Raising Siblings to Be Friends

Protecting Our Children --- Crimes against Children is a Family Affair

2009-11-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I keep reading the news...... its scarier then any horror movie. For the Mohler family men sexual crimes against children is a family affair. Five men are facing charges of crimes against children and the police have cadaver dogs out searching a farm looking for victim remains.

With every case like this one we discover more ways these types of people lure their prey into their environment. Keeping children safe from such predators is every parents main goal and there are so many different ways to do this.

The question of the day is how do you protect your child from these types of people?

Tips from the National Offenders Registry

How to Keep Your Child Safe Online

Missing Children Society - How to Protect Your Child

Tattling ... Nothing Gets on my Nerves More than Tattle Tales

2009-11-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

My daughter keeps trying to turn into a tattle tale and its like nails on a chalk board to me. Every time I hear, "Mom (her brother) is (doing something)," my blood boils. Thing is, when is it tattling and when is it not and how can I teach her the difference?

I don't want her telling me stuff just to get her brother in trouble but at the same time I want to make sure she tells me stuff that is important for me to know about. The difference between her brother not doing something I asked him to do and her brother doing something dangerous I need to be aware of. How can a little girl be expected to know the difference?

I ask her what her purpose in telling me something was... ya she doesn't always get what I mean but maybe if I keep repeating myself she'll get it..... Are you telling me because you want him to get into trouble or because he's gonna get hurt or break something?

Some things I need to know about regardless of whether a child will get hurt or break something. Some times tattling is OK and other times it's not.... teaching the difference is the hard part.

Westcoast Hot Yoga in Vancouver IS for Beginners

2009-11-10T07:26:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd try Westcoast Hot Yoga before committing to the Bikram Yoga Studio and it was a lot gentler. They provided modified poses, straps, and blocks. They didn't push or even use the word push. They had advanced and beginner instructions for all their poses so everyone could feel included in the exercises.

Personally, I will probably go with Westcoast Hot Yoga because they have other types of classes. They have a 60 minute Hot Yoga class as well as the 90 minutes with the room at 40 degrees. They also have cooler classes with the room at 30 degrees and longer held poses for a different benefit. I like the option of changing it up.

There is nothing wrong with the Bikram Studio Franchise - it is a good quality studio to practice hot yoga with. I enjoyed my 2 weeks and encourage others who are experienced yoga practitioners to try out the Bikram Yoga Studio in their area. For me I like modified options, stretching aids, and different class lengths and times, which Westcoast Hot Yoga provides. That's the great thing about competition, there is something for everyone.

US Health Care Reform - Americans Live in Fear of Change and Ignorance

2009-11-08T04:39:00.000-08:00

I don't understand Americans. Their health care system caters to the rich and decisions are made by greedy insurance companies, yet they fight change for a better system. They allow insurance companies to scare them with lies and 1/2 truths about government participated health care systems in the world. I don't understand in this age of the information highway they continue to get it wrong.

Canadian Health Care is not the terrible mess that they are lead to believe it is. The issues that we face have more to do with a lack of qualified personnel then it does lack of funds. If your case is deemed life threatening by a doctor you get the tests and treatments you need right away. If your case is not life threatening then your case goes into the que for services depending on how serious your case is. What tests and treatments you need are decided by your doctor and not an insurance company.

Those that complain about long wait times etc. are those that don't have life threatening or serious health issues and are waiting only for peace of mind. Since our system is perceived as free many abuse it and constantly ask for tests and treatments and that clogs the system producing wait times. They then turn around and whine about the long wait time and then perceptions about the Canadian system are skewed.

The Canadian system is far from perfect, Canada has a serious shortage of doctors and nurses NOT a shortage of funds. Families can't find family doctors and there are a shortage of beds in the hospitals. Our newly educated doctors have gone south because they can determine their income in the States so they make a lot more per visit. Our system needs less red tape, what government based system doesn't? Ontario is working on LP Nurse run options that seem to be filling the gap left by doctors, hopefully the rest of the country will soon follow suit. When every citizen can easily and openly access the system then it does get abused and bottle necked.

Instead of just listening to accounts of people waiting for care maybe find out how serious their need was. If it wasn't considered serious by their doctors then they have to wait longer but they still get the tests and services in the end. Everyone who needs the tests and services gets the tests and services, when they do depends on their health not their pocket book.

Those who say they couldn't get the service here so they went south and paid for it instead are only telling half the story. First you have to ask how sick were you? How imperative was it for them to be tested right now? In comparison to others in the system was your need the most pressing one? What was the result of the test? Were they in fact sick or just needed peace of mind? Of course they could get the test or service in the States right away, there was no insurance company standing in their way and they paid out of pocket for it.

Some patients will fall through the cracks for whatever reason. Many will look to the States for alternate options and that's fine but it doesn't mean the system doesn't work. It is overwhelmed because many will go just to visit with their doctor while those who need a doctor can't find one with anymore room. Hypochondriacs will tax the system and complain that they can't get the services they want. The wait times can be stressful, but not so terrible that you die waiting because if your dying your case is considered serious and you jump the que. Can Americans say patients never die waiting for an insurance company to approve their treatment?

Reform and Compromise
Will the Senate Pass a Bill in Time?

Fabulous Handmade Cupcake Boxes

2009-11-07T18:40:00.000-08:00

This blog post on the Country Heart and Home blog is perfect for those who are selling cupcakes at a bake sale or are giving cupcakes as a gift.

Cupcake Boxes

Bikram Yoga - Why am I Still Going?

2009-11-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

Day 5 was by far the easiest day, I found a cooler corner where it was a few degrees lower. I was able to do 75% of the class - so I am getting there.

What I can't figure out is why I am still going, it's hard and when I'm doing it I want to quit but then just hours after the class my body is craving to go back. I think my body is nuts, it can't stand the heat but it wants to go back into it again......

I've never craved an activity after such a short time of doing it, especially one that takes so much effort. It usually takes a couple of months for my body to need to continue and by then I've usually let life get in the way. This time in less than 1 week my body craves the activity and life hasn't had a chance to get in the way yet. However finances might, this is not a cheap way to exercise.

I am impressed though because after a week I'm fitting into jeans a size smaller then I was a week ago and my skin is clear and softer. I haven't changed the way I eat, still eating bad fast food and junk food. I've done a lot of different exercise and diet plans and none have had this type of effect in after just one week. OK maybe it's just water, but hey I'm in a size smaller without dieting and my body is craving the activity like it was a drug - so I don't care!

Folding Handmade Greeting Card / Scrapbook Embellishment

2009-11-04T07:13:00.001-08:00

This card was hand stamped using Stampin Up stamps and cardstock. I like the center opening because it's different from the usual folded card.

Why are Schools Catering to Parents?

2009-11-03T18:12:00.001-08:00

What I want to know is why are schools catering to parents whims and fancies so much? It is as if the teachers and administration are so scared to rock the boat and offend a parent nothing ever gets done.

Its hard enough to be a teacher without having to keep parents happy. Instead of constantly complaining that the teacher isn't working out try working with them to find a solution to the problem instead. Concentrate on the teacher's strong traits and discuss what she/ he needs to help their weaker traits.

Not all teachers are good, some really should find something else to do, however, when a teacher is trying and struggling the last thing they need is parents judging them. Communication is the key, that and not flying off the handle over a story your child has told you. Misunderstandings are a result of not diplomatically talking about the issue and coming up with a solution together.

One of my pet peeves are people who complain and don't do anything to help change a situation. You know the type, they complain for the sake of complaining because they have nothing of value to say. It drives me nuts to listen to parents that sit around the school complaining about the teacher, the administration, the policies and have no understanding beyond their own needs and desires. Most policies are made because a parent freaks out over something and the school over compensates.

My hats go off to those that step up and work with teachers to make classrooms a better place. I have respect for those that volunteer their time to make the schools better. I admire those that show leadership and put in the extra effort to make a bad situation good.

Children see what parents do and they will model that behavior. What message and example do you want to show your kids? Do you want your children to grow up to become complainers or leaders? It is in all our power to be more understanding, patient, and compassionate. If we act in such a way then our children will become that way.

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with fear, he learns to be apprehensive.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement he learns to be confident.
If a child lives with acceptance, he learns to love.
If a child lives with recognition, he learns it is good to have a goal.
If a child lives with honesty he learns what truth is.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith in himself and those about him.
If a child lives with friendliness, he learns the world is a nice place in which to live to love and be loved.

Who's More Important the Teacher or the Parent?

Tips on Avoiding Parent / Teacher Conflicts

Handmade Cards Ideas - Pictures

2009-11-03T07:40:00.000-08:00

These are simple handmade cards. These layouts are good if you want to make a bunch of cards quickly for a craft sale or just to have on hand in case of emergency. All the stamps are from stampin up - but all have been discontinued so you would have to look at ebay for a set.

MORE Greeting Cards, simple and more elaborate.......

Bikram Yoga - for both men and women of all ages

2009-11-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

I've decided that I will go every other day instead of trying to go everyday so I won't make my goal of 8/14 days. Oh well, better to keep going then over do it. Today I arrived at the studio and there was a junior hockey team there - talk about feeling old and out of shape. All these young fit hockey players wearing shorts or what looked like underwear getting ready to stretch and sweat. I almost went home but true to my new goals I stayed.

Yoga studios must be the newest pick up joint because each class I've been to has young beautiful women and men. My husband didn't go yesterday because I was too nauseaus still to go. He didn't want to go alone and one of his excuses was he'd feel out of place with a bunch of old women. Every class I've been to has a variety of both men and women from their early 20s to their 50s, so he would have fit right in.

As for the junior hockey team, they did all the poses although they weren't very flexible. Like most junior hockey teams there were the juveniles of the group who kept disrupting the class but they all tried every pose. Some were serious about their practice and were flexible and strong enough to be doing more advanced poses. I'm glad I stayed because I didn't feel uncomfortable and I just went at my pace and made it through the 90 minutes.

Day 1

Bikram Yoga - Yep Still Hot

Bikram Yoga - not for beginners

Bikram Yoga Studio - Whiterock

Kitchen Organization Bulletin Board

2009-11-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

I am in the process of making a kitchen bulletin board to keep all the notices, papers, and items easily at hand. I started looking online at the various ideas out there to help create an organized space for all the papers that pile up constantly.

Kitchen Fridge organizational system for papers

Real Simple Magazine's How to create a bulletin board article

Organizing your bulletin board can allow you to get the most use out of the space and keep visual distractions to a minimum. These tips can help you get moving in a more organized direction.

The idea room blog has pictures of the king of all organizational boards. A bit more then what I want for myself but if you want a serious organizational bulletin board that will help keep your family organized this might be the idea for you.

I love how this bulletin board from the Family Crafts blog keeps each child visually organized.

Do you have a bulletin board idea on your blog or website? Then leave a link in the comments so we can check it out.

Bikram Yoga - Not for Beginners

2009-10-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

I meant to only take one day off then with my kids school and halloween life just got in the way and I ended up taking 3 days off. As a result day 3 was almost as hard as day 1. I was doing all the poses and felt OK after doing both sets of the first 3 poses. I was probably doing about 80% of the poses but after an hour my stomach decided to rebel and I was done. I did leave the room but came back in and sat in the heat for the rest of the class.

If you have never ever practiced yoga before and you are unsure about how to do even the most basic of poses this is not the class to learn in. The instructors don't teach the poses, various skill levels, or ensure you are doing them right. They push you to push yourself further into poses while they stand in the front of the room directing what to do.

My husband is going tomorrow, at least he says he is, with me and I know he'll blow me out of the water. It should be interesting though because he has never practiced yoga before.

My goals now are:

Go to my first class ..... Done
Get through the whole 90 minutes... Done (then undone)
Do all the poses twice without puking.......
Go 9 out of the 14 days......
Kiss my knees.....

Day 1

Bikram Yoga - Yep Still Hot

Bikram Yoga Vancouver

Bikram Yoga

Halloween Treat Card

2009-10-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

For my daughter's class I put together a halloween treat card to give out to her classmates. I printed out the finger Jello receipe on the back of the card so parents could make finger Jello treats for their children. I used a halloween stamp from Stampin Up and Really Rust Stampin Up paper and ink.

I used a scoring blade to make two folds, a 1/2 inch apart,so the card was 4" high by 3" wide.

My daughter helped stamp the cards and attached the chocolate bars to the inside of the cards. She then folded the cards on the scored lines.

Lots of card making ideas

Some Wonderful Card Ideas

Some amazing stamps and a card gallery

Keeping Kids Safe Online by Educating Them

2009-10-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

The "experts" on the subject of keeping kids safe Online instruct parents to protect their kids by ensuring no one can access their kids. Sounds simple enough right, well I disagree with this method because you can't ensure that no one will ever access your children's information or them. It is safer to start young and educate them in baby steps about information, the Internet, and email instead of doing it for them.

Many parents have been to courses that instruct them to keep their contact information close and not to hand it out to anyone. They shouldn't let their kids have email addresses or have their name on any contact list. They should make sure their computers have parental blocks that keep kids from going to unapproved sites. They should manage their children's information for them and make decisions about what websites to visit.

The question is, are parents really protecting their kids by hiding from the world?

I don't subscribe to the whole hide away in order to protect. I allow my kids to have their own email addresses and phone numbers, does this mean I'm putting my kids at risk? I don't think so. My kids are still young enough that I have control over what they do. I use these tools to talk about what is appropriate and what is not, we talk about what information to put out into virtual world and what information to alter or hide. I allow them to practice these skills in the open (no computer in their room) and help them make safe decisions.

I ask them questions to ascertain what they think, what they know and problem solve for the best decisions. Instead of just making rules, I bring them into the decision making process to help them understand why they need to do certain things.

Before they could read, approved websites were saved in their favorites and they could click to get to them easily. As the grew older and began using search engines like Google we discussed what keywords to use and how to protect their information. My kids know not to use their real birthdays, addresses, or names. They have chosen safe birthdays, addresses, and names to use instead. They know why they can't use this information and what could happen if they do.

You tube is a big issue in our house because my son thinks its the best site and his friends send him links. There are some things on You Tube that are not appropriate for him to watch. We have talked to him about what he thinks is appropriate, what key words does he think he should avoid and a few others we deem inappropriate. We tell him why we don't want him looking at videos that are violent, have fighting, or are hateful. I use stories that I've heard about and ask him what he thinks about the story and how it effects what he does online.

We have some rules that are not up for discussion. Before he presses play he needs to read the title, the comments, and based on certain words determine if its is appropriate. The big rule when it comes to You Tube - he has to crank the volume so we can hear what he's watching. The computer is in the main living area so he can't sneak so easily, if he sneaks then he looses privileges. If his emails are inappropriate then he looses the email. He is learning what is appropriate by doing not being told or hidden away.

We also are made aware what friends are passing on links and information that is not appropriate and we can then act accordingly with that child. Once again our son is made apart of the decision process so he can learn how to choose friends.

They are still too young for facebook, myspace, and other social networking sites. But as they grow they will have the basics on how to protect themselves online and will have been practicing certain behaviors long before they are teenagers and I have little control over what they do.

I don't know, maybe protecting yourself by hiding your contact information and living in a bubble will keep kids safe. I doubt it because at some point they will want to have an email, have friends call them, and go out into the world. If they haven't made decisions or learned by baby steps over time how to protect themselves how can we expect them to know at 16, 18, 20?

Halloween School Party - Pumpkin Jello Cake

2009-10-29T09:59:00.001-07:00

I'm busy today getting a snack ready for my daughter's school halloween party tomorrow. The kids love my flavored gelatin (Jello) creations so I'm making a pumpkin cake out of flavored gelatin that the kids can eat with their fingers. There are some flour and corn startch allergies in my daughter's class and all the children should be able to eat this Gluten Free Cake.

Finger Jello is a family favorite, my mom would make it for after school snacks and parties. I've taken it to the next level and made sculptured creations out of this yummy versitile treat.

Yesterday I helped carve pumpkins in her class and the teacher has been teaching them about pumkins all month. I decided to stay with the pumpkin theme for her class and for my son I'm gonna put together a large finger Jello spider.

For the pumpkin:

1 round bunt cake pan
8 small boxes of Orange Flavored Gelatin or 4 Lrg boxes
2 large box Knox Gelatin packets - 12 packets
1 frozen concentrated orange juice tube
Boiling Water

First Step:

6 small boxes of Orange Flavored Gelatin
12 packages of Knox Gelatin
1 Frozen concentrated orange juice tube
6 Cups Boiling Water

Mix the above ingredients together and pour into bunt cake pan. Fill to top if you have some left over set aside at room temperature for the next step.

Place into fridge to set

Second Step:

Once the Flavored Gelatin has set dip the bunt pan into sink of hot water briefly - just until you can see liquid on the inside edge. This doesn't take to long and you should shake the bunt pan to see if the Gelatin mixture has broken away from the pan. It happens quick!

Turn the pan over on a cutting board or plate.

Third Step:

2 small boxes of the Flavored Gelatin boxes
4 package of Knox Gelatin
2 Cups boiling water

If you have left over mixture from step one pour it into the bottom of the bunt pan. If it set then put in microwave for 30 sec - 1 min until it can pour into bunt pan. Fill bunt pan 1/4 full of liquid orange flavored gelatin.

Take the set orange Flavored Gelatin out of the fridge and place flat side down into the bunt pan until it stops. Make sure the liquid has surrounded the set Flavored Gelatin - don't want any gaps between the liquid and the set Gelation mass.

Put into fridge to set.

Step Four:

Leave in the fridge for as long as possible to make sure it has really set throughout.

To remove from pan dip it into hot water again.

Turn pan upside down onto plate, platter, whatever you are utilizing to serve it. Put back into fridge.

Step five:

For the stem you need to block up the hole in the middle of the bunt pan with plastic wrap. Put bunt pan in freezer while mix up Lime Flavored Gelatin for the stem.

Plastic Wrap and tape.

Tape plastic wrap to the outside of the center flute to cover the hole. Tape it as tight as possible to the bunt pan.

1 small box lime Flavored Gelatin
1 package Knox Gelatin
1 Cup Boiling water

Take bunt pan from freezer and pour a little bit of the mixture into the center flute of the bunt pan. Put back in freezer - make sure that the bunt pan is on a plate to catch any leeks. Once frozen pull out of the freezer. Fill up the center flute of the bunt pan and put into the fridge to set. Make sure you keep a plate underneath the bunt pan to catch any leeks.

Step Six:

When the green lime Flavored Gelatin has set then dip it into a sink of hot water and remove the Flavored Gelatin from the bunt pan.

Bring the orange Flavored Gelatin pumpkin out of the fridge and fit the stem into the center hole of the pumpkin. Cut the stem to size.

Done!!! Put into fridge until time to deliver to the school!

Alternative: make a flat thin layer of finger black Flavored Gelatin in a pan. Cut out shapes for a Jack O Lantern face and then carve out some of the Orange Flavored Gelatin pumpkin and fit in the black pieces to make a Jack O Lantern.

Birthday Jello Cake - Finger Jello Cakes make the best birthday party cakes as the kids eat up all the cake. Pair it with an ice cream cake and you're set.

Other Halloween Treat Ideas:

Pretzel Bones and Nutter Butter Ghost treats

Halloween Costume Ideas - Lots of Pictures

Lots of Halloween Treat Recipes

Betty Crocker Halloween Cookie ideas - and more!!!

Candy Corn Popcorn Balls

Eyeball Potion - Parties always need eyeballs!!!

Bikram Yoga - Still Hot

2009-10-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

Second day and I actually made it through the full 90 minutes. I gotta say there were times I wanted to leave but I wanted to get through the full class so I stuck it out and am glad I did. It was a hard, long, hot, sweaty 90 minutes but I did it!

The first half of the class was easier then yesterday but I still felt the heat and by the last half hour I was getting sick. To get through it I took it easy and only did one set of the poses. So I'm still not there yet, my next goal is to do all the poses twice without puking.

There were some amazing women at the class who could bend themselves and hold positions I didn't know were possible. The strength, control and concentration in these women was a sight to behold but very intimidating. A few others were new like me so I didn't feel completely inadequate.

The hardest thing about this class is seeing myself try to contort myself into poses in the mirror. It's a good thing I'm way too hot to care about what I look like at the time because it is a comedy in itself.

My goals.

Go to a class..... done
Get through the whole 90 minutes .... done
Do all the poses twice.......
Kiss my knees..........

Day 1

Bikram Yoga

Birkram Hot Yoga - Yep its warm.

2009-10-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

Birkram Hot Yoga - It's all the rage, everyone is talking about the health benefits and how wonderful it is, so I thought I'd try the introductory promo - $29.00 for 2 weeks. Today I lasted all of 45 minutes before I was puking my guts out.

I don't take vacations to "hot" spots because I don't like heat. I don't even wear a coat in -15C (0C is freezing) because I feel warm all the time. Heat makes me nauseous - obviously! So it was no surprise that I didn't make the whole class on my first try out.

This is no beginner's yoga class, the poses are hard and I'm really out of shape. A work out to me is walking up stairs, with or without a laundry basket. I was really pathetic trying to grab my foot behind my back or bending forward to touch my forehead to my knees.

1 day down and only 13 more to go......

Goal one - go to a class - completed
Goal two - stay in the class for the whole hour and a half....
Goal three - kiss my knees ....

What is Birkram Hot Yoga

The Kids Want a Dog

2009-10-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

My kids have wanted a dog for a very long time. When we moved I told them if we find a house that has a decent yard and a place to put a dog run outside then we could look at getting one.

First task they have is to pick a type of dog they want. There are so many different dogs and they have a huge job ahead of them, so better to start now. The dog will have to be good with kids, low or no shedding, smart, and not too big (afterall we live in a city not the country).

Second task will be learning as much as they can about the breed so they are prepared to take care of the dog properly.

Helpful sites on Pets:

Pet Care Education - easy to navigate and packed full of information.

I'll add sites as I find them. If you know one I should check out leave it in comments.

Sibling Halloween Costumes

2009-10-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

Since they've both been old enough to choose their costumes they have been similar characters. This year is no different, grim reapers. No princesses or fairies in our household, well at least I don't have to worry about skimpy costumes.

Last year it was Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper. I searched everywhere for the Darth Vader helmet and thankfully a friend had one. I think this was my favorite halloween costume duo. It just worked!

Scrapbook - Pirate Layout

2009-10-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

I finished a 4 page pirate layout for pictures of a Pirates of the Caribean's Jack Sparrow show at Disney World which my son was a volunteer. I had a 8x10 photo and a 8x10 certificate to incorporate into the layouts. The set includes: Title Page, 2 page, Last page.

For the layout I used stamps for the title and stickers for the embellishments and a tag to journal. For the tag I used the chocolate chip stamping up stamp spot to color the edges and scraped it across the outer sides to dirty it up.

I used:
Karen Foster cardstock pirate stickers,

Rock n Roll clear stamps - brand name escapes me I got them at Micheals

Distressed Alphabet clear stamps by Kaiser Scrapbook

Stamping up ink spots:Chocolate chip and ruby red,

Textured 12x12 card stock and printed 12x12 card stock

Suri Cruise - $3 Million Wardrobe for a 3 Year Old?

2009-10-24T17:02:00.000-07:00

I picked up the latest Hello magazine on a whim to see the pictures of Suri Cruise. Suri is cute, adorable and spoiled. It's great that Tom finally passed on his good looking genes into the gene pool and his little princess does not disappoint the cameras. I read the article and they all sound very happy, but are they raising Suri to be a selfish spoiled brat?

Her wardrobe alone puts her into a class all her own - $3.3 million. Can she even wear all those clothes? How many has she grown out of without ever putting on? What values are they teaching her? Life is all about shopping, what you wear, and how you look? They report with pride that she is a little fashionista who helps mom choose outfits. OK I can think of more things that would bring pride to a parent then she can dress herself and the clothes match. Big deal!

The Cruise mansion has a whole wing devoted to every whim and wish Suri has. It sounds like whatever Suri wants Suri gets whenever she wants it. Since Suri is a media gem and the other Cruise children were kept out of the lime light it is hard to remember she has siblings. Were they raised the same? If Suri has a wing for herself do they each have their own wing? If Suri's wardrobe is $3.3 million, how much have the other Cruise children wasted on excess?

If Suri's life is to play out in the public eye how will the Cruise princess turn out in her teen years? Her early 20s? Is there more then rampant consumerism in her life? She is a little doll and I can see how it would be hard not to give her everything and since they can, they do. I personally think excess in life is not a good thing for a child. It is hard for me to look at Suri's life and think "wow, what an amazing little girl she's turning out to be." It's more like "OMG what a shallow exhistance." It always amazes me how many people look up to the Paris Hilton's of this world thinking that is something to be proud of. If you want to emulate someone, Angelina Jolie looks great, has it all, cares about community, and is doing something to make this world a better place.

Work ethic is something learned by those who work for what they have, not those who are given everything. Daddy works hard and has a great work ethic, that is something to be passed on with pride. Time will tell if she can look beyond her self and play well with others or if she becomes another Paris Hilton.

Nutrition - How I Trick My Kids into Eating More Vegetables

2009-10-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Every mother wants their children to eat their vegetables, and I'm no different. Neither are my children, they don't want to eat the more nutrient packed types of foods like spinach and kale. So I work them into other foods so that they don't even know they are eating healthy.

Easy ways to get vegetables into kids:

V8 Fusion Juice
Ranch dip with carrots / celery / peppers
Peanut Butter dip with celery
Cheese Sauce on Broccoli

A way to sneak vegetables and other high nutrient foods into kids: Baking!

I buy quick oats and grind them with my coffee grinder to make flour and then substitute it for 1/2 (up to 1 C) of the white flour required.

I buy flax seed and grind them with my coffee grinder to make flour and substitute it for a 1/4 of the flour requirement and cut back on a bit of the fat. (trial and error) This add essential omega 3 to their diet for brain development and since both my kids are bright I'd say it worked!

I use a magic bullet type blender to blend spinach and kale with the required liquid to add vitamins and nutrients to the recipe. I drain the liquid and throw out the pulp. This only works IF it's a chocolate recipe and I add a bit of extra coca to cover up the green color. NOTE: don't blend a lot of the vegetable about 1/4 of the magic bullet blender cup and top up with the required liquid.

To chocolate chip cookie recipes I add craisons and dried blueberries for vitamins. I use the oat and flax flours with the white flour. Approx 1/2 white flour and the other 1/2 a mix of oat and flax flour.

I love recipes for banana breads, chocolate zucchini cake and fruit muffins. I use the oat and flax flours and add cranberries, dried raisins, dried blueberries, dried goji berries and whatever else I find in the kitchen.

Muffins are the easiest to make healthier. Not just with the flour substitutions but by substituting the butter for a canola oil or another high omega 3 oil. If a chocolate muffin then I blend spinach with the milk.

My favorite cookies to make are garbage cookies.... Take a basic oatmeal recipe add flax seeds, craisons, and throw in whatever else you have in the baking drawer to make them healthy then add lots of m&ms. They are good and healthy.

I use omega 3 brown eggs in all my baking.... the yolks are almost orange they are so packed full of nutrients.

Children need cholesterol for good brain development so don't worry about the fat content.

I use apple sauce in place of some of sugar and cut back on the butter a bit.

I grind up nuts to a flour so they don't know they are eating them. - This is only OK if your child doesn't like crunchy bits in baking and isn't allergic to nuts.

The best Muffin, Chocolate Zucchini cake and Banana Bread recipes are in the Best of Bridge books.

Today's One of Those "Blue" Days - How to Stay Happy as a Stay at Home Mom

2009-10-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the rain but I'm down in the dumps today. On days like this I get nothing done, am thinking very negatively, and don't want to move off the couch. One of the hardest parts of being a stay at home mom is the isolation, especially since we just moved to a new province and I don't know anyone. Maybe I need some "happy" pills or just a good night sleep.

Really I should be grateful, extremely grateful, that I have the life I do. Afterall, I have a roof over my head, food on the table, and two wonderful children. Yet, I'm still unmotivated and starting to have thoughts that are darker then I'd like them to be. If it was a matter of the negatives overwhelming me then I'd be able to combat these blues with a positives first attitude. That is listing out all that I'm am grateful for, concentrating on the positives of life before the negatives. However, it is not - it's just the "blues" for no reason, except perhaps boredom, lonliness, or lack of mental stimulation.

I started to search out other websites that claim to have the answer for stay at home moms to remain happy. Many people do not understand how someone who is home and has no demands outside their family could get down - but it does happen. One of the reasons mothers work outside the home is for their mental health, others stay home for the same reason. Everyone has bad days, everyone gets "blue," everyone needs coping tools, and everyone needs support.

How to stay Happy being a stay at home mom

Dr. Phil Stay at Home Mom Message Board

How to be a Stay at Home Mom

Happy Housewives Club

Counting Your Blessings

I should really take this opportunity that life has given me to enjoy being a stay at home mom and have a nap. If I waste a day I shouldn't really sweat it and give myself a break for not doing the laundry. Better yet, I think I'll pick up the phone and call my girlfriends back in Calgary - that is always the best medicine for days like these.

Nicole Ritchie Names Son Sparrow - What to Consider when Naming Your New Baby

2009-10-21T11:18:00.001-07:00

Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden are among a growing trend of passing unique names on to their offspring. What they haven't considered though is although it may be cute for a baby, how serious will they be considered as adults?

Whether we like it or not we all have a preconceived opinion of who based on their name. Whether someone is named, Brittney, Gertrude, Ashley, Margaret, or Apple, people form an opinion based on people they know or heard of with that name.

As an adult the Apples, Sparrows, Skis and Rains will have to put there name on a resume and carry on a career with these names.

What is your first impression when you hear the names Micheal, Hunter, Conner,?
What is your first impression when you hear the names Echo, Breese, Leaf, Iceland?

Can anyone spell your child's name or pronounce it properly when reading it? How frustrated will your child be when they have to constantly correct their teachers, employers, or employees? With the world relying on computers and the Internet to communicate with each other will others pronounce what they read correctly without the benefit of correction?

Will children make fun of their name? What if they shorten it, will you like the nickname? No matter how much we correct our son he still shortens his sister's name The other thing that we are discovering now is that people expected her to be a boy not a girl. Not so bad when your a girl but a boy with a girls name or a name that switches to a female name may be uncomfortable with it, ie Marion, Leslie, Lawrie, all are boys names usurped by the feminine.

Life is difficult enough without parents saddling you with a name you can't either live up to or live down. However, sometimes a name just fits and you can't get it out of your head and no other name seems as right.

Cool Baby Names

Scrapbook - Using Sandpaper to Age Scrapbook Paper and Photos

2009-10-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

I crinckled the paper and brushed sandpaper over it lightly to enhance the creases and folds. I then used the sand paper on ripped edges of the photo to give the photo a more worn out look.