Snowboarding in Big Bear....

I must say... I am kind of a snob when it comes to lying my head down on a pillow other than mine... I'm relatively intoxicated so this post will be short & sweet. The husband & I came to snowboard for his birthday & I was looking for a deal (as always)... I came across a package deal (stay & play.... board, & sleep)... & I stumbled across the grey squirrel... The cheapest place I could find... I purchased a motel .... it has a fireplace, porch, full shower & bath & seasonal jacuzzi.... If I could boast the price, I would, but I won't. The service is impeccable.

We couldn't hook up to internet.. we called. We called to try to find if we could call long distance thinking we couldn't get phone service (we couldn't on the mountain). We got service. We got immediate service to get the internet fixed. So far so good.  NO complaints. STAY here if you can... Cheap, 10 minutes from Bear Resort & awesome!!!
Pictures to post as soon as I can load...

xoxo

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!

The age old problem; your precious little baby has started to find his own place in the world and discover the control he has over certain circumstances in his life. This sweet little angel has passed the 12 month mark and is beginning to show signs of swinging to the dark side. He seems to object to everything you suggest just because he can. Screaming. Kicking. Knocking food off the table. Pulling hair. Throwing poop (well, Ryder has). The terrible twos. I guess it's a good thing no one tells you they actually start around 1, and last well into their 20's.... If everyone were aware of that, we probably wouldn't be here.


Something I seem to hear frequently in my "mommy" groups, blogs, etc., is the concern of getting your little guy to eat his vegetables. I have a suggestion. Give them veggies for breakfast. 


I've found (experimenting first on my husband with his phobia of mushrooms years ago), that if something is cut up small enough and mixed in with things they do like, it pretty  much isn't in there. I've got these 21 month old boys eating veggies like a 42 year old health guru in the mornings... Dice up whatever veggies that contain the nutrients you want to dose up your toddler with; I usually use garlic, onion, bell peppers, spinach (I always have spinach in our house), tomatoes, broccoli and avocado. I would suggest starting small, especially with the bold flavors of garlic & onion, and work your way up once their undeveloped palates start to adjust to the flavors & textures.

To start, sauté all veggies (except spinach & avocado) with a little olive oil & cook until soft. Once there, toss in spinach & cook until it wilts down. Add a little salt. Scramble in a few eggs, sliced turkey & cheese. Once cooked, toss in some sliced avocado & make sure everything's mixed around good. Serve up with a slice of organic sprouted whole wheat toast with a small amount of butter (or whatever bread you keep around), and Voilà! You have yourself a super healthy, yummy meal that your little guy will (hopefully) devour. Cheers!

Here's a list of what nutrients are important for your little one to thrive and the foods that are jam-packed with them: 


Vitamins & Minerals For Toddlers

• Vitamin A - Yellow and orange fruit and vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, mango, apricots), dark green vegetables, liver and dairy products.
• Vitamin C - Citrus fruits, berries, and vegetables, potatoes and fruit juice.
• Vitamin D - Oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines) and dairy products.
• Vitamin B6 - Avocados, bananas, fish, liver, wheat bran, cantaloupe, cabbage, milk and eggs.
• Iron - Meat-based (haem) sources - beef, pork, lamb; plant-based (non-haem) sources - fortified cereals, bread, dried fruit, eggs, beans and pulses and green leafy vegetables (cabbage, spring greens, broccoli and green beans).
• Calcium - Dairy products - milk, yogurt, cheese (unless avoiding dairy) - dark green vegetables, sesame seeds, canned fish with soft edible bones, fortified orange juice and pulses.
• Magnesium - Brown rice, soybeans, legumes, brewer's yeast.
• Zinc - Offal, meat, mushrooms, oysters, eggs and wholegrain products.

Growing a pineapple or something.

So, I've had some encounters with some very interesting people, in very interesting places, and I'll delve into some of that with my later posts... This is a quick story of how to make something out of trash.


Early one morning while sitting next to a stand up citizen at some public place we were stuck at, this lady decided to strike up conversation with me. We both discovered that we were part of the same field of profession, and from there uncovered some commonalities. One of which was gardening. She shared something with me I presumed to be bullshit, but opted to try it out anyway. If you're garden savvy, you're probably well aware of this.


Next time you buy a pineapple & dismember it. Save the top... Plant this top in some soil, points sticking out. Water, yatayatayata. 


Well, this pineapple top I experimented with back in September started looking like a rotting pineapple top in a pot. Until I checked on it this weekend, ready to dump the damn thing in a trashcan. It now looks like a rotting pineapple top with a new, alive pineapple top growing out of it. I will post an update if I care enough about it's well being later on. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'll update if it actually grows a pineapple. That would be f-ing amazing.

It's that time of year again...

Well folks, it's that time of year again... We're into the second month of those New Years resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, hit the gym, get back to that pre-baby, pre-husband, prima donna body we had in the past, etc., etc.... Well, I for one can say that I've never been too keen on making resolutions, simply because I don't enjoy feeling like a failure when I'm unsuccessful at keeping to them. But- that said, I've got one this year and I must say I'm doing a pretty damn good job keeping up on it.


You see, there's this class. A boot camp if you will. This hour of the week has conquered the task of kicking my ass this past Wednesday. So much so that I had trouble walking (and especially up & down stairs) until this past Sunday. So I showed my sore little ass up for it again this week. Why? Because I'm hell bent on getting rid of this post-twin pregnancy, unsightly "extra" me as I might call it. And I've got to say, I've never been one on taking exercise classes either... Dance, you betcha, but these rooms full of sweaty, sticky hot messes of people have not really been appealing to me.


That is until now.
I am a fanatic.

Those first 15 minutes spent in each class, the cycle, step, boot camp, ball training, whatever. Those first 15 minutes are grueling, intimidating, & exhausting. Had there not been a room full of people (many well into their 50's), sticking it out, I would have jumped ship. In other words, had I been cycling by myself, my ass would have been off the seat at the 15 minute mark. And possibly seconds before. The mere fact that these 20-something strangers were in the room doing it with me gave me the will to stick it out. And let me tell you, those first 15 minutes are the toughest. Perservere past that & you're golden. Just saying.