Updated TB Blood Test will save more lives!

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for the TB Blood Test. 

I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

We live in an age where we have all the information in the world at our finger tips. We can find out the gender of our baby before they are born, we know instantly when our bank account is replenished or drawn from and when our friend posts about their new milestone in life. The same goes for many types of medical tests. What used to take an unimaginable amount of time (if it was even possible) now can be determined in a short amount of time. 

When I was pregnant with my first child, my midwife ran a blood test that I wasn't aware of that she had done until I received a phone call from a nurse a few weeks later. The nurse informed me that my test had come back positive as being a carrier for cystic-fibrosis. This isn't a typical test, I'm not sure why she ran it, but it's been suggested that due to my Eastern European heritage it prompted her to be on the safe side. This revelation was frightening and we had my husband tested shortly after. His results were returned in less than 48 hours; he is not a carrier. Our children have a very low likelihood of being CF positive, though they will have a good chance of being carriers, like myself.

This small amount of information was powerful. My mother was not likely tested when she was pregnant with me, but I now have the ability to share this with my children when they choose to have a family. Something as simple as knowing this information ahead of time is a huge relief.

Recently I've been doing research on Tuberculosis (TB). Why? I don't know, because I'm a mom and I tend to want to be informed at least a little bit on a lot of things. Did you know that until recently the test for TB was a 110 year old test? REALLY. I guess on one hand that's impressive that it's withstood the test of time, but on the other hand - it really wasn't that accurate and required multiple doctors visits. 

But what is TB? Isn't it a disease of the past? It's been known as the consumption, the White Plague, and the earliest known disease to man. It's not a disease of the past. It's still very possible to get it today. According to the WHO, TB is spread from person to person through coughs, sneezes or spit. The germs get into the air and it only takes inhaling a few of these germs to become infected.Those with compromised immune systems have a much higher risk. Symptoms (cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss etc.) may be mild for many months. It's easily confused with other common illnesses, which means it can be spread to many more people in the delay for getting tested.  Those with TB can infect up to 10-15 other people through close contact over the course of a year.

This is why there was a great need for the 110 year old test to become more accurate and have a faster result time. The new, revamped TB test is the only available method of testing for TB with completely objective results. Other tests, such as the skin test, are subjective and open to visual interpretation.

The new TB test is a small blood draw and provides fast, non-visually based objective results. The old "skin test" relied on two visits. On the first visit you are injected with tuberculin and if you are infected there will be a raised bump at the injection site, but this required a second doctor's visit to confirm. 

While it is a low likelihood to contract TB in the United States ("a total of 9,421 TB cases (a rate of 2.96 cases per 100,000 persons)"; source: CDC), knowledge is power. 

Spray Painting Lawn Furniture and relaxing with Palm Breeze!

Summer is here! And so is the heat...which is an awesome and really not awesome thing.

It's really awesome because in Western Washington most of the year is spent waiting for the glorious sun to come out. And then it becomes not so awesome when temperatures get above 75 degrees (my personal comfort level) and you don't have A/C in the house. But then it turns right back to awesome because my backyard is (cue falsetto voice) awesome!! Well, it's on it's way to being pretty awesome. My goal has been to create a comfortable entertaining space where adults can enjoy a meal and each other's company while keeping the kids in view.

To get a kick start on this dream-backyard-oasis I've been collecting lawn furniture and children's toys to make our backyard a place where we want to spend time in the afternoons and evenings.

A few months ago I was gifted a set of three quality plastic Adirondack chairs from my local Buy Nothing group. They were spray painted white a season or so ago and I decided that I'd like to try my hand at refreshing them a little bit.  I've seen tons of tutorials on how to spray paint plastic lawn furniture and figured it can't be to hard.

So I grabbed my materials:
2 cans of spray paint per chair (I chose purple, dark blue and light blue)
scrub brush
water
Soft Scrub cleaning solution
course sandpaper

This is a project that I did over the course of a week during nap times. It was perfect because most of the steps were short but required some wait time between them. 

First I cleaned the chairs as well as I could, using a hard bristled scrubber and Soft Scrub. This scrubbed some of the white paint off. I took a break and waited for it to dry.

Then I took some course sandpaper and tried to sand off (or at least scuff) the old spray paint layer. I didn't go through the trouble of sanding all of the spray paint off, but tried to thin it out at the very least. I washed it again and allowed it to dry.

When I was ready to paint I made my workspace in the gravel in our back driveway (away from everything) so that I wouldn't have to worry about overspray. Following the instructions on the can I started spraying a very light coat onto the chair, moving it around as I needed to. As the coats dried I added more layers to create a solid look. This was over the course of several days due to drying time between the layers. It took about one and a half spray paint cans per chair to get the coverage that I wanted. 

And then they were done! A celebratory drink upon my new chairs was in order.

Palm Breeze (in Ruby Red Citrus) has been my go-to drink this summer. It reminds me of a certain soda that is blood orange flavored, except that Palm Breeze is a flavored malt beverage (FMB). Which basically means it’s an alcoholic drink made with a malt base, kind of like beer. Can I just tell you about the serious yum factor of this stuff?! I've made sure that our fridge is stocked with a case of it at all times this summer. It's been the perfect drink to cool off in the backyard with. I was so pleasantly surprised because I was expecting an overly sugary drink like most other flavored malt beverages are. Nope! I enjoyed it just like my favorite blood orange soda (responsibly, of course). 

Keep an eye on the blog for more summer-time backyard oasis posts...I've still got a few more up my sleeve!

How do you relax in your backyard?

Disclosure: I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls 

and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Lime Cilantro Chicken Tacos

Thanks Foster Farms for sponsoring today's post! 

Quality meat is important to me, so I am excited to share this recipe using delicious organic chicken.

Summertime has hit and I've moved the majority of my cooking from the stove to the grill. We don't have AC so the inside temperatures get into the low 90's and there's no way that I'm turning on the stove to cook! Thankfully we have a decent grill on our back porch and my goal for creating a backyard oasis is in full swing, so dinners in the backyard are where you'll find us 6 out 7 evenings!

Today I'm going to share one of my time honored recipes with you - one that I started tooling around with when I was first married and now I've got it down pat. It's a combination of my two favorite dinner flavors - lime and cilantro!

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh chicken breasts (I used Foster Farms Simply Raised, read below why)
• 1/2 cup of lime juice
• 2 T cumin
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• one fresh avocado
• one bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 10-15 corn tortillas

Directions:
1. Combine the 1/2 cup of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in bowl. Add the fresh Foster Farms chicken to the juice and allow it to marinade for 30 min to overnight. 

2. I like to prepare mine on the grill, but you can also pan fry if you prefer. Cook until the juices run clear. 

3. Chop the chicken into small bite size pieces and set aside in a serving bowl.
4. Slice the avocado, wash and chop the cilantro and set aside in serving bowls.

5. Warm up the corn tortillas, nobody likes stiff tortillas! (Here's how)

6. Serve up! 

If you've followed along on The Pierogie Mama for a while, you'll know that I keep a small flock of backyard chickens for eggs. I've always been intentional about the food that I source for my family - but it's very a fine balance between cost, quality and sustainability. I try to eat seasonally and limit our greater world impact by buying in bulk. It's not easy and it doesn't always work out that way, but I know that doing my best is better than nothing! Having been a chicken mama for over a year, I've gotten a much better appreciation for these animals and am very mindful to teach my daughters that the eggs on their plate for breakfast didn't magically appear from thin air; and neither do any of the other ingredients that we are blessed to share at our table. My thought process isn't unique; in a recent study 85% of Millennial parents indicated that their criteria for buying meat and poultry has changed over the last several years, 42% cited having a child as the primary reason.  When I buy any kind of meat I prioritize on buying organic or antibiotic free. I also want to rest assured that the animal was treated with respect during it's life and prepared for my table with dignity. That's why I chose Foster Farms Simply Raised for this meal. Simply Raised poultry never has any antibiotics, the chickens are fed an entirely vegetarian diet and are American Humane Certified. When the time of butcher comes, the meat is minimally processed without any additives, preservatives, steroids or hormones. It's also good to know that Simply Raised Foster Farms chickens are locally grown in the Pacific Northwest, so I'm not having to pay for transport time between the farm and the grocery store where I buy it. When it comes to store bought affordable chicken, you can't beat Foster Farms!

Leave a comment below telling me what kind of side you'd choose to go along with these tacos - I'm always drawing a blank! And let me know if you've also tried Foster Farms chicken.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Foster Farms. All opinions expressed were my own.

Using fictional characters to help with parenting

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media® and DreamWorks, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #VeggieTalesfun 

http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH

As parents we all strive for the same goal with our children - to raise healthy, smart people who get along well with others. A big part of that is the role of the parent and what we model for our kids; which comes from our backgrounds, education and experiences.

I stay at home with my girls and I've fully embraced that I need to learn along with my kids sometimes. Typically I trust my my gut feeling on how to approach a situations or how to model an experience. But I also don't have a whole lot of experience in working with children outside of my own, so I am always on the lookout for great resources to help me.

An example;

Last week, Penny, now 3, was in a full blown toddler tornado of excitement. It was Wednesday and every week we go to our library for toddler story time. We've been going for a couple years and her cousin Jett and auntie come along too. We've developed friendships with other regulars too, so it's just a huge play date full of reading, dancing, singing and fun. There's a mix of quiet listening to the book being read out loud with wiggle breaks. On this particular morning Penny was buzzing around and just not in the mood to sit to listen to the story.

This is totally normal toddler behavior, but I couldn't help but feel a little anxious. Was she disruptive enough that I should pull her aside, or just go with the flow and let her get the wiggles out. Every other parent there had gone through what I was, so I wasn't feeling like I was a "problem parent." Nonetheless, we also want to be respectful of others. So after I decided that Penny's energy wasn't going to be spent anytime soon, I quietly pulled her aside, held her close and reminded her about the episode on Daniel Tiger that we had watched not too long ago:

Give a squeeze, nice and slow, take a deep breath...and let it go.

Cute, catchy songs seem to be what resonate with Penny at the moment. It was easy to pull out the song to help calm her down at the library, and it worked after a couple times. She loosened up and brought it down a notch.  And that's our life these days. Because she doesn't always listen to what mama thinks she should do or say, but somehow her "friends" (characters in books and tv shows) can. Various princesses, Daniel Tiger, the siblings of Dinosaur Train and the cornucopia of produce from VeggieTales is what guides so many of our practical lessons in this season of life. And let me tell you, these characters were carefully weeded out after the trial and error of that certain monkey and whiny 4 year old that I am 100% convinced teach my toddler all those behaviors that I have been trying to avoid!

VeggieTales is another great show that I've been excited to have her grow into. I've been familiar with the characters and songs from the time that my now 8 year old niece was a little girl, so I've had my fair share of Larry and and Bob. My sister-in-law sends me periodic texts about her "Usta!" which is the Polish word for lips. We used to sing that song to little Pammy all the time.

While "I love my lips" doesn't really teach any deep lessons, (it's just hilarious) VeggieTales is a wonderful faith based show that teaches children valuable lessons and brings the Bible to life for them. We have several children's bibles, but what seems to be the case with most kids these days is that they need something tangible along with it. VeggieTales, our Little People Nativity set and a mix of arts and crafts are some of the tools that I use to teach some of those lessons that are a little harder for a toddler to grasp simply from a story.

I was really excited when I learned that VeggieTales had released a line of plush toys, because this again would serve as an additional reminder when she and I talk. Plus, it's really cute to hear her little toddler voice when she has these deep conversations with "Waw-ry." :) This is the little pow-wow that I came upon after bed time - what lessons was Larry teaching tonight?

You can now find Larry and friends at Walmart.

How do you use fictional characters to help guide

 your children in new experiences or making correct choices?

Springing into Spring with a Carter's Coupon!

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carter’s. I received a complimentary gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for my participation.

Well it's finally hit an average of over 50 degrees in Washington and I've started to cycle out our winter clothes and am opting for layering and lighter fabrics. We needed some spring sprucing of our wardrobes so I called my good friend Ann to come shopping at Carter's with me and we met up for a mamas-daughters date and met up at the Seattle Premium Outlet Mall in Tulalip Wa.

Our three year old daughters ran up and down the sidewalks in the outdoor outlet mall while Ann and I caught up. We live less than an hour apart from each other but life gets in the way and we just hadn't had a good in depth catch up in almost a year. So while the girls ran and oogled through windows we strolled, sipped our Starbucks and dished on the trenches of motherhood and how our families were doing.

And then we walked by the Disney Store without realizing it and were of course obligated to go inside and see what was there.

So after that whole mess we made our way over to Carter's, where the clothes were ahem reasonably priced and perfect for everyday wear!

I'm a big fan of Carter's but I haven't actually been to a real Carter's store before. You can find their collections at other big box stores and because they last so long they make great handmedowns. I was impressed with the great deals at this store! Plus, there were a ton of designs that I hadn't seen locally yet.

Penny is at the age where she is terribly picky about her clothes. I swear, she wore the same Frozen shirt for a week and I was only able to steal it away long enough to wash it. So this was the first time where I followed her around and listened to her talk about which outfits she really liked.

When it was all said and done, we walked out with a bag full of deals that will last both girls through the spring and as it warms up for summer.

Thank the Lord, there wasn't a fight about getting to wear said Frozen shirt to MOPS this morning - she chose one of her new Carter's dresses instead!

You'll find these deals and more at Carter's:

Tees and Shorts Doorbuster Sale lasts from March 11 – March 25

Easter dress up for boys and girls 

Swim suits are here!

Bring this coupon when you shop!

That Time You Needed a Pause Button

One morning I cooked a spectacular breakfast. I mean spectacular. Diced ham, farm fresh eggs from our chickens, perfectly toasted toast (if I do say so myself) and homemade jam. It was all laid out on a totally clean, no smears table and presented to the toddler using her favorite Frozen plate with coordinating princess silverware. It was almost pinterest worthy. But she accidentally bumped the plate, flipping it onto the floor. Squirt, the dog, scarfs it down. Meanwhile Ruby is not happy in her high chair so my normally quiet cup of coffee + blog catch up time is now moot.

Later that day we were getting ready to go to the grocery store. This involves getting everyone dressed in a new outfit because our "at home clothes" are always smeared with food, boogers, bits of playdoh or glitter. I typically dress myself last because you know that in the wages of war against stains and spit up, mom always gets something on herself; especially in the couple moments after she changes. So I get the toddler dressed. Move on to little sister. Meanwhile, the toddler has decided that this particular skirt just does not suit her fancy today. She unloads a dresser drawer looking for the perfect one. Meanwhile, little sis is quite happily crawling around nekkid because I had to stop mid-diaper change to help big sis. The toddler is satisfied with her completely new outfit choice, I go back to little sis and find her unloading a different drawer. Quite happily still nekkid. The dog has taken residence on the bed, which he knows he is not allowed to do.

Imagine me standing there with a "seriously? come on!" look on my face. That moment I wish that I could just reach for that imaginary pause button and pray for a couple seconds of peace where I can collect myself. Sure, in the grand scheme of things an unloaded dresser, food on the floor and a nekkid baby crawling around is not a big deal. In hind sight, it's hilarious. But in the moment...it's really not funny or cute or adorable and I rarely want to stop and relish in the moment because it will pass all too soon. These moments happen daily and typically in the least convenient of times.

Moms, this has been the epitome of my last year. Ruby is now a year old and Penny is three. This year has alternated between the pure joy of having two perfect children versus waiting for the storm to pass where they can play well together and I am out of this sleep deprived, energy lost haze.

In those moments where I really think I'm going to blow my top and certainly very unfairly unleash my frustrations, I think I've found the real life "pause button." It's called a RESCUE Pastille. I've been using RESCUE products for several years, starting with RESCUE Remedy when I knew something stressful would be coming up (like a big meeting with my bosses when I worked). It would chill me out, but not drug me, and once I set aside those nervous butterflies I regained my normal confidence and I would move on as normal. Nowadays I don't always have the time to grab a glass of water to sip on as I calmly meditate the next events, so I keep the pastilles on hand (in the center console of my car, in my diaper bag, stashed away in my jacket pockets...) so that whenever that crazy unorganized moment does happen, I can at least try to wash away those nerves and still move forward with whatever I was doing.

RESCUE products are homeopathic remedies which help you stress less and calm down. You can find them anywhere you find natural products, including CVS, Walgreens, Whole Foods, or Sprouts. So grab this BOGO coupon and tell me about "that time when ...". You know that you've got some good ones to share!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls 

and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

#BabyCasing Photo Contest!

Who loves taking pictures of their babies? Silly question, we all do. 

In honor of National Newborn Photography Month,  Pish Posh Baby is holding a “Baby Casing Photo Contest.” Snap a pic of your gorgeous baby (or someone else's) in or on a suitcase (ala “baby-casing”). Use the hashtag #BabyCasing and you'll be entered to win our grand prize—your baby's pic on the back of 50 NYC buses! How fun is that?  Contest is open through January 31, 2015.  After that, stop back to vote for your favorite baby!  

Enter here! (through Jan 31 2015) 

Voting opens Feb 1!

Follow  Pish Posh Baby 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PishPoshBaby

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pishposhbaby

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pishposhbaby/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/pishposhbabydotcom

Next week I'll be sharing my review of the Boba Wrap, which you can find at Pish Posh Baby. 

Stay tuned!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Pish Posh Baby.

Dis

My mom life: "Why hasn't this been invented yet?"

If I had a penny (haha, so punny) for how many times a day I think "there's gotta be a better way of doing this," "why hasn't that been invented yet?" or "is there an app for that?!" then I'd probably be writing this post from my office in my winter getaway tropical cabana. You too, right?

I think that moms are some of the most driven people to innovate new ideas because in the midst of our daily lives while we're trying to accomplish whatever it is we're trying to do, we've got the littles pulling us in the opposite direction. Bless their angelic little hearts, but whether you work inside or outside of the home, you know this plight. So many times a day I'm caught doing the same work over again (Ruby now finds it hilarious to unpack everything that I just put away into a drawer two seconds ago) or I'm literally juggling two kids and 5 bags of groceries. My stress level heightens, I become a crabby mom and sometimes there are days where it doesn't look like I did anything at all. I think to myself "there's got to be another way."

Well, to be honest, all of the innovating juices in this family come from my engineer husband and I am awfully pleased with myself when I go on a crafting spree and have something cute to show in the end. That's the limit of my creativity! So I will be relying on another mom who's had enough of whatever it is that's holding her back to come up with a better solution. "Like" if you get me.

Did you know that there's this new website, Mumzy, that speaks to all those things? At Mumzy, moms with ideas come to this place with a crowdfunding campaign and work with professional resources to help develop her small business. 

Mumzy is the first and so far only crowdfunding network for moms. This unique project tailors their support to this specific demographic because we, more often than anyone else, are faced with those problems and questions that I shared earlier. The US Census estimates that there are 82.5 million mothers of all ages in the US and with 4 million babies being born annually (Source: eMarketer, 2013), we've got a lot of incentive to be inventive. 

But what if you are like me and aren't really an innovative problem solver? Mumzy also gives you the option to explore the current campaigns and support the ones you love! Currently there are four live campaigns on Mumzy and as the network grows and raises awareness, who knows what mom will be inspired to fix that annoying problem that you, I and every other mom deals with? How exciting is that?

What I like about each campaign is that they feature a high quality video that tells you about the cause. Each one also outlines different incentives for however much you choose to donate - from a facebook shout out to a cameo in a video they produce. Mumzy is offering their own incentive to boost interest - the first 100 people who post a project to MUMZY will have a chance to win $1,000 back towards their project's funding goal!

Are you that mom who's been holding onto that great idea that's going to be a game changer for all of us? 

Disclosure: I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Healthy Transformations

Today's discussion is sponsored by Sara Lee®. Read on for my transformation, learn about 45 Delightful People and healthy options from Sara Lee® Delightful Bread!

Is it an understatement to say that this year has been a year of big changes around here? But isn't it for everyone, every year?

With Ruby's birth in March and Penny turning 2 in the same month, I learned quickly that I had to re-evaluate what is important to me and how to best manage my time. After all, not only did I need to survive the sometimes harrowing journey of motherhood, I wanted to thrive. I didn't want this year to be a "hard year," instead I focused on it being a "learning year." And that meant making some serious changes.

The biggest change that I made is accepting that I can't do it all myself. I can't always be the #1 caretaker (as I had tirelessly been with Penny), I finally admitted that I'm not a tidy person and never will be, laundry (especially cloth diapering 2 at the same time) will always be a daily chore and honestly (as much as I take true joy and pride in it), not every meal snack and treat will be made from scratch. If I wanted to maintain my sanity, keep a sense of myself, be a good wife and mom, I needed to just let it go and accept help when it's offered...

Can't all moms take a lesson in that? It's so hard!

Many of us use new year resolutions as a way to change for the healthier. Eat better, go to the gym more often, lose that holiday weight. This year's goal will be for an improvement in mental health. I will take time for myself more and not only accept help but ask for it. My hope is that I'll be a less-stressed mom and it'll show in my parenting and relationships.

Do you have a transformation that you want to share? 

Enter it in the Sara Lee® 45 Delightful People campaign and automatically get a free t-shirt and possibly be one of the 45 winners semi-finalists or the grand prize winner of $4,500!

If you're looking for ideas for other healthy transformations, check out Sara Lee® Delightful Breads. They are delicious and only have 45 calories per full-size slice. You can find them in oatmeal, whole wheat, Healthy Multi-Grain and wheat. They are heart-healthy and provide an excellent source of fiber and best of all...no artificial colors, flavors or high fructose corn syrup.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sara Lee®.

Christmas Crafting - Felt Stockings

I'm not a crafter by any means. But sometimes I get a bee in my bonnet and I go a little craft crazy for a little while. Does that happen to you?

Ever since Penny's first Christmas (2012), I've had the idea to make our own Christmas stockings. I'm a very novice seamstress, at best, but I felt like this wasn't beyond my ability. So after a little bit of pinterest / etsy inspiration, a felt stocking tutorial, a trip to the craft store and .. ahem .. 2 years of procrastinating.. I got them done!

So here's a photographical journey of how I made my stockings (I'm going to call it that instead of a tutorial, because I am in no position to be giving anyone instructions on how to sew!).

Did you notice the polar animal theme?

Crafting these cuties definitely started my Christmas mood! Normally I had my Christmas pandora station running on my laptop while sewing away, but I learned that Idina Menzel (as in, Elsa) has a holiday album out this season so I jumped on that one!



The album list includes:

1. Do You Hear What I Hear
2. The Christmas Song
3. Baby It’s Cold Outside (Duet with Michael Buble)
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
5. All I Want For Christmas
6. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
7. December Prayer
8. When You Wish Upon A Star (my favorite)
9. Silent Night
10. River
11. Holly Jolly Christmas
12. White Christmas

1. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Bonus Tracks on Target Exclusive with Michael Buble!)

Buy it on itunes or Amazon

This week I will be pulling out all of our Christmas decorations, but here is our mantel in the holiday mood!

Have you handmade any decorations in your house? 

Tell me about them!

Disclosure: I participated in the Idina Menzel Holiday Wishes album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my own.

Copycat Crispy Chicken Caesar Wrap

This didn't take a secret lab with multiple testings to uncover the perfect copycat recipe, but hey, when you got it you got it. And let's just say that from the time that I made these for dinner on Thursday, in the 5 nights that have passed since...we've had them for dinner or lunch 3 more times. So log this one away for an easy, short ingredient, 20 minute dinner or lunch recipe. You'll be happy that you did!

You will need:
Tortilla
Breaded chicken strips Strips (Zaycon Fresh has the yummiest!)
Your favorite cheese shredded - hubby likes Pepperjack, I like Asiago
Romaine lettuce
Creamy Caesar dressing (sometimes I mix it up and use Wishbone Spicy Caesar!)

You'll do:
1.Prepare the breaded chicken strips according to package instructions
2. Cut your tortilla in half and smear a good amount of dressing onto it.
3. Layer the lettuce, a crispy strip (or two!) and a sprinkle of cheese.
4. Roll it!

And that's all it takes. Wrap them up as to-gos for the car or for a lazy night in.

Zaycon Fresh is my #1 source for purchasing our meats, and we've ordered the breaded chicken fritters every time they've come available. They come pre-cooked, so all you need to do is crisp them up in the oven. For a limited time, pay $2.56 per pound with promo code FRITTERS2018 at check out.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. 

Making Me Time on Road Trips

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media® and PEOPLE® and Sunset®, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #MeTimeMags http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH

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The holidays are upon us and what that means for us, and probably you, is increased road trips. Am I right? Extended families tend to get together more often during the holidays and there's lots of fun things to do, such as light shows. In a study by AAA in 2013, they found that 91% of Americans travel during the holidays by car.

Throughout the internet you'll find tons of lists of what to pack for a road trip with infants, toddlers, teenagers, tweens, grandparents, dogs, cats, perhaps even the family gerbil. But NOWHERE do you find what a mom should pack for herself! So I decided to visit my local Safeway and compile a list of my favorites to take along on the road trip and to show you how you can easily turn a few hours in the car with your family into a pseudo-me-time moment. Ready?

1. Treats.
Because you're a smart mom you already packed the kid snacks and their favorite toys and made them readily accessible for your non-napping toddler. But because they are in the backseat and you are in the front seat, this may be the perfect time to pull out those secret mama-only treats! My favorite is always chocolate; it's an act of true love for me to share any, so I do whatever I can to sneak it in moments where I don't have to share! I also like to pack popcorn or tortilla chips with hummus or mango salsa!

2. Something to drink.
You know you're going to have to stop for the kids' potty break anyways, so keep yourself hydrated too - be it a Starbucks or a bottle of water.

3. Reading material.
How often, as moms, do we get uninterrupted time to sit and read? I take full advantage of this in the car. Luckily I don't get carsick anymore! If I'm not in the middle of the current young adult fiction series, one of my favorite magazines to read is Sunset. It's a good mix of local and national travel, food and decor ideas. The other guilty pleasure (along with the chocolate) is the current issue of People. Don't judge! I have to learn about the latest scandal or who the current starlet is!

Did you know that Safeway's Just For U program currently has a coupon to save $1 on one participating magazine title PEOPLE, PEOPLE StyleWatch, Sunset, and InStyle available through the Just4U online portal? You can find it on the website or app from 10/23/14 - 11/20/14 (while supplies last).

4. Comfies.
If I'm in for a long road trip you'll find me in yoga pants (ok, let's face it, when DON'T you find me in yoga pants these days?!) and layering a soft zippy with a tee. I keep a lap quilt in the car and I pack a small soft pillow. The pillow is great for sleeping on (duh) or propping my reading material up with.

5. Clean up.
It just makes sense to keep a case of baby wipes and a spare grocery bag handy. Someone is bound to make a mess.

6. Communication.
A fully charged cell phone + a car charger is on my must have list too. This way, even when I'm on the road I can make sure the blog isn't blowing up or open up the Netflix app and hand it back to Penny in case of a serious melt down.

..Oh, and I guess I should mention if all else fails, you can also chat with your driver! ;p

And there you have it! That's what you'll find in my foot well on a 3-4 hour road trip.

What do you always pack for yourself? 

Busy Mornings are tough #BringHillshireHome

This is a sponsored post for the Mom It Forward network. All opinions are my own.

This morning I found myself elbow deep in ground turkey.

It seems to be a season of new babies in my MOPs group, and one of my favorite ways to serve others is to prepare meals. Especially for new moms.  And somehow I signed myself up to bring dinner to two families this evening, in addition to cooking for my own, so my day started EARLY.

And I was presented with this option.

An epic battle between two breakfast foes, am I right? Sweet, evil indulgence vs. healthy, light and good for you.

Any other morning, I would have had a really hard time making this choice, ladies. Because I *always* opt for chocolate. Always. But this morning (and afternoon, as it turned out) required my full attention in juggling meatballs, bacon, peach muffins, Dinosaur Train, and diaper laundry. Oh, and wearing a 18 lb infant on my back. Sure, that donut would have satisfied a craving and given me a little bit of energy. But halfway through the muck of ground turkey, I would have realized that it isn't enough and then I'd have to carefully wash up while my sugar high quickly crashed and I'd be left shaking, wondering what I can do to fix this. Because I didn't take care of myself.

Luckily earlier this week a JimmyDean coupon (a Hillshire Brands product) came across my Just For U app and I snagged it, knowing that not every morning is perfect and allows me to take my time to sip my coffee and eat my breakfast.

So prepping breakfast this morning took 3 minutes, which allowed me a couple seconds to collect my thoughts, think about the ingredients that I'd need to pull together and get started with like zero breakfast clean up.

Was it tasty? Yes. Was it quick? Yes! Did I have the energy to get through my 3 dinner preps before lunch time? YES, YES!

Check out these other delicious recipes from other bloggers!
Glazed Sausage Waffle on a Stick
Pancake Sandwiches
Breakfast Eggrolls
JimmyDean English Muffins
Kielbasa with Apples, Potato and Peppers
Breakfast in 5 minutes
Apple Cider Braised Red Cabbage with Kielbasa
Smokin' Sausage, Eggs and Potatoes for Breakfast