Archive for August, 2012

27 Aug

Gluten & Allergen Free Expo

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Gluten-Free. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

For those of you in the Dallas area or in Texas period, let me tell you about a little gluten-free gem that’s happening next month.  It’s called the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo and this is the second year that our support group, GIG of Greater Dallas, is hosting it.  It was started by Jen Cafferty, a gluten-free chef out of Chicago, and Dallas was her first stop outside of the windy city.  We had over 2,000 people and over 70 vendors last and this year we are anticipating double the attendance and over 100 vendors this year!  Woohoo!


Mark your calendars for September 8 & 9, 2012 and get ready to sample gluten and allergen free products out the wazoo!  It will be crazy with all the free samples, authors, services, and raffle products that will be going on this year.  Tickets are $20 for the vendor fair and you can get them in advance by going here.  Jen is also offering early-admission tickets for those that want to meet and greet the vendors an hour earlier-before the mad rush ensues.

Here’s a little more info from the site about what will be going on-for those interested yet not sure if you want to go:

The Expo is the premier gluten and allergen free event in the US. Whether you are looking for specialty products that taste great or trying to learn how to cook and bake to meet your dietary needs, the Expo is the place to be! We have attendees fly in from around the country, South America and Canada to attend this amazing event. Come see what it is all about…

Do you want to learn how to cook and bake on a restricted diet?

Attend our demonstration cooking/baking classes. The classes are taught by top chefs, nutritionists and cookbook authors in a friendly environment. You will watch how to prepare all of the recipes and have time to ask questions of the presenters.   The cooking classes are free-of-charge with the purchase of your vendor fair ticket.  Each class has a maximum capacity of 100 people.  The classes are first-come first-served and seating is limited.   At the end of each class, we will ask that the room be vacated and a new set of attendees can enter to see the next presenter.

Are you looking for lifestyle tips and tricks while on a restricted diet?

Attend a class on our Lifestyle Stage.  The classes are taught by experts in their field. Classes range from how to save money, kids birthday parties, health issues, etc.. The lifestyle classes are free-of-charge with the purchase of your vendor fair ticket. Each class has a maximum capacity of 100 people. The classes are first-come first-served and seating is limited. At the end of each class, we will ask that the room be vacated and a new set of attendees can enter to see the next presenter.

Do you want to try new products but aren’t interested in cooking classes?

Come to the vendor fair! The vendor fair is open to the public with a special area dedicated to nut/tree nut allergens. The fair features over 100 vendors both sampling and selling their products.  There are also cooking and lifestyle stages with topics pertaining to gluten and allergen-free living throughout the day. The stages are included with your vendor fair ticket. Tickets are available at the door or online. Purchasing your ticket online will allow you to gain entry without waiting in the payment line.

The best gluten & allergen-free deal in town! What do you get for the price of admission to the vendor fair?

  • Sampling and purchasing from over 100 vendors
  • Free lectures about gluten & allergen-free living and cooking
  • The best cookbooks and the ability to meet the authors and get a signed copy of your book
  • A free gift bag to carry all of your loot
  • You have the ability to sample hundreds of products
  • All products are labeled by allergen
  • Get coupons for future purchases
  • Take home samples of all of your favorite and new products
  • Purchase hard-to-find products
  • Shop at the new Expo Store – featuring gift products that can only be found at the Expo
  • Kids area with crafts and activities

This Expo if off the chain with all the contacts you can make and yummy goodies to sample in your belly; so get here by bus, train, or plane if you can!  Also, a new event this year will be the Gluten Free 101 classes taught by our group’s own Betty Murray, C.N., H.C.C and Cheryl Gainer, MSN, RN, CNM on Saturday and Sunday.  These two ladies are a wealth of knowledge and I could listen to them both for hours!

So check it out if you get a chance and let me know if you are planning to go.  You know I’ll be there bright eyed and bushy rat tailed all weekend long, volunteering and trying to stay away from those darned non-paleo goodies!  Luckily my parents and sis will be in town so they can help wrangle Emma and keep her toddler paws off all those free samples.

Psst-Won’t be able to make it to the Dallas Expo? Don’t worry… The GFAF Expo will be heading to San Francisco on February 9-10, 2013 and Chicago on April 20-21, 2013. Stay tuned for more information!

Note: Photos from here.

16 Aug

Car Seat Safety

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Baby, Safety. Tagged: , , , , .

LADIES AND GENTS, PLEASE READ THIS!

I know I have been MIA for quite some time and I do apologize.  We just celebrated Emma’s second birthday (more to come) and I just returned from an awesome Thirty-One conference in Hot-Lanta!  Both events were a blast but kept me pretty busy throughout the month of July.  Not to worry, I’m back ya’ll!

The topic of car seat safety is a BIG issue and has been weighing on me for awhile now, so much so that I’m thinking of getting my car seat certification.  But let’s back up first.

When Josh and I met back in college at Texas A&M, our boss became a very dear friend to us while there and remained close after we both graduated.  I didn’t know what he would say with us dating at work, but being a campus textbook store I don’t think it was a very big deal.  And I’m sure he was happy to see wonderful people find true love…ha!

We have kept in touch with his family over the past 10 years and I’ll never forget meeting his wife, Bobbi, at Macy’s with their newborn daughter, Molli, some nine years ago.  Bobbi was the first to guess I was pregnant when they came to our new house for a visit and has been a wealth of knowledge for this first time mama.  She also lovingly educated both of us on car seat safety after we all got done with a group breakfast one Sunday morning.  (Car seat: Graco SnugRide)

There we were in the middle of the restaurant parking lot and she is pulling Emma’s car seat out along with all the other toys driving hazards stashed in the back seat.  Let me tell you, we both learned  A LOT that day.  That impression stuck with me and trust me, I’m not here to preach but to educate.  I was that parent that knew I could visit the local fire department and have them check my seat out-but didn’t.  I knew the hospital staff was supposed to check the seat to make sure baby girl was safe to go home-they didn’t.  So now what?

Enter our dear friend Bobbi.  She is a Certified National Child Passenger Seat Technician and I asked her a few questions about car seat safety and what got her involved.

When did you get your certification?

April 2008 

What made you decide to get certified  (i.e. was safety a big issue after having kids)?

I am a former volunteer fire fighter and EMT and observed what can happen when children are not restrained properly.  When I became a mother I wanted to know that my kids were the safest they could be and attended many free checkup events.  This prompted me to become certified and help families while working at ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) and with a background in child development it seemed to fit right in.

What did you do before that?

To make sure my seats were properly installed, I located a local technician for a free appointment or attended a checkup event.

What is the biggest mistake you see and how do you approach strangers?

Probably the most common mistake would be the shoulder straps are not tight enough.  If you can pinch the strap it needs to be tighter.  That strap will stretch 30% in the event of a crash.  If the straps are tight from the beginning, kids are used to it.  If they have been loose and you need to tighten them, they might cry but they will get used to it.  It shouldn’t be so tight that it leaves marks on their shoulders.  And shoulder straps need to be at or above for forward facing children and at or below for rear facing.

Aren’t those cute neck protectors safe-even if they push the clip down to the bottom?

If a product did not come with a seat, don’t use it.  It hasn’t been crash tested so you don’t know how it would affect the safety features of a seat!  There are some seats that do have a list of crash tested “after market” products that are safe to use with that particular brand.  The chest clip must remain between the nipples and arm pits.  This is what prevents the shoulder straps from sliding off the shoulder.

What about mirrors for rear-facing babies?

Mirrors are another “after market” product that have not been crash tested.  The mirror could become a projectile in the event of a crash.  Here is an example of how dangerous it could be.   If that mirror weight .5 lbs and you are traveling 30 mph and it were to come loose in a crash, that is like a 15 lb weight that could hit your baby in the face!

Should the handle be up or down on the infant seats?

Every seat is different.  *You must read the car seat manufacturer’s instructions to see what is allowed.  It is also NOT recommended to hang toys or other things from the handle while traveling.  These could also become a projectile in the event of a crash. 

What’s one thing you wish you could tell every parent (new or seasoned)?

No matter how well you think you have a seat installed, PLEASE have it inspected by a certified technician.  Cars, car seats, and technology are constantly changing.  Please seat a technician for the latest and safest update.  You can find a technician in your area by going to buckleup.tamu.edu- this is a FREE service!!!!

Where should someone go if interested in becoming certified (like me!)?

To find an upcoming course on becoming a certified technician, you can go to http://cert.safekids.org/ and look for the “Find a Course” tab on the right side.  If a course says “controlled” you need to ask the instructor permission to register for that course.

Bobbi also let me know that ‘while working with Passenger Safety at Texas A & M AgriLife Extension service, we observed 99% of car seats are installed improperly!  NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Administration) states 3 out of 4 seats are misused.’  Did you get that?

Seriously people-this is horrific!  I know you’re thinking, what are the odds of getting in an accident?  Doesn’t matter.  Don’t you want what’s safest for your little ones especially with all these crazy drivers on the road?  I sure do!

Basic Facts:

~If a child seat can slide more than 1” left to right or back and forth-It is not in tight enough.

~The chest clip is to be placed between the arm pits-that is why it is called a CHEST CLIP and not a belly button clip.  This is what holds the straps in place and from not slipping off the shoulder.

~If you can pinch the straps-they are not tight enough.  All straps will stretch 30% in the event of a crash so make sure your child is snug!

~Only use a seat belt OR LATCH-never both. (make sure you’re not using the tethers from the left and right seat for middle placement-they’re too far apart)

~Rear facing until age 2 or maximum weight of the seat.  It is ok for their feet to touch the back of the seat.

~To see if your seat is installed properly you can find a technician to schedule a  FREE inspection at buckleup.tamu.edu-this is good for the whole state of Texas.

After chatting with Bobbi about switching Emma around at 2 years old, she let me know that in Europe they keep them rear-facing until 4 or 5!  You may think that’s crazy and that baby boy or girl will be uncomfortable but she said rear-facing is the safest.  That was all I needed to hear to keep Emma in the only position she’s ever known.  No complaints as of yet.

My friend had told me about Britax car seats, which are apparently the Cadillacs of the car seats, so I definitely wanted to look into them when the time came.  What we ended up getting, when she was 6 months old, was the Britax Marathon 70-G3.  The Britax Marathon 70-G3 convertible car seat accommodates children rear facing from 5 to 40 pounds and forward facing from 20 up to 70 pounds (Amazon).  I absolutely love this seat especially since you can pull off the cover to wash (potty accidents) without having to unhook the seat.  I know Emma will be in this puppy for a long time.

Just to make sure you got all the high points, here are the takeaways:

-Chest clips need to be on the chest, not the belly button or somewhere in between.

-Straps need to be tight like a tiger, but not too tight.

-NO neck protectors/strap covers unless they come with the seat.

-Put the handle back while driving and make sure there are no cutesy toys dangling in baby’s face.

-If you are unsure if your car seat is installed properly, GO GET IT CHECKED!

Give it to me baby!  Uh huh, uh huh.  Did you have someone properly install your car seat or are you a selfmade ’pro’?  Are you part of the 99% that have it improperly installed?  Fess up-I know I was…guilty as charged!  I know now that sometimes you need outside help, especially if they are trained professionals, to show a new parent a thing or two on safety.  A HUGE thanks to Bobbi for showing Josh and me how to install Emma’s car seat and help keep her as safe as she can get.  Now my driving on the other hand…

Do me a favor and PLEASE spread the word on making sure your babies and your friend’s babies are as safe as they can be in their car seats!

Note: I wasn’t paid or perked for this.

Note: Photos from here, here, and here.

9 Aug

Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Baby, Money. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Let’s switch gears a sec, shall we?  This isn’t really baby related at all-so don’t go too far if babies aren’t your thang.

A few years ago, Josh turned me on to this financial guru named Dave Ramsey.  David L. Ramsey III is an American financial author, radio host, television personality, and motivational speaker. His show and writings strongly focus on encouraging people to get out of debt. (Wikipedia)

If you haven’t heard of him, listen up.  This guy has been through all kinds of financial woes including being bankrupt, twice.  He’s been there, done that and now has a slew of successful books, financial classes, and inspiring talk show on AM radio.

His motto is what’s a motta with you IF YOU WILL LIVE LIKE NO ELSE, LATER YOU CAN LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!  The means live within your means now (budget) so you can party it up later with retirement.  Dave has these seven easy to follow baby steps that he lives by and teaches others about.  They look like this:

Baby Step #1: $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is for those unexpected events in life that you can’t plan for: the loss of a job, an unexpected pregnancy, a faulty car transmission, and the list goes on and on. It’s not a matter of if these events will happen; it’s simply a matter of when they will happen.

Baby Step #2: Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball

List your debts, excluding the house, in order. The smallest balance should be your number one priority. Don’t worry about interest rates unless two debts have similar payoffs. If that’s the case, then list the higher interest rate debt first.

Baby Step #3: 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings

Once you complete the first two baby steps, you will have built serious momentum. But don’t start throwing all your “extra” money into investments quite yet. It’s time to build your full emergency fund.

Baby Step #4: Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement

When you reach this step, you’ll have no payments—except the house—and a fully funded emergency fund. Now it’s time to get serious about building wealth.

Baby Step #5: College Funding for children

By this point, you should have already started Baby Step 4—investing 15% of your income—before saving for college. Whether you are saving for you or your child to go to college, you need to start now.

Baby Step #6: Pay off home early

Now it’s time to begin chucking all of your extra money toward the mortgage. You are getting closer to realizing the dream of a life with no house payments.

Baby Step #7: Build wealth and give!

It’s time to build wealth and give like never before. Leave an inheritance for future generations, and bless others now with your excess. It’s really the only way to live!

I’m not gonna lie, I was a Suze Orman fan before being introduced to Dave, and have to say I’m a convert.  I remember when Josh and I were engaged we went to his famous Total Money Makeover event and were blown away!  Another couple went with us, since they were bitten by the Dave bug, and we had a blast.  I got chills hearing him talk about living debt free and not being a slave to the lender.  I’ve heard of people calling in on his show at ages 28 & 29 having paid off their home and are now debt free!  Holy monkey that’s huge!  What crazy people do that?

The Borrower is Slave to the Lender (Proverbs 22:7)

If you think about it, it’s true.  Constantly having credit card debt is like a rat in a wheel-you feel like it never ends.  Once we heard him preach teach about GETTING RID OF YOUR CREDIT CARDS, we were all in.  We paid off our debt, which luckily wasn’t much, and never looked back.  I think it’s been about three years since we used a MASTERcard and I don’t regret leaving it in the dust.  A lot of it is living like our grandparents did.  If you save the money and have cash to buy it, then buy it.  If you don’t have the cash for it, keep on keeping on.

It’s hard these days seeing what our government has done in setting an OVERSPENDING example.  How can you teach people to spend money ONLY if they have it when the deficit keeps getting ridiculous?  C’mon, how will we ever pay off $17,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 in debt?  Sorry.  It’s just funny.

So here comes a guy (Dave) who teaches you about living within your means and paying cash.  Think about it: how cool would it be to have your house paid off before your 15, 20, or 30 year note is up!  What would you do with all that dough??  I love his concept and some may not like his harshness but I think that’s what hooks people-no sugarcoating it.  These issues are real!

Just before we tied the knot, our friends gave us a wedding gift to attend his Financial Peace University (FPU).

“We all need a plan for our money. Financial Peace University (FPU) is that plan! It teaches God’s ways of handling money. This plan will show you how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and much more!

FPU classes meet for an hour and a half each week for nine weeks.”

It was great because it was a 13 week course (at that time) where you met once a week to go through Dave’s teachings.  You watched a quick video then broke up into groups to do a few pages out of his workbook.  This allowed people to own up to their debt as well as get tips and inspiration to stay focused.

I would highly recommend it if you need some help.  The class is $119 and once you sign up you can go as often as you need.  He also has a Financial Peace Junior if you want to get your kids, ages 3-12, started on the right track early.  I’m thinking Josh and I need a refresher in FPU since we can’t seem to stick to a budget.  I do one every month but darnit if I don’t stick to it.  We also you Mint.com which is online tool you can use to track your expenses, and set up a budget to go along with your hand written one-I highly recommend it!

That’s what inspired me to write this post.  If I’m being honest, we’re stuck on baby step #4 and can’t seem to nail that one down.  I hope since I’m putting this information out there,  it will help me get my butt in gear and back to naming every dollar that comes and goes in our home.  And I definitely want to get it together so I can show baby girl the proper way to spend, save, and give money.  Wouldn’t that be awesome if we taught our kids how not to acquire debt and have college paid off before they graduated?  What a crazy world this would be if everyone was debt free!  Watch out now.

Your homework: go check him out-if you’re not obsessed a fan already.  As Dave says: let’s change our family tree.  I know I’d like to see mine that has branches going up (not down) and are big, plump, and full of money!

Note: photos from here, here, here and here.

Note: I wasn’t paid or perked for this.

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