Free Ice Cream!

Here in San Diego, it's practically summer. This past weekend it was over 90 degrees and you could definitely feel the heat! That's why tomorrow night I'm going to cool off with a free ice cream cone from Ben and Jerry's. They'll be giving out free ice cream all day long, so don't miss out! Then on Wednesday, April 30th grab your ice cream from Baskin Robbins for 31 cents! 31 cent scoop night is from 5pm to 10pm. Now that's a "sweet" deal!

My Baby Alligator

Whenever I see something in a store with an alligator on it, I'm tempted to buy it. It's not like I'm a fan of alligators - in fact, meeting an alligator in person would probably be my worst nightmare. I'm pretty sure my fascination with alligators began when my husband said I looked like one. I guess because of the way my eyes look whenever something is suspicious and then I "snap." Uh-huh. The more I paid attention to alligators however, the more I realized how cute they are when presented in a kid-friendly fashion.
On a recent trip to the mall, I wandered aimlessly into Gymboree. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were having an awesome half-off sale, because it meant that I could actually shop for my son. As I browsed the store wondering what I should buy, I saw it: a whole collection of alligator outfits! Or maybe they're crocodiles...whatever they are, they are cute and here is what I got:

An adorable onesie with the matching alligator pants for him to play in, and a collared onesie with alligators all over it to wear to Church. Check out Gymboree for great deals for your little one too. It's worth going to an actual store if you have one near you, because some of the items I found in the store are not available online. I'm so excited for my baby alligator to wear his new outfits!

Dinner Studio

I don't know about you, but planning meals has always been difficult for me. Lately, the stress of having to come up with weekly creative meals to eat has taken its toll - meaning that we usually end up eating the same boring meals over and over and they're starting to taste pretty bad. Sometimes I lose my appetite just looking at the meal and I'll pack my portion up for my husband's lunch the next day. Hubby will eat the meal because there isn't anything else to eat. Even my one year old son is getting sick of eating the same thing day after day. After he threw his food across the room today, I figured that maybe he's trying to tell me something. Occasionally I will try a new recipe, but when it doesn't end up looking at the picture I get frustrated and end up sticking with the routine. But frankly, the routine isn't working so well anymore and something has got to change. And eating out every day won't solve the problem either (we already tried that once.)
One day last week, I couldn't face making dinner and so we decided to go out for sushi. After an extremely satisfying meal (the baby even enjoyed his tofu), I noticed a sign for something called Dinner Studio. We pulled over so that I could get a brochure (for my collection) and find out more information. It looks like dinnertime could be saved after all. Here's what I found out:

"Our goal at Dinner Studio is to pamper our customers by making mealtime easier with delicious home-cooked food created in our relaxed, professional kitchen. We'll help you create meals that you will love. We look forward to meeting you!"

Basically, you choose your menu from a list of delicious sounding dishes that are constantly changing, and then assemble your meals. The recipes are provided for you, all the ingredients are there, everything has been prepared and chopped for you, and when you're done, the staff will help take your meals to your car AND do the dishes for you! This is by far the best part. Then you go home, put all the food in the freezer and not worry about cooking for the next two weeks. Sounds nice, doesn't it? It would also be a great way to get together with some friends and make some meals for expectant parents. I'm definitely thinking that I need to try this soon...wish me luck!
Have you tried Dinner Studio or anything like it? How do you plan your meals? Share you best tip!

Reflections on Motherhood

My baby turned One a couple of weeks ago, so I guess that officially makes him a toddler. He has become quite the little person, babbling nonstop and obeying simple commands. He definitely keeps me on my toes. I was thinking about my experiences with being a new mom over the past year, and here are a few things I have learned:

1. I learned pretty early on how to change a diaper with my son standing up.

2. The best toys to play with are plastic bowls and lids.

3. Eating books is more fun than reading them.

4. No matter what time you put your baby to bed, he will always wake up at the same time.

5. Never wake a sleeping baby.

6. Despite all the claims I had heard that babies love vaccuum cleaners, this was not true in my case. The look of fear in my son's eyes is so sad that I've learned to not vaccuum when he's around me (which is difficult, since he's pretty much always around.) I guess the bright side could be that it's one less job I have to do. :)

7. Baby wipes make for a great multi-purpose cleaner.

8. Rocking a baby to sleep is the most relaxing thing ever.

9. It's much more exciting to buy things for the baby than for myself.

10. A baby's smile makes everything all better.

True Lemon

I love a glass of water that's been "spiked" with a hint of lemon juice. With the days of summer approaching, I crave this beverage even more. Yesterday I sprinkled some True Lemon into my water and it was delicious! Tasted pretty much like a real lemon, except I didn't have to go buy a lemon, squeeze it, and then figure out what to do with the rest of it. It comes in convenient little packets that are perfect to take with you when you're on-the-go. It also comes in Lime and Orange flavors, which I can't wait to try. You can use it to make lemonade (or limeade) and as a seasoning in your favorite recipes as well. They contain no artificial sweenteners and for me, makes drinking water much more interesting! If you'd like a free sample of True Lemon, you can get one by clicking here. Also check out the website for recipes and other fun, versatile ways to use it.

Free Potty Training DVD

If you're like me and you're clueless when it comes to potty training, you need all the help you can get. Pull-Ups is offering a free Potty Training Success DVD full of tips, activities and advice to guide you along the way. Sign up here to get yours while supplies last. Thankfully I've got a little while before I'll be needing this, but I'm sure I'll be glad I have it when the time comes. Also, if you have any great potty tips feel free to share them with the rest of us!

Cute Polar Bears and More

I don't know much about photography but I love the work of Thomas Mangelson, a nature photographer. My husband and I discovered him in Utah at the Images of Nature gallery. We walked in and we saw a panoramic photograph of some trees. "That is the most beautiful picture I have ever seen" my husband commented. Then we noticed the photographs of the animals, and we knew that this is what we would be decorating our home with.
I love the vast variety of Mangelson's photos. He's photographed birds, butterflies, mammals, fish, trees and more. They've been taken all over the world and every picture is unique. He seems to capture every photo at just the right moment - almost like he has a special connection with these creatures and really understands them. My favorite ones are of the mammals, especially the bears. I've always loved bears so I was really excited to see the all the gorgeous selections. In the end, we picked up the Chameleon and the Leopard. They are now proudly displayed in my son's bedroom. Then we bought some affordable polar bear art cards and framed them ourselves. Now everytime I walk past my polar bears, I feel happy. They also sell fun stuff like calendars and puzzles. If you have a gallery near you, you should definitely check it out. Mangelson's books are also beautiful and worth looking at. My favorite is of course, Polar Dance: Born of the North Wind.

Zodiac Baby

At my son's birthday lunch at Extraordinary Desserts last week, I noticed a book in the gift shop area. I forced myself away from the delicious looking cakes to flip through Zodiac Baby. This delightful little book by Sarah Bartlett helps you to understand your baby better by using astrology. I turned to my son's astrological sign and skimmed it. I'm not a hardcore believer of the Zodiac (I do read my horoscope every now and again just because it's entertaining), but this was right on the mark. "Your spirited baby is ready for constant stimulation." "This is one baby who will kick up a fuss about anything he doesn't want to do." "Enjoy this little star's exuberant personality, his passion for life and his desire to get on with anything that's a challenge." Yep, that sounds like my baby all right. Then I turned to my own astrological sign and once again, I was blown away with how accurate it was. So of course that meant that we had to buy the book.

The book is laid out neatly into different sections within each sign. It gives a general description, sleeping and eating tips, advice for playing and tantrums, and other fun facts. Best of all, it tells you what your baby needs most from you, the parent. The colorful illustrations are also adorable. It's a fun book to read, even if you don't believe everything it says. Who knows, you may learn something new about your "little star" and also about yourself!