Pudding Pie is 2!

The Big Day is here - Pudding Pie is officially a toddler! She's had a splendid day so far, but we've kind of made her birthday a week-long celebration. Right now she's riding the wave of an ongoing session of presents, cakes and birthday fun and I think it's all kind of old hat. There's more to come though, the partying has just begun!

I thought I'd make a little note of the things I love about my two-year-old today:

I love the way she tells me she's hungry:"Need food!"
I love the way she snuggles into her towel after a bath and tells me "niceandwarm mommy".

I love the way she sternly scolds our fractious cat, then scurries to me for safety.

I love the way she grabs hold of her doll and tenderly plants a kiss on her forehead.

I love the way she sits riveted while I read her stories.

I love the way she says "Bless You Mommy" every time I sneeze - I sneeze a lot!

I love the way she says "Excuse me!" when she burps.

I love the way she insists on doing everything for herself, even though this doesn't always go as planned.

I love the way she says "That's OK" if she drops/spills/breaks something.

I love the way she believes that Mommy kissing her 'owees' will make them "all better"

I love the way her curls bounce around her face when she walks.

I love the way she thinks getting a haircut is a fun thing to do.

I love the way she grabs hold of my camera and says "Say cheese!"

I love the way she says "Oh Man" instead of Amen when we pray.

I love the way she makes me feel like a Very Important Person just because I'm her Mom!

Happy Birthday Pudding Pie!

Winter Fun for the Entire Family

Some years ago, I went on a ski trip to Switzerland. It was my first time skiing and, while my awkward attempts to learn the sport were probably a little trying for the instructor, they were good fodder for the locals. Eventually though, I did get the hang of things and I had the time of my life. I remember that vacation with fondness; there is nothing to beat the 'happy-tired' feeling you get after a day filled with outdoor fun and adventure.

I've always thought a trip to a ski resort would be a fabulous family winter vacation and, after hearing about Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah, I'm more determined than ever to plan such a getaway.

No matter what type of skiers or snowboarders you have in your family, Park City Mountain Resort has something for all levels. From the tween who wants to spend all day in the terrain park, to the adults who want to ski Jupiter bowl, to the youngest getting on the lift for the very first time, Park City offers family fun and adventure. Prior to taking a trip, families can even print one of the Family Mountain Tours that make it easy for a group with varying ability levels to navigate the mountain together, taking the guess work out of where to go next.

In addition to its industry-leading Kids Signature 5 Program that guarantees no more than five kids in each class, Park City also offers great off-mountain activities. The Alpine coaster, one of only three in the U.S., is a gravity propelled ride, twisting and turning through the mountains on a mile-long track. At Gorgoza Park enjoy lift-served tubing on seven different lanes or mini snowmobile rides around a designated track for kids ages 5 to 12 years old. Best of all, the historic town of Park City has over 100 restaurants and bars located just 35 miles from the Salt Lake City International airport, making getting to Park City easy. The town also once served as the home of the winter Olympics and still has a fantastic bus system to make it easy to get from place to place.

Visit the new "The Adventure" blog where you will find helpful insights from Moms who have visited Park City before on topics from packing, to eating, to planning the perfect family winter vacation. At the blog, readers can enter the drawing for a Family Winter Vacation for four (two adults and two kids, 12 and under) to Park City, Utah, including 3-nights lodging, 4-days of lift tickets and ski/snowboard school for the kids. This one is too good to miss, I'm heading over there to enter myself - you should do the same!

Review courtesy of MomCentral

This Way to Healthy Choices

The holidays are over, the New Year has begun. No more dragging of feet, it's time to bid adieu to foods that are tasty but not so good for us, and it's time to embrace eating smart and making healthier choices for our families.

The first step to making healthier choices begins in the grocery store. With this in mind, Stop & Shop Supermarket is launching Healthy Ideas, a new on-shelf symbol that helps customers easily identify foods that fit into a healthy lifestyle. To take the guesswork out of making healthy food choices, Stop & Shop has placed the Healthy Ideas symbol on more than 3,000 items and shelf tags throughout its stores. During my grocery shops, I spend a fair amount of time checking out the nutrition information on various products. Now all I need to do is look for a logo - how wonderfully convenient!

The symbol highlights foods that have less fat, saturated fat and sodium. It also helps to ensure that the foods we select include a healthful amount of at least one nutrient, such as fiber, whole grains, calcium and minerals.

The power of Healthy Ideas lies in the strength of its criteria which was developed by a team of registered dietitians and reviewed by an advisory panel of physicians and nutrition experts, including Dr. George Blackburn, associate director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School.

Research played a critical role in the development of the symbol, which uses the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the USDA Food Pyramid (Mypyramid.gov) and the USDA/FDA's definition of healthy as a basis for its foundation. Look out for this new symbol!

Review Courtesy of MomCentral

Wordless/Word-filled Wednesday

Pudding Pie is on the brink of turning two, next week she will officially leave babyhood in the dust! Yup, my little one is enthusiastically embracing toddlerhood, but her mama keeps casting wistful glances backward to those precious baby days. Don't get me wrong: I'm thrilled for the strides she's taken in the past month, never mind the past year but oh boy, is it ever bitter-sweet.

For more Wordless/Word-filled Wednesday posts, visit 5 Minutes For Mom, Momdot and Angie's Circus.

Making It Easier to Snack Healthy

Every December 31st I resolve to drop the pounds, pick up the weights and embrace a healthier lifestyle. Each year I stick to my resolutions until about mid January and then, like clockwork, I fall off the healthy wagon and revert to old (unhealthy) habits. It's getting old. This year I did not trumpet my resolutions confidently, but instead unofficially resolved to work toward a healthier me. So far, so good. I'll admit it's January 11th and still early days, but I'm hopeful!

My problem has always been my penchant for snacking and what is helping me this time around are the very tasty, yet healthy Kellog's Special K® Crackers I've been munching on. They have only 90 calories and eight grams of whole grain per 17 crackers and they come in two great-tasting flavors, Multi-Grain and Italian Tomato & Herb. Now, each time I'm 'snackish', instead of dipping my hand into the candy bowl, I'm reaching for one of these Kellog's crackers. And guess what? My waistline is beginning to show the effects of my healthier choices! (At least I think so!)

They are also available in individual 90-calorie pouches and these are perfect as healthy and handy snack alternatives for both myself and my daughter when we're on the go. Visit Kellogg's.com to learn more about these healthy and delicious snack alternatives!

Review courtesy of MomCentral.com

Drugs.com and MedNotes: An Invaluable Resource for Moms

It wasn't that long ago that Pudding Pie had a particularly nasty cough. As her concerned parents, we wanted to do whatever we could to make her uncomfortable symptoms go away. We had a pediatric cough suppressant in the medicine cabinet and, before administering, I got online to confirm that we could give this medication to our toddler. It was then that I discovered the recommendation that over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold medicines not be given to children under the age of four, because of potentially fatal errors in dosing.

I realized how important it is to stay on top of new drug safety information. The problem is, keeping up with new drug safety information coming out nearly every day can be a huge challenge. Thank goodness for Drugs.com, the largest and most comprehensive online drug information resource out there!

This wonderful resource just became even more indispensable to moms everywhere with MedNotes. A recently-released, award winning tool that provides a free online personalized medication management program which can be used to track the whole family's medication profiles. On each personal family member profile you create, you can enter the names of all the medications being taken and then register to receive drug safety or interaction alerts to ultimately help reduce dangerous side effects and avoid unwanted drug interactions.

On top of this, MedNotes will send you new drug and specific condition news released by the FDA or drug makers related to the medications your family members take.

By being updated on all of your family's medication needs, you will feel the peace of mind that comes from feeling more in control of your family's health. I encourage you to visit Drugs.com and check out MedNotes.

Review courtesy of MomCentral