Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Thursday, February 11, 2010

an afternoon truffle break

Ok, so at this rate my dozen truffles will be gone before Sunday, the actual Valentine's Day.  I just stuck Buddy in his crib for his nap... he thinks I'm kidding.  I helped Bear build her comforter tent in the living room.  I finished folding AND put away my clean clothes, leaving one basket of the kids' clothes, one dryer load of sheets, and another miscellaneous load in the washer to go until Mt. Downy is scaled for the day.  And of course, I indulged in another truffle. 

This is the time of day where I want a nap.  I often take one.  But today I am determined to check things off my to-do list, no matter how mundane they may be.  So as Buddy jabbers in toddlerese from down the hall, Bear crunches on some leftover Nerds from Halloween right next to me, and the dryer finishes up this round, I take a bite.

Yum.  Must be Kelly's Coffee. It looks darker than the other one pictured in the brochure with a coffee bean on top.   It's amazing how the smallest little bit of chocolate can provide a rich "pick me up" on a bleak mid-winter day... along with the shortest phone conversation with a friend in between laundry piles and toddler tantrums.
a chocolate-covered Valentine's week

Hubby did good.  His wonderful sister told him that I had been craving truffles from The Cocoa Tree, and  he took the hint to heart.

Back when The Cocoa Tree was in downtown Franklin, Bear was still in a stroller, and one fall day one of my roommates from college and I strolled in to sample the truffles which I had heard so much about.  They did not disappoint, nor did the Mayan hot chocolate.  Well, that shop closed, but Bethany reopened in the Germantown district of Nashville a little while later.  I fully intended to pay the new location a visit before we moved.  You know what they say about intentions?  Well, I have lots of them.  Let's just say that hubby is the one who follows through consistently.

So last night I woke up from naptime (yes, when the kiddos nap, I nap, it's not often Bear goes down willingly) to the maintenance guy's knock, he handed me the box from UPS.  Alas, it was not from the maintenance guy (that would be freaky).  It was indeed from my beloved.

My present?  A dozen truffles.  I don't normally refer to candy as exquisite, but these truffles are not your ordinary buy-day-after-Valentine's-at-half-price.  And since the shop is no longer in driving distance due to our move, I can't just drive 20 minutes for my fix.

The adorable robin's egg and brown box is artistic in its own right.  It's solid construction hints that it contains better-than-ordinary treats.  Enclosed in the box was also a brochure, a "map" to help identify the flavors as well as a temptress for future orders.

So, my first truffle happened to be Liz's Milk Chocolate.  Simple, yet rich.  I probably should have payed more attention and saved that one to share with hubby.  He prefers the classics flavors, and this one fit that bill.  Milk chocolate shell with sprinkles on top surrounding the milk chocolatey ganache inside.  Heaven in its purest form.  Yes, it is "the one that everybody loves."

Last night, I tasted Karin's Irish Cream after I put Buddy to bed.  Bear was ecstatic to share a bite of Mommy's special treat.  Oh my goodness... delectable. Described in the borchure as 'The one that pours," it's a soothing blend of chocolate and Irish Creme at the end of a toddler-filled day.  I regretted sharing that bite with my daughter, oh how I wanted more.

This morning... why not have a truffle for breakfast? I opted to try Deborah's Chambord... "the one that stands out in a crowd."  Dark chocolate and raspberry flavored center, coated in white chocolate with a dusting of raspberry adornment.  This is the one that made me think "exquisite."  I have fond memories of the Jack and Ginger and Beck's Margarita from previous encounters... DC is a new favorite. Again, the giving mother that I am shared it with both kids.  My 18 month old kept pointing toward the box of truffles and chanting "dis" (this in toddlerese)... he wanted more.  I gave him a Hershey's kiss instead, and that seemed to subdue him.  Note to self: stop sharing my priceless treats with the children.

I'm blogging about these to remind myself which ones I like the best...  these truffles are really that good.  Thanks, Bethany:Chocolatier, for the cure to the common chocolate boredom.

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Am I losing it?

I could have sworn I posted about my stroller options way back when I was planning for Buddy's arrival.
Maybe I just posted all that to FB.

Anyway, I ended up getting the joovy caboose ultralight.  And just when I thought Bear would be too old and uninterested in riding, yesterday's trip to the post office proved me wrong.  I had a reusable grocery sack full of things to mail.  The line inside ended up being fairly short, only 10 minutes or so, but that short wait was helped by the stroller's presence.  You know that time of day where they are ALMOST but not quite ready for a nap?  (Well, if you are lucky and have kids that nap.)  Well, it was about 1:30 p.m., and in spite of her firm opposition, BEAR NEEDED to take a nap.  Lucky for her, I had things to do.  Anyway, handy little lime green stroller did the job.  Bear in back on the bench seat, Buddy up front with his sippy cup.  I have to say, the harness with shoulder straps is just what he needs.  He would be climbing out of just a lap belt.  Bear did not nap, but she rested in her seat and observed those around us.

Anyway, if you are interested, here's the summary of my take on the stroller:
Pros:
Lightweight...
Easy to set up/fold (but NOT one-handed)
Handles well (Remind me to post about the stroller-jacking if you don't know the story and want to read it)
Slim depth when folded- Groceries fit on top when in the back of my older highlander
Carseat adapter worked fine (although the little strap-on thingy was kind of annoying- but it would be hard to accomodate every brand single infant carrier's snap-in needs)
Both kids seem comfortable
Parent organizer works GREAT for 2 cups, a wallet, fruit snacks, etc... and the cups or bottles STAY PUT
Umbrella is HUGE, covers both kids
Pockets in back of front seat serve as holders for older child's "treasures."

Cons:
Not one-handed... gotta have kiddos buckled in before you fold it up.
Might be too big in smaller vehicles, but what double stroller will fit.
Storage space is very small if you carry a big bag, and older child must get off bench seat to access. My solution- she helps carry shopping bags.  Big purse stays on my shoulder.

There you have it.  Bottom line-  If you are looking for a "truck" that carries everything under the kitchen sink, this won't work.  But if you want something fairly maneuverable that carries your kids will, including a 4 year old and newborn +, the joovy caboose ultralight will do the job.  Extra bonus- a friend recognized me in the parking lot as I buckled the kids in because she remembered our stroller when she saw it.  (It's somewhat unique.)

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

still a wii bit unfit, but getting better

We've had our Wii Fit for about a month now, and I am getting the hang of it. Overall, it was a good purchase. Now that I have had more reps open up on many of the exercises, I don't feel like I am wasting as much time clicking between activities. So for those of you who have not yet jumped on the Wii Fit bandwagon, here are some of my thoughts...

Pros:
-Yoga and Strength Training form is taught better than many of the exercise videos I have done, because the balance board enables it to give you feedback on your position.
-Balance games are fun.
-Aerobic exercises start slow for novices like myself who have never had much coordination.
-No need to leave the house.
-No embarassment about lack of coordination while others in a class are stable and I'm wobbling on one limb.
-Tracks your time, suggests excercise sets (strength and yoga)
-When the kids need you, you can stop and resume later.
-Lets you document exercises and household activities for "credits", tracks progress, to a limited extent.
-Lets you figure in your clothes' weight.

Cons:
-Initial time "wasted" clicking between screens etc. may just be more than the time it would take me to drive to the gym.
-The BMI calculator is not accurate. It has no way of figuring in muscle mass. This is important for people like my hubby, who actually have muscles.
-Not only is the BMI innacurate for children, it may call healthy kids who it inaccurately thinks are overweight obese.... the machines sense of humor could hurt some young ones' feelings. Maybe they should just skip the body test and do the fun stuff. (Bear hasn't seemed to notice, but apparently Elizabeth Hasselback has spoken out against it on The View.) Or maybe they'll just talk back to it like I do.
-Some of the tips and hints are repetitive and get annoying.
-The Fit suggests you get together and play with friends, but the Wii is not configured to recognize more than one balance board at a time.

Am I glad we have it? Yes. Am I getting overwhelmingly great results? No, but I am not consistent, so that's not entirely the Wii's fault. I am noticing an increase in endurance, balance, and coordination on certain exercises. But I wish the weather would get warmer so I could supplement my Wii Activity and videos with a low tech-jog with my new running shoes. (First new pair in 7 years.)

Oh, and just to track progress.... my size 12's are getting loose. I weighed about 170 lbs. with Buddy inside me, and I am now around 145, depending on the normal variables.

Friday, February 29, 2008

We watched "The Business of Being Born" last night.

I have to say, I am not a big fan of talk show hosts in general. However, this may be Ricky Lake's best work yet. I am glad I did not discredit the documentary based on who thought it up, as I have done with other so-called documentaries. Documentaries by nature document an agenda of some type. They are not so objective these days.

Yes, it is very pro-midwifery/natural childbirth. Yes, it criticizes aspects of the medical industry. However, it does not portray all OB's as Ogres, and based on my limited experience from working in the medical insurance industry for a couple of years, it portrays the red-tape people have to go through the get care pretty accurately.

What this movie does is challenge women to think for themselves. Do not accept the misconception that just because medical interventions (pitocin, epidurals) are becoming the norm, they are always best.

In my opinion, the growing incidence of elective interventions is another symbol of how we as Americans want the "easy way". Ignore the risks, or don't even find out what they could possibly be. If it makes it easier, sign me up.

As one whose first childbirth was completely scheduled and full of drugs, I can honestly say that given our circumstances, it was best for us at that time. I wanted hubby there. Period. He might not have been if we had not induced.

The main arguments I hear from people who won't even consider natural childbirth include 1) What are you trying to prove? and 2) We have the tools, why not use them?

In response to #1- So what if you want to prove to yourself that you can do something God created you to do? People train to run marathons all the time. They are applauded for their strength, while women who choose to attempt one thing they were created to do are often called crazy. What if you are trying to prove that you can do what's best for your baby, if nothing less than to give yourself and your baby that chance. There should be no shame in that.

I can't say I liked being stuck in a bed, unable to feel the lower half of my body for hours, and unable to move. I am a pretty lazy person, but laying that long was just un-natural. And I don't normally get drunk on alcohol, so why would I want the fogginess and drunk feelings that I got from the medications on one of the most important days of my life? Oh, and why was hearing from the lactation consultants that Baby Bear had "pit lips" AFTER she was born the first time I had heard that the drugs could effect our nursing relationship? They either left that part out of the breastfeeding crash course or I wasn't listening.

#2- Who says the tools/medicines are always best for baby and mom? I am not denying the need exists for them. My niece and sister may not have been here today if it weren't for fast-acting doctors and nurses who God placed in their lives when the placenta randomly decided it couldn't handle contractions anymore and separated. I have several friends who have needed c-sections for various reasons. THAT's what they are there for. And yes, the epi is there when needed, when a Mom decides she need a break from the labor.

Medical treatments and procedures have potential side effects to consider along with their benefits. Antibiotics kill good and bad germs and are not always needed. I don't think it's overly simplistic to compare antibiotics and elective obstetrical procedures. If my daughter sneezes, I don't put her on antibiotics. If she needs them, I do.

Whether or not I get that epi this time around remains to be seen... but I am not convinced that getting one out of fear that I can't handle the pain before I'm in the process is the best way to go into labor. (I wasn't before watching this movie, either, it's been a gradual process... beginning with reading The Red Tent.)

There, that's my rant. Maybe I'll just go down to the Farm and see if Ina May will deliver this one. But then again I do like my doctor, hospital and room service. :)

Nothing like waking up for milk and a granola bar and putting your two cents into cyberspace.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

an odd confession/product review/possible tmi

ok, a while back i posted that i bought baby bear her new tankini and swim diaper from my friend Sunny,mommy of triplets and proprietor of Cutie Tooties.

well, i have a confession to make. we have been using disposable swim diapers under the swim diaper we purchsased. you see, while the fabric seemed strong, it wasn't exactly padded a whole lot. hubby wasn't convinced that the Imse Vimse swim diaper would do its job and hold everything in. (Never mind the fact that it ought to for as much as it cost!) so for our whole vacation, we used little swimmers inside her fancy-pants swim diaper. and wouldn't you know, i don't recall her pooping in them once.

well, this morning baby bear was begging to go to the pool. the non-existent pool. our neighborhood doesn't have a swimming pool, and we never got around to buying a kiddie pool for our back yard. so i did the next best thing and moved the sprinkler to the back yard. i dressed baby bear in her tankini and matching swim diaper- minus the "extra protection". baby bear even handed me a little swimmer as if to say ,"what do you think you are doing mom?"

"you'll be fine." i told her.

she was fine. she ran through the "rain", played with her pail and plastic containers, and picked up leaves and rocks in her standard fashion. she protested when i told her it was time to go inside.

next, it was time for a bath, as she had dirt on her. i didn't smell anything out of the ordinary, but as i unsnapped her swim diaper and pulled it down... well, i found a present. so that swim diaper without all the extra padding did its job. it held in her mess. it even concealed the smell, or else my senses are going bad. the mess did not seep through the fabric to the outside.

of course, not using disposables meant i actually had to soak and wash the swim diaper as i would any cloth diaper (if i actually used them).... but that's one less diaper in the landfill. and as we flushed the mess down the toilet, baby bear proudly proclaimed ,"bye bye poop."

"maybe next time you can sit on the potty and put your poop straight in?"

"no."

oh, well. at least the diaper did its job.