A Trick to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night by 2 or 3 Months!

Last night I gave my older two children the usual hug and kiss goodnight.  Then I told my four-year-old the same old, same old, "Brush your teeth, go pee and get into bed, and I'll be in to tuck you in and read you a story in a moment."  His reply, "You don't need to tuck me in tonight mom."  I was a little shocked, I had been tucking him in and reading him a story for a long time now.  I thought wow, how is he going to sleep without a story and being tucked it?  But I didn't argue and I settled into the sofa to read a book and I'm not going to lie, it was a nice feeling.  I finally checked on him when I was ready to go to bed and he was sound asleep.  Oh, how they grow up so fast and oh, how nice it is when they sleep through an entire night.  It's been a few years since I've had a newborn, but that doesn't mean I don't remember the sleepless nights!

I had mentioned in a previous post that I recently came across a book called, Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman, and even though my children are older I was still very interested to read it. I got the book from my local library the other day and read a few chapters last night.  Pamela is an American journalist who moved to Paris, got married and so far in the book has given birth to one child, a little girl they've nicknamed Bean.  Once Bean was born Pamela couldn't help but notice how differently French children act than that of American children.  Many of her Parisian friends told her that their babies slept through the night by two or three months!  She was shocked and decided to research this further.

It appears that French women are taught to observe their baby for a few minutes when it begins to cry.  They do not immediately pick up the child, they wait to see if the child will self soothe.  Now they may wait a few minutes for a newborn and bump it up to five to ten minutes for a two week old, but they believe they are already teaching the child patience.  The other thing Pamela discovered was that when it comes to sleeping, we sleep in cycles.  A baby may wake itself up between the cycles and an anxious mother who picks up the baby and feeds it or rocks it back to sleep is actually interrupting the babies ability to fall back asleep on its own.  A calm French mother will let the child cry for five to ten minutes to see if the child will go back to sleep, in the meantime she is observing the child to see if it may in fact need a diaper change or is hungry.  In the book you will see that there have been American studies on this method and the studies not only show that this works, they also seem to prove that it doesn't matter whether the child is breastfed or formula fed.  I was always under the impression that breastfed babies needed to eat more than formula fed babies, but according to this book, that is not the case. 

Pamela was also astonished to learn that many babies miraculously started sleeping through the night when the mother went back to work, which was typically after three months.  It's almost as if these women share a form of telepathy with their babies.  French mothers believe that a baby is an intelligent being and that you explain to them when they need to start sleeping through the night.

I have to admit when I was a new mother I would feed, change and rock my baby and still wonder 'why is she still crying'.  I was not calm all the time and in fact the constant crying would make me very anxious.  If only I had known I could say,  "Mommy has to go back to work and you are 12 weeks old so you must start sleeping through the night,"  life would've been a lot easier!  Now my children are too old to test this theory on, and I do not plan on having any more children, so I will never know if this truly works but I thought it was worth sharing.

I know there are a lot of parenting magazines, books, website and articles out there, but I just thought I'd share what people from a different country are doing.  If anything can make life a little easier on parents then I'm all for reading about it.  I'll share more about what I learn about French parenting, however, so far there seems to be a common theme.  The theme is patience; they spend a great deal of time teaching their children patience, how to entertain themselves and how to cope with their own frustrations. So far it has been a very interesting read!

If your baby is "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you're the grandma."
-- Theresa Bloomingdale

Lemonade Ice Cream Pie

Spring is in the air, and I wanted to make a dessert that was both cool and refreshing.  The smell of lemons brightens a room, and the light taste is pleasing to the palate.  For my lemon ice cream pie you only need five ingredients.  This is a super easy recipe you can whip up, throw in the freezer for a few hours and enjoy on those hot summer days.  Or in some regions you can enjoy it now, this spring has been unusually warm with certain areas in the Midwest already enjoying 80 degree weather!

Here are the ingredients you'll need for the lemon pie.

• 2 cups of softened vanilla ice cream
• 1 8oz tub of Cool Whip whipped topping
• 1/3 cup of powdered lemonade (I use Country Time)
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 graham cracker crust

Let the ice cream sit on the counter for a little bit to soften it.  Mix lemonade and water until lemonade is dissolved.  Add ice cream and beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.  Gently stir in whipped topping.  Mound mixture into graham cracker crust and freeze 4 hours or overnight.  Let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes or until pie can easily be cut.  Store leftover pie in freezer.

My pie set up nicely in less than 4 hours, which was great because we were ready to dig in!

Those are the lemons I'll be using to make my Lemon Meringue Tart for an upcoming post, but the next post will be my banana bread and homemade butter.

Work From Home Career Opportunities

After I had my first child in 2000 I knew I wanted a job where I could work from home.  I couldn't bear the thought of being away from my baby for 45 to 50 hours per week, but at the time we needed my income.  This is something I know a lot of mothers struggle with.  Often times staying home with your children requires sacrifice, because suddenly a two income family with no children becomes a one income family with a child.  However, I happen to know many moms who have made it work.  They are organized, they create a family budget, clip coupons, watch for sales and are as frugal as possible; and they wouldn't have it any other way.

After becoming a mom I spent a couple of years working full-time and searching for that at-home opportunity, but shortly after giving birth to my second child I realized I was more suited for a part-time job opportunity.  I loved my kids dearly, but I needed a few days with them and a few days outside the home.  We all know in our hearts if we can be at home full-time with our children or if we need something else.  However, sometimes as our children age our career needs change.  I loved the part-time work; I had three days to focus on my job and four days to focus on the kids counting weekends.  On my days off I'd often take them to the park, the library, the pool or we'd play games and bake.  Once the kids got older and in school I wanted to be able to spend even more time with them in the summers, so finally in 2006 I was able to quit my part-time job and work from home.  I love the flexibility, the work and the hours, however, I'll be honest, working from home isn't for every one.  You need to be organized, dedicated and truthful with yourself as to whether or not you can do it.  Some people think working from home is easy and they get caught up in at-home tasks like dishes, laundry and cleaning, and they neglect their work.  If you want to work from home and keep your at-home job then the work must get done!  The work should become a priority.  Since I've been working from home I've often been asked to help brainstorm ideas for other moms who want to make some money from home.

The best advice I can give is to figure out a way to use your current education, passions, skills and talents to form your own business or seek out businesses that might employ you to do those things from home. Write a list of all the things you love and see if something triggers an idea. Owning your own business can be very challenging, yet rewarding. One of the drawbacks of working from home is at times you feel like you never get away from the responsibilities of your job. You have to create a schedule and try to stick to it. You deserve your own time just like everyone else.

Several of my friends have started working with home party or direct sales companies and some of them have done exceptionally well.  A childhood friend of mine has earned several trips with Premier Jewelry and absolutely loves her job!  There are several home party business out there to choose from, and you probably already have friends who are involved in a few of them.  I know direct sales opportunities aren't for everyone, however, I recently came across a great new direct sales company called Blessings Unlimited.  Blessings Unlimited started about five years ago and currently has around 2,000 consultants nationwide.  A newer company like this gives people a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.  Blessings Unlimited is a Christian inspired company founded by DaySpring.  They sell home decor, dishes, books, jewelry and more.  If you are interested in learning more about this company please visit www.myblessingsunlimited.net/lynnarnquist.

If you are still trying to figure out the perfect work-from-home job or business here are some other ideas I've come across.

1. Create & sell homemade diapers
2. Create & sell homemade jewelry
3. Create & sell cards and stationery
4. Website design, graphic design, logos & branding
5. Tax preparer
6. Virtual assistant
7. Business consulting
8. Photography
9. Knitting
10. Candy making and/or baking
11. Event planning
12. Give music lessons
13. Daycare Provider

Be creative, think outside the box and ask yourself questions like, what are people willing to pay you for and what would you enjoy doing for them?  I realize not everyone has the entrepreneurial spirit, but there are plenty of companies now that will hire people to work from home for them.  It takes time and research, but once you find your niche you'll enjoy it!

"If you can't find your dream job, then create one." Unknown

Savory Chicken Stew

Even though I love dessert, I do like other foods too!  One day while my husband, Ben, and I were waiting for our son to finish swimming lessons, Ben found this recipe and we decided to try it adding our own twist.  This stew is hearty and perfect for a cold, wet day.  Ben and I made this stew in a crock pot and it's great with crackers, croutons or crusty bread.  Here is our recipe:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 cups skinless chicken breast (we found 4 large chicken breasts worked well)
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cups water
• 4 beef bullion cubes
• 1 14oz can diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1/2 cup brown rice (uncooked)
• 2 cups celery, roughly chopped
• 2 cups carrots, roughly chopped ( I chopped baby carrots that were already peeled and ready to eat)
• 8-10 whole peeled garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 6oz can (we used the whole can because we weren't going to waste any)
• 2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (or 1 can of green beans)
• 1 1/2 cups whole pearl onions, skins removed (these come in a can or jar, or if you want to use fresh pearl onions boil them in water for a few minutes, drain, then plunge into ice-water to cool.  The skins will slide right off then. I thought I could just skin them all using a knife without the water trick and it took me forever!)
• Salt to taste

First brown meat then add everything into a crock pot.  Cook on medium-low for 4 to 5 hours or until meat is tender.  This stew is super easy and tasty!

It was so nice I had to take my pictures outside today!

A bowl for myself.

I absolutely love every one's comments and suggestions.  Going forward my blog will have more pictures with lighter dishes and beautiful backgrounds...I am a photographer in training.  I will also have recipes each week along with funny stories, and I want to share more about the beautiful resort town I live in.  I'll be sharing more about fun things in my area, it could be entertainment, home decor, fashion, local legends etc.  So keep the suggestions and comments coming!  I love them!



Lemon Cream Cake

Spring is near and the fresh scent of lemon reminds me of warmer days!  I never used to care for lemons, but now that I've grown older I absolutely love them.  Lemons brighten up most any dish.  Today, I'm sharing a recipe I got from one of my best friends, a recipe for Lemon Cream Cake.  Niki Carstens owns and operates, from scratch by niki at www.fromscratchbyniki.com.  She makes super delicious treats that also look pretty.  I know Niki has made this dessert before and hers turned out awesome, you'll have to read below to see how mine turned out.  Let's just say we don't always get everything right the first time. :)

For this recipe you'll need the following:
1 pkg white cake mix (Betty Crocker)
1 pkg lemon cake mix (Betty Crocker)
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 lemon
1 c. whipping cream
1 8 oz pkg Mascarpone Cheese (Italian sweet cheese)
1 c. powdered sugar
4 Tbsp softened butter

Make white cake according to the directions on the box, adding sour cream and vanilla.  Bake in a 10 inch round baking pan. (Okay, I didn't have a 10 inch round baking pan so I used a 10 inch deep dish pie plate.  It worked very well except I was "multi-tasking" while I was baking and I forgot to grease the pie plate....don't forget to grease the pie plate or cake pan.)

Cool the cake completely and I do mean completely!  I was rather anxious to make my dessert so I didn't let it cool long enough.  I'd say leave it for a couple of hours.  This cake is so moist and delicious that if you try to do anything with it too soon it will fall apart.

For the lemon cream filling, mix the Mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest of half of lemon, juice of 1 lemon (make sure the lemon is at room temperature before you squeeze it for juice,  The average lemon will get you 3 Tbsp of juice) and whipping cream.  Mix until creamy and smooth.

For the crumb topping, combine 3/4 cup of the lemon cake mix with the softened butter so that it's crumbly.  Softened butter is the key, I used melted butter-which I knew better, and got lumps not crumbles...it still tasted good though!

To assemble:  Cut cake in half, spread a generous amount of filling between the cakes layers, then top the cake with more cream filling, finish by sprinkling crumbles all over cake.  This cake is best served cold so place in refrigerator for several hours or over night.

Here was my finished product, with what I learned and shared with you today yours should look prettier..regardless of looks it was delicious, moist and creamy!

Yum!  Yum! I already ate some!



My 4 year-old likes to be the random kid in pictures, so here is his contribution to my photo shoot.



The Dreamer & Cinnamon Rolls

Most people who know me, know that I'm a dreamer.  My brain never stops.  In fact for my birthday on January 18, 2006 one of my best friends bought me a journal.  On the first page she wrote,
Dear Danae,
Happy Birthday my friend!  I hope you use this journal for writing, or for jotting down new ideas as they come to you......your brain never stops! I love you!
That journal, among others, is full of my hopes, my dreams, my goals and my ideas.  Some of them have come to fruition, some of them vanished over time, but many of them are still on my list of Things To Do Someday.
I feel as though what I am is a professional juggler.  I am juggling a family, a career, a passion for so many things that I try to fit into my blog, which is definitely a work in progress, and a social life.  I do find myself blessed because of all the people who have entered my life over the years. I find inspiration in so many of them, and they continue to push me whether they know it or not.  I have a very dear relative who inspires me daily, which she finds ironic because she feels she is currently lacking in motivation and ambition.  I believe some people just have a special gift, and they don't even know it.  They don't realize how they affect people, it's the little things in life that create a big difference.  It's a smile, a 'hello' or lending a helping hand.  You never know how your actions can impact another person's life.  I need to do more to show people how much I appreciate them.  I should send more cards, make more phone calls or even take the time to write a letter. 
Life gets busy and we try our best to fit everything in.  In fact to quote the character of Gloria from one of my favorite movie's, Grown Ups:  "Life can be difficult sometimes, it gets bumpy. What with family and kids and things not going exactly like you planned. But that's what makes it interesting. In life the first act is always exciting. The second act... that is where the depth comes in."

Now for my super easy delicious cinnamon rolls.  Growing up I was spoiled, my grandmother made the best cinnamon rolls ever. I've tried to duplicate them and they just don't turn out like grandma's so when my kids want 'homemade' cinnamon rolls I use another super quick and easy recipe.  You'll need:
1 loaf of Mrs. Rhodes freezer white bread
2 Tbsp real butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon

You can thaw the frozen bread dough in the refrigerator overnight or I just lay mine on the counter in the morning and make my rolls in the afternoon.  My kids will eat them the next day for breakfast.  After your dough has risen, roll out on a counter top or large cutting board into a large rectangle.  Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon mixture on top.  Roll and cut into 12 rolls.  Place in greased 9 x 13 pan, cover and let rise 1 hr.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Allow to cool then drizzle with icing.
For icing mix:
3/4 c. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp mascarpone cheese (sweet Italian cheese)
1 Tbsp milk

OR 3/4 c. powdered sugar, 2 Tsp butter, 1 Tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla

These are ooey, gooey and super delicious.  Your kids will love them, and they are so easy you'll love to make them!  Where was this picture taken you ask?  Well, that is my window sill....you'd better watch it I might start taking pictures of food in odd places. :)

Minnesota Sunset & Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts

As a mother of three, I try really hard to have individual time with each of my kids.  I love to spend time with them and listen to them tell me about their day, share stories and their hopes and dreams.  Last night I was driving my 10 year-old son home from his pitching clinic and we were having the best conversation.  In that moment, I was so proud to be his mom and so proud of what a great kid he is turning into.  He was in the middle of a sentence when he stopped and said, "Mom look at the sky."  I looked to where he was pointing and the sky was pink!  It was not a pale pink, it was bright pink!  "As soon as we get home you need to take a picture of that," he said.  We continued to visit and watch the sky until we got home.  I took the picture that is posted below and you will see the most spectacular showing of creativity known to man.
The sky sort of reminded me of a painting that my 4 year-old had brought home recently. He had painted almost every inch of a piece of paper in blue, pink, orange, yellow and purple, and I remember thinking, this reminds me of a sunset.  You will see from the photo of the sky below how magnificent the colors are.  Our creator took those colors from his palette and splashed them into the sky for all of us to see.  It was an amazing site and the pictures don't do it justice.  I am always in awe of my surroundings and try to find the beauty in the world.  If you are surrounded by nature you shouldn't have to look very far.

This is my son's painting:

On to the delicious stuff......dessert, yum!  Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts is a simple and easy dessert that I created myself.  There are a few ways to put this together.  You can either make 6 tarts in a cupcake pan & one mini pie, two mini pies or one large pie.  The ingredients you will need are as follows:
1 box of refrigerated pie crust (I use Pillsbury in the red box) leave on counter for 10 to 15 minutes before use
1 21 oz can of blueberry pie filling (2 cans if you are doing one large pie)
1 8oz brick of cream cheese softened
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp of vanilla

I will tell you, I absolutely love to bake but I don't have all of the fancy gadgets that some people have so it's called improvising.  To make my tarts I used the Pampered Chef crust cutter (3 1/2 inch) because it's round like a biscuit cutter and cut 12 rounds out of the crust. (I can hear a few people laughing at me already) 
I placed 6 rounds in the cupcake pan then put a tablespoon or more of the blueberry pie filling in each one.  (It's not an exact science)
Then, in a bowl I mixed the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth.  I then placed a tablespoon or so of the cream cheese mixture over the blueberry pie filling in each tart.  Next, I placed another round of crust over the top of each tart, folding it a bit so it looked more rustic and sprinkled each one with a few drops of water then sugar.  I did cut a hole in the top of each tart as well.  I baked these at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes.  And here is the result:



Why are there only four tarts in the picture you ask?  Because my children had already eaten two of them by the time I got the camera out!  They are delicious.  You could serve with a scoop of ice cream.

I used the leftover ingredients from making the tarts to make one mini pie.  Bake the pie at 425 for 15 minutes then cover edges with aluminum foil then bake another 20 to 25 minutes longer.

This dessert is so delicious and creamy.  A large pie is simpler.  Just lay one crust in a 9 inch pie plate, dump two cans of blueberry pie filling on it, dump the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla mixture on top, place the second pie crust on it, cut slits in the top, sprinkle with water and sugar.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes then cover edges with aluminum foil, then bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes.  Enjoy!