One small step

I know it has been a while since I posted but well things really have been a tad crazy here. Everything is okay now and things are getting back to normal... Or at least what we call normal...

In fact, you know that sweet chubby adorable little baby I call Lil Kiwi... She has decided that sitting around and crawling are not for her... So, at nine months old she has taken her first steps.. The world as I know it will no longer exist...

Now I REALLY need to make sure the kids area is baby proof and figure out a way to keep her out of the rest of the house... There is no way to put up baby gates in this house and well my biggest concern is the kitchen... Now yes I could keep the door closed 24/7 but the dogs need to be able to get to their water bowls in the back... AGGHHH!

Yes not the best picture but ooo look at her....

One last thing.... Several people have asked for the recipes I use and so I have provided... I went back and added the recipes to the posts... Plan on including recipes with all posts about food and you can get to them by clicking the link "Recipes" at the top of the page...

shhh do you hear that? Listen..... *pitter...... patter..... pitter..... patter* YEAH First Steps!!!!! I'm so proud....

WAT-AHH!

Clean, fresh drinking water is essential to human life. Yet, most people prefer other sugar-laden drinks to water. Is it any surprise why kids also go for the juice or soda before water when they are only following in our footsteps.

We all know how important water is for the human body. Why is it then that more often than not we allow our children to drink sugar filled drinks over water. Let me ask you this... How much water has your child had today?

I'd like to introduce you to WAT-AHH...

WAT-AHH is what kids are screaming for. From the young kids to the tweens that just have to have their "own" drink. No more boring water that looks like mom and dads; this has a "cool" design and look.

Of course, it was parents that came up with a way to make water more appealing to kids...

WAT-AAH! is the epitome of a momprenuer! We are a small business launched by four determined mothers and one concerned father. Our mission is to fight the battle against childhood obesity and to teach kids that healthy bodies can be obtained through healthy hydration. Together with our 12 kids, we have created an appealing brand– a brand full of attitude and spunk, enough to convince kids to stay away from sugar-laden beverages like sports drinks, sodas and“fruit” juices. WAT-AAH! has absolutely NO sugar, NO artificial flavors, colors and/or unnatural additives. WAT-AAH! is ultra pure water containing just the right amount of essential minerals to fortify and maintain children’s health.

WAT-AHH has four products currently...

• WAT-AAH! Bones, the first premium water with calcium to help bone growth


• WAT-AAH! Brain, the first premium water with added electrolytes to encourage faster absorption, hydration and cooling down


• WAT-AAH! Energy, the first premium water with electrolytes and oxygen for increased metabolic function and energy


• WAT-AAH! Body, the foundation for the brand with simple and super clean water, absolutely free of sugar

My family was one of the several to participate in the drink WAT-AHH challenge. Many of you know that my husband does not drink much water and I fear my son has started to follow in his footsteps. He is at that stage where he does everything daddy does so I thought why not try WAT-AHH and see what happens.

We received WAT-AHH! Brain and WAT-AHH! Body to try. They were placed in the drink refrigerator and we waited. Normally, he comes home from school and sits in front of the drinks while deciding which one he wants and then comes running to me and asking if he can have it. This time he sat down. Looked at all the drinks and then surprisingly grabbed the WAT-AHH and asked if it was his. After getting the okay to drink it he didn't even get up before taking his first sip.

When asked how it tasted he say "Like mmm B-O-D-Y... It's good..." So, I took a sip and well it tastes just like it should... Plain.... Simple... Clean... Crisp... Water

Sadly, I'm not sure if he will continue to drink water or WAT-AHH since he still asks for milk and juice first. However, he has asked for some water a few times so perhaps there is hope.

I like that, besides tasting like water, it has absolutely NO sugar... NO artificial flavors, colors or unnatural additives. The WAT-AHH comes in BPA-free bottles and are 100% recyclable.

Okay, I know you are asking yourself just how can I get my hands on some of that wonderful sounding WAT-AHH. If you live in the NYC area you are in luck as several stores carry it. For the rest of us we can order it online HERE...

Interested in finding out more about WAT-AHH, head on over to their blog or check out the WAT-AHH site. Or better yet have your family take the drink WAT-AHH Challenge and see how they do.

Winners of the Anniversary Giveaway

I would like to thank everyone that came by and left some advice for my blog... It's a work in process and there were a ton of great ideas... Some I already wanted to do and now I need to figure out how to do; while others I had not thought of... Remember, it has been years since my last blog and even though they are now cookie cutter blogs it's taking this pup awhile to learn...

So, while I could ramble on and on this morning I will cut it short since the baby is waking up and I still need to get Wee Man ready for school...

I pulled 5 numbers at random and not ONE of those had an email address for me to email them at!!! It was amazing how many people didn't have their email address in the blogger profile or that I couldn't look at their profile... Got me thinking I should check my own... So I did..

Then I pulled another set and emailed the winner.... However, since so many people entered I decided to have a runner up.... The runner up gets to pick what $10 gift card that would like....

*drum roll.........*

Sarab997 is the winner

and

Nickyle is the runner up winner

Congratulations to them both... Hope everyone had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day.... We had Guinness Stew and it was yummmmy.... Will be adding the recipe this week... Along with other recipes as soon as I can figure out how to do that silly menu bar at the top....

Wordless Wednesday... Joy

*will be emailing the winner of the anniversary giveaway later today and announcing the winner tomorrow...

From the mouth of babes

DH and I try to watch the words that come out of our mouth but to be honest sometimes words sneak out that are not meant for young ears to hear... Fortunately, Wee Man has not picked up any of those R-rated words.....yet....

However, sometimes it is like the old TV show "Kids say the Darndest Things" with Bill Cosby... Wee Man didn't start talking until he was just over three and a half years old... We had him tested and all that fun stuff and he is in speech therapy to help out... Well, let's just say that missing a key letter in a word changes the whole meaning of an innocent sentence and puts your mind in the gutter....

Case in point ONE

"mmm... My head hurts..." places hand on head trying not to think about my headache...

Wee Man asks "Can I feel your head?"

"Sure" takes hand away....

Wee Man says "I think you have a Beaver mom"

Case in point TWO

"MOOOOOMMMmmmm I can't find my cox" Wee Man talking down the hallway..

"HHHMMM excuse me your what?" trying to hear over everything

"MOM I SAID I CAN'T FIND MY COX!!! MY COX!!!" Wee Man now yelling at full SuperWeeMan strength..

I blink repeatedly hoping what I heard is not what I heard...

"Found it..... My cox was under my pants..." Wee Man states while putting on his socks...

Case in point THREE

Perhaps this one needs a tad more explaining... While potty training the only way to get Wee Man to remember to use toilet paper was to say "Don't forget to Det Det"... I don't know why but those were the only words that got through to him.... Only apparently he thinks Det Det refers to a certain male body part!!! So keep in mind this when reading the next sentences..

There we are in the tiny bathroom giving Lil Kiwi a bath... Wee Man walks in and starts talking to me... He informs me that he needs to go pee and I tell him to just hold on a minute so I can get his sister out of the tub....

"I like my Det Det in the cunt..." Wee Man says with a smile...

I rush out of the bathroom with Lil Kiwi trying not to laugh... Still standing in the bathroom is Wee Man and DH.... From the bedroom I can hear over my laughter that phrase being repeated over and over again... Getting louder each time because he thinks it's funny because I'm laughing so hard...

I really tried to figure out how to say that sentence without that spelling of the word but alas I couldn't think of one... He was trying to say Front...


I will apologize now if I offended anyone however if you have kids you understand... Did anyone guess what letters we are working on??? OH and have you ever realized how many times the word FRONT is used in a day.... Thankfully only a few times has he said anything in public that was "bad"...

Wee Man loves reading "Fox in Socks" and to be honest it's quite an experience to read it with him....

What's so hard is he isn't saying a "bad" word.... it's just coming out that way.... Thus, we can't tell him it's a bad word but only that he said it wrong and try again to say it correctly.... There have been several other "Kids say the Darndest things" moments and I hope I can look back years from now and remember them...

BTW.... my anniversary giveaway ends March 17th at midnight... That's only two more days for you to give me your advice on my blog and get a chance at winning a prize....

Friday the 13th

Isn't today all about bad luck and horror flicks? Well, here at the Shenanigans' household it's not..

First, of course, it is my wedding anniversary... Five long years together and still haven't driven each other crazy (almost but not yet)... Plans you ask... None... Zip... Nada... Nein...Nyet... The weather is just to blah and gloooooomy to go out.... Perfect for a night of Horror movies and cuddling on the couch though... and thank you to all the people that wished us a happy anniversary ...

Second.... What else could be so great about today... It is something so wonderful it has always been very special and important to me.... Now what was it..... What could it be.... How about Black Dog's birthday.... *hugs black dog* Happy Birthday

I truly love this dog... Yes, I know tons of people say their dog is the BEST in the world and yet I don't correct them... Just kidding... However, this dog is just too good for words to describe how wonderful he really is... For those that don't know I got him for FREE... He was being thrown out and going to be put to sleep because the wife didn't like him but rather only the other dog they had (his littermate)... She would abuse this poor dog in ways I don't want to think about...

So, when the husband walked into the Vet Clinic I worked at (surprise surprise I worked at a vet clinic too) and asked how to get to the animal shelter because yada yada yada... I told him I had been looking for a dog and would be happy to take him... Figuring that I could find this poor pup a much better home and save him from death... Little did I know that it would be my home...

Later that day he brought over this sad looking dog with a broken leash and nothing else... The husband told me his name and it took me days people DAYS to figure out how to say his name correctly... It's not English and well his owner was a Linguist so you know it was not a normal name and surprisingly the people that do know the name actually pronounce it incorrectly... But I digress....

For those that are bored by now about me talking about Black Dog turn back now because there is more....

Black Dog was a smart dog I found out... I returned home from work and found a trail of food from the cabinet to the dog sitting in front of the patio door... When I say trail I mean it was like he took one item out at a time and taste tested it... Then moved on to the next and placed it just behind the first item... OOOhhh I was beginning to think I had made a wrong choice in taking in this dog..... Then there was the time I made banana bread and it was on the counter top WAY out of reach... Or so I thought... I came home to find no bread but the pan on the floor and claw marks all over the inside... Still have that pan...

I wasn't worried at all when I gave birth to my son just how Black Dog would react... This dog I swear can understand the human language... You can give a command he has never had and he will do it.... It's crazy... Everyone that meets him can't believe his background.... Or how he protects us... He has never bitten anyone but if needed I do believe he might (or hope he would)... See what he does is give a small woof woof that you can just hear and then presses himself against the door.... If you don't tell him okay he will then woof a tad louder so the person outside can hear...

Black Dog has more frequent travel miles than many people I know.. Each time I move he goes with me... When I got married I told DH this dog comes with me or I'm sorry... Good thing he likes dogs...

There are so many wonderful moments of my life that include this dog... He turns eight today... I tear up when I think that I won't have him with me forever.... However, I hope it will be many more years together... In fact, yesterday he had a physical, EKG, etc... No one could believe that he was eight years old and healthier than some four year old dogs... That's my boy....

(for those that think it was a bit extreme to do the EKG just remember that I worked with several types of animals before becoming a SAHM and thus my DH is a vet and they just had to test the new equipment out on Black Dog to make sure it works..)

So, here's to my best buddy in the world.... I can only hope to find another dog like him one day even though I know I won't...

Wordless Wednesday... Baby Dolphin

Wordless Wednesday..... I know but someone asked about my dolphin experiences so here are some pictures I dug up... Will write about them in a later post... And please be nice I hate how I look in the pictures... I'll have to find the others and post them... Please note all these pictures are not as good because they are scanned from REAL ACTUAL FILM not digital.. Gasp! I know... I'm aging myself... This was the baby Commons Dolphin I was working with in Hawaii... Don't forget to look at my anniversary giveaway and snag yourself a possible $50 Target GC...

Anniversary Giveaway

*Edited to add that after reading a few comments I have placed a different background up... Let me know what you think*


Friday March 13th is my wedding anniversary.... I asked DH what he wanted and he told me I didn't have to get anything for him this year since I out did myself last year... So, instead all I have to do is tell him what I would have gotten him... Which I can't post yet since he does read this....

Thus, I have decided that someone should get a little something from me; so I'm having a giveaway... AHH I see I have your attention now... Just what could I be giving away and what do you have to do to get it.....

Well, I just so happen to have a fifty dollar Target gift card that is ready to be spent... The catch is you need to help me out a little... See it has been a long time since I had a blog... My last blog was before blogging was so popular and thus things have changed in the blogging world...

So, my readers look around and tell me what you think.... Give me advice on what things you would like to see... or what you think I should change.... Should I post more pictures? Do reviews? Change the layout? Font? etc... Anything that you think would be interesting to read or look at just let me know... That's all... A few minutes of your time and one of you will be filling up your Target cart with fifty dollars of goodies....

Win It: Fifty Dollar Target GC

How to Enter:

1. Look around the site and then post a comment with advice on what to add, change, what you want to see, etc... (please remember to post an email address if you don't have a blog or if your profile doesn't show it)

Additional Entries (after you complete the first mandatory entry)

2. Wish us a Happy Anniversary

3. Follow the Wee Shenanigans blog

4. Blog about the giveaway and link back to this post and leave the URL to your post in the comment. (I would love all the extra advice I can get)

That's a possible four entries to win a Fifty Dollar Target GC.... You don't have to do all four and you don't have to have a blog to win...

This giveaway will end March 17th at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be chosen at random...

I will email the winner and post their name on the site.. If the winner does not contact me within two days I will pick another winner...

Battle of Wills

For eight and a half months I have been giving Lil Kiwi her daily medication along with the usually baby vitamins etc... In the beginning it was so hard to get her to take all those liquids so I researched for a better way to give medicine to babies... I tried several different methods and finally thought I had the perfect one in the medibottle and a medibottle knock off... I took my favorite pieces from both and made the perfect bottle for giving Lil Kiwi her medicine...

That is until she caught on to my little trick.... Back to the syringe and hoping to get the medicine mostly in her mouth... Well, after awhile she would willing take the medication but when you have to take something everyday it gets old...

So, here I sit... pondering of how I can continue to force medicine into my Lil Kiwi until either her surgery in June or Dr. V telling us we are in the clear and no more meds... It's a daily battle of wills... I have to admit that Lil Kiwi is one stubborn baby... Wrestling with her to get her meds is like trying to grab hold of a greased pig... How in the world can something so small be so strong...
Yesterday, DH decided he would give her the medicine and he tricked her and then I swear the look on her face said it all...

"Honestly, Dad... you just tricked a baby and you're excited about that???" what Lil Kiwi would have said if she could talk....

Little Orange Monster

So there I was washing bottles and such when it hit me... Hungry.. I could picture that adorable orange monster from the TV calling to me.... How could I say no to the cutie when he started acting like a monkey and pointing to the bread.... I'm sorry and ashamed to admit that I broke down and made Hungry just what he wanted... Banana Bread...

Just to show him that I was in charge I added some chocolate on one side of the loaf... HA HA take that you little evil cute monster....

My DH thinks Hungry needs to visit more often because he loves coming home to different delicious smells.... He begs for me to make stuff because he can't bake... DH loves to kick me out of the tiny kitchen we have in this place to cook dinner but ooo he doesn't dare bake... The last time he did it was muffins... OH how I wish I had a picture to show of those poor sad things... They were flat, dipped in the middle, and the bottoms were burned.... Pancakes same thing flat and heavy.... Even when I have told him the secret to fluffy light pancakes he still messed them up... By the way, one of the secrets is a little sugar and some vanilla....

I do have something else to post today but not sure if I will get it done today or tomorrow since it's been two crazy days here...

OH and if anyone wants to make me errr I mean themselves a Hungry Monster I found a website with some info... Freaky adorable cute furry monster..... How to have your own Hungry Monster


Here is the recipe for this yummy Banana Bread with chocolate...

First, I need to let you know that while this is the recipe for it, I am known for adding stuff here and there... For example this time I didn't add any nuts and instead shaved some chocolate in layers on the batter before putting it in the oven...

Banana Bread with added chocolate

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
3 ripe bananas, mashed (or more depending on size)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

here are some optional things you could add...
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
a pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup of brown sugar for color (ie... use only 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar)


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and mashed bananas. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt just until combined ( if adding nuts or chips add now). Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. If top begins to brown too quickly, decrease heat slightly. Center should be soft and chewy, while the outside, crisp and crunchy.


If what you want is a CHOCOLATE Banana Bread then here is a recipe I like... Don't make it often because I don't always have the ingredients... Warning some find this bread very chocolaty and can't taste the banana.. Once again I normally change the recipe here and there depending on what I have in the cabinet...

Chocolate Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS

1 cup margarine, softened
2 cups white sugar (or brown and white)
4 eggs
6 bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup lite sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional or add nuts)


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar and eggs. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda and cocoa; mix well. Blend in sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

Wordless Wednesday..

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

Frozen but Alive

WOW... What can I say about the winter storm we just got SLAMMED by... It is so white outside that it burns your eyes just to look out the windows... Everything is covered... At one point we looked outside and there were no streets... In our neighborhood we still do not have streets but more like tire tracks you follow....

I even fell off the sidewalk while trying to get to the mailbox down the street... So much deceiving white snow you couldn't tell where anything use to be... Good thing I had the footprints to follow on the way back or I most likely would have missed that step again... BAH that reminds me I need to go get the mail... oooo it's cold out since it is already 10:30 and we should be breaking records with the low tonight... The old record is 5 .....Brrrr

On the upside, the dogs had a blast running around and playing in the snow... Every chance they had they wanted outside... In fact, Fawn Dog was so happy that she took off without her coat the first time... No need to worry she waited for it every other time... Posting pictures tomorrow of the fun times the dogs had...

Wee Man even got to enjoy the snow for 20 minutes... I know he has been sick but how could I keep him from playing in the snow... We never get snow here even though all the areas around us do... It really is like we are in our own little world in this town... The town next to us can get inches of snow but us nothing.. So, when we had snow falling I could not keep my child from that joy... Besides, who knows if we will live somewhere that snow next year or the years after...

Okay.... I'm off to brave the cold just to see how much junk mail I got....

Here is some footage of the dogs playing in the snow... You can tell Little Dog loves the snow... Black Dog has the whole been there done that attitude... Fawn Dog had already gone inside to warm up as this was taken when she didn't have her coat on...

What's the buzzzz all about

Apparently, it's all about the Bumbleride Flyer...

I was surfing the net looking for reviews on different strollers and while some sites had great reviews others not so much... We need a new stroller because the one we have now is six plus years old and takes up three lanes on a four lane highway... That is why I am researching a new stroller because the last one was not the best buy but it has served its purpose...

That is when I stumbled upon supermomcentral and their raving review of the Bumbleride Flyer ... Where was this baby all those years ago? Or better where was I? This stroller just about has it all; minus the kitchen sink... Although I'm sure if they really wanted to they could hook up some attachment that would provide hydration for us parents...

This stroller has all the features I am looking for in a stroller plus some... You can adjust the height on the handle for us taller people which is a huge plus... It also grows with your children since it has a removable infant headrests, shoulder pads, and the footrest is multi-adjustable in height... The Bumbleride Flyer has tons of other wonderful features that you can read about at the bumbleride site or just head over to supermomcentral and check out their review and site...

There are a few baby items that you do spend the extra money on and a stroller is one of them... Looking for a great list of baby items all in one spot? Head over to Cool Baby Kid and check out the wonder must-have baby items for any new or seasoned parent The Ultimate Baby Gift Guide ...