Mothers Day Gift Idea

No cheesecloth? No worries!

I have just made a discovery that will change the way I made tzatziki dip forever!

When instructed to use a cheesecloth in a sieve to drain the yogurt, simply use a coffee filter instead. It works perfectly, and you would be amazed at the water you find in the bowl underneath, after about one hour in the fridge!

Hmmm, yummy tzatziki!

BRAT diet

Diarrhea. The runs. The quick poops.

Whichever way you twist it, it all comes out the same in the end. Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

When your little one is sick with diarrhea, this BRAT diet may just be the answer you are so desperately looking for. Adversely, if he is suffering from constipation, these foods are the ones to avoid.

The idea is quite simple:

B - bananas
R - rice
A - applesauce
T - toast

The science of the diet can be found here. Good luck!     

Mommy Brain

A dear friend of mine gave me some sound advise after my first son was born. While others stuck to the cliches of 'sleep when you can,'  and 'enjoy every moment, it goes so fast,' my friend, blunt as can be, stated simply:

Eat more fish. You'll grow your brain back.  

She went on to explain to me in detail of how I delivered part of my brain when I delivered my son (not literally, of course, but in a way of speaking), and how the Omega 3's in fish will help to repair all that damage. There it was, mommy brain explained. At the time, I laughed. Or cried, I can't really remember. After all, my first born was only a few days old, and I was in a haze. I was sure that haze would dissipate.

And yet here I am, 4 years later. Am I smarter? Or at least as smart as I once was?

I would like to say yes. But a girl can only eat so much fish.

Like many a stay at home mom can attest, I do not feel at the top of my game. Don't get me wrong, I can recite many a nursery song, cook dinner to the proper time and temperature, all while settling a toddler quarrel and telling you what diapers are on sale this week. As a mom, not only am I at the top of my game, I am the captain, referee and coach.

This doesn't seem to help me at dinner parties.

Moms who stay at home with their children do not receive report cards. There is no proof in writing that we are doing a good job. The day to day can certainly be monotonous, and rewards are given in kisses, hugs, and moments you wouldn't sell a second of for all the money in the world.

So with this in mind, I have come to a conclusion.

As a new mom I felt overwhelmed, as most do, and then I found my groove. I remember looking in awe at mom's with two children. Now I am that mom. Potty training used to seem like an insurmountable obstacle, and then we mastered it.

Could it be that mommy brain is not a lack of knowledge at all, but instead, an overflow of knowledge, bursting at our seams? We are experts at our specific stages, masters of our craft. At any given moment in time, we are knowledgeable. We know what we need to know, when we need to know it.

Perhaps having a mommy brain is not such a bad thing after all?

One day I will re-enter the 'work' force, and receive my progress reports in writing. Until that time, I will greatly enjoy my kisses and whispers of I love you mama.

After all, my children think their mom is the smartest mom in the world.

Polar Bear Birthday Cake

Our little man turned one back in December. Wasn't it just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital on a cold winter's night? As a parent, I certainly am beginning to understand the cliche ~ time goes so fast.


But I digress.

We had a nice little birthday party for him, and the cake was a huge success. I found the idea on the Betty Crocker website, and just adapted the colors to fit our needs.

One for the memory books!

Cutting Onions

We all cut onions, and we all cry.

It is part of the kitchen ritual. I've heard of many ideas to stop the shed of tears, but none have ever worked.

Until today.

It was an accident, really. We had placed our bag of onions in the garage to keep cool, and didn't realize that they had frozen. When I began chopping them, I braced myself for the sting. 

Nothing! Frozen onions are totally choppable, and they don't sting your eyes. I don't know the science, nor do I care to. What I do know is that I will never chop an onion and cry again!