Gotta Get A Moo!
One of my favorite bloggers – Wendy at www.emomsathome.com – introduced me to these very cool… totally adorable… mini-cards. I’m gonna get a few for business cards – but, I am thinking about putting the kids on a bunch and inserting them into Christmas cards this year too! The possibilities are endless if you get creative with them… They are a MUST see for $19.99 / 100 – but, if you sneak over to Wendy’s blog, she has worked out an incredible deal with moo!
I’d love to hear your ideas… how are you going to use your Moo?
Roasting Pumpkin Seeds…
This is a tradition in our home… I love taking the seeds from the pumpkins that are carved and roasting them for a little treat. I usually just clean up the seeds by washing them, throw them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and some garlic and bake until they are nice and toasty… but, today I found this recipe that I might try:
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Preheat oven to 400°F. After you have cut open the pumpkin and scooped all the seeds and goo out… Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.
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In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
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Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Sprinkle with a little garlic powder or your favorite seasoning.
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Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes or until the seeds begin to brown. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating.
source
Do you have a favorite recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds? I’d love to try it!
My latest purchase: “101 Places You Gotta See Before You’re 12 Book”
I’m so excited about this book… it looks like a lot of fun.
With 3 little ones under the age of 8 – I’m always looking for great ideas for a new adventure! This book is packed with ideas… and you don’t have to travel the globe! Here is the ‘official’ book description:
“To children, the world can seem huge, filled with exciting places to visit and new things to experience. But how can they start uncovering the many treasures that await them? This fun and informative guidebook—the first in a new series—invites kids to embark on an exhilarating scavenger hunt that opens their eyes to things they’ve never imagined before. And there’s no need to go far or plan a big, expensive vacation to see this great stuff. In fact, some of the places may be quite close to home. They can take a peek at what actually goes on at their parents’ office, experience another culture’s cuisine at an ethnic restaurant, immerse themselves in the beauty of nature at a wildlife preserve, or get the inside scoop on what really happens backstage at the theater…or even in the teacher’s lounge! And the ideas are just general enough to provide a gentle push in the right direction, while allowing young dreamers to use their imagination and fill in the specifics.
In addition to tons of fun facts, lists of little-known sites, and more than 250 color photos, there’s a bonus fold-out map of North America and stickers, so youngsters can mark where they’ve been.”
That perfect cup of coffee…
Last night I almost got 4 hours of sleep… and the night before, I think I was up every couple of hours. With three young children – it seems like there is always someone who is up in the middle of the night! And, then of course, the nights everyone else is sleeping like a log – I can’t sleep myself! LOL… sound familiar?… Sometimes we just need that extra boost – and I absolutely love a nice cup of coffee in the morning!
If you are like me, you have to try Spot Java Coffee… every flavor you could imagine and not one coffee bean is roasted before you order! How cool is that?
Check it out – Spot Java Coffee
Off Topic… My oldest diagnosed with ADHD
I have a bunch of things I want to post on this blog… and it has all been put on hold this week.
My olderst son (7) and I spent a couple days at the children’s hospital this week going through extensive testing for behavioral issues we have noticed in him. I wasn’t surprised yesterday when the psychologist said that they were diagnosing him with ADHD because he tested consistently high in hyperactivity/impulsiveness. What surprises me is the emotions that go along side with this diagnosis. I’m not sure there are words for it – but, it just made me less irritated with his behavior and feeling more honored to be mothering this precious boy.
Anyhow – I am finding myself researching different treatment plans and options… the psychologist highly recommended medication – but, frankly, all I have heard about medicating for ADD/ADHD is horror stories. So – I figured I would turn to the group of moms and parents that visit snacksfortoddlers.com and see what your experience has been. I know this can be a hot topic for discussion – and what one parent swears by… doesn’t always work for another child. Either way… one thing is clear – we all want the best for our children and we can respect that.
So… care to share? Do you have any experience with ADD/ADHD? How have you treated it?… What have you seen work and not work? Would love to hear your thoughts…
Fighting lunch box boredom?
My kids aren’t bored with their lunches – but I sure am! They keep asking for the same thing… but, I want to give them something new and different.
I recently heard about this great idea for making your own ‘lunchable’ or ‘bento box’ for your kids – love this idea… and can’t wait to try it. Basically, you get a small box with a lid (like those disposable zip-loc tubs with lids)… then, fill them with cupcake liners. You can even get the silicon cupcake liners and just wash them after use. Fill each liner with a part of their lunch… here are some ideas:
- lunch meat
- cheese
- nuts
- dried fruit
- cut up fruit and peanut butter to dip
- crackers
- veggie sticks
- little candies
Get creative – and if you think of something we haven’t included… please share!
Here are a couple other sites I found with some great bento box pictures -
Flickr: Bento Boxes
Simplified Bento: Perfect for picky eaters
Enjoy!
