The Daily Grind of a Work @ Home Mom...

Dear Dr. Gluskin,

Dear Dr. Melvin Gluskin of Brookline, Ma.

Until today, you were my dentist.  I know I've seen you only a handful of times in the few years I've been in Boston but it seems to me, that you're not a great dentist.  First of all, your office is a throwback to the 70's.  Really, those magazines from 1985?  Thriller is no longer topping the charts and Princess Diana is no longer living.  With all the up and comers here in this city, you'd think you'd want to attract new patients with a pleasant waiting room but clearly you don't.  Nor are you an outstanding dentist.  My husband saw you once and got the creeps and never visited you again.  But it seemed to me that you were ok, so I stayed.

I had an appointment with you last Tuesday.  Last Monday night, I had the misfortune of being in a car accident.  It was not life threatening but I sought medical attention on Tuesday morning and canceled my Tuesday afternoon appointment with you since I was not feeling well and had no car.  I re-scheduled to this week.  Yesterday, your nurse called to change that appointment.  After much back and forth she asked me to come in today and I agreed.  I wish I hadn't.  With two babies at home I guess I forgot today's quickly scheduled appointment.  I truly am sorry for that.  I'm never one to waste anyone's time.

But the phone call you just made to me was rude, unnecessary and unprofessional.  You were referred to me by a friend, and I assure you, she will never refer you to anyone again.  Not only that, why did you have to be such a douchebag?  Telling me never to find a new dentist?  Are you kidding me?  Well, at first I was pissed, but then I remembered - I'm a blogger!  A well-read blogger!  And I am a lover of all things viral, especially reviews.  So while I'm sorry to be out of a dentist (I'll have a new one in about 22 seconds), I'm thrilled to have a reason to put this information about you everywhere!  You know why?  Simply because I can!

Sincerely yours...

PS - The tone of this post equals only that of the tone in your voice during our pleasant phone call today.

Love onion rings? Try these - guilt free!

I've talked about the Hungry Girl websitebefore.  I blogged about it here and tell people about it all the time because I think it's a revolution for well, hungry girls!  Anyhow, recently I was sent a few copies of the new Hungry Girl recipe book to review and I just started doing my "research" for it today.  In other words, I made one oft he scrumptious recipes and I couldn't wait until next week's giveaway and review to share.

So, as many of you know, I'm in the midst of shedding the baby pounds with Jenny Craig, so I'm limited in terms of what I can add to my diet, but I after a few calculations, I decided that today would be the perfect day to try the onion rings recipe, to go with my Jenny chicken burger lunch.  And I must say, they were the perfect companion!  Crispy in all the right places, tasty too, what more could a girl want from lunch?  Since I crave ketchup like a hooker craves money, I am always thrilled to find a new pairing to my fave condiment.  And the recipe is ridiculously easy.  Here it it direct from the HG herself:

Ring Leader!
	These delicious, baked, oniony treats are a dead ringer (c'mon, what did you expect?) for the fast food version.  Ok, we lied -- they're much better!  Instead of sucking down a greasy, oily, caloriefest of a side dish, chew a few of these crispy & crunchy circles of love (er, onions), courtesy of HG.  They couldn't be easier to prepare...or more delicious!   Ingredients: 1 large onion  1/4 cup original Egg Beaters**   I used 2 regular egg whites 1/2 cup crushed Fiber One Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut edges off onion, and remove outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2 inch wide slices, and separate into rings.  Next, fill a small bowl (just large enough for onion rings to fit in) with Egg Beaters. Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour crumbs onto a small dish.  One by one, coat each ring in egg and then crumbs (give each ring a shake after the egg bath).  Place on an oven-safe baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray.  Cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping rings over about halfway through.  Serves one!
	Serving Size: 15 rings; one recipe Calories: 153 Fat: 1g Sodium: 225mg Carbs: 41g Fiber: 16g Sugars: 7g Protein: 9g

I pretty much did all this but I seasoned the crumbs with salt, paprika and onion powder.  I baked until they were brown then broiled until the smoke alarm sounded (for real).  They were crispy and definitely hit the spot.

Stay tuned for a full review of the Hungry Girl book next Monday and a chance to win one!

Blown Away

I was reading Dooce.comlast week just to see what all the hype is about.  It's very entertaining and well written, by the way.  But what really struck me is that this blogger has been at it since 2001.  2001!!  That's almost 8 years in the blogosphere, before most of us had ever even heard the term "blog" and I was still keeping a journal in Word!  WTH!  How come no one told me about this sooner? 

Then today I was perusing, you know, wherever (I can never remember where I came from), Twitter maybe?  And came across the website for Blog World which will take place in Vegas in September.  First of all, while I'm very excited for the one day BlogHer Boston in October, I'm not 100% sure I need to dedicate several days away from my home base and many many hard-earned bucks to travel to a blogging conference.  There, I said it.  I know I'd get crucified on Twitter for saying this out loud, but honestly?  I was totally ok with not going to BlogHer in San Fran last weekend.  I know a lot of my peeps were there, many of my Savvy Sourcepeers as well and while it would have been very cool to meet them, I was perfectly ok about not.  Ok, I'm done now.  Oh, and this doesn't make me any less hardcore about my online antics either.  And lest we forget, I did go to journalism school so writing, whether it be journaling, writing articles or blogging, is not just some trend I've fallen prey to.  I actually have a degree in it.  I just don't need to be so uber-intense about it.  Do you know that I actually know a woman who is NOT EVEN A BLOGGER who spent a few grand on BlogHer?  Is that insane(ly hilarious) or what?

Back to my original point.  So, now I'm on the site for the Blog World Expo and on the homepage are statistics about blogging.  Now this, my dear readers, is interesting.  A few of these crazy numbers include:

• Over 12 million American adults currently maintain a blog.
• Over 57 million Americans read blogs. (in the interest of perspective - this is greater than the total population of Canada!)
• 1.7 million American adults list making money as one of the reasons they blog. - I wonder how many actually do!
• 89% of companies surveyed say they think blogs will be more important in the next five years.
• Technorati is currently tracking over70 million blogs. - That's just crazy talk.
• Over 120 thousand blogs are created every day.
• There are over 1.4 million new blog posts every day.

So what's my point?  My point is, how are so many people finding so much time to spend either reading blogs and/or writing blogs!  Don't people have jobs (outside of the blogosphere) anymore?  Where is all this so-called cash being generated by all these blogs?  I know I get a boatload of free stuff on a daily basis, but I can hardly call that an income? 

What do you think?  Who are all these bloggers and what are they writing about?  I have a handful of blogs bookmarked, and I catch up when I get a chance.  If I had more free time, I'd check into this myself, because I really am curious as to what SEVENTY MILLION AMERICANS are blogging about.

Enlighten me?

 

Handmade Treasures From My Treasure Box

If you're like me, you're often stuck when it comes to gift buying.  Though I'm a master baby gift giver, every Mother's Day I face the same issue.  When it comes time to buy a little something for a friend, I can never come up with anything.  Well, the creator of My Treasure Box, Sarit, has this problem covered.  Offering custom and pre-made scrapbook/albums, you can now give a gift that is thoughtful and personal.

Each scrapbook is a one-of-a kind, and vary in size including 4”x6”, 6”x6” mini scrapbooks, 5” round scrapbook in a tin can; or the sturdier, fabric albums in 8”x8” and 12”x12”.  They are even made from archival safe and non-fading materials in order to preserve your memories reliably.  There are over a dozen categories to suit any occasion from baby photo albums, to one specifically for holiday mementos and even one for your Valentine or pet!  Sarit generously sent me a mini Mother album to check out,  and I must say, I was impressed.  A bit of a crafter myself, I love the idea of having the designated spaces for my pictures all labeled and laid out for me, while I just have to select and adhere them to the double-sided tape provided on the album pages.  It's embellished with adorable details and is just the right size to preserve a special time.  My Treasure Box also offers scrapbooking kits for those do-it-yourself types. 

If you have a gift to buy, now is the perfect time to choose something from this great line.  My Treasure Box is offering 40% off any order over $40.  Just enter promo code "FRIENDS" at checkout.

Win it!  Sarit has generously agreed to give away one scrapbook from the Mother, Father, or mini-album kits valued under $40.  Just check out this e-store and come back here to tell us what your choice is.  Blog it for a 2nd entry!  The contest will run until Friday, July 25th.  Remember comments count!  

Flying With Kids

I came across a link to an interesting article in the Orlando Sentinel today while perusing the Twitter pages.  Written by @momsatwork, the article discussed a recent survey on airfarewatchdog.com in which they asked fliers this question: Do you think it would be a good idea for airlines to have "family sections"?

According to the writer of the piece, the feedback was that people were split on the issue, some believing it was a good idea and others not so much.  But my question is this: if we designate special seating for families, how will this affect other travelers?  And where will the segregation end?  Should we have special seats on the bus and train as well?  What about in restaurants?  Perhaps we should designate an entire airline to family travel.  Or maybe, particular flights could be reserved for families and if others choose to travel on this plane, buyer beware!

My family travels by air several times per year.  I have well-behaved kids but I couldn't have predicted that my toddler would not nap before the flight and be exhausted and cranky by the time we boarded.  She cried when her daddy tried to hold her on his lap and only wanted me.  Traveling also with my then 3-month-old, my hands were full, but we made it work.  Through a series of baby exchanges and seat re-arranging, we made everyone happy with minimal tears.  While I don't necessarily believe we need entire  flights devoted to families, I do think a section might be nice, but I worry about the logistics of such a thing.  I mean, what if the family-section isn't full but other sections are?  Should travelers be forced to sit in this area for lack of other spots?  Would said traveler be compensated with a lower rate for having to fly in the dreaded family section?  Could the airlines afford this?  Can they force people to sit in a special area anyway?  And where would the area be?  In the rear near the toilets or in the front for easy boarding and de-planing?  I can only imagine how high-paying business-class travelers would react to such news.  I can only imagine how everyone andt heir mother would react to the whole idea - CHAOS!  

After giving this some thought, I doubt this would ever come to pass.  That said, it's my opinion that parents need to be a little more respectful of other travelers when with kids.  If your child wants a snack and it's earlier than a typical snack-time, in-flight is not the time to be counting minutes.  Nor is it the time to restrict toys and crafts.  I'm not saying it should be an all-out free-for-all, but my message is to think like your child, and bring any and everything you think they might even *remotely* need to keep them happy and distracted.  This includes, toys, snacks, special stuffed animals or blankies, and DVD's.  And to all the child-free fliers out there, bear with us.  We're doing the best we can.  Honest.   

Jenny Craig & I Are Hitting It Off

I've just completed week 9 of the Jenny Craig program.  Remember my initial post on the topic in May?  Well, I'm 63 days in and 12 pounds lighter. 

I was on the fence about sharing my weight loss journey here, since it's a pretty personal topic.  But after discussing with my sis, I've decided to talk.  Because there are TONS of mama's out there (and non-mama's) who are sick of the stubborn weight.  Because I'm a food-lover who doesn't starve herself or live inside the gym and I feel like if I can do it, so can you.  And because when I initially researched this program on the Internet, all I found were negative reviews.  So here's the "skinny", according to me:

I'm a Weight Watchers girl.  Have been on their program many times, and have had success many times.  The pros are that it's inexpensive, it's regular food, it's easy to track just about any food from any restaurant, and it teaches portion size.  Essentially, it's a lifestyle rather than a diet.  It's wonderful.  Only thing is, it's always been a slow process for me.  I'd lose half a pound or so after the initial weeks, and continue on that road until I got fed up with the seemingly minute ROI and go back to my old ways.

I was VERY reluctant to put any stock in Jenny Craig.  I mean, read the reviews, they're pretty awful.  But I needed to try because I just couldn't stand myself anymore.  After 9 weeks and 12lbs, here are my middle-of-the-program observations:

Cons:

• The consultants are NOT nutritionists nor are they graduates of the program.  But the center manager lost over 100lbs on Jenny, so I have found a go-to person.  And I do like my consultant, but my needs are not much.  Another person who has less of a knowledge about food might need someone more experienced
• It's not cheap.  Food costs about $75 - $90 per week.  And that's on top of regular grocery shopping for the family.  But when I take into account all the eating out I'm NOT doing, all the ice cream I'm NOT buying, it's at least a wash.  Besides, I feel so good now, I'm not sure I can place a value on it.
• The food is still boxed.  And I love to cook.  And I'm definitely growing weary of heating my meals in the microwave while the rest of the family is eating normal stuff.  But - the food is yummy and once I learned how to best prepare it and pair it with something else, like a homemade veggie, it's totally fine. 
• There are only so many food options, and after 9 weeks, I wouldn't mind a change.  But I keep telling myself that this isn't forever. 
• The maintenance program doesn't seem as clear cut as Weight Watchers, nor does it account for many regular, everyday foods.  My plan as of now, is to use the Weight Watchers Points system once I've lost the weight.  I think it's what will work for me.

Pros:

• The food is delicious.  I really like many of the entrees.  The mac 'n cheese, the turkey with gravy, and the chicken burgers are delish, to name a few.  The s'mores bar, cheesecake and cheese curls hit the spot too.  I often swap foods (equal or close nutritional value) and replace with Weight Watchers desserts or use my own homemade salad dressing. 
• I've really become creative with veggies!  I find low-cal recipes and add them to my entrees. 
• The food is easy to prepare and there's no last-minute food emergencies because no matter how hungry I am, there's always a yummy "real-food" meal waiting for me.

As I mentioned in my initial post, was I really felt was lacking were tips, tricks and secrets to Jenny Craig.  So I've compiled my own list, please feel free to add to it:

• Eat 6 times per day.  Eat your 3 meals, then have a protein bar (I like Pria or Special K bars), fruits and/or veggies, and your dessert.  Don't get too hungry.
• Make a low-cal dressing (or buy the Kraft single-serve salad dressing pouches), and eat it over your favorite veggies.  I eat cukes every day!
• Bring single-serving salad dressings everywhere!  If you're stuck and need to eat out, order a salad with chicken and use the dressing you brought.  I do this all the time. 
• Be creative.  On nights when my family is bar-b-q'ing (my weakness), I choose a chicken burger and have my husband grill it so I don't feel deprived.  If they're eating pasta, I eat pasta too.  And I always transfer my food out of the plastic tray and onto a plate.  This lets me look at the portion so I can visualize it when I eat out and makes me feel more human.

The bottom line is this: this program works.  I eat the food, go to the gym 3 or 4 times per week, use my feet when I can, and make relatively wise choices when I must.  Frozen yogurt over ice cream.  Kiddie portion over a small.  Salad topped with steak instead of a steak entree which comes with sides and more food.  Skip your dessert if you've "picked" more than usual that day.  If you use your head, it works.  And those reviewers who say it doesn't?  I'm betting they "supplemented" a bit more than they should have or "forgot" about that chocolate bar they "shared" with their kid.  If you need a jump start, this is a good option.

Accident

On Monday night, I was lucky enough to be included in dinner with bloggers extraodinaire - Jodi, Audrey, Jane and Sharon - at my favorite spot, The Melting Pot.  It was a wonderful evening - good food, great conversation and lots 'o chocolate.  What could be better?

On my drive home, I thought how far I'd come this year.  Alex Casey Baby is holding its own, my Being Savvy gig is taking off, and The Daily Grind is getting thousands of visits every month.  I am lucky.

Then something not so lucky happened.  After letting the traffic subside, I began to make a left turn into my driveway and suddenly I see a motorcycle swerving out of control on its side toward me.  With no time to panic, the bike slams into my car, the driver rolls off and onto the street.  I got out of my car to make sure he's ok (he's walking toward me by the time I am fully out), and went to get help.  In under two minutes, my house was surrounded by police cars, a fire truck and ambulance.  The biker said he was ok, and seemed more distraught about the shape his bike was in than anything else.  We exchanged information, thanked the really nice cops, and went our separate ways.

I got into bed that night totally shaken up.  While my husband was in the driveway (literally) picking up the pieces, so many things swam through my mind.  What if the driver of the bike hadn't swerved and had collided into me head-on?  What if he hadn't been wearing a helmut?  What if what if what if?  While I was certain I could have done nothing to prevent this accident, I felt wrought with anxiety over it.

I thought about my kids and how precious they are.  How any and every time they go for a walk with anyone but me I yell the words "be careful" out the door.  My husband can't understand why I worry when he's later than he says he'll be.  But I worry.  Because life is fragile and anything can happen in but an instant.

And because so far in this life, I am so lucky.

A Giveaway at Skimbaco's Blog

Alex Casey Baby is doing a giveaway with Skimbaco Blog - we're giving away a pair of BabyLegs to one lucky reader.  Head over there to enter!

  BTW - I've come up with a new way to use BabyLegs!  I put them on my daughter for naps.  It's summertime which means dresses and onesies.  Rather than changing her clothes, I throw on a pair of BabyLegs to keep her warm.  She loves them too!

Snacktivate with Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

To say that we love to snack in our house is an understatement.  We L-O-V-E snacks and while we generally keep it healthy, I sometimes worry about how much sugar my toddler is ingesting.  Fruits and veggies are big in our diet, but so are marshmallows and ice cream.

Last week, I opened my mail to a couple of boxes of Kellogg's® Frosted Mini-Wheats ®cereal along with a recipe for Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies.  I thought to myself, if these are even half as good as healthy and delicious Rice Krispies Treats®, then we're in business.  So I started mixing and cracking and measuring, only to realize halfway through that I was out of sugar.  A blessing in disguise, I decided, as I measured the Splenda out in equal amounts.  Half an hour later, my house smelling delicious, I removed the treats to try.  And if I may say so myself - yum!

Ok, so they would've been even better had I used sugar but I felt better about feeding them to my child knowing they were sugar-free (ok, so I used light margarine instead of butter too).  And the only change I'd make in the recipe (to follow) is to use even more of the Mini-Wheats.  And while I was surprised that the recipe was for peanut butter cookies given all the peanut allergies, I do love giving Alex pb since it's healthy in itself and one of my favorite foods.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2c all-purpose flour
• 2 tsps  baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1c butter or margarine, softened*
• 1c peanut butter*
• 3/4c granulated sugar**
• 3/4c brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 60 Mini-Wheats, crushed***

Directions:

1. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat well.  Stir in flour mixture and crushed cereal.  Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. 
3. Bake at 350F for about 14 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from baking sheets ASAP and cool on wire racks.

Prep time: 10 minutes        Total time: 24 minutes     Yield: 33 servings

* I used a "light" version.                                                                                                                                              ** I used Splenda.                                                                                                                               *** For even better results, use 90 Mini-Wheats.

Create fun Sassy Sunpops by forming your cookie dough into circles on the pan, adding some flax seeds in the middle, pushing a few raw almonds around the seeds, and inserting oven-proof cookie sticks. 

For more on Mini-Wheats and other nutritious kid-friendly recipes, visit Snacktivate.

Rock Out Baby!

If you're a parent, you're guilty.  I don't care what you say, you're guilty of turning the ignition in your kid-free car and listening and singing along to 10 miles of Elmo before realizing that you're duetting with a furry red monster in a high-pitched voice.  Scenario #2 entails turning on the car to the new That Baby CD, and rest assured, you won't want to change a thing. 

If you're searching for unique baby gifts, That Baby CD is an amazing collection of acoustic cover versions of songs by your favorite artists.  Many of them are tunes that bring me back to summer camp.  I was graciously sent a copy by Rob Wolf, one-half of the husband and wife team who conceptualized this CD, and we haven't listened to much else since.  Thing is, I don't know who's enjoying it more, me or my kids.

The music is awesome.  Favorite songs like Circle Game by Joni Mitchell, When We Grow Up from Free To Be You & Me, and my personal all-time favorite tune, Songbird by Fleetwood Mac, will have your entire family humming along.  Gone are the days of incessant stories about little stars and pockets full of posies, it's time to enjoy classics by 10,000 Maniacs and Bob Marley with your kids.  Who says kids respond only to music written exclusively for them?  Mine were dancing around the kitchen to the beautiful melodies on That Baby CD like it was their job.  And when the music was combined with visuals on That Baby DVD, they were really sold.

I'm not the only one who seems to think this CD is worth a listen.  It's actually being sold in Pottery Barn Kids stores - I was so excited to see it on their shelves!  My friend Katja over at Skimbaco is stocked to sell too. 

Not convinced?  Listen to a preview here.  Head over to That Baby DVD and treat your family to the best music purchase of the year.  You can buy the CD for $14.95, the DVD for $24.95 or buy them as a set for $34.90.  How's this for a deal - enjoy 20% off your entire purchase by entering promo code "jillsentme" at checkout.