My Boy’s First Day in Kindergarten

Well, I have done it.  I’ve experienced a rite of passage for moms – the day the firstborn goes to kindergarten!  I am so happy that my son was very excited.  Walking to the classroom, I said, “This is so exciting!” (even if I didn’t feel that 100%) and he replied, “It’s even more exciting for me!”  I know it’s helping that he’s getting Hot Wheels cars at the end of the week if he does well.  He is totally motivated by rewards.

We decided to try a dual immersion program which means he will be taught primarily in Spanish.  Since we’re not Spanish speakers, this is a big and exciting step.  I know a year from now he will understand so much Spanish and that’s a wonderful asset.

But for now, he didn’t understand  a whole lot (and neither did his classmates) but that will change in time.  Those strange words will begin to make sense very soon.

It reminds me of when we want to try a new way of eating or exercising.  At first, we’re not very comfortable and feel out of our comfort zones.  But if we persevere in time, those new things will become second nature to us. 

So don’t give up moms – stay in the “losing weight after baby” classroom and reward yourself along the way to keep you motivated (Hot Wheels cars are good – no calories in those!).

Super Simple Salmon

We all know that salmon is a great source of Omega 3′s and a very healthy meal.  But I know my salmon sits in the freezer because I don’t quite know what to do with it next.  Here’s a very simple recipe for Monday’s Meal courtesy allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 (6 ounce) salmon

2 tablespoons butter

4 lemon wedges

Directions:

Stir together the garlic powder, basil, and salt in a small bowl; rub in equal amounts onto the salmon fillets.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook the salmon in the butter until browned and flaky, about 5 minutes per side. Serve each piece of salmon with a lemon wedge.

Three Ways to De-Stress

We are surrounded by stress, whether it’s in the form of a crying baby, whiny 2-year-old, demanding work schedule, or migraine headaches. It’s amazing to me to read about the effects of stress – from a lack of energy, depression, back pain, to heart problems. If we can learn how to de-stress each day, it will do wonders for our health (and our waistline) as a result.

My 2-year-old was breaking down fast – it was still about 1 hour from her normal nap time, but she was crying about everything at the drop of the hat. “MOM! YOU MAY FOLD THIS FOR ME!” and she says this while crying so hard because she can’t figure out how to fold a letter back up. “MOM, WHERE ARE MY SHORTS???!!!” in hysterics. Okay, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out she needs to go down for her nap a little early. She did, and all was well again.

#1 Get Some Shut Eye
Thus my first tip to de-stress…SLEEP!   Move heaven and earth to get 8 hours of continuous sleep a night.  Yes, this is after your baby is a few months old and doesn’t apply to new moms.  Your body needs sleep to function properly with plenty of energy.  If you find you’re breaking down like my 2 year old was, the answer may be as simple as a 30 minute nap.  Don’t feel bad to take it.  Your family will thank you for it when you’re much nicer to talk to! 

#2 Keep a Journal

Don’t go to bed with all your concerns and to-do list items swirling in your head.  Write them down instead on paper and then forget about them for the evening. 

#3 Enjoy a Massage

Make an appointment for a monthly massage, or ask your husband for one.  This extra pampering is worth it!  Or you can buy a foot massager or handheld massager for your back and shoulders.  Massages are great stress relievers!

What are you going to do to de-stress today?

Chicken Kabobs

I was at the county fair and saw some delicious chicken kabobs.  Do you know how much they were?  $9 for one kabob!  We didn’t want to spend that much; at home you can make a bunch of kabobs for that price.  Enjoy assembling something yummy on the grill in Monday’s Meal idea courtesy allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed

1 large green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 onion, cut into wedges

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 cup barbeque sauce

skewers

Directions:

Preheat grill for high heat.

Thread the chicken, green bell pepper, onion, and red bell pepper pieces onto skewers alternately.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place kabobs on the prepared grill, and brush with barbeque sauce. Cook, turning and brushing with barbeque sauce frequently, for 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

Three Things I Like – and Don’t – at 26 Weeks

Three things I like about pregnancy right now:

1.  Feeling the little one kick – several times in the day and night!  She likes to move a lot after I eat   

2.  The kindness of others – all those “how are you feeling?” questions and smiles and congrats

3.  Eating more of what I want because it’s okay to gain weight right now

Three things I don’t like about pregnancy:

1.  Feeling tired and having a hard time keeping up with my 4 & 2 year old sometimes

2.  Swollen ankles (my husband said they look like Costco chicken bakes)

3.  Heartburn

Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers

Do you have trouble getting in those vegetables for you and your kiddos?  Today’s Monday Meal recipe will add some zip to your grilling and put that healthy spinach right into that burger.  Enjoy this fun recipe from allrecipes.com: 

Spinach and Feta Turkey Burger Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 pounds ground turkey

Directions: 

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate.

While the grill is preheating, mix together eggs, garlic, feta cheese, spinach, and turkey in a large bowl until well combined; form into 8 patties.

Cook on preheated grill until no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes

My Guest Appearance on The 700 Club

My family and I had such a great time on The 700 Club!  The day began at 7:20 am with a walk through of the exercises with the co-host Kristi Watts.  Then we went to make up and hair, we prayed for the show with the guest coordinator, and then the live show began at 9:00 am.  It went by very quickly!  I have done TV interviews before, but never LIVE TV.  That is a different beast!  No retakes, no editing!  Thankfully, it went well and was a lot of fun.  We did exercises with a real baby…he crawled away but didn’t cry.  But the 15 month old baby was 20 pounds and poor Kristi, the co-host, certainly got her workout lifting that big boy! 

If you want to watch the segment, just click here. 

With hosts Pat Robertson and Kristi Watts:

With my family (the oldest girl is my niece).

Sweet Mustard Chicken Bake

Chicken plus 4 ingredients you can find at your house…that’s why I love today’s Monday’s Meal recipe!  You won’t have to stress shopping for ingredients for this easy recipe from allrecipes.com. 

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking dish.

In a small bowl, stir together the honey, Dijon mustard, melted butter and pepper. Place chicken in the greased baking dish, and pour the honey mustard sauce over it.

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, basting frequently with the sauce, until chicken is firm and juices run clear.

Watch Arlene on The 700 Club on Wednesday!

I’m honored to be a guest on The 700 Club this coming Wednesday, July 8th!  Each week, they have a “Skinny Wednesday” segment which features health tips from experts from various fields.  I’m thrilled to be talking about losing weight after baby!

What you won’t see on Wednesday is all the angst I’ve experienced shopping for what to wear on my 26-week-along pregnant body.  I have to look “sporty” for TV – ha!  You’ll know that I visited the dressing rooms at Target, Walmart, Pea in a Pod, Old Navy, Gap, Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s and a few more before finding something that looked sporty but didn’t highlight all the rolls that come with pregnancy!   

I hope you’ll be able to tune in and tell your friends!  After the interview is done, I’ll post a link so you can watch online at your convenience also.  If you think of it, say a prayer for me on Wednesday, July 8th…the show is LIVE! 

What to Eat at the Summer Barbeque

The 4th of July is coming which means you will be eating hamburgers and hot dogs off the grill sometime soon.  Picnics and barbeques are wonderful ways to celebrate America’s birthday, but they are not the greatest for your losing weight after baby eating plan! 

Here are a few things you can do to minimize your calories and still have a good time:

1.  Bring a healthy snack to munch on like vegetable kabobs (try peppers, onions, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, brushed with olive oil).

2.  Have an open faced hamburger or wrap your burger in lettuce instead of a bun.

3.  Look for healthier options to eat like hummus and pita chips, fruit salad, or veggies and dip. 

4.  After your meal, get up and play some games with your family and friends.  Throw a frisbee around, kick a ball, jump in a pool, do something active and get away from food table (or else you’ll keep snacking while you’re talking). 

How do you keep your summer BBQ’s fun and healthy?