Today I took my little one to the park.  We had a picnic lunch, went for a little stroll, took a ride in the swing and then it was off to the sand box.  (Why she thinks sand tastes good…I will never know!)  After being at the park for about an hour we (me) needed something sweet.  Off to the Doughnut Shop it was! (Don’t tell her Daddy!)  All in all it has been a great day.  Usually I am stuck inside catching up on housework, but today we took a much needed break and got outside!  Cleaning can wait, at least until company comes over.

What activites are you and your family enjoying this weekend?

Be sure to check out our GREEN page for information about the kinds of organic foods you may want to consider buying the next time you are at the grocery store.

Click HERE for all the new details!

Okay, so a few months ago I was running through my do-to-list…1. dishes   2.  grocery shopping   3. dusting  4.  change the beds  5.  laundry….you get the picture.  Having completed the first 4 on my list that week it was on to LAUNDRY.  I turned the dial on my washer, added the detergent, threw in some fabric softener and walked out of the room for a sec to get my basket of clothes.  Nearly 1 hour later I returned to my washing machine only to find the door to my washer open and nothing inside…YEP!  Totally went through a whole “washing” cycle without ever having added the clothes!  AHH!  But hey, on the bright side I had a squeaky clean washer!

Then, today…I came home from grocery shopping, put my little one down for a nap, cleaned out the fridge, put the dishes away and swept the kitchen floor.  Twelve o’clock rolled around and so was my stomach, time for lunch.  I dropped two pieces of bread in the toaster, grabbed the container of ham from the fridge, along with a jar of mayo and a slice of cheese.  Put my toast on a plate, little mayo, little cheese, little ham…ham?  Where is the ham?  WOW, really?  I had put the ham BACK in the refrigerator BEFORE I used it.  :o(

PLEASE, tell me you have lost your mind at times and done something similar?  If not, feel free to make up a story so at least I feel better!  Leave us a comment if you want to share!

We recently took a trip to Boone, North Carolina to visit some good friends.  While there, we visited a wonderful bakery were I got my hubby a “White Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Cookie”.  OH MY!  It was so yummy!  I searched and searched online for a recipe and after no luck modified one of my own.  Try them out and let me know what you think. 

INGREDIENTS

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pecans*

*For kids with nut allergies you could easily leave the pecans out or even substitute with quick cook oatmeal for a little added fiber. :o)

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy.  Beat egg whites and vanilla.
3. combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Add flout mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, ending with flour mixture.  Stir in chips, pecans, and cranberries.
4. Drop dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.  Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.  Don’t bake them all at once if you don’t have time.  Store leftover dough in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to a week.

Stay tuned!  Next week I will be sharing 3 new recipes sent in by a Mommy Who mom…yummy dishes just in time for fall!

A few weeks ago I informed everyone, after watching the Oprah show, of the importance of voting YES to Senate Bill 1738.  I am so pleased to inform you all that the bill PASSED!  I want to thank the many, many, many Mommy Who supporters that made their voices known to their local Senators.  Every voice counts and we all made a difference together!  Here is a brief description of what the PROTECT our Children Act will do: 

Again, check out our KIDS page to learn more ways you can PROTECT your child. 

I recently received an e-mail from Baby Center highlighting the TOP Poisonous Substances that may be in your home:

1. Personal care products: finger nail polish, polish remover, baby oil, and mouthwash
2. Prescription drugs, cough and cold medicines and other pain relievers
3. Cleaning products
4. Household plants, especially philodendron and holly berries
5. Paint thinner, paint remover, kerosene, lighter fluids, antifreeze, and windshield washer fluid
6. Pesticides
7. Alcohol

It’s not always obvious what’s hazardous and what’s not, and poisonous substances may not be in plain sight. Conduct a room-by-room inventory of non-food products, listing anything that’s out in the open as well as inside drawers, cupboards, and closets. Then make sure all poisons are clearly labeled and locked out of a child’s reach. If you don’t know whether a product is poisonous, check the label or call the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ hot line at (800) 222-1222.

According to the Baby Center Medical Advisory Board.

Want other ways to keep your child SAFE? Check out what’s new on our KIDS page.

I am taking a bit of a break from telling funny stories about my little one and posting new recipes to make you aware of an issue heavy on my heart this afternoon. I am sure many of you moms out there frequently watch the Oprah Show. If you watched today I am sure you were moved to tears, as I was, as Oprah shed light on the growing problem in OUR COUNTRY…of sexual abuse of children. I honestly still feel sick to my stomach after listening to countless horrific stories of the evil that preys on the innocent of our nation.

This is a totally different side of Mommy Who but I felt obligated to make you aware of this issue and feel thankful to know so many of you will take action! I encourage you to get a quick recap of the show if you missed it by visiting Oprah.com. From there , follow these few simple steps to let your voice be heard:

• Visit www.senate.gov to find the contact information of the senators in your state. Click on the box in the top right hand corner to get this information.

• From there, write your senator and tell them to vote YES to Senate Bill 1738 The PROTECT Our Children Act. Here is a sample letter I got from Oprah’s site. Feel free to use this, write your own, or add your own personal message to the letter below.

Dear Senator:

I know that you believe, like I do, that we must do everything possible to protect children from sexual predators. That is why I am asking for your help.
Last year alone, U.S. law enforcement identified over 300,000 criminals who were trafficking in movies and pictures of young children being raped and tortured. Experts say that one in every three of these criminals has local child victims. Child pornography trafficking over the Internet has given us a trail of evidence that leads straight to their doorsteps, but the vast majority of these children will never be rescued because investigators are overwhelmed, outnumbered and underfunded.
As your constituent, I urge you to do everything in your power to pass the PROTECT Our Children Act (S. 1738, Biden-Hatch). This bipartisan legislation passed the House 415-2, but it is now the victim of petty partisan politics.
Now that we know where these children are and how to protect them, there is no excuse for the Senate to fail to take action this session.

• Call your local senator and let them hear your voice of concern!

I am the least “politically minded” person you will ever meet, but this is an issue I cannot look away from. I am asking you to take action TONIGHT! Put the kids to bed, then take 30 minutes to send out these e-mails and make a few phone calls. I am eager to hear your feedback and encourage you to share this message with other moms and families you know. We truly can make a difference and we should!

Thanks so much for your ear and your action!

Well, he is not a mommy…or a daddy…but a great supporter of Mommy Who. Thanks so much to Daniel for the following recipe!

Most of my favorite recipes lately involve my electric digital pressure cooker. My favorite instant dinner recipe is:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 to 2 lbs of *frozen* chicken tenders
• 1 lb of dry pasta (I like bowtie)
• 1 can/jar of pasta sauce
• Parmesan and/or provolone/mozzarella/etc. cheese

1. Put chicken on the bottom of the cooking pot *frozen* (yes, FROZEN).
2. Add pasta on top of chicken, sauce on top of pasta.
3. Add 1/2 to 3/4 jar of water (depending on how soft you like your pasta).
4. Top w/ cheese.

Cook on the “Meat” or high pressure setting for 20 minutes. Tada, instant chicken pseudo-cattiatore.

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share?  With fall quickly approaching we would love to get some hearty “fall” inspired recipes.  E-mail me at candice@mommywho.com

It continues to amaze me how fast my child is growing and changing. Her newest “trick” is saying “bye-bye” and waving. Just the other day I was on the phone and of course ended the conversation by saying bye and hanging up the phone. Apparently she heard me, put two and two together, and started saying “bye-bye” and waving to the phone. It was TOO CUTE!

What has YOUR too cute kid said or done lately that has put a smile on your face? Leave us a comment below and thanks for checking in!