Make Your Own...

Baby Food.

Yes... I'm doing it and I love it. So much so that I have to post about it in the chance that someone reading this who thinks it's too much work will realize how easy it is (and so much cheaper) let alone healthier for your baby.

Thanks much to Reagan and her book loan as well as this website, to make me see that it's EASY.

Let me tell you just how easy.

First, you need food you want to puree, a blender or food processor, ice cube tray, heavy duty foil, and freezer qt sized ziploc bags (and a sharpie for labeling).

Pears are in season, right? Yummy, delicious pears. Pears are one of the foods that are just mushy enough, soft enough, etc that you don't have to cook them first before pureeing them. Just core, seed and peel them, then pop them in your blender or food processor and you're done.

Let's break that down... Put your cored, seeded, peeled pears in here:
Then, scoop out puree and put it in here:
Cover with heavy duty foil and place in freezer (helps to prevent freezer burn):
Wait until frozen, and pop out into freezer quart sized ziploc bags:
Label and you're done! For a fraction of the cost, you have delicious ready whenever you want them to be homemade baby food.

Really... it's so easy. If I had known it was this easy (and if it hadn't seemed so very daunting to me the first time around) I would have done it with Sam.

Some other foods that are SUPER easy.

Applesauce - buy it at the store natural with no sugar added. You can freeze as is or puree it a bit more if the texture isn't fine enough.
Pumpkin - buy it in a can (but not the pumpkin pie filling... just pumpkin). Again, use it as is and freeze the rest. No need to puree.
Banana - Mash and eat as is, or puree and freeze. You might want to add some lemon juice to keep from browning.
Peaches - Cook (see the website... boil, blanch, microwave or bake. You choose), puree, and freeze.
Peas - Buy a bag of frozen peas. It's so cheap. Cook on stove (or in microwave), and come back when you have 10 minutes to puree and freeze.

Basically, I just keep an eye out for good produce deals when produce is in season and nab it. Sunflower Market has fabulous produce deals (thanks Leese).


Hopefully someone out there now wants to try this. And if you are a babyfood maker-at-home, share any tips with me! I'm just a beginner!!!

My Little Silly Man... with Bedhead

Sam looked so awesome this morning, I had him pose for me. These are his own poses... Quite funny.And when he's not being so silly, he sure is sweet.

The Big Three-Oh

Happy Birthday Weese. On Friday, Bel and I surprised Leese with 30 balloons (more for Sam and Soph to play with) and for a night out - dinner at Pizza Factory and a COLDSTONE birthday cake. It was heavenly delicious and rich.

Happy Birthday Leesie Lou. Hope you have a fun day today!

M and his Boys

I handed Z to Matt last night while I made him a bottle. When I returned upstairs, this is what I found. How adorable is this???

You Go Dad, You Go.

Sam asks to watch this so often, that I thought I should just post it here. Love it. Saw it on a friend's blog and couldn't resist...

Go Angels

... What's that you say? The Angels have clinched the AL West?

Well... better celebrate and show our TRUE colors.
(Not always RED though. Go BYU. Quite the dominant win today!)

(and yes... this 18 month size hat FITS Zack right now.)

Kangaroo Zoo and Thanksgiving Point

Pics from our recent adventures with Sophie and co. The Ancient Life Museum was awesome, although quite crowded on Two Dollar Tuesday. However... TWO BUCKS is the perfect price to pay (Sam and Z were free!). And... Kangaroo Zoo. The best place to wear out your child. Matt had a blast too.

(ps... i would still LOVE to hear what you're making for dinner this week...see below!)

Menus?

Hey Ladies... (and Gentlemen if any male population out there ever reads blogs without their wife's insistence)

I'm looking for menu ideas. So what are you cookin' up this week? Leave me a comment.

My menu:

Spinach Lasagna
Cobb Salad
Lemon Pasta Primavera
Salmon and Broccoli
Double Decker Quesadillas with all the fixins

Random Thoughts

Thought #1 - "Two Kids and a Camera"

Now that I have two kids, I never take pics. Well, not never. But hardly ever. I imagine I'll be better once Z is a bit older and a bit more able to be on his own. These days, anywhere I go, I always think, "Do I REALLY want to lug this thing around with me???" The answer is usually no.

Thought #2 - "Booty Camp with no Desserts is Impossible"

Leese and I have started Booty Camp. Details have yet to be defined, but we have gone off dessert... of sorts. I had to allow fruit popsicles and reduced cal fudgsicles. And maybe one dessert day a week. Hmmmm... How strong am I? (Read: How addicted to sugar am I?)

Thought #3 - "I love my sisters"

Yep. Lindz too, although this goes mostly for Leese and Bel. I love that Bel called me on Friday at 4ish and said she was coming up to spend the night and hang out with us on Saturday. Three cheers for Bel. I LOVE when Bel comes up. And seeing Leese at random things like Thanksgiving Point and Kangaroo Zoo (pics to come) is the best.

Thought #4 - "Line Upon Line"

I love this card website for you mormies. (Thanks Leese). www.lineuponlinecards.com. Check it out. One of my favorites reads: "How are you? How's your family doing? Is there anything I can do for you?" and the inside reads: "Consider yourself visit taught. See you next month!"

Esophawhat Part Two

Sorry for the delay... with two little ones around, my ME time is precious and rare. The esophagram showed that his esophagus is normal. There is probably something yet to be defined wrong with the something in the function of swallowing, but there isn't a stricture (narrowing) in his esophagus.

...and the best part? Primary Children's is AWESOME. They were so good with Sam. We brought all sorts of prizes, treats, etc., and I was allowed to stay with him in the room. With my help and theirs, Sam survived with only a few tears.

Highly recommend Primary Children's to anyone who has to have a medical procedure done with a 2 year old.