Giving up naptime

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When I was a Pre-K teacher my class took an afternoon nap every day. They needed it; and almost every day every single one of those children slept. They were 4 years old and as soon as their heads hit their cots they were down for the count. My son is three and a half and is desperately trying to give up his one and only nap. He tells me every day that he is not tired and that he does not want to go to sleep. And every day that he does not nap he gets cranky, sassy, and temperamental. It is not good for anyone. He so obviously needs his afternoon nap, but it is war to get him to lie...

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Fun ways to announce a pregnancy… and SURPRISE!

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So Ihave come up with a few fun ways to announce a pregnancy.

Thefirst time I was pregnant I sent little pacifiers and a note in the mail toimmediate family to share the joyous news.

Thesecond time I was pregnant I sent a picture of my digital pregnancy test thatread “Pregnant”.
Now thatI am pregnant {SURPRISE!!!} with my third bundle of joy I thought I would try and get alittle creative… here goes. 

  How didyou announce your pregnancy? 
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First Trimester and the joys of morning sickness…

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Thefirst trimester of pregnancy is always my most difficult. With my first bornson I lost 15 lbs the first trimester and was sick all the time. With my secondson I lost 10 lbs in 4 days and had to go to the emergency room to getrehydrated and put on an anti nausea medication. Now with baby number three onthe way I am counting down the days until the first trimester is over and I canstart to feel normal again. As oftoday I am 11 weeks and 2 days. The light at the end of the first trimestertunnel is fast approaching and I cannot wait to see the other end. Being sickis not fun… let alone being constantly sick with two little ones. At least myboys are somewhat sympathetic.

Whenmommy gets sick my youngest will pretend to get sick too. It is a little weird,but very sweet that he is trying to mimic mommy… Even the less flatteringactions. My oldest did this when I was pregnant last time around. They bothknow that mommy is exhausted all the time – because oh my goodness is firsttrimester tiring {was I this exhausted with the last two, I forget}. They willsnuggle with me and even take a nap with me… most some of the time.
Theyare both having a hard time with the whole “no picking up anything weighingmore than 20lbs” advice my doctor has given me. As they are both well over 20lbs and love being picked up and carried, I understand their frustration. Theyare also having a hard time NOT treating mom like their own personal junglegym. I am having a hard time not picking them up, so at least we are all strugglingtogether.
I amtired and achy and constantly sick, because contrary to popular belief by thosewho have never had children, morning sickness is not something that takes placein the wee hours of the morning and dissipates around 9am. At least this is nothow “morning sickness” works for me. I am sick all day long; morning, noon, andnight. It comes in waves and NOTHING sounds appetizing. Sights, sounds, andsmells can set it off.
When Iwas pregnant with my first born no one was allowed to talk about food aroundme. I could look at pictures; I just couldn’t stomach people talking about it.This time it is more the smells of things that have me heading to the powderroom. I can smell everything. I have the most ridiculously acute sense of smellwhen I am pregnant. Seriously, I could do without this little superpower.
This isstarting to feel like whining. So let me share some things that have worked forme.

• If you have morning sickness and something just sounds good EAT IT! Usually that is your body telling you what its craving. It will probably be the only thing that will sit well in your stomach. Right now I am eating a ton of protein.
• Snack throughout the day. When I forget to eat that is when I start to feel woozy and nauseas. I have found that if I snack a little throughout the day I am less likely to get sick.
• Drink a lot of fluids. I am partial to water, but if I am feeling sick and water won’t stay down I will have a glass of Sprite and then switch over to water. Staying hydrated is important.
• Sleep whenever possible. If you are tired and ready for bed at 7pm, go to sleep. My husband thinks that I am crazy for going to bed at 7pm, but I wake up the next day feeling so much better. During the first trimester I try to nap whenever the kids nap too… sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t.
• Take things easy after meals. Everything I have ever read tells you not to lay down after you eat, but it is really one of the only things that helps my stomach settle down.

Everyoneis different and every pregnancy is different. What works for me may not workfor you. The only thing that worked for me with my second pregnancy was anti-nauseamedication. I have heard great thing about sea-bands and pregnancy pops, buthave never tried either so I cannot recommend them.
Somepeople are blessed with their pregnancies and never experience morning sickness.I am entirely way too envious of these people. Some people have to deal withmorning sickness throughout the entire duration of their pregnancies {you havemy deepest sympathies if you fall in this category}. My morning sicknessusually only last the duration of the first trimester, but it lasts all daylong every day. It is morning sickness, afternoon sickness, and eveningsickness all rolled into 12 long weeks of feeling terrible.
Haveyou experienced morning sickness? What worked/didn’t work for you?
 
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Why it’s important to read financial books to your kids {Guest Post}

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It’stime for bed and your kids are ready to snuggle up under their covers and fallasleep to the sound of your voice while you read their favorite book. Maybeyour kids love to hear you read the story about Little Red Riding Hood or maybethey love the story about Rapunzel, but it’s important to throw someeducational books into the mix every now and then. I am not suggesting thatevery single night you have to read about saving money to your kids, butteaching them about the value of money at a young age will help them appreciatethe value of money as they grow up.

Kids financebooks can be both fun and educationalIt’simportant that kids learn about financial responsibility at a young age becauseit is the foundation for their financial future. If kids never learn about howto save money or live on a monthly budget, they may spend carelessly and findthemselves in debt later on in life. If your kids learn how to manage theirmoney they will be able to save for their personal goals such as going tocollege, renting an apartment, and buying a home.

Teach your kidsthe value of moneyTeachingyour kids about the value of money, how to earn money, how to live on a budget,and how to save money also gives them something to look forward to. Havingpersonal goals, whether it is to buy a new Barbie doll or buy a new Hot Wheelscar, gives your kids something to work towards and teaches them to appreciatethe value of working towards the things that they want in life.

Ifyour kid wants to buy a new video game and it costs $49.99 then they shouldhave to work for it.  Have your son ordaughter make their bed, set the kitchen table and help clean up around thehouse at a certain rate of pay per hour (i.e. such as $8.00).  Once your kid has worked enough hours to payfor the video game then you can buy it for them. 

Kristina is a lifestyle and personalfinance blogger who also contributes to online loan company, QuickQuid. You can view her posts onQuickQuid and you can follow her on Twitter @TKBlogs.
 

#WW: Dear Santa

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Mychildren love Breakfast with Santa, an event that my neighborhood puts on eachyear. We arrive early to see Santa and tell him what we want for Christmas toavoid lines and so far it has worked out well for us. This is quickly becominga family tradition and it sure beats waiting in line at a mall.




Theboys sit on Santa’s lap and sometimes they are fine and other times they havemeltdowns. Good behavior and picture taking is never guaranteed with toddlers. Thechildren receive a little stuffed toy, a candy cane, and the assurance thatSanta will do his best to make their holiday dreams come true. Then it is timeto sit down for a bite to eat and to relax with some hot cocoa while the kidsplay together.

I tellmy children that if they are too shy to actually talk to Santa at the breakfastwith Santa we can write him a Dear Santa letter. The Dear Santa letter is ourbackup plan, but a sure fire way to let that jolly old fellow know exactly whatwe hope will be under our tree! This year little Steven and I will be writing aDear Santa letter, as he had a meltdown when placed in Santa’s lap.
Howdo/did your kids do with the whole Santa experience?


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Dairy-Free Recipes: Mother's Pot Roast

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2 1/2 pounds tip round roast1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce1 onion, cut into thin strips2 bay leaves3 tablespoons all-purpose floursalt and pepper to tasteSpray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place meat in pot with fat side up. Pour tomato sauce over roast. Place onion rings over all. Toss in bay leaves. Cover and cook 1 hour on high. After 1 hour reduce heat to low and cook 6 to 8 more hours. Carefully lift meat out of pot and remove to a warm platter. Pour drippings through strainer into medium sized saucepan and discard material in strainer. Whisk in flour to liquid. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, serve alongside roast. Amount Per Serving  Calories: 552 | Total Fat: 36.6g | Cholesterol: 150mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Servings Per Recipe: 5

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 552

Total Fat: 36.6gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 570mgTotal Carbs: 10.2g    Dietary Fiber: 1.7gProtein: 45.2g VIEW DETAILED NUTRITION
About: Nutrition Info

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Cheap Discount Taste of Home: The New Appetizer: 230 recipes for today's party starters

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Taste of Home: The New Appetizer: 230 recipes for today's party starters Description

Launched in 1993, Taste of Home is the most popular recipe magazine in the world, with nearly 4 million paid subscribers. The delectable, practical recipes-more than 75 in each issue-are family favorites contributed by Taste of Home readers. The dishes, all beautifully photographed, capture special flavors of the season and are made with ingredients that home cooks are likely to have on hand or can readily find at a local supermarket. New recipe contests are announced every issue, and readers are encouraged to send their best recipes for Taste of Home's regular features, like "A Complete Meal in a Matter of Minutes," "Cooking for One or Two," "My Mom's Best Meal," "Super Snacks & Appetizers," and "Just Desserts." The magazine's unique staff of field editors is made up of more than 1,000 experienced home cooks located in each state and Canadian province, who regularly share recipes, well-liked menus and kitchen tips. Taste of Home is published six times a year and has three sister magazines, Simple & Delicious, Cooking for 2, and Healthy Cooking.

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5.0 Out Of 5 Stars (6 Customer Reviews)  
Reviews for Taste of Home: The New Appetizer: 230 recipes for today's party starters (Hardcover) Taste of Home Appetizer is just as I thought it would be - full of tested recipes I could count on. They looked good - and best yet they tasted great. I was in need of recipes for my daughter's wedding. You can see what I was in charge of! My daughters-in-law helped me get it ready and we knew we had a hit when people were asking for recipes after the wedding. I gave my new bride the book to take home and ordered two more - one for each DIL.
Reviews for Taste of Home: The New Appetizer: 230 recipes for today's party starters (Hardcover) I bought this for my Mom for Christmas because they do a lot of entertaining and I knew she was looking for some fresh ideas. She is still raving about this book nearly two weeks later. The recipes are simple to make and use ingredients that you will either have in the pantry or can easily find at any grocery store. There are pictures on every page which really helps too.
Reviews for Taste of Home: The New Appetizer: 230 recipes for today's party starters (Hardcover) This is a wonderful book. If you arern't hungry, you will be after just looking at the pictures and reading a few recipies. So far i've only tried one appetizer, one of the mexican egg roll types and they were just delicous. We ended up making enough so we just had that one appitzer for dinner, it was that great. My whole family agreed and if the first onei tried is any indication of the rest of the book, then this is one of the only book on apitzers you'll ever need.

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