During our vacation, my family members and friends are astonished to see that after having two children I am still my prebabies shape. They ask if I am starving my self or what kind of diet I'm on. Well, being the wife of a pastry chef I am on no diet!
Here's what I do people: practice moderation.
I refuse to starve myself or give up my beloved sweets and treats, therefore I indulge, but in moderation. It's so easy! Read the serving size on the packages and stick to it. Don't give in to those pre-packaged products that advertise only 100 calories. You're only paying them to do the work for you. Save your money and portion things yourself. If you like the ease of the grab and go, then portion ahead of time into snack sized bags or containers.
I also eat very few processed foods, packaged foods, fast foods, or non-organic foods. I truly believe in eating organic and local. I refuse to buy conventionally grown or imported produce that will be consumed whole. Bananas are something that I will buy because we are not eating the peel, but there really is a taste difference. My children will only eat organic bananas and I end up having to eat the conventionally grown ones when purchased.
I have a chart up on my refrigerator reminding us of how many portions a day of grains, vegetables, fruits, proteins, and dairy we should consume. This actually also helps to get more fruits and vegetables into the kids diets. The chart also has our meals outlined (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner) so once each box is checked we are done eating for the day. This chart shows my toddler what to expect and that if he doesn't eat during the specified meal time that he will have to wait until the next one.
It also helps me to remember to eat! I used to only feed the kids and snack on their left overs, but this forces us to dine as a family together and everyone eats the same thing. I don't run a restaurant out of my kitchen. Restaurant quality food, but no menu options. You eat what you are served.
It took Kai only two days to understand this chart, so now he is not constantly asking me to snack and we also don't have to fight about eating vegetables. All I have to do is point to his chart and say, "You have not had any vegetables today."
I cook every day for every meal. It is tiresome sometime, but I know what is going inside my body. No preservatives or other yucky things that make you gain weight or sick. I force myself to plan a weekly menu and write a grocery list so that I am not tempted to load the grocery cart with unnecessary junk food.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
a broken dryer, fixed toilet and boggie-fied baby
Our coin operated dryer is again broken, or maybe never even fixed in the first place. Sure the landlord looked at it, but not really in my opinion. He deposited quarters, the dryer spins and feels hot...so it works he says. Yeah, but he's not the one spending six dollars in quarters trying desperately to dry baby clothes!!
His solution, leaving a handful of quarters for the tenants....hmmm...refund?? How's about fixing the problem!!! No amount of refund quarters are going to dry the clothes that I have to hang all over my apartment to dry!! The best part about living in a city apartment that doesn't have a washer/dryer in the unit is the funny stories you get to tell. Like how if the upstairs tenants and downstairs tenants decide to do laundry at the same time it overloads the circuits! Lights, washers, and dryers all go off!!
Well, he's not all that bad. He did come over the following day after we called him about our broken toilet and leak. Yes, I forgot to share that after returning home from our warm sunny vacation, we came back to a frozen apartment. My poor plants all froze, the water in the toilet bowl and tank was one huge ice cube! So when I tried to flush (not knowing that everything was ice) I had probably broke the handle. As far as the leaking pipes...I had nothing to do with that! So, my sister says,
"Why didn't you leave the heat on?"
Umm...hello, no one was home for three weeks and I didn't want to waste the money on keeping an empty house warm. Any way, the toilet and leak was fixed yesterday. While he was here, I pointed out that our bathroom sink was also leaking...to which he replied,
"So that's what the squeegee is for."
Yep. So he will be back sometime today to fix that up. I'll wait until warmer weather to point out that our living room window has a few cracks, I think he noticed...but again didn't think it was a big deal.
Now on to the little baby girl who constantly has snot running down her nose. Cassia has caught whatever virus that is going around and hates to have her little red nose wiped, so she always runs from me. Jimmy also has this virus, but is on antibiotics because he has a really terrible cough accompanying his drainage. Kai seems to be the only one who is recovered, for I also have the drippy nose. Other than the virus, all is well here.
His solution, leaving a handful of quarters for the tenants....hmmm...refund?? How's about fixing the problem!!! No amount of refund quarters are going to dry the clothes that I have to hang all over my apartment to dry!! The best part about living in a city apartment that doesn't have a washer/dryer in the unit is the funny stories you get to tell. Like how if the upstairs tenants and downstairs tenants decide to do laundry at the same time it overloads the circuits! Lights, washers, and dryers all go off!!
Well, he's not all that bad. He did come over the following day after we called him about our broken toilet and leak. Yes, I forgot to share that after returning home from our warm sunny vacation, we came back to a frozen apartment. My poor plants all froze, the water in the toilet bowl and tank was one huge ice cube! So when I tried to flush (not knowing that everything was ice) I had probably broke the handle. As far as the leaking pipes...I had nothing to do with that! So, my sister says,
"Why didn't you leave the heat on?"
Umm...hello, no one was home for three weeks and I didn't want to waste the money on keeping an empty house warm. Any way, the toilet and leak was fixed yesterday. While he was here, I pointed out that our bathroom sink was also leaking...to which he replied,
"So that's what the squeegee is for."
Yep. So he will be back sometime today to fix that up. I'll wait until warmer weather to point out that our living room window has a few cracks, I think he noticed...but again didn't think it was a big deal.
Now on to the little baby girl who constantly has snot running down her nose. Cassia has caught whatever virus that is going around and hates to have her little red nose wiped, so she always runs from me. Jimmy also has this virus, but is on antibiotics because he has a really terrible cough accompanying his drainage. Kai seems to be the only one who is recovered, for I also have the drippy nose. Other than the virus, all is well here.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Down South in Houston, Texas
Home again, home again...well that's what it feels like. Driving through Ft Worth and Austin we saw quite a development in the past five years, but here in H-town things are still almost the same. Well, plus and minus a few restaurants and strip malls, but pretty much feels like we never left.
My sister's house is still full of kids (now all college students) and pets, it still takes an hour to get to the other side of town, and best of all our favorite little restaurants are still around! Today it is suppose to get up to 63 degrees and I'm going to soak up all the warmth because Chicago is the same as we left it cold and snowy!!
Our adventure down here has been mostly about eating at new and favorite restaurants, catching up with family and old friends. I almost don't want to go home just yet, but the babies are tired of being in the car and have started asking when we were going to take them home. I keep telling them to enjoy the warmth and sushine because once we're back home it will be indoor activities for many, many days.
It hasn't been bad for them at all. We're on vacation so they pretty much get to have cupcakes, ice cream and other pastries everyday. Kai got a new Thomas the train dvd, a new take-a-long play set and four new trains! Little Cassia has finally got to meet her aunties, uncles and cousins.
We are now getting the kids ready for another day of exploring, eating and playing. We are planning to surprise Kai with a stop to a huge train shop here in Houston. I can't wait to see the look on his face.
My sister's house is still full of kids (now all college students) and pets, it still takes an hour to get to the other side of town, and best of all our favorite little restaurants are still around! Today it is suppose to get up to 63 degrees and I'm going to soak up all the warmth because Chicago is the same as we left it cold and snowy!!
Our adventure down here has been mostly about eating at new and favorite restaurants, catching up with family and old friends. I almost don't want to go home just yet, but the babies are tired of being in the car and have started asking when we were going to take them home. I keep telling them to enjoy the warmth and sushine because once we're back home it will be indoor activities for many, many days.
It hasn't been bad for them at all. We're on vacation so they pretty much get to have cupcakes, ice cream and other pastries everyday. Kai got a new Thomas the train dvd, a new take-a-long play set and four new trains! Little Cassia has finally got to meet her aunties, uncles and cousins.
We are now getting the kids ready for another day of exploring, eating and playing. We are planning to surprise Kai with a stop to a huge train shop here in Houston. I can't wait to see the look on his face.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Hello sunshine and warmth!!
Ok, so I'm slacking a little bit on the road trip reporting, but we are finally in warm sunny Texas and having fun! Jimmy hasn't had a vacation in a while he doesn't know what to do!
When we first arrived we greeted the family then gave the cousins their belated Christmas presents. We took a few pictures while the kids opened and played with their toys. We caught up with the adults and drove a little past the old neighborhood. Boy, it is sure shiny with new stores!!
Speaking of shiny new stores and road trips. We get the unfortunate pleasure of stopping into a few not up to par places, which has given me a new topic for my blog. The 'I don't work here!' award. I had to say it to a manager of a retail store yesterday and have thought it many times but actually was furious enough to say it to someone yesterday!
This is how it went down: I was browsing the purse section of the retail store called Ross looking for a new wallet or purse (whichever I thought I needed the most). I found two cute wallets that I was interested in, but they did not have a 'Ross' price tag on it so I asked the associate who was scanning purses in the section if she could scan the wallets and tell me how much they were. She replied, "I can't do that because it doesn't have a Ross tag on it so you're gonna have to find something similar and then I can tell you."
Ok, so that is what I did. I spent 20 minutes going through all of their wallets to find one exactly like one of the wallets I wanted to discover that it too did not have a Ross price tag on it, so now what? I started to boil as I hear the associated talking to another about how she was going to buy a purse for her daughter. The boiling point was when she actually was on her cell phone talking to her daughter telling her about the purse and wondering if she was interested!
Um...Hello! "I DON"T WORK HERE!" was my thought and I had enough so I went to the front and spoke with the 'Front Supervisor' on duty and had to tell her all about it. It was unacceptable that I the consumer wanting to spend my money at their store in these hard economic times had to do the job that they should have done correctly in the first place!! Seriously, how hard is it to put a price tag on an item?? I don't remember how many times I said , "It's not my job" or "I don't work here!", but I said it enough and was loud enough that all eyes were on me. They asked me who it was, but I didn't want the lady to get fired because being a mom myself I figured she needed the job...I mean after all times are tough. If we were in a better economic situation and I was younger I wouldn't have hesitated in giving up her name.
The supervisor on duty handled the situation smoothly, she apologised and quickly help me get a price for the cute little change purse. Yes, I bought it...I did want it after all. I could have walked out of the store and not give them my money, but it was cute and I really wanted it.
Ross out on Highway 377 in Watauga, Texas you are the lucky recipient of the "I don't work here!" award from yours truly!
Please, please people: customers are your bread and butter. Without us you have no job because there would be no need for the building that employs you!! This applies to all businesses, especially now. How safe do you think your business is?
One more thing, the other day I was praising Starbucks but I do have a complaint about them too. I was extremely disappointed at the Starbucks in the state of Oklahoma for their lack of trash receptacles in the drive through route and absence of a changing table in the restrooms!! Unless it is part of the new image you want to create....litter on the outside of your stores and parents changing their babies on your chairs out in public eye. Two very basic needs, get it done folks!
When we first arrived we greeted the family then gave the cousins their belated Christmas presents. We took a few pictures while the kids opened and played with their toys. We caught up with the adults and drove a little past the old neighborhood. Boy, it is sure shiny with new stores!!
Speaking of shiny new stores and road trips. We get the unfortunate pleasure of stopping into a few not up to par places, which has given me a new topic for my blog. The 'I don't work here!' award. I had to say it to a manager of a retail store yesterday and have thought it many times but actually was furious enough to say it to someone yesterday!
This is how it went down: I was browsing the purse section of the retail store called Ross looking for a new wallet or purse (whichever I thought I needed the most). I found two cute wallets that I was interested in, but they did not have a 'Ross' price tag on it so I asked the associate who was scanning purses in the section if she could scan the wallets and tell me how much they were. She replied, "I can't do that because it doesn't have a Ross tag on it so you're gonna have to find something similar and then I can tell you."
Ok, so that is what I did. I spent 20 minutes going through all of their wallets to find one exactly like one of the wallets I wanted to discover that it too did not have a Ross price tag on it, so now what? I started to boil as I hear the associated talking to another about how she was going to buy a purse for her daughter. The boiling point was when she actually was on her cell phone talking to her daughter telling her about the purse and wondering if she was interested!
Um...Hello! "I DON"T WORK HERE!" was my thought and I had enough so I went to the front and spoke with the 'Front Supervisor' on duty and had to tell her all about it. It was unacceptable that I the consumer wanting to spend my money at their store in these hard economic times had to do the job that they should have done correctly in the first place!! Seriously, how hard is it to put a price tag on an item?? I don't remember how many times I said , "It's not my job" or "I don't work here!", but I said it enough and was loud enough that all eyes were on me. They asked me who it was, but I didn't want the lady to get fired because being a mom myself I figured she needed the job...I mean after all times are tough. If we were in a better economic situation and I was younger I wouldn't have hesitated in giving up her name.
The supervisor on duty handled the situation smoothly, she apologised and quickly help me get a price for the cute little change purse. Yes, I bought it...I did want it after all. I could have walked out of the store and not give them my money, but it was cute and I really wanted it.
Ross out on Highway 377 in Watauga, Texas you are the lucky recipient of the "I don't work here!" award from yours truly!
Please, please people: customers are your bread and butter. Without us you have no job because there would be no need for the building that employs you!! This applies to all businesses, especially now. How safe do you think your business is?
One more thing, the other day I was praising Starbucks but I do have a complaint about them too. I was extremely disappointed at the Starbucks in the state of Oklahoma for their lack of trash receptacles in the drive through route and absence of a changing table in the restrooms!! Unless it is part of the new image you want to create....litter on the outside of your stores and parents changing their babies on your chairs out in public eye. Two very basic needs, get it done folks!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Road trip day 1
We are on our way to visit Grandma in Texas and have stopped in Springfield Missouri for the night (half way point). The children did very well during the drive. They slept most of the drive because we left early this morning.
When they were up we sang songs and played games. What a wonderful trip so far. We just had dinner here in Springfield at Ruby Tuesday's and we were not satisfied at all with either the service or food!! We were there pretty early in the evening when it was not even busy, but the server was slow like molasses!! The food was extremely salty, my tongue is still tingling! Kai didn't even eat his dinner because he said it was "gross"! Kai is so spoiled and used to staying in nice hotels that he said, "pick up the phone and call for food!" Um....I wish we could kiddo, but it's not that kind of hotel.
It's the kind of hotel that people only stay at for short trips. Krystal Air, is clean and doesn't smell like smoke and it has wifi. It is right off the highway, walking distance to a few restaurants and has a gas station close by.
We are settling the kids in for the night so that we can rest and get another early start tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to get some decent coffee too! Missouri needs more Starbucks!!
Which reminds me...since there are no Starbucks I asked Jimmy to stop at McDonald's to try one of their lattes, and I have to say that I will not be buying coffee beverages at McCafe! The guy that took my order asked if I wanted just the plain latte to which I replied "yes", so I was confused when I tasted my drink and it was flavored!!! I asked the guy and he said,"Yeah I sweetened it!"
I asked him to remake my coffee and not sweeten it! Jimmy and I could only drink a quarter of it and had to throw it out! The coffee not only tasted burned, it was so hot I burned my tongue!!! Hello McDonald's, the only reason Starbucks gets so many customers even though they charge an arm-and-leg for a coffee is because it tastes good and have better service!! The counter guy at McDonald's was putting down Starbucks, then even had the nerve to say that the coffee he was about to serve me wasn't any good...even though he thinks that he makes better coffee than Starbucks! Um...dude you should be fired!
I also asked about their sample program for Mondays, since they had a huge advertisement in front of their coffee machine and he said that he didn't know and that the company didn't know what they were doing and that they didn't even have sample cups to sample anything!! Hmm...what happened to training???
All this talk of coffee is getting me worked up...I'm off to bed!
When they were up we sang songs and played games. What a wonderful trip so far. We just had dinner here in Springfield at Ruby Tuesday's and we were not satisfied at all with either the service or food!! We were there pretty early in the evening when it was not even busy, but the server was slow like molasses!! The food was extremely salty, my tongue is still tingling! Kai didn't even eat his dinner because he said it was "gross"! Kai is so spoiled and used to staying in nice hotels that he said, "pick up the phone and call for food!" Um....I wish we could kiddo, but it's not that kind of hotel.
It's the kind of hotel that people only stay at for short trips. Krystal Air, is clean and doesn't smell like smoke and it has wifi. It is right off the highway, walking distance to a few restaurants and has a gas station close by.
We are settling the kids in for the night so that we can rest and get another early start tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to get some decent coffee too! Missouri needs more Starbucks!!
Which reminds me...since there are no Starbucks I asked Jimmy to stop at McDonald's to try one of their lattes, and I have to say that I will not be buying coffee beverages at McCafe! The guy that took my order asked if I wanted just the plain latte to which I replied "yes", so I was confused when I tasted my drink and it was flavored!!! I asked the guy and he said,"Yeah I sweetened it!"
I asked him to remake my coffee and not sweeten it! Jimmy and I could only drink a quarter of it and had to throw it out! The coffee not only tasted burned, it was so hot I burned my tongue!!! Hello McDonald's, the only reason Starbucks gets so many customers even though they charge an arm-and-leg for a coffee is because it tastes good and have better service!! The counter guy at McDonald's was putting down Starbucks, then even had the nerve to say that the coffee he was about to serve me wasn't any good...even though he thinks that he makes better coffee than Starbucks! Um...dude you should be fired!
I also asked about their sample program for Mondays, since they had a huge advertisement in front of their coffee machine and he said that he didn't know and that the company didn't know what they were doing and that they didn't even have sample cups to sample anything!! Hmm...what happened to training???
All this talk of coffee is getting me worked up...I'm off to bed!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Happy New Year and Happy Birthday!
A belated happy new year to all and an early happy birthday to my niece who will be turning 21 tomorrow!!! Happy birthday Tiffy- we love you and will see you soon!!
Yes, that's right, in a couple of days we will be driving down south to visit family and escape the cold!! Nic is going back home tomorrow and back to school on Monday. I think that he had a pretty good visit. We opened presents, did lots of crafts, had a fun new year's eve party and even made it out to Chuck E Cheese twice!!!
Right now, I'm yawning as I am waiting for somebody to win the football game! The Colts and Chargers went into overtime!! Football minute can actually be ten real minutes long!!!
I can't decide if I should hit the sack since we have to drop Nic off early tomorrow or stay up and try to watch a saved episode of Numbers or Iron Chef...yawn.... I think I'll have my cup of chamomile tea and see how awake I am.
Wow! Football is over, that was quick!! The chargers won 23-17! Yay underdogs!
Ciao for now!
Yes, that's right, in a couple of days we will be driving down south to visit family and escape the cold!! Nic is going back home tomorrow and back to school on Monday. I think that he had a pretty good visit. We opened presents, did lots of crafts, had a fun new year's eve party and even made it out to Chuck E Cheese twice!!!
Right now, I'm yawning as I am waiting for somebody to win the football game! The Colts and Chargers went into overtime!! Football minute can actually be ten real minutes long!!!
I can't decide if I should hit the sack since we have to drop Nic off early tomorrow or stay up and try to watch a saved episode of Numbers or Iron Chef...yawn.... I think I'll have my cup of chamomile tea and see how awake I am.
Wow! Football is over, that was quick!! The chargers won 23-17! Yay underdogs!
Ciao for now!
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