How to Make the Transition from Breast to Bottle..and Back Again

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Krissyar

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This is a sponsored post on behalf of Munchkin LATCH products.

Most of us realize that when possible, breastfeeding is the best option for our babies. Whether you are a SAHM, or you work – inside or outside of the home – at some point you’re not going to be there to feed your little one every single time. My job doesn’t offer any type of maternity leave, so with each of my kids I’ve just taken 2 weeks off and then back to work. Breast feeding was important to me, and I was worried that my babies wouldn’t take well to transition from breast to bottle – and back again.

The last thing you need to worry about when you are away is that your baby can’t or won’t eat because they aren’t able to get used to a bottle nipple. I know I would call my Mom (aka my sitter) while I was at work every few hours at  feeding time to see how they were doing.

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That’s why I am so excited to tell you all about the Munchkin Latch bottles & pacifiers. Not only are the nipples shaped just like a breast, but they also stretch, pump and move just Mommy’s!

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The Munchkin LATCH bottle is designed to help with your breastfeeding goals. The one-of-a-kind LATCH nipple helps the baby latch easily and correctly. It helps ease the baby’s transition from the breast to bottle and back. The LATCH bottle mimincs mom’s breast by releasing more breast milk as the baby pushes against the nipple’s base. The Stage 1 LATCH nipple flow is designed with a reduced rate, and stages 2 and 3 are available allowing you to increase the flow as your baby grows.

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The LATCH bottle also helps reduce colic; the LATCH nipple flexes as the baby moves their head, maintaining the latch but decreasing the air intake. The anti-colic valve at the bottom of the LATCH bottle allows breast milk to flow while ensuring that the air bubbles don’t travel through which helps reduce gas and fussiness (Score 1 for Mom!)

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I love that they also made Munchkin LATCH pacifers with the same nipple!!

Munchkin LATCH products are available at Target and Babies ‘R’ Us. But you can choose your bottle size and nipple stages to fit your baby’s feeding needs exclusively at Munchkin.com – You can also get a great discount when you buy more bottles online, save up to 15% on your LATCH bottle purchases!

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This post is brought to you by Munchkin LATCH as part of the #LoveLatch campaign.

Posted in Parenting | 22 Comments

15 Cute Books to Celebrate MOM

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Krissyar

As Mother Day is quickly approaching, I wanted to share some of these great books that I LOVE LOVE reading with my son.

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1. Guess How Much I Love You
2. No Matter What
3. Mommy Loves
4. Mommy Hugs
5. My Mommy and Me
6. I Love You, Mommy
7. Mommy Loves You So Much
8. Mama, Do You Love Me?
9. The Runaway Bunny
10. I Love You, Little One
11. My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story
12. What NOT to Give Your Mom on Mother’s Day
13. Mom School
14. A Sweet Surprise for Mom (Olivia)
15. Oh, the Things My Mom Will Do

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Easy Organic Chicken, Kale & 3-Pepper Entree

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Krissyar

Prep: 2 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Total: 32 minutes

Servings: 6 

Ingredients

  • 2 Large Organic Chicken Breasts
  • 2 Cups Frozen Woodstock Chopped Kale
  • 2 Cups Frozen Woodstock Organic Tri-Colored Peppers
  • ½ Large Ball Sliced Fresh Mozzarella
  • 1 tsp. Simply Organic Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp. Simply Organic Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 2 tbsp. Organic Olive Oil
  • Chicken, Kale & Pepper Entree Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Boil 2 inches water in large pan. Add 2 large organic chicken breasts. Cook on high until water is halfway evaporated. Turn heat on medium to low. Brown and remove. Let cool. (Please note: poaching 2 large breasts of chicken will take approximately 20 minutes.)
  2. Dice chicken into small pieces (or you can pull it apart with your fingers).
  3. Add olive oil to large pan. Turn on medium heat. Add frozen peppers and frozen kale. Sauté for approximately 8 minutes or until the vegetables are glossy and slightly browned. Turn heat on low.
  4. Add chicken to pan. Add a touch more olive oil to help combine mixture. Add salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir well. Add fresh mozzarella. Stir until cheese is evenly distributed. Cover on low heat for 1 minute. Remove from burner. Serve and enjoy this quick and healthy entrée!
    Chicken, Kale & Pepper Entree
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Family Movie Night: Night at the Museum Secret of the Tomb

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Krissyar

One of our favorite family activities as a family is family movie night! We make it a big ordeal, with popcorn and candy, and tents with blankets and pillows and sometimes fun activities when we have the time.

This past weekend, thanks to VocalPoint, we watched one of my favorites Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. (If you haven’t seen the first one – go get it like NOW! One of the best movies ever, even my husband enjoyed it, which is saying something for a family movie! You can even make it a movie marathon and watch both of them!)

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Besides just your average movie & popcorn, you can also add some creative treats – for example, my daughter made one of her favorites, monkey bread!
To top it off, you can also do some crafts, or maybe even dress up (who doesn’t love that right?!) Print out some color pages, and dress up as some of our favorite characters with the printables found on VocalPoints website: natm_activities .

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Want to WIN a digital download copy of the movie to enjoy this coming weekend?? Enter in the rafflecopter below, winner chosen Friday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also get a great deal if you buy a copy – VocalPoint has a great deal going on right now where you can get a copy of the movie for just $14.99! Head over to the Goodies section to check it out!

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Strawberry Chipolte Jam

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Krissyar

Ingredients 

6 cups strawberries, washed and cut in half
1/2 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3  cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 TBSP real fruit powdered pectin

Strawberry chipotle jam

Directions

In a food processor or blender, PULSE the chilis and berries.

Keep an eye on it so its the way you like it smooth or chunky. It chops very fast!

Pour the strawberry mixture, adding the lemon juice, and pectin into a large pot.

Cook, over medium to high heat, stirring and bring it to a boil.

Add sugar, continue to stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Bring the mix to a rolling boil again.

Let it boil for 1 minute, stirring non-stop

Remove from heat.

Skim foam if needed

Handling the jars 

Boiling the jars

Fill your  large pot with a canning rack or strainer 3/4 of the way full with water. You want to make sure the water covers the top of your jars.

Wash your jars and lids with warm water washing in and around the outside. Now place the jars in the large pot of water and lids in a separate smaller pot of water.

Bring both to a boil while preparing the jam.

Once the mix is ready use your tongs remove one of the jars and dry it with a towel.

Use your funnel and fill your jars with your strawberry jam.

Make sure to leave at least 1 inch from the top for jam expansion.

I would now recommend removing the bubbles with the long green tool provided in most kits by pressing the jam against the jar walls.

Wipe the sides and top to remove any jam so the lids can be attached.

Using the magnet tool pull one of the lids out of the hot water bath and place on top of the jar.

Canning 2

Now repeat this process by getting the other part of the lid. Use towel to tighten the lid closed.

Repeat process till all jars are filled.

Now using the jar lifter place each jar back in the hot water bath and bring the water to a boil.

Turn the heat off and let the jars stand for another 5-10 minutes.

Remove your jars and place on a wire rack or a cutting board and let stand for 12 hours.

Label your jars with type and date of canning, they can store up to 1 year.

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