting a little too quite so Noah and I decided to check in on him just to make sure everything was OK.

I found him on his bed attempting to put on a second pair of pajamas. This time his footy Christmas pajamas, which were also inside out. Noah and I sat down on the floor of Jude's room and he proceeded to put on 7 pairs of pajamas. ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Just when I thought he couldn't possibly fit into another pair he'd squeeze himself into yet another pajama. I didn't help or coherse him in any way, this was completely his idea.

Pajama Count - 3

Pajama Count - 4

Pajama Count - 5

Pajama Count - 6

Pajama Count - 7

Declares - "I did it! I'm maxed out"

Adds a pair of socks and a Spiderman mask. Runs out the door to play.

Immediately returns and has to pee. Stripping down to the first pair of PJs.

That's my kid.

I looked to see if there was actually a Guinness World Record for the most Pair of Pajamas worn by one person at a time but couldn't find that specifically. So I guess Jude is the winner!

Papa Murphy's Take and Bake Pizza

2012-01-05T09:20:00.000-05:00

Every Week we have a pizza night. We typically go with the easy and affordable choice of a frozen pizza and occasionally we order a pizza for delivery but rarely do I make a pizza from scratch. However, my favorite pizzas are the ones from scratch because I can make it just how I want it. But the whole point of pizza night is to give mama a break from cooking in the kitchen so that is why we usually stick with the frozen pizza.

All that to say I wish I could have a chef come in my kitchen and personally make my pizza for pizza night. Well, they won't come to my house and make it but Papa Murphy's Take and Bake pizza is about a close as I can get. Papa Murphy's prepares your pizza how you want it. They have a a wide variety of gourmet toppings and some pretty fabulous pizzas already on the menu.

We ordered the gourmet vegetarian because I love fresh veggies on a pizza. Plus, Jude will eat anything we put on a pizza. So it's a no brainer to sneak in some veggies whenever we can. The Gourmet Vegetarian Pizza includes a creamy garlic sauce, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, mixed onions and an herb and cheese blend. It was delicious. We pick up our pizza during our morning errands and stored it in the fridge until I was ready to bake it for dinner. It was so quick and easy, we will certainly be including Papa Murphy's in our weekly pizza night more often.

Connect with Papa Murphy's on Facebook.

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win a gift set from Papa Murphy's Take and Bake. (includes a gift card plus more!)

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling me your favorite pizza topping

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "Enter to #Win a Papa Murphy's Gift Set via @bkeepsushonest 1/15 http://tinyurl.com/6warkqv #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 1.15 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

I received the feature products free from Papa Murphy's. However, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Great Giveaway Links

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Noah's 6 Month Stats

2012-01-04T11:26:00.001-05:00

Today we had Noah's 6 month check up and I'm happy to report that he is 100% healthy and thriving.

The doctor was impressed with his strong muscles and size.

He is in the 90th percentile for his height at 29 inches.

And he is in the 95th percentile for his weight at 21.5 lbs

I don't remember what his head measurement is but it's also in the 90th percentile.

The doctor gave us the go ahead on solids but said he is obviously not hurting for nourishment so the fact that he isn't interested in solids isn't a big deal.

I love my chunk-a-potamus!

Find Your Balance with Centrum ProNutrients

2012-01-04T07:30:00.000-05:00

I'm sure most of you like myself have a new years resolution to improve upon your health. Of course I would love to lose a few pounds but my main goal is to establish a healthy lifestyle for myself and my family. As I get old it's important for me to find my balance.

I started by taking the NutritionPossible.com assessment which helps you create a nutrition plan that is specially tailored to you and your lifestyle. The assessment was super easy yet through. I learned that while I thought my physical activity was sufficient I, in fact, need to up my gain a bit. I also learned that I need to increase my wholes grains which I found surprising. I was very pleased to see they considered that I was nursing when they did my assessment.

Centrum has developed a new line of dietary supplements called ProNutrients which compliment your multivitamin.The line includes three supplements that support health and well-being: Omega-3, Probiotic, and Fruit & Veggie.

ProNutrients Fruit & Veggie each MiniTab is equal to a serving of fruits and vegetables. Naturally sourced from grapes, blueberries, raspberries, plums, carrots and tomatoes. Each MiniTab helps support cell protection and general health.

ProNutrients Probiotic is a unique blended powder containing two of the most scientifically studied probiotics. Designed to ensure the bacteria arrive active and ready to work in the digestive tract. ProNutrients Probiotic helps support immune health and digestive balance.

ProNutrients Omega-3 provides two of the most scientifically studied Omega-3s (according to Eicosapentaenoic Acid/EPA and Docosahexaenoic Acid/DHA standards) in an ultra-concentrated MiniGel. The MiniGels are smaller than the sizes of most brands’ softgels which make them easy to swallow. They help support heart health, brain structure and eye structure.

In addition to the ProNutrients launch, Centrum is also offering Centrum Specialist™, a line of enhanced multivitamins that is aimed at specific health priorities adults want to target. Centrum Specialist multivitamins with specific benefits includes Prenatal, Vision, Energy and Heart.

SAVE
Download a $5 off coupon available on the Centrum Facebook Page.

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win a ProNutrients product of your choice.

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment answering the following question...

Which fruit or vegetable is not a part of the ProNutrients Fruit & Veggie formula?

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "Enter to #Win Centrum ProNutrients Product via @bkeepsushonest 1/15 http://tinyurl.com/7db4bzo #giveaway #NutritionPossible"

I am participating in a Centrum ProNutrients campaign hosted by One2One Network. I received nutritional product and compensation. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about Centrum ProNutrients as a product or it's effectiveness.

Jude's Chore Chart for 2012

2012-01-03T09:55:00.001-05:00

With the new year comes new goals. And now that Jude is getting older we have started to implement daily chores and goals for him. I am a firm believer that children should learn personal responsibility at a young age. So even though Jude is only 3 years old he can learn to take responsibility for a few tasks each day. We are using the Goal For It Chore Chart to help establish a daily routine for him.

What I like about the Goal For It Chore Chart is that it is customizable so I can make it user-friendly for a 3 year old. They not only have household chores listed but behavioral and health goals. These are great especially for young children because simple things like washing your hands and eating your meal are sometimes difficult.

The Goal For It Chore Chart awards a digital sticker, which I let Jude pick, for each task he completes. You can assign a monetary reward for each task and select the days when they need to be complete. So if you need your child to help get ready for preschool but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays the chore chart accommodates that specialty. At the end of the week the result are tallied and reward a bigger digital sticker that reflects their success.

This is a fun way to keep track of daily chores and responsibilities for children. Goal For It also has similar charts for tweens, teens and adults so your whole family can participate in setting goals. I love check list so I'm extremely excited to try it out as a way to keep our family focus and organized in 2012.

Goal For It is 100% Free to use and is a great tool to help you meet your 2012 goals.

This is a sponsored post however the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Does Santa Wrap Presents?

2011-12-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Joe and I have been discussing weather or not Santa wraps presents or not. When he was growing up all of the presents magically appeared under the tree. Everything was wrapped and labeled "from Santa". When I was growing up our presents from Santa magically appeared spread out on the sofa, unwrapped and clearly displayed for us to see.

The stockings stuffed with wrapped presents from Santa.

L to R: Joe, Jude, Noah, and Me

Wrapped Presents from Santa were left on the TV Stand.

This year Santa wrapped everything, including the stuff in our stockings. But I'm not so sure Santa will be able to continue wrapping everything in the future.

Joe is pro Santa Wrapping and I'm pro non-Santa Wrapping.

Here is my reasoning....

1. Santa would obviously use different wrapping paper than Mom and Dad.

2. For small children that can't read not wrapping the presents makes it clear that Santa visited while they were asleep.

3. Wrapping everything little thing takes A LONG TIME.

Of course all of this hinges on weather or not your children believe in Santa to begin with.

When I was growing up the first time my parents told me about Santa (I was about 3 years old) I freaked out. The thought of some strange old man coming in my house while I was sleeping scared the crap out of me. I was convinced there was no way someone would break into my house to leave me gifts so my parents immediately told me it was all a game and Santa wasn't real. Now I wonder why I have trust issues! kidding... well only a little.

I think for Jude we will talk about Santa but not make it a big deal. I thing he already has this thing figured out anyway, he is pretty smart.

So back to the initial question.

Does Santa Wrap Presents in your house?

Striped Pajamas

2011-12-30T15:31:00.001-05:00

I love special Christmas pajamas. When I was growing up we never really had dedicated pajamas to wear on Christmas but I think it might be a tradition we start with our kids.

Joe's mom bought these super cute striped pajamas for the boys. Jude calls them his candy cane pajamas. They wore them Christmas Even night to bed.

Do your kids have special Christmas pajamas?

Teaching Kids to Give: Random Acts of Zhu #RAZ2011

2011-12-30T09:11:00.002-05:00

This holiday season I've really been focusing on teaching Jude what it means to give. We've participated in a few charitable acts as a family and I'm proud to say that Jude has really developed a giving spirit. So much so that at Christmas he wanted to keep giving people presents even after all of the gifts had been opened. He even wrapped up his dirty stocks for PaPop. Obviously, we still need to work on what makes a good gift but it's the thought that counts right? He is three anyway.

Last year I was honored to participate in the Zhu Zhu Pet's Random Acts of Zhu campaign. Last year we donated to the Raleigh Rescue Mission which helps all kinds of families in need throughout our city. This year, I want to help Jude connect with the charity we chose so after a bit of research and several recommendations I selected Zach's Toy Chest. Zach's Toy Chest is a small nonprofit organization created to benefit children of all ages receiving cancer treatments at local NC hospitals.I thought giving to other children would help him better connect with what we were doing any I think it worked. He was thrilled to be giving "toys for the boys a girls".

I had the privilege of meeting with Zach's Toy Chest founder, Holly who told me about the wonderful work they are doing with Duke Children's hospital as well as several other hospitals across the state of North Carolina. Zach’s Toy Chest was founded in 2008 by Holly Schwab, mom to Zach. Zach had neuroblastoma and went through four months of chemotherapy at the Day Hospital. Although impressed with the level of professionalism and empathy displayed by staff at the Day Hospital, Schwab noticed the lack of toys for the children to play with during treatment. Many had to bring their own toys from home and if they forgot to bring toys, they had nothing to do during the long days of treatment.

Jude helping load the Zhu Zhu pets into the van.

The mission of Zach’s Toy Chest is to raise enough donations to give every child a ‘something special’ while receiving treatment at all local hospitals. Zach is now a healthy toddler who has been cancer free since August 2008.

Zach's Toy Chest is a small non-profit that is working hard to make the lives of children with sometimes life threatening illnesses just a little bit better. I am thrilled to know that the Zhu Zhu pets and accessories we donated will bring joy to the children at Duke Children's Hospital. Zach's Toy Chest received 25 boxes (96 items) of Zhu Zhu Pets on December 23, 2011. They will all go to children receiving cancer treatments at Duke Children's Hospital in Durham, NC.

For more information about Zach's Toy Chest or how you can get involved visit their website, Facebook page or email Holly Schwab at zachstoychest@gmail.com

I received the feature products with the purpose of donating to the charity of my choice. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Great Giveaway Links

2011-12-22T10:30:00.003-05:00

Christmas Party Supplies from Party City

2011-12-19T16:51:00.001-05:00

Every Christmas my family has a big family get-together where we celebrate Christmas by eating too much and exchanging gifts. You know just like everyone else in America. My family is pretty big so it's hard to have full place setting for everyone. We typically have some cobbled together, mismatched pieces of tableware and while it gets the job done it's not all that pretty.

Party City sent us the Very Merry Snowman Ultimate Party Kit. This set is great because it has enough place setting for my large family and is a lot of fun especially for kids. I really love the Foil Christmas Crackers and Christmas Cut Outs and of course the kids loved the candy filled pinata. But the best part is there are no dishes to wash after we eat. Everyone can sit back, relax and enjoy Christmas together.

Even though Christmas is right around the corner there is still time to order your party supplies with Party City's 2-day and Next Day shipping.

Party City also has a great selection of New Years party supplies which will help you throw the best shindig of the year!

I received the feature product, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Noah Asher - Month Six

2011-12-19T16:31:00.001-05:00

Six Months Old

That's half way to a year.

Seriously

A quick picture right before he fell over.

Noah is on the move. He can't crawl and can't even sit up that well yet but he'll steamroll right over anything or anyone to get what he wants.

We take him for his check up right after the new year at which point I'll record his stats. But know this... he's big.

He is a chill and easy going baby but if there is something he wants he just dives for it. His dive list includes anything shiny like a glass, bottle, or iphone. I can't blame him I'd take a dive for some shiny stuff too.

Although we haven't see any teeth yet I know he' s teething. I've felt a little bump and he is chewing on everything. He even has a rash on his chin from all the slobber.

He still sleeps with use and wakes us about twice during the night. I'd like to get him to sleep in his bed but this house is so cold at night. I've yet to find a way to keep him warm at night. (We've been using a sleep sack but he's still so cold.)

He's also discovered his tongue.

Grown-Up Mac n Cheese at Noodles & Co.

2011-12-19T10:18:00.002-05:00

When winter rolls around I want comfort food and nothing is more comforting than macaroni and cheese. Noodles & Co offers seasonal Grown Up Mac that is sophisticated yet comforting. We recently visited our local Noodles & Co to try out these delicious flavors.

They have 3 gourmet Mac n Cheese selections Bacon, Mac and Cheeseburger, Chili Mac and Truffle Mac with Baby Portabellas. I think my personal favorite is the Chili Mac, it's the perfect combonation of my two favorite winter meals Chili and Macaroni and Cheese. Of course the Bacon, Mac and Cheeseburger is a pretty close second, I mean there's bacon in my macaroni and cheese! Joe love the Truffle Mac with Baby Portabellas, I didn't care for that one because I don't like mushrooms. And Jude, well, he liked all of them.

I love Noodles & Co because they always offer a well balanced meal and have something for everyone. I also really like that they offer organic milk for the kids. Jude loves to get chocolate milk when we are out and it makes me feel better giving him organic milk.

If you want to try the Grown Up Mac you better hurry because it's only for a limited time. (Ends Dec. 30th)

I received the feature product, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

smartecard Review

2011-12-16T16:18:00.002-05:00

My family has been extremely sick for the past 2 weeks. First it was the boys with colds and general ickiness and then I had a cracked molar that require immediate attention and now both Joe and I have pink eye and I have strep throat. So to say I'm a little behind in my holiday preparations is an understatement. So when I finally had a few moments to sit down at the computer the first thing I did was create a quick holiday greeting to send to our family and friends using smartecard just to let them know we are all still alive and some-what well.

smartecards is a quick and easy way to send online greetings to your family and friends. smartecard is fairly easy to use. I think it it would be ideal especially for older generations. There are a limited number of very basic designs in which you just add your images, text and select your music and email your card to whomever you want to include in your address book. It's pretty straightforward.

smartecard is probably not going to appeal to those that are looking for stylish or creative holiday greetings. I was a little disappointed with the lack of customization there was but I think I have a am a little more tech savvy than my grandmother. However, the main goal of smartecard is to raise money for charitable organizations. See, everytime you make a $1 donation to one of their many pre-approved charities you gain 1 credit to send 1 e-card. So not only are you donating to a worth cause but you are saving the environment too by sending an online greeting card. There are a few glitches in the site but hopefully over time they will iron those out and it will be a great tool to raise money for a good cause.

Here is our holiday greeting. I received several emails from family and friends that loved the pictures we sent them.

I received the feature product, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Great Giveaway Links

2011-12-15T00:16:00.001-05:00

Watching my Weight with the Zero Scale

2011-12-14T12:17:00.001-05:00

The past few months I've been trying to really watch my diet and exercise more. See both of my parents and grandmother have diabetes and I know that I'll be very likely to get it if I don't watch myself. I have a hard time losing weight from my pregnancies so I have to be very conscious about it. But I really dread getting on the scale.

I know how much I weight and I hate being reminded of it which is why I really like the Zero Scale. The Zero Scale helps me to stay focused on the amount of weight I've lost rather than the total amount I weigh. The Zero scale is unique in that it has settings for different users so Joe and I can track our weight loss and gain separately but on the same scale. The Zero Scale allows me to keep track of my weight loss and gain on a daily basis. It secretly stores my initial weight and each time thereafter it only tells me the difference in weight gain or loss. It also tracks the number of days I've been tracking my weight and the last time I checked in. But just in case I want to know how much I actually weight there is a setting that lets me see my total weight.

Note the picture above. It says that in the last 17 days I've lost 6.2lbs. Not bad. It also tells me how much weight I've lost or gained since the last time I weighed myself. I keep it in my bathroom so I can weigh myself every few days before I shower. It keeps me motivated to see the amount lost instead of my total weight. Plus, I don't have to do the math in my head to figure out if I'm doing well or chart my weight to remember what I weighed 3 weeks ago. Now I can focus on manageable increments and not get bogged down with that total number. I honestly don't mind weighing myself anymore.

Connect: Like the ZeroScale on Facebook

I received the feature product, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Under the Weather

2011-12-14T12:14:00.002-05:00

All the Liebs are sick this week. Both Joe and I have pink eye. Jude and Noah have colds. I also have a virus complete with chills, fever and sore throat. We are on the mend but laying pretty low in the time being. I'll eventually get around to posting some new stuff but for now I'm spending most of days laying in bed or cuddling a sick baby.

My Emergency Trip to the Dentist

2011-12-09T15:50:00.001-05:00

So I spent my Friday sitting in a dentist chair. Luckily, it was a really comfortable dentist chair with massage and heat.

For the past few weeks I've had some on and off tooth pain. So I went to the dentist last week, a dentist that was recommended to us by one of Joe's co-workers. Well, instead of addressing my complaint of tooth pain they just did a routine cleaning, some X-rays and said the soonest they could do a filling was the end of December. So I went home pretty bummed and still in pain. I thought I might be able to ride it out until last night.

The boys have been sick this week and I've caught their cold. My lack of sleep plus the sinus congestion just aggravated my already sore tooth. Most of last night I spent awake and in pain. I took some Aleve, used Anbesol and applied ice to my face and nothing provided any comfort. I got a little rest sitting almost straight up but between the pain and the sick, fussy baby I was pretty worn out. I spent my awake time looking up dentists, turns out most of them are closed on friday. I found a few "emergency" dental places that claimed to be open but when I called I discovered they were actually closed on fridays. So this morning I called a place that, even though they were booked, would see me.

I went in at 11:30 knowing I'd have to wait a bit as they worked around their regular patients to see me. The dentist office was amazing, most beautiful dentist office I've seen. It looked like a ski lodge. See, this is the lobby.

I was there for almost 4 hours but I don't care because I just want my tooth to feel better. Plus the place was so nice. They had heated, massage patient chairs. A jelly fish tank in my exam room and my own personal tv above my chair.

So I watched 4 hours of HGTV. Turns out one of my molars decided to crack in half. So they had to do a temporary crown and I have to go back after Christmas to get my permanent crown. It all cost a pretty penny, even with insurance. But remember that insurance money we got back from Noah's birth... well now we know what to do with it. funny how that works.

I'm currently can't feel my face but I'm ok with that. If I never have to experience the pain I felt last night it will be too soon. (And I had 2 babies naturally)

Sad Sick Baby = One Tired Mama

2011-12-08T10:12:00.000-05:00

Our family is passing around a cold and it's no fun for anyone, especially me. Last week Jude was Mr. Sicky and while it briefly slowed him down he usually just gets mean when he is sick. He hurts and gets mad about it. So his regular 3-year-old tantrums where off the charts. Thankfully, he was only sick for a few days and the tantrums are fewer.

This baby is sick... I know he looks so happy and cute... but he's sick.

Then a few days ago baby Noah caught the cold and has been so pitiful. Tuesday night he woke up every 30 minutes then finally fell asleep about 5 am. I got about 2 hours of sleep. He slept most of the day yesterday. I was exhausted but had to care for Jude. I planned to go to bed early last night but Noah had other plans. He was super fussy and didn't fall asleep until after midnight. So last night we both slept for about 4 hours before he got stuffy and upset. So I've been up since about 4 am. I finally got him back to sleep at 7am just in time for Jude to wake up. So goes the life of a mom.

Alas, all of this craziness has resulted in my catching this cold. However, there is relief in sight. Joe is taking the day off tomorrow. So while I will still be responsible for caring for Noah, Joe can keep Jude occupied while I snuggle up with the baby and sleep in my warm, cozy bed. Motherhood has it's perks.

Great Giveaway Links

2011-12-08T00:52:00.001-05:00

How Do You Feed A Hungry Giant Childrens Book Review

2011-12-07T19:28:00.001-05:00

Jude likes books a lot but he really LOVES pop-up/interactive books like HOW DO YOU FEED A HUNGRY GIANT by Caitlin Freedman and illustrated by Shaw Nielson. This is a fun book about a little boy named Oscar that befriends a hungry giant.

The story is about a little boy helping to feed a lonely, hungry giant he finds sitting in his backyard. Oscar has a big heart and so does his mother...and at no point are they scared by the giant’s size. I used this story and Oscar’s instinct to help to talk to my kids about the opportunities they have in their day to help those around them. I also talked to them about thinking a little bigger...yes, you can help the boy in your class pour his milk AND you can help a boy you have never met by donating a can of food. If you are lucky enough to have what you need then you have a responsibility to help those that don’t.

- Author Caitlin Freedman

I really love this story, the way in which this book is written really sounds like a child is telling you the story. It's such a sweet story about a boy who wants to help out his new friend. Oscar's dog, Cowgirl adds a bit of humor with her inner-dog-monologue. Also, the interactive parts of the book is very creative. I won't spoil it for you. You should just go ahead and get the book to find out how it ends. This really is a fun book that provides a great way for parents to address a sometimes difficult topic.

And just in case you encounter a hungry giant here is a recipe for a Pizza-size Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Pizza-Size Chocolate Chip Cookie
Vegetable Oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 14-inch pizza pan with vegetable oil and set it aside.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
3. In another mixing bowl, beat the butter, both sugars, and vanilla together until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, beating until well blended.
5. Stir in the chocolate and peanut butter chips.
6. Spread the dough in the prepared pizza pan, pulling it
and folding over the edges to make a rim.
7. Bake until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Let the cookie cool slightly and then cut it into wedges to serve.

I received the feature product, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Happy Hallmark Christmas

2011-12-06T13:01:00.004-05:00

Jude has been asking for a Star Wars Christmas tree for weeks now. I was happy to let him know that I could totally make that happen. As many of you know Joe is a Star Wars fanatic, therefore over 80% of the ornaments on our Christmas tree are Hallmark Star Wars Ornaments. Here are a few of our favorite Hallmark Ornaments...

We are slightly addicted to Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments. Now that our family is growing we've started the tradition of getting a new ornament each year that defines our family.

When Jude was born in 2008 we got the Very Hungry Caterpillar ornament. I think it might be one of my favorites

Last year we got the In The Groove - Magic Tapper Snoopy Ornament. Jude loves Peanuts and he just adores this ornament. This year, Hallmark sent us the 'Twas the Month Before Christmas Count Down Ornament. Each day you turn the dial on the bottom to the current date and a new bit of story about the preparation for Christmas is narrated. It's a great way to build excitement for the coming holiday. (Like kids need help getting excited for Christmas.)

Hallmark also sent us a Storybook Buddy, Watson. Storybook Buddies are awesome, they are plush interactive animals that chime in as you and your little one read key phrases from the coordinating book. Jude loves Watson and his book, The Case of Sneaky Stealer. I also like Watson, he's cute and has fun commentary that compliments the story in the book. Watson does have a little trouble understanding my 3 year old but he does very well recognizing the key phrases when I say them. Hallmark also has a special Christmas Storybook Buddy, Jingle the Husky Pup.

SAVE: 20% off personalized greetings (minimum purchase $20) at www.hallmark.com. Use the code: SOCIAL20 (valid 11/1/11 – 1/1/12)

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win the same Hallmark products I reviewed.
'Twas the Month Before Christmas Ornament
StoryBook Buddies and Book

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling me your favorite ornament on your Christmas tree.

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "#Win a Hallmark Ornament and Storybook Buddy via @bkeepsushonest 12/15 http://tinyurl.com/7ey2ctf #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 12.15 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

I received the feature products free from Hallmark. However, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Stocking Stuffer for Preschool Kids: Infantion HappiTaps iPhone App & Toy

2011-12-05T07:13:00.002-05:00

Jude loves to play with my iPhone but he's only allowed to play with it on special occasions so I try to make it a big deal. I love that there are so many educational games for kids available on the iPhone. Companies like Infantino realize the need for fun and educational games created specifically for kids on the iPhone and that's why they created HappiTaps.

HappiTaps turns your smartphone into a huggable, interactive toy for young children. Simply place your phone into the plush bear shaped case, download the HappiTaps app and your kids will experience an interactive, lovable companion.

I downloaded the app and put my iPhone into the bear case and Jude was completely wowed. He sat mesmerized for almost an hour play with all of the different features of Beary Happi. His favorite feature of the app was feeding Beary. I really like that you can put Beary to sleep by laying him down and wake him up by picking him up, it really is a uniquely interactive toy. There are a lot of free features to the app but there are several upgrade that cost money but are still relatively inexpensive. I like that the Bear case gives my phone a bit of added protection while Jude is playing with it, I fear he will break my phone while he is playing with it so this is a great way to easy my worries.

I think the HappiTaps app and Beary Happi case would make for a wonderful stocking stuffer for any preschool kid. Not only do they get to play with the coolest new interactive toy but they get to play with mama or dada's iPhone!

Buy: You can purchase the HappiTaps Beary Happy case online and download the HappiTaps app in the iTunes store.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Infantino HappiTaps and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Relief from your Migraine with Excedrin Migraine

2011-12-04T10:42:00.002-05:00

Did you know that about 12% of American adults suffer from migraines. Migraines can be debilitating and as a busy mom of 2 young children I can't afford to be out of commission. I've suffered from migraines several times in my adult life and I can tell you they are no fun.

Migraines can be triggered by various elements that may differ from person to person. Some of the most common causes of migraines include diet and stress. Most doctors will recommend you keep a migraine diary to keep track of potential triggers and patterns related to your migraines. I think most of my migraines are a combination of stress and diet and maybe occasionally weather changes. I tend to have more migraines in the fall especially when I eat too many sugars or carbohydrates. However, what triggers your migraines may be vastly different than what triggers mine.

If you suffer from migraines here a few tips from Excedrin that may help prevent or alleviate migraines.

Keep a Migraine Diary. Track the food you eat when migraines occur, duration of migraines, type of pain, amount of sleep, etc.
Aerobic exercise has been shown to make an appreciable difference in reducing migraines and promoting a general sense of well-being. Even if you walk only 15 to 20 minutes.
Drinking plenty of water will help you keep hydrated and can help prevent the frequency of migraine incidents.
When migraine pain does set in, consider finding a quiet place to rest, applying a cool compress to the back of your neck.
Talk with your doctor about an over-the-counter pain reliever like Excedrin® Migraine, which starts to relieve migraine pain in 30 minutes.
More tips from Excedrin to prevent and treat migraines

I've found when I take preventative measure like drink plenty of water, get exercise and eat healthy the number of migraines I get is drastically reduced. But on those occasions when I do get them I find that a simple over-the-counter pain reliever like Excedrin Migraine offers quick relief to help get be back taking care of my family.

If you suffer from migraines try out the tips listed above and most importantly see your doctor to learn if a product like Excedrin Migraine might be right for you.

LEARN

Learn more about migraines and Excedrin Migraine on the Excedrine Migraine Facebook page.

SAVE:

Use this Excedrin Coupon to save $1 off your purchase

GIVEAWAY

Win - Three lucky readers will win a Excedrin Migraine Relaxation Basket.

Gift Basket includes:

A therapeutic neck wrap that can be heated or frozen
Swarovski Crystal Ear Buds to listen to relaxing music
A soothing gel eye mask
$15 iTunes gift card to purchase relaxing tunes
$50 American Express gift card for additional stress-free needs
Foot massager
Back massager

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling if you or someone you know suffer from migraines AND how you relieve or prevent migraines.

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "#Win an Excedrin Migraine Relaxation Basket via @bkeepsushonest 12/13 http://tinyurl.com/c4jp3zv #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 12.13 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

This is a sponsored post. Migraine relief and relaxation kit were provided by Novartis Consumer Healthcare, the makers of Excedrin® Migraine; my journey for a migraine free experience is my own.

Holiday Christmas Cards with Tiny Prints

2011-12-02T17:42:00.000-05:00

On Saturday we had our family photos taken, specifically with Christmas Cards in mind. I love photo Christmas Cards. What I think makes a great photo Christmas Card is a picture that captures the life and personality of your family and a card design to match.

I always look to Tiny Prints for not only great card designs but photo inspiration. For instance I love the Elfish Joy card design but the picture gives it that extra wow factor.

The card and photo designs are inspiring me to be more creative with my photographs and Christmas giving. I love it! The pictures we took over the weekend are fun, laid back, outdoor pictures of the boys. I'm looking for a great design to compliment the pictures. I think I'm leaning toward one of these designs.

Tiny Prints has a great variety of designs and a great site that allows you to filter out your specifications very easily. I really love the Favorites feature at the bottom of the page which allows you to bookmark your favorite designs so you can easily go back and find them to make your final decision.

I'm really looking forward to using the pictures we just had taken for our Christmas cards this year. I know that Tiny Prints will do a great job and our family and friends are sure to love the cards.

I received the featured product however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Raising a Spirited Child: Personality vs Discipline

2011-12-02T09:26:00.004-05:00

Before I had kids I thought I would be a great discipliner of my children. I would say NO and they would have a great fear and respect for me and immediately listen and obey. HAHAHA. Oh boy, I was soooo wrong. Now when I tell Jude NO he looks at me and laughs. I thought that maybe my stern face wasn't scary enough but then I remembered I look like my dad and everyone that sees my dad immediately trembles. (That's just how he looks, he's really a nice guy.)

What is it about disciplining your own child that can be so difficult?

As Jude's personality started to develop Joe and I realized that we were in for a ride. While both Joe and I are very laid-back, introverted people Jude is the complete opposite. He demands attention and has never met a stranger. He is the quintessential "spirited" child.

For awhile Joe and I struggled to wrangle this crazy child as we learned which discipline techniques do and do not work for him. We are finally starting to make advances with him but this journey has been challenging. Challenging to the point where I dreaded the thought of taking him out in public. I was convinced we didn't get invited to events because of Jude. I began to compare myself to other mothers and compare Jude to their children. I would secretly pray that moms with easy going children would be "blessed" with a "spirited" child so they would understand how I felt. I felt that every time we went somewhere people were judging me and assuming that my wild child was the result of not enough discipline. (I felt like I was being judged because before I had kids I was a judge.) I cried and prayed and asked God why. Why was I blessed with a "spirited" child?

I decided that he needed MORE discipline and STRONGER punishments but the more I pushed, the harder he pushed back. After several months of complete turmoil I wanted to call it quits. I threw in the towel and declared that was his personality and there was NOTHING we could do about it. But I knew in my heart that he needed to be discipline, he longed for it and I needed to find that secret formula that worked for him. So I decided to do wipe the slate clean and start from scratch. I decided to play opposite day. I met his tantrums with soft quiet voices. I tried to speak peacefully even when I was enraged. I got down on his level, made him look me in the eye and spoke loving words of discipline to him and his reaction was astounding. He was calmed and receptive to my quietness. Before I'd been trying to strong-arm him, force my will upon him but he is a unique individual that needs loads of encouragement. While he may be wild and crazy he has a tender little heart. The results of positive praise were amazingly different than when we tried to sternly rebuke him.

We still use stern voices when needed but most of the time he just needs a little encouragement. Encouragement to do the right thing. Encouragement to accept our discipline. So I've become his biggest cheerleader. I praise him when he does what's right. To often we only rebuke for what is done wrong and don't give credit when things are done right. I encourage him to apologize, ask for forgiveness and make things right when he's done wrong. I encourage him that he can do the right thing and that he knows how.

But I'm learning. I'm learning how to teach my "spirited" child to behave appropriately, to discipline him according to his needs. I'm learning that what works for other moms won't always work for us. I'm learning to NOT compare myself to other moms and NOT compare Jude to other kids. I'm learning that it's OK for my son to be a crazy boy sometimes. I'm learning that his personality is beautiful and is what makes him so very special, I wouldn't want him any other way. His energy and spirit are vibrate. He's a flame that refuses to be put out.

While we still have difficult days I wouldn't trade him for an "easy-going" child in a million years. I love being the parent of a "spirited" child. (If I tell you differently I'm just stressed out.)

Our At Home Coffee Shop

2011-12-01T07:01:00.004-05:00

When I met Joe he was a barista at a local coffee place. He loves coffee almost as much as he loves Star Wars, but not as much as he loves me. I however do NOT love coffee. In fact, I hate it. I've tried a variety of different flavors and brews but I just don't like it. However, over the course of 6 years being with my husband and frequenting coffee shops I have found a few favorites most of which involve hazelnut syrup.

We have a pretty sweet at home coffee set up, complete with espresso machine and all the bells and whistles. You will never find a pod coffee maker in our home, NEVER. Joe only allows the finest coffees and accessories in our home and Torani is his choice flavoring brand.

Joe makes a mean hazelnut hot chocolate that I just can't get enough of. He also makes a really good hazelnut steamer which is a quick and easy warm drink for cold winter nights. I love anything hazelnut so it's not hard to win me over with a hazelnut drink but I have yet to find a drink that matches his hot chocolate and steamer made with Torani's Hazelnut Syrup.

I think many women would love to have their own personal barista to make them fancy lattes and cappuccinos. It's sad really, that I don't like coffee.

SAVE: Use the code: "shespeaks" and save 10% off your Torani purchase.

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win a coupon for a FREE bottle of Torani syrup (any flavor).

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Visit Torani and leave a comment with a flavor you would like to try.

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "#Win a FREE @_Torani_ coupon from @bkeepsushonest 12/12 http://tinyurl.com/d65q3rw @shespeaksup #SSTorani #giveaway"

I received the featured product from SheSpeaks and Torani. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Great Giveaway Links

2011-12-01T00:14:00.002-05:00

Preschool Christmas Craft: A lot of Learning Packed in One Easy Project

2011-11-30T11:02:00.001-05:00

Now that it is December we have shifted or daily learning time from our Fall Preschool Projects to Christmas projects. I started our Christmas projects with a Count-down to Christmas Paper Chain. We made a decorative fall paper chain that Jude loved so I thought we needed a Christmas chain.

What I love about the Count-Down to Christmas Paper Chain is that it offers many valuable teaching moments.

1. Color Recognition - I've been teaching colors to Jude and I am beginning to see my efforts pay off. We used RED and GREEN construction paper both of which he very easily identified.

2. Pattern Learning - I started our chain with an alternating RED and GREEN pattern then let Jude take over. He picked up on the pattern immediately and made sure to keep it going.

3. Dexterity - After I showed Jude how to loop the paper links together he was very intent on doing it himself. I enjoyed watching him skillfully feed each paper through the loop.

4. Counting and Number Recognition - After we assembled our chain we counted the loops and wrote the corresponding number on each loop. Jude has been able to count to 20 for a while but we ventured up to 26 and he did pretty well.

5. Time and Waiting - Each day we will break a link off of the chain until we have counted down to Christmas morning. Before I had kids I never though about having to teach someone the concept of "tomorrow" or "waiting" but kids don't immediately understand waiting or the idea of a day. I hoping this will give Jude a little better handle on the concept of time.

It's amazing how one simple project can teach so many different skills to a child.

MAKE IT

Make your own Count-Down to Christmas Paper Chain

Supplies:

Construction Paper - I used Red and Green

Scissors

Tape

Marker

Instructions:

Step 1 - Cut the paper into 1 inch strips (approximate - I just eyeball it)

Step 2 - Make a circle with the paper and tape the ends together.

Step 3 - Loop the next piece of paper through the 1st link and tape ends together.

Step 4 - Continue looping paper through and add tape to ends until chain is complete

Step 5 - Count out loud number of link on the chain.

Step 6 - Write the corresponding numbers on each link. (You can do this before the chain is assembled to make it easier to write.)

Step 7 - Hang up your chain and start counting down till Christmas.

Each day until Christmas break off 1 link in the chain.

Super Simple. Super Fun.

Father and Son Playing Catch {Wordless Wednesday}

2011-11-30T08:31:00.000-05:00

Building Creativity with Lincoln Logs

2011-11-29T07:49:00.000-05:00

There is this old Lincoln Log set at my parents house that is Jude's favorite thing to play with when we visit. Although there are many pieces missing and the circular cardboard container has seen better days he will spend hours building. He and Grandma building castles, houses, farms, tall towers, pretty much anything they can imagine.

The Lincoln Logs belonged to my brother and I. I remember building many great building with that set. Lincoln Logs are more than wood, they are imagination in a can. I wanted to become an architect for many years because of Lincoln Logs and understandably so since they were created by John Lloyd Wright the son of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

K'Nex makes Lincoln Logs just like you remember, every log is made from real wood. They sent us their Fort Hudson set which includes 70 pieces including a frontiersman. We gave Jude the set as a reward for filling up his potty chart (he's potty training) and he was completely thrilled. Every day he asks to building something with his Lincoln Logs. He loves them so much that we are considering getting him another set for Christmas so he can build more buildings and expand his creativity.

I look forward to the day when I will play Lincoln Logs with my grand children, a few pieces will be missing and the box will be tattered and torn but the creativity will be fresh and new.

I received the featured product however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Teaching Kids to Give: Simple as a Box of Cereal

2011-11-27T16:54:00.004-05:00

I've been trying to teach Jude different ways to give and that the holidays are about more than receiving presents. Last week we bought a gift for our the angel tree as part of the Teaching Kids to Give series and this week we mailed a post card to the USO through the Cheerios Cheer program.

Jude eats Cheerios for breakfast almost every day so I thought this was an extremely applicable way to teach him about sharing joy and cheer to our military families across the US. We cut out the specially designed postcard, wrote a small message and mailed it to the USO. Giving can be something as small as a postcard.

Now through November, 2011 at your local grocer, specially-marked boxes of Cheerios cereal will feature Cheer postcards on the front of the box. Simply cut out the postcard from the Cheerios logo, write a message of thanks on the back, add a stamp and mail the pre-addressed card to the USO. The USO will deliver the Cheer card to military families across the country. For each postcard received through November 2012, Cheerios will make a $1 donation to the USO to help fund programs that support military families. To kick off the campaign, Cheerios has already donated $150,000 to the USO and will donate up to an additional $100,000 based upon the number of postcards received from specially marked boxes now through November 30th, 2012.

Connect:
Like Cheerios Cheer on Facebook

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win a Cheerios Prize Pack. (including: 1 Cheerios cereal bowl, 1 Cheerios cereal spoon, 1 cereal dispenser, 1 “Cheer” box of Cheerios)

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling a way you teach your kids to give-back.

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "#Win a Cheerios #Cheer Pack via @bkeepsushonest 12/5 http://tinyurl.com/7knreto #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 12.5 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

Disclosure: Cheerios cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

First Date Anniversary Date

2011-11-26T20:29:00.002-05:00

Every year on the day after Thanksgiving Joe and I celebrate our First Date by going to the same restaurant we went on our first date. We reminisce, laugh and talk about how far we've come. I think I like First Date Anniversary more than Thanksgiving.

The First Date

In 2005 on the day after Thanksgiving Joe and I had our first date. Neither of us knew if it was a date but by the end of the night I think we both knew we'd be seeing each other again. At the time Joe was in between leases (I like to say he was homeless) and sleeping on a friend's couch. So we ate dinner down the street at the Jade Garden, a little Chinese place just down the street. We were the only people in the restaurant and as awkward as first dates are ours was even more awkward as the waiter sat at the table beside us, rolled napkins and eavesdropped. When our meal was over and the waiter brought us the check Joe, still uncertain of the "date" status asked, "what do you want to do about the check." Not really knowing what to do I paid for myself and he paid for himself.

After dinner we walked back to the apartment where he was staying and decided to watch a movie. (The residents of the apartment were out of town for Thanksgiving.) We decided to watch The Big Lebowski. Joe sat on the end of the couch and I sat next to him, that is the moment he realized it was a date! We watched the movie, held hands and have been together ever since.

First Date Anniversary - 6 Years Later

Last night we took our annual date to the Jade Garden. I think we even had the same waiter that we had 6 years ago, although he didn't sit and watch us eat this time. (It's a family owned business)

We had a special coupon so we ordered way too much food and tried a few new things. Joe took the liberty of ordering all of our food.

Just like our first date, we were the only people in the restaurant.

We started off the evening with fried spring rolls. Our usual.

For our 2nd Appetizer we had fried dumplings - this was new for both of us. We liked them!

Then we had wonton soup as a starter. YUM! I love the crunchy noodles.

Then our entrees arrived... all 3 of them! Mongolian Beef - my favorite and the same thing I ordered 6 years ago!

Mandarin Chicken - something new for both of us.

And Pan Fried Noodles - Also something new

Of course we had to get a few to go boxes.

And this time Joe paid.

We had an awesome time, even our fortune cookie was awesome.

After dinner instead of watching The Big Lebowski on his friend's couch we went to Target to get a few Christmas present for the boys. It was a pretty perfect evening. I really do love spending time with my husband and I hope we continue the tradition of the First Date Anniversary date for many years to come.

Noah Ahser - Month Five

2011-11-25T22:39:00.002-05:00

So I'm a little late with this month's post. We had family in town and then the holiday craziness. But alas, Noah did turn 5 months old on November 18th.

STATS

Weight: 21 lbs

Eats: only breast milk

Clothing Size: 12-18 mo

Skills: Rolling pro, working out his abs trying to sit up, great with his hands, smiles galore

Sleep: Still co-sleeps, Wakes up about twice a night. He's a big cuddler.

This kid is so happy and giggly. He greets me each morning with a huge smile. He is also super ticklish - it's awesome!

He's really into putting everything and anything he can find into his mouth. I haven't started him on solids yet because I want to wait until he can sit up on his own. Plus once you start solids there's no going back... he'll just get bigger too.

Teaching Kids to Give: Our Angel

2011-11-23T14:06:00.002-05:00

We are members at our local YMCA and each year they have a tree angel program that gives needy children the opportunity to have a special Christmas. I thought this would be a great way for Jude to participate and to learn about giving.

I let him pick the angel off the tree and hand it in to the front desk so we could get the information for our angel. The angel we picked was a 1 year old little girl. The program requires that you purchase a complete outfit and 1 gift.

He was very excited to pick an ornament and after we got our information I sat down and explained to him, "not all little boys and girls get to have a big Christmas like you do. They don't have all the toys you do, they don't have cool Charlie Brown t-shirts like yours and don't get to eat yummy fruit snacks." (explaining things to a 3-year old can be tricky sometimes.) I told him, "we are going to go to the store to buy a special gift for a special little girl so she can have a very happy Christmas." Then I asked him, "do you want to help me pick out a special present for this little girl?" He enthusiastically replied, "YES!"

So a few days later we went to Target together to pick out the perfect gift for our little girl. He helped me pick out some cute clothes, a fun toy and book. Then we went home and wrapped up the presents and he colored some special pictures for our angel.

Later that day when we returned to the YMCA he helped me carry in our packages and turn them in to the front desk. He proudly proclaimed to the desk attendants, "We got a present for a little girl." He was so proud to give them his gift. He was bouncing all over the place with a huge smile on his face. The rest of the day he told everyone he met that he had given a gift to a little girl. Of course, they had no idea what he was talking about but he was beaming.

I was so proud to see him giving with a joyful heart. Each step of the way I tried to take a few minutes to explain what we were doing and why. I don't know if he fully understands the concept just yet but I love that he has such a giving spirit.

Do you and your kid actively participate in any charity events during the holidays?

How do you teach your kids to give-back?

Getting Insurance to Pay for a Home Birth: UPDATE, THEY PAID!

2011-11-22T08:27:00.000-05:00

So yesterday we got a check in the mail for almost $3000 as reimbursement from our health insurance providers for Noah's home birth. I was completely shocked since last time I spoke with a representative from our insurance they pretty much said, NO we will NOT be able to process your claim.

After the insurance told us NO we were in the process of talking with Joe's HR department when we got the check. We hadn't filed an official claim with HR yet so I'm not sure if they actually intervened yet or not. I do know I talked with several different, very helpful, representatives with our insurance that were working on our behalf to get us paid. So maybe someone was able to work their magic. Either way we are extremely happy.

You can read the ongoing story of how we got Insurance to Pay for Our Home Birth here.

We have learned a lot through this process and I have a better idea of what to do next time around if needed.

Here are a few tips on what to do if you are planning to have a home birth and file with insurance:

1. Do Your Research - Speak to insurance reps to confirm your policy coverage. Speak with the HR rep at your company to confirm what the insurance reps claim to be your policy. And if possible get it in writing.

2. Have a Plan - Pursue one route first and then have alternate routes to pursue if you reach a dead end. Not only do your research about your policy but do research about the laws in your state regarding insurance coverage of home births. Connect with local home birth advocacy groups to learn the best way to file your claim or file an appeal for a rejected claim. You may not have to use all of the information you obtain but it's good to have a plan just in case.

3. Document - Keep every paper they give you regarding your claim. Write down every call reference number. Get the names of the representatives you talk with on the phone. If you have clear documentation you can make a solid claim.

4. Be Persistent - Know that no one actually WANTS to give you money so they may be vague and cryptic in their correspondence with you. Keep calling and asking for detail explanations and instructions. Don't give up if you get a NO.

5. Be Nice - Kill them with Kindness. Being Ugly won't get you very far. Understand that most of the reps you speak with don't have the real power to change weather or not you get approved. Save your mean voice as a last resort.

I'm not 100% sure what happened that made our insurance change their minds and pay us. I think it was a combination of our persistence, willingness to work nicely with the representatives and their lack of written documentation to back up their claims. Either way I am extremely happy with the outcome. Yay Home Birth!

Teaching Kids to Give - Thanks AND Giving

2011-11-21T08:57:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving is on Thursday and while it's never been one of my favorite holidays (I don't care for most of the traditional holiday food.) I think this is the perfect time to start teaching Jude about giving. We have so many things to be Thankful for and I think one of the best ways we can express our thankfulness is to give back. I take for granted so many things in my life. Things I think I am "owed" or "deserve", things that many other people would see as a luxury. Giving-back not only reminds me of how fortunate I am to have the life I have but it teaches me that even when I think I have very little to give I actually have an overabundance.

I want to teach these same principles to my kids. I want them to look at the holiday season as more than just a time to receive presents and eat too much. But when I sat down to think about HOW I would teach them I came up a little short.

I started to ask around to other moms about how they teach their children to give.

Here are a few great posts by moms who are teaching their children to be givers:

Teaching Kids The Spirit of Giving

Above All Else Is Charity

Lessons in Caring, Part One: Generosity

Birthday Wish: A Celebration of Water

I think most importantly I found that the first step in teaching your child to be a giver is to be a giver yourself. Children learn by example and if you are giving-back they will learn that giving-back is the norm.

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing the ways that I am teaching my 3 year old to give. Even though he is only 3 years old I don't think he is too young to understand giving, in fact I think this is the perfect time to teach him to give.

PARTICIPATE

I would love to hear about the ways you teach your family to give. If you have a story of giving or blog post please email me (jessica@thebkeepsushonest.com) and I would love to share it here on my blog.

I think sharing stories of giving is a great way to encourage others to give.

Our Trip to Charlotte in Pictures

2011-11-17T08:09:00.002-05:00

Last week we took a mini-vacation to Charlotte, NC. Joe grew up there so we visited some old friends, ate too much and shopped at IKEA (I'll save the details of our purchases for another post). We had a fabulous time, here are a few pictures to prove it.

A little coffee (chocolate milk) and work (games) on the road.

Playing chess at a coffee shop while dad refuels and hangs out with his high school buddy Mike.

My delicious lunch from The Cowfish - sushi AND a burger AND sweet potato fries!

Jude's "sushi" (AKA PB&J) roll from The Cowfish.

Noah took a lot of naps.

Joe gives The Cowfish a thumbs up.

Owner of The Cowfish, Marcus Hall gave Jude and Noah a special gift, The Legend of the Cowfish.

A random nice lady gave us this awesome coupon outside of IKEA.

Yes! I worked out in the hotel's "fitness center" It was like 100 degrees in there and the equipment was from the late 80's but they had cable!

This is Noah's "I'm over IKEA" face.

I can't wait till they open a Cowfish in Raleigh.

Mini-Vacations are the best!

Great Giveaway Links

2011-11-17T00:07:00.002-05:00

Buy Your Favorite General Mills Products and Receive FREE Milk from Kroger

2011-11-16T08:40:00.001-05:00

We are Cheerios addicts. Every morning when Jude wakes up he asks for Cheerios and Juice. With Kroger's current promotion I can buy a month's worth of Cheerios and get FREE milk to go along with it. Now we can eat Cheerios for breakfast, lunch and dinner if we so choose. I know Jude will be pleased to have an overflow of Cheerios and I am pleased with the great deal.

Kroger Free Milk Deal: Between November 13th and November 26th when you purchase any four participating General Mills products, you will either receive free milk (up to $3; limit of 2) or to receive $3 off your shopping order.*

Some of your the participating General Mills products are Cheerios, Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies, Nature Valley Bars and Fiber One Bars.

CONNECT

Kroger Facebook
@KrogerTwitter

Excludes General Mills meal and baking products including; Betty Crocker, Old El Paso, Progresso, Hamburger Helper, Macaroni Grill, Wanchai Ferry, Yoplait

*Promotion varies based on store location; check your local Kroger store for details (Cash Offer: Mid South, Delta, Mid Atlantic, SW Louisiana stores, Central Missouri stores and Dillons Missouri stores)

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win a $25 Kroger Gift Card. (Good at any Kroger Co. Family of Stores)

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling which 4 General Mills products you would purchase.

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "#Win a $25 @KrogerTwitter Gift Card via @bkeepsushonest 11/25 http://tinyurl.com/7svjjrt #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 11.25 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own.

The Tiny Blogger {Wordless Wednesday}

2011-11-16T08:08:00.002-05:00

Teaching the 3 year old colors and shapes with Goosie Cards {Giveaway}

2011-11-15T07:56:00.002-05:00

At this point in his life Jude is a little sponge absorbing information all the time. It amazes me how quickly he can learn something and recite it weeks later. However, there are a few things that challenge him like learning his colors. I'm not sure why he has a hard time remembering his colors, I think it might be all the different variations of one color that throw him. (We've even tested to see if he is colorblind, which he is not.)

Goosie Cards offered me the opportunity to review some of their personalized flash cards so I thought I would design some to help him learn his colors. While I was looking at the site he saw the pre-designed colors and shapes cards and proclaimed he wanted those cards. So I decided to order the pre-designed cards since I knew he would already like them, plus it saved me a little work!

The cards are very nice. They are thick laminated cards that display the image and title of your choosing. He knows has mastered the shapes and is still working on the colors. I think this will be a very effective and fun for him to learn his colors. The key to having flash cards be effective is repetition so I'm planning to work them into our daily routine along with some of Kristy's great tips on teaching colors to kids.

ORDER

Goosie Cards has partnered with Walgreens Photos so you can order your cards online at Goosie Cards Walgreens.

SAVE

Use the code "goobkeep15" to save 15% off your order.

CONNECT

Like Goosie Cards on Facebook

Follow @GoosieCards on Twitter

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win a Signature Collection 10-Card Set from Goosie Cards.

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling me what kind of flash cards you would design.

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest and @Goosiecards on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "#Win a set of personalized flash cards from @Goosiecards via @bkeepsushonest 11/20 http://tinyurl.com/83dhyk2 #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 11.20 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

This product review was made possible by the Double Duty Divas. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Goosie. All opinions are 100% mine.

Tips for Traveling with Small Children

2011-11-14T09:25:00.001-05:00

This past week we took a mini-road trip to Charlotte, NC where we visited with old friends, ate yummy food and did some shopping. We don't travel a lot because we have 2 small children but when we do it usually goes pretty well because we plan accordingly.

Here are few of my MUSTS for traveling with small children.

1. Be Flexible - This is essential. If you try to stick to a tight schedule you will inevitably go crazy. Kids require extra time for everything. They have to potty more frequently, eat often, and be entertained. To prevent total melt down (parents included) it's best to build flex time into your schedule when traveling. On our way home from Charlotte we stopped 3 times in 1 hour and traveled 10 miles due to a fussy baby. That was NOT part of our plan.

2. Hotel Suites are Your Friend. Unless you like going to bed at 7:30pm or sitting awake in the dark you should get a hotel suite. Whenever possible try to stay at hotels that have a rooms with separate living and bedroom areas. It means you can put the kids to bed and then stay up late watching cable TV. A win for everyone! I had a FREE Night Stay Voucher for the Country Inn and Suites and they hooked us up with a nice suite that was perfect. We put the kids to bed and then watched reruns of SNL on VH1.

3. Pack Snacks - A hungry child is never pleasant to be around. Neither is a hungry adult. When on a road trip you may encounter delays and altered dining times so pack your bag full of snacks, you won't regret it. I always try to pack healthy yet fun snacks like yogurt covered raisins, cereal bars, crackers and trail mix.

4. Pack Comfort Items - If your child has a favorite blanket, paci, or toy be sure to bring it. Sleeping in the car or in a new place can be uncomfortable and scary so lessen the impact by having familiar and favorite things on hand. EXAMPLE: Noah never uses a pacifier when we are at home but I should have brought one for the car trip. It would have been nice to help keep him calm until we could find a safe place to pull over and attend to his needs. We ended up buying one at Walgreens on the way home.

5. Build In Play Time - Little kids can only handle so much riding quietly in the car and sitting nicely at a restaurant table. Find fun things for your kids to do throughout the day. Stop at a local park. Swim in the hotel pool. Visit a local kids museum. Joe took Jude swimming in the hotel pool, which he thought was awesome. We also visited with some friends that had children Jude's age so he got to play with new friends and new toys.

6. Pack Car Toys Wisely - You will want to bring a few toys along for the car ride but be mindful of what you pack. You don't want something that will be loud an annoying or a toy with a million pieces. We should have planned a little better in this area. Jude brought along his "computer" which offered him hours of entertainment but it doesn't have good volume control and became annoying rather quickly. Books are nice.

7. Have Fun - Most importantly when traveling with your family you should aim to have a great time that will become fond memories for your kids. Things don't always go as planned and spending a lot of time in close proximity with your family can be stressful but if you roll with the punches and alter plans accordingly everyone should have a great time.

Not matter how well we plan we inevitably get lost, argue about where to eat or have a toddler melt-down in public but we try to quickly resolve our issues so we can get back to having fun.

Teaching Colors: Find a Toy {Guest Post}

2011-11-11T07:09:00.002-05:00

Today's Guest Post is from Kristy Rodriguez of Almost on Purpose.

Follow Kristy on Twitter: @KristyRodriguez

In my journey to teach my children in their learning styles, I had to find a way to teach colors in a very hands-on way. Our toy tools have come in very handy in the past for teaching numbers, so it's only natural that they'd be really useful in teaching primary colors. Just as in teaching numbers, it was beneficial for us to focus on one color per week, as we were working on the primary colors. This seems to be true for active children. If your child is more focused, you may be able to do more than one color per week.

You really can select any toy to use, but here's why the toy screw worked for us:

* Small enough to hold.

* Texture to add another element of interest (great for hands-on learners).

Let the fun begin... Here are some fun ways that we have used to explore colors:

Open a book. This is overly obvious. I know. Hang with me here. With the toy (in our case, the toy screw) in-hand, help the child touch the color of the toy to an object in the book of the same color. Repeat the color name. If he/she is still interested pick up another book. The point here is activity!

Take a scavenger hunt. This is one of my boys' favorites! I ask them to put on their pretend "explorer goggles" because we are going to hunt for the color X. You can even make a special box (out of an old shoe box) for your finds. The first time you do this, you may need to offer some assistance. As they get used to the idea and the color, make it more complicated by saying what kind of object. "Let's try to find a blue car and a blue shoe." Using a timer is also fun! Have your child show you what he/she found. Be patient and let them try to describe it. You can prompt them with other sensory questions like, "Is it soft? What shape is it?" This is also helpful for reluctant talkers.

Print off coloring pages. There are many resources online for printing your own coloring pages. You can google "coloring pages" and find a plethora of options. Give your child varying shades of this week's color and let them have fun. After a few weeks, you can set a few different colors in front of them and ask them to give you this week's color. For example, "Can you find the blue crayon?"

Head out to the store. As a stay-at-home mom, sometimes it's tough to get everyone ready and head out of the house. If you're planning on being out or if you just need some fresh air, use your weekly color for an excuse. Take a walk around Target or Walmart (or even your local grocery store) and help your child find this week's color. Again, you may want to prep them by asking them to put on their "Explorer Goggles." My boys really get into this. It's hilarious, and I love watching them LOVE to learn!

Get dressed! This is an obvious one, but it's also fun to help your child pick out clothes by the color. If they feel overwhelmed, pull out just a couple options and ask them to help you find the blue (or whatever color you're using) shirt.

I Spy... After a few weeks, you may be able to start the classic "I spy" game with your child. For a while, we didn't call it "I Spy." I would just tell them that I see something blue in the room and ask if they can guess what it is.

Again, I've been learning to take it slow and just have fun. Life isn't a contest (yeah, I'm still learning this), so give them time to explore and figure out the world around them.

What has been your greatest joy or struggle in teaching your child their colors?

Kristy Rodriguez is the mom to two active little boys and a wife to a network engineer / avid golfer. She's a technical writer and Ballet instructor. Before kids, she worked in the corporate world as a writer, project manager, and business analyst (though not all at the same time). But her greatest joy and honor is being the mom to her little boys. As a recovering perfectionist, her blog, Almost On Purpose, was born out of learning how to make-do with less and to be satisfied with life's happy accidents.

Read her other Guest Post: Hands-on Handwriting: Making it Fun

Great Giveaway Links

2011-11-10T00:05:00.002-05:00

The Search for the Perfect Stockings

2011-11-09T17:22:00.000-05:00

We are Christmas people but you'd never know it from our sad decorations through the years. As we are building our family I think it's time to invest in Christmas decorations that will grow with our family. For the past few years we've been making due with the cheap $1 stockings. This year I'd like to buy some nice stockings that we will use year after year but without breaking the bank.

I've been searching the interwebs and here's what I'm liking so far....

from The Pleated Poppy

from Hung By The Chimney

from My Adobe Cottage

From Turn Bow Designs

I can't decide if I want to have them personalized or maybe all different.

I'm not sold on any of them but I like fairly simple designs that are fun but not going to hold me to the traditional red and green Christmas color scheme.

What do you think?

Does your family have matching stockings?

Jude's First Drawing: Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T04:27:00.002-05:00

iPhone Stand Perfect for On-The-Go Moms

2011-11-08T10:01:00.001-05:00

With the holidays right around the corner we will be doing a lot of traveling. We don't have a fancy car with a built-in DVD player so I plan to utilize any means of entertainment for Jude. He loves to play games on my iPhone and watch shows. However, he also likes to mess with all the apps and buttons so a great way to keep him entertained by my iPhone save is the use the Zhip.

The Zhip uses a sturdy, "no-drop," three-foot extendable zip cord to easily mount any smartphone, iPod Touch or other handheld device practically anywhere. It features special retractable, "scratch-free" grip handles with protective padding that attach tightly around a device to safeguard and secure even the most expensive device. The unit is light-weight and compact (it measures 27/8" x 13/8" x 3/4") and fits in almost any pocket. The Zhip comes equipped with a built-in desktop stand, and is comprised of 100% Polycarbonate "bullet-proof" material for extra stability and sturdiness.

Additionally, I can use the Zhip to watch my favorite shows while I work at my desk. It's a handy little stand that is small enough I can even take it to they gym to watch shows while I work out.

BUY IT
The Zhip carries an affordable $14.95 MSRP price point and is available through Amazon.com and at www.theZhip.com - and also online at BestBuy.com and Newegg.com

I received the featured product however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Workout Music #mamavation

2011-11-07T13:31:00.002-05:00

So I've been participating in the #mamavation #2weekchallenge. I just started week two and I'm really loving it. Before Mamavation I'd been going to the YMCA and doing the elliptical about 3 times a week but not really pushing myself. I just needed a little motivation. I'm still doing the elliptical but have added 6 days of strength training and I feel pumped.

So yesterday I put together a new workout mix for my iPod.

Here's what I've got....

Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #1

Bloc Party - Helicopter

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench

Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks

French Kicks - One More Time

French Kicks - Don't Thank Me

John Mark McMillan - Skeleton Bones

Jonsi - Go Do

Jonsi - Animal Arithmetic

The Killers - Human

MGMT - Kids

The National - Conversation 16

The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony

David Bowie - Rebel Never Gets Old (Radio Mix)

What type of music do you listen to when you workout?

I'm thinking of buying some new tunes. Any recommendations?

Noah Has Lips

2011-11-05T09:40:00.001-04:00

Noah has discovered his lips...

Happy Saturday!

YO GABBA GABBA LIVE

2011-11-04T09:16:00.001-04:00

Tuesday night we took Jude to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live. We took him to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live last year so I figured he would understand where he was going.

On the way there I told him we were going to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live however, he kept assuming we were just going to watch a show on TV. As we approached the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts I think he realized we weren't going to watch a TV show in what he called the "castle".

Since he naturally has such a high energy level and the show is loud and crazy I figured he'd be bouncing off the walls with excitement. Wow, was I surprised when he spent the first half of the show sitting completely still on Joe's lap completely captivated and in awe of what he was witnessing.

The show was so much fun. There is a lot of dancing and confetti and cheering. I won't ruin it for anyone that plans to attend the show but it was definitely a fun experience. Noah even had a great time watching all the flashing, bright lights. So much fun that he fell asleep.

I was provided tickets to the featured event free of charge. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Staying Warm and Connected with Isotoner smarTouch Gloves {Giveaway}

2011-11-03T12:23:00.001-04:00

It's starting to get colder here in North Carolina which means it's time to pull out my scarves, hats and gloves. However, with the recent purchase of my iPhone keeping my fingers warm while I stay connected online may become a challenge if not for Isotoner's smarTouch gloves.

Isotoner smarTouch gloves let my stay warm and connected. A conductive thread on the index finger and thumb carry and electrical impluse to the touch screen making it easier to navigate my mobile device. This design is exceptionally smart since so many people use touch screen electronic.

The Isotoner smarTouch gloves also have a silicone grip to help keep my phone in my hand securely. I'm pretty impressed with these gloves. I mean it is obviously easier to navigate the touch screen without gloves however it is also much colder.

GIVEAWAY

Win - One lucky reader will win a pair of Isotoner smarTouch Gloves.

How to Win - Maximize your chances of winning. Leave a separate comment for each entry. Only valid after you complete the first mandatory entry:

Mandatory Entry

Visit Isotoner and Leave a comment below telling me your favorite color of smarTouch gloves.

Extra Entries:

Follow @bkeepsushonest and @totesISOTONER on Twitter.
Tweet this (can be done daily): "#Win a pair of smarTouch gloves from @totesISOTONER via @bkeepsushonest 11/17 http://tinyurl.com/6d2k6d3 #giveaway"

Please leave a valid email in the comments if your Blogger profile is private so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends 11.17 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. See giveaway rules for more information.

I received the featured product however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company.

Great Giveaway Links

2011-11-03T00:05:00.002-04:00