Technology Gratitude!

I just have to say I am totally in awe of all of the wonderful information that is available to each and every one of us today via the world wide web! It is totally amazing! Choose a topic of interest, a fleeting question in your mind, and poof, in a moment you can watch or read information straight from the world-leading researcher in on that topic! Have a favorite author? Hear him speak on www.youtube.com or www.ted.com Then purchase that book from www.amazon.com to be at your door in the next day or so, or request it from your library website and pick it up in a few days, or purchase an online copy and have it there on your screen within minutes! Have a taste for chocolate and peppermint? Have 200 recipes at your fingertips in a flash! All recipes and 101 Cookbooks are great sites for recipes.

TED, by the way is an amazing source that presents new presentations each day from leading professionals in a variety of topics, from art to prosthetics. It's slogan is "ideas worth spreading", and it's potential is astounding!

Reliable sources are extremely abundant!, but make sure you are using websites that are not just trying to sell something. Examples of safe sites are those from the government, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, and your local library.

Want to be HAPPIER?!

There is a fantastic book written by Tal Ben-Shahar called Happier. It is based upon his college course that is the most popular one ever at Harvard! A few years ago it began with a small class of five or so students, and now each semester there is a packed auditorium of more than 800 students! The book and the course are about how you can make yourself happier TODAY. There are step-by-step easy steps to bringing happiness into your life right away and forever! Here is a cool video about his course, and therefore his book, which I highly recommend. Also, if you are very interested, there is an online course by him that you may take this summer (there is a tuition fee, along with presumably college credit). Take a look and enjoy!

Click here to read SIX KEYS TO HAPPINESS by Ben Tal-Shahar!

Super website! www.101cookbooks.com

101cookbooks is certainly my new favorite website! It all began because Heidi Swanson had lots of cookbooks. One day she decided to share what she loves about her 101 cookbooks! The rest is history! This fantastic website provides cookbook reviews, cooking techniques, links to other great food websites, and Heidi's special knack for sharing her insights. By the way, upon finding this gem of a website, I quickly emailed her to thank her for providing such an awesome resource, and she replied with a kind note the very next day!

The best part of this website are the recipes! There are loads of them! Also, they are organized by category, such as desserts, as well as by ingredients. She shares her own recipes, describes many that she loves just the way they are, and alters and/or provides extra notes about others she enjoys. What I really love about her recipes is that she uses primarily WHOLE foods! There are tons of delicious and interesting recipes that I am so excited to try! Heidi is a photographer, and the shots that accompany each recipe really make me excited to experiment!

Mushroom casserole, my first attempt -- was the highlight for the day when I went to the site; it was really easy to make and my 2 year-old and I loved it! I like the idea of baking with cottage cheese, and I will definitely try it in other recipes! A small change was that I used yogurt instead of sour cream which worked well, and made an already healthy dish even more nutritiousness.

I'm going to be returning again and again, but unfussy apple cake and amazing black bean brownies sound very appealing to my sweet tooth at the moment! The cake sounded good, and healthy, and everyone in the house will surely enjoy it. The brownies sound impressive for two reasons. First, Heidi mentions being "someone who comes across hundreds of brownie recipes a year", so I thought, these have to be good! Secondly, it appeals to me to be able to sneak in beans to a delicious dessert! I'll report back after I give them a try!

Just for Moms!

A Four-Part Nutrition and Wellness Seminar Series

Live Your WHOLE Life Healthily · Nov 19
Overview of nutrition and wellness for you and your family

The Buzz on Breakfast · Dec 3
Lose weight, increase your energy, and improve grades!

Save Money and Your Health · Dec 10
Shop, cook, save, and still eat nutritiously!

Healthy for the Holidays · Dec 17
Eat out and at parties while avoiding holiday weight gain!

Early Bird Registration: $48 by November 14
After November 14: $60

Wednesday nights, 8-9 PM
November 19 through December 17
(Omitting Thanksgiving week)
At Diamond Indoor Sports, 23409 Detroit Rd, Westlake
(440)333-9420

Register at the front desk.

Elimination Communication, Natural Infant Hygiene

Very funny names for something I'm trying out with my new baby, Carla Mae. It's not infant potty training really, but something along those lines! Embarrassing, but it comes with several pretty great benefits! Your baby, like my little doll, will never have another diaper rash! I could probably count on one hand the times I've had to use diaper cream on her. I use a lot fewer diapers and wipes than I did with my first daughter, with whom I didn't use this technique. In the first 6 weeks, I was already down to only 5 diapers per day. On average, infants usually go through 8-12 diapers per day. Based on that rate, I will save $300 by her first birthday alone. Additionally, the number of diapers per day should continue to decrease. You may find it surprising that today disposable diapers make up a significant portion of all the waste in our land fills! So, if you are interested in helping the environment, then this might be something you'll want to try.


How does it work? Simply place an insert from a children's potty below your baby when you feed him or her. When she goes, make a sound into her ear, such as "pssss". Make it a sound she won't hear otherwise, so that she connects it with what she's doing. Eventually, she will go when she hears you make that sound. She's already done it, and wow! That's really awesome!

I understand now the origins of the name "elimination communication". Imagine an infant responding to a command! I really didn't know if it was actually possible. Amazingly, she holds on until she is on her potty to go! I change very few poopy diapers, and sometimes she has completely dry diapers for hours at a time. It's shocking really that an infant can have such control. I am truly witnessing this and the times when she responds to the sound that I make are, without a doubt, worth all of the effort! Stay tuned for further updates.

Shirts that sense if you need more Gatorade!

If you're in to high-tech clothing, check out this article from Popular Science about shirts that will soon be available that sense when you need more electrolytes! It would be helpful to athletes, and it will help diabetics. Read more here.

Yummy Oatmeal Combos!

Looking for a nutritious and satisfying breakfast? One that is a favorite for my 2 year-old daughter, and I certainly enjoy too, is our "oatmeal combo". Begin with Old Fashioned oats. Add dried fruit (such as raisins or cherries) and cook in the microwave. Add mashed banana to oats for lovely sweetness and to moisten. Add flaxseed meal, cinnamon, and any type of nuts, walnuts are a great choice. If you're feeding young kids, chopping the nuts allows for easier chewing. Fresh or frozen berries are another delicious and nutritious addition. Mix and enjoy! This hearty breakfast is quick and easy and energizes and satisfies until lunch time roles around.

Hearty Oatmeal Combos

½ c Old Fashioned oats
¼ c dried fruit (raisins and cherries are yummy)
1 banana
¼ c flaxseed meal
1 t cinnamon
¼ c nuts (any type, walnuts are most nutritious)
¼ c fresh or frozen berries (any type, blueberries are great!)

Fill a large cereal bowl with oats and dried fruit and cover with water.  Cook for 2 minutes in the microwave.  On a cutting board, mash a banana and mix into cooked oats.  Banana adds a lovely sweetness and moistens the dish.  Add flaxseed meal and cinnamon.  You can also add some nuts, walnuts are a great choice (chopping for young kids allows for easier chewing*).  Fresh or frozen berries are another delicious and nutritious addition.  Mix and enjoy!  This hearty breakfast is quick and easy and energizes and satisfies until lunch time roles around.