GiveThemRoots

Mommy Confession: Lost In The Shuffle

2013-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have a feeling today's Mommy Confession will hit home with a lot of you, especially larger families. I'm here to tell you that you aren't alone in this parenting journey! We tell our boys, "It doesn't matter what happens as long as you try your best.", and this applies to everything in life, most especially parenting! Don't beat yourself. You'll get some things right and some utterly wrong... and that's OK! There are plenty of scholarships and college loans now, you can opt to pay for therapy instead! {wink wink}

Lost in the shuffle... that's what my three year old is. Evan has three older brothers. Two are in first grade, one is in preschool, all three play soccer and one also plays t-ball. His mom is a yoga teacher, a classroom volunteer (x2), a PTA (parent teacher association) chair, a blogger (although not a very frequent one these days), and has a never ending supply of dirty laundry to do! Evan's dad works 50+ hours a week, coaches t-ball, and provides a lot of the end of day routine (homework, bath, and bedtime) after he works all day because Evan's mom is teaching yoga at night. Evan is lost in the shuffle and along for the ride!

Luckily, Evan is also happy-go-lucky and mostly laid back. He doesn't mind sitting in carpool (for about 2 hours out of every single day between the 2 schools). He doesn't mind playing on the sidelines at soccer in 40 degree weather with 15 mph winds or tossing a baseball with Mom during t-ball practice. He doesn't mind who tucks him in bed at night or dries him off after his bath. He doesn't mind getting that extra five minutes of snuggle time in Mommy's lap even though she's folding clothes around him. He doesn't mind quietly coloring at the table while his older brothers do homework. And he surely doesn't mind spending time with Grandma while Mommy is volunteering at the schools. In fact, he seems to love most of things (maybe not carpool) and is happy anytime he is "hanging" with his big brothers!

But Mommy minds. Mommy minds that she isn't always home to kiss him goodnight or snuggle him fresh out of the bath. Mommy minds that most of his naps are in a car during carpool. Mommy minds that his cheeks are rosy from the cold and his fingers are icy cold while he plays on the sidelines at soccer. Mommy minds that she's thinking about the pile of laundry to fold when he's in her lap. Mommy minds that they miss a lot of library storytimes, playdates with "his" friends, and other fun things she did with his older brothers. Mommy minds all of that!

Sometimes I wonder if we're getting it right with him. His early childhood has been so very different than his older brothers. I wonder if this is going to effect his personality. I wonder a lot of things but mostly I wish we had an open schedule that could be filled with playdates, library storytimes, fun lunch dates with Daddy and uninterrupted naps. Don't get me wrong, the child isn't neglected; we read plenty of books just not at storytime, he plays outside every single day and he gets a lot of snuggles that don't involve thoughts of laundry but it's just So. Very. Different. than age three was for his brothers. I feel like he's getting ripped off but the almost constant smile on his face give me hope that we're doing OK.

You would think by the fourth kid we'd have this parenting things down to an art! We already did this age three other times, except we didn't. We didn't have "mix-aged" siblings going in 20 different directions. And just when you think you know what you're doing, the parenting game changes. Ain't that some sh....

How do you juggle your older children's activities while making sure your younger children get the attention, love, and fun experiences that your older children got at that age?

Free Shutterfly Photo Mother's Day Card

2013-05-02T12:28:00.001-04:00

Look what I made on Shutterfly today! You can make one too and if you use the code: CARDFORU then you can make one for FREE. Just pay .99 shipping! Now that's the best $1 card you'll ever buy!

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Guest Post: Battling Mesothelioma: I'm Lucky to be Alive

2013-05-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Today's guest post is a very special one,

Heather Von St James is a 43-year-old wife and mother. Upon her diagnosis of mesothelioma, she vowed to be a source of hope for other patients who found themselves with the same diagnosis. Now, over 6 years later, her story has been helping people all over the globe. She continues her advocacy and awareness work by blogging, speaking and sharing her message of hope and healing with others. Check out her story at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog. Read Heather's story of survival and hope below.

Carrying a child is one of the most joyous times in a woman's life. My pregnancy was very normal and on August 4th, 2005, I gave birth to a baby girl via C-section, who I named Lily. As I counted her fingers and toes, I looked around at my family, or "village" as I liked to call them. My husband, his family, my parents, and close friends were all there to meet Lily. I was excited, it all seemed so wonderful, and there was so much to look forward to.
I didn't want to, but I had to go back to work when Lily was a month old. I just didn't feel right; I was constantly tired and often having trouble breathing. I was concerned and schedule a doctor's appointment. When at the doctor's, several tests were done; the results would forever change my life.
I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. It was like a punch in the stomach. If I didn't start treatment immediately, I would only have 15 months to live. I had a three-and-a-half month child and my husband; I couldn't stand the thought of them having to live without me. I didn't understand how something like cancer could happen to me. It turns out that 30 years ago when I was just a kid, I had been exposed to asbestos and it had disturbed the lining of my lungs and was now starting to really set in.
We knew that I couldn't wait to start treatment. My parents in South Dakota took Lily while my husband and I traveled to Boston for treatments from the best mesothelioma doctor we could find. On February 2nd, 2006, I underwent a procedure called an extrapleural pneumonectomy in which my affected lung and surrounding tissue was removed. My recovery took 18 days. After I recovered, I had to continue radiation and chemotherapy a few months.
When I was going through treatment and then recovery, it amazed me at how much my village grew. While my husband and I were in Boston, we met so many families that were also dealing with mesothelioma. In South Dakota, there were so many family members and friends that helped my parents take care of Lily. I was grateful and astonished at how much my village had grown.
Today, being a mother is a 24-hour job. While it's stressful, it's also wonderful. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world and I'm so grateful that I have the opportunity to raise my daughter. Today, I'm cancer-free. My family and daughter were the driving force behind me when I was fighting for my life against cancer.
I will forever be grateful for the support of so many people. My fight with mesothelioma was a tough one, but I'm fortunate to be alive and well. My life wouldn't be the same without my family members and village.

How to Make Healthy Eating Fun for Kids

2013-04-29T10:24:00.002-04:00

One of the most frequent questions I get from readers and other parents is "How do you get your kids to eat so many different healthy foods?" . Lucky for us Bridget Sandorford, culinary writer and today's guest blogger, has created a wonderful resource for you to encourage your child to eat healthy foods. Take it away, Bridget....

Every parent knows how difficult it can be to get kids to eat their peas and carrots -- or any other food that looks remotely like a vegetable or remotely healthy. Dinner time often turns into a tableside battle, with parents cajoling, coercing, or threatening in order to get their kids to eat the foods that are so important to their health and development.

While there will never be a magic bullet for getting kids to eat a healthy diet, there are a few tricks that can help you to avoid the battles and to get your kids to eat more nutritious foods. One of those tricks is to make healthy eating fun. Here are a few ideas for how to make healthy eating fun for kids:

Use Veggies in Their Favorite Dishes

Kids aren't likely to ever get excited about a plateful of plain Brussels sprouts. However, if you start with some of their favorite foods, you can slip in some healthy veggies and have them feeling excited about what they're about to eat. Add veggies to dishes like pizza and tacos, and add fresh fruits to desserts and toast. Your kids will get the nutrients they need and the taste they want.

Create Food Art

Most of the time, veggies just look boring. You can make healthy foods fun by creating food art. Make funny faces out of veggies on sandwich bread or fruit on waffles. Use fruits to create a "cake." Use pieces of cauliflower and some black olives to create a plate full of "sheep." Be creative and see what you can come up with! When all else fails, browse Pinterest for some fun ideas.

Grow a Garden Together

Kids are more likely to get excited about healthy foods when they are involved in the process of growing them. Start a small garden and involve your children in managing it. Allow them to pick out a crop or two to grow. Put them in charge of small sections of the garden. Let them take care of certain tasks, such as planting seeds or weeding. The more invested children feel in growing the food, the more excited they will feel about eating it when it's ready to harvest.

Cook Together

When kids are given some autonomy, they will more excited about whatever it is they are doing. You can get them more excited about eating healthy foods by inviting them into the kitchen to help you cook healthy foods. Assign age-appropriate tasks, such as rinsing veggies, breaking off stems, shelling peas, filling bowls with water, getting out pots and pans, and so on. The more you can involve kids, the more excited they will be about the resulting meal -- and the more pride they will feel in eating it.

Play Games about Healthy Eating

There are many online games that you can play with your kids to teach them about healthy eating and make them more excited about doing it. Try out Nourish Interactive (http://www.nourishinteractive.com/kids) for some ideas. When kids are done playing games, they will want to try out the foods they have learned about. Try to follow up with fun dishes that use ingredients they have just learned about.

Getting kids to eat healthy has been a struggle for parents across the ages. While you may never inspire a complete change of heart, you can get kids a little more excited about filling up on their fruits and veggies -- or at least giving them a fighting chance.

What tricks do you use to get your kids to eat more healthy foods? Share your tips in the comments!

About the Author:

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching culinary schools in Cincinnati. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Mommy Meditation: Deepak & Oprah's 21 Day Challenge

2013-03-11T14:06:00.000-04:00

Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra have joined forces to offer a free 21-Day Meditation challenge. This is an amazing opportunity to get free guided meditations from Deepak Chopra & burst of wisdom from Oprah, who I personally really miss!

This isn't a meditation challenge designed just for moms but I'm going to tell you why as a mom you should be meditating!

10 Reasons Why Every Mom Should Meditate

Increases focus, memory and attention. No more mommy brain.
Relaxes the nervous system. Can help with insomnia, anxiety and restlessness.
Lowers your blood pressure & cholesterol. Heart disease in women is on the rise, battle it!
Helps with weight loss. Shed that lingering baby weight.
Helps develop intuition. Find those eyes in the back of your head. :)
Increases tolerance while decreasing aggressive behavior. Stop the yelling!
Increases empathy and listening skills. Skills you definitely want to model for your child.
Helps you live in the moment. Enjoy every moment with your child.
Increases inner peace and harmony. Enough said.
Changes your attitude towards life. If you want to change your latitude start with your attitude.

So... what are you waiting for? It starts today! Take the 21-Day Meditation Challenge HERE!

Got Milk? Chocolate Milk Straws

2013-03-05T16:20:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's the little things in life that make all the difference...especially when you're under 4 feet tall.

I rarely take my kids to the grocery store. Not only because they drive me batty in stores (just being honest) but also because I hate letting them down every time they ask for the fun box of sugary cereal, the Oreo stuffed with whatever seasonal neon-colored frosting, or the checkout candy.

I don't like being the bad guy.

I honestly don't.

Especially with my kids.

It's easier to leave them home with Daddy and do my shopping on the weekend than it is to look into their big brown eyes and repeatedly say no. I know what some of you are thinking: "Crazy lady, just say yes!" but, that doesn't help my guilt situation. If I say yes I will feel guilty that I'm letting them eat the stuff while knowing what's inside it. 100 Days of Real Food said something along the lines of would you give your child poison "just this one time" because they begged you for it? Probably not. So why do we as parents chose to do it with foods? Especially food containing ingredients that are banned in other major countries because of health concerns. Foods that basically DO contain poison. You can read more about that from Food Babe but for now I'm going to tell you about a food we recently discovered that you can say YES! to and your kids will be ecstatic over.

Got Milk? Chocolate Magic Milk Flavoring Straws

Now your child can have a fun treat, in a cool package, and you can refrain from beating yourself up over it in the process. So, basically it's a straw that turns your milk (almond, cow, soy, coconut, etc.) into chocolate milk without all the garbage commonly found inside chocolate syrups or powders. And besides, what kid doesn't love a straw?

What's inside:

Sugar, cocoa powder, glucose syrup (a simple sugar derived from grapes), water, dextrose (another simple sugar similar to glucose), natural chocolate flavor
16 calories per straw
4g sugar per straw
NO artificial colors, preservatives, artificial flavors, or gluten

Granted these are still a "treat" and shouldn't be consumed at every single meal or anything crazy but go ahead Mom... say YES!

How Parents Can Help Prevent Type Two Diabetes

2013-03-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Special thanks to today's guest blogger, Carolyn from the blog Full On Fit. Carolyn is shining the light on Type Two Diabetes, one of the fastest growing childhood diseases in America. I have a sweet friend who struggles daily with her son's Type 2 Diabetes, that being said I would like to take a moment to stress that not all Type 2 Diabetes cases stem from nutrition habits and lack of exercise but, for the majority it does and can be prevented. I hope you enjoy Carolyn's post. Please take a moment to visit www.fullonfit.blogspot.com and say hi to Carolyn from the Give Them Roots family!

Since February was National Heart Month, it’s important to take the time to learn ways that families can work together to practice healthy habits for long-term heart health. Only a few months ago, my family found out that one of my younger cousins was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and it changed our whole outlook on overall health and well-being. According to Syracuse’s St. Joseph’s Cardiac Hospital, Type 2 and heart disease have a clear connection, which is why, it is so important for families to become aware of Type 2 Diabetes, and ways they can prevent it right from home through some nutrition and exercise tips!
Nutritional Tips
Use a Smaller Plate
One great tip is to use a smaller plate when you're eating a meal. This is a great way to teach kids about portion control because it is like a mind trick. You actually think you're eating more food when you put it onto a smaller plate as opposed to a larger one!
Don't Drink Calories

One of the worst things a kid can do is drink their calories. Liquid calories do not fill your child up, yet they will still be gaining weight because of all of the excess calories they're consuming. If they’re going to drink calories, make them worthwhile – like milk and non-artificially sweetened juices.
Eat Very Slowly

Eating food a little more slowly is a great way for kids to have time to know when they're full and when they need to stop eating. It takes about 15-20 minutes for your brain to start signaling feelings of being full. This helps to prevent that overly-full feeling that we all hate happens to us when we scarf our food down.
**A Healthy Recipe!

One of the easiest healthy recipes I've created for my cousins is an apple nacho platter. Instead of regular nachos and cheese, we slice up apples and drizzle sugar-free caramel and dark chocolate on top. We then top that off with some mini marshmallows and walnuts. It's a healthy and sweet alternative that the kids will literally look for every single day.
Exercise and Activity Tips
Exercise – Yes, Even in the Cold Weather!

One problem that many parents have is that they do not exercise in cold weather with their kids. You have two options here:

Instead of working out outside, try to workout in your living room to stay warm. There are tons of workout videos, and Yoga, Pilates and Zumba videos you can try!
Get outside anyway! If you live someplace snowy, get outside and

go skiing, ice skating, sledding, or build a snow fort to use during
snowball fights! Any activity is better than none!

Get Outside As Much As Possible

Changing up your scenery and getting some fresh air does the body good. There are so many activities you can do as a family together – here are a few of our favorites:

- walks or bike rides around the neighborhood

- swimming at the local lake (or pool)

- nature hikes in the woods

- have scavenger hunts or obstacle courses in the neighborhood

- getting the neighbors together to play soccer, kickball, capture-

the-flag, tag, etc.
Schedule Your Workouts
You might find it more worthwhile to schedule your workouts so that they become a priority and a regular scheduled activity. If your workout activities are scheduled you’re more likely to stick to them and not make excuses that you don’t have the time! You do have the time – because it’s already scheduled in!

Be Creative and Try New Things
A great way to keep kids interested in participating in regular exercise is to try new things. One week you might find hula hooping to be fun and the next you could try dance. It's all about keeping things fresh and new for your kids to keep them engaged and their bodies healthy.

Carolyn is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/!

Is Your Cookware Toxic?

2013-03-03T16:19:00.002-05:00

My husband & I decided to buy some new cookware, specifically fry pans because our pans were sticking even with oils. We headed off to the nearest big box store and browsed the selections. One set of cookware called itself "green", which naturally caught my attention... disclaimer: THIS IS NOT SMART OR ADVISED; just because a product says it's "all natural" or "green" does not necessarily mean that it is. In this case, it was not green by my standards but it did bring our attention to the nightmare known as non-stick cookware and for that we are grateful. You see, this set of cookware said it was free of all sorts of chemicals. Chemicals we had never heard of. Chemicals that we learned were present in our previous cookware.

I spend a lot of time reading labels in the grocery store so you can imagine my surprise to learn that I was spending several hundred dollars each month on healthy food for my family and then I was cooking the dang TOXINS into our food! Totally defeats the purpose, right? Well, I did my research and we found a 10 pc. set of GreenPan cookware at Target for $89.99 (amazing price compared to Amazon!), that is safe for our family and we learned a lot about what to avoid in the process.

Cookware Toxins to Avoid:

PTFE: Polytetrafluoroethylene is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene; a chemical found in traditional nonstick coatings such as Teflon. It begins to degrade and release into your food & air at temperatures over 500º, which is why the instructions on traditional nonstick pans generally advise to use them only on low and medium heat. However, most recipes call for medium HIGH heat and honestly, who boils water on medium? PTFE causes flu like symptoms in humans and is lethal to birds when overheated. Have you heard of coal miners sending a canary into mines to check for safety? If the canary dies it's not safe. Well... there you have it.

PFOA: PerFluoroOctanoic Acid, a chemical used to manufacture non-stick cookware, especially. It has been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, and high cholesterol. In the form of an ammonium salt, it is used as a surfactant in the emulsion polymerization of PTFE, and has been detected in some PTFE products.While PFOA is now regulated in cookware allowable by only very small parts and is typically not enough to cause health issues the EPA has noted that large amounts of PFOA are being found in our air, soil and water. Because of this, it is most eco-friendly to support companies and buy products that do not use this chemical during manufacturing.

Aluminum: Aluminum cookware is known for it's natural non-stick ability. However, studies have shown that when heated in contact with an acid (tomato sauce) it produces dangerous aluminum salts which can leech into your food. Aluminum salts are known for impaired visual motor coordination and Alzheimer’s disease; however there is no definite link proven. More than half of all cookware sold today is made of aluminum. This includes aluminum foils, keep this in mind. NEVER store food in aluminum. Ever. The longer the food sits in the container or pot the more leeching occurs.

Cadmium: Some older enamel cookware contained the potentially toxic substance cadmium, which was sometimes contained in the red, yellow and orange pigments used to color the interior of enamel cookware. Cadmium was used mostly by foreign manufacturers. But manufacturers have discontinued its use, and consumers today are not in danger of cadmium poisoning from enamelware marketed today. Basically, just say no to antique dishes.

Lead: So, your kid's toy gets recalled just incase they put it in their mouth but your cookware? Nope. You know those nifty little glass measuring cups that are microwave and oven safe? Well, unless you are using the Pyrex brand then the painted on measurements are more than likely lead based and probably say not safe for high temperatures. This is also the case for enamel casserole dishes and "Fiesta ware", the brightly colored dish sets which are actually quite expensive. *note: the new versions of the Fiesta are lead-safe but the antique & early editions are not. If Granny passed it on to you, you may want to only decorate with it. Similar to the Cadmium mentioned above.

Iron: While iron is not a chemical, it can be toxic in high levels. Cast iron, commonly used for cooking, is the most porous of all metals. This means that it is soaking up the food you are cooking and grease can turn rancid in the pores, which can't be washed with soap without ruining the pan. Some people believe that cooking with cast iron is a benefit because you can get iron from the cast iron pot. While this is true there are two forms of iron ferrous and ferric. Your body cannot assimilate the ferric form which is what you get from cast iron cookware.The only way for the body to release ferric iron is through blood loss, unless you are menstruating female then chances are you probably should NOT regularly cook with cast iron.

Now, GreenPan that I mentioned above is free of all of those potential toxins. In addition, they use solar energy to manufacture their cookware, reducing their energy consumption by 50% of other cookware producers and they never use PFOA. GreenPan has been approved by the Swiss product administration which is much stricter than the US consumer agency & FDA. Find out where to buy GreenPan near you. http://www.green-pan.us/us/where-to-buy

What type of cookware are you using?

*I have not been compensated in any way by GreenPan for this blog article.This is not a product review, only a suggestion based on our families personal experience, knowledge and use. :)

Dog Tag Art Giveaway

2012-10-22T15:31:00.001-04:00

Check out Bella's new bling from Dog Tag Art!

We have a special treat for you today, or rather for your furry friend! Dog Tag Art is offering 1 lucky reader a fully customizable dog tag for free! I've reviewed the fantastic features of Dog Tag Art before but here's a quick recap of why every furry friend deserves a pet ID from Dog Tag Art, www.dogtagart.com.

*Hundreds of full color designs
*Upload your own art
*Fully customizable back (add any info you want! We do Bella, our # and that she's microchipped)
*2 sizes to choose from
*Lifetime warranty
*Glow in the dark tag silencers (no more jingle bells!)

Want to win it? Easy stuff! Like Give Them Roots on Facebook and then like Dog Tag Art. Take a peek at www.dogtagart.com and comment on the Give Them Roots Facebook post of Bella (shown above) to tell me which tag you would choose or if you would upload your own art! 1 winner will be randomly selected (and verified) on "Howloween", October 31st!

Good luck! Until then, use the code HOWLOWEEN12 for Buy 1 Get 1 50% off! Sweeet! Expires 10/31/12

2012 Dirty Dozen List

2012-07-30T13:32:00.000-04:00

The EWG released the latest Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ These lists are the safetest produce you can eat non-organic and the produce you should buy organic. The list is based off of residual pesticides and chemicals found in or on the produce. Check it out! You might be suprised which foods are the most dangerous for your family.

Free Kid Haircuts in August

2012-07-20T16:23:00.000-04:00

Are you gearing up for a new school year? We want your kiddo to look sharp & so does JCPenney salon! During the month of August you can take your rising kindergartener through sixth grader to any JCPenney salon for a free haircut! No tricks or gimmicks! Just call to schedule it. There are a limited number of free cuts per day so don't wait! www.jcpenney.com

Safe Sunscreen Guide

2012-06-24T17:59:00.000-04:00

As we welcome the official start of Summer with trips to the pool, vacations to the beach, backyard cookouts and fun days in the sun we also welcome bottles and bottles of sunscreen, especially with four boys. Sunscreen is one health item that I am known to buy with some pretty shady ingredients, and I don't mean shade from the sun. This summer our family is changing our lather and introducing some healthier choices for our skin and lungs (yes, lungs.)

Here is a great guide that breaks down sunscreens in alphabetical order and codes each sunscreen by health safety and cost! I love that! There are several that we had never heard of and I'm hoping to try out soon. Any that we test I'll be sure to tell you about, and maybe even give some of favorites away! But for now... check out Environmental Working Group's awesome sunscreen resource! http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/

The ONLY Cloth-lined Diaper Pail

2012-04-03T14:13:00.003-04:00

Have you seen the new Ubbi diaper pail with a reusable cloth liner? I was so excited when I received the press release about Ubbi's pail. Finally, a diaper pail for cloth diaper users! We are officially out of diapers over here {Woot!} so I wasn't able to personally test out the features of the pail but my oh so sweet and snuggly little goddaughter did, or rather her Mom did! Krystal is a stylish, cloth diapering mother who is both health and environmentally conscious in her consumer needs. Let's take a look at what she had to say about Ubbi!

“The Ubbi diaper pail is awesome!!! I love the way it looks and, it's tall and narrow so you can sneak it into almost any space in a room. It really does a great job of keeping the room from smelling stinky... I use cloth and regular diapers so sometimes I don't need to change the bag in the Ubbi for over a week and it still doesn't smell. The pail has a child safety lock on the top to prevent the little ones from opening the lid, which is great! The company makes their own disposable bags that you can purchase but any regular kitchen trash bag works just fine. Also, Ubbi makes a cloth diaper sac that you can use in the pail if you are a cloth diaper user. I haven't tried this yet but, I have heard that when it's full you can just toss the whole bag with the diapers inside right into the washer. I can't wait to try this! I would definitely recommend theUbbi diaper pail to all of my friends who have kids in diapers!”
Krystal, mother of two

Let's take a quick glance at what Krystal said she loves about the Ubbi pail and a few more awesome features that Ubbi offers.

-Slim design makes it easy to find a place for the Ubbi!
-Coated steel design locks in odors & locks out children.
-3 bag choices: Ubbi disposable (biodegradable), Ubbi cloth reusable, or any garbage bag.
-Ubbi is the ONLY diaper pail with a cloth liner choice.
-9 color choices help coordinate the pail with your nursery.

I have never (ever) recommended or gifted a diaper pail to a new parent and I never used them with our 4 boys. This was mostly due to the atrocious designs of pails like the “genie” and the fact that they are bacteria-harboring plastic and need special bags... you can't fool me, poop smells soak into plastic making it impossible to rid the odor and for the love of Mother Earth, there is enough plastic bags in the landfill as it is. And then Ubbi came along with it's sleek steel design and reusable or biodegradable bags... I would definitely recommend this pail to anyone, especially to you, my lovely readers!

Don't take my word for it... check it out, you're going to LOVE it! www.ubbiworld.com

SodaStream... I think I love you.

2012-03-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Confession... my husband and I have an addiction. Carbonated Water! We love it. I started buying La Croix brand water several months ago and fell in love with the zero calorie, all-natural flavored, bubbles! Sounds harmless right? Wrong. Not only are they $4 for an 8-pack, they are CANS. I know, I know, you can recycle them but, I still felt guilty for producing so much waste. You can imagine my excitement when Target stocked SodaStream on their shelves and I took the time to look into them! Have you seen these guys?

So, here's the skinny: SodaStream is a beverage carbonation system. You can create sodas, carbonated waters, and even teas in your own home!

Pros:
-Convenient: No heavy bottles to buy, carry home from grocery, store in your home
-Eco-friendly: Doesn't require energy, no batteries or electricity. Create less waste with the reusable bottle system. This means no plastic bottles or cans to recycle or throw out. (And no “flat” drinks to pour out.) Less packaging and transportation!
-Save $: Cheaper than buying per-packaged sodas and carbonated beverages at the store.
-Healthier: You can use filtered water. No high-fructose corn syrup! The flavor additives have less sugar, carbs, sodium and calories than leading brands. Ex. Cola Free has zero calories and doesn't contain Aspartame! Most (if not all) of the flavors have natural ingredients.
-Easy to use: Like incredibly easy. Just screw on the bottle, push a button, add the flavor. That's it!

Cons:
-Super addictive and tons of fun.
-Large initial investment but pays for itself in no time!

The flavoring has several servings inside the compact bottle. The water flavors come in glass bottles that are smaller than vanilla extract and make approximately 20 liters of water! WOW! You can also choose from a huge variety of flavors, over 50! Mix and match flavors to create your own custom drinks.

Take a peek at http://www.sodastream.com/ to learn more, see the flavors and find the right SodaStream for your family. We have the SodaStream Fountain Jet and it's PERFECT!

Consignment Sale Shopping Tips

2012-02-16T21:48:00.004-05:00

My favorite consignment sale, Kids Everywear, is coming up soon, March 2nd-5th!. I bet your local sales are starting soon too! Don't miss out on a great way to stock up on cute, quality, name brand spring clothing for your son or daughter. Here's some tips to finding the best deals at a consignment sale.

Shop early! This is biggest trick of the trade. Volunteer or consign so that you can shop before the public sale begins. Don't wait until the crowds arrive, the lines are long and everything has been picked through! Consignment sales rely on volunteers to help run the sale and to reward you for your time spent helping the sale succeed, they allow you to shop before opening day!
Make a list and check it twice. To help save time and money, make sure that you get the right sizes for your child. Make a list of their current sizes and the sizes you expect them to need for the upcoming season. Then list what items that child needs or wants. Example: Owen, age 6, size 6 slim, shirt size small, shoe size 13. Needs: shorts, tshirts, swimsuit, sandals. Wants: Legos, Wii games, books, Superhero tshirts.
Shop the sales! Every consignment sale has a 50% off day. I usually save my “play clothes” purchases for the 50% off day. I also use this as my browsing day and really check out what's left to see if I can score any amazing deals. This is a great time to look at puzzles, games, toys, movies, BOOKS, and shoes! AND, the best part about volunteering or consigning, you get to shop the 50% off sale while everyone else shops at full price!
Go without your kids. Trust me on this, it's so much less chaotic and everyone (you, child, other shoppers, workers) will appreciate it. Grab yourself a cup of coffee, turn your phone off, and relax while you shop. You deserve it. Really, this tip is for all kinds of shopping, grocery, clothes, furniture, whatever... give yourself a breather.

There are many more useful tips for successful consignment shopping on the Kids Everywear website, take a look! You can also still register to volunteer and if you're a pregnant or first time mom you can register to shop early with Kids Everywear!

Do you have a tip for consignment sale shopping?

Recipe: Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

2012-01-16T10:03:00.004-05:00

You are probably going to want to read this and then you're probably going to want to run to the grocery store and hit the kitchen. This recipe had a long journey to find our kitchen! It started out at Pampered Chef, found it's way onto Allrecipes.com, was shared at The Girl Who Ate Everything, and then journeyed onto my dear friend's food board on Pinterest! And now, here it is on Give Them Roots! Any recipe that has a map course like that is usually divine, this recipe is no exception.

Annie's Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips (ahem, or Pampered Chef's)

Ingredients
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

1.In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3.Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

4.Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

If you go to the link for The Girl Who Ate Everything above, she changed the sugar measurements some and I think it's a much healthier way to make it!

The 365 Family Challenge

2012-01-09T10:06:00.006-05:00

Instead of a New Year's resolution this year, our family is choosing a 365 day challenge. I'd love for each of you to join me on this challenge (Our challenge will run slightly over into 2013 because we're starting today!). There are only two rules to participate in this challenge:

1. Choose one thing you would like for your family to do together for a solid year. (reading, outdoor quality time, cooking together, meditation, exercise, etc.)

2. Do it every single day. No exceptions. No excuses.

This can be anything! It can be something you always said you would do when you had a family, something you need to work on together, something just for fun, or absolutely ANYTHING. The sky is the limit. And, you don't have to have human babies to do this challenge, fur babies count too! It could be taking a family (you, your partner, & your furry friend) walk every evening, rain or shine!

Our family is going to have 30 minutes of family reading together every single night before bed. No exceptions. No excuses. Everyone will get a chance to read aloud (minus the baby and the 4 year old will just be telling us about the pictures). We read to our boys a lot and always at bedtime but not frequently TOGETHER, all six of us, in one room. I think there will be a lot of benefits to doing this challenge for our entire family. Our twins have learned to read and this will encourage them and help them excel. Hudson, our 4 year old, is still working on letter sounds, this will help him learn what letters make the sounds as his older brothers are sounding out words. Evan, the baby, just wants to be with his big brothers every.waking.second.of.the.day. , so this will give him a chance to take part without them telling him no, or saying that he's wrecking everything. :) For Ryan and I, this challenge is most important. It means that we're BOTH stopping everything for 30 minutes and spending quality time with our boys, all of them. 30 minutes probably sounds like nothing to a lot of you, but when you have four "stair step" children, someone requires your attention constantly. There's always something to do, packing lunches, helping with homework, after school activities (ex. sports for our family), changing diapers, doing laundry, cooking meals, cleaning up, bath time (Mommy included), snuggle time for each kid, playtime, and just general self preservation a.k.a personal time! It's a lot to pack into one day, especially when most of that has to happen between the hours of 3:00pm and 7:30pm... when the twins get out of school and when the boys go to bed. 4.5 hours and we're taking 30 minutes of that for reading. I truly hope this is a challenge that we see through to the end and carry into the years to come!

Your challenge doesn't have to be 30 minutes, it could be 5 minutes! The idea is that you're spending quality time together so, it just has to be something you do together as a family.

What challenge will you complete with your family this year?

(Don't be shy, chances are if it's in writing for the world to see you'll really do it!!)

Potty Training: The 7 Day Method

2012-01-04T16:49:00.005-05:00

A few months ago I posted the following message on Facebook: “No more baby cribs at the Peed Casa!!! Evan's officially in a toddler bed. Pack your bags, diapers. You're up!!!”, that's right Give Them Roots' readers, our little family is at the end of an era. An era run by the tiniest tyrants, plagued with stinky diapers and dirty crib bumpers (Why are those so incredibly hard to wash & dry?!). I can hardly believe that after 6 straight years of diapers, breastfeeding, and baby food making we are almost done! I wish I could be one of those mother's who tell you it's bittersweet or that I cried taking the crib down but I won't lie to you. I may or may not have done some fist pumping outside of Evan's door when he fell asleep in his toddler bed without any issues. I'm even prouder to say today that my now two year old is happily sleeping on the bottom of a bunk bed. Adios toddler bed!

So what's next? PT work, and no I don't mean part-time. I mean full-time, hands on, boot camp style POTTY TRAINING. Evan's almost 25 months old now and we're ready to begin. Santa brought a new potty and big boy underwear so we introduced our littlest man to his new best friend. Our older 3 boys we trained the same way with great success. It's the same way my Mom trained me and the same way we plan to train our youngest. Today, I'm sharing the family secret. (You should patent this, Mom!)

Potty Training: The 7 Day Method.
This is so incredibly simple that you won't believe it will work, but it will. The key to success is sticking to it! You can't slack off, you can't do it half-***, and you have to go full throttle with both guns blazing! Let's begin...

Day 1: Put on big kid underwear! Make the biggest deal you've ever made about something your child has gotten. Go to the potty (big or little potty), sit on it and talk about what you do when you're in the bathroom! Hop up and begin the fun. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Don't put on pants! Pick out some “reading material” and play or do what you want until the timer goes off. Stay with your child! When the timer goes off go back to the potty for 5 minutes or less if your child goes potty before that. IF they do go potty make a huge fuss, (bigger than the underwear!) and reward them. We used a jar of M&Ms. 1 for sitting without crying, 2 for pee, 3 for poo. Repeat... all... day... long. (I didn't say it was easy, just simple.) The only time your child should be using pull-ups or diapers is during sleep or if you must leave. Works best to stay home this week, like REALLY stay home.

Day 2: Continue where you left off but today add 10 minutes. Your timer is now 20 minutes.

Day 3: Continue. Your timer is now 30 minutes.

Day 4: Continue. Your timer is now 40 minutes.

Day 5: Continue. Your timer is now 50 minutes.

Day 6: Continue. Your timer is now... ready... ONE WHOLE HOUR!!! Woot! Woot!

Day 7: Potty party!!!! Hopefully, if you stayed on top of your kid like white on rice then your child is now going a full hour dry! If you are training an older child (3+) then they can probably go longer but it's best for the first few weeks to be in the habit of saying “Evan, do you need to go potty?” every hour on the hour!

Just remember what Elmo says "Accidents happen." because they do, and It. Is. OK! Good luck to my potty training friends, more details on our progress soon!

Homemade Holiday: Update

2011-12-23T21:16:00.004-05:00

I'm embarrassed to say but, here goes. 26 hrs to go before showtime and I have not made 1/8th of what I had hoped. Maybe next year I should start this challenge in OCTOBER! I did make a few awesome gifts (that couldn't be shared because my family reads this. Hi!) but I was really hoping to make them all. That was probably my first mistake. I have four kids. Correction, I have four boisterous boys. Boys that can make a clean and organized room look like a crime scene in 5 minutes flat and to top it off the 4 year old changes his clothes more than Princess Kate will during Christmas at the Buckingham Palace (Did anyone else see that? Kate has something crazy like 20 outfits that she will wear on Christmas day!).

Instead, I leaned on my crutch, http://www.craigslist.org/! We scored big with some of our gifts. We were able to reduce, reuse and recycle and we saved a small fortune in the process! Take a peek at part of our gift stash...

-Bubble mower, new in the box for $10. Saved $19.99
-80/800mm Telescope with a pro guide to constellations and the original box $25. Saved $195
-Tech Deck Skate board lot (4 ramps and 16 boards) $20. Saved ~$80
-Groovy Girls doll house with accessories and 6 dolls $25. Saved $150
-Jr. Golf Clubs (two sets) with bags $60. Saved $180

Total savings: $625

$$ CHA-CHING!!!!!! $$

The gifts that I did make could have been purchased on Etsy at $150 each. Thanks to an awesome friend with a Cricut and some extra frames that we had around the house, we didn't spend a dime! I'm not going to lie though, I spent endless hours making them, neglecting my kids, and there were multiple remakes. But, I love the end product and hope the recipients do too! Savings on three: $450.

Do you have some last minute shopping to do? Check your local http://www.craigslist.org/, you never know what you might find!

Merry Christmas to my favorite GTRooties!

Homemade Holiday: Recycled Tire Seesaw

2011-12-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

If you're not following me on Pinterest (you can use the link to the left) then you probably missed the most awesome pin... a DIY tire seesaw! This tutorial comes from Lorren over at Barefoot in Paradise. This is her "semi-finished" project; personally, I love the rustic look that it has in the picture below but if you go to Lorren's blog then you'll find the fabric covered finished version.

What's not to love? It's a homemade seesaw made from recycled tires! I adore this project and it just got bumped to the very top of my to-do list. The only problem... who should I give it to?!?

Homemade Holiday: 25 gifts under $5

2011-12-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Whew, what a week we're having over here and it's only Thursday. My 6 year old has pneumonia thanks to a freak cold turned bad, the almost 2 year old's eardrum ruptured with no warning of double ear infections (he also has a broken arm, 2 more weeks to go with his club, I mean cast) also thanks to the freak cold. I've also been on a crafting spree with teacher presents because my twins are in year round school which means they track out tomorrow for all of December and I'm making my sweet goddaughter's first birthday decorations.

That being said... I'm taking the easy way out today. Check out The 36th Avenue's fabulous post on 25 homemade gifts under $5! . You can find adorable tutorials for things like jersey knit bracelets, paper clip earrings, "tea light" candles, and 22 other fantastic gift ideas!

Make sure to say hi, when you stop by her site... us Bloggers like comment love.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:53:00.003-05:00

For you, my readers, I am truly grateful. Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. Avoid those ad flyers and be strong tomorrow. ;)

For The Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies;
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour,
Of the day and of the night;
Hill and vale and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind's delight;
For the mystic harmony,
Linking sense to sound and sight;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child;
Friends on Earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Homemade Holiday: For Teachers

2011-11-22T07:00:00.002-05:00

The Teacher category might be my favorite! There are so many fun gifts for your child to give to their teacher. I could do a whole week of teacher gifts and maybe I will at the end of the school year but for now, here's three of my favorite ideas!

1. You're The Bomb from Make-It-Do

Rolos wrapped in red paper with a pipe cleaner fuse to look like dynamite. It's pictured as a Valentine's Day gift but I think it's a perfect gift for assistant teachers.

2. Candy Gram Pail from Simply Savvy

I edited the original text a little to work for Christmas.

" Don't SNICKER, but I think you're a great teacher! You are MOUNDS of fun and you bring me so much JOY. I think you ROCK. (pop rocks) Thanks BEARY much (gummy bears) for always being so JOLLY (jolly ranchers) and for helping me become such a SMARTIE. Teachers like you are worth a MINT. (york peppermint patty) I'd be a NERD if I didn't thank you for helping me put the PIECES (reeses pieces) of the knowledge puzzle together. You are Marvelously Magnificent. (m&ms) Merry Christmas!"

3. Crayon Monogram from Well How Nice

I saved the best for last, this is my very favorite! My boys are kindergarten and honestly, how perfect is this for a K-teacher? Such an incredibly simple project!

Have you seen an awesome DIY tutorial for teacher gifts? Do share.

p.s. Most of the DIY gift ideas I've posted over the past week have been found on Pinterest.com. I am going to try to credit the original source when possible. If you click the Blog names above it will take you directly to the tutorial. :)

A Homemade Holiday: For The Dads

2011-11-20T09:07:00.006-05:00

Why is Dad always the hardest to find a gift for? It doesn't matter if it's your Dad or your kiddo's Dad, they are stinkin' hard to come up with ideas! Here's two ideas that I really love and know the Dads in my life would too.

First up, for the "Teerific Dad". This jar-gift would be super cute paired with a homemade coupon for "One free day of golf with your buds". You just need a jar, ribbon, craft paper, tees, & golf balls.

The next gift for Dad really cracks me up. Kill two birds with one stone with this gift, a back massage for Dad and entertainment for your kids! This brilliant little road shirt can be found at www.thebluebasket.blogspot.com . Grab a t-shirt and some fabric markers and go "to town". heehee (That was terrible.)

Do you have any DIY ideas for the Dad in your life?

A Homemade Holiday: For The Baby

2011-11-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

Oh. my.. aching... uterus. Every DIY tutorial or idea that I come across for babies makes me want another baby... eh, maybe not. My sweet baby boy is almost out of the "counting by months" phase (ex. 23 months). Evan will be two years old in less than a month! I still think he would love these little guys though. Honestly, I think that my four and six year old boys would probably love them too.

Socktopuses

These are so amazingly easy! To turn your Socktopuses into a really sweet gift, think about using a cute basket and filling it to the brim with these adorable sea creatures.

Stuff a sock with fabric scraps, plastic bags, rice/beans or all three for different sounds and textures!
Sew the sock closed & cut 8 legs. To make the fabric curl like it is in the picture, simply stretch the leg very gently.

If you don't have lonesome socks that you could recycle, try the local Dollar Store and then think of another baby you can gift a matching set to. While you're there, grab some buttons for the octopus's eyes.

Tip: When you go to close the sock try this: weave the thread in and out of fabric in the full circle of the sock and leave 2 thread tails hanging down on the inside of the sock. Then pull the two threads taut to close the sock opening, tie a strong knot for closure and then snip the ends.

Note: This DIY craft photo was posted by a Pinterest user without a link or credit for a tutorial.