Why June is “Going” to be Great for this Dad!

06/03/2014 R.C. Liley 3 Comments

Hey there, how’s it going?

Pretty good here, just having more problems than I expected with the new laptop I bought this past weekend. Really, why would anyone expect problems with something brand new? I messed around with the thing for most of Sunday and it put me in a bad mood. Luckily, my sweet wife was there to call me out and get me to focus on the important things; family!

I’m back at it today though, but only while Avery naps and Kelley is at work. I’ve got a lot to keep myself busy this week, and that’s in addition to raising our sweet daughter.

For one, I’m a proud ambassador for Oral-b and have joined forces with many other awesome dad bloggers to promote their new Oral B Black electric toothbrush and show what it means to have the #PowerofDad. This is going to be a great Father’s Day event!

Just looking at it makes my mouth clean!

There’s going to be a Twitter party today at 1pm EST with several prizes to give away. If you can, I’d love to see you join; just search for and use the #PowerofDad hashtag to join in on the excitement!

That’s not all, I’m also working with Onya Baby for another Father’s Day campaign on cleaning up your neighborhood. I walk around our neighborhood with Avery every day and despise seeing so much junk from new construction sites and careless people. I want to take pride and clean up the trash around my home and hope you will join me. There will be a brand new Onya Baby Carrier giveaway as well, so keep checking back for details!

Trying our new Onya Baby NexStep made from 100% recycled material.

On top of this, I’ll be celebrating my 30th birthday and first Father’s Day! And the day before my 30th, I will be running a 5k with Avery in the stroller; our first official race! I’ll share the details on the race soon, but just couldn’t hold it in any longer! Yep, we have a lot going on and I can’t wait to share all of the excitement with you!

What do you have on the agenda for June?

Going Healthy

Going Healthy: Baby Bok Choy Crab Sliders (Easy and Low Calorie)

06/02/2014 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

Looking for easy entertaining dishes that are unique, healthy, and delicious? Or maybe you just want something a little out of the ordinary for yourself and your family. Either way, I have a recipe for you and you don’t even have to turn on the stove or oven!

Now that we’re getting into the warmer months, avoiding the stove or oven is always preferred, unless you enjoy higher energy bills. If you know me, you know I’m pretty uptight when it comes to food and healthy, and these little “sliders” make the cut in taste and nutrition!

For anyone watching their diet (or at least needs to), these sliders are an easy substitute. Did you know the average beef slider packs anywhere from 150 to 300+ calories each? And obviously you don’t eat just one slider; amiright?

On the other end of the health spectrum, you can enjoy a generous 2 ounce serving of lump crab for only 40 calories giving you 8 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of fat. Since you can’t fit a full 2 ounces on one rib of bok choy, you’d have to make about 8 or 10 of these to get close to the calorie content of just one slider!

If you’re someone guilty of mindlessly snacking, like me, then these are perfect to snack away! The invigorating crunch of fresh baby bok choy packed with slightly sweet and tender lump crab meat provides instant gratification allowing you to give up high calories but not taste!

Bok choy is loaded with phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants which help protect against many cancers and may reduce bad cholesterol levels. In addition, boy choy provides a healthy dose of A, B-complex, and C vitamins plus multiple minerals. Swapping hamburger buns for a nutritionally rich green like bok choy is a smart way to serve your kids and yourself. So do yourself, friends, and family a “flavor” (Yep, I went there) and make something cool, light, and crisp to beat the heat; like these sliders!

Baby Bok Choy Crab Sliders

Ingredients (Serves 2 to 4)

-Jumbo lump crab meat; I bought it fresh at a reputable seafood counter, but you can get it in 6.5oz cans too

-2 stalks baby bok choy, separated, rinsed, and pat dry

-¼ tsp cayenne

-2 tsp cumin, garlic powder, and celery seed

-1 tbsp dried parsley and dill (If you have the fresh stuff, use it!!)

-2 tbsp condiment, sauce, or spread of choice; I used horseradish mustard, but plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or salsa can and will work perfectly

-Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

-In a small mixing bowl, add about 3/4 cup of fresh lump crab meat or one 6.5oz can, herbs, spices, and about 2 tablespoons condiment/spread/sauce of choice.

-Mix everything until well combined.

-Scoop mixture on the groove of your bok choy and repeat until you’re all out. If you want, save some for a healthy dip or to make a wrap for work

-Fold leafy part over and stick with toothpick to hold in place or eat as is.

Avery is not quite to this level of her baby-led weaning adventure, but soon enough, we’ll have these on her highchair tray ready to ~~savor and enjoy~~ throw across the kitchen.

Hopefully she’ll catch on…..

The versatility of this recipe is perfect for the time-strapped parent as you can easily omit or sub other herbs, spices, and condiments as you need or desire. I think using a tangy barbecue sauce in the mix would fit right in at any outdoor gathering.

Please, give these a try and let me know how you and others enjoyed them. And whenever possible, get your kids in the kitchen to help! For this recipe, have them mix the crab and other ingredients together as you prepare the bok choy.

Hope you enjoy your bok choy. See, again with the corniness!! 🙂

Life, Parenting

One Way James Bond Never Used a Laser

06/01/2014 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

Earlier this month, we were playing with Avery in the living room as it was nearing her bedtime, and, like most babies, she was getting fussy. But, instead of getting her ready for bed, we chose a different route….play time with a laser!

Don't move, you might scare it off! — Don’t move, you might scare it off!

Since that day, we have been able to buy ourselves a little extra time before Avery turns into a sleep deprived night demon with the special power of shrill screaming. As a bonus, our slightly overweight cat gets a nice workout chasing the blasted red dot across the floor. This, in turn, amuses Avery more than the laser alone and even makes her laugh the craziest and cutest sounding laugh we’ve heard yet.

Being the textbook first time parents we are, there’s always a video camera nearby, so we quickly captured Avery’s amusement as she watched Lou (our cat) chase the red dot. And of course I posted it on YouTube since to us, it’s worth showing the world!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO6hA4nhfB0&w=420&h=315]

I know using a laser pointer as cheap entertainment is far from a new trend, but imagine seeing something like this for the first time when you’re a baby. There’s already so many crazy things you’ve never seen, fat black cat included, that I’m convinced her high-pitched laugh is partly a result of not knowing what else to do.

Now that she’s seen it a few times, she doesn’t laugh as much as in the video, but it still keeps her engaged and most importantly, not crying. And that, my friends, is definitely one way James Bond has never used a laser!

Do you use laser pointers as entertainment for your kids? Pets?

Any other cheap entertainment tips/stories to share?