March Break Mission Clues from McDonald's

Little Detective AJ loves a good puzzle or mystery to solve. Two Happy Meals this spring break at McDonald's from Dr Brainy's chemistry lab and I finally clued in that the clues for the Red Lab Book and red Crayola crayon, are posted throughout the McDonald's Restaurant's walls! I didn't want to go back with all the kids for a third Happy Meal, so I did what a reasonable momma would do and went to McDonald's for a decaf coffee black, and took photos of the clues to bring home for my son!

Posting them here in my blog so he can see them in one click of a mouse. If you are looking for a red lab book, I have an extra one I could send you. Enjoy!

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #1

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #2

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #3

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #4

Here is a scan of the red note book, all created by McDonald's. Enjoy your March Break Mission. I imagine today Friday is the last day!

And the last task is the help Dr Brainy finish the drawing of his pie-making machine. And a big thank you to McDonald's for putting this together. I suppose I could print clues and hide them on the walls around the  house too!

Art inspired by Dr Brainy

Like Plants vs Zombies??

Tips for Picky Eaters and Tasty Textures

Before Little Mary grew her chompers, she was a good eater. I couldn't keep enough baby cereal in stock, nor could I have enough home made pureed food ready or defrosted so I would have to run out and buy jars of baby food to keep up with the consumption!

However at Mary's one year doctor's appointment, the weight and height measurements seemed to indicate she had fallen off the growth chart to 0% and the doctor had to explain to me the diagnosis she gave for "failure to thrive". She reassured me that it was a medical terminology but she was not having trouble breathing or anything like that. I almost cried (but I didn't) just cuz it sounded so bad. She referred us to a pediatrician but the appointment would be weeks away.

Then shortly before Christmas, Mary was already one years old with four or five teeth, but the next two were coming in and she didn't eat for days, just surviving on breast and cheerios for sure. From that point, I noticed the food strikes with a day of good eating here and there. At the start of February Mary caught an ear infection and a chest cold and around the same time she stopped eating too, except for cheerios and junk crackers and sometimes raisin bread and fruit smoothies with goji berries and kale. And we offered any  Finally the appointment with the Pediatrician came up. Mary was evaluated but there were no physical or developmental issues for her lack of interest in eating. The doctor referred Mary to a Dietician at the hospital who observed my notes on Mary's diet over five days. She analyzed the volume of formula Mary was taking (20 to 24 oz) and all the junk calories I was giving her and she explained to me it was about the food texture!

The babies have teeth to chew but it is only an up and down motion so the rotary chewing has not fully developed so whatever they can't chew well enough to swallow- apple slices, thick bread, meat they will spit out. As well because of the transition period of infant cereal and bottled formula to table foods there is a time of weaning when  it will appear they are not eating. She suggested foods of uniform texture and cutting out the junk calories that come from goldfish crackers.

1. Foods with Uniform Texture
- salmon patties
- french toast
- pancakes
- hamburger patties but not extra lean ground beef; add more egg and bread crumbs for a smoother texture
- shredded cheese

2. Offer a new food up to 15 times

3. Let them explore the food and and get messy

4. Offer foods with richer calories
Cheese, high fat yoghurt like the Liberte 6% or 9%

5. Establish good eating habits, sit at the table
Try to keep a schedule to avoid random snacking  in between meals

The period of transition being tough for the baby brings up an interesting tidbit I read on National Geographic about the analysis of teeth and bone skeletons of early humans that the impact of the lower nutritional intake at the time of weaning was observable in the teeth.

I just want her to eat more and grow taller

Mundane Disturbances on the Homefront as War Rages On Overseas

Taking a moment to reflect on the past and present struggles of being a military spouse of a deployed member and months later, the return of the deployed spouse. It's been in the news lately, the more serious topic of PTSD. People change when they return home from the war; as well the people at home change too. Here are some things that I never expected to happen to us, but taking a lighter approach as I analyze what's happened between us.

TOP 5 THINGS I never expected as a military wife

1) Reunion Stress.

I read about this in the brochures from the military family resource center but I didn't really grasp the gravity of the scenarios that some people go through. Fortunately it was not too bad for me, really. Considering us being apart for 10 months; daddy overseas and momma at home with a toddler and newborn (with the help of a super-nanny mind you). I never cried once that I missed him, though I know I did miss him lots. I never felt sad that Valentines Day and my birthday day we were apart, because he mailed me lots of letters and handmade cards (free blank ones created by Stampin' Up consultants).  Not even missing the wedding anniversary bothered me. It was the first week he came home and it was like... man what I do cook for dinner? I haven't cooked seriously for 10 months! Sharing the bed again with someone other than a toddler and a baby!

On the flip side, I can only think about what it must be like for him. Imagine being on high alert for months,and having huge operational responsibilities all day at work, making life and death calls.... and suddenly having to come home and your baby cries alot, your wife talks too much, or the children quarrel over pieces of Lego... how annoying would that be for the man!


2) Some men don`t take Parental Leave

Nope, not this one. Not even a single day! Whereas I have taken the full year and more for each of the four kids. Pretty sweet deal for me! But the greatest sacrifice I never expected to make was to leave my Engineering career of 12 years (well I suppose four of those on mat leave LOL) and move the family. But not counting what I lost, I count only what I have gained, more time with my children. Hence the reason I suppose he never took any parental leave... time away from the annoying kids!

3) Learning to Iron and Sew

What did I learn in high school Home Ec class? O whatever. I am very lucky I married a military man who felt that it was his own pleasant duty to manage his own uniform upkeep and ironing. Thank God, because I don't iron my own shirts and I send my own work clothes and shirts to be dry cleaned just for the purpose of the free pressing.

He decided, long before we got married that he would like to iron his own shirts and pants cuz that was what he did throughout all the years before he met me He even said, "One man one kit" but he would still often agree to iron my shirts for me if I had them on hangers along with his. Wow, sweet deal for me!  HOWEVER on that note, I have a friend who is on the opposite end with the excellent Home Ec skills. She bought a top notch sewing machine and learned to hem pants.. all of the military uniform pants and non-uniform pants for her husband.

Well I guess I'm pretty good at keeping the combats' colours sharp. Either way, I know as a woman, standing beside our man in uniform, everything we have to do, to keep that uniform looking sharp and safe; not over faded in the dryer or the sun. And no two-toning for the combat shirt and pants.

4) I break it, I fix it

I never knew that I could break down my front door with my own two shoulders! The story goes, I was supposed to stay home and watch the the baby and the toddler (only two kids at the time) while my husband went to Home Depot to pick up some mechanical parts to fix the lock mechanism for the front door lock that was catching. He had just returned home from Afghanistan on his first HLTA, and that was among the first task of things to fix around the house. For whatever reason, I decided it would be OK to sneak outside of my house and leave the two babies inside while I walked 100m to the end of the street to get the mail!

I had done this many times while he was away cuz why would I drag two kids out into the street with me just to get the mail? For all the hundred times I had been doing that, nothing bad ever happened until this time and I got locked out! My house (at the time) is an impenetrable fortress because we are the middle unit in a row of five townhomes. There is only a front entrance and a back patio entrance, no windows to climb through. O wait, there is a third entrance through the garage which can be opened by a remote control garage door opener, which was of course was in the car with my husband at Home Depot.

I locked myself out on this cold day.  I knocked frantically but there was just no way a two year old was ready to open the childproof lock on the front door. I banged my fists on the window, she banged her fists on the door. She cried and cried, and eventually gave up and ran back up to the living room and fell asleep on her play mat beside her blanket. Her little baby brother cried himself to sleep too, it wasn't that long really but it felt like I was crying for along time too. As soon as she moved away from the door, I knew I had to make that door open no matter what. I hit the door with my right shoulder as if I were king kong knocking down a ton of bricks, probably did that like 10 times; the door did not budge. I sat down the porch and cried some more. I switched sides and the door with my other shoulder about 20 times. I could feel something cracking; the latch plate on the door was coming undone and my front door was just about to swing open... when I heard the sound of the garage door opening and my husband's car approaching...

I had a lot of explaining to do, especially why I couldn't just wait for him to be back before leaving the house in the first place. He even told me it would've been easier to fix to just throw a rock in the window than to fix the whole crack in the door frame. Well now I know, this momma bear can indeed kick down a front door to reach her two sleeping babies who were already perfectly safe. doh!

5) Retirement Planning

The earliest age he can retire is age 39 but I really hope he is definitely planning for something alot later. I just don't think I could handle coming home from work and dinner is all cooked and the house is all cleaned; or how about having the kids all back from their after school activities. That would really freak me out. I would rather have us both retire at 65 I think. I've dedicated a whole rant on that subject of daddy daycare.

The Sexy Pizza Costume

What did you wear for Halloween? I didn't see the Sexy Pizza costume first or I would've bought that online! I ended up wearing every kind of animal print in my closet - snow leopard velvet top, cougar pants, leopard print scarf and pink and black fake ponytail. Not necessarily sexy, perhaps a little bit too scary!

Image Source

On the topic of pizzas that men would love to eat (awh.... cheesy!), I think the Angry Bird Pizza would be a big hit. My sister in law found this on Pinterest and took the kids to shop for the pizza toppings. (See the original design on her iphone!)

Something fun to do with the kids and have dinner made by teeny tiny chefs in training at the same time!

What's Your Excuse?

Maria Kang image source

The "What's Your Excuse" hot mamma fitness instructor Maria Kang posted a recent Facebook profile picture that has riled up fat mamma's and skinny mamma's alike. Well my question is, why does she even have abs; wouldn't she and her husband be pregnant with number 4, 5, 6 and 80? Plus if she's a professional fitness trainer, than it would be her job to look and keep fit, nuff said.

As for me, my excuse for not having wash board abs is because, Number 1 - I have four kids age 6, 5, 3 and 10 months. O wait that's the whole of point of this discussion, that is not an excuse!

Number 2, It's my own fault that I eat bags of chips at night, chocolate cookies and cake at all hours of the day, and the odd protein shake and vitamins to make up for any nutrients I'm missing because I hate eating fruits and vegetables. My kids on the other hand have much better eating habits from the four food groups

Number 3, I don't exercise, other than running to pickup the kids from the bus stop or carrying loads of laundry up and down the stairs. I used to pull three kids in a wagon and carry one on my shoulder in a sling... but they're all walking now. My kids do more exercise than me, because I'm the one driving them to karate and swimming classes.

Number 4, I don't sleep. I choose to do all kinds of chores after 9pm when the kids are asleep.  Then I spend about an hour online just catching up, and another hour (or 5 minutes) to play piano. By the time I go through with my own night routine is half past midnight. But why bother going to sleep, the baby might wake up at 1am or 3am or the worst at 5am because then it's the morning, and nobody goes back to sleep!

But the bottom line, these are the choices I have made in my life. If you go to her facebook page, that's the underlying theme... it's all about choices. You choose to be happy, healthy, strong, busy, productive. I am not at all "annoyed" by Maria Kang's Facebook profile picture. People are mean to write some means things about her. They are probably just upset they don't see the same results in their own life, but that might be because of their own choices.

Natural Bombshell

Have you seen stars without makeup,  the photo mash ups of movie stars and celebrities will full makeup on the red carpet beside a paparazzi sniper shot of the same celebrity doing mundane errands at the grocery store, without makeup.  Sometimes they look stunning and great as a natural bombshell. Other times, well without the mascara and eyeliner you can't recognize who it is let alone distinguish the eyes from the bags under the eyes!

Image Source

One of the many differences between men and women, this article is making the rounds (again) this week. And why is it that a man will wake up and look just as good looking as they went to bed. However, women somehow deteriorate over night. Well the whole success of the skin care industry relies on this fact!

As for me, I cannot leave the house without a bit of eyeshadow or eyeliner. What is your must have item in your makeup kit? I'm not necessarily reviewing the deepest colours in eyeshadow or the best waterproof mascara, and I'm not qualified to give out makeup tips or eye makeup training. Click here for a consumer review of the Arbonne Pure Vibrance hair care and cosmetics lines. But here is an exclusive Christmas eye makeup collection that is vegan friendly and top of the line, from Arbonne! I hope you might enjoy for a natural look or the five minute face.

The glitter gold baked eyeshadow palette, the Majestic Colour Collection and the three luxury eye liners in glitter gold, silver and black. Here is the Majestic Colour Collection makeup Tutorial.

Just remember that the most important thing for anti-aging at any age is the spf in the day moisturizer to protect from the effects of the sun, and a targeted eye cream. The formulation of a proper eye cream will moisturize without attracting moisture (which causes puffiness). Does your skin care regimen reverse the signs of aging or does it make time stand still? Well I'm proud to say that mine will do both. Try a deep hydration mask. Great to see Arbonne in the news, again!

Beauty at Any Age

Wrinkle's? Anti-aging? Thinking of my grandma's and what it means to be ninety-eight and not even look it. I'm in my hometown for a last minute impromptu surprise visit with my new baby to see the great-grandmas.  They didn't even know I was planning to visit, well neither did I until about 18 hours before my flight!

Both my Grandmas.

Well the very cheerful palliative care nurse came to my grandma's room at the nursing home to have "the talk" with the grownups ie. my mom and her siblings.

I had just arrived from my flight with my baby. I knew the talk was coming up so I actually really wanted to leave the room. However I was settled in so snugly in grandma's extra comfy recliner chair with my baby strapped to me so I actually had to overcome great inertia to move. I had many questions and the nurse Kathy had all the answers.

This is my grandma who once lived with us and made breakfast for us, packed my lunch, brushed my hair into ponytails and walked me to the bus stop... and swept the floors a million times a day and made all kinds of traditional Chinese "bao go" while we were at school... and never stopped moving or working for one second; well now she's sitting quietly and relaxed finally... and holding my baby too!

The nurse took one look at my grandma and cheerfully declared, in my experience she does not look like her time is imminent, she is sitting up and talking to you, she is very nourished, glowing and she is breathing well, but you folks have described a list of what people tend to do when their bodies know the time is near. Of course, the best scenario is when it happens peacefully in the night, we all want that, but we won't know...

These words were so hard to hear yet she described them so matter of fact and cheerfully I didn't even feel sad. So they decided it was not appropriate to move her to palliative care (up until that point I didn't even know what that word meant) and just let her be happy where she is.

In fact, I even watched her change the battery for her one tiny hearing aid all by herself. I was too busy staring with my mouth half open in surprise to even offer to help. Such amazing dexterity!

FOUR signs when things are coming to an end, these signs exhibited.

1) The need to gather everyone.
Grandma was asking everyone to come immediately, call Kim (my sister, favorite granddaughter) call all the children. Obviously she didn't ask for me by name, but I realized  that I should come and see her.

2) Withdrawing from Life
Two weeks ago, grandma was playing bingo and croquet in the main games area, something I have never ever imagined she would like to do. Then after her fall (no broken bones) her mood changed, she didn't even go outside for meals or the big room for TV. Suddenly she became very attached and needy and always asked for mom to be at her side.

3) Anxious at night
It's dark, it's quiet, less activity, less distractions, trouble sleeping.

Think of a young child (like Lincoln age 2.5) looking for mommy right after school, first thing in the morning, even in the middle of the night or unable to fall asleep. The same thing, an old woman calling for her daughter.

4) Loss of appetite
I got the impression she was giving up on eating because she seriously thought she was dying so why bother eating. That or maybe she was just protesting the hospital food, lol.

I visited my other grandma too, about 11 years younger. I am still inspired daily by her love for Jesus and dedication to the faith, her strong and encouraging words. As well, she should be the official spokesperson for Pond's - the skincare of octogenarians!