Spring.

Had  gorgeous past couple of days here and spent it none other than the great outdoors. L graduated from the baby swing to a big kid swing which I think was pretty monumental. He enjoyed feeding the geese his leftover peanut butter sandwich, & going head first down the big kid slides...he's a little thrill seeker, but that's nothing new. But what is new is his emerging vocabulary. Tons of new words every day and mimics almost every word we say to him. Some favorite words he says on repeat: "choo choo" "earpanes" (airplanes) "ambance" (ambulance) "twuck" (truck) "bus" "horses" "bebes" "moo" & "monsters." So happy Spring is finally here, and excited for many more days of outdoor play with my little nature babe.

Giveaway! Enter to win a $49 gift set from Sesame Gifts!

Today I'm hosting this amazing giveaway to win a $49 value gift package (or $49 store credit) from SesameGifts.com. *free shipping included as well. I absolutely love their site, they have so many really creative and super cute gift ideas for when you wanna send a special someone a lil extra love their way. I especially love this sweet 'unwind' gift set (perfect for any woman, & perhaps a nice Mother's Day gift?), this or this for a new baby, and these coffee lovers & tea lovers gift sets. They have so many other fun gift ideas, like this set for a fun and sexy bachelorette party gift, this cocktail hour gift set, & so many more to choose from!

Enter to Win:

1. Download the Sesame App HERE.

1. "Like" Sesame on Facebook.

2. Follow Sesame on Twitter.

3. Follow Mumma's Corner blog (google friend connect, or subscribe to posts via email or bloglovin')

4. Leave a Comment telling me you did all of the above and if you feel like it, let me know what your favorite Sesame Gift item is! *Please be sure to leave your email in your comment section so I know how to contact you if you're the lucky winner. 

This giveaway will run for 2 weeks from today and will officially close at 10:00am CST on April 10, 2013. 

Good luck!

Homemade Easter Cards

Sharing some lil Easter crafts with you today since Easter is in March this year....Made these simple cards with Landon for all our relatives out of card stock paper, a few feathers, and googley eyes. 

very focused on coloring his eggs

lil chicks. Looks a lil advanced for a 2 year old, I know. I may have helped him a little by cutting out all the parts and I was also in charge of the glue. But he put all the glued pieces down into place and patted them down to stick. He would also exclaim every time, "eyes!!" and "nose!!" and when we were done, "bird!!"

front of card

inside of card

Happy Easter Crafting & Happy Friday :)

25 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me

After seeing a few of these "5 Things You Don't Know About Me" posts on IG recently I decided to sit down and compile my own list here. I got a little carried away, but here are 25 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me:

1. I like all things organized, clean, & aesthetically pleasing. Sometimes this makes me a little OCD. I am one of those people who, if I come home from a trip at midnight, will need to unpack my entire suitcase and throw in a load of laundry before going to bed. I absolutely hate leaving things for the next day.

2. I love to draw and make things by hand. The two biggest goals on my 30 Before 30 list is to enroll in myself in an art class and learn how to sew.

3. We got rid of our TV service 7 months ago and I'm not lying when I say I don't miss it in the least bit. We've also been living without a microwave for the past 6 months. Somehow this has also been working out really well for us.

4. My body literally rejects alcohol. Violently. The entire day and night after drinking, even after having just a couple, and the aftermath lasts for a solid 7 days. I have finally started to listen to my body and have spent the past 45 days completely sober…There have still been many occasions that I miss alcohol, and nights I feel uncomfortable in my own skin, but I feel better than ever.

5. I am a lawyer by trade but a mother by heart. I wish I knew this before I racked up all those student loans.

6. I live with mom-guilt every day. When I am home with my son I many times feel like someone else could do a better job educating and raising him than I am. But that same vicious mom-guilt follows me around when I am away from him because I know no one on the face of the earth can love and care for him as much as I do.

7. I hate confrontation. I would rather avoid you for weeks on end. I call this 'the fadeaway.'

8. I am a very anxious person. My yoga practice is the only thing that truly relaxes me and makes me feel whole, mentally & physically, in a given moment.

9. I'm one of those people who needs her sleep. A solid 8-9 hours or else I suffer from awful migraines and am a dysfunctional human being all day. I also need to eat pronto when I am hungry. (aka hangry).

10. I'm left handed but I'm also right-handed. I like to think that means I'm rare and unique and superbly creative. I also like to think that means Landon is going to be an allstar southpaw athlete and kick ass at sports.

11. I am passionate about our environment, non-toxic and organic products, and enjoy making things by hand. I make and use my own all-natural laundry detergent, cleaning agents, deodorant, body scrub, bath salts, moisturizer, make-up remover, facial cleanser, toner, & exfoliator.

12. I cloth diaper, baby wear, & co-sleep. I didn't start out predetermined to do these things, they sort of naturally evolved as things that work best for us while comporting with parenting philosophies that I grew to believe in. I (we) love it. Most of the time.

13. Many mornings Chris and I will wake up an hour before Landon, have coffee & tea in bed and read a chapter of the Bible and talk about God. This has been by far, the best way to start my day. Whether you're alone, with your spouse or significant other, in the morning or at night, I would highly recommend carving out just a few minutes of your day to do this. It'll change your life.

14. I believe strongly in downsizing and in simplicity. The people I respect most in the world are people who quietly choose to live with less so that others can have more. Unfortunately, I conveniently forget this daily as I drive to Target and click my little fingers away on amazon.com and buy things I don't need. One of my most frequent and fervent prayers is that one day what I do, want, and love will match what I respect, believe and admire.

15. I don’t do anything in moderation and I tend to live life in a pattern of extremes. This goes for eating, drinking, exercising, sleeping, my mood, my motivation. I am aware this is unhealthy and I am working on developing an even keel to my personality.

16. I want to do big things for God, like spend a year doing philanthropy efforts in a third world country or adopt a baby orphan from Africa. Chris and I talk seriously about both these callings on a regular basis....will see we're we're at when we're done having our own kids. But for now, we have our little Sinawo.

17. I am unable and unwilling to sustain relationships with people who talk about themselves but don’t listen or engage in a meaningful 2-way conversation, egotistical, narcissistic people, people who only care about themselves and view the world in terms of how it affects them.

19. My pet peeve since becoming a mom is when people feel the need to offer unwanted, unsolicited advice. We do not need advice. We need help, & we need community.

20. Chris is the living proof to me that the grace of God is real. I don't know what I did to deserve him and I don't know how my life didn't spiral out of control before him. We are very different people but we love all the exact same things. I truly can't imagine going through life with anyone else.

21. I found God in March 2009 at a small train station in Little Rock, Arkansas and since then I have never been the same. I still consider myself a crappy Christian, but I’m pretty sure that's the only honest kind.

22. I can't listen to the first few notes of Rufus Wainwright's Hallelujah without feeling like the wind's been knocked out of me.

23. I stopped all prescription drugs 4 years ago and believe strongly in holistic health and healing. I believe laughter is the best medicine. Laughter and echinacea and lots of tea and honey.

24. I don't know what I would do without my girlfriends. I deeply cherish my close friendships, because good friends are very hard to find, even more difficult to keep, and they sure as hell make the quality of life better (and a little more bearable).

25. I believe the hardest things in life are the best things. That nothing truly good comes easy. Because life is hard. Not because we are doing it wrong, but because sometimes it’s just hard. But I know, deep down, that it’s all a gift. Every day and every single experience, no matter how brutal, each is an invitation to walk deeper into truth and to real life. That nothing worth anything comes easy. And the rewards are even greater than we expected them to be. And everything is always going to be alright, not because of any decisions I make or don’t make, but because of the grace of God. That he works in miraculous ways, if we walk with Him. That with working hard and trusting in His plan, there is never a door I can't walk through that He won't be standing right behind, helping to usher me through.

Guest Post: Have a Heart for Kids' Health by Carolyn Fallon

Have a Heart for Kids' Health This March

When my young cousin was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes just a few short months ago, my family and I had much to learn about the disease. I was shocked that a 13 year-old could develop Type 2, but after conducting some research, I was saddened to find out that Type 2 has become a very common disease among today’s children. Information from Syracuse’s St. Joseph’s Cardiac Hospital points out a clear connection between untreated diabetes and the development of heart disease.  As February was National Heart Month, and March is National Nutrition Month, I have chosen to raise awareness regarding the prevalence of Type 2 in today’s world. If you are concerned about your own family, follow these simple tips towards prevention: 

Knowing the Facts and Risks

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are similar, but also very different from one another. Both are dangerous and have serious consequences, which is why it is so important to prevent them early on. 

Type 1 Diabetes, which makes up only around 5% of the Diabetes-population, occurs when the body attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, which results in the body’s inability to produce insulin and allows for glucose to stay in the blood, whereby it damages all of the body’s organs. Because Type 1 diabetics must take insulin, and because Type 1 is typically found in children, it is known as insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset diabetes. 

[Potential] causes of Type 1 include genetics (people usually need to inherit risk factors from each parent), being Caucasian, living in colder climates, and early diet. The risk for children being diagnosed with Type 1 depends largely on genetic factors of the parents – whether and when they had Type 1, if both parents have Type 1, and the age parents are when they have their kids. 

Type 2 Diabetes, which makes up around 90-95% of diabetes cases, occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the cells ignore the insulin. Like Type 1, Type 2 also causes a build-up of glucose in the blood, which damage body organs. Once referred to as adult-onset diabetes (due to it only being diagnosed in adults), it is now commonly found in children due to unhealthy diets and lack of physical exercise.

[Potential] causes of Type 2 include family history and environmental factors of obesity, unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity. The risk for children being diagnosed with Type 2 depends greatly on if their parents were diagnosed with Type 2 – with the risk being greater the younger the parents were when diagnosed, whether both or just one off the parents have Type 2, and what the lifestyle habits are – an unhealthy diet and low-none physical activity greatly increase the risk for the development of Type 2 Diabetes.  

Getting Regular Exercise

To help your kids get fit, start participating in regular physical exercise together. Here are a few fun ideas you can do with one another:

     - Enroll in martial arts classes where you can get fit and learn 

       positive mental habits 

     - Take advantage of fitness programs at your local YMCA or

       community center 

     - Rent/buy/watch family-friendly exercise videos – my cousins 

       particularly like doing Yoga and Zumba together 

     - When the weather permits, have some family fun hiking at a local 

       nature center or take a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

Eating Healthy

All that exercise is sure to kick up a healthy appetite, and it’s important to be armed to meet it with the healthiest options possible. 

     - Offer your kids natural snacks such as nuts, fruit or fresh vegetables 

       in place of candy, baked goods and other high-calorie, low-nutrient

       foods. 

     - At mealtime, replace processed and fatty meats with vegetarian 

       options or lean cuts of naturally raised meat.

     - Limit your intake of carbohydrates, sugars, and salty foods. 

     - Get creative! Finding healthier ways to cook your favorite foods can

       be a very rewarding, yummy and beneficial experience! 

     - Get the kids involved. Let them help with grocery shopping, 

       planning meals, and even helping cook (if they are old enough to). 

Some great foods to ward off, and manage, Type 2 include:

- whole grains – brown rice, barley, wild rice, slow-cooking 

 oatmeal, whole-grain breads and pastas, and quinoa 

- beans and legumes

- lots of fresh veggies – not prepared with unhealthy fats

- whole, fresh fruits like berries, apples, and citrus fruits such as

 oranges and grapefruits – make sure to avoid canned fruits with

 added sweeteners and syrups

- non-fat or low-fat dairy 

- lean proteins – fish and shellfish, skinless poultry breasts, and 

 lean cuts of meat

Also, making sure to eat heart-healthy foods is important. Here are a few foods to make a regular part of your diet:

- salmon, tuna

- black or kidney beans

- almonds, walnuts, flaxseed

- tofu

- brown rice 

- blueberries, oranges, cantaloupe, papaya

- spinach, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, red bell peppers, 

 asparagus, tomatoes, acorn squash

- dark chocolate

- tea, red wine

Delicious Homemade Hummus Recipe

Homemade hummus is a savory, nutritious treat that can be used in sandwiches or as a dip. 

1. Drain two cans of chickpeas. 

2. Combine with 2 tablespoons of tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds and available in the health food section of your grocery store with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  

3. Add ½ cup warm water, the juice of ½ a lime or lemon and ¼ teaspoon salt.

**I like to include a couple cloves of garlic, pressed, or ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic for flavor.

4. Use a handheld blender or food processor to combine and puree ingredients.

5. Voila! Serve with freshly cut-up veggies, on a sandwich, or with some whole-grain pita wedges or crackers. Enjoy! 

A few changes to your family’s lifestyle can ensure a healthier future for your children. Isn’t it time to take their health to heart?

Carolyn is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well-being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has been known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/! 

water babies

Sharing some pics from our water wonderland adventure on Saturday. Landon is such a little fish and has the time of his life when we take him swimming. The only thing I realized after looking over these photos again is how increasingly clear it is that he loves Chris more than me : /

gingham style c/o modcloth

& the drama that ensued when we tried to leave

Banana Blueberry Chocolate Bran Nut Bread

The title of this recipe sounds a little crazy because I threw so many ingredients into this, but honestly, it it's like a really good party in your mouth. I make a lot of regular banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread, and banana nut bread and the like, but I felt like spicing up those old and boring recipes. And while at it, I also wanted to turn this into a healthy breakfast bread, so I used whole wheat, less sugar than most other banana breads, as well as incorporated rolled oats, flaxseed, and oat bran to make this bread full of fiber, protein, & omega-3s. Def don't feel any guilt having this for breakfast. Added plus? Landon's a huge fan :)

Makes 2-3 loaves. Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 60 min.

What You'll Need:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 1/4 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup oat bran
- 1 cup ground flaxseed
- 3/4 cups vegetable oil or coconut oil
- 3 large eggs
- 4-5 very ripe bananas
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk (other substitutes: buttermilk, almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk)

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup fresh blueberries

*If you don't have all of the above ingredients, you can leave out the rolled oats, oat bran, & flaxseed, as well as any of the chocolate, nuts, or blueberries, which will still deliver a good plain ol' banana bread.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour bread pans and set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine all the "dry" ingredients: sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, rolled oats, oat bran, and flax seed.
3. In medium/large mixing bowl mash up bananas.
4. Add eggs to mashed bananas.
5. Add all "wet" ingredients to the mashed bananas: scrambled eggs, oil, milk, & vanilla extract.
6. In medium bowl, combine chocolate chips, nuts, and blueberries.

7. Add "wet" ingredients to the "dry" ingredient bowl and stir.
8. Fold in nuts, blueberries, and chocolate chips.

9. Spoon into pans and sprinkle rolled overs over the top of the loaves.
10. Place in oven for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out almost completely clean. *You gotta watch this bread and at the 50 minute mark keep checking religiously. You don't want the toothpick to come out completely clean or else it will come out too dry.
11. Let cool, cover & freeze if you want to save for later, or just let cool and dig in :) Enjoy!

bits of life lately

little people

little coats

 I know this is far from a fashion blog, but I had a girlfriend's bridal shower on Sunday and for the first time in a long time, I got dressed in something other than yoga pants and put on make up: 

blazer: Urban Outfitters // lace shirt: French Connection // jeggings: Joe's // nails: OPI "Thanks a Windmillion" // lips: Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in #42 

 Def one of the best shower gifts ever received -- fresh organic basil plant with a homemade basil pesto recipe card. -- If you're interested: Combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, & oil in food processor & pulse until smooth. Mix in cheese & salt. Eat on anything & everything.

 family swim time

One of his favorite hangouts is @ car dealerships....test driving an Audi A8.

'Member these guys? Bleached, disinfected, & resurrected to foster L's new obsession with horses

my DH out shoveling the walkway during the second big snowstorm within one week. So over it.

 while I'm snuggled up in front of our fake fireplace with a cup of tea .. & how I've been spending most (any) free time lately, reading The Pillars of the Earth.