KRAFT - Ice Cream Sandwich Cake (made with store bought ice cream sanwiches)

OMG!!!! I just made this cake a few days ago and it is so EASY & AMAZING!!! ....and sooooo DELICIOUS.
When you tell people how you made it, it's like telling them how you did a magic trick. :)
Go to the link below and the "KRAFT" lady will show you how to make it on her video.


http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/oreo-fudge-ice-cream-106562.aspx

A Few Tips:

• Make SURE the ice cream sandwiches are REALLY FROZEN. (this is your foundation for the cake.)
• The way I layered mine - I did ice cream sandwiches (ICS), chocolate fudge mixture, ICS, Hagen Daz Coffee Ice Cream layer with chocolate covered espresso beans (make sure ice cream is spreadable), ICS, Cool Whip Frosting.
• You need to work QUICKLY!!
• You need a large and level space in your freezer
• I used Hershey's Hot Fudge
• (If you need some creative ideas for ingredients, think of your favorite mixture at Cold Stone Creamery??)

Bon Appetit - R.S.V.P.

I absolutley LOVE this magazine. The pictures are so colorful and delicious.

The R.S.V.P. (Readers Favorite Restaurant Recipes) is my favorite part to read. Being as though I LOVE REVIEWS, especially on anything I am might invest time or money on, this section is AWESOME!

People from all over the country write in to Bon Appetit telling them about an AMAZING food experience they have had. Bon Appetit then goes out and HUNTS DOWN the recipe. (sooo cool)

99 Cents Store - Gift BAGS for all 1000 Birthday Parties you will attend with your child

OK! SO they actually have a website. You can purchase soooo many great items here for you and your child's needs.

http://www.99only.com/

1. NICE Gift Bags - I hate wrapping especially when my son has a million birthdays to attend. (I can't believe I am divulging my secret for gift bags... CVS sells them for approx $5 and you can get them at the 99 cents store for anywhere from .50c to .99c .)
2. Fun Gift Bag Stuffers
3. Items to enhance "Fine Motor Skills" ie. Spray bottles, Sponges, Tupperware with lids....(check out my post on Fine Motor skills to get more ideas)
4. Floaties for the POOL
5. Potty Training "Bribe Gifts"
6. The list goes on and on!! LOVE THIS STORE even more now that I have a toddler.

The Veggie Steamer - My $5 Best Friend

I had my VEGGIE STEAMER for YEARS and had never used it until NOW!!
For all the Moms that ask me how to get an EASY and HEALTHY DINNER on the table...here is part of my trick.

BOILING VS STEAMING VEGGIES???

I had always boiled my veggies, frozen & fresh. The frozen veggies always turned out really mushy and watery. I have since learned that boiling veggies waters them down which in turn depletes much of their vitamin content.

Check out this article from MSNBC.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16382205

Now, ...this steamer is in my dinner repertoire almost every night. It is soooo easy and the veggies, wether frozen or fresh, turn out yummy!!!

I buy the following from Trader Joes:

• Fresh Baby Carrots
• Fresh Organic Broccoli/Cauliflower in a bag
• Fresh Yams in a bag
• Fresh Sweet Potatoes in a bag
• Fresh Asparagus
• Frozen Organic Sweet Peas
• Fresh and Frozen Multi colored Bell Peppers
• Frozen Corn

I buy the following from Whole Foods:

• Frozen Organic California Blend Veggies (This is one of my BEST food finds.) This is a mix of veggies for approx. $2/bag. They turn out like FRESH veggies when steamed. They have other blends as well.

**If you want to get a little FANCY, you can always steam the veggies until AL DENTE then toss them into a saute pan and add a little butter, salt and pepper then cook until soft.

**I just saw these steamers at Ross for approx. $5. They are easy to locate. :)

Dinner - Tortellini, Carrots, Peas, Apple Sauce

Easy Dinner - For the whole Family

• Fresh Tortellini (Pesto and cheese) - Trader Joes (Near the fresh pre made salads)
• Organic Vodka Sauce -TJ
• Fresh Baby Carrots -TJ
• Frozen Organic Peas -TJ

**BABY P - No Sugar Added Organic Apple Sauce -TJ (For Dipping purposes:)
( Baby P LOVES pasta, what kid doesn't? I know it has enriched flour, first ingredient, but I feel as long as I mix it with other healthy items I can sleep at night. :)

Frozen Steel Cut Oatmeal - Trader Joes

This OATMEAL is DELICIOUS. It does have some added ingredients to make it more sweet but still has 4g of fiber per serving.
It heats up in the microwave in 3.30 minutes.
The middle is still a little frozen but then I stir it.

Baby P likes it. My husband and I LOVE it!!!!

I add berries, walnuts (pieces- TJ), and a little yogurt (Yo Baby -TJ) to mine.
My husband adds nf milk and golden raisins (TJ) to his.

**THIS IS A TOTAL STAPLE IN OUR HOUSE!!! and I am not much of an oatmeal eater.

Suction Plates by Sugar Booger

OMGsh - Baby P would always try to toss his plate of food on the floor and I was sooooo sick of it. I bought him 2 of these plates when he started eating whole food.

I bought them at Right Start but I guess now you'll have to get them somewhere else. :(

This was a GREAT investment and I STILL use them. I think they are somewhere around $10?

They have a SUCTION on the bottom that totally works well.

Now the highchair tray doesn't get as dirty. MUCH EASIER CLEAN-UP!!!

http://www.sugar-booger.com/

Bio-K Plus - Probiotic

This is, in my opinion, some of the most awesome PRO BIOTICS out there.

It sits in the vitamin area at Whole Foods, (refrigerated section). (It can also be purchased at VP Health Foods on Santa Monica Blvd and in West Hollywood. (It's less expensive at VP.)

It's a little expensive but WELL WORTH IT.

I had the stomach flu a few months ago and my stomach was cramping LIKE CRAZY! I drank a bottle of this and my pain went from a 9 to a 3.

I am going to try to drink it more religiously during the next cold and flu season. Some of my friends drink half the bottle one day and the rest the next day.

They say if you are taking antibiotics its good to take a pro biotic as well to help maintain and promote a healthy balanced digestive system.

**Do your own research. http://www.biokplus.com/en/probiotiques.php

**If anyone has tried this product. I would love to hear your feedback.

(Thank you S for introducing me to it.xo)

Method - Eucalyptus Tub and Tile Cleaner For BABY P's TUB

I'm trying to convert to SAFE cleaning products considering they touch your skin and get absorbed into your body.

The only problem I find is that some work and some not as good as others.

I have resorted to routine cleaning with safe products and occasional cleaning with, shall we say, "POISONOUS :)" but super effective products. Unfortunately, I think the harsh chemicals is what makes them work so well. (?)

This stuff smells soooo good and is safe to use in Baby P's bathroom. (Underneath his bath mat gets really slimy and this works great.)

I use this once a week and on occasions will do Tilex (Smells REALLY harsh, but works :( on the really gross tile or soap scum.

***For some reason when the bathroom or kitchen (I use this on my kitchen tile as well for "Dog Paw" safety) smell "sweet & clean" I feel like I've done a better job. - Hey,... whatever gets the house clean. :)

http://www.methodhome.com/product.aspx?page=525

Mother's Beach - Marina Del Rey

My friends called me today and told me about this beach. I was thinking, I'm a Mother and I grew up in LA, how did I not know about, "Mother's Beach?" :)

Shouldn't this be mentioned in the "Take Home," paperwork from any LA hospital?

It was soooo fun! (A TON OF WORK) but fun.

They have a great play area and the water has NO WAVES. It is right next to Cheesecake in the Marina.

It was $6 bucks to park in PARKING LOT 11. Don't turn on Admiralty Way like your GPS will tell you, keep going straight and it's on your left hand side right after Cheesecake parking.

http://beaches.co.la.ca.us/BandH/Marina/MothersBeach.htm

(Thank you T & T for introducing me to it. xo)

Naturopathic Medicine & Acupuncture Referral

Dr. Patti Kim is so AMAZING for any health problem you or your child may have. She has helped me and my friends many times. It is so nice to know you can get a second opinion which may heal you naturally versus taking drugs. She is so understanding, kind, and soooo intelligent. She also takes insurance. I didn't really believe in Naturopathic Medicine until met her and she proved it. :)
My friend just went to her for her nausea during the first few months of pregnancy and she did acupuncture on her and it totally helped.

Dr Patti Kim ND, LAc
323-866-1808
http://www.calnd.org/find_detail.asp?Region=Los+Angeles+County&OfficeLocationID=313

Goat's Milk VS. Cow's Milk

Baby P was always one to have a lot of GAS issues and spit up very frequently. When it came time to put him on "REAL MILK" I had heard about other Moms giving goat's milk instead of cow's milk. I spoke with my friend Dr Patti Kim who is an AMAZING Naturopath in Beverly Hills she gave me some info on it as well as all my other Mom friends who are really into health.
I researched Goat's Milk vs. Cow's Milk and it seemed to me it was superior when it came to digestion and absorption.
If you are considering it and your child is ok with the taste, do more research like I did.
Baby P totally drinks it and is doing great. I feel if I can feed him cheese and yogurt made out of cow's milk and he drinks the goat's milk, he is getting the nutrients from both milks.
(Obviously if your child has allergies you should talk to your doctor or RD before doing anything.)

(I was totally raised on Cow's everything and just to smell the yogurt and milk makes me gag!!!)

• Don't forget to shake the carton A LOT.
  
  National Goat Milk "HOTLINE" 800-891-GOAT (4628)
  
  **More info on Goat's Milk vs Cow's Milk**
  http://www.chiroweb.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=38646
  
  
  Dr. Patti Kim ND, LAc
  323-866-1808
  http://www.calnd.org/find_detail.asp?Region=Los+Angeles+County&OfficeLocationID=313

MOM = WARRIOR

"It is one thing to study war and another to live the warrior's life." - Telemon of Arcadia


I think us mothers are definitely warriors especially when there are nights we are getting up a million times and have to look and feel presentable the next day to go to whatever activity we have.......... no matter what kind of night we endured.
No matter how tired, how much we sometimes don't feel well, we still....SHOW UP and DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO to make our child happy. :)

**We NEVER get to call in sick**

How come I could stay up all night and go to work the next day when I was single and younger? Now "TIRED" is my middle name hence all the run on sentences in my blog. :) hehe

BABY P - THE TATOO ARTIST

Funny story - "As I was posting some new ideas to my blog yesterday, (really only sitting at the computer for 10 minutes) Baby P had stolen a blue highlighter from my office and managed to take it into the bedroom. Of course my husband comes home early (the first time in weeks) and goes into the bedroom to find Baby P drawing ALL OVER his body. I ran in there and Baby P points to a HUGE "H" he had drawn on his leg and says,..."HA, HA,...."H." All we could do is laugh. He is learning his letter sounds and was very proud of himself."
(All I could do is thank God he didn't draw on anything else. :)

Laura's Wholsome Junk Food - Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bite-Lettes

YUMMMMMMYYYYY!!!!!!

These are so DELICIOUS and totally natural ingredients. I buy them at Whole Foods. I could eat the entire tub during one car ride home.

Laura Trice, M.D. is the CEO of this company. She lives in Venice, Ca. Her bio is really interesting. Check it out at her website: lauraswholesomejunkfood.com

*Products are vegan with no artificial ingredients or preservatives.*

(I brought these to my Dad's house one day and thought he would absolutely love them. I told him I had these cookies that were so yummy and healthy. He hated them. :( I guess I can't convert a refined sugar addict after all. :) :)

ORGANIC BROWN RICE PENNE PASTA - TRADER JOES

I feel I have tried most of the brown rice and whole wheat pastas out there. This one is REALLY good and most importantly, has a "PASTA" like texture.

Baby P LOVES it, my husband on the other hand, HATES it, I really like it. :)
It's wheat-free, cholesterol-free, sodium-free.

*Personal Note: I only really prefer the PENNE Pasta not the FUSILLI.

**My Cooking Tips:

• Stir constantly, it gets gummy and sticky
  
• You need to experiment with how soft you like to eat it, personal preference


• Rinse with lots of water after you cook it

In my experience, you can only reheat it ONCE after being in the referigerator. It gets REALLY hard (microwave for a few seconds with a little water) This step sometimes works and sometimes doesn't work.

Fat Flush Tortillas

http://FrenchMeadow.com

They come 6" and 12".

These are made with sesame seeds, six sprouted grains, and legumes.

They really fill me up and I think they are pretty healthy?

(I met a lady that worked at a nearby French bakery who recommended them to me. She told me she had lost some weight eating them? Hmmmm....I thought I had to check them out. :)

Let me know if you try them and what you think.

(I have not given them to Baby P yet?)

Pesticide Load for FRUITS & VEGGIES Website

http://FoodNews.Org

I came across this website the other day. It is AWESOME!!!! It gives you a pretty extensive list (47 Items) of specific fruits and vegetables and their PESTICIDE LOAD.
This is great information especially when you are feeding these foods to your 2.5 year old and they are not ORGANIC.

I don't know how true this is but when I consider buying ORGANIC, I try to buy everything with a skin (that I would eat), organic. I also Wash much of my conventional produce with pesticide wash before consumption.

THE TOP TEN & THEIR SCORE:

1. Peach - 100
2. Apple - 93
3. Sweet Bell Pepper - 83
4. Celery - 82
5. Nectarine - 81
6. Strawberries - 80
7. Cherries - 73
8. Kale - 69
9. Lettuce - 67
10. Grapes -66

**Go to this website and check out: Pesticide Health Effects: The Latest Science
(Children are especially at RISK)

Website For Calorie & Nutrition Information on FOOD

http://thedailyplate.com
This is a great website to look up info on certain foods and products from such places as Trader Joes and Whole Foods.

Stonyfield - Yo BABY Organic Yogurt

STONYFIELD "YO BABY" ORGANIC YOGURT

Baby P LOVES this yogurt and the great thing is it doesn't have a lot of sugar. I usually give him 3/4 of the cup in the morning and I take the other 1/4 over my oatmeal.

**Breakfast Idea***

Parfait -

Yogurt, fruit, and granola

Baby P says "Parfait Mommy? .....it's soooo cute!!! You can stack the layers and it looks really fancy. (I think he thinks it's dessert.)

Follow Your Heart - Organic Vegenaise (LIKE MAYO)

FOLLOW YOUR HEART - ORGANIC VEGANAISE (MAYONNAISE alternative)



I have been using this for a few years now and it tastes better than mayo. I swear. :) Even my husband who hates mayo says this tastes pretty good. I hated eating low fat mayo and try not to do any cholesterol, so I tried this.

I buy this at Whole Foods near the milk.
**I still haven't tried it on Baby P yet. I will let you know when I do and if he likes it. :)

followyourheart.com

Organic Jellied Cranberry Sauce - WHOLE FOODS

ORGANIC JELLIED CRANBERRY SAUCE

I buy this at Whole Foods regularly. We love a "Thanksgiving type Dinner" every few weeks. This has NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP and is tastes really great....just like the other stuff I used to by at Ralphs. It comes in a can.

***Dinner Idea****

Turkey Cutlets from Trader Joes - meat section

Cranberry Sauce form Whole Foods

California Blend -Organic Frozen Vegetables from Whole Foods - frozen section

***Sandwich Next Day*****

Toasted : Harvest Whole Wheat Bread - TJ

Turkey

Cranberry Sauce

Follow Your Heart -Vegenaise -WF

SMOOSH TOGETHER!!!

YUMMYYYY!!!!

Triple Paste - BEST BEST Cream for DIAPER RASH

TRIPLE PASTE -
for Diaper Rash: THE BEST BEST BEST IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!!!

I did a TON of research on diaper rash cream and this was recommended to me by a friend when I was pregnant. All she said was, "Remember one thing, Triple Paste." That was all the advice she had to give me during my ENTIRE pregnancy. :) :) Looking back, ....GREAT ADVISE.

This stuff is a little expensive but it has ALL the ingredients in like all the diaper rash creams in one tube. (Not really, but you get the point.)

http://triplepaste.com/

***What works for me as well - If Baby P's diaper rash gets out of control, I automatically change his diet (BRAT - Bananas, Rice, Apples, Toast), and don't use any wipes. I stick him into a warm tub to clean off. I know it sounds gross but wiping it MAKES IT WORSE.

:( Diaper Rash BREAKS my heart. :(

(I would call my Dr. asap if it get out of control.)

BUBBLES!!! Bath Time!

CALIFORNIA BABY CALMING BUBBLE BATH
(with a bubble wand :)

This stuff is sooooo fun and gentle on the skin. I started using it when Baby P was around 1. Now at 2.5, he LOVES it. All we have to say is, "BUBBLES!" and he knows it's bath time. I use a couple cap fulls (sp?) and run it under the water. You have to splash the water around to get the bubbles going. He can practice his blowing with the bubble wand in the tub as well and ................NO CLEAN-UP!!!!! YAY!!

I buy this at Whole Foods. (REALLY GREAT Birthday Gift as well.)

http://californiababy.com/

WOW!!! - Your POOP is really getting STINKY!!!

CALIFORNIA BABY - NON-BURNING & CALMING DIAPER AREA WASH
(Also can be used for cuts & scrapes)

This spray is a life saver especially when Baby P turned about 1. He started eating like, "ADULT FOOD" therefore his #2 started to become very potent. :) Not olny does is MASK the odor but it totally helps with clean-up and...when he started to get diaper rash.

I buy this at Whole Foods. It also makes a great 1 year old birthday gift.

(I use their BATH BUBBLES as well. They are really fun and come with a bubble wand inside the bottle.)

http://californiababy.com/