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| Blue Whale Pool |
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| Green Turtle Sprinkler |
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| Pirate themed Beach balls |
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| Floral themed Beach balls |
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| Green Toys Pail Set in blue or pink! |
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| Bounce balls! |
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| Sea creatures bubble guns |
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| more adorable bubble guns! |
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Summer is here! Bring out the outdoor toys!!
Summer is here! Your little ones will be busy playing outdoors having fun in the sun! Whether it's playing in the backyard, at the neighborhood park, or at the beach... there are some cute and cool toys for your kiddies this summer. I found some adorable summer toys at Pottery Barn Kids and the best part...all items below are currently on SALE!
Mr F1's Cooking Corner: Tofu with Shrimp (Sun Kong Towfoo)
Below is another one of Mr. F1's recipes. He got the idea from the cookbook, Cook Malaysian by Lee Sook Ching which he picked it up at a bookstore back home at Kuala Lumpur when we visited his parents.
This is his version. It is a lot simpler and less ingredients!
Ingredients:
Method:
This is his version. It is a lot simpler and less ingredients!
Ingredients:
- Firm Tofu (1 package)
- lean pork 1/4 cup
- Shitake Mushrooms (soak them in water to soften before using) 1/2 cup
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Stock 1 cup
- Salt 1 tsp (too taste)
- Fish sauce 2 tsp
- Sugar 1/2 tsp
- Oyster sauce 1 tsp
- Sesame oil 1/2 tsp
- A shake of pepper
- Ginger 4-6 slices
- Shrimp 1/4 cup
- 2 stalks of green onions
- Cornstarch 1 tsp blended with 1 tbsp water
Method:
- Wash the firm tofu carefully and cut into cubes
- Slice up Shitake Mushrooms
- Slice up shallot thinly
- Slice up Ginger
- Slice up green onions
- peel, devein and slice up shrimp
- mince garlic
- Mix gravy ingredients: to the stock, add salt, fish sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and pepper
- Leave tbsp cooking oil in pan fry ginger slices, shallots and ginger until lightly brown. Add pork and Shitake mushrooms. Toss for a minute. Add gravy mixture and allow to boil for 1 minute before adding bean curd. After another 2-3 minutes add shrimp. Thicken the gravy with cornstarch mixture. Season to taste and turn off heat.
- Add spring onions to the hot food, stir well and serve with a good shake of pepper.
WALA! Here's the yummy finished product!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Paint. Cure. Love
Paint. Cure. Love - is the motto by Nono by Noelle. Nono by Noelle is a children’s swimwear collection founded with the vision of raising awareness and funds for childhood cancer research while inspiring young artists undergoing cancer treatment.
Nono by Noelle sponsors young artists in cancer treatment and encourage fine art as an outlet by supplying canvases, paints and brushes to bring life to their creativity. Their goal: For children to be inspired to create and love art during a difficult time in their lives. Each season Nono by Noelle sponsor at least one child as the collection’s featured artist and display their artwork on the fabrics of the new season’s swimwear. A portion of all the proceeds from the sales will be donated to childhood cancer research.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Milkin Cookies!
I am hooked on Milkin’ Cookies! I prefer my cookies over Mother’s Milk tea…especially during the summer. I’m not especially keen drinking hot tea during the hot months of summer, are you? Don’t get me wrong, I drank Mother’s Milk tea for 5 months and I did see some increase in my milk supply…but during the hot summers…I don’t really enjoy drinking anything hot..let alone warm.
So, what are Milkin’ Cookies? Milkin' Cookies are delicious lactation cookies for nursing moms. They include healthy ingredients to boost breast milk production. Milkin' Cookies come in two flavors:
- Milkin' Cookies Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies
- Milkin' Cookies Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Lactation Cookies
Results may vary from person to person, but my milk increased 1.0-1.5oz each pumping session. I can also skip one session and still retain my milk supply. This normally didn’t happen. So now I pump 6-7 times a day..which is great! I used to pump 8 times a day every 3 hours, 24/7. I personally LOVE the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies! It’s a treat I look forward daily!
Milkin' Cookies are made with wholesome and healthy ingredients that include whole wheat flour, flaxseed, wheat germ, and oats. They're all natural, with no artificial ingredients, preservatives, herbs or medicines. They’re individually packaged so you can toss them in your diaper bag or briefcase when you're on the run.
Monday, June 27, 2011
A Must Have Skill for Everyone: CPR
One important skill or training I think every one should learn is CPR. My husband and I were planning to take a class before our daughter was born, but it never happened since she was born 2 weeks early plus we were remodeling our kitchen (which ended up being a ~2 month project!)
After she was born we still thought about the class, but we were too tired since we only were able to sleep for 2-3 hrs at a time. The sleep deprivation turned us into walking zombies and taking a CPR class was the last thing on our minds.
Fast fwd to 8 months, it was like any other night. I left work at 5:45pm to pick up my daughter from my mom's house, got home around 6:30 pm, fed the dog, took the dog and Leia outside to play while Mr. F1 was cooking dinner. We had brought our daughter to her pediatrician who even told us we should start giving her table food. We were both pretty cautious and have been giving her nothing but puree food at this point. After Mr. F1 was done with dinner we thought we would give it a try and feed her table food (cut up into tiny pieces). The feeding was going smoothly when all of a sudden during the feeding she started coughing and then turned red...she continued coughing (like she was trying to clear her throat). I seriously felt so helpless and those 8 months w/ her literally flashed before my eyes...I grabbed the phone and preceded to call 911 while my husband was patting my daughter's back trying to dislodge the piece of food obstructing her airway. My husband then told me she looked fine and her color came back normal. Her eyes were no longer red and watery. The dark circles around her eyes disappeared. I spoke to the 911 dispatcher on the other line and told her my daughter was fine, but she told me that the ambulance still needed to check her out to make sure she was really okay.
The ambulance (firetruck) arrived. 4 EMTs came into our house. Of course this scared my daughter, and she started crying. One of them checked her out, and said our daughter was fine. She then added we should take her to emergency/urgent care because when my daughter was crying and trying to catch her breath she was making a high pitch sound. My daughter ended up getting an x-ray to make sure the food didn't end up in her lungs. The doctor said infants get infections if the food goes into their lungs because body reacts differently than adults with something foreign in the lungs. The x-ray showed nothing in the lungs, so that was good news.
After the choking incident, my hubby and I enrolled in a CPR class right away at a local hospital. I've taken a lot of different classes in my life and this is the most important one that I've taken. We learned both infant CPR and Adult/Child CPR. We also learned that 4 minutes of no oxygen is all it takes for brain damage to occur so it is really important to start CPR as soon as possible.
The instructor was great and even told us how she has had to use it on her own son (from choking on oatmeal) and on her son's friend since kids love to run around with food in their mouths. After she shared this, Mr. F1 and I didn't feel too bad about our incident.
I don't want anyone to go through what we did. Don't wait for something like this to happen for you to take a CPR class. You should have no excuse for not taking the class that can save a life.
After she was born we still thought about the class, but we were too tired since we only were able to sleep for 2-3 hrs at a time. The sleep deprivation turned us into walking zombies and taking a CPR class was the last thing on our minds.
Fast fwd to 8 months, it was like any other night. I left work at 5:45pm to pick up my daughter from my mom's house, got home around 6:30 pm, fed the dog, took the dog and Leia outside to play while Mr. F1 was cooking dinner. We had brought our daughter to her pediatrician who even told us we should start giving her table food. We were both pretty cautious and have been giving her nothing but puree food at this point. After Mr. F1 was done with dinner we thought we would give it a try and feed her table food (cut up into tiny pieces). The feeding was going smoothly when all of a sudden during the feeding she started coughing and then turned red...she continued coughing (like she was trying to clear her throat). I seriously felt so helpless and those 8 months w/ her literally flashed before my eyes...I grabbed the phone and preceded to call 911 while my husband was patting my daughter's back trying to dislodge the piece of food obstructing her airway. My husband then told me she looked fine and her color came back normal. Her eyes were no longer red and watery. The dark circles around her eyes disappeared. I spoke to the 911 dispatcher on the other line and told her my daughter was fine, but she told me that the ambulance still needed to check her out to make sure she was really okay.
The ambulance (firetruck) arrived. 4 EMTs came into our house. Of course this scared my daughter, and she started crying. One of them checked her out, and said our daughter was fine. She then added we should take her to emergency/urgent care because when my daughter was crying and trying to catch her breath she was making a high pitch sound. My daughter ended up getting an x-ray to make sure the food didn't end up in her lungs. The doctor said infants get infections if the food goes into their lungs because body reacts differently than adults with something foreign in the lungs. The x-ray showed nothing in the lungs, so that was good news.
After the choking incident, my hubby and I enrolled in a CPR class right away at a local hospital. I've taken a lot of different classes in my life and this is the most important one that I've taken. We learned both infant CPR and Adult/Child CPR. We also learned that 4 minutes of no oxygen is all it takes for brain damage to occur so it is really important to start CPR as soon as possible.
The instructor was great and even told us how she has had to use it on her own son (from choking on oatmeal) and on her son's friend since kids love to run around with food in their mouths. After she shared this, Mr. F1 and I didn't feel too bad about our incident.
I don't want anyone to go through what we did. Don't wait for something like this to happen for you to take a CPR class. You should have no excuse for not taking the class that can save a life.
The Winner of the California Baby Sand Playset Gift Tote Giveaway!
Hi everyone! Hope you had a nice and relaxing weekend. Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2nd Giveaway! Using Random.org the winner for our 2nd Giveaway is Kimberly! Enjoy your California Baby Sand Playset Gift Tote! We are sure you will be using it on your little one during the summer.
Kimberly, you have 48 hours to contact us via email at urbanwarriormoms@gmail.com
Thanks again to everyone who participated. There will be more Giveaways coming so stay tune!!
B&D
Kimberly, you have 48 hours to contact us via email at urbanwarriormoms@gmail.com
Thanks again to everyone who participated. There will be more Giveaways coming so stay tune!!
B&D
Friday, June 24, 2011
Reminder: Less than 24 hours left to win this California Baby Sand Playset Gift Tote!
Happy Friday Everyone!
This gift tote includes:
- Sand Bucket Set $19.00 value.
- 2.9oz No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion $19.99
- 0.5oz Everyday/Year-Round SPF 30+ Sunscreen Stick $14.99
- 0.5oz Summer Blend SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion * Not available separately, $1.50 value
- 6.5oz Natural Bug Blend Bug Repellent Spray $13.49
- 2oz Soothing & Healing Spray * Not available separately, $4.49 value
- Designer Baby Banz Sunglasses $17.00
- This tote has a value of $90.46 when purchased separately.
To enter this contest just leave a comment on this post!
To enter more entries you can:
- Like Urban Warrior Moms on Facebook and California Baby and say you did this on our Facebook wall. You must post this on our wall because that's the only way we know you have "liked" us.
- Follow Urban Warrior Moms on Twitter and California Baby and tweet that you did this, mention this contest and Urban Warrior Moms and comment below on our blog.
- Subscribe to us and comment below that you did.
- Become a "Follower" of our blog and comment below.
There's a total of 5 different ways to enter! This contest will end on Friday (6/24/11) at 11:59 PM (PST)! So start commenting, liking, and following! You have nothing to loose it's FREE!
The winner will be announced on Monday (6/27/11). The winner has 48 hours to contact us via email urbanwarriormoms@gmail.com. We apologize but only folks living in North America can enter.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Quick and Easy Peach Cobbler
It's Thursday again! Time to share some recipes with you. This week is a dessert which I tried on Father's Day. It's quick, easy, & yummy! I found this recipe from the All American Chinese Cookbook website.
Ingredients:
5 medium size firm fresh peaches
Pam or Canola oil cooking spray
1 tablespoon cold butter
Whipped cream (optional)
Batter:
2 large eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup light soy milk or milk (prefer soy milk)
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup flour
Preparation:
Wash the peaches. Slice each peach into ¼ inch thin pieces. Spray a 10 inch size quiche pan or a 10 inch round cake pan with Pam or Canola oil cooking spray. Arrange sliced peaches evenly within the quiche pan and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl, use a whisk to beat eggs with sugar first and then add soy milk and salt. Slowly add flour and beat into a smooth, thin batter. Pour the batter into the peach filled baking pan. Cut the cold butter into small thin pieces, sprinkle on top of the battered peaches.
To Bake:
Bake in the center of the oven rack at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until an inserted fork comes out clean. When done baking, the peach dessert will stand tall and fluffy. Once removed from the oven, it will fall and flatten. Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream (optional). I like to eat it with vanilla ice cream as shown below.
Ingredients:
5 medium size firm fresh peaches
Pam or Canola oil cooking spray
1 tablespoon cold butter
Whipped cream (optional)
Batter:
2 large eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup light soy milk or milk (prefer soy milk)
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup flour
Preparation:
Wash the peaches. Slice each peach into ¼ inch thin pieces. Spray a 10 inch size quiche pan or a 10 inch round cake pan with Pam or Canola oil cooking spray. Arrange sliced peaches evenly within the quiche pan and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl, use a whisk to beat eggs with sugar first and then add soy milk and salt. Slowly add flour and beat into a smooth, thin batter. Pour the batter into the peach filled baking pan. Cut the cold butter into small thin pieces, sprinkle on top of the battered peaches.
To Bake:
Bake in the center of the oven rack at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until an inserted fork comes out clean. When done baking, the peach dessert will stand tall and fluffy. Once removed from the oven, it will fall and flatten. Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream (optional). I like to eat it with vanilla ice cream as shown below.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Trying to go au naturale?
I don't know about you , but my baby likes to lick and chew anything he can get his hand on. He especially loves to chew on anything especially terry cloth! So I went on-line to see if there are any organic teethers made of terry cloth. Sure enough I found RiNGLEY Natural Teethers. Once it arrived, I gave it a good wash and gave it to my son. My son hasn't let go of it ever since! Bye Bye pacifier...Hello RiNGLEY! His new RiNGLEY teether has actually saved us since he can now calm himself down with his new teether. He no longer cries or whines because he wants his mommy or daddy to put his pacifier back in his mouth. As you can see from the picture below he also loves to chew on the Maple wood ring. My son gives it two thumbs up!
RiNGLEY Natural Teethers is the original Canadian natural teether made of untreated Canadian Maple and 100% organic cotton terry cloth. The soft terry cloth is all natural. No harmful chemicals or dyes were added to the cloth. RiNGLEY is able provide babies and toddlers with two different textures with it's simple design.
It's designed so your baby can easily grip the ring and cloth. RiNGLEY was designed with a child's development in mind. Since infants learn through tactile stimulus, touching and putting things in their mouths, the need for a product made without harmful chemicals and dyes is important. Cleaning has never been easy. Just detach the cloth from the ring via velcro and put it in the wash! It's both safe and efficient, enabling your baby/toddler to satisfy their chewing/teething needs au naturale.
Ringley Natural Teethers comes in 5 innovative designs: RiNGLEY Junior, RiNGLEY Knotted, RiNGLEY Ball {with rattle inside}, RiNGLEY Straight, RiNGLEY sun. Take your pick and go au naturale!
RiNGLEY Natural Teethers is the original Canadian natural teether made of untreated Canadian Maple and 100% organic cotton terry cloth. The soft terry cloth is all natural. No harmful chemicals or dyes were added to the cloth. RiNGLEY is able provide babies and toddlers with two different textures with it's simple design.
It's designed so your baby can easily grip the ring and cloth. RiNGLEY was designed with a child's development in mind. Since infants learn through tactile stimulus, touching and putting things in their mouths, the need for a product made without harmful chemicals and dyes is important. Cleaning has never been easy. Just detach the cloth from the ring via velcro and put it in the wash! It's both safe and efficient, enabling your baby/toddler to satisfy their chewing/teething needs au naturale.Ringley Natural Teethers comes in 5 innovative designs: RiNGLEY Junior, RiNGLEY Knotted, RiNGLEY Ball {with rattle inside}, RiNGLEY Straight, RiNGLEY sun. Take your pick and go au naturale!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Mr. Techie's First Father Day!
I hope you all enjoyed celebrating Father's Day with your family. We celebrated Father's Day at my house one day early since we planned to celebrate Father's Day with my sister's family along with my parents. By 7 am, I was already in the kitchen cooking for our brunch. True it was a lot of work for just my hubby and myself since the little one is only 5 months old...but I wanted my hubby to have a 1st Father's Day he would remember. The menu was going to include my hubby's favorite brunch items: eggs and bacon.
What was on the menu? I ended up making roasted red bell peppers and mushroom frittata. I got the idea from the Williams-Sonoma website. In addition to the frittata I had the usual sides: warm rolls, potato hash browns, and some apple wood bacon. Must not forget the bacon! For refreshments, I made some Pomegranate Cranberry Bellinis..something sweet and tart. For dessert, I made peach cobbler from the All American Chinese Cookbook website. This dessert is very easy to make and also yummy. It tastes even better with vanilla ice cream which I also had. I even took the time to decorate the table by taking out one of our yellow runners and placing the Father's Day cards on the table as decor. I also created some garlands from scrapbook paper to hang on the chandelier to add a more festive mood. For the center piece, I used star wands I found at Michaels. It was Father's Day...and my hubby was the star for the weekend!
When Mr. Techie woke up and walked into the dining room, he was very surprised! He knew I was going to cook something for brunch, but he didn't expect a festive spread prepared especially for him. I had hoped I made Mr. Techie's 1st Father's Day an enjoyable and memorable one, and after the brunch I knew I had fulfilled my mission.
What was on the menu? I ended up making roasted red bell peppers and mushroom frittata. I got the idea from the Williams-Sonoma website. In addition to the frittata I had the usual sides: warm rolls, potato hash browns, and some apple wood bacon. Must not forget the bacon! For refreshments, I made some Pomegranate Cranberry Bellinis..something sweet and tart. For dessert, I made peach cobbler from the All American Chinese Cookbook website. This dessert is very easy to make and also yummy. It tastes even better with vanilla ice cream which I also had. I even took the time to decorate the table by taking out one of our yellow runners and placing the Father's Day cards on the table as decor. I also created some garlands from scrapbook paper to hang on the chandelier to add a more festive mood. For the center piece, I used star wands I found at Michaels. It was Father's Day...and my hubby was the star for the weekend!
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| Father's Day cards, Peach cobbler w/ ice cream, hash browns, Bellinis |
When Mr. Techie woke up and walked into the dining room, he was very surprised! He knew I was going to cook something for brunch, but he didn't expect a festive spread prepared especially for him. I had hoped I made Mr. Techie's 1st Father's Day an enjoyable and memorable one, and after the brunch I knew I had fulfilled my mission.
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| Fritatta, Star center piece, garlands, bacon |
Monday, June 20, 2011
GIVEAWAY INFO: California Baby Sand Playset Gift Tote
Hi Everyone!
Summer is here! This week's GIVEAWAY is the California Baby Sand Playset Gift Tote.
This gift tote includes:
- Sand Bucket Set $19.00 value.
- 2.9oz No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion $19.99
- 0.5oz Everyday/Year-Round SPF 30+ Sunscreen Stick $14.99
- 0.5oz Summer Blend SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion * Not available separately, $1.50 value
- 6.5oz Natural Bug Blend Bug Repellent Spray $13.49
- 2oz Soothing & Healing Spray * Not available separately, $4.49 value
- Designer Baby Banz Sunglasses $17.00
- This tote has a value of $90.46 when purchased separately.
The sand bucket set is made by who else but Green Toys! We posted about Green Toys, a California based company, who makes their toys from milk jugs and promotes the "Green" lifestyle.
We love California Baby! Similar to Green Toys they also promote the "Green" lifestyle. The creator of California Baby is a mom who wanted to come up with something gentle and safe for babies. She wanted to create a product which contained ingredients that didn't need a chemistry book to decipher. She did this by coming up with products in her home kitchen, which now is a full blown business.
I use the No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion on my baby and on myself! Dyna uses it just on herself right now. When her son hits 6 months she will definitely be using it on him. Both my sister and I have ultra sensitive skin and are prone to breakouts, so we are always hesitant to put anything on our faces. With California Baby we both don't have to worry about getting bad complexions. I also use California Baby massage oils on my daughter as well. She loves it! It's one of our nightly routines to signal bedtime.
To enter this contest just leave a comment on this post!
To enter more entries you can:
- Like Urban Warrior Moms on Facebook and California Baby and say you did this on our Facebook wall. You must post this on our wall because that's the only way we know you have "liked" us.
- Follow Urban Warrior Moms on Twitter and California Baby and tweet that you did this, mention this contest and Urban Warrior Moms and comment below on our blog.
- Subscribe to us and comment below that you did.
- Become a "Follower" of our blog and comment below.
There's a total of 5 different ways to enter! This contest will end on Friday (6/24/11) at 11:59 PM (PST)! So start commenting, liking, and following! You have nothing to loose it's FREE!
The winner will be announced on Monday (6/27/11). The winner has 48 hours to contact us via email urbanwarriormoms@gmail.com. We apologize but only folks living in North America can enter.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Happy Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day to our Dad, our husbands, and to our Daddy & Daddy-to-be readers! Although it's a Sunday, we decided to post a poem for all the Fathers & Fathers-to-be out there. Enjoy your special day with your family and close friends, you deserve it!
Happy Father's Day
"Happy Father's Day" means more than have a happy day.
Within those words lie lots of things we never get to say.
It means we love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to us,
And that we honor you.
But most of all, I guess it means that we are thinking of...
Your happiness on this, your day,
with pleasure and with love.
~ Author Unknown
http://www.making-greeting-cards.com/fathers-day-poems.html
Friday, June 17, 2011
Next Week on Urban Warrior Moms...
Hi Everyone,
Next week is GIVEAWAY WEEK! Yea!!! Yup, we will be giving away another item. We have mentioned this item on Facebook before. For those of you who haven't checked out our Facebook page please do because we sometimes mention things on that page that we don't put on our blog. Blogger isn't as convenient as Facebook (Sorry Google!)
Last time, Kristina was the lucky winner of the Dali Decal Chalkboard Calendar, which both of us (Berna and Dyna) also own. We hope she loves it as much as we do and is helping her organize her household! She won it just by leaving a comment! How simple is that!
Be sure to check back with us on Monday to read up on the giveaway and how to enter.
We hope everyone has a great Father's Day weekend! Berna will be cooking during the weekend, so Mr. F1 will get a break from cooking. She is planning to make the Overnight Blueberry French Toast for Mr. F1 on Saturday morning as well as other yummy dishes for brunch. On Sunday, we'll be getting our families together and meeting up to have lunch at a brewhouse! It should be a real fun weekend!
Till then warriors...back to the battle field,
B&D
Next week is GIVEAWAY WEEK! Yea!!! Yup, we will be giving away another item. We have mentioned this item on Facebook before. For those of you who haven't checked out our Facebook page please do because we sometimes mention things on that page that we don't put on our blog. Blogger isn't as convenient as Facebook (Sorry Google!)
Last time, Kristina was the lucky winner of the Dali Decal Chalkboard Calendar, which both of us (Berna and Dyna) also own. We hope she loves it as much as we do and is helping her organize her household! She won it just by leaving a comment! How simple is that!
Be sure to check back with us on Monday to read up on the giveaway and how to enter.
We hope everyone has a great Father's Day weekend! Berna will be cooking during the weekend, so Mr. F1 will get a break from cooking. She is planning to make the Overnight Blueberry French Toast for Mr. F1 on Saturday morning as well as other yummy dishes for brunch. On Sunday, we'll be getting our families together and meeting up to have lunch at a brewhouse! It should be a real fun weekend!
Till then warriors...back to the battle field,
B&D
How Important are Fathers?
Fathers or Father figures are so important in a child's life that even the U.S. Government got involved in promoting its importance last year. On June 21, 2010, President Obama spoke about the Fatherhood and Mentorship Initiative and The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NFRC) was created.
The NFRC's primary objectives are:
- Promote responsible, caring, and effective parenting
- Enhance the abilities and commitment of unemployed or low-income father to provide material support for their families and to avoid or leave welfare programs
- Improve fathers' ability to effectively manage family business affairs
- Encourage and support healthy marriages and married fatherhood
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Overnight Blueberry French Toast
A blog not to miss is Chef in Training! I was immediately drawn to the Overnight Blueberry French Toast recipe after seeing the gorgeous and yummy pics Nikki had on her blog. I tried it out and can I say it is OH- SO-GOOOOD!! It was a BIG hit at my house. Mr Techie went for the kill and attacked it once it came out of the oven. This dish is a wonderful addition to any breakfast or brunch! It's a great recipe to try for Father's Day! Just remember to prepare it the night before...that is why it is called Overnight Blueberry French Toast.
Besides this delicious Overnight Blueberry French Toast recipe, Nikki has recipes for Smores cookie bars, cookies and cream cupcakes, peach cobbler, and so much more. Yup! As you can tell...I love sweets. Not to worry...Nikki also has recipes for chicken enchiladas, navajo tacos, chicken brocolli cassarole, and list goes on and on. I already have some recipes lined up that I want to try out! You have to check out Chef in Training... you will be hooked!
OVERNIGHT BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST
1. Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 pan.
2. Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and blueberries evenly over the bread cubes.
3. Top with remaining bread cubes.
4. Mix together eggs, milk, and syrup.
5. Pour over bread cubes and cover pan with foil. Let chill in refrigerator overnight.
6. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until fluffy and golden. Top with sauce. Serves 8.
Sauce: Cook water, sugar, and cornstarch until thickened. Stir in blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Serve over the french toast.
 |
| http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/ |
OVERNIGHT BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST
- French Toast:
- 12 slices bread, cut into cubes (french or Texas toast work well. I prefer Texas Toast.)
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut in cubes
- 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 12 large eggs
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 cups milk (I use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream)
- Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 Tablespoon butter
1. Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 pan.
2. Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and blueberries evenly over the bread cubes.
3. Top with remaining bread cubes.
4. Mix together eggs, milk, and syrup.
5. Pour over bread cubes and cover pan with foil. Let chill in refrigerator overnight.
6. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until fluffy and golden. Top with sauce. Serves 8.
Sauce: Cook water, sugar, and cornstarch until thickened. Stir in blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Serve over the french toast.
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| http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/ |
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
King of the Grill on Father's Day
Do you have a father who's the King of the Grill in your family? Or a father that just loves BBQ? Try making these little brownies in shape of what else... a grill with grilled items on them!! Of course they aren't real grilled items, they are candies made to look like grilled items. This is a fun and creative way to surprise your father for Father's Day!
- Ingredients
- Brownie batter
- Black food coloring
- White frosting
- Orange sugar
- Caramel creams
- Red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices
- Hot Tamales candies
- Instructions
- To make a batch of 12, place liners in a muffin pan, oil them, and fill them two thirds full of your favorite brownie batter, then bake according to the recipe directions. Let the brownies cool.
- In a small bowl, mix one or two drops of black food coloring with 1/4 cup white frosting. Transfer the frosting to a ziplock bag and snip a small section from the corner. Pipe grate lines onto each brownie and let them set for 20 minutes. Add embers with a sprinkle of orange sugar.
- Prepare the grill food as instructed below and press it in place atop each brownie.
Kebabs = A caramel cream and red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices, cut into small pieces + toothpick skewers
Pork chop = two thirds of a caramel cream, molded with fingers + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
Hot dogs = Hot Tamales candies + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/grate-gift-for-dad-88883/
- To make a batch of 12, place liners in a muffin pan, oil them, and fill them two thirds full of your favorite brownie batter, then bake according to the recipe directions. Let the brownies cool.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
A Builder's Dream
Looking for fun projects that both kids and daddy can do together? Try some ready made building kits from Lowes. They have various ready made kits that kids can work on with their Daddy! Below are some projects available for purchase all under $10! It would make a great activity for the kids and their Dad on Father's Day!
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| Bird House |
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| Pirate Ship |
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| Fire Truck |
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| School Bus |
Monday, June 13, 2011
Take me out to the Ball game!
Do you know a Dad who loves baseball? Planning a party for your Father or Husband this Father's Day weekend? Need some inspiration or ideas? I found this cool Baseball themed BBQ party on the Party Dress website. Any father who loves baseball would enjoy this Baseball themed party, right down to the cracker jacks and cracker jack prizes! The menu can be simple – nachos, soft pretzels, hot dogs..similar to what you would find at a typical ball park.
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| http://www.thepartydress.net/category/parties/ |
Urban Warriors Featured Monthly
We both are constantly thinking about this blog and ways to improve it, but the tough part is making it happen due to our busy schedules. Although we both enjoy blogging we both want to spend time with our families when we get home from work. During the next few weeks you'll be seeing some changes in this site and for the better!
Every month we will be featuring a parent who is an Urban Warrior Mom or Dad! We both think parents as warriors trying to battle the daily events and stresses that come with raising a family. We will also be taking nominations from our readers! Just tell us who you want us to post about. It can even be your own mom or dad. Let us know why you want this urban warrior featured on our site. If your nomination is featured you get to write about them.
Now we all know once something is posted on the web it gets immediately stored somewhere and can be captured by other search engines. Please be aware it will be made public for the whole world to see. You may want to ask for permission first before nominating someone you know. We aren't responsible for any disputes or issues which occur with a post.
Thank you for your continuous support! We are accepting nominations, so if you have one send them
to urbanwarriormoms@gmail.com.
B&D
Every month we will be featuring a parent who is an Urban Warrior Mom or Dad! We both think parents as warriors trying to battle the daily events and stresses that come with raising a family. We will also be taking nominations from our readers! Just tell us who you want us to post about. It can even be your own mom or dad. Let us know why you want this urban warrior featured on our site. If your nomination is featured you get to write about them.
Now we all know once something is posted on the web it gets immediately stored somewhere and can be captured by other search engines. Please be aware it will be made public for the whole world to see. You may want to ask for permission first before nominating someone you know. We aren't responsible for any disputes or issues which occur with a post.
Thank you for your continuous support! We are accepting nominations, so if you have one send them
to urbanwarriormoms@gmail.com.
B&D
See What's Brewing for Father's Day!
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| http://brooklynbrewshop.com |
Father’s Day is around the corner. Are you looking for something different to give this year? For those Father’s who loves their beer …How about a Beer Making kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop!
The kit includes a 1 Gallon Glass Fermenter, 3 piece chambered airlock screw-top stopper, 12” laboratory tubing, tubing clamp, racking cane, and sanitizer.
They even make 5 gallon kits for those Dads who really love beer and are familiar in making their own beer.
Their beer making kit comes in a various flavors:
- Grapefruit Honey Ale
- Spring Lager
- Tea & Toast
- Mustard Brown Ale
- Chocolate Maple Porter
- Rose Cheeked Blonde
- Peanut Butter Porter
- Everyday IPA
Friday, June 10, 2011
What's to Come on Urban Warrior Moms
We both hope you have a fantastic weekend! Next week is a special week at Urban Warrior Moms. Father's Day is next Saturday, so we'll be blogging about great finds, DIY projects, quick & simple recipes, and our own plans for Father's Day! Stay Tuned! - B & D
Cupcake gets Homemade Baby Food
At 5 months my doctor gave us the green signal to feed my daughter solid food. I had borrowed books on baby food from a close friend of mine a month before. I wanted to read up on it and figure out what recipes she might enjoy. Don't get me wrong...I did try the baby food you buy at stores. When I say I did try I meant me...I tasted the baby food. I wasn't too crazy about it, so I decided to make my daughter her baby food. I taste everything I make before I give it to my daughter. If I don't like it I change it accordingly until it passes Mama B's standards.
I won't lie, making baby food is work. I usually cook baby food on Sunday nights while my daughter is already asleep and my hubby is playing GT5 with his usual Sunday racing buddies online. It takes me 1-1.5 hrs. I cook enough for several days and freeze them. I would cook them fresh daily but I prefer cooking bigger portions because I do work full time, so by the time I get home I prefer spending my available time with my family than in the kitchen.
I usually steam each ingredient separately and then mix them later on. For example, cook peas, chicken, carrots, cauliflower, apples, pears, etc. After steaming, I freeze each item separately. When it's time to feed my daughter, I defrost the peas, chicken, carrots, heat them up, mix them together, and feed it to her. That way you get several options for your baby's daily menu for that week, so your baby isn't stuck eating the same food.
I've even been inventive with the baby food I've made, so it isn't the standard chicken w/ peas. She's had rib eye steak with Chinese broccoli. She's even had salmon, tomato, whole wheat Penne pasta, and basil. My husband and I want our daughter to be exposed to different types of food as possible so hopefully she doesn't become a picky eater and her pallet is not too conservative. I don't put salt in any thing my daughter eats. Yes, we do right down what she eats so if any allergies flare up we can track it.
There are a lot of items out there in the market now that are available for parents who want to make their own baby food. My neighbor has the Beaba baby cook food maker, which she got at William Sonoma. She loves it because it's simple to use and does everything in one container. You don't have to wash a lot of items after using it.
One of the books I used and borrowed from my friend (which I found useful) is:
The Petit Appetit by Lisa Barnes. This Mommy even has a blog as well, so you can keep track of her blog on food and her adventures with it as well.
I use Munchkin baby food containers. I love these because they have screw on tops and are color coded so you know what is inside. Green= veggies, Blue = meat/poultry, Pink = fruit (it's my color coded system). They are also squeezable so you can remove/pop out frozen baby food easily.
I actually enjoy making my daughter her baby food. My husband and I take our daughter with us to our local Farmer's Market and check out the produce. It's great because she gets to be be exposed to local farmers around our area. I am also seeing the benefits myself! It's actually helped improved my own food intake as well. We eat a lot more healthier: organic foods, brown rice, and low sodium/sugar diets. I avoid over processed foods like sugar. Face it...we are growing older, so the food we used to eat 10-15 years ago won't be processed by our bodies the same way.
I usually steam each ingredient separately and then mix them later on. For example, cook peas, chicken, carrots, cauliflower, apples, pears, etc. After steaming, I freeze each item separately. When it's time to feed my daughter, I defrost the peas, chicken, carrots, heat them up, mix them together, and feed it to her. That way you get several options for your baby's daily menu for that week, so your baby isn't stuck eating the same food.
 |
| Beaba Baby Cook Food Maker |
There are a lot of items out there in the market now that are available for parents who want to make their own baby food. My neighbor has the Beaba baby cook food maker, which she got at William Sonoma. She loves it because it's simple to use and does everything in one container. You don't have to wash a lot of items after using it.
One of the books I used and borrowed from my friend (which I found useful) is:
The Petit Appetit by Lisa Barnes. This Mommy even has a blog as well, so you can keep track of her blog on food and her adventures with it as well.
 |
| The Petit Appetit Cookbook |
I use Munchkin baby food containers. I love these because they have screw on tops and are color coded so you know what is inside. Green= veggies, Blue = meat/poultry, Pink = fruit (it's my color coded system). They are also squeezable so you can remove/pop out frozen baby food easily.
 |
| Munchkin fresh food containers holds 2 oz. |
I actually enjoy making my daughter her baby food. My husband and I take our daughter with us to our local Farmer's Market and check out the produce. It's great because she gets to be be exposed to local farmers around our area. I am also seeing the benefits myself! It's actually helped improved my own food intake as well. We eat a lot more healthier: organic foods, brown rice, and low sodium/sugar diets. I avoid over processed foods like sugar. Face it...we are growing older, so the food we used to eat 10-15 years ago won't be processed by our bodies the same way.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Spaghetti or Squash?
I was browsing through Food Network's website and found this yummy Spaghetti recipe. But instead of using the standard Spaghetti pasta, it calls for Spaghetti squash. Believe it or not... it's very tasty! Enjoy!
Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the sausages, turning, until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to brown, about 4 more minutes. Toss in the squash and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the sausages and sprinkle with parmesan.
Ingredients
- 1 small spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 links hot Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey; 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for topping
Directions
Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Put the squash, cut-side up, in a large microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave until tender, about 20 minutes. Scoop out the flesh into a colander (use a towel to hold the squash) and shred with 2 forks.
Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the sausages, turning, until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to brown, about 4 more minutes. Toss in the squash and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the sausages and sprinkle with parmesan.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
A Hunt for Grandma's Double Stroller
I knew that if I got an all terrain stroller made by a popular brand my mom would probably freak out since it is pretty expensive, so I had to think about the cost too. After doing research, I found the Instep Safari Swivel Double Jogger to be the best candidate.
- The front wheel actually locks forward for easier control or can swivel.
- Each child has their own canopy so if one wants more sun than the other, no problem.
- One child can be inclined to seated position while the other can be in a sleeping position.
- Each child has their own tray w/ cup holder.
- The rear pnuematic tires are 16' while the front is 12'.
- The handle is one solid bar that goes across which was a must by my mom's request.
- It also comes with 2 parent cup holders too! My mom can also take a water bottle for herself.
- The compartment underneath is pretty big and easy to get to.
- The cost....$179.99!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Really Cute Green Toys Made From Milk Jugs
We aren't talking about toys that are green in color, we are talking about the toy company Green Toys. Toys that are environmentally friendly. Of course they are safe and free of chemicals or harmful toxins. They also try to manufacture these toys in a manner that produces least amount of green house gases and conserves energy. These toys are made in the U.S.A (in California, my home state). The shocker....these toys are made from recycled milk jugs! That's 100% recycled milk jugs! Their toys have won numerous awards and have been featured on numerous magazines and on television. Below is just a small sample of toys that Green Toys offer. We love how their toys cover all age ranges from babies to kids! We especially love that they also cover all types too... from building blocks to an indoor gardening kit to bath toys such as the tug boats! Seriously...how much greener can you get with an indoor gardening kit?! Bath time will never be the same when your kids get a hold of these adorable vibrant colored tug boats. It even has a wide spout so your kids can scoop and pour water, how fun is that! Not only do they offer fire trucks and race cars...they also make recycling trucks! I normally don't say this but.... their recycling trucks are actually darn cute! They really want to promote being Green!
Be sure to check Green Toys out!
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| Indoor gardening kit |
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| Building Blocks |
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| Fire Truck |
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| Race Car |
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| Recycling Truck |
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| Tugboats |
Monday, June 6, 2011
DIY: Poppin Art!
It's Pop Art!
I wanted to give my son's room a modern and vibrant art piece above his crib so I tried this DIY Pop Art I found on the Family Fun website. I did my Pop Art on a portrait of my 4 month old son wearing his shades and hat. It gave out a smooth cool vibe which I thought went well with the Pop Art look.
To do this DIY Pop Art you will need the following:
Photograph
Colored paper
Scissors
Glue
Card stock or matte board
Double sided tape
1. You will need to printout four black and white copies of a photograph of your child's face on colored paper. You might have to play around with the contrast if it isn't strong enough. I decided to make copies on lime green, hot pink, yellow, and orange paper. I then cut the images out as shown below.
2. Then glue them to pieces of contrasting colored paper as shown.
3. Finally, mount the photos on card stock or matte board with double-sided tape, and it's ready to be framed!
I wanted to give my son's room a modern and vibrant art piece above his crib so I tried this DIY Pop Art I found on the Family Fun website. I did my Pop Art on a portrait of my 4 month old son wearing his shades and hat. It gave out a smooth cool vibe which I thought went well with the Pop Art look.
To do this DIY Pop Art you will need the following:
Photograph
Colored paper
Scissors
Glue
Card stock or matte board
Double sided tape
1. You will need to printout four black and white copies of a photograph of your child's face on colored paper. You might have to play around with the contrast if it isn't strong enough. I decided to make copies on lime green, hot pink, yellow, and orange paper. I then cut the images out as shown below.
2. Then glue them to pieces of contrasting colored paper as shown.
3. Finally, mount the photos on card stock or matte board with double-sided tape, and it's ready to be framed!
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