Naptime Blog

Here we are…  tomorrow starts the beginning of Thankgiving week.  Undoubtedly, you have some preparations to do this week.  Whether you are hosting or visiting, you have to get ready for Thursday.  How much do you have to do this week?

I have been up since 6am.  I have laundry in the wash, I cleaned out the refrigerator and made my husband a list of grocery shopping.  When he comes home from the grocery store, I have to put everything away.  We are headed into the city for a pre-screening of THE MUPPETS, and then I have to come home and finish getting ready for our Thanksgiving Potluck/Food Drive tomorrow.

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year.  Usually we go to my mother-in-law’s, however, I wanted to make it easier on her as she is going for surgery in a few weeks, so we are having it here.  Twenty-three people, including eight kids.  And it is an Italian household, so we are going to have enough food to feed an army!

First on the menu is the antipasto.  My mother-in-law will be bringing that and it will likely have various cheeses and salamis, plus some roasted red peppers, an olive salad and lots of bread.  My mom is making stuffed mushrooms, which she makes soooo delicious!  Next is the pasta (we will always refer to it as macaroni!)  This year, instead of the standard meat sauce, we are having a simple marinara.  Too much of the macaroni and meatballs ends up with no one wanting turkey!  Of course, then is the turkey and all the sides.  On our list we added cranberry sauce, ingredients to make fresh stuffing, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, broccoli, string beans and corn.  And my favorite food – stuffed artichokes.  We also have to make a chicken as my mother-in-law does not eat turkey.  I am sure I am forgetting some other things, but you get the picture.

Next is the fruit, which cousin Jeanie will be bringing.  Following fruit is nuts – walnuts, almonds, and yummy chestnuts.  And finally is desserts.  We’ll be making an apple and pumpkin pie, and I am sure everyone else will bring some other desserts.

On holidays, everyone goes home stuffed.  The hosts are exhausted and the kids sleep like logs that night!  For me, 6am Friday morning starts WIN IT WEEKEND, on my Mommy’s Links site,  and I am not sure yet if I will be heading out shopping for any of the Black Friday sales.  And then of course the MAD RUSH begins….  Preparing for CHRISTMAS!

Where did the year go?  I cannot believe I am saying this already,  but Happy Holidays!

What are your preparations for this week?

Jennifer, wife and mom of four
www.mommyslinks.com

Raising a bilingual child is a challenge. It seems to be getting harder and harder to ensure that kiddo speaks Spanish. October was Bilingual Child Month and I realized how much I haven’t been doing with him. I’ve also noticed how much I have done with him. He understands a lot of things that I say in Spanish and when he doesn’t, he asks. These days with technology being so advanced, you would think I’d have an easier time of it. I continue to speak to kiddo in Spanish making sure to translate each word one by one. And having him repeat it back to me also helps because he’s slowly absorbing it all. He knows his numbers and has learned the names of household items and objects.

He’s even tried reading the local Spanish newspaper. Sitting on the train to a birthday party, we found a copy of El Diario (a newspaper my father brought home everyday). I sat listening to kiddo read things out loud. When he asked what those sentences meant, I asked him what HE thought they meant. My kiddo is so smart and he impressed me when he figured it out from the context of the section. Looking at the pictures he could tell what was going on, but kiddo translated some of the words outright. Being a bilingual person has so many advantages – broader career choices/options and higher pay. As a bilingual child, I was so annoyed at having to translate conversations at school for my parents. And I HATED reading in church, which my mother had me do after hearing me read the newspaper (El Diario) out loud. And I especially hated how my father would ignore me if I spoke to him in English. But, the payoff is that I’m a fully bilingual adult who can read, write and speak fluent Spanish. I can work with clients in both languages and help more people that way. I’m blessed that my parents pushed me so hard because I’m reaping the benefits of their hard work. Parents – how do you teach your children to be bilingual?

Today, November 11, is Veteran’s Day. Something we will only see ONCE in our lifetimes is the date. Actually, at 11:11 (and eleven seconds!) this morning, it will be all ONES across the board on our watches and clocks. 11:11:11, 11/11/11. Today is the day that brides and grooms have specifically chosen to get married, so they could always remember those cool numbers. Any babies born today will have an awesome birthday number to write down. ELEVEN ELEVEN ELEVEN – or ONE ONE, ONE ONE, ONE ONE.

What comes to mind when thinking of the number ELEVEN?

- “Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven!”

- Eleven Pipers Piping

- The eleventh hour

- Ocean’s Eleven

- September the eleventh

- XI

- Phil Simms jersey number

- Apollo 11

What else do you think of when you hear ELEVEN?

Enjoy this day in history!!!

 Jennifer Nevadomski, Wife and Mom of Four – www.mommyslinks.com

Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted, just hours ago, of involunary manslaughter. Michael Jackson’s doctor, who was with him on June 25, 2009, when the lethal dose was taken, claims he only gave a small dose. There were suggestions that the King of Pop may have actually given himself the lethal dose himself. Either way, one of the most well-known entertainers in our lifetime is dead.

People outside the courtroom were cheering “Justice for Michael”. Justice? Don’t get me wrong. I have always been a Michael Jackson fan since I was a little girl. When he was put up on charges of molestation, I found it hard to believe, however, I would never doubt a child. I still loved his music, but I believed he was guilty. To find out years later that the accusations were in fact a ploy on behalf of the child’s mother for money was a disgrace. Nevertheless, we all could have predicted an early death for Michael Jackson, because he played God and he played doctor. I have said it numerous times and will say it again – SUPERSTARS ARE NOT INFALLIBLE! Singers, actors, sports stars, heiresses… they think they can do whatever they please whenever they want. Superstars are not above the law and they are certainly NOT above God. Money and fame does not give you an automatic approval to do whatever you want!

Insomnia? For insomnia and “constant pain”, Michael Jackson took it upon himself to “buy” himself a medical doctor who would give him as many drugs as he asked for. And as a result, it killed him. The doctor was stupid enough to risk his license, his career, his credibility, his freedom, and the life of another human being (regardless of who that human being was) to OBLIGE.

Justice? OK, so we got one idiot doctor away from harming more patients. But what about the thousands of SUPERSTARS that think they are infallible? Who is going to be the next one to make headlines or end up dead? Justice will be done when these people realize they are no better than the rest of us, and while some of them might have immense talent, they stop living their lives above the law.

RIP Michael… too bad you were not smart enough to realize you could kill yourself by your lifestyle.

Originally posted on Mommy’s Links.
Jennifer Nevadomski
Wife and mom of four

I had a serious scare this week though it appears now that it has been brewing for a few weeks now. Kiddo showed up from his weekend visit (with his father) two weeks ago with a couple of red spots. I didn’t think anything of them and didn’t see anything strange. A bit before that, kiddo mentioned that his father was sleeping on the floor of ‘his’ room (at his father’s) because the bed was thrown out due to bedbugs. Did it even cross my mind to not let kiddo go over there as soon as I heard “bedbugs?” Nope. Kiddo’s father didn’t mention it to me either for that matter. This past Sunday morning, kiddo was dropped off with angry red spots on his face, neck, right arm and both hands. That’s when I realized how bad the situation was. And I also realized that it was very possible that I could have been affected. It snowballed from there. I took kiddo to the doctor Monday morning where the doctor confirmed that the bites were bedbug bites. Kiddo was prescribed antibiotics and cream. I proceeded to go nuts. After dropping him off at school, I went to work in a daze thinking of the magnitude of what kiddo’s bites meant.

For those of you who don’t know, I work for a foster care agency in NYC and go to the family homes on a weekly basis. Needless to say, I freaked out when I realized how many people could be affected, especially since kiddo’s father could have said something way earlier.

I’ve only calmed down since yesterday morning when an inspector connected to a friend of my father’s cleared my home. Also, kiddo’s not allowed to go to his father’s house until I get documentation that the bedbugs are gone. I’ve been so scared this week that I didn’t sleep well from Sunday until last night. I wouldn’t wish this kind of worry on anyone, so parents, please be on the lookout. Check out this site for ways you can prevent bedbugs from bugging you.

Many of us are having a White Halloween…  totally amazing how it snowed in the NY Metro area on Saturday!  We got abouut two inches, and it is mostly gone now, however, family and friends in NJ and upstate New York got a whole lot of white stuff!  Looks like many kids will be trick-or-treating in the snow today!

Usually I like to have my family in a theme for Halloween.  Last year we were all either cowboys or indians.  This year, however, my kids all picked out their own costumes.  Juliana is going to be a cop, Louis is going to be Captain Hook, Anthony is going to be Yo Gabba Gabba’s Muno, and Joseph is going to be Brobee.  They are all super excited about wearing their costumes and going trick-or-treating today.

I just cannot believe today is Halloween.  This year has flown by!  I’ll be sharing pictures of my kids in costume later today, but then it will be head on planning for the holidays!

What are your kids dressing up as today?

Today was one of those days when I’d have loved to stay in bed all day. Why? After the crazy week I had dealing with a possible bedbug issue (thank goodness, no bedbugs), being shot-down at work for a proposed job (different work & more $ for me) and running around with kiddo this evening, I just feel worn out!

And I’m just wondering when it’s going to get better. As a single working mom with all the responsibility, I’m finding it harder and harder to stay positive. I’ve got a great support system both on and offline. And I make an effort every week to do something nice for myself along with spending time with great friends.

It’s just one of those days when I feel like my butt’s being kicked. Know what I mean? Parents, how do you deal with “one of THOSE days?”

Being the parent of a preteen can be scary! Most of the time they are struggling to be independent and to fit in at school, at home, and with friends.  I wanted to share a few tips that I came across that are helping me get through J

Let your preteen know that you love him or her no matter what.

Talk to your preteen, listen to his or her ideas and opinions, and do things together.

Get to know your preteen’s friends and learn what they do in school.

Show you care by chaperoning a trip.

Join a parent group or support group where you and other parents can discuss parenting issues.

Attend all parent-teacher conferences at school.

Go to your preteen’s athletic events and school musicals.

Answer your preteen’s questions about health risks.

Teach your preteen to respect himself/ herself and others.

Challenge your preteen to discover his/ her own incredible potential.

Show your preteen that you are proud of his or her accomplishments, both large and small.

Guide your preteen toward choices that will keep him or her safe.

Tell your preteen if you are disappointed or upset with his or her behavior.

Praise, hug, encourage, and say “I love you.”

Express your expectations for his or her goals and accomplishments.

Recognize that your preteen’s life may be very different from your own adolescence.

Your preteen deserves guidance, high but realistic expectations for achievement, and a fair balance between rules and freedom.

Shanta

I just LOVE this time of the year. Nice cozy scarves, sweaters & cute boots. I also love Netflix/Redbox weekends with the family. I normally start my Saturday morning off with a big pot of soup. I try to fix enough that we can eat on it all weekend. They can be so simple to make & cost effective as well. I wanted to share a few of my favorite easy soup recipes with you all:

This 1^st one is from Kraft, I just add my own little kick to it J.

Bacon, Cheese & Potato Soup

3 cups of milk (you can use fat free)

1 can of condensed cream of potato soup

2 cups of frozen Southern style hash browns

1 cup of Kraft Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

2 green onions (thin)

Mix: Milk & soup in large saucepan. Stir in hash browns. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring occasionally, simmer on med.-low for 10 -15 mins. Serve topped with bacon, cheese & onion. So easy…….. & GOOD!

Note: You could always add your favorite sausage or veggie to make it even more fulfilling.

Stay tuned for some of my favorite crock pot recipes.

Shanta

With four children running around, my home takes a beaten most days.  My living room and dining room was painted two years ago and between dirty finger prints, nicks and crayon marks that I have cleaned off as best as possible, my walls were crying for new paint.  Not to mention my couches and dining room chairs are all stained and falling apart.  But in today’s economy, it has not been in our budget to get new furniture.  And even if it was, the boys are still too little for new couches!  They would be ruined in no time! 

My husband decided to paint, and he asked his dad for help.  I remember that the last time we painted, it cost us quite a few hundred dollars on paint alone!  Paul went to Home Depot and brought home swatches of the Home Depot brand of paint and we picked out our colors.  For the long wall, we chose Chianti (wine).  For the other walls, we chose Pita Bread (a wheat color).  We had used the Home Depot brand before, so we were happy with our decision.  I must say, I am LOVING my new walls!!!

Next it was time to figure out something for the furniture.  I went on Walmart.com and picked out slipcovers for my couch and two chairs.  I also picked out slipcovers for my dining room chairs.  Voila!  A “brand new” dining room and living room set of furniture– and I didn’t spend much!

The only thing left is a new window covering for our sliding glass doors. 

I’m VERY happy with our new living space… I will post pictures soon!