Motherhood is truly one of the most rewarding (if not THE most rewarding) experiences out there. We give birth to this amazing little person who captures our heart the moment we lay eyes on them, and our love continues to grow throughout their childhood. Even in the midst of sleepless nights, temper tantrums, and preschooler attitudes, our love for our child only grows.

As amazing as bringing a child into this world is, what about the process of actually carrying that child? While some of us sail through pregnancy with mild queasiness in the beginning and a bit of a backache towards the end, there are many of us gals who seem to draw the short end of the pregnancy stick. “Morning” sickness? Ha! Try “all day” sickness. Then of course there’s heartburn, extreme fatigue, weird skin discolorations, and gaining so much weight in your face that the guy at the pool gate can’t recognize your pool pass (yes, that happened to me. Sigh.).

The good news, of course, is that we get a baby out of this nonsense. Now that I look at my children, there is nothing I wouldn’t go through for them. Morning sickness seems like a small price to pay for the two little girls who now run around my house giggling, curls bouncing up and down, pretending to be dinosaurs from “The Land Before Time.” I’m very thankful for this perspective and reminder that it’s worth it, considering the past few weeks I have had. The good news is that we are expecting our third child. The bad news? Morning sickness hit early, and with far more fury and ferocity than I expected.

Now that I’m going through morning sickness for the third time, I feel like I’ve really learned quite a bit when it comes to managing it. That being said, it’s still something that can be unpredictable and uncertain. Some women swear by ginger ale or cola syrup, while others find no relief from it at all. B vitamins have been known to help some expectant mothers, but I personally felt even sicker after taking mine. It really does depend on the individual, but I think it’s good to have a variety of tricks up your sleeve to try if you are having a rough time during that first trimester.

These are some things that I’ve learned along the way, tips that my girlfriends and I have picked up during our many collective pregnancies. I hope some of these work for you!

• If it doesn’t smell good, don’t eat it. Just trust me… if it doesn’t smell appealing, it won’t taste appealing. Even if it’s something you would normally enjoy, trust your nose! Smell and taste are very closely related, and you need to go with your gut on what to eat.
• Don’t be afraid to try remedies that your friends recommend, even if at first it doesn’t sound like a good idea. For instance, my best friend recommended peppermint tea. The thing is, I have never liked tea. I’ve always been a coffee person, though these days it smells and looks rather disgusting to me. Well, I decided to go out on a limb and try the tea. As it turns out, apparently I now like tea! Not only did it taste good, but she was right – the peppermint really did settle my stomach, and the warm aroma was very comforting and soothing.
• Just a rundown of things to try: Ginger (ginger ale, ginger snaps, ginger tea, ginger root capsules), cola syrup, B vitamins (ask your pharmacist), “Preggie Pops” (found at Motherhood Maternity), tea (peppermint, or other pregnancy teas) and bland foods. Stay away from things that are spicy, or strong in flavor and smell.
• Be honest with your doctor. During my 8 week checkup, I almost started crying when I tried to explain that morning sickness was significantly worse this time. I felt desperate, but still a bit embarrassed to bring it up. For some reason, I had it in my head that I should just smile and endure whatever first trimester fun awaited me, and do it with as little complaining as possible. Well, as my husband put it, “Don’t be a pregnancy martyr.” I explained to my OB what I’d been experiencing, and she immediately wrote me a prescription. After a couple of different medications and varying doses (and lots of communication with the nurses) I think I’ve found the right meds to help me through the rest of my first trimester. Now, I’m not suggesting that every pregnant woman requires a prescription to manage morning sickness (I didn’t the first two pregnancies), but if you are experiencing very severe morning sickness, let your doctor know. They know where to draw the line, and they know at what point to call the pharmacy. The bottom line is communication.
• Trust your instincts. If macaroni and cheese is the only thing you can eat, that’s ok! Don’t feel pressure to eat all of your fruits and veggies – especially if they’re just going to come right back up. Take your prenatal vitamin, and do the best you can about what to eat. You can worry about a balanced diet when you have more control over your gag reflex.
• Try taking your prenatal vitamin at night, or try Flintstones. There’s no rule that says you have to take your prenatal vitamin first thing each day. In fact, that may be the worst thing you can do! At my 8 week checkup, my doctor suggested I take my vitamin at night, so that if it did cause an upset stomach (which it always does) I would sleep through the nausea. So far it’s worked well, and I’m thankful for the suggestions. Also, if your regular vitamin is upsetting your stomach, try taking two Flintstones vitamins instead. My doc recommended this during my first pregnancy, and it worked really well for me.
• Always keep something on your stomach. Letting yourself get too hungry is a recipe for disaster. Do what you can to eat small meals throughout the day, even if it means eating every two hours (which I do). Nausea is always worse when your stomach gets empty, so try to be proactive and keep something in your tummy at all times.

If you’re going through morning sickness right now, my heart goes out to you. It can be a rotten experience… but with an unbelievable reward. Just remember that in a few short months, all of this will be worth it beyond your wildest dreams. It won’t last forever, so hang in there!

-Grace

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2. 15 Pregnancy Perks
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This is the best breakfast casserole I’ve ever had! This recipe is from a friend, which she modified to make some healthier changes. It takes a little extra time, but it’s well worth it – and perfect if you’re hosting brunch or bringing a dish to a breakfast.

Egg, Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Casserole

1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)

½ cup diced green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tsp minced garlic)

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed or dry packed)

4 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley

8 eggs

1 cup fat free half and half

1 cup low fat ricotta cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

½ cup fresh mushrooms (if desiered)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9 X 13 baking dish.
2. Sauté sausage over medium heat until cooked (about ten minutes), breaking up into smaller pieces as you cook.
3. Add green onions and garlic – sauté another three minutes.
4. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and parsley – sauté one minute.
5. Spread sausage mixture in baking dish.
6. Whisk the eggs, half and half, ricotta, and 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese. Pour over the sausage mixture.
7. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and parsley on top.
8. Bake about 30 minutes, until knife comes out clean.
9. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

-Grace

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By Sherri Kruger, with Zen Family Habits

Diets don’t work. At least that’s been my experience. I’ve never been the type of person to be overly concerned about my weight or physical appearance. What I am concerned about is having a healthy body through the foods I consume.

It’s difficult to eat well and be healthier overall if you are disorganized, misinformed or simply don’t know what you don’t know. Here are 7 things you can do to get you well on your way towards establishing healthy eating habits that are sustainable for the long run.

1. Educate yourself. This doesn’t mean you need to know the composition or origin of every fruit, vegetable or grain that you consume. Here are a few things to consider educating yourself on:

• Learn what foods are actually good for you and in what quantities.
• Learn about food substitutions if you have known allergies.
• Learn how to cook different dishes especially if you are stuck in the meat and potatoes or pasta rut for dinner every night.
• Learn how to prepare food to get the maximum nutritional benefits from it.
• Learn about healthy snack alternatives

2. Start small. You are less likely to see big life altering changes through to the end.  This is why it is important to start small when establishing any new habit. When it comes to eating healthier, start with changing one meal, one day or one week. Try this change for a few weeks and see how it works for you and your family. You shouldn’t be afraid to admit when something doesn’t work. It’s unrealistic to expect a perfect change the first time around. You should be willing to look at what doesn’t work and try something else. Think of one of the obvious eating habits you currently have that you want to change. Do you drink too many soft drinks? Do you eat too much junk food or processed food? Do you rarely eat fruit or vegetables? Whatever it is choose one or two things and begin making a change. Add 2 vegetables to your dinner plate tonight. Drink water, herbal tea or green tea at lunch today instead of a soft drink.

3. Make a plan. Going in cold and flying by the seat of your pants is no way to establish a good eating habit. If your goal is to completely overhaul the foods you consume then it will be infinitely easier if you start with a plan. Creating a meal plan doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be done using something as simple as a recipe card, notebook or a spreadsheet on a computer. Start by making a list of all the meals your family enjoys. Include healthy mains, sides, desserts and snacks that you became aware of during the education part of this process. Next you can pick and choose what meals to have on which days as well as healthy snacks  to ensure no binge eating.

4. Remove the friction. This is a big one for me. Friction here, is all those little things that make it just a little more difficult to eat healthy. To remove as much friction as possible consider:

• Pre-wash fruits and vegetables and leaving them on the counter for easy access.
• Package snacks into individual serving sizes to grab as you’re running out the door.
• Cut vegetables into manageable pieces.
• Keep water in the fridge.
• Do as much of the food preparation the night before so you can quickly whip up a tasty healthy meal for dinner when you really don’t feel like it.

Once you have removed a few of the mental hurdles it’s easier to stay on track. After a while these things will become second nature and you won’t have to think about it.

5. Be flexible. You should avoid making a plan too rigid so as not to allow for deviations throughout the week or month. Decide what flexibility means to your family. Is it pre-cooking a variety of ingredients at the start of the week and using them in diffierent combinations throughout the week? Or is it planning a different meal every night and skipping one if you’re invited out or substituting if you decide to have people over? Whatever it is you shouldn’t get too hung up on the details. Allowing flexibility in your meal planning will reduce stress and make it a lot easier to stick with in the long run.

6. Have a cheat day. This is one thing that can really help sticking to healthy eating over the long run. Choose one day a week when you can eat whatever you like, within reason of course. If you’re really wanting pizza, ice cream or donuts have them on this day. In the beginning, transitioning to a healthier eating habits can be trying. However, it’s easier to eat healthy during the week when you have that one day, your cheat day, to eat your guilty pleasures. If you choose a day try to stick with it. After a month or so you’ll likely notice the “need” for your cheat day will diminish and you’ll find eating healthy your new way of life everyday.

7. Many things in moderation. One of the reasons diets don’t often work, is you feel you need to eliminate “everything”. Everything that tastes good, everything that’s fun and all that you really enjoy eating. The problem is that as soon as you eliminate these foods from your diet you crave it even more. Saying I will never eat chocolate or no more ice cream really doesn’t work. When you do eventually have some, which is entirely expected, you aren’t likely to eat a small portion are you? No, you’re likely to binge and eat a whole chocolate bar or an entire tub of ice cream. Everything in moderation.

Establishing healthy eating habits can increase your energy levels, get you feeling better about how you look and feel and just make you healthier overall. Start small and implement changes gradually. The key is to start. Now.

7 Steps To Sustainable Healthy Eating Habits [Zen Family Habits]

[Editor's note: Thanks to Sherri Kruger for her post on learning to eat well. These are some great tips, and I especially like her tip regarding a "cheat day." Eating well the other six days doesn't sound so bad if there is a bowl of ice cream waiting at the end of the week!]

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For Christmas this year, I decided to try my skills at making truffles. I’ve always enjoyed baking cookies, bars and cakes, so I hoped that this wouldn’t be too much of a challenge. Well, not only was it easy – but the truffles turned out incredibly well!

This is the easiest recipe, and you’ll be amazed at how well they turn out. In fact, I’m wincing at the thought of telling friends and family just how easy they were to make… I’d almost rather have them think I’m some sort of gourmet in the kitchen!

Truffles:

1 – 1/3 cup chocolate chips*

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla extract **

1 cup vanilla or white chips*** (these can be found at most grocery stores, in the baking aisle next to the candy making supplies)

1. Over low to medium heat, melt the chocolate chips, whipping cream and butter. Stir together until smooth. Add the vanilla, let cool. Refrigerate for about 1 hour – until almost solid.
2. Microwave the vanilla chips according to the directions on the package, stirring to make sure the chips are smooth and melted.
3. Shape the truffle filling (from the refrigerator) into balls. Dip each ball into the melted vanilla chips. Place on wax paper to cool.
4. If desired, sprinkle topping (like chopped almonds or other sprinkles) on top of truffles. Make sure and do this right away, since the vanilla candy coating cools a few seconds after dipping the truffles in it.

*Try substituting white chocolate chips for regular.

**Try substituting either peppermint or almond extracts instead. White chocolate peppermint is a great combination! I recommend reducing the extract to ½ tsp peppermint, rather than 1 tsp vanilla. Also try chocolate almond truffles, and use ½ tsp almond with ½ tsp vanilla, using semisweet chocolate chips as well.

***You can dip the truffles in whatever candy coating you find – you can usually find vanilla, but other times there are chocolate ones available or even colored chips. Have fun and be creative!

Enjoy!

-Grace

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As a stay-at-home mom, I know that there are things I’m giving up. Rather than heading off to work in my smart business casual attire, I wear the same jeans and yoga pants day after day. Meeting coworkers or friends for lunch? Nope – I’m making PBJ with my girls. And yes, I have been known to buy my kids new clothes and shoes while overlooking something that I need myself.

I know that if I were to go back to work, we could afford much more. With two incomes, we could have a bigger house, nicer cars, and take more vacations. But you know what? It’s not worth it to us. My job may not be glamorous, but I’m doing what I have always wanted to do: devote my days to raising our kids and enjoying their childhood. Like many choices we make in life, this is a decision we made that we felt was right for our family, and though it comes with a price, it is well worth it.

The Simple Dollar had a fantastic post today that I wanted to share. Regardless of the choices we make in life, it’s important to set our priorities and make sure we are living for what makes us fulfilled, rather than just trying to keep up with the Joneses.

Our Towels Don’t Match Our Bathroom Curtains [The Simple Dollar]

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This is a dessert that is easy to make, impressive, and best of all – yummy! This is great for showers, lunches, pot lucks, or just having friends over.

Fruit Pizza Crust:

1 cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp vanilla

½ tsp almond extract

3 cups flour

1. Mix dry ingredients, then add the remaining – mix well.
2. Flatten the dough on a baking sheet, as if it were pizza dough.
3. Freeze crust for 1 hour.
4. Bake for 12 minutes at 375F.

Fruit Pizza Icing:

1/3 cup sugar

8 oz cream cheese

½ tsp vanilla

1. Mix together until blended.
2. Once the crust has cooled, spread icing.

Fruit Pizza toppings:

This is where it gets fun. You can use any fruit, in any proportions, and make any designs. It’s good to use a variety of colors, to make a prettier dessert. Some of my favorite fruits for this include strawberries, kiwi, blackberries, red raspberries, and blue berries.

Enjoy!

-Grace

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As I write, the snow is falling outside while my family visits in the living room. My husband is home from work and playing his guitar, while my kids are discussing which movie to watch. Snow days are wonderful – filled with togetherness, hot chocolate, and playing in the snow.

Speaking of snow, my friend Susan passed these two recipes along to me, and I thought I’d share them with you. The first is from Paula Deen, and the second is one of her family recipes. So if it’s snowing where you are right now where you are, be sure and go outside and scoop some of it up!

Two Snow Ice Cream Recipes

Paula Deen’s recipe:
Ingredients
• 8 cups snow, or shaved ice
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Place snow or shaved ice into a large bowl. Pour condensed milk over and add vanilla. Mix to combine. Serve immediately in bowls.

SNOW ICE CREAM:
1 GALLON CLEAN SNOW
1 CUP WHITE SUGAR
1 TABLESPOON VANILLA EXTRACT
2 CUPS MILK (do not use skim milk)

When it starts to snow, place a large, clean bowl outside to collect the flakes. When full, stir in sugar and vanilla to taste, then stir in just enough milk for the desired consistency. Serve at once.

Enjoy!

-Grace

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By Sherri Kruger, with Zen Family Habits

In the seemingly never ending quest to reduce clutter and simplify our lives it’s just hard to let go sometimes.

A few key questions and a clear vision of where you want to be can certainly help keep you going in the right direction.

As you evaluate and re-evaluate what to keep and what to part ways with ask yourself the following:

Do I use it?
Do I care about it?
When I see it does it make me feel happy?

It really does just boil down to these simple questions. If you don’t use something why are you hanging on to it? It’s taking up space and is just one more thing to clean, dust or move when company comes over. If you can’t bear the thought of throwing it away donate it to charity or give it to a relative who has mentioned liking it in the past. Sometimes it’s easier to get rid of something when you know it’s going to a good home.

If you are completely detached and indifferent towards a particular item there’s really no value in keeping it either. It takes up space and even if you aren’t short on space it’s nice sometimes to just have room for the sake of having room. A lighter, airier home can help you feel lighter and airier yourself.

Finally, the items that conjure up feelings of happiness, great memories and those that just make you smile … keep them.

Perhaps a subquestion to this would be: Are these “good” items on display or packed away in a box somewhere out of sight? Items that give you a sense of joy or happiness should hold a place of honor in your home. Any item worth keeping is likely worth displaying prominently in your home. Every time you walk into the room and you see that item, you’ll be met with feelings of warmth and of simply being home.

As we are now well into the new year take some time to look around your home and see if there is anything you could possibly do without. Start small, do a bit each day and before you know it your home, your sanctuary, will feel lighter and a whole lot more inviting.

Declutter Your Way To A Happy Home [Zen Family Habits]

[Editor's note: Thanks to Sherri Kruger for her post on decluttering your home. This is great motivation for me to go through my own home and remove the things we no longer have a need or a use for. It's so freeing to get rid of the things that simply taking up space!]

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This pasta salad recipe is delicious, and one of the best pasta salads I’ve tasted yet. My friends and family ask me to make this when we have pot lucks, and it’s so simple and delicious that I never turn them down. This is great for a light dish at home, or a side to bring to an event.

Pasta Salad Dressing:

2 ½ cup Italian dressing

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp onion powder

½ Tbsp black pepper

1. Combine above ingredients and whisk together until mixed well.
2. Set aside

Pasta Salad:

2 lbs tri-colored spiral pasta (or pasta of your choice)

Broccoli*

Carrots*

Celery*

Green Peppers*

Cubed Sharp White Cheddar Cheese* (I usually use Cracker Barrel brand)

*You can use the amount that suits your taste. I don’t have measured amounts, but I just adjust the amounts based on preference as well as how much pasta I’m making. The pasta dressing is proportionate to 2lbs of pasta, so if you are using less make sure and adjust the proportions of the ingredients to the dressing.

Enjoy!

-Grace

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