Sometimes, when a child has a lot of, ahem, energy in her hands (and I’m not talking about my girl, noooooo) the teacher will jump up and say, “Have I got just the job for you!” Her excitement is infectious and both of them run to the bowl of apples.

Then a polishing cloth is selected and reverently the teacher takes down the bowl and sets the child up polishing. I’ve seen this. With my very own eyes. It works wonders for dispelling hitting, kicking and otherwise unwanted energy. Wonders! It’s like an advanced ninja move for child handling.

So, if you, like me, have a teacher in your life that you want to thank, give this a try. It’s a recipe from Tree Top of applesauce land. And let me just add that all teachers, especially preschool and kindergarten teachers, deserve any and all gratitude we can give them!

Tree Top Apple-Dapple Cake:

Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Tree Top Apple Sauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cups finely chopped apples

Glaze:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Stir in apples.
3. Spread the batter in a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.
4. For the glaze, combine the brown sugar, butter, and milk in a small saucepan. Cook and stir until bubbly and all of the sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly. Drizzle warm over cake when it has cooled for 5 minutes, so it can seep into the cake and keep it moist and completely irresistible.

photo credit: lisaclarke

In recent years, more and more celebrities are coming out and discussing their battles with this sometimes debilitating disease. Courtney Cox, Amanda Peet and Brooke Shields – all of which have experienced varying levels of PPD following the birth of their children have all opened up about postpartum depression and it’s paralyzing affects.

Gwyneth Paltrow sat down recently with Amanda de Cadanet for a new Lifetime series The Conversations with Amanda de Cadanet to discuss her battle with postpartum depression – a fact not unknown to the general public since releasing the news as a part of her GOOP newsletter back in 2010.

During the conversation, Gwyneth shared that she felt very disconnected from everyone following the birth of her son Moses in in 2006. ”I just didn’t know what was wrong with me. I couldn’t figure it out. It never occurred to me,” remarked Paltrow, when discussing her realization that she might be dealing with postpartum depression. It was her husband, Chris Martin, who brought it to her attention that it might, in fact, be PPD.

When when she looked up the symptoms of the condition (see below), she realized that it was in fact the condition she was dealing with. “I couldn’t connect with my son the way that I had with my daughter and I couldn’t understand why. I couldn’t connect to anyone. I felt like a zombie. I felt very detached.”

What I found most encouraging about this interview was what she had to say regarding the stigma and the judgement attached to things like postpartum depression and motherhood in general:

“We think that it makes us bad mothers or we didn’t do it right, but it’s like, we’re all in this together,” Paltrow said. “I never understand why mothers judge other mothers, like, ‘What do you mean you didn’t breastfeed? What do you mean you didn’t do this?’ It’s like, ‘Can’t we all just be on each other’s side?’ It’s so hard anyway. Can’t we all help each other get through it?”

I am so encouraged that celebrities are using their voices to open the discussion on important topics such as these. This, my friends, is what we should focus on when we hear and see friends going through the months following the birth’s of their children because it is not an easy time. We know when they are struggling – we see the signs – and when we do, we should offer them an olive branch, not a bunch of judgement.

Do not make it harder on them by making them feel bad about not choosing to breastfeed or for struggling to make it through the day with their newborn. Offer to babysit while they take a shower and have some time to themselves.

Offer them a listening ear and let them know that the parenting path they take is ok because it’s the right one for them. Make them feel normal for feeling overwhelmed at times. Perfection in parenting is not reality and we need to allow mothers the comfort of knowing, living and finding peace with that. Sometimes, it’s ok to be good enough.

Additionally, if you or a friend is experiencing what you think is PPD, work together to get help. Below are the signs and symptoms of this sometimes debilitating condition – it should not be ignored. PPD often requires therapy and medical intervention to remedy, along with emotional support from family and friends.

The signs and symptoms of postpartum depression according to the Mayo Clinic website:

Postpartum depression symptoms
Postpartum depression may appear to be the baby blues at first — but the signs and symptoms are more intense and longer lasting, eventually interfering with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Postpartum depression symptoms may include:

• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Intense irritability and anger
• Overwhelming fatigue
• Loss of interest in sex
• Lack of joy in life
• Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy
• Severe mood swing
• Difficulty bonding with the baby
• Withdrawal from family and friends
• Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby

Untreated, postpartum depression may last for a year or more.

If you or someone you love is showing active signs of PPD, please be proactive in pursuing help so all involved can work towards getting back to a sense of happiness and normalcy sooner rather than later. This isn’t a journey that should be taken alone.

Photo: PR Photos

Quote Source: OTRC

Every day, through programs nationwide, Boys Town reaches out to help those who are most in need. We lift them up, heal their wounds and put them on the path to a brighter future.

Boys Town has been saving children and healing families for more than 90 years for two reasons:

• We have an unwavering belief in the inherent potential that exists in each child, no matter what their circumstances.
• We have the skill and knowledge to develop youth and family services that provide lasting, life-changing results.

Source: BoysTown.org

Parenting.org is a sister site of Boys Town – its a parenting resource for all that provides fantastic and comprehensive information for parenting.
What’s Great About This Site:

It offers coverage of topics that are taboo as well as common. It covers issues that are relatable to the birth, foster or adoptive parent. It meets the needs of all.

The Parenting Guides provide information on a variety of topics. And It doesn’t matter how many children you have, they each come with their own challenges and with that in mind, additional strategies for how to handle those challenges are always helpful. Below you can see some of the guides they offer on Parenting.org.

There are also guides on relationships and dating, potty training, communicating with teens, and harmful behaviors

In addition to the guides, they have an expert who is a licensed psychologist that answers questions from parents who submit them on the site, which cover the following topics:

• Parenting Skills
• Understanding Behavior
• Discipline
• Child Development
• School
• Social Skills
• Connecting with Kids
• Pediatric Health

What is great about this is, the topics are relevant to many families and therefore the answers provided can offer a potential solution to a larger audience, not just the person submitting the question.

If you’re looking for an additional parenting resource with sound advice -Parenting.org is one to add into your bookmarked pages.

image credit: Parenting.org

I’ll share with you some of her wonderful insights on life in her kitchen. Mostly, though, I’m inspired by how she handles fresh ingredients and all this cooking!

Why did you decide to take on such a large cooking role? Are you naturally Julia Child; did your mom or dad cook (or not cook) – what’s the impetus?

My dad is an exceptional cook. He would try different foods at restaurants and recreate it at home. And, he would also enjoy looking at various recipes and making his own version. He made our breakfast and prepared our school lunches before leaving for work. He would also cook dinners every night until we got a nanny (3 kids and 2 working parents), then he usually made dinners just on the weekend. He still loves cooking.

My siblings and I grew up around a lot of good food and cooks. Family gatherings for birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations were large and full of homemade dishes. You have a lot more choices and flexibility when you cook at home.

How do you plan menus? Or do you?

We have some regulars: Wild Salmon on Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, Fridays is Pizza & Movie Night (I don’t cook). And, on Sunday, I always make Judy Rodger’s Roast Chicken recipe. On Monday and Tuesday, we get home late from after school classes so I cook everything earlier and reheat for dinner. One of the other days, we have leftovers for dinner, sometimes I call it the “Thursday Mix” or whatever day it happens to be. Sometimes, we play restaurant where most leftovers make it on the menu.

I also keep a spreadsheet of our grocery list. I’m a visual person so, even if I forgot an item, the list is a good reminder. The list is modeled after a market that I frequently shop at so I’m more efficient with my time.

What is your inspiration? I see that you just posted about the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook! (oooh, can’t wait for that!!!!)

I have a massive cookbook and recipe collection to pull from. I also love discovering new flavors and finding seasonal dishes on food blogs like Smitten Kitchen, Roost, Chow, and Epicurious. Breathtaking food images are also very inspiring.

What’s the fastest meal you can make? What’s the slowest?

Fastest: 1 pound taco meat and all the fixings
Slowest: Recipes from the French Laundry cookbook

Do you use any shortcuts? If so, what are they?

If I don’t make pancakes in the morning, the kids eat frozen waffles. Sometimes, I don’t make kale chips on Salmon night so will use store-bought dried seaweed bits to sprinkle on the rice. The whole family likes Trader Joe’s Traditional Carnitas, and it’s easy to wrap in a warm tortilla for lunch or dinner.

How do you introduce new flavors and ingredients?

Not very well and it’s not often. New flavors or ingredients are introduced with new recipes or at a restaurant. I talk a lot about the new “food” and sometimes need research findings before they will try it. It’s a bit comical. I do put a very small amount on their plate for them to try. My daughter loves trying new foods and is comfortable explaining what she likes or dislikes. My son is picky if it’s not meat, pasta, salmon, rice or ramen. Our rule is that you must try it before saying you don’t like it.

Do the kids get involved with the cooking or planning?

Sometimes, they like make our breakfast on weekend mornings. This usually consist of yogurt, cereal, milk, granola, blueberries, and Wheetabix. They love grating (cheese, carrots), chopping (veggies), and mixing (pancake batter, cookie dough). They also love creating what they call “potions” out of the various herbs, spices, and liquids found in our kitchen. I like when they experiment with different smells and textures, but it’s priceless seeing their expressions when they taste their creation.

How do you handle it when they don’t eat?

I grew up in a loving home where homemade meals were very important. We’re spoiled with the amount of food available so wasting was not an option. We needed to finish whatever was on our plate or go to bed hungry. I’m a bit softer on the next generation. Fortunately, the children are good about eating full meals. However, there have been occasions where my son didn’t like what was served. My approach is first getting them to eat by adding another flavor but, if that fails, I tend to add veggies & protein to their breakfast (e.g. pureed carrots in pancakes) and their lunch (e.g. chicken on multigrain pasta).

photo credit: JD Hancock

I know they’re healthy options, I know they’re tasty in my food (especially the coconut oil in homemade waffles), and I also know that there’s a lot of options.

Particularly when it comes to olive oil. There’s straight olive oil, virgin, extra-virgin, cold-pressed … the list goes on and on.

The most common varieties are obviously virgin and extra-virgin. But what’s the difference?

One difference is in quality; virgin is a slightly lower quality that extra-virgin. Both are tasty when it comes to things like dunking bread, dribbling it over foods, and making salad dressings.

When heated, the taste and aroma of the olive oil loses its flavor and but many chefs still prefer to cook with either virgin or extra-virgin, despite its higher-quality and bigger price tag.

So where does “regular” olive oil come in? Olive oil comes in to play if the pressed oil is highly acidic or not of great quality, it will be refined and mixed with the virgin or extra-virgin varieties to make the “regular” olive oil. This is what most of us “regular” cooks use in our home kitchens and it seems to work out just fine.

Regardless of what type you choose, the heart-healthy benefits are almost all the same; however, virgin and extra-virgin have extra antioxidants.

photo credit: rob poulos

So let me give you a little back story, because it’s important to the general idea of the post.

I started running last fall after an incident at our house. L, our youngest, was toddling around the house and accidentally stepped on the injured paw of our husky. As he lurched up in pain, she stumbled over … and what resulted was a terrible mess that left her with six stitches in her cheek.

My husband was horrified, as was I. But we saw the incident in two very different ways: I saw it as an accident and he saw it as our dog was vicious and hated his daughter, his baby.

As you can imagine, this caused some awful strife in our marriage.

I started running because I was angry and I needed a place to be alone with my thoughts. After I realized how great I felt after my run, I decided to keep doing it … even after we worked out our issues with the dog (and he was allowed to come home).

So, it begs the question, what are some other ways to diffuse your anger when you’re feeling like you’re about to blow your top.

Walk it Off: Ok. So I realize that not everyone is a runner, and that’s okay. But everyone can walk. When you’re really ready to freak out, go for a walk. A short one if it must be, but getting outside and breathing in the fresh air is better than locking yourself in a bathroom for a good cry any day.

Write it Down: Journaling is a great way … what I love about writing things down in a journal is that you can go back and read the entries later in life. I can now go back and read about all the things that drove me crazy as a teenager … and it helps me draw a bridge between my own teenager and myself.

She now knows that things really aren’t that different now. Journaling also helps you find your trigger points and gives you a deeper understanding into what situations you should avoid.

Talk About It: I’m a big believer in everyone needing a good therapist. A third party is so great because you can walk in to that office, shut the door, and totally lose your marbles if you want. And no one has to know what you say except you and your therapist.

Not only can this help you feel a sense of relief, your therapist can also help you find your trigger points, uncover memories that might have led to where you are now, and behavioral patterns that may need to change in order for you to find peace.

Finding healthy ways to release your anger will only make you a better spouse and parent.

photo credit: kharied

Is your family participating?

First, it might be good to know why screen-free is important … so read up on these statistics … it will help you understand the motivation behind the movement.

And then investigate some of these fun activities that you can do this week while the technology is turned off.

• Pull together an awesome obstacle course that the whole family can enjoy.
• Check out local Screen-Free Week activities in your neighborhood.
• These board games will keep your family moving and they probably won’t even miss the television.
• Or, you and the kids can make these DIY fitness toys that can be used indoors or out.

Well, Eartheasy is a wonderful site, run by a family that provides all of that information and much, much more. 

The Seaman family runs Eartheasy – a website aimed at providing sustainable living tips for all.

What We Love:

• That this is a family run site. They were first invested in their own family and have in turn invested that same commitment into their extended family – the readers of their site.
• The fantastic guides, especially the one on Non-toxic Home Cleaning Solutions – includes everything from bathroom mold to carpet cleaner to chopping block cleaner along with the standard multi-purpose cleaners.
• A guide that breaks down Eco-friendly clothing.
• Regular blog posts on current and trending topics like EcoVillages, all things Earth, sustainability and health.
• An entire blog category dedicated to organic gardening
• Guides for making varying sizes of garden beds to meet your needs based on the space that you have.

Eartheasy also provides a connection to a variety of earth friendly products that you can purchase right from their site. It’s truly a one-stop location for information as well as products to meet your sustainability goals so you can do your part in lessening your “footprint” on the earth.

Is this a site you would be interested in using as a reference? 

photo credit: EarthEasy.com

I nearly had a conniption! Especially because we really only “budget” for about $140–$150 … and that includes pet food and household products.

It’s no wonder we were missing money every month! So my husband asked how far back we could reasonably cut our budget. As we started looking at it, we realized that because we both work so much, we were relying on a lot of convenience food … precut veggies, snack-sized packages of apples and carrot sticks for the baby, cheese sticks, etc. I had also gotten away from making a weekly menu, which left me scrambling for dinner and making last-minute runs to the store.

So, I challenged myself to cut all the way back to $100 a week, which was even less that we normally budgeted for. But hey, I want to add a new bathroom to our basement, so we’ve got to cut some money from somewhere! Naturally, I hit up the Internet for some ideas … there had to be other families that have done this!

Here’s what I found:

A few of the ideas I already had in my arsenal. Shopping the local farmer’s market, for one, is a great starter. You know your produce is local, fresh, and in-season. Not only that, after a while, you get to know the farmer’s and they’ll tell you what’s really good that day and what’s not.

I’m also going back to buying all our meat from the local butcher. I can get it the same day I need it and never have to worry about freezing it and risking freezer burn.

Creating a garden with the kids and canning our own veggies and jams this summer will help too.

This article on 10 Ways to Feed Your Family for $100 a Week is filled with basic tips around coupon use (or not!), swapping beans for meat, and avoiding getting sucked in to “good grocery deals.” Lisa Leake and her family took the challenge and chronicled their adventures … while they gave themselves $125/week to spend, she was also working with a few things her family didn’t want to give up (milk delivery for nearly $7/gallon!). Her site is definitely worth looking at.

And the Hillbilly Housewife has a menu that will work in a pinch. Though her pricing is a little out of date, I’ve looked at her ideas and I bet her plan would still be less than $100 for a week’s worth of meals.

Two other articles that I found interesting was this piece that CBS News did and these menus and shopping lists.

Do you have any tips for feeding your clan on the cheap? The one thing I’m really missing, I think, is snack foods … do you have any suggestions for good homemade granola bars? Or chunky granola? You know, the kind you can break into big pieces …

photo credit: wickenden

My husband is an iced mocha kind of guy.

And my daughters both love anything fruity and slushy.

Sound familiar? What if you could make iced summer drinks at home, for far less money? Hmmm???

Well, I think I’m on to something. This recipe for sweet and creamy iced coffee sounds amazing … and I want to make some. Right now. And this mocha frappuccino recipe? Bring it.

So now for the girls … fruity, slushy … but nutritious. Hrm. My initial search for smoothies to fit the bill took me to a blog called Oh She Glows. Which I then spent forever browsing through. Filled with an inspiring message from the writer, there are tons of vegan recipes.

I think this smoothie idea from Tidy Nest is great, too … cutting up the fruit and freezing ahead so it takes only a few minutes to whiz up is great.

The one thing I would say is to always add spinach. The kids will barely notice it, especially when mixed with sweet fruits, and it’s so good for them. … and another tip? Grind some oatmeal in your blender and store it in a freezer bag or canning jar. I add a 1/2c. of ground oatmeal to every smoothie I make. It gives it more fiber, makes it a little more filling, and no one even tastes it!

Grab some of those fun reusable tumblers with the straws and have a blast!

And tell me, what are your favorite drink recipes for summer?

photo credit: Oh She Glows

For one, they have sweet potato, salt and vinegar, olive, white cheddar, blue corn, lime, cantina…the list goes on.

I bought some recently at our local Whole Foods entirely based on the packaging. I know. That’s a ridiculous way to buy food. But, hey, I’m a visual person and the bag o’chips leapt out at me. What can I say? It’s how I buy wine, too. Sometimes. But, shhh don’t tell my husband. He thinks I’m a wine connoisseur

Good thing these chips actually do taste scrumptious. My daughters think so, too. Plus, I have no quams feeding them these chip/crackers.

So there’s that.

I’m pretty sure you can find them just about anywhere like Costco, A&P, Kroger…or, if you can’t find them at the grocery, Starbucks carries them. You know, the one on the corner?

Also, living up to the ‘you Californian’s have weird snacks’ reputation…some other of my favorite healthy snacks are:

1. Somersaults – A sunflower seed concoction that will knock your socks off, especially the salt and pepper ones.
2. Crunchies Freeze Dried Edamame – It’s just about the perfect snack considering the protein/fiber combo.
3. Kale Chips - Tastes like popcorn, only greener. But in a good way.
4. Full Bloom Kuko Bites
5. Two Degrees snack bars – Mostly because they donate a meal to a hungry child around the globe with every snack bar purchased.

photo courtesy of Food Should Taste Good

It reminds me of an article I read recently about sabbaticals and the power of removing yourself from your daily routine in order to appreciate your daily routine. Funny how you have to disengage to re-engage.

But who has 4-12 months to take off on a sabbatical?!? Not your average joe…

Or do we? OK, maybe not a sabbatical of 6 months off in the rolling hills of Tuscany. Oooh, wouldn’t that be nice! But you can take a mental sabbatical to reconnect with your own present.

A breathing sabbatical. A walking in the trees sabbatical. A sitting in a quiet house alone sabbatical. And I promise I won’t turn the TV on. It’ll be my effort to stop the barrage of stimulation rushing into me so that I can just be. Want to join me?

Because the funny thing about the present is that it’s all around you all the time. If you go to Tuscany, there it is. If you are in your kitchen washing dishes – presto! Present.

Have you noticed that there is a groundswell of striving for happiness lately? I think we, as a society, are feeling disconnected amidst all this connectedness. We are looking for what is still missing. Why else would we check our phones so incessantly?!?

I’ve seen a couple of books lately on happiness: Raising Happiness, The Happiness Project…Also, there are a number of good TED talks on it, too. And being connected. And being alive.

(I’m going to see Brene Brown – who gave the connectedness talk – in Miami for a conference and I can’t wait to hear her in person!)

A friend told me the other day that we fill ourselves when we are not fulfilled. That took me by surprise because, even though I don’t consider myself materialistic, I like stuff. I buy things. In fact, I buy things I think will make me happy. And sometimes those things make me happy. But sometimes they don’t.

Hmmmm. She may have a point.

So back to sabbaticals. What would you do if you had 15 minutes? 15 minutes where you didn’t pick up your phone, touch your computer, do chores or inhabit your parental role. Just you, yourself and time.

If you, like me, are stumped for an answer, maybe you need to join my weekly mental sabbatical habit!

photo credit: bingeing

You know that part in a facial where the bright light comes out and your pores get uber-inspected? Well, as Michelle was doing this, she asked me about my skin care routine. I told her what I use – L’Occitane Immortelle Divine Cream, which I love by the way – and she told me about Safecosmetics.org.

Without going into the whole bit about how department store products are vastly inferior to those sold in spas, I gotta tell you about this website where you can look up the ‘hazards’ associated with your (yes, your) cosmetics. No matter what brand you use.

First off, I don’t necessarily buy the argument that department store products are worse than the specialists. Part of me just thinks it’s all about marketing and baloney.

Only I went to Safecosmetics.org and looked up L’Occitane Immortelle Divine Cream and gasp! it gets an overall hazard of 7 out of 10! I can’t even get into the ingredients and their ratings because A) I can’t pronounce or spell them and B) I’m overwhelmed. Toxic to reproductive organs…whaaaaaaaa?

Just do me this favor, girlfriend…go look up the stuff you slather yourself with and learn a little more about it. Don’t take my word for it.

Oh, and I also looked up Brazillian Blow out and other keratin hair straighteners and OMG! I know what’s been flying around the Internet about that, but OMG!

photo credit: teammarche