Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Mmmmmm..... Food.

I like to pretend that I'm a pretty good cook. I'm not Worst Cooks In America worthy, but there's lots of my attempts that result in a necessary snack later in the evening.

My dear Aunt is a bit of a foodie with a much more adventurous palate than I have. For Christmas she gave me The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper. I have to rave!! Not only does it have great recipes (albeit some of them are a little too fancy pants for my family of 4 with two small children) but the BEST part are the snippets of info! Currently I am IN LOVE with pearl barley. They tell you to treat it like pasta - and boil the heck out of it with some water and chicken stock for 25 minutes. Of course their recipe for cheater chicken stock is more highbrow than my two scoops of instant bullion method, but I'm totally okay with that when it's 5:30 and I'm just firing up dinner. And who knew barley was so yummy and nutty and HEALTHY. And that my kids would eat it!

I've referenced the book How To Get Your Kids To Eat, But Not Too Much, before..but I have to admit last night the approach (which included yummy barley from above) actually worked. I'd say about once a month it works well. The overall idea is to provide your kids with healthy choices on the table, including one thing they WILL eat, like a slice of whole wheat bread or something. What they eat, is what they eat. You don't haggle, negotiate or force certain number of bites. You model good eating (oh and I guess I should take my elbows off the table too..) and call it a day. Last night my kids ate barley, broccoli, green beans, fish and grapes! No really, I'm pretty sure they were my kids... I'm sure those fabulous Mothers out there will scoff and say that's a regular evening at their house. Well good on you. At my house it's not, so I was loving it. Thank you Splendid Table! You think they'll go for Edamame and Smoked Tofu Succotash? Kidding!

Always a "Mom"

I imagine being a Mom out in the world of kids is like how Doctors on airplanes feel in emergency situations. You can't escape your instinct or your training.

Today for instance. As I dropped my daughter at Kindergarten, we walked with one of her classmates. Who had a huge snot oozing out of her nose. But clearly, she was not bothered by the feeling of it sliding down her face. I myself had to swallow to keep down my egg sandwich. That was intensified 10 fold while as I waited with them until the morning aid made her rounds, I see this child playing with snot strands and them sticking them in her mouth. I kind of just threw up a little while writing that. Your own kid's snot is one thing (and something that's still not my favorite) but another childs? Eeeww!! I had to take action - grabbed a napkin out of my daughter's backpack and wiped the child's nose. Seriously. I'm a Mom. I couldn't help it. Of course then I have this disgusting napkin in my possession and cannot find a garbage can.. but it was my duty.

Just as it's my instinctual duty to walk on the outside of the sidewalk on our night walks with my other Mom friend because I have the reflective jacket. Or do to the arm seat belt/train crossing barrier when anyone begins to cross a road and I think a car is not paying attention. Same as it is when you hold a baby and fall into that hip bounce thing. And I will even admit, the same as it is when you give evil death glare stare down to the ill behaving 7 year old stranger at the playground. Or when you quickly offer up the airline blanket (that for the record I never touch with a 10 foot pole) to the Mom with child who is clearly going to hoark while desperately waiting for the bathroom.

You can't escape the instinct.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

A Few of My Favorite Things: Installment II (and a not so favorite thing.)

So first off I have this question - how many times per day is it neccessary for a cat to freaking lick itself?! Seriously - it's driving me crazy that annoying slurp lick thing. Jeez!

Now that's off my chest.

It's time again to share a few of my favorite finds and as is par for my blog, the front runner pertains to hair..

Either my hairdresser or Nick Arojo on "What Not To Wear" told me that I should use a volumizing mousse to help give some volume to the crown area. So I finally decided to pick some up - and as I stood in the aisle of my local drugstore, I went by the coolest looking one that wasn't $8,000 dollars and holy Farrah Faucet it's fabulous! Big Sexy Hair Spray Mousse! It's awesome! It sprays like a hairspray and then turns to mousse - super cool. AND then it works! Really well! I felt like that woman I see at my daughter's school who always has Victoria Secret hair - slight mussed, yet perfect curls... (one day I will get the balls to ask her..)

My new favorite treat. They're not actually new, but I just found them and am loving them... Kashi Dark Chocolate Cherry Chewy Granola Bars. They have 5g of protein (which is VERY hard to find in a yummy treat like granola bar) and 4g of fiber (good for making you feel full AND keeping things running right.) I love to have one of these bad boys in the afternoon when I feel like I need something sweet, but at 120 calories, much better than stuffing my face with Valentine's cookies or something. I say bravo. Oh yes and they don't have any of that hard to pronounce garbage in them. Add feeling healthfully righteous and you can't go wrong.

And lastly I'm loving Laura Mercier's Metallic Creme Eye Color I had gotten a little tube as a sample (gold) and it has lasted for FOREVER. Not only does it make my everyday makeup job look presentable, I'm able to put on liner without having to redo 8 times. It's creamy and forgiving and super fast and easy... I had to get the Burnished Copper so I could mix it up a bit. Loving it!

You have something you're loving? Do share!