Epiphany at a Metal Concert

Last night my husband and I shared a rare date night out in town. We got to have a yummy dinner at Pastini's, one of my favorite Italian places, followed by a Nightwish concert at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom. The two opening acts I've never heard of, but I'm a HUGE Nightwish fan. Their music inspires me when I'm writing fiction and editing. In fact, when I can't seem to motivate myself to work on edits (mainly because I despise editing like the black plague) I will turn their music on and BAM shit gets done.
The first opening act was Delain. The moment the female vocalist came out, I was smitten. She looked like a gypsy goddess. Her radiant energy ignited the crowd. At one point in the show she did an operatic-like piece with heavy bass and drums rocking in the background. Gooseflesh sprouted across every inch of my skin. The power, the beauty, and the femininity of her voice electrified every nerve in my body.
Then Sabaton took the stage. At first, I was not sure if I liked them or not, but by the second song they had me. The all-male band looked like they just stepped off the viking ship and threw some modern clothes on. Their stage presence blew me away. Both opening acts were beyond amazing, and as far as I'm concerned, they were the best ever. 

Preconcert photo

And then Nightwish came on. Be still my heart. When Floor Jensen, the lead singer, stepped onto the stage the audience was captivated. She is so beautiful. Her voice is that of an angel. 2 1/2 years ago, I went to see Nightwish at the same venue. I was 6 months pregnant with my daughter. That show was Floor's 2nd performance with Nightwish as the former singer had to step away from the tour. That night I knew whenever Nightwish came through town, I'd see them as long as she stayed with the band. After 2 years of working together, they are the best yet.

Nightwish 2012 concert

So what does metal music have to do pregnancy, motherhood, or the inner goddess? EVERY. THING.

Here's what dawned on me in the middle of Delain's operatic number. These women are powerhouses. Floor Jensen could probably take down every member of Nightwish single-handed, but she still manages to stay beautiful and feminine. In my opinion, her and other female vocalists of metal bands embody the essence of a goddess. They are strong Xenia warrior like, but their are not afraid to show off their beautiful sensual female side. When I hear their music, I feel inspired to write, to exercise, to eat healthy, to clean my house, to get shit done that I rather not deal with. They are my power source. Their melodies energize me more than any cup of caffeine could. They fuel my inner mama bear.
Don't believe me yet? Check out Nightwish's newest music video:

Easter at My House

 Growing up in a conservative Christian home, we need didn't really celebrate Easter except the church services commemorating the death and resurrection of Christ. We never did any of the fun stuff like egg hunts and Easter Baskets. I always envied the neighborhood kids traipsing around their yards looking for brightly-colored eggs. Then I grew up, left home and my religious upbringing.
Over the years the holiday has evolved from not really caring about it to "oh, now we have a child and she might enjoy some of these activities." But I didn't want to introduce her to all the candy and clutter of trinkets the stores push on customers. Then I read this. Bloody, freaking brilliant.

Last year & before I read the above mentioned article, my daughter got her first Easter Basket. Bunny (which she still plays with), puzzle, book, water bottle (still uses), and mandarins (one of her favorite fruits). She'd barely turned one and I wasn't about fill the basket with candy. These were things she could use.

This year I kept basic again. Coloring book, crayons, bubbles, links for jewelery making, and surprise eggs (used for the hunt). All except basket came from the Dollar Tree. I filled the plastic eggs with her favorite snacks: Joe's O's (from Trader Joe's), cashews, vitamin gummy bears, AND a hand full of pastel-colored mint chips.

I hid the eggs out on our balcony and the hunt was on after breakfast. Oh my word. I think I had more fun watching the search for eggs than her. Seeing her eyes light up and listening to her squeal of joy every time she spotted one, brought the biggest smile to my face.

The whole day she played with the eggs, opening and closing them. She ate most of the treats except for the mint candy drops. Eventually she tasted them and said they were good but she preferred to play with them over eating. Fine by me, kid. When she wasn't playing with the eggs she was outside blowing bubbles. In between, she'd take a few moments here and there to color or create a chain of hearts, stars, and flowers.
All this fun for under $5. Who says you need to break the bank for Easter? This holiday is quickly becoming one of my favorites. For me, Easter is all about the newness of life and rebirth. Spring is truly a joyous time of year, so why not celebrate?

The UnImaginable

Yesterday I did three things I once thought unimaginable.

1. This.

Crossing the finish line of my 1st 5k run I've done since high school AND I even ran most of the way!! Five months ago I couldn't even run to the end of the block let alone a mile.

2. Joining a Mom Blogging Community- Portland Moms Blog is launching on the 26th of this month and I have the great privilege to be a regular contributor. If you would have asked me if I would blog about mommy stuff two years ago, I would have laughed in your face and said "Unimaginable." Yesterday I met the other ladies who will be blogging with me and I was blown away by their awesomeness. Click here to view a photo that is a preview of the shenanigans to come.

3. My evening ended with this.

I have been dying to see these two since I discovered them on YouTube three years ago. I have all of their albums and I listen to them often, but this Croatian duo performing live is something out of this world. They went from classical cello pieces to classic rock jamming to tender romantic melodies that sent chills and goosebumps throughout my body. If you ever get a chance to see these guys, DO!! The experience is unimaginable.

Green Kombucha Smoothie

Last week I had a rough day. One of those where everything seemed wrong, when the motivation ship had sailed away long ago, and I felt like the biggest loser on the planet.

In the process of doing some self-care, I made this simple smoothie with whatever I had in the house. Thought I'd share with you because it came out pretty darn good and I went from frumpy mood to superhero mama mode within minutes of consuming the last drop of green magic.

Green Kombucha Smoothie

8 oz Kombucha (I used Humm brand, the strawberry lemonade flavor)
1 cup Trader Joe's Organic Greek Plain Yogurt
1 1/2  cups Organic Fresh Baby Spinach Greens
2 Bananas

Blend the kombucha and baby spinach until smooth and there are no pieces of spinach left. Add yogurt and bananas. Blend again until smooth. Enjoy the frothy liquid goodness.

8 Favorite Baby Gifts

*This post contains affiliate links that I get a commission from.*
The other night as I was watching my daughter play with her toys in the bath I thought of all the wonderful gifts people have given me to celebrate her arrival into this world. Some of have been life-savers from the get-go, others not so much, but most I've used at one point in Boo Creature's 1st year in life. I figured I'd make a list for those of you looking for baby gift ideas. My criteria for this list are the following:

Practical
How many times I've used it.
Likableness

My list also included big and small ticket items to fit all budgets.

1. Mom's One Line A Day 5-Year Memory Book: I haven't written in it everyday, but I've been able to capture many of the milestones and special moments. It's even more fun now to write because I've got two year behind me.

2. Ergo-Baby Carrier- The. Best. Gift. Ever. I used this baby until my girl was 20 months old.

3. Britax Car Seat- Britax has the highest rating for safety. They are simply the best. I had one hand-me-down car seat as well and while I was extremely grateful for the extra seat, it didn't compare in quality to the Britax.

4. Thermometer- The first year of Boo Creature's life I must have used this thing at least a 1000 times as she brought home every little bug that came through her daycare. I got the temporal/ear type. Not as accurate as a rectal or oral one, but close enough! Quite frankly I'm not into sticking things up my daughter's butthole.

5. Nose-Frida- Also know as the "snot-sucker." Yes, you do actually suck the boogies, but you can control the suction for gentle use AND no, you don't actually suck the mucus into your mouth. There is a membrane barrier to protect you for loosing your lunch.

6. Sophie Giraffe- Teething time SAVIOR and great for long car rides. Them French people know how to do things.

7. Cloth Books- Another great toy for car rides and distracting the baby while mama worked or played Candy Crush...

8. Diapers (cloth, liners, and disposables)- Any kind of diapers are a gift from the Gods. If ever in doubt on what to get, buy disposables or gift certificate for a diaper service. The Honest Company has a wonderful disposable service and I used them along with the G-diapers until Boo got potty-trained. Best part they come right to your door and you can schedule them as often as needed. I highly recommend them!

Working moms and exercise

"I'm a mom, I don't have TIME to exercise." I hear this all the time. In fact, I used to use the same excuse, that is until postpartum depression set in and I needed to do something about it pronto. Exercise has been one of my top depression busters ever since.

The truth of the matter is, you can exercise and it doesn't matter how busy you are as a mom. You can always find the time just like you find time to go pee and eat. The body needs movement just like it needs air, water, and nutrition. Some of the benefits of exercise:

• Improved mood
• Decreased Depression
• Stress relief
• Cardiovascular Fitness
• Increased Metabolism
• Better Sleep
• Improved Well-being

With that being said, I totally get the mentality behind non-exercise. Motivation plays a key factor. It's so hard to get moving when you don't FEEL like exercising. For me, changing the way I view exercise helped me develop a more regular practice of daily movement and I'm here to tell you even if you work a full-time job you can still find time for exercise. Here are five simple ways to add exercise to your super busy mama life:
 

• Walking/running  (stroller) Take 15 minutes to go outside and walk! If you are a runner, you can do that too. I started training for a 5K last fall by taking my daughter in the jogging stroller for a 15 minute run 3 times a week.
• Mommy and me yoga. There are plenty of classes out there, but also videos and books. Check out your local library.
• Join a gym with a daycare. This is a great way to get exercise and mommy time in one setting.
• Dance for 5-10 minutes to your favorite tunes with or/without baby.
• Stairs. I work at a seven-floor hospital and when I'm in the office, I take a 15 minute break and just go up and down the entire stair case several times. 
• Hike it Baby. Great way to connect with other moms and get some exercise in. They have plenty of hikes on the weekends for working moms.
• 7-minute workout app. There are several out there to choose from, most of them free. These apps are awesome because they will take you through an entire workout including pushups, squats, and crunches in 7 minutes! Who doesn't have SEVEN minutes to devote to their health?

As you can see, there are plenty of different ways to get moving throughout the day.You need this girlfriend!

A Working Mom's Pantry

I'm vegetarian. So is my family. And the number one question I get asked is, "What do you eat?" Sometimes I fantasize answering, "Oh, you know, water with bread. And some grass with some sprouted seeds." But my usual answer is "Food." After giving me a "duh" look the questioner wants more specific answers and I'm more than happy to share.

Today however, I'm going to give you a sneak peek into my pantry and what I keep stocked at all times. While I'm big on cutting out processed foods, I'm going to keep it real because as a working mom, I don't have time to slave away in the kitchen. To be honest with you, cooking is one of my least favorite activities. Yet feeding my daughter good organic food free of chemicals and preservatives is super important to me.
So here are a random sampling of foods I keep on hand from snacks to quick meals:

Breakfast:

Nature's Path Organic Frozen Waffles (not pictured). I usually pick the ones that have extra protein from whole grains. These are great because you can just pop them into the toaster and a minute later you have a hot waffle ready to be devoured by a hungry little toddler.

Stonyfield Organic Plain Greek Yogurt (not pictured). Most flavored yogurts are loaded with sugar, that's why I choose the plain version. Why feed your child unnecessary sugar? To add flavor and sweetness, I chop in some fresh fruit or berries and add a teaspoon or less of organic maple syrup to a cup of plain yogurt. My daughter loves it and it's a great way to get some extra protein in her. Plus yogurt keeps her regular, if you know what I mean. *wink* Happy baby gut, happy mamma.

Bob's Red Mill Organic Quick Oats. Add water and microwave for a minute. Throw in some frozen berries (which will thaw out within seconds), cinnamon, and a little maple syrup. Bam! Instant healthy breakfast. I usually put in some protein and vitamin powder for extra nutrients.

Immaculate Buttermilk Biscuits. Okay, these aren't the healthiest option in fridge, but they don't have many of the preservatives and artificial chemicals as the mainstream brands. And it makes for a quick breakfast addition in a pinch. 

Lunch:
For my daughter's lunch, I often pack dinner left overs if there are any. I also add fresh fruit, crackers, cheese, and a Mama Chia pack.

I try to always keep sandwich fixings in the house too. My go-to sandwich bread is Dave's Killer Bread, because it's organic and made locally. 

Dinners:
Lundburg Organic Rice and Bean meals. They take about 30 minutes to cook. I throw in some frozen veggies and sprinkle a little cheese for some extra protein.

Back to Nature Shells and Cheese (not pictured). 15 to 20 minutes prep and cook time. Again I add extra cheese and veggies to make it a balanced meal.

Quorn Chick'n Nuggets. I always keep these in the freezer because I can add them to any meal for extra protein or throw them in my daughter's lunch for school.

Snacks:

Whole Foods 365 Organic Crackers. They have great options to traditional Cheese'its, Ritz, and other snack crackers.

Earth's Best Toddler Biscuits. My daughter loves these. They're organic and come in two biscuit mini packs that are easy to throw in my purse, her backpack, and in the car for a last minute snack. These puppies have saved me from many meltdowns in public because someone got hungry and cranky.

Plum Organic's Mighty Four Toddler Snack Packs. This is another staple I keep with me at all time. Anytime I'm going out with my girl, I throw a pack in my purse "just in case" she doesn't like whatever food we are eating at a restaurant or if we get delayed between meals. Also a great way to sneak in some veggies.

In my freezer, I always keep: Cascadian Farms Organic Veggie Mix, Broccoli Florets, Mixed Berries, Blueberries, and Raspberries. Sometimes, I buy the Whole Foods 365 Organic brand when they are on sale.

In the fridge (organic): carrots and cucumbers for snacks, cheese, eggs, yogurt, kefir, and fresh greens (for green smoothies). And I try to keep a variety of fresh fruit that are in season. Right it's apples, bananas, and citrus fruits. 


There you have it. Hope you enjoyed a peek into this working mama's pantry.