Friday, December 30, 2011

This Week with the Mommies


We chat online in a private forum — discussing everything from the best photographers to the worst temper tantrums and all that lies between — and meet up regularly at member-driven events around town. Whether it's a late-night commiseration about a crying baby (there are 4 a.m. posts to prove it) or a Moms' Night Out, NorthMetroDCMommies provides what our members need, when and how they need it.

Click here to go directly to our calendar, and stay up-to-date on all of our events scheduled for this week.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011

MOMics Comics - Installing a Carseat is Easy!

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Illustration by Rainey Niklawski from RichmondMommies.com, A3 for The Mommies Network

If you enjoy drawing or designing mom-centered comics of your own, consider contributing to our "Momics" column! Send us an email at blogs@themommiesnetwork.org
Monday, December 26, 2011

Menu Monday: Kiss Me Chocolate Chip Cookies





I am always making CCC a million different ways, just search Chocolate Chip Cookie/s on here and you'll get a few hits. Can't help it. These are chewy soft yummies. And I had a ton of chips I needed to use up. When a few cooled I took them on a plate to Pixie girl- she took one, walked away took a bite and came back towards me, I told DH, "yup she wants one in each hand..." NOPE. She came over, put her arms around me and kissed me... then took the other cookie. I love that little baby.




2 sticks melted butter
1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c brown sugar (lightly packed)
2Tbs milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 Tbs sour cream

Sift-
2 1/4c bread flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt- I used kosher last night

1 cup oats
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup nuts (optional)

Cream sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add remaining wet ingredients. Beat well. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in oats, chocolate and nuts.

Chill dough thoroughly. I left this dough overnight in the fridge. I used a small cookie scoop for these cookies. I baked them on stoneware. Which took longer, than my standard parchment lined jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes depending on your oven.

You can also scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet, flash freeze the dough balls and put them in a Zip top bag and bake a few at a time.

OR roll the dough into logs and wrap in plastic wrap and slice and bake them also.

Post provided by the Please Give Peas a Chance Blog.
Friday, December 23, 2011

This Week With the Mommies


We chat online in a private forum — discussing everything from the best photographers to the worst temper tantrums and all that lies between — and meet up regularly at member-driven events around town. Whether it's a late-night commiseration about a crying baby (there are 4 a.m. posts to prove it) or a Moms' Night Out, NorthMetroDCMommies provides what our members need, when and how they need it.

Click here to go directly to our calendar, and stay up-to-date on all of our events scheduled for this week.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Cloth Diapering Momics

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Illustration by Rainey Niklawski from RichmondMommies.com, A3 for The Mommies Network

If you enjoy drawing or designing mom-centered comics of your own, consider contributing to our weekly "Momics" column! Send us an email at blogs@themommiesnetwork.org
Monday, December 12, 2011

Menu Monday - Kettle Corn


I was amazed at how easy and fast this was, I was more amazed at how easy the clean up is! I thought for sure with oil and sugar I'd be scrubbing a pot after I was done, but not at all! There was hardly a stuck on mess. This is such an inexpensive snack. Sure it isn't the most healthy but hot kettle corn with that caramelized sugar crunch is SO good fresh.

1/2 cup popping corn
1/4 cup vegetable oil- It seems like a lot but not in the end.
3 tablespoons sugar
kosher salt
two oven mitts or pot holders
a big pot with a lid (I used a 5 qt dutch oven and it was perfect)


Measure everything out and set it aside. Once you start it's hard to measure things, it moves quickly.



Add oil to the pot and heat it on medium high, make sure the oil get hot but not burning. Add the popcorn. SPRINKLE in the sugar over top (do not dump it in a big pile). Place the lid on top of the pot and start moving the pot around. The oven mitts help with the heat. The corn will start popping, once it slows down you are done. With a big metal serving spoon stir to bring up some of the sugar and coat the rest of the popcorn if needed.  *I forgot to tell you to salt the popcorn at this point* SO good served right away.



Post provided by the Please Give Peas a Chance. Published to The Mommies Network blog July 2011.
Friday, December 9, 2011

This Week with the Mommies


We chat online in a private forum — discussing everything from the best photographers to the worst temper tantrums and all that lies between — and meet up regularly at member-driven events around town. Whether it's a late-night commiseration about a crying baby (there are 4 a.m. posts to prove it) or a Moms' Night Out, NorthMetroDCMommies provides what our members need, when and how they need it.

Click here to go directly to our calendar, and stay up-to-date on all of our events scheduled for this week.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Life as a Homeschooling Mom

If I were to meet you on the street today, I would introduce myself as Heather, stay-at-home/homeschooling mom of my daughters who are six and three. You would ask me my thoughts on the public school system and about my choice to keep them home, then about my method of teaching, and the curriculum I use. I would smile and say all the right things. I would tell you just how much I love it, how passionate I am about being their teacher, and how confident I am that this is the right choice for my family.

But that wouldn't really be the truth.

You see, more often than not I have no idea what I am doing. I second guess every decision. Homeschooling was never something I imagined myself doing, so I wonder how I got to this point, and what I was thinking. And some days I allow myself to dream about that big yellow bus pulling up in front of my house and taking my children away for the next six hours.

I love my girls dearly, of course. But the days are long, and the weeks are hectic. And I rarely get a few minutes to think, let alone have a conversation with another adult. We have days that we wake up early, get dressed and into our school room right away. And then we have others where I realize we are still in our pajamas at noon and I haven't even opened a workbook, or answered a single question.

Guilt and fear are par for the course in motherhood, but in my life they are exacerbated by being primarily responsible for my children's education. I believe that right now they learn so much through play, and have a natural curiosity to explore the world around them. But secretly, I worry that I am not smart enough to teach them all they need to know. I question whether my methods really are the best. And I'm afraid that I am doing them a huge disservice by not exposing them to a more structured learning environment.

As I start asking myself questions, I become riddled with the fear that while homeschooling is what I want for my girls, I might not be cut out for it.
But then...something miraculous happens.

My youngest daughter will count to twenty, correctly read the letters off a sign as we pass by, and ask for her mountain of books at bedtime. My oldest daughter will flawlessly name the planets, sound out letters, and proudly find Italy on the world map. They will ask for more rhyming games, and sight words. They will demand just one more sheet of school work. They will run to their dad when he walks through the door, eager to tell them what they learned about that day. And they will beg to have school on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.

And in those moments, I realize that something is working!

So a more accurate representation of the truth is that I am a stay-at-home/homeschooling mom of two. It is harder than I expected it to be. I don't know if I am making the right choices all the time. But my children are learning! And they are loving it!! And that hunger for knowledge is exactly what I wanted to instill in them all along.

Written by Heather (imarriedrich) from UnionCountyMommies. Originally submitted to The Mommies Network Blog on 04/15/2011
Monday, December 5, 2011

Ring in the New Year with TMN!

Ring in the New Year by reaching moms across the nation!

Women make more than 80 percent of all purchasing decisions and control two thirds of the nation’s disposable income. And moms may have the greatest buying power. What mom doesn’t share the latest trends or personal experiences with a business that has provided products or services for her family or herself?

To help you start the New Year with a bang, The Mommies Network is offering the following:
With all new/renewed sponsorship agreements, your business will receive a complimentary blog feature (advertorial to include logo/product image and 500 words). Prepaid agreements receive a 5 percent discount and a complimentary two months on one sponsorship listing. Sponsors also receive 20 percent off event sponsorships. Offer expires Jan. 31, 2012.

The Mommies Network can help your business reach moms across the nation or in your community. We are a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a safe, secure, free place for mothers to find support and encouragement from other mothers and to empower them to be better women, parents, and community leaders. Through our online forums, our chapters connect local mothers, enabling them to ask questions, seek support, offer encouragement, find volunteer opportunities, and grow as leaders as they volunteer their time with our site. Our organization provides a valuable service to a portion of the population that is nearly always overlooked, overworked, and taken for granted: moms!

For more details on how your business can ring in the New Year with moms across the nation, please contact Jessica Van Dyke at Jessica.VanDyke@TheMommiesNetwork.org.

How are you reaching the greatest buying power in our nation?
Friday, December 2, 2011

This Week with the Mommies


We chat online in a private forum — discussing everything from the best photographers to the worst temper tantrums and all that lies between — and meet up regularly at member-driven events around town. Whether it's a late-night commiseration about a crying baby (there are 4 a.m. posts to prove it) or a Moms' Night Out, NorthMetroDCMommies provides what our members need, when and how they need it.

Click here to go directly to our calendar, and stay up-to-date on all of our events scheduled for this week.

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