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WELCOME TO HOMEBODIES
April 3, 2007
Volume 8, Issue 14
Weekly encouragement and empowerment e-zine
for stay-at-home parents and working parents
considering the at-home lifestyle
Your Hostess - Cheryl Gochnauer, author of
"Stay-at-Home Handbook", "So You Want to Be a
Stay-at-Home Mom", "Mom to Mom" and founder of
http://www.homebodies.org
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THIS WEEK'S ARTICLES:
"Downtime Pick-Me-Ups" by Homebodies founder Cheryl Gochnauer
"Eat It – It’s Good For You!" by Homebodies columnist Leanne Ely, founder of
Saving Dinner (http://www.savingdinner.com)
"Edible Crawlies for Kids" by Homebodies columnist Amanda Formaro, founder
of The Family Corner (http://www.thefamilycorner.com)
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DOWNTIME PICK-ME-UPS
Homebodies
By Cheryl Gochnauer
homebodies@comcast.net
Copyright 2007
“I am a mother of two small children, ages 2-1/2 and 8 months,” says Meg,
one of our online Homebuddies. “I have only recently realized that in order
to be the best mom possible for my children, I have to have some down time.
“Even if it is just taking a long, hot bath after they're asleep at night,
then following that with an at-home facial, some reading and maybe a
manicure or pedicure, that can be enough to bring some solace to the end of
a busy, stressful day,” Meg counsels.
“I also try and remember that I should not always wish for them to be older
and ‘easier’ to take care of (i.e., more independent),” she says. “As easy
as it is to hurry them through life - rushing things such as potty training,
drinking from a cup, etc. - it's also vitally important to cherish the LASTS
as well as the FIRSTS, especially with the child who you know will be your
youngest.
“Childhood goes by ‘way too quickly, anyway. I try to remember that one day
I will wish for days like this back (even trying ones), and that helps me
keep my attitude in check and my priorities in perspective.
Meg has another tip for easing motherly stress. “It's amazing what just
getting up an hour earlier than the kids will do for me,” she says. “There's
just something so peaceful about sitting outside early in the morning with a
cup of tea ... reminding me to be quiet in God's presence and revisit why I
originally chose the calling to be a stay-at-home mom.”
*****
Got some other ideas for pampering at-home parents? Write Cheryl at
homebodies@comcast.net, and we’ll share some ideas in an upcoming issue of
Homebodies.
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EAT IT - IT'S GOOD FOR YOU!
Healthy Homebodies
By Leanne Ely
leanneely@aol.com
Copyright 2007
Children can be difficult.
If you're a parent, you know THAT is the understatement of the century. They
are small humans with big wills, all their own. The strong-willed child,
that creature we've all heard about from the popular child experts and their
cronies, lives at almost everyone's house and wreaks havoc at the dinner
table. Or so I hear. Of course, being a nutritionist and former caterer, I
have never had to dip my toe in that pool. My children eat perfectly.
And if you believe that, you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
I have also noticed that some of the things I have said in the past have
sort of bitten me back and caused me to eat what I said earlier at a later
date, for example:
"When I have children, they'll eat what's in front of them." Munch, crunch,
chew, chew....pass the salt, wouldja? I am no parenting expert (are there
really such people?), however, I am an expert at being humbled and dining on
(ahem) syllable salad, as it were.
Sometimes trying a new food can be more trying on a parent then the child,
if you get my drift. There are times when food needs to be an adventure. Not
everyday, but just especially when introducing something new, especially for
the little guys. Here is a great trick for presenting a food to your child.
THE ON-A-STICK TRICK: "I've got the world on a string...." so the old song
goes. But if you're a kid, you could probably care less about the world
being on a string or this old song. Now if you had the world-on-a-stick,
well, that's completely different.
Kids will eat anything if they get to poke it with a stick. At least one
bite, anyway. Cut everything up, put it on a plate (not touching!) and give
them a big toothpick. Give them a rule or two, like don't put the toothpick
in your sister's eye, refrain from putting the toothpick in your ear-things
like that. Then let them go to town! They'll have a blast and may actually
try something they wouldn't have tried before.
BEAN AND ROASTED BELL PEPPER DIP
Disclaimer: Not all kids are going to be hip to the roasted bell pepper.
However, I have found when things are all whipped together with NO chunks
allowed, they can be pretty adventurous. Whatever you do, don't tell them
it's in there!
Serves about 10, as a dip.
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans -- drained
3/4 cup thinly sliced roasted red bell pepper -- drained
Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 4
minutes or until tender. Add basil and beans; cook over low heat 5 minutes,
stirring frequently. Stir in bell pepper. Now put the whole mess in your
blender and get rid of the chunks! Enjoy!
Serve with oven baked tortilla chips and some fresh veggies cut up and bring
on the sticks! Don't forget, those veggies need to be "pokeable"!
[Serving size: 1/4 cup--makes about 2 1/2 cups. Per serving: 158 Calories
(kcal); 1g Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate;
0mg Cholesterol; 5mg Sodium]
*****
Leanne Ely is the editor of Menu-Mailer and founder of Saving Dinner.Com. If
dinner's a hassle at your house and you need help, go to
http://www.menumailer.net, http://www.savingdinner.com or write Leanne at
leanneely@aol.com!
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EDIBLE CRAWLIES FOR KIDS
Craft Corner
By Amanda Formaro
webmom@thefamilycorner.com
Copyright 2007
Usually ants, beetles, and other creepy crawlies are not welcome in the
kitchen. But that's not the case with these fun snacks. Grab the kids and
eat some bugs!
Note: Where peanut butter is used in these recipes for "gluing" edible body
parts together, frostings may be used as a substitution for those children
who are sensitive to or allergic to nuts.
ANTS IN THE SAND
graham crackers, crushed
chocolate sprinkles
snack sized resealable plastic bags
To crush graham crackers, place inside a large (gallon size) resealable
plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, smash crackers through bag by rolling back
and forth over them until they are all in crumb form.
Fill snack sized resealable bags halfway with graham cracker crumbs. Add a
small handful of chocolate sprinkles to the bags and seal.
BUGS ON A LOG
celery stalks
peanut butter
raisins
Spread peanut butter onto washed and drained celery stalks. Top with
raisins. For children who are allergic to peanuts, try using cream cheese or
processed cheese spread in place of the peanut butter.
COOKIE SPIDERS
black or chocolate licorice twists
fudge sandwich cookies
chocolate frosting
red cinnamon candies
Cut licorice in half. Remove the top of each sandwich cookie; press 8
licorice pieces into the fudge center to resemble spider legs. Spread a
little chocolate frosting over the licorice; replace cookie tops. Frost the
tops of the spider cookies with frosting. Place red cinnamon candies on top
for eyes.
MUENSTER BEETLES
crunchy chow mein noodles
muenster cheese (or other soft block cheese)
Cut cheese into 2" x 1" rectangular blocks. Gently insert three chow mein
noodles on each side of cheese block for legs. Using two broken chow mein
noodles, insert into "head" as antennae.
Note: Cheddar makes a bright and colorful beetle, but can be very
frustrating for little fingers as the cheese is a bit too hard to press the
noodles into without breaking. Use softer cheese such as gouda, havarti,
Monterey jack, or even mozzarella.
PEANUT BUTTER CATERPILLARS
bananas
peanut butter
grapes
chow mein noodles
Peel and slice a banana. Join the slices together by "gluing" them with
peanut butter. Carefully poke two chow mein noodles (or break a pretzel
stick in half to make two pieces) through the top of the grape. Use more
peanut butter to attach the head (grape) to the front of the body, with
antennae (chow mein noodles) pointing up.
******
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children and the owner
of FamilyCorner.com Magazine.
Subscribe to her free weekly kid's craft newsletter, Busy Little Hands, by
sending any email message to
mailto:kidscrafts-on@mail-list.com or by visiting her website at
http://familycorner.com
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PUBLICATION INFORMATION
Copyright 2007 Cheryl Gochnauer. All rights reserved. For permission to
reprint an article, please write homebodies@comcast.net.
All articles are printed with the author's prior consent. It is assumed that
any questions, tips or replies to questions may be reprinted. All letters
become the property of Cheryl Gochnauer.
Cheryl Gochnauer does not assume responsibility for advice given. All
advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and
applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe
and suitable for their own situation.
Homebodies is a free weekly e-mail newsletter.
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