Last week I began the adventure of making my own baby food. It was so easy! All I had to do was cook the veggies put them in the processor and after a minute or two - they were ready to be put into jars. I did my math just to see and I saved over 5 dollars just on my beans and peas. That may not sound like much savings but in a week that food will be gone.
The fruit was even easier - all I did was put the bananas in press the button and it was ready to be put into containers. I have still had to buy some (using coupons of course) however, to even save five dollars a week will be helpful for our budget.
As Ella gets older and begins to try some new foods and combinations. I was encouraged to look at the site www.wholesomebabyfood.com As I went to the site it gave me great ideas for new recipes to try and what foods should be introduced first. One food that I was surprised to hear was so good for babies is avocados. I had no idea - I guess it has great benefits for babies and is super easy to prepare - no cooking necessary.
One this that I will note is that freezer veggies and canned veggies cook differently - therefore come out differently in the food processor. Ella doesn't seem to care for the texture of the freezer peas because they don't chop up as finely as the canned peas..... but thanks to a tip from my friend Rachel Mingle - I added a little applesauce (sounds gross to me) and she loved it! Another food victory for momma and baby!
I will confess I probably won't be a "homemade food only" type a person just for the convience of throwing a jar in my diaper bag but I will be trying to make a majority of my food for savings and for the nutritional value.
"Every day is a gift you've been given, make the most of your time, every minute your living" that is an excerpt from a song by Chris Rice called "Life Means So Much" It was the line that has been running through my head all morning.
Last night was a bit rough for me I had just packed up the car and headed to Selinsgrove to get the food for the overnight ski trip for our youth group. I then went to get something to eat while I waited to meet up and car pool with Joel and the rest of the group. While eating I got terribly sick - I had to put Ella back in her seat in the middle of eating because I was sure I was going to be sick right there in the restaurant (thankfully I never did throw up!) I went to the car with Ella crying and me feeling like I was going to lose my dinner - I realized there was no way I was making a three hour trip in the car feeling like I did. So instead of heading up with the group, I headed home with a crying baby.
It seemed like a very long trip, but as soon as I got home and crawled into bed with my little one, she just laid there and smiled at me. It was such a nice time just laying there and cuddling together. It was a gift! A very unexpected one. This morning was the same - a gift..... I figured I had three ways to look at it - either I would sit here alone being sad and jealous that I didn't get to go, I can lay here and think - I have so much to do around the house and feel guilty for laying here (regardless of how I feel), or I can celebrate the fact that I have no reason not to just lay here and cuddle with my little snugglebug!
Today has been a rare gift - to bad I had to get sick to be able to enjoy this time. But what a blessing it has been to have this day. If you have never heard this song by Chris Rice that I had mentioned I am including a video and the lyrics. Take a few minutes and just listen and watch! Today is a gift - what will you do with your day to celebrate the gift!
Every day is a journal page
Every man holds a quill and ink
And there's plenty of room for writing in
All we do is believe and think
So will you compose a curse
Or will today bring the blessing
Fill the page with rhyming verse
Or some random sketching
Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much
Every day is a bank account
And time is our currency
So nobody's rich, nobody's poor
We get 24 hours each
So how are you gonna spend
Will you invest, or squander
Try to get ahead
Or help someone who's under
Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much
Has anybody ever lived who knew the value of a life
And don't you think giving is all
What proves the worth of yours and mine
Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Every day is a gift you've been given
Make the most of the time every minute you're living
