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Sunday 26 September 2010

Sweet Dreams

At night my household conspires against me - I can't remember the last time I had an uninterrupted sleep! If it is not my son that wakes me to settle him again at some random time in the wee hours of the morning, or my naughty puppy yelping, then I wake for seemingly no reason at all just to stare at the ceiling for what feels like hours thinking random thoughts and going over to-do lists in my mind before succumbing to sleep again - usually just getting back into that lovely, cosy deep sleep as my hubby's morning alarm goes off.

I came across the following article earlier this year.  It helped me understand the mental and physical side effects of lost sleep and it made me feel more sane - this forgetful, grumpy individual I had become was not me, just someone who needed to catch more zzz's.  I hope you find it insightful too!

SWEET DREAMS
A timely wake-up call on the value of getting good sleep.
Dr Malcolm Clark, Royal Auto Magazine February 2010.

If you are finding it hard to get enough sleep, you are not alone.  Victorian's are busier than ever, working longer hours, socialising and ferrying children around.  Can't we just get on with it and sleep a little less every night?
Yes, but sleeping less comes at a price.  The average adult needs to sleep for 7-9 hours to feel alert and refreshed.  We need to cycle through the four levels of sleep, and spend about 20% of our time dreaming.  Dream sleep is also called REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and is associated with saccadic movement of our eyes plus irregular breathing.  Our blood pressure rises and our brain stops sending messages to our spinal cord, leading to major loss of muscle tone (paralysis).  As a result, the cortex of our brain lights up with electrical activity.
The price of less sleep is less REM sleep, which leads to increased forgetfulness, poorer concentration and efficiency. 
We feel better, more alert and get through things more efficiently after a few good sleeps.  Sleep disturbance causes an imbalance in the brain that interferes with how we remember things, and how we feel about ourselves.  In dream sleep, our brains process parts (or all) of our day: what's happened, what's important, and how we feel about it.  If you like, dream sleep moves data from our RAM to our hard drive!  Sleep deprived people can cope for a time but become irritable, forgetful and start to develop low self-esteem.

Well, on that note I'm off to bed!  Wishing you all sweet dreams tonight :)

Monday 20 September 2010

Food for Thought - Cooking in Bulk

There are days I crave a break from the kitchen!  Who doesn't want a yummy home cooked meal without the preparation, dishes and cooking from time to time?  So today I invested some quality time in my kitchen and cooked up a massive batch of Chicken, Leek and Green Pea Pie - freezing a heap of portions for nights when a quick, easy dinner is just what we need!

I'd like to share this yummy recipe with you, for times when you might like to cook in bulk to save money and time in your kitchen too.

CHICKEN, LEEK AND GREEN PEA PIE
Heat 40g of butter in a large saucepan or stockpot over medium heat until melted.  Cook 2kg of diced chicken in batches, stirring for 3 to 5 minutes or until browned.  Add 4 leeks (trimmed, halved, washed and chopped), 4 celery stalks chopped and 4 tsp fresh thyme leaves.  Cook, stirring for 5 to 7 minutes or until celery has softened.
Stir in 1/2 cup of plain flour.  Add 3 cups chicken stock, 1 1/2 cups pure cream and 800g desiree potatoes peeled and cubed.  Bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer for 10 - 12 minutes or until potato is tender.  Stir in 1 cup frozen peas and 2 tsp mustard. 
TO FREEZE
Put chicken mixture into foil cases.  Cover with supplied lids.  Freeze for up to 3 months.
TO COOK
Thaw chicken mixture in refridgerator overnight.  Pre heat oven to 220C or 200C fan forced.  Remove lid and top pie with frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed.  Brush with egg and bake for 30 minutes or until golden.


Do you have a recipe that works well cooked in bulk?  We would love for you to share it with us.

Wednesday 15 September 2010

A is for Arsenic Hour

Before becoming a mother, 5pm was the time of day to look forward to.  It marked the end of work. It was the time for unwinding, taking a stroll with the puppies, enjoying a meal, relaxing with my favourite television show and catching up with the hubby. 

Enter motherhood...  5pm is now my most stressful time of day.  It is my 'rush hour' when the baby is grumpy, hungry and tired; the dogs hassle me for food and attention; my hubby comes home from work and  is ready for a chat; and dinner needs to be prepared. 

It seems I'm not alone.  Apparently this situation is so common it has its own nickname - 'Arsenic hour'. "So called because poison control centres have identified it as the time when most parents apparently abandon their normal standards of supervision and allow children to chug detergent like cordial", says Carrie Cox in her Practical Parenting Magazine article on the topic.

So what can we do to ease the pressure come 5pm?  Carrie recommends organising your day in reverse.  "Run the bath/dinner/homework gauntlet first thing in the morning when you're fresh and it's too early to contemplate heavy drinking.  Sure, the kids will be dirty, hungry and confused come normal knock-off time, but at least their mummy won't be pacing the kitchen and speaking in tongues again." she says.

This advice has really helped me better handle the evenings.  I bath my son in the morning so after dinner he can be put straight in his pj's and off to bed for the night.  I have invested in a slow cooker so at least once a week dinner is prepared and the kitchen is cleaned up earlier in the day. I also cook certain meals in larger batches when I can, freezing leftovers to reheat on nights I need the helping hand. 

I would be interested to hear from other parents out there - do you have a tip for managing Arsenic hour? 

Monday 13 September 2010

Gift Idea - The Wooden Name Train

When my son Jordan was born we received so many beautiful gifts—everything from clothes and soft toys through to books and bedding. One of the more unique gifts we received was a personalised ‘Wooden Name Train’. The train consists of an engine, individual carriages with letters that spell ’JORDAN’ and a caboose. While the train is not suitable as a toy for him yet, it is a delightful gift that takes pride of place on a shelf decorating his room.


So if you have a special occasion coming up for a little boy in your life, this is a great gift idea to keep in mind! Our name train came from http://www.woodenanimals.com/ but I have also seen a different kind with carriages that join magnetically at http://www.babyroo.com.au/

Have a favourite gift that you or your child has received? We’d love to hear about it!

Thursday 9 September 2010

A Special Offer for Early Arrivals

When my son was born 8 weeks early it was the scariest experience of my life.  I was in shock - the possibility that he might come early was something that had never even entered my mind. Then there was fear - 'it is too early',  'what kind of state will he be in?', 'I can't lose him' were thoughts that ran on replay through my mind during the labour.

After his birth I had the tiniest of cuddles before he was taken into the care of the Doctors and Nurses. He stayed in their care in the Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) for 4 weeks. I don't think that there is anything that could have prepared me for the helplessness you feel as you watch your fragile newborn being cared for by medical staff. The routine of travelling back and forth to hospital several times a day, trying to live in the world outside the hospital, maintaining a milk supply and coping with the sometimes overwhelming guilt and heartache was draining.

That was just over a year ago now.  Today, at almost 15 months old, my son is a healthy, happy toddler who enjoys exploring the world around him.  Since leaving hospital I have enjoyed the friendship of another parent whose daughter was also born premature.  Having someone who has been through similar experiences and continues to face premmie related challenges is comforting.  I have also just discovered a local premmie support group called Loddon Mallee Kids.  I was made to feel very welcome when I attended my first play group with LMK last week. Jordan had a great time interacting with the other children - ranging in age from new born to 4 years, and I enjoyed getting out of the house and meeting other mothers.

I have created a special offer just for the gift bags given to the parents of babies in SCBU. The vouchers have been printed and just arrived today.  I look forward to them going out and hope that they will help make this stressful time for the new parents of early arrivals just that little bit easier by allowing them to find some gorgeous premmie items to add to their little ones wardrobes - in their own time, from the convenience of their own home, via our online store. 

For more information about Loddon Mallee Kids, see http://www.loddonmalleekids.org.au/

From 1 Mum 2 Another wins 'In the Spotlight' Competition at Support a WAHP

In May 2010 we won a Support a WAHP 'In the Spotlight' interview, all thanks to the wonderful fans who voted for us in their competition.  Below is some of the resulting interview that gives a sneak peek into the person and philosophy behind our business.

Tell us a little about the person behind the business...

My name is Jennifer Frost and I am the person behind From 1 Mum 2 Another—Children’s Clothing Exchange. I was first introduced to the joys of shopping for baby clothing in 2009 when my son was born.  It wasn’t long before I found I was constantly buying new clothes as baby Jordan outgrew things so quickly.  Other parents I spoke to were in the same situation and had closets bursting at the seams with clothes and toys in almost new condition that their children had outgrown. I have a Bachelor of Business and have always wanted to run my own venture.  With a passion for the environment, a need to smartly manage the family budget, and a love of really cute kids wear, it seemed natural to create a Children’s Clothing Exchange.  With the time and resource restrictions that come with being devoted to a young family, I was excited by the opportunity presented by the Internet in allowing me to open an ‘e-store’.

And now a little about the business itself?

Children grow so fast but keeping them well dressed does not need to be expensive. At From 1 Mum 2 Another you will find a fantastic range of gently worn baby and kids wear at prices of up to 80% off original retail.  Best of all we take the stress out of shopping – simply jump online any place, any time it suits you!

To ensure your satisfaction we personally hand pick all clothing and provide detailed, accurate descriptions regarding items and their condition.  All items are laundered, fresh and clean, ready to wear.

You can also  “exchange” your own children’s items for store credit or cash.  This means your quality items don’t go to waste!  For more information about membership please see our website or contact us on shop@from1mum2another.com

What motivates you to keep your business going?

As parents we care about our families and our family finances, the communities we live in and the health of the environment.  Buying recycled means reusing what we already have. This can only be better for the environment, and because it is sold for less than it’s original RRP – better for our wallets too! 

It is an appreciation for the opportunity that From1Mum2Another.com presents, to both help the planet through reuse and recycle as well as to stretch the family budget further, that keeps me motivated.

Do you have a current best-selling product or service?

Our best selling items so far have been gently worn clothing in like-new condition from brands such as Pumpkin Patch, Osh Kosh and LeBon.

For our full interview see: http://www.supportawahp.com/2010/in-the-spotlight-from1mum2another-com.html

Credit goes to Amanda from SupportaWAHP.com who supplied the interview questions.
WAHP stands for Work At Home Parent. SupportaWAHP.com offers the opportunity for WAHPS to network with other WAHP’s while getting wider recognition for their business through advertising via their website and Facebook page. Interested in finding out more? See their website: http://www.supportawahp.com/

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Welcome to the From 1 Mum 2 Another Grapevine!

I am very pleased to bring you the From 1 Mum 2 Another Grapevine.  As a new parent I find I am continually keeping an ear out for information, advice, ideas and tips in relation to everyday motherhood issues.  And when I find something that works for me and my family I love to share my newfound knowledge with others who understand and appreciate it.

It is my hope that this blog be a resource for parents that are looking for ways to stay organised, stay sane, and stay within budget.  I offer an open invitation for you to share your own tips, opinions and stories with our From 1 Mum 2 Another community.  Send your grapevine gossip to us anytime via the contact page on our website at http://from1mum2another.com/contact.htm

Warm regards,
Jenn