Sophia’s turns four this weekend and has been pumped all week to bring a birthday treat to school for her friends. Gone are the days of cupcakes, ice cream or cookies for birthday celebrations. At Sophia’s school they request that parents bring “healthy treats” to share. Hmmm….healthy and treats don’t really go together in most kid’s mind, so I knew convincing Sophia that there was a better choice than the pink and purple cupcakes she was eyeing at the grocery store was going to be tricky.

Of course I waited until last minute, so yesterday at the eleventh hour I remembered that I needed to bring something today. Crap! I didn’t want to be the store-bought cupcake mom….oh wait, I can’t bring cupcakes…..double crap! So as I’m racking my brain to think of something healthy, tasty and creative, I remembered that Sophia likes trail mix, so decided to take a stab on making my own. Note to all moms, this was surprisingly the easiest thing I ever made and looks like it took more time than it actually did. From house to store to house to the baggies, the whole thing took about one hour and that included Sophia tagging along which always adds more time.

Below is a recipe I came up with. Sophia had a sampling last night and loved it, so it’s also kid approved!

Sophia’s Birthday Treat Snack Mix
3 cups of pretzel goldfish crackers
3 cups of teddy grahams
3 cups of cheddar bunnies
1 ½ cups of raisins
1 ½ cups of M&Ms

Mix up all the ingredients in a bowl and portion into snack size Ziploc baggies. The recipe fills 15 bags.

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On an average morning in my house you can hear my bellowing voice down the hall, “Sophia, time to get up.”  Or, “Come, on hurry up!”  And then, “Come on Soph now, we’re going to be late!”  Every morning is the same routine over and over again with the same outcome.  Often there is fighting, many times tears.  It’s like I’m stuck in that movie Groundhog Day and I’m Bill Murray living the same day over and over again.  You’d think I’d learn after all this time to just get up earlier or do some things the night before to make it easier, but no.

A recent article I read in Parents magazine has led me to the conclusion that things are going to change this school year.  Sophia will start preschool in only a few short weeks and I’m determined to make our mornings a little bit easier and less stressful….if I don’t hit the snooze for the millionth time.  Okay, okay, I vow to give this routine a try for at least a week because after reading these tips, I could benefit from every single one.

Here is what they recommend for families like mine who can’t seem to get it together in the morning:

The Night Before
-Choose an outfit for the next day.  Lay out the entire outfit before bedtime and let you child help pick it out so there is no backlash in the morning.
-Check the schedule to see what activities are scheduled the following day.  That way you can place any books you need by the door, sports uniforms, etc.

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For the past five weeks, I’ve gotten up every Thursday morning and laced up my tennis shoes for a long day on my feet.  That’s because Thursdays are Park Parties!  From 8:30am until 3pm I’m on my feet setting up, making rounds at the party and tearing down.  In early July we held our second Park Party of the summer at Lamar Park in Wyoming.  As I was speed walking like a wild woman across the parking lot, our park contact stopped me and said, “Next time we do this you need a golf cart to ride in.  You sure walk a ton!”  I actually never really thought about all the walking I do each Thursday and how it’s probably a pretty good workout.  Afterall, each Thursday night I have sore legs and sore feet.

I decided to wear a pedometer two weeks ago to our Holland Park Party to test just how many steps I take on a Thursday afternoon.  I strapped on the pedometer when I got to the station that morning and was up for the challenge.  The hard part was trying to not peak at it until the party was done.  At 2pm, I eagerly looked at my waistband and it said 14,600 steps!  Holy cow!  That is more than the average person takes in an entire day.  I never thought that I was actually getting a workout each Thursday while working.

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Nothing is better than ice cream on a hot summer evening.  So, if you haven’t had a chance to swing by Sundaes at the Heights you need to check it out.  Located at 2404 Eastern Ave. SE, Sundaes in the Heights is a cute little ice cream shop in the business district of Alger Heights. 

Something special that they are doing every Tuesday now through August is Storytime at Sundaes.  Sponsored by Grand Valley State University, all children 12 years old and under can stop by starting at 7pm for a free ice cream cone and a free book.  No strings attached!  What’s better than an evening of free?!?  There are guest readers that read to the kids from 7:15-7:45pm and the evening wraps up around 8pm.  It’s a perfect summer evening activity for the family.

Last night we went for the second time this summer and it was great.  While the ice cream is a hit, the best part is letting Sophia pick out a brand new book each week.  She looks forward to it and can’t wait until we go to bed that night to read it.   I’ve marked my calendar for Tuesdays this summer.  Hopefully we’ll see you there!

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Since it opened this season, I’ve been itching to make a trip to the local farmer’s market.  There is nothing better than strolling past the vendor stands, sampling yummy treats and bringing home a basket of homegrown goodies.  That’s why I was especially excited to do a segment on the Holland Farmer’s Market this past week.

Yesterday I headed to Holland for what I heard was “one of the best markets in West Michigan.”  I checked out their website ahead of time, which was awesome, so I had no doubt this was going to be a good one.  The market is located along 8th Street right outside of the Civic Center. 

When I arrived, the first thing I loved is that there is easy and ample parking at the Civic Center and you can walk right over to the vendors.  This market has over 100 vendors and I was amazed and the variety of stuff they were selling.  There was all the traditional produce, but also beautiful bouquets of flowers, homemade breads and granola, meats and cheeses and even fudge.  One thing that they also offer are children’s activities from 10am-Noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Kids can hula-hoop, draw with sidewalk chalk, blow bubbles and learn about nutrition.

When I was done filming, I couldn’t resist snagging some goodies on my way out.  After sampling the strawberries, I had to grab a pint from one of the local growers.  They were so ripe, I needed to use them up ASAP, so last night after dinner I decided to whip up a batch of smoothies.  I just made up the recipie with stuff I already had at home and they turned out really yummy!  The recipie is below.  It was Sophia approved and a refreshing dessert on a warm summer evening.

1 banana
A handful of strawberries
½ cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt
A handful of ice cubes

Put all the ingrediants in the blender and mix for about 30 seconds or until ice is crushed.  Enjoy!

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A few weeks ago our expert from Pine Rest, Kristin Kuipers, wrote about a blog entry about balance and the importance of scheduling quality time together as a family.  After reading it, I started to think about my life or my family’s “pie” as she puts it.  I think my family’s pie has a lot of pieces, some larger than others.  I’d say at least half of our pie is work.  Then there are extra-curricular activities that Sophia does like gymnastics or swimming, my husband has a huge piece of golf pie and I have a lot of slivers for mommy duties, errands, and little things I like doing for myself.  I started to look more closely and realized that there is just a small piece of pie that is actually for family time. 

Last weekend we had a birthday party to go to for a friend out along the lakeshore and afterwards decided to head out to Grand Haven for the afternoon.  We parked down at Snug Harbor and decided to venture down the boardwalk to the pier.  Sophia had a blast climbing up and down the rocks and petting every dog in sight (have I mentioned she’s obsessed with dogs?  She must have pet 30 of them that afternoon).  John and I had a great conversation catching up on the past week and really enjoyed watching Sophia have so much fun.  It wasn’t until we were about an hour into the walk that I realized we were doing it!!  Quality time together with no cell phones ringing, no email to check and nothing scheduled later in the day to run off to. 

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One of my favorite things to do as a kid was color.  I still never pass on the chance to jump in along side Sophia when she gets out her coloring book and crayons.  Whether it’s coloring, drawing or painting, being a little artist is always one of the first things Sophia asks to do on the weekends when we have downtime at home.  That’s why I was excited when my friend Anne over at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital emailed me about this really cool project they’re doing for kids.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital has teamed up with LaFontsee Galleries to create artwork for the new children’s hospital opening in January 2011.  Their goal is to generate enough artwork to fill 13 of the new hospitals 14 floors.  That’s a lot of art!  Through out May and June LaFontesee Galleries is holding free artwork making events for kids in the community.  All you do is call to reserve a spot and show up to be part of something big. 

Saturday, May 8 – Sessions at Noon and 2pm
Saturday, May 22 – Sessions at 1pm and 2pm
Saturday, June 5 – Sessions at 11am, Noon, 1pm and 2pm
Saturday, June 12 – Sessions at 11am, Noon, 1pm and 2pm

Everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.  And in most people’s lifetimes, their kids will be treated there for something.  So, why not step up and have your kids be part of something really cool that will brighten kid’s spirits during their hospital stay.  Call 616-451-9820 to reserve your spot!

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This past weekend I was reading Self Magazine and came across a yummy recipe I wanted to share.  When the weather is warm I love summer salads, plus, for people like me who dread cooking it’s super easy.

Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 2 large salads or you could split into four smaller side salads

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle of Newman’s Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
1 tsp of black pepper
½ tsp of salt
6 cups of mixed greens (romanine, spinach, whatever kind you like best)
½ cup of raspberries (I substituted strawberries)
1 oz. crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place chicken in an oven-safe baking dish.  Whisk together dressing and spices and pour over the chicken, turning a couple of times.  Dressing should cover the bottom of the baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes.
3. Combine greens, berries, feta, nuts and a small amount of dressing into a large bowl and toss.
4. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from the over and let rest for three to five minutes.  Slice chicken into strips and serve on top of the salad.

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This weekend Where You Live is all about ways that West Michigan families are going green.  As our team was brainstorming segment ideas we came across an advertisement in Natural Awakenings magazine for Eco Trek Fitness.  It’s a green workout that takes place outdoors and combines cardio and strength training using elements found in nature.

I called to set up the shoot and hung up the phone pumped about checking out this class.  I planned to go and flip-cam the class and the instructor told me to bring my tennis shoes and feel free to join in.  Although I don’t consider myself a real outdoorsy girl, I was curious to see what this new craze was all about and thought I’d give it a try!

I woke last Thursday to the sound of rain on my windows and thought, “oh great.”  The instructor told me that the class takes place rain or shine, so I knew I was in for an interesting morning.  I headed out to Townsend Park in Rockford where the NE Grand Rapids session was meeting.  There were about seven people in the class and everyone was very friendly and excited to talk about why they love coming to Eco Trek.  After hiding under my umbrella for most of the interviews, I realized I had to suck it up and embrace the elements like the rest of the group.  So, I ditched the umbrella and headed up the trail to flip-cam the experience.

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Did you know that seven out of ten girls don’t feel they’re good enough or measure up to their peers?  And that 71% of girls feel they aren’t pretty enough or skinny enough?  The first time I remember being concerned about my appearance was probably in middle school.  That was when I entered the “awkward phase.”  I was way taller than all the boys, started seeing physical changes in my body and begin to ask myself “am I pretty?”

18 years later times have certainly changed.  In today’s society girls are growing up faster, and girls as young as first grade are reportedly struggling with body image and a distorted perception of beauty.  In my opinion a large part of this is due to what they see in the media.  I want you to take a look at this attached video from Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.

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