Kari’s Story of how she lost 100# by Glenda Propst

Today we are chatting with Kari Ewest.  Kari is a professional nanny in Minnesota who lost over 100#.
I think her story will inspire, challenge and motivate you, just as it has me.
Glenda

Here is Kari’s before picture:


When did you begin your weight loss journey?

I began my weight loss Journey 3 1/2 years ago.

Did something motivate you to do this? and if so what ?

I was in Memphis, visiting my father and was reading a magazine with articles about women losing half their weight in 2 years. My father is a bigger man and he was having health issues.

When you started on this journey did you know from the beginning that this time would be different? and if you did how?

At that moment, I knew I was going to do it. I vowed to lose 100 pounds in a year. I told everyone I knew that I was going to lose 100 pounds in a year. That helped make me accountable for my actions. I knew I had to change my eating habits and start exercising. I knew the only person who had control over my success was me.

How did you motivate yourself to exercise?

I started off slow 20 minutes at a time and just started to walk on the treadmill. I started at a low speed and gradually built up my time. Sometimes I would walk 2x a day.

Did you follow a specific plan or did you just watch what you ate?

I really had to re evaluate my eating habits. I gave up soda and started to drink just water. I gave up all the junk food, and tried to make wiser choices when eating. I was motivated the first year, because I had a goal to achieve. I knew I had to prove to myself I could do this. The weight started to drop at the rate of 1-2 pounds per week. The weight loss was slow and steady, but that is how you achieve and maintain long term weight loss.

Did you lose weight continuously?
I remember the first summer I hit a plateau  and the weight didn’t come off. I started to learn strength training. At one point I was getting frustrated because I was stuck. I knew I had to do this. I had something to prove. I was doing more cardio and strength training. Eventually the weight started to come off again.
After I lost my initial 100 pounds, I hit another plateau. At the time I was frustrated, but looking back I can see why it happened.In my mind, I was working out more, so I thought I should be able to eat a bit more right?Well that is not how it works. Everyone kept telling me to eat more frequently during the day to help increase my metabolism. But that isn’t how it exactly works.I had never counted a single calorie I ate. I have no idea how many calories I was eating in a day.I do know I was working out harder and harder, and nothing.

Did you ever get frustrated and quit?

I actually gave up at one point and said ok I will give my body a break and rest and when I start back the weight will come off again. That was in October. I stopped weighing myself.
In January I weighed in and I gained 25-30 pounds!! Yikes!!!!

I was mad at myself. I needed to get back to where I was.

I really started to workout hard but the weight wasn’t dropping.. I was getting smaller but the weight was still there. I couldn’t understand it!
My brother tried talking me into getting a Bodybugg… I wasn’t too keen on the idea. I didn’t want to have to count calories. I always said if I ever go on a “diet” I am not going to count calories. It has to be a way I can live with the rest of my life with. I looked them up on the internet. The Bodybugg was $200.00. It was a lot of money but I finally gave in and got one
I bought it in March and started using it on April 1.
I was a bit disappointed when I realized I had to start logging all my food. But I did it. When I kept track of how much I ate and knew how much I was burning. I started to lose the weight again. Again, I lost at a slow and steady rate of  1-2 pounds a week.

How long did it take you to lose the weight that time?

I lost 75# using the Bodybugg and it took me about 10 months. I knew how much I had to workout out or had to do to stay active according to what I ate. Some weeks were better than others. Some weeks I gained weight. I have no idea why and then it would drop. When your body is constantly changing it has to process things. The  fat percentage compared to weight is what is most important.There are a lot of variables in the numbers and sometimes we can not make any sense out of them so we have to stay focused on our success.

What keeps you motivated at this point?

I basically let the world know about my weight loss. Everyone knows who I am at the gym. I know I am under the “public eye” and I know I have people watching me all the time. That is both good and bad. I know if I gain all the weight back I don’t just fail myself. I fail everyone who has been there supporting me as well as everyone I have inspired to stay motivated.

I challenge myself. I set challenges for myself to complete. It’s amazing what I couldn’t do before that I can do now. I can run now, although I hate running. It is a  big motivation for me to tell everyone what I am trying to accomplish. It can be a big goal or small goal it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. I make the gym my social place. So I look forward to going there but you don’t have to belong to a gym to lose weight. When I first started I was too ashamed to go to the gym. But after the fact I realize I never had to be. Your biggest supporters can be found at the gym. I find activities I like to do. Working out doesn’t have to be something that is dreaded.

Can you give us some tips on the things that were most helpful to you on your weight loss journey?

  • If you are serious about wanting to lose weight. You have to want to do it for yourself.
  • Take one small step at a time.
  • Slow and steady is key.
  • Tackle one phase at a time.
  • Build a foundation.
  • Get out and move for 20 minutes a day
  • Make an appointment to be active at least 20 minutes a day and build from there.
  • Challenge yourself every week to go faster or farther or longer…you have to be able to push yourself.
  • 20 minutes a day can be your starting building block. Build from there.
  • If you absolutely hate and exercise… find something that you can do and that you enjoy.
  • Exercising doesn’t necessarily require plugging away on the treadmill or the eliptical or any another machine.
  • There are so many ways to be active and get the exercise one needs.

Now that you tackled the output of your calories you need to focus on the input.

Start a food diary or journal (check out www.fitday.com) and figure out how many calories you are taking in on average.

Eat like you would normally and find out how many calories you are eating.

Then take a look at your food log and see where you are eating the most and what alternatives could you make that would be healthier choices. Determine where and what are your weaknesses. Start by eliminating 300-500 calories a day.

Eat more fruits and vegetables and lean protein.

Eat smaller meals and eat about every 2-3 hours.

Let’s say you are allowed 1900 calories. Take that 1900 and divide it up equally into 6 meals so you know how much you can eat at each meal/snack.

There are metabolic rate calculators out there to help you figure out what you should be able to eat. To be honest I have personally never used one but you will have some idea how much you can eat in a day. Also drink lots and lots and lots and lots of water. Water is very important.

Here are some tips to keep you on track:

  • Find a friend or group of friends to work out with/ walk with.
  • Hold each other accountable. It doesn’t do any good if you find a work out buddy and neither one of you pushes one another.
  • If you have a bad day don’t dwell on it. Just move on.
    Who cares if you ate 2 pieces of cake at the birthday party you went to last night.
    Are you never ever going to eat cake again in your life?|We are all going to have bad days.
  • Instead of dwelling on bad days you need to move forward .You can reflect and see how you could have changed things. Think about what you would do differently next time and learn from the bad days.
  • Never ever ever ever ever give up! Even if the scale has been stuck or seems to be going in the wrong direction. You have no idea what changes your body is going through.
  • You may want to change your workout routine or reevaluate your eating pattern. But don’t give up…. EVER… Unfortunately it doesn’t take much time to undo something we put a lot of effort in. Not every method works for everyone so you need to find out what works best for you.
  • Are you challenging yourself??Challenge Yourself… Keep setting weekly goals and small challenges.
  • Reward Yourself: Every time you complete a challenge put money into a jar and treat yourself to a movie, pedicure, concert tickets, a play something you enjoy doing. Be honest with yourself. Always aim to do better every 2 weeks. If you could walk at 2.0 this week push it to 2.5 next week. But remember, at the same time find activities you enjoy doing.
  • Look at your calendar at the beginning of each week and schedule time to work out. Predetermine which 2 days of that week will be your recovery days. Recovery is just as important.
  • Change up your routine every few weeks… It’s good to confuse your body and breaks up the monotony. Strength training is very important. There are lots of videos on line to show you the different target areas and how to do them. You don’t need to belong to a gym. Sparkpeople.com is a good resource site. Hungrygirl is also a great one.
  • Always have workout clothes and shoes in your car and ready so you can workout any time. If you are like me once you get home from work you just want to sit on the couch then I am done for the night. If you are not disciplined enough to do it later don’t allow yourself to go home until you get your workout in. Sometimes the hardest part for me to get motivated is getting the shoes on and getting started. You need to find what works for you. Maybe early mornings are best instead of late evenings, just experiment and find out which one works best for you.
  • Allow your body rest days. Your body needs time to recover.
  • There are many ways during the day you can add physical activity to your day. Walking up and down all the aisles in a store, parking far away from the entrance. Boycott drive throughs, walking in and paying for gas. There are a lot of conveniences out there for us but all we don’t always realize that those conveniences have helped us become lazy.
  • Throw all the excuses out the window. If you want to lose weight you can do it. One just has to want it bad enough.

I know there are faster ways to lose large amounts of weight at a time but I want people to learn to enjoy “exercising” not dread it.

Here is what Kari looks like today.

Thanks Kari, it’s great to get such solid advice from someone who has walked the walk.

How about it readers? Can you think of one thing you can do today to start your journey to a healthier life?
As I was writing this article I realize that my issues with exercise stem from not being very athletic in my youth, being taunted in gym class by those who were, and P.E. teachers who treated the “athletically challenged” like they were invisible.

I loved Kari’s tips on “scheduling your work outs, and carrying your workout clothes in the car.

My challenge to myself is to walk on the treadmill at least 3 times a week.

How about you? Did this article motivate you to challenge yourself?
If so, share it with us!

Kari  lives in Rochester, MN. In September, she  will celebrate 10 years with her  current nanny family. She  graduated from Manakato  State witha BS in family life/child development. Kari taught preschool before becoming a nanny. She currently teaches preschool classes through community education in addition to being a nanny. Children have always been her passion.
She is also now working toward becoming a personal trainer.
Kari hopes to apply her training to help children become fit and learn to enjoy exercise and make it a big part of their routine in life.

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Creative Nanny Wednesday: The Reading Road Game

I have been focusing on reading this summer with the boys. Now we are not ready to learn to read (the boys are only 3) but I do have some goals for them. I created this game to accomplish those goals, while focusing on pre-reading skills:

  • Develop a love for books, reading and story time
  • Learn to respect and care for books
  • Follow an order of directions, as a game dictates
  • Discipline to sit and focus on a book, alone.
  • Recognition of all letters – capitol and lowercase.
  • Recognize that letters make up words, and words make up stories.
  • Transition into a “quiet time” in the afternoon.
  • Collaborate with other local nannies and children, encouraging a summer reading program.

I feel that this game can be used for children at different ages at the same time! Here is how to play:

The Reading Road Game

1. Create a game board
I chose to have 31 colored spaces to represent each day of July – our reading month. I put pictures of the “players” in the starting block, and the reward at the end. Our reward is an “Ice Cream Party” at TGIFridays with the CincyNanny group.

2. Prepare items

Along with the game board, you will need stickers to mark your journey on the road, a chair for  each child, a timer, and of course a supply of books. We got these lowercase letter stickers, since this is one of my focuses. Each child has their own color.

3. How to play
We have clean up time preceding our reading time and quiet time. While the boys clean up, I set out their colored bean bag chairs around the main floor of the house, each day a different location. When ready to begin, I tell the boys, “OK, it’s time to play the Reading Game! Go get 3 books and find your chair!” The boys race happily to get their books and then look for their chair. When all have found and sat down, I say…

“On your mark, get set, READ!”

I start the timer for 5 minutes. I always sit with a book myself to show that I like to read and model a still quiet, body, in a chair. (5 minutes is just enough time to read a Proverb). When the timer goes beep, they take their books back to the bookshelf and return to claim their stickers. I let them choose their letter and we all talk about what letter each boy choose. Each day we get one day closer to our Ice Cream Party!

4. Mix it up
I plan to do this again and change it up as the boys grow older. Maybe it will be 7 minutes, then 10. Eventually they will be reading and they can choose their own books and read by chapters. This could be something that you do once a week, or on Christmas vacation. Kids could go to different rooms to encourage a peaceful atmosphere as they are ready. Make the reward something fun to look forward to! The boys know TGIFridays as the place for “Greta’s party!” This is where they surprised me to tell me that I was the 2010 Nanny of the Year award recipient. Fun people, balloons, flowers, gifts, tearful reactions, and surprises (not to metion chocolate cake and ice cream!!) that night made a big impact on them. They have been requesting, “I go there? To Gedda’s party!?” every time we pass the restaurant. Think of an opportunity your children want to work towards and allow them to feel the success of non-immediate gratification!

Read more about “Encouraging a Love for Reading”.

Do you have any other ideas to incorporate? We would love to hear your ideas! Do you have an idea for a Creative Nanny Wednesday? Email glenda(at)regardingnannies(dot)com

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My Favorite Things – Summer Saviors

Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens…. OK, so I stole the title from one of my favorite nannies, who was really a governess. Oh, a nun too…but then a mother. Well, whatever she was, she was creative and fun. She was musical and honest. She was young and mature. I loved “The Sound of Music” as a child. I love this movie today! I respect Fraulein Maria and the ways that she cared for children. She lived her individuality and passions, and the children eventually couldn’t help but be swept into the joy of learning and playing with her. (By the way, did you know that you can take a bicycle tour in Salzburg Germany visiting the locations from the movie? I have to do that!)

I love to find great deals, fun treats, and practical tools for home, work, and play. They make me happy. They make me functional. And, well, they make me a little bit more me! I hope that this new series will inspire you!

My Favorite Things – Summer Saviors

Designer Diapers

I know these are ridiculous…. ridiculously awesome! Sure, they are not practical, but in the heat of summer, I love the idea of a 6 month old baby girl in a sundress and cute diaper! I am sure you have all seen the denim Huggies commercial, right? While I love to get great deals, I also enjoy a splurge here and there for things I love. When I have my own child, I will totally pick up a pack of  the Cynthia Rowley Pampers (26 diapers for $14.99), but I WILL make them last a whole summer!

Pool Trip Accessories

http://www.bestkidstowels.com/image002.jpgBesides being downright adorable, these animal towels are super functional. As my boys get out of the pool they shiver and want a snack. They throw on their animal towels and warm up instantly. In the towels they can eat, walk or do whatever without them falling off (an important factor for this nanny of triplets).

This outdoor, easy, portable blanket has been my best buy of the year! It is washable, durable, water-proof, functional and cute! It zips up, making it easy to carry. In addition to parks and picnics, I take this to the pool with us. I even wrote a whole post in honor of my “dream blanket“. This is a seasonal item, so pick one up now, or grab one next year. You will LOVE it!

Free Summer Fun

Long days. Kids home. Hot and humid… I am always looking for a cool, fun activity in the summer.  This summer, many theatres offered free movies, like Rave Motion Pictures with the “Free Family Film Festival”  every Tues. and Weds. for 8 weeks. While the deal is winding up, you may be able to catch the last movie this week! Another great offer is Kids Bowl Free. The offer gives each kid 2 free bowling games each day through the summer. Bowling centers, schools, and communities offer a safe, free option for kids and parents.

Fancy Fruit
In the summer, the produce department glows with delicious colors and smells. New fun options to add to snacks and meals for children are available. Sometimes the packaging is all that is needed to entice the kids. What is it about a stick that makes food so fun? Fruit kabobs require little planning or extra time! A cooler version that I cannot wait to try are these Fruit Cubes. Puree fruit and freeze in ice cube trays. Eat them solid or pop in lemonade, Sprite, or soda water! Yumm-o!

Toddler Techie

A mother writes about how the Apple iPad is a “near-miracle” in her son’s life! An inspirational story with technology to thanks! The videos have stayed with me. I loved Apple before, but this? Wow.

My son Leo’s life was transformed when a five-dollar raffle ticket turned into a brand-new iPad. I’m not exaggerating. Before the iPad, Leo’s autism made him dependent on others for entertainment, play, learning, and communication. With the iPad, Leo electrifies the air around him with independence and daily new skill.

Quick Fixes

The “Clean and Go” wipes are an all-time favorite product of mine. They are so convenient! This brand does not dry out or have a baby brand smell. I keep them in my Nanny-pack and in my car. You never know when you need a quick wipe. These clips are the best! With no springs to break, they last forever. A bag comes with mixed sizes – great to close up the giant 5 lb. bag of frozen french fries or a small bag of candy. They are worth the drive to Ikea – $2.99 for 30! Confession: I even threw them in Christmas presents last year!

Nice Nanny News

Last but not least, it has been great to see some positive stories of nannies in the news! First the story of Alyson Myatt who saved 5 year old, Aden, from a fire! Earlier this month there was an interview with Brooke Burke, who shared the characteristics of her nanny and the relationship they share. And just yesterday another great story from Vancouver of a nanny who performed CPR and saved a life. It is always great to hear the positive stories over the unfair portrayals of a nanny in movies. Way to go nannies! Keep it up.

Stay tuned for more of  ”My Favorite Things”! Next up Back to School…

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Nanny 101 – Communication

We are starting a new series!

Nanny 101 will bring basic information as a help to new nannies and a refresher for  seasoned nannies. The lessons shared can in no way be the whole-all of the subject, so please use it as a starting point for your study. Links are shared for more personal  research and homework assignments are available for the nannies that really feel they can benefit from making changes! So… let’s all take a seat, please listen carefully. There may be a pop quiz!

Nanny 101 – Communication

A professional nanny should strive to have open and direct communication with their employer. A nanny-family relationship is not the typical employee-employer relationship. Working in a home and falling in love with children can ease a nanny into a close-knit relationship with a family as a whole. It is definitely a challenge for a first time nanny to navigate the balance of a caring friend and a professional employee. A great nanny can do it.  It is essential for a nanny to regularly focus on effective communication in their position. Here are some brief lessons to review.

Lesson 1 – Start off on the right foot

As you began with a new family, it is important to set the foundation for the position you are accepting. Families and nannies should be honest about their child-rearing philosophies, financial expectancies, housekeeping, routines, discipline methods, etc. Nannies must take responsibility to share openly – who they are, their strengths, what they expect at this time and in the future. They should ask detailed questions up front and get everything in writing. A contract or work agreement is a solid document of communication and will clarify to all parties what has been set up.  Over time it is easy to forget expectations, but having this tool for reference is great!

Example:

Nanny Shirley has been working in a new job for 6 months. As the holidays approach, her family informs her that they will be vacationing in Colorado for 3 weeks and her services will not be needed. Nanny Shirley and her family have not set up an agreement in writing.  While she assumed that she will be paid while they travel, as it was in her last position, she comes to find out that the family has no intention to pay her for this time off. She finds this out after purchasing and giving holiday presents to friends and family.

To avoid this kind of problem, outline vacation time clearly in a work agreement. How many days does a nanny have off each year? How much notice should she give? What happens if family takes a vacation?  While this is only one example, you can see the possibilities are endless for the “I thought this, and you thought that” scenario.

While laying out a work agreement, a nanny should feel that she has a voice. It is so much easier to speak up early on about situations that she is not willing to compromise on. I once heard that a nanny said respectively to a family interviewing her, “I am a professional. I plan to work 52 weeks a year – with paid vacation, just as you expect at your professional job.” Nannies should be upfront about what they feel they deserve.

For the new nanny, you may want to make a list of expectations that you can reference as you are looking through a proposed work agreement. If you are unsure where to start when developing a work agreement, check out these links:

Importance of a Work Agreement – INA

4nannies.com – 10 Tips for Writing Work Agreements

Enannysource – The Nanny Contract

Lesson 2 – Discipline yourself  to keep scheduled communication

A nanny should seek out the best methods of communication with the family members. Daily conversations, written nanny log, and regularly scheduled meetings are a few ways to keep yourself disciplined.

You may ask the family how, when ,and by what method it is best to contact them:

  • Do they appreciate a text rather than a call in the middle of the day?
  • Does a family prefer to be only contacted in a medical emergency?
  • Does a family like to be sent silly pictures and quotes or is this distracting to the work they need to do?

It would be best for nanny and family to have regular scheduled meetings as a preventative measure. As issues and questions arise, it is very hard to have uninterrupted quality conversation as the nanny’s day begins and ends. It is likely that children are around, vying for attention from nanny, parent, or both. Sometimes relief walks in just in time for nanny to leave. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly meetings may be acceptable depending on each circumstance. The importance is to make sure the nanny and family are on the same page as the children’s needs change rapidly.  If a nanny sees an issue (in her position, the children, with the parents, etc), she should request a meeting with parents, rather then wait until the situation is out of control. Having an agenda and printed notes can keep each meeting efficient.

At the end of each year (or more often) a nanny should receive a performance review. While this may seem uncomfortable it is a great way to understand if you are performing how the family expects. Does your performance need to change? Do their expectations nee to change? The evaluation will give way to this healthy conversation.  If it is not set up in your work agreement, a nanny can request this to be added. Here are some resources:

Nanny Performance Evaluation

The daily nanny log is meant to give the basic and important details between parents and nanny. It can be simple had written notes or a form that is checked and filled in. A few minutes a day can certainly enhance open communication.

Example:

Nanny Pat works for 2 doctors, who keep a very busy schedule. Her days are random, not knowing who will be there when she arrives and who is coming home at night. Often times the grandmother will relieve her. In the evening, at a movie with friends, she receives a frantic text by mom employer. “Did the children miss a bottle today? My mother said that the girls were starving and the bottles were still in the fridge!”

I counseled both nanny and family in a similar situation where the nanny was incredibly disappointed that her boss would think she had not fed the children. With a busy household and four adults feeding babies, a simple log and note (“6 oz at lunch” & “I made up your dinner bottles for you, I know it’s a busy day for you”) could have saved this concerned parent and offended nanny.

Don’t wait for a family to suggest the nanny log, simply start it on your own. All will grow to love this! Here are some examples and links for further study:

CincyNanny High5 – Ideas for Keeping a Nanny Log

4nannies Log

4nanny Log

Lesson 3 – Stay positive

When nannies go out of their way to stay connected with her employers it certainly will be valued. Communication over the daily activities and moments can connect and nanny with her employers; this is an area you share. Take cute pictures, write down memorable moments or times where a child exceeded expectation or responsibility. While you are a professional, not every moment of communication has to be business.

Stay light-hearted, positive and respectful. Have an open attitude.

While many times bumps, bruises and bad behavior must be explained, don’t let the talk all reflect the seemingly negative. Let children hear you praise them for accomplishments, manner, and acts of service. Choose your words carefully.

Example:

As mom walks in the door, Nanny Christie quietly goes about her kitchen clean-up. Mom asks “How was your day?” Nanny Christie replies, “(exhale) Well, Brian has been throwing temper tantrums all afternoon and has barely eaten anything! But we are alive, right? (sarcastic laugh)”.

While this example may be very true, the tone, attitude and nature are not a professional response. Instead try something like…“Our day has been productive. I have been working with Brian on using his words, when he’s very frustrated. Also, he seemed to not have much of an appetite at lunch, so he may be extra hungry for dinner. How was your day?”

Though you may be exhausted after a challenging day, parents want to feel that the day was filled with positive responses to difficult moments. After all, it is your job to deal with the challenges and react in an appropriate manner.

Lesson 4 – Be your best advocate

Only you can stand up for your rights. If there is something that is not working for you in your position, decide on a way to make in known in a respectful way.  When appropriate send an email after carefully thinking of your words. But, understand that very important situations are best saved for face to face meetings without children present.

Example:

Nanny Ashley has been working many extra hours of overtime recently. When she accepted the position, the family vocally said that she will not be asked to work more than 40 hours a week.  While she hasn’t minded helping out, the pay is her normal hourly rate, rather than the legal time and a half. She is not feeling OK about the legal issue.

This is a sticky-situation, dealing with money and no contract. Nanny Ashley may choose to send an email to the parents requesting 15 minutes with them at their convenience: “I’d like to set up a time to talk with you, would Thursday or Friday at 5:00 p.m. work?” Nanny Ashley could type up her hopes and expectations that she would be paid time and a half for all overtime, beginning Monday of next week. Stapled to her request, she could attach some quotes from online resources about legal pay. As they sit down for a meeting, she can give the papers prepared to each parent, and explain her thoughts in a respectful manor. While the family may say “No”, she then can respectfully say “No” to the regular-pay overtime offered in the future. Whatever is decided, it can be documented in writing. If not part of a work agreement, it can be written in a formal email confirmation from nanny to family.

Open and effective communication can be difficult as a nanny. Overall, our desire is to bring peace and ease to a family. By setting up some preventative strategies you will benefit all involved in this professional relationship.

Glenda shared a great post on communication awhile back: Great Communication Benefits Everyone.

Homework Assignment:

1. Review or develop a work agreement that includes all of your desired expectations. Star items that you will not compromise on.

2. Decide on a few methods of self-disciplined communication in your position.

3. Think of a time where you responded to an employer in exhaustion or frustration.  What would have been a better response?

4. What is an area that you are not comfortable with, that you have not yet communicated to your employers? Devise a plan to be your own advocate.

Oh, you will get extra credit if you actually post your homework response as a comment!

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Weekend Roundup! Week of July 19-23

This week we had inspiring articles from a Mother who has started her own organic baby food company to a nanny sharing with us the art of  Bento.  We also debuted our new series called “Meet Nanny” and the first person was Cindy, a nanny with 30 years experience!  We rounded out the week with ideas and links on how to save money while dining out for meals.

Monday Moxie: Organic Baby Food

Tuesday Tips: The Coolest Way To Eat Lunch by Bonnie Mills

Creative Nanny Wednesday: Beginner Bento-ing

Table Talk Thursday: Meet Nanny Cindy

Financial Friday: Where To Find Deals Eating Out

Next week we will be introducing a new series and a new featured topic to Regarding Nannies.  So stayed!

Don’t forget you can grab our “button” on the right side of our blog and post on your website and blog!

Thank you for joining us again this week! See you next week!

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Financial Friday: Where To Find Deals On Eating Out

Financial Friday: Where To Find Deals On Eating Out

By: Alice Shaffer The Financial Nanny

As a nanny I enjoy finding ways to save money for myself and my nanny family.  I have used Restaurant.com for my nanny work and personal outings. I let the kids look at the restaurants too and let them make a choice sometimes.  I have also used Groupon to save 50% off at several locations while I was traveling to San Francisco and locally.

The question becomes how do you save money when you are home and go to local places?  With social media being so large as it many places have taken to having fan pages on Facebook and Twitter.  Often times you can “like” or “follow” the place of your choice online and they will have special coupons and discounts available to their “fans” and “followers”

These are just two examples of what I found:

TGI Fridays: Get Perks: you get a free appetizer when you sign up among other items. You can also “like” them on Facebook

Chili’s Bar & Grill: sign up for their e-club and within 48 hours get a coupon for FREE queso and chips.

I went to Facebook and just put in restaurant names in the search box to find places.  I then “liked” them to get on the mailing list etc.

One suggestion is to create a new email address for “updates/deals” from the various places that send emails.  I use a GMAIL address for such things as Groupon, Restaurant.com and the other places that send out specials.  This way it is all together and I don’t lose my emails in my personal account.

A nanny told me that she utilizes the weekly newspaper and mail coupon ads for Pizza delivery. She orders whatever is on sale for the cheapest.  You can also get email offers from the pizza places too by joining their lists.

One mom told me that she finds out when the local places have “all you can” dinners and she takes her 3 kids there for special dinners.  She also takes advantage of “early bird” dinner specials.

Don’t forget that many places have “birthday” clubs where you can get a free meal, dessert or appetizer if you come in during your birthday month, week or day.  I have been able to utilize that for a free meal during my birthday month at Texas De Brazil where the meal is over $35.   They also have a special for your wedding anniversary.

I would love to hear from you all what kind of deals you have seen on various restaurants.  I am sure there are many readers who would love to know your favorite places and “eating out” tips too.

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Meet Nanny Cindy

We are excited to share a new series of posts!  This is something we do over on the CincyNanny Blog to introduce and connect our local nannies and I hope to do the same with our Regarding Nannies readers on a large level. I have found attending national conferences that I have so much in common with this group of professionals. There is an instant appreciation, respect and understanding that nannies have with each other. That being said, we are all so unique and extraordinary in different ways. I know that the stories and experiences shared in the “Meet Nanny” series will inspire. Let’s meet our first…

Meet Nanny Cindy!

Currently working as a full-time nanny in Denver, CO she is a nanny all-star! At the 2010 INA Conference she was the only nanny to receive a service award pin in recognition of 30 years of service! She is an incredibly experienced  and creative nanny. She carries herself with grace and has a passion to share music with children!

1. What is your daily nanny life like?

I am a full-time, live-out nanny caring for two young girls ages 3yrs and 4 months. My morning is spent entertaining my youngest charge while her sister attends preschool. The baby loves fingerplays, bouncing games, playing with her colored rings, and any time we spend outdoors. Following lunchtime with my older charge, we enjoy storytime before her daily nap. She often prefers listening to stories I have custom-made for her about her own life, family, and friends,especially if they contain any adventures of my two dogs Jasmine and Grace (whom my older charge adores!) Post naptime hours include art projects, bubble time, andplaying with the water table or inflated swimming pool. Both girls LOVE music! My oldest charge can often be seen dancing in her tutu or heard singing songs from a Disney soundtrack. And her sister is sure to follow!

2. What are 3 unique characteristics that you strive to live for children in your care?
First, I believe that by treating my employers, charges, and others we encounter with respect, my charges will learn to respect others as well. Secondly, I am truly passionate about the things important to me such as participating in the arts or spending time with nature. This is a quality I also hope to instill in my charges. Finally, I am enthusiastic about life and look at each day as a new adventure. Hopefully, my charges will find great excitement in their everyday adventures as they grow into the adults they will one day become.

3. What is the most rewarding thing about your career as a nanny?
As a young nanny, I often wondered what would become of these dear children whom I cared for. Would they grow to be happy? Would they find fulfillment in their lives? Would they follow their dreams? It brings me such satisfaction and great joy to see what wonderful accomplishments these children, some who are now in their 30’s, have experienced. They have indeed followed their dreams and have created lives in which their efforts will have a great impact on others. Some have gone into education, some work with non-profits, and yet another is pursuing a career as a film-maker. I look forward to the day that my youngest charges reach adulthood and I can see what great things are in store for them in their lives as well!

4. What is something you wish  you had know your first day as a nanny?
My greatest challenge in my first nanny position was not so much anything involved in the “day to day” of my job. I had a wonderful employer who taught me the importance of commanding respect in my important role as a caregiver to her children. This first nanny experience was a good one and hence, is a great part of why I am still a nanny today. But, back in 1977, there were very few nannies or governesses, and there were only two whom I knew personally in the Denver area. I had no peer group and sought the camaraderie of others in my profession. If I had one wish, it was to have had access to a network of other sin my field as I do today, within organizations such as the INA and Denver Area Nanny Association.

5. What is something about you, other may find surprising?
 I have always secretly dreamed of being a great dancer. Andsince I was not blessed with the long and lean physical traits of a dancer’s body, my parents encouraged me to pursue other interests such as playing a variety ofmusical instruments and singing, which I greatly love. The closest things I have experienced to my aspirations of a dance career were being an active participant in the disco scene in the late ‘70’s, once taking a series of ballroom classes at the Fred Astaire School of Dance, and learning all there is to know about Appalachian clogging (I AM a dulcimer player, you know!) So, if they are ever looking for a nanny celebrity to join the cast of “Dancing with the Stars”… well, I can dream!!

Thanks so much to Cindy Wilkinson for letting us get to know you! To read more about her passions, check out her blog: Jumpin with Cindy .

Looking to connect with the Denver Area Nanny Association or another nanny support group, check out this list.

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Creative Nanny Wednesday:Beginner Bento-ing

Yesterday Bonnie Mills shared with us her love of Bento Boxes. Today I am going to share a few links with you that have ideas on how to do Bento with your children or your charges.
I highly recommend the Kawaii Bento Club. I also used ideas from the Enslaved by Fairies blog , Taste of Home and Eye Candy.
The links I have shared  will introduce the basics of Bento,and  give you simple ideas to get you started.
Go to “The Creative Nanny” blog to get some ideas for bento-ing fun!

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Tuesday Tips:The Coolest Way to Eat Lunch: by Bonnie Mills

THE COOLEST WAY TO EAT LUNCH by Bonnie Mills

A few months back I was able to travel for my personal holiday to Japan, a trip Iʼve  dreamed about taking since I was in the third grade when weʼd studied it for socialstudies. It was amazing, on so many levels, but being a “foodie” I was particularlyfascinated by what and how they eat. Now most of us are familiar with sushi as well as the Benihana type restaurants where all the food is cooked on the table in front of you. Iʼm squeamish about raw fish and Iʼve never cared for the food at those steak houses, finding the food to be too salty.

I love vegetarian sushi rolls, but aside from that, the Japanese food Iʼd had before had not impressed me. Since I was blowing a few months salary on this trip though I knew Iʼd be stupid to let my preconceptions cloud this holiday so I made a pact with myself that I would “go Japanese” to the fullest extent possible and all my food pickiness was going to be put on hold. That meant anything I was offered I would try, and actually try to finish, including sashimi which is raw fish by itself. Anyway, Iʼm digressing, aside from a couple of instances I loved everything I put in my mouth (one was raw squid, and the other wasnʼt anything bad, it was just an entire dinner that was fried which I found too heavy).The thing that struck me the most was that they have lots of tiny portions of things and they serve it on trays. There was always rice and soup, those were the constants, as well as pickled vegetables, a bit of meat or fish, often a couple pieces of tempura, and possibly some omelette, tofu of some sort, and steamed or raw vegetables, but only tiny portions of everything. Even more than that everything was so attractive , there was always plenty of color and the foods almost never touched. It occurred to me that this would be super easy to recreate for my five year old charge and she would likely love it as itʼs a novel way to eat. Not to mention a great way to use leftovers!

To recreate this approach at home youʼll need a tray for each person, we found a couple of very attractive but inexpensive ones at Ikea. Youʼll also need a lot of   small bowls or dishes, they donʼt have to match, in fact its more interesting if they donʼt.This is a great use for those baby bowls that you canʼt quite bring yourself to throw out,the typical baby bowl is perfect for individual servings of steamed rice (just make sure your using sushi rice or youʼll find it incredibly frustrating to eat with chopsticks). And of course youʼll want child sized chopsticks (but have a fork or spoon on hand for them as well) as well as adult sized ones for yourself.

Now if youʼve never used chopsticks or never mastered them, donʼt feel intimidated, they just take a bit of practice to get used to and then youʼll wonder why you havenʼt been using them all along. I wonʼt go into the details of how to use them as there is plenty of information out there on the web, but I will give you two solid reasons why you not only should be using them on a regular basis, but why youʼll want to. The first being that your charges and children are no longer simply members of the American community (or English community, or wherever you may happen to be), but the global one. The more you expose them to different cultures, including the use of chopsticks, the more open minded theyʼll be towards travel and having an open mind outside their communities. By modeling that you have an open mind about these things, theyʼll find that normal and will be less phased by exposure to new cultures.When I grew up in the 80ʼs, both my parents took it upon themselves to learn how to use chopsticks and we probably ate out at Chinese restaurants about once a month.They never pushed or forced me to use them, but the chopsticks were always on the table during these meals if I wanted to try them. If your child gets frustrated by them,they have the fork or spoon as a fall back, but if they see you using them and theyʼve got the option to try, they will want to master them at some point.The other big reason why youʼll want to master chopsticks is that they are great for weight management. Even if you are a pro at using chopsticks, you simply can not get as much food into your body as quickly as you can with a fork or spoon. Itʼs been stated by doctors and nutritionists that the body needs about 20 minutes to feel full so if you consume your food slowly after about 20 minutes you wonʼt feel the need to eat so its a great way of controlling your food intake, thus watching your weight.If weight loss is a motivation for you I canʼt recommend enough having soup as part of your meals.

Now traditionally the Japanese have miso soup, but many westerners donʼt care for miso and there is no reason you should be forcing you or your kids to have something that isnʼt enjoyable for you. A simple bowl of broth works just aswell, itʼs up to you if you want to have some vegetables in it or not, but like drinking water during a meal it will help fill you up and is a nice contrast to the rest of the meal.The thing I find cool about the way the Japanese eat soup is that they donʼt use spoons,they just raise the bowl to their mouths and drink. Since this is generally considered a no-no in terms of table manners, itʼs kind of fun. Your giving them permission to walk on the wild side! Ok, so the normal everyday Japanese way of eating is fun, however  for me nothing tops the bento box. If youʼve never heard of a bento box, or only know it as an option when your go to a sushi restaurant let me break it down for you.

Bento are typically a vegetarian lunch option (often there is also fish and I nearly always put meat in mine). I suppose you could eat it for dinner, but Iʼm pretty sure theyʼre mostly for lunch use. If you travel by train in Japan you can pick up a prepared bento box from most train stations. There are a variety of options with varying prices depending on the size and whats offered. However they remind me a lot of the lunch boxes we send to school with our children, but are used by everyone in Japan. In fact in Japan there is a lot of pressure on mothers to send their children to school with attractively packed,nutritious bento lunches. Iʼve heard it can be quite competitive.The boxes can be wood or metal but from what Iʼve observed are typically plastic. They come in all shapes and sizes though are typically small and are often multi-level. In Japan you can find super cute ones, but the ones that I though my charge would like the most were normally priced around $20 which I didnʼt want to spend cause I had the feeling there was a big possibility that it would never get used.

Boy was I wrong! I managed to find a small two level box for $3 and bought one for her and one for myself. Theyʼve since become one of our most used kitchen items, always at her request. Each of the two levels has itʼs own lid, and on the top lid there is a pair of chopsticks included with the box, and itʼs all held together by an elastic band, so they are very compact. Often how I use them is this, the night before I take whatever hot item we have left over, maybe some rice or pasta and put it in the bottom level of the bento box with whatever meat or vegetable was left over as well. I pop the lid on it and place them in the fridge. The next day, either in the morning if weʼre going for a picnic, or just before lunch, I prepare the top level. I usually put in a bit of cut up fruit or berries in a siliconemuffin cup and place it in the top level, then in the remaining space put cut up vegetables or salad, or egg, or cheese. You can put whatever you want in them, any type of food, and you could heat up the bottom layer, but we typically eat it cold. Also because the boxes are small the portions are small, but I never feel hungry when Iʼve finished one, nor unpleasantly full so very handy for weight management.

If you decide you want to try bento-ing,tomorrows Creative Nanny Wednesday is going to have some simple ideas and links and  Alice is going to have some tips on where to find Bento boxes and tools  on Financial Friday. However thereʼs no need to spend a dime, a smallish tupperware container will work just as well, you just wonʼt have the cool multi-levels. I would still look into getting an egg mold, we use our Hello Kitty one all the time and they arenʼt expensive. I warn you though, once you pick up a few tips, it becomes very addictive!

Happy Bento-ing!

Bonnie

Bonnie D. Mills is a professionally trained nanny and an ESL trained English teacher currently working as a combination of both in Italy. She is as much a citizen of the world as she is a citizen of the US (if only such a passport existed). Having learned to live abroad she’s always curious to learn about other cultures lifestyles and encourages that curiosity in those in her care.
Photo is from Enslaved by Fairies blog. Tomorrow on Creative Nanny Wednesday we will share the link on how to make the corn dog mouse and more!

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Organic Baby Food

An in depth talk with Katie Dowd, creator of Nature’s Simple Blends
by Glenda Propst : Regarding Nannies Development Team

When you think of Organic baby food with no additives or preservatives it sounds simple but if it’s so simple, why isn’t organic baby food easier to find?
There is a good reason so few companies offer these products. The process of becoming USDA Certified Organic is labor intensive, difficult and often frustrating.

  • You must find a supplier that follows all of the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines.
  • There is a mountain of paperwork, specialized training, specified production facilities and inspections from multiple government agencies.

Because this process is so daunting, most companies just give up before achieving the organic certification.
While the certification process is not enjoyable for companies seeking USDA Certified Organic status, it’s great news for consumers. You can be confident that the quality of your food is superior, from the farm all the way to your freezer.

Today I am talking with Katie Johnson Dowd, the creator of Nature’s Simple Blends Organic Baby Food.

As the mother of 4 Katie knows the importance of offering your children the best and most nutritious foods available. I asked Katie some questions about what set her on this path to opening her own organic baby food company and here are her answers.

Did you make your own baby food with all 4 of your boys?
I made some of the older boys baby food, but I supplemented with the store bought stuff. They weren’t real happy when I did that. When the twins were born, I made everything. I started testing different blends that you could not get at the store. I experimented with blends like spinach and broccoli.

When did you decide that it was best to make organic baby food?
I started reading a little bit about organic about 8 yrs ago, but the produce was pretty scarce, so our family went completely organic about 3 yrs ago, when the twins started eating baby food and the produce was more readily available.

What made you decide to make organic baby food for your children?
I started doing research on organic baby food and found that there are not many options out there. There is one brand that you can get at the grocery store, but a lot of things had been recalled for botulism. And with the suggestion of my sister Donna, I knew that I could offer a much safer, tastier and healthier method to feed the little ones for the St. Louis area.

Did you see changes in your children when you starting feeding them organic foods? I didn’t see any changes in my kids because of organic per say, but I felt better because I knew that my kids were eating food with out chemicals. I think that the benefits will be seen in the long run.

Why do you think organic is important?
I think that organic is important because we get so many chemicals in our bodies from so many places, like our houses, the air, the water, medicine etc., the last thing that we need is to get it from our food. Why put chemicals, hormones, additives and preservatives in our bodies when we don’t fully know what they will do or how they will effect us in the future. I refuse to put my family at risk from the things that I can control.

What else do you want to share with us about your business and why is organic worth it?
With our baby food at Nature’s Simple Blends, when the product is Apples and Pears, that is what you get. Nothing else is added!! The ingredients for each product are listed right on our website so that you can see for yourself exactly what goes into them.

Our blends are steamed soft, then pureed, then flash frozen to maintain the highest nutritional content. The store brands are heated to extremely high temperatures for canning and then much of the nutritional content is lost. We have over 35 different blends of fruits and vegetables to introduce the little ones into the world of solid food.

We take every precaution to make sure that our parents receive the best product available. Another perk to Nature’s Simple Blends is that we hand deliver to your door.
Today’s moms are very busy. We thought that this door to door delivery method would make feeding their little ones safe, healthy,organic baby food more convenient.

Is organic baby food only for babies?
No, it’s not just for babies. It’s also for people on a soft solid diet like the elderly and people who have had weight loss surgery. I have even had some interest from someone who was a body builder who needed some extra calories to add to his oatmeal at breakfast. I have found that there are times in everyones’ lives when they need to be on a soft food or pureed food diet for one reason or another. Our blends taste so good that even the grown ups enjoy them.

Katie recently did a segment on the local NBC Affiliate Prime Time Special : Moms Like Me. If you would like to watch it, here is the link Moms Like Me. Katies interview starts around the 3:16 mark.
Katie’s interview will also air on Show Me St.Louis today at 3:00 PM. We will link that as soon as it is up on their website. The link for the local NBC affiliate here in St.Louis is KSDK and Show Me St. Louis is under “programming”

Katie is the mom of 4 little boys: Shannon age 8, Karter age 6, Aiden age 3, Jace, age 3 (twins)

St. Louis families can enter to win one of two great cases of Organic Baby Food. The contest will begin July 15th, watch for additional information on KSDK’s Channel 5 show, Mom’s Like Me at 7:30 pm July 15th. Ends Aug 15th, 2010 and winners will be chosen by Random.org and is sponsored by RegardingNannies.com!

NannyMall will have a Registration Page on their website, NannyMall.com.
If you leave a comment here on RegardingNannies.com,  and you are a winner of the Give Away, you will win something extra!

Note: I have to confess that Katie has a special place in my heart. Her mom and I have been friends since childhood, even sharing an apartment for a brief time when Katie was a baby. I had Katie and her husband in daycare when from the time they were 2 years old. I am so excited for them to launch this important business and on behalf of the entire Regarding Nannies Team, we wish them much success!

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