ADVENTURESINPARENTING.COM

Wash, wash, wash ...

The Adventurous Parent — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:53:00 GMT

Not your clothes, not your floors, your HANDs.

Wash your hands.
Wash your kids hands.
Wash strangers hands. Well, maybe not. That would be weird.

But, from one parent to another, a bit of advice.
1. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.
2. Then keep those hands out of your mouth and away from your face.

This may give you some help in fighting the dreaded gastrointestinal virus that is making the rounds in this neighbourhood.

And if all that fails, make sure you keep some oral electrolyte solution on hand (ie. Gatorade for adults, Pedialyte drink or freezies for kids). Keep this in the basement or freezer, because this virus never hits during the day ... always around midnight, when it might be a tad inconvenient to get to a store to go shopping. A tad inconvenient for sleep as well. Good luck.

OMB : Antique?

The Adventurous Parent — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:52:00 GMT

I'm starting a new category to capture hilarious kids quotes ... OMB, or Out of the Mouths of Babes !

First up.

Mommy, and oldest kid (K1), sitting, cosy, under a blanket on the couch reading a story. The story refers to an antique (can you see where this is going) ....

K1 : Mommy, what's an antique.

Me : It's something very old (and, I should have said valuable, but I digress)

K1 : So, you're an antique?

Hmmm, let's just say 'retro' shall we?

Recipe : Pumpkin Bread

The Adventurous Parent — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:20:00 GMT

I found this wonderful recipe over at the All Recipes site and had to share it. I'm not really sure why I have such an affinity for cookbooks, when I'm constantly trying the recipes I find online. Maybe I'm a wanna be luddite?

In any case, I make good use of the All Recipes site. So, I'll share my approach. First, I narrow down the food type (for example, cookies, chicken dinner, cake, etc). Next, if necessary, I'll add in any additional search parameters, such as, raisins, chocolate chips, almonds, etc. After that, I sort the results by ratings, and choose the recipe that has both a high number of reviews/votes, and a high rating (up to 5 stars are possible). Finally, I take a quick look at the 'most useful' reviews to learn any additional tips and tricks to improve on the end result.

In this example, the pumpkin bread, or Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread , has over 4000 reviews, and has managed to keep a 5 out of 5 rating.

While I can't take credit for the recipe, I can say I've increased the popularity of it ... every time I make it, people ask for the recipe. Okay, women ask for the recipe, men just eat (and eat, and eat). Just this past weekend, an acquaintance told me they gave out a number of these loaves in their Christmas baskets, after I passed along the website.

But don't wait for Christmas! This also makes a great school snack as it has no nuts, and keeps it's shape when sliced. I've only made it as a loaf, but I imagine it would be just as good, and quite cute, as mini loaves or even muffins.

So, here it is.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (i've used 14oz cans as well)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions
1 .Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour, or spray, three loaf pans. You may need to turn your oven down to 325 if the edges appear to be browning (and pulling away from the sides of the loaf pan) before the center cooks.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. You don't want to over mix this, or any other muffin/loaf mixture. Pour into the prepared pans.
5. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. I have found it takes closer to 60-65 minutes for these to cook in my oven.

Eh, voila ...

Think I'll share this over at my Adventures In Thriftiness website.

The Only Constant is Change, or Noise and Commotion.

The Adventurous Parent — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 20:01:00 GMT

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

Roughly translated, the more things change, the more things stay the same.

I was thinking about this the other day as I swept the floor (again), did the dishes (again), prepped some food (again), put away toys, trinkets, and clothing (again).

Hmmm, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The kids are growing, learning and exploring, but some things never change. Namely, cooking for them, cleaning for them, and picking up after them. Oh, and the noise and commotion. It's constant. Like living in a never ending thunderstorm. Actually, that's not true, it does end. Every night around 8pm when they go to bed.

I had a little taste of change a few weeks ago. I was home alone in the house, with the kids in care or school, and me home from work. It was so quiet. I remember thinking that in 20 years, they'll be all grownup, and moved on, and it will be like this all the time.

Hmmm, think I'll need to get a dog.

Review : Hedbanz

The Adventurous Parent — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:58:00 GMT

Here's another product review for you, stemming from one of our Christmas gifts : the Hedbanz Game.

The game can be played with two to four players, and involves each player having to guess the contents of a card that they cannot be see (through deductive reasoning, if you want to sound really fancy-schmansy).

The game begins with each player receiving a card, a plastic headband, and three chips. On their turn, a player places the card, without looking at it, on their respective headband. The one minute timer begins, and the player may than ask a series of yes/no questions, until they have enough information to make a guess, for example :

Am I a food?
Am I a vegetable?
Am I red?
Tomatoe?

If correct, the player gives back one of their three chips. The player that 'loses' all of their chips first, wins.

Why did I like the game? First, I was interested in playing. Second, and this might be why I was interested in playing, it didn't involve batteries, princesses, or screen time. Third, it did involve thinking.

This proved a little more challenging for the younger set, who just wanted to throw the cards around to see where they fell, much to the dismay of the older siblings. But, I would say it would be suitable for those age 6 and over, and would interest both genders.

Here's a screen shot of the game from Amazon, but I've seen it in almost every store that carries board games.

http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Master-Games-6014346-Hedbanz/dp/B003AIM52A

Keeping Those Boots On

The Adventurous Parent — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 02:06:00 GMT

If you have toddlers you'll know how difficult it is to keep them warm when you head outside.

Actually getting multiple children dressed in winter clothing, and getting out the front door, in less than an hour, is a whole other post.

But assuming you get them dressed, keeping them dressed becomes your next challenge. Someone is always taking off a hat, losing a mitten or having their snowsuit hike up their legs - like their own personal snowsuit wedgie game - exposing bits of leg to the frigid air.

Sometimes keeping them clothed feels like playing 'whack-a-mole' ... you get one bit of skin covered, and out pops the next.

While I can't solve all of these problems, I can pass along one little trick I've learned. Although, I can't take credit for it. This little gem of an idea came to me via a shoe store salesperson.

We were shopping for winter boots a few years ago, when the sales lady suggested buying mitten clips? Mitten clips, for boots? Me thinks you're one clip short, I was saying to myself.

Agh, but not so fast. The clip isn't fastened to the boot. It's fastened to the snowsuit leg, and wrapped around the bottom of the boot. Kind of like those bungee tie down straps for cars ... but for kids and their snowsuits instead.

How does it work? The first clip is attached to the bottom, outside of one pant leg, then wrapped under the boot, and the second clip is attached to the bottom, inside of the snowsuit pant leg. That's it ... the mitt clip acts like a mini bungee that holds the snowsuit leg in place ... in the stroller, when walking, when being picked up, when tobogganing/sledding.

Incredible. Fantisimo, and just plain great. No more snowsuit leg wedgies. Snowsuit stays down, legs stay covered (and warm), and one less thing for mommies and daddies to worry about.

And just in case you can't quite figure out what I'm talking about. Here's the visual ...

Elefun

The Adventurous Parent — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 04:01:00 GMT

We have had this toy in the basement for a few years, but the kids just found it again, and man do they love it. I had forgotten how much fun it is for kids of all ages. It takes batteries which is the only downside, but it's worth it.

Basically, the base of the elephant is made of hard plastic, and the trunk is made from soft, expandable, plastic. When the game is turned on, the trunk unrolls, straight up, and out shoot butterflies. Players stand around the elephant trying to catch the butterflies, and whomever catches the most, wins. Although most of the time they don't bother to count. They just want to play it again, and again, and again.

I found this information on Amazon : The Hasbro Elefun . But I've seen them at most toy stores.

Get rechargable batteries, you'll need them.

[I have not received any compensation for this review.]

Product Review : Kushies Cloth All-In-One Diapers

The Adventurous Parent — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 02:12:00 GMT

As a long time cloth diaper user, I've have tried a number of different cloth diapers, and cloth diapering systems. Yes, there are 'systems' There are the prefolds (basically cloth that is folded to fit babies bum), the snap closures, the velcro closures, the all-in-ones, the separate liners, the 2 piece diaper/wrap combos, the one-size-fits-all-grow with your baby, and more.

My favourite, hands down, to date, are the Kushies all-in-one diaper. Yes, there is a little extra washing with the all-in-one (no reuse of the wrap, when only the cloth diaper needs to be washed). But for ease of use, and longevity, these win hands down.

There is a drawback, these are not cheap, The infant 5 pack is currently listed at $61.99 and the toddler 5 pack at $73.99. However, I don't think I have ever paid that much. I've usually bought them second hand, received them as a gift, or as a hand-me-down. Yet, even at full price, the benefits are worth it : you'll never run out of diapers (or laundry ), no funny chemicals against baby's bum, they'll last through many, many kids, and you can sell them when you're done (trying doing that with a disposable ... ewwwww).

I'm definitely not against disposables, I use them every night ... but I love the convenience of these cloth diapers. Cloth diapers and convenience ... bet you never thought you would hear those words in the same sentence! And no, I have received no compensation. This is just one moms opinion.

http://www.kushiesonline.com/Kushies-Diapers-s/240.htm

The Questions Are Getting Harder to Answer

The Adventurous Parent — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 23:25:00 GMT

So, I'm driving one of my many kid trips, when a voice from the back asks ...

"Mommy, was God ever a teenager" ?

I was officially stumped.

Arrowroot Biscuits (Cookies)

The Adventurous Parent — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:28:00 GMT

This Arrowroot Biscuit recipe comes from the All Recipes website .

I like these cookies because they are easy to make, not too sweet, and suitable for young helpers. We make them at least once a month. Sometimes plain, sometimes with chocolate chips, and now with Christmas around the corner, we've been using cookie cutters and festive sprinkles. They make a great snack in lunches, or a nice treat during nap time with a cup of tea.

The link provides you with a single batch, but since I always double the recipe, I've provided my measurements (and my tweaking of the instructions) below.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup arrowroot flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

(chocolate chips for decorating - optional)

Cream butter or margarine and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Stir remaining ingredients together (except chocolate chips) and add. Mix well.
Roll 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
Cut with cookie cutter or into rounds (ie with the opening of a small juice glass) and transfer to greased baking sheet. Add one or more chocolate chips to shaped dough if desired.
Bake in 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for about 8 to 10 minutes (I remove them just before they start to turn golden).
Allow a bit more baking time if rolled thicker.

Here's a shot of the dough being rolled out (you know, in case it wasn't obvious by the rolling pin)!

And here's the final product.

Note, if you let your kids add the chocolate chips, they will ALWAYS add more than one simple, little, decorative chocolate chip. They will try to cover as much surface area as possible with chocolate chips, until you are forced to ration the chocolate chips .. then again, maybe they're on to something. Most things in life are made better with the addition of chocolate.

Making Homemade Yogurt

The Adventurous Parent — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 03:14:00 GMT

Do you buy yogurt? Do you look for brands that are low fat, low sugar, no fillers, no preservatives? Do you pay extra for organic?

Well, you can stop.

Making yogurt is easy. Easy peasy. Easier than making babies ... well, easier than delivering them.

You probably have the supplies, and ingredients on hand.

Here's what you'll need :

4 cups homo milk
2 Tbsp fresh, full fat, plain, yogurt (with live bacteria culture)
Thermometer and whisk
Clean glass containers with lids (ie. 5, 250ml canning jars)
Large pot with lid (ie stockpot)
Towel, tea towel, dishclothes (to fit inside and insulate jars).

Heat the milk to 180-185F (this kills the bad bacteria).
Cool the milk to 110-115F.
Whisk in the yogurt (this adds back in the good bacteria) until blended.

Pour the liquid into 4 clean canning jars and place lids on jars.

Pour very hot tap water into the 5th canning jar.
Place towel on bottom of pot and position up the sides.
Place jars on top of towel with jar of hot water in the middle of yogurt jars. Place another towel on top or between jars, and add pot lid.

Let sit for 7-9 hours.

You know have fresh, home made yogurt, just remove from the pot and refrigerate... or add maple syrup, vanilla, fruit for a delicious treat!

You can now use yogurt from this batch to make your next batch, and more batches, and so on.

Paying Attention

The Adventurous Parent — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 01:55:00 GMT

So, paying attention.
A little goes a long way.
Don't pay attention, and you'll likely pay for it

Here is what happens when you leave a toddler, markers, and a colouring book on a HARDWOOD floor, while you try to get a quick blog post drafted ...

Repeat after me ... paying attention, pays dividends or at the very least avoids unpleasant liabilities

It's All About Perspective

The Adventurous Parent — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 02:57:00 GMT

Until I had kids, I never realized that 7am could be considered "sleeping in" and midnight could be considered "staying up late."

Parenting = Fatigue

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

The Adventurous Parent — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 01:59:00 GMT

This is yummy, yummy, yummy.
I usually double the batch below, and it still disappears in a couple of days.
If you want to cut down the sugar (cuz most kids get more than enough), just leave out the glaze.
It can be made in a loaf pan, mini-loaf pan, and muffin tin. When I make this with medium sized muffin liners, a single match makes about 2 dozen muffins.

LEMON POPPY SEED LOAF

Preheat oven to 350 F, 180 C

9x5 inch (2 litre) loaf pan sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup soft margarine (I use butter)
1 egg
2 tsp grated lemon rind (I grate 1 lemon)
3 tbsp lemon juice (I squeeze half a lemon or 3 tbsp whichever is most)
1/3 cup 2% milk
1 1/4 cups all purpose or organic flour1 tbsp poppy seeds (or more)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup 2% yogurt or light sour cream

Glaze
1/4 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. In large bowl or food processor, beat together sugar, margarine, egg, lemon rind and juice, mixing well. Add milk, mixing well.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and baking soda; add to bowl alternately with yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.

Do not overmix. Pour into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until tester inserted into centre comes out dry.

3. Glaze: Prick holes in top of loaf with fork. Combine icing sugar with lemon juice and pour over loaf slowly. I use a tablespoon and drizzle it over as it runs really quickly. You can adjust the sugar vs. lemon juice as you like to make it a bit thicker.

Enjoy!!!

This Is Scary!

The Adventurous Parent — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 18:13:00 GMT

I thought this was a little disconcerning
A visualization of distance to the nearest McDonalds in the contiguous United States.
The longest distance to any McDonalds lies "between the tiny Dakotan hamlets of Meadow and Glad Valley : 107 miles distant from the nearest McDonald’s, as the crow flies, and 145 miles by car!"

http://www.datapointed.net/visualizations/maps/distance-to-nearest-mcdonalds/

Come Visit Adventures In Thriftiness!

The Adventurous Parent — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:28:00 GMT

Hey There! Apologies for the absence ... I've been busy setting up a new blog.

Adventures In Thriftiness !

I found that many of the articles I wanted to write touched on more than parenting, and were related to simple, frugal, and dare I say thrifty living. So drop by for a visit and let me know what you think. Don't worry, I haven't disappeared. Once I have the Adventures in Thriftiness site up and running, I'll be coming back with more Adventures In Parenting

BPA - Officially Toxic

The Adventurous Parent — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 02:16:00 GMT

In case you haven't seen it, Environment Canada officially labeled BPA (Bisphenol A) as a toxic substance. This is the stuff that used to be found in plastic baby bottles. Ugh.

Here's the official news release from Environment Canada :
Government of Canada Takes Further Action to Protect Canadians from Risks Posed by Bisphenol A
October 13, 2010
http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=714D9AAE-1&news=74916A27-7F09-411E-B3AB-D1E8A596A2AC

Personally, we changed to glass bottles, and they've worked fine. As long as you don't drop them

Super Frugal, and Cheap, Cheap, Cheap

The Adventurous Parent — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 01:27:00 GMT

I was reading one of my mommy and money blogs, and had to laugh at the reference to being super frugal and cheap, cheap, cheap, over at Single Mom, Rich Mom. Jacqueline, the author, was talking about washing and reusing baggies , and being cheaper than friends who had grown up in refugee camps.

I say, why try to look 'normal' which is really just a relative, culture based term. Just claim the enviro high ground and say you're 'green'... washing and reusing baggies is environmentally friendlier than throwing them in the trash, AND it saves money. Double bonus!

Actually, alot of money saving actions and ideas work out that way .. washing baggies, walking or cycling, growing food, cooking snacks and meals from scratch, instead of buying it, and the list goes on. You don't have to become a full fledged enviro super hero, but you can try a new approach to an old problem, and it might just save both the environment and your pocket book!

Review : Sudocrem (Diaper Cream)

The Adventurous Parent — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 02:49:00 GMT

I just found an old container of sudocrem, and remembered how wonderful this product was.

Diaper cream. It's something most parents have used with little ones in diapers. I was given a small sample when my first was born, loved it, and used the product for years. Oh, I've tried alot of different creams over the years, on different bums, but I always came back to Sudocrem.

I think it's the texture .. smooth and creamy, not tacky, sticky, or gooey. And, it never seems dries out. I've left the lid off the small containers and the big containers, sometimes for days at a time. When I came back, it was just as I left it.

Now, it's not medicated. When a diaper rash really flares up, I used my prescription medication (with a little bit of cortisone), I still use the cortisone cream from time to time ... but for the day-to-day bum protection, nothing worked better.

And now that I've visited their website, and see that it's good for dry skin and other stuff, I think I'll keep it around a while longer!

http://www.sudocrem.com/

Teaching Awards - Nominations Now Open!

The Adventurous Parent — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:15:00 GMT

Does one of your kids have an amazing teacher, outstanding childcare provider? Why not nominate them for the Prime Ministers Award for Teaching Excellence or the Prime Ministers Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Education. See the links for full details, but winners will receive national recognition and monetary awards, and maybe a trip to a National Awards Ceremony.