Favorite Things: Lena's List of Faves

One of the fun things about knowing a toddler is getting to know their little developing personalities, idiosyncrasies and quirks, and likes and dislikes.  I've compiled a list of ten of Lena's most favorite things:

Chick-Fil-A Nuggets with Chick-Fil-A "Dip"

 Lena will eat this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.  It is her favorite food.  She loves dip like her Mama!  We eat this at least once a week and sometimes more often.

ABC by Dr. Seuss

Lena asks for this book EVERY SINGLE NIGHT at bed time.  

Art Supplies: Crayons, Colored Pencils, Markers, Chalk, Paints, Etc.

We go through art supplies and notebooks pretty fast around here.  Lena has an art station set up in her room and we always have some on hand.  This girl loves to draw!  Her Sunday school teachers comment just about every other week on how much she loves to color.

Melissa and Doug Alphabet Stamp Set 

Lena has developed a very strong love for letters and numbers.  I bought several stamp sets off of EBAY for her and I might as well only bought this one because this is always the one she wants to use.  She loves calling the upper case letters "Big" in a really low voice and the lower case letters "Baby" in a tiny high voice.

Birthday Cake Pops from Starbucks

I am responsible for feeding this obsession.  (They are two pops for $2.50 so I get the other one!)  She calls them "Pop Pops" and actually now chooses them over ice cream as a treat.  One time I went through the drive thru at Starbucks and they were out of cake pops so I ordered a cookie instead.  I tried to warn her before we got to the pick up window that we were not getting "pop pops" because they were all gone but she couldn't comprehend such a tragedy.  When we got to the window and she saw the pink pastry bag she shrieked in joy, "There it is!!!!"  This quickly turned to sobs the whole ride home as she discovered the cookie and not her precious pop pops inside the bag.  It was funny, ridiculous, and sad all at the same time.

Mater's Tall Tales

I am not sure why this is her favorite TV program/Movie right now but she loves this 30 minute collection of Pixar shorts.  She will choose it all the time!  Seriously, we have probably watched it more than 25 times...at least!

Mc Donald's Sweet Tea

Lena's Daddy is responsible for this recent obsession.  She used to call it "Donald Juice".  It started just by getting a sip from Daddy's tea and then now she asks for it all the time when we see a Mc Donald's.  She wants it more than an ice cream cone!

ABC Song on You Tube

Grandma was the first to show Lena this 50 minute ABC song compilation.  It is pretty cute but dangerously catchy.  It gets stuck in Lena's head really easily and for hours she will randomly start singing, "H,I,J,K- La La La!" and it drives us bonkers.  It also has a lion for the letter "L" that freaks her out.  She is so scared of it and I can't figure out why but she still loves this video.  The dancing letters are pretty cute.

Pirates Booty or Trader Joe's Puffs

If it is cheesy and crunchy Lena likes it.  These are her two favorites.  

 

I can't say that I was too happy to discover this mess on our bed when Lena literally tore through the bag to have easier access to her puffs.

The Beach

About every other day Lena asks to go to the beach.  It is a good thing we live near a beach.  Sometimes we settle for playing in Grandma and Grandpa's sandbox instead.  I still can't figure out why kids like sand so much.  

Favorite Things: FOOD! How I lost six pounds in one week!

My overhauled bread bowl is now full of veggies for this week's recipes.

I am a total self professed foodie.  I love to eat, to bake, to savor lots of different flavors... I favor most cheese and baked goods.  Dan is also a foodie.  We encourage each other's foodie habits and spoil each other with our favorite foods.  I am one of those wives that shows her love through food.  I bake Dan treats, make yummy dinners, layout out spreads of our favorite cheese and accompaniments, I even bake homemade bread.  I am solely responsible for the baked goods addiction that many of Dan's co-workers have developed because I send baked goods to his office so often.  But this week things have begun to change....

I have come to the realization recently that when I bake really delicious but unhealthy treats and meals for my family (on a regular basis) I am not showing the right kind of love.  I have decided that I want my meals to say, "I am super delicious...I took time and thought to prepare...AND I will nourish your body and keep it working the proper way."  If I truly love my family I will take time to make them food that will keep them healthy, not send them to an early death.

Shopping for week 1 menu! (Plus a few extras like milk for Lena, Goldfish crackers for Lena, Spaghettios for Lena...etc.

I have wanted to change the way I cook for a long time but I put it off.  I didn't want to take the time to research recipes, restructure my pantry, and honestly I didn't want to give up making the baked goods that I love to make.  BUT...I didn't lose any weight from June until the end of September and I knew with my boot camp and triathlon training it wasn't because I wasn't exercising.  I knew that if I wanted to push through this weight loss plateau I was going to have to change the way I ate.

Crockpot meatballs and spaghetti squash.

Recently, I became acquainted with a food blogger online and in real life (I teacher her daughter piano lessons.) whose nutritional philosophy is: "It's time to change the way we eat.  It's time to cut out processed foods and to return to a diet filled with wholesome ingredients." I began following her blog www.realhealthyrecipes.com and her Facebook page (of the same name).  I was surprised by the variety of recipes she has posted and by how good they looked.  Still I was hesitant to try her recipes out because they called for some ingredients I hadn't tried before like blanched almond flour, coconut oil, coconut crystals, nutritional yeast, etc.  Then Diana, the food blogger, offered an 8-week menu planner with accompanying weekly shopping lists and I bought it and last week I began my 8-week boot camp towards a healthier lifestyle.  Here are my thoughts on my new food plan:

• I love shopping for all my meals in one shopping trip at the beginning of the week!
• I love not having to wonder what I should make for dinner every night.
• It is fun rating each meal on our menu so we can decide which ones we want to make again or tweak.
• It is surprisingly easy to make your own meals from fresh, non-processed food five nights a week.
• After not losing a pound all summer I lost six pounds in one week on this new meal plan.  
• Lena (my super picky eater) tried, ate, and liked,THREE new vegetables in one week.  Her favorite is cauliflower rice. (She has tons of variations of this rice that I can't wait to try!)
• I am a fan!

Most of the new ingredients were not that hard to find!  These were some good deals I found at Costco! (Coconut oil, coconut crystals, blue agave syrup)

Since I am such a fan of baked goods I love that Diana has tons of healthier cookie and dessert recipes for me to try.  My favorite so far is a blondie recipe that is awesome!  I am so glad that I have taken the plunge into learning healthier cooking techniques and some great new recipes.  I am certain that I will still eat cheese and have some of my old favorites occasionally but I LOVE that I have finally found a way to eat healthy food without getting bored and feeling deprived.  I will have to update once we get a few more weeks into our 8 week Real Healthy Menu.

Favorite Things: House Party!

Do you know about House Party?  It is a company that pairs up willing hostesses (people like you and me) with companies that want people to try out their products.  Basically, you agree to host a small party and give feedback and the company sends you free product and goodies and coupons for your guests to take home.  It is a win-win situation.  You get free product and a fun party while the company gets good advertising and product feedback. 

Some one is excited about what is in this big box!

Touching the tape was fun too!

Open at last!

Last year I was invited to my first House Party for Benefit makeup by a friend.  I had never heard of this company before and thought it sounded fun so I signed up and waited for a party to open for application that I would like to apply for.  Finally I saw that Fisher-Price was looking for people to throw a house party so that families with kids could try out some of their new toys.  I jumped on the opportunity to apply and guess what????  I WAS CHOSEN!!!  It was an extremely popular House Party so when I got the email that I was selected I had 30 minutes to set up my party online and invite at least ten people by submitting their email addresses or they would give my spot to someone else.  Unfortunately I got the email on my phone while out running errands so in a panic I sped home and just finished setting up my party with one minute to spare.  Whew!

 A few weeks before the party my party pack arrive.  There were four toys valued around $200 total in my pack (which I get to keep when the party is over).  Then a package came full of goodies and coupons to give to my guests.

I had lots of fun snacks on hand!

 On the day of the party we had tons of kids and adults show up to enjoy the snacks and toys.  The Ballapalooza was the hit toy of the day.  I even love playing with it!

The Ballapalooza!

There are all kinds of House Parties: food products, movies, games, retail companies, etc.  Some of them have more enticing party packs than others.  You just have to check out what is available right now and apply!  Maybe you will have beginners luck like me and get the first party you apply for!

Playing with the Ballcano!

Favorite Things: Little Lily Hair Bows

Lena wearing one of her Little Lily Hair Bow headbands.

If you are looking for some cute bows and headbands for yourself or your little girl head over or Little Lily Hair Bows (on Facebook) and check out the selection.  Lisa, the owner, is a friend from college and does great custom work!  My favorites are her felt and ribbon flower headbands.  I just ordered this new St. Pattie's flower headband.  I love that it is St. Patrick's but it is not overly themed and can be worn all year.

I also ordered this new natural flower headband to go with Lena's Easter dress which is natural light brown and white. 

There are many cute bows in the stores these days but I love ordering from small business owners.  They customize their products to your needs (Lisa can change the colors and size of the flowers and the headband to your specifications.) They are much better quality and I like supporting small business owners/stay-at-home-moms like Lisa.
If you don't have Facebook you can order by emailing Lisa at: lilygyouandme@gmail.com

Lisa - Owner of Little Lily Hair Bows

Favorite Things: Victoria's Secret... whaaatttt???

Yes you read it right.  I LIKE Victoria's Secret mainly for one fabulous product that they sell:  their yoga pants.  I first discovered the VS yoga line nine years ago when I was first married to Dan.  (Come on now... what young bride to be hasn't perused the pages of a VS catalog?!)  Back then I had no idea that VS sold clothing.  I ordered a few pairs of classic yoga pants and I was hooked for life.  Here is what I love about them:
1.  They come in a variety of colors and styles.
2.  They come in several lengths including long length!!  YES- no more high waters!
3.  They are so versatile: from workouts and lounging to dressed up with cute heals or boots and a fancy top.
4.  They are SUPER comfy.  I wouldn't wear them otherwise.
5.  They are of a very high quality and last a long time.  I just ordered more towards the end of my pregnancy after having my original pairs for 9 years!
6.  VS offers deals on their yogas quite often which makes them affordable.  I get mine 2 pairs for $50.
7.  VS yoga pants fit my body in its various states of chubbiness and skinniness. 
8.  Most importantly they are cut to flatter the body.  This is what distinguishes VS yogas from many other brands and in my opinion makes them worth the money.

The classic yoga pant that started it all.

 Don't let the size zero models scare you away from this product.  I am no skinny mini and their size XL fits me just great!  This time around I tried a few different yoga pant styles:
The Yoga Foldover Crop Pant

 The Yoga Foldover Pant

And my new favorite the Yoga Pocket Pant which sadly VS no longer carries  =(




Considering that VS no longer carries the yoga pocket pant the classic yoga pants are still my favorite.  Try them out!  Your wardrobe and your backside will thank me!

Remember Friends:  
1.  Never pay full price!  Wait for a sale or there is always a discount code to use when ordering online.
2.  You will get VS catalogs in the mail ETERNALLY for ordering from them.  I always get to the mail first and burn them before Dan even knows they are there... he he he.

Adventures in Cloth Diapering!

My lovely diaper model!

Early on I knew I wanted to try cloth diapering.  Having moved to one income and knowing that we would most likely (if we are so blessed) have multiple children in diapers at once it makes financial sense to give it a go.  So now that Lena is at nine pounds my goal this week is to get started with cloth diapering. 

When I first started researching it the choices and options were confounding!  After much research on many sites like Babble's Best of Cloth Diapers 2011 list and after talking to lots of people who have found success with cloth diapering I decided on  Charlie Banana's cloth diaper line supplemented by the Bummis cloth diaper prefold line.  I think the Charlie Banana's will be my favorite diaper (they are the best looking and most trim of the two) but I also like the convience and cost effectiveness of the Bummis prefolds.   I began building my stash last summer when I scored several boxes of small and medium sized Charlie Bananas on Zulily.  This week Target has their Charlie Banana line on sale and I ordered a few more one sized diapers to supplement my stash.  Last week I had a great prefold diaper lesson from my friend Faith and afterwords scored a small set of Bummis prefolds off of Craigslist.  On Sunday I ordered some cloth diapering detergent from Rock in Green and I will begin prewashing the diapers for use as soon as it arrives.  Tomorrow I am going to drop by Babies R Us to pick up my new cloth diapering pail by Safety First and use my Blueberry diaper pail liner that I scored off of Babysteals for half price.   Today we had a diaper modeling session with Lena.  I think she likes her new cute and super soft dipes!  In all I would say I have invested $600 in cloth diapers and accessories. (I went a little overboard...)  We spend about $50-70 a month in disposables right now so I hope the cloth will pay for itself in a year.  Wish me luck everyone!

Aren't they pretty?

Most of my stash so far!

Our small Charlie Bananas all ready to be used.

Favorite Things: Baby Items

When I was pregnant with Lena I always wanted to know from other families what baby items they loved .  Now that I am a super experienced mom... of two months..(ha ha)... I want to share my top ten favorite baby items with you all!

(Always remember friends to NEVER pay full price for anything!  There is always a coupon code, upcoming sale you can learn about through Facebook, or discount site where you can find these items for much cheaper.  You can even look on Ebay and Craigslist for some of these items.)

Babylegs

I love Babylegs for so many reasons!  Right now I love them because Lena's little legs are too short and thin for NB pants but her belly is too big for preemie pants.  Lena also wears them every night with a long sleeve onsie under her sleepsack.  They keep her legs warm and help keep her socks on.  Babylegs has my favorite newborn pair "Lil Sunshine" in the clearance bin.

Aden + Anais Burpy Bibs

I bought these after reading the reviews.  It is one of the most highly rated baby products I've seen.  I love that it can been both a burp cloth and a bib.  The muslin is so absorbent unlike many of the other bibs.  I also like that it has a snap closure so there is no Velcro to get stuck in the laundry.  Target sells these too but I got mine cheap off of Babysteals!

Babbaco Airy Cotton Carseat Cover

People stop me ALL THE TIME and ask about this carseat cover.  It is SPF 50 and keeps the sun AND the germy hands of adoring old ladies in the grocery store off of my baby!  It also makes a nice cozy nap environment for Lena when we are out.  I got mine half price on Babysteals!

Boppy

Okay.. the Boppy has been around for awhile.  I think it is ridiculous as a nursing pillow but I was surprised at how handy it is for lounging and bottle feeding your little newborn!  We use it everyday all day and when she is too big for it we will get to move up to our Bumpo.  I got mine as a hand-me-down from my sister.  (Thanks K!)

Clouds and Stars QuickZip Crib Sheets

I had originally registered for all these cute, patterned sheets for Lena's nursery crib when I came across these revolutionary crib sheets.  I have NEVER seen an item rated so well (except maybe the Vitamix).  With this sheet set the bottom stays on the mattress and the top part of the sheet zips on and off so you don't have to lift the whole mattress to change a sheet.  You just zip off the soiled top and zip on a clean top sheet.  Parents commented that when you have to change soiled sheets in the middle of the night you don't care how cute the sheets are.  I'm sold!  I got mine on sale with a discount code on Diapers.com

Parent's Choice Bottles and Nipples

We had a hard time finding the right nipples for Lena.  We hit the jackpot with these bottles which can be found in store at Walmart.  They are colorful, have a universal screw top so they fit my smaller Medela bottles, come with a cap, and get this... they are only 97 cents each! 

Baby Trend Snap and Go Stroller

I love our BOB stroller and use it all the time but Dan wanted to also get something smaller and more expendable to cart around town and the amusement parks.  This is just perfect!  It has good storage, is super light, easy to open and close, and is inexpensive.  We got ours on Craigslist for $25!

Medela 80 ml Storage Containers

I initially bought these to store all the abundant breast milk I had planned to pump and store.  Well since my milk is nearly gone and never ever really came in abundance I use these to temporarily store formula and as bottles.  They are perfect for a single scoop of formula that makes 2oz.  My favorite bottle nipples fit right on top.  They make portioning out formula for the road so easy!  I got mine at Babies R Us using my 20% off coupon.

Nurturme Baby Food

My most recent discovery was this quick dried baby food.  It is organic and because it is quick dried it retains a lot more nutrition than jarred baby food and without the preservatives.  But what I really like about this baby food is how versatile it is.  It is for 4 months - 4 years old depending on how you mix it.   It can be mixed into other foods like squash into mac and cheese to give added nutrition to a toddler's meal.  It comes in six flavors: squash, peas, carrots, apples, bananas, and sweet potatoes.  I bought mine 60% off on Mamabargains which makes it 50 cents for a 2.5 oz serving.  I've also seen it come up on Babysteals, Baby Half Off, and Green Baby Bargains and it is on sale this week at Babies R Us.

Carter's Long Sleeve Bodysuits

These are by far the best quality bodysuits I have found for the money.  They are nice and thick, tagless, have the hand cuffs which keep Lena's hands warm at night, and they are super girly and cute!  I like to put her in them at night with Babylegs and socks and then a Halo sleepsack swaddle over it.  I got mine on sale at Babies R Us and used my R Us dollars to get them even cheaper. 

So... what are your favorite baby items???  Do share please!

Miss Lena doing some Boppy lounging in her Carter's bodysuit and Lil' Sunshine Babylegs.