It seems that people in my circle of friends are really getting into eating healthy lately, which is a nice incentive to try to improve our diets as well.  I still haven't figured out how to healthfully feed a 2-year-old - she will eat chicken nuggets, fries, mac and cheese, rice, etc, but nothing really healthy.  Fortunately she does like cheese, milk, and most fruit, but that's still not the best diet.  I was trying to figure out how people fed their kids before fast food and realized that "soul food" and midwestern meat and potatoes is probably good with kids - mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, all those things my grandma used to cook.  She would probably eat that stuff, but we would probably also get pretty fat.  Hmm.  I have a lovely garden now filled with various lettuces, arugula, budding tomatoes, cilantro, and basil, but she doesn't really appreciate these things.  With time, I hope it will come.  Anyway, on to the recipe - a friend provided this recipe and we made some tonight - very yummy and very good for you.  My midwife would be proud - it's a good snack to keep you going throughout the day...

 

 

Start with a base of:

 

1 C. peanut butter (I used all natural smooth)

1C. honey (we used local McClendon desert blossom honey)

1C. protein (the woman who gave us this recipe uses chocolate flavored, but we used plain and it was great)

 

Mix in up to 4 C. of other ingredients, such as:

 

raisins, craisins, cranberries, etc.

chocolate chips

rolled oats

wheat or oat bran

ground flax seed

nuts of any variety

 

We used 1.5 C. oats, 1 C. craisins, 1 C. chocolate chips, and 1/2 C. ground flax.

 

Mix and roll into balls,  Refrigerate.  If while mixing, the batter seems dry or stiff, add a little honey to make it more to the texture of your liking.

 

Yum!

We'll see who reads my blog... :)  We're due Dec 5.

Brie and I had a lovely morning together enjoying the beautiful weather!  We had to get out of the house because the cleaning lady was coming (it's very inconvenient when I'm not working or busy on a Wed when she comes, as she LOVES to talk and it's hard to get her to actually work if we're here :)).  So, we packed up our lunch, a bathing suit and towel, and Brie's trike (she LOVES it now that she can ride it like a pro) and headed out.  I was very proud of myself for being such a prepared mom (for once!).  We rode around the zoo for a while, Brie had a blast in the splash pad in her swimsuit, we saw some giraffes getting it on, and Brie made a little friend, who she played with for quite a while on the giraffe viewing tower.  We spent probably 2 whole hours at the zoo before heading home for a nap.  I find I really enjoy doing things with Brie - when we're out we always have fun and I'm what I think of as a "good mom" - compared to when we sit around the house and watch TV and I get annoyed by her getting in the way when I'm trying to "do things."  Just teaches you, you shouldn't ever try to get anything done with a toddler around.  Life is all about fun!

School this semester has really been brutal.  I finished up with the B average that I really wanted (it was close, but I pulled it off by 3 points :))... meaning now I'm done with classes and just finishing up my Preceptorship, where I work with a nurse in the hospital and pretend to be a nurse.  After having gotten used to working 2 days a week with Brie, and only one while I've been in school, more than 3 12's a week is brutal.  Last week I had my last clinical day in Pediatrics on Monday, worked on my Preceptorship Wed and Thurs (these were 13 hour days), and then worked a 12 Sat.  That was a bit much for me.   Not to mention that Thursday was a horrible, brutally difficult day, made only better because I bonded with my wonderful 100-year-old patient, who cried on Sat because I wasn't there as her nurse (I went to see her later in the day.).  How sweet... she made the day worth it.  Usually if you're lucky you get at leaast one good patient who makes the day worth it.  This week and next I again have 4 shifts each, but then it should slow down.  I can't wait!  Even my days off are long - Brie is very needy of my time and attention... thank goodness she still naps! :)

Okay, so since I started the dialogue with people about  process and reading "Pushed," like 10 people, including the PA at my OB/GYN's office, have told me that I have to see the movie "The Business of Being Born."  Okay, people, I know!  :)  I am busy with school and work at the moment but do plan to see it!!!  Unfortunately we don't belong to Netflix and I doubt our local Blockbuster carries it.  I was going to check in the store first and then if they don't have it, I will join Blockbuster online for a "free trial" just to get the movie.  Even the most recent midwife we met with on Friday told us to watch it.  Sheesh!  :)  Anyway, we have chosen a midwife we like and think we'll make it a go with her - now we just need to figure out all the gruesome details of a home birth...