"Blast out 10!" (A small lesson of patience)

When I was a junior in high school I had the opportunity to take AP Chemistry with 4 of my really good friends. It was a small class and we were close so it made the class a lot of fun. I even (mostly) enjoyed labs on Saturdays because I got to spend more time with my friends. 

One of the most memorable labs was the day we did titrations. Very briefly, a titration is a way to figure out the concentration of an acid. To do this you slowly add a base that you know the concentration of to the acid. The more base you add, the more neutral the solution will become. When it is completely neutral it changes colors. By calculating how much base you had to put in to make it neutral, you can figure out what the concentration of the acid is. The fun part is adding the one drop completely that changes the solution from clear to pink.


To see how awesome this is, watch this video. You can skip through it. 2:35 is where the solution finally changes. I know I'm geeky, I think titrations are really fun.

Well if you've ever done a titration without the cool technology that tracks everything for you, then you know that this process can take a LONG time. You have to add the base literally one drop at a time, opening and closing the stopcock every time. So it's no surprise that a group got a little impatient and one member finally instructed: "Just blast out 10 [mL]!" So they did. And in the midst of those 10 mL the acid turned neutral and they had no idea at what point it happened so their experiment was ruined. 

I was reminded of this experience the other day when I was making rolls. I don't know about you, but every yeast bread recipe I have ever tried calls for about half the flour I actually end up using. Well I had been patiently adding more flour 1/4 c at a time and finally got tired of it and dumped in an entire cup. Well, that was too much flour and while they weren't completely ruined, they weren't the best rolls I've ever made. 

But it got me to thinking, why is the exact moment I lose my patience, precisely the moment I need it the most?

So I got to studying patience. In Preach my Gospel (PMG) it defines patience as: "the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the ability to do God's will and accept His timing." 

It goes on to explain: "When you are patient, you hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and hopefully. Patience is related to hope and faith—you must wait for the Lord’s promised blessings to be fulfilled. You need patience in your everyday experiences and relationships, especially with your companion. You must be patient with all people, yourself included, as you work to overcome faults and weaknesses." 

I read this talk called: PATIENCE—A HEAVENLY VIRTUE by President Monson.

It described 3 patient people: Christ, Job, and Joseph Smith. I realized that patience is perhaps the most important Christlike attribute. It encompasses faith, hope, humility, knowledge, and diligence. The most Christlike people are also the most patient people. 

Here are a few quotes I really liked: 
Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required.

Today in our hurried and hectic lives, we could well go back to an earlier time for the lesson taught us regarding crossing dangerous streets. “Stop, look, and listen” were the watchwords. Could we not apply them now? Stop from a reckless road to ruin. Look upward for heavenly help. Listen for His invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Yet they trusted in the Lord with all their hearts, and they leaned not to their own understanding. In all their ways they acknowledged Him, and He directed their paths.

Some quotes from Neal A Maxwell on the subject:

"Clearly, without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically, "rush" and "more" usually mean "less." The pressures of "now" time and time again, go against the grain of the gospel with its eternalism." (Patience and the Law of the Harvest)

"Sometimes that which we are doing is correct enough but simply needs to be persisted in patiently, not for a minute or a moment but sometimes for years. Paul speaks of the marathon of life and of how we must "run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Paul did not select the hundred-meter dash for his analogy!"

"Very importantly, it is patience, when combined with love, which permits us "in process of time" to detoxify our disappointments. Patience and love take the radioactivity out of our resentments. These are neither small nor occasional needs in most of our lives."

Put another way, too much anxious opening of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising. So it is with us. If we are always selfishly taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we will not be.

(I got these out of my Neal A Maxwell quote book but most of them can be found in this talk by him. AMAZING and a definitely must read!)

The last talk I read is called The Power of Patience given by Robert C. Oaks. 

Here are my favorite quotes:

How often do we hear oppressed souls ask foolishly, “How could God do this to me?” when really they should be praying for strength to “beareth” and “endureth all things.”

Is patience important and worthy of our pondering and pursuit? ... It is if we would seek to become after the manner of Christ.

Recently I attended the funeral of a lifelong friend. His son told a beautiful story of parental patience. When the son was in his youth, his dad owned a motorcycle dealership. One day they received a shipment of shiny new motorcycles, and they lined them all up in the store. The boy did what every boy would like to do, and he climbed up on the closest one. He even started it up. Then, when he figured he had pushed his luck far enough, he jumped off. To his dismay, his dismount knocked the first bike down. Then, like a string of dominoes, they all went down, one after another. His dad heard the commotion and looked out from behind the partition where he was working. Slowly, smiling, he said, “Well, son, we had better fix one up and sell it, so we can pay for the rest of them.” I think my friend’s response personifies parental patience.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His” (“Patience,” Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28).

I didn't copy over very much from this talk because I wanted this post to be short. If I would have copied everything I liked it would have been the entire talk! He also gives a formula to help us become more patient. I highly recommend that you go read the talk :)

Mormons, Sex, and the Temple

The LDS church has a reputation for being embarrassed, quiet, and ashamed about sexuality. I went to a University in Utah and majored in an all-girl major so I heard a lot of rumors about sexuality, on both ends of the spectrum. For example:

"I heard about this girl who couldn't have sex for a year because she thought she was sinning. By the time she was ready, her husband wasn't interested. They've been married 3 years and have never done it."

"I can't believe they are getting married in the temple! I know for a fact they are not worthy to!"

It doesn't matter whether or not either of these are true. What matters is that we change the stigma around "sex is bad." So that the first girl wouldn't feel so uncomfortable and so the second couple would understand the purpose of it and be better able to practice self-control. Most people don't actually believe that it is bad, I mean just look at the size of a typical Mormon family. But it is a common misconception. I think parents simply aren't sure what is or isn't appropriate to discuss at what age. We don't want to to teach too little, but we don't want to teach too much too soon. We err on both sides of the line.

 If you ever bring up the topic of sex, a lot of people will feel uncomfortable. Or you wish they would be more uncomfortable about it. But overall, most people will agree that in the church, the topic is too hush-hush. I know a lot of girls struggle when they are first married because they are taught "no-no-no-no-no!" and then all of a sudden they've been gifted 15 pieces of lingerie, they're locked in the bathroom freaking out while changing into one of those pieces (which is the front of this thong??) with their new husband sitting on the king sized bed with some KY jelly on the night stand (what is that even for??) and have to walk out practically naked- baring all to this person who  hasn't seen above her knee or below her collarbone. Even though she sees sex everywhere and has fought the desire for it for the past 6 months, now that it's here she freezes. She's embarrassed and scared. She isn't sure what's supposed to happen... Suddenly, just cuddling and watching a movie doesn't sound so bad!

Everyone blames the schools: our sex-ed is outdated. Then they blame the church. Eventually they blame the parents. They demand we become more open about this taboo topic. 

But you know what else we don't talk about? You know what else is hush-hush? You know what else is terrifying, mysterious, and off limits until you're ready? The temple.

Just like it would be a sin to enter the temple unworthily or before you were ready, participating in the highest act of love and creation, where husband and wife literally become one, is also a sin. 

We don't not talk about the temple because it's bad. We don't talk about it because it's sacred. It's special. So we keep it sacred and special by not talking about it all time. If we wore our Sunday best everyday, it would become everyday wear and wouldn't be special anymore.

We shouldn't talk about physical intimacy in most situations, not because it's bad, but because it is very, very sacred. It is incredibly special. There is a time and a place to discuss these things and we should be properly prepared for it. Just like we get hints and glimpses of the temple, we need to teach our children how to prepare for physical intimacy through appropriate friends, dating, hygiene, respect, etc. 

So how do we do this? It starts with little children. We teach them about their bodies. We teach them to respect it, to keep it clean, and to be grateful for that wonderful gift. As they get older we teach the anatomy and physiology and discuss what is proper. In teens years we encourage them to date appropriately and to be chaste, despite everything they see and feel. We teach them self control through out their whole life. At age 7 it might be teaching them to resist taking a cookie but at 17 that same skill could protect their virtue. A huge part is having open communication through their whole life. I feel like this quote sums up anything I could say on that subject:

Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff. 

~Catherine M. Wallace~

Most people want to prepare their children, but they don't know how. The church has put out this Parent's Guide (link) to help. It has a chapter for each age group and is filled quotes from apostles and scriptures on the topic. I was surprised at how many there were! It is very straightforward. It will help you have spiritual experiences with your children. It will help you have a better understanding of this wonderful procreating power. It might even strengthen your own marriage, no matter how long you've been married. In a world that makes the act of marriage so carnal and dirty, this book reminds us the true purpose and sacredness of it all.

Dating Confessions via Youtube

Dating is a fascinating subject to me. Now that I'm married I'm studying it like crazy! (It seems backwards to me too.) I realize even more how lucky I was to end up with Dave because I had no idea how to date! I want to teach teens about dating and in writing up lesson plans, I came up with some of my own "dating confessions" that hopefully can be used as a cautionary tale. I thought I'd share them with you. 

My Girl's Ex-Boyfriend, Relient K

Lyrics

For a really long time I thought this was such a great song. So good in fact, I thought it should be Dave's theme song.

When she and I settle down you can bet
That he is going to have to settle for less
He's someone that I would hate to be
I got the girl and he's left with just the memory.

Because I am just that great, right? Wrong. Recently I spent some time with mutual friends of a past flame and guess what? Turns out he is doing just fine without me, and I'm sure all the other exes are as well.

Gives You Hell, All-American Rejects

Lyrics

"Now you'll never see
What you've done to me
You can take back your memories
They're no good to me
And here's all your lies
You can't look me in the eyes
With the sad, sad look
That you wear so well"

Even though I've been married for 3 years I still love this song. Sometimes l think very hard about a certain person whenever it plays and I hope he telepathically feels my frustration and irritation at him from so long ago. Even though I'm pretty sure it was mostly my fault.

Real mature, I know. But seriously,  Guy-Who-Shall-Stay-Unnamed, when you see my face (or facebook posts is more likely) I hope it gives you...

Wannabe, Spice Girls

Lyrics

I know every word to this song. Every. word. And I choreographed a dance to it. No you cannot see it. Ever. 

What does it have to do with dating? Because the teen years are the time to have fun! 

Also:

 I won't be hasty, I'll give you a try
If you really bug me then I'll say goodbye.

Best lyrics ever.

Easy Lover, Phil Collins

Lyrics

Someone once told me that this song reminded them of me. I totally didn't get it at the time. Now, I'm offended.

"She will play around and leave you
Leave you and deceive you
Better forget it
Oh you'll regret it"

Ouch! 

The Longest Time, Billy Joel

Lyrics 

"I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for
The longest time"

I thought that was the sweetest thing I could ever hear from someone. My friend insisted that once I found the right guy, he'd say nicer things than that. 

He does.

Built to Last

Lyrics   

Oh, this song... such a good one!  It definitely was my theme song for Dave after our 1st date. I'd looked for love in much stranger places than a co worker's roommate. And his smile did (and still does) make me feel like I can be a better person. Everyone who knew us was rooting for us before we realized how special it was ourselves (Our first date was in September and by December people were asking when we were getting engaged. We weren't even serious by that point.)

'Cause this is real and this is good
It warms the inside just like it should
But most of all
Most of all it's built to last

What songs describe your love history? Or at least one relationship? (Or lack thereof...)

What Do Sports Actually Teach?

Since having El, Dave and I have discussed what activities we'd like to put her in. We've received a lot of advice about what she'll learn in each. Some have said no gymnastics past age 6 because of the focus on body weight and image (but really, what sport doesn't have that when you're a girl??). My mom didn't put me in dance in hopes I wouldn't turn out vain. I played soccer and looking back I think about all the wonderful things I learned:  how to work hard, how to focus, how to keep at something even when you want to quit, etc.

So when I first heard about the 17 year old who punched a ref which caused brain injuries that killed him I was horrified at his behavior! But it got me to thinking, what are kids actually learning in sports? I remember watching coaches and parents scream, yell, and threaten other coaches, parents, and even players. Nearly everyone I played with and against swore. {I am proud to say that I never swore. At least, not out loud. Definitely had them come into mind. But I had enough self control not to say any of them.} We all expressed extremely negative emotions against clubs, teams, coaches, refs, and specific girls.

I'll admit it. I'm totally making fun of a player with my hair in this pic. I'm still proud to say I knocked her flat, didn't get a call, and she was TICKED! (I weighed more than she did so when we tackled the ball at the same time, she went flying. I didn't touch her. The ref was right not to call anything.) ( I still feel the urge to explain myself... WHY?!)

I'd also like to mention that I'm trying really hard not to comment that she deserved it because of how cocky she was and that she was just a lazy forward. I took this photo from my facebook and my captions as well as the comments are just plain rude and I'm embarrassed I ever said them about her.

So, what else did soccer actually teach me? That it's ok and funny to make fun of other players. Sometimes it was out of jealousy, other times it was because she was a terrible keeper (writing that I still smile about that memory of BYU soccer camp in 2002) . That it's OK to have a vulgar mouth, but just in sports. That it's OK to be out of control, angry, and to defy authority. Refs are stupid blind idiots and any game that is lost is their fault. Let's not take any responsibility for our own mistakes. 

EVEN CROSS COUNTRY taught me negative things. (How ridiculous does that sound??? High School Girl's Cross Country... as if anyone even cared about that, haha!) I'm ashamed to think about how long it took me to get over my hatred of Alta. I still remember the names of girls I raced against. I remember my coach teaching me how to "kidney punch" after a runner wouldn't let me pass (She stayed half a step in front of me. I even ran out to the 4th lane to pass and she moved with me... it was ridiculous). I learned how to be jealous of my best friend because for the first time she beat me and I could never beat her again. I learned how to give attitude to coaches and how to be cocky.

We thought we were SO cool! Now this is kind of embarrassing.

From both sports: I learned that winning is all that matters. If you don't win, you're not worth anything. I learned that if I can't win something, I'm not going to try it. This prevented me from trying new things and having fun just playing a game. I developed a competitive nature, where I always wanted to get the best score and was secretly elated when someone failed- that meant I was better than they were. That meant I won. I was constantly comparing myself to everyone I met: "I'm prettier, she has no life, I'm way funnier, she's bigger, I'm better, he's a know-it-all...how's that for not being vain?

Yes, I learned plenty of good things, but I learned some pretty nasty things too that I'm still working on correcting.

I think it all boils down to a child's coach and parents. If she has a coach who is vulgar, disrespectful, and out of control, chances are she and the entire team will act that same way. Parents play a huge role in setting a good example. My friend tells me about when she played soccer and would complain about a bad ref. Her dad would remind her over and over again, "refs are people too." While it was annoying to her at the time, now she is grateful for his example. As she got older and was frustrated at a ref, she always remembered her dad saying, "refs are people too."

This is a call to all parents, coaches, and every adult. Our children will learn exactly what you teach them by the way you act. Be the example of how to act, what to say, and how to be. Win gracefully, lose positively, and manage your emotions in all situations. 

I'm curious, what activities did you participate in and what  negative things did you learn from them?

23 Years of Wisdom

In honor of my 23rd birthday on Friday, I've compiled a list of a few things I've learned so far in my life. This is not a comprehensive list as that would be impossible. Mostly these are life lessons, but maybe I'll throw in a few practical lessons as well. Who knows? Read on to find out!

When trying to attract friends, we often try to tell stories that make us look really interesting. What's more appealing however, is to listen to others and make them feel like they are interesting. Doing this will increase your chances that they will want to be your friend.


Preheat your oven when baking cookies. Putting them in a cold oven will make them come out flat, melted looking, hard, and/or crispy. 

Creativity in life is essential!! Just this last Sunday we had 5 lasagnas in the oven, set to cook so they'd be ready for a family gathering after church. Well the oven didn't go on and we had 5 nearly frozen lasagnas and a large extended family to feed. So we cut it up in pieces and microwaved them. You can't live life without being at least a little creative.

Along those same lines, it's good to practice our creativity. Whether it's painting, writing, singing, composing, sewing, cooking, or anything at all, it's important to continue that process. I love to write and I have written countless chapters to novels I've never finished. I was going to start another one, but then I thought to myself,   "Why? I'm not going to finish it, I never do." Then I realized how silly that is. Just because it will never be published doesn't mean I shouldn't do it.

Forgiveness is key. Forgive always. Everyone, all the time, including yourself. We have no right to not forgive. 

If you put things where they belong, they will always be there.

This talk. Let people (including yourself) move on from who they used to be. 

Sarcasm is rarely funny. I once heard "sarcasm is the lowest form of humor." This is hard for me because I can be very sarcastic and I grew up in a very sarcastic family (much to my mother's chagrin, I know). There was a time in my life when I was proud of my sarcastic nature. I was a freshman running cross country and there was a senior boy who I really, really liked. We had a game called "The Burn Game" where essentially, you get a point for every mean thing you say to the other person. I gave him a run for his money! One meet at UVU (I still remember!) I said something that went too far (I don't remember what at this point) and he was not happy with me. When we got back to the high school I was going to get a ride home with my neighbor, but my Burn Game opponent insisted that I ride with him. I don't remember anything else except that I was terrified as I walked to his car. He talked to me about how I had gone too far and we needed to stop the game. I started to wonder, if someone as tough skinned as he was could be hurt by a sarcastic comment, how many others had I hurt with my careless remarks?

The brain doesn't fully develop until around age 25. This is why teenagers do some stupid things. 

Thinking before you speak has AMAZING benefits. This is something I've only recently gotten in the habit of but it has saved my hide many a time! So much easier to keep my mouth shut than have to explain my thoughtlessness! 

People are more important than things. (But seriously, how cute is little Anna??)

There's a saying out there that I think is supposed to inspire people to get through tough times. It has many variations, but gist of it is "Don't you complain about your trials, someone out there is going through something much harder than you are!" This is something my amazing friend Kalina, who beat stage 4 ovarian cancer taught me: "I don’t want to minimize your struggles. Just because I have cancer, a huge and very obvious struggle, doesn’t make your struggles any less or any easier. I think every struggle is just as real and just as hard as any other one. It sucks not getting asked to prom! Yeah, you don’t have cancer, but you also don’t have a date. And that can hurt. You didn’t make the varsity baseball team? Ouch. You were planning on doing that in college. Now what?" (this is from her speech to a high school English class. Read the whole speech here. Check out her Amazing story here.) It's ok to hurt, and it's ok to feel sorry. But how does thinking that someone else has it worse make it better? You are feeling that way and it's OK! If someone else told you that, "aw, that's no reason to be upset!" We'd be furious at them. But when we tell ourselves that it's ok? Focus on the positive, keep your head up. You can get through whatever you're going through!

Giving a baby juice in a bottle or sippy cup can cause bottle rot. Giving a bottle while going to bed (with the child laying flat on his back) can cause ear infections.

Journals are absolutely priceless!!!

Sometimes you're in a position to serve, sometimes you are the one that needs help. There is absolutely no shame in asking for it. Most people would jump at the chance to help you if they knew you needed it. Once you get on your feet again, then you pay it forward by helping out someone else.

It's only a problem if it's a problem for you. (From my sister)

Everything has a price (not just monetary). Everything has a value. Everything.

Children are people too. They have feelings, likes, dislikes, good moods, bad days, favorite books, weird sleeping positions...just like adults. Don't hold that against them. They are doing the best they can!

If you have a thought to do something good. Just do it.

I learned this one from my mom: JUST ASK. In most cases, the worst that can happen is they say no.

Visiting teaching is an awesome program! I think everyone should have and be a visiting teacher!

I saved this one for last because I think it's so cool. I learned it from a women in my mom's ward who has a certain tough trial every day. She said, "In less than 100 years, this will all be over. All I have to do is show up every day with a smile on my face." That put everything into perspective for me!

Adding Instead of Subtracting- A Different Way of Life

I feel like so often in our culture we focus on what we're doing wrong and what we need to stop doing. We hear constantly "Get rid of those shoes from middle school!" "Stop eating Oreos!" "Watch less Wizards of Waverly Place!" It's always: stop this or get rid of that. I admit, I do see the merit in advice when it's given to help free you from bad habits but once you get rid of everything, then what? Let's take my life for example. If I were to simply stop watching Netflix, eating Twizzlers for lunch, and get rid of all my old ugly clothes, then I'd spent my day hungry, bored, and wearing the exact same thing as I did yesterday (and the day before that). 

So lately I've been taking a new approach to my life. Instead of getting rid of things, I've chosen to fill my life with good things. For example, I made a goal to eat 5 fruits/vegetables and drink 2 glasses of milk every day. As long as I get those in, then it doesn't mater how many Oreos I eat. Usually I'm eating Oreos because I don't know what else to eat. But when I know I'm trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, I buy more at the store and I go to those first when I'm hungry because I know I have them and I know I want to eat them. 

I also have a chore chart with just a few things each day that need to get done in the house. I can watch TV as much as I want, but the chores need to get done at some point. Sometimes I get them done first thing in the morning but sometimes I don't get to them until after Eliza is in bed. But always, every day I get at least something done.

 My mom has been helping me get a wardrobe I feel comfortable going out in public in (my body just isn't the same shape anymore, despite being back to my pre-pregnancy weight). So now I can get rid of old clothes that don't fit right or are just plain awful because I have good things in my closet. 

I've found that when I fill my life with good things, the bad habits naturally start to fade. I love that my focus is on what I chose to do to make my life better, instead of focusing on what I'm doing wrong. I'm not buying new clothes to fill the empty drawer after I get rid of old clothes, I'm trading the bad for the good. For me, it's much easier to let go of it all because I'm not giving it up or forcing myself to quit. I'm simply exchanging good for better. I still enjoy my Oreos and Twizzlers, but they aren't my staples for snacks and lunches. 

How I did it, and how you can too:

• Don't ever think about what you're doing wrong in your life or what you need to stop. It's frustrating, disheartening, and rarely works. Just ask anyone who has ever gone on a diet. 
• Remember the focus is NOT about what you need to stop doing
• It's about what you need to START doing
• Pick no more than 5 or 6 things you want to do every day. Just start with 1 and do it every day for a week to see how reasonable it is. (I once decided that every Tuesday I was going to vacuum my whole house and wash laundry. That never happened once. So now I vacuum the downstairs one day, the upstairs another, wash one day, fold the next, etc.)
• If it's just not possible, reevaluate and adjust the goal so it fits in your life (some may think it's a little pathetic how small my daily chores are but over a 2 week period everything gets done. That's much better than before when I tried to do too much then gave up and nothing got done ever. But that's just me. Remember, this is for YOU. Do what works for YOU)
• One by one add another item you want to start doing. Again, if you have more than 5, see if you're being too hard on yourself. 
• Once one of those goals becomes natural/a part of your routine, you can take it off the list (keep doing it of course) and add another goal. 

These are my goals. Every day I need to:

• Read my scriptures
• Exercise 
• Clean something in the house 
• I have a a chart that breaks up my chores into daily tasks. SO reasonable.
• Read a book to Little El
• Clean up the kitchen/clutter before bed
• Eat at least 5 fruits/veggies + 2 glasses of milk

See? Not a big deal and totally manageable for me right now. And I started with little things. After the baby, my goals were to read scriptures and shower every day. Showering is now a habit so I took it off the list and added in exercise. It's about small, gradual steps towards a better life. 8 months after the baby, my house is cleaner, my family happier, and I still get to enjoy my Alex Russo time with a few Oreos.

I love this quote: Always concentrate on how far you've come, rather than how far you have left to go

Popcorn Recipes

I know where popcorn gets it's bad rep. Definitely microwaves and movie theaters have made people think that popcorn is bad for you. Quite contrary actually! It's all the butter and other stuff that makes those popcorns less nutritious. Some facts about popcorn: 

1 c popped popcorn has:
20 calories
0 calories from fat
0 fat, cholesterol, or sodium
5g of carbs, 0g from sugar, 1g from fiber, the rest from starch (complex energy...a good thing!)
and a little bit of protein

 5 c popped has
110 calories
10 calories from fat
0 cholesterol and sodium
26g of carbs, <1g 7g="" fiber="" font="" from="" of="" sugar="">
 4g of protein

The reason why the nutrition facts aren't simply multiplied by 5 is that there isn't EXACTLY 1g of fiber or 0 calories from fat. There's a little more but because of labeling laws they can say "0" when there's actually only about 2 calories per cup. 

In any case, the more popcorn you eat, the more fiber you get and lets be honest, popcorn is more fun than celery! *These recipes are 9th grader approved!!* (I got these from the teacher I did my student teacher under, Megan Cranmer)

Power Munch Popcorn

4 c. popped popcorn

½ c. tiny pretzels

1 c. unsweetened cereal

½ c. croutons

¼ c. dry roasted peanuts

1 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. worchestersire

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. onion powder

Preheat oven to 300*F. 

Mix popcorn, cereal, croutons, peanuts; toss well.

In a small bowl mix butter, worcestershire sauce, and powdered flavorings.

Pour over popcorn mix.  Toss and spread evenly on a cookie sheet.

Bake 15 min, stirring once halfway through.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

 

2 qt (8 c) popped popcorn

½ c. sugar

½ c. light corn syrup

½ c. peanut butter

½ tsp. vanilla extract

•In a large bowl, put in popcorn.

•Put peanut butter and vanilla in a separate bowl.

•Put sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan.

•Bring sugar and corn syrup to rolling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

•Remove from heat.

•Stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract.

•Pour over popcorn and stir quickly to coat.

Popcorn Haystacks

1 qt. (4 c.) popped popcorn

1 c. peanuts

1 c. Chow Mein noodles

1 c. mini marshmallows

1 c. chocolate chips

Toss popcorn, peanuts, and noodles together in large bowl; Set aside.

Place chocolate chips in microwavable bowl.

Microwave for 3 minutes (stirring after every min!).

Pour over popcorn mixture. Toss until well mixed.

Place spoonful of the tossed mixture onto wax paper. Cool until firm.

Snickerdoodle Chex® Mix  

¼ c. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 c. Chex® cereal

2 c. Chocolate Chex® cereal

4 c. popped popcorn

¼ c. margarine

1.In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

2.In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals and popcorn. 

3.In 1-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 sec. or until melted. 

4.Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. 

5.Microwave uncovered on High 2 min., stirring after 1 min. 

6.Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture evenly over cereal mixture; stir. 

7.Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture; stir. 

8.Microwave 1 min. longer. 

9.Spread on waxed paper or paper towels to cool.  

 

Pregnant? Or Want to Be? *Pre-Pregnancy Nutrition

I was just talking to a pregnant friend of mine. She hasn't told anyone else she's pregnant, she just needed some advice and since I'd been through it all and I live nowhere near anyone she knows (so I can't spill the beans) I was a good candidate. 

It can be scary and intimidating to be pregnant and you might not want to tell anyone yet but have no idea what you're supposed to do. And since those "Baby Your Baby" commercials don't play anymore, a lot of people don't know when to go to a doctor. Or what to expect at the doctor. Or even how to find a doctor. 

So I thought I'd go through basic "need to know" pregnancy tips. This post will cover pre-pregnancy nutrition. 

Pre-Pregnancy:

Nutrition
(I am not a doctor or a registered dietitian. Everything I have written here are general guidelines and may not apply to everyone. If you have special circumstances please talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian. You can find an RD here: http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdfinder/)

So you want to get pregnant. Congratulations! It's a scary decision, but so fun at the same time! First things first, if you want to get pregnant, you need to be healthy. Both of you. The absolute best way to get nutrition is through food. Yes you can and should take a multivitamin but please PLEASE eat a healthy diet. Here are some really easy guidelines of how to eat well:

60% of your calories should be carbohydrates. Yes, 60%, as in MORE THAN HALF. Carbs aren't bad, I'm not sure where they get their bad rap but carbs=energy and if you want a baby you need a LOT of it! Also, your brain runs off of glucose and guess what the easiest source of glucose is? You guessed it, carbohydrates. So a little more than half of everything you eat in a week should be carbs. Carbs are bread, pasta, cereal, and fruits even count because of their sugar content. Also candy is a carb. Eat up! 

My one stipulation to eating carbohydrates is you need to make half of the grains you eat whole. Oatmeal cookie anyone? If you do your own cooking, add half wheat to anything you would normally use white flour in. You can buy already ground wheat in the grocery store but keep it in the freezer because the oils will go rancid very quickly. If you grind your own, which is much more cost effective, freeze that too. (Wheat is cheap and you can get decent hand mills for a really good price. You can't really put a price on health, can you?) I've made German pancakes with half white and half wheat- tasted the same. I even thicken my soups and sauces with hand milled whole wheat instead of white. Buy whole wheat pasta, bread, and brown rice, if you like it. Don't buy anything you won't eat. But if you've never given it a chance, try it a few times. It takes children up to 12 times trying something before they like it. But if you've tried it and you just don't like it, fine. Don't eat it. I don't like brown rice. I eat lots and lots of white rice. But I eat whole wheat bread to make up for it. 

Some grains to enjoy: Amaranth, Barley, Bulgur wheat (cracked wheat), Corn, Durum wheat, Flaxseed, Fonio, Kamut, Millet, Oats, Popcorn, Rice, Rye, Semolina wheat, Sorghum, Spelt, Teff, Triticale, Wheat, Wild rice, Quinoa 

Please note that popcorn is a grain. That stuff is seriously SO good for you. I'll put up some delicious popcorn recipes. If you like popcorn, I recommend buying an air popper. I lived off this stuff while I was pregnant and teaching. Refer to this site for info on some of the unfamiliar grains: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whole-grains-a-to-z

Nutrition is all about balance over time. It's ok if one meal or even one day is full of white flour, just be sure to balance it out throughout the week. 

Next up, fruits and vegetables. Half your plate should be filled with these! If the only way you can stand broccoli is covered in cheese sauce, PERFECT! Cover it in cheese sauce! Nutrition doesn't cancel out. You still get the benefits of broccoli. And eating broccoli with cheese sauce is better for you than not eating it all. My favorite way to eat most vegetables is steamed or blanched (put in boiling water until almost cooked) then sauteed in canola oil and Real Salt or Vegetable salt (regular salt is fine too, I just prefer the flavor of the others). Obviously fresh fruits and vegetables are best. But frozen, canned, and dried are still wonderful!! Really, there is so much flavor in a well prepared fruit/vegetable, it's sad that so many people don't like a lot of them. If you want tips on how to prepare certain foods, comment and I'll put up a post for you!!

Next up, dairy!! Milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. No really, ice cream. In high school I compared the nutrition facts of a Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter granola bar to those of an ice cream sandwich. They were almost exactly identical. Did I eat another granola bar after that? You better believe I didn't! Ice cream is great. Make a milk shake: frozen strawberries, some ice cream, and some milk.... a wonderful, delicious, and nutritious snack! Dairy is SO important!!! Girls, your baby steals your calcium before your bones even get a look at it. It's not uncommon for women's teeth to fall out during pregnancy if they are deficient in calcium. Because of a variety of other factors, women are more prone to osteoporosis (break down of bone). I won't get into that right now, but trust me, you need calcium! But dairy is so much more than calcium. You get a lot of protein and good fats from it. There is nothing wrong with drinking 2% by the way. 

A good rule of thumb is to drink a glass of milk at each meal and drink water throughout the day. If you can't stand the flavor of milk go ahead and add chocolate or strawberry syrup. 

Meats and beans! More protein! More fiber! More iron! I don't have a soap box for this group, but eat them! Beans can be substituted in baked goods for the oil. Seriously, I make a mean black bean cupcake! When choosing meats, choose a lean cut and try to vary your meats: ground beef, chicken, pork, etc. Don't forget your fish too! Some fantastic oils are in those!

Multivitamins:
Alright.... here we go. Men, you need to be healthy to create healthy sperm. You really should get your nutrients from a healthy diet, but if you are finding that hard, a simple multivitamin will be fine. Unless you are seriously deficient in a particular substance and your doctor has tested and told you this, stay away from single nutrient vitamins. This can lead to toxicities. There IS such thing as too much of a good thing. Talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns. 

Women: there are a billion multivitamins. What's the difference between a prenatal and regular multi? It depends on the brand, but I'm seeing a trend in prenatals to be lacking in a lot of nutrients, probably to avoid toxicities for you and the baby. To be honest it doesn't really matter what you choose. There are 2 things you want to look for: Folate (or folic acid) and Vitamin A (from beta carotene). You want to make sure you are getting enough folate. And if the scene from Baby Mama where she has to swallow a folate pill the size of a cookie scares you, just realize that most people don't take a separate folate pill. It's in most multis and at the point in her pregnancy in the movie it wouldn't have been effective. You need folate before you even know you are pregnant. Luckily for us, most cereals are fortified with it. If you don't have enough folate your baby is far more likely to have spina bifida. That is a birth defect where the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. Scary. But don't be scared, just eat your grains and take your vitamin with it. Next, it doesn't matter what type of multivitamin you take but make sure the vitamin A comes from beta carotene.  This is an inactive form of the vitamin. If your body needs it, it activates it and uses it. If it doesn't need it, it gets rid of it. If the vitamin is coming from retinol, it's already activated and you can have vitamin A toxicity. It can cause serious birth defects. Any vitamin A you get from food will only be used if needed.  

Something you may notice about a prenatal is that it's high in iron but low in calcium. That's because calcium actually blocks the absorption of iron. It's best to take the multi with a meal or snack that is low in calcium. However, if you have a bowl of cereal every morning and can't remember to take your vitamin another part of the day, take it with your cereal, you will be fine.

A word about iron: you need it. Lots of it, and so does your baby. Here is a list of iron rich foods. Obviously red meat is a good source but I know that can be hard to stomach during pregnancy. 

• Beef
• Lamb
• Ham
• Turkey
• Chicken
• Veal
• Pork
• Eggs (any style)
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes
• Peas
• Broccoli
• String beans
• Beet greens
• Collards
• Kale
• Chard

So basically, meats and dark leafy green vegetables. A spinach salad with chopped chicken topped with berries and your favorite dressing... delicious!

What nutrition questions do you have? When you're pregnant your nutritional needs do change but I will cover that in another post.