Tillamook Cheese continues it’s quest to bond with Texans by introducing them to their delicious cheese! In this clip, you see our company spokesmen attempting to get some Texas horns mounted to the roof of their Baby Loaf van, in an effort to fit in with their surroundings.

The spokesmen are both funny and engaging while presenting their cheese in a confident manner. This pride is congruent with the company’s very nature – a farmer-owned cooperative that keeps it’s profits within the family of farmers who have invested their livelihood in Tillamook Cheese.

Farmer-owned and with a commitment to quality, it’s easy to see how Tillamook Cheese is the West coast’s most popular brand of natural cheese.

You can buy Tillamook’s cheese and other products like yogurt, sour cream, butter and ice cream at retail stores nationwide.

This week’s mommy interview is with Stephanie Fish of The Secret Sister Shop.

1. Did you always want to be a mom?

Yes!

2. How many children do you have?

Four living/2 in Heaven

3. Tell us about finding out you were pregnant for the first time.

I was a scared 16 yr old Sophomore who fell for the first guy that said he loved me…we’ve been married for almost 17 yrs now. My daughter is now 18 yrs old and about to graduate High School…and all I can say is “We’ve come a long way baby!!”

4. What was labor like for you? Difficult, easy, natural or c-section?

My first child: It was the longest 15 hours of my life! I did have an epidural, which blocked some of the pain but ended up giving me migraines and high blood pressure.

5. What challenges have you faced as a mother?

I’ve faced many challenges including a miscarriage, the death of my youngest child due to a virus that went undetected, and have 2 children with epilepsy. Being a mom has taught me more about the grace and mercy that God gives us on a daily basis and what it means to rely on Him and not others.

6. What do you find is the most rewarding thing about being a mom?

Lots of things! Getting a hug at the end of the day & having my kids tell me ‘thanks for being my mom’!

For more information on Stephanie visit her on the web at The Secret Sister Shop or Twitter at SecretSisShop

Last week’s interview with Tracy was all about blogging. I made an oopsie – the interviews are supposed to be about motherhood. So, let’s try this again. This week’s mom interview is with Tammy Munson.

1. Did you always want to be a mom?

Yes I always wanted to be a mom. When I was a kid , I wanted a big family with at least 4 children. After my younger daughter was born, I was pretty sure I was done.  I always thought I’d be a mom of boys — but so very happy with “my girls”

2. How many children do you have?

I have 2 daughters, Kiersten and Rebecca

3. Tell us about finding out you were pregnant for the first time.

It was sort of unexpected so at first I was thinking oh my what have we done .. it then quickly turned to We’re Having a Baby and absolute bliss.

4. What was labor like for you? Difficult, easy, natural or c-section?

Both of my children decided to come a bit earlier than normal. Labor with my oldest was very difficult.  There were lots of things going on medically with my daughter as well as myself. After laboring for 12+ hours, I ended up having a vaginal delivery but really should have had a c-section.

I went into labor with my youngest 7 weeks early so I was put on bed rest in the hospital for a week. Once the doctors allowed the contractions to start , labor was very easy but fast and furious! Rebecca’s actual labor time  was just  4 hours, start to finish.

5. What challenges have you faced as a mother?

My oldest daughter has special needs. Due to some of the medical needs (and bad decisions made by the medical team ) Kiersten received a brain injury during delivery. Her diagnosis did not come till about 5 months of age. It was extremely challenging to deal with regular new mom stuff plus all the medical/therapy things that needed to be done. Kiersten had her first emergency brain surgery at 6 months of age. She would end up having another at 8 months.

After Rebecca came along , we noticed she did everything early. When Rebecca started preschool and could read , the school had her evaluated and she was deemed gifted.

This was yet another challenge.

For each of my girls are on opposite ends of the learning spectrum. Kiersten is doing ok but will always need a bit more help in school than most her age. Rebecca , alternatively, barely needs any help and can usually teach us a thing or two.

6. What do you find is the most rewarding thing about being a mom?

I just simply love being a mom. I love seeing their unconditional love for me and when they need something, it is me that they look for. Last year’s deployment taught us a lot about each other. I’m so very proud and honored to be their mom.

These girls have taught me so very much in their lifetime. Kiersten taught me that everyday is an adventure — you need to embrace each day and not worry about what happened yesterday.  Rebecca taught me something very important too — that we should never stop learning and every activity should be considered a learning opportunity.

For more information on Tammy, visit her on the web or Twitter.

Spring is almost here. This year, Spring comes on March 20, 2009. I love this time of the year – the weather is great, I hear birds chirping, and see flowers blooming. It’s truly an awesome time of the year.

Although many think that Spring break is just for college kids, I believe that we as parents should have some kind of a plan for our kids this time of the year. Elementary, middle and high schools do get a week if not two weeks off from school too. This is an excellent time for parents to think of spending quality time with their kids – no matter what age their kids are.

During spring, family vacations become popular. Why? Simply because the weather is perfect – not too hot, not too cold. Some destinations are not as crowded as others during summer months. Sadly, not everyone can afford to travel. It can get expensive depending on where you are going and how you are getting there. So, families need to plan alternative ways to enjoy the spring break without spending too much money.

If your family cannot afford to go on vacation, find some activities you can do as a family. Check out your local area – are there places you can visit? You can go to the beach, the zoo, and a museum maybe. You can even start a family project at home. Whatever you decide on, note that this is a family thing – everyone gets to participate. You can ensure that the kids do not get bored during spring break and you as parents get to enjoy the spring break with them too.

This recipe is another popular dish in my household. It is my version of meatloaf. While, I do make the traditional meatloaf, this is one of my favorite dishes to prepare cause when I make it – there is always extras for another day and it’s a big hit especially during parties.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Ground Pork
Small onion (chopped)
2 Carrots (chopped)
6 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 egg
3 tbsp. flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 hard boiled eggs peeled and cut into 4 (Lengthwise)

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients except for the hard boiled eggs (they will be used as a filling).
Divide mixture into 5 portions.
Place the sliced hard boiled eggs inside the meatloaf. You’ll have to watch the video to see how I do it.
Wrap each portion in aluminum foil. Watch the video above to see how I wrap it.
Steam wrapped meat loaf for 15-20 minutes.
Remove aluminum foil wrapper and pan fry the meatloaf in a pan with some oil – just enough to brown the outside.
Let fried meatloaf rest for 7-10 minutes before slicing.
Slice the meat into 1/2 inch pieces at an angle.
Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce or Ketchup.

Tip: You can add raisins, cilantro and sausage in the meat mixture if you wish. If you are not serving them all in one meal, you can freeze the steamed meatloaf – just make sure it is completely cool before you freeze it. Do not remove the foil before you freeze. Thaw the frozen meatloaf before you pan fry.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave me your question in the comments.

For more recipes, visit Family Foodies.