moved my blog

in case you are following me wondered why I haven't posted lately, it's because 

I have moved to word press. http://www.dinoheromommy.com/

MOVED TO WORDPRESS

I have moved my blog over to WordPress for a number of reasons. The main one being intense debate did not seem to work on my blog.

You can find me here http://dinoheromommy.wordpress.com/ come check it out, follow me and I will follow back, unless I already am following you.

I tried to get blogger to forward viewers to WordPress, but I am having a hard time with that. Any suggestions?

Let me know what you think of my new (still the same DINO MOMMY) blog.

Liebster Award

I had to delete and repost, comment luv was not showing again...So, now onto the post. I was nominated for the Liebster Award

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. It is a way to acknowledge each other and say “you’re doing a great job”. It is for blogs with 200 or less followers, so it’s also a great way to spread the word about smaller blogs and get them more readers and followers! When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person(s) who nominated you. You pass the Award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions. You’re not allowed to nominate the blog(s) who nominated you! (To get the button, right click the picture on my page and save the picture to your computer. You can then upload to your blog.)

Thank you so much to Melissa at Adventures with Construction Destructo for nominating me for this award!  I really appreciate it.

Random facts about me:
1)  I have a younger sister
2)  I can handle reading gore but can't watch it
3)  I can handle reading gory crime dramas, but can't read about ghosts
4)  I love cooked peppers in food, but can't stand them raw.
5)  I originally wanted to be a Spanish teacher, but they didn't offer it as a college major anymore
7)  I used to regularly camp with hubby, but afraid to take Dinosaur just yet
8)  Hubby and I lived a few blocks away from each other, but didn't meet till college
9)  I curse way too much, it's a bad habit
10)  I often sleep on the couch, because hubby snores too loud
11)  Our french bulldog, Balboa was our first baby and still kind of is

I am nominating these wonderful blogs for this award:
1)  Susan at  This Happy Mom
2)  Emily at The Busy Mom's Diet
3)  A Mother's First
4)  CMcKane at Annuary Chit
5)  Hannah at Hannah Says
6)  Audrey at The Idea Girl
7)  Desirae at The Not So Ugly Ducklings
8)  Michelle at Michelle Mossey
9)  Miranda at Words and Whimsey
10)  Tragic Sandwich
11)  Kate at Help I'm Surrounded by P*nises

Questions I Was Asked:

1. What is your favorite food? Oh, that is hard, since I am allergic to dairy I am very picky. It has to be good pulled pork or my pasta and sauce.
2. What is your dream job? I'd love to just have a job, but my dream job would be at home blog designer/updater.
3. What did you want to be when you were a little kid? at teacher and a mom
4. What was your favorite book as a kid? Where the Wild Things Are and the Judy Bloom books. 
5. What is your favorite color? brown, my wardrobe is all based on brown. 
6. What season is your favorite? fall, I love the colors, smells and weather
7. What is your favorite holiday? hmm, Thanksgiving and Christmas eve, all because of the food.
8. If you could have one day to do anything, what would it be? spend a day at a spa getting massages
9. Which chore would you rather do, dust, grocery shop, or laundry? now that we have a washer and dryer in the house, LAUNDRY
10. How many kids did you think you would have as a child? five, three boys and two girls
11. What do you look forward to most about fall? used to be going back to school, now its the cooler weather, apple and pumpkin picking

Questions for my Nominees:
1)  What would you do first if you won a million dollars?
2)  What is your favorite room in your home?
3)  What did you want to be when you were a little kid?
4)  What is your favorite book to read to your child(ren)
5)  What is your favorite color?
6)  Which kid's show do you wish was cancelled?
7)  What is your favorite holiday?
8)  What is the most expensive gift you have given someone?
9)  Are you a good dancer?
10)  How many kids did you think you would have as a child? 

11)  What do you look forward to most about fall?

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Tuesday:
vacuum bedrooms

21st
clean oven and stovetop

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

Squash Disappointment

I really like to make my own chicken strips and nuggets. While buying pre-made is easier, I know what is really in my nuggets. It's really not that hard to make.  I made these chicken strips the same way I made my pork nuggets, only I placed them in the oven for a few extra minutes since 

they were a thicker cut.

I made a big batch today, because hubby was home for dinner.

Then I decided to try and make breaded squash. I coated them in egg and breaded them, but was in a rush as both hubby and Dinosaur were rushing me with pains of hunger. I didn't coat them evenly, as you can see.

Even though the squash did NOT turn out how I wanted. How did I want them to look? I wanted them completely coated and to look like round chicken nuggets so Dinosaur would eat them. That didn't work out and he refused to even have them on his plate. He DID eat every bit of chicken and asked for more.

Despite the way the squash turned out, hubby LOVED everything. He cleaned his plate and asked for more. Now, that makes a wife feel good, but I must plan ahead and take more time to coat my squash so son will eat a few of them.  Hmmmm, maybe I can cook broccoli the same way.

Did any of your meals not turn out the way you wanted, but still rocked?

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CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Tuesday:
clean bathroom

21st
organize/catch-up day (from yesterday-vacuum inside sofa)

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

Maybe TOO much conditioner

After a trip to Rite Aide, I got these bags for a great price. They are normally are $4.19 each, but they were on sale 2 for $5.00.  Then I had two coupons, they were a dollar off two Ziploc bags. But Rite Aide coupon policy allows you to use both coupons and that is what I did. So I got them for $1.50 each plus tax. HOW GREAT IS THAT????

After a trip to WALGREENS I got

three conditioners and one shampoo for $15 and had a $3 coupon (regular price $4.49 each)
two Aussie gels for $6 and had a $3 a coupon (regular price $4.79 each)
two Arizona iced teas for $5 and had a $1.00 coupon (regular price $2.99 each)
Wonder white bread $2.99 had an amazing $1.00 coupon on bread
Could have paid: $36.51
ACTUALLY PAID:  $21.94

THEN... I used a $5 and a $1 Register Reward to get
Desitin and eggs for only .48 cents
Could have paid: $4.79
ACTUALLY PAID:  $0.48
Isn't that flipping cool?

Total Savings:  $25.76
Did I do good? What do you think?
I don't go crazy like those ladies on TLC, but I won't have to buy conditioner,
shampoo or gel for a long time.

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Monday:
change sheets and towels

20th
vacuum inside sofa

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

Dressing Joey

Oh I loved Melissa and Doug board puzzles when my son was younger. He outgrew them now, but is still struggling with regular puzzles, but I keep trying. 

Then I found this great Melissa and Doug activity that is perfect for him.

On the back it shows you all the different outfits you can put on Joey. (pirate, construction worker, knight, super hero, fireman, and police man.) Then it lists other activities you can play with the magnetic pieces.

You just have to make sure you don't lose any of the pieces, or your child might turn into a

crazed animal until you find the piece in question. 

Dinosaur decides what outfit he wants from the back then I let him find the pieces on his own. 

Sometimes we organize the shoes, pants, shirts and hats into different piles.

Or we try to see if different outfits fit together. It's a great way to challenge his mind.

I am going to have to buy the Jack one too. 

What new educational toy have you found for your kid that you BOTH love?

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Sunday:
plan shopping list, wipe down bathroom

19th
wipe down dining table and chairs

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

I'm Cute and I Know It

It's Saturday and time for my side of the story again.

I was a SUPER good boy yesterday. We all went out to eat at Chuck's Steakhouse in Danbury, CT. I love that I can look at the fishes swimming around and see pictures of boats in the water. Did mommy get a pic of any of that? NOPE, because SHE is the one who doesn't listen. I was super good at the table. I played nicely with my cars and pretended to pour sugar, salt, and pepper on them. Why? Well, because they love when I do that.

We ordered great food, but did mommy get a picture of any of that? NOPE, she said she did but her phone was being silly. I think she is just old and doesn't know what she is doing. I think if she put her phone in my apple juice it would have worked better.

I did get to take awesome pics with mommy and daddy, not together though, perhaps one day mommy will think about asking someone to take a picture of the three of us. Am I the only one who thinks ahead around here? 

I think me being a good boy makes up for me calling mommy mean, telling her I'm mad, and saying I would throw her in the garbage for not giving me a lollipop. Hey, I'm only three and allowed to get super angry. Besides with my awesome smile, I can get away with a lot.
Don't you agree?

Here, even when I am messy from a SO Delicious mini fudge bar, I am still quite handsome.

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CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Saturday:
door knobs, light fixtures and switches

18th
wipe down walls

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

Spiders, Waiting Room & the Zoo

1. What's the one thing you buty every time you walk into the store? If it's Trader Joe's then it's almond and rice milk, we go through that like crazy and always seem to need more. If it's the supermarket, then whatever meat is on sale. If it's Walgreens or Rite Aide, then it's cereal and/or bread.

2. If you had a day all to yourself how would you spend it? First I would get some blogging done, read a good crime book and watch a movie. All while, eating food without having to share food with anyone (I am assuming our dog is out of the house too)

3. Are you a speed limit driver? If not, over or under? Definately an under or right at speed limit. I am too scared of the other reckless drivers speeding and talking/texting behind the wheel.

4. What's your favorite dessert to make, homemade or from a mix? apple cobbler, I cut apples, place in cast iron skillet, sprinkle with a mixture of pancake mix and butter (I use dairy free butter). Heat in the oven at 300 for twenty minutes and perfection. You could do this with any fruit, but I love it with apples. I will have to post about this one Tuesday.

5. Would you rather have a spider or a mouse scurry across your face (no copping out and saying "neither!!")? OMG, I would rather have a mouse than a spider, spiders are evil creatures that plot and plan your destruction. Yes, I have an irrational fear of spiders (ugh, I feel one crawling on me now)

Dear Beardsley Zoo Maintenance Worker,

Thank you so much for coming so fast to our aid. I can't believe we got into this situation (read below) and would have been waiting for god knows how long for Geico. So when you came and jump started our car, and then refused to take a tip you became an angel in my book. Thank you so much. I truly hope karma returns you good blessing in the near future.

Thanks, from the mother of the sick boy, daughter of the angry dad, and wife of the annoyed hubby

Dear Lady Parts Doctor

I understand you are popular doctor, but scheduling appointments every ten minutes is ridiculous. You have five patients waiting while you have only two rooms available AND you always run late. How about you schedule them twenty minutes apart, might make it easier on the ONE nurse you have in the office.

Sincerely the patient with not enough time to sit in your waiting room for forty minutes

~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~

We had fun at Beardsley Zoo with my parents. If you live in CT area, Beardsley Zoo is an awesome place to take your family. It's big enough to spend most of the day, they have an indoor carousel that you can eat your lunch in and a large picnic area. Even though Dinosaur got a fever once again while at the zoo, he still had a great time. The last time we were at the zoo he was two, now at three he is experiencing as a big boy. He led the way and told us which exhibits we had to see.

with Pop Pop, La La, and Daddy

 Dinosaur was happy to touch the baby alligator, he wanted to help holding the snake, but he didn't get called. I tell you Dinosaur is NOT scared of anything...well except loud noises and thunder storms. But alligators, snakes, snapping turtles... please, he would scare them. LOL

He loved petting the goats and talking back to the roosters. He kept repeating what the rooster was saying, "Cock-a-doo-doo".

He was so happy to take a picture pretending he was an otter. But we
got a shock when we went out to my car and it was dead. DEAD. Hubby makes me keep a
charger in the car, but it was out of juice. Thankfully, the zoo was terrific about getting
my car started and refused to take a tip. 

~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Friday:
wipe down bathroom, vacuum living areas

17th
clean car

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

You DON'T Know It All

So tired of people telling me about allergies and dairy.

Dinosaur was born at 35 weeks at 4lbs 6oz, due to preeclamapisa, which should have been diagnosed by my FORMER doctor. He was in the NICU for 12 days due to lack of ability to suck. During that time I had numerous people say I was suffering from post-partum depression, which was frustrating and annoying. Everyone WHO HAD NEVER HAD A BABY OR NEVER HAD A BABY IN THE NICU WHILE THEY WERE STUCK IN THE MATERNITY WARD all had comments to make about how it would be okay or how I was feeling. Yes, I was depressed, any mom would be if you had to be let into a locked room to see your newborn son and go home without him. It was NOT what I expected at all. I was mourning for the loss of birth I expected. But, I also loved my son and held, kissed, fed, rocked, and talked to him every chance.

I cried a lot and everyone, but my mother was the only one who understood that I was just sad about the situation, NOT suffering from PPD. Everyone, except my mother, kept giving me advice and told me stories which only pissed me off more.

He couldn’t breast feed and I had numerous infections in a two-month span, so I decided to do formula and I am very happy with my decision, but that is a story for another day. He spent so much time at doctor’s appointments and was put on inhalers for asthma, since my father-in-law and  SIL's oldest son have asthma issues. I kept asking if he was allergic to dairy, but doctors and everyone else said NO.

He was then put on a very special and expensive formula with no soy or dairy, and he was a little better, but still sick all the time. Then he started drinking milk, because I was bombarded that milk was what he needed and he would be fine. Well, his "outside allergies" got worse and was going to be put on a higher dose of singular.  His colds were horrific, when he got sick he would be sick for up to two weeks and I would have to sleep with him for about three nights, because he coughed ALL NIGHT.

Thankfully I went to a chiropractor recommended to me and after casually talking about son's allergies he suggested I take son off all dairy for five days. Now, I have IBS and can't have any dairy myself, but was pissed that I should have listened to myself. So I immediately took him off all dairy, which was hard to do at first, and gave him almond and rice milk to drink and substituted soy cheese for regular cheese. Well, needless to say after only three days, all his allergies disappeared. He did NOT need any singular, and I have not used the inhaler for asthma since I took him off dairy over a year ago.

Of course some people can't handle that and every time they see me have comments to make. They insist  that I get him tested for allergies to prove that I am wrong. They insist that Dinosaur will grow out of it. They insist that because FIL has allergies, Dinosaur does too. Well, could it be that FIL should eliminate dairy and maybe half of his allergies would go away.

I am NOT forcing anyone else to go dairy free, I am not forcing my beliefs that cow's milk really isn't healthy for anyone and should only be fed to cows. I feel..."LIVE AND LET LIVE", so why do other people feel the need to get me to live how they want? Is my son's lack of reactions to outside allergies not enough evidence? Is my son's ability to now sleep through the night with a cold not enough evidence? Is my son's lack of need for medicine not enough evidence?

Or how about, it's not your flipping business what I choose to feed my son. It don't care if you have three, ten, or one kid, you are NOT my child's parent. You do not get to tell me how to raise my son.

I have never been good around know-it-all people and would always speak my mind. Now, I am just getting nasty and braver. Perhaps I should print out all the evidence that dairy causes allergies just hand it to him and other annoying people and tell them to get their facts straight before they decide to talk about what they know nothing about.

Anyway, I knew there was something wrong with my pregnancy, but everyone kept telling me after six years of trying to get pregnant I should stop complaining and enjoy it. I WAS RIGHT, I had preeclampsia

I knew that having that breathing tube down his nose into his throat and his failure to suck was going to result in speech issues and I WAS RIGHT! Dinosaur had speech services for a year. 

I knew that once  all his allergies disappeared, he was in fact allergic to dairy, and he has been better ever since, I WAS RIGHT.

Thank you for letting me rant today.

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Thursday:
dust all furniture

16th
wipe down cabinets

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

Dino in Cooperstown

In this post, Names have been changed and faces covered up for privacy .

On our trip to Cooperstown was an adventure, yeah an adventure, I'll go with that. Hubby played on Double Day Field and we went with him and it was exactly what I expected it to be, a disaster. While we went with Hubby's sister and her husband and their three kids and nephew, it was NOT the place for my Dinosaur. 

They were all older, except for Cousin Judy who is only 18 months. Dinosaur needs constant activities to keep him busy or he will become destructive. Cooperstown, even though beautiful and historic, was not going to fulfill that need for Dinosaur. 

Watching daddy play was NOT fun for him, climbing up and down the bleachers was the fun part, but could not let him do that with a bunch of people around who were trying to watch the game.

watching daddy and Uncle T play on the field

T at bat!

T catching

I tried to keep him running from store walls to me at the sidewalk each time someone went into a store, which was not an easy task. He kept tyring to run in the street and continually bumped into people during his fits. All he wanted was to go back to Sesame Place, I felt so bad for him. 

SIL and her hubby did their best to show me all that Cooperstown had to offer. There was the Fly Creek Ceder Mill that had a small play area and Dinosaur loved it; and running around the store trying all the pretzel and chip samples. But that was good for about an hour and half, and then he was back to boring stuff.

Nephews and their cousin pretending to chase Dinosaur running around the play area.
They sure did a good job of keeping him busy.

Dinosaur with his Buddy, he always asks for Buddy. He LOVES Buddy

Dinosaur going down slide, Aunt Ada and cousin Judy watching

Dinosaur got a fever and sniffles Saturday night, so of course I got almost no sleep. I had to run off by myself Sunday morning to CVS to get son medicine. His temperature was temporarily lowered, but kept rising back up. Hubby didn't get to go to the museum, but he as been there three times before so it's really no loss. 

We had originally wanted to go without Dinosaur on Sunday night, so Hubby could shower after the game and relax. But BIL talked Hubby into going with Dinosaur Saturday into Sunday. If an opportunity like this pops up again, I am going WITHOUT Dinosaur, I need a freaking break and time to myself AND time alone with Hubby.

I know some people take their kids with thme and make the kids adjust, but with Dinosaur that doens't work. 

Do you take your kids on adult vacations and make them adjust? Or do you leave them at home? Or perhaps only go on kid-friendly trips? 

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Wednesday:
vacuum bedrooms

15th
catch-up day/declutter---now I can clean the fridge and microwave)

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

Chocolate Pancake Heaven

OMG, I am in heaven with these pancakes. THEY ARE BEYOND DECADENT.

I did my usual batter but used Trader Joe's CHOCOLATE almond milk this time. I like to experiment and try things out, you never know until you try, right? And if if turns out bad, you just keep trying till it comes out right. I've never really had a food I couldn't eat, it was just different than I expected.

Doesn't that looks so delicious and creamy. Oh, I knew it was going to be good.

 

I didn't get a pic of me cutting and adding the diced strawberries and mashed banana chunks, but here is a photo of them cooking on the cast iron skillet. Can you see the chunks of strawberries and bananas in the batter. I was dying to to try them.

 

My hubby will eat almost any dinner I make (with the exception of pork and things with soy cheese) but he REFUSES to eat my pancakes. He prefers plain boring pancakes, who wants that when you can have.....

 

THESE!!!! Just look at how mouth watering those chocolate strawberry-banana pancakes are. You can see the fruit bursting to get out and when I added syrup...well oh my I was so hungry to eat them.

I didn't get any pictures, because Dinosaur and I were stuffing our faces, they were THAT good.
How do you like your pancakes?

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
run washing machine if full, put away dried clothes, clean up disaster areas from Hurricane Dinosaur

Tuesday:
clean bathroom

14th
clean living room shelf

(Still need to clean fridge and microwave)

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on  pinterest   facebook   twitter

Hummus, Detergent & Fruit Water

Should I feel sad that my son has chosen Trader Joe's hummus/guacamole and chips over MY HOMEMADE meatballs? Should I feel like I have failed as a mom. NOPE. As much as I love to cook for my family and want them to eat healthy foods, I am glad he is just eating. And, I rather him eat the guacamole and hummus instead of candy, potato chips, and cookies.

Look at those delicious meatballs (with bits of squash inside) to give them extra nutrition. They came out so good and were really easy to make, but that will be a recipe for another day.

Yup, son is chowing down on his hummus/guacamole and chips, well actually he sucks the hummus/guacamole off the chips, he loves it that much. He's quite the character.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

I use coupons to buy products for my house, I only show product loyalty if I am genuinely impressed with a product's 1. quality  2. price 3. Amount and quality of coupons.

There are a number of products Dinosaur and I one hundred percent love, they are listed on our sidebar. My newest love is for All oxi-Active. I had coupons and there was a big sale at Walgreens, the best part...I got $3 back to put towards diapers.

My clothes smells beyond amazing, I am particular to smells after I had Dinosaur, but the way All leaves my clothes smelling is perfection. I actually sat down and smelled my clothes for ten minutes. Sure I got weird looks from hubby and son said it smelled like poop. But, I still love smelling my clothes. Now, besides the clothes, the stains are zapped away. GONE. BYE BYE. A white dish rag that I used to clean hubby's coffee spill was returned to its original, pre-stain appearance. Isn't that amazing.

I just want to note that I am not being paid in ANY WAY for this review or any of the products that I listed on my sidebar. They are there because of their value, quality, and coupon availability. 

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

I am so tired of buying fruit drinks, I buy them for Dinosaur when he is at daycare. When at home I give him fruit water. What is that???? I'll tell you. I cut up pieces of lemon or oranges along with strawberries, blueberries, grapes, or pineapples and put it in his cup. He loves to shake it all up, which makes more of the flavor come out. I know he is getting more water in his body with less sugar. Where did I get this idea???? From Momables Fresh Fruit Water

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

CLEANING SCHEDULE

Daily:
make it home from Cooperstown in one piece, unpack and wash clothes, get Dinosaur read for daycare tomorrow. 
Sunday:

wipe down bathroom, clip coupons & plan shopping list

12th
clean porch

What's your cleaning agenda today? 

  

You can find me on facebook and twitter