Anyhow, on a more pertinent note, yesterday I was invited to participate in a twitter chat about healthy and safe swimming from the CDC (National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases), in honor of National Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week that runs from May 20-26th. Though we tend to always think about safety in and around a pool, often times we forget about our health, and how the water and other people can affect it (which I never really thought about before). With that being said, healthy and safe swimming is a great topic for today’s Thursday Tidbits. In case you missed last week’s post, you can find it here. If you are new, Thursday Tidbits is a weekly post featuring anything health, fitness or wellness related. If there is a topic you would like to see, let me know!

Here is a little intro on recreational water illnesses from the Runner-Up of the 2011 Healthy Swimming Video Contest that the CDC sponsored. It certainly makes you think twice before jumping into the pool this Summer!

I learned to swim when I was three years old and swimming has always been one of my favorite Summer activities. My parents got a pool when I was ten and I was in the water practically everyday from the moment the weather became warm to when the leaves started turning colors in the fall! Being safe in the pool was always drilled into my brothers and me from my mom, but we rarely talked about our health in the water. We had lots of pool parties and friends over, but we never thought twice about just jumping in the water and having fun.

Even when I signed Keenan up for swim lessons at six months old, I never thought about my or his health in the water. Keenan continues to take lessons, in fact, he just graduated into the “big kids” class, where he will be swimming by himself next month! All I ever thought about is Keenan learning how to swim for safety reasons and to have fun, like I had when I was a child.

This year’s theme for Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention week is how swimmers contaminate pools. The focus is on proper swimmer hygiene and how important it is to protect yourself and prevent the spread of awful germs. You may have heard about “poop in the pool” in the media last week, but The CDC recently found that swimmers bring poop into the water quite frequently due to not showering with soap before swimming, or having an incident of diarrhea in the pool.

Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) can be caused by swallowing contaminated water (in a pool, hot tub, water park, water play area, fountain, mister lakes, rivers or ocean). The most comment RWIs is diarrhea, which is caused several germs, such as Cyrptosporidium, Giardia, norovirus, Shiegella and E. coli. Some other illness can be infections of the skin, ears, respiratory and wounds. Children and pregnant women with suppressed immune systems are at the most risk.

Despite what most people think, chlorine does not sterilize and keep all germs at bay. So, how can you keep yourself safe and healthy among all of the yucky germs?

Here are some tips that the CDC recommends for staying healthy while swimming:

Keeping poop and pee out of the water:

• Don’t swim when you have diarrhea
• Shower with soap before swimming
• Take frequent bathroom breaks every hour (and change your child’s diaper frequently)
• Make sure to wash hands after going to the bathroom or changing your child’s diaper
• Wash your hands after using the toliet or changing diapers

If you own or manage a pool, check the free chlorine level and pH before getting into the water:

• Pools: Proper chlorine (1–3 mg/L or parts per million [ppm]) and pH (7.2–7.8) levels maximize germ-killing power.
• Hot tubs/spas: Proper disinfectant level (chlorine [2–4 parts per million or ppm] or bromine [4–6 ppm] and pH [7.2–7.8]) maximize germ-killing power.
• Don’t swallow the water you swim in.

Questions:

Have you ever thought about your or your family’s health in the pool?

How do you stay safe and healthy while swimming?

What does swimming healthy mean to you?

My mom and I made it home safely yesterday, after a VERY long day of flying. Keenan was so excited to see my mom and me; it melted my heart. What made it even more special (and tear-jerking) is when I put Keenan to bed and he gave me a hug while saying, ”I love you, Mommy!”

After Keenan went to bed, I was looking forward to spending some time with my husband and telling him all about our weekend, but I was completely exhausted! It felt SO good to sleep in my own bed!

Anyhow, since it is Wednesday, it is time to link up with the lovely Jenn at Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday!

Breakfast: An oldie, but a goodie: No Oat Oatmeal with fresh cherries and my mother-in-law’s berries!

After a weekend of rich food, I was craving this when I woke up!

Lunch: Leftover spaghetti squash with tomatoes, avocado, a hard boiled egg and pasta sauce.

I love using leftover spaghetti squash for lunch the next day!

Last night’s dinner: *NEW RECIPE: Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowl

Another new favorite way to eat Spaghetti Squash!

That’s it for now. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Question: 

What was your favorite thing that you ate today?

What foods do you crave when you get home from vacation?

Anyhow, my mom and I had a wonderful time in New Orleans over the weekend. We certainly walked our behinds off through the French Quarters (hopefully burning off all the beignets and frozen Cafe Au Laits we consumed), as well as doing some shopping. There just too many cute little boutique shops!

We didn’t JUST shop, we also enjoyed some very yummy food and leave it to me, I completely forgot to take any pictures of what we ate! Sorry! In addition to beignets and coffee, we enjoyed some wonderful food from shrimp and grits, creole, crawfish and ricotta crepes, lobster and ricotta gnocchi and of course, bread pudding!

Before I forget, my mom and I had a fun adventure through the swamps yesterday. We rode an airboat through the bayous marveling at all of the alligators looking at us, waiting for their next meal. I couldn’t believe it when our captain got in the water and hand fed a nine foot female alligator! Though he obviously knew what he was doing, it was still nerve wracking!

Last but not least, we had a nice time at my cousin’s wedding (the whole purpose of our trip). They got married at a beautiful Victorian house and had a great four piece jazz band with a tremendous singer who was a mix of Nora Jones and Ella Fitzgerald. The food was delicious and the ambiance was lovely.

My brother also came out for the wedding and stayed with us for a couple days, so it was nice to spend time with him, catch up and talk about the future.

Though I missed my boys and am looking forward to being home and giving them HUGE hugs and kisses, my mom and I had a wonderful trip. It was fun to have a little break and enjoy some quality girls’ time with my mom. I can’t wait to do it again, hopefully sooner rather than later!

With this week being so hectic doing things for our new house and getting our current house ready for renters, I completely forgot to mention my cousin’s wedding that is tomorrow in New Orleans. In a few hours, my mom and I are flying out for it, so I am going to keep today’s post fairly short (or at least try to!). I’ve never been to New Orleans, so I’m excited to go! My mom and I haven’t taken a trip together of just the two of us for a long time, so it should be fun (though I’ll definitely miss my boys)! Keenan is spending the weekend with my in-law’s, while my husband continues to get things done around the house in preparation for renting it. It’s not so fun for him, but at least his best friend will be coming over to help!

Anyhow, it’s time to talk about this week’s Friday Favorites!  If you are new here, every Friday is a time to reflect back on the week and cherish some of your favorite moments and eats. I hope you will join me and link up below!

Favorite Moments:

Keenan playing in the water table (naked) at my parents’ house. When I came to pick him up on Tuesday after finishing things up for our house, he was happily sitting in the water table playing with the hose. He told me, “It felt good to be in the water!” It was too funny!

Having fun with water!

Keenan making the box that shipped our coffee his “home!”

Enjoying his “home!”

Favorite Eats:

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Such a great one-pot meal!

“Breaded” Asparagus with a garlic yogurt dipping sauce (recipe to come soon!) and Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

On my new favorite ways to eat Asparagus!

It’s your turn! Link up with some of your favorite moments and eats from this past week, or share them in the comments below. Have a great weekend! My mom and I get back from our little trip on Tuesday, so I’ll talk to you then!

Since we have been enjoying fresh cherries this week, it has made me even more excited for all of the yummy produce that will be in season, soon! Summer is definitely my most favorite time of year because of all the produce that becomes available. My favorites are nectarines, peaches, cherries, sweet corn, eggplant, peppers, zucchini and other summer squash. When I was pregnant with Keenan, I craved peaches and nectarines, in fact, I would eat at least two everyday (sometimes three!).

Enjoying his bowl full of cherries for dessert!

With that being said, I thought it would be fun to talk about different ways to use Summer produce for this week’s Thursday Tidbits. If you are new, Thursday Tidbits is a weekly post featuring anything health, fitness or wellness related. If there is a topic you would like to see, let me know!

Though you can get almost any type of produce year-round at your grocery store these days, it is not the same when you are eating something that was grown halfway across the world, versus something that was grown locally. I aim to buy at least 95% of all of our produce locally, buying only what is in season, and mostly from our farmer’s market. So, when Summer is approaching, I’m giddy with all of the produce that becomes available and the different ways to cook with them!

Here are four simple and delicious ways to utilize Summer produce that your whole family with love:

Cold Salads: When it is warm outside, who wants to cook? I sure don’t! Instead, make a cold salad with or without lettuce, adding fresh local veggies and/or fruit, some protein and a little dressing. Mix everything together and you have a wonderful one-pot meal ready in minutes. Some great salad combinations with Summer fruit that I love are peaches or nectarines with goat or feta cheese and roasted walnuts or strawberries, spinach, avocado and roasted walnuts. Another idea is making a caprese salad of slices of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella (packed in water) and basil drizzled with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can also grill some veggies and toss them into a salad, such as the Grilled Corn Fiesta Salad or Grilled Cabbage Salad. Another tasty and lettuce alternative is using kale, such as Massaged Greek Kale Salad or Moroccan Kale Salad.

Moroccan Kale Salad

Grilling: Take fresh vegetables, such as eggplant, bell peppers and summer squash and toss them onto the grill for a tasty side dish to compliment any protein, or add them to your salad. Just drizzle a little olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper and grill your veggies for a few minutes on each side (until you see grill marks, or slightly charred). Don’t be afraid to experiment: A great flavor combo is eggplant, Chinese Five-Spice, feta, and basil. Grill your protein, too, and make an entire meal using your barbecue. Now that the weather is warm, I hardly use our oven, as we grill most of our veggies and meats!

Healthy Desserts: One of my personal favorites: grilled fruit! Slice a peach or nectarine, drizzle a little olive oil on top and grill it for 3-4 minutes on both sides. Serve with a little balsamic vinegar on top and enjoy! Add fresh cherries to low-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt or Greek yogurt, which we have been enjoying the past couple of nights. Or, making homemade ice cream with fresh fruit using low-fat milk, coconut or almond milk is always tasty, too (though, it requires a little more time).

In The Raw: This is such a no-brainer, but enjoy your Summer produce raw, by having plenty available for you and your family. Slice up a watermelon and keep it in the fridge for quick snacks or keep a bowl of fruit on the counter so it’s easy to access.

Questions:

What is your favorite Summer fruit or veggie? How do you like to eat and/or prepare it?

While I was running around and picking things out for the house, Keenan had fun with my mom yesterday, and look what they picked! I’m SO excited for the cherries to finally be ripe! I am anxious to make some protein ice cream or possibly another Paleo quick bread with them soon…

Anyhow, since it’s Wednesday it is time for another round of What I Ate Wednesday, thanks to the lovely Jenn for always hosting! Also, I’ve finally updated two of my favorite “non-lettuce” salad recipes that were on my old blog, so I can’t wait to share them with you!

Breakfast: No Oat Oatmeal with spinach, cherries and strawberries. I also had my morning coffee, which I forgot to take a picture of.

Lunch: A large apple and walnut salad with chicken

Dinner (From Monday night, since my husband was traveling for work yesterday): Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Also, here is the recipe for my Grilled Corn Fiesta Salad that I finally updated! This is one our favorite dishes to make when the weather is warm.

That’s a wrap for today!  Have a great rest of your day!

Questions:

What is one thing that you ate today?

What is your favorite Summer salad?

Since he did so well, I surprised him with a little cup of hot chocolate this morning, telling him he had earned it. He was so proud himself! I’m hoping we have a repeat performance tonight! Slowly, but surely, we are figuring out this whole bedtime thing…

Anyhow, we have a busy day today, as I need to meet with our contractor and do some things for our new house, so I’m taking Keenan to my parents’ house to play while I get some things done. Since we have to head out pretty soon, I’m going to keep today’s post short and sweet.

Lately, Keenan has been saying so many new words and phrases that continually surprise my husband and I, as well as make us laugh. The saying, “Kids say the darndest things” definitely rings true in our lives right now, and it is so fun to see Keenan’s language continue to develop. Fortunately, I have a journal that my mom gave me at Christmas to record all of the funny things Keenan says. I’m so glad I have this, because it is a great way to remember all that he said and be able to share it with him when he gets older. I hope to do this with each child that we have, as it is such a great way to preserve those precious memories!

“Mr. Cool” helping me bake!

Speaking of memories, I thought it would be fun to share some of the funny things Keenan has said lately. They have sure made my husband and I laugh a lot these past couple of weeks, so here you go:

- While eating lunch, Keenan asked, “What is born, Mommy?” I told him it means a mommy has a baby in her belly (like his cousin was in Mimi’s belly) and when they are old enough, they come out,  thus being born. He responded with, “When you have babies in our tummy, you keep one and I will take one, and they will all be born!” I was laughing so hard!

- While my husband and Keenan were getting ready to head to the park, he asked him which crocs he wanted to wear. Keenan said, “I want to wear my green crocs because they match your bike!”

- While Keenan was playing with my mom, she asked him if he got a haircut. Keenan non-nonchalantly said, “No, Daddy did.” My mom then asked if Keenan went with him, and he replied, “No, I didn’t go with Daddy, he is a big boy!”

- While deciding what to have for breakfast last week, Keenan told me, “You have yogurt because it’s cold outside (though it was pretty warm outside) and have oatmeal tomorrow, Mommy!”

- While eating dinner, Keenan explained to my husband and me that his critters were all family. He said, “Baba is the mommy and Lambie is the daddy. Polar Bear and Elmo are the babies!” He was so serious about it; it was too funny!

- While Keenan and I were eating dinner when my husband was traveling for work, he asked where our cat Slinky was. I told him I didn’t know. He said, Mommy, Slinky is probably “catting” around!” Then he laughed and said, “Daddy said that this morning!”

- When I was putting Keenan to bed, I asked him for an Eskimo kiss. He pointed to his nose and very seriously said, “This is for stare downs only!”

- While driving in the car, my husband and I asked Keenan if he wanted a little brother or little sister. He immediately said, “Little sister.” My husband asked, “Do you want a little brother like your best friend Dries, or do you want a little sister like your baby cousin?” Keenan paused to think…and then said, “I just want Dries!”

Well, I hope you enjoyed some of our “Keenanisms,” as my husband and I call them. When I’m stressed or feeling down, I love to look through the journal and read some of his sayings, as they never fail to cheer me up!

It’s time to pack up a few things and hit the road. I’m hoping to make it back in time for CrossFit tonight, so we better get a move on!

Questions:

If you have kids, what is one funny thing that they have said lately?

What excites you these days?