HOLY COW!

Now I am not one to endorse anything. I also do not get excited easily unless of course you tickled my fancy just right.....but that's a WHOLE other blog. So roughly a year ago my aunt comes over to visit and brings lots of goodies since I just had the Squids. You know the visit, they bring food, goodies, and then oogling over the baby. Well in her bag of goodies I received some wonderful Organic pasta dishes, bags of steam fresh vegetables (which are a dream for making dinner), bread, Goldfish (a family favorite) and HOLY COW!

Holy Cow you ask? What the hell is Holy Cow, other than a fabulous catch phrase for anything astounding. Well here is what Holy Cow does in my home, with my kids, husband, dog, stains, goober, gunk, grunge, goop, and gobbly gook:

Now picture #1 is after my daughter gorged herself on "cuties" (mandarin oranges), blueberries, cheese, chicken and whatever else she had for dinner that night along with whatever else she had that day. This is a TRUE picture of all the food build-up from the day. As a mom you know that some stains are just outright NASTY and take lots of Spray N' Wash or Shout or Oxyclean, whatever you prefer, and maybe a good soaking to get the stain out. So I am now armed with my bottle of Holy Cow, I spray the shirt in picture #1. I am not one to do laundry at night unless I can't sleep, so I let the shirt sit over night in Holy Cow. Picture #2 is after a long nights sleep in the stuff and I do laundry that day. Picture #3 is what the shirt looked like after Holy Cow and Tide. No soaking, no extras, just the Holy Cow and Tide.

Not only is this stuff amazing on stains, but counters, bathrooms, you name it! I personally use the concentrated green formula and the pink. I use it for just about everything and the best part is there is no harsh chemical smell, feel, taste. You know that feeling after you have used a harsh cleaner that you feel like you need a breath of fresh air. Holy Cow has a very mild scent and is fabulous. Check them out for yourselves!

http://www.holycowproducts.com/index.htm

Cure for the Common Cold

While I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico (yes, New Mexico is a State, the 48th state to the Union I believe and in between Texas and Arizona.....you'd be surprised how many people do not know this), anyway off on a tangent there.

While living in Albuquerque I would thrive, drive for miles, beg, steal, cheat, scrap, slap, bum, cry, and whine for this sacred cure for the common cold. What could be so sacred? What could be the ultimate cure for the common cold?

GREEN CHILE STEW

Ah, yes, green chile stew is the end all, be all, hotter than hell, or milder than mild, open your airways and pump you full of vitamin C while being a tasty Southwestern alternative to chicken noodle. I for one and am not a fan favorite of the boring, old red canned version of chicken noodle. So I opt for the green chile stew. And now with the family down with the sickness, I reached into the depths of my pantry to find the oh so tasty ingredients to make my very own version of a New Mexican favorite. Mind you this is the lazy white lady version of a New Mexican favorite, so I will include the original ingredients in parentheses:


3 chicken breasts (1lb pork), diced or shredded

4 (4oz)cans green chile, hot or mild or both (6-8 large fresh, large roasted Hatch green chiles)

1 Large can of stewed tomatoes, or 1 10oz can of diced tomatoes

4 c. beef or chicken broth or 5 bouillon cubes, chicken or beef

3 garlic cloves

1/2 red onion

2 T. EVOO

3 T. Cumin

1 T oregano

1/2 bag, of cubed frozen hashbrowns

1/4 c. (about a handful) of cilantro

1 dutch oven or large kitchen pot


1. Grill and or brown the meat of your choosing, adding cilantro before completely browned. If browning meat instead of grilling, use dutch oven or kitchen pot to brown, remove meat after browing and cooking thoroughly making sure to keep pot warm.

2. Add EVOO, finely chopped garlic, and chopped onions, sautee, and brown onions until almost carmelized, then returning meat to the pot.

3. Cook for 3-5 minutes in sautee mix of garlic, onions, and EVOO.

4. Add 2 cans (or half the chopped roasted Hatch green chile), being sure to stir and reduce heat to medium, medium-low.

5. Add can of tomatoes, stirring slowly, and during this time add bouillon cubes and or slowly add stock and or broth 1/2 c. at a time, cover and stir slowly from time to time.

6. Add remaining cans of green chile (or remainder of chopped Hatch chiles), add cumin, oregano and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes.

7. Finally, add half bag of frozen, cubed hashbrowns, stir thoroughly, cook for another 3-5 minutes, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with warm tortillas.




Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 272 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137
Calories from Fat 23
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.6g 4%
Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 500mg 21%
Total Carbohydrates 13.0g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3.2g 13%
Sugars 2.0g
Protein 15.0g

Vitamin A 7%
Vitamin C 27%
Calcium 7%
Iron 15%

Thing One and Thing Two Celebrate a Birthday!

On February 15th, 2008 when I thought I couldn't walk another day, take the pain of my son resting in my pelvis and pushing on the lowest part of my abdomen and my daughter kicking my stomach resulting in gastro eruptions that I could feel in my throat I FINALLY was in labor. I was also far enough along that the doctors wouldn't stop my labor. I was exactly 36 weeks and 4 days, my labor started about 8:30am and I told DH...."Probably shouldn't go to work. Looks like I am in labor for real!" So he sat around that day playing on the computer while I did miscellaneous laundry, made breakfast, and lunch in between contractions, and then finally decided about 2pm to head into the hospital. So after arriving and getting prepped for my C-section, at 4:53 and 4:54pm Thing One and Thing Two were brought into my life where I would have my life spun into a chaos I was never ready for. The last year has brought lots of tears, pain, loss of sleep, LOTS of joy, and endless love. Words cannot express the joy I have experienced with my little gnomes, angels, demons, Squids, but I know I couldn't imagine life without you. I love you, Mama.

Down with the sickness

All the festivities and excitement seemed to jumpstart whatever little demon was hibernating in the ENTIRE family. Yes, the ENTIRE Fishy Family came down with this yucky, gunky, crap of a cough, runny nose, fever, just yuck. Hence, the reason for no blog love. So now that we are all getting over the sickness I can post some of the fabulous pics from the Squids birthday party last week! HOORAY! Sorry to have bored you this week by failing to post....I know...I suck. So I will make up for it with pics of the Squids stuffing their faces with cake.

Birthday!

So I did not post today (which will technically be yesterday here shortly) because the Squids turned ONE! Totally crazy. They were oblivious of course, but hey....we all had a great time. I hope to post the pics tomorrow as long as time permits. I hope everyone had a great Sunday and a LOVING Valentine's Day.

If I think I will lose a pound...then I lose a pound

If only the real world worked that way! I have to say since the new year I have seen every diet fad, exercise opportunity and exercise DVD advertised, exercise equipment, you name it, I have seen them all for losing weight and "keeping it off" as they say. I will tell you this I have been in the biggest fight and struggle of my life! Postpartum weight sucks huge Donkey Balls if you ask me. Yes I am mad about it. Those moms who say, "Oh, my weight just fell off", yeah well honey so did your boobs. Adlibby dropped by and I saw her weight loss post and I just fell in love which made me think.....I will post "my people" secrets to how I have lost 13 pounds in less than a month and 12 inches all around from my torso to my hips.

Here is my history so you don't think I am totally nuts...besides the fact I have twins and a singleton (which I am nuts), but I do have a lucid thought here. I have tried every fad diet there is from the Atkins Diet (which I am sure works for some if they can do it the rest of their lives), the South Beach Diet (which I lost 30 pounds on but I could not stick to because I love love love my carbs), the no eating diet, the over eating diet, the water pill diet, that now I am on the "I am accountable and am everything I eat" Diet.

Makes no sense right? Nope...makes beautiful sense. I can eat great food, in moderation, in healthy portions, have CHOCOLATE (hello to those ladies who love their cocoa), booze (love my red vino) and I am losing weight. What's the catch right? Nope, no catch. Here is what I have been doing HABITUALLY for the last few weeks:

1. NO SODA or carbonated drinks at all! That means no Red Bull, no anything that fizzes, bubbles, or pops.

2. Super hydrating my body. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. (Though I truly hate water, I do add lemon and some mint to make the taste tolerable).

3. I weigh and look at my portions and caloric content. Seriously, one burger (even home made) has 330 calories BEFORE the bun, condiments, cheese, yup (they are OH SO good, but on a cheat day...I will explain later).

4. I record all my food, caloric content, and portions on Spark People where I also record all my cardio, strength training, etc.

5. Most important, I EAT BREAKFAST!!! I know so many working Moms who skip this meal...I know, I used to do it. Now I eat a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats (which are fabulous for you) or my breakfast special and I will include that fantabulous recipe with calorie content.

6. I do medium cardio every day coupled with strength training to tighten muscles and my flab. Yes, I have flab....it's ugly, hideous, and totally repulsive, but my flab is diminishing.

7. I don't stress and I made this a HABIT. Yes, in 7 days you can make something a habit, stick to it, don't stress it, and results will happen.

8. Don't stress or self- sabotage. Too often we get stressed out and then comfort ourselves in our old friends....GOBS of chocolate, beer, wine, burgers, crap! Don't stress, this is a process.

9. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL NO MATTER WHAT!!! Losing weight is an added bonus to your health, your life span, and your energy levels (especially the sex...WHOA Nelly!). If you remind yourself everyday you are beautiful then weight loss is just the candles and frosting on the cake.

10. Give yourself some room. Don't expect immediate results, don't think if you don't see immediate results that the effort is not worth it....IT IS!!! Everything is a process. The way I look at it is that my body needed 9 months and an extra baby in my womb (twins) to put on this weight, that my body will need at least that time or double to lose it.

Our society has promoted all these pills and potions, and literal bullshit that promise "weight loss" and "guaranteed results" when really each person is different. Nothing happens in the first thirty days except that your mind is trained to get off your duff, put yourself and your health first, and stick to it. Everything from there is gravy (pardon the pun). So here is my POWER breakfast that gets me boosted in the morning with lots of energy:

2 egg whites (or 1 egg white and 1 whole egg) scrambled or an omelet (whichever you prefer)
1 English Muffin (need some carbs with your protein) lightly buttered, or I use Flax Oil which is LOADED with those awesome Omega-3's
2 slices of Turkey Bacon. Oscar Mayer makes a great turkey bacon and you can get it super cheap and cheaper than regular bacon and SOOO much better for you only 35 calories a SLICE!! As opposed to regular bacon which is loaded in fat and calories to drag you down.
1 glass of water or 1 glass of Silk Vanilla Soy Milk or 1 glass of 1% milk

That's it! And my breakfast is ready in less than 10 minutes, especially because I pre-cook the bacon so I just reheat. And here is the best part with the total calorie breakdown:

Egg white: 17 calories!!
Whole Egg: 75 calories
TOTAL: Range from 34 to 92 calories

English Muffin: 100 calories (yup for the whole muffin even when cut in half)
Add butter: 45 calories
Add flax: 60 calories

Turkey bacon: 35 calories per slice and LOADED with protein

And if you are one of those people who just LOVES fluffy eggs and you add milk....skip the milk for a FAT free, CALORIE free alternative.....just add water! Gives you more moisture to those eggs where milk dries out and water still gives fluff.

So to date I have lost:

3 inches off my hips
6 inches off my waist
3 inches off my bust (but still have my tata's! Strength training helps that.)

I look forward to posting more of my postpartum weight loss adventure and if you want to know more feel free to email me at karieherring@gmail.com or sign up at Spark People and say that KHerring1415 referred you!

Playdates

For my Mama's and Bloggy Mama's that are in, around, and or may visit the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa metro areas we have a fantastic website to promote our Mama playdates and play group called Munchkin Mama's. My dear friend Jen set up the website and she is fantastic at organizing all of our events. Our first kick off event is on February 28th at the McCormick Railroad Park on Indian Bend and Scottsdale Road. So if you are a Phoenician or just want to come join our low cost, high energy fun, please sign up on the site and meet us all at the carousel.

Jen also does these beautiful Diaper Cakes for baby showers, so if you are interested please email her for a quote at munchkinmamas@gmail.com. Hope to see you out at the event and tell Jen "Thanks" for her hard work and dedication at getting Mama's and their munchkins out for cheap fun in Arizona.

My Magic

I have divulged I am a mother of multiples....so I am truly NUTS. I have informed you that I can whip up some foodie delights......I pride myself on being an amateur chef. What I have not told you about is my magic. YES INDEED, I have magic. My "force" as DH suggested I use this word, since I did not have a thesaurical thought for another word for magic...ah, mystical energy, there. So my mystical energy allows for my children (A.k.a. G, as the Squids do nothing but demolish right now) to complete chores, tasks, respond appropriately when called upon. Yes, my mystical energy is flowing within my house.

I know that so many of you want to know the secret. Am I Wicca? NOPE...I'm not even Jewish. Am I brain washing my kids? NOPE...not that talented. Am I beating them? NOPE....though, the thought has come to mind. No I even have a magic wand that I conduct through the air and G answers every beck and call from my lips and the wave of the wand. Here is a picture:

Yes, my mystical energy...or the "force" as DH calls it and my wand are merely the power of persuasion with a large wooden spoon. I know that G knows he will get the "spoon" (which he really won't) for bad behavior, not keeping our hands, feet, and other objects to ourselves, and failing to follow directions (like no repeating cursing, words such as Jackass, @**hole). I merely pick that lovely utensil up and ALLAKAZAM, my boy is following directions, picking up the Lego's off the kitchen floor and counters, and telling me "Yes Ma'am". I am liking this spoon more and more each day.

Last Minute Valentines

For those of you who have procrastinated and are not sure what to give as a gift....I have a solution. My DH HATES and I mean HATES Valentine's but he plays into the whole holiday for me....even though I truly don't care for it. But I love the holiday only because he proposed on this day 9 years ago and not over dessert but in the desert! Yup, in the desert, in front of a jeep, at the base of the Sandia Mountains over looking the twinkling lights of the city. He did this just when I thought that the whole night was over and he was never going to propose. I was wrong.





THERE! I said it.....I was wrong. He will be so pleased. Anyway, off on a tangent, back to the gift idea. FOOD! Yes, food is the best gift when you can't afford to go out and spend a fortune and you can't spend a fortune to get a unique gift so here is the gift idea....ready for it.........

Chocolate covered fruit! Strawberries always come to mind, but hey, oranges are great, blueberries, bananas, just about any dang fruit out there is FABULOUS in chocolate! So here is you pantry list:

Fruit: Strawberries, bananas, anything listed above

Chocolate chips or Hershey Kisses

Toothpicks

Wax paper

Cookie sheet or 13X9 baking pan

1. Pour 6 ounces (3/4 cup) chocolate chips or kisses into a mirowave safe bowl and melt for 1 minute on HIGH. Stir, and reheat if consistency is still chunky.

2. While chocolate is melting, prick all your fruit with toothpicks. This makes dipping and placing a breeze and cleanup is a snap! Line sheet/pan with wax paper.

3. Start dipping fruit and place carefully on sheet/pan.

*If you want to get creative use a couple different chocolates like semi-sweet and white for fancy designs or different flavors like the picture posted below.

4. Place fruit into fridge for 2-4 hours for chilling and setup (overnight preferred) and VOILA! You have now created a loving gift of food for your Honey Bunny without breaking the bank and who doesn't just love chocolate on Valentine's and chocolate covered fruit to boot!

For more last minute foodie ideas that won't break your bank or require an extra trip to the store feel free to email me at karieherring@gmail.com and I would be more than happy to provide some fantastic recipe ideas. Also to see more of my recipes The Greer 5 have been posting some...but I need to start posting them here for all to enjoy! Bet you didn't have any idea I was a chef!

We're Not in Kansas anymore Toto!

As a mother you can always tell when something is in the air. Either the air is the changing of the seasons as kids become antsy for Spring vacations and summer break or just your run of the mill Full Moon every quarter.

In my home......the FULL MOON reigns. For at least a week my kids act like heathens risen from the bowels of Hades itself. No one....and I mean NO ONE goes to sleep unless drugged. But not really...I have been tempted to administer some Benadryl to induce sleep and render peace in my home, but I have restrained. So they merely go to bed out of sheer exhaustion from fighting to go to sleep. Each child has something to whine or carry on about at a meal. Everyone fights to get dressed, but shivers because they are naked. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE is on a rampage.

Moods flying everywhere. Fits to be had, screaming, shrieking, yelling, crying, whining, the sounds enough make your skin lift up and ask you what the hell is going on! Technically though the moon is only 85% full now, the effects are still felt in my home. Hopefully once we get past the lunar cycle, the Valentine's celebration over the next few days....and the Squids turning ONE (!!!!) on Sunday, then we will return to the happy Munchkin Land and my gnomes will return to their cheerful lollipop twirling Lollipop Guild selves.

The thing with the Penis...whats it called?

HA!!! I so got you all! I love that word...PENIS....sounds so naughty but so clinical. I love to say PENIS. HA HA. Okay enough of my penis speaking fetish. I did get a thing with the penis, you know like the SAG award, The Actor, as the statuette is called.

I found I received an award for having a smoking (no pun intended) blog with gratitude and attitude. Though I would have to lean more towards the attitude as I have been lacking gratitude lately, which I must show soon. Anyway, enough rambling. Brittany Greer of The Greer 5 was so fantastic enough to nominate me for this award! How awesome and fantastic could that be? I could not think this to be cooler....though I wonder if she has ulterior motives....she is my little sister you know!? O.o

So here is my FANTASTIC award that I am going to show off and pass on to others as I nominate them as well for having super fabulous blogs that I love to read and share with others.

So the rules apply like so:

1. Have to post the smoking cool, fantastic, fabulous Logo (as seen above)

2. Nominate some folks for their blogs (all about sharing love in the bloggy blog world right?)

3. Have to hyper link your nominees....so others can go check them out too...see what all the fuss is about!

4. You must tell your nominee that they WON! Hello? How would they know if you didn't comment on their blog.

5. Finally Hyperlink the blogger who gave you such a wonderful gift.

Without further adieu here are my favorite folks:

Mrs. Singh over at A Spare and A Pair, this woman is awesome and knows all the crazy of raising multiples....love her!

Another Suburban Mom as she has a great Foodie Friday, she got Hub to blog, and the woman can make a great letter "A" with her ass and bare it on the net...Fabulous!

Lee, my Queen of reads! Love her and her wit, you can check her out at Moms Without Blogs as she is Queen there!

Angie with Seven Clown Circus....this woman is a hero with managing her kids and multiples and maintaining some level of sanity.

My dear friends Jade and Ty who are expecting their very first little lovable bunch of crazy! She blogs now about the happy joy of pregnancy and I can't wait to see her after baby is here! Love to this young woman.

M....I love M! She voices what I won't....why....because my in-laws read my blog and if I had her balls.....DH and I would be divorced for blogging like M. So I live vicariously through M. Love her bitchin' and moanin'!

I would hit up my sisters again......but they already got nominated so I am spreading the love evenly and all around. Thanks again ladies for being such a wonderful part of my daily routine and sharing your divine insight!

Love, Mrs. Fish

Fun and NO Fun

There comes a time in a child's life where they do not have fun with something new. You would think that a child who has not seen this "thing" that is sparkly, full of wonder and excitement and completely foreign to their senses would be so exciting and fun.

For the most part the new thing can be lots of fun and joy.....which can soon be shattered by a parent, whom out of sheer love and affection for their child does not let certain actions and events take place when playing with this new thing.

What is this thing you ask? Well that thing is the TUB!

The tub? You question as if my children have not taken a bath since their birth.

Yes, the tub. Yes they have been bathed, but not since infancy as bending over a tub to wash two squirmy little squids is close to impossible. So the sink became the next best thing and the shortest vehicle delivery time....baby from kitchen to kitchen sink, clean, VOILA!

So here is some fun for the first time in the bath tub. At the time the only camera available was my cell phone....HALLELUJAH for carrying that thing every where! Enjoy!

The weight is lifting

I can tell you that as a woman a pregnancy can take a huge toll on your body. I don't care who you are and how active you may or may not be, a pregnancy is rough all over. Well, add one more baby in that carrier we all our uterus and mid-section and WHAM! The saying "double trouble" gives a whole new meaning to twins and especially a twin pregnancy.

My pregnancy started eventful from utter illness in which the only items I could stomach were lemons, ginger, ginger ale, applesauce and toast. Needless to say I dropped major L-B's but those were quickly tacked back on after the first trimester blew past me.

Each visit I would just cross my fingers that I did not cross the 200 pound threshold in my pregnancy with the twins in which my very last visit I teetered. I was 199 and ONE half pounds. That was two days before I delivered. Now almost one year later and three-fourths of that time was spent breast feeding twins, at the same time, I think the majority of the weight is starting to come off.

Everyone says breastfeeding helps you lose weight. Sure! Sure you can lose weight breastfeeding if you are breastfeeding one baby. TRY TWO, for EIGHT MONTHS straight. I have had jerks with the nerve to tell me "Well Angelina Jolie did it"! I wanted to smack them. I mean come on, she probably did for a bit, but she has nannies, she got a tummy tuck, is able to take off to work out and breastfeed to lose that weight, so not realistic.

In the real world I lost a lot of weight and then my body went into starvation as it was trying to feed the twins and I did not have the resources to do it. So I began to feed my starvation and the twins and the weight came back on, not to mention emotional eating as two infants take an emotional toll. If you don't believe they do.....please I urge you to visit a parent of any denomination of multiples to see how emotionally drained you can be after a single day...or even an hour! But I am able now to get some time to me and part of my resolutions is to take better care of me and put me first, so I have been doing so and with the help of a fantastic website that my lovely sister-in-law "Sassy J" sent me. The site has tools to help me track my food, cardio, strength training and you know what....I should be seeing results....soon!!! After one week here is what I have to show:

Breakfast: Srambled egg whites, 2 pieces turkey sausage, English muffin toasted with Flax Oil
Lunch: Smoked Turkey (4oz), 2 slices pepper jack cheese, handful of cherry tomatoes
Dinner: Grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast or fish, steamed veggies (fresh or frozen), more tomatoes and or a salad with low calorie, low fat dressing.
Snack: handful (4 pieces) Dove Dark Chocolate

All of that and I am totally satisfied! Not to mention I am at 1300 or so calories and then I have 30 minutes of power walking every night (just got back not too long ago, after my poor Cards lost the Super Bowl), 15 minutes of high cardio, stretching, and strength training with a resistance band.

Based on that my results are 8 1/2 inches lost all around from my waist, bust, and hips! Just in ONE WEEK!!! I am on my way to be in a bikini by this summer. I know if I can do it...ANYONE can with a lot of hard work and power. Just knowing I can treat myself and not feel guilty. So for you Mom's out there who think that they can't do it or you love your pizza or whatever...you can do it! I had pizza today and tracked my calories and then just made sure I beefed up my walk to a light jog tonight to make up for the extra calories. You can do it, treat it like a job that you have to do everyday. Here is the link for the website, it's totally free and so awesome!

www.sparkpeople.com

If you sign up, use my user name as your referral kherring1415. I just LOVE IT!! I hope you will too if you sign up.