get back to the table, plus giveaway...

Random.org chose 7
Winner is LoisS! Congrats!

so, you know me -- I am not a domestic diva, but I certainly want to be. and after being contacted about the GET BACK TO THE TABLE campaign, I am pumped! I have been preparing dinners (not every night) for the past few months and love eating as a family. I always sit with double l when he eats, but it's not the same when the entire family eats together. double l gets to hear his mama and daddy speak about their day, he gets to "chat" with us about his day, and he witnesses our perfect table manners. you know -- elbows on the table, loud laughs, one fork for all courses :)

so you are probably asking yourself, "what is courtney rambling about"...

here is the scoop: (I could have rambled more, but thought the recent press release was written 100% better...)

'KIM BURTON TEAMS UP WITH LIBBY’S VEGETABLES TO CELEBRATE VICTORY AT THE DINNER TABLE

Marion, NY (April 1, 2009) – This spring, Kim Burton, wife of NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, is partnering with Libby’s Vegetables to encourage moms to connect with each other and share their winning solutions for getting back to the dinner table during these economic times. Burton will be on-site at the Libby’s Get Back to the Table tent at four major speedways - Dallas/ Ft. Worth, Phoenix, Charlotte and Dover - sharing her winning solutions and connecting with fellow moms.

According to a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll, more than 80 percent of families are cutting back on dining out and reducing out-of-house entertainment altogether, demonstrating that families nationwide are resorting to ingenuity to stay connected and keep family time fun.

“Family mealtime is an integral part of my family’s daily routine, but with horseback riding lessons, quarter midget racing and weekends at the track, it can be a challenge,” commented Burton. “My winning solution for making mealtime a reality is keeping meals simple - whether it’s letting the slow cooker do the work or patching together a recipe with ingredients from the pantry. I’m excited to partner with Libby’s Vegetables to encourage moms across the country to help each other by sharing their winning solutions.”

Families can visit their local race track in Dallas/ Ft. Worth, Phoenix, Charlotte and Dover or submit their winning solutions online at GetBacktotheTable.com. The best tips and suggestions will be featured in Libby’s “Table Talk Guide”, which will launch this September during Get Back to the Table month.

“We’re partnering with Kim Burton to continue Libby’s tradition of underlining the value of family dinners,” explained Bruce Wolcott, Vice President of Marketing at Seneca Foods, Libby’s Vegetables parent company. “Kim is a loving, modern, on-the-go mom who strives to make time for her family and her community. We are very inspired by her dedication to her family and know that she can help encourage families nationwide to make dinnertime a cherished part of their daily schedule.”'

**************

after reading that press release, it clicked! we all know about the recession. we all are cutting back, but cutting back on entertainment and getting out doesn't have to be a sad thing. it could be a simple way to reconnect as a family. eating as a family at home gives us the opportunity to teach our babes the importance of spending time together and a simple, but rewarding way to save money, and the opportunity to prepare healthy meals.

libby's does offer a full line of organics, which is very important in this home.

besides the Libby’s Table-Gating Recipe Contest, which ends june 30th. I get to run a fabulous giveaway for my readers.

here are the details:

one winner!
prize: 10 cans of libby's products and this fabulous tailgating kit. how perfect is this kit?!? it has everything you need for a portable outdoor feast!!!

giveaway ends friday, june 5th @ 9PM EST

to enter -- just leave a comment below telling me what your favorite simple, yet delicious dinner meal is...

extra entries options (please ensure you leave a separate comment for each):
- follow me!
- post about the giveaway (leave url in your comments)
- tweet about the giveaway

the contest is open to US residents and please leave an email address, so we can easily contact the winner. best of luck!

kim burton will be in dover today! so if you are local and headed to the race track, stop by and say hi!!!

To learn more about Libby’s Vegetables’ Get Back to the Table Tent at select race tracks this spring, families can log on to GetBacktotheTable.com. The site also features tips for saving time and money at the grocery store, tools for meal planning and an interactive recipe database of easy, delicious, budget-conscious recipes.

hangin' with my mommie...

my bub left for boston at 5:45 AM on Thursday! so, what did I do? what I always do -- I packed up double l and claire and went trait to gigi's for a few days!!! for those who do not know, gigi is my mom. we just got home this evening and just got the "I have landed call". so, I am making this post short and sweet as I want to catch up on all my favorite blogs.

but check back this weekend, because I will be posting a cool giveaway tomorrow AM (working on the post tonight) and I was tagged a couple of times & want to give me props!!!

hope you all had a FAB week and are ready for this great weekend. we have a lot on our plate, but first I am just happy to sit & chat with kris when he gets home.

see ya for now...

LL and his pops

double l had a great time on monday with his mimi and pops. and he was amazed at how he could see his reflection in pops' glasses. it was hilarious!




checkout 5 minutes for mom for more WW posts...

I am so off today...

the weekend was fabulous and I did not want it to end. you read about saturday. sunday and monday were so much fun as well. we had a family pool party saturday. double l was not crazy about the pool, but loved the trampoline. monday, we went to the devon horse show and had a blast. I wanted to post about it last night, but could not get my act together. no worries, I will be sharing the pics from yesterday throughout the week. this long weekend has truly set me into a tailspin and I just can not seem to organize myself or double l. today is tuesday! UGH! a work from home day. and I am swamped.

okay, need to get to work.

does the long holiday weekends knock you of schedule? if so, how do you refocus and get back on track?

long weekend started off right...

ah, I love saturday mornings. well not every saturday morning, because some (well, most) are chore filled hours of the day. but not this morning... this morning we enjoyed breakfast on the deck. an early breakfast as double l woke up at 5:30 AM. oh but don't worry, his lazy parents did not rescue him from his crib until closes to 6:30. his daddy went in the nursery at 5:30, changed him, kissed him, gave him his taggie and put him back in his crib. perhaps he doses back off, but a little after 6 I heard him talking to pooh bear and all his other friends. but by 6:30, he was more than ready to start his day. so we did! the boys enjoyed doughnuts and I had my egg (over-easy) oatmeal toast with coffee (of course). we read magazines and just relaxed. double l even took sometime to read a little martha as well...




after breakfast, we headed to the zoo. double l saw lions, "ties" and bears... oh and feed the ducks, took a photo-op with daddy in front of the bald eagle and horses...



we were home from the zoo just in time for double l's nap. I cleaned off the deck furniture while my bub started on the lawn. UGH, our yard. that is all I can say right now!!!

before and after photos of the beginning of a summer long job of cleaning out the flower beds. my bub weeds. one of the many ways he is the best husband ever. now we will mulch and paint some flowers. we have a few perennials scatter around...



the roses are in bloom... they came with the house and I think they are as old as it as well...



hope you are enjoying this long weekend as well...

conference call with katie couric

on tuesday, I had the opportunity to sit in on a conference call discussing the impact the recession has had on children. the call was led by katie couric. katie and the cbs network are focusing on how this recession is effecting the children of the united states. when I was presented this opportunity through philadelphia moms blog (organized by the parent group -- silicon valley moms group), I jumped at the chance. at first the slots were filled, but thankfully they were able to wiggle me in to listen. I did not speak and was more interested in listening to what katie wanted to focus in on and also hearing what other fellow moms thought about the current economic situation and how it is effecting our children.

katie's series is called 'children of the recession'.

we discussed how teachers are stepping up to provide prom dresses, backpacks, food, etc... shockingly, I found out that 20% of families are foregoing medical and dental care. sadly, we discussed how child abuse and neglect cases are increasing (which aired wednesday evening). this is something I just do not understand and breaks my heart into so many pieces.

and the topics that definitely hit close to home were how this recession is going to effect our children's future. we did not explore this topic as much as I wanted as we ran out of time, but we did touch on it briefly. families have been cutting back everywhere. we discussed one area that many polls are showing a cut back, which is the food (21% of families are now buying food differently due to the recession). more families are buying generic brands, which is fine, but there also are many turning to unhealthy cheap food alternatives -- such as fast food, and/or high fat/unhealthy cheap grocery food items. child obesity is already an epidemic and my fear is this recession will only worsen this problem. another issue hitting most of us -- public schools seeing increasing enrollments, but funding is being cut in half.

I would love to open up a dialogue to discuss how the recession is effecting you and your family. but also as bloggers, as women, as mothers, whichever category you fit in -- children are being affected and this should be a call to action for all of us. whether it be through your church, temple, community organization, family -- what can you do to help others? and what are you doing to help your children understand and learn from these tough times?

I'll start...

~ I feel so blessed that we (me, bub, double l and claire) have not been directly impacted by this recession. yes, I just found out my medical insurance will now charge a co-pay for lab work (which will add up during pregnancies fast since I am high risk and monitored closely). yes, my husband and I both did not receive merit increases because the companies we work for did all they could to avoid layoffs! oh and yes there is that dark cloud over our heads as we both work in industries that have been hit hard by this recession. but we are still standing, still living in this old house and still eating food and dressing our baby boy. we are saving and budgeting and counting pennies, but we are doing well.

~ I am looking for volunteer ideas for my brother and I. he is 13 and not going to camp this summer, so I want to help my mom keep him busy. volunteering is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done and I think it will be fun for us to do it together. any ideas that fall in line with helping under-served communities or children that maybe suffering from this economy???

~ we have also made an effect to give more and to more charities. charities are hit hard during economic crisis! Historically, our financial support was limited to our church's needs, our friends who had a student outreach ministry, but now will be going abroad as missionaries, special olympics and St Jude's. Starting late last year, I incorporated the march of dimes, and a couple local organizations (i.e. fire department) into our budget as well.

we need to be apart of the solution!

update on double l and claire is thrilled!

today, we went to see an allergy specialist to discuss double l's congestion and wheezing. yesterday, double l was all junky and gross. today, he is clear and breathing great. of course! I am grateful indeed, but I would have liked the doctor to actually hear his wheeze. at any rate, we went to a specialist that is highly recommended. when I say highly, I mean HIGHLY! so many people from all aspects of my life (personal, professional, medical staff, mom groups) all recommended this man. and most importantly, my uncle (who is a respected ENT doc) sent his child to see him. we felt good about this visit. my bub and I have been praying for healing and answers for a long time and today we felt good!

first of all, the doctor looks like santa. I kid you not! love it!!! double l was a trooper through the entire exam and allergy test. we waited, as double l marched & hopped around without his shirt on. as I hovered over the prick marks. nothing was swelling. and then the final mark starts to swell a little. I look at bub and we say "oh no what if that's the canine mark". of course, our thoughts, if not on double l, are on our other baby, claire. doctor claus comes back in, checks double l's back, and says that swelling is the positive register (wait, I think that's what he said and bub is not here to verify, shoot I knew I needed to write that down) and it was the mark to state he was clean of allergies. Praise the Lord. No allergies. okay, it does not mean he won't develop them. doctor claus reminds me that he is only 22 months and they could develop. he believes the treatment that double l is on now is working and feels that the day care and double l's consistent exposure to the germ fest is not helping the congestion. that's it, I am becoming a full-time SAHM (I secretly think to myself, knowing bub will say "um, not so fast"). but doctor claus reassures me that the summer will be better.

so here is the plan...

~ continuing double l's treatment 2Xs daily and singlaire
~ doctor claus and I are having a touch base at the end of june to review how double's congestion and wheezing is going.
~ if improved, we drop to one treatment and which will be just pulmicort, no more albuterol!
- october visit will be a full evaluation and prep for the winter

he gave us a lot of literature on asthma and we certainly will be reading every word and taking notes (okay, I am a total note taker). doctor claus explained that he did not want to perform pulmonary test yet due to double l's age, so we will discuss that process in october. asthma is still a word that could become reality!

so, that's the update. no answers to what's causing the congestion and occasional wheezing, but I must tell you I really felt so comfortable with this doctor. I felt like he was going to take care of my little man and he was going to teach me a few things that would make me a better mother. even though we prayed for answers, and we did find out what was NOT that cause (meanwhile claire is so happy!), we received comfort. Comfort, confidence and less worry is what we feel today! I considered this visit an answered prayer and will continue to pray for total healing for my superman!

thanks so much to so many of you that have left kind words, prayed and sent well wishes. it means so much to me!

um, how 'bout a squeaky clean baby LL

keeping with last week's theme, I brought out this photo from the archives.

double l at 2 months. I can not believe in 2 MONTHS my baby boy will be 2 years old.




for more WW, check out 5 minutes for mom!

calling all poets who don't know it!

are you a poet? don't say "no" -- if you are a mommie, you have some clever poem just sitting in that brain of yours. if you aren't a mommie, but have ever had your heart broken or fell deeply in love, you have some silly love poem stuck in your head. I want you to channel those thoughts for a great cause!! no worries, you don't need to write a literary masterpiece and the subject of your poem will be rather silly. so, I want to draw your attention to terra's blog. there you will find all the details for author's Justin Matott contest. Most importantly to me, one of the objectives to this contest is to bring attention to bullying. my little brother was bullied and I must tell you that to this day it brings me to tears just remembering what he went through. so, I ask you take some time to checkout terra's blog and assist in bringing awareness to this contest and crusade!!

*** as a teaser, I took the liberty of copying this info right from terra's blog. please note, the poem is not my example, but terra's. my poem will not nearly be as witty and its going to take me FOREVER to create it :) ***

The rules are simple – oh so simple – All you have to do is write a 4 to 8 line poem about a gross food combination...
My own example:

Eggs and pickles
taste buds don't tickle
they give me gas
when they're in my glass

And, don't I wish
there were no fish
in the kitchen sink
cuz, they're also in my drink


There is a little catch…fine print if you would – we are really hoping to reach a ton of readers with this contest – you see Justin Matott is very well known and highly respected in our region but his awesomeness has not spread nationwide as of yet and he REALLY wants to get in front of Ellen DeGeneres and hopefully get to guest interview on her show to help spread the word about Anti-Bullying.

look who got a trim...

and enjoyed a little mesa fresh post salon visit...





yep, it was so warm and humid today that we just took him straight to lunch, hair still wet & all. I, as always, hovered over the poor woman, saying "just a trim, we don't want to lose the curl". I admit that I can be a nightmare at times! but he looks so cute and the curls are still a bouncin'

hope you are enjoying your weekend!

the greatest show on earth!!!

yes, that is right. double l enjoyed his first experience under the big top! a special thanks to amy from occupation: mommy. she hosted the giveaway and lucky me -- WON!

first, we went early and visited the animals "backstage". okay, not exactly backstage, but a little off to the side outside. double l flipped over the tigers, or as he refers to them "ties". we hung out with the horses, zebras, and my favorite -- the elephants. I am so glad double l got to see all the animals, especially the "ties", because little man was beat and we had to leave early.

but before we headed home, he did get to experience FRONT ROW seats. yes, people -- we were right there and double l was in AWE. heck, I was in awe. we had a blast watching the clowns, enjoying the dogs jumping rope and dancing along with the music.

I forgot how wonderful the circus actually is... I must say that seeing the excitement in double l's face brought pure joy to me. here was my little man smiling and laughing, just having the time of his life. the circus was definitely an experience that the entire family enjoyed!

okay, how cute is this elephant with his legs crossed...






and if you are local, ringling bros. will be in philadelphia all month! it is a definite fun time for all!

squeaky clean...

here is squeaky clean double l...




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the unthinkable...

I did the unthinkable today. something that I did not want to do. something that made me a little sad and very anxious.

what did I do?

I bought a bathing suit. UGH! as you know I am trying to lose some weight and well my progress is not exactly a good story -- thanks to mother's day and my laziness towards working out. but I needed to purchase a bathing suit, since we will be partying at a pool on memorial day and hopefully going to the beach soon.

I am dreading actually wearing it, but here it is...




I ordered the top and skirt in dark gray from jcrew.com. um, no bikini bottoms for mommie!!!

okay -- jillian and I have a date tomorrow at 5:30 am.

I hope all the mommies out there enjoyed today. I sure did. from yummy brunch to watching double l call everyone under the table, I think everyone that joined my little family today enjoyed themselves too. I cannot even begin to tell you how blessed I feel, but know that I am. I am truly blessed with a loving husband, a precious baby boy and a wonderful family!

here is just a peek into my mother's day... yes, that is my mother and aunt under the table with the boys. double l called them all under as they counted for hide & seek. I believe pops was to hid and of course none of them covered their eyes!!!

happy mother's day!

happy mother's day to you all...

I am hosting my annual mom's day brunch a tradition I started before I had double l. it was a nice way to celebrate mom's day with both moms (mine and my bub's).

I am keeping this year's menu simple!

spring quiche (whole foods)
spinach quiche (all me!)
melon and berry salad (me)
granola and yogurt
muffins (mimi)
champagne (gigi)

tulips have been spread all over my dining room and my bub surprised me with beautiful planted daisies that dress up our worn teak deck furniture!

hoping all you mommies have a blessed day...

jillian michaels is my new best friend!

okay, yes I want to have another baby as my obsession with the baby story continues. and as you read in my last meme, I would rather those a few pounds, okay 15 to be exact, before getting pregnant. what's a historically awful dieter and exerciser to do?

um, call jillian michaels, of course! well, I did not have her number or the cash for private lessons, so I headed to target and bought her shred dvd. I have been hearing the buzz about jillian's workout for awhile. so many bloggers seem to love it and I have been following bacardi mama along her journey. she informed me that the team over at shrinking jeans will be starting another challenge on may 11th. now, I am not sure if I am the group challenge kind of gal, but will most definitely follow along and hopefully get some tips!

but I have joined jillian's fan club. I bought the dvd after a gym trip on sunday and did the level 1 routine on monday. um, let's discuss for a minute how LEVEL 1 kicked my butt. LEVEL 1 KICKED MOMMIE'S BUTT!!! jillian + running should help me achieve my goal. as for my diet, well all I can say is I will try. I hate dieting. I loathe dieting. I would love to cook three meals a day. heck, I would love to cook ONE meal a day, but I don't. this makes dieting, next to impossible.

so, here is where I need your advice! what should be apart of my diet? tips, recipes, advice all welcomed. a little about me -- I am an all natural girl. I steer clear of artificial sugars, processed foods, preservatives, etc... I know I should eat more veggies and fruit. never skip breakfast (which I have gotten so much better at). I should cut out the fat (butter, cream cheese, cheese in general!). I should go to carb rehab! I know how to diet. I just find it so time consuming. all the planning and counting...

anyway, my pursuit to my pre-double l bod is in full effect. even though you have total read this before. this time I have a mission. a goal :)

starting weight - 139. yes, I know my scale is way off, but that's what it reads and thats what I am going with... I will make sure I always weigh myself on my nice, liar of a scale that is consistently understating my weight. but since its consistent, I can actually track pounds lost, just not my actual weight :) this false impression of my actual weight during pregnancy came in handy. yes, I knew I gained 55 pounds!!! I just didn't know my actual weight and never listened to the nurse as she was babbling about it at my weekly doctor's appointments.

okay, I am off to shred. actually to make double l some dinner, but will be shredding later...

posting on the run...

WOW! its 12:34pm, just put double l down and I actually feel like I am having a productive day. so forgive me, and indulge me with praise :) as I quickly list my task list and run off to clean more (hopefully including myself...)

~ breakfast for double l -- done; success - no fusspot with the food selections this morning!

~ cleaned dishes (and put them away) -- done

~ cleaned kitchen floor -- done

~ cleaned downstairs floors -- done; including m. oil for all the hardwood floors

meanwhile, I completed the above and the below reference to gymboree without my coffee -- double success in my book!!!

~ cleaned hardwood floors upstairs -- half done; steps, hall, and double l's room. bedroom and office next...

~ bathroom -- um, no. that's bub's job :)

~ laundry -- on list for today, but not complete

~ fun times at gymboree class -- done, of course we had a blast

~ picked up coffee beans -- done and threw in a really large latte. I am ready to take on more with hands shaking....

~ checked work blackberry way too many times and answered to many emails (ahem, monday is an off day) -- done, there is something wrong with me!

~ lunch for double l -- another complete success. I'm telling you this little man really wants to make mommie feel like a total success today!

~ windex and dust downstairs/upstairs -- even though I totally do not want too, I really need too! wish me luck...

~ workout -- A MUST for this evening.

~ lunch for mommie -- to my complete shock -- YES!!!

~ shower -- nope, but I now hear silence from double l's room, so I will be jumping in now!

hope your day is going well...

p.s. shockingly I only bought frames on saturday and its still raining! I plan on hitting up jcew.com this week as my gift cards are now burning a hole through my wallet.

rain, rain go away... after I spend some cash!

its raining here and it will continue to rain all weekend long. the may fair is a "no-go" and the art & crafts show is going to be damp & wet. what will we do? crafts -- nope, stories -- maybe later in the evening, tv -- not if i can help it, shop -- ABSOLUTELY. hands down the best rainy day activity is shopping. and we are patriots and want to do our part in stimulating the economy!! so we are headed to the mall. oh yes, that mall -- king of prussia, or as we warmly call it KOP! we will be shopping for frames and one for gigi, because double l is giving her the most adorable photo for her birthday and several for us, so we can display photos of double l and it doesn't look like we stopped taking pictures after our honeymoon. does anyone else have that problem? new or newer (LL is almost 2) parents and you really have not switched out or updated your wall photos to display that fact you are parents! okay, maybe its just us.

and maybe I'll do a little spring/summer shopping. remember my wish list! well, thanks to my loving family I have several gift cards just dying to be used. I know shocking that they haven't been already, since my birthday was a month ago. and of course, my bub will be with us and so will his employee discount card, so we need to pop in here and here, but unfortunately anthropologie is not at the mall!

bummer, I know. but I will survive! so, off we go.

what will you be doing this saturday?

Hmmm... will it work?

have you heard about the kenyan women's "strike"? if not, you need to read about it, here. the women's development organization of kenya are encouraging all their fellow kenyan women to join them in their sex ban for one week to protest the infighting within their government.

all I have to say is if this works, the spouses of all congressmen and congresswomen need to adopt this form of protest, so maybe we can actual get through our right/left b/s and get some work done!!!!

enough said...