Team Superman!!

How is this match up even fair??

Superman is hot!
  

 

Ben Affleck is…

well…

not.

Superman was born with super powers.

 

Batman has a car, 

a suit 

and some really strong cords.

That's it!!

In a head to head battle, 

Superman wins. 

Every time. 

Why?

Just look at that head!!

Why I have children....

"But Mom, I don't want to do that!!" I hear my children say to be me when I ask them to do anything something unpleasant."

"Sometimes in life we have to do things we don't want to do," I respond.

Then I add, "That's why I had five children....to do the things that I don't want to do."

There you have it folks. My secret is out.

Now go have children!

Coloring Outside the Lines (a re-post)

My 6 year old had a birthday last week. And as birthdays go, he got some great gifts. One of those great gifts was some really cool markers and coloring pages. The kids tore right in to them.

I noticed some of my children paying special attention to coloring within the lines. A lot of time and effort was put into making their page look just right. By the end of the night, their pages looked perfect but their numbers were few.

While some of my other children were filling the page with colors...with zero regard for the lines. Lines, ehh. Their pages were many. Many pages filled with many colors.

Both groups of kids had fun. Both were happy as could be. Both were equally satisfied with the work they had performed.

Here is the lesson I learned.

I spend a lot of my time worrying about staying in the lines. Correction. I spend a lot of my time wishing that I could stay in the lines. Wishing that my house were cleaner. That my life was more organized. That more of my time was my own.

But that isn't my life.

My life is not about staying in the lines. At least not at this point. Nope. Mine is to be filled with the colors of my family. Lots of colors. All over the place. Sometimes in the lines, but most of the time over, out and through them.

I learned from watching my little scribblers that I can be just as happy coloring outside the lines as I thought I would be if I were coloring within them. And when you do, ignore the lines a little, you can fill more pages with color.

Someday I will color within the lines and make my home as clean and as organized as can be, and I will have time to do it. But for now, I am filling my heart with the colors of my life, the scribbles of my children, the highs and lows of marriage, the trials that make me stronger, the demands of motherhood, all things that lead me outside the lines...to where my joy is. 

Oh the power of a scribble.

A Book: Miracles From Heaven

"Miracles From Heaven" by Christy Wilson Beam

Goodreads Summary:
In a remarkable true story of faith and blessings, a mother tells of her sickly young daughter, how she survived a dangerous accident, her visit to Heaven and the inexplicable disappearance of the symptoms of her chronic disease.

Annabel Beam spent most of her childhood in and out of hospitals with a rare and incurable digestive disorder that prevented her from ever living a normal, healthy life. One sunny day when she was able to go outside and play with her sisters, she fell three stories headfirst inside an old, hollowed-out tree, a fall that may well have caused death or paralysis. Implausibly, she survived without a scratch. While unconscious inside the tree, with rescue workers struggling to get to her, she visited heaven. After being released from the hospital, she defied science and was inexplicably cured of her chronic ailment.

MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN will change how we look at the world around us and reinforce our belief in God and the afterlife. 

My Review:
I loved reading this book. It reminded me of the miracle that our own family went through when a piano fell on top of my 14 month old son. This is post for another time, but needless to say, miracles still happen. Today, they still happen. This book is about just that; a miracle. It feels impossible, meaning nothing that science can explain, and yet it happened. Such a good read!

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

This recipe was so good. It was a pretty salty, and I used the low sodium soy sauce. I would plan on using less soy sauce the next time I make this. 

Recipe found here.

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. sugaar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak, sliced into thin strips (or the pre-sliced “stir fry beef” from the grocery store)

For the rest of it (see note below regarding sauce):

• 3/4 c. low-sodium soy — MUST be low-sodium or it will be way too salty
• 3 tbs. brown sugar
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 4 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 heads broccoli, crowns only

Instructions:

To marinate the meat, whisk together all marinade ingredients, then toss the steak in with it to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and flour until smooth. Set aside.

In a large wok or saute pan, heat 2 tbsp. veggie oil over high heat until shimmering. Add broccoli and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer broccoli to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium high. Carefully add remaining tbsp. of oil, then add marinated meat and half of the sauce mixture. Saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until meat is cooked through. Stir in broccoli and remaining sauce. Saute 1 minute more, then serve hot over rice.

*I didn’t think the original recipe made enough sauce to cover the entire pan of meat and broccoli, so I added another half-batch of the sauce. Those changes are reflected above. If you’re not as saucy as I am (hehehe), then feel free to start with the original amount called for (for example, you would only use 1/2 cup soy sauce instead of 3/4 cup) and stir in more as needed.

Moving on….

I used to spend all year dreaming about these..

Not any more.

I guess I just got sick of them.

After eating 100 eggs,
the taste just gets annoying!

Plus your lips turn bright blue…
And I do mean bright blue.

I've moved on.

Now I spend all year dreaming about these....

Who's with me?

Leaking like a spring...

They say that spring has sprung.

I say they are right.

Just look at my eye!!

This is not my actual eye. I borrowed it from here.
But it could be its twin!!

Why does my eye have to take every-Spring so literally??

Hey, It's Okay....

Hey, it's okay...

 

 

....that I have a ridiculous amount of dirty clothes baskets in my house.
 

....that all the dirty clothes baskets in my house are full of unfolded clean clothes.
 

....that they have been this way for almost two weeks.
 

...there are piles of dirty clothes in every bedroom

because there are no longer any available dirty clothes baskets.
 

...that all the dirty clothes baskets with all the unfolded clean clothes

are in my closet because I have company coming.
 

....to blame my husband for not folding those unfolded clean clothes

 that are in those dirty clothes baskets hidden in my closet

because I washed them and

it's his turn to step up on the laundry front!!
 

---if blaming him isn't fair.

Neither is me having to

give birth to 5 children

while he stood around

and watched!!! 
 

Sigh.....
 

...to have a Diet Coke at 8am because....
 

Hey!..

(big breath in...big breath out...)

 

 

....It's okay!!

Mixed Tape

We used to sit around all day on Saturday waiting.

 

And waiting....waiting for that song.

 

And once it came on, you had to be quick.

Quick enough to get the most song

with the least amount of radio announcer.

 

And then......RECORD.

Technically you were pushing PAUSE 

because if you pushed RECORD,

 you would miss that perfect spot...

 missing the beginning of the song.

 

This is how I spent many a summer day....

...making a mixed tape.

 

For those of you who don't know what I am talking about....

iTunes has spoiled you.

 

But just as a history lesson....

 

This is a tape cassette.

This is a tape cassette player/radio.

And these were some of the artist...

that you were waiting for...

to come on the radio...

so you could record their songs onto your tape.

 

Now you can have a whole radio station...

 with all your favorite songs.

You don't even have a radio announcer

or advertisements to annoy you.  

 

I feel like such a pioneer.

A Book: Food: A Love Story

"Food: A Love Story" by Jim Gaffigan

Goodreads summary:
“What are my qualifications to write this book? None really. So why should you read it? Here’s why: I’m a little fat. If a thin guy were to write about a love of food and eating I’d highly recommend that you do not read his book.” 

Bacon. McDonalds. Cinnabon. Hot Pockets. Kale. Stand-up comedian and author Jim Gaffigan has made his career rhapsodizing over the most treasured dishes of the American diet (“choking on bacon is like getting murdered by your lover”) and decrying the worst offenders (“kale is the early morning of foods”). Fans flocked to his New York Times bestselling book Dad is Fat to hear him riff on fatherhood but now, in his second book, he will give them what they really crave—hundreds of pages of his thoughts on all things culinary(ish). Insights such as: why he believes coconut water was invented to get people to stop drinking coconut water, why pretzel bread is #3 on his most important inventions of humankind (behind the wheel and the computer), and the answer to the age-old question “which animal is more delicious: the pig, the cow, or the bacon cheeseburger?”

I love Jim Gaffigan! He is a clean stand up comedian who is known for his "Hot Pocket" routines. A couple years ago I read his book, "Dad is Fat" and loved it. So when I saw that he had another book, I bought it on the spot. And it did not disappoint. I bought the audiobook version, read by him. So worth it. I was laughing so hard as I commuted this week. Because it is clean, I am planning on having my kids listen to it on our next road trip. If you're looking for a light read, something that will make you smile, chuckle and bend over laughing…this is your book. 

Yummy Recipe: Meaty Manicotti

Ingredients:

14 uncooked manicotti shells

1lb bulk sausage

3/4 lb. ground beef

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1pkg (3oz) cream cheese, cubed

1/4 tsp salt

4 c. meatless spaghetti sauce, divided

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic: cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Remove from heart. Cool for 10 min. 

2. Drain shells and rinse in cold water. Stir the mozzarella cheese, cream cheese and salt into meat mixture. Spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce in a greased 13x9 in baking dish. 

3. Stuff each shell with about 1/4 cup meat mixture: arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

4.Cover and bake at 350* for 40 minutes. Uncover: bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through. 

Recipe found here.

Waiting

Waiting for his playmates to get home from school. 

 

Hair Haiku

Camden loves his hair.

Thick and wild and crazy.

What's a mom to do?
 

Don't be tricked by the hair...

Throughout history, many of our leaders have had, what I would call, less than desirable hair. Maybe their hair was cool back in the day....but Yikes!

 Lucky for us, they weren't elected because of their hair.

They were elected despite of it.

They were elected because they were men of conviction. Men who believed what they said and said what they believed. Many of them were willing to die for their beliefs.

They were men who understood that liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness was something that all people deserved and then fought for that freedom.

They were men with morals, men of substance. They had a strong inner compass, a clear understanding of right and wrong.

We too have a man who is vying to become our president who also has horrible hair.

Sadly this is the only thing he has in common with these men.

Bad Hair.

Linking up with Mama's Losin' It! Writer's workshop.

A Book: The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

"The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag" by Alan Brady

Goodreads summary:
"In 1950s English bucolic Bishop's Lacy, narrator Flavia de Luce 11, has a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders. Puppeteer Rupert Porson has his strings sizzled, his charming helper Nialla suspect. Astride trusty bicycle Gladys, she investigates Gibbet Wood madwoman, vicar, German pilot, and poisoned chocolates."

My Review:
I bought the audiobook for this and the first book and the reader was fantastic. I like this book better than the first one. Flavia de Luce is such a lovable character. Her obsession with chemistry and poison and her scheming against her pesky sisters simply endears her to any reader. And that is just in the background. I would recommend this series to anyone. Very enjoyable.

Homemade Lemonade

We had a really warm Saturday. I had lemons. So why not make some lemonade.

Oh my gosh!! This stuff is so good!!! 

Recipe from here. 

Ingredients

1½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8 - 10 large lemons)

1 cup sugar (if making diet lemonade, use 1 cup granulated sugar substitute; If using sugar substitute packets, check the manufacturers website for the ratio)

5 cups water

Instructions

1. In a half-gallon pitcher, whisk the sugar with 2 cups warm water until completely dissolved

2. Add remaining water and the lemon juice and stir to combine.

3. Chill for at least an hour.

4. Serve over ice

Does that hurt???

Pretty much the worst wedgie in the history of mankind!!

**I found this picture in Elle Decor magazine. I believe the painting is "Arabesque" by Paul Cadmus.

Sleep....

Sleep was my friend, a long time ago

Now that he's gone...it really blows!

I toss and turn

Why don't I learn

Friends like that you never let go.

Linking up with Writer's Workshop.

Hump Day Help

A little help with your Hump Day.

 

 

 

You're welcome!!

 

Linking up with Jenny Matlock Warm Heart Wednesday.

You know you have a teenage boy....

He's handsome, but doesn't know it.

He actually thinks its funny to fart on your leg. Literally... rear on leg.

He is starving all the time.

He texts you and asks you to come get him. And then calls after 2 minutes and asks "Are you almost here?"

His fuse is very short at all times. Case in point, he yelled at the manicotti last night. "I can't do this. It's just too much. I can't!!"

He farts...for fun.

He tells you, "Mom, I look good today." and then 15 minutes later says, "I look awful!"

He's starving again.

He finds an enormous amount of joy teasing his brothers to tears.

He finds plenty of time to work out, text, hang out with friends. But when it comes to chores, "Mom! I am so busy. I don't have time." Yeah, I don't think so.

Again with the farting.

All the food in the house is gone.

All this being said...I love him.

He is more engaging. Our conversations are more abstract and applicable.

He is becoming less boy more man, with better judgment and more compassion.

He is finding who he is and who he wants to be.

He gets my jokes and actually laughs at them. Eye rolling is the teenage way for laughing, don't you know.

And that is how you know you have a teenage boy in your house.

Just follow the smell

Moments

I was a quiet child when I was young. There were eight kids in my family. I am not sure if I was necessarily shy as much as I was merely content with being an inconspicuous part of the chaos that was family life. Regardless of the reason, I was very quiet and reserved.

When I was 8 years old, our family was in a car accident. We were side-swiped by a drunk driver that was driving a green car with a white top. I know this because I remember my sisters getting out of the car and yelling, "It's a green car with a white top!!" I also remember driving around town looking for cars that fit that description.

Well, this car haunted me for a long time after that accident. I was terrified to be in my room alone. If I had to put away clothes, toys, or anything in my room, I would run down the hall, chuck it into my room, and run back to the main part of the house as fast as I could.

One night, my dad sat me down and asked me why I was so scared. Being that young, putting words to those fears was nigh impossible. "Are you afraid that the green car with the white top was going to come chasing you down the hall and run you over?"

This may seem like an insignificant moment in time, but this approach made all the difference to me and I believe it was one of the most impactful moments of my childhood. From that point on I not only overcame the fear of the attacking green car with the white top, but my personality changed. I was no longer quiet and happy to merely live life in the background. I began to take a more active role in our family.  Humor became a major part of my life, a strategy for dealing with stress and a huge part of who I am today.

Now I am a parent of five children. I do many things for my children that I hope shape who they are. I teach them to be clean, to be kind and respectful, to work hard, to do their best. I encourage them to be active in school, church and life in general. All of these things are important.

But do I take moments, seemingly insignificant moments, that can have a lasting impact on who my children will become? I am sure that my dad didn't anticipate that his use of humor in helping me deal my fear would have such a lasting impact on me. But it did. And they do.

Lesson learned?

There are no insignificant moments.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 15 oz)

1 can Rotel (about 14 oz)

1 package frozen corn (about 10 oz)

½ cup onion, chopped

1 bottle roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

½ C. chicken broth

2 C. milk

1 can Enchilada sauce (about 10 oz)

2 chicken breasts, raw

Olives, optional but AWESOME

Shredded Cheese, optional but AWESOME

Directions

1. Pour black beans, Rotel, frozen corn, chopped onions, and roasted red peppers into your crock pot and stir.

2. On the stove top, melt butter and add flour. Whisk until bubbly and smooth.

3. Add chicken broth and 1/2 C. milk, stir and bring to a boil.

4. Add the remaining milk and enchilada sauce and whisk until smooth.

5. Place chicken breasts in crock pot (over beans, corn and other ingredients).

6. Pour sauce from the stove over the chicken breasts in the crock pot.

7. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

8. When ready to serve, remove chicken, shred, return to crock pot and stir.

9. Serve with shredded cheese and sliced olives. The sour cream isn't really needed since it's made with milk, so it's already creamy, and cilantro adds a fresh flavor. Avacados would also be amazing on top!

Recipe from Your Cup of Cake

I won!!!

I never buy lottery tickets.

It's not because I have a moral compass that tells me gambling is just throwing money down the drain. (Okay, there is that.)

But, if I'm honest with myself, I don't buy lottery tickets, raffle tickets, or any tickets having to do with drawing my name/numbers out of a hat because I never win. Ever!

No, wait. That is not entirely true. There was that one time….

It was graduation night. And on graduation night, in order to keep kids from drinking and getting pregnant...it was a problem...they would open up the spa for all Seniors and to have a place to be that was both safe and fun. Swimming pool, racquetball courts, basketball courts, food courts. It even had a skating rink. Yeah. I know. Our spa was classy.

Well, all the Seniors' names were placed in a drawing and every hour two gifts would be given away. Some of the prizes were money. Others were gift certificates (gift cards hadn't been invented yet) for stores or restaurants. There were several small appliances and things that any college freshmen could use. But you had to be there to claim your prize. No-one could claim it for you.

I stayed there...all night. Partly because it was THE spa and I had never been inside. (Remember…skating rink!!!) But also because hey, as fun as teenage pregnancy sounded, I wanted a prize, dang it!!

One hour went by and my name wasn't called. Two hours….nothing. Three…four…five…Nada.

Then finally, in the last hour, in the wee hours of the morning, I heard my name being called over the speaker…."Stefanie. Stefanie. Please come claim your prize."

Yeah!! Finally I had won something. Someone had pulled my name out of the hat. Me. I had won!! But what? What had I won?

$200 cash?? $50 gift certificate to Wal-Mart. (Target wasn't invented yet.) All you can eat breakfast at Village Inn???

Something better than all of that…..

A sandwich grill!

Way better than getting pregnant.

A Book: An Ember in the Ashes

"An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Goodreads Summary:
"Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

"Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

"It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

"But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

"There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself."

My rating and review:
I am not usually big into fantasy books. But I would have to say this is one of the best books I have read this year. It's written from both the views of Laia and Elias. I love the strength and humility of both characters. The story is captivating and I found that I couldn't put it down. It isn't a violent book, although there is some. But the language is clean and that is often rare these days.  I am not great at reviewing books and so this review does not do the book justice. But if you are looking for an exciting and captivating book, this is the one to get. You will not regret it!!


Linking up with Writer's Workshop this week. 

Hot stuff

I love candy.

I love cinnamon.

And when the two come together... angels sing.









The beauty of cinnamon candy, besides that it is SO good, is that most children can't handle the heat.

Translation....I get the whole bag to myself.

And that is the real reason cinnamon candy has quickly become my go-to candy.

Now...if I can just convince my kids that chocolate is disgusting.....