Guest Post: Cranana Muffin Recipe

The Pierogie Mama and her family are off on a fabulous visit to Germany! Don't worry, we'll check in on the blog every once in a while and keep up on Instagram and Facebook too! And in the meantime, you'll get the chance to read a ton of posts written by some of my favorite people. 

See you in the New Year. Don't miss out on this chance to win $20 Paypal too!

Everybody has their favorite pre-holiday breakfast pastry. From scones to breads, croissants to donuts – a baker’s arsenal has a limitless number of options!

Oh, and the flavors?!?! Blueberry, apple, pumpkin, chocolate, Bavarian cream, strawberry rhubarb – my mouth is just watering thinking of all the delicious combinations! Don’t even get me started on how adding “spiced” in front of any of these just opens up a whole new door to Flavortown!

When coming up with a home run recipe, my personal favorite must encompass all the best parts of the holidays. In a single bite I have got to experience sweetness and tanginess. While also getting a little bit of spice. Oh and there always has to be just a pinch of salt.

I think that I may have found perfection in my latest endeavor – the Cranana Muffin!

This wondrous creation is not your typical muffin. Made with fresh cranberries and ripe bananas, the flavors burst in your mouth with every bite. The smell wafting from your oven will bring your children to the table, and your neighbors to the door. Beautiful bright red berries and gooey yellow banana bits call your name as you unwrap this oh so yummy treat.    

Cranana Muffin Recipe

1 bag fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4-5 VERY ripe bananas (this is important)

- Preheat oven to 350°
- Simmer water berries and 1/4 cups sugar for 3 to 6 minutes. Drain.
- Cream butter and remaining sugar.
- Add eggs one at a time.
- Combined dry ingredients in separate bowl.
- Mash bananas and add to dry ingredients with wet mixture.
- Gently mix in cranberries.
- Fill muffin cups just below cup line.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes
- Make sure to cool before serving.

This made 22 muffins for me, but I think next time I'll fill them fuller and should expect about 20 or so. They were really good split in half with a little butter.

Don't miss Stacie's other guest post on the blog - a simple grazing breakfast line up!

NonProfit DBA by day, wife/mom/baker all the other hours - Stacie is a Washington State native, DC transplant, and lover of all things creative. Owner and head decorator of Enticing Icing Cupcakes, this mommy baker enjoys sharing her secrets to a sweet life. Check out more of her work at www.enticingicingcupcakes.com

Guest Post: K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Silly) Breakfast

It’s Christmas morning and all your family will shortly be descending on your house for the annual holiday dinner. Trouble is, it’s morning, and you don’t want to make a mess before “the mess” by preparing a huge breakfast for your kids.

Well, have I got the answer for you… The Grazing Breakfast!

Ok, so this isn’t a new concept. That’s being said, it’s one that is fairly easy to pull together, can provide an option for even your pickiest of eaters, and leaves you with very little clean up!

My go to options are all self-serve (unless you have very little ones, who will require a little assistance), and can be mixed and matched for a ‘somewhat’ healthy meal. This is also a great idea if you have drop-ins – or like my family, those grandparents who make the rounds, but don’t give you the head ups as to where you fall on the timeline.

The Line Up:

Hard Boiled Eggs –  The day before Christmas I throw a pot of water on the stove and cook up a dozen eggs. These bad boys keep for up to a week in the fridge, so even if they aren’t all eaten, you have grab and go breakfast for a few days.

Fresh Cut Fruit –  This is a staple at our house for the holidays. If you are anything like me, between the cookies, cakes, fudge, and whatever else appears at the office or around the house at this time or year, by Christmas morning you are craving something fresh and naturally sweetened. To make things easy on yourself, most grocery stores sell precut fruit. Or to make things easy on your wallet, buy a few easy to prepare fruits – like apples, bananas, and strawberries – and do the cutting yourself.

Deli Meats (and Cheese) - Did you know that you can ask the deli counter to cut your meats to a crazy thickness? This was a marvelous discovery I made one day when I wanted to serve ham with breakfast, but didn’t want to buy one of those half hams. Although the price per pound may be a little more than the prepackaged meats, this is a great option to create some bite size meat and cheese options that you normally expect to see as passed hors d'oeuvres.

Monkey Bread –                        

A special (and oh so simple) treat that will have guests and your children saying "WOW!" and coming back for seconds and thirds. Best yet, it's so easy to make, you'll be asking yourself why you hadn't done it before.

Monkey Bread Recipe (Adapted from the Betty Crocker Recipe)

2/3 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 cans buttermilk biscuits (I prefer Pillsbury, and they sell a four pack in most stores)

12 tablespoons butter

1 cup well packed brown sugar

- Preheat oven to 350°

- Prepare bunt pan by spraying VERY well with cooking spray – it is very important to coat this well as you do not want any of the gooey goodness to stick!

- Place cinnamon and sugar into a gallon bag and shake until well mixed

- Remove biscuits from packaging and cut into quarters – I find it easiest to take 4-5 at a time, laid on their side, and then cut.

-  Add biscuits to the bag of cinnamon-sugar and shake to your hearts content – this is a great task for a child.

-  Evenly place the well coated dough bites into the pan, and sprinkle a little extra cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top

- Over medium-high heat, bring butter and brown sugar to boiling in a medium size saucepan – this mixture will be extremely hot and is a burning hazard, but please have the kids out of the room for this one.

-  Allow to boil for 1 minute - stirring constantly – then pour over biscuit quarters

- Using oven mitts, place in oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes

- Let stand for 5 minutes before turning upside down onto a plate

Best served warm!

Don't miss Stacie's other delicious recipe on the blog - Cranana Muffins!

NonProfit DBA by day, wife/mom/baker all the other hours - Stacie is a Washington State native, DC transplant, and lover of all things creative. Owner and head decorator of Enticing Icing Cupcakes, this mommy baker enjoys sharing her secrets to a sweet life. Check out more of her work at www.enticingicingcupcakes.com.

So I guess I'm Mother Gothel, she's a princess and princesses only eat princess food.

Two big things have been going on around here.

1. I have a very independent two and a half year old. She is fearless, bold, adventurous, feisty and just an all around kick in the pants. Every day she surprises me. These days dinner tends to get in the way of these imaginary adventures and she's been opting for on the go foods. 

2. Princesses. 24/7.

So more often than not we encounter days where the only food she wants to eat is "princess food." Does anyone have any idea what "princess food" means to a toddler? My best guess as to the most basic requirement of "princess food" is that it needs to be pink. What is a mama to do?

So like the wicked Mother Gothel, I've figured out how to sneakily disguise her essential nutrients, with the help of a my Cuisinart Baby Food Maker and Yummi Pouches. Mother knows best!

The first part of my master plan is to create an easy to eat, yet very "princessy" puree that even the pickiest toddler won't be able to resist. One of our standard recipes that I have created is Apple, Strawberry and Butternut Squash with a touch of cinnamon. Butternut squash is an excellent source of Vitamin A, fiber, potassium and magnesium. Apples are an additional fiber source, and pack some Vitamin C. Strawberries have lots of Vitamin K and are an antioxidant powerhouse. Combine all of those and you've got the makings of a healthy snack! Mwwaaaa hahahaha! 

The second part of my evil plan involves one of my henchmen, the Cuisinart Baby Food Maker.  It's an all-in-one appliance, meaning I can steam my apples and squash, then add my strawberries and puree, without pulling out tons of gadgets or adapters. That leaves enough time to meddle in my daughter's affairs, boil some toads and worry about my waning beauty while talking to magical mirrors or tending to a mysterious fountain of youth plant.

Finally, to ensure the assimilation of said wicked potion, Yummi Pouches make normally messy purees portable, so that was a no-brainer in my evil plot to ensure Penny eats healthy. We love Yummi Pouch because...

• The shape - it's a rectangle and super easy to clean. 
• Dishwasher and freezer safe. 
• BPA free, PVC free and phthalate free. 

In addition to pureed food, I like to prepare packs of yogurt, applesauce or smoothies thickened up with ground oats for quick on the go snacks.

Does this sound like a truly evil plan or what? Let me tell you, the unknowing princess surely fell victim to my tricks and walked away satiated.

Want to win a Cuisinart Baby Food Maker along with a 4 pack of Yummi Pouch Brights to put your dubious potions delicious creations in? Enter to win this fabulous prize pack by commenting below:

1. Visit Cuisinart's baby food recipe site and tell me which recipe you think your little one will go "goo goo" for. Please leave your best contact email address so that I can email you if you win. (See full rules below)

2. Gain an additional entry point by visiting Yummi Pouch's recipe page and leaving a comment here with a recipe that you'd  like from there too!

This giveaway has ended. Thank you to all who entered!

Rules: Entering this giveaway is completely optional; however in order to qualify to enter you will need to leave a comment answering question #1, and for an additional entry option you may also answer question #2 in separate comments. The winning entry will be validated. Open to the US only, aged 18 years or older. The contest ends at 6:00pm PST 7/25/2014. The winner has until 6:00pm PST 7/26/2014 to respond to the email notification. The Pierogie Mama is not responsible for prize fulfillment. The winner will be contacted at the end of the giveaway and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. 

Quick and Easy Pesto Pasta - Guest post from Saving for a Purpose

Guess what I'm doing today? You got it. Tearing apart my house. Today I'd like to welcome Betsy from Saving for a Purpose. She shares a super easy and tasty pasta pesto recipe that is great to pull out when you're in a pinch for dinner!

If you like the Noodles & Company Pesto Cavatappi you might want to try this recipe it is so simple but so good!

You will need:

Cellentani noodles

Pesto (you can make your own)

mushrooms (if desired)

sun dried tomatoes (if desired)

Not only will you enjoy a delicious meal but you will save money by making it at home!

 This is what I did…  

• Make noodles as directed.
• Drain
• Add the pesto, look below to see what I used.
• you might want to add a little butter or parmesan cheese
  

The whole meal took less than 30 minutes to make and was really good.  This makes a lot of pasta for one person so I enjoyed the rest of it for lunch the next day.  It reheated very well, it is also tasty cold, I couldn't help it and had to sneak a few noodles before it went in the microwave. 

I used Buitoni Pesto with Basil…I added the whole container to the pasta, it was the perfect amount.  I have used a non refrigerated variety in a glass jar and did not like it.  I am sticking with the Buitoni.






Betsy is from SavingforaPurpose.com. She likes to craft, cook, bake and save time and money where it is possible without sacrificing family and fun time.  She tries to help others through her money saving endeavors.  

Want to write for The Pierogie Mama? Send me an email!

thepierogiemama@gmail.com

Monthly Its: September

Remember meeting Nicole from StarGazer Soaps last month? I asked her about the inspiration behind the name of her business and the individual names of each of her soaps - she's got Venus, Orion, Taurus, Andromeda - just to name a few.

When I was thinking about a name for my business, I really had no idea where to start.  The name was important, and one of the most difficult decisions for me.  Many years ago, I had a small business that my little brother named.  He passed away three years ago, and while I didn't want to use the old business name, I wanted to incorporate him somehow.  When we were growing up, we used to lay in the backyard and watch the stars.  And now, I look up to the heavens on a daily basis and smile with those memories.  One evening, the name Stargazer Soaps just popped into my head.  I was instantly excited, and decided to name all of my silk soaps after something found in the sky.  This can be rather tricky.  Sometimes I have a name picked out for my soap before I make it, but I rarely have a plan when I set out to soap.  Sometimes I don't have a name for several days after I cut a soap.  My husband and children enjoy helping me pick out names for each soap.  I love the uniqueness of my business name and each soap I make.  

If you haven't gotten a chance to check out her soaps personally, don't wait too long! Most of them are limited edition and only come around once in a while, as she makes them all by hand. But here's a little secret...I'm sharing my experience with StarGazer Soaps and Nicole is giving away 4 bars of her soaps for an awesome Pierogie Mama reader! Thanks Nicole :)

On to my favorite posts over the last month...

• A guest post on Wifessionals - how to be a happy and productive SAHM. I gotta say, staying at home with my kid has been the best 18 months of my life! But the husband will be the first to tell you that my productivity is at an all time low. Yes, babies grow too quickly - that's why I'm not too worried about dusty corners, but.. yea. We gotta get this house in gear.
• I've repaired Penny's cloth diapers before - and by 'repair' I mean replaced the velcro. Not that hard for a novice seamstress. But the elastic.. eh. I've been looking for a good step by step tutorial on how to replace cloth diaper elastic and I think Diaper Wreckers may have given me the courage to tackle this one. 
• Another awesome post by Diaper Wreckers - a test on which cloth diaper inserts absorb liquid the fastest!
• How to make pear puree for your baby by Director Jewels- perfect for a Yummi Pouch! 
• I made Pioneer Woman's Brown Sugar Oatmeal cookies for a new mama this week with an additional galactogogue ingredient - I added in a squirt of Barleans Flax Seed Oil! (pssst, galactogogue = mamamilk makin'). But don't worry, non-lactating people will totally enjoy these too. After all, it calls for a pound of butter. 

Be sure to keep an eye out via BlogLovin' and Facebook 

for when my StarGazer Soaps review and giveaway goes live! 

The Recipe Crucible: Pillsbury Biscuit Turkey & Muenster Grilled Sammies

A little Bianca factoid...yes, I keep a very healthy Pinterest account. But when a recipe has been tried and true, it makes its way into my legit recipe box. It's written on paper and hopefully immortalized for the next 50 years (or more, if one of my children end up loving cooking too!).

September has always been a time of transition for myself and many other families. It's the start of school, obviously a change in season and it always seems like I am moving in September / October. I'm going to say this one last time - this better be the last time we move for like 15 years!! ;)

During this time of transition families are busier than usual and honestly the time and energy spent in cooking sometimes takes a nosedive. Our family doesn't have anyone starting school (not for a couple more years), but the transition of moving into our new home and the renovation taking place in the kitchen has definitely made things a little tighter, less comfortable and not as easy to prepare full on dishes like I normally like to.

So this little quick and easy recipe that I'm going to share with you below is in the beginning stages of this crucible - initially saved via the internet/this blog, and maybe one day will graduate into recipe cardhood.

Originally adapted from Grands! Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

You will need:1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)
8 thick slices of Muenster cheese (I went straight to the Deli counter and asked for nice thick slices)
1/2 lb of pepper crusted sliced turkey breast meat (also found at your Deli counter)
honey mustard
extras: avocado, tomato, bacon
Makes 4 sandwiches


You will do:
1. Heat a non-stick skillet on high heat. 
2. Meanwhile, flatten the biscuits into discs, similar to mini personal pizzas. The key here is to get them nice and thin, otherwise you'll end up with regular biscuits! You can stretch them like pizza dough or use a rolling pin.

3. Once the pan is hot and the biscuits are flat, add one or two biscuits at a time to the hot pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Once it is brown (like a pancake) flip it over and cook the other side. Set aside when cooked.
4. After the biscuits are cooked, layer on a spread on a little bit of honey mustard, add two slices of cheese, some meat and any of your additional toppings. Sandwich together.
5. Return the sammies to the hot pan, adjusting the temperature to medium/low so that the cheese can melt without burning the biscuit. 

6. Bon appetit! These are so simple that you can really adjust them to fit whatever you have in your fridge for a hot sandwich.

What would you fill your sammy with?
Download the Pillsbury recipe booklet for more easy recipes and comment with a Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits recipe you'd love to try!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of General Mills. Compensation was provided by General Mills via Clever Girls Collective.

Just Peachy: Dessert Recipe Round Up

This week I bought a case of peaches...and kind of ended up with more than I can handle! But that's a good problem to have right?

So I spend an afternoon canning half of the case by using this tutorial from Make it Do. Super easy to follow for the novice canner without any extra special ingredients or tools. Just jars, water, sugar, peaches, big ole pot of water. Lots of time. Do it - you will be happy you did!

But I'm still left with a ton of peaches, and there's only so many times per week that I can make my super secret peach cobbler and still feel good about my self image. So I talked to some of my bloggy friends and they all shared their peachy recipes for me pass on to you! How nice!

So go ahead and pin this list round up and keep it around for the next couple weeks while peaches are in season and cheap. You'll be glad you did! And when you do try any of them out, be sure to let me know what you though! (And of course, give the author some love too!)

Everything Mommyhood: Juicy Peach Crisp

That Mama Gretchen: Peach Duff

The Lilac City Momma: Easy Peach Cobbler

More than Mommy: Peaches and Cream Muffins

Creative Family Cooking: Tropical Rice with Apricots and Mango (easily can subsitute peaches in!)

Save Green Being Green: Strawberry Peach Muffins

This isn't from a blog, but I tried these skillet pork chops with peaches from McCormick. I try to avoid copious amounts of salt, so I cut it down to 1/2 tsp of Lawry's.

A few ideas from The Pierogie Mama's kitchen:
Freeze slices on a cookie sheet to have for smoothies for the rest of the year

Puree / Mash up left over pieces and put them in a reusable baby/toddler food pouch.

---Like a Yummi Pouch - enter to win a pack here!---

Mix with finely milled oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce, roasted sweet potatoes or bananas! 

revised 9/6 for these lovely ladies' recipes.. These cannot be missed!
Simply {Darr}ling's Peach French toast... WHAT??!
Simply {Darr}ling's Beer infused Peach and blueberry cobbler
Simply {Darr}ling's Peach Pie Filling
HipFoodieMom Cinnamon Peach Monkey Bread
HipFoodieMom Peach Croissants
 

Got a recipe to share? Link up in the comments!

Yummi Yummi Yummi in Penny's Tummy! Yummi Pouch Review and Giveaway

What is always in my bag when I leave the house with my toddler?

It's not diapers. It's not a change of clothes.
It's food.
Can I get an 'amen' ?!

Penny's favorite snack lately has been yogurt or applesauce. But she's not to the point of self feeding... how can I put this...cleanly? ;)

Whether at home or on the go we use our Yummi Pouches for filling with gooey goodness like applesauce, different flavors of yogurt, finely milled oatmeal and even mashed potatoes (extra smooth and with extra cream to help make it more squishable). There's tons of other fillings you can try - any pureed fruit or veggie would work perfectly! I sometimes peruse the baby food aisle at the grocery store to get ideas of what to make at home ;) Check out my Pouch Food Pinterest Board for other ideas too!

My favorite part about Yummi Pouches is the rectangular shape. They are easy to clean (the main reason why I ditched other brands) and are easy for Penny to hold.

They also feature:

• an expandable bottom so that you can stand them up
• a wide ziplock opening at the top
• a 6 oz capacity
• BPA and Phthalate free
• dishwasher and freezer safe

Are you ready to win some Yummi goodness? Yummi Pouch has generously agreed to offer 2 prizes! 

The first prize will be their Little Munchkin Set (shown above)

• Set of 6 Yummi Pouch reusable food pouches
• 16oz filling funnel pitcher
• 10 dishwasher safe name label stickers
• 2 decorative dishwasher safe sticker sheets
• 6 mixed color extra pouch caps

And a second prize of 6 pack of Yummi Pouches.

This giveaway is over - thanks to all for entering! 

Keep an eye out for more Pierogie Mama Giveaways.

Disclosure: Thank you, Yummi Pouch, for providing The Pierogie Mama with free product to review. 
I received no other compensation and all words and opinions are my own. Participating bloggers Ramblings of Mama and Found Frolicking are not responsible for prize fulfillment. 

Would you like your product or service be featured on The Pierogie Mama? 

I'd love to chat! Send me an email and we'll discuss details :)

Check out more Pierogie Mama giveaways

15 months

Dear little Penny-pot,

These monthly updates are starting to slow down as our life gets busier during the summer, so I'll be trying to keep up whenever I can.

In the last month or so you've started to give hugs and kisses.. which melt my and your daddy's heart every time. You squeeze our necks (or legs) so tight and give the sweetest of kisses. I especially love when I get a big hug and kiss after nursing...this really tells me just how much you love it! I love our special bonding time too.

In the last couple weeks you've come up with some spectacular shenanagins that have us rearranging the house. You've mastered climbing up onto chairs, the couches and as of yesterday you think climbing up onto the toilet is hilarious! Mama does not entirely approve. You've also started using forks and spoons and this has sparked your interest in sitting at the table. You will sit happily in your highchair for breakfast and lunch, but for dinner you will take two bites and then want to sit with your beloved dada. That's ok, he likes to share his dinner with you.

You've also gotten really good at hide and seek. In the begining you'd give yourself away very quickly with your excited squeals when you'd know I was close to finding you, but now you are able to keep quiet for upwards of 5 minutes! But your hiding skills need a little work..

You also had me rolling with laughter when I was hanging the diapers out to dry this week when you crawled under your empty kiddie pool and 'turtle crawled' across the deck. Where do these ideas come from?!

As a very independent girl, you've also made it very clear that you want to walk everywhere we go and you want to do it by yourself.  I'm so proud of your tenacity and complete willingness to try all things new.

Your favorite foods are currently:
Cream of Wheat with fresh strawberries, bananas or cheerios mixed in
Freckled Avocado Smoothies
goldfish crackers & Earth's Best organic ABC (Cookie Monster?) cookies
vanilla yogurt
quinoa with feta

Your vocabulary is progressing, sometimes you will say words that we haven't really taught you ("girl"), but for the most part these are the standards:
"meow" for kitty with the variation of "meo" for Romeo
"ffff" for woof
"shoo" for shoe
"CK" for cousin Jack
"pr-ty" for pretty / flower
"di-puuurr" for diaper
unfortunately "no" has snuck it's way in there, but we're working on turning it into "no thank you" with signing "thank you."

We love you so much, darling girl, and can't wait to see what surprises you have in store for us next :)

Love,
Mama & Dada

How to Store Summer Strawberries

Last week, Penelope and I visited a local farm that grows all organic berries. Oh my.

In about 2 1/2 hours, I was able to pick 13.5 lbs of strawberries. How does one accomplish this with a toddler? (Many moms have asked me!). Well, I started out wearing her on my back in the Ergo. She wasn't happy about this, but tolerated this for about half an hour. It was pretty tiresome to bend over or kneel while wearing her on my back, and I knew she wasn't too comfortable either.

Once she started squirming in true discomfort, I let her out and run. She's pretty good about sticking close while she figures out the situation when we're in new environments, so she ran around within 5 feet of me for another 15 minutes. She also took advantage of foraging berries from my basket or off the bush - which I was sure to let the proprietress know about! As it goes with toddlers, her courage grew quickly and pretty soon she was off running in different rows or checking out the tractors close by. Sometimes she'd sneak up behind me and I'd find her in my strawberries...When we got home, we prepared the strawberries for freezing. I like to use frozen strawberries in our smoothies instead of ice, so I froze almost all of it! 

This is how I prepare berries for freezing (this is perfect for organically grown, though I would probably take greater care in cleaning them if they aren't organic).

You will need:
A big bowl of water
Distilled white vinegar
Berries of choice
Cookie Sheets
Cleared out space in your freezer
Freezer Bags

You will do:
1. Fill a bowl with a mixture of 2/3 cold water to 1/3 white vinegar.
2. Place berries into the bowl, allowing them to soak for about 5 minutes. Agitate with your fingers and rub off any dirt.
3. Place on a cookie sheet. I prefer mine not to touch each other, though if you don't care it doesn't make a difference.
4. Freeze for several hours. I just left mine overnight.
5. Once frozen solid, transfer into freezer bags.

I did reserve some for delicious strawberry shortcakes.. Which I made 2 nights in a row ;)

Moms Who Inspire Me: Ashley

Welcome to the second part of my three part series on Moms Who Inspire Me (Gretchen was Part I). Today I want to introduce my dear friend, Ashley. I was introduced to Ashley and her hubs through my boyfriend-at-the-time (who now happens to be my husband!). They all went to high school together and have stayed close friends since. Ashley has been a model to whom I look up to as a wife, mother and friend. Seriously, she is the sweetest and most loyal friend a girl can have. She always knows the right things to say (especially when a certain mama calls her in tears a few days after her baby was born, completely bawling because she inadvertently allowed her daughter to develop her first diaper rash!). Ashley's gentle mothering, courage as a police officer's wife and solid faith have quietly guided me through many of my own insecure moments. She is mama to Santiago and Amilia, two kids whom I hold close to me like my very own nephew and niece.

At what age did you become a mama? 

How was that in relation to when you thought you'd become a mama?

   I was Blessed to become a Mommie at age 25. Growing up I was never the kind of girl to plan/dream about my wedding, house, kids, or live on a timeline.  But 25 seemed like a great age, I made it past my mom's age of 22 with her first child. She always told me how young she was.

Growing up, what was the part about becoming a parent the most exciting for you? 

Has it changed?

Kinda silly to say but I was really excited to dress them (much be the beautician in me). But on a serious note, I feel growing up I was most excited about the toddler and early childhood years. The years when kids can actually tell you what they need. Now that I no longer have a child in baby years I wish I could go back and enjoy it more!

What has surprised you the most about being a mother?

The biggest surprise was that to be a Mommie/Parent is a learning and a confidence building process. When I brought my (now 4 year old)  colicky son home I felt like I had no I had no idea how to soothe him, making our bonding a bumpy road. This instantly made me wish I would have grown up with younger sibling or had babysat more. For some reason I thought once you had a child you instantly knew how to raise them with confidence.  Maybe it is because of all the technology and easy information I have learned there are SO many ways to raise a healthy loved child.  I just have to be confident in my Love for them and they will grow with big hearts and Faith. I will 100% admit it took me a few years to 'come in-to' my role and realization that my Husband and I have complete power in how our babies view this world. The best Gift ever!

Who was your biggest help? How did they help you?

My BIGGEST help has been and continues to be my wonderful Husband. He is great a cook and doesn't mind cleaning, but the best way he helps me is emotionally. He is always  there for a hug or as easy wise wisdom when I overstress. He has been my best friend since high school and has grown into a great playful Father! I really don't know how I could parent without him!

What has been the biggest challenge of motherhood (easy question, right?) 

and how have you tried to overcome it?

My biggest challenge of Motherhood so far has been the struggle in my mind if I am doing everything the best I can.  I struggle with owning two small businesses, being a wive of a police officer, and trying to be the best Mommie I can; making sure I give attention to each avenue.  I try to keep my priorities clear and I am constantly reminded how fast these babies grow (especially when Santiago gets dressed and his pants are all a sudden too short).  Disciplining is a huge challenge for me....sometimes I just cry right along with them, even though I know I am teaching them limits and rules. Oh..and one last one...Santi went though the stubborn eating phase! NOT FUN! but we had to be strong and not give into his refusal.  If he is hungry he will eat!

Name your top soothing tip

Definitely the "Ssshhhhhhing" loudly and swaddling tightly as a baby. Now with a toddler and 4 year old child I find giant hugs and goofy kisses help! (cuz most the time they are over-exaggerating their problem) Both my babes have their favorite blankies as well :)

What is your kids' favorite meal that you cook?

Amilia (2 years) will eat pretty much anything especially the sweet stuff! Santiago (4 years) favorite food changes with the wind.  Some days its breaded chicken, some days pizza, and some days carrots! Pancakes seem to be everyone's favorite!

Did you become your mother, take a completely new road or find a clever mix in between?

I think so far I have become my mother.  I remember her being crafty, attentive, and loving.  I think I am more adventurous than she was taking the kids to new places, but I think that is just a change in times. Someday as a mother of teens I hope I take a different road than she did.

Did you have a parenting style that was different from the rest of your family (such as sleep solutions, babywearing, potty training timing) and how did you respond to family who approached you about it?

I do not have a large family, our children are the only grand-babies.  So any input I get is generally very delicately given from my M.I.L or my Mom.  My M.I.L's constantly reminding me to just relax, kids will be kids. My Mom speaks of her memories, like letting me sleep under the kitchen table or my sassiness as a kid. I kinda wish I had some more free advice, suppose I could ask.

Isn't her family gorgeous?  She is also the creative mama behind Santi Mae Designs, where she makes beautiful comforting blankies and stuffed birds that focus on the sensory experience. Penny proudly snuggles with her blankie for naptimes and has a Buho and Lovebird to match. Check out her work!

Moms Who Inspire Me: Gretchen

Welcome to the start of a 3 part series where I host an interview with 3 mamas in my life who have greatly influenced me.  Today I'm sharing my interview with Gretchen, from That Mama Gretchen.

Gretchen and I met back in high school, where we were baristas at the local coffee shop. We parted ways for college but stayed in touch through Facebook and were guests at each other's weddings. Eventually I moved down to the Portland area where she lived after graduating college with her hubby. I began to follow her blog as she documented her journey with her first daughter, Jemma. I can easily say that I call Gretchen my "Fairy Blogmother," as she's always written thought provoking posts and been a great resource in my journey of natural and attachment parenting. Over the years we've hooked up for coffee dates and now we have play dates - as her eldest, Jemma (2 1/2), Penny (almost 1 1/2) and her son Max (will be 1 in August- oh my!) get along great. Read on and you'll see why I can call on this mama for advice of all kinds.

At what age did you become a mama? 

How was that in relation to when you thought you'd become a mama? 

My first, Jemma, was born just 3 days before my 24th birthday. I always wanted to be a "young" mama - 24 fit the bill nicely. Especially since the hubs and I had finished school and been married for 3 years.

Growing up, what was the part about becoming a parent the most exciting for you? 

Has it changed?  

Honestly, I was obsessed with playing school with my two sisters when I was young (I'm the oldest). I imagined being a mom would be very similar - a never ending day of crafts, field trips and fun projects. Real motherhood hasn't turned out quite like that. There's a lot more laundry, cooking, diapers and managing sibling squabbles. At least now. I think we'll get into the field trip phase here in the next few years :) It has definitely changed from what I imagined, but I wouldn't change it. I keep hearing the phrase, "The days are long, but the years are short." and I couldn't agree more. I'm savoring my nursing relationship with Max and learning how to best help Jemma explore the world of "I do it!". I can't get enough of Max's rolls and belly laughs and Jemma, my little chatter box, has been saying some of the greatest things lately - her imagination is going wild. When I tuck them in at night I can't wait for another day (well, after I clock in my few hours of work and rest). These days are so fun and so exhausting! I want them to slow down so I can enjoy them more while speeding up so we can do new and different adventures.

What has surprised you the most about being a mother? 

 How difficult it is. Being a mom is the hardest job out there. It's super rewarding too - I mean, Max doesn't look at anyone else the way he looks at me and when Jemma says, "I love you, Mommy" I turn into a complete puddle of feel good emotions. Same when she asks me to "swuggin" (snuggle) her. But it is hard. There's no getting around that. Every day it's two against one. It's not easy to balance making them my priority while keeping the house up. It is also hard to shower when the curtain keeps flying open by the hand of one child or the other. I'm also kind of tired of sharing my fork during every meal :)

On a sentimental note, I'm constantly amazed that someone so precious and beautiful and so their own person could have come from inside of me. That leaves me completely dumbfounded and in awe of what God creates through us. I mean ... WOW!

Who was your biggest help? How did they help you?  

My mom and my two sisters are definitely my Mama Tribe. Without them I would be much less sane and my kiddos would definitely have less fun.

What has been the biggest challenge of motherhood (easy question, right?) 

and how have you tried to overcome it?

My biggest and current challenge has been how to stay my own person. I spend so many hours with my little ones that sometimes I don't remember or have energy to invest in myself - reading, long baths and the like. My midwife always reminded me that it's super important for mamas to take care of themselves because a well-cared for mama allows her to better care for her family. It's such a balancing act and something I'm working to improve upon.
                                                      

Name your top soothing tip.

Nothing soothes Max better than a nursing snuggle. When Jemma needs to be soothed we face each other and hold hands while I calming talk to her and ask her to breathe deep with me. Then we hug and kiss and everything looks brighter.

What is your kids' favorite meal that you cook?  

Max loves all veggies, so anything steamed or roasted makes him happy. He currently loves risotto or quinoa tossed with rotisserie chicken, veggies, Parmesan and this seasoning from Wildtree. It's one of my favorites too so I'm happy to share! Jemma, the sweet girl, has become much harder to please. She consistently loves buttermilk pancakes and our homemade breakfast sandwiches as well as anything served with a side of ketchup. Two year olds are sure nifty!

Did you become your mother, take a completely new road or find a clever mix in between?  

I'm very much like my mom ... at least it is my goal to be. In my mind, she is the ultimate mom ... inspiring me in so many ways as a woman, wife and mom. We do a few things differently, but I always chat with her about my decisions. She is a fabulous sounding board and always brings a dose of wisdom to our conversations.

Did you have a parenting style that was different from the rest of your family (such as baby led weaning, babywearing, potty training timing) and how did you respond to family who approached you about it?

My parents embraced elements of attachment/natural parenting when I was growing up - before having a specific "parenting style" was something you claimed. My mom remembers sewing her own carrier back in the 80s - we've been searching for a photo! I actually feel like my parents were/are great examples of free-range parenting ... something I know I struggle with. Some extended family members have explored other methods of parenting. We're all pretty open in our decisions/discussions and I think we've learned a lot from one another. In the end we're all parenting as best we can with the information we have at present. Even if we don't do things exactly like each other I definitely feel supported. Especially when my brother-in-law jokes about eating the meals I prepare. You know, just in case I blend in some placenta for extra nutrients :) See? We have lots of fun chatting about our parenting styles.

See what I mean? Gretchen just tells it how it is, with grace and humility to boot :) Besides being a great parenting resource, this girl knows how to cook. I've been dreaming about that quinoa recipe! Thanks for sharing your heart, Gretchen, and for being a supportive friend!

Toddler Friendly Smoothies Using Avocado

I recently discovered how amazing it is to add an avocado to smoothies. My household has a certain love affair with avocados, so I decided to give this a shot after a friend recommended it to me. Not going to lie, this was an amazing discovery. I think avocado needs to find its way into every corner of my cooking. Into my cereal, into my coffee.. yea, that part I was kidding about.

Avocados are considered the perfect food by many, it's been said that an avocado contains many of the nutrients we need to survive. It's a great first food for babies as well - Penny was chowing down on slices by the fistful when we introduced her to foods via baby-led weaning. Hanna from Endless Simmer hilariously recants the etymology behind the word: "...avocado is a derivative of ahuacatl, which happens to be the Aztec word for testicle.  The avocado grows in pairs, dangling from the tree so suggestively that even the Aztecs noticed, pausing long enough from their daily blood sacrifice to chuckle to themselves and bestow the avocado with its legacy."  Will you ever look at avocados the same again? ;)


But isn't the hardest part first selecting the perfect avocado? Avocado Central has a great interactive widget to help you determine the stage of your avocado's ripeness.

The Freckled Avocado
mmm, our favorite!

• 1 ripe avocado 
• 5 medium to large frozen organic strawberries 
• 1 cup of plain or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt 
• 2 Tablespoons of local honey

The Tropical Avocado

• 1 ripe avocado 
• 1 peeled and frozen banana 
• 1 cup of plain or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt 
• 1 cup of fresh orange juice 
• 2 tablespoons of local honey

The Chocolate Avocado

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 cup of plain or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

The Red Avocado

• 1 ripe avocado 
• 1 cup fresh orange juice 
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries

A few that we'd like to try:

Beet- Avocado: from We are Not Martha

• 2 small beets
• 1 C vanilla soy milk (I used Silk Light)
• 3/4 C frozen berries
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 C baby spinach
• 1 scoop (10 grams) chia seeds

Avocado Apple: from Cooking Classy

• 1 medium ripe California avocado
• 1 large granny smith apple, chilled, cored and sliced
• 1 ripe banana, peeled and frozen
• 1 Navel orange, chilled and peeled
• 2 cups packed spinach
• 1 cup almond milk, chilled
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp agave nectar or honey, or to taste (optional)
• 8 ice cubes (about 1 1/3 cups)

Avocado Mango: from Reboot with Joe

• 1 cup mango (fresh or frozen) 
• 3 handfuls spinach
• 1/4 avocado 
• 1 cup almond milk- add a little water if you like your smoothie thinner 

Do you like to add avocado to your smoothies? What is your favorite combination?