Salavation Sunday: Voting Your Values.

One thing working in politics that used to just bug me was when I heard voters complain about our current events or government. A few minutes later, I realized they did not even vote at all. I wanted to point out that they said their piece by not voting. So in other words, quit your complaining; I do not want to hear it.

This Sunday, as we are in the midst of the final 72 hours of this midterm campaign season, I want to remind you to vote on Tuesday, November 2. Perhaps you will be voting for Governor, the retention of judges, or vote for your state legislature. I even encourage you to do some research on the candidates this Sunday afternoon so that you can vote your values. Make sure you really know what you are voting.

Our church has been doing a lesson on voting called "Politicked." If you are ticked at politicians no matter the party or of the state of affairs of the United States, then take some time to watch or listen to this little miniseries on what you can do. The bottom line as Christians is to align our votes with those candidates of similar values. Even more so, our duty as Christians is to vote, period.

If you need help finding your polling location, please take a few minutes to call your local, county auditor or visit their site online. On a side note, quite to contrary belief that your vote does not matter, who you vote for will impact not only policy the next few years but how your state redistricts for future representation. I wish you Happy Voting and Happy Results.

Sports Saturday: Happy Halloween!

This weekend's family recreation will probably consist of some form of Halloween. And with potentially beautiful weather, you could have fun carving your pumpkins or trick-or-treating in your neighborhood. This year we actually went to a local grocery store for a fun night where we could decorate pumpkins, do a cake walk, a Tootsie Roll toss, and eat for $0.99.

No matter where we go, we should all be aware of a few safety tips. This will not only ensure a fun time, but a safe evening as well for friends and family.

• Dress for the weather.
• Use hats instead of masks for your kids making it easier to recognize each other.
• Wear sturdy walking shoes.
• Make sure that your tails, skirts and pant legs, and/or feathers are not dragging behind so that no one will trip and fall.
• Trick-or-Treat earlier in the evening before it gets too dark.
• Dress your kids in light colors so that they are more noticeable at dusk/after dark.
• Eat only candy that is commercially and individually wrapped.
• Stop at houses only with porch lights on and well lit.
• Map out Trick-or-Treat route beforehand.
• Have a cell phone with you for emergencies.
• Use safe make-up.
  

For those who appreciate alternatives, taking your child to a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard is also fun family recreational activity. We also did just that and spent a weekend at the apple orchard picking apples, playing in the corn maize, and saying "hi" to the animals at the petting zoo. Add Grandpa and Grandma and you have lots of fun! and photos!

From our family to yours, may you have a Happy Halloween and a fun-filled Fall season! Safely of course....

Food Friday: All of that Halloween Candy!

It's time for sugar highs and late nights. It's Halloween. My four year old already has more Halloween candy than he can eat without getting a cavity...and we have yet to go trick or treating. Today, he was sent home with a LARGE bag filled with sweets and snacks.

But what does one do with all of that candy? Don't feel bad about eating some of it. Yeah, it's your kid's candy, but do you really want your kid eating ALL of that candy? Do you have dental coverage on your insurance plan?

Thinking back, my mother used to allow us ONE piece of candy a day. Our candy would last us until Christmas. Chocolate also keeps well in the freezer. And you can always pack the candy in lunches for your spouse as a little treat.

Just don't let your kid eat it all  in one night, like they will want to. Having a kid with an upset stomach on a sugar high is NO fun at all.

Good luck, Happy Halloween and Trick or Eating--I mean treating.

Toy Thursday: Educational Toys, Really?

Have you ever bought your child a toy just because you want to play with it. You caught me! I especially like toys that encourage interaction with your child, such as building blocks, balls, or musical instruments. Some of these toys we play with at the library during story time. If you are looking for a good Christmas gift for your toddler or preschooler, check out some of these toys at Lakeshore Learning Supplies.

Not only do these toys encourage learning by developing cognitive and motor skills, but they are also really fun. You can find toys by categories that utilize language skills, creativity, or even math. Not sure what you are looking for, then check out toys recommended for your particular age group. These toys provide hours of entertainment both for you and your child with so many opportunities for play.

Do not be intimidated that this company markets to teachers and school environments. These are the fun toys that you cannot find in stores but mommy wants to use. The best place your child can learn is right at home with hands on experiences starting with you. And if you teach your child at home, it will be like having preschool right at home. Have a play date and you will not notice that you are not at school.

Shh...our special favorites might find their way under our Christmas tree. Be sure though to pass the secret of this fun site on to your friends!

Wash Wednesday: The Crayon Stains on the Wall

You love your kids, you do. Most days. But if you have a kid who likes crayons, and coloring...on anything...your stress levels increase. A LOT.

I recently wrote an article on tried and true methods on how to get crayon stains off of a wall and thought that knowledge would be great to post here.

Your child thinks he's Rembrandt. And as a parent, you're expected to encourage their interest in art. But what do you do when the little artist colors on the walls? Rather than repainting, here are a few simple tips might save your sanity and pocketbook.

1. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works very well on crayons. Simply wet the "sponge", scrub and let dry. Be sure to keep the magic eraser away from pets and children.
2. Shaving cream also works. Apply the cream to the crayon marks, rub in and then wipe off.
3. Most homes have WD-40 in the garage or shed. A very small spray on the crayon marks and a simple wipe off will take care of the marks. Be sure to wash the wall with soapy water after removing the crayon marks to remove the grease from the spray.
4. Crest Toothpaste works to remove the marks, however, you need to use the paste, not the gel. Rub the paste onto the wall using your fingers and the crayon marks should come right off. After, wash the wall with water.
5. Baking soda and warm water mixed into a paste and applied to the crayon stains on the wall should work as well. Gently apply the past to the wall and scrub the marks off.
6. Non-stick cooking spray also works. Just spray on and wipe off.
7. Science has helped us as they now make a kids paint that allows you to wipe off crayon marks easily. If you have small children or think you might in the future, it would behoove you to purchase this paint...just consider it a crayon insurance plan.

Good luck with Rembrandt. Be sure to take a picture of the masterpiece before washing it off. That way you'll have proof for them, when they come crying to you about what their "little blessing" has done to their walls, that they did the same exact thing.

Tip Tuesday: Surviving Sick Kids!

Tis the season for sick kids. We have already experienced two weeks of illness in our house this month, one week of sinus infections and the following week of Roseola. It seemed like a long winter last year when Judah had four months of ear infections, especially all the sleepless nights. Thankfully the tubes worked well the last few weeks but we were still sick.

At least him being sick was a wake up call for a prevention and a preparedness check list. I had to make several trips to the store to buy the following. Perhaps I can save you some headache for your own infants/toddlers.

1. Working Vaporizer
2. Kleenex
3. Children's Tylenol or related product
4. Children's Ibuprofen or related product
5. Adult Ibuprofen for headaches related to extreme fussiness
6. Pedialyte, Pedialyte Freezer Pops, or clear juice
7. Crackers, apple sauce, or yogurt
8. Wipes or a form of antibacterial cleanser
9. Laundry detergent to clean sheets and clothes
10. Working and accurate thermometer
11. Liquid Benadryl for rash (doctor approved)
12. Anti-itch creme for rash (doctor approved)
13. Night light
14. Phone number for local doctor office
15. Phone number for local hospital nurse
16. Local Pharmacy phone number

Here are some other tips that might lessen the stress of sick toddlers (as I have learned in my short mommy experience), especially at 3:00 in the morning.

• Putting down several layers of wet pads and sheets on the bed will save you time of changing sheets during the night. You can pull one layer off when needed after use.
• Have a notebook and pen handy to write down and keep track of symptoms.
• Call your pediatrician if you have given Tylenol or equivalent for several days and your child is still waking up during the night several times. More than likely your child has an ear infection (if it is teeth then the medicine will help them sleep all night).
• Trust your instincts! Trust your instincts even if it deviates a little from the doctor. Trust your instincts that your child is sick and something seems wrong.
• Do not be afraid to call the doctor's office or hospital nurse for consultation.
• Have some kid friendly videos on hand.
• Ask for help if you need it, especially if you have been up several nights in a row. Taking shifts is the best way to cope and continue a normal day routine.
  
• Check out my favorite web sites for more information on symptoms and advice to treat your child: Mayo Clinic and WebMD. If you are like me, you have no clue what to do otherwise.
• Pick up the toys before bed so that you are not tripping on them during the night due to lack of sleep.
• "Sleep when child sleeps" stills applies.
  

I could probably stand to hear about your own tips for treating sick kids to prevent another long winter. In the meantime, hope you all feel better soon.

Make Monday: Easy Halloween Crafts

Everyone recalls carving pumpkins as kids. No one recalls cleaning up the mess. That's because mom always did it.

Now that I'm mom, working on my freelance work and taking care of three boys, I don't have time to get pumpkin out of the carpet, hair, off the walls etc. Not that my mom did...but I refuse to do it.

So how do I get the kids to be creative without sounding like the Grinch Who Stole Halloween? Make it a Mr. Pumpkin Head.

Get Mr. Potato Head accessories and stick it in a little pumpkin. Let the kids pick the ears, eyes and mouth they choose and voila! A Halloween pumpkin with no mess!

Salvation Sunday: Change my Stubborn Heart!

Lately, I have been reading in the Bible book of Ezekiel as part of my devotions. It just seemed fitting after reading history about the Kings of Judah and Israel from King David to the exile in Babylonia in I & II Kings and I & II Chronicles. Having never really read it all the way through, I have found it to be quite interesting and perhaps maybe one of my favorite books of the Bible (after Genesis). This might surprise you as this prophetic book appears full of justice for the wickedness of Israel and surrounding countries.

Certainly, this book offers insight into the exile period and gives a vivid picture of countries during that day. It describes in great detail wealth, power, and then the wickedness that usually follows from straying away from God and His blessings. Sounds like today, huh? I find that this book often fits my mood when I see plainly all the evil in the world. How frustrating and discouraging it is for me to see and even experience the result of sin (perhaps cause I have seen the corrupt side of politics) but think how much more disappointing it is for God when he created and intended good and holiness. Although I am not a theologian by any stretch, it appears that after God serves justice for Israel's sins, Ezekiel explains that this is so that, "You may know that I am God."

If you dig deeper though, this book underlines the theme that God is and will be victorious. There is hope though that he reigns not only in the past for sending the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, but now through control over nations and kings of nations, and later again in future events. How comforting it is to know that God is in control even though you do not always understand. This all leads to the end of the book when God rules again in the temple. This means that God is and has beat evil.

The only thing that is required of me (us) is a repentant, humble heart. Ezekiel 36: 26 in the New Living Translation quotes, "And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart." After becoming holy and clean again, watch God fill the temple of your heart reigning and breathing life back into your dead bones and giving the tree new life again. Then allow Him to tend to that tree, helping it grow strong and healthy. This is my prayer.

Sports Saturday--Getting kids involved in sports

Our oldest is four years old. So far, he's been in gymnastics and soccer. He was so proud when they had an exhibition meet for gymnastics and he got four blue ribbons AND a medal. Our little Olympic star...he was training at the same gym as Shawn Johnson after all.

We decided to change it up a bit and enrolled him in soccer. His first class he was upset as, "The other kids were cheating because they were trying to kick the ball in the goal too!" Yeah, our first born. He's never really been in competitive sports...was a bit of a wake up call.

While he does seem to enjoy soccer, we're putting him back into gymnastics. It works out better for everyone schedule wise and he seems to enjoy it a bit more.

Ask your kids what THEY want to be involved in. Just because you played football, volleyball etc might not be what they like. I never would have thought that Liam would be in gymnastics, but he is. And he likes it. Now I'm not going to be like the other mothers who are already talking Olympics for their 4 year old girls, but who knows? If he keeps enjoying it, I'm not going to hold him back.

Food Friday: Easy and Tasty Pumpkin Muffins

This easy recipe is perfect for fall and will make the whole house smell great. It's perfect with eggs and bacon at breakfast or for a snack for the kids (or yourself).

The recipe does not include any additional eggs or oil. You may be tempted to add either of these, but it is not necessary. Follow the recipe as directed and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix (Pillsbury works best)
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix the canned pumpkin puree in until smooth. Spoon equal amounts of batter into the prepared muffin cups.
4. Sprinkle top of muffins with brown sugar.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean.

For this blog entry, I put the muffins in fun Halloween liners.

Enjoy!!

Toy Thursday: Jammin to some music!

We love music in our house. Every since Judah could move to a beat, he has danced, drummed, and clapped. Often we will put some music in the player and stop to have a dance party with him. Judah bobs his head, does the tippy toe step, moonwalks, and sways back and forth. Other days, we get every wooden spoon out and stainless steel bowl and drum for hours. Still, during worship time in church, we have our little maraca out shaking it to the music. Then other times we march around the house with our tambourine. We also like to sing songs in the car and often you will hear a little voice say, "E-I-E-I-O."

Since music has become a big part of our lives, we have been listening for fun tunes. The key is to play music that mommy and daddy will appreciate many times over and not get annoyed. Thankfully our local librarian helped us find some good kids' music starting with Putumayo World Music and Putumayo Kids. Our library has a number of albums featuring different cultural sounds, styles, instruments, and beats that we can explore. So while drumming with our wooden spoons on our bowls, we find ourselves in Hawaii, Africa, France, or Rock and Rolling and Jazzing on a Picnic Playground!

Putumayo World Music has a little bit for everyone, especially Putumayo Kids. Check out the Playground albums for some funky, dance beat and silly kids' tunes about food, travel, or relationships. These albums contain kid friendly lyrics with a fun twist and a beat from many different artists that mommy and daddy can enjoy. While you are there, look for the Dreamland albums for baby lullabies that help you quiet down and fall asleep or the Sing-a-Long albums that you can sing with. While you enjoy a taste of genres of music, your child will learn to appreciate multicultural styles in different languages across the globe. Some albums even come with an activity-filled, educational workbook (activity kit) to aid further learning while all the albums provide translations and historical content regarding the local flavor and folklore.

So while you dance through life, dance to Putumayo Kids!

Here are some or our particular favorites:

Wash Wednesday: Cleaning Pillows!

Recently, I had to wash some pillows that were sitting on the couch. When we were gone over the weekend, the cat decided to have an accident on our leather couch. Thankfully, the leather couch is easy to clean using some pet cleaner (smell removal) and soapy rags. Unfortunately though my large decorative white pillows were sitting on the couch at the time allowing the to get both of the corners of the pillows messy.

Disappointed, I had to figure out a way to clean them. I usually throw things out that the cat will stain but I had bought these large pillows special for lounging on the living room floor. Now granted they needed cleaned anyways because they had been colored on and stepped on with muddy shoes. My son often uses these pillows to "plop" on the floor, as a stool to get on the couch, and sit in front of the television with his snacks (they are like a big beanbag chair). So I did some research on how to clean these large, white pillow-cased, polyester pillows.

Once I found a solution for these polyester-filled pillows, I decided to test it out and clean one pillow. I can say that this is mom approved and it worked. And I have clean pillows again, thankfully since they were unusually large and well used by all - including the cat!

First, I took the white pillow case off the polyester pillow and threw the pillow in the washer (thankfully it was all white so that I could use bleach). I added some detergent and some bleach. I started the washer on cold water and let it fill up and turn for a few minutes. Then I turned the washer off, turned the dial on rinse, and turned it back on to finish washing.

Once the pillow was washed in the dryer, I put them into the dryer with a white tennis shoe and some softener sheets. Once the pillow came out dry (I did let it air dry some too), I finished fluffing up the pillow some more making it ready to use again. I repeated these steps for the other pillow and then then washed the pillow cases separately. Thankfully the crayon and muddy stains came out along with the smell of the cat urine.

Although this process worked and the pillows turned out clean and in the same condition, I did learn some valuable tips along the way. Next time I wash those pillows or any polyester-filled pillows, I would take them into laundry mat to use a front loading washing machine. My machine was too small to put both pillows in at the same time which would help balance them better during the wash. Washing these in my small machine wreaked some havoc during the spin cycle. Next, I would put the soap in the machine using small amounts, allowing the water fill up before I put in the pillow. This will help reduce the suds and the need to rinse the pillow many times. I probably would also turn off the washer and let the pillow stand in the soapy water for extra cleaning and soaking. Finally, you may still want to rinse multiple times as well as dry as much as needed. My pillows filled up with a lot of water requiring a few extra rinses as well as a couple cycles in the dryer.

I do plan to use this process again for my pillows. However, I hope the cat does not require me to do it again soon. Perhaps the most useful tip is cover your couches with tarp before you leave town for an extended trip. With that said, happy cleaning!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning Stains out of Clothes

As a mom of three boys, we have stains. A lot of stains. I always laughed at the laundry commercials that stated "if you have blood on your clothes"...my thinking was, if you have to worry about blood like that, laundry should be the least of your worries. Then I became a mom.

I rarely run a load of laundry without throwing in some Oxi-Clean first. Billy Mays knew what he was talking about. Even the sheets get Oxi-clean (because I never know if there are cookie/fruit snack stains on the sheets).

Recently, I reviewed Tide with Acti-Lift from a sample I received at Target. It worked amazing. I now always keep a bottle on hand, just for the extra extra dirty clothes. I have a feeling it might be the only detergent I use in the future...I know spring and mud puddles are coming.

It's easy to find a coupon for it if you want to try it before paying full price for it (or just using it at a discounted price). Good luck and happy (clean) clothes!

Make Monday: Carving out some time!

A good family project during the Fall season is carving pumpkins. That is what our family did a couple of weeks ago with my nephew Jacob and Grandma (Gigi) at the farm. You can see from the pictures that everyone had a great time celebrating the harvest season, especially on such a beautiful Fall day.



We started out with small pumpkins for the boys, picked directly out of the pumpkin patch. Daddy brought out a little picnic table and Gigi provided spoons, bowls, and knives (please keep knives away from children though). Being a family effort, daddy started with cutting the tops off and the boys scooped out the seeds with their hands. Judah even had fun tasting the pumpkin. Messiness was at a minimum with bibs and working on the project outside. Finally, daddy finished carving the pumpkins, a traditional Halloween face for Jacob and a letter "J" for Judah. Once we were done, we picked up our tools, hosed down the table (and our hands), and took pictures in the leaves. Both boys enjoyed their first experience carving pumpkins and the rest of us enjoyed doing the family activity together (especially for a photo op).



Our pumpkin sits on the porch like so many in our neighborhood. On our daily walks around the neighborhood, Judah likes to point out the pumpkins. On one such excursion, I started noticing other peoples' designs and got to thinking of the different ways you could decorate a pumpkin. One neighbor had painted their names and put polk-a-dots all over their pumpkins. Another decorated their gourds into animals like turkeys with leaves being the feathers. Still another nearby finger-painted their pumpkins (totally safe for young kids) with pipe cleaners sticking out of them. And everyone else had the plain pumpkins sitting next to their pots of mums and scarecrows.


Just because the traditional way to decorate a pumpkin is carving does not mean you have to do it that way. So for our project this week, I encourage you to get out your paints and glue, put on your thinking cap, and set aside some family time to decorate pumpkins. I would love to hear and see what you come up with!

Happy Carving!

Salvation Sunday: Real Hope!

So often in our culture today we hear buzz words like "hope" and "promised." Yet, being an avid reader of the news, I constantly am discouraged by what is plaguing our world today and the lack of good news. Jeremiah 17:7 reads, "Thou art my hope in the day of evil." If you truly seek hope and want good news, I find it comforting to know I can rest in Christ Jesus as my Savior as my true hope. Here lies the Good News!

For this first "Salvation Sunday," I would like to share this daily devotional written by Charles Spurgeon from his book titled, "Morning and Evening."

"The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm. True, it is written in God's Word, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;" and it is a great truth, that religion is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as bliss above; but experience tells us that if the course of the just be "As the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day," yet sometimes that light is eclipsed. At certain periods clouds cover the believer's sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light. There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season; they have basked in the sunshine in the earlier stages of their Christian career; they have walked along the "green pastures" by the side of the "still waters," but suddenly they find the glorious sky is clouded; instead of the Land of Goshen they have to tread the sandy desert; in the place of sweet waters, they find troubled streams, bitter to their taste, and they say, "Surely, if I were a child of God, this would not happen." Oh! say not so, thou who art walking in darkness. The best of God's saints must drink the wormwood; the dearest of his children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his harp from the willows. Perhaps the Lord allotted you at first a smooth and unclouded path, because you were weak and timid. He tempered the wind to the shorn lamb, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God's full-grown children. We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope."

For more daily readings written by Charles Spurgeon, you may access the Daily Bible Study. To access an online Bible, please use the Online Parallel Bible.

Sports Saturday! Mommy's Little Football Players (Maybe)

It's the first Sports Saturday and it wouldn't be sports if I didn't include my favorite sport, football. I LOVE watching football. It's on right now. And my husband is vacuuming. That's how Saturdays and Sundays roll in our house. I watch football, cook and do laundry while he cleans.

He's never been that big into sports. He'll watch a game or two with me but I LOVE having football on TV; which is probably why I love fall. And probably why God has blessed me with three boys.

I love watching Notre Dame (which is where Liam says he's going to college--and that's fine with me as long as he has scholarships), Iowa State (where I graduated from) and the Kansas City Chiefs (because when I was 13 I was in love with Joe Montana--I had a Joe Montana poster on my wall, no really, I did).

Watching sports always helped me know what was going on as I was a cheerleader in high school. I always knew what "First and Ten" meant or what a "full back" did. I would play dumb with the joke "I don't know much about football but I know a tight end when I see one" but I could see if the opposing team was going to run a blitz. Yeah, I was that girl. And now I'm that mom.

Liam (my four, almost five year old) is not really into sports...or we haven't found his sport yet. He did gymnastics last year and enjoyed it, but we thought we would mix it up a bit and put him into soccer. It's not really his thing. We're thinking we'll go back to gymnastics soon. Sean, my middle child, he's the sports kid. He's not even 18 months yet but we can tell he'll be the football or rugby player. He likes to tackle. A lot. As you can see he's taking over the four year old below.

Maybe both of my boys will go to Notre Dame...but I predict Sean will have the athletic scholarship.

Food Friday--Crockpot Chicken

Welcome to the first edition of Food Friday. We know too well how family recipes can become blah and boring so we're hoping to showcase a new recipe every Friday. These have been "kid tested and mom approved" and hope that you find them easy, simple and tasty.

The first Food Friday is my own little concoction, Crock-pot Chicken (because I haven't thought of a better name for it). I started making it shortly after our youngest was born, 3 months ago. And I'm pretty sure we've had it at least 6 times since. Yeah, it's that good. And easy.

Ingredients:

One whole young frying chicken
Two large apples
One stick of butter (ya'll--just channelling my inner Paula Deen)
One-half of an onion
A handful of Rosemary
Fresh cracked pepper
And a crock pot on your kitchen counter...oh...wait...we're not singing.

Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Place the chicken in the crock pot. Slice the apples and put all of the slices from one apple inside the chicken. Put 1/2 of the stick of butter in the chicken.

Place the other apple slices around the chicken. Rub the other half of the butter on the chicken. Sprinkle chicken with rosemary and pepper. Slice 1/2 of an onion and place on top of the chicken. Add 2 cups of water.

Cook in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. Lift chicken out of crock (this is easier said than done) onto a serving platter. Chicken will fall apart. Don't worry, if it doesn't look that good it sure does taste good.

For a side, I use the Idahoan Loaded Baked Potatoes. The package says to add two cups of boiling water per package. After taking the chicken out, I scoop two cups of water out of the crock pot and add it to the potatoes. This way I get the chicken flavor along with the loaded baked potato flavor. This is THE BEST. My husband took the potatoes for lunch one day and had co-workers argue with him that it couldn't be instant potatoes because it smelled so good when he heated it up. I have learned, in order to have enough for everyone, I have to make two packages.

And here's the finished meal. Notice the chicken fell apart. I serve it with the potatoes and green beans (or your favorite veggie). Since the chicken pulls easily off of the bone, save the leftover chicken for chicken salad, chicken tacos etc. The leftover options are endless. If there is anything left over.

Enjoy!

Recess Time!

Every mom day dreams about locking herself in the bathroom for a few quiet moments. Whatever the day brings you - runny-nose, fussy kids, muddy floors, piles of dishes on the kitchen counter, pet accidents, dirty laundry overtaking the laundry room, chauffeuring to extra-curricular activities, cook, waitress, and even busboy - everyone needs to steal away for a few moments to re-energize your mind, quiet your heart, and focus on what is important - taking care of yourself. If you feel this way, then this blog is dedicated to you, a place for moms, by moms.

Before my son, Judah was born, a close friend from college put together a hand-written notebook of tips and advice on bringing a new baby home. As soon as she found out I was pregnant, she wrote a short tip for each day until the baby was born. The note book was filled of tips regarding things she wished someone had told her and unfortunately learned the hard way instead. From the get go, this book of what to do learned lessons or what not to do silly blunders, was a much needed, practical gift. I still remember browsing it and applying her lessons on caring for my own newborn. In some cases, I am sure it saved my own sanity.

Hopefully each day you will also find a useful tip, sound advice, or a silly antic that will encourage your own day. On Mondays we will make an activity (since Mondays are already hard as it is). Tuesdays will usher in a tip to help you through the week (like a free day). On wash Wednesdays, we will resort to cleaning. Toy Thursdays will provide stimulating ideas on those things that occupy our child's time. Fridays are devoted to food because let's face it, we all like to eat but run out of ideas. Sports Saturdays will liken to some sort of family recreation. And certainly not least, Sundays are a day of salvation, a time for prayer, reflection, and family to lift the soul.

It is time for recess! And we welcome you to join us! I do not know about you, but I certainly need it from time to time. May this site become like your own notebook to browse through! And if you lock yourself in the bathroom for a few minutes to read it, we will not tell.