Sad news from Cosley Zoo

Today's guest blogger is Mandie from Wheaton:


Have you heard? The beloved horse, June, who has made Cosley Zoo home for the past several years died this past Sunday. She was 14 years old. According to one of the zookeepers, she was sick and taken to the vet, but did not survive. She died on Sunday evening, July 12, 2009. June was an American Cream Draft Horse and shared her stall with Pro the Shetland Pony. Pro appeared to be somewhat lost while on display today. Normally he is seen following June as she wanders in the horse enclosure. The zookeeper said, "He knows something is different, but I don't think he knows what," as she sympathetically scratched him behind his ears. Since June was not in the stall with Pro at her time of death, the keeper staff does not believe she is mourning at this time. According to Danielle, a zoo spokesperson, they hope to get a new companion for Pro since horses thrive with companionship.

There will be a memorial fund to remember June, but details are not yet available. If you are interested in making a donation in honor of June, you can do so by contacting the staff of the Cosley Zoo.

On a personal note, while the ducks are String Bean's favorite zoo animals by far, she is always thrilled to see the horses. Today was a sad day as the big white horse no longer is with us.

Have you heard a piece of news that might interest Dupage Mamas? Write us a post and we'll put it up.

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My Babywearing Journey

Today's guest blogger is Elizabeth from Wheaton.
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I was not always a babywearing mama. Like most things in life, it has been a progression . And this is one progression I am happy with unlike the unrelenting spread of my hips or bottom.

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When my oldest daughter Princess was born premature, my husband B and I were so overwhelmed. She was our first baby and we were in no way prepared for her arrival let alone her premature arrival. We felt helpless. There was so little we could do for her. She was so tiny and so vulnerable in her isolette under lights, taking it all in. When she stabilized a bit, we were encouraged to hold her. We sat and held her and talked to her and read to her for hours every day. I think sometimes she was glad to see us leave. But she sat there and looked at us with her gigantic eyes taking us all in.

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When she finally came home, she loved to sleep on us. She would sleep on our chest with her head on our hearts and she would snuffle. I am sad to say that I didn’t wear her. She would have loved it- but I was not at that point in my journey yet.

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My son Stinky came premature as well but was a bit stronger than his older sister. Even so, he also loved to be held. From the day he was born, he objected strenuously to being put down. He really got MAD. Through parenting him, I overcame the need for a crib or a bassinet or anything else. He slept with us. After seeing me carry him everywhere all the time, my neighbor took pity on me and told me I needed a sling. I was hesitant at first. But then, I tried it and fell in love. And so did he. He loved his sling. He still loves it. He still loves being on my back. The sling was like baby charming. He would see it and be happy. He would go and get it from the closet.

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Then came Peas. She brought new meaning to sling love. She even had a ‘sling challenge ‘ in the NICU to see if she could maintain a good oxygen level while in a sling. This was very beneficial for us both. Being worn or held helped her get stronger and encouraged growth and development. It also allowed me to feel like I was helping her, that there was something I could do that was contributing something good to my baby girl.

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Through her I learned the love for wraps, for mei tais, and soft structured carriers. My love for ring slings was already well established by wearing Stinky. But with Peas, I expanded my babywearing horizons. I had to really. In our house, it is a rare thing that someone is not tied to me. Peas is now 14 months old and has only been in the stroller twice (and never spent the night in a crib). With her, I have worn out three ring slings. One of my friends jokes that Peas will someday get address labels made for my hip because that is where she always is.

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Babywearing has allowed me to actually accomplish things with three kids around the house. Without it I do not see how I would ever be able to get anything done. It also has let me bond with my children and feel close to them. It has been a journey for sure, one I cherish and love.

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Elizabeth blogs about her babywearing/parenting journey at Making It Fun.

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Budget Friendly Meals

Today's guest post is courtesy of Becky from Wheaton
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In an economy where we are all trying to make our dollar go a little further, we asked Becky to help give us some tools to stretch that food budget. Here are some budget-friendly recipes that are sure to be easy on the checkbook without disappointing the taste buds.

Asian Pork and Noodle Skillet

Tight on time? This quick skillet dish is a great “go-to” recipe that your family will request again and again!

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2 medium carrots, peeled

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1 medium red bell pepper

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5-6 green onions with tops (about 1¼ cups sliced), divided

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2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)

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2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

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2 tablespoons Asian Seasoning Mix
4 packages (3 ounces each) oriental-flavor ramen noodles

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1 tablespoon vegetable oil

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4 cups water

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1. Cut carrots into julienne strips. Cut bell pepper lengthwise into ¼-inch strips. Slice green onions; set aside tops for garnish.
2. Using a boning knife, trim fat and silver skin from pork tenderloins. Slice pork lengthwise into four strips. Thinly slice strips crosswise. Combine pork, sesame oil, seasoning mix and two of the ramen seasoning packets; mix well.
   

3. Add vegetable oil to (12-in.) skillet; heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add half of the pork. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until browned; remove pork from Skillet and keep warm. Repeat with remaining pork.
4. Add carrots and bell pepper to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and remaining ramen seasoning packets; stir to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add ramen noodles and white parts of green onions to skillet. Cover; bring to a boil and cook 4-5 minutes or until noodles are softened. Add pork; stir to break apart noodles. Remove skillet from heat; let stand, covered, 3-4 minutes or until pork is heated through. Garnish with reserved green onion tops.

Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 530, Total Fat 24 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 100

Creamy One-Pot Pasta

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This one-pot wonder combines slivered garlic and fresh vegetables for a light pasta dish your family will be sure to request again.

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4 large garlic cloves, peeled

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1 jar (7 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, undrained

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3 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (5¼ cups)

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1 lb uncooked penne pasta

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1 head broccoli (2 cups small florets)

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2 medium carrots, peeled

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4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)

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¼ tsp salt

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½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

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Grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil (optional)
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1. Thinly slice garlic and place garlic and 1 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes into (8-qt.) stockpot. Cook garlic over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until garlic is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add broth. Return to burner; increase heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir in pasta; cover and simmer vigorously 8-10 minutes or until pasta is almost cooked but still firm, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets; place into a medium size bowl. Cut carrots in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise on a bias.. Drain sun-dried tomatoes; pat dry with a paper towel. Slice tomatoes into thin strips. Add carrots and tomatoes to batter bowl.
   

3. Cut cream cheese into cubes. Add vegetables, cream cheese, salt and black pepper to Stockpot. Stir until cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve immediately. If desired, top with grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil.

Yield: 6 servings

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Nutrients per serving: Calories 410, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Carbohydrate 65 g, Protein 15 g, Sodium 1000 mg, Fiber 5 g

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Ham and Cheese Brunch Squares

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Drop-in guests on their way for brunch? No problem! This colorful dish comes together in no time and serves a crowd.

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1 teaspoon vegetable oil

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2 cups (8 ounces) grated Colby & Monterey Jack cheese blend, divided

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1 package (22.5 ounces) frozen toaster hash brown patties, thawed (10 patties)

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8 ounces cream cheese, softened

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12 eggs

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.½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

.8 ounces thickly sliced deli ham

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4-5 green onions with tops, divided (1 cup sliced)

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3 plum tomatoes

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Additional coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

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1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly brush baking stone/bar pan with oil or other bar pan. Grate cheese. Crumble hash browns over bar pan; press gently into an even layer. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over hash browns. Bake 13-15 minutes or until crust starts to brown and cheese is melted.
2. Meanwhile, whisk cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add eggs and black pepper; whisk until smooth. Coarsely chop ham. Slice green onions, reserving ¼ cup of the tops for garnish. Place ham and remaining green onions into a saute' pan; cook and stir over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until hot. Stir ham mixture into egg mixture.
   

3. Remove bar pan from oven. Pour egg mixture over crust. Return bar pan to oven; bake 6-8 minutes or until center is set. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and dice. Remove bar pan from oven; top with remaining cheese, tomatoes and reserved green onions. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired. Cut into squares and serve.

Cook’s Tips: To soften cream cheese, microwave on HIGH 15-20 seconds or until softened. Whisk until smooth. If desired, 2 cups cooked and crumbled bulk pork sausage (¾ pound) or 1 pound bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled, can be substituted for the deli ham.

Yield: 12 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 250, Total Fat 19 g, Saturated Fat 10 g, Cholesterol 260 mg, Carbohydrate 4 g, Protein 16 g, Sodium 530 mg, Fiber 0 g
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Some of these and other of my favorite recipes feature the Deep Covered Baker, which I lovingly call my “Magic Pot.” You can always improvise if you don’t have one, but this is the ONE piece of stoneware I feel every kitchen should have. I am offering a special for Cooking Show hosts in June or July ~ you can earn it for FREE or HALF-PRICE in addition to all of the other wonderful host rewards Pampered Chef gives you. Ask me how!! Shoot me an email at pamperedbecky@comcast.net and tell me you heard of this offer through your affiliation with DupageMamas. Then I can fill you on all of the other generous host rewards, as well as FUN summer theme shows you can choose from!

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Was this helpful? Would you like more recipes? We would love your feedback! And as always, if you make any of these meals for your family, take a picture and send it to us or just shoot us an e-mail dupagemamas(at)gmail(dot)com and let us know how it went. Becky has a lot more recipes where these came from so we can make this a regular feature if you would like to see more.

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We're always looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to share something with the Dupage Mamas community, send us your completed post or half-baked ideas to dupagemamas(at)gmail(dot)com.

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Millenium Park Three Ways

Today's guest post is from Caitlin from Chicago. Caitlin writes for many blogs, including her newest project Wee Windy City- a great resource for fun things to do with the kiddos in the city.

It is officially summer! Time to start making plans to fill the eighty or so days until that school bell rings again. Wondering where to start? In this Mama's opinion, Millennium Park is the city's number one summer destination for families. And other than the parking (take the train people, take the train), nearly everything is free. This space is enormous and the offerings are varied so you can come back again and again for a totally new experience. And its all free. Gratis. Won't cost you a dime.

If you aren't taking advantage of this urban treasure, here are three suggested itineraries to get you started.

The Millennium Park Family Fun Festival. If you have a child between the ages of 1 and 5, this event needs to be on your summer must-do list. Starting June 10, the Family Fun Festival takes place every day from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm. Daily events include story time, sing-a-longs and dance performances. Other highlights include SHELabration: A Tribute to Shel Silverstein (July 13) and Burnham Week: Building in the City (June 22-28). Most weeks offer activities around a specific theme (i.e. Health and Safety Week or Rock 'n' Roll week). Check out the Millennium Park website for a full list of events and activities.

Dinner and a Show. The Pritzker Pavillion is an awesome place to hear music. Pick a performance, pack a picnic and make a family outing of it. Although there are certainly some great children's music offerings throughout the summer, consider this a great opportunity to introduce your kids to another genre like jazz. You could even catch an opera. This is something that all members of the family will love.

The Crown Fountain. Kids can throw on a bathing suit and cool off in one of the city's most popular pieces of public art (just be careful because this surface can get slippery). My kids delight in the changing faces on the two giant screens and wait eagerly for the images to spit water out on their heads every few minutes (I know it sounds weird, but it is cool).

This is just the beginning really. You could take part in a workshop about bees the Lurie Garden, play Frisbee or even lay in the grass together and talk. Just make sure you plan to make a visit and get your share of the Chicago summer magic.

To read more about activities at Millennium Park and other great things to do with the kiddos in the city, hop on over to Wee Windy City.

Do you know of any kid-friendly summer activities that other moms may want to know about? We're always looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to share something with the Dupage Mamas community, send us your completed post or half-baked ideas to dupagemamas(at)gmail(dot)com.

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Kid's Restaurant Week in Chicago

Today's guest post is from Caitlin from Chicago. Caitlin writes for many blogs, including her newest project Wee Windy City- a great resource for fun things to do with the kiddos in the city.

Move over mac and cheese. Check you later chicken nuggets. If you are tired of dumbed-down children's menus that offer only bland, tasteless excuses for real food, take advantage of Kids' Restaurant Week. This event, sponsored by Gourmet and Cookie Magazine, is coming to Chicago the week of June 20-28.

Kids' Restaurant Week is a chance to have a fine dining experience in the comfort of a family friendly environment. Some of the city's best restaurants are opening their doors to families with young children. Here are the details: make a reservation between 5:00 and 7:00; all menus are price fixed; adults pay $29; and kids under eleven pay their age.

Many of the participating restaurants are real standouts, including onesixtyblue and Cafe Spaiggia. Check out the full list here. Your kids will get a chance to experience fine dining. You will be able to enjoy a delicious, adult meal. And you can always exchange knowing glances with the other parents if your little one throws a tantrum during the first course.

Now I am off to call Uncommon Ground to make our reservation . . .

We're always looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to share something with the Dupage Mamas community, send us your completed post or half-baked ideas to dupagemamas(at)gmail(dot)com.

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The Best Laid Plans

I am new to working motherhood. I have only been trying to work part time for a couple of months now. There are days when I find it overwhelming trying to fit one more thing in, but mostly I have found it refreshing. It is refreshing for me to have an identity outside of mothering. My business ebs and flows so I've still had plenty of time with my girls, but just having something else to focus my attention on has been good for me. I think part of this is because my husband's time is fully taken up with work and graduate school. There are weeks when the girls don't see him for more the a few minutes. Have you guessed what this means? Yup, that means I have them on my own almost all the time from 7am to whenever I can get them into bed. I am absolutely in awe of single parents now. I don't know how I would manage the girls and a full time job all by myself. The only way I am surviving right now is by counting down the days until I have my husband back. Only 547 more days of grad school!

I wasn't ready to go back to work any earlier. I have loved being home with my girls. It has been a gift to be able to stay home with them.They are only 2 and 4 years old now and still seem very little to me so I am not ready to go back to work full time...plus I wouldn't actually make enough money to make that worth it.

For the most part seeing clients has been working out. I've been able to find childcare for the girls when I have clients, even when they have more then one sitter in a day. Our record so far is 3 babysitters in one day! Today however I've been thrown my first real curve ball. I'm sure there are many to come. My oldest girl, my Peanut, came into my bed and threw up all over me. Hey, at least she wasn't up all night long. So, I had a playdate scheduled this morning and was going to see clients this afternoon. No big deal about the playdate...we can go next week I'm sure. However, this is the first time I'm having to cancel clients. I feel terrible about it, but there's not much I can do. Even if I found someone to watch the Peanut while she's sick I work out of my home. And now it's a vomit house. Personally, I avoid those like the plague--even if it's my best friend's home. So I'm off now to make some hard phone calls. I'm sure they will understand, but I have such a hard time disappointing people. And my business is new and feels vulnerable or maybe that's me feeling vulnerable.

Are you a working mom? How do you handle juggling it all? What about when you get thrown a curve ball?

Heather also blogs at Massage for Women and Families and In Te Domine.

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Apathy

Today's guest post is by Susan from Bartlett.

Yesterday didn't go particularly well. In short, the girls and I aren’t adjusting to our new routine (i.e. schools out). A lack of routine ultimately means that one of us (or all of us) slip into “apathetic, just get through the day” mode. Whenever I'm in apathetic mode I always look back on my day with regret. On apathetic days I’ve lost my patience more, and haven’t spent my time wisely. On apathetic days, I wonder why I’m staying home with my girls. On apathetic days, I resent my husband. On apathetic days, I’m not much fun to be around. I care less, gripe more, smile less, and scowl more.

So, in a giving fashion, I decided to share my apathy with an unsuspecting pedicurist. I sat in the chair and just exhaled. I breathed. I contemplated my day and I felt really, really foolish, and really, really spoiled.

Staying-at-home hasn’t come without sacrifices, and whoa can I just sit on that word for a moment. Finances. Ouch. Career fulfillment. A little ouch. Isolation. You betcha.

When my husband and I decided that I’d stay at home, it was pretty much a financial discussion. In short, I wouldn’t make enough to cover our daycare and related expenses. Plus, we just weren’t comfortable with the idea of outsourcing the girls’ care. I tried working for a bit after my older daughter was born and it was disastrous. I was stretched too thin; dropping the ball at work; dropping the ball at home. So I resigned, and wrote the tell-tale letter, “It is with great regret that..….”

Looking back, I don’t have any regrets. Most often I love being at home. I love knowing my girls. I love floating through our day. I love not missing a moment. I’m too selfish to share these moments with someone else.

And yet, I’m selfish enough to deny myself these moments by slipping into an apathetic, self-pitying mindset…..wow, something to consider.

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Father's Day Homemade Crafts

Today's guest post is from Mandie from Wheaton



Ah, the ancient tradition going back to ancient Egypt of children purchasing ties for their fathers on Father's Day. Let's make this year different. Roll up your sleeves, moms, it is time for you to start helping your little ones make Father's Day gifts. No help from the Department of Education here. Dads have it so easy since the schools help your kid make Mother's Day cards and gifts, don't they?

For your viewing pleasure, here are some ideas for you as you plan your child's Father's Day gift.

Best Dad Desk Accessory: recommended for ages 6 and up with parental supervision. Requires dad to have a desk to display the gift on...or a workbench...or a dresser.

Car Nut Frame: recommended for age 5 and up, but I think a 3 year old could do this craft. Make sure you have a photo to put in the frame or it will sit under your bed like Mr. Bean's photo frame has since Christmas. This craft is really cute for any handy-dad.

Coupons: I recommend this "craft" for your older kids who will definitely understand their own sacrifice of love and understand how coupons work. You can make your own or print some here. Even cuter? Make coupons credit card size and stuff a new wallet full of them! I suggest an expiration date be put on them to encourage immediate use or they may end up like Mr. Bean's last batch of coupons--under the bed. Alternatively you could call them gift certificates or gift cards! That's language everyone understands!

Dad's Throne: No, not the toilet. This cute idea is great if you have multiple children and no plans (and good weather) on Father's Day. Helpful if you have a kid who is creative and another who likes to implement ideas, but not necessary. If the weather is bad, this could easily be transformed into an indoor throne.

Note Pad: This idea is really cute and can be done by most any child, toddler and up. A quick visit to the office supply store, some markers, and a ribbon later and viola! You have a quick and easy present just for dad! This is a Martha Stewart approved project.

Personalized Coasters: This is a great craft if you have a newborn since you can just stamp their hand print or foot print on the coasters. Three steps: go to home improvement store, decorate, seal. Love it.

Of course, a tie is easier.

Photo Credit: Luxist.com

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Responding, Not Reacting

Today's guest post is from Susan from Bartlett.

“I don’t love you Mommy!”

I gasped, utterly stunned. I couldn’t believe my 4yr. old daughter had said that to me. It hurt. It stung.

For a split second I thought about me: I’m a failure. She hates me.

And then I noticed that she was intently staring at me, watching to see how I would respond. She was testing me; trying to get a reaction.

A couple responses played out in my mind: a stern look, a time-out, a spank. Instead, I got down on her level and said, “It hurts my feelings when you say you don’t love me, because I love you so very much. You are so special to me. And, in our family, we don’t talk to one another like that. Do you understand?”
She hugged me, and told me she understood, and that she did love me. Gratefully, this type of “I don’t love you” moment hasn’t happened again.

The evening before this encounter with my daughter, I had finished reading chapter one of “Bringing Up Kids Without Tearing Them Down” by Dr. Kevin Leman. One of the big takeaways from chapter one was to remember not to take a child’s misbehavior personally, and to remember that all behavior has a purpose. And, as a parent, you are to respond to a child, not react. Wow, talk about a light bulb moment. Those words just jumped off of the page. I have a high-maintenance, strong-willed child, and parenting her is an on-going challenge. Not take child-parent interactions personally, and there actually might be a reason behind my child’s misbehavior? Okay, this is good information.
If you haven’t read any of Dr. Kevin Leman’s books consider checking him out. His writings are Christian-based, ultra-practical, and down-to-earth.

And, for those moms that have heard their child utter those ugly “I don’t love you” words, remember that they do love you. They do. They really, really do.

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Not Much Time for Basking

Our guest blogger today is April from Plainfield. She is a mom of two, Doula, and green-smoothie queen!

Recently I got one of those emails updating me on my 2 month’s old development. I gave it the cursory glance, not reading it too much, after all he is my second child. I’m a pro at this, right? There was however one section at the bottom that caught my eye. It was a part of the newsletter where a question is asked and 3 different experts weigh in. The question was: “Is it okay to watch TV while I’m breastfeeding.” I almost chuckled reading the question, thinking to myself, “Of course it’s okay; how could there be any other answer?” I was almost shocked off my seat when all three experts gave a resounding “NO”! What? How is it not okay to watch TV while breastfeeding? All three experts went on to say that breastfeeding is a time to bond with your baby and all your energies should be focused on that during the feeding session.

This answer almost rivals a comment a doctor made to me when my first child, my daughter, was born. He told me, completely straight faced, that I should spend the next 6 weeks in bed with her, nursing her on demand, bonding with her and not getting out of bed except to go to the bathroom. No housework, no cooking, just laying around and bonding. I don’t know about you, but I don’t live in Biblical days where I have servants fanning me with branches and hand feeding me peeled grapes.

Just this week here are a few things I’ve had to do while nursing my baby because life dictated it be so: wipe my daughter after she’s done going potty, check on dinner so half an hour of work doesn’t burn, hold my daughter in my lap while she bawls after falling down on her bottom while going down the stairs, play Candyland with her, put together puzzles with her, clean up spilled water the dog left so no one (read my 3 year old daughter) falls down, and many more things than I can remember. Just because I have a 2 month old, dear baby boy doesn’t mean life is giving me the luxury of sitting and staring at his precious face while feeding him.

But this morning, I had a rare moment. My daughter was downstairs playing contentedly after breakfast and I went up to feed the baby and put him down. I was able to stare at his sweet little face, watch his eyes start to roll back in his head, wonder what those eyes would see during the course of his life. I held his little sweat soaked and milk sticky hand, counted and recounted each finger, wondering one day who his wife would be, whose hand he would hold. I stroked his chubby thighs, counting the chub rolls, down to his little toes, touching each one, wondering what they would look like in sandals when he went to high school. Then I looked back at his face, basking in its beautiful babyness, knowing all too soon that it would be gone and I would have trouble remembering what it used to look like.

And then just as suddenly the tree branches stopped their cool breeze and the peeled grapes disappeared and reality came back to me in the form of my daughter yelling to be wiped, the dog barking up a storm at someone walking by outside and…wait a minute…is that the smell of burning eggs…?

We're always looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to share something with the Dupage Mamas community, send us your completed post or half-baked ideas.

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Summer Camp!

Today's guest blogger is Laura in Aurora. 

Ok, I know I’m probably the LAST person to start scheduling their kid, but there’s 3 great places for Wheaton/Warrenville/Geneva/Naperville/Aurora folks to look at for summer activities (I didn’t include the park districts, because everybody turns there first, right?)

1) Fermilab. AWESOME summer program, especially if your kids are into nature or physics/science. Programs for as young as 1st graders, and I can tell you that my boys (grades 2 and 4) LOVED the M-class, where they built their own cars from pasta! 

2) St. Irene School in Warrenville. Disclaimer, my kids go here, but they’ve put out a summer class schedule for the first time, and it’s AWESOME – one class is about American Girls (dolls and their stories), one for Jr High deals with books & movies (like Twilight) and a class for little kids about Eric Carle. My fave? “Do You Like to Blow Things Up” for 2nd -5th graders. 

3) Naper Settlement. I love the fact that kids discover history through mysteries…they use codes, GPS devices and participate in treasure hunts. 

4) Morton Arboretum – Nature camps like you wouldn’t believe. My kids did a nighttime program about owls and LOVED it. Truly a hidden gem. 

We're always looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to share something with the Dupage Mamas community, send us your completed post or half-baked ideas.

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Mud and Munchies Part 2: Backyard Gardening for Everyone

Today's guest blogger is Heather from Wheaton...

Last month I wrote about starting a vegetable garden in your backyard. Did I mention that we are doing our garden this year with friends? We are square foot gardening this year. You can easily build your own box with a few simple supplies from a hardware store, but we ordered one of their kits because I am short on time and figured the money I spent was going to a good cause because they are a non profit organization. Well, we got our kit and we built it. It was really easy to put together. Anyone can do it...really, anyone.

Then we prepared our soil mixture. It's organic soil, compost and peat moss. I could not find vermiculite, but am not especially concerned. Then invited friends over to help us plant the first seeds. We can already see the peas and lettuce coming up...and so far weeding has been a breeze...
I've got some other crops started next to the box in more traditional rows and we are enjoying that too.

Interested in doing some yard sharing? Talk to your neighbors and friends. Pool your resources and share your time build friendships and get some delicious homegrown tomatoes out of the deal. Need ideas, encouragement or a place to connect online? Check out Hyperlocavore...they'll help you get started!

Heather blogs at In Te Domine. We're always looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to share something with the Dupage Mamas community, send us your completed post or half-baked ideas.

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My Nursing Journey

Today's guest blogger is Elizabeth from Wheaton.

If five years ago you would tell me that I would be nursing a 30 month old boy and a 13 month old daughter at the same time, I would have looked at you like you had grown a second head. At that time I was still deciding if I wanted to nurse at all….let alone extended or tandem. But life has a funny way of working out.
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When my oldest was in the NICU, nursing and pumping seemed to be the only tangible thing that I could do to help her aside from to hold her and snuggle her. But I could nurse her—I could express milk and that would help both her and I. And so, I began down the journey of nursing. Sadly, my milk dried up quickly due to stress and returning to work despite non-FDA approved drugs and herbs. But when I was expecting my second child, I knew that I would nurse again. There was no ‘maybe…we’ll see’ ambivalence. When my son too arrived premature, we again had a difficult time starting. His mouth was too small and he would tire quickly. However, through the help and support of friends, lactation counselors, my husband…pretty much anyone…we were able to establish a nursing relationship that we still treasure. It is his time. His time to snuggle and be close. His time to be held. It is also my time- my time to hold him, to touch his hair, to keep him close to me.

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This time I did not have the drying up issue…quite the opposite. I had too much milk. Neighbors, friends, and milk banks were the lucky recipients of literally gallons of milk when my freezer filled up and I couldn't store anymore.

Then enter the baby…and yep, another preemie. This one so small and weak that she could not nurse for a while. Again the pump and I bonded. She was fed milk through a tube until she was strong enough to eat. During the baby’s NICU stint, my son did not stop nursing. He clamored for it. He needed the reassurance and comfort that even though his life was upside down, mama was still a safe place to fall. He needed to know that I was still there to catch him and cuddle.

So here I am. Nursing two when I never thought I’d nurse one. To be honest, it is very convenient. When my nurslings need it, their milk is right there. No bottles, no warming….right there. Lets face it. With three kids, if I had to remember bottles and formula also I very well may forget a child. My brain only has room for so much.

Aside from the convenience, there are many benefits to extended breastfeeding. You can look at the World Health Organization to find more out about all that. I am not here to reiterate what they say so well. Suffice it to say there are vast benefits for mom, baby, and the environment.

Now the not so cool parts:

My husband, who was so very supportive and encouraging me to try nursing in the beginning, would now like to have his wife back. Milk is not so sexy.

I would like to have a bit longer of a leash. It is all mama…all the time. No one else will do. And I would like to stop feeling like a twenty four hour diner.

And secretly, I am starting to resent nursing my son. I am ashamed of that. I would like to say I am selfless and giving, but I want some of me back. The big question: How to balance both their needs with mine without losing either one of us?

Despite all of that, I am glad I have nursed this long. In fact, I am proud of it. Proud of being able to do it even when things were rough. Proud of my husband for being supportive, and of all of us for not giving up.

Extended and tandem nursing isn't for everyone and certainly had it's pluses and minuses. But it is what has worked for us. At least so far.

Do you have a story to share? Dupage Mamas is all about giving you a voice within a safe and supportive community. We welcome you to share part of your motherhood journey with us so we can all learn from each other and walk this parenting road together. E-mail us your story. We would love to hear from you!

Photo Credit: CrunchDomesticGoddess

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Waste Not, Want Not

Today's guest blogger is Liz.

Recently, my neighbor had a Waste Not, Want Not party. I had never heard of one before this, but after reading the invitation, I was intrigued.

“Empty out your pantries, freezers and refrigerators and bring all the extra food items to this brunch. We can then trade with each other and take home new and much needed goodies. Whatever is left over we will donate to a food pantry. Times are tough and there is no reason to waste perfectly good food. So don't!”

It was the kind of party that would have been fun in any economy, but seemed all the more relevant in the current climate. I’ve never thought of giving someone a half-opened jar of food, but hey, why not? If it’s something someone else would use…

Since I regularly purge my cupboards, drawers and closets, and Freecycle, donate, or leave things at the curb, I was afraid I wouldn’t have anything worthwhile to bring. Somehow, though, I filled a big diaper box full of half opened boxes of tea, a set of old iced-tea spoons, a full bottle of mint liqueor, an extra bottle of molasses that wasn’t used during Christmas cookie season, some mason jar lids (large and small) and a couple of beautiful books on honey and tea that have been gathering dust for 6 years on my tea shelf, waiting for me to find some time to get inspired to start my own beehive.

Confession: the real reason I was excited to go to my neighbor’s party was the word ‘brunch’. And it wasn’t potluck. When I walked in, the table was spread with an amazing assortment of quiche, and cakes, breads, and salads – all made with items from her pantry she was trying to use up.

Sipping a Mimosa, I chatted with women from various parts of my friend’s life – her husband’s law school friends, her farm market friends, an ex-peace corps member who now works as an editor for the Tribune, the owner of my favorite natural body product shops, and a number of other radically different, yet essentially connected women.

Everyone seemed just as interested and excited as I was about this party.

Isn’t it fun what a rotten economy can actually stir up? I love to see the good that comes out of the bad.

We spread out the un-used and half-used items on two tables and made mental lists of what we wanted to put in our own bags to take home.

There was quite a collection: some unshelled walnuts, a partial 25 lb bag of jasmine rice, jars of baby food, chocolate, a can of sweetened condensed milk, boxes of jello, some canning apparatus, and on and on. I think we all agreed that we preferred the purging to the taking, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I took home. A practically brand-new child’s plate/cup/silverware set, a large bar of Ghiradelli dark chocolate with orange (who the heck has extra chocolate lying around??), a couple Ziplocs of jasmine rice (we had just run out!), fun little toddler snacks to toss into the diaper bag, a bag of those little anise candies that you take by the spoonful on your way out of an Indian restaurant, and the best find of all? Some of the extra un-sellable soaps and bath salts that the owner of Abbey Brown Soap Artisans brought with her to give away!

Now I have been walking around my house with new eyes. I see the potential to do this with every part of our apartment and life – extra bathroom items, kids clothes, toys, cookbooks, magazines, and always food.

One woman’s garbage, another woman’s treasure, as they say.

Have you ever done something like this? Want to try it? Let us know if you would want to participate in something like this and maybe Dupage Mamas can host it.

Liz blogs at SuLaLi and Chicago Moms Blog. We're always looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to share something with the Dupage Mamas community, send us your completed post or half-baked ideas.

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Naperville Public Library- A resource for the frugal mom

Today's guest post is from McMama  from Naperville

With the economy in a crunch, everyone's looking to cut back on non-essentials, but it's easy to overlook an excellent source of frugality: your public library. And, in Naperville, at least, maybe not for the reasons you would expect. Despite the recent $1.5 million budget cut, the Naperville Public Library (NPL) system continues to provide many awesome money saving services to its patrons. Here are some you might not know about.

Naperville Public Library consists of three locations, Nichols (200 W. Jefferson in downtown Naperville), Naper Boulevard (2035 S. Naper Blvd.), and 95th Street (2015 Cedar Glade Dr.).

Naperville residents can get a library card from any location with two forms of identification (with address). If Nonresidents can still take advantage of almost all of the services below by paying an annual fee of $100 for a full-service NPL card. A library card isn't necessary to take advantage of most activities. The nitty-gritty details are available here:
http://naperville-lib.org/LibServices/cards/apply.htm

1. DVD Rental for the Grown-Ups

Old classics aren't the only movies available! NPL offers a constantly growing list of new releases along with older "hot" titles. They even have Blu-Ray! For just $1 per title, you can rent a 1-2 disc adult title for 7 days or a 3+ disc title for 14. You can keep titles with a red "hot" sticker for 3 days, and everything is renewable up to 5 times if it's not on hold for another patron.

You can even rent entire seasons of television series for the same low price. If you find yourself spending more than $5-10 per month, you might consider paying the annual A/V fee. For $75 per year, you get unlimited rentals. If you can keep to the rental times and not rack up late fees, this is a better deal than Netflix or Blockbuster.

2. DVD Rental for the Kids

From Dora the Explorer to Signing Time to Bill Nye the Science Guy, you can find pretty much any children's series, movie, or special in the children's section of the libraries. And these are free! Children's movies are a 14 day rental.

3. Virtual Library
For Naperville residents only, NPL carries a digital collection of e-books, audiobooks, and videos. Rental periods vary, but this is quite a handy resource for those who like their information on-the-go. The eVideo library even includes a few kids' shows!

4. Playrooms and Activities (not just for kids!)
If you've ever been to any of the three NPL locations, you know there are a ton of fun things for the kids to do. From puzzles to computer games, kids can keep busy on a cold or rainy day. But do you know about all of the activities NPL has to offer? They change by season, but you can always find out what's going on through the NPL web site. This month, there are storytimes for three different age groups (2, 3, and 4,5,k), as well as a lapsit for the babies and a family storytime. There are craft days, signing workshops, and themed activities.

For teens and adults, you'll find Wii nights, advisory groups, book clubs, and computer classes, among other things. ALL FOR FREE!

5. Online Catalog and Holds
Find out what's available before setting foot out the door! At http://naperville-lib.org you can search the library's catalog, find out what materials the library carries AND whether or not they are available. The catalog will tell you at which location an item is located, and allow you to place a hold on an item. Don't underestimate the value of holds! Not only can they be used to stand in line virtually, they can also save time. If you put an item on hold via the web, you can specify which location you want it to be held at. The library will transport it to that location and put it on the self-serve hold shelf. Then all you have to do is show up at your location of choice and visit your assigned space on the hold shelves to pick it up.

6. Interlibrary Loan
Can't find it at NPL? Request to have it sent from another library. NPL's web site has links which allow you to search ILLINET (the statewide interlibary loan network) and OCLC (a worldwide interlibrary loan network) for books the library doesn't have in stock. You can then use an online (or in-library) form to request the item. This service is often free, depending on the location of the material. The loan period for ILLs depends on the lending library, but is usually at least a few weeks. There are no renewals allowed on ILLs.

NPL offers many other services, such as advanced search capabilities, computer labs, free wifi, free ResearchPro access, and more. Check out their web site at www.naperville-lib.org or talk to a librarian for more information .

If you don't live in Naperville, check out your local public library and see what they have to offer.

If you know of a local find that other mamas might benefit from, please share it with us. E-mail us at dupagemamas(at)gmail(dot)com with your post or your idea. We would love to hear from you!!

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