Spooky Healthy Halloween Treat

At preschool yesterday we decorated Halloween cupcakes and I thought to myself that every holiday people just pack down tons of sugar! So, I wanted to blog today about a recipe for a healthy version of Halloween treats that kids will love and parents will love too. This Halloween treat is a fast, simple, cheap, and tasty treat!

The following recipe calls for the following:

1. Your favorite Halloween cookie cutters
2. Any three melons you choose
3. Blueberries
4. Your choice flavored yogurt as a dip

To begin, use a potato peeler to skin the melons. Next cut the melons into round slices so you can cut into them with the cookie cutters. Unlike the melons though, the pineapple needs to have its skin cut and its top chopped off. Just like the melons, cut the pineapple into round slices. After each of the melons and the pineapple is cut into round slices you can begin to cut out the Halloween shapes. Save the extra fruit for later. After all of the Halloween shapes have been cut out put them on a seperate place and place them into the freezer for about 20 minutes. All most done... Take the excess fruit and chop them into bite sized pieces. Place all of these bite sized pieces into your serving bowl. Place your flavored yogurt into a seperate small sizezd serving bowl. Take out your frozen Halloween shaped fruit and place them on top of the bite sized fruit pieces. Last top it with as many blueberries as you choose. Enjoy!

Here's My Hot Mommy!

My name is Adriana Posadas and I am an Orange county mommy whose blogging is, of course, inspired by my beautiful son Ryu who is 20 months now. I have always been into fitness; in fact, my husband and I are so passionate about health that we decided to open up a gym in the OC and help families here lead healthier lifestyles! My family and I enjoy everything from martial arts to weight lifting, running, swimming, rock climbing…. I was even a contestant on NBC’s, American Gladiators!

After the birth of my son, I experienced something I had NEVER experienced in my life. I was overweight and I had to face the facts and make a healthy change. I figured if I was going to get back in shape my little guy would be the inspiration I needed to do it! Every day my son and I spend quality time together doing some kind of exercise and we have a great time doing it! Because of this, I get so many shocked mommies at the park asking me how old my son is and that they can’t believe the coordination and strength he has. The idea light didn’t go on though until my son Ryu and I joined a mommy and me preschool class and there were other toddlers his age there. I saw other 20 month olds struggle to do what he did in a breeze- Ryu was jumping, climbing, running, throwing balls into the basket, and even doing a wheel barrel maneuver! This is why I decided to begin my blog. I wanted to share my story and my passions with other mommies and discover and share with them ways to make being healthy fun. If my mommies get
“H-O-T” in the process, then so be it!

Own a Pet

This is Ryu and Po (we named our dog Po from the movie Kung Fu Panda since he is all black with some white patches- he basically looks as if he could be a little panda bear!) at the park yesterday.

 We rescued Po when he was just 6 weeks old from an owner who obviously did not care for the well being of the 6 little puppies in Po's litter. When we rescued Po he was so dirty you couldn't tell his paws were white, he had mange, worms, you name it. It was a miracle he survived and is as healthy as he is today!!!

My son and Po have created a strong bond... Ryu doesn't want to go anywhere without Po and visa versa. The greatest thing though is that I have seen a change in my son. I have to be honest, my son is a VERY active and tough 19 month old but with Po I have begun to see a more gentle and soft side of him. Ryu loves to feed him, pet him, walk him, snuggle with him, and play chase. These two have become best buddies. I believe that it is important for a child to experience having a pet (as long as the parent is comitted to putting time into the pet to make it a positive experience) because it helps shape them into a better little human being. It teaches them to care for another living thing, to know boundries, helps to create responsibilities, and to connect with nature. In an article I read from The Amercian Academy of Child and Adolescent Phychiatry, the benefits of pet ownership are clear:

Children raised with pets show many benefits.  Developing positive feelings about pets can contribute to a child's self-esteem and self-confidence.  Positive relationships with pets can aid in the development of trusting relationships with others.  A good relationship with a pet can also help in developing non-verbal communication, compassion, and empathy.  Pets can serve different purposes for children:

• They can be safe recipients of secrets and private thoughts--children often talk to their pets, like they do their stuffed animals.
• They provide lessons about life; reproduction, birth, illnesses, accidents, death, and bereavement.
• They can help develop responsible behavior in the children who care for them.
• They provide a connection to nature.
• They can teach respect for other living things.

Other physical and emotional needs fulfilled by pet ownership include:

• Physical activity
• Comfort contact
• Love, loyalty, and affection
• Experience with loss if a pet is lost or dies.

Own a pet and your child will become a better person

Sharing is Caring!

Sharing has been a staple of friendship for centuries! The reason being is that I think in general it gives people that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Let's be honest though, not all of us like to share absolutely everything we have with each other! So then how on earth do you get a toddler to share? Well, my son is now a sharing caring machine but it took a little time to teach him. For example, we were at the park as usual... kids running everywhere, my son ecstatic to have the company of other toddlers since his brothers are alot older than he is, and wood chips galore! However, today at the park a boy approached me and my son and asked if we could buy some of his chocolate to help send him to science camp this year. Of course I get suckered into it since 1) I believe kids are our future and 2)Education is priority!!! But the most fascinating part of it all was that without hesitation, my son took his dollar out of his pocket - probably helped that chocolate was an incentive but you seriously have to see him with his money!!! It's as if these measely pieces of paper were all of a sudden turned into gold in his eyes! These are some of the following things I do to help encourage and teach my son to share with others:
1) The Golden Rule- Lead by example.
 Generally, children follow the examples which are surrounded by them. Ever heard the phrase, " you act just like your Dad" ?
2) Encourage your child to share every opportunity you get with you or with others
3) Reward your child every time he does a good deed such as spontaneously sharing with others without having been asked to do so.
4) Make sharing fun! You can play games and sing songs (You can gear these toward age appropriate levels)
These tips helped me so much in teaching  my son how to share and if you put them to the test and practice these tips regularly with your child you will soon see a huge change in your little one's ability to be a sharing caring machine too!