Happy World Breastfeeding Week! [Tandem Nursing Pictures]

In honor of world breastfeeding week I decided I would write a blog, so exciting, I know.  Breastfeeding for me has been a long and winding journey, when I gave birth to Lily over eight years ago I had no clue that formula wasn't "just as good" as breast milk and that coupled with excruciating pain from a bad latch or tongue tie our breastfeeding relationship was short and full of grief.

With Jonas I tried again, this time breastfeeding wasn't as painful and I was beginning to know more as a Mother and less willing to listen to good-intentioned advice from people that knew even less than me. But again, breastfeeding just wasn't easy and at that time in my life, attempting to sell a home and moving two young children off of an island and back to California, breastfeeding wasn't the priority I wish it would have been.

Fast forward a few more years and along comes Oliver Crash, my breastfeeding champion!  After Oliver's birth which was incredibly hard both physically and emotionally I began to question my choices as a Mother a little bit more which led me to the great big world of "crunchy" mamas.  Breastfeeding is truly a community effort at times and the love, care and understanding I got from other Mothers is what made me love breastfeeding.  I breastfed Oliver through my pregnancy with Tulip and when she was born I tandem nursed them for over a year.  I decided to wean Oliver at the age of 3, a hard decision but one that I felt right about.  I will forever be grateful for the nourishment and bond I was able to give him.

Little Miss Tulip Bea was born to nurse and our journey has been smooth and primarily easy so far!  For those of you that wonder or didn't know; breastfeeding is like most things in life, lots of good and some bad.  There will be tears, sleepless nights, bite marks on your nipples and a small hand down your shirt most of the time.  But, there will also be sleepy-milky smiles, endless snuggles, the ability to comfort and calm, the power to nourish.

I have been a formula-feeding Mom and I have been a breastfeeding Mom, neither of those define you as a Mother but I can guarantee that one of those will change you. <3

These pictures are courtesy of Lisa Hoang at Simply Baby Photography in Kailua, Hawaii.
I took these last year when Tulip was maybe 9 months and Oliver was 2 1/2.  The Hawaii government was looking for pictures of local looking Moms to use in a new pamphlet for breast pumps.  While I didn't get picked, maybe the green hair? It was still such an honor to be considered and I will forever have these beautiful pictures to remember such an amazing time.

Amber necklace from Half Moon Mothering. :) 

Oh hot damn! [Grilled Jalapeno Poppers Recipe]

Wow!  Without even realizing it my blog has reached over 2,000 views!

I'm pretty pleased with myself, despite the fact that it's most definitely just the same 20 people reading every blog.  Including my Mom.  But oh well, I'll take what I can get.

I know most of my blogs have a theme, or I try to, in order to help myself stay focused and not ramble about nothing in particular.  But I feel like doing just that tonight, so I shall.  

1st thought.  Oliver's potty training is going well!  At 20 months he has become a master at knowing when he is going to pee and/or poop.  This is great, he will even take off his diaper to do it, even tho those who follow me on Instagram know that we pretty much let him be a pantless terror to make things easier on everyone.  Instagram: nicolehopefully in case you were wondering. 

Downsides so far.....he WILL NOT use his potty if there is already something in it.  If he has already peed/pooped and you haven't cleaned it out fast enough and he comes back to find it dirty he'll just pee or poop right next to his toilet.  Smart guy.  Only other obstacle we have had is he did happen to have one accident that unfortunately involved our iPad and it's Smart Cover.  Still trying to figure out how to clean that one.   Also if you happened to think we are awesome potty training geniuses cause Oliver is only 20 months you'd be wrong.  Jonas didn't get potty trained until almost 3 and had an incident involving his Nintendo DS and poop.  Ahh memories. 

In other news, school has started full swing!

I completed my first week back at college and feeling pretty happy about it.  I'm taking Human Development and little did I know it's something I'm actually interested in.  Hooray!  We did some Psych 100 review this week and next week we start on the Pre-Natal stuff.  I definitely feel outdated with my pen & notebook when all of the 18 year olds whip out their Mac books looking like Tumblr pictures or something but whatever.....my teacher looks like Liam Neeson so for some reason to me, it balances out. 

So, yep.  I am officially back in school & loving it!  It's much easier to appreciate an hour of calm 3x a week than it was when I was a teenager.  I know it won't always be this easy or exciting but I'm looking forward to this new-ish journey of becoming a student again.  And just to think, in 10 short years I may actually be a midwife?!  Ahh, to dream. 

And while I've been continuing my higher education the kids finally made it to their first co-op!  This is our first homeschooling co-op and I'm really looking forward to the year and everything that's to come. We meet every other Thursday and rotate teaching/snacks so we each end up doing it about twice a year.  At co-op they do music [the Mother dreaded recorder, or as I call it "screech of death"] along with art & science.  It helps the kids to learn how to listen to someone else and also let's them "socialize."  Eh, that was sarcasm but whatever. 

[All ready for their first day at Chestnut Grove co-op!]

I think I just realized my blogs do have to have a theme, there's no getting around that.  If there is a theme to this entry it's just that our lives are busy!  Even when we're trying not to do much there's still way too much to do, but I love, I crave it, and I wouldn't know how to live any other way.

In just the past few weeks of my Mom & sister leaving we've been to High Tea parties, learned about Essential Oils, cleaned, laughed, watched Hunger Games for the 3rd time.  I've had great talks with new friends, more Starbucks than I should have, and gotten the best mani/pedi ever.

I've started new books 7:An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess [which I'll blog about later] and Taking Charge of Your Fertility [which I should probably start reading now!]  I've had great talks with friends,  started working on American Heritage Girls badges with Lily [Sign Language is our First!]

Cleaned our van, contemplated changes, actually started getting ready for this little girl that is due in just 5 short weeks.  Gone to the library.  Gone to the park.  Gone to Whole Foods and spent way more money than we should have.  

So yeah, life is good.  I won't deny it.  Potty training.  Poop.  And all. :)

And tomorrow is my friend Dawn's baby shower!  

Almost everyone I know is expecting a little girl, and Dawn even with 2 beautiful girls before this is not an exception.  Looking forward to celebrating Alaula with her tomorrow and she requested my 

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers so here they are!  

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers!

You will need:

10 Jalapeños

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese, packed

1 bar of Cream Cheese, however many ounces that is.  8?

Salt & Pepper to Taste

I package of Bacon, slices cut in half. 

Toothpicks

[1] Cut your jalapenos in half and using a spoon scoop out the seeds.

[2] In a mixing bowl or food processor combine your cheese, salt & pepper until well blended.

[3] Using a spatula, the easiest, fill the hollowed out jalapenos with the cheese mixture. 

[4] Take one half slice of bacon for each jalapeno and wrap it around, using a toothpick to secure it as well as you can.  BE CAREFUL.  If you poke the toothpick too hard and it goes through the jalapeno and under your fingernail you will be screaming bloody murder.  Trust me. 

Just try to get the bacon as secured to the jalapeno as possible.  As it cooks it will shrink and stay on better.

[5] Grill these on medium heat, turning as needed until the bacon is nice & crispy

 and the cheese is melted!  It's a party in your tummy! 

Mommy's Helpers: Paint Chip busy bag & homemade Cheez-Its.

I went to the library the other day and checked out a book called Blogging for Dummies.

Cause really, that's how I feel.  I am loving doing this so far, much more than I thought I would and it feels nice to have something that is kind of just for me, even tho I'm basically blogging about my family life etc.  I have yet to actually open the book but I'm hoping good things come out of it, like maybe my writing is miraculously better or it can teach me how to do HTML by osmosis or something.

If you haven't noticed the blog is currently under construction as well.  One of my good friends, all the way from 6th grade [!!!] who lives in Orange County is helping me spruce it up.  So be on the look out for changes!  I hope to figure this blogging thing out a little better for my sake and for the 10 people that read this regularly as well.  

Decided to make my first "Busy Bag" yesterday.  Busy Bags are basically something you make for Toddlers or young kids that have something fun in them that can keep them entertained, in theory, while you're at the doctor's office, out to eat, etc.  This one caught my eye, basically cause it looked easy & cheap.  My two key components for anything in life pretty much. 

Color Match Busy Bag!

2 of each color paint chip
Clothes Pins
Glue
Scissors
Container for finished project

Do I really have to explain this?  It's as easy as it looks and cheap!  On one of Andy's many trips to Lowe's I told him to snag me some paint chips.  I think if I was to make this again I would use the smaller long square ones just to make it even easier.
I was pretty proud of myself and feeling like a productive Mom when I made these for the boys yesterday, envisioning them playing peacefully all while learning the fine nuances of paint shade colors.
Instead when I let Oliver play with them this morning he ripped them apart with his teeth.
 I guess it did keep him busy.......

If clothespins & paint chips won't keep your Toddler busy you can always feed them!
I let Oliver have a Nutella fudgesicle this morning for breakfast just so I could clean the fridge & freezer.  Oh the things you do for peace.  Yesterday, again I was a better Mom yesterday, I made homemade Whole Wheat Cheez-Its.  Really they were for me, I LOVE Cheez-Its.  I always have.  When I was in middle school I wrote a poem about my love for them, oh yes the love was that deep.
These crackers only have 4 ingredients, are so much better for you
and I swear they taste just like the real thing!

Home-Made Cheez Its

1 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar [or any cheese you want to try really!]
4 tbs. cold butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
Sea Salt

[1] Pulse all ingredients, except salt, in a food processor until well combined and start to form a ball, about 2 minutes.
[2] Knead on a floured surface to bring it all together.
[3] Place the dough between two sheets of waxed paper and use a rolling pin to get it about 1/8th of an inch thick.
[4] Use a pizza wheel or pastry cutter to cut dough into squares, I have a really shaky hand so mine were all different sizes, but whatever.
[5] Lay squares on a greased baking sheet, it makes a lot.  2 sheets is probably better if you don't want them too crowded.  They don't spread much tho.
[6] Using a fork poke holes in each square so you get that cool Cheez-It look and they don't puff up too much.
[7] Sprinkle evenly with sea salt.
[8] Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 18 minutes!

We pretty much ate all of these in one sitting.  They are addictive!