Are We Dumb Parents With Smart-Phones?

03/27/2015 R.C. Liley 4 Comments

If you’re a parent reading this, chances are you’re just as guilty as I am for staring at our smartphone with our kids around.

A recent post from Time.com shared the results of a study recording the behavior of 55 adult-child groupings at a fast food restaurant and captured how often the adult used their smartphone.

Don’t Text While Parenting — It Will Make You Cranky

A new study from Boston Medical Center reveals that parents who get absorbed by email, games or other apps have more negative interactions with their children, making them feel like they’re competing for attention with their parents’ gadgets

First off, any adult is not that smart for subjecting their kids and themselves to fast food, but that’s just how I feel. Poor nutrition aside, the interactions captured between the parent-child groups showed how damaging smartphone use can be when with your kids.

Before this was published, my wife and I had already stopped all technology use at the dinner table, but we are far from innocent when it comes to using our phones as Avery runs around our feet wanting attention. And she deserves it, poor girl, nothing is more important than giving her our love!

Since reading the article, we have become more aware of our use when Avery is around, but I know we’re still not perfect. Just look at my Instagram or aother social media accounts and it’s easy to see I have my phone practically shoved in her face A LOT! Sorry, Avery, please forgive me.

Maybe it’s different if you’re using your smartphone with your kid, but I know simply setting the tech aside and just playing is always the better option. Does this mean I’m going to stop capturing pics and videos of her? Nope, but scrolling through Facebook or Instagram feeds will be limited when our sweet girl is begging attention from now on. I mean, just look at that sweet face!

Get off your phone swing kettlebells with me!

Are you guilty of using your phone or other device and not paying attention to your kids?

Do you have certain rules or guidelines on when/where you can use your tech devices?

Avery Talk, Baby Wearing, Life, Parenting, Throwback Thursday

10 Throwback Thursday Posts from March 2014

03/26/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Looking back at just a year ago is crazy! Our little girl was, well, littler, and I was still adjusting to the stay-at-home life. Now that it’s almost the end of March, I thought I’d dig through the archives and share 10 of my favorite posts from March of last year for a little Throwback Thursday action. Enjoy!

1. Ninja Turtle Pizzas At G-Ma’s – This was our second time bringing Avery to stay the night at G-Ma’s (or anywhere), and she let us all know her distaste for not sleeping in her crib.

Avery showing her Liley lip curl with G-ma

2. Our Nightly Routine and I’m Inventing a Water Swaddle – Always fun to look back at what our routine was like a year ago. She was crazy then and beyond crazy now! This also features me wearing Avery in the Baby Bjorn front facing; what I now know better NOT to do for many development reasons.

3. How to Tell Your Baby They Are Getting Shots – I made more “conversations” with Avery back then and need to work on more. It’s always fun writing these posts.

4. A Talk With My 4 Month Old About Teething – See? I did this a lot compared to now. Love reading them over and over, and man how she’s changed!

5. A Walking Revelation, Darth Vader Sweat, and Avery in a Zippy – This was the month where I received our first Onya Baby baby carrier and haven’t looked back since.

The force of sweat is strong with this one - Darth Vader — The force of sweat is strong with this one – Darth Vader

6. Hanging With My Daughter in the Dad Cave – Before baby gates and toys were needed, she just laid there. But I made the most of it!

7. Weekend Recap: Breaking Bad, She Rolled Over, 4 Month Shots Delayed, and Teething – The title says it all.

8. Sleeping on the Nursery Floor and Onya Outback Progress – We had our fair share of sleeping on the nursery floor, here’s one account.

Boppy's are good for more than just breast feeding! — Boppy’s are good for more than just breast feeding!

9. A Hissing Goose and An Ass Woke My Baby – Another self-explanatory title and picture. We still have the goose and ass hanging around too!

10. Explaining Exercise to a Baby – Seriously, I’m going to create a post to gather all of my conversations with Avery. This one should be no surprise to those that know me.

I started writing this thinking I’d only share 5, but there were too many I wanted to share in March. Maybe I’ll do 5 for April.

What do you think, do you like seeing a recap of posts from a year ago?

Do you ever have “conversations” with your baby….before they can actually speak?

Food, Going Healthy, NuttZo, Soft Star Shoes, WIAW

Sweet & Spicy NuttZo Carrot Dip Recipe + WIAW #5

03/25/2015 R.C. Liley 4 Comments

NuttZo is mentioned on here quite often, huh? Besides that fact that I’m a proud NuttZo Ambassador, it’s just that good that I have to talk about and share it frequently. Is that such a bad thing? Didn’t think so.

Today I have an easy and delicious NuttZo recipe to share. No baking, rolling anything into balls, or waiting for hours, just a few simple ingredients and a quick blend is all you need. It’s a super versatile sweet and spicy NuttZo carrot dip!

We’re already having temps in the mid-80’s here in Texas, so avoiding the oven makes sense. The only heat you need is the microwave or stove-top for steaming purposes, but then no more cooking! This recipe can be easily customized into only sweet or only spicy, so have fun and get your NuttZo on!

Sweet and/or Spicy NuttZo Carrot Dip

Ingredients

1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup steamed carrots; Use pumpkin puree if you don’t have or don’t want to use carrots
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 cup smooth NuttZo Original or Power Fuel (You can use crunchy if you don’t mind a little crunch in your dip. Actually sounds pretty good!)
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon; plus more to sprinkle on top (I love the spice from cinnamon!)
Pinch of pure stevia or 2 packets of stevia (I use Pyure Sweet); can also use 2-4 Tbsp honey, but I haven’t tried to verify

Easiest instructions EVER

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth; scrape down the sides once or twice to get everything.

If you have more of a sweet tooth, nix the cayenne and either add another pinch or packet of stevia or leave as is. Conversely, omit the stevia and add a tiny bit more cayenne to turn up the heat! This would make a perfect game day dip to serve with veggies.

Feel like having something chocolaty? Sub in Dark Chocolate NuttZo for the original, add a 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, and leave out the cayenne and viola!

No matter how you make it, this NuttZo dip is sure to please, and it’s okay to just eat from the spoon, I do all the time. Oh, and so does Avery. Speaking of, this “dip” can easily become healthy baby/toddler/anyone food.

The evidence is on her chin!

Go ahead, leave your computer/tablet/phone and go make this NOW! Then come back to see WIAW. Thanks to Jenn from Peas and Crayons, for creating this fun link-up for foodies everywhere!

This week the party is being hosted at Sprint 2 the Table, so click on over and join in on the fun!

The morning started with, surprise surprise, homemade chocolate banana NuttZo bread with more NuttZo on top and the extra free “refill” coffee I got at Starbucks. Yep, still loving that Gold Card!

As usual, I didn’t have much to eat until I completed my workout for the day. Today was leg day with heavy dead lifts and squats in my Soft Star Shoes followed by a core routine and walking with Avery to the playground.

Oops, sorry, that’s not food!

Before lunch, I finished the rest of my kombucha from the day before and added a little apple cider vinegar.

Lunch was spaghetti squash with grilled salmon and egg, steamed brussels sprouts and broccoli, and black beans. That hit the spot!

I snacked on a few pieces of homemade beer bread with butter and black garlic spread on top to hold me over for dinner. The sweetness of black garlic paired with bread and butter is AMAZING!

Dinner was something I haven’t made in a looonnggg time and need to be sure I make it again soon. Slow-cooker pot roast with grass-fed sirlion, red potatoes covered in the red lentil sauce from the crock-pot, and steamed broccoli. My favorite ladies both agreed this needs to happen again very soon.

Naturally, I followed up with a cup full of sweet NuttZo carrot dip and a spoon. Nothing else needed!

Hope you give the carrot dip a try and have a great rest of the week! Happy Hump Day!Linking to the HOST

Are you a fan of dips or like using your fingers for snacking?

What do you think of using steamed carrots for dip?

Have you ever “baked” bread in the microwave?

Before I’m done, just want to mention I love NuttZo and you MUST try it at least ~~once~~ forever! Plus, if you go to their website and enter code liley15, you can save 15% off your order. 😉