Love is in the Air…or is it?

I find Valentine’s Day is the one holiday which is met with the most mixed reception. You either love it, you hate it or it’s just another day of the week. I like Valentine’s Day, but not so much for myself. I enjoy how much my children look forward to it.

My son is in Kindergarten and this will be his first year to exchange Valentines with his classmates! There will be a party (featuring my famous chocolate chip cookies!), with games and all sorts of fun things. My daughter was able to help with her Valentines for family and friends this year. She is not able to print her name just yet, but she “signed” each card with precise letters of her own creation. Being able to do this made her very proud indeed! My children being excited makes me excited.

I have a card picked up for each of them and my Husband and I had planned on taking them out for lunch. However, due to a major storm warning, we decided to have the special dinner a day early. We will have TV time with the special “Madly Madagascar” followed by a nice supper. That’s about it. I don’t play into the crazy commercialization of Valentine’s Day. Cards that can cost up to $10, fake flowers, junky candy, silly stuffed toys…all in the name of love? No thank you very much! Hubby volunteering to watch the kids so that I can have a few hours out with my friends means so much more to me than an over priced, heart-shaped pillow.

You don’t have to spend much to makes Valentine’s Day fun for your little ones. Last year I made a fancy bath for my kids complete with pink bubbles, pink lemonade in fancy glasses and heart-shaped rice crispy squares. They had a blast! In addition to that, along with their cards I gave them each a book of coupons that I had made myself. There were five coupons:

Good for one batch of your favorite cookies
Get out of trouble card (for minor offences only)
Good for one deluxe bubble bath (same as the one they had on Valentine’s Day)
Good for one Happy Meal with no questions asked (had to be presented before meals were cooked)
Good for one movie night ANY night you choose

My kids were thrilled with the coupons! It made the excitement of Valentine’s Day last a little bit longer and they loved being able to have little treats at the drop of a piece of paper.

So whether you and your special someone are heading out to dinner or you plan on spending the day catching up on laundry, this Valentine is for YOU!

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Of Course I Want to Take You to the Bathroom!

Does anyone else find it hard to eat proper meals on a regular basis? By “proper”, I mean a well balanced meal. Before you ask, no, the leftovers your kids didn’t eat from their plates does not count!

We all know that there are plenty of interruptions when the family sits down to eat. Someone may be missing a fork while someone else needs more water. Perhaps someone is finished early and is hoping for their dessert. Lately, the only time I can seem to eat without too much interruption is breakfast. After that, I’m lucky if I get one “proper” meal before the day is out. Oh I would absolutely LOVE to be able to eat on a more regular basis, however there is one main obstacle that I must face everyday – my Daughter. Don’t let her beautiful face or adorable mannerisms fool you. This child knows when I’m trying to eat and for some reason, it’s in her genetic code to prevent that from happening.

In the beginning, she tried to keep my attention with cute conversation which was filled with questions, songs and the like. When she was small, I would do my best to go along with her but now that she is a bit older she knows that talking with a full mouth is not appropriate and the conversation is kept to a minimum. I thought that my troubles were over but then she went all out and pulled her trump card – “Momma, I hafta go pee/poo weelly bad!!”. Oh yeah, she went there.

She is still only two and while she is completely potty trained, she still needs help with wiping. That means she needs someone to accompany her to the bathroom each time she goes. My husband works away so he is not often around to assist with potty breaks.

I have tried to combat this latest tactic. The most obvious solution was to make sure she went to the potty before we ate, but somehow…someway…she always manages to save something in her reserves for when I sit down to eat! Once the kids have been completely taken care of, I will sit down to my meal. Within minutes she will come over to me and urgently say she needs to go to the bathroom. My mind is screaming ‘NO!! No I just sat down! I want to eat my food while it’s still sort of warm! Just give me five more minutes!’. However, I’ll smile sweetly and always answer “Of course I’ll take you to the potty my sunshine”.

I know that this won’t last forever. One day she will be able to properly handle herself in the bathroom all on her own. Until that time comes, I think I’ll just set up a dinner tray and chair in the bathroom.

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My Famous Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!!

Ok so I’ve decided to share my much sought after chocolate chip cookie recipe with you!

Most chocolate chip cookie recipes use both white and brown sugar and often turn out to be crunchy. Sure those cookies taste ok, but they’re not my cup of tea. I wanted a cookie which didn’t use as much sugar and that wouldn’t break off my teeth while I was eating one. After months and months of trying different recipes, I found one that was perfect for me! Not only that, but after serving them to family and friends, everyone wanted a copy of the recipe!

This cookie relies only on a single cup of brown sugar, vanilla and the chocolate chips for its sweet taste. The texture is soft and light. One suggestion I would make would be to use Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips for the recipe. I find they really add to the flavor of the cookie. I really hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

The Newfoundland Mommy’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2 1/4 Cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Package Milk Chocolate Chips (approximately 2 cups)

1) Preheat your oven to 375°

2) In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3) In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until each is whisked in completely. Add vanilla.

4) Slowly whisk in the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients (about 2-3 tbsp at a time). Once fully combined, add chocolate chips and mix well.

5) Drop teaspoon size portions onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Do not flatten.

6) Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for a minute before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack.

This recipe yields approximately 48 small cookies or about 28-32 larger cookies. It all depends on how big/small you want them to be of course. Good luck and enjoy!

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The Choices We Make

Do I breastfeed or use bottles? Should I take the new job in another city or stay where I am? Pepsi or Coke?

From a very young age, as soon as we are able to think for ourselves we earn a very special ability – the ability to make choices.

When my son was about two and a half years old, he began to display the typical attitue of a terrible two tot (I want my way and I want it now!). One day, he was refusing to eat his dinner and kept insisting it was time for dessert. My husband explained that he would get dessert once he ate his fill of dinner but this, of course, wasn’t good enough. This resulted in my son getting very upset and, for whatever reason, I went beside him and said “Sweetie, you have two choices. First, you can choose to eat your dinner and be rewarded with dessert afterwards, then you will be happy. OR, you can choose not to eat your dinner which means your tummy will be empty and you will get no dessert, then you will be sad. What do you choose?” Surprisingly, he calmed down, ate his dinner and earned his dessert in the end.

Giving my kids choices, and explaining the consequences when applicable, really helps throughout their day. Allowing them to make simple choices such as what to wear (no matter the style chosen!) or which fruit to put into a smoothie helps boost their confidence and self esteem. When it comes to behavior, I find that explaining the choices in a situation helps to diffuse the tension. Rather than having a screaming/crying child, they are more calm as they weigh their choices and consequences.

When you really think about it, most problems in our lives can be whittled down to what choices we make in life. Good choices lead to good things and bad choices lead to bad things…it’s as simple as that. That’s why it’s so important to make good choices.

Not only should our choices be good, but they should also be educated as well. The old excuse “I didn’t know” is just that…an excuse. If you have multiple options, all aspects must be considered. For example, let’s say you’re choosing between two schools for your child to attend. Which school has a better bus route? Which school has the morals and values you want taught to your child? Does one school have smaller classes? Take time to write down everything you can think of so that the facts are in front of you. Ask for the opinions of your loved ones if necessary, but make the choice that’s best for YOU (or your little one of course!).

What happens if you make a wrong/bad choice? Try not to stress! Let me share one of my favorite sayings with you – “Learn from your mistakes but never regret. One day you will realize that sometimes the wrong choices will bring us to the right places.”

By the way…the correct answer is Pepsi! LOL!

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“Too” Busy Being a Good Mom?

Have you been making time for the other people in your life – Your Husband/Wife, your Mom/Dad, your Brother/Sister, Friend/Grandparent? Recently, I realized that I’ve been doing a not-so-good job in that department. It’s easy to forget sometimes that we are more than just parents and individuals. I have been so busy with trying to be a good Mom that I have fallen behind in my relationships with certain people.

It all started today during a visit with my Great Aunt, who is in the hospital. Before Christmas I visited her on a regular basis but recently, that stopped. The only reason I’ve got is that I’ve been too busy with the kids. For some reason, I felt ashamed to visit her in the hospital. I can make time for her when she’s sick, but not when she’s healthy? That’s definitely not me.

I treasure my family and friends, truly I do. They are the most amazing people…so full of love, kindness and generosity. They are a wonderful support system and my life wouldn’t be complete without each and every one of them. I want to be as good to them as they are to me.

I’m going to make a late New Year’s Resolution! I promise to do my best and keep contact with the other people in my life. Staying in contact and reinforcing relationships is really not hard. A phone call, an email, sending pictures of the kids to relatives more often, Facetime/Skype or a simple text message can really make someone’s day. I don’t want to be just a good Mom, I want to be a good Wife, Daughter, Cousin, Niece, Aunt and Friend too! I know I have it in me, I just have to make a better effort.

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Sticks and Stones Belong in the Forest

About seven years ago, I was working with a security company and one of the duties we had to perform was scanning the worker’s badges on buses. Well, some of the buses were school buses and we all know how they are…cramped with a narrow passage way. With so many workers on the bus, I had to turn sideways to make my way down the bus to scan everyone. Near the back, I overheard someone say “Look, that big chick has to turn sideways just to move”. Now I’m not huge…sure I’m a bit overweight but ANYONE would have had to turn sideways to move on and off that bus. To make a long story short, that comment was the reason I no longer volunteered to scan the buses.

I’m sure at one point or another we’ve all been taught the lesson “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me”. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think that this rhyme is a pile of nonsense. The reality is, words can cause more damage than some realize. Words can affect your emotions, your self esteem and more. Bullying in schools is no longer limited to big kids beating up on the smaller ones. Terms such as “Loser”, “Fag”, “Geek” and “Fatty” are being tossed around at the innocent and causing more harm than a punch on the shoulder.

So how do we fix this problem? In my opinion, the most important thing we can do is THINK. Think about your words before they come flying out of your mouth. Are they words you would want spoken to you? Are they words you would say to your children? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve witnessed people spout out hurtful things that they’ve later regretted. If you take a moment or two to think before acting, you could possibly prevent hurt feelings or a messy situation.

We all want our kids to have good manners and to speak respectfully. It’s no good to tell your children to speak kindly if you aren’t ready to do so yourself. I believe the old saying is “practice what you preach”. I’ve learned that even when I think my kids aren’t paying attention…they are! So in the words of Thumper “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all”.

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I Am Not Just a Mommy

Do you remember the time back before you had kids? Back when the main focus of your life was you? If you’re anything like me, you look back upon those times with fond memories, but you can’t picture your life without your kids now, am I right? Well I would like to share something that I’ve learned about myself…or rather rediscovered.

In 2012, I moved back to Newfoundland after having been away for almost eight years. While I gained many wonderful things living away, I had all but forgotten about the “old me”. I did not enjoy being away from the province which I love so dearly, not one little bit, and the fact that I was away pushed me into a low time of my life. Well after moving back, the little cloud which hung over my head seemed to disappear overnight! I started to enjoy life again. One day, I ran into my old music teacher and mentor and he suggested that I join the town band. At first I thought he was crazy! Me? Become part of a band again? How could I? I had two children to care for! No matter how hard I tried to rationalize why I shouldn’t join the band, there was an old spark inside of me that seemed to yell “DO IT! FIND A WAY! YOU KNOW YOU WANT THIS!!” It’s true, I did want this…very badly in fact! So I found a way to attend the weekly rehearsals (Yay for Tuesday nights!).

Having music back in my life has brought me so much joy! I couldn’t believe how much I had missed playing percussion. What’s more is that I had rediscovered a small part of myself which had been forgotten. It made me think to myself “What else have I forgotten about me?” One day while my two little ones were playing in the back yard, I started to paint a clay flower pot. I love to paint and I had forgotten how relaxing it can be. The latest thing I’m doing for myself is this blog. I may not be the best writer, but I do love to write. I find it to be freeing and almost therapeutic.

My hobbies don’t take up much time at all. Nap time and after the kids go to bed are perfect times to do things me. Not only do I feel wonderful about myself for having these little hobbies, but I can share them with my children too and I find that really special. As parents, we strive to help our kids learn new things, discover talents and find themselves. Why deny such things from ourselves?

We are not just parents. I am not just a Mom. I am a percussionist. I am a painter. I am a writer. You, my friend, are YOU. What makes you passionate? Are you an avid reader? Perhaps singing is what makes you tick. Give yourself permission to explore your passions and take up old hobbies which excite you. Join a choir! Volunteer at the SPCA. Dust off your camera and start to take pictures. Do what makes your happy and be proud of it! I know I am.

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Just One of Those Days…AGAIN!

Have you ever gone to Walmart just to get a break from your kids? I sure did today!

Today was one of those days where every half hour, I had to deal with my two “angels” in some way. First, they wouldn’t settle down in Church. After coming home, they wouldn’t sit down to eat their lunch. Next, they got into an argument and struck each other in some way (nothing major, but still…). After naps, they got into a shouting match over blocks. During supper, they were both whiney that their desserts had been taken away. Finally, at bedtime, they thought that constantly jumping out of their beds would be funny (it SO wasn’t!).

Right about now, my kids sounds like a bunch of crazy crazies! However this behavior is definitely not typical of them. I could handle one of even two disruptions to the day, but an entire day of naughtiness?! Come on you guys!

Around supper time, after yet another round of time outs and “talks”, despite the terrible weather I decided that *I* needed a time out! I left the kids in the care of my Mother and went to Walmart to run a few errands. Was going to Walmart necessary? Absolutely not! The errands could have easily been taken care of the following day. However I needed a little bit of me time and going to the store was the perfect excuse to get out of the house for half an hour…well…I managed to stretch it out to 45 minutes! Don’t judge me! I have no regrets about looking at cookware that I didn’t need.

The day is over now – the kids are in bed (YES!!!), dishes are washed and the laundry is folded. The only thing left to do is to let go of the events of today. I used to get so stressed after days like this. I would think to myself “Is tomorrow going to be like this?”, “Is this the start of a bad behavior trend?”. That was the old me. The new me is much better at letting the small stuff go. Tomorrow is a brand new day that has not been lived yet. There are no scripts. If I enter tomorrow with hope and optimism, then hopefully the day will go well. 🙂

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My Thoughts on the LeapPad Ultra

Both of my children have LeapPad Ultras and I’m a really big fan of them! At first, I was a bit skeptical of the whole notion of my kids having any sort of tablet. I didn’t want them to become overly dependant on an electrical device for entertainment. However, I knew that with moderation and proper management, this problem could easily be avoided.

I must say, I was surprised to see how much my kids actually learned from this tablet! Of course I do my best to enjoy daily educational activities when them – coloring, counting blocks, homework with my son, etc – however the lessons learned through the games they play are really amazing! Just today, my two-year old correctly identified the number 13 on a bingo card! My Mother and I were floored!! She can count to 10 on her own and recognize some of those numbers, but since playing with the LeapPad Ultra her understanding of numbers has increased dramatically.

The neat thing about the apps is that one game/ebook can grow with a child. Games start off very basic for Pre-K children and become more challenging as the child ages. The same can be said for ebooks. A Pre-K story will have short sentences and easy-to-read words while the same story in Grade 4 mode will have larger words with much more details. It’s nice to know that the money I spend on apps can actually go a long way. If you have more than one LeapPad Ultra in the house, an app purchased online can be added to a maximum of three devices.

I don’t just consider the LeapPad Ultra a toy, I consider it a tool. Typically, the limit is between half an hour to an hour a day. The more ways you introduce an educational concept to a child, the faster the concept will be retained. Playing with this device helps to reinforce the lessons which my kids are learning daily.

I really like how you can add personal touches such as your child’s name and their picture. The LeapPad Ultra comes with a built-in camera and video camera, so selecting a picture will be no trouble at all!

The only thing I can think of for a “heads up” on the device is that, to an adult, it will seem to run a little slow. It does not have the reaction time of an iPad or even a laptop, but you have to keep in mind that it’s meant for children. Neither of my kids have complained that their LeapPads are slow. I’m the only one that notices that. For example, after clicking on an app, it will take 4-6 seconds before the game actually loads. Not a big deal but, for some reason, this seems to matter to some people.

Overall, I think that the LeapPad Ultra is a wonderful device! For a detailed overview of the LeapPad Ultra, including product description, features and more, please click HERE.

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What’s the Plan?!

We’ve all had those days. You know what I’m talking about…you’ve planned the perfect day or the perfect event…the big day arrives and bam! Nothing goes right.

Take my day for example. I had today completely planned out – skating in the morning with my daughter, a play date in the afternoon for both kids and bingo in the evening with a good friend. Three guesses as to which of my plans actually happened. If you guessed none, you would be correct! My daughter did not want to go skating without her brother (who was in school at the time), my friend and her son (our playdate) came down with a cold and my bingo buddy was super tired after a few bad nights of sleep. Am I mad at anybody? Of course not! Not in the least. How can you blame a friend for being sick or tired? I completely understood and all events of my day are being rescheduled. No big deal at all. Still, there’s that tiny voice inside my head that’s saying “Really?? ALL of my plans were cancelled?! REALLY?! What luck!” LOL.

As a Mom, there have been countless times when my plans for the kids haven’t gone the way I was hoping. On days when I have a fun afternoon of sliding planned, my kids will have tantrums. Mornings at the park will get rained out. Family photo days are met with stubborn faces.

It’s not just the everyday things either. Major events in their lives have gone awry. One of the things I was most looking forward to was seeing how my first child would react to their first birthday cake. I had seen so many other children celebrate their first birthdays and the cake was the moment that just made the day awesome. Fast forward to the day of my son’s first birthday. I had my professional camera ready to capture those lifelong memories, the video camera rolling for future viewing, and the iPhones ready for instant pictures to send to family. We placed his birthday cake (which took me hours to bake and decorate) in front of him…I am practically ready to burst with excitement…my son sticks a finger in the cake…and then cries for 25 minutes straight.

In the beginning, these hiccups truly bothered me. I am a planner and when my plan or visions didn’t go the way I wanted, it made me upset. However, I soon came to realize that when you have kids, anything can happen. My plans won’t always coincide with what their day brings them (moods, illness, etc). Rather than dwell on what might have been, I’ve learned to adapt to the situation. It really helps to keep things as stress free as possible, which is important to me.

Tomorrow, I think I will plan to NOT have a plan. 😉

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