Category: Family Life

Herring family adventures, Jeep life, organic living. Karie Herring, Jeep aficionado, organic advocate and chef, details life as a reformed corporate woman, wife and motherhood to her twins and tween.

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Making Exceptions with Kids

While reading a great post by Kristin I was totally motivated to write this post.

 

My inspiration was by her stating,
“You may see a graphic of a mom and some children but where is the mothering? The only time I ever see their children are in pictures and brief statements on their blogs or in the reviews they love to complain about. The blogs I like to read are blogs that have some insight on human compassion.” (Kristin @ Our Ordinary Life, Aug. 4, 2009) Later I also read a post that REALLY struck a chord for this post. Go check her out.
AMAZING woman.
These posts hit me because I know I personally like to bring out my compassion not only as a mom but as a woman. So this post is really wanting to hear feedback because this is a very delicate subject matter.
When DH and I were trying to conceive we finally reached a point where we agreed that we would adopt. Conception at the time was NOT happening for us and so we thought we would open our heart and homes to a child in need. A child that needed a family because one was unavailable due to some other mitigating circumstances. However, we successfully conceived many times over now. Some heartbreaking losses and three magnificent successes! But we me occasionally get the itch for another child. While I personally do not think I could sanely raise another child, I do know I can do it with all my heart and love. So adoption is definitely a possibility for us in our future.
Adoption also brings me to this scenario that has come into our home. Big G has a great little friend, a neighbor friend to be exact and they are roughly the same age. His friend we found from him parents not long ago is that he is adopted. Had no idea. Really none of my business, but interesting. We shared our stories of conception and her inability to carry full term as she would risk her own life and could not become a martyr to a child. In which I agree. I don’t think you can be a successful mom if you are dead before the child enters the world or shortly after their entrance. She chose to adopt which I support with every ounce of my being. She treats her son no different than any other child, she loves him unconditionally, cares for him as if she bore him in her womb, and makes no exceptions to his unspoken status that he is their legally adopted son, she treats him as she would her own flesh and blood.
I beg the question then why do parents make exceptions for children? Why do they treat them differently? Adopted or not? Different living conditions or not? I believe each child should be treated based on his or her needs, but not because of their situation. For example I have two sons and a daughter. My sons and my daughter will have different needs, clearly because of their gender. When the boys start bitching about my daughter getting a bra…..I will supply them with jock straps. Argument closed. But I do not favor or treat my daughter any more special or differently than I do the boys, vice verse, the boys are not treated any differently than my daughter. I love them all just the same. Exactly the same. My relationships with them may be different based on their needs, but that is because I am giving them what THEY need.
So why make exceptions?
My scenario is based on an incident yesterday with Big G’s friend. They were playing as all boys do, rambunctious, disorderly, super hero, arms flailing, screaming, gun slinging boys. At one point all was quiet. I figured, Okay, they are playing Lego’s….I can find peace.
WRONG
I happened upon a catastrophic mess of out of this world proportions from Big G and his friend. Now I may have exaggerated, but definitely THE LARGEST mess I have EVER cleaned of G’s. The boys had decided to half disassemble the closet, pulling down shelves and rods, emptying shelves, and wedging the closet door so inoperable.
I. About. Had. A. Conniption.
I kept my cool. I voiced my disdain for their behavior, for the mess. Both of them. Both guilty, both at fault. Did I also mention the 100+ Hot Wheels cars strewn all over the floor that the sea of metal prevented you from seeing the carpet? Yeah. So I disciplined the boys. I made them clean the mess. I told them that the mess was unacceptable, they both had to clean. That this type of situation does not go on in this house. Make a mess is one thing, to destroy is another. DH was involved in this situation as well. We were both disciplining to show a united front. When the neighbor friend was receiving his dose he started to wedge himself between the wall and the open door as to hide and stated he was “scared and afraid.” Now my first reaction was to twirl my head and see what exactly was going on.
I listened and realized the boy was playing DH. He was trying to weasel out of the responsibility of taking ownership for his actions. So my Bullshit sensor went off, I smelled it too. But the mom part of me wondered if maybe this was a product of his previous environments in foster homes, in foster care. DH backed off and was almost consoling to the boy, in which he got his way and proceeded to no longer clean but to mill about. All the while I was cursing profane thoughts in my head keeping from screaming whistling like a boiling tea kettle.
His mom came to pick him up shortly after the ordeal as she was returning home and offered to swing by. DH met her at the door and kindly and disarmingly explained the situation. I walked up and laughed about how I was ready to lose my mind. Mom to mom, we were on the level with each other. We are no bullshit types of moms where we are loving and kind, but not afraid to assert ourselves. We also explained the “scared” incident to which she confirmed my beliefs that he does that at home, tells her that too to get out of the situation. Laughingly I agreed that you should be scared of having to pay for consequences of unacceptable actions. She wholeheartedly agreed.
However, I still wondered. DH and I debated the situation again about disarming a child who claimed “fear” in the presence of an assertive discipline. We did not raise our voices, we did not yell, we did not threaten, hit, we voiced our clear disdain and disapproval at their disorderly actions.
What would you do? Would you have reacted the same by disarming and almost consoling or would you continue on saying “No one here will hurt you, we are telling you that this type of behavior and actions are unacceptable in our home.” Because as a parent I wonder where the line may be drawn, do you make exceptions based on a child’s previous life and environment? Or do you make exceptions period? When? How? For whom? Are there mitigating circumstances?
Believe me I am a parent who is still learning. I know nothing about a lot of things and parenting is one I work on everyday. Parenting is an ever evolving job and manual.
So what would you do? What are your exceptions?

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Evolution of Woman driver

This will be my little pictorial for you…..my evolution of a woman driver. 
I hope you find this as enjoyable as I did when I tripped down memory lane….
I also totally understand now why women are recipients of grief surrounding their driving abilities. I also hope that MEN see why we evolve into such terrible drivers. We go from one extreme to the next with our vehicles. So evolving with our vehicles is a bit of a challenge.
Let us take a gander at the exhibits:
My first REAL car that DH and I bought. (I was 20 in this pic)

Little flashy? Sure. Fast? You bet! 1996 Chevy Camaro RS

Then I started working in the car business circa 1997 ish…..and guess what we got in on trade in 1999

Yup, a 1997 BMW 318ti. Cheap payment too…LOVED that car!!
But then we got engaged. We were planning a wedding….and our future…maybe some kids.
So we did the dumbest thing ever

We traded in the perfectly good BMW for an Oldsmobile.
Can you say STUPID!! Yea….
Supposedly we needed a sedan right away since we thought we might be having kids like
right away….like right after the wedding, like I would get pregnant immediately.
STUPID.
So we got tired of that hunk of metal and I was BURIED like a casket in that car. Luckily I worked in the car business so used cars were a dime a dozen and the easiest way to get out of some negative equity
and the only thing to absorb negative equity…..is another cash cow American vehicle
 

And so I bought a Mustang. I really love Mustang’s….just not that year….I was thinking a 1969 fastback. You know the one right….Steve McQueen….Bullet! Yea, thats more my style. But then I got the hankering after driving this car…..to get back into an import as I loved the fast imports.
And heck…it’s only 2002 by now so I need a new car.

VOILA!!

The Lexus IS300. My pimp daddy ride of all time. This car was fast. It was sleek. Stylish. It had all carbon fiber on the inside and a racing shifter. Leather seats. It screamed HOT mama for me. But as you can see from the pic I am clearly NOT a mama there…hot….but not a mama….and what was even more pathetic….
I thought I was FAT!
Yeah.
I was a whopping 128 ish maybe! Yeah and I thought I was fat….where? On my toes? Okay. Back to the cars and the evolution of a woman driver. Well that was 2002 ish or so and then WHAM! 
PREGO
So I had the sedan (see above) but the car seat was so not copascetic for the back seat of the Lexus…At.All.
Why not get another Lexus!!??
Oh, my SUV, yuppy, mama, pretentious bitch car. I loved that car. The soft italian tan leather.
The six disc in dash CD player.
All the creature comforts any yuppy snob would want.
Except the payment sucked ass!
And when you start staying at home with your kid…..not making any cash……the car has gotta go.
So we sold that poor girl too. I actually went without a car for about 6 months saving some cash.
Until I couldn’t take it anymore. Again, we did the most responsible thing possible.
Bought this
 
Real Smart!
Hey, at the time it was perfect. Diesel was only like $1.99 a gallon while unleaded was $2.50 or something totally crazy like that. It hauled the three of us comfortably, with all the dogs and our gear when we would travel. Big G loved it. I loved it. People got the HELL OUT of MY WAY! (loved that!)
Until.
We got pregnant…..AGAIN.

With TWINS.
 
DH was driving an Acura TL.
I brought him over to the snobby ass, drive an import luxury car dark side.
I had the big truck.
Have you seen a LARGE pregnant woman maneuver her bulbous ass in and out of a lifted four wheel drive?
Not pretty. Not easy either. 
His car wasn’t cutting it either.
So we did what all responsible drivers and car owners do……
Trade ’em in
And here is where the evolution went from one extreme to the other. Based on all previous vehicles speed was highly optional considering the performance factor of these vehicles. Or at least the fabulous aesthetics and damn nice creature features. I could rocket all over the place in each of those vehicles. I have the shoddy driving record with SEVERAL recorded and unrecorded tickets.
I actually got 4 red light camera tickets….but my plates were out of state so they went to my old address….
and damned that I didn’t live there anymore to get them in the mail with my face on it.
As I said we were responsible. Now with children numbered two and three on the way. We began shopping. We needed that vehicle to haul all three kids, especially two in infant carriers and car seats.
Lucky for Daimler Chrysler, they overhauled the look and features of their flagship vehicle in their fleet.
 
I am a damn sucker.
I swore. I promised. 
I cursed ever driving a gall dang
MINIVAN!
But I sucked it up.
I am that mom. I am that woman driver. 
I am damn proud to drive a minivan to haul all three of my kids, my fat ass dog, stroller, luggage, groceries, the husband, the trash, plywood, bikes, I can haul anything in that thing. I even have a bumper sticker….
“walk on the wild side….have twins”
They wonder why we drive like shit.
We go from driving a vehicle like Al Unser’s to driving Miss Freaking Daisy in a minivan.
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Awe Chuck It

Has everything become disposable?
Is everything so expendable that we can just chuck it, toss it, throw it away?
Do manufacturers make anything that last for ages anymore, or has everything become part of our throw away society? Awe to hell with it, chuck it.
Awe, it’s got a stain….it won’t turn on…..it isn’t touched anymore.
Do these sound familiar in your home? They did in mine.

 

I have a hard time throwing out something that is perfectly fine, that could use a screw driver, or maybe a hammer to the side of it (like my garbage disposal when it stopped working). Diapers I even have a hard time with buying disposable, but unfortunately a diaper service for the cloth diapers is out of the the budget at the moment. I cannot throw away toys….not purposely…Lego’s in the vacuum don’t count. I have a hard time with throwing away ruined clothes, dishes, anything that is of use.

 

More and more our society is filling landfills, sides of the road, you name it, with STUFF that could be used, re-used, recycled, refurbished, overhauled, donated, you name a use and something could be reused.

 

T-shirts – make great rags for dusting, painting, cleaning. If you sew a button on a small swatch you can use it as a scrubber for your dishes to really dig into the grime, plus you can wash it and reuse it again. Jeans – make them into shorts, or cut them up to make patches for your kids jeans. Or donate! Jeans never go out of style. Old sheets – valances, pillow cases, table linens or even decorative napkins when pressed, just cut and use some sew tape if you are not domestically inclined or if you are….bust out the sewing machine.
A million things in your home can be reused for the simplest things that you don’t have to go out and buy new or replace. But some things inevitably do need to be replaced, however, others don’t but households toss them because the items become aesthetically unappealing (like sun faded toys) or they want the newest edition.
My toys….all sun faded. Part of living in the desert with 100 degree weather four months out of the year and if we are lucky a week a year of rain. But those toys don’t work any less because they are sun faded. They are not brittle or unsafe, just kinda ugly. My kids still play with them just the same and when they grow out of them I might sell them for dirt cheap at a garage sale for other children to enjoy. Or heck, donate them to a women’s shelter or the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation.
So what do you decide to keep or save? Are you a “chuck it” or keep it person?
What items do you reuse in your home? What are some keepers?
What are the chuckers?
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Sloppy Joes

The messy, saucy, warm, crumbly, meaty goodness in a warm, fluffy bun. The beloved Sloppy Joe.
Now I am a classy broad of sorts, I love my fish, my filet, my Faux Grois, something you use a knife and fork to eat, but I really love me my Sloppy Joe. This is a meal where I can really dig in and let loose. Last night, was a Sloppy Joe night. I don’t mean the open a can of Manwich type of Sloppy Joe night. I mean the real flavor, the taste, the ultimate mess of a homemade Sloppy Joe that guess what? You can make too! No can. No bullshit. Just open your pantry or your fridge to the loads of condiments in your door. Here are the deets for the easiest, tastiest, Sloppy Joe’s you will ever sink your teeth into…..ergo…..the rest will land in your lap….or like me….on my boobs.
1-2 pounds of ground beef or Turkey (if you are a dieting type person…like moi)
NOW, these ingredients all depend on the amount of meat AND how Sloppy you want that Joe.
1-2 cups of Ketchup
3T – 1/4 c of Yellow Mustard
1/2 – 1 cup of BBQ Sauce if you like that zippety sweet taste in your Joes
1/4 – 1/2 c of brown sugar
2-4T of Vinegar
1/4 c. Diced onions (optional)
1/4 c. Diced Bell pepper (optional)
BUNS (mmmmm…..buns)
  1.  Brown all meat with optional vegetable, while meat is browning mix together the vinegar and brown sugar to dissolve.
  2. Add sugar mixture to ketchup, mustard, and BBQ sauce, mixing throughly so that a smooth creamy consistency is reached.
  3. Drain meat of any fats and liquids and return to pan
  4. Add sauce, stir thoroughly until all meat is coated.
  5. Cook for 2 more minutes
VOILA!
Easy Peasy Pumpkin Pie. Sloppy Joes in a snap. Really who doesn’t love a Sloppy Joe?
My Big G…who doesn’t like anything that doesn’t rhyme or sound like chicken told me this:
“Mom, this is the bestest meal ever. It makes my stomach feel real good! Oh! SO! DELISH!”
I know buddy…..I rock as a lazy chef.
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Skin Free Review


While I think I may have been doing a giveaway on this one….I lost the email for all the info….it happens. You have more than one kid and you seriously start losing it. I have post-it notes for everything. But here is my review. So I apologize for my failure….but at least I am getting this fabulous information to all my beauty loving ladies out there….oh and men too! I have caught the hubs sneaking in on my goods….and I can smell him!

This review is “overdue” by some standards, but in my opinion, you cannot do an HONEST and full review of a skin product without trying it for at least 30 days. Did you know it takes 30 days for your skin to acclimate? Yup, your skin has to get used to the new product which is why most women think that they breakout because of the product, when really the breakout is because their skin has to become accustomed to the product itself. The same can be said for makeup. Don’t believe me….go try it and come back to me. 😉

Anyway, the folks over at Skin Free contacted me about trying out their products. Perfect timing too on their part with me making my move to organic and healthier products for me and my family. Here is what I love the most about Skin Free:

Skin Free Skin Care Products are Recommended to Individuals with:

  • Extreme Dry Skin
  • Skin or Fragrance Allergies
  • Psoriasis
  • Dermatitis
  • Eczema
  • Pregnant Moms
  • Elderly
  • Diabetics
  • Renal Patients
  • After Radiation or Chemotherapy

Additionally Skin Free has these to boast about in their products:

  • All Natural, Vegan Ingredients
  • No Perfumes
  • No Petroleum Products
  • No Harmful Chemicals
  • No Steroids
  • No Colorants
  • No Greasy feeling
  • No Animal Testing, Cruelty Free

A little more about Skin Free:

 

All products distributed by Blue Ridge Gypsy Studio™ are designed and formulated by owner and practicing pharmacist, Julie Hilton, who has over 30 years experience in compounding and natural skin care. “I started the Studio in 2000 when my husband and I moved to the Blue Ridge of Virginia. Our friends were calling us “gypsies”, so the name evolved naturally.”
“Working in a typical retail pharmacy setting, I was constantly frustrated when asked to recommend products for patients with difficult skin problems, especially those with fragrance allergies. I recognized a void in the market and knew that I could offer effective and affordable products to fill it. Atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis are life-long conditions and need to be addressed for the long term. Patients with diabetes or renal disease, pregnant women, babies, the elderly, and patients treated with radiation therapy can all benefit from quality natural products. Even people who just have dry, sensitive skin can appreciate wholesome natural skincare products.”
“Since I personally suffer from chronic allergies and eczema, I understand that it is very important for people with these conditions to maintain the integrity of their skin and reduce their exposure to antigens to help prevent acute outbreaks. These diseases can be quite debilitating and cause increase depression, work loss, and pain.”
Naturally occurring vegetable oils and butters contain indigenous nutrients, antioxidants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), and antibacterial agents that petroleum-based oils just don’t have. Natural oils absorb into the skin and do not feel greasy. They also come from replenishable sources, which is a great environmental concern.
“I hope that SkinFreeâ„¢ products will become widely used and be truly helpful to the ever increasing patient population who need products such as these.”

Now the products that I chose to review were the After Shower Moisture Spritz, Niaouli Scrub for Blemish Prone Skin and the Lite Moisture for Blemish Prone Skin. I have to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff. I know EXACTLY what all the ingredients are. I didn’t have to try to pronounce the chemical names, I knew what they were and are! I could feel the truth in the product and they smell GREAT! What some companies do is they try to stick too much to the vegan aspect and forget that not everyone enjoys that “au naturale” experience. I on the otherhand do, but I love a great smelling product too.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scrub. The facial scrub was like getting micro-derm. If you have ever had micro-dermabrasion this is the closest and least expensive treatment to it! Enjoyed it and my skin felt fresh, not dry and not tender. I am buying more I loved it so much.

The lite moisturizer was phenomenal! I love the Niaouli. If you don’t know what Niaouli is…Google it! The product is excellent as a natural antibiotic. That is what they use it for in the outback of Austrailia. It is also a natural anti-inflammatory which is fantastic for acne prone skin. If you have a bit of irritation…this stuff will clear it right up! Not to mention your nasal passages with the fabulous scent.

Finally, I love love LURVE the after shower. In Arizona the heat is brutal. A hot shower is brutal. The winters here…are brutal and this wonderful mixture of vegan and moisturizing oils is exactly what my skin called for. The oils will not clog your pores if you are worried about that, and you don’t feel greasy….EVER! Just smooth supple soft skin right out of the shower. Literally you apply this while your skin is still a little moist (towel dried) and it smooths right in and you are left feeling totally quenched!

Now where can you buy these FABU products. Well at the Skin Free site, CVS, Drugstore.com, and Walgreens! Talk about Super Duper on where to buy and they are affordable. Most products of this caliber will cost you, but Skin Free offers you a valueable product at a reasonable price. Which in my household we love a great deal!

 *Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency.

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Blogging and Toddling

Toddling twins and a mom who enjoys blogging….do not mix. Basically this mixture is like taking a mom who is on Prozac and loading her up on shots of tequila…no bueno!

I have attempted….okay really I have done more than attempt….I have started a half dozen posts only to have them so graciously (screaming, yelling, wailing, and crying) interrupted by the twins. This requires my moment of Zen to be disturbed by removing my ass from said chair in front of laptop to inspect said disturbance. This gets old!

Needless to say I think I am making a good exercise of it. I am thinking of moving the chair altogether to avoid the whole truly sitting down to just doing air chairs. I will have a sweet looking ass and thighs in no time if I do this!

As I remove said arse from said chair I find scenes like these strewn through the house:

I see toilet paper from a BRAND NEW roll completely dismembered through my vanity area of my bathroom and the latrine area.

I then see where the twins are becoming a gaggle of trouble…..unloading my Tupperware from my cabinets. Which normally I have no issue with…..except lately they disappear outside, in the sink, under cribs.

Finally, Little Bitty decides she will be the lookout for her brother….who was most likely the one who unrolled the toilet paper. Not only is she the lookout but the distraction….can you see in this picture why she would be a distraction?

Ah yes, the favored Victoria’s Secret brazier that she managed to get out of my bedroom and strung from her neck like a set of beautiful ivory pearls.

This kind of chaos ensues all.day.long. I pray for nap time. I begged for it yesterday when they refused to nap. They woke so early from their nap just to rummage and create more damage. By the end of the day I was spent. I still had to work out and said…EFF it. I went to bed. I had laundry that needed to be done…PFFFTT…it will grow larger tomorrow…went to bed. If you want to know how a mom of multiples does it everyday….she just says EFF IT and goes. to. bed!

So I went to bed. And now….that the twins are napping and….in.bed. I get to blog! HOORAY! I have to say on these days I miss the Big G just for the older entertainment he is for the squids.
Enjoy what a normal day looks like in my house of Blogging and Toddling.

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Twin Mommy Love

I am proud to say I am a mom to twins. Not so much for the accomplishment that I successfully carried and delivered two human beings on the exact same day and carried them for the exact same time, together, in one womb, even though it is truly a feat. But I am proud to say I am a twin mommy or a mom of multiples because I am in some really fabulous company.

Not only do we get twice the hug, kisses, loves, and smiles, but twin moms and moms of multiples are truly unique. They have an air about them that no other mother has. Not quite sure the words or how to explain this sense of being with these women, but when you are in their presence you know what I mean. I spent my Thursday night with a group of them and you feel at home with them.

So my Thursday night I was with my Busy Bee Mom group as I WILL NOT miss a meeting. That is my fix, my mom time, my night out, my two hours or more of pure blissdom and freedom to enjoy with other women. Gossiping, learning, supporting, and guiding in this job we call “Mom.” Part of the meeting was also to share your job in the club, which I will do next month (September). My job, if I did not already share with you (probably because I am modest) is that I am the National Rep and Donations Coordinator for our club.

I converse with the NOMOTC (the national level) about what we do every month and find out about conventions, conferences, and goings on about being a parent of multiples. I also go around asking businesses for donations to the club (since we are a non-profit under the IRS 501(c)(3)) to help support our moms. Our biggest campaign right now that I am running is our “Meals on Wheels” for new and expectant mothers. Which currently we have at least SIX (give or take a few) new moms that I counted at Thursday’ meeting that are expecting or recently delivered.

These moms will have their hands FULL, as we are always told (DUH!), and so we are asking local restaurants to donate a gift card for a to-go dinner for the dad to pick up on his way home to share with his family. Especially because our group is so large and so is the Valley (Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek, etc) that delivering a meal to a club member can be difficult.

In addition we also ask for donations for our monthly meetings for cool swag to be raffled off. If you show to the meeting, everyone gets a ticket. At the end of the meeting a ticket is drawn and a lucky mom gets some cool swag! I have entertained folks such as Whole Foods for the organic mommies, Fry’s Food (since we all need groceries period!), Toys and Babies R Us, Target, and most recently and most proudly….some TWIN mommy business owners, successful multiple mamas, and mamas that support the Mothers of Multiples Community!!

These mamas are absolute gems if you ask me and I know I enjoy “tweeting” them up when I can. I also love one of their blogs and not to mention the books they have. You got it…BOOKS! You know how I go GAH GAH over books.

One of these mamas is Susan Heim. Have you heard of her? I have, and I just LOVE her and she is a riot! Tons of fun this lady is and FULL FULL FULL of her twin knowledge. Also because oh, she has twins! I read her book and have to say that is so refreshing to know others have been there, still there, and going there again! Being a parent of multiples brings out the best and worst and life gets easier when you know others are out there with you, sharing the same loves and pains of being a parent of multiples. Susan is awesome enough to donate some books to our club to add to our library for new, expectant, and already chasing multiples, moms! Susan RAWKS!

My other mama is another gem. She has the name of a Southern Belle and a heart of gold. Miss Shelby Tutty is the founder of Double Up Books which is a site dedicated to the sale of books about twins, triplets, and other higher order multiples. Her site RAWKS!! Her books…RAWK! She RAWKS because she is donating to our club and in response to her grateful act we are publishing a link to her website. Because when you search about twins, you get everything else BUT stuff about twin babies or twin kids. So her site is your one stop shop to find the goods on having multiples and raising a family and parenting support.

Like I said, multiple mamas and those who know the job of a multiple mama RAWK. They are one of a kind, are gems, are AWE SOME!! I cannot say enough about them and I think I am done now with all my twin mommy love to these ladies. Just fabulous for their gracious acts and support of our community. Now go check them out, because they are wonderful.

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You are what you eat

Have you heard the adage or saying:
A little dirt never hurt
Five second rule:
Pick it up off the floor before five seconds and its safe
You are what you eat

Not to get on my soap box but this is not always the case for our food. More specifically I am talking about all the yummy, juicy, food and produce we pick up at the local supermarket.

 

Did you know that they have genetically engineered tomatoes to be immune to Round Up?

GROSS right?
Can you imagine how much Round Up or other crap we ingest because farmers spray the weeds….because weeds are unsightly right? Plus those icky bugs. The bugs like bees that are becoming extinct because of insecticides, even though those bees pollinate the majority of our fruits and vegetables. Those chemicals do not dissipate, they are absorbed by the soil and the plants. Sure it may not be on the TOP of the food but what about in the dirt, in the stems, in the fruit and meat of the food we eat? Did you know that they engineer plants to bloom for one year and one year alone? Requiring high yield farmers to replant new seeds?

 

Our produce is so scary! Not to mention unhealthy.

 

I only found these facts out after attending one of my Busy Bee Twin Mom meetings and one of our moms who has a degree in Environmental Science from UC Santa Barbara, told us about all these scary and truthful facts of the food and produce we eat everyday. I mean I know that they use pesticides and etc, but I was unaware of all the genetic modifications. No wonder we all are getting cancer.

So I share this with you because I think that the information is important. The traditional food in stores is unhealthy for us and our kids. The hype on organic is not because it is organic and reduces your carbon footprint, but because overall the food IS better. Tastes better, works better with your body, does not leave unhealthy and unsafe levels of chemicals in your body.

 

Did you know those chemicals stay there? Yeah they don’t just “go away,” we don’t take them out in our BM trash, they are there for life. Imagine how your body is a living chemistry lab as all these different chemicals bind, mix, and stick to every cell in your body. And we wonder why people get cancer, why our daughters start to enter puberty at 10 years old and even younger. Milk and beef are the same way, chickens, pork, all modified with hormones, fed grain, feed, grasses, and vegetables that have all been genetically modified, altered, treated, hormonally injected.

 

Here is the BUT, that everyone is saying, “BUT, the FDA says its safe.”

 

Sure the FDA also said that pharmaceuticals are safe, but they are taking those off the market now too, are they not? The FDA also said that a pesticide that was so great in the 70’s was safe and guess what, it is no longer used…except illegally in third world countries because the risk of in Utero deformities, abnormalities and preterm labor. The FDA also said Valium was safe….but they did a 20 year study on all the effects of Valium….so tell me….if it is SOOO safe….why a 20 year study?

 

The solution?

Organic! CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Organic Co-ops. Grow your Own!

Organic is tricky but not. The USDA Certified tells you that your food is USDA organic, no pesticides, the farm has been clean for many years which includes the water the non use of pesticides, insecticides, the whole array of chemical free.

There is also the OMRI Organic Certification which certifies the products are organic without the USDA and FDA taking their slice of the profitable organic pie. These farmers farm organic, but do not have the time or money to invest in the full blown organic certification. The whole enchilada of the USDA Organic takes at least five years of a clean farm plus lots more time, money, and certifications….some farms don’t have that kind of time or fund.

There is also Organic Fair Trade. These are products from developing countries and farmers who again, do not have the time and resources for a full blown certification. However, they do adhere to organic farming guidelines.

Did you know that there is produce called Heirloom? Yup, these are centuries old, untouched fruits and vegetables that have been farmed for years. They taste beautiful, they look beautiful, these seeds and produce items are often found on Native American farms and European farms, old school, old farming, no new technology and products for generating a mass quantity harvest, just good old fashioned farming and foods.

 

CSA – A CSA is great!! I am a member of a CSA. I love them!! Fabulous is what they are!! You find a local farm in your area and you invest your monies anywhere from $100 to $300 per season to purchase vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy, you name it, whatever that farm has to offer. And guess what…..you see how they grow it! You see how they maintain their farm, you are also buying RIPE then and there, fresh! No hormones to speed the ripening process. Because other farmers have to pick early before the produce is fresh and then try to ripen the product in a store for you to buy. Because no one wants ugly produce right?

 

Your eggs…did you know that Grade B eggs can be stored in a fridge for up to one year before sent to the supermarket for you to buy?! Yup, why do you think they have such a short shelf life…because they have already been stored for a YEAR!! Nasty!! Your Grade A eggs yeah those are refrigerated for almost as long…SIX MONTHS before you buy them in their pretty cartons in the store. Plus those chicken…literally cooped up with their only goal is to lay those eggs. If you were cooped up like that….would you be healthy? Probably not.

Food Co-Ops. These are fantastic. Again you get all the greatness of a CSA but you also get more variety such as some farmers who also have cattle, so beef, bison, chicken, you sign up, choose your pick up spot and there you go! Better than the grocery store because you are supporting local farmers, local residents (just like you), and you are helping the environment by avoiding the obsession and use of petroleum based products such as oil, plastics, diesel.

Now that I am on and about off my soap box, look into a CSA. Meet your local farmer, check out your local farmers market, taste their food! They always let you taste the fruits of their labor. We did, we got to taste fresh cantaloupe…OMG and was it the best tasting cantaloup ever. We got a watermellon and a half dozen eggs and the eggs were beautiful. Brown and tasty with more Omega-3 fatty acids than those nasty store bought. Seriously you are what you eat and do you want all that build up of chemicals and genetically modified experiments working in your body?

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Top 3 Grilling Tips and Tricks

These following recipes that I LOVE to use in my house. For one….no way you can eff them up…at all. Even if you do…they still taste super scrumptious. So here are some of my Top 3 grilling favorites for cooking:

Grilled Fish
You can use catfish, Mahi Mahi, Cod, Tilapia, and of the fattier fish and preferably a white fish, white fish is great on the grill.
Now while the fish is frozen I melt about 2T of butter (margarine) per fillet in the microwave and pour over the frozen fish. I do rinse the fish first so that the butter will seep into the fish and not bounce off and harden again. I then pour about a half cup of white wine or a chardonnay into the pan where the fish will marinate, a cup of lemon or lime juice. Lemon juice is not as acidic as the lime so it will not cause your fish to cure like when making ceviche. Then I sprinkle my favorite spices. I love a fresh lemon zest, because Arizona has an abundance of citrus here, pepper, garlic, a dash of salt. Whatever your favorite spices and seasonings. Let sit overnight or for at least 6 hours. If your fish is still frozen, A OK, throw it on the grill. Be sure to spray your grill with some cooking spray to prevent sticking. Cook on low to medium and until the fish is flaky. Voila!
Couple with grilled or steamed zucchini and yellow squash, artichokes, asparagus, or a salad and you have a filling and light summer meal.

Feeding an Army: Brisket
I love brisket. I made brisket for the first time this year for Passover/Easter and I was so damn proud of myself!! I indirectly cooked on the grill with some smoking chips to give the meat that smoke flavor and O.M.G!! I usually do not boast about my food…..but when my whole family was mmm’ing and ahhhh’ing and Oh Damn to me….I knew I rocked!

So Brisket comes in two types of cuts, first cut and second cut. I know…..fancy right. Well you want the first cut. The one that comes right off the cow’s shoulder. This has all that great fat and marbling that will make your brisket OH so tender and juicy and mouth watering.
Second cut is just as good, however, smaller sizes, looks a lot more pretty and easier to handle. Usually in 3-5 pound cuts where the first cut is 7 or more pounds and is the whole ball game.

I dig second cut. I cut it in half to fit onto my grill as I have yet to upgrade to a Grand Daddy Grill of all grills. (But if you want me to review one I would be more than happy to! LOL) But I cut the meat in half to fit on my grill. The night before I cook it I dice 4 cloves of garlic, very fine dicing. I rub each side of the meat slabs with kosher salt. Kosher salt is very tasty and so awesome for cooking, it is the rough large grain salt. You can use sea salt as well for another healthy alternative. After salting each side but rubbing the salt in really well I pepper each side of the meat and then I rub in the garlic. I let this sit overnight, you can cover it or leave it exposed to the air in your fridge. Allow at least 3 or more hours to grill your brisket especially if the cut is larger than say 4 pounds.

Heat the grill on high. Make a plate with edges out of foil to cover the bottom rack of your grill and place on grill. Reduce one burner to low and the other to med, this process is called indirect grilling and makes for some really beautiful meat. Place your meat FAT side up to help keep the meat juicy and so you do not cook off all the juice and fat. If you want the smoked taste, place your wood chips on the grill at this time away from the meat and drippings. Here is the hardest part. WALK AWAY. Yup, leave the meat to cook. Every time you open the grill and look at the meat you increase your cook time by 15 minutes!! Flip once during the cook time at least half way through. Your meat will take on that perfect smoked look, where the meat is beginning to look cooked but still burgundy in color. This is BEAUTY at its finest with brisket.

Remove the brisket from your grill. Make sure to use tongs, never, EVER, NEVER use a fork or pronged fork to remove ANY meats from a grill. This drains all your meats of their precious juices. Next let your meat rest. This will allow the meat to contract a little and the blood to re-enter the flesh to keep your brisket slices moist and tasty. After letting the meat rest for about 15 minutes, slice AGAINST the grain in thin slices and serve.
We couple brisket with potato salad, slaw, macaroni and cheese, grilled or steamed fresh veggies, or on a sandwich. You will have leftovers for DAYS, freeze some of the meat for later or invite family over for a feast!!

Dessert on a Dime
Pound cake is probably the easiest dessert to make. The recipe is on the back of any Bisquick box, and everyone loves pound cake. Angel food is another great one! Super Easy Peasy to make too….as long as you have patience or a ready make box from the store for others.

So grab a bag of mixed frozen fruit. I love the huge chunks. Two cups of orange juice and one cup of sugar. Heat the orange juice to almost boiling and slowly add in the sugar and begin to reduce the heat. If your mixture starts to thicken fast….great!! Then it is almost ready. You can also add in some cinnamon or nutmeg for a little extra sweetness. Pour in the frozen fruit, about a cup or so until thoroughly coated. Remove from heat continuing to stir. Drizzle juice over the cake and scoop out a spoonful of fruit. Oh so yummy. Even if your mixture doesn’t thicken…still a great drizzle and sauce for pound or angel food cake.

I hope you all enjoy these few recipes as much as I do. I know I love to cook and “experiment” in my kitchen with different spices, foods, and whatever I got. We try not to waste anything in this house.

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The Difference a Year Can Make

If you chronicle what happens in a year, from daily writings to even recalling shady memories, a great and amazing thing happens. You realize so much!!

This time last year I was breastfeeding my twins, I was fat, well not so much, as I lost a lot of baby weight…but was packing it back on because of breastfeeding.

This time last year my boy was struggling in all day kindergarten. Big G was doing the all day thing, but we realized that starting him a WHOLE year too soon was not best. He was throwing fits, yelling in the halls, everyday was a challenge.

This time last year DH was about to be laid off. Three years and lots of sweat and tears and he was laid off due to budget cuts. Scary when you aren’t sure where the next paycheck to pay for your groceries will come from. Especially with newborn twins!!

This year, the twins can almost open the fridge themselves to find food. They remind me of the characters from the movie “Over the Hedge” when they raid the human fridge.

This year I am down 30 pounds (just from March), working on 50 more (to be pre pre baby weight!! Yeah I was a size 4…I am hopeful) or less I would be happy. I just like to know I look good in my clothes, and I don’t have to fork out four grand for a tummy tuck I really won’t need. Thank goodness for the little engine that could of weight loss, slow and easy, and consistent.

This year, Big G is amazing!! He can color in the lines like a girl would, he gets up at the butt crack of dawn every morning excited to learn. Excited to be at school. He thanks me for making his lunch for him. And he is more than happy and excited when he gets home from school. Each day I find him more and more grown up, having grown up conversations about truly in depth topics like food, Star Wars, well I never said they were MY kind of grown up conversations…maybe his father but not me.

Amazing what a difference a year can make. I am glad that DH and I decided to take him to the young kindergarten program last year since he wasn’t quite five when he started school, and I am glad he is able to do all day kindergarten this year. He has matured so much emotionally and I am so happy for him. I am happy he enjoys school so much that this next summer….he gets to go to school then too!! Yup, summer school!! No more being bored! But we will play it by ear. Who knows, school may become the bane of his existence like the most of us.

What happened in the last year for you? Good and bad? With your kids? So much can happen in a year and in most cases even less time.