Celebrate Children’s Book Week

This year’s Children’s Book Week is less than 50 days away. Mark your calendar for the week of May 2 – 8 when the official Children’s Book Week takes place. Events are held around the country at local bookstores but you can host your own celebration, at home or at school, if you can’t make it to these locations.

Voting is now open for the 2011 Children’s Choice Book Awards. Voting ends April 29th so you have plenty of time to read all of the books by each of the finalists in time to make your decision on the author and illustrator of your choice.

For me, reading with my son is the best way to end our day together. At the end of the night, lying in bed with my husband while he reads next to me is another magical moment. We both look forward to the day when our baby boy will be able to join us in the reading circle.

Please share your favorite memory around reading, your favorite children’s book, children’s book author, illustrator, or anything else you’d like to share regarding books and reading with or to a child.

#ChildrensBookWeek
Since 1919

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Carb Lovers Unite

I’ve never owned a scale and have never followed a diet of any kind simply because I love food and don’t typically do well with anything that’s forbidden. If I’m told not to do something, or not to eat something, I tend to want to do it more, or eat more of the said foods.

That’s why the #NewYearNewMe challenge appealed to me. I was eager to lose weight and get back in shape after our baby was born and was even more excited to learn that I didn’t have to follow a strict diet with rules that I would  feel bad about breaking.

The CalorieStory app on Facebook has helped me track my calorie intake and although I haven’t been vigilant about tracking my meals every single day, it has made me more aware of what I’m eating/drinking on a regular basis.

The CarbLovers Diet book that was sent me for this challenge has helped me out as well. Filled with some amazing recipes and helpful hints, I’ve learned quite a bit about healthy eating and losing weight without having to give up the carbs that I enjoy.

Health magazine editors, Ellen Kunes and Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, are behind this helpful book and inspire readers to be more creative with family meals instead of eliminating certain items from your diet, like so many other weight-loss programs tend to do.

These 4 CarbLovers Rules helped maintain my excitement over this challenge and I hope it encourages you as well.

1. Eat a CarbStar at every meal. Carbohydrate-rich foods contain two types of starch. The one we hear about most often is high-glycemic starch (found in the foods we’ve been told to avoid) which is absorbed quickly and raises blood sugar. It also causes a spike in energy.The other type of starch is called Resistant Starch – a weight-loss powerhouse because it does not get absorbed into the bloodstream or broken down into glucose.CarbStars include oatmeal, bananas, beans and lentils, potatoes, whole-grain pasta, barley, brown rice, peas, rye and pumpernickel bread, polenta and potato chips.
2. Balance your plates. CarbStars should take up around 1/4 of your plate. The rest of your meals will be filled with great weight-loss boosters like lean meats and low-fat dairy products, good fats, and fruits & veggies.
   
3. Never let yourself go hungry. The meals found in the recipe section of this book will leave you feeling fully satisfied. Research shows that when you feel full, you’re much more likely to stick with a new weight-loss plan.
   
4. Enjoy what you love to eat. Most diets out there dictate what we CAN’T eat even though there’s solid research out there that suggests we end up bingeing on the foods that we’re forbidden to eat. On the CarbLovers Diet, you won’t have to give up anything. You can indulge (in moderation) every day.

Other great things to keep in mind about carbs:

• CarbLovers carbs curb hunger better than other types of foods. They’re rich in fiber and low in calories.
• People feel happier when they include carbs in their diets and crankier when they restrict them.
• Carbs prevent fatigue. Resistant Starch carbs help your body burn fat more efficiently so you stay energized longer.

Caribbean Mahi Mahi with Banana Chutney

The list of Resistant Starch foods are some of my favorites so this “diet” is perfect for me. The foods found in the recipe section made my mouth water and I marked at least a dozen that I want to start including in our weekly meal plan. These are healthy meals that support your weight-loss goals and that your entire family will love.

Tell me these recipes don’t sound delicious: Black Bean Tacos, Polenta Fritters with Asparagus & Eggs, Zucchini & Potato Scramble with Bacon, Black Bean & Zucchini Quesadillas, Bistro-Style Sirloin with New Potatoes, Caribbean Mahi Mahi with Banana Chutney. My mouth is watering already.

The book also includes a section on a workout routine that you can easily incorporate along with these yummy recipes. The fact that this weight-loss challenge has me more excited about food is a good sign that it’s a diet that will be much easier for most people to follow than others that “encourage” you to eliminate certain things from your pantry.

If you would like to win a copy of The CarbLovers Diet, there are several ways you can enter. One winner will be randomly chosen on February 1st.

• Leave a comment below stating what CarbLovers recipe you’re most excited to try.
• Leave a comment below listing what you had for breakfast this morning and the number of calories consumed. You can keep track on the CalorieStory Facebook app and monitor your intake as well as taking the challenge (you’re entered to win some great prizes through the sponsors when you do).
• Earn an extra entry by sharing this post on Twitter (leave a separate comment when you do with a link to your mention).
• Earn an additional entry by sharing this post on Facebook (leave a separate comment after you do).

Good luck and Happy Dieting!

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Losing the Baby Weight

My baby is a week old already and up until a few days ago, I was feeling good about losing the baby weight one day at a time. Up until my older son told me that I no longer looked pregnant; I look fat. Yeah, at least he’s honest.

Luckily, I have the #NewYearNewMe challenge to look forward to. I feel like I’ve already made progress. The CalorieStory app on Facebook keeps track of my daily calorie budget and with the help of the amazing sponsors of this weight loss / get healthier challenge, I’m excited to share my goals and work toward reaching them.

This year, and this month in particular, I  pledge to exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week, take the stairs when I can and eat a healthy breakfast each morning.

Take the pledge with me and challenge yourself to a New You this month. It’s a New Year and you deserve the best start possible. Every pledge you make enters you into a drawing to win some great prizes from the following sponsors.

The Carb Lovers Diet is a book filled with recipes that I immediately started to incorporate into my daily routine. Eating oatmeal with bananas, walnuts & cinnamon is a  healthy and delicious breakfast. I’m excited to try out the other recipes that feature the thing that I craved most during my pregnancy: carbs.

I won’t fit into it just yet, but another sponsor, Our Love Yoga, sent a beautiful purple tank top which I plan on using once I reach my weight loss goal.

Yoga Pulse DVDs were also provided for my participation in this month-long challenge and Goodbelly sent a 12-day supply of their Pomegranate Blackberry flavored probiotic drinks. You can take their 12-day challenge as well. They’re so sure Goodbelly will put a smile on your face after 12 short days that they guarantee it, or it’s free!

Larabar, another sponsor, sent a t-shirt and a bag of 100 calorie fruit & nut bars, made of 100% whole food. They come in a variety of flavors and I have yet to find one that I do not like. I threw a few in the diaper bag already and everyone in my house has been enjoying them since they arrived and I intend to refill our supply as soon as we run out.

Head on over to Facebook to make your pledge, invite your friends to support you and your goals for creating a healthier you. You deserve it!

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

My Birth Plan

It’s all coming together. At 37 weeks pregnant, I am less stressed and more at ease about my upcoming VBAC since I have so many people supporting me and encouraging me to follow this path.

At the beginning of this pregnancy, I was not relaxed. My husband was living two thousand miles away and although the doctor I originally found came highly recommended, he specializes in high-risk pregnancy and treated me like a high-risk patient from day one. Even though there is nothing high risk about this pregnancy, I convinced myself that he’d be the best doctor to have by my side in case something should go wrong.

The doctor has his standard routine for the moms he works with and I followed along willingly, at first, until I got past the first trimester and my emotional imbalance was no longer a concern. After that, I started feeling better, more confident and sure of the fact that I wanted to have a VBAC. This was not something this doctor could provide so, somewhere early in my second trimester, I started to panic.

Having a C-section with my son 7 years ago was not something I look back on fondly. Just thinking about it brings back some PTSD-type symptoms with my thoughts leading me back to that feeling of having no control over what was happening to my body and not being able to hold my son after he was born.

I cried like a baby when I first found out I would “have to” have a C-section, but as my doctor explained, my son was in breech position AND the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. Still, I mourned the loss of the natural birth I had always pictured myself having and longed for the experience of pushing him out into the world, welcoming him into my arms and having him with me the entire time following his arrival.

It was my first child, I had no idea what I was doing or what other options there were, but the doctor I was working with then also specialized in high-risk pregnancies. Since my miscarriage still haunted me, I felt safe with her. I resigned myself to think believe this was the only option and went along with it, ignoring the gut instinct that tried to convince me otherwise.

The C-section wasn’t horrific, but the entire experience was less than ideal. After my son was pulled from me, he was taken away for over an hour; the longest hour of my entire life. His dad went with him, which meant I had to lay there, alone, the entire time, wondering what was going on, already missing the child I had barely met.

This baby will be my husband’s first child. No doubt he’s nervous and anxious about how the labor and delivery will go, but he knows how important it is for me to have the birth that I want and has been 100% supportive of whatever decision I make in regards to this pregnancy.

Finding a doctor who will perform a VBAC was the major challenge in all of this. After sending a panicked email to The Feminist Breeder, reaching out to my local Mommy Blogger friends and even sharing my anxiety and asking questions to those on Facebook and Twitter who had been through this decision-making process before, my plan to go this route has been confirmed. I’m grateful for the many moms who have encouraged me to do whatever it takes to have this baby the way I want to!

I realize there are no guarantees, but with a smooth pregnancy, a supportive doctor, a hypnobirth specialist and my amazing husband behind me, I’m pretty sure this labor & delivery will be closer to the experience that I have always pictured when thinking about bringing a child into the world.

No one knows when the baby will actually make his appearance, but I do know that he will not be taken away from me after he’s born, my husband will be at my side, and I will be able to hold the baby in my arms as we welcome him into this crazy family world.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

That Stinks!

I look forward to my weekly prenatal yoga session. I drop my son off at school, enjoy a relaxing hour reading, sipping on coffee and catching up on Twitter chatter or reading links found on the News Feed of my Facebook page. Then I drive over to the yoga center, unroll my mat and begin an hour and fifteen minute session where I focus solely on my body, my baby, and my breathing.

I undo the stress from the previous week, stretch muscles that I tend to ignore in between classes and slow down completely. I feel great when the session is done and acknowledge to myself how important it is to continue this routine.

Last week, after a great session and feeling completely stress-free, I walked out to my car to find a parking ticket on the window. The parking spots in front of the yoga center have a 1-hour time limit and our class is 75 minutes long. There went my stress-free morning.

Later, I was able to laugh at the irony since this is the perfect type of story to share for the Munchkin promotion called, “That Stinks.” The Arm & Hammer™ Diaper Pail by Munchkin doesn’t stink at all, but having to deal with something like a parking ticket certainly does.

If you’ve had a recent experience that made you think,”That Stinks,” or words similar to that, head over to the Munchkin Facebook page to share your story to be entered to win an Arm & Hammer™ Diaper Pail. This promotion goes through the end of November so go read stories others have shared or add your own and learn more about the promotion, the diaper pail and other Munchkin products by Liking them and following Munchkin on Twitter.

Share your story, get it off your chest and you’ll hopefully feel much better afterward. And remember, doing breathing exercises might help to get you through your next not-so-pleasant encounter with whatever (or whoever) it is that might stress you out.

By the way, the same day I got the parking ticket, my husband received the job offer we’ve been waiting for, which pretty much erased any stress I had regarding the whole thing (which is also perhaps why I forgot to mention this to him).

Now we begin the next phase in our relationship: moving in together! He’ll be here by the end of the month and we can finally start our life together as a married couple. And there’s nothing that stinks about that.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

An Ode to My iPhone

Waiting for the Light to Turn Green

Check time.
Check temperature.

Take picture.
Upload to Facebook.
Harvest crops.

Send text.
Respond to email.
Add event to calendar.
Check Twitter.
LOL.

Look up directions.
Add note.

Check balance.
Transfer money.
Pay bills.

Ignore honking.
Turn up volume.
Shazam this song.

Approve comment.
Bookmark post.

Double check movie time.
Add to queue.
Check Fantasy Football score.

Accept Friend request.
Check-in on Foursquare.

Ignore incoming call.
I’m driving.

Check time.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins at Home

Child Passenger Safety Week

Although I have about 100 days left of this pregnancy, I’m still not quite prepared as far as getting everything ready, installed and assembled. We have registered for baby gear and luckily, have great friends who either gave us or sold us (really inexpensive) gently used items. We have an infant car seat already but I am not eager to install it. That wrestling match will be postponed as long as possible.

This week, however, I’m rethinking the idea of waiting to install it since it is Child Passenger Safety Week. Even though the thought of driving around with an empty car seat for three more months seems strange to me, I definitely want to take advantage of the FREE car seat inspections that are taking place on September 25th for National Seat Check Saturday.

Did you know that 3 out of every 4 car seats are not installed or used correctly? I certainly don’t want my kids to be a part of this statistic. To find the closest location to you for this car seat inspection, enter your zip code in the national site locator to find a station with certified technicians eager to help you install it correctly.

The Child Passenger Safety Twitter account (@childseatsafety) will be hosting a Twitter party on Wednesday, September 22 at 11 am (PST). NHTSA experts will be available to offer information and insight on car seats and how to travel safely with children. Just use the hashtag #CPSweek to follow along and ask any questions you may have.

Is there anything more important than your family’s safety?

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Where the surf meets the turf

I love going out with my girlfriends and fellow San Diego bloggers! We don’t do it often enough, but usually, while we’re out snapping photos, tweeting and laughing so loud people actually Shh! us (at a LIVE outdoor event, seriously), we get asked – once or twice – “Who’s birthday is it?” or “What’s the occasion?” because it appears, to the average person, that us ladies don’t really get out all that much.

Let’s just say that us moms don’t really get out all that much. Considering that our “job” is a 24/7 gig, getting out once a month with just the ladies can be, well, exhausting but worthwhile, and yet often a struggle to squeeze into our schedule. Some moms weren’t able to join us last night since issues with the sitter fell through at the last-minute, or didn’t take place at all. We missed you ladies!

Photo courtesy of @Jen_eration_X

Those of us who did make it to the Mom’s Night Out event yesterday at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club spoke, briefly, about our recent parenting challenges or issues that happened during the week that we were happy to step away from.

One of us is in the process of moving, a few are going through renovation hell, and while others are counting down the days until school starts again, there are those who hold bittersweet feelings about their kids leaving for college. One of us (raising hand) is halfway through her pregnancy and another is going to be a Grandma for the first time in just a few months.

While all of these stages that we’re going through are emotional and challenging in their own way, getting to have a Mom’s Night Out last night was the highlight of the week for each of us. Being treated to a VIP tour of the Paddock, petting the horses and mingling with the jockeys was a pretty cool experience. Sitting at the Stretch Run Grill, one of the track side restaurants, and being so close to the turf as the races flew by was exhilarating and of course, standing at the Winner’s Circle after a few races was beyond awesome, not to mention the VIP admission to the Super Diamond concert that took place after the races came to an end.

Photo courtesy of @Jen_eration_X

I’ve been to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club before, on several occasions, and each time I’ve gone the experience has been different. I took my son and my mom to a Family Day event on the infield, where we spent most of the time eating and watching my son play on the kiddie activities. I’ve sat in the shaded seats cheering for my horses among fans who were just as eager to win some cash and last night, for the first time, I got to experience a different atmosphere since we were able to eat, drink and be merry while still rooting for the winning horses.

The ladies I went with definitely made the night what it was, but having a new perspective on the races made me even more excited to head back to the track, with my husband and my son or with whomever can join me – where the turf meets the surf, one of Southern California’s must-experience venues.

Follow the Del Mar Racing staff for updates, event highlights and photos and join their fan page on Facebook.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Rock Star Moms

When I found out I was expecting a baby a few months back, one of the first things I thought was how much has changed since I was pregnant with my son seven years ago.

New and better products are available now and most maternity lines offer styles that are much more hip than the options I had back then (thank goodness).

After doing some research on hip maternity clothes, I discovered RockStarMoms – my new favorite place to peruse for maternity & baby clothing & gear because I get to pretend that I’m still able to keep up with the big boys in the mosh pit or at least look like I put up a good fight!

I am excited to partner with RockStarMoms to introduce you to their super soft Floating Baby © maternity tees and tanks along with the full RockStarMoms line of rock-n-roll inspired maternity wear for the mom-to-be who is a little more hip than most.

One lucky reader (selected at random) will win a Floating Baby © tee or tank of her very own. But, that’s not all! Next Tuesday, August 17th, from 11am – 12pm (Pacific time), I’ll be hosting a Twitter party featuring #RockStarMoms. I encourage you to start making your shopping list now.

During the 60-minute Twitter party, RockStarMoms will be offering 20% off to those participating, so stay tuned for more details, including the coupon code to take advantage of this great discount! If you’re not active on Twitter, that’s OK. We’ll be posting details on Facebook and right back here as well!

Floating Baby © tees and tanks come in several designs. It’s hard to pick my favorite (it’s a toss up between the Cowboy and Rocker), but if you would like to be eligible for a chance to win, simply leave a comment here with your favorite Floating Baby © design and at the end of the Twitter party next Tuesday, the lucky mama will be announced.

In the meantime, don’t forget to sign up for the RockStarMoms newsletter. Each month, one lucky subscriber will win some really cool stuff. You can also follow along with the RockStarMoms official Twitter account, Facebook page and MySpace profile. And if video is your thing, you’ll want to check out their YouTube channel for live footage of their maternity wear in action.

Wanna share with the world (or at least the other parents at school) that you’re a RockStarMom? Send your address to RockStarMoms to receive a cool car cling that will be the envy of all the PTA moms behind you in the drop off lane.

Rock On!

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

What the Fudge!

I scream, You scream! We all scream for ice cream!

Growing up, I have fond memories of enjoying ice cream treats with my family – it was a special dessert that we enjoyed quite often and I continue the tradition with my son who is just as big of an ice cream fan as I am.

When I was asked to participate in the Lovin’ Scoopful promotion, I was thrilled. I look forward to hosting an Ice Cream Social here in San Diego and share the story and mission behind the company!

This line up of flavors :

• Caramel Chocolate Crispy Treat- Uses creamy vanilla with chocolate covered crispy rice pieces, and then swirl in a thick caramel ribbon.
• Oh My Blueberry Pie- Uses swirled blueberry ribbon into churned light blueberry ice cream and then mixed in sugar coated pie crust pieces.
• Super Duper Peanut Butter Cup- Uses churned light peanut butter ice cream loaded with mini peanut butter cups and slathered in a thick fudge ribbon.
• Mintalicious- Uses green mint flavor by mixing in mint filled milk chocolate hearts along with the chocolate chips.
• Cozy Vanilla- Made with all natural bourbon vanilla extract.
• Out of this World Chocolate- Uses exotic rich chocolate.
• So Good Cookies and Cream- Uses milk chocolate and cookies & cream churned light ice cream.
• Caramel Chocolate Heaven- Churned light caramel ice cream is packed with caramel filled chocolate cups and slathered in a thick fudge ribbon.
• Yummy Cake & Cookie Dough- Uses cake batter mixed in chunks of chocolate and heaps of chocolate chip cookie dough.
• What the Fudge!- Made exotically rich ‘Out of This World’ chocolate smothered with fudge.
• Baba’s Butter Pecan Brittle- Uses butter pecan brittle bits.
• Mad About Mud Pie- Made with coffee, cookies and cream, almonds and fudge.
• Rockin’ Raspberry Cheesecake- Made with raspberries and cheesecake bits.

Launched in 2008, Lovin’ Scoopful ice cream has half the fat and 1/3 fewer calories than other premium ice creams. It’s also made from milk and cream of cows not treated with rBST.

Lovin’ Scoopful is committed to donate 25% of its profits ($50,000 minimum annually) to Special Olympics and other causes. The Special Olympics was founded by Maria Shriver’s late mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, in 1962 and this family business is just one way to honor and raise awareness for this great cause.

Maria Shriver is the Creative Director behind Lovin’ Scoopful and has been involved with each step of the developmental process, from coming up with the flavors and names to helping in the design of the logo and quality of the ice cream itself.

Learn more about Lovin’ Scoopful, search for a store near you where you can purchase the ice cream and stay tuned for an awesome giveaway. You can also “like” them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Please share in the comment section which flavor – you can only pick one – you are most excited to try! A Lovin’ Scoopful Prize Pack could be yours (one random winner will be selected after the ice cream social takes place).

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home