Harry Potter Book 7 "Deathly Hallows"

Harry Potter Book 7 'Deathly Hallows'

rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finally finished Harry Potter book 7 "Deathly Hallows" (I was reading a few other books in between)

This book was a lot darker then the others so I wouldn't recommend it for younger readers. This book brought me to tears on more then one occasion. Book 7 had heroism, bravery, sacrifice, friendship, quick wit, and love.

What a beautiful end to a wonderful series I'm sure I will read again and again.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Fat Free Chocolate Cake???

Yes its true!!! I have poured over the ENTIRE internet to bring to you this awesome LOW-CALORIE cake recipe!

Yes that is a TINY peice missing in that corner. I had to taste it!

How is this possible you ask? I will tell you, all you need is the following:

Pillsbury® Moist Supreme® Reduced Sugar Cake. I used Devil's Food..YUM


Fat-Free/Sugar Free Instant Pudding. For the "icing". I used Chocolate Fudge...Ooooo


2 Cups of cold Skim Milk for the pudding.

And now for the Secret ingrediant:

12 oz (1 can) of your favorite diet soda. If you are making a yellow cake use a clear soda. If you are making a chocolate cake you can use a dark soda. In my case I used 12 oz of Coke ZERO.


So this is the scoop on this cake:


Combine the cake mix and the soda together. NOTHING ELSE! Bake for whatever time the box says to, for whatever size pan you use.


Mix the pudding with the milk and after the cake has cooled pour the pudding over the top and BLAMO!

LOW CALORIE CHOCOLATE CAKE!! Only 170 calories per slice. That's including the icing people!


Its sooo moist and yummy. You would never know it was low fat.

Bottle Review

When I was pregnant I had planned on breastfeeding my daughter. Between her having jaundice and other obstacles it didn't work out for us. I soon realized that in my stock of baby items I didn't have many bottles at the ready. So began my quest for the perfect bottle. So I present to you who may be interested:

A Year of Bottles in Review

Bottle Number 5 on the list: Soothie Slim Neck

I give it 2 stars

I bought a 3 pack of these bottles because I LOVED the regular soothie bottles so much and I needed some larger bottles for a plane trip I was going on. BIG MISTAKE.

I should have thoroughly tested these bottles before I went on a major trip with them. These bottles leak terribly. I had put premixed formula in these bottles and put them in my diaper bag. When I went to get the first one it was sticky all over the sides and I couldn't figure out where the leak was. It was a major mess and a major hassle.

The neck of the bottle is supposed to make it easier to grip, but in reality it makes it much harder. When the child gets old enough to grip their own bottle it is also very difficult for them as well.

The nipple on this bottle collapses after the baby has sucked on it for a period of time without releasing to give air into the bottle. I call this the "soda bottle effect"

Ill quickly explain the "soda bottle effect". The "soda bottle effect" is equivalent too an adult drinking from a 20 oz bottle of soda with their lips around the opening making a perfect seal, no air is allowed in or out and after a few huge gulps the plastic bottle begins to collapse on itself and the flow of soda is slowed.

There is probably a scientific term for that...but Ive been out of school a while now and I cant think of what it is....maybe its a vacuum seal? I dunno.. But YOU know what I am talking about.

The whole point is to prevent SBE so that baby does not get colic. BELIVE me you will pay any amount of money to prevent your kid from getting colic. Its hellish.

I digress. Now that we have SBE explained and out of the way I will continue.

The cap to the Soothe Slim neck is equally disappointing. It is very hard to take on and off especially when you only have one hand. You can also clearly see in the above picture how the cap is crappy. It dosent seal the top of the nipple...ughhh

Since this bottle has such a small neck it is also difficult to clean. The standard size bottle brush is too large to fit past the slim neck.

This bottle got 2 stars because it has few parts, as opposed to other bottles on this list. It also is not that expensive.

Bottle Number 4 on the list: Playtex VentAire WIDE

I give it 3 stars

In the picture shown we have 3 WIDE bottles and 3 STANDARD bottles. I have only used the WIDE bottles.

This bottles has a lot of pros and cons.

I like how it is angled so you don't have to tilt baby's head back to get the last bit of milk out of the bottle. I like the cute colors. The nipple design is very much like the breast and very comforting to a newborn. The nipple is also very sturdy. BUT I think this nipple is TOO sturdy. It isn't very soft.

The cap is also very secure and easy to attach.

I do not like how many stinking parts it has! When it is 2 am and you have a screaming infant this bottle can become your worst nightmare. It has 5 pieces people!!!!

You have the bottom cap, the vent, the bottle itself, the top ring, and finally the nipple.

The whole point of the vent is to prevent "SBE". It lets air release through the vent to keep down on the bubbles that get into baby's tummy. In theory this is an ingenious idea. But it isn't always practical.

I have set the bottle next to my night stand with just water inside (to keep it ready for nighttime feedings so I don't have to put ALL 5 PEICES TOGETHER in the middle of the night) when I woke up in the morning the nightstand would have a small water ring. The "vent" does let water out eventually.

One time I had accidentally left a VentAire bottle in the diaper bag and forgot it had formula still in it. We didn't go back out for a few days and when I discovered the old bottle it was moldy (eww). The vent had mildew stuck in the little holes. So it had to be thrown out. Playtex does sell vent replacements.

The price on this bottle is not outrageous.

Number 3 on the list: Gerber Premium bottle

I give it 3 stars

These bottles are better for an older child because when the SBE happens the nipple completely collapses. Not such a big deal for an older child, but could be a hassle for an infant. This is a straight to the point no bells and whistles bottle.

It has 3 parts: the bottle, the ring, the nipple. That's all there is folks.

I like how the bottle is shaped like a triangle, it makes it easy for baby to grip. The cap on this one is also very secure. I have NEVER had one single leak from this bottle.

This bottle is very inexpensive.

Number 2 on the list is: The Soothie bottle!

I give it 4 stars!

I love this bottle. The nipple design is sturdy and very easy to stick right into baby's tiny mouth. It only has 3 parts!

One of the best things about this bottle is the cap. It fits very snug on the top AND bottom of the bottle. So when you are sitting on the couch and you don't want to loose the cap in a couch crack it fits right on the bottom of the bottle.

I have never had a problem with the SBE on these bottles. They are super easy to clean. The wide design makes it easy for baby to grip. Natalie first held this bottle on her own when she was only 3 months old.

I wish I had the formula caps that fit on the bottom. That would have been so convenient.

And now for the cadillac of all bottles #1 on the list!!!!!

The Avent bottle system!!!!

These are the grandaddy super bottles! They get the max in stars 5 STARS!

This bottle only has 3 parts, which makes for very easy assembly. The cap is also very easy to attach and never leaks.

This bottle accomplishes the same effect the Playtex VentAire attempts to do, WITH LESS PARTS.

Direct from the website:

The only bottle clinically shown to reduce colic
The only anti-colic bottle that is easy to assemble and use
The only reusable bottle that shares the same naturally shaped nipple with a disposable nurser, so you can interchange both systems easily
The only bottle that integrates with an entire feeding system to give you flexible choices from birth and beyond

When it gets down to it, its really all about the nipple. The nipples on Avent bottles are super soft yet sturdy at the same time. What can I say? They are perfect.

The people at Phillips (the same people who make TVs) figured out how to make the best bottle.

I do have a few tiny things I dont like:

Sometimes if you dont thread the cap on correctly it will leak all over and you have to stop and fix it.

This bottle is very expensive. A pack of 3, 9 oz bottles costs about $15. But hey, its worth it and the company knows it.

This bottle is the only bottle system I have seen that sells nipples in 4 different stages.

0 months, 1 months, 3 months, 6 months.

I think this part is a scam. Natalie is 1 years old and she still uses 1 month nipples. We tried to bump up to 3 months and she was gagging it was so fast. The only way anyone could know this is by trial and error. Its an expensive trial and error because replacement nipples are over 4$ for just 2 nipples.

A small sidebar here. I loved the Avent bottles so much that I continued on to buy Avent sippy cups. They are no good. LEAKS everywhere. I prefer Playtex sippy cups.... Maybe Ill blog about sippy cups next.

So there you go people. You have the knowledge and the buying power. I hope this info gets to someone who needs it.

Mangos with Sticky Rice

Ben and I are always on the lookout for new Thai restaurants to try out. We just found this great little place in our town called the "Thai Pepper".

I was impressed with the food. It was really great. Since Ben liked it I knew it must be good because he is the Thai food expert.

I have been to many Thai restaurants since Ive been married to Ben but this was the first one that had "Mango with Sticky Rice" on the dessert menu. Usually you see fried bananas and things like that but this was different so I tried it.

IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! It had warm coconut milk poured over the whole dish. Yum yum yum. I vaguely remember Bens mom cooking us mangos with brown sticky rice (which I loved) So I am super excited we have a place in town that makes it!!!

I also got online to learn how to make it myself! But I doubt Ill ever find the time :(



Serves 2-4
1 cup Thai Sweet Rice (also called "sticky rice", available at Asian markets and grocery stores)
1 3/4 cups water
1 ripe mango, cut into bite-size pieces (look for mangos that are fragrant and easily bruised), or 1 pkg frozen mango
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. brown sugar (for a natural sweetener substitute maple syrup)
1 can good-quality coconut milk
1/4 tsp. + pinch of salt
2 tsp. coconut flavoring
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cornstarch or arrowroot powder dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water


Soak the sweet rice in 1 cup water for 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour.

When done soaking, add 3/4 cup (more) water plus 1/4 can coconut milk, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. coconut flavoring, and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Stir this into the rice, lifting any rice grains that have stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Gradually bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Turn the heat down to medium-low (2.5 to 3 on the dial).
Allow to cook for 10-20 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on tight, and leave to "steam" cook for 5-10 minutes. The heat within the rice pot will finish cooking the rice.
Make sauce and serve the dessert right away, or store the rice (covered) in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
To make the sauce, warm the rest of the can of coconut milk together with 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp. coconut flavoring and 1 tsp. vanilla flavoring over medium heat (5 minutes).
Add cornstarch or arrowroot powder (dissolved in the water) to the sauce and stir to thicken it slightly. As it thickens, turn down heat to low. When thickened, remove from heat (this should only take a couple of minutes). Tip: Try not to over-cook the sauce, or you will lose that wonderful coconut flavor.
Before serving, taste-test the sauce for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. If too sweet for your taste, add a little more coconut milk.

Pet Peeves

I have a few pet peeves. Things that just absolutely drive me up a wall.

1. I hate it when you are in the grocery store and you get behind someone who is in the same rhythm as you are. You end up following and bumping into this person the whole time you are in the store. I HATE waiting behind someone while they are in front of the thing I need to grab.

2. I hate picky eaters!!!!!! To all my freinds, family, and husband this dosent mean I don't love you any less this just means that I hate the way you eat! My husband wont eat anything mushy! My sister wont eat anything spicy! Ive got a cousin who used to order a cheeseburger with everything on it but then would take all the lettuce and tomato off it when she got it (you know who you are) she said she just liked the taste it left behind but didn't want to actually eat it. I used to know a guy who would go to taco bell and get a taco with no lettuce on it! Ben cant eat french fries without ketchup! He will refuse to eat them!!!!!! Ahhhh!!!

I wont eat onions on my burger (unless they are cooked onions) and I wont eat fishy tasting fish. BUT other then that I will eat just about anything.

3. People who are intolerant/racist against other peoples religion/beliefs. I have blogged about this before and I really don't want to go into it right now but I try to "Live and Let Live"

4. When my husband takes off his clothes or boots wherever he wants in the house and leaves them there for me to trip over. Many a fight has started that way.

6. I cant stand it when people don't take their cart back to the correct place at the store. How lazy are you that you can't walk to extra 10 feet to put the cart back?

7. I hate people who park their HUGE car half hanging into a second parking space. Grrrrr

I'm sure I will think of some more soon and add to this post.

Red Baby

It seems that Natalie figured out how to crawl overnight. We had the missionaries over to watch a movie and the whole time we are trying to pay attention Natalie is CRAWLING. Ben and I kept looking at each other silently asking each other.

"Did you see her do that?!"

So now I will be sitting on the computer and I will start to hear her little hands slapping the tile floor as she gets closer and closer. I guess its time for baby gates and child locks.

Which reminds me that she was fooling around with an electrical socket this morning.....crazy kid

We were in Atlanta this past weekend and everyone we met kept saying Natalie was "fat" or a "chunk" and my own personal favorite "healthy"

She is only 21 pounds people! I think the problem is she is short. She is still only 27 inches long and has been so since she was 7 months. Ive cursed my baby to be short and chunky like me. Poor thing.

As you may or may not have noticed Natalie loves to drag around her "red baby doll" grandma Marian got her. Well today in church a little 16 month old girl 'stole' Nat's red baby. I wasn't worried about it I was sure we would get it back but Natalie was not pleased. She is attached to that baby and was grumpy someone else was playing with it..... she has sharing issues.

Natalie's vocabulary:

Shoot

Dang

Da da

Daddy!

Doogie Doogie

Ba ba

Ooo we ooo

Hey Bub

Hey Daddy

and my own personal favorite is: Te te te te

That is what she says when she wants me. I try and say 'ma ma' or 'mommy' with her all the time but all I get is "Mmmm"

She also mumbles things she hears. Its like she is trying to repeat things it just comes out sounding like she is mumbling

We were at my good friend Danni's house the past few days and we had a really great time catching up with her and her girls. Natalie actually let Danni hold her for about 4 minutes. Ben and I didnt know what to do with each other for 4 whole minutes. Nat is very clingy when we are in new environments. She wont even let me put her down on the floor in new places. She is also very observant of everyone and everything......she studies everyone and everything. But when we got home she was back to chilling by herself on her mat, ignoring me.

I have no new pictures of her right now. I need to go get some old ones developed.

Why do I blog about all this baby stuff? Because I am terrible at writing in a baby book. I plan on printing all this stuff out and making her a scrapbook.