Peep This!

I have never really liked Peeps, they kind of scare me. But, there is something alluring about them, I think its the colors. I decided to see if I could find a way to make a Peep better tasting. I went to the official Peep website, where they actually had a few recipes to try. Here is the only one that appealed to me. Although quite sweet, these are damn good.

Chocolate Covered Peep:

Ingredients:

-Peeps

-Ghirardelli chocolate

-Coconut, nuts, or sprinkles

Directions:

-Put your Peeps on a stick, and set out what you want to roll them in

-Place chocolate in a double boiler and melt

-Dip Peeps in chocolate ( do this quickly or Peeps will start to melt)

-Roll in coconut

-Put in freezer for at least 30 minutes

Enjoy!

Faulty Genes

Mental Health Monday 

I recently finished reading “An Unquiet Mind”, by Kay Redfield Jamison. It is a memoir of her experiences with her own manic depression. It is a very insightful book into the life of a bipolar person. At the end of the book she asks herself if she could choose to have bipolar disorder, would she. Her answer is yes, she feels it has allowed her things she would not have otherwise experienced.

After I read that, I closed the book and I asked myself the same question. My immediate answer was, “I would not wish bipolar disorder on my worst enemy.” Then I thought some more, and I realized my sons, who I love with all of my being, may have inherited this disease. Alone with my thoughts,  I sat there and I cried. What if one of them has it? What if I gave it to them? What have I done?

Being bipolar is not completely awful, I feel I am a much more creative person because of it. However, it has put limitations on me and my life, limitations that I detest, limitations I would never want my children to experience. The chance of my boys inheriting bipolar is roughly 15-30% , depending on who you ask.

I have always wanted to be a Mom. I have failed miserably at many things in my life. Being a Mom is one thing I knew I would be great at, and I am. It never even occurred to me to not have children, because of my bipolar, ……perhaps it should of.

I now worry about them being bipolar more then I should. When my oldest acts too sensitive, or gets upset easily,  I get a little pang in my stomach and I think to myself “Oh no, he is bipolar.” I don’t even know how I would live with the magnitude of one of them being bipolar. Would I, could I, ever forgive myself?

My question to you, is if you knew you had faulty genes, and that your children stand a chance to inherit a disease, would you still have children?

Update to previous post

 

I am at the grocery store, I turn the aisle and what do I see? A display of Thumbelina Barbies ……. at the grocery store! I am a big believer in signs and omens. So maybe it means I should try and have another baby, (and it would be a girl) or maybe its a fluke. So what did I do? I bought myself a Thumbelina Barbie.

The Barbie will have to satisfy me until I make that huge decision.

PMS and Mattel are going to get me pregnant

This month I went off of my birth control, to try to get my period in sync with the birth control. I was having 2 periods… I know TMI. Anyway I am PMSing right now, far worse then when I am on birth control.

Yesterday we went to Toys R Us to get my husband my son a Batman figure (the new craze in the house). I wandered off by myself and started looking at the girl toys. As I am reminiscing, I stumble upon these:

Thumbelina Barbies! As I am resisting the urge to rip open the package and take a whiff of that new Barbie doll smell, my eyes start to well up with tears. I so desperately want a daughter (welling up again as I write this). I see the joy my husband gets when he gets to relive his childhood through our boys. I want to be able to experience that as well, my uterus just aches when I look at Barbies and pink baby clothes.

We get in the car and I tell my husband (who really wants another child). His first reaction is “lets have another baby”! My PMSing self starts tossing the figures around in my head. I have been adamant that I am done having children. Pregnancy is very hard on me, due to the lack of meds combined with all of the hormones. But here I find my self seriously considering another baby, all because of a Thumbelina Barbie (thanks Mattel). I know now is not the right time, and what if it was another boy ? I cried when I found out Ezra was a boy (sorry baby), can you imagine finding out you were having a third boy? My husband argues that the odds are in my favor, but are they?

Am I alone here? Any other mom’s with only boys, do you feel the same?

On a side note: I also started crying in the Walmart parking lot when I saw a couple my age with one of their mothers buying them groceries. I miss my family so much. Damn PMS!

Please read the update to this post here

Bubbles

 

We played with bubbles this week, I love bubbles!

 

 

 

 

This picture is out of focus, but I think its neat because you can see me in the reflection of the bubble.

Fun Fact Friday

 

During his entire life, Vincent Van Gogh sold exactly one painting, Red Vineyard at Arles.

Thought Provoking Thursday

 

 

What is your favorite movie from your childhood?

 

My answer: My brother and I watched The Gnome Mobile a lot, and the Goonies. Has anyone else seen The Gnome Mobile?

Your turn! Please leave your answer in the comments, or link up and ask this question or one of your own on your blog.

 

Spring In My Backyard

There are signs of spring all over the place in our yard, there really is no winter in FL, it goes from fall to spring:

The azalea bushes are in bloom.

So is the wisteria.

The creepy crawlies are out, including my personal favorite, the roach.

As is my nemesis, tree pollen.

  The weeds are overtaking the little grass we have.

There are wildflowers blooming in place of grass as well.

And the skies are blue, only about a month till the sweltering summer is here. Yipee!

April Fool’s “Cupcake”

 

April Fool’s Day is just around the corner. I don’t think this would “fool” an older child, but it did fool my 4 year old. When he found out it was an apple, he wanted nothing to do with it, he did like the frosting though.

For the apple:

Cut off the top of the apple, and remove the core, fill the hole with a healthier treat, like peanuts or raisins.

For the frosting:

Mix together one jar of Marshmallow Fluff with one brick of cream cheese. Pipe it on top of the apple, decorate with sprinkles and enjoy!

For a variation you could also do a peanut butter frosting.

Trichotillomania…….bet you can’t say that five times fast.

Mental Health Monday

 

Trichotillomania (trick-o-til-o-MAY-nee-ah) is a impulse control disorder that causes people to pull out the hair from their scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, pubic area, underarms, beard, chest, legs or other parts of the body, resulting in noticeable bald patches.

For some, trichotillomania is mild and generally manageable. For others, the urge to pull hair is overwhelming, and  all thought consuming. It provides many with a sense of relief.

The exact cause of trichotillomania is not know, they believe it is a combination of genes and faulty neurotransmitters.

Trichotillomania usually develops during adolescence around the age of twelve, often after a stressful event. You are more prone to it if you are a woman, depressed, have OCD, or severe anxiety.

People with trichotillomania often have patchy bald spots on their heads or other areas,  sparse or missing eyelashes or eyebrows, they may play with the pulled out hair by rubbing it across their faces. They may also chew or eat their hair. Eating of hair is called trichophagia. In extreme case it leads to“Rapunzel Syndrome” it can lead to giant hairballs in your stomach. They can cause weight loss, digestive pain, and even death in severe cases. Here is a picture of a hairball removed from a woman's stomach.

Trichotillomania can be treated through medications and therapy, although it is not always successful.

To learn more: http://www.trich.org/index.html

Ecostore USA Giveaway Winner

 

Is Lady Christie from a Sassy Mommas Chatter. Random generator does pick number one! Please send me your info. Thanks everyone who entered, stay tuned for another giveaway next week!

Ultimate Blog Party 2009

I am a newbie to all of these blog parties if you are too, you can learn about it here. The Ultimate Blog Party is being thrown by 5 Minutes for Mom, and it lasts for a week, so its never too late to join in. They are giving away a ton of prizes!

Welcome to Manic Mother! My name is Beth,  I am a stay at home mom to two naughty, relentless, little boys (think Denace the Menace).

Rowan is 4, and loves to test me daily, but he’s a Mama’s boy, who can always make me smile (or want a stiff drink).

 

 

Ezra is about to be 2. He is a sweet, silly, baby, who just wants to make people laugh. He is however, crossing over into the dark side quickly, as 2 comes upon us.

 

I have an amazing husband who works hard to support us. I love him dearly, he is an awesome Daddy to my two little guys.

I am a Martha Stewart wannabe. I love to bake, craft, cook, and garden (even w/ my black thumb). I have spent most of my working life in the childcare profession. I enjoy planning activities to keep us all busy. You can see some kids activities here and here.

I also am bipolar, and I try to educate people about my illness, mental illnesses are greatly misunderstood, and wrongfully stereo-typed, I hope to spread a little knowledge on the subject.

I blog about all of the above, I also have giveaways. Click here to enter my current one.

Thanks for stopping by y’all!

 

My top prize choices are:

$100 GC to Home Goods

$130 Sponsor spot on Tip Junkie

$50 GC to Target from Beginner Baby Blog

or: 21, 22, 26, 52, 88, 91, 123, INTL20, INTL56, INTL 57, INTL 61, USC15, USC45

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

 

In case you haven’t caught on, I am slightly obsessed with baking. I love to bake with fruit that is in season. Right now there are Plant City strawberries everywhere…they are so good. There is also fresh rhubarb for sale, at least in FL there is (if you can’t find fresh rhubarb they sell it frozen, just thaw it completely before use). Fruit desserts are my favorite, I especially love any fruit crisp. Not the prettiest dessert, but oh my this is so good. I found this recipe and changed it up some.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1.5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1-3/4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1-3/4 cups diced rhubarb
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix white sugar, 1 .5  tablespoons flour, cornstarch, strawberries, and rhubarb. Place the mixture in a 8x8 inch baking dish. (Double recipe for 9x13 pan)
3. Mix remaining flour, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and oats until crumbly. You may want to use a pastry blender for this. Crumble on top of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture.
4. Bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and lightly browned.

This is best right out of the oven topped with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream. Enjoy!

Fun Fact Friday

 

“You can send a postcard from Hell. There is a small town located in the Cayman Islands called "Hell." They even have a post office.”

Thought Provoking Thursday

“If you could visit only one more place in the world that you have never been, where would you go for this voyage?”

My Answer: I would go to Africa and see Mt. Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls, Mountain Gorillas, and African Elephants.

Your turn! Leave your answer in the comments or link up with Mr. Linky, and do “Thought Provoking Thursday” on your blog, ask this question, or one of your own.

Easter Basket Swap

As mothers we spend so much time making holidays special for everyone else, I thought it would be nice to give each other an Easter basket, I know I have not had one in years! I have had enough people say they would like to do an Easter swap so here is the info. and rules:

- Spend no more then $20.00 (not including shipping)

- Send out your basket by April 6th

- This is an Easter basket for the mom, so include things you yourself would like to receive. (It doesn’t have to be in an actual basket.)

- Send me your full name and address to manicmotherme@gmail.com by this Saturday.

- I will randomly pick a mom for you to send a basket to, and send you their info. by Monday the 23rd, giving you 2 weeks to get your basket sent out.

Here is the names I have so far of people participating:

Momma Bear, Tara, Kati , WishTrish, Tonya, Laura, Connie, NicEmMom, Kris, Jessica, and Jaynawrites.

If I forgot your name let me know, and if you want to join in just send me your info by Saturday, and I will add your name to the list. Thanks ladies, this will be fun!

Ecostore USA Review and Giveaway

 

When asked to review Ecostore USA’s products, I couldn’t say no. I love a company that strives to make the world more chemical free. I am by no means a “Green Mama”, but I know many women and mothers are. If money were not an object, I would eat only organic, and buy chemical free products all the time. Ecostore’s products are very reasonably priced, and they super concentrate their products, so a little goes a long way.

They make everything from household cleaners to shampoos. All of their products are made from plant- and mineral-based ingredients, and are free of toxic chemicals.

I used Ecostore’s Rosemary Orange shampoo and conditioner. I will admit, I was a little hesitant at first, because the consistency is not like chemical shampoos and conditioners. It actually did a great job. My hair is really oily, I wash it every day. The Rosemary Orange shampoo is formulated for people with fine, oily hair. My hair was less oily the next day then it is with my usual products. The best part though is the smell, it smells so good. The scent actually lingers in your hair for most of the day.

I also tried the Baby Body Wash. It also worked great, it lathered well and cleaned the kids. It has a fantastic smell, it smells kind of like fresh cut grass. A very earthy smell, which is a nice break from the baby powder or lavender scents, we are all used too.

If you are interested in reducing your carbon foot print on the world, I highly recommend you check out Ecostore USA.

Ecostore USA is so kind to offer up a $25.00 gift certificate to one of my lucky readers.

To enter: Please go check out Ecostore USA and tell me what you would spend your $25.00 on. Leave your answer in the comments. For extra entries you can:

- Become a follower

- Grab my button, and display it on your blog

- Write about this giveaway on your blog

- Add Manic Mother to your blog roll

- Tweet about the giveaway

Come back and comment again after doing any of the above.

I will choose a winner in 5 days with a random number generator.

Happy St. Patty’s Day Homies!

And the Winner Is……

Kris from JessKate Designs. Kris is a super creative, crafty mom. You should go check out her blog, she does some really cute things. Thanks for commenting , and being a follower Kris! I appreciate it.

Thanks everyone for commenting and following. More giveaways coming very shortly!

Last Chance to enter to win Martha Stewarts Cookie book

Today is the last day to enter to win a Martha Stewart's Cookie cookbook. Click here to enter Martha Stewart Cookies

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Mental Health Monday

If I did not treat my bipolar disorder, I would have a 20% chance of my life ending in suicide. 20% is a huge number, that’s roughly 1 in 5 people who have bipolar disorder that commit suicide. About 2.6% of the American population have bipolar disorder. Most people don’t view mental illnesses as life threatening, the reality is that they can be quite deadly.

Bipolar is a brain disorder that causes extreme shifts in a person’s mood and energy. Here are the symptoms of mania: (the fun stuff)

• Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
• Excessively “high,” overly good, euphoric mood
• Extreme irritability
• Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
• Distractibility, can’t concentrate well
• Little sleep needed
• Unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers
• Poor judgment
• Spending sprees
• A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
• Increased sexual drive
• Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
• Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
• Denial that anything is wrong

Symptoms of depression: (the not so fun stuff)

• Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
• Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being “slowed down”
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• Restlessness or irritability
• Sleeping too much, or can’t sleep
• Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
• Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
• Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

Something that most people are not aware of is that there are actually 5 types of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar I : involves episodes of severe mood swings, from mania to depression. Really high “highs”, not as low “lows”.

Bipolar II : is a milder form, involving milder episodes of hypomania that alternate with depression. Really low “lows”, not as high “highs”.  (this is what I have been diagnosed as)

Cyclothymic disorder: even milder mood changes.

Mixed Bipolar : there is both mania and depression at the same time.

Rapid Cycling Bipolar: is characterized by four or more mood episodes that occur within a 12-month period. Some people experience multiple episodes within a single week, or even within a single day. Rapid cycling tends to develop later in the course of illness.

For more information : NIMH

Grown Up Easter Bunny Swap Anyone?

I was wondering if I hosted an Easter Bunny Swap if anyone would participate? The premise is you get another bloggers name and address and send them some Easter goodies, I would figure all of this out for you. I know its been a really long time since I have had a visit from the Easter bunny, so I thought this would be fun. If you would be interested please leave me a comment, if I get enough response I will organize it.

Taste of Summer

The weather has been so beautiful in Florida this last week, mid 80’s with a slight breeze. While I am really enjoying it now, I know it means that there is only about one more month until the humidity is so thick you could cut it with a knife. I hate FL summers, you sweat in places you shouldn’t, your hair looks like crap, you have to “pre-cool” your car, and your stuck in the house because you fear heat exhaustion if you venture out.

However it is still nice now, so nice I let the boys run through the sprinkler.

Rowan loved it.

Ezra wasn’t so sure.

To all of you stuck in snow and mud, summer is coming I promise.

Go check out other people’s great photos here:

Fun Fact Friday

Some toothpastes and deodorants contain the same chemicals found in antifreeze.

Blog Makeover

Manic Mother got a new look . My dear husband made the header for me. Look at cartoon me….I even have on my blue cons! Thanks love, your the best.

My friend Staci at Blogging Bella Designs designed the layout and the navigation bar for me. She did an amazing job and had it done for me so quickly. I highly recommend her if you are looking for some blog design. You can see her blog here: Blogging Bella Designs

Thanks again!

Thought Provoking Thursday

“Do you believe in capital punishment? Would you be willing to execute a man sentenced to death by the courts if you were selected by lot to do so and he would go free if you refused?” Assume you know no details of the trial.”

Thank You Readers!

Yesterday I reached 100 followers on Manic Mother. I started this blog as a creative outlet for myself. I had no idea that there was even a mom blog world, I was not much of a blog reader. I now read a ton of blogs each day, and I am amazed at all of the wonderful women I have met. I have been fortunate to gain so many readers so quickly. I wanted to thank all of you who read Manic Mother, and those of you who are regular commenter’s.  If you comment regularly I have added you to my blog roll (if I missed someone, let me know).  Here are my top five commenter’s blogs : Momma Moe’s Blog, Erasing the Bored, One Anxious Mommy, Two Under Two, and Of Mice and Ramen. Thanks ladies you rock!

To show my appreciation I thought I would give something away. I am going to give away one copy of Martha Stewart’s Cookies book. Since I am always baking recipes from it, and it truly is one of my favorite cook books.

To enter please leave me a comment with your name and email address. You can get more entries by signing up to follow (if you aren’t already), grabbing my button and putting it on your blog, or adding Manic Mother to your blog roll. Just come back and comment to let me know you have done one of the following. If you already have my button or me on your blog roll let me know as well. I will use a random number generator to pick a winner in one week. Thanks again to all my readers!

Green Day

One week from today is St. Patrick’s Day. A fun way to celebrate is to make the day a “Green Day”. 

You can start the morning out with “Green Eggs and Ham”. Or if your kids don’t like eggs, you could add a drop of green food coloring to their oatmeal.

Dress your child in green clothes.

You can make green flowers (my son thought this was magic).

To make, buy some carnations or daisies add about a 3/4 tablespoon green food coloring to your vases water, and in the morning they will be green. If your kids are older you can also tie in a lesson on osmosis.

You can paint with green paint, or play with green playdoh.

After painting you can serve green milk and green cookies.

And read your favorite “green” book at bedtime.