Posts by Bekah Banihashemi
Our Family Favorite Protein Shake
Why I Love It:
It is DELICIOUS!
The flavors are Chocolate, French Vanilla, Strawberry Cream, and Creamy Vanilla. They also have Dairy-Free flavors- Berry Harvest, Chocolate, and Vanilla Chai. The seasonal flavors are Pumpkin and Chocolate Mint – and sell out in hours! My favorite is CHOCOLATE!
I can fill my body with amazing nutrients all in one protein shake!
Perfect way to start my day for breakfast! Or, an easy lunch with lots of healthy add-ins! Or, even a great pick-me up at the afternoon lull!
Keeps me nutritionally balanced and keeps my blood sugar stable
Inexpensive, on-the-go meal
My husband loves it, too! It is the perfect meal for him to take to work for a quick lunch and gives him the nutrients he needs for his long days at the hospital! I’m going to start giving it to my daughter, too, who is turning one! (Rachel started giving it to her girls at an earlier age, as well!)
What Sets It Apart:
24 grams of UNDENATURED, WHEY PROTEIN: Made from pasture- raised New Zealand cows that eat what they are naturally built to digest so they have less health complications, fewer needs for antibiotics, and produce high-quality protein in their milk
Perfect balance of PROTEIN, CARBS & FAT for a 240-calorie meal
Peace and Progress in 2017: Meet Bekah!
Hi, I’m Bekah, the “baby” of the Weisser Family. I am also the wife of a Pediatric Resident, and Mom of Sophie, who is turning 1 in just a few weeks! Before these latter roles became a part of my life, I attended Azusa Pacific University for college. I played softball for the four years I was there and got involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, combining my passions of sports and Jesus. I majored in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (basically psychology in the workplace) and minored in Marketing. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do when I finished college so I moved home to the Bay Area temporarily. Soon after, I got engaged to my college sweetheart and thus reignited my passion for planning and finding “the best bargains around” while planning my DIY on-a-budget wedding.
A month after getting married, we moved to the Caribbean to pursue my husband’s dream of becoming a doctor. If any of you know the process of becoming a doctor, you know it is quite the crazy ride. Add in going to a Caribbean school, and it gets even crazier, if you can imagine. We lived there for two years, and although it was one of the bravest things I have every done, it was also the hardest. The best part about that experience were the friends I made who now continue to go through this journey along side me –especially because the journey didn’t end once we left the Caribbean. We were then placed in California for Clinical Rotations, the second half of medical school. We moved to Redlands; and after the first year there, my husband lived temporarily on the East Coast for a couple months for rotations, we lived in the Bay Area for a month, traveled all over the …
Read MoreLoving Your Kids for Who They Are
I love parenting wisdom from Christian experts, authors, and speakers. However, in this first year as a new mom, picking up a big book to read at the end of a long day has seemed overwhelming and exhausting. That is why podcasts and daily broadcasts, specifically from Focus on the Family and FamilyLife, have been such a lifesaver. They usually are 30 minutes or less and I can find different topics to listen to right on the apps on my phone when I have a pocket of time throughout my day!
This week, I listened to the interview of the authors of No More Perfect Kids, Jill Savage and Kathy Koch, on Focus on the Family. They discussed different points about the high expectations parents have for their children and more in this 3-part interview that I would love to share with you!
In a culture that is so perfection oriented, where parents feel like the behavior of their children is a direct reflection of themselves (Yes, me included even in these first 11 1/2 months…), it was such an encouragement to hear how important it is for us as parents to create an environment that is safe for our children to fail.
1. Excellence vs. Perfection
Excellence is attainable, perfection is not. We have these high expectations for our children and we often focus on what they are not doing well enough. Even if we are saying a lot of positive things, we need to remember that negativity is LOUD. Every child is dying to hear that they are LOVED and they are GOOD ENOUGH!
2. “Raise the children you were given, not the children you wish you had”
There is a two step process when your child is different than your expectations and dreams for them — GRIEVE …
Read MoreWe Love Discounts!
This month is all about things, people, and activities that we love! Something that we all LOVE is a bargain! Living in California means that we all pay a “pretty penny” for the sunshine and ocean breeze 🙂 So, we have all become accustomed to searching for discounts and finding the best deals. This could be as simple as price checking a product on Amazon or doing more research to figure out timing of sales at a store. Here are a few of my most recent discoveries when bargain shopping…
- Buy Buy Baby has to put baby food 50% off when it is three months out from its expiration date.
2. Costco has quite a few discount tricks to be on the look out for: A price ending in .97 is a deal decided by the manager; A price ending in .49 or .79 is a manufacturer’s special; A price tag with an asterisk means that the item has been discontinued.
3. Get additional discounts at Target with the Cartwheel App (more on this in a future post)! Want even more of a discount…Check out Bethany’s post TOMORROW to read about why you should get a Target RedCard! We just got one and we LOVE it!!
4. Shop at Sprouts on WEDNESDAYS for Double Ad Days when two weeks of ads overlap. Save even more using the app for more specials and mobile coupons! We love buying our produce on Wednesdays at Sprouts because there are such great deals!
5. Zulily is one of our favorite websites and apps to find Baby Clothes and Toys, Party Supplies and many other Mom-Need purchases! All the prices are discounted and we have found some really great birthday gifts, home decor, and some favorites and go-tos such as Pack-its!
…
A Chex Mix for Your Valentine
Valentine’s Day is such a fun holiday for new recipes! This mix is sweet, crunchy, and delicious! It would be so cute bagged up for a little gift and is a fun way to give a sweet treat that is different than candy!
Valentine’s Day Chex Mix Ingredients:
2 Cups Cheerios
2 Cups Rice Chex
3 Cups Pretzel Thins
One Package (Approx 9) Honey Graham Crackers
1 Cup Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Valentine’s M&M’s
Red & Pink Sprinkles
Directions:
- Place the Cheerios and Chex in a large bowl. Break the Pretzels and Graham Crackers into pieces and add into the same bowl. You want the bowl to be large enough to mix.
- Put the 1 cup of chocolate chips into a glass bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Microwave for 15 seconds and stir. Microwave another 15 seconds and stir. You want the chocolate completely melted, but you need to be careful not to burn the white chocolate.
- Pour the melted chocolate onto the chex mix and begin stirring right away. While the chocolate is still hot, pour the sprinkles and M&M’s into the bowl and continuing mixing.
- Spread the coated chex mix onto a lined baking sheet and allow to cool. Place the chex mix into cute Valentine’s bags to gift or in a Ziploc to keep fresh.
- 2 Cups Cheerios
- 2 Cups Rice Chex
- 3 Cups Pretzel Thins (break into pieces)
- One Package (Approx 9) Honey Graham Crackers (break into pieces)
- 1 Cup Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips
- 1 Cup Valentine's M&M's
- Red & Pink Sprinkles
- Place the Cheerios, Chex, Pretzels, and Graham Crackers in a large bowl. You want the bowl to be large enough to mix.
- Put the 1 cup of
King of the World
It feels like there has been so much negativity recently in our world, in our country, flooding social media. Sometimes, it can be easy to get swept up in it or to allow anxiety and fear to take over. I heard this song today and the words really resonated with me and was a great reminder of the One who is ultimately in control!
KING OF THE WORLD — Natalie Grant
(Click on the title to listen to the song)
I tried to fit you in the walls inside my mind
I try to keep you safely in between the lines
I try to put you in the box that I’ve designed
I try to pull you down so we are eye to eye
When did I forget that you’ve always been the king of the world?
I try to take life back right out of the hands of the king of the world
How could I make you so small
When you’re the one who holds it all
When did I forget that you’ve always been the king of the world
Just a whisper of your voice can tame the seas
So who am I to try to take the lead
Still I run ahead and think I’m strong enough
When you’re the one who made me from the dust
When did I forget that you’ve always been the king of the world?
I try to take life back right out of the hands of the king of the world
How could I make you so small
When you’re the one who holds it all
When did I forget that you’ve always been the king of the world
Oh, you set it all in motion
Every single moment
You brought it all to me
And you’re holding on to …
Deals, Deals, Deals
We love to find a bargain!! Any deal we find, we love to share with our family and friends! In this new year, I am going to be sharing more deals and discounts from some of our favorite stores such as Buy Buy Baby, Target, Sprouts and more!
In just a few days, Babies “R” Us is having their…
GREAT TRADE-IN GEAR & FURNITURE EVENT!
Starting on January 20th, turn in an old piece of baby gear or furniture and get a 25% coupon to use on a new piece of gear and furniture! If you’re a Rewards ‘R’ Us Member, you can take advantage of this event TODAY!
Find the extensive list of items for this event here.
When we were getting ready for our Baby Girl, we were able to take advantage of this event. We turned in an old pack n play to get one of our favorite and most used (and most recommended!) items: The 4MOM Playard
I will be reviewing this item in a later post but with this event we were able to save $75 on it!! When we turned in the pack n play, we got a 25% coupon to use on a new car seat, stroller, travel system, high chair, placard, bassinet, swing, and more!
It does not matter how old the gear or furniture is, or even if its broken!
AND, if you have an “R” Us Credit Card, you can get 30% OFF of your new item!
Not only did we love our 4MOMS Playard, but this little one did too 🙂
…
Focus on Something Small
At the beginning of a new year, many people will set resolutions of different goals they want to accomplish throughout the year. Sometimes these goals are small, sometimes they are big; but all require focus and determination.
For the last six months, my biggest focus and struggle has been figuring out how to get Sophie to nap. She has been the happiest baby, except when I leave her in her crib. So, it has been months of trying different strategies and tactics to get her to nap in her crib, most of which have ended up in me carrying her around in my Tula Baby Carrier just so she would get some rest. This has been very discouraging.
With the new year arriving, I stepped back from the situation to figure out what I could control in what felt like a very out of control situation. I realized that I could control putting her down in her crib. After months of trying, it became easier to just put her in the Tula – skip the screaming, skip what felt like false hope every time there was silence which was really when she stopped screaming to take a breath, skip the discouragement just so she would get the rest she needed to grow and develop. However, I knew that this was not helping the situation in the long run. Here are some pictures from our “Napping Adventure”…
So, this became my goal – put Sophie down in her crib for both of her naps and continue throughout the week no matter the result. There were a few successes and there were a lot of “failures”; out of 14 attempts, she fell asleep two or three times on her own. But, when it came down to it, I accomplished my goal! Now, …
Read MoreChristmas Goodies at Trader Joe’s
We all love Trader Joe’s! The holiday season has become a favorite time to shop there with so many fun seasonal goodies. I think it’s a good thing these treats only come one time a year because they are so delicious – and yes, most involve CHOCOLATE 🙂 Here are some of our favorite treats and teas!
–TREATS–
The fearless flyer reads, “Jingle Jangle is an only-at-Trader Joe’s assortment of a whole bunch of things that taste terrific bathed in chocolate. Inside the generously sized tin you’ll find organic mini pretzels covered with milk chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate; dark chocolate-covered caramel popcorn; dark chocolate-covered broken Joe-Joe’s cookies; milk chocolate gems with a red candy coating; and milk & dark chocolate mini peanut butter cups. Don’t you feel all jingly and jangly just thinking about it? Imagine how good you’ll feel once you grab a handful and toss it into your mouth.”
Peppermint Pretzel Slims
Pretzel slims dipped in white chocolate and covered with crushed peppermint (A hubby favorite!)
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Joe-Joe’s
These are very rich which is actually a good thing because you can only have a few bites! Not that much of a chocolate fan (is that even possible?? 😉)?? Peppermint Joe-Joe’s (without the chocolate covering) are also an option!
Peppermint Bark – a classic Christmas treat but extra delicious from TJs!
— TEA —
Our favorite morning or late night treat either to warm us up or to fill a sweet craving!
Candy Cane Green Tea
This tea just exudes the holiday season to me! The candy cane flavor is subtle but adds the perfect flavor for Christmas in a cup. And, I love that’s it’s decaf so I can have it late at night!
Chocolate Mint Black Tea
Imagine an Andes mint …
Read MoreWeisser Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Have you ever had the mashed potatoes from Cheesecake Factory?? They use Red potatoes, leaving the skin on (the healthiest part of a potato) and they aren’t creamy, but thick and sometimes a little chunky (but in a good way)! I’m usually not a huge fan of mashed potatoes but ever since having them at Cheesecake Factory, things have changed! And, now I’m sharing with you a recipe that gets pretty close to Cheesecake status but much, much healthier and maybe even more delicious! 🙂
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Here’s What You Need:
5 Pounds Potatoes – RED or GOLD (Cubed) I used Red this year and they were delicious!
2 1/4 Cups Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Butter
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Pepper
2/3-3/4 Cup Carnation Milk
Large Crock Pot
Here’s What You Do:
1. Wash the potatoes and cube. DO NOT PEEL. Toss into the crock pot.
2. Combine all other ingredients into crock pot EXCEPT for the Carnation Milk. Stir every 30 min to an hour.
3. Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours. It only took me about 3 1/2 hours so it may depend on your crock pot. Once you stir and the potatoes begin mashing just from stirring, move on to
Step 4.
4. Do not drain. MASH. Add the carnation milk and continue to mash and stir. 5. Adjust seasonings (I added a little more salt) and add more milk if too thick. (3/4 cup of the carnation milk was perfect) Keep on LOW or Keep Warm until ready to serve.
…