I live in a SAHM mecca.
Now, the following statistics are totally fabricated by me, based on my own observation and no empirical evidence, but I think they are probably pretty close to at least 50% accurate.
I'd say that I live in a neighborhood made up almost entirely of families with one or more children, let's say 90%. And of those families, I venture to guess that about 60% of the moms stay home during the day.
Point is, right here in my very own backyard there are a wealth of opinionated, highly informed, willing to
For a dumb mom like myself, trips to the neighborhood park can be a mixture of fear and excitement. I've learned to leave the pop tarts and Doritos at the house for fear of being permanently ostracized. My dudes are also instructed on basic playground etiquette upon exiting the house (ie no calling each other idiot, no peeing by the slide, and no excessive video game references). They are expressly forbidden to act on any of their whims, ideas, or impulses and are required to refrain from any and all of the questionable behaviors that are sometimes overlooked at home.
But, the neighborhood park (and fellow mom blogs) can also be an opportunity for me to gather valuable tips and tricks from other moms who are obviously more on top of certain things than I am.
Like health, for example.
I have struggled to stay fit and healthy since the birth of #1. Let me rephrase that. Since having #1 I have been a wiggly, jiggly, mess of a woman who has been self diagnosed as a sweet food addict. I have tried numerous times to overhaul myself, and am currently in the midst of doing it again.
I am also attempting to go a step further than hiding all of the salty and sweetness I allow my dudes to indulge in by actually eliminating (or subbing) some of the more icky selections from their diet.
Apparently, peanut butter is one of the ickiest.
Who knew? I ate PB&J every single day of 1986. No big deal.
And, the dudes all love PB&J sandwiches. They are a lunchtime staple around here.
Word on the street, though, is that the hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup (and maybe other crap I don't know about) that make the stuff so yummy, is also what makes the stuff so crummy, health wise.
Went to the store last night and the dudes will now be enjoying their favorite lunchtime entree with a smattering of Nature's Promise Cashew Butter.
I wanted to buy some other fancy kinda almond butter, but that crap was like $10! So, we went with the $5 cashew butter instead. And, it looks okay. It's probably got some hidden ingredients that will make them sprout wings and fly (which would be awesome), but my knowledge base is pretty small and I figure, it's a start, right? Maybe one day I will be one of those Jon&Kate types that buys all organic and lives a natural artificial flavor-free life. But, today is so not that day. Today, I am starting to make better choices for me and the dudes.
Really, I just hope no one gags 'cause if they do I may be featuring my first giveaway: newly opened and barely used cashew butter. Yum!
11 comments:
This made me laugh hysterically. Isn't funny the lengths we go to as mothers to try not to look like a bad mom?! Geez. Doritios didn't kill anyone...well...moderation is key, but that's another story. You should've seen the look I got at a park for feeding my kid french fries at a year old!
I gave up trying to get my daughter to say the right things at the park. It was all over when I was stuck in the sandbox listening to some moms go on about how they kids had still never watched TV when my daughter started belting out, "Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-Dora."
Pass the doritos, please.
Should have seen the horror when my three year old ran into the mommy/play group I was hosting wearing a holster, a cowboy hat, and a colt 45. Some kids actually cried b/c they thought the gun was real! Seriously, he's playing cowboy, folks. I was not invited to host (or now that I think of it, even attend) again.
You poor woman! Where do you live? I always want to yell to people "Moderation!" Anyways, if the cashew butter doesn't work out, I think Jiff makes a peanut butter that's got three or four ingredints. It tastes great.
I've tried the organic and natural peanut butter, but it wasn't a hit in my household. Really, it was just my husband complaining how he didn't like how it had all that oil sitting on top of the jar, how we had to keep it in the fridge so it was always hard and cold instead of creamy and spreadable, yadda yadda. So I gave up. We're not in transfat heaven with PB
I say, eat more fruits and veggies and let the rest of it ride. I don't think the playgroup mommies (mostly!) live by their own rules.
And here's another thought... we have a friend whose daughter is crazed/demented/obsessed with anything unhealthy. I'd rather let than have some of the yuck than be obsessed with it.
regular pb is to good to give up. although cashew butter sound yummy!
I haven't tried cashew butter.......I have tried to use almond butter but my kids do NOT like it at all. Thanks for the suggestion and the great post! :)
The park is like going to an effin prom all over again. Too many women too done up with way too much competition.
I always fail..
I go with my worse sweats on, toting my bogger nosed kids with makeup running down my face.
It's just a forewarning to the other snooty moms to leave me the eff alone...I'm crazy !!
Hmm, I should try that.
We currently have the "real" peanut butter in the cupboards but I also need to watch what I eat.
I did try Organic Peanut Butter but it had a strange aftertaste...
I just read your paragraph on basic playground etiquette. Sounds like your dudes and my dudes would get along JUST fine. Boy do I have the stories to tell YOU...
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