Monday, October 28, 2013

Mommy Monday - Nuby Mommy Review: Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip

Today I'm excited to share my second review, as part of my five-part series for Nuby and their Mommy Blogger team, on Nuby's Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip.  Be sure to check out last week's review here.


There comes a time in every infants life when they must make the switch from a bottle to a sippy cup.  I am here to tell you that you can do it as early as 4 months old with Nuby's Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip.  I haven't talked about this too much but I breastfeed my children.  I breastfed LP until he was 1 year old and I plan on doing the same with MP.  But there comes times when I am away from my kids and others need to feed them.  I figure why have my kids get attached to a bottle, so I started using a sippy cup with LP when he was 6 months old and have started using a sippy cup with MP at 4 months old.

I like Nuby's Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip cup for a couple reasons:

  1. It holds more fluid than the bottles I own (the bottles I have are 5 oz and this sippy cup holds 8 oz), which is nice for those feeding MP so they don't have to make more than one bottle.  
  2. The cup's spout releases the fluid easily and fast.  MP sucks strong enough on a bottle's nipple that it dents in and she has to let go so the nipple can release and refill.  (If you have a baby, you know what I'm talking about here.)  With this stage one sippy cup, MP can suck as strong and long as she wants and will always receive an ample flow.
  3. The sippy cup really is leak proof!  MP is young enough she isn't shaking and tossing around the sippy cup, so I did for her (her day will come...).  I filled up the sippy cup with water, screwed on the top, heard the "click" and started shaking the sippy cup.  There was no water coming out of the spout or where the lid meets the base.  I have thrown away a lot of sippy cups through the years because they leak.  This sippy cup passes my leak-proof test.

MP kicking back and drinking from her stage one sippy cup
If you are interested in getting your own Nuby Clik-it No Spill Grip n' Sip, they can be found at Target.

To learn more about Nuby, get connected through their various channels of social media:

When did you switch your kid(s) from the bottle to a sippy cup?  Did you have problems making "the switch"?

Friday, October 25, 2013

Farm Friday

Time for a farm update with photos: 
 
Corn and soybean harvest continues on the farm this week.  We are about 85% done with soybeans and about 20% done with corn.  Our soybeans have been doing really well, which makes us really happy that we planted the most soybeans than we have in probably the last 10 years or more.  Our corn has been doing okay; we're hoping that things get better as we harvest more fields.  (By the way, farmers are eternal optimists!)  With the snow that came earlier this week, I do have to say, this is the only year since My Farmer and I started farming ourselves that both spring planting and fall harvest were delayed due to snow!  What are the chances?  Beside harvest, we've also been keeping busy with our hogs and got in some new pigs a couple days ago.

Combining Soybeans
Combining Soybeans at Dusk
Combining Corn
Combining Corn and Catching On-The-Go
(When I'm out in the field helping I drive the tractor and wagon -
aka the catch cart.  The catch cart then brings the grain over to
another set of wagons or semi-truck to be hauled into town or the grain bins.)
LP and MP sitting in the tractor waiting for the combine
Hope you all have a great weekend and stay safe!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Only in Iowa...

Can you wake up to this...


Unpack your winter snow gear so you can enjoy this...


Then watch the afternoon sun melt everything from the morning, so by early evening you can do this...


And then from the sounds of it, do it all over again tomorrow!

Man I love Iowa, but this is why Iowa's weather sometimes gets a bad rap.  Two pluses came from today:  first, Audrey got to experience her first snow and Klayton enjoyed playing and jumping in the snow, and second, we were still able to combine corn today.  Two negatives from today:  first, we now have some corn that was snowed on after it was planted and snowed on before it was harvested, and second, we still have soybeans left to harvest.  Corn is more "hardy" than soybeans.  Soybeans need, shall we say, ideal conditions to harvest well or nicely, and I don't think having snow on them equals "ideal"...

Oh well, life and harvest goes on and you have to go with the flow, especially when it comes to weather in Iowa.  Like the old weather saying goes, "Whether it's cold or whether it's hot, we shall have weather, whether or not."

What are some weather sayings you have heard?

Monday, October 21, 2013

Mommy Monday - Nuby Mommy Review: Fun Drinking Cups

First, I'm happy to announce that I have began a new venture with Nuby as one of their Mommy bloggers.  This allows me to try their products and then follow up with a review.  With a toddler, a baby and plans to continue our family - what a better company to work with!  I have always found Nuby products to be high-quality & functional so I was very excited to become part of their Nuby Mommy team.

Today I am starting a five week series reviewing five of their products.  Be sure to check in every week as I'm working on a giveaway with Nuby at the end of the series!  Today's review is on Nuby's Fun Drinking Cups.


How many of you out there keep telling yourself that you should really start having your toddler drink out of an open cup and not a sippy cup?  I'm raising my hand!  I know I should move LP out of a sippy cup and into an open cup but I really don't like having slight panic attacks whenever I do let him drink out of our "regular" glasses.  I hadn't really found that good "beginning" open cup yet and loved hearing about Nuby's Fun Drinking Cups.

Which would you rather having your toddler drink out of???
Nuby's Fun Drinking Cups are durable and come in a variety fun colors and designs on them.  (The ones we have our yellow and orange and have frogs on them - which LP thinks is pretty cool.)  They're small enough for small hands to easily handle but yet big enough to give your toddler their desired amount of milk, juice, water, etc.  Nuby says this product is great for children ages 18+.  I find the cups as a great beginner open cup and am happy to have them in our cupboard.

LP has officially graduated up from the sippy cup!
(And why shouldn't he - he graduated from
plastic bowls and spoons a long time ago!
)
If you are interested in getting your own set of Nuby Fun Drinking Glasses they can be bought online through:


To learn more about Nuby, get connected through their various channels of social media:


What is your new favorite baby or kid's product?  I can't wait to continue to share more reviews with you in the upcoming weeks!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Wordless Wednesday


As you can see we're still making progress on our house this fall.  The new coat of paint to the outside I think just freshens up to house, along with removing the over grown bushes.  Next year our plan is to look beyond the house and make some more decisions on the rest of the acreage, i.e. outbuildings, landscaping, etc.  I'm looking forward to that and hopefully still adding a deck this year before it snows.  To see some of the inside updates check out my Moving Up Monday posts:

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Where am I?

Where am I?




That's right, harvest has started on the farm and I have started my fall job of catch cart driver.  Here are a few photos I took on my phone of my view from my tractor cab.  I'm going to try to stay on top of my blogging throughout the fall, but if I don't, you'll know where I'm at and doing instead!

Hope you all have a great Wednesday!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

What's Your 50?

I was honored to be recently recognized by Volunteer Iowa and their "What's Your 50?" campaign.  This campaign recognizes volunteers from across the state and then shares why they volunteer, to encourage all Iowan's to volunteer just 50 hours annually.  I was nominated by Franklin County Extension.

As part of the recognition I was asked to share the top couple organizations I volunteer with and explain why I share my time with them.  It was hard to choose the top couple because I volunteer with many groups.  In the end I decided to share my experiences of volunteering with 4-H, Make-A-Wish and Farm Bureau.

Chaperoning State 4-H Conference (I'm on the far right)
4-H.  I was involved in 4-H as a youth and I credit this activity for helping me explore my interests and ultimately helped me choose the major of agricultural communications for college.  Because 4-H gave me so much, I wanted to give back immediately.  I began judging 4-H projects and contest at the age of 19 and have volunteered with my county 4-H program for the past five years.  For my local county Extension program I am the Communications Project Leader, chaperon conferences, help during the County Fair, serve on the Extension Council Nominating Committee, and have been a 4-H Club Leader.

Working with one of my Wish Kids
Make-A-Wish.  I have been involved with the North Iowa Make-A-Wish chapter for four year and currently serve as the Vice-Chair and a Wish Granter for the group.  I got started with Make-A-Wish because of my cousin Jake who received a wish during his battle with cancer.  He always said that his wish meant so much to him during his last year of life.  I wanted to help make other wishes come true after knowing the impact Jake's wish had on him.  With Make-A-Wish I help with wish granting, fundraising and community events.  I have even jumped out of an airplane (twice) for a Make-A-Wish fundraiser.

Doing a radio interview before my local county Farm Bureau's
"Breakfast Battle" National Food Check-Out Week event
Farm Bureau.  Being a farmer and raising my family on the farm are very important to me.  My Farmer and I both have become active with Farm Bureau, which allows us to network and interact with other young farmers and to perform community outreach that shares information about the importance of agriculture.


So... What's your 50?  I enjoy volunteering because it allows me to make new personal connections and make a big difference in my community, especially in the lives of young people.  I am proud of where I am from and by volunteering I can only make it better and strive longer.  Volunteering is a great way to become a leader in your community.  No matter the amount of time you have to give, there is a volunteering opportunity for you.  I personally average five hours of service each week.  For you, it might be helping with one program's project or event.  Whatever it is, you are making a difference.  Through the "What's Your 50?" campaign, the Governor's Call to Action is to encourage Iowan's to increase their service activities to 50 hours per year.  Currently, Iowa is ranked second in the nation for its state volunteer rate.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Apple Brown Betty

Yesterday I mentioned that the month of October is National Apple Month.  And I don't know about where you live, but for us, October is a great month to pick apples.  We have an apple tree at our old house (which we still go over to pick) that is loaded with apples this year!  The cool, wet spring was perfect weather for our apple tree (too bad it wasn't the same for our corn and soybeans...).  So with a bumper crop of apples I've been making apple treats pretty much nonstop for a couple of month.  One of my favorite go to apple desserts is a Brown Betty.  This apple treat is quick and just the right size for a family to eat in one night or over a couple of nights.  (Plus, it is an excuse to eat homemade ice cream!)


Apple Brown Betty (adapted from Ideals Farmhouse Cookbook by Clarice L Moon, Copyright 1978)

5 to 6 medium-sized apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soft margarine or butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup granola or oatmeal
cinnamon sugar, to taste (optional)

In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, margarine or butter, cinnamon and granola or oatmeal.  Sprinkle the sliced apples with cinnamon sugar (optional).  Then toss the apples with half of the crumb mixture.  Put apple mixture into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.  Then spread the rest of the crumbs over the top of the apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.  Serve with homemade ice cream.  Serves 4.

Mmmm Apple Brown Betty with Homemade Ice Cream
The perfect way to end a crisp fall day
So try an Apple Brown Betty today!  If you like the crumb part of an Apple Crisp, then you'll love a Brown Betty.  The Brown Betty has more crumb mixture throughout the dessert and then of course on top.

What is your go to apple treat treat?  Or what is your favorite apple dessert?

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Celebrate National Pork and National Apple Month

I love the month of October for many reasons - cool weather, the changing colors of the leaves, harvest, Halloween and my birthday!  I also enjoy the month of October because it is a great excuse to eat savory pork and delicious apples, since October is also known as National Pork Month and National Apple Month.

To celebrate the first day of this great month, I thought I'd share some fun facts about both pork and apples!

  • Iowa's pork producers raise 28% of all US Pork, making Iowa the top producer of pork in the nation.
  • There are more than 8 million pigs in Iowa, so yes, it is true, there is almost three times as many pigs in Iowa, as there are people.
  • Americans, on average, eat more than 60 pounds of pork each year, and with the popularity of bacon rising, that number is surly to rise!
  • Red Delicious Apples, America's favorite apple, was developed on a farm near East Peru, Iowa in the 1880s.
  • Apples are grown in all 50 states, but only 36 commercially.  There are over 2,500 varieties of apples grown nationally.
  • Apple blossom is the state flower of Michigan.

Also to celebrate be sure to cook and bake with pork and apples.  One great recipe that includes both pork and apples is my Harvest Brats recipe - check it out here.

Harvest Brats
Delicious pork brats with a apple and onion mustard slaw