CouponChief.com Review

Part of staying at home right now means tightening the belt where finances are concerned. Between my husband and I there are 3 sets of parents, 4 siblings and 8 nieces and nephews. Then there is the two of us and our daughter and everyone has birthdays on top of the gift giving holidays throughout the year.

Whenever I possibly can, I try to find the best deals to stretch our gift giving dollars. One way is to take advantage of coupon codes and websites that provide lists of them to all my favorite stores. I was recently asked to review CouponChief.com and went for a look at what I could find for all the moms for Mother’s Day.

Coupon Chief  has the largest source of online coupons and store discounts for apparel, electronics, travel, entertainment and more!

Features:

• Find coupons for 1000’s of retailers.
• Search for coupons and browse by product category.
• All coupons are valid and rated by community.
• Rate coupons and leave comments.
• Set coupon alerts and view your browsing history.
• Share coupons with friends and relatives via email.
• Submit coupons and earn some cash.
• CouponChief demo video.

I love photo gifts, especially for the grandmas, and found codes for Shutterfly, Snapfish and Tiny Prints. Sites like Wine.com would be perfect for my mother-in-law, Bath & Body Works for my Mom and Kohl’s for my stepmom. I like that this is also a great way to discover sites that you may have missed like Coffee of Hawaii.

I’m already looking ahead to my next anniversary. I always get my husband a “traditional” wedding anniversary gift, like a cast iron skillet for our sixth anniversary. Could a wool scarf be in his future for next year? I doubt we’ll live in Florida forever. These from Scarves.com could be as low as $12.75 with a current coupon code.

They also reward you for submitting coupon codes with their Pays-2-Share Program. Every time someone uses a coupon you’ve uploaded, Coupon Chief will give you 2% of the sales via check or PayPal! This is something I am definitely going to try to start doing.

They also have Coupons-4-Causes where you can help support your favorite cause every time you shop. Just use their coupons for your online shopping, and they’ll donate up to 20% of the purchase to your favorite charity, school, or church.

Coupon Chief is worth a look next time you’re shopping online and could be a great fundraising or extra income opportunity.

 

**This review was sponsored by CouponChief.com but the thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Goals for 2012

It’s a new year and, so far, it’s been a busy one. This time last year I was getting used to the reality that I had a newborn. Now, that bundle of baby is a running, squealing, opening cabinets toddler! I still see some of my little baby in there, but everyday I know she’s becoming more of a little girl.

Towards the end of December I started thinking about what my resolution for 2012 would be. I am not any good at actually sticking to many of them but I thought that I’d give myself some goals for the year. I have been trying to get more comfortable in the kitchen and I have been enjoying trying new crafts so I think I can actually stick to this for the year.

It comes down to confidence. I, sadly, feel like I’ve been losing a lot of it recently. It’s time to start building some back up.

Goal #1: Make or use something new in the kitchen every month.

There are lots of recipes I see that sound good but I chicken out when I see an ingredient or a technique that I don’t know. It’s time to face them head on!

January’s Challenge - My husband and I wanted to do a smash cake photo shoot for Kelsey’s first birthday. I got it in my head that I wanted to make her a healthy cake. So began the research, then the obsessing. A couple of days before our first date (we had to reschedule because of weather) worrying about whether or not it would turn out alright and would it look good in the pictures got the better of me and I decided to order a little cake from Publix.

At the MacDill Enlisted Spouses Meeting, it was suggested that the theme for the potluck before the meeting should be to make something you’ve never made before. I decided this would be a good time to go ahead and try to make a cake from scratch. I even made the icing! The Banana Cake and Banana Glaze came out moist and tasty.

However, I do stand by my decision. It didn’t come out of the pan like I thought it would so I would have been panicking for the photos but it turned out just fine for the meeting. Kelsey even ate a little of it! (She hasn’t really been interested in any cake so far so I’m curious how our photo shoot is going to come out.)

My first cake and it's from scratch!

 

Goal #2: Try out a new craft or DIY each month.

This one may be a little trickier to keep up with but I’m going to give it my best shot.

 

Goal #3: Make a pillowcase dress for Kelsey.

Sounds easy, right? However, if you know me at all, you’ve probably just fallen off of your seat. I’ll wait for you to get back up. Why is it so shocking, you ask? Because it involves sewing. So, the first step in getting this one done is going to be to finally really learn how to use the machine my poor mother dragged half way across the country to take to me while we lived in Dayton a few years ago that I have yet to use.

 

Wish me luck and here’s to a great 2012!

Apple Crisp and the First Cold Front

As soon as September rolled around, my taste buds told me it was time for Fall treats even if it was still 90-something degrees outside.

I somehow convinced my husband to make a homemade pumpkin spice syrup recipe I found online. It’s not horrible, but not worth the time and mess it made. I have, however, been putting it into lattes and even just regular coffee and plan to use it here and there until it’s done. I think my husband is probably going to come with a bottle from Starbucks at some point. I guess I’ll stick to this Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe for the time being (I thought it needed more sugar but I have a sweet tooth). Hoping to have some pumpkin pancakes sometime soon.

After a bit of a hiatus from baking, I started back in this week just as the first cold front of the season came through. I attended a surprise birthday and house warming party for a friend and in addition to picking up kitchen items for her, guests were asked to include a recipe or two. One of the items I picked up was an apple corer so I had apple on the brain. Enter the apple crisp! After coming up with this variation based on a few I found online, I had to test it!

I think it came out pretty good. It has plenty of crumble on top (my favorite part) and the apples were nice and mushy (either use less water or cook a little less if you don’t like it too mushy). I used 2 Gala apples and 1 Granny Smith and actually left the peel on.

We’ve been munching on it here and there the past day or two. Add a little ice cream and caramel sauce on top and you can’t go wrong!

Apple Crisp

• 5 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
  

  Apple Crisp

• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• ½ cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
2. Place the sliced apples in 9 x 13 pan. Mix the white sugar, ½ tablespoon flour and
   spices together, sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, walnuts and
   melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

I’m looking forward to many more fall recipes and more fronts come through – thank you Pintrest for a place to put them all! We’ve been able to open the windows up here and there this week and enjoy bike rides around the park. We’ve also started our container herb garden up again. I even put a long sleeve onesie on Kelsey when we went to the park the other day.

Welcome Fall!!

My plugs:

Vote for Kelsey to be a Just ASAP holiday model! “Like” their Facebook page and “like” her photo.

Check out my ebay sales and find me on Facebook!

Linked up at Laugh, Love & Craft Share the Wealth Wednesday!

Linked up at TheFrugalGirls.com Thursday Chic & Crafty Party!

Linked up at CraftJunkieToo.com TGIF Linky Party!

Linked up at IHeartNaptime.net Sundae Scoop Link to Party!

Baby on a Budget – A Few Tips

Since we found out we were pregnant, my husband and I have been trying to be as frugal as possible adding Kelsey to the family. I’ve never had a problem with thrift stores and now that I know how quickly babies grow and out grow things, I love the reduced price tag. From choosing to breastfeed, make our own baby food, and make Kelsey’s hair clips, a lot of my decisions come from trying to both do the best we can for Kelsey while doing it for a little less.

I do have to say we have been very fortunate to get so much gear as gifts or handed down from family and friends. Using that as a starting point, we’ve tried to fill in the rest while not breaking the bank. I’ve picked up a few things from Once Upon a Child and from local thrift stores over the past few months.

Recently, I have been trying to get some cool weather basics together. I figure that I might come across winter clothes that people cleared out back in spring but before most people start looking towards the change in the weather. I have read posts where people set a goal of $.50 per item. I wish I was that good. I don’t really have a goal cost in mind but, depending on the item, I try not to pay more than a couple of bucks.

Here are some things I’ve been able to pick up recently and the lessons I learned along with them.

Get to Know Your Local Thrift Stores:

There are two thrift stores in particular I peek in at from time to time here in South Tampa. Sunshine Thrift Store has colored tags on their clothing and everyday two colors are 50% off. Now the goal should be to only get those colors, but I say, if you really like something get it then because it may not be there when you come back. In the photo below, the pink jacket was 50% but $1-$2 for the other two items that I know she’ll wear (planning on the dress for Thanksgiving and I LOVE rompers for everyday) seemed reasonable and it was all in great condition. They also have everything 50% off days about once a month but I haven’t braved any of them yet.

Also, the closest Salvation Army location (I’m not sure if it’s region wide) has all clothing 50% off every Wednesday. I have left with a shopping bag full of items and only paid a few bucks. Lots of times I can get items for about $.50 including baby pants and dresses. I also pick up t-shirts to cut up for crafts.

Join Your Local Mom’s and Family Sites:

I found out about a free children’s clothing and gear swap happening about 30 minutes away through both What’s Doing? Tampa Bay (actually found this site from a Mom I met through a group on www.Meetup.com) and www.MomsLikeMe.com. You could take as many items as you brought. I am saving most of the items we have because we plan on at least trying for another child in the not too far off future. However, there were some items that I never even had the chance to put on Kelsey so I probably wouldn’t miss them for baby #2. I took those to swap for some clothes in future sizes and some other items. The stuff in the big plastic bag is a baby food making system – the best thing I left with.

Listen When Other Moms Talk:

Overhearing some other moms talk left me with a good tip on inexpensive toys and gear. I have driven by Lionhearted Toys countless times since it’s on a main drag just minutes from me but I never stopped to check it out. After hearing about the great inventory and prices, I’m so happy I stopped in to check it out.

It’s a used toys store so you never know for sure what is going to be there, but if I’m looking for something I’m going to be sure to start here first from now on. The prices were great.

We are on a Dr. Suess kick around here hence the book; Kelsey loves chewing on tags and she’s getting into “noisy” toys; I’m going to try some activities from playgroup with the hoop; and, I’ve been looking for a second Boppy cover (to go with the $6 Boppy and cover I got from Once Upon a Child – I love my Boppy).

Take Advantage of Freebies:

I joined www.Freecycle.com a while back and was able to get rid of our moving boxes when we moved to Florida which saved us the hassle of working with the local waste management (downside of living off base). Recently, I was able to get some baby items from someone. I took some items, let some friends take some of the items, and donated the rest. It also included a pack of diapers in Kelsey’s next size.

Combining those with all the diaper sample offers online, I have a whole box of size 4 diapers that I didn’t have to pay for. Some suggested sites for finding freebies: www.mojosavings.com and www.moneysavingmom.com.

While I am still in no way an expert, I’m happy to learn and to learn from others! What tips do you have?

 

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Wee Play Playgroup: Songs, Toys, and Bubbles

I was reminded about a baby playgroup, Wee Play, hosted by Baby Bungalow here in Tampa over the weekend and decided to check it out today. I’m glad I did!

This is the first time I have taken Kelsey to an organized play group. The instructor seemed very knowledgable, explaining the purpose behind the different types of activities and what skills were being practiced by each one. There were about 20 babies there around Kelsey’s age, beginning crawlers through confident walkers (once they get good at walking they move to a different group). They sang songs, played with a variety of different toys, and got to experience a variety of sensations. It is $4 for one session or $30 for a 10 class pack.

With Kelsey being more interactive, and now crawling, I have been trying to find opportunities for her to socialize with other children. I’m trying to make it out to the Tampa Moms Over 30 Meet Up group I joined (back to the sprayground tomorrow!) and am glad that it will work out to go to this play group once a week. We are also trying to put together a play date set up through the MacDill Enlisted Spouses Club.

I must say I felt pretty awkward in the class at first. I sing songs to and dance for Kelsey when it’s just the two of us (I get funny looks from my husband) but it’s different to be in a room full of strangers singing and grinning. Then I realized every mom in their probably does or did feel this way at least at some point and it’s good for our babies’ development so I got over it. A little harder for me to get over in general is all the shared slobber, but I know I certain amount of germs is good for her, too.

When everyone first started singing Kelsey just looked around the room trying to figure it all out. She didn’t want to leave my lap at first either. She eventually warmed up to it and enjoyed the songs and toys and started crawling a little bit away from me to check the toys out. Unfortunately, it probably means I’ll be making a trip to the dollar store soon to buy a hula hoop and some other toys. It also reminded me that I had picked up some pony beads and pom poms from Target’s dollar area and saved a small plastic bottle to make a shaker, however, I never told my husband why I had saved it and it’s already been recycled – oops! At Wee Play there were shakers made from the Target Pharmacy bottles with beads inside – I wonder if Target will give me one. If not I’ll just wait for a plastic bottle to come along around here.

I have learned, thanks to sites like I Can Teach My Child, that toys don’t have to be too fancy or expensive. I picked up some bubbles from the dollar store a little while ago (by the way, they are starting to go on clearance at Walmart, 8 for $1 and keep an eye out for clearance items in the baby aisle at Walgreens) but I think now that Kelsey can crawl after them like she did today she will enjoy them more so I will be giving them another try at home. I got a lot of good pointers on things I can do with her at home using what we have.

I hope this will help get Kelsey used to be around other people and get her out of her shell. I’m also hoping it will get me out of my shell, too. I finally made it my mission today to make some “Mommy cards” and did. I little image manipulation and a text box in Microsoft Publisher and I have a whole bunch of business card perforated paper already so I just hit print. Of course, if you want something a little fancier, Vistaprint always has deals to get a couple hundred for a few bucks.

Week of Treats in Review

We had an unusually social week this week. I’m happy that we got to get out and socialize and it gave me an excuse to make a few things.

It started on Saturday with the dinner at Sabrina’s and Red Velvet Cake Cookie Sandwiches. On Sunday we went to a friend’s 1st birthday party. I made her a little collection of hair clips in red since their family are big Oklahoma fans. I hope they like them.

Strawberry Cake Cookie Sandwiches

On Tuesday I had a MacDill AFB Enlisted Spouses Club planning meeting to go to. The next two recipes basically stemmed from not wanting things to go to waste. I had half of the can of cream cheese frosting left over from the last batch of cake cookies so I made another batch with strawberry cake mix I found for about $1 on Price Cut at Target. They were a hit again and went fast!

My mother was in town last weekend and left some black olives and mushrooms leftover from a veggie pizza we made. Well, neither my husband nor I really eat either them but, again, I didn’t want them to go to waste. I used www.supercook.com to see if I could find something to do with them and found this Mushroom Olive Salad recipe. I substituted the olives and didn’t use the measurements in the recipe, just tossed in the ingredients until it looked right. Fortunately, our hosts’ husband likes both black olives and mushroom and he apparently liked this recipe so much he had to be reminded that he did not have to eat the whole bowl in one sitting. I think this would be good for a party or potluck dish or maybe added to some pasta and chicken to make it a meal.

Finally, we met a bunch of military spouses and children at a local splashground on Wednesday. I had seen several granola bar recipes around the internet and finally found one that used quick oats (we’ve been on an oatmeal kick and have been buying it from Sam’s Club so we had plenty on hand!). We had some of the ingredients in the cupboards, I used my $.55/1 Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk coupon (it was also on sale at Publix) and took advantage of the Tuesday military discount at Walgreens for a few more ingredients. Here is what was in my version of these Easy Granola Bars.

Easy Granola Bars

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup tropical dried fruit mix
• 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup flax seed meal

I took them with me to the splashground but forgot to tell people that I had them until the snacks had already come out but my husband and I split one and thought they were pretty good. Chewy, sweet, and filling. However, I don’t know if this is something I would use too often if I had to purchase all the ingredients. If you have enough odds and ends around or know you’ll be making a lot of them it’s worth it for a customized version of the sometimes too sugary store granola bars.

We had some family portraits taken this morning and finally took Kelsey to the pool for the first time this afternoon. Hoping to make Watermelon Frosties this weekend but other than that, I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s activities … nothing!

Photo by Frontdorr Photos

Linking to www.thefrugalgirls.com!

Blog Post Interrupted

Kelsey was playing nicely on the floor so I decided to try to quickly write a new post. Funny enough, it was going to be something along the lines of balance and how the blogging, cooking and crafting is going.

However, by the time I logged in to WordPress, took the picture above, checked a few things and opened a new post, Kelsey had crawled over and decided to practice her latest skill again, using the couch to pull herself up.

Then I pulled her up so she could give me some slobbery kisses, nurse and play a little.

Hence, this is the post your getting now that she’s gone to playing and has found my laptop power cord… gotta go!

Cake Mix Cookies

I think I have found another love in my life and thy name is Cake Mix Cookies!

I found this RACKS and Moby recipe through www.TheFrugalGirls.com Chic & Crafty Link Up Party a few weeks ago. My Mom visited last week and brought some goodies including red velvet cake mix and we picked up some cream cheese frosting.

We were invited to a friend’s house for dinner last night and it gave me an opportunity to make the cake cookies recipe since there would be other people to help us eat them. I used the red velvet mix in the batter, cream cheese frosting for the middle and some chocolate sprinkles. Well, they were a hit! Have a potluck to go to in August so I’m probably going to be making these again in the near future.

Red Velvet Cake Cookie Sandwiches

It also ended up being my daughter’s first play date. I think she had a good time. She was patting her playmate on the head when they weren’t trying to play with the same toy.

Play time!

Pineapple Challenge

I love fresh fruit to munch on especially during the summer. I printed off the recent Del Monte Pineapple coupon and had been on the lookout for a good price. It finally came along last week at Publix, 2 for $4. It came out to $2.75 for both, cheaper than the regular price of one.

Two whole pineapples gave us a lot of fruit, especially for just the two of us (my little girl isn’t old enough for pineapples yet). While I could probably chow down on most of it just cut into chunks, I decided to try to use it in a recipe or two. Let’s see how it goes!

7/3/11: The first challenge is to get the pineapple cut up. I decided to try this method from littlebrickranch.com. Pretty easy and not much of a mess. I have a cutting board with a bit of a lip so I didn’t lose any of the juice. Only one little knife slip, no blood (see, I said it was a challenge for me!).

Fresh pineapple!

Next, I am going to challenge myself to use the pineapple in an entrée and a dessert. I think the hardest part will be not eating it so I have enough for both recipes, but it’s a delicious problem to have.

7/4/11 – Recipe #1: Pineapple Chicken (adapted from AllRecipes.com)

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Valencia orange peel
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the pineapple (with juice/liquids), brown sugar, lemon juice, curry powder, orange peel and ginger. Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Spread the pineapple mixture over the chicken.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

Pineapple Chicken served with green beans and brown rice with curry powder.

The Result: It turned out great! It was sweet but not too much, good amount of flavor for us. A different take on baked chicken and one we will probably try again.

7/5/11: Bonus Recipe – Pineapple Oatmeal for breakfast this morning! Just stir in about 1/4 cup crushed pineapple and a bit of cinnamon.

7/8/11: Bonus Recipe – Pineapple Cottage Cheese for breakfast today. I froze enough for the dessert recipe so I can make it this weekend when my Mom is coming into town. After munching on the rest and freezing a little more for future use I had just enough left to stir in with some cottage cheese leftover from another recipe and some Splenda.

7/11/11 – Recipe #2: Pineapple Cranberry Drop Cookies (adapted from AllRecipes.com)

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or use parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, fold in the pineapple, cranberries and nuts. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (8 to 10 for smaller cookies) in the preheated oven, until the edges are light brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks.
   

   Pineapple Cranberry Drop Cookies

The Result: A light yet chewy delight! I came up a little short on my pineapple and cranberries and I may have chopped the macadamia nuts a little too fine, but I (and my Mom who’s in town today) thought they were tasty. I ended up with 18 cookies but I made them a little big – the thought in our house: if some is good, more is better! I would definitely try these again.

I have about 2.5 cups of pineapple chunks sitting in the freezer still, maybe a smoothie with the mango my Mom brought me from Miami or just to defrost and eat on a hot day. Either way, I’m going to enjoy it and I’m proud of myself for completing my pineapple challenge!

Linking to www.TheFrugalGirls.com!

Homemade Baby Foods

One of the things I have been looking forward to is making homemade baby food for my daughter. Well, the time has come. She was still nursing every 1-1.5 hours and still seemed a little hungry. At six months she is sitting up by herself pretty well and interested in watching us eat. I figured it was a good time to start the solid foods transition.

There are definitely some things I am trying to so as “naturally” as I can, but I’m just not the crunchy granola type. I still breastfeed and plan to continue but only until about her first birthday when she should be able to start regular milk. I want to lower the cost of baby foods and hopefully am feeding my child in the healthiest way I can but have a small stockpile of store-bought food for times when having something self-stable to take with us would be easier. Overall, I want to enjoy this time in my little girls life and know that I did the best I could.

(Clockwise) Sweet Potato, Brown Rice Cereal, Apples

We started this week and have been following the “wait three days before new foods” guideline. She has had store-bought rice cereal here and there since she was four months, mainly to start getting her used to the spoon, but it was mostly breast milk. Either way, I thought I’d start with the brown rice cereal.

My husband used our coffee/spice grinder to grind down some brown rice. One cup of water brought to a simmer, stir in 1/4 cup of the powder and whisk for 5 minutes straight. I decided to water it down with about an ounce of breast milk. To say Kelsey was not a fan would be an understatement. She had such a visceral reaction I was afraid I’d done something very wrong. After a couple of attempts she flat out started trying to push herself out of the Bumbo she was sitting in and her face was turning red. Since it came out a little runny I have since been thickening it up a bit with the store-bought rice cereal. A week later, she’s tolerating it but still doesn’t seem to like it and most of what I put in comes out.

Her first taste of sweet potatoes!

Three days later I made some sweet potato for her. I was afraid of it being to runny so it ended up taking for ever to make because I was trying to add a little at a time. For the one sweet potato that was baked for an hour, I ended up putting in about 3 ounces of breast milk and 6 ounces of water. Also, there was a little bit of her vitamin D liquid left in the container so I dumped that in, too. The sweet potato, thankfully, went over a bit better with Kelsey. She leans forward to have the spoon put in her mouth now and seems to actually be working it towards the back of her mouth and swallowing it.

Today I made her some apples. Six Golden Delicious apples, cored and quartered. Steamed for about 10 minutes, let it cool down, run a spoon between the flesh and the skin to separate. I was surprised how easily the skin comes off of steamed apples. Blend with some of the cooking water and let cool. It wasn’t quite the brown rice cereal reaction but if apples had a Facebook page, I don’t think she would ”like” it after the first day. Hopefully it will get better.

Starting this process has me thinking it would be great to have an additional freezer. We already bulk purchase meats and vegetables so it tends to get a little crowded in there. Plus, I have a whole bunch of mango coming up to me this week that is going to need a home in there, too.

I am going to stick with the meal plan of some apple in the morning, a little rice in the afternoon, and some sweet potato around dinner time for the next week or so to let her get used to these new flavors. She’s been a little crankier about an hour after she eats so maybe that will calm down once her system has a chance to get used to the new routine. It will also let us work through some of the frozen foods. Then it will be time to decide the next fruit and veggie – I’m thinking pears and peas or zucchini.