30 Days Of 'No-Poo'

A couple nights ago while winding my mind down I hit the hair and beauty section of Pinterest. I visit that section often to look at all the beautiful thin girls with long flowing hair ... usually to remove myself of how I want to look next July (more on that in a sec). I stumbled across a post about no-poo, after reading it and a few similar posts I have decided to try it for 30 days. Not sure what no-poo is? Well its basically going shampoo less. Instead of chemically induced hair care items you simply go back to basics and use good old baking soda and vinegar.

Here is how I feel about day 1: washing with baking soda was easy. I mixed one tablespoon baking soda with a cup of water, poured some on my wet hair, and scrubbed in my usual circular motion. After washing I followed with a vinegar rinse made of one cup water and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. My hair is shoulder length and usually out of control resulting in a daily pony tail. I noticed after my no-poo wash my hair dried in half the time it used to, it was very easy to run a brief through, and feels much lighter than usual. I will follow up with weekly posts to let you know how it goes ;)

Wondering what I want to look like in July? Well here we go. At my heaviest in 2009 I weighed almost 180lbs...which is a ridiculous amount for a person that is 5'2". Having a baby in the nicu through me into a depression that I never knew existed and I ate my feelings I felt worthless, unwanted, disgusting, and humiliated. It got so bad that I didn't want to leave my house. In 2011 when I got pregnant with Tanner I wanted that all to change. I went from 175 at my first appointment to 155 and back to 162 when I delivered an 8lb 2oz baby. At my six week check up I was down to 151 and thought I could keep it off. Well here I am in 2013 weighing in at 163lbs. I don't feel like I am an over eater any more, I'm more active than I have ever been, and my depression is 80% gone....but I don't feel good about the way I look. I still feel embarrassed and ashamed of myself. I find myself ignoring phone calls and not wanting to spend time with friends because of my weight. I'm also the largest woman in my blood related family which doesn't help. Constantly being around stick figures doesn't do much for a girls self esteem.

So I decided to change. Decided to put me first a little bit more than usual. I'm slowly getting into a routine and hoping to stay there. For my 30th birthday I want to weigh 30lbs less. I think it is a goal I can achieve if I try. I'm walking my dogs more, riding my bike further and pushing myself more, hiking, and even throwing in a little jog while I'm at it.

10/1 UPDATE
I went three days before washing my hair again. My hair did not get greasy or unmanageable in those three days and I probably could have went a few more. My hair feels lighter and healthier in only a few days. Can't wait to see what the next few weeks holds.

Jazzy Dan's and Jake's Diapers

Did you know that if you purchase a diaper from Jazzy Dan's Diapers and mention Jake's Diapers for Peru that we donate one diaper to help our little buddies in foreign countries? Haven't heard of Jake's Diapers? Well please please please find them on facebook! Jake's mom and team are a group of amazing individuals that gather goods, make repairs, and ship items all over the world to help babies in need. When they contacted us for help there was no way we could say no. No child should have to go without, no child should have to reuse a disposable diaper, ever. 

For more information on Jake's Diaper please visit their facebook page @https://www.facebook.com/JakesDiapersForPeru or their blog http://jakesdiapersforperu.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/jakes-business-buddies/

To purchase diapers from us please visit our etsy shop www.jazzydansdiapers.etsy.com

Homemade Nutrigrain Bars

Well it is only the 9th and my kids have successfully eaten all of their snacks...which is a major fail on my part because we only grocery shop once a month. That means this mommy has to pull out all her pinned Pinterest finds and see what she can throw together. In my previous posts you will see graham crackers, which was a huge hit with the littles. I also made a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls, breakfast burritos, cereal bars, pita bread (recipe also up on blog), and tonight i added nutrigrain bars to the mix. These yummy little pre-packaged bars are a favorite amongst my littles. They are a go to after school snack for my school aged kids and of course Tanner always wants what they have. I have always known that they were not the healthiest snack but i just didn't think about making them from scratch before now. Tonight i attempted it and it didn't go exactly as planned but they still turned out moist, flavorful, and more healthy than the store bought ones.

Recipe:

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour - i used bread flour
2/3 cup brown sugar - this easily could have been changed to honey or really left out but i decided to add apple sauce after i threw the flour in so what was done was done
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup apple sauce - i used my homemade sweetened with honey and lemon

1/3 cup mayo - i was out of eggs
10 ounces jam - i used my homemade blackberry

I mixed all the ingredients in a bowl then separated them into two balls. I noticed they were still a bit tacky so i did add an additional 1/2 cup flour. I flattened one ball into the bottom of a well greased pan, added my 10 ounces of jam then topped with the remaining ball of dough. Bake at 325 for 35-40 mins. When they cooled i cut them into small bars and wrapped in plastic wrap. We are still experiencing a bit warmer weather so 90% of my items are stored in the fridge, however i know these will be gone within a few days!

I made the mistake of not using a large enough pan so my bars came out more like a cake however they were kid tested and approved. 

I often substitute oil in recipes with apple sauce. I like the taste, it naturally sweetens, and i almost always have a homemade batch in the fridge or freezer. I will admit that lately i have been using mayo in place of eggs as well. I cant seem to keep eggs in the house long enough with the amount of breakfast burritos my husband and kids eat and i cant get my husband to agree to let me raise chickens next year, but we always have mayo. 

Landon turned the big F-I-V-E

August 24th my little man turned 5. It has been an amazing five years. Landon has brought me so much joy that i cant even express it in words. Being his mom is truly a gift from God and every day I am reminded of how amazing being a parent is. All of my kids mean the world to me and I love them all the same but as each year passes for Landon I am reminded of where we started and how each day we didn't know if it would be our last together.

Most of my readers know the story but i figure while im on the topic i might as well share it again for those that don't. At eight weeks pregnant with Landon i was misdiagnosed from Arroyo Grande Hospital and after hours of my mother screaming, threatening, and fighting i was finally properly diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. That clot was a pain i had never felt in my life, a pain i hope to never feel again. After two days at french hospital i was released on three times a day blood thinner injections. I made it another 20 weeks before i went into preterm labor. The next 5 weeks were hit and miss as my body started to shut down and my blood pressure shot through the roof. August 23rd I was admitted to Sierra Vista, diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, and induced. Landon was born the next day weighing 3lbs 12oz. The next week is a blur. I spent a week in a private room separated from the other mothers while Landon was up in the nicu fighting for his life. Being born at only 33 weeks he wasn't able to breath or eat on his own. He was tube fed until two days before he came home actually. I was sent home after 5 days in the hospital and reality hit that i was leaving without a baby. Because i'm a badass i held all my tears, fears, depression, anxiety, all inside. Those were the hardest three weeks of my life. I remember walking through Vons with Peter and as we rounded a corner a young couple was walking towards us with their small baby. I tried my best to keep it together but couldn't, i had a complete meltdown in the middle of the grocery store. As i stood there sobbing tears while Peter held me up i just kept thinking why us? why me? why do all bad things happen to me? Now of course i realize that we are a family are stronger than i ever knew, and that God doesn't give us more than we can handle.  I didn't visit him daily like my husband did because i just couldn't face it. Probably the same reason i didn't visit my grandma while she died of lung cancer or my pop when he fell from the ladder. That is just how i deal with thing. Three weeks went by, lots of heart stopping moments and joyous moments we were finally able to bring our 4lb 8oz baby home.



We were so lucky that he had no issues other than being small and so blessed that today he is just an average every day five year old boy.

We rang in Landon turning 5 with an awesome party at our new house. He was surrounded by all our family members and friends. This year he wanted to have a pool party with tacos and cupcakes so i made sure he had everything he wanted. Thankfully Danielle came up the night before and helped me cook and clean before everyone came over and Peter took care of setting up and maintaining our new pool as well we setting up a smaller pool for the little ones. We had a spectacular day with guests arriving from noon-five. The food was perfect, the company was perfect, the weather was great....couldn't have asked for a better day.

Here's a few shots from the party. Oh, and if you are wondering...yes that is my pop....my pop that was part of a water fight that included water balloons, a gator water shooter, and a small pool LOL

Yup, that's my pop...soaked in water...this was right after her took Misty down in the pool!

Caution: This Post Contains Words Like Vagina and Menstrual Cycle...you have been warned

Men folk that were brave enough to read this post after reading the title....you may want to re-think you decision. With that out of the way here we go!

I gave up store bought pads/tampons years ago...probably 5 or more years now. I gave them up for a number of reasons but mostly because of the chemicals involved in making them and the exuberant monthly cost. I know what you are thinking...really Jasmine? The $5 a month it cost....well my friends that $5 adds up and lets face it some times it is not just $5! Before I had kids i wouldn't be caught dead wearing a pad. I always felt like i was wearing a diaper and people would know...ya know because everyone was always staring at my behind, right? After i had my first baby i switched to pads because i just didn't care what people thought any more. After i had my second baby i switched to cloth and haven't ever looked back. I love cloth! I love all things cloth! I loved the ease of cloth, the softness, the lack of chemicals, how easy they are to wash, the cute prints. After my third baby i noticed my cloth wasn't holding up as well as it had in the past. I noticed i was stacking more and more pads on top of each other to get good protection and decided it just wasn't working for me anymore...but what is a girl to do when disposables are no longer an option? That same day I got an email from my bff and she like me is a cloth-a-holic. She had made the decision to try a menstrual cup. A cup? yes a cup, you read that right. Of course i couldn't let her be the only one to try a cup so i quickly decided to try one too. I can now 100% say that the cup is the best invention, ever. Once you get past the gross factor (some of you have it, i do not) and realize how awesome this natural product is i just know all of you will be as in love as i am! There are a lot of options out there for cups, do your homework ladies!

If you are not sold on the cup after doing your homework then please take 10 minutes out of your day and research or ask me about lady cloth. As my bff pinned on pinterest the other day "friends don't let friends wear tampons"...and i would like to convert the world to cloth lol Don't know what lady cloth is? search google or swing by my etsy page jazzydansdiapers.etsy.com and check out my current supply of lady cloth.

Reusable...better for the earth, better for your pocket, and better for the down town =)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice

I adore my slow cooker, i would cook all my meals in there if it was possible...and i would even venture to say that 75% of my meals are cooked in mine. I love the simplicity of just throwing everything in one pot and calling it dinner later on. If you don't own a slow cooker we can no longer be friends! haha just kidding i will love you the same and just make fun of you later ;)

4 Chicken Breasts
1 yellow rice mix- cooked
1 cup cheese
1 can cream of chicken
1 can of corn

Cook chicken on high for 3-4 hours, cook rice on stove, add all ingredients 30 minutes before serving and mix! How simple is that? My family loved this dinner....except my 5 year old that has recently decided if i call it a casserole he wont even try it because he "doesn't like casseroles"...go figure.

Some things I did differently

*I cooked my chicken on low for 6-7 hrs
*I only used two chicken breasts
*I used rice pilaf because honestly i have never seen yellow rice
*I used cream of chicken and mushroom, yes store bought...shame on me
*I used a cup and a half of frozen corn, i rarely buy canned corn.

Serve this with your favorite salad for an easy peasy dinner option.

Pita Bread, oh yes i did!

I spend a lot of time before bed searching Pinterest while winding down since we do not have tv in our room and for some reason my brain needs a little "me"time to go to sleep. I stumbled across a few recipes, combined items i liked from different ones, tried them out, tweaked them again, and finally came up with a recipe that was kid and hubby tested and approved! If you follow me on Pinterest (which i highly recommend) you can see all the different things that i have pinned to my "nomnomnom"board.

***these pita pockets do take three hours, yes really. So plan on dedicating time to them...they are worth it!***

Pita Bread

3 cups flour (as always i use bread flour from costco. You can't beat 25lbs under $8)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/4 yeast or 1 packet if you do not buy it in bulk
1 1/4 cup room temp water
2 tbsp olive oil

Mix dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. mix by hand or stand mixer for 8 minutes. I do not own a stand mixer (shocker i know) so i mix these by hand. Remove dough from mixer or bowl and kneed on a floured counter top for 2-3 minutes, adding flour as needs be. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, make sure all sides of the dough is covered with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise for 2 hours.
After 2 hours has passed gently deflate your dough and place on the counter, cut dough into 8 portions rolling each portion into a ball. Cover balls with a damp towel for 20 minutes.
Roll dough out into 6 inch discs and allow to rise for 30-45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 and bake for 3-5 minutes.

Tips:
*bake two at a time on a cookie sheet
*do not roll too thin or bread will be difficult to slice into pockets
*store these in a zip lock in the fridge- they will last a full 7 days
*throw in your favorite seasoning! I added some Italian seasoning to mine and they were super yummy

Homemade Graham Crackers and a lil rant

So you know me..always trying to find a way to be frugal whenever I can... my kids love snacks...usually their go to are "goldies" (goldfish). I started researching a while back trying to cut out a lot of processed foods and make more from scratch and I stumbled across a few recipes I'm going to share with you :)

Graham Crackers

1/2-2/3 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup honey (or any sweetener if you don't use or have honey)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix until dough forms a ball, roll out on floured surface, cut into shapes, and bake @350 8-10 minutes.

This frugal snack is easy to make and can easily be changed to add flax seed or whatever other add ins you feel necessary. My kids loved these so much they asked me to stop buying store bought grahams....and they got no complaint from me!

Often people ask me why I make things from scratch or how I find the time. Well my answer is usually 'I'm at home, I have the time'. I will no longer be using that as my answer because I am at home but I do not have the time. I work as hard as the rest of the world its just a different type of work. I make items from scratch because it saves money and is simply better for you. Everyone can find the time to make things for their family, you just have to be willing to give something up or alter your schedule.  Maybe its watching your favorite TV show or surfing the web...how important are those things really??? I hear the phrase 'time is money' a lot well while I'm working away making snacks, breads, tortillas...whatever it might be I'm usually also cleaning, doing laundry, helping with homework, or having my kids help me cook while spending quality time with them.

Its time to think outside the box people...literally.