In this world, it's often very difficult to believe in happily-ever-after. With a divorce rate of 50%, anger and hate so prevalent in the media, and the so-called example set for us by Hollywood and Washington, the idea of the princess and prince being together forever seems like a childish fantasy. Well, this evening, I met a man who has, after many years, found his happy ending.
My seat mate on my flight out to LA was an older gentleman. He didn't talk much most of the flight but as we were coming into LA, he seemed to feel compelled to tell me his story. I don't know his name and will likely never see him again, but his story touched me so that I feel compelled to share it.
When he was a young man, he was in the military and is a Vietnam Veteran. He was stationed at Shaw Air Force base. There he met a young lady, his commanding officer's secretary. They married and had children. When his daughter was young, he and his wife divorced. For whatever reason, and he said there were some family members who worked to make this happen, he lost touch with his ex-wife and their children. Just last September, his daughter found him on Facebook and called him, after 35 years. They spoke for many hours over the next few days and he eventually went to see her and his ex-wife, flying across the country. He has since spent several weeks at a time visiting with them and just a few weeks ago, he and his ex-wife remarried. They both lived their lives single, never found anyone else, and realized they always wanted to be together. He now has 4 grandchildren and has decided to move across the country to be with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He was so happy that I could see tears in his eyes and he didn't seem the type to cry easily.
I don't know why he felt compelled to tell me his story. I am a stranger and was not encouraging conversation. I suppose he just needed to share. I am glad he shared. He renewed my faith in happily-ever-after.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Make your own baby food the easy way
Making baby food at home sounds so daunting, but once you get the hang of it, it's super easy. Moms don't need Gerber to tell them what their baby should eat. We know our babies best. Plus, making food at home means no preservatives and you know exactly what baby is eating. If you're like me and want to limit baby's exposure to chemicals and plastics, making baby food at home is the answer.
Purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans (frozen is easier), green peas (canned or frozen, check for no added salt), bananas, pears, apples, butternut squash, yellow squash, zucchini, peaches, prunes, and avocados are all great foods for baby.
On a weekend day when you have a bit of free time, wash and peel the fresh foods. Cut foods into thumb sized pieces and steam.
The Nesco 4 quart double steamer is BPA free, very inexpensive, and works great for steaming more than one food at a time.
Carrots take about an hour to steam. Most other foods are 30 mins or less. No need to steam pears or bananas. Just let them ripen to soft and puree.
Go about your business, play with baby, while the food cooks. This is the great thing about a steamer.
When steaming is done and the foods are soft enough to mash with a fork, either let cool in the steamer (will take longer to cool) or transfer to a bowl. Let foods cool to room temperature.
Place food with a little water in a food processor or blender. I've found that the Bullet (or it's off brand counterparts) works wonderfully for pureeing food in the amounts you are likely to make at once. Use the grinding blade. Grind to pureed. If you have a little trouble getting a good puree, add a little more water.
Spoon food into clean glass jars (I love these 3.75 oz from Specialty Bottle, way cheap, reusable, and the lid is lined with plastisol, no BPA or other bad things). I like to fill the 3.75 oz about halfway but you can add more if your baby is older. Just leave expansion room for freezing. Label jars using a sharpie with the type of food and the date.
Many people will tell you to freeze the food in cubes in an ice cube tray and then pop out and store in plastic bags. Too much plastic exposure for me and they get freezer burn in the bags. Storing in the glass jars means all you have to do is grab a jar whether at home or on the go. Baby can take his fruit to daycare, too.
Freeze food. Food can be stored in freezer for 2-3 months.
When baby is hungry, remove the metal lid and microwave for 30-60 s. Stir very well and make sure it's not hot before serving baby. Touch the food or let it cool for 30 mins.
With the right tools, making baby food at home is so easy. All in all, the actual work is about 1.5 hr once or twice a month. If you steam 2 or 3 foods at once (two medium sweet potatoes, a bag of carrots, 4 apples), you'll make enough for several weeks for a 6 month old baby.
Purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans (frozen is easier), green peas (canned or frozen, check for no added salt), bananas, pears, apples, butternut squash, yellow squash, zucchini, peaches, prunes, and avocados are all great foods for baby.
On a weekend day when you have a bit of free time, wash and peel the fresh foods. Cut foods into thumb sized pieces and steam.
The Nesco 4 quart double steamer is BPA free, very inexpensive, and works great for steaming more than one food at a time.
Carrots take about an hour to steam. Most other foods are 30 mins or less. No need to steam pears or bananas. Just let them ripen to soft and puree.
Go about your business, play with baby, while the food cooks. This is the great thing about a steamer.
When steaming is done and the foods are soft enough to mash with a fork, either let cool in the steamer (will take longer to cool) or transfer to a bowl. Let foods cool to room temperature.
Place food with a little water in a food processor or blender. I've found that the Bullet (or it's off brand counterparts) works wonderfully for pureeing food in the amounts you are likely to make at once. Use the grinding blade. Grind to pureed. If you have a little trouble getting a good puree, add a little more water.
Spoon food into clean glass jars (I love these 3.75 oz from Specialty Bottle, way cheap, reusable, and the lid is lined with plastisol, no BPA or other bad things). I like to fill the 3.75 oz about halfway but you can add more if your baby is older. Just leave expansion room for freezing. Label jars using a sharpie with the type of food and the date.
Many people will tell you to freeze the food in cubes in an ice cube tray and then pop out and store in plastic bags. Too much plastic exposure for me and they get freezer burn in the bags. Storing in the glass jars means all you have to do is grab a jar whether at home or on the go. Baby can take his fruit to daycare, too.
Freeze food. Food can be stored in freezer for 2-3 months.
When baby is hungry, remove the metal lid and microwave for 30-60 s. Stir very well and make sure it's not hot before serving baby. Touch the food or let it cool for 30 mins.
With the right tools, making baby food at home is so easy. All in all, the actual work is about 1.5 hr once or twice a month. If you steam 2 or 3 foods at once (two medium sweet potatoes, a bag of carrots, 4 apples), you'll make enough for several weeks for a 6 month old baby.
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