After writing previously about being a “dinner loser”, I am happy to report, and kind of surprised, that I have been able to make healthy, balanced meals with all the ingredients present and accounted for, in the last two weeks.

It is a New Year’s Resolution I am keeping… so far!

I enjoy cooking, but man, sometimes you just can’t think of anything.  I’ve had the “Five o’clock stare” plenty of times, you know what I mean?

Staring into the cupboard wondering what in the world you can make in a hurry.

Empty stares no more!

I receive no benefits whatsoever for mentioning this site, but E-mealz has made all the difference.

You decide on what kind of plan you want – there are several.

I have the “Low-fat plan for 2″ and so far everything has been good.  Each week I get a grocery list that is organized into categories for faster shopping.

The meals are based on what is in season and/or what is on sale.

I have peace of mind knowing that I know what we’re having for dinner tonight, and the meals are relatively easy and fast to prepare.

There is another site called SavingDinner.com which has a similar theme.

If you need help in the dinner department, give them a try!

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Do you remember gathering around your teacher’s knee to listen to her or him read?  Good times.

Now, a growing number of teachers are reading out loud to their students – in high school.

Even some college professors are doing it!

These teachers defend this practice, saying students garner more information by hearing it read than by reading themselves.

A representative from Core Knowledge Foundation, a non-profit that believes in a core academic curriculum, says there is nothing wrong with reading out loud when it’s called for – other wise, it is a crutch.

What do you think?  Should we continue reading out loud to students in high school, even college?

Or should we encourage students to read and learn on their own?

You can check out this story which aired on our station KWWL.

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Statistics don’t favor young single moms.

Their chances for poverty are much higher than women who are married with children, or who are able to get a good education with children.

That said, I think we as friends and family members should lend our support to single parents on a consistent basis, and encourage them, for they are fighting the good fight and it isn’t easy. 

Sometimes, because of death or divorce, they have no choice in becoming single moms.

One of my best friend’s mothers is a single mom because of divorce.

I personally think adoption is a wonderful option for young unmarried women – my niece is adopted, my sister-in-law is adopted, one of my closest friends put her baby up for adoption when she got pregnant at 18.

These babies got both a mother and a father, and the choice allowed the birth mother to get on her feet, so to speak, so she could better take care of herself, her future family, and contribute even more to the world.

That said, I realize there are some women who feel prompted to raise their babies as a single parent.

Even though this option provides many challenges, some are able to weather them and prevail.

Pregnancy centers like Alternatives in Waterloo, Iowa can provide priceless help.

Twenty-five-year-old Cassi Ubben’s story is inspiring.   And there are others like her.  To see the story on KWWL News, click here.

“Our hearts led us to keeping Ella, and being able to have this amazing experience, I wouldn’t change it for the world,”

Cassi Ubben managed to graduate from college, get a great job and is now looking to buy her own home - all while being a single mom, with a lot of support.

she said.

Ella is Ubben’s adorable 4-1/2-year-old daughter.

Back at the start of her junior year at University of Northern Iowa, Ubben found herself at Alternatives Pregnancy Center in Waterloo, Iowa.

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to find out alone,” she said.

After seeing a coupon for a free pregnancy test, Ubben decided she needed support, and she found it.

“We don’t lecture, we discuss alternatives for pregnancy,” executive director Janet Lyons said. “Keeping the baby, putting the baby up for adoption, is there a relative who can raise the baby, how can we help you?  You are not alone. God is with you and so are we.”

Advocates from Alternatives meet with expectant moms every two weeks until their baby is six-months-old. They listen, teach life skills, parenting and financial skills, and provide free ultrasounds.

“Some say, ‘Mmm, I don’t want this,’ and they leave the woman. And she’s stressed, scared and lonely. We provide her a support system,” Lyons said.

Every two weeks, expecting and new moms can come to the Caring Connections Closet at Alternatives and choose from a variety of donated items like gently-used or new baby clothes.

The center helps about 800 women each year, usually between ages 16 and 32, seeking to prevent these mothers from a life of poverty and stress.

Fortunately for Ubben, she had a supportive family, and currently shares custody of Ella with Ella’s father.

“I’ve seen other examples of people through Alternatives who’d gone to college and got a degree, gotten a great job, all the while being a mother,” she said.

With the help of her family and her advocate, Ubben gave birth to a healthy baby, graduated with the best grades of her college career, found a job as a communications director at Van G. Miller and Associates in Waterloo, and if all goes as planned, before little Ella enters kindergarten, Ubben will have purchased her own home.

“I thought I had a promising future, and you really don’t know that you still have a promising future,” she said.

Cassi Ubben says one of the most helpful services Alternatives provided was educating her about grants and programs.

She found grants to help pay college bills, even food and daycare while she was a student.

Alternatives works with both single and married moms-to-be.

Do you have experience as a single mom or with adoption?

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A recent post brought up a controversial question: should couples wait until they are financially secure  to have children, or should they not put off that life-changing step until later, and take the dive earlier?

By “financially secure” I mean they are finished with advanced degrees and have decent-paying jobs, or who have found a relatively secure job with pay allowing them to have a middle class income.

This issue came to a head in response to my “Baby Shower or Welcome to the World Party?” post.

In the blog I mentioned that some people prefer to have a part after the baby is born, when mom and baby are both present.

On the other hand, according to TheBump.com, some new parents may not be able to afford waiting, because they haven’t been able to purchase all the items necessary for a baby.

One reader commented that if you can’t afford to wait for a shower, you shouldn’t be having children.  That she and her husband waited until nearly age 30 to have a family because they were working hard to earn advanced degrees and get good jobs.

They purchased everything themselves - even the “big” baby items.

I think this reader’s level of responsibility is commendable.

Another reader wrote in contrast, saying that money should not keep people from having children, that money is not a measure of someone’s worth.

I understand both points of view to an extent.

I am the youngest child of parents who didn’t delay having children even though they didn’t have much money.

My mom stopped teaching high school English after one year to be home with my older brothers.  My dad worked to earn his PhD.

They didn’t take hand outs from the government, but they also didn’t have mattresses for their young boys.

My brothers slept on make shift beds of blankets on the floor for at least a few years.

(By the way, these two grew up to be an anesthesiologist and a psychologist in charge of a national trauma therapy organization, so it didn’t seem to do too much damage.)

I also know of women who delayed having children until they were financially secure, and then spent much of the money they worked so hard to earn on fertility treatments because they were in their later child bearing years.

We all know people who have taken the role of parent too lightly, and have put their children at a great disadvantage, both emotionally and financially.  This is irresponsible and can cause damage lasting a lifetime.

Certainly not a simple issue – especially in our culture and economy today.

What do you think?  Wait or not?

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For children especially, a blanket can symbolize security, comfort, and most importantly, love.

I was truly moved to learn a group named after a comic-strip character brought nearly 200 blankets to the young patients at University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

“We give these to children with life threatening diseases,” group organizer Kizzy Marcos said.

Marcos heard about a group called Project Linus, as in the Peanuts character, and she decided to start a chapter of her own.

Project Linus delivered nearly 200 blankets to pediatric patients at University of Iowa Children's Hospital.

“Linus carries a blanket, which is a comfort and security for him, and so we hope to provide the same sort of feeling to the children who receive the blankets,” she said.

Marcos wasn’t sure how many people would show up to the event, and felt happily shocked to see dozens who cared enough to come.

“It’s cool because it’s fun,” student Heidi S said. “Fun to do, it just makes you feel good making a blanket because you think ‘oh it’s so cool, this looks so cool a little kid will have this.’”

The group delivered nearly 200 blankets. Child Life Specialists at the hospital wrote Project Linus a note expressing enthusiastic thanks on behalf of the children for this tangible confirmation that someone cares about them.

“It’s just something I do for fun, thinking this will make somebody happy, then you don’t realize how much of an impact it was until you get that feedback and see ‘Wow,’ you actually made a difference.”

“Just like Linus, every little kid has a stuffed animal or blanket they take everywhere, and since these kids can’t go anywhere, to have something warm and soft and sort of sensory is I think a really great thing for them,” Marcos said.

A warm reminder of how little it takes to make a difference, and how those “little things” are really the big things.

Group leader Kizzy Marcos says she cannot wait to organize another project next year.

Watch the story right now by clicking here, and then clicking on the yellow camera icon on the left.

To learn more about Project Linus, click here.

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Isabella is no longer queen of popularity in the name department this year, but Aiden remains tops for boys.

This, according to Babycenter.com, which just released the top 100 names of the past year, compiled from hundreds of thousands of parents.

Do any of your children’s names appear on the top ten?

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The name games, the unwrapping of gifts, the sometimes silly contests… yes, I’m talking about baby showers!

Some people are putting a twist on the pre-baby tradition.

In my “Oh Baby” series on KWWL, I recently covered a story about the new trend in Baby Showers: have them after, not before the baby is born.

TheBump.com’s spokesperson Alison Bernstein says as many as 6 out of 10 moms are choosing to do this, calling the gatherings “Sip and Sees” or “Welcome to the World Parties”.

More moms than you might think are opting to celebrate baby AFTER he or she arrives.

There are several reasons for this, including difficult pregnancies – mom just wanting to wait till she and baby feel well.

Another reason is superstition or religious reasons – in some Jewish cultures and some Middle Eastern cultures, they believe one should not flaunt a pregnancy until the baby arrives.

And another reason takes advantage of the baby being here: you know what sex the baby is and therefore can get pink or blue items – not neutral if the baby’s sex was unknown before birth. 

Also, people can see the baby in person, and the nursery, too. And the mom has a better idea of what she needs.

There are some draw backs – the “after” party is not for everyone. 

Pediatricians advise being oh-so-careful with your newborn baby, saying you should wait several weeks before exposing him or her to several people.

Also, if you are relatively new at parenthood, and don’t have many of the basics: monitors, clothes, diapers, etc.  Perhaps you can’t afford to wait until after the baby is born.

For me personally, I needed that shower BEFORE the baby was born!

My mother had just died, and not only did I need basic baby items, I needed emotional support and advice.

What’s your preference? Would you ever prefer a “Welcome to the World” party instead of a baby shower?

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Just got back from a really nice holiday break visiting my in-laws in Arizona.

A few days the weather was nice enough to go without a jacket, but man, there were some cold ones, too!

Including a rain-out of my husband’s golf-outing with his brothers.

Oh well, they spent the day decorating their children’s birthday cakes instead, and if I may add, they were pretty awesome.

I’ll have to share some pictures soon.

Ah, the New Year.

In the past, I’ve made resolutions filling more than two pages of college-rule paper.

How many of those goals do you think I accomplished?

I’ll just let you guess.

Well, learning from experience, I am trying to be realistic this year, while still giving myself the push I need to make some real changes.

It's that time of year again! I'm trying to make this year's resolutions stick - for real. What's your plan?

There is something special about the New Year that really gives me a feeling of rebirth, of optimism, redemption and hope.

(However, last year’s New Year’s resolutions came and went, I don’t remember if I even made any.  I was trying to see through the fog of my post-labor sleep deprivation and the wonderful shock of becoming a mom for the first time.)

Okay, so I thought about just three resolutions – I could do that over a year, right?

While that is true, the idea makes the perfectionist side of me squirm, so I’ve decided to work on a few goals at a time.

We’ve all heard it takes at least 21 days to make a solid habit, right?

Well, I’m considering the idea of working on a few goals a month, and continue this quest toward self-improvement throughout the year.

Here are some of the resolutions I’m working on – maybe you have some, too! I’m guessing none are particularly unique, but they sure would make a difference if I changed them in my life (and consequently my husband and daughter’s lives, too)!

• Stop procrastinating and just “Do it now” – things like answering important emails, tidying rooms, unpacking suitcases, leaving for events, etc. **I’ve found letting the idea of perfection go helps me to stop worrying about something and just DO IT – even if it’s not the way it “should” be.
• Get more sleep. As a morning anchor showing up to work at 4 a.m., you can imagine why this would be important, and also difficult – just ask my husband who is continually frustrated with my procrasitination and endless distraction around the time I should be going to bed
• Exercise more. After a baby this is more important than ever! I was doing well for a while, but man, exercise is something you just have to keep at – or else it’s too easy not to do.
• My husband and I already have family prayer nearly every night, now I want to add to that and spend a few minutes reading scripture together. You know a family that prays together….

So, these are just a few of my resolutions!

I am in the process of detailing plans on exactly how I will accomplish these, because I’ve found the cliches to be true:

“A goal without a plan is just a dream,” and “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”

So please, let me know some of your resolutions, and if you can, a little of your plan to accomplish them!

Here’s to a wonderful New Year!

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