This is a wonderful side item for any dinner.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Here is the first episode of The Dr. Beth Show on Reallife360 featuring yours truly! Enjoy!
Some of you may know about a job I took last year, and some of you may not. Last Spring I was asked to do an interview for a new online Talk Show, The Dr. Beth Show. After interviewing me for 1Smartmom.com they asked me to come and work for them as a Writer and Producer’s Assistant for the show! My job is to find the guests for the show, and create the outlines. This is just another testament that as you step out and begin doing what you are called and directed to do, the opportunities will find you.
I have loved my job for the last year, and now the site, and the show, has officially launched!! YEAH!! Everything on this network is family friendly, and positive message programming, from sports to talk shows, to sitcoms, and soon a feature film exclusively from Big3 Productions!
So check out Reallife360.com and my interview on The Dr. Beth Show. (On the Home Page you will find a link to The Dr. Beth Show and my interviews are the first two on “Smart Parenting”.) Also Kelly (From Journey’s with Kelly) has an episode on “An Inside Look At Adoption”
Four more weeks until my daughter is back in school. I know it seems that you have plenty of time to get ready, but it surprisingly goes by so quickly. We have enjoyed our time off, but I am already thinking ahead and mentally preparing myself to begin the new school year on the right foot.
Here are some things I have done the last couple of summers in order to make that first day of school the smoothest transition:
1) About 2 weeks before school starts (no later than one week before) begin re-establishing bedtime routines, and wake up routines. Now while Emily gets up at 6:30 on school days, I only make her get up around 7 or 7:30. Still, the routine of getting up and getting dressed and starting the day in a timely manner is the most important habit to get into, even for me. 🙂
2) I take the next few weeks to go through their clothes. Move things around in their closet, reorganize, try on the uniforms and school clothes from last year, see what works and what doesn’t. She/He may need some new tennis shoes, or their shirts may fit fine for now.
3) If you have not already been doing Summer Bridge Activities, begin doing at least one worksheet or activity that will help get their brain back in “thinking” mode. One website I recently discovered that is great both for Emily who is going into first grade, and Anna who is going into Preschool, is StarFall.com . The most user-friendly site I have seen and all educational activities! Also, in Target’s “Dollar Section” I picked up work books for both of the girls.
4) If you have the capabilities of getting your supplies list from your school, go ahead and begin collecting those items. i.e. – I know that I am going to need “treasure box” items for my girls classrooms, so I begin collecting in a bag the Mcdonald’s toys, dollar items, etc. This way I am ready to send those things in on the first day of school.
A friend of mine, Kelly (from Journey’s With Kelly), has been telling me about a website from Focus on The Family which reviews movies, t.v., music, and video games. While I have not taught my 6 year old how to even turn on the t.v. (thus ensuring I am always in control of what she watches), I saw last week what a useful tool this is for parents.
Here was the scenario: Kelly is in S.C. on a trip with us, and her brother calls. He is taking her 10 year old son to the movies. They were going to watch “Wall-E” but they have no viewings for the night. They are standing outside the theater and want to know if they can go see “The Incredible Hulk”. Rather than simply complying, she knew how to easily know whether this was something she would allow him to see. She went to the computer and pulled up PluggedInOnline, and found the review of “The Incredible Hulk”. She found the “no” she was looking for. Her conviction? “Sorry buddy it uses God’s name in vain”, end of discussion.
After looking at the site I found what I like most about this site is it gives you the facts, and the facts that a Christian, religious, or moral parent, would want to know. The categories they review for the movies are: Positive Elements – What good or moral lessons they may draw from this movie; Spiritual Content – Whatever spiritual connotations it may hold. i.e.- “the hulk” meditates, in the movie “Hancock” he is viewed as a descendant of “the gods”; Sexual Content– Even tells you if there are innuendos; Violent Content; Crude or Profane Language; Drug And Alcohol Content; Other Negative Elements- Example in “the hulk” it appears the military leader seems to not care about the lives of his soldiers more than his own agenda.
One great point Kelly made is that it is not necessarily that you may or may not let your child (according to age) see certain things, but you are made aware in advance of the content you may have to discuss with your child. For example in the latest Superman movie there was an illegitimate child, and this brought discussion with her 10 year old son, who is adopted and asks questions concerning his birth mother and the circumstances surrounding his conception. This actually, in her opinion, was a positive thing, as the movie actually helped to open the dialogue between them. She was prepared for the discussion because this site made her better informed of the content the movie would hold.
Obviously my opinion is that this is a great and useful tool for all parents of children of all ages. So check it out at PluggedInOnline.com
By Aby Garvey
When navigating organizational landmines, one of the most explosive are sentimental items like souvenirs from vacations. Tied to our souvenirs are memories of vacations gone by…carefree days, exploring new destinations, relaxing. Ahh…I can almost hear the ocean now.
But truly, how many travel-themed t-shirts does a person need? There must be a better way to hang-on to the memory of a vacation without overstuffing our knickknack shelf or T-shirt drawer. (And there is!) With a smidge of creativity, your travel mementos can fill your home with inspiration, function, and sometimes add a bit of organizational bliss.
Here are some ideas.
Avoid the traditional t-shirt store and instead, look for interesting items in antique shops. On my trip to Washington last summer, I found an amazing, red, wooden file box at a Seattle antique store. Scouring the shop for creative organizing finds was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Plus, this red box was brimming with creative organizing potential. I could use it to file recipe cards, or business cards, or organize scrapbooking quotes on 3×5 cards. So…now I have a unique organizing find, a memento of a fabulous trip, and no extra shelf or t-shirt drawer clutter.
In this same antique store I found a small, handled whicker basket. This would make a great container for corralling letter writing supplies: pens, stationary, cards, stamps and a small address book. It’s cute enough to sit out on a shelf and remind me of my special vacation, and can serve a useful function as well.
Other items you could look for in an antique store or even a flea market:
Refrigerator glass or Pyrex® dishes. Small, square dishes and their corresponding lids make fun and colorful storage. Use them to corral jewelry in the bedroom or to organize small office supplies in a drawer.
Ceramic bowls. Little bowls are great for storing all sorts of items around the house and since they’re opaque, no one will be the wiser. Anything small can be stashed in a pretty ceramic dish. My MP3 player, for example, sits in a bowl on the bookcase in my great room. It’s right by the front door—making it easy to grab before heading out for a run. There’s a periwinkle ceramic dish in a glass-door cabinet in my bathroom. This bowl, which I picked up on my honeymoon, stashes frequently used medicine. (Out of the reach of children, keep in mind.) You could use a ceramic bowl for matches, small make-up items, or hair accessories.
Small wooden crates. Antique wooden crates, once used for items like cheese and Coca-Cola, are organizing gems. The larger crates can be used as a fun and funky in-box in your office or on the kitchen counter, while smaller crates can be used to house seasoning packets in the kitchen.
Antique glass jars. From corralling pocket change to buttons, antique mason jars are an organizing classic—a great find on any occasion. And when they can serve as a reminder of a vacation gone by, even better.
Ceramic trays and dishes. I snagged a small, orange ceramic dish on a recent trip to Utah. It serves many purposes in my life. It reminds me of a great trip, a wonderful friendship, and it’s a place to stow my favorite jewelry at the end of a long day.
If carting home organizing containers after your next trip doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, here are some ideas for travel mementos that will help you avoid clutter while holding the memory of your trip close to your heart. Simply look for items that are inspiring to you and that you’ll use and enjoy having in your home.
Artwork. A painting, print, or ceramic tile makes a timeless souvenir that will add a dash of color and inspiration to your home for years to come. If you’re flying, consider purchasing a rolled print and framing it when you get back home.
Charms or other jewelry. Let’s talk about timeless! A charm bracelet is the perfect way to commemorate a lifetime of vacations and other milestones, without adding an ounce of clutter to your home. I have a charm bracelet I’ve been adding to since I was a child, back when we used to travel across the country in our gigantic, green station wagon. One of the highlights of these vacations was searching for the perfect sterling silver charm to add to my bracelet. Consider starting your own charm bracelet or look for other interesting jewelry pieces you’ll enjoy wearing when you return home.
Coffee mugs. A coffee mug is an obvious souvenir choice—it’s small, traditional and functional. There are times when a traditional souvenir is the perfect choice. Just keep in mind if you need another mug and if you’ll actually use it once you return home. I picked up a coffee mug at the Seattle airport last summer and I use it nearly every day. It’s my special mug—I love the color, I love how it feels in my hands, and I love that it reminds me of my vacation with Mom.
At the end of the day…here’s the true test of the perfect travel memento: it’s something that will extend your memory of a wonderful life experience without becoming a clutter burden when you return home.
If you like the idea of searching for creative organizing souvenirs, keep these tips in mind on your next trip:
Remember, a carefully selected souvenir can fill your home with inspiration and sometimes even a bit of organization. On your next vacation, travel safely and shop creatively. Bon voyage!
p.s. If you’d like to see photos of some of the ideas discussed in this article, or if you’d like to share your ideas of clutter-free souvenirs, visit my blog at
Last week I picked up a Time Magazine titled “Our Super-sized Kids”. Nearly the whole magazine is about how fat our kids are, what the demographics are, genetics, etc. Being a mom who struggles with my weight, and having parents who have always struggled with theirs, I am of course always concerned about watching how active my kids are, and establishing healthy eating patterns. Then today I read Reality Parents comments on an article he read about Childhood obesity, and I really appreciated some of his thoughts.
Are there kids who are overweight in this country? Yes, more than there probably should be. Do I see a genetic/heredity pattern in my overweight family? Yes. (When I was pregnant with my first daughter I prayed she would look like me and have her daddy’s metabolism because he is skinny as a rail without even trying.)
I think there are definitely different metabolisms, heredity things to consider, but I also think I have a heritage of poor eating habits as well. I was taught to always clean my plate. With 4 kids in the family, if there was something we liked we would over stuff ourselves for fear there would not be more tomorrow, that someone else might get it before we could. And of course, we were big on emotional eating, happy, sad, bored!!
While I do think we need to be aware of “weighty” issues, whether you are overweight or not, I think we (especially those of us who do struggle with our own weight) can actually do more harm than good when we put such an emphasis on weight at a young age. Actually not making food a big deal may be one of the best strategies I know of.
This summer my 6 year old gets bored when we are hanging around the house, and she will ask for something to eat. I know she just ate lunch 15 minutes ago, so I know she is not hungry. So I suggest to her that maybe she is not as much hungry as bored. “Let’s play a game, or go ride your bike” I suggest. Nine times out of ten she forgets about the snack, because she no longer needs it.
Cooking well balanced meals and teaching your children to eat healthy is important, but making them join the “clean plate club” even with healthy food will still cause them to gain weight. So for my 3 year old I place one or two bites of each thing on her plate, (For example. broccoli, grilled chicken, and mashed potato) Once she has eaten that if she wants more potato and no broccoli that is o.k. by me. I know that as she gets older she will eat more of the veggies if I continue to put it in front of her. If she does not want to eat with us (this especially occurs when we are out) then I wrap up her plate and that is what she gets when she is hungry.
Sweets are o.k. in balance. One friend said when she was growing up they did not keep treats and sweets in the house, so when they did get them they over ate on them. So you want to offer them sweets occasionally, this is not a bad thing. However, again my daughter woke up this morning and the first thing she thought about was the ice cream pops in the freezer. So, I tried to hold her out ’til lunch. If you can do that, great. If not, make a limit on how much they can have in a day. You can have an ice cream pop today, but you only get one all day. You can choose when to eat it, but once you eat it, that’s it. This allows them to have a little control over their diet.
Activity, Movement, and make it fun! Riding the bike, even a 15 minute stroll around the block, go to the park, swimming, anything that creates movement.
These tips, and all that Time Magazine and the other hundreds of articles you can find on Obesity in America have to offer, are great. The best thing to remember though is if you stress too much over it, you can actually cause a side effect besides being overweight, poor self image. When I began to hear my daughter talk about counting her points (weight watchers) or being on a “no-sugar” diet (sugar-busters) I knew … It is not the girls on t.v. that make my daughter question her body, but me. She sees how much I do not like being overweight, and how much it consumes me at times, and I think she struggles with that. Even though, as I prayed, she has has her daddy’s metabolism, she looks strongly to me as to how to view her own self. A friend of mine has a daughter who loves to play any kind of sport. Soccer, softball, you name it. Guess what her mom enjoys doing, any kind of sport. Make an experiment of it. Decide to drink water every night at dinner, say “I am doing it so I will be healthier”, and see how long it takes for your young children to decide to drink water with their dinner. The point?: What you do and exemplify may be the number one factor in your child’s health and self image.
I received this recipe from a friend of mine. Sounds yummy!
You will need:
Directions:Â
Pre-heat oven to 450
de-bone and shred or cut chicken into small pieces
drain and rinse black beans
take paper-like husk off of tomatillo, rinse well and dice into bite size pieces, you will need 6 or so for the enchiladas and the other 3 for the avocado sauce (if you have never tasted or cooked with these before they should be firm, bright green and will have a little stickiness to them when you take the husk off, they have a lemon like flavor)
Mix
chicken, black beans, green chiles, 1 cup of cheese and 6 of the diced tomatillos
Pour enough salsa to lightly coat the bottom of your pan.
Pour most of the salsa that is left into a shallow bowl (leave a little to put on the enchiladas when you are eating).
Dip the corn tortilla (some find it easier to soften the tortilla in the micro for a couple of seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel) in the salsa coating both sides, then place in pan, place some of the chicken mix in the center of the tortilla and then roll the tortilla placing overlapping sides down. Continue until you have filled the pan, then spread the remaining cup of cheese over the top.
Place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is all melted.
Half the avocado, take off the skin (I just squeeze it like you would a lemon and the meat of it comes right out) and mash up the meat of it, add some salt to taste and the rest of the chopped tomatillos, mix well, taste it to see if you want any lime juice in it, you could also add some chopped up grape or cherry tomatoes to this too (I like mine with lime and a bit of salt)
Serve enchiladas with, salsa, sour cream and avocado/tomatillo on the side.
You could also serve a salad and use the avocado and tomatillos for that.
This is just a personal update on my life. Hope you enjoy it, and I hope it inspires you to keep on keeping on!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Last night I sat at the top of The John Hancock building in Chicago, Ill. and tears came to my eyes as I thought of God’s goodness to Ben and I. One year ago this week Ben went to Boston, Mass. to an Ebay conference as a part of a team from our church. As he was preparing to leave, we had no money for him to even take for food! We were at the point of desperation to save our home, and to save our family. I have written about a few of the things God did to provide for us during that time. So miraculous they were! But last night I could not believe how far we had come in only a year.
I sit at the ebay conference WITH my husband today. Yesterday we arrived in Chicago, and took advantage of the day. We took a riverboat cruise, went to the famous Navy Pier and last night at sunset we sat at the top of the John Hancock building. I was amazed to think of all we could do in one day, and how little we could do last year this time. Then God showed me how different my perspective is on this side, and how He saw me today a year ago! This came to me as I watched the cars, and the boats, and all the activity from 96 stories above. I realized from where I was sitting that I had a much better vantage point of what lie ahead for that driver heading down Michigan Avenue than he had. And that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what God is able to see for us.
I have said recently that we faced financial crisis a year ago like the rest of the nation faces today. A testimony to friends and family of what God can bring you through. The threat of foreclosures, the rising costs, the uncertainty of future leaders in America, none of that is anything to fear when your trust is in the Lord.
I know this sounds so cliche’, and a year or 2 ago I might would have agreed with you, but I know that a year, even a month, or a day from now your whole life can look totally different. Your perspective can change, your eye’s view can be lifted.
I think the key is seeing it from a different view point even from where you sit right now where you are. God has good things in store for you. If you could see and know all the blessings and good He has for you, you would not be able to physically contain the overwhelming feeling of humility, gratitude, and awe. I am only tasting a very small piece of it, and my heart at times feels as though it were going to come out of my chest. And I know and trust that this is only the beginning!!
I want to say another THANK YOU to those who walked with me, and carried me through the last year and two years. You know who you are, and I love you so much for loving us, supporting us, and walking through the fire with us. Thank you for your prayers, and for helping me lift my view to see the bigger picture, when I could only see the moment. All that is good in our lives is partly, and greatly due to you! Love you!
Last week I had a list of things you can do with your kids this summer. I wanted to simply add … reading time! Your local Library, or Bookstore typically offer this for all ages. Libraries usually have it broken into toddlers and school age reading times. Plus you can let them check out a few books which you bring back the next week for reading time! (I can’t believe I forgot that one! 🙂 )
Any more ideas for activities at home or out, let me know. I am always looking for creative things to keep my kids entertained!