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Real Solutions for the Real Challenges of Today's Moms
smartmomsolutions.com SOLUTION OF THE MONTH Halloween is fast approaching and smart moms need to be prepared. Not for the decorations, costumes and class parties – that’s covered. But for the voluminous amounts of chocolate that will soon be coming through the door. To rid your house of these all-too-tempting treats, try these 3-steps: Freeze it all! Out of sight, out of mind. Proceed quickly to step 2. Don’t kid yourself into thinking freeze ‘em and forget about ‘em…afterall, those mini-Snickers bars actually taste BETTER when they’re frozen! Put them in the freezer for a day or 2 and get to work. Remove the frozen chocolates and chop into tiny pieces. Bake cookies, brownies, banana breads, etc. using your treats as mix-ins and toppings. Distribute these goodies to your friends and neighbors with a leftover witch sticker and a note that says, “Right back at ya!” (wink, wink!) LOOKING & FEELING YOUR BEST It’s a feast for the senses – one without the calories – and loads of benefits for your skin. This Pumpkin Body Scrub, courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Half Moon Bay, removes dead skin cells and nourishes thirsty skin. Best of all, it’s made with common ingredients found in your pantry. Whip it up and enjoy! Creamy Pumpkin Body Scrub 2 tablespoons dry oats 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin 2 Tbs. cornmeal 2 Tbs. honey Grind oats in a food processor or blender. In a medium bowl, combine cream, pumpkin, cornmeal and honey. Add ground oats. Stir to form a thick paste. Apply the mask from the neck down (including arms, legs and tummy) using light strokes. Wrap your body in a cotton sheet (the mask will not stain) and relax for 10 minutes in a reclining position. Unwrap the sheet. Rinse off the mask in a warm bath or shower. Pat skin dry and apply moisturizer. Refrigerate any remaining lotion in a tightly covered container and use within 3 days. Makes 1 cup. MOMS ROCK! Are you ready to Frisbee that Wiggles CD out the window? Then you’re probably ready to find some new tunes that don’t come from dancing men or furry characters. Check out “Unglamorous,” the recent CD from new country artist Lori McKenna. After a stellar launch on Warner Bros. Records in August, Lori’s music has struck a chord with fellow moms, and it’s no surprise. Drawing on personal experiences, Lori has an amazing talent to find the true beauty in the everyday life of being a mom. She is the mother of 5, who at age 38, is making a lifelong dream come true…with kids in tow! She wrapped up her summer touring with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw on the Soul2Soul tour and, this fall, sent her oldest baby off to college and enrolled another in preschool. For more about Lori or to buy “Unglamorous,” go to lorimckenna.com. Her CD is in stores now and available on iTunes. Now go on and rock that carpool line! DO YOU ZWAGGLE? If you spent your summer bulldozing through your kid’s clutter, organizing their closets and setting up systems for the school year, you may have earmarked a pile to sell or donate. Well, if your once good intentions of hosting a garage sale seem to be fading with your tan line, check out Zwaggle.com. It’s a Cragslist-style site dedicated specifically to all things kid-related where you can trade in your bouncy seat and earn “Zoints” toward the purchase of a high chair or a pack-and-play. And, for older kids, there is a sporting goods category… because we know how kids can go through those cleats and skates! BEFORE YOU QUIT YOUR JOB... Try these 4 suggestions, first Figure out the real problem: Write a list of the things you like about your job and things you don’t. Is there just one problem area or are there many that are making it difficult for you to enjoy your job? Design your ideal job: You won’t be able to go directly from your current job to your dream job, but you may be able to make some adjustments that can start to move you closer to what you want to do. For example, maybe you can recommend a project to your boss that solves a particular customer problem. Ask for what you want: Talk to your boss and clearly let him or her know what you want. Don’t just complain. Discuss what you want in a positive way and point out the benefits for you, the boss and the company. You may think that your boss won’t want to listen to you; however, most managers want to know if their employees are unhappy. It’s less trouble than hiring someone new to replace you. Look for other jobs in the same company: If you like your current company, look for opportunities to transfer from within. What manager would you like to work for? What new skills do you want to learn? When you start dreading Monday morning, you know it’s time to make changes. You can change your company or just change your job. Whatever you choose, make sure your new job works for you. HEALTH: Mix Up A Healthy Pizza Night With slightly cooler weather on tap, you may find yourself wrapping up in a cozy blanket and longing for some of those comfort foods. While there’s nothing wrong with indulging every once in a while, here’s a healthy way to enjoy one of every mom’s favorite comforts: Friday-night pizza! Once a month, try to mix up pizza night by going beyond the traditional cheese and pepperoni pie and instead try a Mexican or Thai twist using vegetables, beans and lean meats. You can even make it more fun by electing a family member once a month to make a unique pizza for the whole gang. If you have little ones, it’s also fun to have make-your-own pizza night. Here’s one great heart-healthy recipe to try that the whole family will grow to love: Salsa, Bean and Cheese Pizza 4 6-inch corn tortillas (for crust) 4 t. olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 fresh jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup chopped seeded tomato 4 oz. reduced-fat Monterey Jack, cheddar or mozzarella cheese shredded (1 cup) 2 T. chopped, fresh cilantro Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tortillas on an ungreased baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Bake about 6 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp, turning once. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, chile pepper and garlic; cook until onion is tender. Stir in black beans and tomato; heat through. Sprinkle tortillas with half of the cheese. Spoon the bean mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese. Bake about 4 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro. Makes 4 servings. |
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