friday fun finds: top 10 places to visit in northern ireland (guest post by janmary)

hi and welcome to my world! i’m a blogger from northern ireland and it was lovely to meet nellie and chach in atlanta at the sits blog conference last october.i design jewelry and love to take photos (with my canon dslr or with my iphone). 

the top 10 i am sharing with you today, in honor of st patrick's day tomorrow, are the places i would take you to visit if you came over to northern ireland for a wee visit.

titanic quarter in belfast

this year it is 100 years since the launch and sinking of the titanic. finally belfast, where the famous/infamous ship was built, will have our own museum. the area was neglected for many years, so some of the original buildings remain and are being restored. can’t wait to see them all finished in time for the huge commemoration and festival next month (april 2012).

giants causeway

one of the natural wonders of the world, scientists can tell us how all these hexagonal rocks were formed, but the myth of how finn maccool tricked a scottish giant is much more interesting! our kids love clambering over the rocks, and i love taking photos of them (the kids or the rocks, i don’t mind!)

carrick-a-rede rope bridge

yes ….. a rope bridge……not great if you have a fear of heights, but it links a small island to the mainland with some wonderful views. it is possible to opt not to cross over, and you can just watch the other poor soul instead, but it isn’t *too* dangerous, and lots of fun!

dunluce castle

another great story behind this destination, but this is the true story how the kitchens of the castle fell into the sea during a ferocious storm in 1643. apparently there were a number of guests being served dinner at the time, and food was still served and the guests not told of the disaster at the time for fear of alarming them!

white rocks beach

from dunluce castle you can see this stretch of beautiful soft golden sand stretching all the way to portrush. our kids love coming here to slide down the huge sand dunes. the water is icy cold – most use wetsuits to swim/surf/body board. i prefer to stay dry on the beach!

mussenden temple

this unusual “folly” was built by a bishop as his library and reading room. It is perched dramatically on the cliff overlooking the atlantic ocean with portstewart strand in one direction and downhill strand in the other.

dark hedges

shhhhh…..going to share my favorite road in all of northern ireland, but let’s keep it to ourselves, ok? it is a tiny road in the middle of nowhere, with the most amazing avenue of 200 year old trees.

ballintoy

a simple white church, which can be seen from miles away, indicates you are close to ballitoy. there is a small village on the main road, but drive down past the church and an incredibly narrow and twisty road with a number of hair-pin bends takes you down to a small harbor, café, rock pools and beach. the “game of thrones” recreated a medieval village and harbor here last summer for filming.

an ulster fry
you shouldn’t really come to northern ireland without experiencing a genuine ulster fry. the main components may vary, but here is what i would include:
bacon, sausage, potato bread, soda bread, fried egg, (optional extras – mushroom, tomato black pudding or white pudding, baked beans)

our holiday cottage!
for the last few years we have been house swapping, and if you are interested in visiting our wee country then you can check out our home exchange listing here.

there you have it, my top 10 recommendations for your visit to northern ireland. so……when are you coming over?!!!

and remember, everyone is irish on st patrick’s day.

For more of my life and photos here in n ireland, please visit my blog www.janmary.com

have a st. patty's post of your own? link up!

janmary designs

learn to sew--guest post by maddie @ domestic anarchy

i have been sewing since the age of 9 when I discovered that the cabinet in the corner of our family game room actually held a sewing machine. I was on my own, my mother was no longer interested in sewing nor in teaching a smart-ass 9 year old. i taught myself with little more than the bernina instruction book which I found buried in the cabinet drawers along with all the accessories. i was 9 and i had no fear.

when people find out that I sew I usually get one of three responses:

"oh I wish I could do that but never had anyone to teach me"

"will you sew up my sleeve, hem my jeans, sew my wedding dress" (no i will not)

"i am just no good at that sort of thing"

i usually go on to share the fact that i do more than sew, i actually teach sewing and if they are interested i would be happy to give them information about classes they can take. this is usually when the deeper level of excuse mixed with fear comes to the surface. everything from can't afford a sewing machine to being scared of the fast moving needle to fear of failure.

the fact is that machine sewing in it's simplest form is just not that hard and it is way less dangerous than driving a car. each day thousands of young children in foreign nations use really large really fast sewing machines to make most of the clothing sold here in the united states, if they can do, you can too! heck, danger-wise no one ever was killed by a sewing machine. the worst that would ever happen would be to put a needle though your finger. it is no fun, i have done it, but it hurt way less than childbirth or the car accident i was in so just summon the courage and go for it!

if you can find the right instructor i suggest taking lessons but only with the right person. if the person at all reminds you of your miserable 8th grade home-ec teacher don't do it. you want someone with a cool laid back vibe, nurturing attitude and possibly someone who serves wine with evening lessons. (it does nothing for accuracy but sure does make it relaxing!)

no classes in your area? then it is time to turn to the great resources found in books and on the internet. for sewing books I recommend the following for all beginners:

stitch by stitch learn to sew by moebes - from soup to nuts, or scissors to bobbins this book is very close to having your very knowledgeable best friend teach you to sew, add wine if you like for a full experience!

1-2-3 sew by luckett baker- another friendly book with a casual vibe that makes sure you feel good about what you are learning and increasing your skills with each project.

sew mama sew hosts a fantastic blog where lots of sewing projects and techniques are shared with an open and accepting style that makes you happy to sew.

so there you have it, we are not too far into the new year to make your dream a reality , isn't it time you learned to sew?

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maddie can be found at domestic anarchy where she will hold your hand and calm your sewing fears, all the while making you understand how fantastic you really are. she is also on facebook and twitter.

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maddie kertay is the homechooling, crafting, sewing mother of 6 kids. you can find her most days in her sewing room stitching while she gives spelling tests and listens to kids read her endless list of prepositions she makes them memorize for no good reason - she is cruel like that.

mmmmm, mondays: cherry chocolate chip scones -- guest post by bonnie @ inspiring pretty

ahoy-hoy. bonnie from inspiring pretty here. i am brand new to guest posting, so i’m not sure how much to disclose. should i just go straight to the recipe (which is a good one), or should i tell you about my baking addiction? or my tendency to sing kids’ show tunes in the most inappropriate situations. or that i have been affectionately coined ‘bargain bonnie’ because i literally cannot bring myself to pay full price for anything. one thing you should know is that i am a mommy. not just in the sense that i have children, but in the way that my mind is eternally set to mom time. even when i am away from my kids, i find myself thinking like a mom. “don’t drive too fast. wear a jacket. oooh, look at the chocolate chip pancakes!”

it was this mommy mentality that got me into trouble last week. you know how some holidays have an enormous build up to them, so that when they are over you are left feeling kind of…meh? that was valentines day for me this year. i went a little pinterest crazy with crafts and goodies. i wanted to make everything I saw, you know for the kids. so while i rocked it at the school parties, i now feel like there should be like a gradual return from the land of pink and red hearts to reality.

one of my favorite v-day projects was this recipe for cherry chocolate chip scones. i adapted it from the smitten kitchen, basically just interchanging her cranberries with my cherries and chocolate. The result was an empty plate, which in my house (of picky eaters) is synonymous with success. 

cherry chocolate chip scones

ingredients:

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a low-protein brand such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

3 tablespoons sugar 

½ teaspoon salt 

5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 

½ cup dried cherries 

½ cup chocolate chips 

1 cup heavy cream

 
directions:
1. adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425°F.

2. place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. whisk together or pulse six times. 

3. if making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few slightly larger butter lumps. stir in currants. if using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. add cherries and pulse one more time. transfer dough to large bowl.

4. stir in chocolate chips and heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds. 

5. transfer dough and all dry, floury bits to countertop and knead dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. form scones by patting the dough onto a lightly floured work surface into a 3/4-inch thick circle and either a) cutting the dough into 8 wedges with a knife or bench scraper or b) cutting pieces with a biscuit cutter, and pressing remaining scraps back into another piece and cutting until dough has been used up. (be warned if you use this latter method, the scones that are made from the remaining scraps will be much lumpier and less pretty, but taste fine.) 

6. place rounds or wedges on ungreased baking sheet and bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. serve warm or at room temperature

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bonnie blogs at inspiring pretty along with lindsey and claire. it's a home for everything women care about. from recipes to weddings and spirituality to raising a family, we are here to share our lives with you and make yours prettier. our motto is 'a pretty home, a pretty faith, a pretty life'. born just outside chicago, illinois and raised in the mountains of colorado, bonnie found her home in southern california alongside her husband and three little boys. when she’s not cleaning up after all four of them, helping with school projects or making fabulously healthy dinners and scrumptious desserts, she enjoys being outdoors, a good cup of tea, writing and giving design advice to anyone who’ll listen. you can also find them on facebook, twitter and pinterest.

what about my child's speech development? guest post: kim @ little stories

as a speech-language pathologist (slp), i love talking about language development. helping mommies and daddies hear what their child has to say is my passion! so, in the hopes of helping you to hear more of your child’s story, here are my two most frequently asked questions (and answers!).

1) should i be worried about my child’s speech?

well, in general your child should be using a word or two at one year, using two-word phrases at two years, using three-word phrases by three years, and so on with phrase length coordinating with age through preschool. also, there are broad guidelines suggesting most listeners should understand what your child says about 70% of the time at two years, 80% at three years, and 90% by four years.

but there’s so much more. there’s also what your child should understand, how his play should develop and how he uses his language socially to interact with others. see, speech and language development are actually a very complex thing. it’s not so easy to boil them down to a quick checklist.  the good news is that as a parent you interact with your child a lot and over time you naturally begin to pick up on many of those complexities in language, so forget the guidelines and go with your gut.

if you have concerns, don’t wait.

some pediatricians still favor the wait and see approach, and even some family members can make you feel like you’re over-reacting, but i tell parents over and over to trust their instincts. the thing about language development is that a great deal of it actually happens early on and the sooner you address any concerns the less they will impact your child long-term. so if you’re not sure, have your child assessed.

you can find an slp to assess your child by contacting your local school district. if your child is not yet school age, the school can direct you to the appropriate early intervention program for your state. assessments done by the public schools or by early intervention programs are typically free. or if you’d prefer, you can also ask your pediatrician for a referral to an slp working in a hospital or private clinic. usually your child’s health insurance will cover assessments done at those locations.

2) how can i help my child’s speech and language development?

play! whether or not you have concerns about your child’s speech or language, getting down on the floor and playing with him is good.  no tv show or push-button toy can replace what you can give your child because speech and language are really part of communication and communication happens between two people. so…be quiet, slow down, stop asking questions, sit down, play, watch, and listen. by quietly observing your child, you can see his interests and help him to talk about the things that motivate him. take time to connect, have fun, and communicate!

kim is a speech-language pathologist who mothers a spunky toddler, loves a great man, works with very special children and families, and blogs at little stories. you can also find her on facebook and twitter.

mmmmm, mondays: black bean soup with cilantro-lime cream-- guest post: vibrant grace

guest blogger: vibrant grace
when i met nellie and chach last fall, i immediately developed a blogger crush on both of them and wanted to partner up and actually be their third boob... that is until i understood the story behind "the third boob" and was thus traumatized for life. they noticed the wide-eyed look of shock and horror on my face and said "oh wait, you don't have children yet, do you?" when I told them that i didn't, they exchanged a quick knowing glance and declared they wouldn't tell me any more stories for fear that i would decide never to have children. i gave them permission to fill me in on all the necessary details... in the future, once its too late and i'm already prego. until then, i'm continuing to live my life in blissful naivete (aside from the irrational fear of growing extra boobs).


so while nellie is getting ready to bring a new little life into the world, and surely gaining more experiences to traumatize me with in the future, i'm blessed with the opportunity to guest post on the third boob. since i can't share my own experiences of motherhood, i decided to share something from my kitchen.


black bean soup with cilantro-lime cream

soup ingredients:
black beans: either 3 cans or 1 lb dried
4 cloves of garlic
2 chopped onions
1 chopped green pepper
1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro
olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh oregano
(jalepeno, if you like extra spice)
2 bay leaves
2 tbs. cumin
bacon (pre-cooked and crumbled)
1 3/4 c. chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste


cream ingredients:
1 carton of sour cream
2 tsp. lime zest
lime juice
cilantro


directions:
in a food processor, puree garlic, onion, green pepper, and cilantro.


in a large pot, heat olive oil, oregano, (jalepeno, if using), bay leaves, and cumin. add the veggie puree and saute for about 10 minutes. you'll be able to smell when it's ready. add beans and chicken stock and simmer for 2 hours if dried or at least 30 min if using canned beans.


while the soup is sauteing, put the sour cream into a bowl and zest a lime over it. cut the lime in half once zested and squeeze juice into the cream. add in some cilantro and mix it all together.


remove bay leaves from the soup. puree soup with an immersion blender to thicken the soup, but leave it a bit chunky. add in the crumbled bacon pieces and season to taste with salt and pepper.


serve the soup with a dollop (or more, clearly I love it!) of cilantro-lime cream. i highly recommend enjoying this soup with cheesy cornbread. yum!


special note, particularly for nellie: i told my sister about this recipe when my nephew was still an infant. she said that it sounded delicious, but refused to cook any overly beany dishes while he was still breastfeeding and/or she was still changing his diapers. just wanted to toss that warning out before you try the recipe. you're welcome.


hope you enjoy it and please come visit me over at vibrantgrace.com

grace writes about faith, fitness, and finances... with a bit of humor and inspiration thrown in for good measure. you can find her over at vibrant grace or follow her on twitter @vibrantgrace.

take a moment and envision hunger (guest post by ruthi solari from super food drive)

as we enter the holiday season where food drives and donating to those less fortunate is more prevalent, please take a moment to read this inspiring and insightful post by ruthi solari at superfood drive. i know that it has caused me, for one, to re-think what i define as "helping" those less fortunate than me is. i hope that it will give you an "ah-ha" moment too.

the opposite of hunger is not "full." the opposite of hunger is "healthy food."

take a moment and close your eyes. try to remember some of the main items that were in your grocery bag the last time you shopped for a week of feeding your family. what did you buy to put in your children’s lunches? what did you bring home for family dinner? how about breakfast?

now clear that image from your mind and take a moment to envision this: you are a single mom with three children to feed. your utilities bill has gone up and you have to save money where you can, so you head to the local food pantry for some food assistance. you wait in line and receive your bag of food for the week. inside the bag, you have canned beef chili, a few packages of top ramen, boxed macaroni and cheese, some jiffy peanut butter and a few more odds and ends. you are invited to a grab a “produce bag” on the way out, which contains 5 onions and 6 potatoes.

if this is the food that you had to use to feed yourself and your family for the coming week, how do you feel? do you feel different than you did thinking about the food you hand-selected to feed your family? many mothers don’t have a choice about what items to feed their children.

feeding america reports that 1 in 6 americans go to a local food pantry for food assistance. nearly 14 million of these are children and over 3 million are children ages 5 and under! we all know that proper nutrition is vital to the grown and development of children. this is why superfood drive seeks to transform local food drives, national food banks and global humanitarian aid into being providers of nutrient dense non-perishables; food that promotes health and well-being.

SuperFood Driveis a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to fighting hunger and obesity in america by getting healthier food into food banks nation-wide. it is the small changes that make a significant difference in the health of the food bank recipient. we encourage the donation of black beans instead of refried in lard, fruit canned in its own juice instead of high fructose corn syrup, and whole grain cereal and snack options.

what can you do to help give the gift of health? here are a few ideas:

1. over the holidays, hundreds of organizations host food drives (banks, schools, grocery stores, places of worship and community centers). be a healthy food advocate and turn your local food drive into a Super Food Drive by encouraging the donation of nutrient densenon-perishables. click here for shopping lists and educational materials to help promote.

2. we have an awesome service-learning program called SuperKids for SuperFoods. this program encourages middle and high school students to fight hunger with healthy food by hosting their very own Super Food Drive. we have educational materials and a tool kit for any parent or teacher to take leadership and help today’s youth understand the importance of eating healthy food for themselves and americans in need. click here for more info about SuperKids for SuperFoods

3. donate healthy food the next time you give to a food drive! check out our list of “most needed SuperFoods” and use this list to both stock your own pantry and give to those in need.

4. sign up for our newsletter, “like”our facebook page and follow us on twitter (@SuperFoodDrive). join our efforts to give the gift of health!

To learn more, visit us at www.SuperFoodDrive.org

ruthi solari, founder and executive director

travel with toddlers--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing kids)

travel with toddlers--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing with kids)

expect to actively entertain your toddler during the flight. toddlers have short attention spans and need near-constant engagement to stay happy. if you're lucky your child will sleep for part of the trip. i wasn't lucky, "e" very rarely slept. (well, i was lucky because she was always very good. but she refused to sleep.) as i advised with packing for infants, packing minimally is not really the best thing. pack everything you might need but keep it as small and light as possible. try to keep everything easily accessible so you don't have to search for things when your child is getting impatient.

dvd player, headphones, and blanket = happy toddler...for at least 10 minutes.

most airlines' inflight policies state that when using devices with audio (dvd players, ipod touch) you are required to use headsets or turn off the volume. please remember that not everyone wants to listen to toddler shows. get headsets for your toddler. if he refuses to wear them let him watch the shows with no volume. when he's interested enough in hearing it he will wear the headsets. when "e" first started wearing the headsets she would wear them for about 10 minutes at a time. then on to the next activity!

what to pack in the backpack:

toddler change of clothes; adult change of clothes; 6-10 OVERNIGHT diapers; diaper wipes; changing pad; antibacterial wipes; tissues; quart-size ziploc bag with: play-doh, fever reducing medicine, prescription meds (if needed), hand sanitizer; orajel swabs; thermometer; water wow doodle book; crayola color wonder book and markers; stickers; small stuffed animal; littlest pet shop toys; blanket; adult sweater; toddler sweater; 4-6 plastic grocery bags (for trash, etc.); ipod touch or dvd player; headphones for toddler; ipod and ear buds for me; power adapter or back up battery; charger for phone;

(not pictured: purse or billfold--don't forget them!)

overnight diapers are a must. sometimes you are unable to change a diaper when you would like to due to turbulence and the seat belt sign. whenever I was unable to change E's diaper in the last hour of the flight her diaper leaked on descent. it must be the change in air pressure. an overnight diaper usually solves the leaking problem.

two milk boxes; two juice boxes; cookies; luna or balance Bars; lollipops; fruit strips; fruit snacks; M&M's; squeezable applesauce; grammy sammy; peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; cheese sticks; plate; toddler utensils; bib; antibacterial wipes; diaper wipes

the trade off for the convenience of bringing your own milk/juice boxes from home is having to separate those at security and step aside for additional screening on them. i felt it was usually worth it. otherwise bring a sippy cup to fill with beverages you purchase in the airport. many airlines do not cater milk on their flights that depart after 10am so plan to provide your own.

if you follow these lists you should have practically everything you need. i usually bring even more food and small toys but probably only end up using half of them. it's always better to pack more than you need than to be in need of something. again, just keep items small so you can manage your bags and your potentially squirmy toddler.

our guest blogger, beth is a flight attendant for a major airline and mom to a

curious explorer, "e".  "e" earned elite status at the airline at 20 months. in her blog, "cloud surfing kids", beth gives helpful tips and insight based on her experiences.

in case you missed her first two post in this series on traveling with infants, you can find them here and here. also, don't miss her other post on traveling with toddlers!

follow beth on twitter at @CloudSurfingMom