Get Healthy Momma: Mommy Talk

Showing posts with label Mommy Talk. Show all posts

Monday, January 08, 2018

It's Monday again....

Kandice January 08, 2018 0 Comments

At the beginning of the New Year, I always get motivated to write a blog post, and I promise that I'll keep it up.....I never do, so I'm not making any promises. I have decided I'm going to try again though! Haha.

It's the New Year, with that brings new plans, new goals, and new resolutions. Seems like a fresh start to just about everything. I didn't really set any resolutions for myself. To be honest, I just want to feel like I'm surviving. With dance, for all three kids but mostly H's competitive schedule, E's hockey schedule & Oxford learning twice a week, me being back in school and then just trying to maintain a somewhat clean house, and keep up with chores and maybe a bit of personal time, I found right before Christmas that I was sinking. I couldn't keep up, we weren't having quality time together as a family and I felt, exhausted from it all. This year I just want to survive. Haha.
We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. Lots of family time during the break which was so lovely. We enjoyed it even though the weather was miserable. We reach all-time low temps which didn't allow us much outside time at all. We needed it.
Well, I'm making dinner and the kids are watching the jungle book but it seemed like a perfect opportunity to pop in for a minute and write something. Sometimes it feels good just to write it down.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Get those cameras out! {Canadian Retinoblastoma Society}

Kandice June 13, 2012 2 Comments

As I'm sure some of my readers know, I am a part time photographer on the side of my full time job, and raising two kids and being a wife. I know, I know apparently I think I have a ton of extra time on my hands! haha! So when I got this email from Daphna, regarding spreading the word about Retinoblastoma I just couldn't turn it down.

So, what is Retinoblastoma?
A rare cancer of the eye triggered by genetic mutations in one or more cells of the retina. It typically affects children between birth and five years of age, and about 23 Canadian children each year.

If detected early, Retinoblastoma is 98% curable but early detection is critical!

So this is sort of where I as a photographer comes into play...

Although I am a natural light photographer and don't use flash, I know that as a mother, we parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles LOVE to photograph our children. We charish all of those cute little smiles, the rollie pollie arms, chins, legs, the first roll over, the first crawl, the first walk...you get my point - we take a LOT of photographs. I encourage this for a variety of reasons!

We as parents can find signs of Retinoblastoma by looking at photographs taken using flash.

The signs of Retinoblastoma are:

Whiteness reflected in the pupil, particularly noticable when the pupil is dilated (noticable in flash photography).

A few other symptoms that could be associated with Retinoblastoma or other eye conditions include:

inward or outward turning of the eye
redness of the eye
swelling of the eye

Why does Retinoblastoma make the eye white?
Typically with a healthy retina and the layers supporting it will reflect light back from the camera flash as "red eye" when a flash photograph is taken but a child with retinoblastoma, the tumor prevents the light from reaching the retina, giving the pupil a white appearance. This whiteness may not be visible in ALL pictures, size and location as well as angle the photo is taken on can all play a role in what is visible.

What can you do at home?

Use the flash on your camera
Turn off the red eye feature
Take pictures from a variety of angles (as a mother, is this even that hard! LOL)
Lightly light room
If you notice anything "weird", bring the photograph to your doctor ASAP

NOTE: Cell phone's use a different type of flash (LED) and will not aid in early detection.

The Canadian Retinoblastoma Society raises awareness and promotes early detection of Retinoblastoma cancer using flash photography. They are the only charity in Canada dedicate exclusively to education, advocacy, and support for Canadian retinoblastoma families. They are shedding light on this condition and encouraging parents to monitor their children closely so those affected can be detected early.

The CRBS has set up this campaign and web site to promote further information on early retinoblastoma detection. You can also read a personal story of a mother Maria - here and how photographs helped in the early detection of Leo's retinoblastoma in his left eye.

So as a mother and as a photographer, I encourage you to take as many photographs of your rollie pollie children as you can!

I encourage you to turn on the flash (NOT every picture needs flash by the way (that's the photographer in me)) but do it. Early detection is key and it's simple enough for anyone to do it!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Say Yes!

Kandice May 16, 2012 4 Comments

I've got a challenge for you, my readers! Are you ready? It's a good one and of course there is a chance to win some great products.

I was contacted by company that had just recently done an online survey of Canadians moms about how often they have to say no to their children's request for family time. 65% said lack of time is the major barrier because of such busy busy schedules. 95% of moms WANT to spend more time with their children but 64% have to say no.

I say It’s time to say yes! And so does Procter & Gamble. We were lucky enough to receive a Yes Kit one and it was filled with everything we needed to make a GREAT yes day!

Included in the Yes Kit was

Tide® original liquid laundry detergent,
Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser,
box of Puffs® facial tissue,
Charmin® Freshmates, Bountry® paper towel,
1 adult and 2 child-size aprons,
Along with ideas to create more fun-filled family moments.

This package is valued at $50.00.

So go ahead, make your child’s day and say “Yes”!

Need a few ideas on what you can do with your child?

Arts and crafts that we love doing

Finger painting/Painting
Play-doh - we ALWAYS make our own check out this recipe
Glue sticks and glitter - lots of fun things happen with these two things!
Bomb painting the the driveway!

Use rafflecopter to enter for a chance to win your very own "Yes Kit" and make an extra effort this next week to say Yes to your kids and the ideas they have. Let's all have a few more carpet picnics/tea parties, finger painting and fort building! We owe it to our kids!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Girl

Kandice May 03, 2012 1 Comments

I can't believe when I work up this morning at 7, I had a 4 year old daughter.

On this day 4 years ago you were born! So SWEET, so TINY, so PERFECT! You had a squished little nose that everyone made sure to remind me would "fix" itself. You were bright pink, and had the darkest head of hair I had ever seen! You were perfect and you were all mine!

Now you're 4 years old and I was lying in bed with you this morning watching your eyes move around and a smile perk up on your face every couple of minutes. I smiled because of how much love I have for you and for your BEAUTIFUL, LOVING, CARING and ADVENTUROUS personality. I couldn't image a day going by without you in it.

You have made my life perfect! You have taught me to LOVE, to CARE, to EXPLORE, to LAUGH, to be a KID, to SMILE, to CHALLENGE myself and to LOVE who I am!

You make me SMILE, you make me CRY, you make me QUESTION.

You are INCREDIBLE! SMART, CRAZY, OUTGOING, PLAYFUL and I'm so lucky to have such an amazing person to watch grow. I am the luckiest mom around to be your mom and I wish you the best HAPPIEST birthday you could ever have.

You are my ROCKSTAR!

I LOVE YOU!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

A day in the life....

Kandice November 24, 2011 1 Comments

I thought it might be fun to post a quick overview of what my day looks like now that I'm back to work. Being from Canada I had a year maternity leave so it's a BIG adjustment when I have to head back to work.

I started back a couple of weeks ago (hence the lack of blog posts) and have slowly been adjusting and getting back in the routine of things.

The night before work:

- Prepare dinner for tomorrow morning. I've been trying to use the crock pot as much as possible to make the coming home routine a bit easier.

- Add water and coffee to the coffee maker, auto run the coffee maker for the morning

- Make lunches for Chris and I

- Watch TV, knit, RELAX

- Go to bed around 11-11:30pm

Morning

5:30am Everett is awake and in my bed. Hubby gets up each morning and brings him in when he starts whining. It gives me a bit more time and it's much more pleasent to just nurse him in bed.

6:00am First alarm, hit snooze

6:15am Get up, go pee, bush my teeth etc.

6:30am Have a shower if I need it.

6:45am Start the process that is my hair (hopefully my kiddos are still sleeping)

7:15am Hair is done and kids are most likely up. Hubby is snuggling in bed with them watching Treehouse. How come he never needs to get up so early! Hopefully my makeup is done at this point as well

7:30am Get dressed and head downstairs with kids in tow

7:31am If I forgot to set the coffee to come on, then make coffee THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP IN THE PROCESS

7:45am Sit down with the kids, talk, snuggle, etc

8:00am I'm drinking coffee! YUMMY!

8:15am My mom comes around this time. She's our sitter :)

8:17am Get mom coffee, sit down for a couple of minutes

8:30am Get the kids breakfast

8:35am Head out the door.

8:45am I'm at work!

So that's it! Sounds pretty easy right....but don't' forget in between each of these, I'm running after my son who is diaper less and peed on the floor. He is now playing in it and it's everywhere. My daughter is screaming at me because she wants the TV, Wii, xbox, some sort of electronic device on and it's not working. My dogs are freaking out because they have to pee and if I don't get to the door right now they might actually squat and pee on the floor - it's that URGENT! The doors locked when my mom shows up so the dogs are barking like crazy dogs, the boy is screaming because the dogs are barking and it scared him. The girls are screaming because it scared them and they are excited that Nana is here and I NEED TO DRINK COFFEE!!!

my day continued

WORK

coffee
WORK

12:00pm lunch
WORK

coffee
WORK

4:30pm Time to head home....are you ready???

4:45pm I'm home, the dogs are barking, Everett is whining because he wants to nurse, Hannah wants to show me something, my mom is telling me how the day was, I need coffee, Keira is talking to her mom and upset that Nana is leaving, the phones ringing, the dogs need out.....

5:00pm Sit down and nurse Everett

5:15pm Maybe Ev has let go of me, maybe not

5:30pm If dinner wasn't put in the crock pot I start dinner. If there was dinner in the slow cooker. I start preparing the sides.

6:15pm My sister gets home from work....repeat 4:45pm all over again

6:20pm Sit down and eat dinner...sounds relaxing right??? The dogs need out again...seriously how do they possibly pee/poop so much. The dogs need their dinner, Everett is VERY tired and is whining, the kids are fighting about the utensils they are using, the milk spills, stay on the carpet dogs! Hannah and Keira are each trying to tell us what's going on in their lives but they won't wait their turn so they are trying to talk over each other. The door bell rings, the dogs bark, Everett screams, the girls cry - oh wait other way around..The dogs are at the door and won't let us answer it, we get it open a crack and it's someone wanting to sell us windows for our brand new home...the dog got out...run around the neighbored, we've got the dog! Oh wait the other dog needs out....here we go again....

7:20pm bath time for the kids and for mommy!

8:00pm everyone is in bed

and it starts all over again the next day!

It's crazy! Maybe one day I'll get my husband to run around behind me with a camcorder. No, wait, that's a VERY VERY VERY bad idea!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Diva Cup review and Giveaway!

Kandice August 18, 2011 33 Comments

I know I've had some readers patiently waiting for this review and I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to get it posted. I had big ideas for it but things didn't work out so I figured I'd better get this up anyway!

What is the diva cup?

The diva cup is a menstrual alternative to disposable tampons and sanitary pads. It is a non-absorbent menstual cup that collects menstrual flow. It is inserted and sits low in the vagina. The cup can be worn for up to 12 hours before emptying, washing and reinserting for another 12 hours. It can be used any time of your flow, heavy or light and is perfect for overnight.

It is latex-free, BPA-free and plastic free
It has zero dyes, colours or additives
It is comfortable and reliable
Clean, convenient, and easy to use

Make sure you check out their website for TONS more information about what the Diva cup is, how to use it, where to buy it, etc.

Why I use the Diva Cup

I started looking for alternatives to pads and tampons many years ago when I was so fed up with the painful itchiness, rashes, and inflammation I had each time I had my period and had to use pads/tampons.

I knew there had to be something different but I couldn't find it. When I did find the Diva cup, no one knew much about it and I was intimidated by it. I felt I might be "weird" if I used it, no one I knew used one so I didn't have anyone to talk to about it, so ultimately I left it on the shelf. Right after I had Ev, I just couldn't HANDLE the uncomfortable week once a month any longer, I had to find something different. I went to a local store and found what I was looking for. I picked it up off the shelf and was immediately approached by the lady that worked there. She told me if I had any questions to ask. Okay, that's a good start....."Do you know much about this product?" I asked her. "Oh yes!" That's all I had to say to get the conversation started. That's all I had to say to get the passion radiating from the sales lady about how she LOVED the Diva cup!

I was sold! I bought it right then and there and HAVEN'T turned back!

My Initial reaction - 3 months ago (3 cycles)

The first cycle was the hardest, if that's even the right word because it wasn't really hard. I was just unsure of exact placement when inserting the Diva cup and did have a few leaks. I made sure to have a panty liner on for this exact reason. Once I figured out the proper way to insert the cup it was good from then on.

I was a bit concerned at first because I have had two children and was worried that because I did have some tearing delivering both of them the cup would fall out. Because of this I opted for Size 2 (sizing here). During my first cycle, I could feel the cup and sometimes felt like the cup was going to fall out (it never did). I did some looking around online and found that others had complained of the same thing and they trimmed the tip of the cup down a bit. I decided I would trim the tip too and found that this really help with that protruding feeling. I no longer feel the cup at all!

What I love about the Diva Cup

I LOVE that they are a Canadian company (actually they are a local company to me which is even more exciting)!

I LOVE that I am no longer dealing with the pain, itchiness, rash, inflamed soreness I had each time I was menstruating before using the Diva Cup.

I LOVE that I am helping to save the planet and being conscious of our environment! I am no longer helping throw away the 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons into our North American landfills.

I LOVE that I am no longer putting dangerous additives near or inside my body. Did you know, most pads and tampons contain dioxin, a known carcinogen. It's a by-product of the bleaching process and obviously nothing we should have INSIDE our bodies!

And although menstrual cups have never been associated with TSS, I can't make any claims to this nature. I personally feel I am protecting myself against the risk of it*. To find out more information about Tampon related TSS please go to You ARE love.org and read Amy's story, she lost her life because of TSS at the age of 20!

More...

So if you're interested in using the Diva Cup, my first thought would be to send you to the FAQ page on their website. Read about the Diva Cup make sure it's something you want to commit to. It's totally worth it and trust me, you will feel 100% different about your period.

I have found I have less cramping, less clotting (I know its kind of gross to talk about this right?). And just a much happier period (wait isn't that the slogan for Always??) Anyway it's true, I am a total convert I LOVE feeling free of itchy, painful pads and tampons! It really is freeing!

The Diva cup is definitely becoming more popular on store shelves! Yippee! So check out the store finder to find a retailer near you or you can buy online here!

Of course, I wouldn't let my readers down...be sure to enter using Rafflecopter to win a Diva Cup of your very own! :)

*This is 100% MY opinion and has no scientific research behind it as of yet!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Baby Bond Review and Giveaway

Kandice July 19, 2011 32 Comments

Disclaimer - I was given this product(s) free of charge for review purposes. These opinions are 100% my own.

I'm a nursing momma, I breastfeed my daughter until she self weaned at 18 months old and now my son at 9 months is a booby monster! I've always been a firm believer that breastfeeding is the best for baby (but that's not the point of this post and I don't want to start any sort of hot topic).

I was unsure of doing this review of the Baby Bond because I've never been much of a cover up momma! I have always felt comfortable nursing in public (and have never been giving any criticism for doing so). I find it to be a hassle trying to cover myself, and baby and more often then not I find myself exposed more then if I just lifted my shirt.

I appreciate the story of how the nursing cover came about and you can read the story under the about tab on the Baby Bond website. It started out as an idea during a 2am feeding of a Mother that was uncomfortable nursing in public but still wanted to maintain that intimacy between baby and mom while nursing. Read the full story here

The reason I did decide to do this review was with summer coming there would be cute summer dresses, shirts, etc. Sometimes these article of clothes, makes it difficult to nurse without really exposing yourself. I would have pull the dress all the way up and place my baby underneath ultimately covering him up. Or I would have to pull the dress down which means the breast is totally exposed over the top of my dress. In this case, I needed a cover. I don't like traditional nursing covers because they cover everything, it's hot, and in my opinion not necessary. So when I read about the Baby Bond, it seemed like it was a great fit. Exactly what I was looking for on these occasions when I wore a dress or shirt that could not be lifted to nurse my boy.

BabyBond™ nursing accessories cover mom, not her baby. Mom is able to maintain her modesty. Baby remains uncovered benefiting from the infinite opportunity to make eye contact, interact, and communicate. After all, dining is social.

I was sent the Baby Bond Couture to try. I was interested in this particular cover because of it's duel purpose. It works as a cover but also if you'd prefer you can cover your tummy and back (ie. belly band) from being exposed while you are nursing your child. I also really like that it rolls into a self-storing pouch (only the couture does this).

I received the package in the mail and quickly became unsure about the product. I liked the idea of it still, but I wasn't sure about the message it conveyed. It took me a bit to finally use the product because of this...

I didn't like the idea that Baby Bond focused on the "modesty" aspect of breastfeeding. I don't feel a women needs to be totally covered to maintain her modesty while nursing her child.

I didn't like the slogan "For nursing and conversing. Feed your baby. Nourish your relationship." because again I don't feel a mother nursing a child should be excluded from conversations with others, be sent to another room, etc. They should be made to feel comfortable nourishing her child the way her body was meant to.

These two things turned me off of the product pretty quickly. As I mentioned, it was difficult for me to use the cover at first because of these two simple things.

But, I really wanted to find something that worked for me and what we needed during the times it just wasn't easy for me to breastfeed without exposing myself. So I gave it a try. And guess what! I really like it. It was easy to use and didn't cover my baby like most traditional nursing covers or blanket. The best part, E didn't complain while using it.

So I decided I'd create a short video of me actually nursing E while at the computer. I think this was a great way to show exactly how easy it is to use. The section right in the middle of the video shows exactly what it's like to use it with a wiggle worm. I didn't realize he had snagged a piece of his sisters apple. And I had to struggle with him to get it out of his mouth but we did all while staying mostly covered.

Enjoy!

Baby Bond has some great videos and pictures on their website to describe features of each of their lines, Original, Flex and Couture (all have the same price point of $35USD).

My final thoughts on the nursing cover, I like it! I think it's definitely worth the $35. They have some great colours to choose from including Chocolate, Night and Charcoal. The Original and the Flex have different sizes so be sure to check the sizing chart before ordering. The couture is one sized.

I am still a fan of staying uncovered while nursing but if I am wearing something that makes it harder I always toss the Baby Bond in my diaper bag before I leave the house. I got over the slogan because I understand there are many women that don't feel as comfortable as I do while nursing in public. And I know some women have been made to feel that they have to cover or leave the room while nursing. It's a shame this happens but I know it does.

All in all I think it's a great option for moms and I'm happy I was able to give it a try!

Buy it!

Interested in trying the Baby Bond? Lucky for you, Baby Bond has given me a discount code for you to use. If you enter "GHM" (no quotes) at the time of purchase you get a discount of 25% off! How great is that! That's a great discount for a great cover!

Check it out! I think you'll be happy if you decided to purchase it!

You can buy it on the website under the Shop drop down menu!

Win It!

Baby Bond is giving away 1 baby bond in the style of the winners choice to one lucky GetHealthyMomma reader! Winner will be selected using Random.org

Mandatory Entry! Please do this FIRST!

It's easy!

To enter tell me which style of Baby Bond nursing cover you would choose if you won! Colour would be nice to know as well! :)

Please include you e-mail address so I can reach you!

Extra Entries! - Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!

(1 extra entry) Follow GHM via GFC. Please tell me the name you use when joining my site! I hope this is working now. I know there have been some complaints lately that this isn't working. Please include your email address in the comment, so I can contact you if you win!

(1 extra entry) Like my Facebook page - you can find it here - make sure there is a way I can contact you! Leave a comment with your e-mail address please!

I will be drawing a winner using Random.org. One winner will be selected and given 48hours to respond to my e-mail before a new winner is selected. Giveaway open WORLDWIDE and will close on August 9th at 11:59EST.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Claudia's Choices Laundry Detergent Review & Giveaway

Kandice July 05, 2011 38 Comments

When my daughter was born we used the local diaper service in our area to drop off/pick up all our cloth diapers. This meant I never had to wash diapers and only had to wash the covers and these were just washed with our regular laundry detergent and with my daughters regular clothes.

Then when I got pregnant the second time I knew I wanted to purchase our own diapers (it was cheaper in the long run), so this meant I had to "learn" to wash the diapers. I did some reading online, took a cloth diaper course and found the laundry detergent I now use for all our laundry needs!

Claudia's Choices started much like a lot of other eco-friendly company's. Claudia had a baby and her and her family were looking for eco-friendly alternatives for taking care of their children. After trying department store brands and not finding something they were satisfied with, they made it themselves. Since then they have expanded their line to include not only the Ultra Phosphate Free Laundry Powder but many other lines all easily found under Eco-Cleaning (Small Planet cleaning products), Eco-Baby (Cloth diapers and accessories), Eco-Pet, Eco-Lifestyle, Eco-Organic headings on their website.

I have used this now for over a year and have since changed to use ONLY this laundry detergent for all our families washing.

What do I like about Claudia's Choices....

Claudia's Choices Ultra Phosphate Free Laundry Powder is a concentrated laundry powder formulated to provide you with an envirosponsible wash without the use of phosphates, dyes, bleach, sodium chloride, sodium sulphate or optical brightener while maintaining superior cleaning performance.

I like that it doesn't have a scent (I have a HORRIBLE time walking through the laundry aisle at the store...the smell makes me SICK!)

I like that it's not a high sudsing detergent so it can safely be used in our HE washing machine

I like that it's great for cloth diapers and our families clothes(no more switching between detergents, for clothes and diapers)

I like that it doesn't leave a residue on my clothes or the diapers (recommend by Bummis because it's low residue and it's hypoallergenic)

I store a smaller amount of powder in a small
glass canister in my laundry room. Much
easier then opening the big tub each load.
BTW- each tub comes with a scoop!

But you want to know what I LOVE about Claudia's Choices Laundry detergent?

I LOVE that they offer a bucket reuse program!

Interested?? Once your bucket of detergent is done, return it with the lid to the store you purchase it from (find a local retailer here) and you get $2.00 off your next purchase of Claudia's Choices (Please note: This program is ONLY for the 3.5 kg size). What a great way to keep the buckets from the landfill and you only pay for packaging once! The empty buckets are returned to Claudia's Choices to be refilled and reused.

Isn't that such a great idea? I think it's perfect! I really have nothing bad to say about the powder.

So if you're looking for a new laundry detergent that's great to use on your entire family's laundry including those stinky cloth diapers...

Buy it

Check out Claudia's Choices online and give it a try! At a price point of between $9.49(22-loads)-$129.99(629-loads) it's a great option at a great price!

Win it

Claudia has been so kind as to offer yet ANOTHER bag of Claudia's Choices Ultra Phosphate Laundry Powder to one lucky reader. He/She will win a 22-load 770g pouch of detergent to try for yourself. I bet you'll love it!

To enter all you need to do is follow me via GFC (if you don't already), and leave a comment on my blog telling me you do! (please include your GFC name if it's different then your comment name). Remember to leave an e-mail address so I can contact you if you are drawn as the winner.

BTW - Claudia has a Facebook page and I'm sure she'd love to see you stop by! If you're over there, like her page and tell her GetHealthyMomma sent you!

Stay tuned for a few additional entry options as well! :)

If you have liked my new facebook page you may find a few extra entry options.....

This giveaway is open to Canadian Residents only, and will close close on Tuesday July 26th at 11:59pm. Be sure to get your entry in before that!

Saturday, June 04, 2011

How to "pop up" fold cloth wipes

Kandice June 04, 2011 0 Comments

Just a quick tutorial on how I keep track of all my cloth wipes. We have just recently made the switch over to 100% cloth wipes so the left over disposable wipe containers are great for this.

If you have any suggestions for a solution that you like to keep your wipes moist, please let me know by either leaving a comment or sending me an email. I am especially looking for something to keep my "extra" wipes on the go moist, for quick face washes, ouchie clean ups, etc.

Thanks

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

A few of E's favorite reciepes

Kandice May 24, 2011 2 Comments

As I mentioned in a post below I love making baby food for my kiddos! I made all the food Hannah ate and have just stated to make all of Everett's food! I find it relaxing, rewarding and so much more comforting knowing exactly whats going in my babes mouth!

I told a few of you that I would be posting a few of our favorite recipes and well now I've got a couple minutes while both kids are in bed, hubby's in the shower and I'm sitting on the couch watching the only channel we have while at the trailer! Life is grand!!

Last week I made a few of Hannah's favorites from when she was just starting solids and so far both my kiddos have very similar tastes! They both did not enjoy avocado, but love sweet potato. They are both BIG fans of fruits especially bananas and apples! It's interesting seeing the things they like and dislike!

First I started to make a favorite of everyones in our household - strawberries, pears, apples, and blueberries! Delicious!!

I start with three apples peeled, two pears peeled. It doesn't really matter what kind but I prefer gala apples and just your regular old pears (I forget the name), about 1/4 cup of blueberries and the same in sliced strawberries! Chop the apples and pears in big chucks and toss them in a big heavy bottomed pot!

Cook and low medium heat until the apples and pears are tender! It'll smell AMAZING!!

I wish there was a way for you to smell this!

In the meantime I usually start on the next food! This particular night the next one the list was.... Sweet potato, carrots and broccoli

For this recipe I chop one sweet potato (about 2 cups), 1 large carrot and about 1 cup of broccoli in big pieces.

Steam the carrots and sweet potato for about 10 minutes then toss in the broccoli and cook for another 5 or so minutes! Blend and done!

A few more of our favourites are Apple and pear with raisins and cinnamon

2 apples

2 pears

a box or 2 or raisins

a pinch of cinnamon

Cook until apples and pears are tender and bend.

This is one of Ev's favourites right now!

I LOVE First Meals Fast, healthy and fun foods for infants and toddlers by Annabel Karmel. She has some great recipes for young and old. Be sure to check it out. We have the Canadian edition (which I didn't see on the website) and it definitely used A LOT!

This is where a lot of the recipes we use started from but we have modified them to make them our own. That's the great thing about making your own baby food, you really can do anything you want.

If you or your wee one have a few recipes to share please leave me a comment! We are always looking for new and interesting things to try and I'd love to hear about them!