Valentine's Day Cards for the Kiddies

If you've been in any retail store recently, you can't miss all of the Valentine's Day decorations and candies EVERYWHERE! The bright pink and red colored candy bags with red chocolate this and pink candy that. It's pretty hard to avoid.

It got me thinking about what Daniel can give out to his classmates this year when they have their Valentine's Day card exchange.

I knew I wanted to avoid the artificial candies and chocolates, although I would be lying if I said I didn't like the way that they taste on occasion. But the bottom line is that they're not so good for us. They're full of artificial dyes and sugars. And truthfully, my son doesn't even care for them. It's a miracle, I know! I would love to take credit for this one, but he has never had a sweet tooth.

So, candies are out.

This year, stores are full of "non-candy" options for us mommas. I recently walked into a Target and found at least 10 options of Valentine's Day cards and non-candy goodies that were very inexpensive. Some included stickers, tattoos, pencils, erasers, notepads, and stamps. Love that! Most of the boxes were in the range of $2.50. Love that even more!

Not bad, huh?

But before my Target discovery, I had already ventured into our local dollar store and bought several packs of toy mazes (6 in a bag for $1) and made little treat bags for Daniel's class. So if you have some time, and want to make your own, here is what we did.

You will need:
1. small paper or plastic goodie bags
2. small toy mazes
3. fun sticker to seal the bags (we chose Daniel's favorite- Lightning McQueen)
4. gift tags (optional, but cute if you want to include a play on words like "You are an a-MAZE-ing friend.")
5. confetti, to sprinkle in the bags (optional)

 Found these at the Dollar Tree. They also had heart shaped ones (12 for $1), 

but Daniel thought those were too "girlie". I thought they were adorable!

Optional confetti to sprinkle in the bags and Cars stickers to seal the bags. 

My gift tag puncher and red craft paper to make the tags. 

(You can purchase the tag puncher or already pre-made tags at a craft store like Hobby Lobby.)

I used these foam traffic stickers to adhere the tags onto the bags. 

They were left over from Daniel's birthday party. 

Enjoy! xoxo

Have a Very Merry and a Holly Jolly!

From our family to yours...

Have a...

VERY MERRY

and a

HOLLY JOLLY!

xoxo,

baby Mia, big boy Daniel, Mari & Dave

(shirts and tutu made by this momma)

Happy Dad. Happy Dessert.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,

and He delights in his way.

Though he may fall, 

he shall not be utterly cast down;

for the Lord, upholds him with his hand.

(Psalm 37:24)

As a little girl, I always thought I must be pretty special. How else could God have given me such an amazing dad like my papi. Always caring, sympathetic, and my shoulder to lean on. 

Then one normal, run-of-the-mill day, I found my "best friend", who decided he liked the title "husband" slightly better. And seven years after we tied the knot, he added "daddy" to his special titles when God blessed us with our little Daniel.  

Yesterday was Father's Day and many of us celebrated the men in our lives who are dads. We celebrated those deceased, and those still with us. Those at war, and those at home. The overworked, and those desperate to find work. The single moms doing both roles. The stepdads. Adoptive dads. Granddads.

We all know that an active father means the world to his child. But just how so? Research from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reveals that fathers play an integral role in the development of their children's well-being. The study states, "involved fathers bring positive benefits to their children." The study goes on to cite some of the immediate benefits including psychological well-being, social behavior, and academic achievement. But beyond the research, I'm always in awe of the pure, simple joy that children experience with their dads. The happy tickles and tackles.

So, in honor of my three favorite dads (hubby, papi, and big bro), and all of the other good poppas out there, we celebrated in pure man style. We fired up the grill, cooked up a feast and watched a game. Even papi, miles away in Florida, joined us via video cam. God bless Skype.

It was perfect man style happiness...
Eat.
Drink.
Watch game.
-Repeat-

Afterwards, I was determined to sneak in healthier alternatives for dessert. Bua-Ha-Ha!!! I asked the kids if they wanted dessert and they happily cheered, "Yeeessss!!!" as I served them their bananas and grapes.

Then, the moment came where hubby always reaches for his pre-packaged, preservative-filled favorite treats, Fig Newtons. I quickly intercepted and nervously handed him my version of a slightly better alternative - homemade Whole Wheat Fig Newtons. He eyed them suspiciously, nibbled a corner, then inhaled a few more. Ahh yes. Sweet Success. "These are David-Approved."

So here's to hubby, and all of the father's who celebrated yesterday. To those who savored old man-style traditions, and their loved ones who added new holisticish touches. Thank you for all you do.
And thank you for the simple happiness that you bring to your children. 

I Love Carl. (My Mother's Day Memory)

Today we celebrated Mother's Day in the US. Mothers around the country slept in, were given a break, and told they are loved. At home, I try to celebrate Mother's Day every Sunday. It is the one day where I get to sleep in. On Sundays, sweet Sundays, hubby is home to intercept my alarm clocks (the kids) and I'm given a morning break to catch some extra zzzz's.

Today was slightly different though. As I rolled over in bed savoring the extra sleep, I felt the soft shoves of  little hands as Mia and Daniel nervously woke me up. Mia proceeded to climb on top of me and laugh while Daniel cheered enthusiastically, "Mommy! Mommy! It's Mother's Day!" He then shoved a card in my face with a huge grin anxiously awaiting my reaction. "Aww, thanks papa," I whispered trying to rub my eyes awake and make a sleepy smile. In the card he wrote "Love Daniel" and Mia wrote her own baby scribbles that meant just as much. He then delicately placed his hands on my lap. "Mommy. I made this for you. Here's your Mother's Day gift. I named him Carl."Carl was a little snowman looking thing he carefully crafted from play dough.

"Carl? Why Carl?" I wondered. But who can ever tell the reasonings behind a four year old's thoughts. "I love Carl," I mustered. "He's awesome."And I carefully placed Carl on my nightstand so as not to accidentally dismember him. God forbid. Then off Daniel went, skipping along contently because he knew he had succeeded in making me smile. Which to him meant, mommy was happy and loved.

I savor these moments as I reminisce about Daniel's rough start in this world. Four and a half years ago Daniel was born. It was a hot summer night and I labored mostly at home, trying desperately to withstand the pain. By the time my contractions were a minute apart, my family rushed me to the hospital just in time. The delivery was text book and the doctors said he was perfect. He nursed immediately and I thought everything was going to be just as easy as it looked on TV. But then, he cried. Exhausted beyond belief, I remember holding him continuously and nursing him around the clock. I slept a total of four hours the entire three days I stayed in the hospital.

Being overly exhausted and a new mom, the anxiety of doing things right got the best of me. All I wanted was sleep. But Daniel cried. He cried and cried. He cried when we held him. He cried while he nursed. He cried while falling asleep. Cried. Cried. Cried. Worried that I was going to have a nervous breakdown, I called the pediatrician who told me to bring him in. He was two weeks old. They immediately admitted him in the hospital for an evaluation. Daniel had an infection. They placed him on an intravenous antibiotic for three days while his little body fought off the virus. I remember not wanting to leave the hospital. I felt safe there. And rested.

After we were discharged, we came home and I thought things would get better but Daniel continued crying relentlessly. I wondered if I was doing something wrong. Was I a bad mom? My parents encouraged me to take him back to the pediatrician where they ultimately diagnosed him with colic. I read about colic but didn't think it could happen to my child. To me.

I spent the next few days obsessively researching colic online. After too much reading, consulting with my mother and mother-in-law and much trial and error, we finally discovered our winning combination. A mix of soothing techniques that calmed Daniel and kept him at peace. His magic combination included being carried in a sling during parts of the day (also known as attachment parenting), drinking small amounts of chamomile tea, having a daily stomach massage with lavender oil, and supervised naps on his belly.

Initially, I was opposed to some of these ideas because of what I had read or heard. But I think that's just it with motherhood. You learn pretty quickly that what is right for one, may not be right for all. That you can't read your way through motherhood. You have to live your way through it. That although you may find a mom or two that you trust and confide in, you have to learn to trust in yourself. God put that instinct there for a reason.

Four and a half years later, Daniel is a happy, silly, inquisitive, intelligent, old soul. His joys are making people laugh and playing outside. Especially if it involves water. His health has never been better thanks to his vitamin and nutrition regimen. A far cry from were he started as a newborn.

So Yes. I love Carl.
I love Carl and what he represents. A happy, healthy little boy trying to make his momma smile.

 

Easter Traditions

I am a total holiday junkie. My mother always jokes that my brother Angel and I enjoy the holidays more than our kids. We literally get giddy with excitement when a holiday arrives, like that feeling you used to get as a child the night before Christmas. My brother would literally camp under the tree and watch the clock until it finally turned 12:00 am to shout "IT'S CHRISTMAS!" We can open our presents!" 

We share such fond memories and I feel an overwhelming sense of fulfillment every time I create these new moments with my own children. That's why this year, Easter meant something different for me. The significance of Easter remains the same and we celebrate the sacrifice Jesus made by dying on the cross for us and then rising on the third day. But the childhood experiences are changing slightly. Not only was I getting ready to help my children experience new moments this Easter, but I was going to be creating new moments for myself and hubby.

As tradition, we usually dyed eggs at home and at some point in the weekend leading up to Easter would take the kids to hunt for eggs either at home or on a local farm. In preparation for the dyeing and the hunting, a few days ago, I ran into my local Target, ready for the Kentucky derby. My empty cart looked so sad, like it was asking to be filled to the brim with Springtime treats and goodies. I was ready. I had on my running sneakers, hair in a bun and kids at home with daddy. Nothing was going to stop me from getting all of my shopping done that night.

I was not about to get distracted so I charged straight ahead, to the back right corner of the store, where I knew the seasonal merchandise was located. I resisted the temptation to veer into the women's clothing or household appliances. "Ooh, milk. I need milk". I temporarily veered off and grabbed a half gallon of organic milk on my way to the back. Focus Marilyn. Focus.

The Easter/Spring department looked like a scene out of the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. The florescent green, yellow and pink aisles were dripping with chocolate bunnies, chocolate crosses, baskets, plastic eggs, egg dyes, and a slew of egg shaped candies. 

First on the list...treats to fill up the eggs for our egg hunt. Everything was either in the shape of a pastel-colored egg or a bunny. "Ooookaaayyy, no healthy alternatives here," I thought to myself. But I wasn't about to snob off Target. I love Tarschet (say it with a French accent).

I knew I didn't want chocolate, a major shocker coming from me, a life long devotee to chocolate. My middle name in High School was Chocohaulic. But things were different now. I was trying to make better choices for our family. In fact, yesterday after school we dumped out all of Daniel's eggs from school and spread the candy on our kitchen table. I asked him which he would like to keep. "None mommy. None of these are healthy." Eureka!! Did my 4 year old just say that? Bliss.

"I know," I thought. "What about gummy snacks?" I skipped over five aisles of chocolate and after what seemed like 20 minutes of hunting, found a teensy tiny section of gummy snacks. "Aha!" I picked up the box and flipped it over. Were the ingredients in French, Dutch, Arabic? It couldn't have been English. The ingredients looked more like a science equation than a food list. I am certain there are healthy fruit snack options that exist, but this was certainly not one of them, so I opted against them. 

This was the first holiday where I felt like the odd one out. I had to overlook the popular options to find some for us. Then in the corner of my vantage point, I spotted a small box of Spring shaped goodie bag toys and erasers. Bingo! Kids like toys and fun-shaped erasers. New experience #1 - no candy in our Easter eggs.

The next mission was to find the dyes to color our eggs. Then I thought, "We can probably color the eggs with ingredients we have at home." So I happily checked out with my small bag of toy erasers and toys for our egg hunt. Less than $5! Sweet!

New experience #2 - we dyed our eggs with natural foods. Yesterday we filled our bowls with our concoctions. Paprika, water and vinegar made orange. Coffee and vinegar made brown. And beets, water and vinegar made pink. Daniel and Mia had such a great time. I could see the little wheels turning in their innocent minds as they dipped each egg into a new color. 

I will always be a holiday junkie. I will always celebrate traditions and now, when and if the moment presents itself, I will make an effort to create new traditions. New moments. New experiences that my children will one day re-live and hopefully cherish.