Antartic Explorers, Pecan Butter, and Food Network...

Happy Thursday! After a long week of Projects I am back, finally sitting with coffee.

We have had another Winter storm here in Montana, leaving us with frigid temperatures and a new blanket of snow. These snowy days don't leave much outside to do, so we have antartic adventures in the house...



In cooking adventures:

I pinned a pin on Pinterest that gave you a birds eye view on how to make peanut butter... Having been given THREE POUNDS of yummy pecans over Christmas, I decided to give it a whirl...

I gaurantee that it's alot yummier than it looks! I added some honey and a pinch of brown sugar and I can't keep my husband out of it! I urge you to try it!!

Alrighty... I'm going to go on a small rant... I used to LOVE watching cooking shows. You got a birds eye view of a professional chef's techniques and unique style. As we speak, I have Food Network on and am watching a show where it seems like the host is a cross between Bill Nye the Science guy and The Kratt Brothers. Needless to say, i'm learning nothing and I miss the days of Emeril, or PLEASE SOMEONE bring back Julia Child! After having finished Bringing up Bebe, I truly feel like there is no dish off limits for me or my children. When bringing children into the culinary experience, there is no limit to creativity or experimentation. Just involving Sarah in the cooking of a dish, has brought a new sense of awareness to what she eats. We had a mustard and and herb crusted lamb leg (courtesy of The Art of French Cooking)with lemon dill rice the other night and to my amazement, my girls polished off their plates and asked for more. A month ago, Sarah would have pushed away her plate declaring her need for chicken nuggets or french fries. Now she is begging me to help cook, asking and giving her ideas on what to cook for dinner, and giving me a very colorful description of how each dish tastes. I still can not believe the changes in these girls.

Well I have finished my coffee, I will now go opt for some chamomile tea and hit the laundry.
Ugh...

Binkies Aren't Flushable....

Well maybe they are...

I can't remember if I blogged about the worst shower imaginable so here's a quick refresher!

Me: In the shower trying to take 10 minutes to at least wipe off the sweat, puppy fur, slobber, milk, and breakfast off of me when my girls came in to say hi.
Hi.
I all of a sudden hear Sarah scream, I peek out, Char dropped her binky in the toilet (that Sarah had just used) tried to fish it out and Sarah flushed the toilet.

I cried.

Now today, with that disaster safely two months behind me, I have to admit I was really starting to think today was an easy day. It's Thursday, we're on the downhill slope of the week, I got a shower (without flushing binkies) and I actually got make up on. Yippeeeeee, my definition of a great day.

Then it happened again.
Sarah went to go to the potty, shut the door behind her. Opened the door, came out. Was told for the HUNDRETH time to please pull her pants up. Walks down the hall. Never shut the door.
My bug has always been an inquisitive little creature so when I saw her little pink and purple penguined self (She's wearing the most adorable outfit today) making a break for the bathroom I could only think the worst. I jumped up from the couch and raced for the bathroom. On my way... anyone ever seen those plastic animals in the feed stores? The real life likes ones... like the Texas Longhorns that have REALLY LONG horns? Yep. Foot and longhorn made contact -enter under breath explicitive here- but I kept going. Just in time to see Char.... drop her binky in the toilet. That Sarah never flushed. AGAIN.  The worst part is my sweet darling is still rosy cheeked from her nap and smiling with her beautiful little nose all scrunched up into an almost sinister grin. Deep breath, remove baby from bathroom, grab kitchen tongs, fish binky out, deposit tongs and binky into a large pot of boiling water.

Remember that you never shut the bathroom door............................................

Transitions...

I have to say, I am not very fond of the transition of being sick to being healthy. It always seems like it's harder than being sick. Monkey woke up at 4am. Yes, A.M. After not going to sleep until 9pm. So on top of the already difficult 'transition' there also has been absolutely no sleep in this house again. A conversation with Sarah this morning

Good Morning Sarah!
No.
What?
No.
What's wrong? Do you need something?
No.
Are you hungry?
No.
Would you like a side of 'Happy' with that?!
Noooooo Mama... I don't want any happy.

** crickets **

Mama....
Yes....
I'm hungry.


At this point i'm really trying to keep it cool.  Lack of sleep usually makes me a less than desirable person to be around. On the bright side, being overly irritable makes me overly sensitive to the state of my house so when Bryce comes home it's usually spotless.  I've already started two loads of laundry scrubbed my kitchen, and handwashed both the mud room and kitchen floors. I'm starting to think that he's not believing me when I say i'm exhausted, it's usually when i'm at my most productive. Who knew.

Motherhood= Exhaustion= Super clean house.

The things they don't tell you in the nine months before you have your wonderful, non-sleeping, bundle of joy.
Trying to stay uber positive today!

Did anyone watch 'The Taste' last night? I thought it was really good and i'm super excited to see how the show progresses. Some of the things they made though................... Chicken fried watermelon... I know 'don't knock it until you try it' but I just have a hard time wrapping my head around hot watermelon. Hot Watermelon... yep, still can't figure it out. On the fun side the lady with the simplest spoonfull seemed to get the highest marks! Just simple with some mashed potatoes. Goes to show that a down home cook has the makings of a chef. Definately going to try to make something fun for dinner tonight!  Happy Wednesday everybody!

It's In The Air...

I think we might be in the clear. My darling Monkey went down for a nap early this afternoon, woke up cranky, took a shower and screamed, asked for some buttered noodles, and is now munching on them while humming 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. The Healthy vibe is very gently being tossed around the house. Thank goodness, because this mama has a headache that could potentially cause brain impairment in an elephant.

Time for some Zumba, lemon water, and two gel capsuled advil.

Reserve...

I am kind of an outspoken person... Especially when it comes to friend/family welfare, children, and politics. But there is one thing that has followed me through my life:

'Don't ever say anything behind someone's back that you wouldn't say to their face.'
    ((Thank you Dad!))

When followed by the Golden Rule I can't help but think that those are approriate words to live by. I really wonder where society has gone when people can't be nice to others. I was just visiting a friend's blog where 'Anonymous' had quite a few mean comments on the blog concerning a falling out of a mutual friend. Why? What is the point and what good comes of making someone feel horrible? Especially when hiding behind 'Anonymous'. There was once a time when we gave people the benefit of the doubt, and spoke kindly (due to the last few posts, it may seem that I want to live in the mid 1800's, I assure you I love my hot baths and electric stove too much for that!!). I know I can come off critically when it comes to politics, but honestly who doesn't? Our roots are embeded deep within us, and I have no problem with others opinions on politics but that's where it stops for me.

So here's to you Anonymous!!

'If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all...'

Weights, Wind, and Books...

I have to apologize for my lengthy absence! Life seems to have taken over every aspect in my life and some things just got tossed aside in it's wake!

But the important part....

I'm back!

A little stronger, a little sorer, and little more reading done.  First off, finally got my first run of the year in! 2 miles down in 30 degrees and it has never felt better. Wait... i'm exagerating... I have felt better, three days ago I was able to lock my knee and not wince in pain. There really is nothing like a run to remind you that there are still muscles in the oddest places!  Hubby has started helping me lift after the girls go to bed and I have to say i'm very excited about how immediate the results seem to be.

Moving on to the best parts of life, my girls! My monkey is in bed sleeping some more. She woke up sick this morning... again. From her first week of life we knew that life was taking a drastic change. The nurses told me that they had never seen a newborn that was awake SO much. And by so much I mean probably about 8-9 hours a day, so for those of you who have had a newborn, you know just exactly how much that is! Not exactly the 2-3 hours predicted in the baby books. My darling girl has seemed to have had a pattern since then, up up up up up, going going going going going. The girl has no 'off' switch. So every 4-6 months we go through the same thing, Sarah goes to bed at 7, she gets up at 4-5 and stays up all day long. She keeps this up for a week or so then is sick. On a day like this she sleeps all day after throwing up all night (to answer the question you've all been wanting to ask, i'm on my third pot of coffee!). Tomorrow, my little girl will be right as rain and sleeping good for a few months before we do this all over again. I can't wait until she's a teenager and sleeps all the time!

Charlie has been on a roll too, she is not accepting the changes in this household very well. I have been re-reading Bringing Up Bebe and it has been a huge eye opener to the way we have been parenting over the last three years.  Changing such simple things have changed attitudes, eating habits, completely negated the lack of listening, and has improved the relationship I have with these two little girls. A total must-have for Mommies to be and Mothers in general. My friend I spoke of in a different post uses it as a base plan for her parenting and here's hoping I can get my girls to be as well mannered as her boys are already! We are pretty new to this though, where as she's been putting the philosphies to use for pretty much her parenting career.

On the food front, I have been trying to be an insanely good housewife at saving money. Something I havebeen pretty successful at but I always have this nagging feeling I could be doing better. Anyone planned out a month of meals by price?! To feed a family of four grilled cheese sandwiches is $10 bucks. That may not seem like alot but how many times a month do we fix grilled cheese? Fingers crossed that all goes well, we should keep breakfasts, lunches, and dinners under $200 this month. Yippee!

More to come, my Bug is bringing me some pretend tea! Jealous?! ;)

Hats Off...

To Montana weather! From 50 degrees and beautiful yesterday to 28 and dumping snow today. Well played, Montana, well played. Since I went off on Parenting slightly yesterday, I would have to say it's only fair to delve into food today... Maybe cows and other four legged critters tomorrow.

I bought 9 pounds of Oranges at the store last night, followed closely by 5 pounds of apples and 3 of grapes. I just about croaked buying the grapes. $3.99 a pound? Summer... Please get here faster! I have to admit that our eating habits have definately changed for the better since switching stores.

Let's hear a big hand for Wal-Mart shopping!!!

Said NO ONE... EVER..

Seriously...

EVER.

I discovered Albertsons about 4 months ago and ever since it's been fresh fruits and veggies, bread from Wheat Montana, and just simply alot better experience. I tend to shop like a man when it comes to grocery shopping (get in, get what you need, get out), but ever since I started working out i've really been trying to change how and what we eat. I already made most of my food from scratch, but there are a ton of recipes that used to be just overflowing with grease and fat. What I have learned is that less is more, and everything in moderation! If we are having a greasy meal, i'll drink a glass of water first, get a bigger helping of salad, less of the main course, then eat the salad first. Char is a big believer in the 'stuff your face method' which seems to be working, she's got a beautiful figure ;) Sarah, on the other hand is a 'mangle your food before deciding to eat it'... don't ask.  I can not emphasize enough how much better we are feeling in this house though! From simple alterations like the taco meat (review past blog posts!) to major ones that include making all of my own spaghetti sauce and buying un-bleached flour. Have you ever thought about that.. bleaching flour? Can't be healthy. We went out to dinner last night (aka, swinging through the local, well 60 miles away, Mcdonalds), and I got a kids meal. Please don't laugh, I had been pretty grumpy all day and Bryce decided to tease me about it being a happy meal. I was suprised that it was actually pretty satisfying, who knew? Here I have been eating two cheeseburgers with a medium fry and soda when I could have had a kids meal with a water and apples and been just as happy. Can't say that the toy was in the least bit interesting, but you can't win them all!

Ending note- Let's make this the year we eat better!!!

The Art of Parenting...

I don't how many of you read the magazine 'Parents' but sometimes I do sometimes I don't. I find alot of their information very vague, and very one sided. They write articles about how to push your children, then ten pages later how to shelter them. Every once in a while though, I find that I am pulled to a certain article or two. In January 2013 there was a article entitled 'The Secrets of an Organized Family'. Not being quite as organized as I would like to be, I decided to go ahead and read it. I was greatly disappointed that not alot of it was geared towards me. I'm a stay at home mom in the middle of no-where, my husband works 60 hours a week and -news flash- I don't co-ordinate social events (besides birthday parties twice a year). It was very much geared toward a working parent. A segment of the article was on how the kids can help, my oldest fit into the 3-5 category and I was both pleased and slightly intimidated. Not only does my daughter do the 3-5 year list, she also does the majority of the 6-8, aaannnddd the 9-12. She has been helping me unload the dishwasher (9-12), helps me with dinner (9-12), helps me fold laundry (9-12), etc. etc. In parenting today i'm finding a deep flaw in philosophy. There seems to be an influx of parents that don't push their children, that go by statistics and don't drive their children for more.  I am by no means an insane pusher of my children, but I do like to think I drive them into being better little people. My daughters are drilled in manners, Sarah knows how to count to 12, knows most of her abc's, can say hello in three different languages, and has developed a sense of imagination that i'm envious of.  I re-read Little House on the Prairie to Sarah and in so doing I realized that there seems to be a lack of drive in children today. We all have the same brain, so what in society has gone adrift? By 5 years old, Laura and Mary Ingalls were expected to sit quietly all day on Sunday, behave around company, help Ma in the kitchen, do a multitude of chores, and retain knowledge that we teach second graders today! I have a friend of mine whose posts on Facebook and her blog constantly amaze me. Her son is bright, and so smart, philosophical, and just plain adorable. I know that this goes almost soley to her amazing ability to be an attentive parent. She encouraged me to read a book that I enjoyed and took so much from on French parenting. Why can European parents let their children loose at a park and read a book? Why do they behave in restaurants? Why do they remember their manners without fail? Have we made tv a babysitter? Have we unknowingly dumbed down our children? 150 years ago we were authorizing 16 year olds to teach the next generation, they were striking out on their own, making a mark. The most pivotal point in a child's life at 16 today, it seems, is whether or not they can drive a car or have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Food for thought. There is no right or wrong way, but without parents that push, will our children lose the value of dedication, work, or appreciation of both?

Blast Off...

The best part of having children is all the wonderful silliness that comes from being around them while they grow, change, and become unbelievably hilarious.

Little Einsteins has become a staple around this house and Sarah has started associating it with every day life. Upon finding a spider running across the floor, Sarah comes running up to me screaming that there was a spider racing across the floor. Mama went and squished him and then I hear a little voice behind me...

"Mama, why didn't it make Mozart music?"

For those of you who have watched Little Einsteins, you would know that the animals etc. all have different songs that they sing in replace of making sounds or speaking. For those of you who don't watch it... Well, now you know. I got a pretty good giggle out of that one, then the next day we went to town. At a stop light I hear Sarah patting on something. Knowing better than to ever trust a two year old I turned back and saw the biggest smile on her face and patting her lap with her hands. Instant recognition on my part (which is sad), caused me to turn the radio down, watch the traffic lights and Sarah and I would tell pat our laps until the light changed and Sarah would 'Raise her arms as high as you can, and say..... Blast off'. Ultimate precision on Mommy's part executed the 'lift off' with ease.

In a world with so many tv shows that really are useless I have deemed Little Einsteins as a keeper. Sarah told me she was going to go down the hallway 'Presto' today, then proceeded to tell me that I needed some help 'conducting' the cleaning. This of course didn't mean that she was going to help, it simply meant that she was going to wave her arms and tell me that the kitchen isn't clean enough.

Love this girl!

Here we go...

Welcome 2013! A whole new year in which to cook, clean, parent, run, write, read, and all out have a blast!!!

My baby is now one year older, I keep asking her to stop but she just won't listen to me! Sarah turned 3 on the 31st, and while we didn't do alot, we definately tried to make the day special. We started off at Applebees, where we got them to sing while she burried her head in Bryce's chest. All embaressment got brushed outside, however, when she saw that they had brought her ice cream. Digging in face first, icecream ended up halfway across the table, but we left with a very very happy girl. Her party is this weekend and i'm finding myself horribly unprepared.  While i'm writing this I should probably cleaning something, I just sat down and all motivation somehow disappeared. I need to scrub the spare bathroom, make sure there isn't anything is Sarah's room that has grown legs and morphed into some creature that used to be a snack. Charlotte is famous with disappearing with apple slices. Yuck. Another day another another round of scrubbing. Going back to the original topic, the party... I was intending on being super duper domestic with this party. My mom and I did a ton of dips and food for Char's party, but seeing as they won't be here until the day before the party I changed the menu. We are doing a couple of different salads, then pizza, then an ice cream cake. I'm fighting the urge to pull my hair out, I feel like a mother failure, making more of an effort for one child's birthday then the other.  I'm really trying to look like it as Char (turning one) hardly ate anyway, where we are inviting a rush of 3+ year olds that would probably enjoy pizza and icecream alot more than an assortment of salads and dips that are appealing to those that don't get spaghetti sauce all over our faces. I shouldn't say that... I still do.

Probably shouldn't have said that either.

Oh well... moving on...
Papa Murphy's here we come! Hopefully we have a good turn-out and this girl gets to have a ball with some friends and her uncles.  I seriously can't wait to see my parents, my mom and I are kidnapping the boys and my youngest to go to town and get Sarah's birthday present while Sarah stays with Daddy and Papa feeding the Mmmmooooo Cow cows! 

On the cooking front I have a couple of interesting recipes for you lovelies today!

First off is a fish taco sauce that I created. It probably isn't totally original (if I thought it up, someone else i'm sure has too!) but it's super yummy. Reminiscent of a chipotle sauce, here goes!

1 Jar garlic Alfredo Sauce
1 packet low sodium Taco seasoning

Combine both in shallow sauce pan and heat until hot and bubbly.

Second recipe:
Super Smoothie

2 Kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 Banana
7-10 Strawberries
1/2 C Apple Juice

Blend until smooth, enjoy!

Well, back to cleaning! Happy New Year, readers!!