20 Delicious Memorial Day Eats & Treats For The Entire Family
Our children, our babies and our families have the privileges that they do thanks to the soldiers and heros who sacrificed their lives for us in battle. Memorial Day is coming up this Monday and gives us reason to remember and honor the veterans who fought in the Civil and World Wars. At 3 p.m. local time, take a minute to pause, reflect and remember those who died in service to our nation. Pass the tradition on to your little ones and celebrate the freedom of our nation with food and festivities. Why not help put the memorial into Memorial Day with a family event that is to be remembered each and every year?
Are you with me?
Good! ;-)
Every celebration requires a whole lot of food, which is why we’ve gathered some of the most delicious burger, salad and sweet treat recipes for the upcoming holiday.
Moms Working For You: Real Life Wellness
So many moms I know joke about how they chugged down a diet soda for breakfast while they were pureeing organic baby food for their precious newborn. It’s so easy to get caught up in the demands of motherhood that we forget to take care of ourselves. While I tend to love all mom-owned businesses, this is one that has made a real difference for me as a mom of three little kids. Cristie, known by many as The Right Hand Mom, is a blogger who started her own health and wellness business, Real Life Wellness. Though she’s on the east coast, she coached me over the phone and helped me discover that poor food choices were causing some of my biggest health issues — including what seemed to be seasonal allergies. While I’m far from perfect, I’m a lot happier and healthier thanks to her. (Oh, and perfection isn’t her thing, so that makes it a whole lot easier to learn from her — and like her.)
Cool Baby Names OUTSIDE the Top 1,000 Baby Names
If you check the annual Top Baby Name list as a general What Not To Name My Baby reference — as many modern parents do — then this is the list for you.
You’re looking for a baby name that’s cool and usable, but you’d prefer if your child wasn’t one of many Jessicas/Michaels/Sophias in school — destined to be identified with a last initial. You moan and groan when your favorite formerly unique names (Henry, Penelope, Oliver) creep up into the “popular” zone, and you take your naming seriously.
And so I give you some of the coolest baby names that haven’t hit the Top 1,000…yet:
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Adventures with Lola: Fun at Disneyland and California Adventure
A few weeks ago we visited the Magic Kingdom as a family. It was Lola’s very first trip to Disneyland and our timing could not have been better given the happiest place on earth “just got happier.” Prior to giving birth we had decided that if we went to Disneyland we would at least wait until Lola was one or two. While our older daughter loves Disneyland (she’s just like her mama) we figured we probably wouldn’t enjoy it as much unless we waited. Additionally, given how difficult pregnancy was for me I knew attempting to go then wasn’t going to be in my best interest.
A New Way for Big Sister to Help: Making Toddler Friendly Food
One of the things I have loved about having a fairly large age gap between my kids is that my older daughter is so helpful with her little sister. Sure, there are times when she wants to just do her own thing, and I respect her space, knowing that I’m the mom, and the help she gives me is just a fantastic bonus. But usually, Zinashi wants to be helpful with Elvie. Now that Elvie is exiting babyhood and becoming more of a toddler, there are fewer little things that I need a six-year-old’s help with. I’ve been trying to think of new ways that Zinashi can feel like a helper, and I’ve found just the thing: helping prepare toddler friendly meals! I’ve been looking for a cookbook for kids that is very simple, but has a variety of recipes that the whole family, including Elvie, can enjoy, and I think the Disney It’s a Small World After All: Feed Our Small World cookbook is just right.
