The Mattson Family Adventures

It's been a while! Updates and proud mommy stuff

2009-08-25T01:10:00.003-05:00

Amelia's one year picture! She is now currently almost 16 mo. old going on 5 years! Her personality is blossoming more and more each day. She is fiercely independent, but knows Mom or Dad are always nearby; no matter how much she pushes (or runs) away.

Her favorite activities are reading books, playing with dolls, kicking balls around, talking, mimicking, smelling flowers, climbing up on everything, wearing purses, brushing her teeth and hair, giving hugs and kisses, feeding herself with a spoon and retrieving things for mom and dad.

Her favorite foods are "BERRRIES", "CHEESE", "BABY"(Yobaby yogurt), "MOO" (milk), and baby carrots. She also loves black beans, hummus, pickles, and Tofu. She isn't much of a meat eater...so we are working on alt. forms of protein.

Her newest words are "Poopies", "Berries", "Hi Dad", "Toot Toot"(car) "Choot choot" (train), "Doodle doodle doo" (rooster), Cheese, Nanna, pop pop (grandpa) MomMaa (grandma), Mommm or momms (me) Choos (shoes), at (cat), Dag (dog), Beer (bear), baby, eeeys (keys), Nose, and NO!, mo mo (more). She also signs, more, all done, please and thankyou. She points to almost all her body parts when asked and knows her ABC's up to the letter d and sometimes e.

She points to words and says A, B...A..B...A..B..C..c..d..eeeee.....( I help her a little of course).

Transformation

2009-01-16T20:47:00.002-06:00

Transform (ation) a: to change in composition or structure b: to change the outward form or appearance of c: to change in character or condition : convert. (as taken from Webster's Dictionary). Becoming a mother is transformative in structure, in outward form or appearance and, in character. Each facet of my life was touched by the transformation of motherhood. Many of these transformations were apparent and many more were latent. Within the last month, 8 months after the birth of my daughter, these latent transformations are blooming. I am slowing down to smell the flowers of this transformation. Some of these transformations are new but many more are current facets of myself which now have the right medium for cultivation. The medium being, motherhood.

Many women are afraid of losing themselves in motherhood. I feel like I am finding myself, again, in motherhood. Over the last 7 years I graduated from college and pursued my nursing career in oncology. I began nursing with the naivete of holistic complementary nursing meshing effortlessly with conventional western medicine. I couldn't have been more discouraged. This discouragement transformed into apathy. Within this apathy the spirit of the naive, passionate, holistic young woman slept; waiting patiently to reawake, someday. This someday occured approximately 18 months ago. This is when I became pregnant.

Pregnancy was the catalyst for a cascade of changed which were not really changes at all but regressions back to a younger me, a more hopeful me, a me who was in touch with...me.

TO BE CONTINUED

A short post

2008-12-27T13:29:00.004-06:00

Amelia fell asleep....

Then...Daddy did too!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T10:27:00.003-06:00

Today is Amelia's first Christmas. We have been busy, busy, busy!!! After the hustle and bustle and the dust settles we will fill you in on all the details. Until then...have a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and a safe and happy New Year!!!

Love,

The Mattson's

3...2...1...ACTION!!!

2008-12-21T21:30:00.004-06:00

Miss Amelia is all action, action, action these days. Nonstop moving and wiggling. Diaper changes are darn near impossible. I dread the super duper poopers! Not a fun mess to clean up off of her hands, feet, back as she twists and turns in it. Ack!

Our little gal is changing SO fast. Each day it is something new. Last Friday at ECFE Amelia pulled herself up to standing on her own. I sat quietly and relished in my little one's accomplishment with her as she gleamed back at me over her shoulder. I was beaming from the inside nearly ready to burst!!! I wanted to squeal with delight and say, "Look! Look! Look at her, she just pulled herself up for the FIRST TIME!!!" I didn't want to boast or seem competitive.
Amelia has been pulling off this feat several times now. Each time her face is shining with pride. We applaud her and say, "Yay, Amelia!!!" This morning she used the laundry basket. She loves to take the clean laundry out of the basket. Who knew??? It really is quite inexpensive to entertain a baby.

Amelia is starting and let me repeat...starting to get over her aversion to food. She and the spoon are starting to become friends again. Tonight I made her an organic potato, corn, carrot and onion skillet. I coarsely mashed it up and she was in heaven. She was eating it so fast and smiling. I doctored up my portion with garlic and black pepper. Quite tasty. For more baby recipes go to Organix.com and click on recipes for babies. Lots of really great ideas. Many of them sound really good and I want to make them for the whole family for dinner. YUM!!!

Today Guy, Amelia and I (Kristina) went over to Leslie and Andrew's (Leslie's Boyfriend) place for lunch/brunch. They made my inner foodie very happy. We had goat cheese and spinach souffles, fruit salad with caramelized pears and pomegranate seeds, and homemade scones. After lunch we had french press coffee and cookies I brought over. Everything was outstanding. I told Guy after I felt like Garth in Wayne's world. "I'm not worthy..I'm not worthy..."
I am going to have to steal the souffle recipe from Leslie...that was seriously SO SO delectable.

Amelia LOVED Sofie Leslie's cat. She squealed with delight everytime she saw it. Her idea of petting is grabbing a chunk of fur. (We'll have to work on that.) Sofie was so good for the most part calm around Amelia. Everytime she sees a cat she goes NUTS!!! Felines are not Guy's favorite animals; so hopefully this is just a phase for Amelia. We are both allergic to cats, Guy more than I.

We are looking forward to our first family Mattson Christmas just the 3 of us on Christmas morning. Even though Amelia is too young to understand we are being mindful of the traditions we want to start and memories we want to make for Amelia and our future children. Having an intimate Christmas morning is something both Guy and I desire. Christmas Eve we are spending with Bette (Guy's mom). I am excited for Amelia to be around a real tree even if it is for one day. Bette really makes it special for Christmas and decorates her home beautifully. We plan on attending church in Buffalo depending on how late service ends. Christmas morning just the three of us and Christmas afternoon with my parents at my maternal grandfather's. After Christmas afternoon we are inviting people (grandparents) to our home for a Chrismas snack and movies. Later in January we will have our Christmas with Guy's dad's family. We hope this will accomodate everyone without spreading us to thin or compromising our desires for the holidays season.

I want to thank everyone for the cards and I HOPE to have mine out soon...perhaps they will be Happy New Year cards!!! :-)

Adventures in Babyfood

2008-12-15T19:31:00.003-06:00

Amelia has had an aversion to solid foods since "Puke Fest I & II" in early October. Lately it has gotten to the point where she won't even taste it off of my finger. She really dislikes "her" babyfood. (I'd eat it as I homemake her babyfood) . Tonight enough was enough, I decided. I broke out the manual baby food mill and just milled her my dinner. I was eating whole wheat angel hair pasta with garlic, peas and garbanzo beans, it was a recipe from 'Real Simple'.

Amelia LOVED it! She was letting me feed her and also feeding herself. (See picture left). Breakthrough!!! I don't know if it was a different texure or if it was more salty. BUT she ate it. So tonight Amelia was introduced to garbanzo beans, garlic, chicken broth and pasta. I am a rebel. I hope I don't get "Puke Fest III" tonight.

Bruticus, Jr.

2008-12-11T00:07:00.005-06:00

So recently Guy and I have noticed Amelia showing preferences for certain toys, pictures, etc. One toy in particular has caught her fancy. A stuffed tiger. She LOVES him. She squeels with delight everytime she sees him. Amelia pulls him into her face and babbles to him. SO insanely cute! Ironically enough Guy's favorite stuffed animal growing up was Bruticus a stuffed tiger. So we have named Amelia's new best friend, Bruticus, Jr. We hope they have a long and memorable friendship. Thanks Amelie for the wonderful gift all the way from Germany. I was at Target tonight looking for a doppleganger just in case we ever lost Bruticus. No dice. The Germans know how to make a quality product.

Yoga baby

2008-12-07T12:08:00.004-06:00

Downward dog, cobra, bug, cat stretch and child's pose. These are the many yoga positions I have seen Amelia in over the last week. She is unaware of her little inner yogi. I see it. Makes me smile as I join her moving and stretching. I never realized the innocence of yoga until now. Yoga keeps your body limber and young. No better example than a baby unaware of the poses using them to learn locomotion. I try to be as centered and present with her as possible.
But a part of me is excited for the day she says..."Mom let's do yoga together." And I will say, "Did you know you have been doing yoga since you were 7 months old?" (Smile)

Storytime Fun

2008-12-03T08:55:00.003-06:00

For the past two Tuesdays Amelia and I have attended the Red Balloon Bookshop for baby story time. What a delight the story teller Sara is! It's a great free fun activity for us to enjoy together.
If you ever attend come early because it is packed!

Breaking News!
Amelia is FINALLY cuting her teeth. We heard them "clink" on a drinking glass. I felt in there and sure enough, I felt the little buggers! I can't see them though. Guy was home at the time of discovery which was an awesome family moment to share. Our little gal is growing up!
In addition Amelia's favorite thing to say is..."ba ba bab bab bab ba aaaababa". So we are learning our b words. Bottle, bath, boy, bun, bird, brrr. She often sings back up on "Barbara Ann". "Ba ba ba baaaa" then I say "arann". She just laughs and giggles! SO much fun!

How to gain 40 lbs when you are preggers

2008-11-24T22:48:00.002-06:00

A WELL BALANCED PREGNANCY DIET CONSISTS OF:
Every day of the week you and your baby should have:
One quart (4 glasses) or more of milk. Any kind will do: whole milk, low fat, skim, buttermilk, or cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc....
Two eggs, (hard boiled, in french toast, or added to other foods).
One or two servings of fish or seafood, liver, chicken, lean beef, lamb, pork, beans or any kind of cheese.
One or two good servings of fresh green leafy vegetables: mustard, collard, turnip greens, spinach, lettuce, or cabbage.
Two or three slices of whole wheat bread, cornmeal, cornbread, or tortillas.
A piece of citrus fruit or glass of juice of lemon, lime, orange, tomato, or grapefruit.
Three pats of butter.
Other fruits and vegetables.Also include in your diet:
A serving of whole grain cereal such as oatmeal or granola.
A yellow or orange-colored fruit or vegetable five times a week.
Liver once a week. (if you like it)
Whole baked potato three times a week.
Plenty of fluids, water, juice etc.
Salt food to taste for a safe increase in blood volume.

http://www.bradleybirth.com/PD.aspx

This is the diet I followed. Funny enough...the weight has been coming off wonderfully...I have about 10 lbs to go. I didn't swell much at all. (I could take my rings off and on easily until about 3 days or so before Amelia was due) I was a protein fanatic!!! I highly recommend this diet and birthing methods for that matter.

Ideas needed

2008-11-24T10:31:00.002-06:00

So Amelia has an aversion to pureed foods ever since her flu earlier in October. She was totally into solids and then...she won't have any of it. I have tried feeding her the food on my finger, eating from the bowl to make it seem like my food, getting different spoons, different places, different foods. Nada. (Well that isn't exactly true...she did kinda eat some apples the other night...but then the next day when she tried them again she didn't want anything to do with them.) I have also tried to make the puree thick and then just putting it on her tray to feed herself...nothing gets in her mouth. I am stumped and I can't keep up with her voracious appetite with breast milk so we are having to supplement with formula. I don't usually ask for advice on her...but I am on my knees. HELP!!! Thanks!

Today

2008-11-21T21:37:00.002-06:00

Today was a great day! Amelia and I spent the day out and about. First to ECFE (early child and family education) Class. It has been about a month since we have attended class. It was really great to go and see all the babes and watch Amelia interact. She is such a social butterfly. She really loves other kids. (I guess she will have to get a brother or sister someday.)
Then we went to Target to look at glasses. I have been EVERYWHERE and I can't find frames I like. I actually found some at Target I liked and they are going to be 30% off since I am a member of AAA. Guy scoffed at my membership...and look it's going to save us about 150 dollars. After Target we went to "Once Upon A Child". It is a used children's store. Great stuff. I was going to get Amelia a heavier weight sleep sack and a baby bath tub. I was side tracked by all the great stuff and forgot about the items I needed all together. I did score 2 great zip up fleece suits for going out in the cold. They aren't too bulky, which is good for the car seat but they provide enough warmth for transport from the condo to the jeep with out having to cocoon her in only a blanket. (It is getting cold her in Minnesota.) I really envy those with an attached garage.

I got three loads of laundry done and Amelia took her first solids in over a month. YAY! (She had a stomach bug and ever since has had aversion to solids.) I bought this gerber little dipper spoon. She totally dug it. So 1 point for team MOM!

Shout outs!

2008-11-19T01:27:00.003-06:00

Hi there loyal readers I want to hear from you! (stop lurking and post a comment already)

Shout outs

Hi Michael Lippold...I promoted Calavos today!

Hi Jen Lippold...I love your blog http://www.permablinker.com/ I wish you posted more!

Hi Karen Edwards...Finn is and will always be Amelia's first love...

Hi Mom and Dad...Where are you these days?

Hi Gramma Mattson...Amelia loves her time with Gramma (she told me) :-)

Hi Grandpa Mattson and Grandma Pat...We miss you and hope to see you soon!

Hi Kathy Owens...I miss you girl and wish we talked more!

Were you not on the shout out list...let me know...leave me a comment. I love ideas and hope you enjoy the blog.

Autumn Photos Post

2008-11-17T21:30:00.002-06:00

12 Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products

2008-11-17T00:05:00.003-06:00

The Dirty Dozen 12 Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products
(Info from www.thegreenguide.com)

* Antibacterials
* Coal tar colors: FD&C Blue 1, Green 3
* Diethanolamine (DEA)
*1,4-Dioxane
* Formaldehyde from quaternium 15
* Fragrance
* Hydroquinone
* Mercury and lead
* Nanoparticles
* Methyl-, propyl-, butyl- and ethyl parabens
* Petroleum distillates* Phenylenediamine (PPD)

Here are some ingredients to look for on labels and avoid:

Coal-Tar Dyes: These coloring agents can be carcinogens. Avoid cosmetics containing FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Green 3, D&C Red 33, FD&C Yellow 5, FC&C Yellow 6.

Glycol Ethers: Some glycol ethers have been linked to reproductive-system harm or birth defects, and overexposure can also result in kidney damage and liver abnormalities. Propylene glycol is a common skin irritant.

Fragrance: This blanket term generally covers synthetic fragrance using phthalates, a family of chemical plasticizers that have been shown to cause birth defects, reproductive impairments and liver damage in lab animals. And, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrance is the number-one cause of allergic reactions from cosmetics.

Petrolatum: Although studies confirm that petroleum jelly, or Vaseline, is safe, it is derived from a non-renewable resource and can cause allergic skin reactions. And if you accidentally eat too much—not an impossibility if you are slathering it on your lips—you may wind up with diarrhea.

Preservatives: Parabens, including methyl-, butyl-, ethyl- and propyl-, often cause skin irritation and have been found in tissue samples from human breast tumors. Consumers should also avoid bronopol (often listed as 2-brono-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol), diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantion, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium 15, all of which can release formaldehyde, a probable human carcinogen.

Hypoallergenic: Don't be seduced by this meaningless term. The FDA states that "there are no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term 'hypoallergenic.'" Some products labeled "hypoallergenic," for example, contain known allergens, such as quaternium 15 and propylene glycol.

What to look for:
Look for these “goodies,” generally less irritating and less risky for health and the environment, in a variety of personal care products. (You download and print this list as part of a comprehensive cosmetics guide, available at "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly").
Annatto
Beeswax
Candelilla wax
Carmine
Carrageenan
Cornstarch
Hematite
Iron oxides
Jojoba oil
Kaolin
Pycnogenol (from pine trees)
Rice bran oil
Shea butter
Sunflower oil
Sweet almond oil
Titanium dioxide
Vitamins A,C,E

What's Good
Less-Toxic Personal-Care Products
(Caution: Although less toxic, these and other personal-care products can be harmful if ingested and should be kept out of the reach of children.)
Check out starred (*) "bad" ingredients

Antiperspirants & Deodorants

Tom's of Maine Natural Anti-perspirant & Deodorant. Contains buffered aluminum sulfate, naturally derived and less likely to irritate than aluminum chlorohydrate*. Does contain propylene glycol*, which carries a low risk of irritancy. No Tom's of Maine product contains phthalates, says spokesperson Kathleen Taggersell (http://www.tomsofmaine.com/, 800/FOR-TOMS).

Crystal Stick Body Deodorant. Simply uses only natural mineral salts and the naturally derived ammonium alum. (http://www.crystaldeodorantprotection.com/, 888/262-3884, or see the many crystal deodorants listed in The Green Guide's Deodorant Product Report).

Burt's Bees Herbal Deodorant. 99% natural; fragrance ingredients include sage and lemon oils (http://www.burtsbees.com/, 800/849-7112).

Kiss My Face Active Enzyme Stick Lavender. Scented with lavender essential oil (http://www.kissmyface.com/, 800/262-5477). Does contain propylene glycol*.

Perfumes & Fragrances
EWG's 2002 report "Not Too Pretty" found that 100% of the fragrances tested contained phthalates, even among such "natural" sounding product lines as Healing Garden. Only pure botanical fragrances can be assumed to be phthalate-free, but those with sensitive skin should still patch-test.

Aveda Pure-fumes are 100% natural (http://www.aveda.com/, 800/328-0849).

Sunrise Herbal Remedies Essential Essences contain botanicals mixed on site at a Connecticut herb farm (http://www.sunriseherbfarm.com/, 866/794-0809).

Tisserand Aromatherapy Essential Oils (through http://www.avalonnaturalproducts.com/, 800/227-5120).

Powder
Cornstarch is a nontoxic alternative to talc, but take caution: These and other fine particles/powders can, if inhaled, irritate airways and provoke asthmatic reactions.

Burt's Bees Wings of Love Facial Powder, talc-free, uses mica, calcium carbonate (chalk), kaolin (clay) and zinc oxide (http://www.burtsbees.com/, 800/849-7112).
California Baby Calming Non-Talc Powder (www.california baby.com, 877/576-2825).

Moisturizers
The products below are free of the most problematic synthetic chemicals.

Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion (http://www.burtsbees.com/, 800/849-7112).

Jason Natural Cosmetics Vitamin K Creme Plus for Skin (http://www.jason-natural.com/, 800/JASON-05).

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Complexion & Body Moisturizer (http://www.aubrey-organics.com/incoming.cfm?aff_code=1413, 800/282-7394).

Kiss My Face Ultra Hydrating Moisturizer (http://www.kissmyface.com/, 800/262-5477).

Haircare Products

Safer Shampoos & Conditioners

Avalon Organic Botanicals Therapeutic Shampoo contains the preservatives methyl-* and propylparaben*, but they pose less risk in rinse-off products (http://www.avalonnaturalproducts.com/, 800/277-5120).

Aubrey Organics Soothing Blue Camomile Shampoo (http://www.aubrey-organics.com/, 800/282-7394); their hair product line contains no SLS/SLES surfactants*.

Dr. Hauschka Herbal Hair Conditioner (http://www.drhauschka.com/, 800-247-9907).

J. R. Liggett's Old-Fashioned Bar Shampoo -- no bottle! (http://www.jrliggett.com/, 603/675-2055).

Hair Groomers: Sprays, gels and other "fixitives"

Dr. Hauschka Neem Hair Lotion (http://www.drhauschka.com/, 800-247-9907).

Aveda Brilliant Hair Spray (http://www.aveda.com/, 800-328-0849).

John Masters Sweet Orange & Silk Protein Styling Gel (http://www.johnmasters.com/, 800-599-2450).

John Masters Hair Pomade (http://www.johnmasters.com/, 800-599-2450).

Hair Dyes
The safest hair-coloring products last the least amount of time:
"Semi-permanent" products, which coat the hair and wash out after several shampoos, contain no ammonia*, peroxide* or other harsh chemicals. Gray strands will come out looking like highlights, but these products can't cover an entire head of gray.
They include: Aveda color-enhancing shampoos and conditioners (http://www.aveda.com/, 800-328-0849) and Logona Kosmetik Pure Vegetable Hair Color (http://www.smallflower.com/ or from the Merz Apothecary, 800-252-0275).

"Demi-permanent" tints typically last twice as long and can cover more gray -- but they do contain peroxide.
A good choice: Clairol Natural Instincts Demi Permanent Haircolor contains no ammonia and is low in peroxide (at stores nationwide; www.clairol.,com, 800-223-5800).

Step up to permanent hair dyes and highlights and you've entered a world of harsh chemicals, including cancer-linked "coal tar" dyes. Safest bet: Avoid coal-tar ingredients and keep formulations off the scalp. As Deirdre Imus says, "Simply work with your colorist to keep the process as safe as possible."

Good Makeup
FlowerColor Eyeshadow by Ecco Bella (http://www.eccobella.com/, 877-696-2200) contains no synthetic preservatives.

Paul Penders (http://www.paulpenders.com/, 888-278-0889) makes a mascara with no tar, alcohol or petroleum-based colors or chemical drying agents.

Eyeliner from Burt's Bees (http://www.burtsbees.com/, 800-849-7112) contains only natural ingredients and also works as an eyebrow pencil.

Aubrey Organics (http://www.aubrey-organics.com/, 800-282-7394) makes Natural Lips, a 100% vegan product that can double as a blush.

Water-based nail polish that peels off (no remover necessary) is available from Color 'N Peel (colornpeel.com, 888-420-2628).

The following companies also make a full range of cleaner color cosmetics:
Dr. Hauschka (http://www.drhauschka.com/, 800-247-9907)
Gabriel (800-497-6419)
NaturElle (http://www.naturalbeauty.com/, 800-442-3936)
Real Purity (http://www.realpurity.com/, 800-253-1694)

Healthier Ingredients Roundup
Look for these "goodies" in a variety of personal-care products: Annatto, beeswax, candelilla wax, carmine, carrageenan, cornstarch, hematite, iron oxides, jojoba oil, kaolin, pycnogenol (from pine trees), rice-bran oil, shea butter, sunflower oil, sweet almond oil, titanium dioxide, vitamins A,C,E.

Or make your own products. Check out this post all about making your own Natural body products . There are lots of recipes for homemade toiletries, etc...

Bugaloo Shoes giveaway

2008-11-16T21:17:00.003-06:00

Those who know me know I love a great deal. I also love a great deal that supports small business even more. I have an awesome Bugaloo shoe giveaway to tell you about.

Through one of the blogs I read the author is giving away a pair of these darling leather soled shoes. To enter you just follow the instructions on her blog and comment. It's that simple. She is promoting the shoes because her cousin is the business owner.

Here is the link to the giveaway.

Bugaloo Shoe Giveaway through Passionatehomemaking.com

Giveaway ends on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 5:00 pm PST.
Winner will be randomly drawn and announced on Saturday.

The Little Red Hen

2008-11-12T14:02:00.006-06:00

Little Red Hen by Lyn Calder
Capitalism vs socialism

One day Little Red Hen was scratching around in her garden when she found some grains of wheat. "Who will help me plant this wheat?" asked Little Red Hen.
"Not I," said Duck.
"Not I," said Cat.
"Not I," said Dog.
"Then I will plant the wheat myself," said Little Red Hen.
And she did.

Day by day the wheat grew. When it was tall and yellow, Little Red Hen asked, "Who will help me cut the wheat?"
"Not I," said Duck.
"Not I," said Cat.
"Not I," said Dog.
"Then I will cut the wheat myself," said Little Red Hen.
And she did.

Once Little Red Hen had cut the wheat she asked, "Who will help me thresh the wheat?"
"Not I," said Duck.
"Not I," said Cat.
"Not I," said Dog.
"Then I will thresh the wheat myself," said Little Red Hen.
And she did.

The wheat had to be ground into flour. "Who will help me take the wheat to the miller for grinding?" asked Little Red Hen.
"Not I," said Duck.
"Not I," said Cat.
"Not I," said Dog.
"Then I will take the wheat to the miller myself," said Little Red Hen.
And she did.

When Little Red Hen returned with the flour, she asked, "Who will help me make the dough and bake the bread?"
"Not I," said Duck.
"Not I," said Cat.
"Not I," said Dog.
"Then I will make the dough and bake the bread myself," said Little Red Hen.
And she did.

Finally, the bread was ready. "Who will help me eat this warm and tasty bread?" asked Little Red Hen.
"I will!" said Duck.
"I will!" said Cat.
"I will!" said Dog.
"Oh no!" said Little Red Hen. "I will eat the bread myself."
And she did.

(KM Addition)

But not before the farmer Obama found out and took 50% bread away from the hen and redistributed it to all the animals on the farm. After the redistribution everyone only had a couple crumbs of bread and the farmer Obama's home of friends and family was large and well fed. The hen really liked to make bread so the next time she made 3 loafs. The farmer Obama decided to take even more from the red little hen...this time he took 80% of her bread. The little red hen decided that day there was no motivation for her to make lots bread anymore when it was taken away by the farmer Obama. She decided she would just settle for the farmer Obama's crumbs and sometime make a small loaf of bread from time to time. Because the less she made the less she had to share. Because little red hen wasn't motivated to make bread anymore...the animals and farmer obama got hungry because no one was making bread to redistribute. So farmer Obama ordered the red little hen to make bread against her will for them to eat and for the farmer to sell and keep the profits.

Corn Chower and Cream sauce recipe

2008-11-10T18:10:00.001-06:00

Corn Chowder

¼ c onions chopped (more if desired)
3TBSP butter
2c frozen corn
2 c milk
½ c powdered milk (optional)
2 c potatoes, peeled and diced
1 c cream sauce (see attached recipe)
1 clove garlic or garlic powder to taste
Chopped fully cooked chicken or other meat of choice if desired.

In large saucepan sauté onions in butter until soft. Add corn, milk, powdered milk(opt) and potatoes, and simmer over med heat for about 15 min or until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Add cream sauce in bring just to boiling point. Season and serve hot.

Cream sauce

Yields 2 cups. (half recipe for corn chowder above)

4 TBSP butter
4TBSP whole wheat flour
2c milk
salt and pepper

Melt butter in saucepan. Sprinkle in flour and stir quickly to form heavy paste. Add milk ¼ c at a time stirring so that sauce becomes smooth. Combine and stir as sauce thickens to desired consistency. Season to taste.

Cream sauce is the basis for many “Cream of…” soups we are all familiar with. You could sub in chicken stock for some of the milk and chicken and you would have “Cream of Chicken soup”

UPDATE: Cut down the butter in the chowder...I only used 1/4 of the butter called for and it was still very rich and smooth. Also you may not need all the cream sauce you can omit 1/2 c and it will be much lighter and much less fat.

Harmful Plastics

2008-11-10T13:56:00.003-06:00

Know Your Plastics
by Dr. Alan Greene
Plastics are everywhere. Some are eco-friendly and appear to be very safe for kids. Most are made from non-renewable petroleum, much of which needs to be imported. Some plastics cause dangerous pollution during manufacturing, and some contain chemicals suspected of causing harm – especially to kids.
You might choose to replace plastic water bottles with a refillable stainless steel version, or to replace plastic toy blocks with wooden ones, plastic teething chews with organic cotton, or plastic jars with glass. Even so, you’ll probably find yourself using a lot of plastic.

To select the plastics that are best for your children and for the environment, get to know the easy-to-identify plastic recycling codes you’ll usually find on the underside of the bottle or packaging. Look for these numbers and symbols before you buy. The safer plastic choices are coded 1, 2, 4, and 5. Try to avoid 3, 6, and most plastics labeled with number 7.

Code 1: PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate). You’ll most commonly see this in the thin, clear plastic of bottled water (or bottled cooking oil, peanut butter, soda, etc.). It’s appears safe for single use, but these bottles should not be reused, refilled, or heated. This plastic can be recycled once into new secondary products, such as textiles, parking lot bumpers, or plastic lumber.

Code 2: HDPE (high-density polyethylene). This is the thicker, milkier or opaque plastic found in milk and water jugs, juice bottles, detergent, shampoo, and motor oil containers, and toys. Unlike #1, these are safe to refill and reuse, even though they may not look as snazzy as #1 or #7. Recyclable once into products similar to those for # 1 plastics.

Code 3: PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Found in bibs, mattress covers, squeeze bottles, cling wrap, some peanut butter jars, and a few other food and detergent containers. The manufacture of PVC releases dioxin into the environment, a potent carcinogen that accumulates in animals and in us. It may also contain phthalates, chemicals used, among other things, to soften plastics. Some phthalates are hormone disruptors that have been linked to possible reproductive problems and birth defects, and even to smaller penis size in boys. PVC workers have higher cancer rates. May be discarded at the recycling plant. AVOID #3!

Code 4: LDPE (low-density polyethylene). Found in soft, flexible plastics such as those used in grocery story bags, plastic wrap, dry cleaning bags, shopping bags, and garbage bags. One of the safer plastics – but recycle, don’t throw away. Many of these bags could be better replaced with reusable bags, especially when shopping.

Code 5: PP (polypropylene). Found in hard but flexible plastics, such as those used for ice cream and yogurt containers, drinking straws, syrup bottles, salad bar containers, and diapers. One of the safer plastics – but recycle, don’t throw away.

Code 6: PS (polystyrene). Found in rigid plastics such as opaque plastic spoons and forks, and in Styrofoam, such as those found in coffee cups and meat trays. These plastics can leach styrene, a known neurotoxin with other negative health effects. AVOID #6.

Code 7: Other (including polycarbonate, nylon, and acrylic). This is a grab bag symbol. It includes polycarbonate, an important source of the endocrine disruptor BPA, and found in most baby bottles. Polycarbonate is also common in 5-gallon water bottles, sports bottles, clear plastic cutlery, and in the lining of food and formula cans.

But code 7 also includes some of the newer, compostable green plastics, such as those made from corn, potatoes, rice, or tapioca. (I wish they would make a code 8 for these!) AVOID # 7, unless it is labeled as one of these new bio-based plastics.

Whatever plastics you choose, when microwaving food or drink, try to opt for glass or ceramic containers instead of plastic, where possible, and wax paper instead of plastic wrap.
This year two of the largest toy retailers have announced new guidelines to cut kids exposure to phthalates in their toys. Wal-Mart and Toys R Us (and their Babies R Us stores) have taken the lead in requiring independent third-party lab testing of each batch of toys imported to the US for sale in their stores to slash kids’ risk of being exposed from their toys. I hope more companies (and state and national governments) will take similar steps. In the meantime, Know Your Plastics!
Source: Healthy Child Healthy World
and Plastics 101 on The Softlanding.

Meal Plan Monday!

2008-11-09T22:51:00.004-06:00

Ok this is my "week" off again. That means...cookin' time!

Monday: Corn Chowder (recipe to be posted soon) and veggies

Tues: INDIAN!!! Chicken Curry w/ lentils and veggies. Left over homemade tortillas to sub as naan bread. (this recipe is awesome!!! I will be posting it soon also)

Wed: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan (from "All Recipes.com") w/ baked acorn squash.

Thurs: Veggie tomato sauce w/ Homemade turkey meatballs over whole wheat spaghetti noodles.

Fri: Slow cooker chicken stew

Dedication

2008-11-09T22:02:00.003-06:00

Amelia was dedicated this morning at Buffalo Covenant Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. Unfortunately, my parents were unable to attend. Thankfully my Uncle Tim, Aunt Judy, Uncle Alex, Grandfather and Aunt Wende were able to attend. In addition Guy's mother, father, step-mother, brother and niece joined us. What a joyous occasion! Little Amelia was dedicated along with 2 other little ones. Following the church service we met at BJ's Deli for brunch. Amelia received many wonderful gifts which were completely unexpected and unnecessary but received in gratitude. One of her gifts was this very precious silver heart necklace from Grandma Bette. Amelia wore it during the dedication and didn't even pull at it or try to eat it. I will be posting pictures of the dedication soon so stay tuned.

Obama girl and Ralph Nader Show

2008-11-08T15:17:00.003-06:00

In the spirit of bipartisanship; this is HILARIOUS!!! Especially when Ventura shows up!

Presto Chango!

2008-11-08T12:09:00.003-06:00

It feels like yesterday Guy and I brought home our little girl. All newborn and tiny. Presto Chango (Poof) Amelia is a full fledged baby! Rolling everywhere she can, imitating us like crazy (she puts the phone up to her ear, puts the straw from my jug in her mouth), holding her self up on things to stand, eating solid food, sitting up on her own, and ALMOST crawling. On Thursday I saw Amelia push herself up on to her hands and knees, rocked and fell on her face. (She just laughed). I love how proud she is of herself when she accomplishes something she is working so hard to do. Like get up on her hands and knees or support herself at the side of the coffee table. She flashes this smile like, "Mom, look what I just did!!! Do you see me? This is awesome!". I am loving every minute of it.

The other day I think Amelia may have followed some simple directions!!! Having family time in bed the other morning Amelia was poking at my face. Often when she does this I tell her what she is poking. "That is mommy's nose" and then I point to her nose, "That is Amelia's nose." That particular morning I thought I'd ask her to point to different places on my face, not really having any expectation she would do it. BUT SHE DID!!! Guy and I were beside ourselves. I said, "point to mommy's nose". She pointed (grabbed) my nose. I said where is mommy's eyes and she poked my eye. I said where is mommy's mouth and she poked my mouth. I thought ok that is just a coinsidence. But later that day I did the same thing and she nearly repeated her morning's performance with one error. I am going to give it a couple days and try again and see how she does. I was completely impressed. It was also a wake up call that this little one is really paying attention and understanding more than I thought she did.

You can vote however you like.

2008-11-05T08:11:00.003-06:00

This video brought a smile to my face. It looks like these kids were having a blast!

I was rockin' my "I voted" sticker yesterday with pride.

BELTS BELTS BELTS!!!

2008-11-02T12:28:00.003-06:00

BELTS BELTS BELTS!!!

MPR eat your heart out!!!

2008-10-31T14:31:00.010-05:00

So this morning during "Midmorning" with Carrie Miller I called in and got on the radio!
Here is a link to the broadcast. I come in at about 12min 30 sec or so.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/10/31/midmorning2
The topic was about the economic crisis and unemployment. The guest speaker said two sectors were adding jobs and that was government and healthcare. SO I had to call in and let them know otherwise. Please refer to my entry "Even Nursing Isn't Immune" which describes the situation more in detail.

As soon as I was off the air...I called Guy to gloat!

The Amazing Stretching Chicken!!! "Chicken Pot Pie" Recipe

2008-10-30T22:20:00.008-05:00

Ok people I am not taking about a rubber chicken...I am talking about making your chicken stretch further.

Continuing our "Thrifty is Nifty" series is a recipe for "Chicken Pot Pie"

I can't take credit for this recipe. I obtained this recipe on "Oprah.com"

This is a feel-good meal! It's traditional without a catch but very satisfying—not to mention easy and relatively fast. What I love most about this recipe is that it takes advantage of your basic kitchen staples. There isn't much you have to get extra, if you have a well stocked pantry. (Stay tuned for my "Thrifty is Nifty" post on a"Well Stocked Thirfty Pantry"coming soon!) I really dislike having to get just one specialty item for a recipe, only to see it sit in my fridge or cabinent and never used again. Besides that wouldn't be thifty now, would it?

Ingredients:Filling:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium Onion , chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups chopped Roasted Chicken

1/2 cup frozen sweet petite peas
1 potato , diced and boiled USE ANY LEFT OVER VEGGIES OR GRAINS!
1 1/2 cup chopped, cooked carrots
1/2 tsp. salt
Cracked pepper
Dash of Tabasco® sauce

Crust:
3/4 cup white or yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. canola oil

To make filling:

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. (optional)

In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil and unsalted butter together.

Add onion and sauté until tender, about 4 or 5 minutes.

Add in flour until blended.

Slowly stir in 2 cups of heated chicken stock (it really doesn't need to be heated, just not cold as you will get lumps), whisking well.

Cook mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 4 minutes.

Stir in roasted chicken, peas, potato, carrots, salt, pepper and Tabasco®. (Remember your root veggies and chicken need to be precooked.)

Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish, spread evenly.

To make crust:

In a bowl, stir cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

In a separate bowl, stir milk, egg and canola oil until well combined.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Please don't over work batter or it will get tough.

Spoon the batter evenly on the filling. (I found a thinner layer is better but, you be the judge.)

Bake until the top is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes.

(Mine took about 30 min...bake until your finger doesn't leave an indent. It got pretty dry baking until "golden")

Tonight I had my friend Niki over for dinner and I made this pot pie from some left over chicken. She went back for seconds and said it was really good.

Only thing is it is kinda bland...so I would recommend adding some herbs or spices.

UPDATE: This is an AWESOME freezer meal. I made two last time and froze one. I wasn't sure how it would reheat with the cornbread on top. It was fabulous. I just thawed it in the fridge and reheated it in the oven @ 350 for about 30 min. ( I got hasty and needed to eat and pulled it out early and mic'd it the rest of the way and it turned out fine!) It was actually even better the second time...as the flavors had a chance to meld and develop. It was a little bland and drier than I would prefer. The next time I make it I am going to add Lawery's Seasoning and more chicken stock.

PLUS, this is a great recipe to use those local in season root veggies!

If you make this please let me know how it turned out and any improvements you would make. Happy Cooking and Thanks!

Amelia's Fall Photo Shoot

2008-10-30T22:05:00.007-05:00

Hi everyone! I am please to share with you pictures from Amelia's Fall photos taken by Jennifer Johansen Photography. We hope you enjoy these photos as much as we do.

Please click here link to the Shutterfly album. Thanks and enjoy!

Love the Mattson's

(If you are wondering where is Guy in the photos. Unfortunately he had class the day of the shoot. :-( )

Pumpkin Cookies

2008-10-30T00:26:00.007-05:00

Fall is in the air and so should the smell of pumpkin baked goods. Whip up some pumpkin cookies if you don't have the time to muss and fuss making a pumpkin pie. I made these for the last two fall parties we had and they were a HIT! Seriously these are out of this world and so easy to make. The husband of one of my girlfriend's said he was raving about these cookies and said they were the best he had ever had. Now that is a lofty compliment!

Recipe from "Real Simple".com

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (found in the spice aisle)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Optional cream cheese frosting:

2/3 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup heavy cream

Powdered sugar until it reaches desired consistency.

Heat oven to 375° F.

Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, and egg and beat until combined.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar and butter and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated.

Spoon heaping tablespoons of the mixture 2 inches apart onto parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets.

Bake until puffed and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.Clean the mixer, then, as the cookies bake, beat the cream cheese, heavy cream, and confectionersý sugar until smooth and spreadable.

Tip: The cookies can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight container. Whip the frosting and frost no more than 2 hours before serving.

ENJOY! Let me know if you try them out.

What I like to do with the left over pumpkin puree.

Feed it to my daugher plain

or doctor it up with a little wheat germ, ground flax seed, pumpkin pie spice and honey. Chill it and eat cold. YUM YUM!!! It tastes like a mini pie. Try it out for a healthy snack!

Less is more

2008-10-29T13:04:00.006-05:00

Over the last 6 months I have been becoming more and more at odds with my "stuff". Being in a 1 bedroom and now a small 2 bedroom condo has amplified the amount of "stuff" we own.
I peer into our yet to be organized closets and see "stuff". I think do I really need it? Do I really need all this "stuff". I have gone through many purging cycles in my life. Right before I moved to California, right before I moved back to Minnesota. I think I am overdue for a purge. The problem is the cycle of stuff I continue to accumulate. After getting married and having Amelia we are innundated with stuff. I am to blame. Also I think my American consumeristic mindset is to blame. While I don't think I am as bad as other people in our country I do think I could improve on decreasing my consumption. Ever since I was a young child I have been a little bit of a eco nut (ask my mom!). Pressuring my family to recycle. I also remember even as a young child begging my mother to walk to the store instead of drive. I thought it was so much fun!!!

Throughout our journey of getting ready for Amelia this winter we utilized "Craigs List" for most of our bigger purchases. We bought our glider and changing table used. We obtained our crib from a friend for free who no longer needed it. We borrowed our baby bath tub, stroller and swing from a friend. We got a used exersaucer from Amelia's grandma. I borrowed many of my maternity clothes and bought most of the others at "Turnstyle" (which by the way is a great place to shop!!!) . We cloth diaper Amelia and I have also made about 4 of her diapers. I plan on making more once she grows out of these. Even through all these practices with our daughter we still are busting at the seams with stuff. Mainly clothes. She grows so fast! I have a hamper over flowing with clothes I need to sort to store for #2. I was thinking about lending some out but most of them are out of season for the people I know who just had Fall baby girls.

With Christmas just around the corner and thinking of yet another year of getting a bunch of stuff I don't want and ultimately I do not need makes me a little well depressed and frusterated with the consumeristic system we have. I would love to make some gifts for family and friends. I have done this in the past. I made knitted scarfs in addition to other bought gifts.
The only thing I really want for christmas is an automatic starter for our jeep so that I can have the car all warmed up in the winter for Amelia. Other than that....I really don't need anything. Sure I have a lot of things I would like...but they are mainly services like a simonson's gift card so I can get a facial, get my hair cut and dyed and maybe get my brows waxed. I guess I just don't want more stuff.

I was watching the last part of Days of Our Lives. I know a soap...but I follow it now that I am home at that time. Sad I know. During the show I was just getting sickened by the comercials. I was getting sickened by our consumer driven our culture is. Buy this...buy that. Then I think of this Wall Street crash and bailout. I feel like the government is more concerned about corporate America than "Americans". While I understand the economic repercusions of the bail it is just a symptom of a bigger problem. I am not anti capitalisitic but I do think we put to much emphasis on our "stuff". Be it houses, cars and other items. I feel that if we didn't have so much emphasis on owning these things perhaps...now just perhaps we wouldn't be in the credit crisis we are currently in. If people weren't so concerned about being things they can't afford and living with in their means perhaps the government wouldn't have to be stepping in. I don't like the idea of the government owning or having a stake in so many corporations. Because if the government has a stake in all of this and the goverment is supposed to be for the people it isn't any more and is now more "for the corporations".

Well...so with that I will leave you with
Less is more!

http://www.buynothingchristmas.org/alternatives/index.html

http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns

http://www.storyofstuff.com/anotherway.html

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/

http://www.storyofstuff.com/ngoextraction.html

http://www.newdream.org/c3/index.php

Autumn Photo Shoot

2008-10-25T15:14:00.005-05:00

Amelia and I had a fun mother daughter photoshoot. (Guy was in class.) The shots were taken by our friend Jennifer Johansen. We had such a good time. Through a snotty nose and being a little cranky I think we got some awesome pictures of Amelia playing in the leaves and in her bumble bee costume.

I will post more pictures from the shoot soon when Amelia is feeling better! Stay tuned!

Thrifty is Nifty Series

2008-10-25T02:41:00.005-05:00

Another installment in our "Thrifty is Nifty" series.

This time it's about having convenience food. We all need it every once in a while. Especially on those nights when everyone is hungry and there is nothing quick to prepare in site. Usually in these instances we go for something quick and usually it is not a healthy choice. I am not immune to these episodes where the dinner hour is looming and there is no dinner in site. Just this week Guy and I got fast food...twice!!! YIKES!!! (having a sick babe sure takes up a LOT of time.)

Here is something I have been doing over the last month or so I want to share.

Making your own precooked meatballs.

Ok Kristina what are you talking about...meat balls?

I discovered how versatile meatballs are this fall. They are an easy and inexpensive way to incorporate meat into a meal without having to take the time to cook it.

Here is what I do. Make my own meat balls, cook and freeze. (a commercial bag costs about 8 -9 bucks depending on the brand.)

This week ground turkey was on sale.

Here is the recipe I use...

20 oz of meat
1 egg
1/3c bread crumbs
seasoning of your choice
olive oil

This is a great way to use up old bread or those bread butts no one seems to eat. I also incorporated a little wheat germ and flax seed too. I like making my own because I know what is in there.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Cover your cookie sheet with aluminum foil (you'll thank me later)
drizzle olive oil on the foil and spread it all around with your hand or a paper towel.
Preheat your sheet in the oven.

Combine your ingredients. Really dig in there. Use your hands.

Make some balls. (about 10-16, to start, you'll still have meat left don't worry) I like to make mine relatively small in order to stretch the meat. Make them no bigger than ping pong balls.

Get your hot pan out of the oven and place it on trivet or hotpad so your don't burn your counter top.
Place the meat balls on the pan and bake for 15 min.
Take them out and turn and bake for an additional 5-7 min until done.

I then cool them in the fridge and then freeze them. They can keep for a while, but that won't really matter because they won't last long.

Ways to use your meatballs for those in a pinch lunches or dinners

Spaghetti and meatballs.

Mac and cheese with cut up meatballs.

Salad with cut up meatballs.

Pretty much any place you need ground meat you can use the meatballs.

I just mic them for about one minute to defrost and then cut them up and add them to our meals.

This is a great way to cut out those fast food meals which are detrimental to your wallet and your wasteline.

Sick little pumpkin

2008-10-25T01:41:00.004-05:00

Amelia has her first cold. It was inevitable. Little Finn (Amelia's buddy) and many other people Amelia has come in contact with in the last week have had the sniffles. Amelia started throwing up at Karen's (she watches Amelia during the week) about 8 times!!! Poor little pumpkin! Luckily Bette was scheduled to pick up Amelia early since Finn was sick. Karen told me she let Amelia throw up on her about 8 times...when she was holding Amelia little Finn fell and bonked his head and started to scream. So she had to switch for a second and put Amelia in the car seat and she threw up some more ( I think?) I heard Amelia was a little soiled when Bette picked her up and gaggy. Man oh man I felt bad for my Amelia and for Karen. Just as long as little Amelia was OK which she was. I know Karen must have changed her clothes because a different outfit was soiled than what I sent her there in. All in all I think Karen did a good job and I didn't know Amelia was going to be a puke monster! Thank goodness Bette was there to help rescue Karen and care for Amelia.
Today Amelia was super clingy and only wanted to nap in my arms. We learned about nasal bulb suctioning those snot bubbles. Amelia actually let me do it a few times without fighting me. No throwing up for me today. I introduced a new food (pumpkin) to Amelia the day of puke fest. So perhaps that is our culprit. Note to self: do not introduce a new food on the same day Amelia has daycare. So for now no more pumpkin for the Pumpkin. I had some of the canned pumpkin I fed Amelia and I felt fine.

$$$ Values

2008-10-23T00:55:00.004-05:00

Tonight I am staying up too late and watching Oprah. The topic reminded me of many values I hope to instill in Amelia. The value of money.

I am going to back up a little bit.

I grew up for the most part..."not wealthy". Does this mean we were "poor"? Sometimes. Sometimes it felt that way when I compared myself and my material belongings to others. BUT I think being "poor" is more of a state of "mind" than a state of "being". Did I grow up without? Not really. The state of being feeling "without" is contextual. What I mean by this is, who you compare yourself to can greatly influence your perception of being, "without".

OK now back to Amelia.

1. The Value of money. I want Amelia to know the value of money. I think I will start to pay for things in cash in front of her when she starts to notice.

2. Grades do not equal (immediate) rewards. We will not pay for grades. A grade's value should come intrinsically not from extrinsic material items or monetary gain. I am not against rewarding but not with material items or money. Perhaps with a date out doing something special with mom or dad. This is something we will figure out along the way. I hope to remind her that the rewards for her good grades will be reaped in a good college and future career. (I am proof of this.)

3. Honesty. I will not tell Amelia no and then go out and spend the money on myself or on another child. I also will not tell her yes when we really can't afford it. Being honest about priorities and helping her safe up her earnings for things she wants and not just providing instant gratification for something she wants but can't afford at this time. (This will have to be a family effort including grandparents not giving in with out parental approval.)

4. Money (stuff) does not equal love. Christmas and birthdays are wonderful memorable times. I hope the memories are not about what she got but who she spent the time with. Also I want her to know that Christmas is not just about stuff but about Christ! The excess I see during the holidays makes me SICK. I think thoughtful gifts are wonderful. These can be homemade, etc... I want Amelia to look forward to Christmas for the fellowship of family and the traditions we create. I hope the tradition does not include being inundated with gifts.

5. No entitlement. Amelia is not entitled to stuff just because she is a "good" kid or gets good grades or is part of the family household. Money is earned. The entitlement psyche of our American culture is so apathetic. Our children will not be entitled. They will know money is earned and how much they will receive is not just based on time spent but performance of the task. Once the allowance is gone, it's gone. Learning to live within their means.

Living in a smaller place everything you own becomes amplified by having to find a place for it.

I am trying to be simplier in my consumption of stuff. My reasons for this are multifaceted.

1. The environment. There is only a finite amount of resources. Most of Amelia's bigger items were bought used. (Swing, exersaucer, changing table, glider, crib, stroller, and many of her clothes. ) I am inspired by how easy it was to get quality items for Amelia I am hoping to step up my own purchases of used items for myself.

2. Money. Buying less and used is cheaper. It also doesn't support industries in foreign countries that do not abide by environmental or labor laws.

3. Buy American made.

4. Make it home made when possible. Examples of this. I cloth diaper Amelia. (the amount of garbage disposable diapers create is staggering. I use disposables for a couple days last week for a break. It was a huge reminder of why I cloth diaper. The garbage mounted up SO fast. It literally made me nauseous. Also my laundry mounted up because they leaked and blew out often. (ewww poopty pants!!!) I now make Amelia's cloth diapers. It takes a little time...but they are cheaper than buying them and insanely cheaper than disposables. PLUS I can use them on kid number two...the savings continues.

5. Buying foods whole and preparing them at home. Example. Instead of going to breadsmith for my yummy muffin with my starbucks. I now make my own awesome muffins and brew my own coffee. Savings of about 6bucks each time I do that. That is about 50 bucks a month in my pocket. It adds up FAST!!! I was able to get Guy an awesome present from my savings of my mad money. (He was happy!) I also bought 2.5 lbs of ground turkey. So far I have made...2 shepherd's pies, and the rest I made into mini meat balls which I cooked and froze. I love having precooked meat in the freezer that I can just heat and serve. Store bought meatballs are about 8bucks a bag. I got mine for about 2bucks. We still have a bunch left. My next endeavor is making frozen burritos. (I love love love the Amy's frozen burritos).

Recipes to follow soon!

Thanks for reading these thoughts.

Meal Plan Monday

2008-10-20T01:28:00.003-05:00

Ok here I am week 2 trying to plan meals again.
This week will be a challenge as I work Tues and Thurs

Monday:
B: Eggs and left over muffins
L: Yogurt and grapenuts fruit or salad (Rice and avocados for Amelia)
D: Sloppy Lentils and salad or steamed veggies (Rice and sweet potatoes for Amelia)
Prep: Soak Oatmeal, Make baby food (beets, peas, avocados), Make granola bars

Tuesday
B: Soaked Oatmeal one egg for Kristina (Egg whites and cheese for Guy)
L: Yogurt and grape nuts, carrots or spinach salad (Rice and apples for Amelia)
D: Left over sloppy lentils and Kashi frozen dinner, Salad(for Guy while Kristina at work) (rice and peas (new food!) for Amelia).

Prep: Soak muffins

Wednesday
B: Eggs and Kefir fruit smoothies
L: Salad etc... (Rice and apples)
D: Spaghetti w/ Homemade turkey meatballs, steamed veggies. (Rice and peas)
Prep: Make Muffins, soak oatmeal

Thursday
B: Oatmeal and eggs
L: Yogurt and grape nuts, veggies (Rice and avocados)
D: Leftovers (Rice and peas)

Friday
Undecided!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUY!!!

2008-10-15T23:45:00.008-05:00

Happy 30Th
Birthday Guy!!!
Stay tuned for post...

North Shore Get Away Part I

2008-10-15T23:09:00.017-05:00

Last weekend Guy and I (Kristina) vacationed on the north shore of Minnesota on Lake Superior while Amelia spent the weekend at Grandma Bette's house. We left on Thursday and spent the night in Duluth.
Friday we headed up to Tofte and camped on Lake Superior at the Temperance River campsite. It was about 38 degrees and raining off and on throughout the night. The wind picked up during the night and it (the lake) was quite loud since we were only about 50 feet from Lake Superior!!!
It was quite chilly and uncomfortable for me (Kristina) as I forgot my pillows at the hotel in Duluth we stayed in Friday night. It was a fun experience though. We played cards games and Guy did card tricks with our tiny little book light I brought (thank goodness as all Guy brought in the way of flash lights were two mini tiny little mag lights that didn't work well).

While Guy slept like a log I was up from 830 when we went to sleep until 330 am. I couldn't get comfortable, the lake was SO loud and then on top of it every noise( including those of innocent leaves falling on the tent) had me on high alert. I grabbed Guy on several occassions,

"Did you hear that?"

"What?"

"THAT!"

"That's a leaf go to sleep...."

Saturday (the next morning) we headed out on our day hike up Eagle Mountain; the highest point in Minnesota. We started hiking about 11:15 AM and got back around 4:45PM. It was a 7 mile hike round trip. We had to watch every step we took for 7 mile which was too bad because the scenery was really beautiful. Here are some pictures from our hike.

At the top of Eagle Mountain

Update Blog

2008-10-14T09:14:00.004-05:00

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

I have many updates to share

We purchased a new vehicle; a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherrokee Laredo. (The L is missing from the decal So I call it our "Aredo". And joke it is a designer knock off Laredo.) We sold the little green 2002 Sentra. :-( She was sold to a 16 year old girl who was "STOKED" to buy it and even featured it in a music viedo she made. She even have her a name. "Dill" So I am glad "Dill" has a loving home!

This summer we bought a new condo (well it's not "new" but you know what I mean.) We took advantage of the slumping market and our good credit. It has 2 bedrooms and a pantry. I realized my youth was over when I got really excited about having a pantry. Amelia has her own room. Her nursery colors are pink and brown. Her room is still a work in progress. I am enjoying putting it together and having one room in our home I solely decorated. (Bette helped paint the walls)

We are now land lords. We rent out our old condo. It is a weird feeling to be collecting rent rather than paying it. A good weird feeling.

Guy started a new job at Burke and Thomas working as an assistant of sorts for one of the partners. Even if Guy doesn't get hired on as an attorney after he graduated law school it will be great experience on his resume.

Amelia is 5 1/2 months old!!! She is rolling over left and right and now can also roll from her tummy to her back. She can get her legs under her and scoot a little too. It won't be long until she is scooting all over the place.

GUY IS TURNING 30!!! Yep, Guy is an old man. Be sure to let him know!
;-)

I (Kristina) am still working at the U of M. Though they are laying off about 100 full time positions there. I think I am safe as there are many people below me in senority (whew!)
I thought nursing was safe!?!?!? The recession it affecting everyone.

Amelia started solids about 1 month ago. She wasn't really into it at first so we backed off. Now, whoah watch your food if you are holding her and eating because she will try to snatch the food right out of your hands. She loves apples, pears, sweetpotatos, green beans and LOVE LOVES Avocados (yep Lippolds she loves Avocados). Guy and I don't love the Avocados but that doesn't mean that Amelia can't like them. I wish I did they are so good for you! So I am glad Amelia is getting all those good fats and vitamin E.

Guy and I just got back from a weekend away to the north shore. We hiked up the tallest "mountain" in Minnesota. It was a 7 mile hike. I am STILL sore! Beautiful fall colors. We camped one night to save some mula and froze our little bottoms off...well I did. I was not a happy camper. :-) All and all we had a great trip. Amelia was with Grandma Bette for the weekend. (Pictures will be posted soon!)

Deflated bread

2008-10-13T14:45:00.005-05:00

The bread I made while it tastes Ok it looks like a deflated balloon. I am not exactly sure what went wrong but I have some ideas. During the first rising I had to tend to Amelia so it nearly tripled in size. I punched it down and was going to put it in the loaf pans but I was interupted again and it rose again in the bowl. So I thought...well it should rise again right. So I shaped it and attempted to rise it a 3rd time in the loaf pan in a warm oven. (120 degrees, it was still cooling off from when I made the muffins.) The dough didn't really rise much but I baked it anyways. It is really dense and really crumbly. I didn't add too much flour I don't think. I don't know how well I kneaded it...as once again Amelia was fussing. All Amelia wants is to be with me non-stop.This is why I am writing a second blog of the day as I can't really put Amelia down because she will cry and fuss. I can't cook like I had planned with her in my moby or in my arms. She is due for her next nap soon. Thank goodness!

Ok back to the bread. So does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix my bread. I want to try it again. I remember making bread as a kid...mainly pizza dough. I don't remember this being a problem...I was using white flour then. (I refuse to use white flour).

Here is a link to the recipe I used. I halfed it. http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/01/kitchen-tip-tuesday-homemade-bread.html

Meal Plan Monday part II

2008-10-13T11:46:00.004-05:00

Ok so last week I attempted "Meal Plan Monday" it was out the window by Tuesday. Having a 5 month old sure shakes things up!

So here is my attempt again!

Monday:
B: Soaked Oatmeal
L: PB and J carrots, yogurt
D Shepards pie (Make extra for Joanna) steamed veggies from farmers market last week
side salads

Prep: make muffins(done), make bread(done), make turkey meat balls
Soak tortilla dough (I couldn't find tortillas that were big enough @ Super target so I thought...what the hay I'll make some..we'll see how it goes :-) Laundry!!!

Tuesday:
B:Eggs and muffins granola and yogurt
L: Left over shepards pie, Spinach Salad
D: Baked penne w/ turkey

Prep: Soak flour for Guy's supersecret suprise flavor cake!
Make frozen cheese and bean burittos , Go to whole foods for Organic grains, drop off Amelia's library books. Drop off Shepards pie for Joanna if available. LAUNDRY!!!

Wednesday:
B: Soaked oatmeal, mufffins and eggs
L: Left over Baked penne
D: Out for Guy's Bday!!!
Prep: Thaw chicken, Make bread crumbs

Thursday
B: Granola and yogurt eggs and bread
L: leftovers or PB and J w/ spinach salad
D: Chicken strips, mashed potatoes and carrots. (left over salad)

Prep: Soak oatmeal, make lunch for friday

Friday:
B: Soaked oatmeal, Eggs and home made granola bars
L: PB and J on the Run ECFE @ 11am Day Care @ 130 Work @ 3pm
D:Find your own!!! (left overs)

Even Nursing isn't Immune

2008-10-07T12:24:00.001-05:00

Fairview job cuts are latest for area health careCHEN MAY YEE, Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/business/30547974.html
In a sign that health care isn't immune in a bad economy, Fairview Health Services said Monday it is laying off 150 to 200 employees.
The owner of the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Southdale Hospital and other Twin Cities medical facilities said the job cuts are across the board and will occur through October.
The reductions represent less than 1 percent of the workforce. Fairview is also cutting overtime and delaying some maintenance projects.
As it has for companies in other industries, the turbulence on Wall Street has slashed the value of Fairview's investment portfolio and raised the cost of borrowing money.
But health care also has its own special problems: cuts in reimbursements from Medicaid and a rising tide of unpaid medical bills from the uninsured and the underinsured -- those who have insurance but can't pay their deductibles.
In addition, Fairview said it is losing some business as more patients with large deductibles put off elective procedures.
"It is a big deal, particularly if people are deferring needed services," said Fairview chief executive Mark Eustis. "If you defer too long, you end up with a greater problem. ... [They'll be] coming to us in need of greater care."
With the downturn, Eustis said Fairview may consider delaying some projects, such as upgrading its main lab and its information technology systems. Construction of Fairview's new children's hospital in Minneapolis will not be affected by cuts, he said.
Unpaid bills
Patients at Fairview left $32.3 million in unpaid bills between January and August this year, up $7.1 million compared with the same period last year. The number of inpatient admissions was down 1.3 percent, which works out to 710 fewer admissions, partly because more procedures are now being done on an outpatient basis. But clinic volumes are up, as are visits to the emergency room.
Other medical groups haven't been spared. Last week the Twin Cities' biggest medical group, Allina Hospitals and Clinics, said it was eliminating 250 to 350 jobs, or 1 to 1.5 percent of its employees, because of financial pressures.
Regions Hospital in St. Paul, part of HealthPartners, last week cut 30 full-time equivalents, partly through layoffs and partly by not filling current vacancies.
HealthEast Care System in St. Paul, which has St. Joseph's Hospital and St. John's in its network; Park Nicollet, which owns Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, and North Memorial Health Care in Robbinsdale said they had no plans to cut jobs.
But they, too, are seeing a rise in unpaid bills. At North Memorial, uncompensated care so far this year is $29 million, up 35 percent from the same period last year, said spokesman Robert Prevost.
At Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, emergency room visits are up 3.3 percent compared with last year, "generally an indication of economic stress," said spokeswoman Trudy Marshall. Medicaid, known as Medical Assistance in Minnesota, now represents 40 percent of payments to Children's, up from 30 percent a year ago.
Chen May Yee • 612-673-7434

Granola Bar Recipe

2008-10-06T21:08:00.008-05:00

Granola bars are a main stay here at the Mattson home. We eat about a box or more a week. At about $3.00 for a box of Kashi granola bars this t equals approximately $12.00 a month or $144.00 a year just on granola bars! (yikes!!!) . As Guy exclaimed, "That is a car payment!!!".

So I decided it was time to take our addiction to granola bars into my own hands and learn how to make granola bars comparable to to the Kashi brand we love. I had some standards; no high fructose corn syrup, only whole grains, and organic if possible.
I found a delicious, frugal and easy recipe I would love to share with all my "granola" friends.
Here is a link to the recipe I used. It has a great tutorial step by step on how to make them. Link to Granola bar recipe from Joyful Abode

I have this problem, I can't stick to a recipe.

So...I used a little maple syrup (because was too impatient to wait for the last dredges of honey out of my bottle to make the total 1/2 cup.)

I would suggest not toasting the wheat germ because it was done before the rest of the grains were. The bars have a "done" taste to them. Guy says he doesn't mind.

My wax paper stuck to my bars. I nearly had a heart attack and thought I was going to have to throw the whole batch out. Then I had an idea! I used a dry towel and a hot pan to coax the paper off. Not ideal! So I would suggest using the wax paper to press it down when they are warm and then removing the paper from the top before they cool. I didn't have a problem with the underside wax paper sticking after they cooled. Strange.

I used plastic wrap to wrap them individually...but I think snack size bags would work well also. The baggies would be more "secure" but we are looking to be frugal here ladies. You could also just put them in a plastic container with plastic wrap between the layers. (I have shunned all wax paper for extended periods of time on these babies.)

I thought the bars were REALLY overly sweet. Of course, Guy loved them.

On his side I pressed some left over butterscotch chocolate chips that have been hanging out in my freezer for the last 2 years. On my side of the bars I pressed in some dried organic cranberries.

I think the next batch I am going to add some peanut butter to the "caramel glue" and not use maple syrup.

Also I may toast some coconut flakes and flax.

I am also going to lower the toasting temp to 325-350 degrees. I have read that toasting above that temp can turn the good polyunsaturated fats into trans-saturated fats… not so healthy. This is especially true if you add flax to the mix. I think I may add some ground flax to my next batch as it is more nutritious ground than whole.

I would love to hear any ideas or alterations you may have.

Does anyone have any ideas for a healthier "glue". I was thinking maybe molasses or rice syrup? Could I sub oil in for the butter?

Meal Plan Monday

2008-10-06T10:10:00.010-05:00

OK, I know most of you come here for updates on Amelia.
This blog is also a way for me to keep track and refer back to different events and trials.

Yesterday, I was mandated to stay home from work. (I am a registered nurse). They are laying off about 100 full time positions from our hospital next month. I thought my job was recession proof? The reasoning is many people are approaching health care differently and many people are unable to pay their existing bills. This in addition to the hospitals investments going south has racked up a huge deficit. In order to counter this deficit they are laying off many employees. I think in the Twin cities together about 400-500 full time positions will be let go!!! We will be taking on more patients and expected to do more with less. (As if we weren't already!!!) I hope I am not one of the nurses laid off. I have 6 years experience but since becoming pregnant with Amelia I have dropped off the extra curricular scene at work. I also tend to put in a little bit of over time here and there. (I am working on this.) Because of this I am looking for ways to cut some corners and save money.
1.) We cloth diaper. Since we pay for laundry it costs about $3.00-$5.00 a week to wash and dry. I would love to hang dry but it really isn't an option, though I may start to just get them half dry in the dryer and hang them the rest of the way instead of adding an extra quarter. I figure we save about $5.00 a week on diapers so about $20/month or about $240/year + we don't buy wipes either. I haven't calculated the savings on that...but I am sure it adds up too. Since Amelia has been born I have bought a total of 3 packages of diapers. She grows out of them faster than I can use them up.
2.) Eating in more. We are still working on this one. I used to be really good about cooking dinner every night I didn't work...but since Amelia some nights I just don't feel like cooking.
Guy doesn't cook. Though he has tried a couple times. He just needs some confidence in the kitchen. (My children will be confident and competent in the kitchen; no excuses.) Amelia already loves to watch me cook. I will be posting weekly meal plans for accountability and suggestions for frugal nutritious recipes are welcome.
3.) Making convenience foods at home. Like instant oatmeal. (Pre-soak oatmeal the night before and it takes the same time as instant oatmeal and tastes SO much better.) Granola bars. I made my first batch last night. They are TASTY!!! The recipe will be posted soon so stay tuned!
I am thinking about making bread...thinking about it. I will need to borrow my mother's kitchen aid mixer (It's just gathering dust in her closet anyway since they aren't home much.)
I am also thinking about making burritos to freeze. I love those things and for $2.00 a pop for organic frozen burritos it kills me. Any one have a good recipe that stands up well in the freezer.
Also I am buying the big container of yogert and spooning out what I need. If I need to take some to work I put it in a double ziplock...works just fine...kinda like go-gert.
4.) We are rewearing our clothes as much as possible. With a $50.00 dollar a month laundry bill we are really trying to cut back on laundry. Using towels for the whole week or more and rewearing shirts that aren't smelly or soiled. This is a little bit harder with Amelia but I am trying to be better about getting bibs on her to keep her outfits cleaner longer and to reduce changes.
5.) I am home making Amelia's baby food. This is so easy and so much more economical.
6.) Breast feeding...it's virtually free and the best for Amelia. Win win!
7.) We don't have cable, we use an antenae.
8.) Brewing coffee at home and taking it togo. I actually buy togo cups (I know bad bad...) but I know myself with thermos' and I forget them in the car and they get all moldy and then I get grossed out and this prevents me from using them and I just get a coffee from Starbucks. So I spend $3.00 on 12 to go cups at Target and I figure this saves me money in coffee and lost thermos'. I am going to work on this one.
9.) Making muffins and cookies at home. I love a good scone with my coffee. I have been going to the bread smith WAY too much. I will take a walk with my coffee and home made muffin to a park bench and eat it and be happy I have $5.00 in my pocket!
10.) Making smoothies at home. I use my jamba juice cup over again and fill it with my own smoothie and walk with Amelia. If I need to pitch it while walking I can and I feel like I went out...I know pathetic, but it's true!
11.) Taking fewer showers. My hair is falling out at record pace...a post pregnancy thing. So I have been taking fewer showers. It seems to have slowed it down...plus my skin isn't so dry. Win Win...plus it is better for the environment.
12.) Borrowing or getting used baby gear.

Fun Pictures of Amelia

2008-10-03T21:49:00.004-05:00

Amelia loves her Exersaucer!!! Thanks Grandma Bette!

Pumpkin classic nose scrunch...I wonder where she gets that from?

Soaked Oatmeal

2008-10-03T20:30:00.005-05:00

I have discovered a wonderful and nutritious breakfast I would love to share with you.
Soaked oatmeal . Ok the name doesn't conjure up the taste buds, but once you taste it.
Delicious and smooth!

Why soak the oatmeal?
Several reasons.
1.) Basically soaking (with an acid like yogert) helps to break down phytates in grains which prevent proper digestion of the nutrients and allows the body to properly absorb all the good content of those whole grains!
2.)It cuts the cooking time of old fashioned organic oatmeal to only about 5 min, if that!!! (It usually takes about 20-25 min.)
3.) Soaking expands the oatmeal so it yields more servings. Which makes oatmeal a very frugal meal!

I like to add dried fruit (not treated with sulfites) like cranberries and apples, slivered almonds, coconut flakes and flax seed to the mix too. Soak it all overnight in a glass jar or tupperware container on the counter (I have found the oatmeal isn't as smooth if you soak it in the fridge).
Top it off with a little soy milk, maple syrup or honey and you are on your way to a super nutritious breakfast!

What arephytates?
Phytic acid is found within the hulls of nuts, seeds, and grains.[1] In-home food preparation techniques can reduce the phytic acid in all of these foods. Simply cooking the food will reduce the phytic acid to some degree. More effective methods are soaking in an acid medium, lactic acid fermentation, and sprouting.[5]

Phytic acid is a strong chelator of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, and can therefore contribute to mineral deficiencies in people whose diets rely on these foods for their mineral intake, such as those in developing countries.[6] It also acts as an acid, chelating the vitamin niacin, which is basic, causing the condition known as pellagra. [7] In this way, it is an anti-nutrient.[1] For people with a particularly low intake of essential minerals, especially young children and those in developing countries, this effect can be undesirable. (Copied from Wikipedia link provided above.)

There have been some studies about the chelation effects of phytic acid in depriving cancer cells of iron. Something I have just started learning about and interested looking into further. Phytic acid's same mineral binding properties may also prevent colon cancer by reducing oxidative stress in the lumen of the intestinal tract.[12] Researchers now believe that phytic acid, found in the fiber of legumes and grains, is the major ingredient responsible for preventing colon cancer and other cancers.[1][13]. (copied from the phytate wikipedia link provided above). Also grain fed animals who do not produce phytase excrete large abouts of phosphorus into the environment because of the phytic acids chelation effects and binding properties with phosphorus. Phytase is used as an animal feed supplement - often in poultry and swine - to enhance the nutritive value of plant material by liberation of inorganic phosphate from phytic acid (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate) and, thereby, to reduce environmental phosphorus pollution.

TVP helper...makes a great meal!

2008-10-02T22:28:00.002-05:00

I am notorious for not thawing out the meat I planned to use for dinner. Tonight was no exception. To my defense I had actually planned on making these Lentil burgers that sounded really good. BUT I had used up all my onions in my pot roast and my eggs for breakfast. (I didn't plan ahead...I need to really work on weekly meal planning). SO...coming in on stage left...TVP!!! TVP is a wonderful product. What is TVP you ask? Texturized vegetable protein. It is a soy product. You buy it near the natural grains area in the market. It is a dry good and stores well for extended periods of time. In my effort to cook 2 meatless meals a week TVP helps a lot. I actually forgot all about it. I used to use it alot when I was single and making an effort to decrease my meat consumption. Guy is much more of a carnivore than I. Now in the midst of a financial crunch and trying to save money on groceries I "rediscovered" TVP. What brought it back to my attention is the book I am "reading" called, "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron. It is packed with great ideas. I do with she would have edited her book a little more and kept it a little more simple. Either way, her book has lots of great vegetarian recipes, one of which for TVP skillet dinner. Now, those of you who know me I can't stick to a recipe ever. (I wasn't one of those kids who liked coloring books either, I didn't like to color inside of the lines...I liked to draw my own pictures.) I have to tweak it here and there. I used Ruth's recipes as the skeleton on which I made my version of "TVP Helper".

TVP Helper
(this is a great way to stretch your meat. Any ground meat, turkey, beef, pork.)
I happened to have 4 meat balls in the freezer. What do you do with just 4 tiny meat balls? Stretch them to feed two people with TVP!!! Here is how I did it.

2 cans of crushed tomatoes (juice and all)
2 cups of filtered water
Bring to a boil
Add 1 cup of noodles (I used whole wheat elbow noodles)
1 cup TVP
1 can navy beans (drained)
1 TBSP Italian seasoning (you can use what ever you have on hand)
dash of onion powder (I ran out of onions remember)
dash of garlic powder (too lazy to mince a clove...honest but true)
dash of caiane pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
dash of Lawry's seasoning (I normally don't use this BUT I was trying to trick Guy into thinking this was all REAL meat)
Couple twists of the pepper mill.
1/4 c of shredded cheddar cheese stir this in.
Optional 1tsp of ground flax seed (I have a designated coffee griner for spices and bread crumbs I use to grind up seeds etc...I would HIGHLY recommend having a designated grinder. I can't tell you how many dollars I have saved in making my own bread crumbs with it and by using up those dried up older bread butts and heels that would normally go to waste.)

I sprinkled a little more cheese on top for "garnish" again to sell it to my husband.
He took a couple bites and was like, "WOW babe this is great...so what is in this. Is this all meat?

The great thing about TVP is it has the texture of ground meat and takes on the flavors of the dish you are making and doesn't lend a weird flavor like tofu sometimes can if it is cooked wrong. If you really like a beef flavor you can soak the TVP in beef stock. I warn you it can become really salty if you do this, so use a low sodium stock.

I have been really proud of Guy lately trying new foods and expanding his palate!

Sorry no pictures...think of hamburger helper...that is what it looked like.

Grace

2008-10-01T11:59:00.002-05:00

I have been having difficulty having grace. Grace for my fussy teething daughter who is very cranky most of the time while working on those pesky teeth. Grace for myself. Grace to not feel defeated everyday looking at my condo and seeing how much I need to do just to get organized. (We moved to a new place when Amelia was 5weeks old.) I had our old place organized to the max while I was nesting. Our new place...is well not organized at all and I am finding it hard to find motivation to organize in addition to caring for Amelia and keeping up with laundry, dishes, cooking and working part-time. I feel like I have this dual personality. At work (I am an RN for those who are reading and don't know me) I am very VERY type A. I have myself very organized and I have a routine on how to do things and hopefully get them done. I am fussy about details and policy. I am very anal and a little hyper about it. People at work can't believe I can actually allow myself downtime.

Welcome to the other side of my personality. At home I am what I call a frusterated perfectionist. If I can't do it perfectly or at least to my standard I don't usually do it at all. And with a 5 month old...doing things to my standard (and not just half way) isn't really an option. So I am faced with lowering my standards or not doing anything. I am also plagued with a lack of routine. As I find a routine Amelia and I can fall into...I have to go back to work...grandma, etc...takes care of Amelia and it's all out the window. I feel like somedays I am starting from scratch with her and I and this makes it very difficult to get things done around the house.

I am very overwhelmed. Guy helps as much as he can in addition to working and going to school. He has a very overloaded plate also.

I guess "trying" is the best I can do...but I don't like to just "try" to do something...I like to actually "do" something. And it's really REALLY hard with a babe who is crying ALL day LONG!!! Unless we are outside walking in the moby. (I can't do housework in the moby...too hard on my back.)

Breathe...prayer...grace.

Update:
Guy and I talked about the stress I have been having about keeping up the home, Amelia and just myself. I asked him to pray with me about grace, focus, and reprioritization. I felt like this weight was lifted and I could actually breathe.

Double trouble...Grandpa Mattson and Campbell grandparents visit!!!

2008-09-29T00:35:00.007-05:00

After Guy and I returned home from the farmers market. We met up with Steve "Grandpa Mattson" for brunch at the Neighborhood Cafe. Amelia had fun exploring Grandpa's face and mustache.

Sweet potatoes for Pumpkin!

2008-09-29T00:13:00.011-05:00

Last week I started solids with Amelia. It was more of a "sensory experience" than a nutritional experience. Amelia spit it all out and made the cutest sour puss faces. So...we took a break from solids for about 4 days. Today I introduced Amelia to sweet potatoes. She gobbled them up. Very little spitting and squirting it out of her mouth. She finished a whole cube of food. I was impressed. She wanted to put the spoon in her mouth, herself. So I let her help me guide the spoon into her mouth. She is a very determined (AKA stubborn) little girl. (I love it!)

Here are some pictures Amelia's first tastes of Organic homemade sweetpotatoes I made for her. I also tasted the puree...it was REALLY good. And so fresh tasting...I was a little jealous of her lunch.

Baby shower fun!

2008-09-27T20:19:00.004-05:00

Amelia is growing by leaps and bounds. She loves to stand holding on to hands. She has even balanced next to the coffee table with my help. Amelia now can turn over both ways and roll from her tummy to her back sometimes. She can get her butt up and her knees under her and her torso up with her arms...but hasn't quite mastered doing them both at the same time. I am cherishing the time I have with her not quite so mobile, though I am looking forward to this new stage of development.

Today we attended Cousin Isabella's baby shower. Isabella is Steph Eiden (Guy's step-sister's daughter) she was born in early September of this year. (Sorry I can't remember the exact date!) She is so darling. I don't remember Amelia being to little, but she was. Kinda...repeat...kinda makes me want to have another one.. just for a second but then the insanity subsides and I come back to reality. It was really fun to see all the great baby stuff Steph got. I was glad I didn't have to find a place for it all at home! Amelia was so well behaved the whole time. I was so blessed. She didn't cry once even though she was being passed around all day. She especially liked Aunt Nancy's necklace, earings and fun design on her shirt. (and looking down her shirt too...no food in there for you!)

For those of you who know about my breast feeding woes. Amelia is starting to take more feedings at the breast. YES!!! She had 3!!! today. That is best she has done in months! I think it was part my fault too that Amelia started to strike. I needed to be more patient and calm. I think I was treating each feeding as a chore and not a wonderful time to bond with my daughter. I am sure she felt that and started her nursing strike. Tonight she actually refused the bottle and wanted the breast. That is a first. Wish us luck on lactaction journey. I also have a "Lactation Station" in the house too where all feedings take place. So Amelia has that routine and can know what to expect when we sit in the glider. We are figuring out our routine together. It's hard because as soon as we get a good routine going that works for me and for Amelia it is time for me to start my stretch working and it all is thrown out the window. Oh well, it will come. At least at this time Amelia is sleeping through most nights.

We started solids last week. Amelia loves pears. She is indifferent to rice pudding and apples. .I used my home made baby food. It was really great, easy to use and tasted great. No wonder why she gobbled it up. We are going to try sweet potatos next. Stay tuned for pictures.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings
Kristina Mattson

10 year (non) reunion

2008-09-22T12:18:00.005-05:00

I can barely believe it has been 10 years since I graduated from high school. BUT when I think back to all I have accomplished; I can believe it. I attended Gustavus majored in Nursing. Worked as a staff nurse in southern California for almost 3 years. Moved back to Minnesota worked as a travel nurse. I have currently worked at the U of M for over 3 years. So I have been a nurse for over 6 years. I also thought back to all the experiences outside of my career. Falling in love and out of love several times. Finally meeting the man of my dreams, Guy, and actually marrying him! (I am very lucky!) Making new friends, growing past friendships and reuniting with childhood friends through the Internet. Seeing friends get married and divorced. Everyone having babies, including myself. Having my daughter Amelia (besides marrying Guy) is my biggest accomplishment in the last ten years.

I unexpectedly got the day off from work and thought...hmm maybe I will attend my reunion after all. BUT I found out pretty much most of the people I wanted to see where not attending. They were all meeting up at Brits Pub. Change of plan...and I met up with a bunch of people I hadn't seen in 10 years. It was a little awkward at first but once I relaxed I had a pretty good time. (The Irish Car Bomb didn't hurt either). It was really great to see everyone. We all are pretty much the same...which is comforting. Hopefully it won't take 10 years to all get together again.

First Day of School

2008-09-15T14:06:00.005-05:00

Amelia had her first day at school last Friday. We started a birth-6mo ECFE (early child and family education) class. Of course she was all dressed up for her first day of school. Cute little purple onesie with an elephant and rainbow, hand knitted sweater (I didn't make it.) Little black bubble skirt and legwarmers (I made these). She looked like a little '80's baby. I loved it!!! A person in class said she reminded him of the movie "Flash Dance" and started to sing "She's a Maniac" to her. Very funny!!! I think Amelia liked class she was smiling and looking at all the other babes. Towards the end she was all tuckered out and fell asleep in my arms. Falling asleep in class...we'll have to work on that. But all in all it was a great fun time. Can't wait to go again this Friday.

Here is another picture of the leg warmers I made for Amelia.

Farmer's Market

2008-09-15T13:55:00.005-05:00

This Sunday Guy, Amelia, and I went to the Saint Paul Farmers Market. We had a blast. Guy and I got breakfast at one of the stands. Fall is in the air and so are a lot of the fall vegetables. I was like a kid in a candy store, except it was a veggie paradise! We bought acorn and butternut squash, sweet potatoes, green beans and broccoli. I made sweet potatoe baby food for Amelia when I got home. (I am freezing it as she isn't quite ready yet for soilds). I plan to cook the butter nut squash and make some of it also into baby food to freeze for Amelia. It was so much fun to get out as a family for an outing. Amelia was loving it. Looking at everything. She loves to people watch. By the end she was tuckered out.

Cloth diapering

2008-09-15T00:19:00.006-05:00

Since about 2-3 weeks old I have been using cloth diapers for Amelia. I have to say it's really easy and not too bad at all. I am saying this before starting solids though, so we'll see how it goes once the stools change. BUT for now...everything is going pretty smoothly. I am even making some of my own diapers for Amelia. I am an OK seamstress. I thought, "I could make this". So I did. My version is flannel fitted pocket diaper which requires a cover. (The butterfly patterned fabric I used is adorable.) I really don't care for the AIOs (all in ones) because they take SO long to dry and don't seem to get completely clean sometimes. I love my Bum Genius' but they are quite spendy. I got the idea for the pattern from a diaper I bought on EBAY from a WAHM (work at home mom). I have made 4 so far. It has already paid for it's self making them vs. buying them. I spent about 30 on fabric. I would have spent that easily on 3 fitted diapers. Amelia never has rashes and I don't have to go to the store when I run low...I just wash them at home. It is actually more convenient than towing Amelia to the store.

First Immunization

2008-09-10T21:52:00.007-05:00

Today Amelia received her first immunization, DTap. She didn't even flinch, she just smiled at me the whole time. WOW, what a trooper!!! Here are her measurements 15lbs 12oz (90th%), 26.5in (95%), 16.5 in head circumference (50%).

Amelia also has another fun thing she LOVES to do, whenever she has a chance.
TOUCH HER TOES!!! It is too cute!

Bedtime Stories

2008-09-09T23:39:00.005-05:00

I have attempted reading to Amelia on several occasions, more for my benefit than hers, but tonight she was paying attention. Amelia and I read 2 board books tonight, "The Big Red Barn" and "Baa Baa La La La". I have read, "The Big Red Barn" to her so many times now I have it nearly memorized. When I read it I point to the animals and make their sounds. Amelia is usually looking at the wall paper or my face and or whining to stand on my lap. Tonight she was poking at the pictures and actually helped turn the pages. (See in the picture to the above.) It was SO much fun. I think Amelia was more interested in turning the pages than the story. So we "read" aka turned the pages of the book 3 or 4 times through. I didn't care, we had our first interactive story time. I am so excited and hope she has an interest in reading like Guy and I do. It kept her attention for about 10 -15 minutes. I am impressed!

Good intentions

2008-09-08T22:53:00.003-05:00

I had good intentions of finally taking Amelia in for a professional portrait at Target (I had a coupon). As we were leaving the mall for Target Amelia puked up big time all over her cute little outfit. It wasn't meant to be. I remember seeing portraits of Marky and I that were everyday. My mom would decide on a whim at the store to have our pictures taken. I think those pictures of my brother and I were the best. We were not little kids squeezed into uncomfortable outfits and forced smiles. My hair a little wispy, my brother with drool on his shirt. We were happy and the picture captured happiness. So perhaps tomorrow or some other day I will on a whim have Amelia sit for a professional photo and it will hopefully capture my happy child and not a perfectly matched outfit. Happy is what is important.
I am happy. Being a mom rocks!

"Bumbo Time"

Guy meets "Bjorn" & Amelia's new friend

2008-09-04T22:56:00.007-05:00

After a couple of months of persuading Guy to try the Baby Bjorn, Guy came home from work and said out of the blue, " I would like to Bjorn it over to cheapo with Amelia". I was AMAZED!!! It had been weeks since I had last suggested the Bjorn. Here are some pictures to prove he actually wore it. I think he liked it too!!! Amelia sported her Minnesota Twins hat for the first time. I have been looking forward to when this hat would actually fit her. (our bathroom in the background)

(yes, that really is a huge picture of Bob Dylan on the wall.)

Amelia's New Friend Bergan
One of my friends from book club Carrie invited me into her "Highland Park" mom group. It's so nice to meet up with other moms and touch base. It's also nice because we are all on the same page about many aspects of raising our little one which is awesome too! I meant to take more pictures of the girls and their babes but I forgot. Here is pic of Amelia with her new boyfriend Bergan. Watch out Finn you may have competition. :-) Bergan is about 2 weeks older than Amelia. Thanks Jenn B. for hosting mom group this time and for all the yummy treats!

Fun New Pictures to Share

Holding on to Mama while she sleeps. Too cute!

Our little "drama queen"

Our little girl is growing up!!!

2008-08-28T11:40:00.003-05:00

Amelia Mattson 3 months, 3 weeks old

Amelia loves playing with her "Baby Einstein" gym. Thanks Grandma Pat!

She is too interested in showing off turning over (and over again!) to bat at the hanging toys.

Amelia is so close to crawling, it won't be long.

Amelia loves her "Bumbo" chair. Thanks "Gramma" Bette!

This is her favorite dolly at the moment. She loves to chew on the wooden arms.

She also loves to play the "drop it and have mom pick it up" game!

Learning cause and effect has never been so fun! :-)

Amelia is changing so much everyday. She is turning into a little girl before our eyes. It is AMAZING how much she has changed in 4 months. She can turn over, lift her head up, scoot around on her tummy at little, stand with assistance, sit for a second or two before taking a nose dive, track objects, grab objects and of course put them in her mouth, laughs, giggles, coos and gurgles, recognizes mom and dad, sleeps through the night...most nights we are going through a phase right now.

She has doubled her birth weight or is close to doubling. I think it is the most amazing thing to see Amelia growing so well off of my breast milk. It really makes me proud.

2008-08-12T21:27:00.010-05:00

Grandma & Grandpa Campbell visit

Rollie Pollie Pumpkin

2008-08-06T00:17:00.004-05:00

Our little Amelia rolled on the floor for the first time today. She was just hanging out under her play gym as I was catching up on some emails. One minute she was on her back the next minute I hear little grunts, she was on her tummy. I couldn't believe I missed it. No worries though she did it again 3 more times in the span of 5 minutes. I put her back on her back and she would roll right back over. I am so proud of our little Pumpkin!!! She was able to roll over on softer surfaces like our bed...but this is a first on the floor. Now the fun begins! I can't wait. I fear we will need to baby proof before we know it.

In other news, I sold my baby. Yep, my other baby. My first brand new car, The Sentra. We decided we needed to upgrade with our growing family. Despite the increasing fuel prices we are going to get an SUV. We figure they are well priced now that the gas prices are up so that would off set the price of fuel for us. We live in the city and don't do a lot of long commutes. We were going to get something smaller like a Rabbit but then decided we needed to get something we could grow into and drive for a long while. I don't like SUVs. I think they are a menace. I think they are gas guzzlers and road hogs. Oh well! Sign me up. Half the time I walk to where ever I need to go if I can anyways. (In the summer). It is sad to give up the Sentra. It was the car that signified to me...you made it to adulthood. I bought it the fall after I graduated from college and got my first job. I was out in California. Out on my own, starting my career as a RN with my new car. It was a good little car...it only had about 50,000 miles on it. We got a good penny for it which is nice for the down payment for the preowned SUV's we are looking at.

In other, other news. Amelia may be starting to teethe. Yep. She is a drool monster! She likes to bite on her hands and whatever she can get into her mouth. We bought her this teething pacifier. It is HUGE...it is hillarious to watch her suck on it. HA! Pics will be posted soon!

Well gotta go, it's late and I need to get ready for bed.

Videos

2008-08-02T00:46:00.001-05:00

My maternity leave has drawn to a close. My first day back to work was a sad, sad, day for me. As I was leaving for work Amelia was crying uncontrolably (which is very unlike her) . Bette was there and I knew she was in good hands and I just had to leave my babe, crying. I almost cried on the way to work. I had to think myself out of the tears and blink them back while I was driving. I wanted to call and check on her but I forgot my cell phone at home. (I don't know Bette's number by heart, though I know I could have called Guy and he could have given it to me had I really, really needed to call.) The first day back was a little shakey, kinda like getting back on a bike for the first time in a while. You remember how to balance but just are not quite comfortable with all the gears and brakes, yet. By the end of the night I had my groove back and by the end of the second night I was rockin' and rollin' again. It did feel nice to get out and work again...but honestly I just really love being a mom right now. I am enjoying motherhood much much more than I ever thought I would. I LOVE it. I can not wait to have more. Honestly. I am a baby person...who knew. I sure didn't.

Video of Amelia "Talking" with Dad.

2008-07-29T00:11:00.001-05:00

Yay! I can't believe I got it to work. Enjoy!

I can't believe it!

2008-07-28T02:20:00.000-05:00

Our little "Swashbuckler" is 12 weeks old!

I can't believe our little girl is going to be 3 months old, already! It's amazing how fast time flies! It is also amazing how much Amelia has changed from a floppy-headed newborn to a little babe with an awesome personality. She smiles, giggles, has curious eyes and seems fearless already.

Here are some milestones our little gal as achieved: Controls head, turns head from side to side, can bring objects to her mouth, holds head up at 45 degree angle, tracks objects with her eyes, smiles, coos, babbles, giggles, ROLLS OVER (this is so scary!), bears weight on legs supported, can sit supported, attempts to hold bottle in mouth, sleeps through the night (YAY), reaches for objects, is starting to prefer parents over strangers. (Shucks), I think she is also starting to conceive the principal of permanence.

Amelia is a "Daddy's Girl" through and through... She saves up her smiles and coos just for him. I am a little jealous at times, but more I am happy they have this special bond which allows for this interaction. Amelia and Guy have a little talk every evening when he comes home from work. She just talks and talks and talks to Guy. It is BEYOND precious! (I have it on video. Once I figure out how to post video I will post it.) She moves her hands while she talks. It's as if she is telling her Daddy all about the adventures of the day. "First we got up and I played with my rattle, then Mom and I went for a walk to the food store. It was cold in some places. Then we went outside again and walked and walked. I fell asleep, when I woke up we were home. Oh, and did I tell you Dad, I ate a lot today and I kept most of it down. Mom put me in the baby carrier. I really love that and guess what I fell asleep AGAIN! Yep and I woke up in another new place. People were looking at me in the carrier and saying things I couldn't understand yet, but I think they were good things because they were smiling...so I smiled back and they laughed...so I laughed. I think people like it when I smile so I do it more and more. Especially for you Daddy. I love you! " I think the conversation would have gone something like that. :-)

Well here are some new pictures of our little cupcake! Enjoy!

Amelia hangin' out with her buddies Dugan and Finnian

Smiles and Trials

2008-06-25T20:45:00.001-05:00

Sorry we haven't updated our blog in a while. On June 20th we closed on our new condo. It is a bigger unit in the same building . Last Saturday June 21st we called in the troups (Marky, Steve, Paul and Bette) to help us move. We are pretty much out of our old place and in our new place. Boxes, boxes everywhere! Amelia's pseudo nursery was torn down (sniffle). Now Amelia will have her own room, though she won't be spending nights alone in there anytime soon.

A couple days ago Amelia started to smile. Big, gummy, bright eyed smiles. Oh, how sweet and heart melting they are...also did I mention brief. SO we don't have a picture of one of her wonderful smiles YET but as soon as we do it will be posted.

Also, Amelia slept her first night through 2 weeks ago. A whole, continuous 6 hours! Though she hasn't been doing this consistently since she hit her 6 week growth spurt...we are still stoked!
Amelia has also started to hold her head up on her own for brief periods, started cooing and gooing. It is so precious! I can't wait for Grandma and Grandpa Campbell to see her. Boy are they going to be amazed by how much she has grown! Come home soon grandma and grandpa, we miss you!

Meal times are quite a trial for me (Kristina). Now that breast feeding doesn't hurt anymore, we have moved on to throwing up entire meals. I call her "Cottage cheese mouth". :-) It is a little laborious feeding her over and over again. Any suggestions I am all ears!

Sorry no pictures this time. I will post new ones soon!

Thanks for reading!!!
Kristina Mattson

Just Pictures!

2008-06-15T22:59:00.001-05:00

Father's Day

2008-06-15T21:48:00.001-05:00

Grandpa Mattson's

Today we visited Grandpa Mattson's for Father's Day. Steve and Pat were excited to see how much little Amelia has grown and changed in the two weeks since they had seen her. Amelia was wearing a special outfit given to her by Grandma Bette. I forgot about it and crossed my fingers it would still fit her as it was a newborn size. The dress and shoes fit; the bloomers did not. Her is a picture of Amelia in her Sunday's best.

Father's Day Part Two - Great Grandpa Thorbus

After visiting at Grandpa Mattson's in Big Lake we headed over to Great Grandpa Thorbus' in Crystal. We were a little late, but this time it wasn't MY (Kristina) fault. Amelia was hungry and Quinn was showing off his new "sidekick" cell phone to Guy when I realized it was a little after 3pm. We were supposed to be there at 3pm, whoops! So I finished Amelia up and we were on our way. At Grandpa's we were greeted by Aunt Sally and Vicky Powell, Uncle Tim and Aunt Judy, Grandpa Thorbus and Sharon. It was so nice to see everyone! Amelia stole the show (of course)! It was her first time meeting Grandpa...now, "Great" Grandpa Thorbus and Aunt Judy. (She had met Uncle Tim briefly while I changed her diaper at his home the other day after hanging out with Sandra.) We celebrated the afternoon debating what else but politics. It wouldn't be a gathering at Grandpa's with out blood pressures rising discussing the current political status of our country. I am grateful Guy is there now to debate Grandpa. Guy can really get Grandpa spinning circles. But it's all in good fun! The last time we all got together Guy and Grandpa placed a bet on the Democratic Party Nomination. Guy bet him Hillary would not receive the nomination, Grandpa bet she would. Well, well, well...Grandpa pay up! We had to photograph the occasion.

Father's Day Part Three

Actually Part One

This morning Amelia got her Daddy a card and a book for the "Dad who is Best at Everything". It is a funny instructional how to be a dad.
I don't think he needs any help from a book.

From the looks of this picture
Amelia already has her Daddy "wrapped around her finger".

It was a really great First Father's Day! Thanks for reading!

Weekend at Grandma's House

2008-06-10T00:10:00.002-05:00

Weekend at Grandma Bette's. Bette babysat Amelia Saturday while Guy and I were out on the riverboat reception. Saturday Amelia and I spent the night at Gramma's house. It was Amelia's first sleepover and gramma couldn't be more excited. On Sunday Amelia attended her first church service, (She slept through it.) went to Culver's and went shopping with Mom and Grandma to all the occassional sales in Buffalo.

Saturday Night on the St. Croix

2008-06-09T23:20:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday Guy and I left Amelia with Bette and attended Gary's wedding reception. It was held on the Avalon Riverboat. This time I remembered my camera.

The boat boarded at 6:30pm and docked at 10pm. It went so fast, it was 10pm before we knew it. I forgot to take many pictures, darn. If you are reading this and were there and have some pictures of Guy and I please share!

My cousin Vicky and Gordy breakin'
it down on the dance floor

Gary's Rehersal Dinner...I forgot my camera, Doh!

2008-06-09T23:07:00.001-05:00

Friday we attended my second cousin, Gary Blasek's rehersal dinner. It was held at my other second cousin, Gordy's home on lake Minnetonka. He had completely remodeled his house since I had last been there. All I have to say is, WOW! Their home is beautiful.
Everyone was at the rehersal dinner. I saw family members I haven't seen in over 5 years like Dick and Kay Zellmer, Nikki Butterfield Zizak, Mary Kay Butterfield, David and Gracie Engstrand, all the Blaseks. Amelia was quite popular! Everyone took turns holding her. I was regreting forgetting my camera. It would have been nice to have gotten a picture of Kay and Betty holding Amelia. It was nice for everyone to meet Guy also.

Moby Wrap Magic

2008-06-04T23:25:00.002-05:00

Amelia was having another episode of "Cranky Time" this afternoon. I attempted to nurse her but she wouldn't have any of it. I was desperate so I thought "Moby"! That last time I put Amelia in it she spit down my chest. At this point I didn't care if I felt warm curdy chunks running between my cleavage as long as she was calm. I was double lucky today. No chunks and a calm baby! (see picture on the left)

Amelia looked a me a couple times and screamed. The screams started to weaken as I eased her head down on to my left chest. She put her ear down and my heart beat soothed her in to "Happy Baby Land" and "Happy Mom Land" :-) I also was able to get some things done around the condo too. Double duty! Amelia and I went for a walk around the neighborhood also.

I think Moby and I are going to have a long fruitful relationship. Thanks Morgan for my awesome baby carrier!

Part 2

Earlier in the afternoon Amelia and I met Kay and her little girl Gwen at Cafe Latte. Gwen is 12 weeks old and is so cute and petite. Amelia is about the same size as Gwen. Amelia is a little chunk! Well, not really Gwen is just long and lean and Amelia has 3+ chins :-) Gwen is so cute I which I had my camera with me . Kay had her in a little papuse/ sling carrier. She looked so cozy in there. It was nice to get out and see Kay before she has to head back to work. Her maternity leave ends on the 14th.

One Year Anniversary

2008-06-03T21:12:00.002-05:00

Guy and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary in style. We went to W.A. Frost for dinner.
I had the pork chop atop caramelized garlic polenta paired with a wonderful glass of Pinot Grigio. Guy enjoyed the Red Snapper with a glass of bourbon (small glass). Our waiter treated us to glasses of sparkling wine on the house to celebrate our anniversary. I am a light weight after not having anything to drink for almost a year. I couldn't finish the glass! :-) We concluded our night going out to a movie. We saw Indiana Jones IV. We liked it, it was a lighthearted action packed ride. Just what we needed. Though Amelia wasn't far from our minds...especially mine. I never thought it was going to be so hard to be away from her. I knew she was in good hands (Bette was watching her).

Today Amelia and I ventured out and met my aunt Sally and her daughter (my cousin) Vicky at Starbucks in Golden Valley. My other cousins Christopher and Katherine met up with us there. Kat is 7 years old and what a little talker. She told me all about all the baby clothes I should purchase at Target and especially wanted me to get a sweater for her. She also told me all about the baby toys and her favorite toys at Target. She was a very talkative intelligent little girl. Made me a little excited for when Amelia gets older, but I am enjoying every minute of her babyhood.

2008-06-02T16:27:00.001-05:00

Amelia had her 1 month pediatrician check up today. She is 10lbs 8oz (90%) despite spitting up everything she eats! I was amazed! She also is 22 1/4 in long (90%). Dr. Sackett wasn't too worried about the fussiness, green stools, spitting up as long as she is gaining weight, wetting and stooling enough. In the wetting and stooling department she gets a gold star!!! I have the diapers to prove it. Actually I have a lack of quarters to prove it. We cloth diaper.

Today is our 1 year wedding anniversary. We are headed out on the town. Bette (Guy's Mom) was kind enough to offer to babysit...we had to pull her arm to do it. Just kidding she couldn't be more excited to babysit little Amelia. So I am defrosting milk...weird! Amelia took to the bottle like a champ. This allows me a little more freedom and also for others to get in on the act of feeding her. Guy and I are going to W.A. Frost's for dinner. I can't wait. But it will be weird to go out with out her. I don't have to worry though because I know she is in good, loving hands. Well gotta go. Thanks for reading!

How time flies!!!

2008-05-31T22:25:00.001-05:00

Amelia is growing by leaps and bounds. She is now out of most of her newborn sized clothing and wearing her 3-6 month clothes (Sniffle). Guy and I have enjoyed every minute of getting to know her. We love all the little sounds she makes and think we are deciphering her cryptic language of grunts, sighs, and cries. Guy's favorite sound she makes is this little grunt when she is frusterated. Ehh ehh ehh. My favorite sound is when she is in the groove eating she makes this little gulpy sigh as she swallows. So cute!

She already is starting to show a little more personality everyday. She is stubborn ( I think).

I wonder where she gets that from? When she is hungry and I am helping her latch she will arch her back, grunt and move her head from side to side. It is only when I set her head down and start over with her taking the lead (like it was her idea from the start to latch) will she latch. Also when I readjust her sometimes when she slips off her latch she won't relatch for me, even though she was eating like there was no tomorrow. It's only when I stop tickling her lip and ignore her for a moment she starts to open up and act like..."Hey why aren't you feeding me?" It gets a little frusterating sometimes BUT I guess I have to go with the flow and just let her do her thing.

Amelia LOVES Guy. She gives him her best little smiles when he tickles her with his beard on her face. Guy also is the "baby whisperer". He is a pro in baby calming. Just in the last couple days she has a little evening "cranky time". So we implement the "Happiest Baby on the Block" techniques.
It's a Mattson Team effort. I swaddle, Guy rocks her. When I try to do the "magical" rock and jiggle it doesn't work BUT when Guy does it she instantly and I mean INSTANTLY stops screaming and zones out. It is amazing! Amelia is a very chill baby most of the time. We feel VERY thankful that Amelia's cranky times are far, few, and brief. We can't imagine what it would be like to have her screaming for hours like "colicky" babies sometimes do. WOW those parents are AMAZING. I can barely handle her screaming for 15 minutes. It breaks my heart and sure can make a mom feel helpless fast!

Guy and I just bought a new 2 br condo in our building. We are planning on keeping our current 1 br condo as a rental. Introducing The Mattson's : Landlords. SO we are looking for a renter if you know of anyone in need of a 1br apt in the Merriam Park Neighborhood, near Summit and Mac/Groveland. Please let us know! :-) We are looking for a renter for July or August. So Amelia will have her own bedroom. YAY for mom and dad...though I don't know if I will be able to have her sleep alone in her own room anytime soon...that is so scary (for me). HA!

More news to come!!! THanks for reading

Amelia Ruth Mattson

2008-05-10T22:08:00.001-05:00

Amelia Ruth Mattson arrived @ 2:16am 5/1/2008.
What a wonderful May Day Surprise!!!

She has her mom's brown hair and her dad's dimpled chin. She looks lot like her daddy.
She is very strong. She could push her self on her side at 4 days old.
She also has a very strong neck and loves to look at everything she can.
One of the first things Amelia did was grab her mom's glasses and her cross necklace.

Amelia LOVES to eat! She was 7 lb 14 oz at birth, 7lb 4oz when we left the hospital (this is normal). Within two days she had gained back 4 oz and 2 days after that she had gained another 4 oz. Gaining weight at a rate of 2 oz a day!!! Way to go Amelia!!! Way to go moma's milk! (All I (Kristina) have to say is OUCH!!! and Yawn...)

Guy and I are tired and totally in love with our little girl.
Loving getting to know her more and more with each day.

Our New Family Blog

2008-04-28T22:03:00.001-05:00

Guy and I are expecting our daughter anyday now. We are so excited to become parents. She is officially due today, April 28th. The anticipation is hard for me (Kristina). I am a planner and it is hard for me not knowing when she is going to arrive. We are so excited to meet her and to introduce our little girl to the world!

While I am patiently awaiting her arrival, Guy is busy studying for his lawschool finals. Like me, her unscheduled arrival is making it difficult for Guy to figure out when to take his finals.
We hope she arrives sooner than later!!!
My parents are in town until May 2nd and I hope she arrives before they have to leave again. They are drivers for FedEx.

Today Steve (Guy's dad) picked me up and we met Guy for lunch at his job. They have a pretty awesome (AKA cheap and tasty) cafe. It was a nice way to distract me this afternoon from just looking at my belly and pouting. (Guy says I look at my belly and pout a lot) I just want to be done and meet her, I have a terrible pokerface. Steve and I meandered around Saint Paul on the way home missing our exit a couple times. Steve was depending on my navigating genious to traverse the city. About 3 gallons of gas and an hour later we made it back home :-)

Today I have been having contractions off and on which is very encouraging. It actually makes me smile and increases my excitement. They aren't painful (yet) some or more intense than others. I feel prepared through our Bradley birth classes. I just relax through them. Guy is ready to jump in when needed to help me out too. He is so wonderful!

Well the bags are packed. Stay tuned for updates and pictures of oour new little girl ..... name to be announced when she is born.