My Homemade Happiness

Recipe: Easy Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-02-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

There is nothing better than the classic peanut butter cookie and a glass of milk. Here is a recipe using three ingredients that will make you very happy!

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg

Mix together. Plop on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Seriously, it's that easy.

I use a cookie dough scoop to make mine nice and round. But you could just use whatever spoon you have! I then use the crisscross fork trick to flatten them down. If you are making them into the ever popular peanut butter blossom cookie, just leave them as a round ball and after baking, squish a Hershey's kiss on top. This recipe also works perfect in a cookie press!

My biggest cookie making tip is not to over cook them! Take them out just before they are done and let sit on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack. This lets the sugars crystallize and the cookie will harden but still stay soft inside!

Enjoy!

Linked to:

The Stages of Underwear Laundry...Oh How Times Have Changed

2012-02-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

Stage One:

Young and single. Thin. Rested. If you are not rested, it's for fun reasons. Reasons that are worth being tired over. You do laundry when you think about it. Your underwear are colorful and fun. Probably cheap because that's all you can afford. But who cares.

Stage Two:

Newly married. Not as thin but you are too in love to care. Rested. So very rested. You do laundry once a week. You always wear your prettiest underwear first. If you are wearing granny panties your husband knows to bring you chocolate and keep his distance.

Stage Three:

Married with young children. You eat leftover french fries for dinner. Thin is no longer a word you even think about. Rest? What is that? You do laundry every single day to no avail. You wear whatever underwear are in the drawer. Your husband does not notice what underwear you are wearing. He's just happy he's wearing some. Even if they are turned inside out so he can get an extra day out of them.

Stage Four:

Married with older children. Attempting thin. Not happening because when you're over 30 your metabolism goes on vacation. Rested once again. It's about freaking time those kids sleep through the night. You do laundry two-three times a week. You wear underwear in whatever order you feel like BECAUSE YOU CAN. Your husband happily wears clean underwear once again. He knows that if you are in pretty underwear it means nothing. It's probably just laundry day because that's really the only reason those underwear even make it out of the drawer. But he doesn't complain. At least they are on you once again.

Stage Five:

I'm not in this stage yet but I imagine at this point laundry and underwear no longer rule your life.

Which sounds like a great stage to aim for.

I'm happily in Stage Four right now. It's not too shabby. Nor are my underwear.

Which stage of underwear laundry are you in?

We'll Be Back After These Messages

2012-02-08T05:54:00.001-08:00

Today I'm going to pick up my new laptop! Hooray!

Last night we stopped at Best Buy and there was a great little Dell laptop on sale. My dear husband has been scouring the Internet for days trying to find the best one at the best price. We thought we had found one online but did a quick stop at Best Buy just to check. And whammo! Great deal!

So we were all set to buy it and the sales guy says, "Let me check if we have it in stock." Gee, maybe you could have checked that BEFORE you sold us on it?

They did not have any, of course. But they would sell us the two week old floor model for 10% off! You should have seen my husband's face. It was like he won the lottery.

So after asking for a rag and wiping the laptop down to make sure there were no scratches and checking practically every inch of it over (and also after lots of eye rolling and huffing from the kids...and their mother) we bought it!

He then discussed some very important matters with the Geek Squad where it appeared he was very much at home.

If I were in charge of buying it I would probably have spent way more money because I'm so clueless. But it would have only taken five minutes.

On the way home he stuck his head out the window and yelled "I just saved $150!! Wooooo!" And then took parts out of my broken laptop to bulk up his old slow one. He then calculated how much money that saved him. I believe he did a dance in celebration.

I love my geeky cheapskate husband. He gives me so much entertainment.

So in your house who would have been the one taking an hour to inspect every laptop in the store and who would have just taken whatever so you could go home and eat ice cream?

Please tell me we are not the only family who is this weird.

They Tuck Me In At Night

2012-02-06T06:36:00.000-08:00

I am usually the last one to bed in our house. The boys, of course, go to bed early on school nights. Matt gets up way before the sun to get to work before I've even opened my eyes. I stay up and enjoy having the tv to myself. I let myself zone out and into the land of television where the problems of the day belong to someone else.

Every night before I go to bed I have a routine. It's pretty much the same thing every night.

I fill the coffee maker with liquid gold and set the timer so it will percolate at just the moment Matt will need to set up his caffeine IV.

I start the dishwasher after making sure no one put the plastic bowls on the bottom rack.

I make sure Matt has a lunch ready for the next day. (Yes, I'm the wife that makes her husband's lunch for him. Shut up. I like him.)

I brush my teeth and remove the crusty make up off my crusty face.

I go into the boys' room and check on each one of them.

First is Charlie. He just turned seven. But don't tell anyone. I've decided he won't be growing any older. I pull his three pillows up off the floor, making sure they are not laying on the heater. We don't need to be starting the building on fire. I pull his covers up over him. He kicks them off. I lean over and kiss his warm forehead. I take in his smell. It's usually that of wet dog but I still breathe it in as deep as I can. I pray that he will find his place in this family, in his school, in this world. I pray he sees how special he is. I pray for peace to fill his heart. I pray that he will stop wiping his nose on me.

Next is Chandler. He turned eleven in December. I pull his headphones out of his ears. When I look at him I still him as that chubby baby with cheeks so big you'd think you could pop them with one squeeze. But there he lays. Limbs long and gangly. Face narrow and looking so much like his father it physically hurts my heart. (In a good way. Just clarifying.) I pray that he will keep his tender-hearted kindness in the midst of an unkind world. I pray that he will be strong and stick up for himself and what he believes in. I pray for passion. I pray for peace to fill his heart. I pray that he'll let me kiss him in the drop off lane at school for just a little longer. Mostly I pray that his eyes won't get stuck when he rolls them.

Up on the top bunk is my little man, Chase. He is quite possibly the smartest eight year old on the planet. I brush my fingers over his freckled nose. I run my hands through his thick hair. Thank God he got my hair and not his father's. I move all of the stuffed animals off his head. I pull the ball of sheets from the end of the bed and straighten out all of his blankets knowing good and well in the morning he will say, "Mom, why'd you do that? I like them all messed up!" He might not be my child. I pray for wisdom. He's smart as a whip. I pray he has the wisdom to do really great things with that gift. I pray for peace to fill his heart. I pray that he doesn't trip and fall any more or randomly walk into walls because we are one bruise away from being reported.

I walk out of their room. I always...always...turn back around and look at them. I pray out loud, "Thank you for my babies, keep them safe."

I sneak into my room as quietly as I can. I plug in my phone and turn on the alarm.

I move the dog off my pillow and out from under the covers. I mutter under my breath about the spoiled dog. I crawl into bed and snuggle up next to my husband, trying not to wake him. If needed, I nudge him. Who can sleep with all that snoring, anyway? I breathe him in and take over his pillow. I try not to let my cold toes touch his. I pray that his work will be blessed. I pray that his health will stay strong. I pray for peace to fill his heart. I pray that he won't get mad when he realizes I waited too late to make his lunch because that episode of Parenthood was so good that I couldn't walk away and halfheartedly threw together a pb&j sandwich.

I close my eyes and say thank you.

Each night I tuck my family in. I do the same thing. Say the same thing. Night after night after night.

And I can't sleep unless I do.

Now that I think about it, I think they are the ones who tuck me in at night.

Sweet dreams, everyone.

Parenting Tip: Questions Create Thinking

2012-02-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted any parenting advice lately so I thought I'd pass on this little snippet of great insight from my favorite parenting site, Love and Logic.

At Love and Logic® we believe that kids are best prepared for the real world when we allow them to do as much thinking as possible. It's good practice for the real world, and it keeps the monkey off of our backs most of the time. Here's the problem. Do you know kids who like to keep adults doing all of the thinking? Do you know kids who are good at tricking us into doing so? How do we avoid falling into this trap?

One strategy involves using plenty of questions!The more questions we ask,the better thinkers our kids will become. People who understand Love and Logic also understand that the human brain seeks closure. When we use plenty of questions, children's brains are so busy searching for closure that they have less energy left over for power-struggles. The more questions we ask,the fewer power-struggles we will have.

Kids grow the healthiest and strongest brains when they're fortunate to spend time around adults who say things like:

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"Are you sure that's the best idea?"

"How do you think that's going to work out for you?"

"Would you like to hear what some other kids have tried?"

"Do you think that's going to work out well or ________?"

"What do you think you are going to do?"

"Which one of these is the best solution to your problem?"

"Do you have enough money to pay for any possible damage?"

"Is that a wise decision?"

I love this advice. I love putting the questions back onto the kids and not draining myself over their problems.

Try it. You'll like it. :)

Back It Up: A Cautionary Tale

2012-01-30T05:18:00.001-08:00

My laptop. When I think about losing it I want to sing "How can I live without you" in my best Faith Hill voice. It is my friend. My confidant. My keeper of all things precious.

Why then, did I not back it up? Why did I let that pack of CDs sit on my desk for a month without transferring my pictures onto them? Why didn't we buy that external hard drive?

Why, God, why?!

I woke up yesterday to a laptop that had given up. The black screen of death. And when we really tried to get it to turn on? A screen full of words and garblygook. Yes. That's a word. I'm distraught. Leave me alone.

So here I am. No laptop. I've been assured that there are geek type people who can fix it or at the very least, get my pictures off it. For a very reasonable price, I'm sure. Eye roll.

But that's what I get. And so today I encourage you...

BACK IT UP. BACK IT ALLLLLL UP.

I wish I was sharing a fun new rap I made up with you. That would have been much more fun.

Until I get it fixed, there may be limited stuff happening here. Which is too bad because I have a giveaway lined up! But don't worry. Our old faithful dinosaur desk top is still going and I just figured out how to blog from my phone.

Technology!

I hope my back it up rap song gets stuck in your head all day. That would make me feel better.

Recipe: Caramel Carrot Cake

2012-01-27T05:09:00.000-08:00

A last minute dinner with friends left me looking for a quick and easy dessert last week. I happened to have a couple of cake mixes on hand thanks to a recent sale so that was my easy fix. I had a carrot cake mix and a can of cream cheese frosting. I know, I know, a cake mix AND canned frosting. It's like I don't even know the name of my own blog.

Anyway, looking for a way to spruce the plain cake mix up, I found this recipe from Betty Crocker for Caramel Carrot Cake. I was pleasantly surprised how nicely it turned out considering it wasn't homemade! I did things just a teeny bit differently than they did...

Caramel Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

1 box carrot cake mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 eggs

1 jar caramel topping

1 container cream cheese frosting

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray pan. (The BC recipe has you make it as a 9x13 cake, I made mine in two circle cake pans so I could stack them all pretty-like.)

Mix together the cake mix, water, butter and eggs. Pour into pan(s).

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool. The BC recipe has quite a few steps listed at this point. I just poked a few holes in the cakes, covered each layer in caramel, stacked them on top of each other and covered in frosting. Easy! I think next time I will put some frosting in between the middle layer as well.


This is just luscious with a hot cup of coffee!


Enjoy!

Linked to:

My Kids Are Funnier Than Your Kids

2012-01-25T09:22:00.000-08:00

Just a few examples of why my kids are funnier than yours.

Me: Charlie, please help clean the playroom.
Charlie: But I didn't play with any of this.
Me: Well I didn't wear any of your clothes but I'm still washing them for you.
Charlie: I don't get the point.
Me: SIGH

Me: Chandler, you have chocolate on your face.
Chandler: Yeah, I know, I'm saving it in case I want a snack later.
PS - He was kind of serious.

Chase: Indians don't exist.
Chandler: Yes they do!
Charlie: If Indians exist, then Cowboys exist too!
Chandler: Guys, listen, North America was discovered by the white people...I mean....certain people.(So politically correct, that one.) The Indians knew it was here first, they just didn't tell anyone, then we found it. I'm in third grade, I've been going to school for five years now so I know a lot more than you.

Chandler: Mom this dinner isn't good...it's awesome!
Charlie: Yeah, Mom super yummy.
Chase: Well, it's not dog food.

(Talking about what they will be when they grow up)
Chandler: I would not want to be a guy who tests dangerous things that can explode stuff.
Chase: Yeah, like yourself.

Me: Chase, will you live with me forever and ever?
Chase: Only until I'm big enough to get my own house.
Me: No, I want you to stay with me forever!
Chase: No way! That means I would have to do the dishwasher for the rest of my life!

And this.

And this.

I rest my case.

What funny things have your kids said lately?

Recipe: Spinach and Parmesan Stuffed Chicken

2012-01-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

This is one of my go-to meals to prepare when we are having company over for dinner. It's not too complicated or time consuming, it looks like it was, and it tastes so dang good.

Spinach and Parmesan Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped (more if you are a big fan like I am!)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
6 small boneless chicken breast halves
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cream cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese until well blended. Spread evenly onto chicken breasts. (If your chicken breasts are thick, you may want to flatten them out a bit by pounding them or fileting them open just a tiny bit.)

Roll the chicken up tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks to hold them together.

Beat the egg in a bowl. Mix the remaining Parmesan cheese and all of the bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Dip chicken in the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Place seam side down in a 13x9 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove toothpicks before eating!

This is perfect served with pasta covered in homemade Alfredo sauce and homemade French bread!

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

End Piracy, Not Liberty. Stop SOPA.

2012-01-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

So you've probably noticed that Google, Wikipedia, Craigslist and many others are protesting against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act). I know quite a few bloggers are also shutting down their blogs in protest as well. I won't be doing that (mostly because I don't know how. Ahem.) but I did want to make sure I posted some info on it.

I am not an expert on what is happening, but I encourage you to look it up, check it out and do something about it. What I do know is that this could affect bloggers like myself in a very negative way. It could affect all of us and the way we use the internet. I know that I risk people stealing my ideas, my recipes and my content in general by posting it on the internet for all to see. But stopping piracy and full on censorship are very different things.

You can start by learning more and doing something about it here:

End Piracy, Not Liberty

SOPA vs PIPA Anti-Piracy Bills Uproar Explained by Yahoo News

Huffington Post

Delurk Thyself

2012-01-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

There is this thing on the internets called "Delurking". It's the act of saying, "Hey! Even though I read your blog often, I don't always comment, so hi now I am!"

I think I am a bit late in honoring this famous day, but better late than never! I thought it would be fun to give you guys a chance to be inspired to say hi and give me to the chance to tell you that I love ya!

If you are a regular reader and have never commented, I would love it if you took a second to say hi! I sometimes wonder why so many of you care to read my silly stories except that I make you feel better about yourself and once in a while I throw in a super delicious recipe. Either way, I really appreciate that you do!

So say hi! Tell me a quick note about yourself, about why you read and what you'd love to hear more about!

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Sugar Butter and Rolls Copycat Recipe

2012-01-13T05:43:00.000-08:00

I could go to Texas Roadhouse and just eat their rolls with their cinnamon sugar butter. Well...maybe I have. But I mean, come one! That BUTTAH is heaven! YUM!

There is no need to embarrass yourself at a public restaurant any longer. Here is a copy cat version that is equally to die for! And if you eat the whole thing in one sitting for dinner, no one will judge you. Except for maybe your husband. But he doesn't count.

Cinnamon Sugar Butter

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter - softened, not melted!
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk - chilled (link leads to a easy homemade version!)
1/2 tsp light corn syrup
1 tsp cinnamon

(So...this isn't one of those healthy type recipes. You're getting that, right?)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until mixture is smooth.

We have left it out on the counter for a good two weeks and it was still perfectly good. Stored in the refrigerator it will last even longer, but it does get hard and will need to soften before served.

Rolls (or Bread)

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/4 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 large egg slightly beaten
8 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons shortening

Place 2 cups flour in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast, salt, sugar and dry milk. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine water and egg and stir to blend. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour water mixture into the well. Mix by hand, beating 150 strokes and frequently scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Add half of the melted butter and beat to incorporate. Add remaining flour, a little bit at a time, beating to incorporate each addition. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Set dough in a warm, draft free place.

Allow batter to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Coat cups, bottoms and sides of 12 cup muffin pan (or two small round pans) with shortening. Punch down batter (batter will be extremely soft and sticky). Drop by hand or spoonful into prepared muffin cups to make 12 rolls (or in pan touching the next). Brush dough with 1/2 remaining melted butter. Let rise uncovered in a warm draft free place until doubled, about 30 minutes. In preheated 400 degree oven, bake rolls on middle rack for 16-18 minutes. Brush tops of baked rolls with remaining melted butter.

This time I baked the dough in mini bread pans and then wrapped them with a little jar of the butter for gifts. And then I...I mean...we ate the rest in 2 seconds flat.

*I did not create this recipe, I have had it for years and honestly do not know where I found it. There seem to be quite a few versions when googled, this is the only one I've tried. It's so delicious I have no need to try others! Thank you to whoever created it. I am eternally indebted to you.

Linked to:

The Liebster Award

2012-01-11T09:44:00.000-08:00

I received a very sweet email yesterday from Sue of Cake Balls, Cookies and More that just made me smile! She nominated my blog for a Liebster Award!

A Liebster Blog Award is a fun way to recognize your fellow bloggers and get the word out about how much you love them! It's specifically for smaller blogs and those of us who are just getting started! Liebster is a German word that means favorite or dearest. It was very sweet for Sue to think of me and I'm blessed to be in included on her list! Thanks Sue!

So now it's my pleasure to pass it on by telling you about my favorite "smaller" blogs that maybe you haven't heard of yet.

Cake Balls, Cookies and More

Well I'm just going to go ahead and return the favor and start with Sue's blog! She posts some really great recipes and I love her creativity in the kitchen! This recipe for Salted Nutella Fudge is a great example!

The Hunger Girl Games

This blog was just started this week by my dear friend, Jennifer. She is posting health related articles, healthy recipes and tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Jen and I are always sharing health info with each other (like this post about the right diet for kids with ADHD) and she has a lot of knowledge about all natural medicines and cures so I'm really excited that she can share it all with everyone now!

In Moms We Trust

This is another fairly new blog that I really love! Mauranda has big plans for In Moms We Trust and I'm anxious to see what she does next! She has Message Boards set up for Moms to have a place to go ask questions and chat with other Moms. Go over there and get some conversations started!

The Blessed Mom

Amy from The Blessed Mom blogs about parenting, recipes and being a Mom of faith. She shares great insights and I always smile when I read her blog! I found myself nodding along until my neck fell off when I read her post about being enough. Read along, you'll love her!

Whisk, Write, Repeat

Carolyn never disappoints with the recipes she shares. Check out her Holiday Roundup post and you'll see what I mean! I also love reading about all of her adventures!

Congratulations, ladies! You all deserve it! I can't wait to hear what your favorites are!

Healthy Meal: Broiled Steak and Zucchini

2012-01-10T05:27:00.000-08:00

Excuse the bad iPhone picture!

So it's January. The month of healthy eating habits! Here is one of my favorite quick and easy meals that I can feel good about eating!

Broiled Steak

Ingredients:
1 boneless sirloin steak
1 medium onion
1 red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil

Cut steak into cubes. Cut onion and pepper into chunks. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper. Place steak and veggies in a broiler pan. (If you don't have one you could put a metal cooling rack over a rimmed cookie sheet. The point is to let the fat drain off.) Broil a few inches from the oven burner for about 10 minutes. Watch carefully!

Broiled Zucchini

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbs diced red pepper (it's good with diced pimentos too!)
2 Tbs chopped black olives
1 Tbs olive oil

Brush both sides of the zucchini with olive oil. Place on a broiler pan and broil for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, peppers and olives. Put back under broiler until cheese melts. Watch carefully!

I like to make these together because I can put it all in one pan and it cooks within 10 minutes! So quick and easy!

Enjoy!

Linked To:

Recipe: Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

2012-01-06T06:31:00.000-08:00

Sweetened condensed milk is one of those products that you think maybe you have somewhere in the pantry and you go to make something that requires it only to find out that you have evaporated milk (NOT the same thing) or it's expired or you have none at all! Shew!

This happened to me last week as I made a copycat version of Texas Roadhouse's cinnamon sugar butter (oh yes, recipe to come soon!) and so I hit The Google to find a substitute or homemade version of some kind. There were a few out there and one of them was a total fail. I finally found this one from good ol' E-How and it was perfect! Pretty easy and it made about what you would get from a store-bought can!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Ingredients:
1 cup powdered milk
1/3 cup boiling water (or more depending on the thickness you want)
2/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter

Mix all ingredients together in a blender. Blend on high until the sugar fully dissolves and is smooth. Their version was a little too thick so I did add a little more water.

I used half of it right away and put the rest in the refrigerator. A week later it is still usable but it did get thick so I think you could re-blend it with a bit more of boiling water and it would be perfectly fine!

Linked to:

13 Years

2012-01-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

We were married thirteen years ago.
I will never forget that magical night in January.
I don't know if it was the swirling snow outside or the twinkly lights that surrounded us.
The love and energy and support that filled the room was the most magical part of it all.
And now here we are thirteen years later.
And that magic, that energy, that love and support, has carried us through these years.
I can't believe we are so lucky to have this kind of magic.
Every day.
Forever.

Oh wait, wrong picture.

Vacation!

2011-12-27T05:51:00.000-08:00

Did you have a Merry Christmas? We did!

Now we are here at home taking turns so very nicely and calmly with our new video games!

NOT.

The kids are home from school this week and we have one more family Christmas celebration over New Year's weekend to go to. Still so much fun is left to be had!

Which is why I will be taking a little break from the blog this week. Most of my online activity is done when these little yet very loud rascals are at school. I've already stopped four times in the middle of typing this to pull boys off of each other. So blogging this week? Not happening.

I'll probably update our week's shenanigans on Facebook though if you want to follow the fun over there!

Now if you'll excuse me, I must tend to my smallest child who is crying in the kitchen because he "Slipped on his underwear".

I don't even know what to say beyond that.

Oh Holy Night

2011-12-23T06:39:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite Christmas song. These words:

"Long lay the world in sin and error pinning. Till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth. The thrill of hope. The weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."

Listen to this beautiful version by Josh Groban and hear the words.

Feel Christmas in these words.

The video is edited to scenes of one of my favorite Christmas movies, "The Nativity Story". It's just beautiful.

Merry Christmas, friends. I hope your New Year comes with a thrill of hope at the break of a new and glorious morn.

Sweet Treats From Pinterest

2011-12-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

The good part about Pinterest? So many delicious recipes to try!

The bad part about Pinterest? I've gained 100 pounds.

Here are some sweet treats that I have made thanks to the Big P:

No Bake Butterfinger Cheesecake from Bakers Royale

I usually bake my cheesecakes but I was excited to try a no bake recipe. In this version you use a gelatin to make the cheesecake set. I must not have prepared the gelatin correctly because there were thick jello like clumps in there! My lovely dinner guests, Mauranda and Amy wouldn't utter a bad word about it but my dear honest children asked, "Mom, why does this cheesecake have bubbles in it?" So it was ruined for me but I'll definitely try it again because the flavors are to die for!

Butterfinger Blondies from Six Sisters' Stuff

These are just divine! Very rich, so cut them small! I didn't even get to take a picture of them.

Cinnamon Roll Cake from Cookin' Up North

I've made this twice now. And still haven't managed a picture of it. That is proof of its deliciousness! Super easy to make too.

Apple Pie Bites from Cookin' Up North

Quick and easy. Kids loved them. Serve warm with a bowl of ice cream. Repeat.

Chubby Hubby Bars from Cookies and Cups

WOWZA. Go ahead and make these and then die. And then eat one with a bowl of ice cream and die again.

Try these recipes. You won't regret it!

Have you tried any great recipes from Pinterest lately?

A Christmas Gift Question...Video!

2011-12-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

So I wanted to write this as a post but as I was driving and thinking about it, I knew that as soon as I got home I would forget everything I had "written" in my head. (Happens ALL the time.) So I decided to video myself saying it so I could remember. Then I kind of got into it and decided, "Well maybe I'll just post this video."

Once I got home and reviewed the video I thought maybe not so much because I barely have any makeup on and no one wants to see me talk to myself while looking straight up at my nostrils. But then I thought about the amount of work it would take to type it all out. SO. Thanks to my laziness you get to see watch this really great video of me driving and talking to my phone while you look at my nose holes.

Don't worry Mom, the phone was mounted and I was being perfectly safe the whole time. I don't video and drive. I'm not that kind of girl.

Notice, I start out talking as if this person is not me. But then I get frustrated and talk from the heart. Also notice that in the end I am not running something over. Those are train tracks. Also notice my inability to edit videos. The end.

What do I do people of the internet? Wrap the coat or wear it at my leisure?

That's Not What I Meant!

2011-12-19T05:43:00.000-08:00

So the boys were arguing in the back seat of the van. I hear Charlie yell:

"DO IT OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"

Me: Charlie, that doesn't sound like something we should say to each other.

Charlie: Mom, I meant suffer the consequences of GOODNESS! Like, if you don't do what I say, I'm going to put a lot of goodness on you!

Sure. That is definitely what he meant.

Christmas Comfort in a Cup

2011-12-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

This post is sponsored by Tempur-Pedic, the brand millions of owners trust to deliver their best night’s sleep every night. Enjoy our Buy 2, get 1 free pillow offer now and give the gift of custom comfort to someone you love.I love the word comfy. My middle son, Chase, pronounces it "comfty". How adorable is that? We love to cuddle and get comfty together quite often around here.

Comfy to me is watching a movie in some stretchy pants, a cup of flavored coffee, snuggled under a fluffy blanket. Christmas time offers so many great moments to be comfy and it is absolutely one of my favorite things to do in the month of December. Make it a Christmas movie and an eggnog latte and this girl is HAPPY.

Here are some of my favorite "Comfort in a Cup" recipes!

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate:

This is the super easy fast version. I saw a ton of recipes on Pinterest with steamed milk and espresso and yadda yadda but I'm too lazy for all that business.

Here's how I made it:
Cup of prepared coffee
Caramel sauce (about a tablespoon or two)
Packet of hot chocolate mix
Pinch of sea salt
Milk or creamer (make it caramel creamer to take it up a notch!)
Whipped cream
Extra caramel sauce to drizzle and sea salt to sprinkle on top

Mix together the coffee, hot cocoa mix, creamer or milk, caramel and sea salt. Top with whip cream and then drizzle with extra caramel sauce and sprinkle extra sea salt on top.

It's that mixture of sweet with a hint of salty that I just can not get enough of!

Homemade Coffee Creamers

Photo courtesy of Deliciously Organic

This is something I have been wanting to do for some time now. I am totally addicted to flavored coffee creamers but not a big fan of all the junk that's in them. Here are some amazing flavors made by Deliciously Organic. Flavored coffee creamer in a hot cuppa joe is comfort all the way for me!

Hot Buttered Rum

Well I tried to show you this one as a video but my laptop decided that the file was corrupted and I couldn't redo it because I drank it all. Here is a screen shot from the video. See that smile? Hot Buttered Rum.

So. Here is the recipe. You'll have to wait a little longer to see me get merry on video. Sorry. Or You're Welcome. Whichever. Did I mention all the Hot Buttered Rum I drank?

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups softened vanilla ice cream
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon

Each Serving:
1/2 cup boiling water
1 to 3 Tbsp rum

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the ice cream, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and store in the freezer.

For each serving, place 1/2 cup butter mixture in a mug; add boiling water and stir to dissolve. Stir in rum.

The butter mixture can be prepared ahead of time and kept stored in the freezer. Then whenever you are ready for a cup of happy, scoop it out and mix with some hot water! Easy and delicious way to warm up on a cold night!

*Original recipe from Taste of Home Magazine

The only thing that can possibly make these drinks more comforting is the people you are sharing them with. (YES. You have to share.) Enjoy every warm and snuggly moment.

Go ahead, get comfty. And have a really wonderful Christmas!

Follow #clevercomforts on Twitter for more comforting Holiday inspiration!

Comfort is the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday gift list, so be sure to take advantage of Tempur-Pedic's Buy 2, get 1 free pillow offer! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.*All of this was my idea. These are my own thoughts. Hot Buttered Rum. The End.

Recipe: Homemade French Bread Loaves

2011-12-14T04:03:00.000-08:00

This is a quick and easy way to make french loaves from scratch. I promise, you'll never buy them at the store again!

Homemade French Bread Loaves

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 1/2 - 5 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the salt, sugar and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.

Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into 12 inch long loaves.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Brush with softened butter.

I like to sprinkle mine with garlic powder, a tiny bit of salt and some Italian seasoning.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

Eleven Years Old...This Is Going To Be Fun

2011-12-13T06:14:00.000-08:00

My baby boy turns eleven today. This is quite disturbing to my motherhood psyche.

I remember when he was like this:

I mean, come one! Look at those cheeks!

He turned into this:

Still pretty dang adorable if you ask me.

He asked me this morning what time he was born so I told him a short version of that day. Here is what I said:

"Well, the night before I was in labor alllll night. I was in so much pain through the night. I just kept waiting and waiting for them to tell me it would be over soon so I could hold you. Then, at about this time in the morning, the REAL pain started happening and I knew it would be soon. THEN. The screaming started. And you were born at around 9 am."

Granted, not the best version of the story. But I didn't feel like talking about contractions and private parts to my baby at 7:00 in the morning.

So he looks at me with those sweet eyes, not the one in the above picture, these ones:

And he rolls them as far back in his head as humanly possible and says, "You could have just said 9:00."

Then turned and walked away.

Ohhhhhh...so this is how that pre-teen angst goes.

Welcome, eleven years old. This is going to be fun.

Why Santa Would Fire My Husband

2011-12-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

Most parents use Christmas as a time to demand good behavior out of their children. This is nothing new.

"You better be good or Santa won't bring you anything!"

We don't do Santa around here. My husband prefers to take credit for all gifts purchased. "No fat man in a red suit is going to take the credit for this! I worked hard to buy these presents." So we can't use that excuse. We do, however, use Christmas to our advantage in other ways.

We lock ourselves in our bedroom and tell the kids, "We need to discuss what we are getting you for Christmas. And if we catch you trying to listen at the door, you will get nothing!" Surprisingly, it works!

We don't actually talk about Christmas, by the way. We usually just lay on the bed and enjoy the silence. *Maybe* we fall asleep for a few minutes. Whatever.

And yes, I say usually because we have been doing this about 2-3 times a week since Thanksgiving.

Anyway.

So we locked ourselves into our room last night. This time we actually were discussing Christmas so we were extra careful to be quiet while we pulled gifts out of the closet to assess the damage. We heard giggling at the door so Matt held a box up to the door and shook it.

"You hear that?!"

*SHAKE*SHAKE*SHAKE*

"Do you want this or do you want me to take it back?!"

*SHAKE*SHAKE*SHAKE*

Charlie: "THEY GOT US LEGOS! Guys come quick! They got us legos for Christmas!"

Chase: "I hope they got me that Ninjago one I've been wanting!"

Nice job, husband. Way to ruin the magic of Christmas.

You're fired.

A Lesson On Kindness...Charlie Style

2011-12-09T06:44:00.000-08:00

At my boys' school, there is a big focus on kindness. In an effort to ward off the bullying problem that so many schools deal with and because they have a holistic approach to teaching kids. It's about more than just academics. They really want to teach the kids how to be good people. (Which, hello, I LOVE!)

I love backing up what they are learning at school at home. That is one reason why I love volunteering in their classrooms. I go home and use the same language as their teachers and they look at me like, "Man, you know about that too!" It's great.

My boys are really kind at school. I have heard from all of their teachers that they are pleasant and never mean. Always thoughtful. Well that's just fan-freakin-tastic because at home they go at it like professional boxers.

Kindness? What is that? Apparently it doesn't apply to brothers.

So I am super duper pulling the kindness card and trying to teach kindness is to be shown to EVERYONE, yes, even your brothers.

On the way to school, they boys were arguing in the back seat. (Wow, that's different.)

Me: Excuse me, but where is the kindness?

Charlie: It's in God's Word!

(THIS KID)

Me: Well it needs to be in your heart and in your words.

This precious child then belts out a very loud rendition of Barney:

I LOVE YOU! YOU LOVE ME! WE'RE A HAPPY FAMILY!

And then the other two boys join in:

WITH A GREAT BIG HUG AND A KISS FROM ME TO YOU! WON'T YOU SAY YOU LOOOOOVE MEEEEE TOOOOOOO!

What in the world am I going to do with these children.

Festive Holiday Dessert Party Ideas!

2011-12-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com

You guys know that one of my favorite things to do is bake desserts! With the Holidays here I thought it would be fun to show you some of my favorite go-to desserts.

If I'm planning a Christmas party, I forget about ham and potatoes and all that business. I go straight to the best part of the meal. Desserts! There is nothing more fun than throwing a dessert party with friends. And Christmas is the perfect time to do it!

All of these ideas I am showing you are treats that you can grab and eat. No utensils needed! All you need are some plates and mugs and you are ready for a great dessert party with friends!

Here are a few of my favorites and also some new ones that I found on Pinterest that I want to try!

Eggnog Spritz Cookies with Rum Glaze

I am an eggnog die-hard. Put some rum in it and oh baby, you are talking my language! I have been making these cookies for a few years now and I love how easy they are compared to how beautiful and tasty they are! A cookie press makes them look professionally made!

Homemade Sea Salt Caramels

This is a new favorite that I am really excited about! I think they would be so cute in a jar on a holiday dessert table! Perfect for a take home gift for your guests as well.

Oreo Truffles

This is one of those desserts where everyone raves about it and asks for the recipe. Prepare yourself by making up some recipe cards in advance! (Another great take home gift idea!)

Pecan Tassies

My Mom has made these since I was a little girl and it's just not Christmas without them! They are like miniatures pecan pies and perfect for a dessert night!

Santa Hat Brownies

I mean, how cute are these?! I haven't made any yet so I do not have a picture to share but check them out! I think the kids will love these! These would be super quick and easy with a box of Duncan Hines Brownie Mix!

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

Cheesecake Factory Photo

I found this on Pinterest from The Cheesecake Factory. If anyone has a recipe for a copycat, let me know!! Look at how beautiful it is! I think it would be fun to make them as cupcakes for a buffet dessert party.

Hot Cocoa Peppermint Marshmallows
These would be super cute with a cup of hot cocoa to go along with all of these amazing desserts!

Fudge Rum Balls

Photo From Duncan Hines

I found these on the Duncan Hines website and OMG. Yes, please!

And, well, let's be honest...anything from their Christmas Recipes list is looking pretty good!

Can you say, "Dessert overload?" Not that there is such a thing.

All of these desserts would look absolutely beautiful spread out on a holiday buffet table. Spread some lights, greenery and shiny ornaments all around the table and you have a gorgeous and delicious party in a flash!

What are you go-to desserts to serve over the Holidays? Do you have any "Desserts With Friends" party ideas? I'd love to hear them!

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

All opinions are my own. As always!

Will I Really Miss This?

2011-12-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

I have heard mothers of babies and young children ask this question before. I have asked it myself so. many. times.

Will I really miss this?

When you are smack dab in the middle of the hardest mothering moments you wonder.

Women who's children have grown up tell us this. We will miss this. They swear on it. And we wonder.

HOW?

How will I miss the sleepless nights and the spit up stained wardrobe and the endless poopy diapers.

HOW?

How will I miss spending hours pretending to enjoy playing race cars (AGAIN) and singing the Barney song (AGAIN) and asking if anyone needs to go potty (AGAIN).

HOW?

Well, I'm here to tell you how. They grow up. And you face a whole new era of parenting.

One full of teaching your grown child about bullying, about strangers, about not trusting everyone who smiles at you. You teach them about consequences and disappointment and they learn that there are bad people out there. Really bad people.

You spend your days sheltering them from the harshness of this world while trying ever so hard to not be overprotective while they learn life's injustices. You sit back and let them feel the pain of it. Because you have to. In just a few years, you won't be there to protect them anymore. So you let the world start creeping in. Slowly. Because soon, so soon, someone other than you will hold their hand and whisper in their ear.

And you hope and pray those people will love them as much as you do. That the world will love them and value them as much as you do. Which is hard. Because you know it just might not.

One day I will miss even these days. These days of soccer practice and game night and Star Wars marathon weekends.

One day soon I will wonder if they are safe. Hope they come home by curfew. Pray to God they are in the "good crowd". I will...gulp...give them the keys to the car.

One day I will miss this. I know it's true. Even when there isn't enough coffee in the world for that 8 am Saturday morning soccer game in the rain.

I will miss this. And you will too.

Homespun Expressions Etsy Giveaway!

2011-12-05T06:02:00.000-08:00

WINNER UPDATE! Congratulations to Amy from The Blessed Mom! Email me which candle wrap you want Amy!

And for the rest of ya, if you order a candle wrap from Homespun Expressions this week, shipping is on me!

Merry Christmas!

*Winner chosen using random.org.

I got a box in the mail the other day from my Mom. It contained this:

It's an adorable candle wrap that she sells in her Etsy shop. I just love it! What a fun way to decorate a plain glass candle jar. AND she can monogram them to make them unique and personalized! My living room is blue and brown and snowmen are my favorite!

This is a perfect Christmas gift! I mean look at how cute this one is! They range from $7-$9. So great!

My mom being the sweet person she is offered to give one of her candle wraps to one of you! How much do we love Momma?!

Check out her Etsy shop Homespun Expressions and tell me which one you love and maybe you'll win it!

One entry per person, please! Winner will be announced on Monday, December 5th!

Thanks Mom!

Delicious Sea Salt Treats From Pinterest!

2011-12-02T05:19:00.000-08:00

I've been in a sea salt phase lately. If it's got the phrase "sea salt" in it, I want to eat it or drink it! So when I saw these next two recipes on Pinterest, of course I made them! And they were DELICIOUS.

DELICIOUS!!

First I started out wanting to make these Salted Caramel Brownie Bites with Salted Caramel Buttercream:

These were SO good. The recipe (by www.bakeitinacake.com) calls for making them in mini muffin pans. PSH. I made these babies regular muffin size! But then I found out why she made them so small. WOW, these are RICH! Get yourself a glass of milk!

The recipe calls for a certain salted caramel (that's the delightful gooey stuff in the center of the brownie) that I can't get so I decided to make my own. I found this recipe for Homemade Salted Caramels by Fearless Homemaker. It was relatively simple to make although it does take quite a bit of patience!

But what you get when you are done is the most wonderful little treat!

I used some of them to put in the brownies and wrapped the rest in wax paper as little candies and gave them to my boys' teachers for a Thanksgiving "I'm thankful for you!" treat.

Both of these recipes are time consuming but so worth it. Just posting these pictures makes me want to make some more!

What's your favorite Salted Caramel treat?!

Recipe: Greek Chicken Pitas

2011-11-29T05:36:00.000-08:00

This is another recipe that I found from Dr. Oz's Superfast Slim-Down plan in Good Housekeeping Magazine. It was one that I made and really loved and have since kept on eating! I figured after the Thanksgiving pig out that just passed and the Christmas over-eating to come, it would be a good time to eat something a little less fattening!

Greek Chicken Pitas

Ingredients:
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbs each fresh mint and dill leaves, chopped
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 lb chicken-breast tenders
1/2 English cucumber (seedless)
1 large ripe tomato
4 whole wheat pitas, cut in half

Combine yogurt, mint, dill, 1/4 tsp cumin, one-third of the garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Mix together 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tsp oil, oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/2 tsp cumin, and half of remaining garlic. Coat chicken tenders. Grill or pan fry chicken for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.

Cut cucumber and tomato into chunks. Toss with 1/8 tsp salt and remaining lemon juice, oil, and garlic.

Grill pitas, if desired, until toasted. Serve all together!

It's a super delicious meal and only about 330 calories per serving! This recipe will make enough for four servings. The chicken can be served cold as well, making this a great lunch box option!

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

In Love and Thankful

2011-11-23T04:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is lately, but I have been in this refreshed phase of being over the moon in love with my boys.

Don't get me wrong, they drive me nuts. And I am always the first one to admit that motherhood isn't all sunshine and rainbows.

But lately, I have a new sense of overwhelming smoosh your face into mine and kiss your cheeks until they fall off kind of in love. Not that I wasn't in love with them before, mind you. It's just, like I said, refreshed.

Maybe it's because of this new perspective I've forced myself into.

Maybe it's just that this season of thanks has truly found it's way into the deepest parts of my heart.

I don't know what it is. But I'm enjoying every heart leaping moment.

I really love being Mommy to these little boys. I am in love and I am thankful.

And I just really wanted to tell someone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is what I was thankful for last year. Warning: I compare myself to a turkey.

Recipe: Pesto Chicken and Red Potatoes

2011-11-22T05:14:00.000-08:00

This is a very flavorful dish and really warm and comforting on a cold night. But for being comfort food, it's also a pretty healthy meal! We use just a small amount of mayo and sour cream to thicken up the pesto. But overall, not bad!

Pesto Chicken and Red Potatoes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup prepared pesto
1 tsp mayo
2 tsp sour cream
4 chicken breasts (boneless or bone-in shouldn't matter)
6-8 medium size red potatoes
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange chicken and potatoes in a single layer in a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine pesto, sour cream and mayo in a small cup. Brush over chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken is) or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

When You Only Have One Bathroom...

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

When you only have one bathroom and three little boys who need to use it, funny things happen.

Gross things happen.

Gross and funny things happen.

Children poop their pants.

There is one child going and another one needs to go, like NOW. What's going to happen?

I'll give you a hint: It starts with Children and it ends with pooping pants.

The jumping and squealing and butt clenching. It's all too much.

Based on the ungodly scene that happened in my hallway and kitchen the other day, we can not get into a house with more than one bathroom soon enough!

Gross.

Funny.

Mostly gross.

The end.

Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins

2011-11-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

I know I just posted a pumpkin muffin recipe, but really, can I post too many?!

I have seen similar recipes posted around Pinterest and other blogs and I guess it must have been stuck in my head because all of a sudden I just started making them one afternoon!

I based my recipe off one I had cut out off a Martha Stewart Everyday magazine. (I think from last year?)

I don't know if these should be considered breakfast or dessert. I'll just label them as both. :)

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/4 sticks (10 tbs) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup milk (or buttermilk)
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree (15 oz can)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

Sugar Coating:
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan with butter and then sprinkle with flour. Don't skip this step - it helps the muffins slide out without sticking since you're not using paper muffin cups!

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spice.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin and milk.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, add flour mix in slowly, alternating with pumpkin mix. Beat to combine.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin tin and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let muffins cool about ten minutes in pan.

Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Brush each muffin with butter then immediately toss is sugar coating. Let cool completely.

Enjoy!

Linked to:

Holiday Mail For Heroes

2011-11-17T11:23:00.000-08:00

There is a great opportunity to send some Holiday love to our troops! The American Red Cross is hosting it's fifth annual Holiday Mail for Heroes program. All you have to do is send a signed greeting card in to the address provided and they will do the rest!

I had my boys each write a note and sign a picture in a card and then we wrote one as a family as well. Chandler wrote in his card "I hope you get back to your family very soon." and my little guys drew a flag and wrote "Thank You for serving our country." I love seeing them be heart felt about those serving for us. It's a great teaching moment for kids!

Here is some info from their website:

Starting this fall and throughout the holiday season, the Red Cross is working with Pitney Bowes, a mail stream technology company, to collect and distribute holiday cards to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world.

The process is very simple and takes no time at all - All you need is a pen and piece of paper to share your appreciation for the sacrifices members of the U.S. Armed Forces make to protect our freedoms The Holiday Mail for Heroes mail box is open and ready to receive for your cards. Please send all mail to:

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Card Guidelines:
Every card received will be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working around the country.
Please observe the following guidelines to ensure a quick reviewing process:

All cards being sent in for 2011 Holiday Mail For Heroes program should be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9, 2011.

Ensure that all cards are signed.
Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.
Only cards are being accepted. Do not send letters.
Do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
We encourage participants to mail as many cards as they are comfortable sending. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes or use a flat rate box from the post office. Each card does not need its own envelope, as cards will be removed from all envelopes before distribution.
Please refrain from sending holiday cards with glitter. Many of these cards will be delivered to military and veterans medical facilities and the glitter could interfere with a patient's recovery.

Please take a moment to show our military that we care and to spread the joy that the Holiday season is all about!

Greek Tuna Salad Featuring Marzetti's Simply Dressed Salad Dressing

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited to share a new product with you guys that I am in love with! Marzetti has launched a new line of salad dressings called "Simply Dressed". I'm loving them because the ingredients are SIMPLE! I can read everything in the ingredients list and there is no high fructose corn syrup! There are no preservatives either which scores high points in my book. So many of the every day salad dressings out there are full of chemicals and hfcs and who knows what else. This salad dressing definitely helps me keep my Food Golden Rule.

I've seen these dressings on sale and I've heard other bloggers mention finding coupons for them (you can sign up for their newsletter to get coupons!). So you can definitely get them at a great price. Honestly, I'd pay full dollar for them. Salad dressings are something we use quite often in our house and I feel good using a brand that keeps the ingredient list so pure.

I used the Greek Feta Salad Dressing on a Greek Tuna Salad that I made and it was so delicious! Here is what I put in it:

Greek Tuna Salad Featuring Marzetti's Simple Dressed Salad Dressing:

Chopped romaine lettuce
Chopped baby spinach

Chick Peas, rinsed

2 oz water packed tuna

Sliced cucumber

Grape tomatoes

Crumbled feta cheese

Marzetti's Greek Feta Simply Dressed Salad Dressing

Mini whole wheat pita

This was a delicious combination! I think the Balsamic flavor would be equally delicious on this salad as well. If you are not a tuna fan, you could substitute with chicken.

I am really looking forward to trying the other flavors, especially the Ginger Sesame one! What do you guys thing that would taste good on? An Asian type salad with chicken and mandarin oranges, maybe? I'm thinking a Buffalo Chicken Wrap using the Bleu Cheese dressing should be my next venture.

Have you tried any of these yet? I'd love to hear some thoughts and recipes from all of you!Marzettie has some great recipes using these dressings as a Downloadable Recipe Book. These are some seriously great looking recipes!

Sorry, I know I just threw a ton of links at you, but I honestly don't want you to miss anything!

I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Simply Dressed review. They provided me with product to test myself and compensation for my time. However, my opinions are entirely my own.

Fake Mashed Potatoes...Made With Cauliflower!

2011-11-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

Want to play a great trick on your kids? Make these delightful "fake mashed potatoes"! We looooove mashed potatoes around here but we can't eat them as often as we would like. Not because potatoes aren't good for you. But because when I mash them with cream and cream cheese and butter and anything else that makes it fattening, it's just not an every day kind of dish. Making this fake version is a nice healthy alternative.

Personally I think they are delicious. When my kids saw them on the plate they thought it was potatoes. But when they tasted it, they were like, "Wait! Is this a new recipe?" hehehe. Yes, it is! The boys did eat it. Not as heartily as the real kind, but that's ok.

Fake Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
8 cups raw cauliflower florets (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons half and half (more or less depending on your desired creaminess)
Salt and Pepper to taste
I like to add a little garlic powder in there too

Steam cauliflower for about 15 minutes or until it is very tender and falling apart.

Place in food processor and process until smooth. I have also used a hand mixer to mash it up. It leaves the cauliflower a little chunky, but we don't mind it that way. Picky eaters may prefer it all the way smooth. Add butter, slat and pepper and mix. Stir in cream and add until you reach the consistency you prefer.

You can also just add these in to your regular mashed potatoes for a healthy kick!

This is a very healthy side dish and a great option for Thanksgiving dinner!

Enjoy!

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesday by Beauty and Bedlam

Chocolate Covered Brownies...On A Stick!

2011-11-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

I saw this idea in a magazine a long time ago and categorized it in my brain to do for a fun treat to send to school on the boys' birthdays. I made them for Chase's birthday celebration with his class last month. The kids were SO excited. They were amazed. It's just a brownie, but put it on a stick with sprinkles and magic happens!
It's pretty easy to do:
Make a pan of brownies.
Let cool.
Cut into squares.
Stick a popsicle stick into the brownie.
Dip into melted white chocolate.
Cover with sprinkles.
Let dry on wax paper.

Easy!

I did rush the process and tried to use the brownies before they were completely cooled. Don't do that. They just crumbled and fell apart. So I ran to the store and bought some premade brownies to use. Next time I'll know to make the brownies a day ahead and maybe even slightly freeze them so they don't fall apart.

Such a fun treat!

Linked to:

Could my kids BE any different?

2011-11-09T05:26:00.000-08:00

My two youngest boys both made a Halloween craft at school.

When they came home and decided to eat them, one of them did this:

While the other did this:

And then decided he's save the sucker for another time.

These boys could not possibly be any more different.

Kids and Allowances - Teaching the Value of a Dollar

2011-11-08T05:31:00.000-08:00

This post was underwritten by BMO Harris Bank, which offers a matching $25 on a new savings account opened for your child through their Helpful Steps for Parents program. Learn more at bmoharris.com/parents.

I've been wanting to write about kids and allowances for awhile now so I was super excited to be asked by the Clever Girls to write about just that!

We came up with a plan to help our kids learn the value of a dollar and to realize that Mom is not the maid. We went back and forth about allowance for awhile because I feel strongly that kids should help around the house without getting paid for it. I really want my boys to learn what it means to help around the house to show that they value our home, our things and each other. But I also want to teach them about money. About saving and spending and everything in between!

We began giving our boys an allowance for more than just getting things around the house done. We are using allowance as a way to encourage responsibility and cooperativeness in the home, not just for taking the garbage out. Basically we watch for attitudes when we ask for a job to be done. If they do the job without whining or causing a problem, we take note.

Our oldest is almost eleven so we bascially just give him a flat rate at then end of the week based on his attitude when asked to help out and if he went above and beyond the chores we expect him to do. Our youngest two (eight and six years old) had a harder time making it the whole week so we started a marble system to keep track and spark daily interest. Every time they do a job the first time they are asked, without attitude, or do something above and beyond, etc, we put a marble in their jar. Each marble earns them ten cents. At the end of the week, we add the marbles up and that is their allowance. On a good week, they will make $1. We pay our oldest $2-3 per week because he does way more to help out around the house than our younger boys.

The jobs that are expected to be done without pay are things like taking the dog out, helping with the dishes and making their beds. The jobs that we pay for are doing laundry, vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom. (For example.) We also give marbles to our youngest two for basic cooperation and responsibility in taking care of things for themselves. If they get up and get ready for school and make their lunches without a fight, I will give them a marble. If it makes Momma's life easier? Money for everyone!

We are working on the art of teaching them about saving and giving a percentage of their allowances. They make very small amounts of money and at first we just let them spend it on silly things here and there to let them figure out how it feels to buy things with their own money. There have been "Ugh, why did you let me waste my money on this?!" tears and "I wish I would have saved my money because I would have had enough for this by now!" tears. All really great lessons about letting money burn a hole in your pocket. Now we need to move towards teaching how to manage what you save, spend and give.

We are Dave Ramsey fans and try to manage our money along the lines of what he teaches so we are steering the kids in that direction as well. We talk very openly with the boys about our budget, how much every day things like water and electricity cost, as well as make them aware of wastefulness (which costs money!). We model saving and giving by example. I think that really is the best way to teach kids life lessons.

I would love some advice about what percentages you have your kids give, save and spend. How do you handle allowance in your home?

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. To learn more about BMO Harris Bank, visit their website http://bmoharris.com/parents.

*This is a sponsored post but all opinions and thoughts came from my very own brain! (Don't be afraid.)

Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-11-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin and chocolate are one of my favorite fall combinations. I took a pumpkin bread/muffin recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook and made into this delicious recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. It could also be made into bread by using a loaf pan.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling!)
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, eggs, milk and pumpkin with a mixer on low. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients together. Slowly mix the dry ingredients in with the creamed mixture until all combined. Beat on high for two minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into muffin tins or loaf pans. I split mine up and made a dozen muffins and four mini loaves of bread. I also like to sprinkle some sugar on top for some extra sparkle! Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Linked to:

Hotel Resentment vs Hot Husband

2011-11-02T05:17:00.000-07:00

My husband is out of town for some military training. I feel like I say that quite often but such is the life.

I love how my husband looks in his dress blues. He doesn't get to wear them often so when he does, I always take a front seat. Because, pardon me for saying so, IT'S HOT.

So he knew he was being a total teaser by texting me this picture of himself this morning:

And was I all, "Ooohhh, aren't you a cute airman." Until I looked behind him and saw it.

It's just staring at me saying, "But look how hot I AM."

Yes, the hotel bed was talking to me. What with it's white fluffy sheets that are magically washed and put on the bed by someone other than me. I bet there are towels on the floor that someone (also other than me) will wash and fold and place ever so gently on the towel rack.

While I am trying my hardest to focus on the cute man in uniform in the picture, I can't help but feel a tiny (read LARGER than I care to admit) amount of hotel resentment.

My husband says he'd much rather be home with us eating home cooked meals and sleeping in his own bed.

He's crazy. I'd love to be in a lush hotel bed eating out at nice restaurants for every meal. But I suppose that's how it goes. He does this often. I do not. The grass is always greener, isn't it?

I'll check out the hot husband in the picture for a moment but, let's be real, that bed is really doing it for me.

Recipe: Beef Stroganoff

2011-11-01T04:44:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe for those nights when you need something quick! Especially if you follow the freezer friendly steps I will give at the bottom of the post!

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
8 oz sliced mushrooms (we actually do not put them in ours, kids are not fans, but it's great with them!)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I usually make a homemade cream sauce but I do use the cans on quick nights)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz sour cream
1 pound pasta (egg noodles or elbow noodles are our favorites)
2 tbs melted butter
dash of parsley
1-2 cups peas (optional, I suppose)

Combine ground beef, mushrooms, cream of mushroom, water and spices in a skillet and bring to a simmer. Stir in sour cream. Lightly toss in the peas. Don't squish them!

Cook pasta and drain. Toss with parsley and butter. Spoon stroganoff over pasta or just mix it all together like we do. I also like to sprinkle a teeny bit of parmesan cheese over the top.

Enjoy!

To make this meal freezer friendly: Cook and drain the ground beef. Mix with the mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, water and spices. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze. To make: Thaw frozen ingredients. Mix in a skillet and bring to a simmer; add sour cream. Cook pasta and toss with butter and parsley and serve as mentioned above.

This post linked to:
This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

Do I Look Funny To You?!

2011-10-31T05:13:00.000-07:00

We had a costume party with friends last night. Here is what I wore:

Some of you who also enjoy designing costumes may look into online degree programs infashion design via www.GuidetoOnlineSchools.com!

I won the "Funniest Costume" award.

Do I look funny to you?

No one takes me seriously. I can't imagine why.

Dirty Underwear = Forget. Swear Word = REMEMBER FOREVER!

2011-10-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

This summer we went along with my husband to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. We took some time to visit the National Museum of the US Air Force. It was amazing to our three boys as we strolled through rooms and rooms full of military planes.

We came across this one plane that had a swear word on it. Of course, my middle son read it aloud, totally oblivious to the fact that it was a swear word. Our oldest hung his head and practically died right there on the spot because people around us were chuckling. It went something like this:

Chase: "Mom! Look at that plane! It's called The Strawberry Bitch! What a funny name for a plane!"

Chandler: "Oh my goodness, MOM. Did you hear what he just said! Oh my gosh. I am SO EMBARRASSED."

Crowd of people around us: "giggle, giggle, snicker, snicker"

Me: LAUGHING OUT LOUD (I'm such a good role model.)

Chase: "What?"

Chandler: "OH MY GOODNESS." Walks away so as to not be associated with us embarrassing swearing people.

Then I got a hold of myself and explained to Chase that the "B" word can be used as a swear word so he really shouldn't say it. He was all embarrassed and almost cried because he thought he was in trouble. We assured him that it was totally ok, just don't say it anymore. And then we moved on. (After I took a picture and posted it to Facebook, of course.)

Fast forward to last week, months later, and out of the blue he says, "Mom, remember that one plane we saw at the museum that had that ooh-la-la lady on it with that ONE swear word that I said - but don't worry I won't say it - and then we laughed after I said it? That was funny, huh?"

Me: "Oh, you remember that, huh?"

Chase: "Of course, it was so funny!"

Me: "Oh yeah, I hardly remember that."

Chase: "Oh, I do! I remember it!"

Well isn't that nice. The kid can't remember to put his dirty underwear in the hamper but he can remember this.

Perfect!

Pefect Boy Snack: Dirt Cups! {dairy free!}

2011-10-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Our middle son, Chase's, birthday was last week. I wanted to send a fun treat in for his Cub Scouts meeting. There was one snag, though, one boy had a dairy allergy. So I asked my Twitter friends for some ideas. I wanted to make dirt cups, but figured pudding and oreos would be full of dairy. Then @ryles chimed in with wonderful news! You can make dirt cups dairy free! Who knew?

Oreos are dairy free. Just buy name brand Oreos! (I had no idea!)
Pudding mix: The JELLO brand is dairy free.
I used coconut milk to make the pudding.
Gummy worms are dairy free.

Of course the ingredients are full of all kinds of other awful not good for you things, but it's dairy free! :)

There really isn't a recipe here. Mix the pudding mix with your choice of milk as directed on the box. Cover with finely crushed oreo cookies. Squish some gummy worms into the dirt.

A perfect treat for little boys!

Recipe: Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

2011-10-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

I was always intimidated to try making Chicken and Dumplings from scratch because my Mom's were always SO GOOD that I thought it must be a lot of work. A few years ago I watched her make it and I was like, "Wait, that's it?!" And I have been making it ever since! My boys love this meal and I love that it can be a super quick meal if you play your cards right!

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, chopped
about 6 carrots, pealed and chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced (or two if you like garlic like I do)
2 tbs butter
celery if desired (my family does not like celery so I leave it out)
1 pound cooked shredded chicken
2 (32 oz) cartons of chicken broth
1 tsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/4 cup biscuit mix
2/3 cup milk

In a large pot, melt butter over medium high heat. Mix in chopped onions, carrots, garlic and celery. Saute for a couple of minutes. Basically just to get the flavors blended and cook down the veggies a bit.

Add shredded chicken,*See note below* broth and seasonings.

Heat through until it comes to a light boil.

(Basically at this point, you have chicken soup. Add cooked noodles for chicken noodle soup. Or rice. Or nothing!)

To make dumplings, add the biscuit mix *See note below* and milk and stir until it makes a soft gooey dough. Drop into the soup. Don't worry, the dumplings might sink at first. But they will come back up! Cook uncovered for ten minutes. Put a lid on and cook covered for ten more minutes. You can check the done-ness of the dumpling by splitting one open. If it's fluffy and does not have a gooey center, it's done!

**Here is where I say you can make this meal quick. I like to use chicken that has already been cooked and shredded from my freezer. This saves me a ton of time. I will also sometimes plan to cook my chicken in the crock pot and then use the broth left over right in the soup I'm making that night. If you do not have any on hand, you can still easily make this meal without a ton more effort. Just place some chicken in a pot of water and boil it. Once it's cooked through you can shred it up. You can use some of the water as broth as well. Or take it a step farther and cook it low and slow all day with veggies and herbs right in the pot with the chicken to make a broth from scratch. For the biscuit topping, I like to make my own biscuit mix so making the dumplings is quick and easy. You could also just mix together any biscuit recipe together and use that. I like the consistency of the Bisquick dumplings. So I use my homemade version and follow the recipe for dumplings from their box.**

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

You Know You Are A Mom Of Boys When...Birthday Card Love

2011-10-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

My precious middle child, Chase, is turning eight years old today. To celebrate, he had a friend stay the night last night. His friend gave him this card:

I asked his friend to explain the drawing. He said, "Well, that's Chase and that's me. And that's me throwing a guy that Chase doesn't like into a brick wall."

I must have looked slightly horrified because my husband chimed in, "That's how boys show love. He's a really good friend."

And Chase and his friend agreed that if you are a good friend, you are willing to throw bad guys into brick walls for each other.

Can someone please help me escape the Boy Planet I'm stuck on? I don't seem to speak their language.

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHASE!!!

MomMamaMommy! If You Have Two You May As Well Have Three...and other lies!

2011-10-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

When Jennifer from Momalom asked me to write about being a mom of three, I instantly came up with a hundred stories. Being a mom of three is wonderful. I honestly wouldn't trade being a mom to three boys for anything. It fits me perfectly.

But there are some misconceptions out there about having three kids. I'm calling BULL on all of them!

Check out what I wrote about If You Have Two You May As Well Have Three...and other lies.

And take some time to check out the Momalom website which is a great little treasure for Moms!

Thanks for featuring me guys!

Contentment and Gratitude: The Lesson That Never Ends

2011-10-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

The past year we have been living in an 850 square foot, 2 bedroom apartment. Yes, you heard that right. My husband and I and our three BOYS have been squished into this box we call home. To make it better, we are on the second floor. We have to pay $3 a load to do laundry (that's about $80 a month if we're keeping track). And it's just overall SMALL.

Last summer we moved to Vermont. We never did sell our house. So we are renting it out. Which means we are renting here. I should explain that renting here is difficult to say the least. We don't want to make the kids switch schools again so staying in this particular town is making it even more difficult. After six months of searching and looking at rentals and countless emails and phone calls, still...nothing. Nothing has worked out.

So I sit here, in my tiny box, trying to make sense of it all.

What lesson is this? Being grateful for what I have? My (ever so lovely but say it one more time and I'll slap you) husband says, "At least we don't live in a hut in Africa." OK. So yes, that is true. And I remind myself several times a day when I am feeling aggravated that "OMG Why does stuff fall on my head every time I open the closet door?!" And when I get sad and upset that we do not have a backyard for the boys to play in.

At least we have a roof over our head. At least we have food to eat and clothes to wear. Even if they are falling on my head.

Is this lesson on being content? We have all definitely learned a huge lesson on being happy with what we have. I have learned that what I need and what I want are not the same. I have learned that stuff doesn't make me happy. We have gotten rid of so. much. stuff. We just don't need it all. When I buy something, I stop and think. When my boys made their Christmas lists this week, they only asked for roller blades and skateboards. "And maybe a video game if you want, Mom." I mean, how awesome is that?!

Now I kind of feel like, OK! All done! Lessons learned! But I don't think it's that easy, is it? I don't think gratitude and contentment are learned and then you move on. I think they are ongoing lessons. Ones you need to remember and re-evaluate daily.

We have decided to pursue buying a house this Spring. We were thinking we needed to wait but things are looking like they will work out for us to buy soon. This is good. This is good news. It means our planned trip to Disney before Matt's deployment is canceled. It means a weekend trip to NYC is canceled. It means a 13 year anniversary trip is canceled. But it also means that we are buying a house. So it's good.

It has been a long, long year. I have complained and cried and complained some more. But I really have learned so much through the complaining and the tears. And I'm sure that I haven't cried my last tear or whined my last complaint. Especially since the person in the apartment above us is letting her 300 pound, is that a dog or a horse, run laps right now. And tomorrow while I am yelling PLEASE STOP JUMPING SO WE DON'T GET KICKED OUT for the millionth time, I shall complain some more. And when my boys cry because I yell at them for jumping like only normal boys do, I will cry again.

But then, one day soon, we will jump and laugh and dance and sing as LOUD as we can. We will be in OUR home. Ours. We will be happy to breathe in as many square feet as God blesses us with. We will fill every corner with the things we have decided to keep, to call our favorites. I will complain about how long it takes to clean big houses. I will cry that everyone has suddenly decided to start singing opera. And then I will sing just as loud while I clean my big house.

Contentment and gratitude, I got your number. And I won't stop looking you straight in the eye from now on.

Recipe: Tortellini and Zucchini Soup

2011-10-18T04:16:00.000-07:00

Tortellini and Zucchini Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 large carrots, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 14 ounce cans vegetable broth
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups fresh or frozen tortellini (I prefer the spinach filled ones)
4 plum tomatoes, diced
2 tbs red wine vinegar
I also like to add some sliced kielbasa sausage but you can keep it meat free and it's still delicious!

Heat oil. Add carrots and onion, cook till soft. Add garlic and rosemary, cook about one minute. Stir in broth and zucchini, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until zucchini is soft. Add tortellini and tomatoes (and sausage if used) and cook about 6-10 minutes. Stir in vinegar just before serving.

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

Pigs In A Blanket

2011-10-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

Now that football Sundays are back we are making a lot of our go-to "football food". Our favorite are Pigs In A Blanket. They are quick and easy to make and I have a special trick to fancy them up for get-togethers fancier than Football.

Pigs In A Blanket

Ingredients:
One can crescent rolls
One package of little smokie sausages

I know, such a hard list, right?

Here is how you wrap the perfect pig in it's flaky blanket of goodness:

Unfold the crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Then cut the triangles into smaller triangles.(This is difficult stuff please try to hang in there.)

Wrap up the sausage in the triangle like so.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until brown and cooked through.

To make your pigs look fancy, sprinkle some sesame seeds over them before baking and voila! Fancy Blankets!

Enjoy!

What's your favorite football food?

Breakfast Idea: A Healthy Way to Eat Waffles!

2011-10-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I bought a Good Housekeeping magazine with Dr. Oz on the front cover boasting a weight loss meal plan. Yes, I bought it. My muffin top told me to. We followed the meal plan for about three weeks and honestly, I did drop weight quite quickly. But it was A LOT of work because every single meal took a decent amount of effort and prep and I had to cook the kids separate meals most days. This breakfast suggestion, however, was quick and easy and very good!

At first I thought it sounded strange but after I tried it I was hooked. I still eat it regularly because I know it's a nice healthy option and I don't feel like I'm starving afterwards. Are you ready to hear it?

Ricotta and Date Waffles:
Two whole grain waffles
2 tbs part-skim ricotta
3 chopped dates
1 tsp honey

OK, don't run away screaming. Try it! I was delightfully surprised with how tasty it was! You can make your own waffles or just go the easy route and buy the frozen ones. I bought dried dates and chop them up as I need them.

The best part about this breakfast is that it is only about 300 calories! Let me know if you try it and if you like it!

*Not a sponsored post

Parenting: Saying No Without Saying No

2011-10-05T04:39:00.000-07:00

It's no wonder that so many kids say "No!" as their first word. It's probably the word we say most often as parents, isn't it? I've learned that there are a lot of ways to say no to a child without using the actual word. (Mostly from Love and Logic, my favorite parenting resource.)

I think it's important to branch out and try saying no in other ways because the word loses it's meaning after awhile. It also helps kids to understand that you aren't just ordering them around with yes and no answers. It allows the child to think and then make a choice. And that is the best thing we can do for our kids! Make 'em think!

So here's a few ways to say no without letting the actual word leave your lips!

Here are a few tips from the latest Love and Logic Newsletter:

Give a choice and imply consequences: "Gee, I don't think that is a very good decision and I'm pretty sure it might work out poorly for you."

Suggest an alternative behavior without ordering it: "I think that if I were in your shoes, I would probably change my tone of voice rather than being asked to leave."

Ask for illumination (without using a witness stand tone of voice): "I've always wondered about what leads kids to be obnoxious. Can you help me understand that?"

Give a direct question: "How do you think this is going to work out for you?"

{For more advice on this and more, check out Love and Logic's site and sign up for the newsletter.}

The important thing to remember is that it is ok to say no. Sometimes you have to. But when you avoid it, the meaning of the word becomes much more respected!

You can avoid that constant "No! Don't talk like that to me!" and "No! You stop that right now!" and so on.

If we can say something that gets the kid to think and make a choice about what to do next, we have taught a lesson instead of just demanded a behavior to stop.

You can also use one liners and give enforceable statements. My favorites are "That's an option!" and "Let me know how that works out for you!"

This is also great advice for toddlers and young children. A cue other than NO can be used like "Uh-Oh!" and remove them from the thing/area/etc that you want to tell them no about.

It works! Try it! Do you have any creative ways to say no without using the actual word?

PS - Not a sponsored post!

Recipe: Homemade Fried Chicken

2011-10-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more comforting than fried chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner! This recipe is easy and fried chicken isn't as hard to make as you think!

Homemade Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk (you can use regular milk if that's all you have)
1/4 cup hot sauce (more if you like it spicy!)
8 pieces of chicken
1 cup flour
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tsp salt
4 cups oil for frying

Add buttermilk and hot sauce to a bowl or baking pan and mix. Place chicken in and marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes. (If you do not have time to marinate, don't worry about it! It will still work out!) Add flour and seasonings to another bowl and mix. Place marinated chicken into the flour mixture and coat. I like to do that process a second time as well but if you aren't a huge fan of thick batter, only do it once. I like the crunchy batter. It's my favorite part of fried chicken!

In a large pan or a fryer, heat the oil to about 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, you know it's hot enough when you add a drop of water to the hot oil and it sizzles quite loudly. Place the battered chicken into the hot oil and fry for about 15 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees. I will usually cut open one of the bigger pieces to see if it is cooked through. You can see from the picture above that I used a skillet to fry the chicken so the oil did not cover the chicken. I just turned it half way through to cook both sides evenly.

Place cooked chicken onto a plate lined with pa1per towels to catch the grease. It's not legal for me to serve fried chicken without mashed potatoes and corn

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

Look Away

2011-09-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

I don't watch the news. I don't follow politics extremely closely. I turn the channel when they talk about tragedy on tv. I turn the tv off all together most days.

Not because I don't care. Not because I don't want to be informed.

But because my Mommy heart can't handle it.

Tragedy. Chaos. Dishonesty run a muck. Death. War.

I just can't dwell on those things.

Those things make me feel like I'm drowning. Like bringing children into this unsafe evil world full of tragedy was the dumbest thing I have ever done.

So I look away. I say a prayer for those involved, I do what I can to support those who've been through tragedy.

And I look away.

Is that wrong? Probably.

But I need to breathe. I need to keep my head above the water. And I need to recognize my heart's limits.

For my kids' sake. For my poor husband's sake. (The man can only wipe my irrational tears so many times.)

How does a Mom, a Mommy, ride the line between being involved and aware and not getting scared out of her mind?

If you have that one figured out I'd love to hear the answer. Just don't announce it over the 10:00 news. I won't be watching.

Meal Idea: Chili Fritos

2011-09-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

Chili Fritos is one of my family's favorite meals. I hear some people call it Frito Pie. Whatever you call it, it's delicious!

As you know, I love all things The Pioneer Woman does (have you watched her show on Food Network? Saturday mornings at 11:30. I make my family rush home from soccer so I can see it! Sorry, sidetracked.) I saw a super and fun way to serve Chili Frito Pie Deliciousness on her site and I wanted to share it with you.

I pinned it over here on Pinterest too. It's so fun to do that. Go pin something.

Anyway, I had this on my list of meal-ideas-that-are-not-necessarily-recipes ideas to share with you so I thought I would go ahead and share her ideas too!

Have fun with your food!

Recipe: Easy Crock-Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2011-09-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

This is a very quick and easy recipe to throw in the crockpot. The end result is a sweet and slightly tangy flavored meatball that you can eat alone as an appetizer or as a meal.

Easy Crock-Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 package (38 oz) prepared frozen meatballs - or go ahead and be ambitious and make your own!
16 oz jar of chili sauce
1 jar (2 lbs) grape jelly

Put all ingredients together in a crock-pot and cook on low for about 6 hours.

I told you it was easy! I did stir the pot a few times since I wasn't in a hurry for them to cook. I found it helped keep the meatballs soaked in the sauce and blend the chunky jelly with the chili sauce for a smooth nicely mixed sauce.

This made a nice big batch of meatballs. We had them during football Sunday as an appetizer and then used the leftovers on Monday as a meal.

I simply chopped green peppers, onions and pineapple and sauteed them together in a pan. Then I added in the meatballs and sauce and served over rice.

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

WINNER UPDATE! Love and Logic Speed-E Solutions..and a Giveaway!

2011-09-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

****
UPDATE: Winner Announced!
The winner is...Sandy! Sandy, email me and let me know which Speed-E Solution you want!
****
First of all, this is not a sponsored post. I I just want to share the love! And it will make me feel better if a bunch of you say you need parenting help too.

If you have read my blog at all, you know what a fan I am of Love and Logic Parenting. I have found so many ideas and strategies from reading the books to listening to the cds. Now I have found a new way to soak up all of their parenting advice.

Love and Logic has started selling Speed-E Solutions online. You can download them in mp3 format and listen to them on your computer, ipod or phone. I just bought When Your Kids Get Defiant the other day and listened to it while at the gym.

Not because I have a defiant child. Nope. My kids are perfect little angels. I did it for blog research.

Anyway.

I love how easy the downloadable lessons make it to get parenting advice. It's a nice little reminder to turn on when things are getting, um, rough at home.

I wanted to share my excitement by purchasing a Speed-E Solutions for one of you! You pick which one you want and I'll buy it for you. Just tell me which one you want in the comments and why and you are entered to win!

Pick your Speed-E Solution here!

Deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 20th at 9pm. Because I'm old and that's my bedtime.

One comment per family please!

Oh, and if you want to get a copy of my favorite book, order it below! *affiliate link*

Recipe: Upside Down Caramel Apple Cake

2011-09-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Apple season is here and there is nothing better than warm baked apples. Except when they are covered in a gooey caramel sauce over cake. And ice cream.

Upside Down Caramel Apple Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup brown sugar
3 large cooking apples (about one pound) - peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Fiji) Tip: do not cut and peel the apples until the moment you are ready to put them in the dish. That way they won't turn brown.
1 box yellow cake mix (you read that right, I used a boxed mix)
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 tsp apple pie spice (more if you like that strong spiced flavor)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, cook butter, whipping cream and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted.

Pour into 13x9-inch pan. Top with sliced apples. Press the apples into the sauce just a little bit.

In a large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and apple pie spice with an electric mixer. Carefully spread batter over apples.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Loosen sides of cake from pan. Place a serving platter upside down on pan; carefully flip platter and pan over. Let pan remain over cake so the caramel can drizzle over the top. Remove the pan.

Serve warm with ice cream if desired. Making lip smacking noises is optional but very likely to happen.

Enjoy!

Post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday

Honey Cream Filled Crescents

2011-09-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

These are quick and easy to pull together for last minute guests or a tasty Sunday brunch!

Honey Cream Filled Crescents

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tbs honey, divided
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 package refrigerated crescent rolls
Sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cream cheese and 2 tbs of the honey.

Unroll crescent roll dough. Separate into triangles. Spread about 1 tbs of the cream cheese mixture onto each triangle. Roll up loosely into crescent shape. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped almonds.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve rolls warm. Drizzle with remaining honey.

Enjoy!

Raising Good Citizens...Getting Involved In Your Community!

2011-09-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Walgreens for sponsoring my writing. Help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote.

Getting involved in the community is a big priority for us. We are bound and determined to teach our kids to be good citizens! Sometimes it can feel like an overwhelming thing to teach a child. But teaching volunteerism is done best just like every other teaching moment...by example!

Here are some of the ways we get involved with giving back to the community. I'd love to hear yours too!

The obvious places to check for help are your local food shelf and your church. There are always needs waiting to be met there. I have found some great opportunities in my local newspaper. Check yours out to see if they list volunteer needs. And if they do not? Request it!

One organization always asking for help in our paper is the Ronald McDonald House. If you live anywhere near a hospital, there is probably a McD house nearby. They house families with seriously ill children in the hospital and are always in need of food for their guests. We went with a group from our Church and prepared a meal. It was fun to cook together, especially knowing what a blessing it would be to those staying there. When you are tired and weary and emotionally drained with a child in the hospital, a free warm meal is a wonderfully practical blessing. This is a great project to do with older kids who can help prepare food and cook.

Habitat for Humanity is another great organization to get involved in. It's not really something you can do with kids until they are older. But while my husband helps out it is a great chance to explain to my boys that giving up their Daddy for a few hours on a Saturday so some kids can have a house is really a pretty small sacrifice.

Since hurricane Irene came roaring through the East Coast causing wide spread flooding in Vermont, we have had a very large need for volunteers in our communities to the south. Thanks to one of my lovely local twitter friends, Sarah, a website was started to connect people who needed help with people who wanted to give help. It has been amazing to watch Vermonters come together and help one another on such a large scale. Much more help is needed and will be for some time! vtresponse.com is the perfect example of jumping in and doing what you can with what you have. Everyone can be involved in some way and on some level! If you see a need and you know how to fill it? DO IT!

Find more ways to help Vermont by following them on twitter @vtresponse and the hashtag #vtresponse.

During the past week I was able to help at the Vermont 211 call center. When there is a natural disaster or other local emergency, your state's 211 call center is going to get very busy and very likely will need some extra help. You can find out how to help out with that and many other ways to get involved in your community in non-emergency times by connecting with The United Way.

My son's school is running penny wars to raise money for families affected by the floods. It is a really easy way to get a large group of kids involved in donating money. Kids can scrounge up pennies pretty easily. And pennies can add up to a lot of dollars! They sabotage the other classes by donating dollars and other change. It was so fun!

Another great way to get your kids involved is to donate toys and clothes. This works out great because you get to clean out your closets and your kids get to learn how to give to others! Just be sure to only donate items that are in good condition and toys that are like-new and have all their pieces. While reading through some of the needs on vtresponse.com, I saw one woman asking for shoes for her kids. All their shoes were ruined in the water and muck from the flooding and they can't just run down to the store to get some new ones. This is the perfect example of how a child can help. I guarantee if you explain that situation to your child, they will be more than happy to give up a pair of shoes to help out! Find simple opportunities like this for your child to help with. Make it personal. Paint a picture for them and help them understand just how blessed they are.

Kids are tenderhearted. They will act. We could learn a lot from their examples too!

Giving back is a healthy way to show gratitude for what you've been blessed with. Get out there and get involved. Your community needs you!

Don't forget to help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

*Although this is a sponsored post, all opinions are honestly and truly mine. All mine.

Pinterest!

2011-09-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Pinterest? It's a really neat spot where you can store all your favorite things that you find online. I normally have very OCD bookmarks in my browser for saving things but I love the idea of having them all in one place all nice and neat and organized for everyone to see!

Check it out and follow me if you dare! I love seeing creative decorating, food and gift ideas so if you post those on Pinterest, let me know so I can follow you!

Find my Pinterest page here!

*Warning, clicking on the links will lead to to pretty pictures that you will browse for ever and ever amen. I can not be held responsible for the time you are about to lose.*

My Kids Annoy Me Sometimes...And Why It's OK That I Said That Out Loud

2011-09-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been really annoyed by your kids?

Have you ever wanted to tell them to just please STOP TALKING?

Have you ever looked like this?

Having kids can be a wonderful beautiful thing. They can be so precious.

They can also be really obnoxious.

But do you know what else is obnoxious? Moms who pretend that it's always rainbows and sunshine when they are with their kids. It aggravates me when Moms aren't honest about how hard motherhood is.

Love is work. Parenting is hard. Motherhood is exhausting.

Let's just allow ourselves to be real about that.

Sometimes it's hard to admit that our children don't bring us every ounce of joy and pride that we expect they should.

Sure, at the end of the day, when they are quietly sleeping and looking all angelic, we swoon over our sweet babies. But while in the middle of a game of 20 million questions, you really just want to roll your eyes and walk away.

We don't. We listen and nod and say, "Oh, wow! That's neat! Uh-huh. Uh-huh." And we answer why and how. Over and over and over.

Sometimes we just need to tell someone that our kids annoy us.

And that's ok. It does NOT make you a bad Mom to feel annoyed or aggravated at your kids once in awhile.

Or once a day. Whatever.

So here is your chance. Admit what annoys you about your child. Get it off your chest. Don't worry, we won't tell.

I'll go first:

I hate it when my kids whine Mooooommmmmyyyy. It's like nails on a chalkboard.

I get so annoyed when my kids hang on me when I'm trying to do something. I am not a jungle gym people!

When my youngest kisses me, he slobbers all over my face. I don't want to act like I don't like his kisses, but the slobber grosses me out!

Sometimes when my oldest is telling a story that never ends, I tune out and just nod and in my head I'm thinking, "Oh for the love of all things good and holy will you please just get to the end!"

There. Phew! Now. Your turn!

Recipe: Asparagus and Parmesan Cream Pastry

2011-09-06T04:06:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe from a Philadelphia Cream Cheese cookbook. I thought it looked like a delicious appetizer and I was right...it was!

Asparagus and Parmesan Cream Pastry

Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough
1 lb. fresh asparagus spears (about 16)
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped (I've also made it without this, still great!)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 pinch sea salt
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove pastry dough from freezer and let thaw for 10 minutes. While dough is thawing, wash and trim asparagus so it is 1 1/2 inches shorter than the width of the pastry sheet. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped basil leaves and lemon juice. Set aside.

Unfold dough onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cut into 4 equal rectangles. Separate slightly. Spread cream cheese mixture onto each of the pastry rectangles, not quite to edges. Press 4 asparagus spears onto each rectangle, alternating directions. Sprinkle pastries with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until pastries are golden brown. Remove from oven, cute each pastry in half. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese.

These are pretty quick to assemble but they look so fancy!

Mommy Guilt: Lowering My Expectations of Myself

2011-08-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

This week I bought some items from the grocery store that I normally wouldn't buy.

Not a ton of junk food or anything, just some boxed and convenience foods that I normally steer clear of.

I have a lot on my mind right now. A lot to work through. So I'm giving myself a little break from the high expectations I have of myself.

A break from my from scratch life, so to say.

Sometimes you have to step back and evaluate what is more important. Peace of mind of bread from scratch.

I'm gong with my mind on this one.

And I won't feel guilty about it. This is a stage in my life where I need to focus on other things. I will still be cooking, of course, we gots to eat. I will still post from scratch recipes for you my lovely friends.

But I won't expect myself to spend my afternoons preparing homemade this and homemade that.

I bought me some boxed granola bars and frozen waffles.

Which to most people is completely normal. But for me it's not, so.

Knowing my limits makes me just as good of a Mom and Wife as baking muffins does.

Here I am. Admitting that I can't do it all and not expecting myself to.

And quite happy about it, really.

Our Life Captured Perfectly...In One Shot

2011-08-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend Luann Bailey took some family photos of us recently. She managed to capture the essence of our family in one shot. I am totally in love with it.

Here it is:

Matt and I are always making the kids squirm with our ooey gooey lovey dovey ways. And the boys are great at being disgusted by it. Are these not the most perfect little boy faces?!

I'm in love!

Homemade Kids Keepsakes Organizer

2011-08-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

I still haven't dealt with the pile of artwork and papers that my kids brought home from school last year. Now we are starting back again and they will be bringing more home!

Here is the pile of artwork I have been begged to keep because every single piece is special:

While I do love keeping my kids artwork and keepsakes, I do not love the mess it creates. I like things to be organized and in my world everything has it's own home. So I came up with a way to store and organize all of our favorite artwork, school papers and keepsakes.

Homemade Kids Keepsakes Organizer

This is really quick and easy to make, the kids can even help! Here is what you need:

Poster board
Hole Punch
Ribbon
Stickers and/or Markers

First fold the poster board in half.
Then punch holes down the two sides, leaving an open space at the top.

Starting at the bottom of the poster board, weave the ribbon in and out of the punched holes until you reach the top. Repeat on the other side.

Tie in a bow at the top. Tie it tightly!

Decorate with stickers if you like and label it with your child's name and grade/age. This is a great job for the kids!

Done! Using the large size poster board makes the organizer big enough to hold large keepsakes without needing to fold them!

And, of course, it can fit small things as well. Do you remember this paper? I just had to keep that one!

The ~~folded up poster board~~ Kids Keepsake Organizer fits nicely right down into a plastic bin so you can stick them in there and line them up just like a neat and tidy little file box full of childhood memories.

If you don't have much time, you are not crafty, you are lazy, or it is your second or third child who always get the shaft, you can use the super easy way:

Fold poster board in half:

Staple up the sides:

Write the kids name on the front with a sharpie:

Fill it up!

For now I have one bin with a folder for each kid but my goal is to have one bin for each kid filled with a folder for each grade. It will be so easy to look through and my table top will stay clean!

How do you keep your kids artwork organized?

Busted By a Ten Year Old

2011-08-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Me: "Aren't you SO excited for school to start again?!"

Chandler: "You are only excited for us to go so you can get a break from us."

Me: "Noooo...I just want you to be well educated!"

Chandler: "And go out for coffee with your friends."

Me: "uhhhh...welllll....you want some ice cream?!"

Chandler: "YEP."

Favorites from around the web: Pizza!

2011-07-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a few Pizza recipes from around the web that I want to try soon!

Homemade Pizza Sauce by Tasty Kitchen

Photo courtesy of Erica Lea/Tasty Kitchen

This recipe looks so quick and easy and gives me a great excuse to keep red wine on hand. At the bottom of the post is also a pizza dough recipe so you can make a whole meal of it! Shared by Erica Lea of Cooking for Seven

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza by Lauren's Kitchen (Originally by Stephanie Cooks)

Photo courtesy of Lauren's Kitchen

Chicken. Bacon. Ranch. Pizza. Enough said.

Grilled Pizza Margarita from Food Network by Mario Batali

Photo from Food Network

I mean, really. Look at it.

Do you have a favorite pizza recipe? I'd love to check out more!

You Know You're A Mom of Boys When...Things You Say

2011-07-22T05:38:00.000-07:00

You know you are a Mom of boys when you hear yourself saying things like this:

"Please take your brother's underwear off your head and give them back."

"Because it's gross to eat while you are on the toilet, that's why!"

"I'm not sure. I don't have one of those. You'll have to wait and ask Daddy."

"No, it's not wasteful to wash your underwear every day. Go ahead and change them."

And last but not least:

"Would you please cover that thing up."

Note that these are all bathroom and private part related.

This is my life, people.

Recipe: Rustic Triple Berry Pie

2011-07-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe in the latest Rachel Ray magazine. Of course I tried it. Duh.

I love that the crust is simple and easy. No top layer, no fussing over pretty edges. Yet, it is still a beautiful pie!

Rustic Triple Berry Pie

Ingredients:
3 containers (6 oz each) blackberries (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca - I did not use this. I just used 1/4 cup flour. My filling was a little runny as a result, but still perfectly yummy!
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
8 oz strawberries (about 2 cups) halved or quartered
1 container (6 oz) blueberries (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) plus 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg, seperated
Ice water

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup blackberries, 1/4 cup sugar, the tapioca (or flour) and the lemon juice. Mash together. Stir in the strawberries, blueberries, remaining blackberries and 3/4 cup sugar. Let stand for at least 20 minutes, gently stirring once or twice.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the lower part of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt. Add 8 tbsp butter and, with a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until crumbly. Continue working with your fingertips until the mixture is flaky.

In a cup, combine the egg yolk with the ice water. Drizzle over the flour mixture and stir with a fork until incorporated and the dough is slightly moist but not wet. (Test by pinching some of the dough; if it doesn't stay together, sprinkle about 1 tsp more ice water on the dry part and gather the dough into a ball.)

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out to a 13 inch round. Place carefully into a pie pan. Let the excess drape over the edges. Gently press the dough into the pan.

Spoon the berry mixture evenly into the pan, making sure to pour in all the yummy juices from the bowl. Dot the top with the remaining 2 tbs of butter. Gently fold the pastry up over the berries, pleating as you go.

Beat the egg white with a fork until frothy and brush over the pastry. Sprinkle the dough with sugar.

Bake until the filling is bubbling, about one hour. Check after 30-40 minutes to make sure the crust is not browning too quickly. If it is, cover with foil until the rest of the pie is finished baking.

Let the pie cool completely before cutting and serve with ice cream and/or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray magazine June 2011

Post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday

Recipe: Raspberry Lemon Whoopie Pies

2011-07-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

These are delightful. They are a perfect dessert for your next summer bbq with friends. So soft and full of flavor that just screams SUMMER!

Raspberry Lemon Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:
Cookies-
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbs grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 cup whole milk
Filling-
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tbs brown sugar
1 cup fresh raspberries (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter, 1 cup brown sugar and lemon zest with a mixer until light and creamy. Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With mixer on low, beat milk into flour mixture a little at a time.

Drop batter in 2 tbs mounds, about 2 inches apart, onto two greased baking sheets. I used an ice cream scoop to get them perfectly even in size.

Bake until puffy and golden about 17-19 minutes. Let cool on a baking rack.

In a large bowl, whip cream and t tbs brown sugar to soft peaks. In a small bowl, mash raspberries with a fork, then fold into the cream. Divide raspberry cream evenly among bottoms of half the cookies then sandwich with remaining cookies. Dust with powdered sugar for a pretty extra touch!

I have also made these with strawberries instead of raspberries and they are equally delicious! I am sure blueberries would be tasty too!

You can make the cookies ahead of time and fill right before you're ready to serve.

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday

*Recipe adapted from one of those Martha Stewart magazines. Sorry, Martha. I can't remember which one. I'm a good baker but a bad rememberer.

Summer Vacation: The Pros and Cons

2011-07-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation and I are trying to decide if we get along right now.

Pro: No schedules. We can just do as many fun things as we want all day long.

Con: No schedule?! These kids just want to go out and do fun stuff all. day. long.

Pro: I have to bring them all to the grocery store which means they can help lug it all in.

Con: I have to bring them all to the grocery store.

Pro: No beeping alarm in the morning!

Con: Bouncing six-year-old alarm every morning!

Pro: Beach Day!

Con: Sand. Boys. Butt cracks. Sand in boys butt cracks.

Pro: We stay up late watching movies and eating ice cream.

Con: I haven't seen my husband in three weeks and I have gained 10 pounds.

Pro: My kids climb on me and kiss on me and hug on me all day.

Con: My kids climb on me and kiss on me and hug on me all day.

I need five minutes of someone not touching me or talking to me. Just five. OK TEN.

I guess the conclusion is that we are enjoying our summer break as much as we can but Momma is glad that it only lasts a couple of months.

I LOVE MY BOYS. SO MUCH.

But I really need the chance to miss my kids.

Know what I mean?

I guess the conclusion is

Recipe: BLT Tortellini Salad

2011-07-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

I kind of made this up the other day when we got together with friends and needed a side dish. I don't have an exact "recipe" but here is what I threw together!

BLT Tortellini Salad

Ingredients:
2 packages Spinach and Cheese Tortellini
Ranch dressing
Bacon, crumbled (or bacon bits if you want to make it quick!)
Diced tomatoes
Black olives (if desired)
Parmesan cheese, grated

Boil and drain tortellini. Let cool. Toss with ranch dressing (use as much or as little ranch as you like). Toss in remaining ingredients (also measured to how much you like them!) and chill before serving.

Enjoy!

This post linked to Tasty Tuesday by Beauty and Bedlam

Love and Logic Parenting: A Source of Wisdom or Resentment

2011-06-30T07:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received my Love and Logic Insider's email (sign up on their homepage to receive them yourself!) and the text hit me like a ton of bricks. This is such good advice and gives me so much to think about. I will definitely stop and think before I react more often. Trying harder, trying harder, trying harder to get this parenting thing right!

My friend, Dr. Foster Cline, is a very wise man. His presentations offer one brilliant piece of advice after another. One of my favorites is, "Every childhood mistake handled well can become a learning experience. Every childhood mistake handled poorly can become the source of resentment."

Put yourself into this situation: You are a child who "borrowed" your dad's power screwdriver. You left it out in the driveway overnight, and now it's missing.

After finally getting up the nerve to admit this to your father, he replies, "Wow! I bet you feel pretty bad about that. I'm planning to do some repair work next weekend and I'm going to need that screwdriver back or I'm going to need a replacement. Let me know how you're going to solve that. Give me a hug."

How are you feeling at this moment? What are your feelings toward your dad? Are you mad at your dad or yourself? What kind of learning could take place?

Now suppose that Dad handles it this way instead and replies, "That was really stupid. What in the world were you thinking? How many times have I told you to leave my things alone? This is the kind of thing that really makes me mad. If you don't find the screwdriver, you're going to be grounded for two weeks, and I mean it!"

How are you feeling now? If this happens to be Dad's typical reaction, how many repetitions of these interactions need to take place before resentment builds? How much learning takes place when you see the other person as the source of your bad feelings?

You can hear many of Dr. Cline's wise words on the CD Allowing Kids to Choose Success.

I love how it makes you stop and think, "How are you feeling now?" I forget to put myself in my kids shoes sometimes. If someone said the things to me that I said to my kids, I would probably hate them.

Good parenting food for thought, isn't it?!

Girls For A Change - Show Your Support In One Easy Way!

2011-06-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

The following is a post sponsored by Yahoo! Every time someone clicks here to make Yahoo! their homepage, they're showing their support for Girls For A Change.

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

I'm pretty picky about what sponsored posts I will write. I won't share just anything with you guys so I can make a buck. When this offer came to me, I instantly said yes. This is something I can get behind!

I'm really excited to share with you the opportunity to support a really great cause! Girls For A Change is an organization that empowers girls to create social change by inviting young women to design, lead, fund and implement social change projects that tackle issues girls face in their own neighborhoods.

Even though I have three boys I have a soft spot in my heart for young girls. Especially girls who have limited opportunities before them. I can remember being a young girl and the struggles to find yourself and fit in and they are still fresh in my mind. Girls who do not have the loving support and insightful wisdom of stable women NEED someone to step up and take that role. I love that there are women doing just that with the Girls For A Change program.

Here is an excerpt from the Girls For A Change website that explains more about what they do:

Girls For A Change empowers young women to create change in their own communities with the guidance of adult women. About 5-10 girls and two women "coaches" make up a Girl Action Team. Teams design and implement a social change project that will make a lasting change in their neighborhood, city or school. More than 100 Girl Action Teams meet across the US and internationally each year. Check out how Girl Action Teams are transforming the world in your city.

In an effort to get the word out and do some good for this awesome program, Yahoo! will donate $10 to Girls For A Change (GFC) for each person who switches their homepage browser to Yahoo! -- up to an amazing $10,000!

JUST VISIT THIS LINK TO CHANGE YOUR BROWSER BY JULY 1st!

Be sure to use the specific link above or it won't count!

Why Should You Make Yahoo! Your Homepage? It offers...

Personalized content: The Yahoo! homepage delivers you the most relevant content based on your interests, time of day, and what’s most popular with other users like you.
Your World and The World: The Yahoo! homepage uniquely brings together your world (your email, local news) with the world around you (current events, entertainment news, financial updates and more)

Human Interest: Articles on the homepage have a human approach – more than just news, it delivers human interest stories that you just have to click on.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting Girls For A Change by changing your browser homepage to Yahoo!

*All opinions are my own*

You Know You're A Mom of Boys When...Undergarments Edition

2011-06-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, the title alone should warn you about this one.

I walked through the department store underwear aisle with my children.

My three boy children.

The questions. The comments. The oh dear God don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh moments.

Chase: What are panties?

Charlie: Duh, they are girl underwear. It covers their...YOU KNOW. (inappropriate pointing to private parts)

Charlie: Mom, these bra things, they are to cover your nibbles right? And the hold up those boob things?

Me: Yes, Charlie, but let's save private questions for when we are at home please. *turns and chuckles*

Charlie: (holding up a bra) Mom, this one is really squishy. Like a pillow boob!

Chase: Mom, is 3x the biggest these come in?

Chandler: Mom, pleeeeeease let's go now.

Me: I think Chandler is right, we should go.

Favorites from around the web...Cookies!

2011-06-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

I still haven't decided on a name for this weekly post.

I am a bad decider.

For instance: Which if these cookie recipes will I try first?

This one for Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies by Let's Dish?

Photo Courtesy of Let's Dish

These Chocolate Toffee Cookies from Smitten Kitchen?

Photo courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

Toffee is my FAVORITE. I'll make them without the walnuts though.

S'mores Cookies from Giving Up On Perfect?

Photo courtesy of Giving Up On Perfect

(Thanks for telling me about these Amy!)

Too many decisions! Don't make me choose!

I told you I'm no good at decisions!

Check out the links and let me know if you try any of these delicious cookies!

Yahoo! Email: My Mommyhood Lifeline

2011-06-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Yahoo! Mail for sponsoring this post about staying connected. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

I already told you about my email love story with my husband. But email isn't just about loooove notes for me! It keeps me connected with friends and family around the country.

When I first started emailing on a regular basis (that makes me sound old), my babies were actually babies (sob). I was stuck in the house with three kids under the age of five, two of who were in diapers. My life was all about nursing babies, changing babies and playing with hot wheels. I was lonely. I was talking to my kids about random stuff just so I could talk! It wasn't easy for me to get out much. An infant and a toddler who could barely walk tend to slow you down. Add in a five year old and you just stay home.

My girlfriends and I started emailing back and forth about getting together and dreaming up girl's nights. Then our emails began to just be random and about silly things like the latest Grey's Anatomy episode. We started to send emails back and forth all. day. long. It would only take a quick second to check my email and laugh then reply with a "you are crazy, girl!" but I have to say, those emails made my day. It got me through those moments of feeling like I was alone. I laughed, I cried, I grew so very close to my friends. We would send pictures and take turn making comments and I swear I thought I might die from laughter on most days. It didn't matter how busy we were, we always made time to check in with each other. There is nothing like knowing that with a click of a button I could talk to a friend!

Being a stay at home mom is a hard job. I have always felt like it is a blessing, it's what I always wanted to do. But sometimes, you just need to know that there is more to life than diapers. You need to feel like you can have a conversation with an adult other than Big Bird or the mail man or anyone at the grocery store who will listen to you. Emailing with my friends did that for me.

That was quite a few years ago but to this day my friends and I are able to stay in touch through email. Now we have Facebook and blogs but nothing beats a good ol' email thread full of encouraging words and hilarious inside jokes from friends.

I could never live without my Yahoo! Email. I count on it to be my lifeline through mommy-hood and so much more.

This video is a cute reminder of it all for me!

Tell me about the first time you realized you couldn't live without your email and why?!

Although this is a sponsored post, all opinions and stories are mine and they are all true!

Favorite Recipes From Around the Web: Drinks!

2011-06-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

You guys still haven't helped me name this thing. So get on that please!

This week I seemed to come across a whole lot of drink recipes that made me lick my lips.

Here are my favorites that I will try soon!

Frozen Hot Chocolate from A Cozy Kitchen

Photo courtesy of A Cozy Kitchen

Isn't this picture wonderful?! I just want to dive right in and take a big slurp until I get the most incredible case of brain freeze.

Strawberry Limeade (Sonic Copycat) from Cooking With K

Photo Courtesy of Cooking With K

I have never tried the Sonic drinks, but I hear a lot of people ooh and ahhh over them so I'd love to give this a try!

Carrot-Orange-Pineapple Smoothie from Nancy Creative

Photo courtesy of Nancy Creative

This will be a go-to drink while the kids are home for the summer. A great cold drink that feels like a treat but is actually good for you. Sign me up!

Summer Breeze from A Southern Fairytale


Photo courtesy of A Southern Fairytale

Rachel calls this drink "comforting, refreshing, bubbly with just the right amount of tartness." Sounds like the perfect summer drink to me!

So that's what I found so far this week! Check out the links to these drinks and let me know if you come across any more amazing must try recipes while you browse the web this week!

Recipe: Homemade White Pizza with Spinach and Broccoli

2011-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

The title sounds like it's healthy, but the sauce (which makes it SO delish) is really not. There is my disclaimer for the day. But it does have spinach in it! And broccoli! No, we are not discussing the amount of cheese it is covered in! But at least it's homemade! (See, that's how you get away with not feeling guilty about fattening pizza!)

Homemade White Pizza with Spinach and Broccoli

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough or ready to fill pizza crust
Fresh baby spinach, chopped finely
Fresh broccoli, chopped
Shredded mozzarella cheese
garlic powder and Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1/2 cup of cream
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Roll dough onto pizza pan. Sprinkle with seasonings.

Add cream and Parmesan cheese to hot melted butter in a small bowl. Mix together until creamy and smooth.

(I like to sprinkle some garlic powder in there as well. If you are real garlic lover, sprinkle some fresh minced garlic onto the pizza with the other toppings!)

Smooth sauce onto pizza crust.

Sprinkle with spinach, broccoli and mozzarella cheese (I didn't list a measurement of those because you can basically use as much or as little of each as you like.) Sprinkle with more Parmesan if you are a cheese lovah!

Bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes or until done.

Oh, and like my dear husband asked, "Where's the chicken?!" Yes, chicken would be good on this as well. :)

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday

I Want To Hold My Baby But He Got Too Big

2011-06-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

There is something that happens when your child gets to a certain age.

They stop being cuddly.

My baby is 10 (and a half if you ask him) and he is no longer in love with his Momma.

Or my baby, apparently.

Sure, he loves me and he'll tell me so if I make him by holding one arm behind his back (Which he is almost getting big enough to get out of. Note to self: find new SAY I LOVE YOU MOM maneuver).

He is no longer squishable.

I take that back, he IS still squishable, I mean just take a look at that face and tell me you don't want to squish it...

Photo courtesy LuannBailey Photography

He just no longer wants to be squished.

It makes me so sad to see him slowly grow up and away from me. Sometimes the end of the night comes and I realize that while my two little guys have smothered me with hugs and cuddles, I barely get my big guy to give me a good night side hug.

I don't really know what to do about it. They grow up. There is nothing I can do about it. (Yes, I've tried)

For now I guess I will keep on tackling him and smooching his face off while he yells for me to stop.

I know he really likes it deep down.

And I'm hanging on to every last smooch I can get. Forced or not.

Love and Logic Parenting: Getting Your Kids to Think

2011-06-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

I have been reading and re-reading these super helpful tips from a Love and Logic Insider's Club email I've had in my inbox for weeks now. It's such good information, I knew you would want to read it!

How can we make sure that our kids are doing their fair share of the thinking? How can we keep ourselves from getting pulled into working harder on their lives than they are? How can we help them become prepared for a world full of decisions and consequences?

Replace statements with questions.

Some of the most powerful moments come when we empower kids by asking them what they plan to do about various situations instead of telling them what they need to do. The implied message we send says, "You are smart. You can come up with the answer." In my CD, Shaping Self-Concept, I teach that kids who are given this gift are far more likely to succeed in school and in life.

On top of that, the human brain has a hard time ignoring the questions it hears. It wants to search for the answers - it just can't help itself. What a gift we give kids when we get them to think versus telling them what to do.

A child who is redirected with the question, "Are you sure this is the right place for that behavior?" will respond much better than the child who is told, "Stop that!" One method invites thinking; the other invites resistance and battles for control. Which do you prefer?

In either case, we are enticing young brains to do lots of thinking by simply asking questions rather than stating "how it is." So, do your kids' brains a favor and feed them a steady diet of questions. Won't it be fun to see the smoke start rolling out of their ears?

I last wrote about the power of questions: how questions can actually divert the brain's focus. A person who is thinking in one direction can suddenly find himself/herself thinking in a totally different direction when hit with a question.

An example of this happened when Jill said to her teacher, "Well, I wasn't the only one throwing food." Her teacher responded with empathy and a question, "Oh, this is sad. Where are you going to eat now that you can't eat in the cafeteria any more?"

"Huh?" Jill's brain, driven by nature to answer questions, had to switch gears and go off in a totally different direction.

Most things we say can be turned into a question, putting us in charge of the conversation. Here are some examples of changing orders or statements into questions:

Order: "You aren't going to talk like that in this house."

Question: "Is this the right place for that language? Thank you."

Order: "If you don't do your homework, you're going to get a bad grade."

Question: "What kind of grade do you think you'll get without doing your homework?"

Order: "You are not going to drive if you drink."

Question: "What do you think will happen to your driving privileges if I start worrying about you drinking?"

Order: "You guys better quit fighting over that remote control."
Question: "Have you guys thought about what might happen to the remote if you keep fighting over it?"

Order: "Quit that bickering!"
Question: "Hey, guys, what do you think is going to happen if that doesn't stop?"

Another example of using a question to change a situation happened when Dr. Charles Fay witnessed three young boys on the school bus becoming rowdy. A teacher told them to settle down. They didn't. Dr. Fay went over to sit with them and asked, "Hey guys. Which one of those Pokemon figures spits fire?"

As you can guess, the entire scenario changed as these kids started answering and talking. No discipline was needed. A simple question made a huge change.

You can get Love and Logic's Insider Club emails yourself by signing up on their website.

This is not a sponsored post. I'm just a L&L nerd who loves to share parenting strategies with other tired parents.

:)

My Favorite Recipes of the Week: Breakfast

2011-06-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

I look online for recipes...like A LOT. Most often I use them as ideas. I'm not very good at following directions. I like to make recipes my own. I decided though that since I find SO many great recipes in my online adventures, that I should start sharing them with you!

Sometimes I make the recipes I find and sometimes I just drool over them and then forget them. Matt is always telling me I need to "make a list" because I am constantly showing him recipes online or trying a new one and then a month later he's all, "Remember that one recipe with the chicken and the cheese..." Now I can keep better track for myself AND share them with all of you!

This week I had my eyes on breakfast treats. Here's what I found!

I love these Cinnamon Toast Rolls by Circle B Kitchen.

Photo Courtesy of Circle B Kitchen

They look quick and easy to make as a weekend breakfast treat. I would probably use wheat bread just to pretend like it was healthy-ish. Or not.

I decided to make Stuffed French Toast for a church brunch last Sunday so I began scouring the internet for ideas. I came across this one and about died.

Banana Nutella Stuffed French Toast by 52 Sweet Treats

OH MY YUM. I tried it with strawberries and it was divine. Johnna's version is dairy and gluten free so that is a huge plus for those of you who follow those diets! I made my version very full of dairy and gluten. :)

The other recipe I found is Stuffed French Toast which I found through Tasty Kitchen (my new obsession). I made this one with blueberries but I think it would be equally amazing with strawberries as well! I guess I'll have to make it twice. Darn.

From Girli Chef, I present to you Cinnamon-Sugar Pull-Apart Ricotta Bread.

Photo courtesy of girlichef.

There are so many words in that title that make me drool. This is a MUST try ASAP recipe for me and I will probably follow it exactly. I just can't risk it not coming out perfectly on the first try. My taste buds would never forgive me!

So there are some of my must try and eat right away favorites from around the web!

What are your thoughts about my fave recipes posts? Should I post on the same day every week? What should I call it? Let's give it a name!

Have a recipe you think I should share? Let me know! If you pass my rigorous standards of acceptance (makes me drool and lick the screen) then I'll share your recipes too!

Looking forward to sharing more and hearing your faves too!

Cube Dog App - Your Kids Will Love It!

2011-06-08T05:23:00.001-07:00

Thank you to Cube Dog for sponsoring this review. For more information about Cube Dog please visit the Facebook page or download it on iTunes.

I am always looking for fun new apps to put on our iPhones for the kids to play. It's the perfect thing to keep them busy during those waiting periods of life...in line, in traffic, while waiting for a table at a restaurant, so they'll be quiet and leave me alone at any time of the day, really.

So when I was asked to review the Cube Dog app I was really excited! My boys love those digital pet kind of games so I knew they would love this. My husband, Matt, downloaded it on his iPhone 4 and started showing the boys how to play. It was only a matter of minutes before they were off on their own playing with Cube Dog and screaming about who's turn was next.

Cube Dog is a fun 3D digital dog. You can create your own dog by choosing it's ears, nose, eyes, etc and colors. With a shake of the phone, you can change your mind and change the looks of your dog! The full 3D graphics are really amazing. You can rotate and zoom around your dog. The 3D animations are super high-quality and make the game so fun. You can add accessories and all kinds of other options to your dog as well as teach it to respond with the swipes and taps of your finger on the screen. My boys loved making it do tricks. Their favorite was to make it a ninja. I could tell it was their favorite because of this:

Their other favorite (and actually mine too, I kept making them do it just cause it made me giggle) was to make their Cube Dog call them from his iPhone. How cute is that?!

The Cube Dog app is compatible with the iPhone and iPod touch 4 with camera. (Oh that reminds me, you can take pictures and insert your dog into any scene! Even take a picture of your dog with you!)

Check out this video for a sneak peek...

The video is just a peek. The actual app has so many fun options to play with. You can create up to 3 dogs at a time (one for each kid, perfect). And the best part is that you can download it for FREE. There are additional treats and fun options you can buy your cube dog as well! Head over to the iTunes store to download your own!

You can also check out Cube Dog on Facebook for more details and to watch for a fun contest running June 13-17!

While Cube Dog provided me with the app to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Cube Dog, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip, Flax and Bran Banana Bread

2011-06-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

I bet you didn't know you could make banana bread with chocolate chips, flax and bran! Those ingredients don't seem to go together but it's a great way to sneak a little bit of nutrition to an otherwise "might as well be dessert" kind of bread.

Chocolate Chip, Flax and Bran Banana Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamom
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (tips on this below recipe!)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
2 tbs butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, wheat bran, flax, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for a few minutes before cooling completely on a rack.

Did you know you can freeze over ripe bananas? If you have some that are perfect for banana bread but you don't have time to make it right then, just stick them in the freezer in a freezer bag or freezer safe container.


Just thaw out the bananas when you are ready to bake and squeeze them right out of the peel! If there is too much liquid, just drain it off. (If you do this around little boys, inappropriate comments will be made. You've been warned.)

Enjoy!

Notes: I found the original recipe in a magazine, but since I tore it out, I don't know which one! The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, but I left those out and it still turned out delicious!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday

My Kids Aren't Perfect...And I'm Ok With That

2011-06-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy of Luann Bailey Photography

Recently my husband said to me, "Honey, with as much parenting advice as you give our kids should be perfect."

I laughed but then it kind of got me thinking.

He's right. Right?

I mean, I know all the right moves. I seem to know the answers for other people's parenting questions.

Yet my kids are still little monsters.

I don't always respond the right way, no one is the perfect parent.

Do the 10% of times I fail completely negate the 90% of the times I get it right?

OK, maybe 80/20.

70/30?

My boys are loud. They do not always know when the heck to take it down a notch.

They are rude. They tell people like my Dad that they have the biggest belly they have ever seen.

They don't listen. I say don't do that and they do it. With a smile.

They say inappropriate things. Like this weekend when Charlie (who is 6) pointed and yelled, "BOOBIE!" when he saw a caveman exhibit. (Thanks for that, by the way, Museum of Natural History)

I will choose to be an optimist. I have great kids.

They are kind and thoughtful. Once in awhile

They listen. Not every time. But most of the time.

They say please and thank you. When they remember.

No, my kids are not perfect. But I don't want them to be. Making mistakes is how we learn. I love that they are learning lessons about respecting authority and being kind and choosing their words wisely. These are lessons that can only be learned through practice.

And, yes, they are loud and chaotic and they break things occasionally. But they are boys. Little boys.

I'm ok that my kids aren't perfect despite my best efforts. I won't take it personally because I know I am doing my best. We are in a learning and growing phase of life and I don't apologize for that.

I just hope the rest of the world will give us grace as we learn and grow alongside them.

Being Germ Aware without Being a Germaphobe

2011-06-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

I think it's easy to become a germaphobe these days, don't you? With the bird flu and swine flu and all other kinds of weird non-animal named diseases floating around it's no wonder we all aren't contagious with something!

I can see myself being a germaphobe. I have some clean freak tendencies and OCD type quirks about me (I know, you are shocked, aren't you?). But there are ways to be aware of the germs around us and teach our kids healthy habits without going overboard.

Here are my tips:

Stop using antibacterial soaps. I know you think we should be doing the opposite considering the nastiness that is out there, but some germs are good for us. When we cut out all bacteria, we are not giving our bodies a chance to learn how to fight it off. Also, it can lead to creating those super bugs we hear about in the news! If you've ever noticed, an antibacterial laden home is often the sickliest home.

Stick to regular soap! Using a simple non-fancy soap will clean your hands well enough. Just remember to wash thoroughly and for more than 20 seconds.

Use less antibacterial hand sanitizers. For the same reasons I mentioned above with the soap, antibacterial hand gels are not always necessary to use. Now I've been known to squirt some on our hands after we've been at the store and won't be getting to a sink for awhile. Especially if it's a second-hand store or the children's museum where every child on the planet with a snotty nose has touched everything my child touched. Antibacterial hand wipes and gels do come in handy, but again, being exposed to some germs (yes! even in public!) is ok!

Teach your kids about hand washing. Now, with all that said, I will also say this: I have always taught my kids about washing their hands. After the bathroom, after school, when we get home from the store, before they eat anything. These are general good hygiene lessons that we all need to stick by. And yes, during flu season, wash a little more often. Like when you cough and blow your nose. That is not being obsessive. That is being clean. I have also told my kids that when they are told to clean their hands before lunch (most schools do a hand sanitizer line) to ask to go to the bathroom and just use soap and water when possible. Hand sanitizers do not take off dirt and dried up glue or boogers.

Step away from the bleach. You do not need to use bleach to clean your house! I mean, sure, if someone has the stomach flu and has barfed all over your kitchen floor you may want to get some bleach on that, but everyday cleaning does not need to be so harsh! Simple ingredients like baking soda and vinegar go a long way in cleaning your home. Or just buy some cleaner at the store, but try to stay away with cleaners using harsh chemicals and bleach. You just don't need it! Check out this site which lists some easy to make homemade cleaners.

So there ya have it. What are your stay healthy but not act like a crazy person germ tips?

PS - Sorry for using the words barf and boogers in the same post. I have boys.

My Homemade Crapiness

2011-05-26T05:44:00.000-07:00

I thought it was time to share another failed recipe. I bake often. That doesn't mean it always works out though!

I attempted to make The Recipe Girl's Nutella Swirled Banana Bread. This is one of those times when my "I don't follow recipes" attitude failed me. I didn't do something right as shown below in my poor attempt of Nutella Swirled Banana Muffins.

Please, make this bread. Please, follow the recipe.

PS - when made correctly, The Recipe Girl version is DIVINE.

You Know You're a Mom of Boys When: Girls? Who Needs 'Em?!

2011-05-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

I was at Chandler's baseball game and I saw this vision from heaven.

It was a little girl. About eight years old.

She was running and jumping, her shiny brown hair swinging in the wind.

She looked just like Chase. The sparkling eyes. The perfect freckled face. The dimples. Oh my heavens the dimples.

The ever adorable thing we call Chase.

I sat there and thought what a gorgeous little girl we could make. Did we mess up? Should we have tried again for a girl?! What have I done?!

And then she turned to the other little girl she was playing with and said,

"I am SO over you."

And then she rolled her eyes.

And huffed loudly.

And swung that hair like it was weapon as she walked away.

I looked at Chandler, spitting in the outfield.

I looked at Chase and Charlie, punching each other in the face on the playground.

And all those thoughts went away.

The end.

Recipe: Snickers Salad

2011-05-24T04:23:00.000-07:00

When you read the ingredients you are going to think, WHAT?! But I am telling you this is the best "salad" you'll ever eat!

Snickers Salad

Ingredients:
4 Snickers candy bars, chopped
1 tub cool whip
3-4 medium sized granny smith apples, diced (and spritzed with lemon juice to keep from turning brown)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Chill before serving.

Done! How easy is that?! A great dessert for your next picnic!


Sprinkle some extra apples and snickers on top for a pretty garnish!

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday

The Time My Husband Compared Me To A Truck

2011-05-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

When Matt and I first met and fell in loooove, my hair was long. Like down my back almost to my butt long.

He loved it.

While he was away to college, I cut it to my shoulders. He came home and was shocked and dismayed at my utter lack of respect for his adoration of long hair.

As the years went on it seems my hair kept getting shorter and shorter. I like it short. It suits me. It's easy to maintain.

Me and my hideous hair.

I asked him once if he still thought I was beautiful even though I had such short hair. (I know, mean trick question.) He tried to explain it to me. It went a little something like this:

Honey, you will always be the most beautiful woman to me no matter what your hair looks like. But I prefer you with long hair.

It's kind of like trucks.

(This is where he should have stopped, dropped and rolled.)

I like Chevy trucks. They are beautiful. I like the way they look, I like the way they drive. I'm a Chevy guy.

(You're welcome, Chevy)

Now, some Ford trucks are nice looking. They drive ok. But I wouldn't go out and buy one.

(Sorry, Ford)

Sure, if someone gave me a Ford truck for free, I'd drive it. But if I'm buying it, I want it to be a Chevy. Same goes with you and your hair...

(Can you believe he wasn't dead at this point?)

...you with long hair is a Chevy, perfection, just what I want. You with short hair is like a Ford, it's nice and I'll take it, but it's not my first choice.

NOW. Let's all take a moment to breathe. In and out. In and out. There you go. Just relax.

If it wasn't for his sure perfection as a husband and father is just about every other area of life, the man would be dead.

Flat dead.

I'm not sure how he even had the faith to go on considering what my face must have looked like during his "I must want a divorce" explanation.

Poor man. Now I'll have to keep my hair short for all of eternity to teach him a lesson.

I've now made Ford's truck motto my own personal motto.

"If we don't have a truck for you, maybe a truck isn't for you."

I love you honey.

And your balding head.

Sorry, honey, just had to.

Fixing Kids Mistakes Part 2 - Sometimes, You Have To Help

2011-05-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

I got some great replies to my post from the other day about fixing our kids mistakes. Thanks for that!

Just this morning I had a situation come up where I had to decide...to fix or not to fix. Today, I chose to fix the mistake. I thought it would be good to talk about the times when it's ok to fix a mistake our kids make and how to do it the right way.

I'm pretty good at talking about mistakes. I make lots of them. :)

So Chandler (who is 10) called me this morning. He forgot his band instrument. He asked if I could bring it to him. So I was left with the question...do I fix it?

How do we decide when it's ok to step in? Here is how I do it:

First - Am I taking care of myself as a priority? I don't want that to sound like a selfish statement. I'm all about being generous towards others and teach my kids to do so as well. But I also think it's very healthy to teach our kids that sometimes we have to take care of ourselves before jumping in to help others.

I really don't want to raise kids who think my sole purpose in life is to run around and fill their every need and desire in life. Rushing in every single time they mess up will teach them this. I will always be willing to drop everything instantly for my kids if they really need me to. But I will also balance that by teaching them (by modeling it!) that they can not and will not always have me at their beck and call.

If I have plans with a friend for lunch, I will not cancel or show up late just to bring my son his instrument because he was irresponsible in remembering it. It wouldn't be fair to me or my friend. It wouldn't be fair to my child either in the long run. I would show him that my personal life, my time, it matters and he should respect that as well.

Second - How important is the request? Today the request was of semi-importance. They are preparing for a concert. He has worked hard all week practicing the songs and was eager to show his teacher his progress today and try to get a solo. Which made me wonder why the heck he forgot it since he's been gearing up for it all week! Anyway, if it was something small, I probably would have said no. But today, I had nothing going on and this was important to him, so I did it.

Third - How often does this mistake happen? If this were happening every week...concert coming up or not...I would have said no. Chandler is a very responsible boy and it is rare that he forgets things. He has only forgotten his instrument one time before this whole school year (and for the record, I did not bring it to him that time!) and because I knew this was a big day for him, I was very surprised that he forgot it. This morning was a bit rushed and because of baseball going late last night, we did not do our usual prep for school the next day. I knew this was a simple oversight, not a regularly occurring case of irresponsibility.

Lastly - Nothing come without a cost! The bottom line to fixing mistakes is that it can't be for free! I would be teaching him nothing if I just brought him the instrument and never said another word. Take the time to use every mistake as a learning opportunity!

I gave Chandler the choice, yes, I will bring you the instrument, but gas is very high right now and I have to come all the way back to the school, so I'll need you to pay for the gas. Do you still want me to bring it? He thought about it and I knew he was weighing how worth it this was to him. He decided, yes, he would pay for the gas, he really didn't want to miss band practice today. (I was SO glad he said yes! Great lesson learned today!)

Get creative with your consequences and remember to make sure that they realistically and practically relate directly to the mistake. Grounding Chandler from tv for the day would teach him nothing about responsibility. That would be a punishment. I am not into punishing my kids. (Well, sometimes I want to but that doesn't mean I should :) )

Other options could be, I took a half hour from my day to do this for you so now I need you to make up that half hour by doing something for me...extra chores work but I've also been known to request a foot rub.

Another option would be since I missed my half hour workout at the gym today I will be going for a walk and I'll need you to stay here and do the dishes.

See how they are all related to the fact that I took time out of my day (teaching importance of respecting other people's time) to help him?

So there you have it. The other side of the coin. Yes, sometimes we do step in and fix our kids mistakes. It can be an equally wonderful teaching moment! Just remember the word...SOMETIMES! :)

How Yahoo! Mail made my marriage better...for real!

2011-05-19T04:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Yahoo! Mail for sponsoring this post about staying connected. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away Matt and I shared an email address.

*gasp* I know

We were so 1999.

As time went on I decided I needed my own email address. I wasn't sure who or what I'd be emailing about *gasp* (yes, we shall be gasping a lot during this post) but I knew I wanted my own. I was tired of reading Matt's emails about Fantasy Football. So I joined Yahoo! and my love affair with email began.

It was easy to see how emailing made my life easier in a practical way. But what I didn't expect was how much fun it would be! And also? How much it would affect my marriage...don't worry, in a good way!

Matt began to email me during the day while he was at work. I'd wake up and there would be an email from him and my morning was instantly exciting!

Remember when getting an email was exciting?

Related: I am old.

Actually, I still get excited about getting an email.

Also related: I am a nerd.

Anyway. Email. Love affair. Stay with me people.

It began as a little hello here or there, a list of things that we needed to talk about, a reminder about picking up milk on the way home. But as the days went on, the emails between us became so much more. Flirting and silly bantering became a fun way to keep in touch throughout our day.

As a stay at home mom, emails from anyone felt like "Oh thank God there are real humans out there!" but emails from my husband were sweet reminders that even though he was terribly busy at work, he always had time for me. My love affair for email totally started a fresh love affair with my husband.

To this day we email each other daily. It gets me through the day. I love it. I love him. I love email!

All for different reasons, of course. Just thought I'd clarify.

The video below is so sweet and pretty much sums up what I'm talking about!

Yes, we have also sent a lot of I'm Sorry emails. But they always end with me sending Matt pictures of us in a slide show! Wait, no they don't. I'm such a slacker.

So tell me, who else has some good email love stories? I want to hear them!

Right after I go send my husband an email...

Fixing Kids Mistakes - To Help or Not To Help?

2011-05-18T05:33:00.000-07:00

I've talked about it before, but I'm back to it. I've been thinking lately about my kids' mistakes. As a parent you want to protect your kids, to help them along as much as possible. But I am finding that fixing their every mistake is only hurting them in the end.

My job as a parent isn't to catch my child every time they fall, it's to make sure when they fall, they know what to do, how to respond and how to get back up again.

This is my latest parenting technique I need to work on.

What will my son learn from more? Me bringing him his boots (that he forgot) so he can play outside at recess or letting him sit inside alone for recess? Me nagging at him "Don't forget...don't forget...don't forget!" or letting him forget and feel the natural consequences of that irresponsibility?

Through the reading of my favorite parenting book, Parenting With Love and Logic, I am realizing that letting my kids deal with their own mistakes is what is best for them.

The price tag on mistakes right now is low. But one day they will be high. I want to teach them how to handle failures and mistakes now, while the price tag is small and we are here to remind them to put their hands out in front of them so they don't land face first.

I don't want to remain a rescuer/helicopter parent. It's not healthy for me or for them.

What do you think about fixing kids mistakes?

*Note: Amazon affiliate link included*

Recipe: Italian Cheese and Pepperoni Bread

2011-05-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

This is a quick and easy recipe for a bread that can be enjoyed as a snack or as dinner on night when you need something, well, quick and easy!

Italian Cheese and Pepperoni Bread

Ingredients:
3 cups self rising flour (or you can use regular flour and add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt for each cup of flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 egg
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra to sprinkle on top
Pepperoni - as many as you want!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 bread pan.

Mix together dry ingredients. Slowly mix in the remaining ingredients until just mixed. Dough will be slightly sticky.

Place half the dough into the greased pan. Layer with pepperoni and cheese. Cover with the remaining dough. Top with more pepperoni and cheese and sprinkle with more Italian seasoning.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

With pepperoni...dip in pizza sauce for an extra side of deliciousness.

Can also be made without pepperoni!

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Monday

You Know You're a Mom of Boys When: Overhead on a Saturday

2011-05-16T05:58:00.000-07:00

You know you are a Mom of boys when you overhear these snippets of conversations on a Saturday afternoon and you are not concerned:

"Give him a rifle, it makes him look more evil."

"Mommmm! Would you please tell him that this is an alien ship and not a dead human ship!!"

"I am the doctor of master mind powers...everyone better bewaaaaare!"

"Should I be scared of my brother, even if he is a human being?"

"Throw him in the sea of dead persons!"

"Don't worry, burnt eye balls can be fixed by doctors."

"Since he's my brother, I can eat him alive. I'll start with his cheeks."

"Eat his brain! Eat his brain! Eat his brain!"

This post brought to you by Legos. The toy that makes my sweet boys turn into evil mind controlling alien ship building cannibals.

Shake Hands With A Hero

2011-05-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Procter & Gamble, Kroger and the USO for sponsoring this blog post and the Shake Hands With A Hero initiative. Please click here to learn more about this program. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

My husband, Matt, is an Officer in the Vermont Air National Guard. We are a fairly new military family, (which I have told you about before) though we have a long history of family members who have served. I take my role as a military spouse very personally. When I was asked to take part in getting the word out about Shake Hands With A Hero, I couldn't have been more excited! I love to do anything I can to support our troops and their families!

Matt was recently given the Family Readiness Coordinator for his unit. He told me that basically though, it's my job. (Thanks, Honey!) We will be the contacts for all of the family members who have a deployed family member. I am honestly very honored to fill that role.

Matt recently has had to say good-bye to some of his fellow co-workers on the base as they were deployed. It was so very hard for them to leave their families. It brings tears to my eyes just to think about it! Every day as a military family we are reminded of those who serve and think about the day that our turn will come.

What I want to do is encourage you to think more often about the men and women who sacrifice so readily for our country. Here is your turn to take a moment to remember them and show them you care!

Here are the details about Shake Hands With A Hero:

Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Kroger and its family of stores have partnered together to support the USO – an organization that provides an extensive range of programs at more than 150 centers in 27 countries and at hundreds of entertainment events each year to support the morale, welfare, social and entertainment needs of troops and their families, free of charge – in its mission to help American troops and their families. Through the partnership Kroger will donate $250,000 to the USO.

As part of the partnership Kroger and P&G have created an opportunity to let consumers virtually “shake hands with a hero” to show your gratitude to US soldiers in uniform to thank them for their service to our country. The first 50,000 people who visit www.honoringourheroes.com to shake a soldier’s hand will receive a coupon (which will be loaded to their Kroger Plus Card) for $1 off P&G products.

I'd love it if all of you would take a moment to make a couple of clicks and show our troops that we are behind them and thinking of them! Thanks so much!

A big thank you to all of you who so selflessly sacrifice for our freedom and to all of the families who stay behind. Hero doesn't seem like a big enough word for all of you!