Spring 2013: 8 Links To Spring into Spring

It seems every spring I blog about the same old stuff... spring cleaning, Earth Day, yummy foods, getting out and gardening... Instead of regurgitating everything, here are a few of my links from years past in case you'd like to peruse at your own pace:

• No better time than during spring cleaning to start an all natural cleaning supply routine.
• Celebrate spring with these 7 tips to live simply.
• The spring thaw is he perfect time to start composting.
• 18 ways to get your New England yard ready for spring.
• Buy your ice pop maker now, you'll will be making oodles of popsicles for hot, sweaty kids any day.
• Carve yourself out a little corner in your yard, so that you can start sipping tea and watching the trees bud and flowers blossom.
• I am sooo excited to get back on the grill... and to eat summer salads... lots and lots of salads!
• Start your summer bucket list now so that you can start planning/budgeting/daydreaming for your summer.

Any other ideas for a successful spring in New England that you'd like to share?

Spring 2013: Sunscreen Shopping

I do this post every spring... because it is important. You need to shop for sunblock each year because last years sunblock will lose potency with time and changes in temperature.

Before I go to the store, I check in on my favorite database from EWG Skin Deep. It is an amazing resource where you can look up your product and find out everything from it's cancer causing chemicals, developmental & reproductive toxicity and allergies & immunotoxicity info.

You can the see a rating system for each product (0-2 is Low Hazard, 3-6 is Moderate and 7-10 is High Hazard.)

I went with the Badger Sunscreen again this year for my girls as it had a rating of 1 and was relatively inexpensive. There are some great organic products out there, but they cost $20 for 2 ounces! My kids would go through that in a day!

Just remember that even on days when it feels cool, you are still getting a ton of sun on a bright day. The girls and I spend the last few days of our spring break outside... and even though we were in sweatshirts due to the cooler temperatures, we all ended up with rosy cheeks!

Spring 2013: Growing Vegetables in Containers

Well, spring is here and well under way. I'd say it is time to start sharing some of my favorite spring into summer ideas.

Remember two years when I started my square foot garden? It has been a great success for a garden in a small space for little money. I even found a great step by step at Frugal Dad if you'd like to try this year.

Unfortunately, in my new living space, I have even more limited growing area. This year I have gone with container gardening. This can literally be done most anywhere... porches, lawns, rooftops, driveways... Fortunately, I do have s great sunny space next to my front steps:

Container growing is super-easy. You just want light colored containers with good drainage holes (dark attract too much heat), a good soil (Peat-based mixes, containing peat and vermiculite are great and hold water well), and you will need to keep them watered frequently. Here is a great resource for container gardening specific vegetables.

This year we will be trying strawberries, cucumbers, carrots, brussels sprouts, TONS of sweet basil, thyme, rosemary and broccoli.

What are you growing this year? And what method do you use?

You're doing it wrong.

Does anyone else hate the parent drop-off or pick-up line more than I do? Seriously, I can breathe myself through most any daily inconveniences: long lines at a grocery store, rude comments from coworkers, gum stuck to my shoe... whatever. But, somehow, the parent pick-up line is a curse in my day that will someday drive me over the edge.

Do you remember this scene from Mr. Mom? I don't think it meant much to me as a child who grew up in a rural area where people take buses to school. But now? Now that I live in the suburbs where every god forsaken helicopter parent feels the need to supervise their child at every moment of every day... this scene rings so very true.

Thank all-that-is-holy I only have to pick Annika up once per week to ensure a timely delivery to gymnastics... because once a week is more than enough. After waiting the 30 minutes parked in line with a 4 year-old who is predictably tired/hungry/thirsty... after her full day of daycare to get the once over from the duty teacher (thankfully some  strategically placed tattoos covering my right arm allow me to skip the ID check in the spring and fall) and then she will let the child into my car. The child who inevitably ask, "Mom, why can't you get here sooner???"

To which I have to reply I got here 30 minutes before the school even let out, yet I am STILL 40th in line! I swear these parents drop the kids off at the front in the morning and then circle around the back to start waiting for the pick-up.

Seriously, go back and watch Mr. Mom now... it has taken on a whole new meaning now that I am the parent.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Recipe: Penne with Ricotta and Crispy Pine Nut Topping

My 12-year-old has hit one of those coming-of-age moments: she has decided to be a vegetarian... for one month. I think most girls go through it at some point, I know I did. Unfortunately for her 2 sisters, I am not a short order cook and what one person eats for dinner... we all eat. Congratulations Annika and Acadia, you are also vegetarians this month!

While I am fairly well versed at vegetarian cooking, trying to find dinner recipes to please a 4 and 7-year-old is not quite as easy.  I have found a few meals that all 3 girls (and myself) do like. And when Acadia woke this morning and asked if she could have last nights penne for breakfast, I knew it was a recipe I just had to share.

Here you go:

1 1/2 cups penne
1 tbs plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
2 tbs shallot finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 tsp flour
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cup ricotta
3/4 grated parmesan, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbs pine nuts
2 tbs panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp dried basil

Cook the penne until al dente. Drizzle with 1 tsp oil and keep warm. Preheat your broiler and oil some ramekins and place on cookie sheet. Heat 1 1/2 tsp of the oil in large saucepan. Add shallot and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Stir in flour until paste forms. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, stirring until sauce thickens (if it gets too thick, add a bit more milk.) Slowly stir in ricotta and 1/2 cup of parmesan. Remove from heat and add in fresh basil. Stir penne into sauce. Spoon mixture into your ramekins.

Combine remaining parmesan, 1 1/2 tsp oil, pine nuts, dried basil and panko. Sprinkle about 1 tbs over each ramekin. Broil 2-3 minutes or until topping is browned.

It's that easy. It was quite yummy and pleased all three girls... which is hard to do! All I can say, though, is make sure your bread crumbs are panko and do not skip the pine nuts. That crispy topping really made the whole dish.

*I adapted this recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine, which I highly recommend for some great recipes. I also love that I can get it on my Nook (or Nook app) for even more convenient reading.

Mommy and Me Monday: My baby girl.

This is how I wake up most mornings that I have the girls. Acadia loves... LOVES to snuggle with Momma. She always says, "Mom, you have the warmest, most comfortable bed in the whole world!" And I do not mind a bit. I know I have repeatedly said this, but I am savoring every last moment before this little girl starts kindergarden. Actually, until her sisters get out of school in June. These are the last few fleeting months that her and I will have alone time... and I truly treasure it.

I must kiss her 100 times a day... because she lets me... and who knows how long that will last. Just look at that smile... could you resist?

Go visit Krystyn for more Mommy and Me moments.

Simple Mommy Jewelry

It's my birthday in a few weeks and I got the annual message from my mom, "Please tell me what to get you. You are so hard to buy for." I do recognize I might be harder to buy for than others since I am so vocal about living simply and minimally. And my mother is really good about going for the experience gifts... or my personal favorite, a new tattoo.

But this year, I do want something... tangible. I want a mother necklace of some sort. You know... something like this:

{here}

Bwahaha... I kid. But seriously, I have avoided mothers jewelry simply because so much of it is really tacky. And I need simple... very simple. I never wear jewelry. I usually have on one ring and the same diamond earrings I put in my ears 7 years ago when my mother gave them to me for my 30th birthday. But I would love to honor my daughters with a pretty piece of bling.

And so I turned to my favorite jewelry store... Etsy, and started shopping. Unfortunately, there were hundreds of thousands of pieces listed under "Mother". (And a lot of those were still tacky too!) But I think I  may have narrowed it down.

This one is pretty much as simple as it gets.

I really like the symbolism of the bird here... but not sure about only initials as opposed to the girls' names.

I think the pea pod is super cute, but I would change this font... why, oh why, do people ever use all caps???

For this one, I could have the smaller circle say "My loves." and then all 3 names in the larger circle?

Pretty much as simple as a mothers necklace could come.

And this one offers the symbolism of the bird along with all names spelled out. 

Sooo, what do you think? I could really use help deciding... it literally took me hours just to narrow the field this far!