Maple Syrup Rutabaga Mash with Apples, Pears, Ginger and Cardamon.

My 10-month-old is all about feeding herself these days.

And, I am all about Simplifying my life.

So, I try and meals that ALL of us can eat. Preferably something that the baby can pick up with her fingers.

Enter Rutabaga Mash.

I had never cooked with Rutabaga before. But, I picked some up at Baltimore's lovely year-round Farmer's Market.

To make this side-dish that can work as a dessert, I started by peeling and boiling the Rutabagas.

I drained the pot, added some Lemon Water Kefir (or your juice of choice).

I threw in the peeled and cut up Apples, Pears and Ginger and simmered for a 10-15 minutes. Maple Syrup and Cardamom joined everything else.

I drained the liquid until there was only about 1/2 cup left and then mashed everything up. I left some nice smallish pieces for the baby to be able to grab onto.

It's a lovely way to use up any Rutabagas you may still be getting from your CSA.

This will definitely be joining our "Meal Rotation" next Winter.

Calendar Project. 2013 Photos in Review.

Not sure if this is a Tradition I can sustain, but I am hoping! For the second year in a row, I made Calendars of photos of the previous year. We gifted them to Grand-parents and ourselves. 

I've been pretty happy with the quality of Shutterfly's Calendars (although, because I also use it as my Planner and was in CONSTANT use, the photos became a little scratched).

The first year I made them, I consistently uploaded and added the photos every Month. It made it crazy easy in December to place my order. 

Last year, January through March got uploaded and arranged. And, then you know...My heavily pregnant Self got too busy with the Sassy Toddler. So, the Calendar Project got shelved.

December rolled around. I was determined to finish the Calendar. I stuck the Eldest in front of the T.V. and put the Baby to bed early and then I stayed up very, very late to finish the Project. I think it took about 5 hours. 

The hardest part was narrowing it down to my favorite 5-6 photos from each Month. It was a challenge to make sure both Kiddos got equal-ish face-time. I also have a tendency to take mostly vertical photos. Not a big deal until you have a horizontal slot to fill.

Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend a Calendar Project (even if you don't have Kiddos). So many of us take tons of photos and never print them. This is a way of having some of your photos printed and displayed. It makes a sweet Gift that's both practical and frugal. The best kind, right?

Farewell 2013. You were very good to our Family. Thank-you.

***A big Thanks to my friend Erin for taking the gorgeous, amazing Birth Photos that I will treasure until my last Breath.  She had never been present at a Birth before and was totally game on a days notice to come shoot an "Un-medicated Birth Center Birth."

And, also a big Shout-out to another extremely talented friend, Hilary Flynn, who shot the Baby's lovely Newborn Photos and some excellent photos of my Big Girl.

How lucky am I to have such talented friends? Very lucky.

The Most Popular Christmas Book at Our House

Cats and Christmas? Add an interactive Pop-Up Book and you have an unbeatable combination. At least, in the eyes of my 2 1/2 year old. 

Nye-Nye got this book as a Gift from her Auntie Julie and Cousin Nia last Christmas. She was too young to gently pull all the tabs last year. 

Now it's PERFECT.

It's getting LOTS of Love every single day. She's only torn one small section and that was easily repaired with some glue.

Neither of us have gotten tired at finding all the different ways this group of cats get into mischief. Knocking over stuff, hiding in boxes, pulling off ornaments...they remind me of my 7 month old.

The design is terrific, the illustrations charming. As someone who has hand-made several books, I am impressed with the quality of this book.

My favorite page is when the exterior of an entire house that Pops up...complete with a Santa diving into the chimney. Very cute.

There is only a sentence per 2 pages, so it doesn't take long to "read" the book, even when you spend a minute or two playing with the various tabs. (A must on some nights when Mommy and Daddy are tired and we don't want to spend 15 minutes reading ONE BOOK).

This book has now officially become part of our Family Christmas Tradition.

Thanks Julie and Nia!

Here is my Affiliate Link to The Curious Cats' Christmas A Pop-up Adventure!  

5 Gifts for Migraine Sufferers.

I got my first Migraine 10 years ago. During these past 10 years, I have sought relief through many, many different ways. I seriously need to write a post about EVERYTHING I have tried. 

Sleep, Prescription Meds, Muscle Relaxers, Feverfew, Tons of Water, Massage, Light Exercise (when I feel one coming on), Essential Oils, Ice Foot Baths, Trigger-Point Therapy, Steam, Heating Packs, Alternating Heat and Cold, TENS, Caffeine, Ice Packs, Acupuncture, etc...

Through a lot of trial and error, I have figured out what works for me. The amount of Migraines I get and their severity have really lessened. As soon as I feel a twinge in the back of my neck, I have to TAKE ACTION. 

Obviously, the best solution is to PREVENT a Migraine from happening. My triggers are Hormones, Lack of Sleep and Stress. Unfortunately, there is not much I can do about Lack of Sleep at this stage in my life.

Here are a few PREVENTIONS that have helped me. And some ideas for Gifts that may help the person in your life who suffers from Migraines.

1. Buckwheat Pillow

I bought this 10 months ago and I LOVE IT. Definitely worth the 35 bucks I paid for it. Great for headaches caused by neck pain. It's cooling and is like a Memory Foam Pillow, without all the questionable chemicals. It's a little crunchy. It can take a few days to get accustomed to the sensation of the pillow shifting around so much. But, neck pain is no longer a Migraine trigger for me, thanks to this pillow.

One of these days I want to buy a whole Buckwheat Mattress. You can buy a kit from Open Your Eyes Bedding.

2. A Gift Card to a POCA Acupuncture Clinic

Acupuncture treatments have helped shorten the length of my Migraines, lessen their severity, and helped prevent me from getting to the vomiting stage many, many times. Regular treatments are essential for me to get my Migraines under control.

How is that affordable?  Two words.

Community Acupuncture.

At $15-25 a pop for a treatment in a group setting, I can't recommend this enough. For those folks living in MD/NOVA/DC, we are lucky..there are several options. I've been to the...

The Turning Point (Frederick)

City Acupuncture Circle (D.C), 

Mend (Baltimore),

Our Space (Silver Spring) 

and Sufi Acupuncture (Hagerstown).

Black Sheep Community Acupuncture Clinic (Baltimore) is only 5 minutes from my Sister's house. I definitely want to get a treatment there soon.

Check out POCA to see if there is a Community Acupuncture Clinic near you. I'm sure the Clinic closest to you (or the Gift recipient) would be happy to provide you with an Acupuncture Treatment Gift Card.

3. Epsom Salt

There appears to be a link between Magnesium deficiency and Migraines. One way I've been trying to get more Magnesium is to regularly take baths with Epsom Salts. It's an easy (and relaxing) way to up your Magnesium intake. You can soak your feet in an Epsom Salt Foot Bath for 20 minutes, if you are more of a Shower person. Nice Stocking Stuffer.

4. Raw Almonds

A tasty way to get more Magnesium is through eating Nuts and Seeds. Pumpkins (and other Squash) Seeds provide the most Magnesium of any Nut or Seed.. Another thoughtful Stocking Stuffer.

5. Peppermint Essential Oil

When I feel a Migraine coming on, I try and find ways to cool down the base of my skull. Ice Packs work well and so does Peppermint Essential Oil. It's very cooling and feels so good on whatever part of my head is the throbbing. I know a lot of people use Lavender Essential Oil as well. I love the smell of Lavender, but prefer the cold sensation of Peppermint more.

That wraps it up. As common as Migraines are, I'm sure there is someone on your Christmas List who might benefit from some of these Gifts. Hope this helps!


***Full Disclosure: There are a few Affiliate Links on this page. Thanks a bunch.

Gifts to Make. Infused Vodka.

What's a terrific adult present for that person who has EVERYTHING? A beautiful bottle of Infused Vodka.

(Thanks Elyse for the inspiration)!

Papa Bear and I experimented making several flavors this Summer. We both really like the taste of the "Lemon Verbena and Cinnamon Infused Vodka." With our first batch, we kept the Cinnamon Sticks in for 3 days (3 sticks in a large Ball Jar) and I think that was a little bit too long. I think two days is perfect.

We also have also made some Lemon Balm and Black Tea Infused Vodka. I love Black Tea, so this one was my favorite.

I'm thinking of making a "Cranberry and Lime Infused Rum" and maybe adding a little Black Tea. For Thanksgiving, my Mama always makes a Cranberry Punch with some Black Tea. A little Rum to it always takes it up a notch. 

Cranberries, Lime, Black Tea and Rum...sounds like a perfect combination to me. I've read that when infusing with Cranberries, the longer they sit the sweeter the drink. At least a week, maybe two. I better get cracking!!!

Gifts To Make. Play Silks. Ages 2-7.

If there is a Kiddo on your Christmas List who is really into Imaginary Play this be right up their alley.

It's one of the coolest Craft Ideas I've seen in awhile. Cheap, easy and encourages Open Ended Play. It's so worth making yourself and NOT buying.

Kool-Aid, White Vinegar and boiling water...how hard is that? The hardest thing for me was tracking down some Kool-Aid.

I bought several plain white silk scarves from Dharma Trading Company. The cheapest was about $2 and the largest one was $8. I don't even want to think about how much the large one would have cost, if I bought it from a Waldorf site.

It took less than an hour to "dye the Playsilks" and was very straight-forward. (The biggest issue was a whiny Toddler who wanted to stir the boiling water).

I would think this would work as a present for both Girls and Boys up to the age of 7 or so. Especially if you dyed a really large scarf or two. A cool tent, or curtains for a theater...the possibilities are unless!

This could also work as a gift for that person in your life who ADORES scarves as a fashion accessory. It would be a fun activity to do with an older child.

Nice tutorial here.

Wonderful photos with another tutorial here.

Happenings.

Sorry things have been a bit quiet around here.

I have had the best intentions. But, between committing to going to bed earlier. And, not having had a car to drive to the Gym (where I do most of my writing, while the girls are in Kids Club) has meant, I haven't had the time to write all the posts I've been planning.

Here is a post of some of my Gift Ideas from the past.

I spent the first week of December frantically organizing the house for a walk-through by our Landlord that never happened. The threat of somebody snooping through our closets and storage areas was enough of a push to get me to FINALLY go through all our boxes.

The Great News?

What was found?

A pair of rain pants, a pair of heavy SmartWool socks and an eye mask. All things I was going to ask for Christmas.

The missing wheel for a piece of furniture we had borrowed from my Mother.

A metal antique hand-washing station that we had borrowed from my Mother.

A photo of Nye nursing in the bath-tub.

Baby Indian clothes for Bright Eyes to wear.

We'll been battling the sniffles and a cough around these parts. So, I've been making some "Elderberry Kombucha" and my first batch of "Lacto-Fermented Cranberries" (packed full of Vitamin C).

I've been making tons of soups and made my first attempt at "Lacto-Fermented Green Beans" which were devoured by my Husband and my Eldest in a blink of an eye. Yummy!

Our Christmas Calendar has been a success and has helped even my Grinchy-self get more in the Holiday Spirit! Hope to share more soon!

Our Homemade Christmas Calendar

 

December, already?

How did that happen?

This year I figured the Kiddo was old enough to understand an Advent Calendar. Of course, I remember that I wanted to do one the last night of November. Three or so hours later, this is what I had...

Not sure if it's going to survive all that daily handling required. But, it didn't cost any money, so I am pleased. Plus, I really like it's Handmade quality.

I was inspired by the blog Morning Creativity. Happy December! Can't wait to share my ideas for this Month's Theme.

Heifer International and Valentine's Day

 

 

 

Is it too early to talk about Valentine's Day? I wanted to share with you one the most inspirational organizations I know (Heifer International) and one of my ideas for how to support this organization this Valentine's Day.

 

This gift is perfect for a Sweetie who is "socially conscious" and would prefer not to get a massive bouquet of red roses grown in Columbia or Ecuador. Instead of dropping $60 on flowers and a card, why not give a simple gift that has the power to change entire communities? For almost 70 years, Heifer International, has been fighting hunger and poverty one cow at a time.

 

The idea is that you are purchase an animal (or a share of an animal) in someone's name. These animals are given to a family struggling with poverty. When the offspring of the animal is born, they are then "passed" on to their neighbors. So on and so forth...

The animals provide the families with income to better their lives and you have provided the gift recipient with the knowledge that their gift has the potential to change lives. There is a very powerful book called Beatrice's Goat (it tells the real-life story of how a little girl got the opportunity to go to school because of her family's involvement with "Heifer International").

You can have fun coming up with creative ways of pairing your donation with something tangible (possibly edible).

Here are some of my ideas...

1. If you buy a share of a goat (starting at $10)...also give a bar of goat milk soap.

2. If you buy a hive of honeybees ($30) ...also give a bunch of honey sticks.

3. If you buy a flock of chicks ($20)...also give some peeps (you know those cute, fluffy marshmallow baby chicks).

4. If you buy a flock of ducks ($20)....also give a cute rubber duckie.

5. If you buy a trio of rabbits (a share for $10 and all 3 for $60)...also give a chocolate bunny (I've started seeing them in stores already since Easter is so early this year).

6. If you buy a share of fish fingerlings ($30)...also give some Swedish fish.

 

You get the idea? Let your creativity run wild! And if you decide to support Heifer International this Valentine's Day, please tell me about it!

I Can't Wait to Meet My Lil'....

We found out on the Winter Solstice the sex of our new baby (who will hopefully be making an appearance sometime mid-May). We waited until Christmas Day to share the news with our families. I wanted to do something cute, since we weren't having an actual Baby Reveal Party which we had had for Nye-Nye (there is something to be said for being the first grand-child on BOTH sides of the family).

After everyone went to bed on Christmas Eve, I spent two hours decorating T-shirts for our families to open on Christmas Day. I've never worked with fabric markers before and was surprised with how time-consuming the process was...maybe I should have also gotten the fine-tip markers. But overall, I'm pretty happy with how they turned out.

Here is the video of my parents opening up their present and finding out whether their predictions were correct...

Making Candles in Rememberance

English: A lit candle in the dark Español: Una vela encendida en la obscuridad (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Like much of the country, I've been overwhelmed with the horror of the recent school shootings in Newtown, CT.

Saturday night, I made my first batch of beeswax candles. When I bought the supplies for the candles, my intention was to make some home-made Christmas presents. Now, I think I'm going to use most of them to light in memory of those that were lost.

If you are looking for a simple way to channel your feelings about the shooting, I know I found comfort in making candles to honor the victims. It was surprisingly easy to do. It only took me around an hour or so to make 12 candles. Once you get the hang of it, I'm sure it will take less time.

I think this could be an appropriate activity for 3rd graders and up. Younger children could help with some of the steps, but I think an adult with very steady hands should probably pour the wax into the mold.

Here is my post showing the video that I used to learn how to make the candles. The only thing I did differently was dip the entire wick in the melted wax. This made the wick more wire-like and made threading the wick through the mold much easier. You can also use vegetable oil instead of the silicone release spray.

I found my beeswax at the Baltimore Farmers' Market. The small flat braid wicking was purchased from Michaels. I borrowed my Mother's ancient candle taper mold which ended up leaking and creating lopsided tips. Not the most perfect candles but made with love.

A Blast From the Past...My 5 Favorite Posts From the Giving Month

1. A Bead Date

2. A Family Cookbook

3. A Music Basket

4. A Soup of the Month Club

5. A Rubber Duckie and A Heifer International Gift

Gift Idea: Board Book for a Parent

Papa Bear suggested that he and I only spend $25 on a heart-felt, handmade present for each other this past Christmas. I loved the idea and I loved what he ended up giving me.

He bent the rules a bit by designing a simple silver locket and having a local artist make it. (He used his monthly "spending" money to pay for the rest of the locket). It's so lovely... I wear my locket every day!

My present for him was a more literal interpretations of the rules we set. I had bought the Blank Slate (TM) Board Book Kits (2-Pack)for other Christmas presents for family members. The kit came with four books, so I set aside one for Papa Bear's present.

Materials Needed for Board Book

1. A book (you can make your own or buy a pre-made one, which ended up only costing me $6 or so for each one).

2. Good quality photos (I love Ritz Camera because they don't use an ink-jet to print their photos but use actual dye).

3. Glue (I just used Mod Podge).

4. Alphabet Stickers (the cost can add up, so you may just want to stick to one color - the good thing is that you can keep the leftovers for another project).

Making the Book

1. Pick a theme (I chose to make an alphabet book. There were only 12 pages in the book, so I couldn't do the entire alphabet. Instead I started with "a kiss" and ended with "love." The first photo is of Papa Bear and Lina. The last is of Mama and Lina).

2. Pick photos to go with words (I had a huge stash of photos to pick from and brainstormed ideas for each letter and then attempted to find a corresponding photo. This was the most time-consuming part of the project).

3. Glue photos (I chose not to cover the photos in Mod Podge because the baby wouldn't be chewing on this book, it is kept well away from her reach).

4. Position the stickers on the page.

This was much simpler project than the book I made for Papa Bear two Christmases ago. It would make a sweet and easy Valentine's Day present - I think I spent maybe an hour and a half on this project (as opposed to ten hours spent on his previous Christmas book). My only recommendation is to order the books now! They took almost 2 weeks to arrive. Have fun!

The House is a Wreck and I'm Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies for Breakfast

I underestimated how much energy it would take to make and/or buy presents for 25 people, wrap said presents with a little pizazz, send out Holiday Cards with a hand-written message, pack for a mini-vacation, see all our families for Christmas, write thank-you cards and send time catching up with friends.

I'm learning. My husband and I kept saying "next year, we will...." We are learning what works for us and what doesn't.

Right now, I am beat. A wave of laundry has over-taken our bathroom. Boxes of presents cover every surface that the baby can't reach. The only thing in the fridge is some hummus. The dust-bunnies are waging a ruthless campaign across our floor.

Despite my best efforts no posting happened this week. I had grand plans of finishing off the "Giving Month" with posts on how to give to your community.

I wanted to take the baby to a retirement home. I wanted to make a meal at the Ronald MacDonald House in Fairfax. I wanted to make it out to the Buddhist Temple in Poolsville (founded by the first Western woman to be recognized in Tibetan Buddhism as a high-ranking lama) and join the monks there for their 24 hour Prayer Virgil for World Peace. I wanted to practice a "Random Act of Kindness" each day this week (donate blood, pick up trash in a neighborhood, deliver hand-made cookies to a firehouse). Lots of plans....none that happened this week.

What did happen is lots time with lots of friends we rarely see. A few met the baby for the first time. It was good. It was what the Holidays are about, right?

If you have a minute go check out the Ronald MacDonald House, the  KPC Temple and Random Acts of Kindness Foundation the Random Act - they are all doing good work. May it inspire you as we transition from one year to the next! Wishing you a Joyous New Year!!!

The Giving Month: Gift Idea Wrap-up

Well, I ran out of time to feature all my ideas for presents during this Month of Giving. I'll save some of those goodies for Valentine's Day and beyond. Here she is....My Grand Ole' List...


1. A Bead Date

2. Canvas Print

3. Gift of Experiences

4. World Market Retro Games

5. World Wildlife Fund Species Adoption Kit

6. Organizing a Gift Swapping Party

7. A Rubber Duckie and a Heifer International Gift

8. Christmas Time Capsule

9. Personalized Deck of Cards

10. A Reflections Book

11. Family Cookbook

12. Soup of the Month Club

13. Personalized "Memory" Game

14. Ornament Date

15.  Music Basket

Gift Idea: Music Basket

^{Who would like this gift? A child between the ages of 4 months up to a preschooler.}

^{What are you giving? A basket with musical instruments. Decide if you will include plastic or if you want everything to be made of natural materials.}

^{When? I would leave a few days or so for collecting everything. If you do it online, you will have to pay extra for shipping (but if you are a procrastinator like me you are probably used to that reality).}

^{Where? Use your imagination. At the bottom of the post, I will list where I found some of my instruments. Get your basket at a thrift store or yard sale (or you may even have one hanging around your house).  The Ten Thousand Villages in Old Town is an amazing place to find instruments especially interesting rattles.}

^{Why is it a great gift? I’ve become a big music-and-baby advocate since we started our Music Together class. It’s phenomenal watching a small baby respond to music.}

^{My experience?  I created a basket for my daughter using her baby rattles and a few other objects I found. I put the music basket out on her shelf (Montessori-style) and frequently change out the instruments. If it's not a good time for "music," the basket goes out of sight.}

<sup>Lina loves to tote her music basket around the house when she hears music being played. Most of her Christmas presents are going to be music related. I ordered some new ones and can't wait to check them out when they arrive.

Here are some ideas...</sup>

Wooden Egg Shaker

Wooden Claves

Plastic Egg Shaker

Animal Shaker Set

Bell Wristlet

Wooden Maracas

Wooden Butterfly Castanets

Block Mallet

Sevi Guiro Toy

Gift Idea: Personalized "Memory" Set

^{Who would like this gift? A child between the ages of 3-12.}

^{What are you giving? The game Memory personalized with photos of them, their friends, their pets and their families.} 

^{When? If you wait to the last minute, you'll have to pay extra in shipping, etc...but it can be done. If you make your own, you can wait until Christmas Eve, right?}

^{Where? I used Printer's Studio but there are plenty of other places as well. Or if you have a good stash of craft supplies and photos, you could whip up your own set right at home.***}

<sup>Why is it a great gift? What kid doesn't love Memory? It's a great family game and would be fun to play Christmas afternoon.   

My experience?  Even though it's been killing me, I haven't sneaked and opened up the package. From what I can tell it's a nice product. I'm not sharing photos of it because I want the present to be a surprise. I can't wait!

*** If I had more time and energy I would have made my own game. In the future, I'll try by using some chipboard, a utility knife, Mod Podge and photos (probably printed on cardstock). Fun, yes?</sup>

Gift Idea: Soup of the Month Club

<sup>I don't know if you can tell but I am slightly obsessed with soup. I love making it, I love eating it and now I am thinking I may love giving it as a present. I have heard of people creating Cooking of the Month Clubs for their friends and families. I propose a Soup of the Month Club.

Who would like this gift? Foodies. Friends and family who enjoy homemade soup.</sup>

<sup>What are you giving? You promise to come to their house each month with a pot of homemade soup. They get a delicious home-cooked meal and get to spend some quality time with you while enjoying what you made.

When? Perfect last minute gift. All you need to do is make a coupon for them explaining your gift.</sup>

<sup>Where? There are plenty of great Soup cookbooks. My all-time favorite is Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special Recipes. There are plenty of cold soups to make during the warmer months. You can also always get some ideas from my Soup Series right here on my blog.

Why is it a great gift? The best part is that your loved one gets some built in time with you each month. It also doesn't hurt that it is easy to make a lot of soup. So, you can make a big pot, split it and keep some for a meal or two for yourself as well. Plus, soup is cheap to make!</sup>

^{My experience?  None. If you have good follow-through this would be a good gift for you to give. I don't know if I could pull this off but perhaps I'll try it next Christmas!}

Thumbs Up Thursdays: Gift Wrap-Up (So Far)

Check out some of my ideas for gift-giving so far during this Month of Giving....

1. A Bead Date

2. Canvas Print

3. Gift of Experiences

4.World Market Retro Games

5. World Wildlife Fund Species Adoption Kit

6.Organizing a Gift Swapping Party

7. A Rubber Duckie and a Heifer International Gift

8. Christmas Time Capsule

9. Personalized Deck of Cards

10. A Reflections Book

11. Family Cookbook

12. Your Family's Tree Ornament Book