Colin probably has – at best – a 15 word vocabulary. Words include:
"Mama" = Mommy
"Dada" = Daddy
"Cee-Cee" = Gracie
"Eee-Eee" = Ellie
"Uh-huh" = yes
"La-la" = Elmo/Sesame Street
"Ball" = ball
"Boo" = book
"Doww" = down
"Woof-woof" = dog
"Meeeeew" = cat
His newest word: "Bum." As in butt. Boy knows 15 words and one is butt.
And he laughs when he says it. Boys.
(He does say "Jee-Jee" which means Jesus, so do you think that cancels out bum?)
This is one of my signature recipes. Last week, I made lunch for all the childrens teachers at Bible Study and I had to make this salad – it got rave reviews last year! Served with some rolls and a green salad, it travels easily and is super yum!
Curried Chicken Salad
serves 6 to 8
3-4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Major Grey’s chutney
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup medium diced celery
1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 cup grapes, halved
1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and run the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken in large bite-size pieces.
2. For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl – mix until smooth. (You can use a food processor if you want)
3. Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions and grapes and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add cashews and grapes (if using) and serve at room temperature. (To roast cashews, place then in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat and stir until they’re a little crisp, about 5 minutes.)
recipe origin: adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook
1. The Philadelphia Zoo: Kids of all ages love animals, right? The Philly Zoo is not too big and TONS for kids to do and see.
Did you know that The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo in America?
And they were the first to open a special zoo just for children? The Children’s Zoo is super fun and offers great chances for kids to get up close and personal with animals!
2. Please Touch Museum: No surprise to see the childrens’ museum on the list! The Please Touch is absolutely fabulous and recently renovated and expanded to provide play experiences in each exhibit zone. And it has special “toddler-only” areas throughout the
museum, so even the littlest ones will have a terrific time!
3. Smith Park Playground: One
of my kids favorite places to go. Ever. There’s a 40-foot-long giant
slide, huge playground, and a giant 24,000 square foot playhouse! The
basement has been turned into a small town – complete with stop light
and parking meters, where kids can ride play cars. The playhouse is for
ages 5 and under.
4. The Franklin Insitute: Even little ones can enjoy the science museum. Ours loved the KidScience exhibit geared towards ages 5-8. And space is always fascinating. Our son went nuts for the Train Factory exhibit and they all loved the Sports Challenge room.
5. The Rodin Museum: Dare you bring your small kids to an art museum? We did! The Rodin Museum is a terrific first exposure to the wonderful world of art. And small, so you’ll get through fast and its FREE – they just ask for a small donation – so if its not working out and you have to leave, you haven’t really lost anything!
6. Adventure Aquarium: Located right over the bridge in Camden, the Adventure Aquarium is a no-brainer. Kids will LOVE it. And so will you – it is a gorgeous place to visit. And there is so much to see and do, small kids can’t possibly get bored. They even offer a special family value package to make your day more affordable. Get there early – this is a hot spot that gets crowded quickly!
7. Franklin Square Park: Its just so beautiful and so fun for kids. There’s the Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel, an 18-hole miniature golf course decorated with some of Philadelphia’s favorite icons, a gorgeous fountain, storytelling benches and great playground. And for mom and dad, check out Square Burger – a food stand run by Stephen Starr catering that makes amazing burgers and hot dogs!
8. Sesame Place:Okay, okay. Not technically located in Philly, but its only one hour north of the city. Sesame Place is super fun for little ones!! I recommend going in the summer, since they have terrific water attractions. But even off season they have great events for the whole family!
9. Independence National Historic Park: This is one you and your kids will both love. See the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall, stop by the National Constitution Center and see the tons of other historic sites in Old City. For around $20, you can take a horse drawn carriage ride through the historic part of the city. So fun! Historic Philadelphia is not to be missed.
10. The Academy of Natural Science: What kids don’t find dinosaurs fascinating? Besides dinosaur hall and the permanent butterfly exhibit, there is a spectacular “Outside In” exhibit just for kids aged 3-8 that has tons of live animals and hands-on activities.
We travel more than your average family with small kids. And many times people have asked us how we do it. We have a secret weapon: REWARD POINTS. Definitely one of the major perks of having a husband who travels tons for his job! We've taken our kids to cities for long weekends, visited family, even used them to do Disney. And this year, we have been cashing in for some amazing trips!
My husband and I recently snuck away to Vegas for a long weekend and stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Flamingo in a gorgeous one-bedroom suite. The room was absolutely fantastic and the service was impressive. It was a terrific location – it was so quiet, being just a bit away from the strip, but its only a 2 minute walk back to the middle of the strip, so its close to everything. It was my first trip to Vegas and I had a blast checking out all the hotels. Next time I want to stay at the Venetian – that was one of my favorite casino/hotels we visited. Knocking some off the hotel bill left a lot more of our travel budget free for Vegas fun! (Oh, the restaurants!!)
Over Labor Day, we took our kids down to Baltimore for the weekend, visiting the Inner Harbor, seeing the National Aquarium and hitting an Orioles game.Their favorite part of the trip? The hotel, of course. Our kids love staying in hotels and we get such a kick out of their excitement. When we travel with the kids, we always try to snag a suite so that we don't have to go to bed at 9 when they do!
Next up… Hawaii!! My husband and I are going to Hawaii for a whole week to celebrate our tenth anniversary. Despite our being well-traveled, neither of us has ever been to Hawaii. When we were deciding where in the world to go (Ireland? Spain? Aruba?), we asked around and people spoke so highly of Hawaii that we couldn't resist. What could be more romantic that laying on a beach in Hawaii?
We only have a week, so we decided to stick to just one island. And we had several amazing hotels to choose from – even when limited to reward points. We wanted somewhere very close to the beach, with a great pool and close to lots of restaurants and attractions (so we don't need a car). That didn't limit it much either.
The two that rose to the top were the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu and the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk. The Hilton Hawaiian Village looked super amazing, but we ended up choosing the Embassy Suites. The Embassy Suites offers free hot breakfast, free happy hour and is in an amazing location. Its just a block from Waikiki beach, on the quiet side of the main drag, and sits among the shops and restaurants of Waikiki Beach Walk, a double-decker outdoor shopping strip. (FUN!) Using our hotel points has freed up money for activities like snorkeling trips, going to a luau and dining in some fantastic restaurants.
I know it seems like just one more membership or password to remember to sign up for travel reward programs, but it is so worth it!! Even if you don't travel at ton with work, you would be amazed how quickly the points add up (especially if you add in a credit card that gives you points as well).
Knocking a night or two off your hotel bill by cashing in points is a great way to travel well for less!! You can upgrade to a much nicer hotel when you're only paying 3 nights instead of 6, stay longer or just free up more of your budget for activities. Its too good to pass up!
This is a Traveling Mom dedicated post.
1. The Skinny Jean: I fought the Skinny Jean. I tried them on several times and always chickened out before I bought them. But this summer, I embraced the skinny jean and I encourage you to do the same because I'm in love. I wear them all the time – they look great with flats and terrific tucked into boots. And here's the scoop: anyone can wear skinny jeans – just make sure you get jeans with just the right amount of
stretch in them, like the ones at LOFT. LOFT also has a slim cut jean that you can try if you don't feel ready for the full-on skinny! (I've had my eyes on these for awhile now, since I really could use more than one pair of skinnies.)
2. Uggs: I hated Uggs when they first came out. Hated, hated, made fun of, hated. Now I have TWO pairs! I KNOW! (One tan and one black, of course.) I bought my first pair while pregnant and wore them almost every day. And I haven't retired them as 'maternity wear' – still love them. I was so excited for fall so I could pull them out again.
SIDEBAR RANT: Men should never, ever, EVER wear Uggs. I don't care how famous said man is. Its just always a NO. Always.
3. Jeans tucked into Boots: I swore I wouldn't. I HATED this look last year. Now I'm doing it all the time! With my Uggs, no less! Y'all know how I love me some boots!! How gorgeous are these… yum! Of course, this trend is much easier to pull off with my skinny jeans. (Have you ever tried to tuck your boot-cut jeans into boots? Not easy. Or pretty.)
4. Blue and Black Nail Polish: I never ever imagined myself wearing black nail polish… Hellooo, Goth! Now I love it. LOVE IT. So chic. So sophisticated. And something besides burgandy in the winter. Not sure I can do the new dark green trend – I'm sticking to my navy blue for now.
5. Headbands. I wear headbands all the time now. And these embellished ones are just too fun to resist! Such a great way to dress-up that ponytail and feel cute on days when you really just haven't managed a shower. Not that that ever happens to me. Ahem.
6. The Boyfriend Jean. I laughed aloud when Katie Holmes started wearing her baggy jeans rolled up. "Good luck with that," I said to her wondering why a normally stylish gal would choose to wear those. But over the summer, I took my baggy post-baby jeans, rolled 'em up, and gave it a go. My verdict? Very cute in the summer, when pared with a tank top and loose cardigan and wedges. Not for cold weather, due to shoe issues. Try these if you're looking for a pair.
For more Fashion Friday posts, check out Big Mama, who is sharing her Nordstrom's semi-annual sale finds. (I accept no responsibility for yuo falling in love with any items she shares. Sorry. And Jo-Lynne, who is discussing fashion trends she's doesn't get. I agree with some, but some of her dislikes are on my like list. Oh, boy! Time for some rip-roaring debate that will be SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING then the debates on CNN today.
Welcome to the monthly "Try This: Spice Up Your Kitchen" carnival! This month's theme is PASTA. I don't know about you, but pasta is an absolute staple in my house and one of the main reasons I could never do a no-carb diet. I love me some pasta!
Today I invite you to share your family's favorite pasta recipe with us. We have several, so it was hard to narrow it down. But I chose a recipe that my family totally loves. I don't know where it came from, it was kind-of invented with what we had laying around and morphed into a family favorite!
Sausage and Spinach Pasta
1 pound of your favorite pasta (I recommend orecchiette or shells)
1 lb sweet italian sausage, casings removed
1 package of fresh baby spinach
1/4 c chopped sweet onion
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
Parmesan cheese
This month's carnival is extra special. I am giving away TWO cookbooks! The super handy and helpful Busy People's Fast and Frugal Cookbook
AND The Silver Spoon Pasta Cookbook, which is just gorgeous and has over 350 amazing pasta recipes!! Both of these cookbooks are just fabulous and you will return to them again and again! I will pick two winners who will each win one cookbook! Yay!
Here are the rules:
1. Contest ends Saturday, November 7.
2. Entry #1: Submit a recipe to the carnival. (It can be an old post on your blog – just remember to link to the specific post, not your whole blog please.)
3. Entry #2: Leave a comment telling me what your very, very favorite comfort food is.
4. Entry #3: Leave a SEPARATE comment telling me in what way you promoted this contest (i.e., posting about it on your blog, Tweeting about it, emailing friends, and/or subscribe to my feed by email or in a reader).
5. Winner will be selected by Random.org, announced back here on this post, and notified via email with further instructions.
I hope you all have a great time looking through all the recipes today
– I cannot WAIT to find some new pasta recipes!! And remember: when you add your post to the Mr. Linky, please link to your specific post – not your general blog URL.
Here's how to play, if you have questions.
Today I got to take part is a terrific webinar with Jennie Garth and Dr.
Daniel Jones, Professor and Chair, Department of Public Health Sciences,
Baylor College of Dentistry about simple tips and suggestions on how to help your kids
maintain a healthy mouth.
Did you know that tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in North America? And that half of second graders have tooth decay? That’s why Trident and Smiles Across America have joined forces
to expand resources and help provide the dental care that kids need to keep
them happy and healthy. Smiles Across America supports dental services to thousands of children in underserved communities nationwide – and this year, with Jennie's help, they are doubling the number of kids cared for by the SAA provider network!! How amazing is that?
Some important tips for your kids oral health:
Thanks to Dr. Jones and Jennie for all the great info! (Jennie is just too cute for words by the way – she was sharing such adorable stories about her three girls! LOVE HER!)
please ignore messy car
I have some special deals for my beloved Girlymama Readers!!!!
Have you been dreaming of a new blog design? Need a blog button or want to get a blog business card? I'm offering you all 30% off at Eliza Grace Design! Just mention in your order that you're from Girlymama to get the discount!
Ann Clark Ltd: The Cookie Cutter People from Vermont: Their contemporary cookie cutters would be make wonderfully unique teacher or hostess gifts! And for only $5, you can stock up and save them for when you forget last minute gifts. The Kids in the Kitchen gift set would make any little chef happy and my train-obsessed son would be thrilled with the All Aboard gift set.
They also sell adorable children's cookbooks. Ann Clark Ltd is offering
Girlymama readers 10% off your purchases from now until the end of the
year! Use coupon code BLGA4 at checkout. (If you buy four or more
items, you get free shipping, so go crazy!)
*****
Felix
Doolittle stationary has ADORABLE stationary and accessories for men,
women and kids, and is the perfect place for easy, online holiday
shopping for almost anyone on the gift list. Their stuff is just too cute for words. And now through November 30, they are offering Girlymama readers 15% off anything in the Doolittle Junior (check out the Play Date Cards!) line or the Seasonal collection, which features the brand new Correspondence Seals (LOVE these!)!! Use coupon code DoolittleJr when checking out.
*****
Amenity Home has tons of eco-friendly products for thoughtful modern living. I'm in love with this Baby Alpaca Throw in Mocha – how gorgeous! And I could design an entire room around this birdseye flat print on organic cotton. Amenity House is offering Girlymama readers a generous 20% off site-wide (Muir Collection excluded). Just use the discount code fall20.
*****
Go forth and shop!!
Yesterday afternoon, Ellie got her H1N1 vaccination. After much debate, we decided to just do it. We read all sorts of things, and it seemed like there are risks either way. Its been getting closer to home – we've been hearing about more and more people being diagnosed around us – and having a baby in the house, we decided to be cautious.
Ellie's vaccine was the easy one - it was through the public school. Getting the other kids their vaccines will be rough. I've heard rumors about people waiting in 4 to 5 hour lines.
Have you heard anything like this? What is it like where you are?
