MAMA PICKS: Pump It Up

The breast pump.

A good pump can be a new mom's best friend. It can give you a little time away from baby, allow you to breastfeed after returning from work, and even buy you a missed feeding in the middle of the night! There are also a number of situations in which breastfeeding is difficult, and a breast pump allows moms the ability to give their baby breastmilk without nursing, or to take a few days off without losing their supply. Some mothers who become experienced at pumping find that they are able to pump far more milk than their baby is consuming, and are even able to share their milk with milk banks that distribute the milk to sick and premature babies.

There are lots of pumps on the market, and moms can choose from many different brands, styles, and usage requirements. Here are a few of our favorites:

The First Years miPump Basic Double Pump - The miPump is the perfect choice for moms on a budget. At under $80, it is the cheapest double electric pump on the market. It is compact and quiet, and it comes with a bag so it’s easy to carry and discreet. It’s small enough to carry in your purse and quiet enough that only mom knows she’s pumping. A convenient battery option means you can pump anywhere - I used mine in the nursing room at Disneyland recently. One of my favorite features is that the miPump includes a handle that allows you to pump with only one hand, so you can multi-task while pumping.

Lansinoh® Double Electric Breast Pump - The Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump is ideal for a busy breastfeeding mom. This pump is designed for everyday long term use at home or away. At under $200 retail, the Lansinoh is nearly $100 cheaper than most comparable breast pumps. It's extremely portable and not couched in a backpack like other pumps. You could toss the Lansinoh pump in a large purse or tote bag and hardly even know it was in there. It can take six AA batteriesm and you can adjust both cycle/speed and vacuum/suction for personal preference. My favorite part is that there are minimal parts, so it's easy peasy to clean!

Medela Swing Single Breast Pump - Medela is the Cadillac of breast pumps. It's a classic. But their new single pump, the Swing, stands out as a great mom on the go. It's very small, but it operates just like the Pump In Style, which many moms have turned to as their pump of choice. It can work with an AC adapter or four AA batteries and can be set on a tabletop, clipped to a belt or worn around the shoulder or neck while pumping. It has a 2-Phase Expression technology that has been proven to get moms more milk in less time. Another feature I love about Medela pumps - all parts are BPA-free and fit with Evenflo or Gerber bottles.

Avent Isis iQ Duo Twin Electronic Breast Pump - this pump has two major features that stand out from the rest. First, it is clinically proven to be more effective than a hospital-grade electric pump, by mimicking both stimulation and expression. It's other claim to fame is that it is the first "smart' breast pump. It includes a memory feature that mimics mom and baby’s personal pumping rhythm. You start with pumping manually. The pump learns your touch and when you’re ready – quietly, electronically – it takes over your rhythm. You can also change your pumping rhythm any time you wish. While it's more expensive then other pumps, this is a great option for moms who are pumping exlusively.

The 6 Worst Swimsuit Foods

from Eat This, Not That

Beach season ought to be a time of bare skin and sunshine. But for many of us, sand dunes inspire doom and gloom, as we look down regretfully at our winter-thickened bodies.

Researchers at UCLA surveyed more than 50,000 people — picture the white coats trolling Venice Beach — on body image and swimwear, and they discovered that only one-quarter of men and 12 percent of women feel comfortable wearing a swimsuit in public. Call it Tankini Syndrome: Most of us would rather hide in the beach grass than show off at the beach.

Of course, the best way to shape up for the skin season is to make consistently healthy food choices, day in and day out. But research shows that certain foods — from salt-laden salads to sugary summer cocktails — can actually sabotage our smart choices.

Indeed, some foods not only make us fatter, they make us look fatter than we really are, by causing the body to retain water, shocking us with high calories, and otherwise pumping us up in all the wrong ways.

Learning to identify and avoid these bust-out foods could be the difference between a glorious day in surf and sun, and a paranoid one stuck under a mumu, washed up behind the tide-line.

Here are six foods that can ruin your summer fun.

1. Caesar salad

Salt binges can lead to water retention, which gives you way too much in common with a blue whale — and it’s so embarrassing when Greenpeace shows up and tries to roll you back into the water. And with the sodium-soaked trio of anchovies, fried croutons, and Parmesan cheese, Caesar salad is a salt mine in a bowl.

But it’s not just sodium: Caesar ranks right up there with taco salads as the most misbegotten "health" foods out there. Need proof? A Chili’s Chicken Caesar Salad has 1,010 calories, 76 grams of fat, and 1,910 mg sodium. If you spill some of it, you should chuck it over your shoulder for good luck.

2. Potato salad

This mayo-drenched spud festival may be a summertime staple, but it’s capable of doing both short- and long-term damage to your beach bod. The short-term damage comes from the carbs in the potatoes, which produce gas as they’re digested — cue the on-shore breezes — and the high sodium content: a full cup of the stuff can contain well over 1,000 mg of sodium. And this simple "salad" is one of the most calorie-dense foods on the planet — so you eat now, and pay later, and later, and later.

3. Cruciferous vegetables

Nutritionists will tell you that cruciferous vegetables — including broccoli, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts — are the best foods for any occasion. And they’re great foods for maintaining long-term weight loss. But we offer a single exception: the moment immediately before you don a swimsuit. These veggies contain a complex sugar called raffinose, which is not digested by the body.

Instead of feeding you, the raffinose ends up feeding the uncouth bacteria in your stomach, which express their gratitude by giving you gas and bloating. By all means, go cruciferous after the beach visit, and you'll fill your belly with nutrient-dense foods, not the calorie-dense variety.

4. Chili

Chili's paunch-heavy impact deserves a mention, especially since the meat-and-bean concoction is so likely to decorate countless hot dogs this summer. Even without meat, chili can have you nervously clutching your belly with both hands to cover the swell-and-ripple effect of too much sodium and a big helping of beans (beans are the most abundant source of the bloating sugar raffinose).

Even Au Bon Pain’s Low-Fat Vegetarian Chili has nearly 1,300 mg of sodium and a slurry of beans in a 12-ounce cup. Make your own low-salt bowl at home, though, and you'll have a healthy meal and process it before sunrise. Assuming you can work out any after-effects with your family and friends, it's all good.

5. Margarita

For many, the beach and neon-tinted booze go hand in hand, but this summertime favorite hits you on two levels: First, with a tide of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup that comprises 99 percent of margarita mixes out there. Second is the immediate impact of the salt-encrusted rim, which will keep all of that liquid stored up in your midsection. A 12-ounce goblet rings up 564 calories and 2,150 mg of sodium. A couple of these will have your belly looking more like a water balloon than a washboard.

6. Beef and Broccoli

Remember what we said about the raffinose in cruciferous vegetables? That's the first reason you should avoid the beef-and-broccoli special at the Chinese takeout. If they serve it over lo mien noodles, the carb payload can create a gas build-up as it passes through your system.

The beach-body death blow, however, comes from the guaranteed quadruple-digit sodium count in so many Chinese dishes. For perspective, P.F. Chang’s traditional beef and broccoli dish has more than a day’s worth of sodium — plus 65 grams of fat, enough to cloud the entire vacation weekend.

Friday Giveaways: Snow + Graham Sticky Notes

Snow + Graham is an amazing letterpress and stationary company with creative paper goods for multiple uses. They offer a whole line of paper novelties with bold, modern graphics and fine letterpressing on high-end paper.

Our giveaway is for a sert of sticky notes that come in corresponding sets! Perfect for a busy mommy who needs to remind herself of things (don't we all).

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

What is on the top of your to-do list right now?

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***

• list our blog in your blogroll/link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog
• give us 1digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
• join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
• join our facebook network by clicking here
  

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, June 4th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway:

(((((((((Pamela))))))))))

Shoot us an email in the next two weeks to claim your prize!

Introducing Young Children to Journaling

I think one of the reasons I love blogging so much is that it is a spin-off of journaling. I have always been a processor and I have always loved writing down my thoughts. It is my therapy. My decompression. That and running keep me sane.

I saw this idea in the March 2009 Wondertime magazine and had to share.
Create a “color” journal and keepsake for your child by introducing them to the art of journaling.
You need:
A small notebook
A jar of colored pencils or crayons
Stash them in a safe place that can be found easily every day. I like the idea of doing this at the end of the day – maybe as I am making dinner and am looking for an activity to occupy wrestless hands. It could also be a great pre-bedtime activity to help kids wind down for the day.

Each evening, ask your child this question: “WHAT COLOR WAS YOUR DAY?”
Let them get to work coloring the “colors of their day”. You can then jot their funny comments across the top or bottom of the page, or use journaling stickers found at scrapbooking stores. I love the way this can open up discussions about things we are thankful for in our days, feelings or other random discussions that would not happen otherwise.

How can you not smile when you hear, “Today was the color of the sun shining on the green grass with pink smiles.” Or, “Today was swirly pink like my hula hoop that I can do so long now.”  Or, maybe you hear, "My day was blue.  Just cuz."

The Extraordinary Ordinary Story

A friend and I went for a walk one evening over ten years ago. We were roommates at the time, spending our days sleeping in, waiting tables, and hanging out with friends late into every night. We were walking down the sidewalk near our apartment, past house after house, all lined up with their fences.

My friend stopped suddenly. Her face expressed her fears as she looked over the fences. She said she didn't know if she could ever do it. She spoke of feeling a bit panicked when picturing herself behind those fences. She admitted feeling a resistance to this cookie-cutter family existence.

We stood and stared at the houses, the moms, the mini-vans in the driveways, the fences, the children, the dogs...

My friend said it was terrifying to think about every day being the same. An endless repetitive routine. A hamster's wheel.

As single people at the time, we couldn't imagine NOT being able to just get up and go, spending our time selfishly, forgetting responsibility. The most disturbing part of our conversation was the realization that it seemed every house and family was exactly the same, the people inside living the same days over and over, mirroring their neighbors.

I don't know why, but in that moment a wave of peace came over me, so I tried to articulate what was in my heart. I said that I realized it looked like all these people had the exact same life, but we were forgetting something.

Even if these lives we observed seemed similar to their neighbors in nearly every way, each person within those houses had a different story to tell. A different road that brought them to this place, behind fences. And even if their routines were much the same, these people all did these daily tasks in their own unique way.

I also thought about the love that existed there, bubbling out of the children with their giggles, and in their mothers hearts. I didn't have any idea what that would really feel like, but I knew it would be profound. An extraordinary kind of love in the ordinary lives of people.
---------
My friend got married and had two beautiful children long before I did. She now has a husband, a six and a seven year old, a dog, and even a fence. She is everything she was back when we took that walk, and so much more. She is living what could be considered an ordinary life. And yet she carries all of the memories and experiences from the days before her family arrived. She became that cookie-cutter wife and mother, and in my eyes she became even more extraordinary. Because of the intense love in her home, behind that fence, she wouldn't go back those ten years for anything.

Today my friend is working hard, focusing on her family and their daily routine. She is all mother and wife, and yet she is still simply my dear Kate, able to laugh and cry with me and share the depths of her unique spirit, just as she always has.

There are a thousand little ways that Kate and I are now living that once feared cookie-cutter existence. Our cars are messy and there's a lot of dog hair clinging to our hardwoods. We are woken up much too early most days, and face the repetitive tasks that motherhood requires. We spend far too much time thinking about what to make for dinner, and we get tired of cleaning the bathroom. Sometimes we get frustrated and impatient, and make a lot of mistakes.

But one thing will never change.

There is a love that can't be described in our hearts as mothers. People have often tried to give this love words, but there just aren't enough in any language.

It is this love, and our own unique ways of showing it, that make us extraordinary in this ordinary life.

TALK BACK: Favorite Celebrity Mom

Okay, this is pure fluff today. 

If you could sit down for breakfast with any celebrity mom, who would you choose and why? (of course, where you would go for breakfast and what you would eat is just as important.) Inquiring minds want to know…

Build Your Own Fruit Kabobs – Rainbow Sticks

Here is an idea to get your kids involved in prepping for dinner, lunch, or simply a snack. Added bonus – they will be excited to eat something healthy!
1. Prep the sliced fruit and place small bowls of fruit your kids like (strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe chunks, watermelon chunks, apple chunks, baby orange slices, blueberries, etc…)
2. Give each child a few skewers (coffee stirrers work well and are safe for the younger kids) and a clean plate to work on.
3. Have them build the kabobs

I like to talk about the how it is healthy to eat the colors of the rainbow. If you want to get really wacky, you can do taste tests with different fruits eaten together and come up with new names for them. We like strawnanas in our house.

Friday Giveaway: aden + anais winter warmth blanket

We are excited to be offering another giveaway from aden + anais. Their double layer wraps will allow you to safely swaddle your baby knowing they will sleep comfortable and securely during the cooler weather. They use the softest, open-weave natural fibers that help your baby's body temperature adjust naturally, so your baby will remain snugly and warm, without overheating.


To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

What is/was your favorite part of the newborn stage?

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
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4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, April 28th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway

((((((((( Pigtails and Pinstripes))))))))))

Shoot us an email in the next two weeks to claim your prize!

The Power of a Choice

One of my favorite parenting books is “Parenting with Love & Logic”. The cornerstone of this book is that we have the opportunity to make almost every moment a teachable moment for our children. Every choice they make has a consequence and if our children can learn that lesson early in life, when the stakes are lower, they will be on the right track. The stakes are so much lower when the choice : consequence ratio is throw a tantrum at the park : oh, bummer play date is over, versus, have sex with my girlfriend : oh, bummer, she is pregnant.

The author also encourages empowering your child by offering him as many choices as you can through out the day. I was reminded yesterday of the wonderful, wonderful “out” that offering a simple choice can give me with my kids when their meltdown is moving from 0 to 60. It allows my children to feel like they have a little bit of power to choose, and it allows me to have a bit of control by introducing 2 great options.

Here is what this looked like for me yesterday. I was heading to the grocery store with my 3 year old where they have these little mini shopping carts for the kids to push as “shoppers in training”. Clearly, whoever ordered the fleet of these mini shopping carts is not a parent. Because if they were, they would know that fellow shoppers do not think it is cute when “shoppers in training” ram their ankles with the carts. Nor, do they have a whole lot of grace when “shoppers in training” block the aisles and race their carts pretending that they are tractors or trucks or race cars. And, they really, really do not enjoy when these “shoppers in training” turn their carts too quickly, causing them to tip over and spill all the contents across the floor – resulting in a traffic jam, and a screaming kid who is scared and very upset that all his shopping items have gone flying across the store.

So, as we were walking into the store, I noticed that the “mini shopping carts” were all lined up and waiting to be used. My son noticed too. He starts clapping and announcing that he would like to push the little cart today. I got down on my knees in front of him and smiled and gave him a choice: “Hey buddy, there are a lot of people here today. We aren’t going to use the little carts today. Here is your choice: do you want to walk and help mom put things in the big tractor cart (does not look anything like a tractor), or, do you want to ride in the cart and have mom give you tickles while we walk?”

He tried to choose the little cart again, but I just restated the choices and he settled on walking like a big boy.

Crisis averted. Road rage from fellow shoppers averted. Sweaty & stressed out mama syndrome averted.

Another way that choices work well for us is when we are ending our park time or a play date. I will announce, “We have 5 more minutes. Are you going to swing for the last 5 few minutes or are you going to do monkey bars and slide one last time?”

Do choices work for you? Got any favorite parenting books that you re-read to remind yourself of good methods?

TALK BACK: stroller parking

Anyone else ever feel like baby gear is taking over? We have a bevy of strollers at my house, and it often seems like they are taking over the garage. We are also constantly trying to figure out the best place to store them, or whether or not we just leave them in the car, etc.

Where do you park your stroller? Do you leave it in the car? Do you have a spot for it? How do you keep the strollers from taking over?

Since the addition of our new baby, we also have a living room cluttered with a bouncy seat, activity mat, blankets, and other random baby items, not to mention the toys that belong to the other kids. Any creative ideas for minimizing the baby gear clutter?

Good Morning Java

I love me a yummy iced coffee, but I am not a big fan of unloading & reloading the kids to pop into Starbucks or paying $4 for a quick beverage. Can I get a witness?

Solution: Make your own perfect iced coffee at home. Try out the new “cold drip” method of making iced coffee. Instead of pouring your hot coffee over ice – diluting the coffee AND making it taste bitter – soak ¾ lb of ground (course is better than fine) coffee in 8 cups of cold filtered or bottled water overnight in the refrigerator. Strain your coffee through a fine sieve, and you will have approx. 24 servings of very strong (and very yummy) coffee that can be stored for up to 2 weeks.

To serve: pour 2 – 3 inches of coffee from bottom, add ice, and then add in milk or water. Stir.
If you enjoy your coffee sweentened, I suggest trying agave – it dissolves very quickly in cold beverages and tastes like honey mixed with brown sugar.

Shortcut tip: turn the extra coffee you have from everyday brewing or from this cold method into ice cubes to use in your iced coffees so that as it melts it does not taste watered down.

Double Stroller of my Dreams

I have a love/hate relationship with strollers. I hate pushing them around, squeezing them through store aisles, and heaving them into my trunk. But I also hate chasing my wild kids around, and love the containment that strollers provide in situations where I need it.

This conflicted feelings are even more compounded when it comes to double strollers. Let's face it: usually a double just means it's twice as heavy, twice as hard to push, and twice as difficult to fit through a door.

I have been through countless double strollers and until now, have often repeated the same mantra to moms who ask me about doubles: there is no perfect option. With my first two kids, I finally settled on a combo of strollers. I used a Joovy Caboose Sit-And-Stand for shopping, because it was tandem and could fit through aisles and doors, and turned well. But it was cumbersome to push and not that comfortable for the kid in back. So I used an Instep Jogger for long walks, beach days, or neighborhood strolls. I think both of these are great strollers, but I hated the fact that I had two, and that I was always having to switch one or the other out of the trunk, depending on my activity for the day.

I've had my eye on the Bumbleride Indie Twin for a while, because I had heard it was a thinner, lighter-weight all-terrain stroller. Mine arrived last week, and I am already a devotee.

The Bumbleride really is all that. The wheels are large and inflatable, so it's easy to push and suitable for long walks or light jogging. But the width of the stroller is smaller, and the wheels are not as large as other joggers I've had, so it can fit through doors (and into the trunk) with much greater ease.

This is one of those strollers that seems to have been designed by an actual mom, because the features are so useful. The under-stroller basket is actually accessible - you can take things in and out from the back or from the side. There is a cupholder for the parent (yay) and an optional snack tray for kids, if you want them to eat on the run. At the back of each seat is a zipper pouch that is the perfect place for mom's cell phone, keys, camera, or anything else you want accessible while you stroll.

The ride is pretty sweet for the kids, too. Each seat is fully adjustable and can even lay all the way back. The footrest is also adjustable. My four-year-old (who is the size of a seven-year-old) fits comfortably, but with a few clicks I can turn it into a bassinet-type seat for my infant. There is also an included carseat adapter that easily snaps on and off, which is great for times when baby is sleeping and you don't want to move them. Each seat also has an independent and adjustable sun visor that comes down far enough to shade the face from any angle.

We had the chance to take this stroller to Disney last weekend, which I think is always the ultimate test for a stroller's performance. We were so impressed. With three kids, this stroller made it easy to adjust each seat on the fly depending on who was going in. It turns well, it doesn't take up too much space, and we were complimented on the stroller numerous times. In fact, my sister-in-law has even taken to nicknaming this the "awesome stroller".

I agree!

Friday Giveaway: The Baby Fat Diet Book

Our next giveaway is for a copy of the Baby Fat Diet book .

Losing the “baby fat” is one of the hardest things for mothers—even years after they give birth. “Eating for two” often results in gaining too much weight, and the more a woman gains, the harder it is to lose. And after having kids, moms are so busy and distracted it’s necessary for them to learn how to eat in a healthy, self-nurturing way again.In The Baby Fat Diet, moms will be relieved to learn that small changes can make a big difference. Restrictive dieting and cutting out favorite foods to the extreme isn’t necessary. The book offers simple, easy-to-live-by health and nutrition tips that help women change the behaviors that make losing weight so difficult. The 30 timeless tips throughout are eminently practical and the recipes are delicious. Not only will moms lose weight on The Baby Fat Diet, they’ll feel good about themselves, too. 

Moms will discover:

•Eating for one again—the importance of portion sizes

•Why breakfast is a weight-loss ally

•The fast-food solution

•Pairing pleasure with healthy foods

•Exercising to the Wiggles®

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

Do you feel that having children changed your body?

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
3 join our facebook network by clicking here
4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, May 21st at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's Crayola giveaway:

(((((((((Colorado Shelton Family ))))))))))

Shoot us an email in the next two weeks to claim your prize!

Spa Me, please

With the current economy the way that it is, there is no doubt that splurging on a dreamy spa day is probably out of the question for most of us. Why not send the kids out (with daddy…to grandma’s…playdate swap?) for the day and bring the spa to you? InStyle magazine recently featured several glamorous spa outings across the country, but you can make them your own and get nearly the same effect (lets be honest, there is just something about the spa).

A little relaxation and pampering will go a long way for the weary mama. Remember, when mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.

Put on some light relaxing music (think: Sarah McLaughlin, Enigma, classical, Enya…whatever floats your mellow boat), light a few candles & dim the lights, silence your cell phones and turn the ringer off on your home phone. You are escaping for a bit. Prepare a pitcher of iced cold water with sliced cucumber, lemon and orange slices. Indulge in glass after glass while you spa.

Here are a couple of “at home spa treatments to try”:

The At Home “make these tired and puffy eyes disappear” Facial

• Slip into a plush robe or your comfiest loungewear, pull your hair up off your face, and wash your face with cleanser & remove makeup.
• Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and pour into a large bowl. Drape a towel over your head and slowly lower your face until it is about a foot above the bowl. Steam for about 5 minutes to open pores.
  
• Apply a good scrub (we recommend a fruit enzyme scrub made with ingredients like pineapple or papaya). Let is linger for a bit (5 minutes or so) and then rinse and pat dry.
  
• Use a clay mask to deep clean your pours. Relax while it dries and then rinse and pat dry.
  
• If you have a good facial serum, finish off your facial by smoothing that on.
  

The At Home “please remind me how my feet felt before I had kids” Foot Treatment

• Fill a large tub (empty out one of the Rubbermaid storage buckets holding your kids toys if you have to!) with warm water. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. For extra decadence, sprinkle the top of the water with a handful of rose petals.
  
• Remove old polish and clip nails straight across. Brush a drop of cuticle oil on each nail and rub into surrounding skin and then soak your feet for about 10 minutes.
  
• Massage your feet with a sugar scrub or lotion with a tablespoon of poppy seeds added to it, rinse and pat dry.
  
• Buff calluses with a pumice stone in circular motion until feet are soft!
  
• Moisturize your feet and wrap in a warm, damp towel that has been microwaved for 30 seconds. 
  
• We dare you to try not to fall asleep!
  

The At Home “head to toe pamper this tired mommy body” Treatment

• For the true pampering, set your thermostat to 80 degrees!
  
• Step into a warm shower and spread an exfoliating sugar scrub over your entire body.
  
• Home-made Sugar Scrub :: mix equal parts brown sugar with grapeseed or sesame oil (you can add your favorite essential oil if you want a scent)
  
• Rinse and pat dry.
  
• Rub any rough patches on your knees and elbows with fresh orange slices and slather an antioxidant and firming body mask over your entire body. If you do not have a mask, you can substitute 2 cups of plain yogurt as the body mask.
  
• While your body mask dries, massage a really good deep conditioner or scalp mask into your hair, taking a few minutes to really massage it into your scalp. Clip hair into a low bun and wait 10 minutes while it sets in.
  
• Rinse your body and hair and apply a quality body lotion to seal in moisture.
  

Crisis in Darfur VS the Flu Outbreak in the United States

I have this amazing friend.  One of my dearest friends from college.  He is a legendary musician.  Hilariously funny (seriously, seriously does the best Dana Carvey impressions).  A brilliant song-writer and musician.  Wicked awesome surfer.  All around good guy.  The kind of friend who would be there when the you know what hits the fan.  But, truly, one of the things I love most about him is his passion to take a stand for those in need of advocacy.  He has supported many causes throughout his career and amidst massive fame and success still lives a very, very simple life.  Let me just say that he chooses to live simply and to give generously when he could live the "cribs" lifestyle.  He is the real deal.  Walks the talk.  Puts his money where his mouth is.  Humbly, ever-so-humbly speaks his mind in a thoughtful way that makes you sit up and listen.

His name:  Jon Foreman

His claim for fame:  front man for the band "Switchfoot" and solo artist with amazing solo albums as well.

He is in the midst of a 3 day fast to show his solidarity with the people of Darfur.  It is pretty staggering when you stop to see what is going on.

This is what I read tonight, written by Jon just a couple days ago on Darfur Fast For Life:

As a musician, I have a natural aversion to politicians. In fact, I believe in democracy simply because I distrust all politicians equally.

And yet, I have a tremendous amount of faith and belief in humanity. When it comes to folks outside of the power schemes I might even trust people too much. I am ruthlessly idealistic, hopelessly optimistic. I believe the best in people. That’s why I have to do something, because I feel that if people knew the truth, they would feel the same as I do. They would feel that something has to be done. They would care and things would change.

President Barack Obama last week requested a $1.5 billion emergency appropriation to deal with a flu outbreak that has killed 3 people in the US. I believe this action was in response to a nation experiencing “what could potentially be the biggest national emergency since Y2K” (genius comparison courtesy of glenn phillips.)

An estimated 300,000 folks have already died in Darfur and we do nothing… $0.00. And three people die of the flu and we spend $1.5 billion to figure things out. $1,500,000,000.00

I understand the need for precautionary measures but this feels like reactionary spending when I am reminded of the 2,500,000 people whose lives hang in the balance in displacement camps? What can be done for them? don’t tell me nothing.

Obama: “We can’t ignore the genocide in Darfur… We have to do everything in our power to make it stop. We have to act. Now.”

Nothing? Years and years go by… and still… nothing…

Our national inaction sends the simple message that a whole crowd of Sudanese souls are not worth as much as an American with the flu. “Surely this is not true!” we protest. And yet our actions speak louder than our words.

There’s something broken with the system.

We the people of the united states of america… We are the system. We are the media. We are the government. We are the twittering public. We the people of the united states of america… we own this place. We decide who is president. We pick the next american idol. Obama our leader, is in many ways a follower of his people. In a state where the vote of the populous determines the next face of the government, a politician must listen to his/her constituents to remain in power. I believe nothing was done for Darfur because Obama doesn’t think the public cares about Darfur.

Perhaps we can blame the media- perhaps the public doesn’t care because they are uninformed, or at least under-informed? Yes, but in many ways “the news” is simply a vendor trying to sell a product, we tell them (with our viewing, purchasing power) what product sells. Britney, Brangelina, or Bosnia. we choose the news.

And now for the staggering fact: you and I are the problem and the solution.

I am not sure where that hits you, but as a mom, it definitely gets me fired up.  I will be contacting the powers that be to demand action, praying vehemently for the people of Darfur, and seriously considering how I can join in this fast.  More than anything, I am hit between the eyes with the reality that I had no idea the crisis was this severe.  I have American Idol on in the background as I write this and I feel more than a bit disgusted.  Hypnotized and over-advertised.

Today, at 10:30 AM, you can watch a live web streaming interview with Jon at Conversant Life.

To see how you can take action, go here.

TALK BACK: faking or not?

So this morning, after oversleeping a bit and dragging myself out of bed to go drag two sleepy girls out of bed, my oldest daughter groaned: “Mommmmmmy, I haaaave a stomachache!” No fever, no vomiting, just the generic term for either not feeling well, or just not feeling like going to school.

So I basically had two options:
1. Let her stay home.
2. Send her to school anyway.

Seems simple enough, doesn’t it? But I often, to a fault, analyze my parenting over even simple dilemmas like this one.

Could I, in keeping her home, be overindulging her?

Or, in making her go to school, am I not listening to or validating her feelings?

I am still not sure.

What did I end up doing? I gave her half a Tylenol, sent her to school, and told her to call me if she felt worse. She appears to have survived.

Right choice? Or not?

What do you do when the “stomachache” greets you in the morning?
[from contributing Mama Manifesto reader, Gina]

Chicken with Lime-Ginger Sauce

This is one of my favorite quick easy chicken recipes. It makes a tangy quick meal that can be served hot, or made ahead of time and served cold. It's perfect for a summer picnic, and yummy straight out of the oven over rice.

Preheat oven to 375F/190C.

2 lbs/1 kg chicken pieces, skinless
1 cup/250 mL plain yogurt
3 Tbsp/45 mL lime juice
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp/5 mL ginger root, grated
1/2 tsp/2 mL salt
1/4 tsp/1 mL pepper

Place the chicken in a greased baking dish. Mix together all of the other ingredients. Spoon the mixture over the chicken and turn the chicken pieces to coat both sides. Bake for about an hour or until no longer pink inside. Serve immediately, OR cover with foil and place in refrigerator for a packable summer meal.

Happy Mother's Day (with some confessions)

For a little mother's day laugh, here is a video of confession we made for Mama Manifesto last year.

What are your mom confessions? I think it's always funny (and relieving) to share some of the ways we cope as moms.

Happy Mother's Day!

Best & Worst Foods for Kids

From Eat This, Not That

A balanced diet can save your child from the obesity epidemic. Has anyone else been out and about lately and noticed how many children are overweight? I mean, really overweight. It is a bit frightening to think of what is going on inside these little bodies that are carrying weight around that does not belong on such a young person.

I recently stumbled on this article over at "Eat This, Not That", and had to share...

Just as the waistline of the average adult American is expanding at a belt-breaking rate, so too are those of this country's youth. It doesn't take a nutritionist to see that almost overnight we've gone from Generation X to Generation XXL. Recent research shows that kids today consume 180 calories more per day compared to kids in 1989, and all of those extra calories translate into some pretty staggering health consequences: 45 percent of this country's youth are overweight or obese, and the number of children burdened with diabetes has nearly quadrupled in the past thirty years.

Only 2 percent—that's right, 2 percent—of children between the ages of 2 and 19 are fulfilling their five main recommendations for a healthy diet laid out in the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid. That means a serious dearth of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy, and lean proteins and an excess of sugar-filled packaged foods. In fact, a study of 4,000 children of that same age group showed that the overwhelming bulk of their nutrients come from cereals and fruit drinks. If kids are relying on Frosted Flakes and Hawaiian Punch for nutrition, we know there's a problem.

Legislation is in effect across the country to try to control the flow of food into our schools. But you can't afford to wait for a group of strangers in suits to pass laws that tell your kids how to eat. According to a report issued by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, a student who enters high school overweight has only a slight chance of reaching a normal weight by adulthood. High school freshmen at healthy weights, on the other hand, are four times as likely to stay slim as adults.

We all need help with our diets, especially kids. Use the guidelines and tips below to lay the foundation for a life of healthy eating.

Daily Needs*

2 to 3 years old:
Boys and Girls: 1,200 calories
1 cup of fruits
1.4 cups of vegetables
4 oz whole grains
3 oz meat and beans
2 cups milk
4 tsp oils

4 to 8 years old:
Girls: 1,500 calories
Boys: 1,700 calories

1.5 cups fruits
2 cups vegetables
5 oz grains
5 oz meat and beans
2.5 cups milk
4 tsp oils
1.5 cups fruits
2.5 cups vegetables
5.5 oz grains
5 oz meat and beans
3 cups milk
5 tsp oils

9 to 13 years old:
Girls: 1,900 calories
Boys: 2,100 calories

2 cups fruits
2.5 cups vegetables
6 oz grains
5.5 oz meat and beans
3 cups milk
5 tsp oils
2 cups fruits
3 cups vegetables
6.5 oz grains
6.5 oz meat and beans
3 cups milk
6 tsp oils

What are you doing in your home to help your kids maintain a healthy, active lifestyle? We have a rule as a family that we have to get our heart rate moving every day, even if it means just dancing around to music for 25 minutes.

Friday Giveaway: Crayola Outdoor Products

This summer, Crayola is encouraging children to let their imaginations run wild with a nationwide wellness campaign called the “Crayola Outdoor Challenge.” The initiative is aimed at inspiring families to spend more time outside exercising their bodies and minds. We are all about linking arms with organizations and other mamas to help inspire families to spend more time outdoors and being active. So, this giveaway is meant to inspire some time outside!

To coincide with National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, Crayola is asking families to take the “Crayola Outdoor Challenge” and pledge time each day this summer to outdoor creative play – which can reduce stress, build confidence and reinforce creative thinking skills. The national goal is to reach one million hours of pledged outdoor play time. Beginning May 5 and running through the end of the summer, parents can take the pledge at Crayola.com and find dozens of outdoor games and activities that keep kids’ imaginations and bodies active.
Getting creative outdoors lets kids make their own fun and when their imaginations are involved, the fun is endless. To provide families with even more ways to get outside and have fun, Crayola has introduced new additions to its line of outdoor products. In these challenging economic times, Crayola’s outdoor products provide parents with an inexpensive way to keep their kids entertained and active this summer.

Pledge here to show your solidarity! To be entered in this giveaway, please leave us a comment answering the following question:


"What is your favorite outdoor activity to do as a family?"


The prize package includes the following products:
· Sidewalk Crayons offer kids more than pretty pastels to create outdoor masterpieces. Once reserved for bringing coloring books to life, this new technology offers the richest, brightest, boldest colors for creating extraordinary outdoor artwork. The difference is striking, as the smooth, creamy colors lay down on driveways and sidewalks with unmatched brightness. For children 4 and up, suggested retail price is $4.99 for a set of 15 colors.


· The Rainbow Rake is a fun new way to create chalk messages and designs! Kids can adjust the arms for close lines or far-apart lines; use the rake to write giant messages and draw swirling, swooping lines! For children 4 and up, suggested retail price is $11.99 for one rake and 5 pieces of chalk.


· Kids can watch their art come to life with the 3D Jungle Safari Activity Set. Create a jungle safari, put on the 3D glasses and kids will feel like they are in the jungle! The set includes 1 bottle of sidewalk paint (7 fl. oz.), a paint brush, 1 pair of 3D glasses, 8 dual-ended sidewalk chalk sticks, 4 giant stencils and 1 how-to book. For children 6 and up, the suggested retail price is $13.99.


How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
3 join our facebook network by clicking here
4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, May 14th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

The winner of last week's Bra-le-lulah giveaway is:

((((Mike and Rachel, Brandie, Heather, Maricel, and Christy))))

The winner of last week's Power Mama giveaway is:
(((( Jen, Reiza, Lindley, Soul Garments, and Alex & Gabrielle))))

Email us in the next 2 weeks to claim your prize. Keep checking back for more giveaways!!

Fixing a leak.

How is it that telemarketers know just when we will be sitting down for dinner? How about the gazillion credit card applications and other junk mail items I get daily? Don't these people know about the "green" movement?

Here are some tips for fixing those pesky "information leaks":

• Say "buh bye" to telemarketers. Register your phone numbers on the FTC's Do Not Call list. Go to donotcall.gov, or call 888-382-1222 from the number you want to register. (If you register through the website, be sure to click on a link in the confirmation e-mail you receive.) Most telemarketers should stop calling once you've been in the registry for 31 days. Note to self :: You need to re-register your numbers every five years.

• Lower your risk for credit theft. You know all those offers for credit or insurance that declare you have been "pre-approved". Identity thieves may intercept these and, with the right additional information, apply for credit under your name. Call 888-567-8688 to opt out. With a single request, you can halt pre-approved offers of credit or insurance that are based on information from the consumer credit-reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis.

• Stop the paper trail. You ordered one throw pillow on clearance, and now your mailbox is visited daily by the catalogue fairy. Opt out of catalog mailing lists through Abacus, which compiles a database shared by catalog and publishing companies. [write to Abacus, P.O. Box 1478, Broomfield, CO 80038. Include the full name of everyone in your house who should stop receiving unsolicited catalogs, your current address, and your previous address if you've moved recently.]

Got any tips for putting the "kabash" on any other annoying habits of the modern-media world?

complaint letter submitted by a Mama Manifesto reader, Gina:

Dear “not-the-priciest-but-definitely-above-average-department-store”:

This is my first complaint letter I have ever written to a department store, but…..

I was in your children’s shoe department yesterday, shopping for my nine year old. We went in looking for sandals, and I was horrified to find that the girls’ sandals in your store seem to have grown wedge heels since last year!

So I asked myself….Who thought that was a good idea?

Surely not moms. Why would a mom think to herself, “Self, I am so over these nice comfy flat sandals that are cute and little-girly. From now on, I will only purchase platforms!”

Surely not buyers for your store. Why would a children’s shoe buyer think to herself, “Self, no moms are going to want only flat sandals that a girl can run or climb trees or turn a cartwheel in. This year all the moms are going to want to buy sandals with heels.”

Surely not shoe makers. Why would a children’s shoe maker think to his or herself, “Self, there is absolutely no problem with creating a girls’ shoe that is potentially unsafe. And totally no problem with dressing an 9 year old like an 18 year old.”

So I ask myself, where is the breakdown here? Who thinks this is a good idea? Haven’t we all read enough articles about the dangers of sexualizing young girls? Don’t we want our girls to still be cart-wheeling at 9, not teetering on platform heels?

So I am writing my first complaint, ever. On behalf of my gangly, all elbows and knees, beautiful girls, who I want to see running and playing as long as possible. Who I don’t want to see looking like adolescents, until they reach actual adolescence.

I am complaining, for their safety, for their innocence, and out-loud, and because I am guessing there are other moms who feel exactly the same way as I do.

Yours truly,
Gina

TALK BACK: a good teacher?

A few weeks ago, we asked readers to pose their own "talk back" questions. Mama reader Sandy Toes suggested this week's talk back:

How do you know if your child has a good teacher? And how do you respond if you child does not have a good teacher?

Turkey Breast Chili Burritos

Need a quick dinner idea? This comes from Heather at Cookie Mondays, Ice Cream Sundays.


Thanks to a few of my favorite Trader Joe's convenience foods, I threw this together last night in half an hour, while Kevin & the kids were at the park:

Turkey Breast Chili Burritos

can of TJ's organic vegetarian chili
jar of your favorite TJ's salsa (mine is garlic chipotle)
package of turkey breast cutlets
whole grain tortillas
baby spinach
avocado chunks

Pour 1/2 the jar of salsa over turkey (seasoned as desired), and bake until cooked through. Meanwhile, combine chili & remaining salsa in a skillet, and heat. Shred cooked turkey and add to the chili mixture. Warm tortillas and fill each with a scoop of turkey chili, a handful of spinach, and the avocado. Maybe even a little shredded cheese and a dallop of sour cream. YUM.

MAMA PICKS: mother's day gifts

Looking for the perfect gift for Mother's Day? Whether you are shopping for your own mom or looking for hints to drop to your own hubby, here are some ideas for unique Mother's Day gifts.

Little MisMatched is a fun company that started with crazy socks. They now have adorable pj sets in cozy cotton. Our favorite part - they have sizes in baby up to mama, so you can (mis)match your little one if you like!

Dasiy Princess Paperie is a great stationary company that has "gone green", and we don’t mean with envy. They offer a variety of eco-friendly styles with great modern detail. From the paper to the printing, their process is eco-friendly. Daisy Princess Paperie brings a splash of graphic design and a shot of fine art to your paper and gift collections.


Sundari Skincare is a collection of anti-aging skincare products created from the purest ingredients in nature. It blends modern science for immediate results with botanicals known through ancient wisdom. Their products are formulated with organic ingredients where ever possible, with no synthetic fragrances or dyes. Essential oils used are of therapeutic grade, so your skin will look and feel great. We love the Gentle Gel Cleanser and the Lavender Moisturizer.

Not Just Any Old Day makes unique and personalized Calendar Keepsake Charms that are a lovely new way of remembering, cherishing and celebrating a very significant month and day in the life of the person who wears it. Marked with a genuine Swarovski crystal, on the date in the month that holds a special meaning, this keepsake piece is the perfect gift to yourself or someone else - it never loses the special meaning to the person who owns it. Made from Solid Sterling Silver, they make a charming Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day present, and its the perfect gift for new parents to mark the birth of a child.

ScanDigital is a service that scans and retouches images, preserving them for future generations to enjoy, and a great way to give moms something meaninful and sentimental. Here is a selection of gifts sure to put a tear in any mother’s eye:

• Let Mom choose from services like photo scanning and retouching, home movie transfer services, digital photo frames, slideshows, photo canvas prints and many other gifts.
• Give Mom a Slideshow by ScanDigital featuring her favorite photos of you together. Choose from an unlimited selection of music and set the Slideshow to your mom’s favorite song. She’ll love watching it on her special day!
• By sending Mom’s photo archive to ScanDigital, she’ll be able to organize all of her photos in one place, share them with friends and family, and ensure that precious family memories are preserved for future generations.
• Allow your busy mom to relax on the couch and relive her favorite old home movies on DVD.
• Collect your family’s archive of home movies from VHS tapes to reels of film and send them into ScanDigital to be transferred on DVD!

ScanDigital is currently offering several Mother's Day packages as a special promotion for gifting the mom in your life. We love the Mom Starter Package- for $75, mom can have up to 100 photos, slides, or negatives (or 4 VHS tapes) converted to digital.





Leonidas Chocolates are the perfect way to indulge a mom. Their ballotin assortment includes a selection of sinfully smooth truffles, butter creams, and pralines in milk, dark and white chocolate coverings, all in a stylishly wrapped floral package. If it is possible to fall madly in love with a box of chocolates, then the assortment is the perfect place to start. These chocolates are soft, fresh, and truly melt in your mouth. Their gifts arrive fast and fresh, carefully packaged in protective Styrofoam containers to protect the chocolates during shipping. And a heads up - Leonidas is going to run a promotion with Amazon.com featuring it as the “deal of the day” TODAY (Saturday May 2nd) for 24 hours. It's just $33 all inclusive instead of $39 for the chocolate + $12 for the packing and shipping. On this one, everything will ship Monday for Delivery on Wednesday or Thursday.

Okay, it's not really porn. But we think this is one funny book/ Every page has a cute guy saying phrases that every new mom finds attractive: "Remember, tonight's my feeding- don't wake up!" We love the concept, and at $12, it's a great shower gift that's sure to get passed around. You can find it, and tons of other cute gift ideas, at uncommongoods.com.

Out of the Box Games have a great variety of games that are fun for the whole family. Games are the gift that gives to the whole family - and we like their sketch game Backseat Drawing.
It's like Pictionary, but, the artists don’t know what they are drawing—they can only follow the instructions given by another team member. It's fun to watch as players attempt to follow direction and to guess what is being drawn. For example: Direct a teammate to draw a square. Then have them draw triangle on top of the square. (It’s a house). Get the picture?

Friday Giveaway: SPANX

We have a giveaway for ten lucky mamas this week! Spanx is offering 5 Spanx Power Mama and 5 SPANX Wireless Bra-llelujahs!

Here is the scoop—

SPANX Power Mama ($32.00)- is the SPANX for mamas-to-be! Soft Lycra and nylon yarns stretch with your growing belly and provide lower back support to give you and your baby a break! This little miracle shapes the rear and thighs as they expand along with your tummy. It's the perfect way to shape your butt in those cute maternity dresses.

SPANX Bra-llelujah! Wireless Front-Closure Bra ($62.00) - SPANX Wireless Bra-llelujah is uniquely designed to provide the lift you love and the support you want without the need for an underwire. Featuring naturally adjusting shoulder and back straps made from hosiery, the Wireless Bra-llelujah remains invisible under clothes, banishes VBL (Visible Bra Lines) and minimizes back fat. We love that.

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question, and specify which product you want to enter for:

What is your favorite part of your own body?

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
3 join our facebook network by clicking here
4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, May 7th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And the winner of the Simple Shoes giveaway:
((((( Jennifer [knittingmomof3] )))))

Shoot us an email in the next two weeks to claim your prize!