Happy 1st Birthday Baby!

Bella woke up 1 year old today! She seemed a bit taller, her eyes wider, one curl hanging slightly longer. As she smiled her ginaroumus toothy grin, my eyes bubbled with tears. One year ago today as I lay beached in my hospital bed I was filled with, wonder. Hopes. Dreams. scared to death, and on the brink of becoming a Mother. It has been one year, one wonderful year. Change happens so slow, but seems so fast. From a sleepy little blob, to a curious toddler. She's walking without fear, says Mama & Dada, loves food, books, shoes, animals and music. She laughs without reservation, smiles with unbridled joy, and gives sloppy kisses that melt my heart. Hapy Birthday Bella, I love you more than life itself.

The Bash

Sunday was the celebration. I worked for weeks cutting out the perfect round ladybug decorations, constructing banners, welcome signs and picture collages. I baked my heart out, taking breaks to call my Sister and cry, beg her to tell me Bella isn't turning one. I burried myself in party planing, poured all my love for her into one day. It was perfect. I can't wait for all of her birthday parties to come.

Wordless Wednesday

Nothing but love for Sex & the City 2

My obsession for Sex & the City revolves around the shoes, the clothes, the chic apartments, but most of all the bond they share. I think each character has a little piece of me, or at least an attribute I'd love to have. They are my friends in my head. 


I will not spoil the movie, for those that haven't had a chance to see it. I will say that as expected the fashion will knock your socks off,  the girls will make you laugh, cry, and leave you hoping for a part 3. I am completely convinced anyone that gives this movie a poor review, has no emotional attachment to the characters. I for one really related to Charlotte, who is feeling isolated and swallowed up by motherhood... they completely captured that feeling. We all have had that moment where you are so overwhelmed you break down in tears along with your toddler. We never talk about those moments, we all want the Mom next to us at the park, to think we have everything under control. I loved that they went there. 


What Sex & the City character do you relate with the most? 

Clean Green

Don't waste your money on toxic cleaning products, when three simple ingredients can do it all. I clean my entire house with baking soda, distilled white vinegar and lemon. 

Vinegar, is effective at killing mold, bacteria and germs, making this the perfect all-purpose cleaner. Don't be turned off by the smell, it vanishes quickly and can even be masked by essential oils (or if your like me, you'll grow to like it).  


Baking Soda, eliminates odors, dissolves dirt and grease in water, and works as a mildly abrasive souring powder.


Lemon,  has antibacterial and antiseptic qualities that make them a wonderful addition to your cleaning supplies. Perfect for removing stains, cutting grease, and who doesn't love the smell of fresh squeezed lemon!?

I've compiled a room by room list of all my Eco friendly cleaning tips, to share how you can save money, help the planet, and keep your home chemical free.

Bathroom:

soap scum: baking soda and vinegar


toilet: baking soda and lemon, add vinegar if the toilet is super dirty.


bath tub: vinegar and baking soda

unclog drain:  pour a handful of baking soda mixed with 1/2 cup vinegar down the drain followed by some boiling water.

Kitchen:

oven cleaner: create a scrub with; salt, baking soda and water. I find it works to warm up your oven before hand to loosen up anything that's really stuck on. 


garbage disposal: make vinegar ice cubes and run through the garbage disposal with cold water.


counter tops: vinegar and water (this should not be done with granite). 

coffee maker: fill reservoir with vinegar and run brew cycle, rinse with water.

microwave: boil solution of 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water in microwave, this will loosen splattered food and deodorize.

refrigerator: vinegar and water will deodorize, sanitize and clean up any messes.

cutting board: full strength vinegar will kill any bacteria. 

stainless steel: straight vinegar wiped with a soft cloth.

Plastic food-storage containers: To bleach stains on dishwasher-safe items, rub lemon juice on the spots and let dry in a sunny place, wash as usual.

Dishwasher: add vinegar to the rinse compartment for sparkling dishes.

Living Room:

window/glass cleaner: spritz with one part vinegar and one part water, wipe with soft cloth or newspaper. 


carpets: sprinkle with baking soda to deodorize and vacuum. 


hardwood floors: a mixture of warm water and a drop of dish soap will leave your wood floors shining.
water marks on wood: buff with water and olive oil.

Laundry Room:

Clothes will rinse better if one cup of vinegar is added to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar is mild enough as to not harm fabrics, but strong enough to dissolve the alkalies found in soaps and detergents.

Look who's walking...

At first cautious.
Arms reaching for me, not trusting herself to do it without me by her side. 
As the days crept by she grew brave. 
Arms stretched to the sky, her laugh cascading across the living room floor. 
And just like that she could walk. 

Wordless Wednesday

WFD: Cheesy Bread Bowl

I absolutely love olive oil, my favorite is groOrganic Italian blend. This all natural olive oil is grown, harvested and bottled in Central California. With studies suggesting that 2 tbsp of olive oil a day may reduce heart disease, I love it even more!!


This dish is a copycat recipe of the delicious cheesy bread bowl we had on Mother's Day, at the Auburn Ale House. Wonderful to serve with any meal, or as an appetizer.



Ingredients:

• bread bowl
• 4 tbsp butter
• garlic as desired 
• 1 cup mozzarella
• 1/2 cup cheddar

Preparation:

• Sauté butter and garlic until bubbly.
• Slice bread into squares, without cutting all the way through.

• Stuff the bread with garlic butter and cheese.  

• Wrap with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees
• Splash your serving plate with groOrganic Italian blend olive and place bread on top, lightly drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve. 

WFD: Not Ya Mama's Lasagna

This is the perfect dinner for anyone trying to lose 10 lbs before her Sister's September wedding... okay not really, but I love this lasagna! The thing that sets this lasagna apart from traditional recipes is the absence of ricotta cheese (which I am not a fan of). You can prepare this dish and freeze it, or heat immediately.  I think everyone should have a lasagna in the freezer at all times!



Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup vegetable oil  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 med. onions, chopped
• about 12 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 (6 oz.) cans of tomato paste
• 1 (13 oz). can tomato sauce
• 1 (13 oz.) can tomatoes
• Seasoning to taste (salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, basil)
• 1 large box lasagna noodles
•  grated Mozzarella (I used half a block as pictured above)
• grated cheddar cheese (I use half a block as pictured above)

Preparation:

Meat Sauce:Heat oil and margarine.  Add onions and sauté until onions very soft.  Add garlic.  Sauté for a few more minutes.  

Add browned ground turnkey.   

Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil and add seasoning to taste.  Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.  After 1 hour, you may need to add more water to get the sauce to the right consistency. 

Noodles:
Cook lasagna noodles according to directions on box.  Drain.  
Assembling lasagna:
Begin assembling lasagna by covering bottom of pans with a layer of meat sauce.  Add extra water to this layer of sauce; it will help prevent sticking.  Layer noodles on the sauce, patching open areas with noodles that may have split during cooking.  Follow the noodles with more sauce and then sprinkle cheeses on top.  Repeat layers of noodles, sauce, and cheeses until you fill pan.  (Generally,  4 layers in a standard 13 x 9 pan.) 

Cooking: 
Place pan in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Let it sit for about 5 min before cutting.

Freezing: 
You can cover with aluminum foil to freeze.  To cook frozen pans, allow to partially thaw and bake covered at 350 degrees for one hour.  Uncover pan for last 10 minutes of cooking.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Mother's Day

My journey to Motherhood began on September 25, 2009, the day I found out I was pregnant. I was scared at first, overwhelmed. I didn't have complete faith in myself in my capabilities to Mother. Those feelings were quickly fleeting as I dove into pregnancy books, researching all the do's and don't and preparing for my precious gift. I can remember like it was yesterday, rubbing my big ripe belly talking to my unborn daughter as I watched her move within me. I was shocked at the love I had for a person I had never met, dreaming of her face, her laugh and touch. The last week of my pregnancy I cried everyday, longing to hold her in my arms, to look into her eyes, to smell her soft skin. June 15th, 2009 that day came. The first time I laid eyes on her I felt God, in that instant I no longer lived for myself... I took each breath for her. We were made for each other, he gave me these arms to hold her, feed her, teach her. 

'Yes. It is true. I was created in you, It is also true that you were created for me. I own your voice. It was shaped and tuned to sooth me. Your arms were molded into a cradle to hold me, to rock me. The scent of your body was the air perfumed for me to breathe." -Maya Angelou

Watching her grow has been the greatest gift in my life. I love Bella not just for the joy that she is, but for the person she makes me. If I am remembered for one thing, let that be as a Mother.

Happy Mother's Day!   

Doodle Dypes Bowtique Bow GIVEAWAY!!

One of the best parts about having a little girl is all the adorable clothes and accessories. With spring in the air every little girl deserves a spunky flower in her hair, and at the prices over at Doodle Dypes, you can't afford to say No. I'm in love with this shop on Hyena cart! Doodle Dypes sells; bowtique hairbows, cloth diapers, and wipes. This Mama is beyond crafty, her handmade bows are bright, beautiful and very well made. The bows are versatile as the can be worn on the headband, or clipped directly in the hair.  So cute, I wish I could wear them myself!! Doodle Dypes was very generous to give my sweet Bella a hairbow, and one to GIVEAWAY to a lucky One Love Mama reader!

Here is how to get your little hand on this adorable bow...

BUY IT: They have a selection of various sizes and styles that will glitz up any outfuit. Plus don't forget to check out the diapers and wipes! 

WIN IT:

Doodle Dypes is giving away one lucky OLM reader this bowtique hairbow

MANDATORY ENTRY: Head over to Doodle Dypes and have a look around, tell me something you would love to buy from her shop. This must be done for your entry to count. 

EXTRA ENTRIES: 

• Like Doodle Dypes on Facebook 
• Follow my blog
• Follow me on Twitter

Don't forget to leave a separate comment for each entry! 

Open to Continental US only

Contest Ends 5/15 at 11:59pm PST

Honest Scrap

I'm honored and delighted to receive the Honest Scrap award from jayaycee.  The objective of this award is to share ten honest facts about myself and then pass it on to five other deserving bloggers.  So without further ado... 

1. I love trashy reality TV. I have yet to miss an episode of "The Real Housewives" and I'm talking OC, New York, New Jersey and Atlanta!! 
2. My Hubby and I eloped in Lake Tahoe, just the two of us. It was spontaneous, wild and the best leap I ever made.
3. I sing in the shower, and by sing I mean I belt it out.
4. I'm petrified of messing up my Daughter, passing down all of my insecurities. I try everyday to love myself and see myself, the way I want her to see herself. I refuse to send her out into the world with anything less.
5. I LOVE peonies, big gigantic fluffy pink peonies
6. I hope to adopt  a little girl from China in 5-10 years.
7. I Don't consider it gossiping if I'm talking to my Sister.
8. I'm a sucker for astrology. I match the description of Virgo to a tee! If my horoscope tells me to do something, nine times out of ten I'll do it!
9. Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting is my favorite dessert, hands down!
10. My Daughter is named after my Grandma, the most amazing, strong, witty woman I've ever met.

Next, I would like to award the Honest Scrap to five wonderful bloggers, I look forward to reading your 10. Thank you again to jayaycee for the lovely award!! 

Bringing Up Boys  

 lucille in the sky, 

Mommy of a Monster (I mean toddler) and infant twins, 

p.s love love., 

the daily mom diaries

Friday Funny

My very funny friend  The Mayor has started her very own version of #FF, the Friday Funny. Post something funny, link it up at Crazy Town, meet new bloggers and find a few laughs. unfortunately for me, the funniest thing going on in my neck of the woods is that, I'm sick as a dog and doped up on Dayquil. Which reminds me of a very funny joke, that is my reality as of the past week. 




A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. 


The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. 


In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a Cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. 


In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. 


He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. 


He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls. 


As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. 


He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?" 


She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?" 


"Yes," was his incredulous reply. 


She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

Healthiest Oil On Earth

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO) is an amazing product that you can find in any health food store. We use it for a plethora of things: cooking, diaper rash cream (cloth diaper safe), face and body moisturizer, and even as a deep conditioning treatment for my hair.
The oil is more solid during the winter and melts to liquid in the hotter months. The light smell of coconut is refreshing, and beachy. Plus it has a unique form of saturated fat that actually helps prevent stroke, heart disease, and hardening of the arteries. If you're not sold yet, you will be shortly... EVCO contains medium chain fatty acids that also speed up the body’s metabolism, burning more calories and promoting weight loss. Bottom line, you have to try this product or you'll be missing the benefits of the healthiest oil on earth.

Wordless Wednesday

Compost 101

I've mentioned on OLM before how I have a strange love for compost. Not only is it great for the environment, but it's incredible for your garden's soil. I only started doing it this year, and it's easy peasy, I swear anyone can do it. You can get a fancy compost bin or simply make your own (like we did). The question most people ask me is "What can and can't you toss in the compost bin?" I hope this inspires you to start a compost of your own. 




What to Compost:
There are two classes Greens, which are high in Nitrogen and provide protein. While the Browns, which are high in carbon provide energy. The ideal compost would have four parts brown to one part greens. 


Browns:

• shredded cardboard, this means pizza boxes!
• dried leaves
• bark and sawdust, in moderation
• straw
• corn stalks

Greens:

• grass clippings
• leaves
• kitchen scrapes (fruits, veggies, coffee grounds, tea bags)
• fruits

What NOT to Compost:

• pet droppings 
• ashes
• colored paper
• meat
• bones
• dairy
• chemicals

I just toss everything in the compost bin and let it cook, I turn it often with a pitch fork. A healthy compost pile will have worms, but not flies. If I missed anything, please add it to the comments! 

Diaper Diary part 1

If you would have told me that I would cloth diaper my baby and love it, I would have laughed in your face. My conception of cloth diapers was seriously dated. I had visions of safety pins and complicated wraps that would leave me elbow deep in baby poo. All skepticism aside I decided to do some research, to make the best decision for my Daughter. The facts that I uncovered were terrifying, do you even know the cornucopia of toxic chemicals disposable diapers contain? Or that Scientific studies show a link to asthma? If our founding Father's used disposable diapers they would still be sitting in our landfills, because they take a whopping 500 years to biodegrade. My main concern was how in the world would I keep up with the laundry?! The benefits of cloth out weighed my fears, so I jumped in.  


My Cloth Diaper Wash Cycle:


With a lot of 22 diapers I do my laundry every other day. For potty diapers you toss them right in the diaper pail. For poo diapers quickly rinse the poo off with a diaper sprayer into your toilet, and toss in the diaper pail. My diaper pail has minimal stink. A lid keeps all funk contained and a sachet of baking soda helps absorb any odor. When laundry day arrives I simply empty the diaper pail into my front loading HE washer and do as follows:

• 1 cold rinse (no detergent)
• 1 hot wash with 1/3 tablespoon powder
• 1 extra cold rinse
• Hang to dry

This process takes about 2 hours and does not back up my regular laundry. I must warn you cloth diapers are so adorable, you may become an addict.