Chocolate Avocado Frosting

I know, I know. Gross!

But stick with me.

With the baby boy’s birthday coming up and the expected “smash cake”, I know sugar overload is imminent.

Power Trip Lady

This post was originally published 3/18/14 in Blogger.  I thought I would re-post it in hopes for some advice…or at least some encouragement, “No, your kid isn’t the only 3 year old not potty trained yet.”

According to the extensive research I have done on the subject of potty training, there are two main reasons a kid won’t cooperate.  First, they are afraid of the toilet.  It’s cold, it’s loud, and when something goes in, as far as we’re all concerned, it never comes out.  Second, they are stubborn.

Easy Shredded Chicken

I love chicken breast, but I am terrible at cooking it. I don’t like touching it raw and I always tend to overcook it.

Then I found a foolproof recipe that is crazy easy.

You end up with perfectly cooked (and flavored), shredded chicken.

A Change in Body Image

No one loves their body. Everyone has something they would change if they could. We’re all full of insecurities and most of us crave positive reinforcement. 

The part of my body that I have always disliked the most is my back. Scoliosis has claimed my ribs on both sides, jutting out on the right and pulling in on the left with a hard right curve.

Coffee is Supposed to Be Hot?!

I haven’t had hot coffee in three years. Wait, that’s not completely true, it’s hot when I order it.

Then I get….distracted.

My youngest is trying to stand, my oldest is pushing him down.

Strike! Strike! Strike!

Breastfeeding my first born was never an easy task.  We hit a few major roadblocks before we finally came to terms with our breastfeeding future.  And by “we,” I mean me, and by “terms,” I mean hers.

I had never heard of a nursing strike until I was in the midst of dealing with one.  From birth, my daughter would switch from boob, to bottle, to pacifier with no problem. So I thought it would be no big deal if I went to a four day conference for work.  Besides, I would be home at night and I could nurse her then.  She was two and a half months old.  After that conference, she nursed a total of three times.

Yeah, She’ll Wear a Leash. I Mean a Harness!

Doesn’t matter what you call it. A “leash,” a “harness”. You’re still restricting your child. Keeping them close. Keeping them from running in front of a car.  Preventing them from getting snatched.

So, yep, I will absolutely make her wear that monkey backpack or lion backpack or whatever backpack she picks out.

Homemade Almond Butter

I’ve always been a peanut butter girl. My favorite was Jif. Then I wanted to start eating healthier so I started to get the fresh ground stuff.

Along with the healthier new me, comes healthier new recipes.  The other day I made some “energy bites,” and I had a whole lot of leftover almonds.  I decided to give almond butter a go.

Kitchen Sanity

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small percentage if you make a purchase using a link.

When my daughter was about a year and a half, it dawned on me.  I’m a stay at home mom.  I have to cook meals for my family. Every day. Every single day.

I’m still a work in progress (a year later), but I have accumulated some small appliances that have helped me save some sanity.  With the help of Pinterest and the one cookbook I actually use (The America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook ), I have gained a bit more confidence in the kitchen.

These are the five small appliances that I never want to do without again.

Because Store Wipes Taste Gross!

I use baby wipes all the time.  I’m a mom, they’re used for everything.

I have also had an eczema outbreak on my right hand since the day my daughter was born.  I went to the doctor for it and he prescribed a steroid cream.  It worked at first, but then it stopped working.  I was using it way past the suggested use time with no results (other than my skin peeling and getting really thin.)