Posts by Bekah Banihashemi
Lessons I’ve Learned as a Mom…
No one can ever tell you exactly what it will be like to become a Mom. I became a first-time Mom just over a year ago and it has been quite the ride. I’m not going to lie and say I have loved every minute of it; it is a challenging job, but the moments of growth and joy that I get to see in my daughter make those tough moments/days/weeks/months so worth it! Here are a few lessons that I have learned along the way…
- I am Not in Control
The meaning to this is two-fold. I have had to learn that I have been blessed with this child and ultimately she is God’s daughter. He has entrusted me with her for the days He has numbered for her and in that time I need to continue learning how to not hold on too tightly. He has specific plans for her life and I hope that I can guide her along the way to always be looking for His leading. The other meaning which has been much more of day-to-day experiences has been the control I have in feeding and sleeping. I knew that I always wanted to breastfeed because I was taught that that would be best for my child, and its FREE. So, that was our plan. However, when we went in for her 4 month appointment and found out that she was in the 2nd percentile in weight even though I was feeding her 8-10 times a day, the plan had to change. We still aren’t sure if my supply decreased in the stress of our move or I just have not been blessed with a steady flow; either way, I had to accept that this was something that I could not control. I tried my …
Read MoreMust Have Products for New Mamas
This week, we are continuing to celebrate Moms – Woohoo!! Being a mom can be overwhelming and hard, and finding the “BEST” products can be even more overwhelming and hard! Today, I am going to share with you a few of my Must Have Products that I have loved as a new mom! These are products that I would call more of an investment – a few items that we spent the most money on, but also the products that we used the most, and probably more than we ever thought imaginable.
4MOMS PLAYARD
We have used our 4MOMS Playard more than I ever thought we would. When my daughter was first born, the playard is what she napped in and played in when we weren’t holding her so that we could easily see her while we worked around the house. Having her out in the living room also helped her to get acclimated to noise. In the last year, we have traveled with this to friends’ and grandparents’ houses, hotels and more – we never had to worry about where Sophie would sleep or the hassle of a long setup when we were away from home.
Here is what I love most about the 4MOMS Playard…
- It packs up really nicely and is light enough for me to carry on my own.
2. It is SO EASY and QUICK to assemble and breakdown! (Probably our FAVORITE part)
Click the link to see my demo that shows the base being assembled in less than 7 seconds!!
3. Sophie loved it!!
The top mattress bassinet allowed me to use it when she was little. As she grew, I simply took the top piece off to use the bottom mattress. She spent a lot of time in this and …
Read MoreA Mother’s Day Craft that Will Hand the Moms in Your Life a Smile
It is hard to believe that I will be celebrating my second Mother’s Day already! Although my little one hasn’t started making me homemade crafts – I’ll give her a break, she’s only 14 months 🙂 – I can foresee in my future these being my most treasured gifts! Here is a fun craft that your kids are a part of that will definitely ~hand~ the moms in your life a HUGE smile!
What You Need:
Acrylic Paints
Paint brush
Cardstock or construction paper
Green straws, dowels, tongue depressors
(I used green Starbucks straws…I always grab extras when I go to have them on hand at home…shh don’t tell :p )
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
A Child’s Hand and Foot
What To Do…
- Brush a good coat of paint onto your child’s hands and press on the paper to create the handprint. Apply more paint as needed and make a few handprints on each page. Repeat with other colors of paint – fully cleaning the hand and paintbrush with the previous color of paint. Repeat with one foot – this will serve as your “vase”. If you have multiple kids, put their name on each of their own handprints or do certain colors for each child.
- After they have fully dried, cut around each handprint and footprint.
- Arrange on a 12×12 piece of cardstock to look like a bouquet of flowers.
- Use the hot glue gun to secure the handprints to the straws (or dowels or tongue depressors; or you can even use a green marker to draw the stems) and under the footprint vase. Cut the straws different lengths so you can arrange the handprints more visibly. Secure the “flowers” to the paper with a dot of hot glue behind each one.
- Write a cute message at the bottom
Feel Refreshed with a New DO
Do you ever feel like your body gets too used to your deodorant and stops working as well? Have you heard about all the chemicals they put in deodorant? It has been founded that the aluminum that is in many antiperspirants is now linked to breast cancer and alzheimer’s – Yikes! We have tried to make some changes in our life that have been more natural and one of those changes has been in deodorant. The two brands we have tried is Simply Divine Botanicals and Native, which we have loved!
Simply Divine Botanicals
- Spray
- Aluminum free
- Encourages lymphatic drainage and circulation
- Made with all natural ingredients, including essential oils
- Scents: Keeping Abreast of It, Lavender, Lemongrass, Pink Grapefruit, Rose, Sandalwood, Tangerine, Unscented
- Learn more here
Native
- Natural ingredients like shea butter and jojoba oil
- Aluminum free and paraben free
- Lasts all day
- Scents: Coconut & Vanilla (most popular), Lavender & Rose, Unscented, Grapefruit & Bergamot (seasonal), Sample Pack
- Free shipping and a full refund if you don’t love it
- Learn more and read thousands of reviews here
Now, when choosing these or any kind of natural deodorant, it will be an investment. But, personally, with all the chemicals that are added to other types, I think it is worth it!
As Native states, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Let us know if you try either of these or if you have other brands of natural DO that you love!
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Carrot Candy Cones
Easter is on Sunday! Although it is important to remember that it is really about Jesus, I love any excuse to give or create a gift; so I love Easter baskets! I adapted a fun craft from “Emma Owl” that is VERY SIMPLE and a very cute addition to your Easter baskets this year!
Carrot Candy Cones do not require many items except for some simple household items and your favorite Easter treats. In our home, our favorite holiday (especially Easter) chocolates and treats have always come from See’s Candies from as far back as I can remember. I loved finding a craft to combine with my favorite chocolates 🙂 And, this is definitely a craft that kids can help with, too!
What You Need:
Construction Paper – Orange and Green
Tape
Scissors
Stapler (optional)
Your favorite Easter chocolates or treats
What To Do:
Carrot Candy Cones can be made in a large size or small size. For the large size, you will use a whole 8.5×11 orange sheet. For the small size, cut a 8.5×11 paper in half. Take the short edge and roll toward the long edge to create the cone. Tape at the outside corner.
Cut small pieces of the green paper to create the stem. Tape the pieces together at the bottom and then tape the stem to the top of the carrot.
Fill with your favorite treat! If your treat is too small for the opening, put a small piece of tissue paper at the bottom before filling. After placing the tissue at the bottom you can also line the carrot with a ziplock bag (with the zipper cut off). The last option is to put additional tissue in the carrot to not have to fill it with as many treats (the large …
Read MoreDonut Forget Jesus on Easter — The Empty Tomb
This year has gone by so fast and Easter will be here before we know it! My hubby is on vacation so I found a fun Easter idea that he would appreciate- which would be anything with DONUTS 🙂 I love this idea that was adapted from CatholicIcing.com because it is SIMPLE and a fun reminder of the real meaning of Easter!!
What You Need:
Glazed donuts
Donut Holes
Paper Plates (small or large)
Sharpie
Optional: Graham Crackers, Peanut Butter, Toothpicks, Tape, Paper, Pen
WHAT TO DO:
- Write an Easter Bible verse or phrase on the paper plate – I used Luke 24:2, “And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.” Other options: 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, Romans 6:9, Romans 6:4, Isaiah 53:5, or phrases like “He is Risen” or “My Redeemer Lives”…Be creative!
- Cut the bottom 1/3 off of the glazed donut so that it will stand on its own. Prop it up on the paper plate and place the donut hole to the side to look like the stone rolled away from the tomb.
- Read the Easter story while eating the empty tombs.
Optional to get a little more fancy…
- Coat a graham cracker with peanut butter. Continue with Step 2 above putting the donuts on top of the graham cracker.
2. Do Step 1 on a small piece of paper and tape to a toothpick. Place the Bible verse or Easter message toothpick into the donut tomb.
You can even use this craft treat to start new traditions! My hubby and daughter went on their first Daddy-Daughter date to grab the donuts – and I wouldn’t be surprised if it became an annual thing 🙂 It is so important to teach our kids early about what Easter is all about when we …
Read MoreThe Benefits of Barre
After my first Barre class, I was sold. I loved the concept of getting deeper into the moves while using the ballet barre for balance. With the focus of tone and on muscles you didn’t even know you had, you will definitely feel these workouts. In a Fitness Magazine article, Sadie Lincoln, the founder of barre3 fitness says,
“Most barre-based classes use a combination of postures inspired by ballet and other disciplines like yoga and Pilates. The barre is used as a prop to balance while doing exercises that focus on isometric strength training (holding your body still while you contract a specific set of muscles) combined with high reps of small range-of-motion movements.”
The article continued with the many benefits of barre…
- Improved Posture
- Muscle Definition
- Weight Loss
- Increased Flexibility
- Reduced Stress
- Low Impact making these workouts doable during pregnancy
- May help with Imbalance and Stability during pregnancy
- Combines Strength Training and Cardio
Some added benefits…
- You don’t need any special gear – just a yoga mat, chair (use as your barre), and sometimes light hand weights and resistance bands
- *You don’t need any dance experience*
I have loved adding Barre workouts to my weekly routine. Unfortunately, barre studios can be pretty costly. However, I discovered that you can find quite a few options of Barre workouts on Youtube to do at home. Last week, I tried out these At home Barre workouts from Brit + Co. Each video is a different style of barre so it really shows you the variety that each class can have. Also, take advantage of your local studios that give a free class to try!
What are your favorite workouts or most recent workout trends to do at home?
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Healthy Snacks for Kids – Part 2
Sophie has been eating SO much the last few weeks! She must be going through a growth spurt because it has been so much that I have been running out of ideas of what to give to her. So, I went to my best idea resource (Rachel!) who tapped in to her best team of resources (Mom Squad!) to help me out! They gave such great options that I wanted to share the list with you!
The Mom’s List of Favorite Healthy Snacks for Kids:
- Yogurt Drops – place yogurt in ziplock bag, snip off the corner and drop onto wax paper on a tray. Place in freezer to make a fun chip-like self-feeding snack!
- Peanut Butter or Butter on Healthy Bread
- Goldfish or Annie’s Cheese Bunnies
- Pirates Booty
- Pouches (with that fantastic anti leak top) or DIY pouches (disposable or reusable)
- Cheerios
- Oatmeal Squares
- Bars: Larabars, Granola Veggie Bars, Ella’s Kitchen Snack Bars, or Kind Bars (esp the fruit and green ones)
- Muffins with hidden fruits and veggies and mostly all no or low sugar (check Pinterest) or Mini Muffins with any muffin recipe
- Baked Pea Snacks (Inner Peas at TJs or Harvest Snaps from Costco) -Very low salt and high fiber and protein for a snack
- Steamed Veggies – store in snack bags for on-the-go
- Chia Crunch
- Lundberg Farms Brown Rice Cakes
- Seaweed
- Kale Chips
- Champagne Grapes from TJs – really small and sweet
- Avocado
- Fig Bars (Nature’s Bakery)
- Graham Crackers
- Favorite brands for Freeze Dried Fruits: Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Little Duck, Fruit Crisps
Sophie’s Snacks — Healthy Snacks for Kids
As we continue through National Nutrition Month, I wanted to share with you some of Sophie’s favorite snack foods that she eats throughout the day! The last few days, we were at a camp/retreat center for my hubby’s work retreat. It was a lot of fun, but the food was not great – even Sophie didn’t like most of it :p
When we are home, some of her staples for each meal are Bananas, Cheese (Colby Jack and Monterey Jack), Oatmeal, Scrambled Eggs, Peanut Butter Toast, Veggies, Meat, Veggie Burgers, Noodles, and Hummus.
But, because we were away from home for a couple days and I couldn’t make her anything, her snack bag that I packed as a “just in case” became a lifesaver! Here are Sophie’s favorite snacks that she will either have paired with a meal or just as a snack…
Freeze-dried Fruits
- Her favorites are Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Apples, Mango
- I buy them from Trader Joe’s and Sprouts
- There is no added sugar, either!
HappyBaby Organic Creamies
- Her favorites are Apple, Spinach, Pea, and Kiwi and Strawberry, Banana, and Carrot
- Dairy-free (made with coconut milk)
- No added sugar
- Melt-in-your-mouth so they were a great “first snack” when she was starting to eat and helps her to practice picking food up and feeding herself
- A snack without rice flour (Studies have shown that rice contains arsenic so we have tried to limit how much rice we give to Sophie. Unfortunately, 90% of baby snacks contain rice flour. But, this was an exception!)
Trader Joe’s Golden Rounds
- Sophie loves these crackers
- Healthy alternative to Ritz
- Soft, break easily, and melt in your mouth
- They are messy but pretty cute to see how she eats it
- Because she only eats a few a day, they stay fresh really nicely!
Trader …
Read MoreHealthy Snacks for On-the-Go
I am one who always has a snack in my purse. I try to avoid getting myself stuck in situations where I am hungry and do not have a snack or have to buy something out of desperation that may not have been the healthiest option. I want my snacking to match my health goals and not be something that gets me off track. As a result, I have some go-to snacks that I always take with me when I’m on the go!
IsaLean Bar
Bethany and Kerry both shared about their favorite IsaLean bar last week. My favorite IsaLean bar is a different flavor – Chocolate Decadence! Mmm…This bar is a healthy version of a chocolate covered rice krispie treat (without the marshmallow flavor)! It is DELICIOUS and it’s packed with protein (18 grams!!). This bar is the snack that I look most forward to every day!
LaraBar
LaraBars are fruit and nut bars. My favorite is Peanut Butter Cookie, made with three ingredients – Dates, Peanuts, and Sea Salt. It literally tastes like a peanut butter cookies!! I especially like this as a snack option in the warm weather months because I don’t have to worry about it melting. Each bar is Kosher, Vegan, non-GMO, Soy Free, Dairy Free, and Gluten Free
Fruit Leather
Fruit leathers are a great pick-me up when you are out and about. As long as there is no added sugar, this is a great way to get in some fruit and veggie servings! My favorites are from Trader Joe’s and Costco and always include strawberry as one of the main flavors!
Almonds/Trail Mix
Almonds/Trail Mix is the perfect snack to always have on hand when on-the-go. Healthy, hardy, and “hands-y” (you can eat it with your hands 😀 ) – just make sure …
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