Adiós Mexican Restaurants: Bacteria in Salsa

You ever hear something mentioned on the news but you fall asleep before it came on? I am famous for that.  The other day my local news was talking about bacteria in salsa. I tried to watch it but I missed it and really hadn’t thought that much of it again.  But I get to work today and there’s an email going around about that broadcast.  The reporters go to five local Mexican restaurants and get samples of their salsa to test it for bacteria. Keep in mind I frequent 3 out of the 5 they went to. So they send the samples off to the lab to get tested and they are saying that the levels in the salsa were more than what they should be. They then tell you  about the restaurant with the least count of bacteria and of course it’s one of the restaurants I don’t go to. And the one with the most count, eww, it’s the one right across the street from my job that I go to the most!  Yuck! The crap that I can’t even type without getting sick, that they said was in there has the “potential to cause infection.” The article explained that we should expect some bacteria in the salsa, but bacillus species, leifsonia aquatic, pantoea agglomerans, streptococcus intermedius, and Streptococcus species are very scary and gross. 

I love Mexican food.  Matter of fact when I was dieting after my youngest, chips and salsa was my favorite low fat snack.  Ok maybe I wasn’t getting fat, but what else was I getting?

Sharing Some Scrapbooking Work

I was going through my scrapbooking stuff and I posted some of my work on my page (scroll down on the right). I hope you enjoy it and I also hope to meet other scrapbookers on here. I just started blogging four days ago and have met so many people and got so much inspiration.  I hope this brings out the scrapbookers out there. Do you have any work to share with me?

A Mommy in Training: A Geeks Wife

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Who's Hot and Who's Not on Kid Shows

With my last two boys we decided to only have them watch PBS, Sprout, and Nick Jr. Yes, my Spanish and Chinese is pretty decent thanks to Dora and Kai Lan. I am also very "hip" thanks to Yo Gabba Gabba and The Fresh Beat Band. I also suddenly have the urge to travel the world, thank you very much Toot and Poodle. Oh and Steve from Blues Clues (he was around with my oldest, but thank God the repeats still come on) I had the biggest crush on him, but not so much the cousin Joe, he just seems young, lol. Then I also have the guest stars on Sesame Street, they are always fun. Oh and I love the Sunny Side Up Show, it's almost like a Good Morning America for kids.  The Pajaminals are so cute and their night night songs. I am a little iffy of Nina, only because my husband thinks she's so hot but if the kids want to watch her and dada is not around we’ll watch her and Star. And Caillou he is pretty cool, he does a lot of whining but I can tolerate him too.

But there is always that one show your kid loves and just the sight and sound of them drive you crazy! I hate to say it but the Wiggles are mine.  I have no idea what it is about them I just really don’t enjoy watching them.  When I know the Wiggles are coming on I try to change the channel before they do or convince them that Nick Jr is showing something better. 

So what shows are hot and not hot with you?

Potty Training a Diabetic Toddler

I have successfully made it through two of my sons with potty training, but my youngest is giving me a run for my money.  To catch you up on my potty training experience and to add a little humor to this situation, my oldest was “hide and go seek” pooper. You would never know he had to use the potty until you smelt it later.  But then after that you had to go find it. Yes, it was pretty bad.  But he was potty trained by two.  My middle son went straight to the potty.  Matter of fact he just turned 4 and he already does the stand up and scratch your butt, potty.  He is such a little man.  The only issue I had with him is he would hold it.  He would go for hours without using the potty. I used to be afraid he would hurt his little bladder, but our pediatrician said he was and would be fine.  

So to be totally fair, I might as well confess this one situation before I explain the dilemma with my youngest.  Last Halloween we had a costume party and we decorated the downstairs bathroom to scare some of our older guest. But because my youngest was getting familiar with the bathroom and my middle son was using the potty I was on bathroom patrol to make sure the little ones went upstairs to use the potty.  I think I walked away for maybe 5 minutes and of course one of them walks in there, which attracts the other in the bathroom. And just like that nobody was using the potty!  

Some time passes and the boys would go in the bathroom only if escorted, the sun was out and the light was on.  More time has passed and my youngest would occasionally visit the upstairs bathroom maybe sitting on the potty, sometimes the big potty, and getting comfortable with the flusher.  But still no pee pee in the potty.  We tried different approaches like this Spanish speaking Elmo potty (which is very annoying), just a plain potty, cool underwear, stickers, applause, and praise but still no pee pee. 

Then one day we get a tinkle! YAY! And another tinkle and a few more tinkles! And we are on our way to being full blown potty trained! Until he gets what we thought was a virus. After a week of upset stomach we go to the ER and find out my son has Type 1 diabetes.  There was a lot of crying, a lot of babying, and a lot of no using the potty days. Now we are back at trying to use the potty.  It has been the most challenging thing ever. Especially these past couple of days, we have had high sugar days, which means we have been frequently peeing. It has been hard on me to get up with him every few minutes so I can only image how it has been on him to have that feeling every few minutes and then sometimes not even making it.  I want to back off him and not push the potty but I am scared that if I do we will be in diapers forever.

Do any of my readers have any advice for a mother potty training a diabetic toddler?

Things that warm my heart in the cold season

Now that the cold season is here I have so much to look forward to not to mention some of my favorite things I have already started enjoying.  Like turtle necks and boots, there is nothing I like to wear more when it’s chilly outside is a turtle neck, my favorite pair of fitting jeans, and a nice pair of boots, and not to mention a cute matching bag on my arm. It takes me away from that “tired mommy look” to that “cute mom” look. There is also the fall and winter foods I enjoy. My husband’s chili, it has perfected over time, as he has. It’s very hearty; he uses big chucks of tomatoes, onions, meat, and peppers. It’s not too spicy but it has a little kick to it especially now that we have the little ones. Green bean casserole, and now that I think about it, why do I only cook this dish twice a year? It’s such a good dish, especially when the French onions are still a little crunchy on top. And finally a caramel macchiato, its offers me a little more comfort in the winter. I still get a great caffeine rush, but it keeps me warm and a smile on my face while driving on 95 to work in some of the worst traffic.   

Then there is Easy Sundays, mmmm.  What is an Easy Sunday? Easy Sundays is when it’s too cold to go outside and play, we don’t have any plans, we just had a big good ‘ole Sunday breakfast, the smell of Sunday dinner is floating through the air along with the linger of maple syrup from breakfast, you occasionally hear the clatter of the croak pot from where my husband keeps checking and sampling the meat, we are still in our pajamas, cuddled up on the couch watching movies, with frequent little cat naps.  A little before dinner the kids get a bath, then after that they eat off to their room they go to play.  That leaves enough time for my husband and I to catch the Fox Sunday line up, Simpson's, Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and American Dad. After several years of Sundays of watching this together we still talk about watching the Simpson's as growing up, good times.  Easy Sundays are the best, they also make Monday’s so approachable.  

 

My favorite homeschool joke

What do yo call a home school mom who talks to herself?

A parent teacher conference!

That puts a smile on my face every time