Teething Pains

Back when we lived in MS and Ben had just started his rampage of teething, I can remember a Mom at our church who smiled at me and said "Oh, well I NEVER even knew so-and-so was teething. She is such an angel! I just looked in her mouth one day and there was a tooth". I remember sitting there with a screaming 5 month old thinking "I want to slap you...But we are in church..So... never mind" To say that teething has been insane for both our sweet boys, is an understatement. They both have struggled in different ways, but it's all been nuts, and lead to my current three pots of coffee a day addiction. So recently a much kinder Mom at our church here in Florida recommended I try clove oil for Christopher Robin's gums. And that has truly helped with sweet baby! Coincidentally while I was researching online, I also found out it's great for any kind of mouth pain. So give it a try the next time you have a toothache! I'd recommend organic clove essential oil. I got mine from amazon. If you're using it for a baby, I'd dilute it with an edible oil. Coconut oil is what I used. I mixed one drop of clove oil with about 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil and rubbed it all over Baby's gums. His face was hilarious! But it works! And seems to last for about 2 hours. So go get you some clove oil if you're little guy or little girl is making you want to slap people in church :)

Home made bath salts

Ever since I became a Momma, my brain has been going ninety miles a minute. Okay, so full disclosure, my brain has ALWAYS gone that fast, but it's harder to turn off when your a mom, and contrary to what non-moms think-there is SO much responsibility involved in raising this little stinkers, and so many to-do list. You spend so many sleep-less nights with your little babies, that your body becomes used to waking up multiple times during the night, even when your kids are finally sleeping through the night! Talk about a real downer. I have been known to hear a phantom cry, run at full speed out of bed (This little Mommy doesn't waste time!) straight into the bedroom door frame...Not even kidding. Which then leaves my husband unsure as to whether he should laugh hysterically, because his wife has brain damage now, even tho there was no baby crying to begin with, or to go get me ice for my noggin and tell me to come back to sleep. It's basically a lose-lose situation guys. So, I've tried many solutions to help me sleep through the night. Sleepy time tea, melatonin, ambien, a bottle of red wine (which was fun!), etc. Nothing seems to help all that much. Except a hot bath in home-made bath salts! I owe this original recipe to my sweet friend Debra Morgan, the original DIY Momma. No kidding. She's truly a super Mom, and someone very dear to my heart! Here is what you will need: a container with a lid 1 cup Epson salt 1 cup Baking Soda 10-15 drops organic lavender essential oil 2 drops peppermint organic essential oil (Just two! Or you'll feel like you slathered your whole body with icy-hot. Which is just plain awkward) 2 drops tea tree oil Mix all together, put in container, and give it a good shake before use. Add 1/2 cup to a hot bath, and tell your husband to come check on you in 5 minutes, because there's a good chance you will fall asleep in the tub. Lavender is soothing, peppermint helps with your circulation, sore muscles, and tea tree will help draw out the toxins from your body. It's truly amazing! Give it a try.

I get it. I really do Mom!

When you're a girl, you're most likely always going to be close to your Momma. Sure you might have some icky times during high-school/college (Oh come on, we've all got these stories that begin with "But that's when Mom and So-and-so weren't talking remember??".) but for the most part, every little girl loves her Mom dearly. Now once you become a Mom, the bond you feel only gets better. I can't tell how many times I want to pick up the phone and say to my Mom "Thank you SO much for loving me even when I was teething...No really. How did you not kill me? I'm losing my mind over here! Give me some tips!!!!" Maybe I'm just getting more wise in my old age (ahahahaha. I'm only 25 you crazy peple!) but ever since I had Christopher Robin I've felt even more of a connection to Momma Mimsey. I think it's because Christopher Robin is the second born, like me. Second born babies come with a tiny bit more guilt than the first one. If you've been to our house in the past 8 months, you understand what I mean. Poor baby gets the brunt of all of his big brother's, big brother issues. He's been bitten, pinched, had toys thrown at him, and that was just today.... I found myself sitting in the laundry room crying yesterday- thinking two things- First, that I wish I could give Christopher Robin more one on one time, in between chasing Ben down the street, and Second, I was really glad we were renting this house, because the laundry room was very spacious and a really great place to have my Mommy break downs. But aside from crying in the laundry room a lot, I'm starting to understand my mother SO much more. I understand her never ending compassion towards me, her concern for my life choices, and her loyalty. Now I'm not saying that I was my mother's favorite child (That prize goes to my little brother's dog Troy...just kidding :) but what I am saying, is that the more babies I have, the more I understand, and appreciate my mother. To sum it up, I get it Momma. I really do.

Laundry and me

When I was in high school living in DC, in college at the W,and back in DC again to intern when I was 20, I HATED laundry. It made zero sense to me, and it never failed I ended up re-washing all my clothes because I didn't fold them, or left them too long in the washer and they started to get funky. One time I think there was even an incident in DC where I had a pretty good buzz going, and instead of actually doing my laundry I ended up on the roof with it in the pouring rain. ..........Well. It made since at the time! Don't even get me started on when Chris and I got married. Let's just say, it's a good thing my Momma lived 5 minutes away the first 5 months of our marriage! OR Chris would have had nothing to wear....hehehe. Once Ben came along, the laundry got crazier, and I pretty much pulled a Scarlett O'hara. "I'll think about that tomorrow!" It got so bad, I can remember sitting on the couch feeding Ben a bottle, surrounded by laundry and crying. Well, let's face it, you cry over everything after having a baby. But laundry was pretty bad back then. Skip forward two years- Now we have TWO babies! So that makes three boys, one girl, and tons of laundry. I thought it was bad with just me, but you don't know laundry until you have three boys in the house. After much prayer and thought on the matter, I decided I just had to take the bull by the horns, specially since I was jumping on the cloth diaper train. I was already making my own detergent (which I LOVE!!!) but I did some research on fabric softeners (not for cloth diapers!) and found out vinegar does an amazing job and baking soda is a great wash aid (I'm also doing some research on natural stain removers. I'll get back to you on that). I started religiously reading the tags on all the clothing we own, sorting better(I used to wash towels and silk together. Not even kidding) and I somehow convinced my precious husband and sweet father-in-law to build me a clothes line. The clothes line pretty much sealed the deal on reversing my hatred of laundry. Every morning I take my load of clothes out to the line to hang up, and I get 5 whole minutes of being alone (plus I feel kinda like I'm saving the planet by not using my dryer) outside, without the kids pulling on me. It's GLORIOUS. And I am loving how much better my clothes feel and wear. Also, because I do mostly medium loads of clothes (and only two loads a day) I have the time to take the clothes down at lunch time when they're dry, and immediately put them away. This means the clothes sitting in the laundry basket for days doesn't happen anymore. I highly recommend getting your sweet husband, tall friend, or Daddy to help you set up a clothes line. It saves on energy/money, (I cut our electricity cost by $25 a month) keeps your laundry fresh, and gives you a couples minutes alone without your babies. It'd pretty much win-win in my book :)

Fluffy booties!

Life has only gotten exponentially crazier here in Merrifield Land! The babies and I spent TWO (amazing, restful, salt water pool filled) weeks at Mimsey and Da'Dim's house. The trip away was just what I needed. I was able to actually lay out by the pool (alone!) and catch up on reading, praying, and writing. The time of peace, and extra hands, was incredible. But, I missed Chris bunny terribly. So it was nice to get home to see him. But the trip left me refreshed, and I felt like my BRAIN was working again. Yes, yes, the mommy oatmeal brain does go away every now and then I promise...Only to come back at 4am in the morning when Ben's diaper leaked and I got in a fight with his duvet cover. The darn thing won. While on the trip, I felt convicted by the Lord that I was NOT being a good steward of all the blessings he has given us. I came home with a renewed sense of purpose, and a long list of projects for poor Chris Bunny. The first project tho, was for me. I decided to dive headlong into the cloth diaper world. Why was I wasting our money on disposable diapers when I'm a stay at home Momma, with the time and energy to wash them? Yes I have tons of energy. It's a curse. Seriously. I can't sit still (I've made lunch, put my hair in bobby pins, and checked my facebook like 20 times while writing this. It's nuts) I did a TON of research. Hours of reading reviews, talking to other crunchy friends,read up on how best to wash them, dry them, etc. I finally settled upon the BumGenius brand of one size cloth diapers. I went with the 4.0 version because according to reviews they had more room to grow, and around here, we grow em' big! (I guess my boys aren't taking after me in the petite department) Since Ben will be potty trained eventually, and Christopher Robin is 6 months old, I decided to use the one size diapers for BOTH babies. I ordered 12 (with the snaps, not velcro) from thegreennursery.com. I compared prices from ebay, amazon, and many other sites. But this site had a special going on where if you ordered ten you get two free. This was the best deal I found. I decided to start with 12, and then order 12 more if I liked them. They came in the mail a week ago, and it was like I was a kid in a candy shop! But fluffier. Cutest things I've ever seen!! So far, I'm a fan. But let me pro-con it for you. Pros: The colors are bright and cute The snaps stay put and Ben hasn't figured out how to undo them, thank the Lord! They dry on the clothes line pretty quickly, as well as on my indoor one in my laundry room. The inserts are easy to slide in and out, which make cleaning them easy. They seem pretty absorbent (But we haven't done it at night yet, just naps for now) The Cons: The snaps! They drive me nuts. I hate snaps. But they stay put! (so a con/pro mix) I'm having a hard time keeping Christopher Robin from leaking. Since he's smaller I'm struggling with which fit is best for him. I think that will come in time. I need more than 12. I plan to order 12 more next week. I'm having to get used to the bubble booty it gives them. It's hilarious! I'm also super freaked out about washing them. I think I did too much research because I've given myself a complex about the whole thing. I'm so worried I'll ruin them. I can't wait to see how they work at nighttime! I plan to insert the regular and newborn insert in them for both boys for extra abortion once I purchase more. I'm also back to making re-usable wipes. I tailored the recipe to better suit my boys needs, specifically Ben's eczema. And I love them! Here's my recipe for the wipes: Cut up two baby towles, or soft cotton baby blankets into wipe sizes place them in a plastic container with a lid -Mix up one cup water. One tablespoon each of olive oil and coconut oil two tablespoons of Dr. Bronner soap 3-4 drops of tea tree oil. Pour the mixtue over the towels and allow them to soak up the water. Use as you would wipes, and wash in hot water and detergent. Well, that's all folks! Next time I'll try and delve into the wonderfulness of my new clothes line my amazing husband and father-in-law built for me. It's just precious.

A time to bounce-and a time to rest

Well friends. It's been a rough week. Lots of tough news regarding sweet friends, tons of allergies, Baby C.Robin is cutting a tooth, I'm stressing about the move to a larger rental home, etc. (Basically I'm not sleeping!) BUT-In the midst of the craziness, I've been stopping and learning so much about my babies. Stopping to look them in the eyes, hold them, and tell them I love them. Because they won't be babies forever. (Right?! Somebody tell me they eventually grow up!) I'm learning Baby Ben is very much like me, Chris, Big Ben, and Robin! What a package! He has my energy, Chris's tendency to seek perfection, Big Ben's intensity, and Robin's ability to never allow anything to get him down. Lately the noise level of his zest for life has been nuts. It never fails, around 11am Ben turns into a little nymph! He starts running circles around me, waking up the baby from nap time, and leaving me wondering if his feet are even touching the floor. Ben gets to the point, where I don't even think BEN knows what he's doing. Hyper is an understatement. I can almost SEE the wheels in his little head turning. And eventually it ends with a total and complete melt down, I'm left with two screaming babies, and it's not even noon. But I've realized Ben is me! He needs quiet. He needs to sit for 10 minutes, build something with his hands, listen to music, and calm down before he melts down. Now I know what you're thinking, he's 2! and that I'm way over analyzing this little dude. But trust me, it works! Each time I pick Ben up, grab his baby (stuffed frog) and blanket, sit him on the couch with blocks, he looks up at me almost as if to say "Thanks Momma!". Ben is like me, sometimes he doesn't have an OFF switch. If it wasn't for my precious husband, sometimes I would never stop. I'd whirl around the house from project to project until I'd finally melt down. (But I get a lot done I tell you!!) It's important to me that I show Baby Ben, that his zest for life, his big personality, and boundless energy, are WONDERFUL blessings that can be used to glorify the Lord. But I also hope I can show him that there is a time to bounce, and a time to rest.

Cooking- My love language.

If you asked Chris what my love language is, I gurantee you at least one of them would be FOOD. Not so much eating it, but making it for others. My first instinct when someone I know is having a bad day, is to make them something yummy.
I think I even get a little depressed if I'm forced to not cook for awhile.
This is one of the reasons that weeks before my c-section, I cooked and froze meals like a crazy lady! I knew I wasn't going to be able to cook for at least two weeks, but I still wanted to be able to provide for my men while I was resting.
This idea turned out to be one of the best ideas I've ever had. It was so nice knowing that diner, lunch, and breakfast were taken care of! All I had to do was tell Chris what to take out of the freezer. Genius idea. And I normally am not known for my genius ideas. Seriously.

I've noticed a trend around me, that one of the most stresful things for stay at home Moms, is preparing dinner with kids running around.

So I wanted to share what I do, and how stress-free it can truly be.
Every two weeks I go to the store and KNOW I'm going to be buying these staples:
Organic milk
Organic non-salted butter
5-6 in bone chicken breast with the skin on
Wild Rice
Ground beef 2-5 lbs
Organic beans in the can: Pinto, black, and kidney beans
Organic canned pumpkin
Organic cage free eggs
Raw milk (this is a new items I've added to my shopping and I am LOVING it!!)
Fresh corn, cooking potatoes, zucchini, apples, spinach, and any other organic produce that catches my eye
Tortillias (These rock! We use them for everything)
pizza dough from the publix bakery
gallon freezer bags
Aluminim foil
Square alumnim baking pans that can be thrown away after use (no dirty dishes!)

Then, two days while Ben is at day school and Baby is sleeping I make these recipes:

Pumpkin and chocolate chip muffins:

4 eggs
2 cups raw sugar
1 (16 oz.) can pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups oil
3 cups flour (I use half unbleached and half whole wheat)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I also add all spice, nutmeg, and cloves)
1 teaspoon salt
1 package chocolate chips (I only use 1/2 cup)
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until smooth. Add in dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 16-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes 24-30 muffins.
I divide these in 2 gallon freezer bags, label them, and defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Freezer-Friendly Baked Oatmeal
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
3/4 cup raw sugar (or brown sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
3 cups oats (regular or quick oats)
(I throw in about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips)
Beat eggs, sugar and butter together. Mix in baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.

Stir in milk and oats. Pour into a greased 9×13 foil pan or baking dish and cover well. (Can use a Ziploc freezer bag, if freezing). Freeze.

To serve: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until set in the middle. Serve warm with milk. (We like to sprinkle sugar on top before pouring the milk on.)

If you want to serve it without freezing it first, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and then bake it at 350 degrees for 35-45minutes in the morning.

I divide the oat batter into three square aluminum pans to freeze.

Serves 6-8.

Then, I take the chicken breast, drizzle olive oil on them and season with salt and pepper. Stick them in the oven to roast for about an hour. Then I shred the meat, divide into 3 or 4 freezer bags and freeze.

This is what I do with the chicken:

Sprinkle on pizza crust, cover in BBQ sauce, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on it, add purple onion, and bake in a 450 oven for BBQ chicken pizza.

Add taco seasoning and saute with zucchini cut in strips and a can of black beans not drained and serve on tortillas.

Add to a salad of spinach, chopped carrots and boiled egg.

Or use some chicken to make Poppy Seed chicken:


5 cups chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup sour cream
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 T poppy seeds

Additional Ingredients to make it fancy:
1 tsp Worchestire sauce
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp minced garlic
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place shredded chicken in a 9X13 casserole dish.

Stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. If you wish to add the additional flavorings stir in the worchestire, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper to the soup and sour cream mixture. Pour over the chicken.

In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.


Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve plain or over rice. We like to eat it with steamed broccoli and we mix it all together. OR, put together entire dish in two aluminum disposable pans, cover with foil, label, and freeze.
I always keep at least two pans of this in my deep freeze.

Then- I brown 2-5 lbs of organic lean ground beef. I season with taco seasoning, and divide into one lb measurements and put in gallon freezer bags.

Here are ideas on how to use the taco meat:

Add fresh corn, pinto and kidney beans and eat as tacos or nachos

Or make rattle snake bites! Which is one of Ben's favorite dinners.
Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies ( I use black or pinto beans instead)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
3 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef and chilies over medium heat until heated through. Add the cream cheese, cumin and chili powder. Cool slightly.
Separate crescent dough into 24 triangles. Place 1 tablespoon of beef mixture along the short end of each triangle; carefully roll up.
Place point side down 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 2 dozen.

Or use it to make twice baked potatoes! (This can be prepared beforehand and frozen as well)
4 medium russet potatoes
8 oz grounf beed
1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped
1 cup water
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 scallions, sliced

Wash well, Bake potatoes in a 400' degree oven until tender, about an hour.

Steam or boil the broccoli until tender

Carefully cut off the top third of the cooked potatoes; reserve the tops for another use. Scoop out the insides into a medium bowl. Place the potato shells in a small baking dish. Add 1/2 cup Cheddar, sour cream, salt and pepper to the potato insides and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add scallions and the potato mixture to the broccoli and meat; stir to combine.
Evenly divide the potato mixture among the potato shells and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 7 minutes.


There are SO many more easy and incredibly recipes I make and then freeze,but these are my tried and true ones. As I try new recipes I will have to update the blog.

But for now, try these ideas! And let your freezer be your new bff.