The Great American Salad Bar Project!

If the highly processed foods that are being served to our children in schools aren't your idea of a healthy lunch it's time for YOU to get involved! Lets work together and give our kids a healthy start and a healthier lunch! With at least 30% of our children being overweight, childhood obesity has more than doubled and it's a scary result with the prediction of one in three kids that will develop diabetes. Our kids deserve better and it is up to parents to help drive these changes in our schools!

We're excited to share with you that Whole Foods Market is participating with Chef Ann Cooper to provide healthy salad bars to schools across the country. They are jumpstarting the movement by raising money for a salad bar in at least one school in the communities surrounding each of our stores in the U.S. That's almost 300 schools! You can help reach this goal by donating to your local store and also by helping a school of your choice to apply for a grant.

Do you have a school who needs a salad bar? You can apply for a grant here starting September 1st, 2010. Spread the word (Facebook, MySpace, Email, etc.) and lets work together to give our kids healthier school lunches!

If you have any ideas or would like to work with us to fundraise for a school in our area please let us know!

Money Saving Monday: Kids Clothes on the Cheap!

Now that our boys are nearing two, we have come to realize how expensive it is to buy their clothes that a month later they have grown out of! We are always trying to find ways to help our family budget and getting clothes for the boys is no exception! We thought we would share what we have found so far and would LOVE for you to share your tips with us as well!

1. Consignment Shops: These are places you can get gently used clothing & shoes for reasonable prices. Average cost of shirts may be around $4. You can also take your clothes in to sell! Some stores we have visited include: Once Upon A Child, Snooty Fox, Reruns for Wee Ones (local to cincy). 
2. Swap Sites: These are online sites that allow you to swap clothes with other families. Most are free but require a nominal fee for shipping the items. One we just recently found but haven't tried yet is Thred Up. You can also check out our Coupon Queen for a list of several other swap sites!
3. Garage Sales: This can be a hit or miss... but that can be part of the fun! You can normally find clothes for $1 or less and there is always room for bartering the price! Craigslist has links to sales in your area.
4. Online: Parents will sell gently used clothing at a fraction of the cost! Check out Craigslist and Ebay!
5. Local Parent Sales: We have Mothers of Twins Sales etc. that go on local to cincy. They sell kids clothes on the cheap... normally $1 a piece!  Check out your area for local parent group sales or start your own! We will be posting upcoming sale dates as we find them on our facebook page (and feel free to post anything you find on there too)! 
6. Don't forget to ask your friends and family to borrow their used kids clothes... Then it is free :)

Please add anything you know of to our list!!! We are always looking for a great deal!

10 Ways To Soften Hard Brown Sugar

I know this is a little off the cuff, but I decided to dedicate todays post on how to soften brown sugar! I know, I know.... there are so many other things to write about! However, I needed my brown sugar the other day for one of my recipes and when I got it out of the cabinet it was hard as a rock! I was in the middle of making my dish and was stuck! Cody was napping so I couldn't run to the store. I was stabbing that sucker with a fork and nothing! So.... for those of you who were never told how to soften your HARD brown sugar, this one is for you! Happy cooking :)

It happens to the best of us: rock hard brown sugar. How to soften it? Ten easy tips below:

1. Place the brown sugar in an airtight container with a slice of fresh bread placed on top. Seal and leave overnight. It should be soft and fresh again in the morning, if not just let it sit another day or two.
2. Sprinkle a few drops of water over the chunk of hardened sugar, place in a plastic bag, seal, and let sit for a couple days.
3. Place brown sugar in an open container, then top with a moistened cloth (paper towel works too). Let sit overnight.
4. Place the hardened sugar in an airtight container with a few apple slices. This should soften the sugar within the next day or two. Remove apple slices once sugar is soft again.
5. Use foil or plastic wrap to cover the top of the sugar. Then set a dampened sheet of paper towel (not dripping wet) on top of the foil. Place in an airtight container and seal. Let sit overnight or a few days as needed. Remove foil and paper towel once the towel is dry and sugar is fresh again.
6. Buy a clay disc or if you have a pottery piece on hand (from a broken clay pot, etc.), set it in water for about 30 minutes. Dry the piece so it isn’t dripping wet. Put the clay piece in a container with the sugar and seal. Check after a few days. Keep the piece in with your sugar for months if you’d like–will keep it soft.
7. Quick Tip #1: Need the sugar soft now? Put the brown sugar in a container and place in the microwave with a small bowl full of water beside it. Microwave for about 1 minute–check. If it’s still hard, try for another 30 seconds. You can keep doing this until the sugar is soft, but watch that you don’t melt the sugar.
8. Quick Tip #2: Place the hardened sugar in a baking pan and set in oven (temperature at about 250° F). Check after 5 minutes. If still not soft, continue checking every few minutes until it’s soft and ready to use.
9. Quick Tip #3: Place the brown sugar chunk in a microwave safe plastic bag. Take a square of paper towel and moisten with water (not dripping wet–wring out excess). Place the wet paper towel in the bag with the sugar and seal. Place in the microwave for approximately 20 seconds. If still not soft, microwave for a few seconds more, repeating until the sugar is ready to use. Be careful not to melt the sugar.
10. Quick Tip #4: Stick chunks of the brown sugar in a food processor or blender and chop/pulse until useable.

For best results, make sure to store brown sugar in a sealed, airtight container. A clay disc kept in the container can keep it soft for months (see tip above for clay disc).

Brown sugar can also be stored in the freezer and thawed a few hours before using.

**Don't forget to check out our recipes page for family friendly meal we love! **

Make Your Own Blocks!

Every time Cody and I go to the CFEC he plays with the cardboard blocks that look like bricks... he LOVES them! I found this site that tells you how to make your own!


Blocks spark imagination and creativity, and can keep kids busy for hours. Jumbo-sized building blocks are always a hit with young kids--remember forts? Here are some simple directions for how to make your own jumbo building blocks from empty cardboard milk cartons. 
Materials

• Various sizes of clean, dry cardboard milk or juice cartons. You'll need two of the same size for each block.
• Self-stick contact paper, for covering the blocks.

Directions

1. After washing and thoroughly drying the cartons, use a scissors to remove the triangular tops of the cartons, so there is a square opening at the top of each carton.
2. Set one carton in front of you, open side up, and slide the other carton into it, open side first.
3. Cover the block with contact paper.

I have been collecting our milk cartons for some time now. I just recently went to Michaels (check out their free family event for this sat) and bought some contact paper (I couldn't find the brick paper so I got the wood grain paper). I am going to try and start cleaning all of them and see if I can make my own! So.... I will be doing a follow up post in a few weeks with pics etc. I would love for you to make your own too and send your pics in so I can post some of yours as well (or leave your pics as comments the day of the post)!


If you don't get a lot of milk cartons, ask your friends and family to save theirs! This would be a fun craft project to involve the kids in and teach them about reusing items vs. tossing in the garbage! 


**Don't forget to check out our Family Fun page for other great ideas!** Don't hesitate to email us any suggestions so we can add them to our list! 

Moms Night Out

I had one of those days yesterday where everything felt like it was going wrong!!! I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, everything seemed to be getting on my nerves. I had been looking forward to going to the park for this stroller walk thing for like three weeks. I ended up getting lost, was late and then couldn't find anyone. We stayed at the park and went for a walk and a bird pooped on my shirt (that's right.... on my shirt)! Then when I was getting everything loaded in the car, I stepped in dog poo.... yeah, I know! At this point, it was only noon so you get my drift! On days like that my fuse is short and rather than take it out on my family, I need to find another outlet. What things do you do to unwind? I try and take time for myself by going to the gym, cooking, hanging out with friends or scheduling a date night. I found this Mom's Night Out and thought you would enjoy it! It is FREE and best of all Jo Wehage of Healthy Alter Ego will be there! Check it out!!

Mom's Night Out is an opportunity for local mothers to get together without the kids to socialize, relax, and be pampered.  We know it’s hard being a mom - you deserve a break! Great food, goodies, giveaways & drinks – what could be better!  This month we welcome Jo Wehage of Healthy Alter Ego as she discusses “3 Super Foods You Should Add to Your Plate & 3 Things You Should Spit Out”.  Visit Healthy Alter Ego for more info!

Thursday, August 26th

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Cost: FREE

To sign up for a class, contact Paula Mangold at 513-459-6131 

Whole Foods Market Mason

Healthy Living: Eggs Have Been Recalled!!!!

"A series of salmonella outbreaks across the country have prompted Iowa egg producer, Wright County Egg, to recall 380 million products. Eggs under the brands Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farm, and Kemps should be returned to the store in which they were purchased for a refund. The recall is for shelf-eggs only, meaning that products containing eggs are not affected."


"FDA is collaborating with Federal and state partners to investigate a nationwide increase of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infections. Partners include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state public health and agriculture officials. Joint FDA/CDC field investigation teams are working to identify potential sources of SE infection in shell eggs". Click here for the full article. 


Click here to find out how to tell if your eggs have been recalled.

How can you be safe as a consumer while handling eggs?

• Don’t eat recalled eggs or products containing recalled eggs. Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating recalled eggs should consult their health care providers.
• Keep shell eggs refrigerated at ≤45˚ F (≤7˚ C) at all times.    
• Discard cracked or dirty eggs. 
• Wash hands, cooking utensils, and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.  
• Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and eaten promptly after cooking.
• Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.   
• Refrigerate unused or leftover egg- containing foods promptly.  
• Avoid eating raw eggs.
• Avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing) that calls for raw eggs.
• Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided, especially by young children, elderly persons, and person with weakened immune systems or debilitating illness.

Kim and I have been talking a lot about how we have been on a quest to eat a more natural, whole foods diet. In the process of doing this, we have been buying more locally grown foods. Not only to know how they are growing the food, but also to support our local farmers and in turn, limiting our support for "big business" food manufacturing companies. I am sickened to see that 380 million products have been recalled and these are products that I may be feeding to my family. This reinforces to me why I don't want to support "big food" in this country and why supporting and purchasing from your local farmers is soooo important (or you can grow your own)! If this is something you feel passionately about, or just something you want more info on, I highly recommend watching Food Inc. This film is eye opening and will change your life... truly! If you are interested in finding places close to you where you can purchase local produce, meat and dairy please visit this link! 

If you are local to Cincinnati, here a few places we love where you can purchase food locally:

• Farmers Markets
  
• Findlay Market
  
• Red Sun Farm
  

All in all, buying food locally is good for many reasons:

1. You are supporting your local farmers and small businesses which helps the economy in your area
2. You are helping the planet by saving the gas that it would normally take for items to be shipped to your local grocery store from other parts of the country 
3. Naturally, you end up buying less processed and packaged food. This is good for your body because you know what ingredients is in your food and it is good for the environment because you are putting less waste into a landfill. If you have your own compost, you can even throw your leftover scraps into that instead of the garbage!

Are you convinced??!!! I know that we can't do it all, but this is one thing I am passionate about and although I am not the healthiest person 24-7 and I still purchase products from the grocery store, I am trying my hardest to make changes!!! One of my favorite sayings, "Small things done with great love will change the world"! I am trying to make changes in my life for the love I have for my family. Even if they are small changes I make each and every day (and Lord knows I am not perfect!), I hope that it will have a lasting effect on my family and ultimately the world! It may seem crazy, but I really do believe it! Everything we do individually adds up to a whole!!! 

I am going to get off my soap box now... thanks for listening! I would love to hear your favorite local places you visit and what changes you are making to change the world :)

**Don't forget to check out our Recipes page for healthy foods we love! We would love for you to share you recipes with us! Please email us at jennieandkim.recipes@blogger.com!

Money Saving Monday: My Coffee Filter Can Do What?!

I am not a coffee drinker but the hubs is and it was nice to see that I can use the filters for other things and save a little money in the meantime (thanks to Jen for sharing)!! 

Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they don't leave behind any residue.

Save a bottle of wine. Broke the cork? No problem. Just place a filter over a pitcher and carefully pour the wine into it.

Line flower pots. Place a filter at the bottom of the pot to prevent soil from leaking out of the drainage hole.

Protect china and non-stick cookware. Place a coffee filter between dishes or pans when storing or packing. 

Wipe off smudges.  In a pinch, you can use to clean eyeglasses, camera lenses, televisions, and computer monitors.

Keep your microwave clean. Prevent splatters by covering dishes or bowls in the microwave with coffee filters. Using another plate is your best bet, but filters are a good alternative to plastic wrap. And you can easily reuse them a few times.

Make a bouquet garni. Tie up bay leaves, parsley, or other herbs in a coffee filter. Drop it in your stew or soup pot, and easily remove it when you're done cooking. Recipes often suggest cheesecloth for this process, but a coffee filter is an easy-to-find alternative.

Diffuse the flash on your camera. Place a coffee filter over your flash to soften the brightness. You can also try putting coffee filters over lights or lamps to lessen the harshness of direct light when taking indoor photos.

Make sachets. Tie lavender or other dried flowers and herbs in a coffee filter to make great-smelling bundles you can store in drawers and closets.

Use for sewing projects. Coffee filters make a great backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

Make tea bags. Wrap loose tea in a filter and tie with a string.

Use for storage. Wrap Christmas ornaments and other rarely used fragile items before packing away.

We would love for you to share with us ways you save money! Find a deal that you just have to share NOW??? Leave a comment on our facebook page for all of us to see!!! Check out our Coupon Queen page for tons of links that will help you SAVE YOUR MONEY :)

We Have A Winner!!!

Congratulations to Holly for winning the My Little Pumpkins Giveaway! Please email us at jennieandkim@gmail.com to claim your gift! Thanks to Random for helping us draw our names for our giveaways!

Please check out My Little Pumpkin to purchase an embroidered/ personalized item of your own! They also make great gifts!!! Have a wonderful week!

Family Fun: Who Doesn't Love the Park?!

Regardless of where you live, we can all share fun stories of the kids playing at the local park! We love to try out new parks around cincy so we and the boys can explore the city! This week we went to Woodland Mound in Anderson. It was beautiful! They have a dry and wet playground, walking trails and much more! 


Their wet playground is HUGE and has lots of fun water play for kids of all ages! They also have a snack bar with cool drinks and hot sandwiches! Admission is $2.00 per child ages 2 to 12. The wet playground is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., May 29 through September 6, weather permitting! They have awesome trails that would be perfect for bike riding, running or sharing a walk with a friend! The boys had fun playing on the playground and then we finished up the with a packed lunch! We would love to hear what parks are your favorite! 

**Don't forget to check out our Family Fun page for other great ideas!!**

Give Yourself A Break: Local Day Care/ Babysitting Options

Being a mom is hard work! We give ourselves to everyone and everything and we tend to forget about taking care of ourselves. Well, we found a few places that may allow you to take a little time out! We all need a break right?!

Kidzwatch: 513-793-KIDZ
**The facility offers extended hours, drop-in babysitting with no reservations, programming and no long-term packages. It is open Mon-Thurs 7:30am-10pm, Fri 7:30am-12am, and Sat 9am-12am.
Located at 9727 Montgomery Rd

Give Moms a Break: United Methodist Church, 8005 Pfeiffer Rd
** Children ages 6 months- kindergarten can have fun while moms get a little me-time. Need to run some errands, go to they gym, or just need a little break? They take kids every tues/wed/thurs from 9am-12pm. Best of all.... IT'S FREE!!!!

We haven't had a chance to trial either of these locations, but we would love to hear your experience if you have used either of them before! Also, please add any other places you know of to the list! For those of you who are not local to Cincinnati, we would love to hear if you have any places similar to this that allow you to give yourself a break!!!

**Don't forget to check out our Inspire Me page for uplifting and empowering stories from other women! Please share your story with us so we can add it to our blog! 

Make Your Own Baby Food!

The Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center had asked me to do a workshop on how to make your own baby food. I am certainly not a chef, but Sharon just wanted a mom point of view! She wanted me to share my own experience and tips and tricks I picked up along the way. Since I am so passionate about child nutrition, I was excited to be able to volunteer my time and hopefully help some other mamas!

I decided to attach my "cliff notes" below so I could share them with you (and have something to reference for when I have the next one!). Let me know if you have any questions!

·     ALWAYS consult with your Pediatrician before you start a DIY baby food program.

o    The 4 day wait rule: once you introduce a new food you should wait 4 days before introducing a new food

·     Resources:

o    Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron

o    Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

o    Wholesome Baby Food

o    Annabel Karmel

·     Equipment:

o    Steamer, microwave, oven or a boiling pot of water depending on the food

o    Ice Cube Trays (you can save on foil if you buy the trays with lids)

o    Food Containers 

o    Blender/ Food Processor/ Magic Bullet

o    Ziploc bags

·     Baby Food Hygiene

o    Always wash your hands, your utensils, & your produce before doing any cooking!!!

o    Click here for tips on how to wash your produce 

DIY Baby Food (steps based off of Super Baby Food)

1.  Pick foods based off of your babies age (pgs. 86 & 87, see handout)

2.  Prepare (wash & then steam/ boil/ microwave) produce appropriate for you baby (pgs. 424-463)

3.  Puree produce

a.   The food consistency you are trying to achieve will be dependent upon you child and their age

b.  The more water you add, the thinner the consistency. You will add less water if you want the puree to be thicker

c.   You can create a smooth puree consistency the longer you blend the food. Once your child gets a little older, you can blend a little less to create a more chunky consistency.

d.  Pour your puree into your ice cube trays, freeze overnight, & then put your cubes into freezer safe Ziploc bags! Label your bags with the name of the fruit or veggie and the expiration date.

e.   Each cube is considered one serving

DIY Baby Cereal  (p 207)

(I have found that the magic bullet is AWESOME for grinding grains!!)

1.  Brown Rice: 

a.   Measure a cup of water on the stove to boil

b.  While the water is heating up, grind ¼ cup of brown rice until it is a powder

c.   Once your pot is boiling, turn the heat down to the lowest setting

d.  Sprinkle the powder into the pot while stirring briskly with your whisk

e.   Cover the pot and cook on low for 10 minutes

f.    This will make a little more than 1 cup. This will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days

2.  You can also do this with millet (3tbs), barley (1/4 cup), oatmeal (1/4 cup). Cook as directed above!

DIY Yogurt : click the link for step by step instructions

Tips & Tricks

1.  Take the food cubes you will need for the next day out the night before and they will be thawed by the time you are ready to use them!

2.  Need food now? Take your fresh fruit, peel, core and mash!

3.  Add tofu to anything to add some protein to the meal! You can freeze tofu in ice cube trays. Once you puree it, you pour it into the trays filling them half way, cover with water and freeze!

4.  Depending on age, see handout for Super Snacks.

5.  You can mix ANYTHING into yogurt:

a.   Veggie or fruit cubes

b.  Tofu cubes or fresh tofu

c.   Healthy Extras- use dependent on age appropriateness (see below)

d.  Hummus… you get the picture! ANYTHING!!!

6.  Healthy Extras: (these can be mixed into anything! For a complete list see p. 288)

a.   Brewer’s Yeast

b.  Wheat Germ

c.   Tofu

d.  Ground Nuts

e.   Nut Butters

f.    Ground Seeds

g.  Tahini & other Seed Butters

h.  Instant Non Fat Dry Milk

i.    Blackstrap Molasses

Toddler Ideas  

 ·     Although your child is on solids now, you can keep pureeing your fruits and veggies (now you have something to do with the produce that is about to go bad… puree and freeze). Mix them into yogurt, cottage cheese, or use as a spread on bread or crackers.

·     Continue mixing in your Healthy Extras!

·     If you have a picky toddler, try putting cheese, their favorite nut butter, or healthy salad dressing onto their vegetables.

·     Batch and Freeze: Pick out a few meals every month, make a large batch & freeze using the phantom freezer method (see batch and freeze for more info). You have healthy meals for the month!

Why Make Your Own?? (natural mother website)

1.  It's less expensive. A pound of fresh organic carrots will run you about $1. A four-ounce jar of organic baby food carrots cost about $.75--or $3 a pound!

2. It tastes better. Homemade baby food actually tastes like food, and your baby will grow accustomed to the flavor of fresh fruits and vegetables, possibly making her more likely to accept those foods later.

3. You know what's in it. You know for sure that it's free of additives and preservatives.

4. You can tailor the texture to your baby's preference and developmental stage.

**You can also check out our Recipes Blog for easy baby food purees and other nutritious meals for the little ones!**

Money Saving Monday: Giveaways Galore!

I have been talking a lot about how I am bound and determined to SAVE &/or MAKE money in recent posts. Well another way you can try product for FREE is through giveaways. We have a special place on our Coupon Queen page where we list blogs that do giveaways. This way you can click on the links and see what they are giving away that week! If you sign up for enough of them you are bound to win something right?!


Interested??? Well, we found something for you that will be even EASIER! There is a website called Giveaway Scout which brings you the latest giveaway promotions with products ranging from coupons and samples to high value jewelry and electronics. Giveaway Scout scans a large number of blogs and updates every hour with the latest offers. Since giveaway contests usually expire quite quickly, they offer an automated update service that informs you by email when a new giveaway in your chosen category is discovered! It couldn't get any easier than that! We will also be adding their link to Coupon Queen! 


We are always trying to find cool things to offer to you as a giveaway on our blog. We would love to hear from you about products you would like to see featured on our site so you can have the opportunity to try it for free!! If you are a business or individual interested in doing a giveaway on our blog contact us at jennieandkim@gmail.com. 


Happy Shopping! Good Luck!!! 

My Little Pumpkins Giveaway

We are very excited to announce our next giveaway!!! Donna Jo, from My Little Pumpkins, is giving away one of her personalized hooded towels to one of our readers! As an additional bonus, she is offering 10% off to anyone who wants to place an order this week (sunday to sunday) if they mention "Surviving Motherhood" when checking out!

Monogrammed Hooded Towel

Donna Jo, owner of My Little Pumpkins, is a stay-at-home mom with a 2 year old daughter. She has been sewing since high school, making or altering her own clothes, sewing costumes etc.  She has a BS in Interior Design and did that full-time professionally until she had her daughter.  When her daughter turned one she had a desire to work but not full time so she started selling embroidered items. Her business has exploded and she is able to fulfill her desire to work and be a full time mom at the same time! She has two websites you can view: Her Etsy Store and Her Blog. Her business includes embroidered monogrammed: hooded towels, onesies, shirts, blankets, bloomers, bibs, burp cloths and more! She pretty much can do it all! This is a great gift for your little ones or as a gift for a friend! 

To be entered into the drawing for a personalized hooded towel from My Little Pumpkins, BECOME A FOLLOWER :) Pretty Simple right?!

If you are already a follower or want to gain extra entries:

1. Become a follower on our facebook page!
2. Give a shout out about this giveaway on your facebook, twitter, blog, website or email!
3. Go to My Little Pumpkins and tell us which product is your favorite! 

We will be drawing through Random.org. Comments close Sunday, August 22nd at Noon.