Shuffle Saturday: No Sick Days for Mommy

I've been sick the last couple of days. The trouble is, it's not even something "simple" like a cold or the flu. It's a mystery.

I'm not one to complain about pain. I labored for a total of 53 hours (with all three boys-combined) without pain meds. I'm a tough chick. But when I experienced this pain, I couldn't ignore it.

I've also passed kidney stones (both while pregnant and not pregnant) without meds. Told ya I was tough. But this pain is different. It started out with a sharp pain on my lower right back. I wasn't bending, picking anyone up or anything that would be easy to explain. I was sitting on the couch, working on the computer. That was on Tuesday morning.

Being "mom" I managed to take the preschooler to school which means hauling our 20 lb infant in the carrier and our 25 lb toddler into the van, out of the van and up the flight of stairs. Ow. Ever since then, the pain has been constant. I even took a left over percocet that I had from my last c-section to get some sleep. Yeah, it was that bad.

On Wednesday I convinced my husband to take me to the Doctor. Actually, it was my husband who saw how much pain I was in and MADE me go to the Doctor. The Doc thought maybe it was a kidney stone, maybe appendix...but wrote me a script for Vicodin.

That has allowed me to get some rest and I spent most of Friday in bed asleep. I was bummed because I had a meeting about the barn and three houses lined up to take a look at. And we had to cancel it all because after taking a shower, I was exhausted. Which is not like me at all.

That being said, Mom doesn't get a sick day, ever. The laundry was piling up, the carpet was getting crunchy thanks to the toddler walking around with food, the dishes were starting to stack up, Mommy's Recess was being done by Emma...all of my usual chores were being ignored because I wasn't feeling well.

But I am surrounded by those who love and care for me. Emma took care of the Mommy's Recess posting. My husband folded the laundry, did the dishes and even vacuumed!

When Mommy is down, the world seems to stop...hopefully I start feeling better soon. But until then, I'm thankful for the help and support surrounding me.

Food Friday: Refried Beans to Compliment Your Mexican Dish!

Mexican meals make good dishes after being outdoors. Tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, and rice all makes delightful, hearty, and simple family meals. Of course these meals are not complete unless you have a side of home made refried bean dip and chips.

Refried beans provides an excellent source of protein for the picky eaters who forgo any kind of meat. Since canned beans add so much sodium, we like to cook our own batch of beans. Plus, beans are cheap, easy to fix, and definitely fill up a house full of boys. The leftover bean mixture even stores nicely into the freezer for a later date.

You can have bean burritos. You can make beans and cornbread. Personally, I like to make bean dip as a side dish with our main Mexican course.

A bag of pinto beans usually costs just under a dollar in the store. When I get home after grocery shopping of an evening, I open the bag of beans to sort out the old, discolored beans and rocks I might find (there will be just a few). I then put the sorted beans into my colander to wash. After a good initial washing, I fill up a bowl of water, placing the colander down inside for soaking overnight.

The following morning, I will rinse off the beans one more time before pouring them into the crock pot. I only add four cups of water. The beans cook all day on high prior to supper. At supper time, I will turn down the heat for them to slightly cool and then puree them in my blender.


To make the bean dip, I will pour the mixture into a pie plate/tin or 9 by 13 pan (depending on amount needed), layer taco sauce and salsa on top, and coat the top with both mozzarella and cheddar cheese. I bake the dip in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese melts.

My mom also makes a dip but after warming the beans in the oven, she tops the mixture with sour cream followed by lettuce, tomato, and black olives. These dips are great for parties as well. Just serve with a bag of tortilla chips!

Toy Thursday: Time to get out the Outdoor Toys!

Finally we can get outside today. That is where we are right now....getting out the summer toys on this nice spring day. Turtle sand box, water table, balls, bikes, tricycles, bean bags, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, kites....yes, our yard is currently littered with toys as we air them out from winter storage. It is like Christmas in springtime as we get them out and discover each anew this afternoon.

But what fun awaits us this summer as we play outdoors. We love to be outside especially as these nice days come along and hopefully do more and more frequently. We have already been to the park twice today. We even straightened up the garage for our upcoming garage sale. We even watered the flowers with our water cans. And now we are playing in the sand box, eating the sand. Perhaps I should go make supper....

At any rate, we decided to get the toys ready for outdoor playtime. And enjoy the long anticipated sunshine. Make getting out the outdoor toys a fun chore.What toys do you have ready to get out for the summer? Do you have any favorites we need to check out?

Wash Wednesday: Keeping those Adorable Clothes Looking Great!

One of my favorite chores is to wash Judah's clothes. Every since his birth, I have delighted in washing and folding his clothes. His load contains little, adorable clothes... man clothes only on a smaller version...bib overalls, little swim trunks, hooded sweatshirts, and footed pajamas. I never get tired of doing his laundry as I love to sort items and fold endless amounts of new clothes, consigned clothes, and borrowed clothes from cousins.

Even this morning, we ran an errand to a local consignment shop to find some much needed summer clothes. We are also glad for the garage sale season upon us that offers countless of opportunities to find cute bargains.

On the other hand, I detest towels, sheets, and sweatshirts. These items take up so much room in your laundry room while you wait to do a load. Plus, it seems like you have multiple loads before you complete their washings. Judah's clothes still make it in one load, thus freeing up a lot of space in the laundry room.

Sometimes, though I get lazy in washing his clothes. I forget to put a bib on, leaving crusty yogurt and black spots on his pajamas. I have also had my share of wet banana stained clothes sit in the laundry room collecting mold. Do not forget about the occasional blow outs that seem to know when the kids is wearing your favorite outfits. Even now, Judah's daily schedule consists of paint, grass, and food stains on his clothes. We get busy though and I forget until wash day comes....Oops....

To keep these clothes looking adorable (and well, usable) I learned to wet his stained, messy clothes down immediately after the messy event. I then apply and smear GOOP, my favorite stain cleaner, over the stained region after it has dried. I hang the garment up and pop it into the washer the next time I do a load of his clothes.

You know GOOP is a heavy duty cleaner when you find it in the automotive section at local department store. Then my father-in-law uses it orange GOOP for his greasy farm hands when he comes indoors to wash up. And as a bonus, the product is non-toxic, biodegradable, and safe to use on children's' hands. And they even make GOOP for on the go.

Most often than not, I have had excellent luck washing the stains out of his clothes even after letting them mold for a week. Thankfully, I have only had to throw a few away because the whole garment was stained and unfortunately these were his cousins (sorry).

I guess I try harder on his clothes because I do think they are adorable and fun. And I want to keep them that way! After all, they are so cute!

Tip Tuesday: Don't (Always) Get Your Hopes Up

We're looking for a home. Yes, we have three boys and we're in a two bedroom apartment. Can you say CRAMPED?! Our rent is going up (again) and while the pool is nice in the summer, I can't imagine paying $1,000 a month for RENT. I'm 30. It's time to buy. I want NEED a yard. My boys need a yard. I want a garden. I want all of my boys to have their own room...or shared rooms and an office for me. Yes, I need an office.

We walked through my "dream in my price range" house last week. My husband had dreams of the boys running down the stairs on Christmas morning. I was thinking about Thanksgiving dinners served in our formal dining room. I was thinking about waking up, heading downstairs to get my cup of coffee and seeing my (oldest) little guy hopping the fence to go to elementary school (yes, it was in our backyard).

I blogged about this over at The SoapBoxers and got a few comments. My mom came down on Monday to take a look at the house. We were meeting our realtor at the house at 1:30. We stopped by around 10, just to check out the outside of the home and yard with mom. She loved it. She could see some updates but being a mother, she could also see the excitement on my face.

When I pulled up to the house at 1:30, I was surprised to see the seller's realtor parked in the driveway. I have never met her in person but recognized her from the sign in the yard. I hopped out of the van and introduced myself. Our realtor pulled up right away. She explained she had locked her keys in her car and her son was coming to get her keys out of her car. Then she asked why we were there (my husband pulled up right behind us).

I informed her that our realtor, Bruce was going to take us through the house again. Her smile turned into a stern frown and she said, "We have an accepted offer on this house."

My heart sunk. I could feel my bottom lip quivering. "Oh," I think I squeaked out. Bruce was standing behind me and he said, "Now when did this come in? I talked to you on Wednesday."
The seller realtor stated, "I told you this last week. The offer came in on Tuesday."
Bruce said, "No, you didn't. I asked about the garage opener and you told me it was on the kitchen counter. You didn't say anything about an offer."
The seller realtor said, "Yes, I did. And it's an accepted offer."

Now, having this be my first go around, I asked, "May I ask what the accepted offer amount was?"
The seller realtor looked at me and said, "No. But once it goes through you can see it on the assessor site." She was being VERY rude and condescending.
I said, "Well, my mom is here. Can we still go through it? Just once more?"
She allowed it.

Our realtor was FURIOUS. He started through the house with my husband, my mom and the kids while I got the baby out of his car seat. The seller realtor did a complete 180 as I was heading into the house and said, "You have some of the CUTEST little boys!" As my mom taught me, always be polite. I smiled and nodded, the whole time my eyes filling with tears and the lump continued to form in my throat. I walked into the house, my dream house, for what might be the last time. Liam kept saying, "I LOVE IT. AND THE TREEHOUSE!"

After checking it out with my mom, we left and headed back to our small apartment. Mom said, "Well, those hardwood floors looked like they needed some work. You'd have to strip them all down, sand them and finish them. That's a lot of work." As we pulled into the apartments, she said, "Well, maybe their financing will fall through." I laughed. I knew she was trying to make me feel better. But I still felt horrible.

As we got out of the van, mom said, "You're bummed, aren't you?" I shook my head yes and started crying.

It was my dream place. And it just vanished.

Maybe I'm a Pollyanna. She's not all that bad.

And who knows, maybe their financing won't go through. That's a horrible thing to hope for, I know. But the dream was there...and then it was gone.

As our realtor said, everything happens for a reason. Maybe it wasn't the right house for us. Maybe it wasn't the right time. Maybe the perfect house is out there for us...at the perfect time.

I shouldn't have had my hopes up, but I did. Lesson learned. But I'm still going to be Pollyanna. Being an optimistic person isn't a bad thing.

Make Monday: Budding Trees!

Since it has been rainy a lot around here with April showers, we have been finger painting to pass the time and to speed up some early May flowers. I found this idea for painting trees from Paint and Prozac. One morning, Judah and I thought we would do our own take on it to help pass the morning and add some spring decorations to our gloomy house.

Finding our banner paper, we spread it out across the table. First, I cut out a tree trunk out of some brown card stock I had on hand (for my homemade cards) and taped it to the paper. I took green and yellow Crayola washable finger paints squirting them onto a disposable paper plate. With his paint apron on, Judah dipped his hands and fingers into the paint. Plopping his hands onto the paper, we made some tree leaves. Once we finished the tree, we turned the paper and trunk upside down to add some purple and pink spring flowers.

Finally, I hung the materpiece up on our kitchen mirror where it still remains. We have enjoyed the cheery paintings bringing spring indoors on these rainy days. And my toddler had so much fun making and learning about trees.

Salvation Sunday: HE IS RISEN!

While our children may focus on the candy and gifts that the Easter Bunny brings them, it is important to remind them WHY we celebrate Easter.

Sarah's Easter Testimony:

When my oldest son, Liam, was three, I asked him over dinner, "Do you know why we celebrate Easter?" He responded, "Because Jesus died on the cross. And why is that MY problem?"

When the laughter ceased, I explained to him that it was not a "problem" but a blessing. He's five this year and informed me that "Jesus died on the cross for all of our souls." Believe me, it has taken a few years to teach him this...and that Easter is more than just the Bunny (or a problem) but he gets it.

Growing up, my favorite part of Easter was going to Mass and wearing my Easter hat or bonnet. While I don't have any girls, I still enjoy saying Mass with my boys. I enjoy renewing my baptismal promises for me and for my boys.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Emma's Easter Testimony:

Jesus has risen indeed! As Judah says, "Happy Birthday!" and "Jesus Loves Me!" But really though we have enjoyed this Easter celebrating the resurrection.

Even though Easter day is passing, the story of Easter that started at the cross and climaxed through today's resurrection will continue tomorrow. One thing that stood out to me this season was the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Christianity lives on and by this truth alone. The difference compared to other worldly religions lies in that Jesus is ALIVE and the other prophets central to other religions remain in their graves still to this day. This power over the grave confirms every claim Jesus had about himself being the Son of God, the resurrection and the life, and only way to God. He absorbed my (and your) sinful debt on the cross. Since He was our substitute in a death that was meant for us, His resurrection permitted Him to completely erase (forget) our sins by conquering the payment of death when He victoriously rose again.

What is even more. Since Jesus claims came true, His promises stand true today. For instance, if He fulfilled the promise of eternal life through His resurrection, then His promise to never leave us nor forsake us rings more truer than ever. He rose again, so His claim to return is all the more prevalent. This should provoke a life style of total surrender. This should be a life style that does not live in the past of our sins when they have been already wiped clean. This attitude is where the story remains alive in our hearts today.

I Corinthians 5:55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"


From our families to yours, may you have a blessed Easter day.

Shuffle Saturday: Easter Filled Weekend!

This morning we tried flying a kite until we just got too cold. Judah found his Easter present early and with a little morning sunshine peeking through, we decided to go outside for some fun. The kite made its way up in the air making Judah all the more excited.

Flying a kite together this morning as a family made me think of Easter traditions. What do you do with your family for Easter weekend?

Usually our weekend is filled with lots of Easter activities. Among them we will color eggs, dying them bright spring colors and decorating them with stickers. We hunt for candy filled plastic eggs spread all over the farm grounds. We participate in a Good Friday service and celebrate Easter morning again at church. We read the Easter story and share Easter baskets followed by feast and family for dinner.

This year, our neighbor friends made us a special treat. They brought us a pink egg laid by a great big baking hen. Making a pink batch of Rice Krispies, they covered a purple plastic candy filled egg with the gooey treat.


No matter what Easter traditions you enjoy year after year, the real tradition is spending the time with family. Do not be too busy this year to sit down with your family and talk about the gifts of Easter. Happy Easter! May it be sweet!

Food (for thought) Friday: Good Friday

For this Good Friday, join us in some food for thought for today's recipe.

Food for thought from Sarah:

Today is the day we reflect on Jesus' debts he paid for us. Currently my husband and I are working on paying down our debts so we can afford the house we want for our growing family. Today I am reminded about the debt Jesus paid for my soul. He gave his life for us. God gave his only son to us for our sins.

So while I'm overwhelmed in mortgage applications, closing costs and calculations, I'm thinking about Jesus and what he paid for me, my husband, and my boys. A debt that I cannot calculate with interest rates or FICO scores.

This debt is paid in full and wiped away with a clean bill. This to-good-to imagine offer really exists, so take Him up on it today.

Food for thought from Emma:

Today is the day we reflect on Jesus trials. Our lives always contain trials, but these struggles seem so trivial to those Jesus faced for us. We all carry our burdens full of emotional pangs, relational strains, and physical hurts. I am not exempt and neither are you.

On this day we relive the path of Jesus through his own struggles and trials. He faced betrayal, denial, scorn, anxiety, bodily torture, and death. He did this willingly without so much as a cry. All this He did so that He might carry our burdens for us.

We need not struggle alone. Christ who bore the pangs of this human life is there to see you through. He understands and feels every emotion, thought, sorrow, and pain right along with you. Celebrate a Savior this day who relates to your situation, your frustration, and indisposition. Surrender at the cross.


Should you like to know more about the recipe at the cross, feel free to contact the authors via mommysrecess@gmail.com. It is recipe not to miss out on!

Toy Thursday: It's a Book

I don't give my kids handheld games. I don't let them play video games. They don't have a Nintendo DS, they don't have a NOOK. They don't even play on our computer.

I'm a mean mom.

But they do know about their books. Which is why when I ran across "It's a Book" at our local bookstore, I had to get it.While the book may not be best for small children, it is a fun read for older kids and adults. In the book, it says you don't need to plug it in, you don't need a password....it's a book.


As an English Literature Major, I cherish my books. I love the smell of old books, I love the smell of new books. I love the crackling of binding of new books and I love the soft covers of old books.

I even love the smell of the Scholastic book orders my preschooler brings home. It takes me back to my first love, books.

So yes, I may be a "mean mom" but my preschooler can read. And he LOVES his books. Our two year old got FOUR books for his birthday...and they came in a close second to his "froggy hat" as his favorite gift.

Books. They don't need charged, batteries or a password. Just imagination.

Wash Wednesday: Dirt Magnet #3 Vincinty of Highchair!

If you have a toddler like me, then you probably also have food all over your floor underneath the high chair and dining table. The next time you get down on all fours to pick up pieces of food, take a look around. What do you see?

Last night for supper it was tomato hand prints trying to escape the chair. This morning it was the yogurt spoon thrown across the room leaving white dots. And for lunch today, it was the chunks of chicken nugget we decided we were done with.

I guarantee you will see food, spots, spills, stains, and much more. Food is drawn to the floor like a magnet when you have kids. In spite of constant discipline, the food and utensils are thrown across the room providing ample time to splatter, stain, spill, and hide. Kids excuse themselves from the table before you have an opportunity to wipe thus making hand print art on all your furniture. Crumbs somehow miss the bib and fall to the floor as you clean up. It never ends....unless the cat finds it and then, well it just finds its way back to the floor.

I would love to hear how you combat this battle as a mom. Clearly this is one of those moments when you can say, "You know you are a mom when..." For me, I try to do regular wipe downs of the floor, high chair, wall, table legs, and anything else that becomes a target.

Lately, I have resorted to Judah picking up the food as part of his punishment for throwing. Still, though, I have to assist him before the cat arrives on site. I start with the obvious, clean up the kid, take off the bib, and wipe him down despite tons of protests and whines. After each meal, I wash off the high chair tray and seat knowing that if in a bind at the next meal or snack time, they are ready to go. If the bib is really dirty, I rinse it off before taking it to the laundry room for a good washing along with the high chair cover. First check mark!

Hopefully most of the food fell onto the mat we have down. My husband cleverly decided one day to turn our clear plastic office floor mat into a carpet shield protection underneath the high chair. All I have to do then is take the dust buster (yes, they still make them and they are a godsend) to sweep up all the crumbs and mop down the spills with my Swifter Wet Jet mop.
Check Done!

Then occasionally we scrub down the wall adjacent to the high chair trying to remove all caked on food and stains. The Magic Eraser works wonders on old food. Even a soapy wash cloth or sponge helps wash down everything on their level like table legs and cupboard doors. Another check!

Finally, the carpet gets cleaned. Instead of having it professionally cleaned, a couple of times a year we rent a steamer. These carpet cleaners can be rented at a professional rental place or even at Lowe's and Hope Depot. Buying the soap and doing the labor yourself limits excessive costs. Be sure to set aside a day to use and dry. Check! Check!

Tackling the food issue is almost impossible with kids. However, utilizing similar simple measures will at least keep things at bay. Good luck with this dirt magnet!

Tip Tuesday: A Trip To The Dentist

It's time for our bi-yearly visits to the dentist. Our oldest LOVES the dentist, our youngest it too little and our middle child, well, he refused to open his mouth last time.

We're thankful that our dentist's chairs have TV's for the little guys to watch to keep them relaxed. But even with the entertainment, he still wanted me there.

Sean's not too keen on this whole dentist thing

After some words of encouragement from me and meeting and talking to the dentist, he did open wide...briefly. He doesn't have any cavities and the dentist says his teeth look great.

And I think it's sweet he wants to hold mommy's hand. In a few years, he'll be too cool to hold my hand. Be sure to speak slowly and calmly, always be there for them when they need you.

For today's tip Tuesday,  always to be available for your kids. And don't mind holding their little hands. Even though it may feel like "a hassle" to do some hand holding, too soon these days will be gone.

Make Monday: Let's Go Fly a Kite!

One of my favorite musicals of all times is Mary Poppins. Recently, I purchased a copy to share with Judah. We do not watch much television and so we watched it in short sections with a few songs at a time. Judah, of course loving anything to do with music and dancing, was glued listening to the fun lyrics and imitating the dance moves.

Perhaps later when he talked about a kite, I immediately got this idea in my head to make a kite out of paper. Spring is such a fun time for a kite with the bright, windy days. We have planned to get Judah a real kite for Easter. But in the meantime, I needed to pass the time desperately one morning and so we made a kite instead.

Materials we gathered to use were construction paper, pipe cleaners, colors, tape, ribbon, elastic string, scissors, hole punch, and some ingenuity and creativity. While I assembled an example to show Judah, he colored on some blue construction paper making all his designs of circles and ovals.

Next, I folded the 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of paper into a square, cutting off the excess paper. I folded the paper again the alternate direction to make diamond creases. I then taped pipe cleaners in the interior side along those creases. I also used heavy-duty clear tape to tape on the ribbon. I hole punched the top point to tie on the elastic string and then taping the knot down for reinforcement.

Once we assembled the kites, we took them outside to fly. Surprisingly the kite held up more than I had imagined on a moderate windy day. The bendable pipe cleaners moved as the paper flapped in the wind and the elastic string aided the flexibility of the flight.

Our goal was accomplished. We passed the morning decorating and creating kites and flying them outside. We did a craft and enjoyed some fresh air outdoors besides, all in a days work. If you are desperate for some entertainment this spring with the kids, I suggest you go fly a kite!

Salvation Sunday: Your Darkest Hour!

Look back to your darkest hour. Why was this hour so dark for you? What did you feel, think, and experience?

Perhaps you are like me and experienced the death of your grandfather whom you loved very much. Or then you went through the messiness of job loss and betrayal of a boss. Another time, it could have been the medical complications you faced followed by depression and anxiety. On top of these physical and emotional pains, you lived through the pain of loneliness and despair.

Whatever the reason, your hour was dark and you felt alone, betrayed, unloved, rejected, grieved, saddened, exhausted, angered, annoyed, insulted, offended, anguished, panged, sorrowful, shamed, and many more in a long list of hurt, struggles, and ache.

Take those feelings and let's walk down another path. On this path is One who was called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, " as found in Isaiah 9:6. On this path was the promised Messiah, the Deliverer, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Really it was God, himself, come to bring hope and peace for all.

Along this same path, we stop and watch the crowd join in celebration as a man rides on a donkey into Jerusalem and a week later this same crowd cries unabashed, "Crucify Him." Further down this journey, we find this man unselfishly lower himself to wash dirty feet at the "Last Supper" looking up into the eyes of those individuals who call themselves the closest friends only to a have them a few hours later betray, deny, and run away from him. In the moonlit garden we find this man praying with a heart burdened with so much anxiety that he sweats blood. And yet, the pang does not stop. We find this man beaten cruelly, despised by men, and scorned by society. We find a man sentenced to a humiliating traitor's death. We find a man on whom God turned His back.

Here is the clincher - He did it willingly.

How many of us would go through our dark hour willingly? For "Who, being in the very Nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross," Philippians 2:6-8. He

Whatever is your darkest hour and wherever it lies, He has felt all the emotional, physical, and spiritual pain associated with it because He has been there, done that. He went through His hour so that you would not be alone in your darkest hour. Fear not, you can "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you, " as I Peter 5:7 bids. Imagine a God who really understands what you are going through.

Shuffle Saturday: Civic Responsibility

*As always, these blog posts are my own viewpoints and in no way are reflective of or endorsed by "Friends of Maplenol Barn" or Save the Barn Committee.*

My kids have had a busy week when it comes to things mommy is involved in. I am on the Board of Directors of Friends of the Maplenol Barn and I am the Communications Director for CAPE PAC. On Thursday, FMB held a fundraising event for the barn called Barn Aid. It was a show of Country stars and good friends. Liam tried to get them to "turn it down" a few times. He had never been at a concert before and, well, he didn't like the loud music. Sean, on the other hand, LOVED it.

Both of my boys got to go backstage and loved it. I tried to explain to my five year old that not everyone gets to go backstage, only special people. He looked at me, smiled and said, "I know. Because I'm special."

They all knew why we were there, though. It was for the barn. And everyone had a great time.

Sean backstage

Liam backstage

On Saturday morning, we got up bright and early, bundled up and trekked downtown for the TEA Party rally. The boys had a great time meeting some of my Political friends and running a bit in the shadow of the State Capitol.

Liam and I discussed taxes, Government involvement and how it all works. And, of course, we got to hear some great speakers.

It's been a busy week but my boys learned about preserving history, how Government works and the importance of being involved in your community!

You can turn your passions into a learning opportunity for your children...no matter what side of the aisle you lean towards.

Food Friday: Slow-Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Stew!

Recently the weather turned rainy and cold, not at all like our spring sunshine earlier this week. I decided to try this recipe I found from a brochure our dietitians from our local grocery store, hoping it would help curb the cold.

Serving the chicken stew with home made biscuits I was sold on the recipe. Not only was it surprisingly delicious but also hearty and nutritious. This chicken stew recipe was all around a great find for our family.

Here is the original recipe for Slow-Cooker Turkey and Biscuits as I found it.

Ingredients

2 medium red potatoes, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 ounces fresh sliced baby Bella mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca, crushed
1 pound turkey breasts
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup frozen sweet peas


Here is the version I adapted for what I had on hand. To highlight, I substituted cornstarch for tapioca as my starch thickener. In this process though I learned that tapioca is often used as a less fattening means to thicken gravies. Also, I thought this recipe seemed small and so added two extra potatoes and a whole can of broth. I made the stew in rapid time using my food processor to chop all the vegetables.

4 medium red potatoes, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound chicken breast
1 small can reduced sodium chicken broth
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup frozen sweet peas

Directions

1. In a slow-cooker , combine potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cornstarch over mixture. Top with chicken breast and pour broth over entire mixture.
2. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 6-7 hours or on HIGH heat for 3-3 1/2 hours.
3. Remove chicken from slow-cooker. Coarsely shred chicken into pieces and return to cooker. Stir in peas and cream cheese, cooking for another 10 minutes.

Feel free to add biscuit dough for chicken pot pie and dumplings. I just served the stew over the biscuits. Recipe made about three meals worth for three people. This would be a good meal to put in the freezer to pull out when needed.

Toy Thursday: Felt Fun!

At the story time lately, Judah along with the other kids enjoys it when the librarian uses the felt board for stories. Whatever story she is reading comes to life with felt pieces that she sticks to the board. Almost every time, some child goes up to play with the pieces, taking them off and re sticking them back to the board.

Last fall I bought Judah a small travel felt board with basic learning pieces. I could not find an magnet alphabet set appropriate for his age group and so purchased this instead at a craft show. Even though I thought he was too young, I gave it to him for Christmas. Great Grandma was kind to even cut out all the alphabet letters, numbers, and counting pieces.

And if I had any doubt to him being too young, I needn't worry. He has played with his felt board when traveling, on rainy days, and for some puzzle practice. I am really pleased with how much learning and entertainment it has provided.

Some days we stick on the pieces for fun. Other days we count, practice our colors, and sing the alphabet. And we can do this with a little traveling felt board case.

So if you are looking for a new educational but fun technique to use to tell stories, visit the zoo or farm, and even make paper dolls, check out Felt Fantasies, a family company that specializes in this fabric learning tool and accessories. The felt pieces can provide opportunities for all ages, especially from two years to ten years. Explore play sets of many kinds, story sets to your favorite books, develop basic learning skills, and even bring to life Bible stories, all with a felt board of fun and learning at home, on the road, or in the classroom.

If you have not discovered felt, enjoy some felt fun!

Wash Wednesday: Washing Those Stinky Feet!!

My boys stink. I'll admit it. They get nightly baths but they stink. They're boys. I think it is in the Y chromosome. I recall being younger, my brother always smelled. He loved footie pajamas but his feet would stink SO BAD. And in the summer? If he ever wore sandals those would stink. I remember mom making him take his shoes off on the back porch and leave them outside because they smelled so bad.

My middle child, Sean, always smelled. Ever since he was a baby. His tiny baby head, instead of smelling like a sweet baby, he smelled like a musty old man...no matter how much lotion, baby soap, powder we put on him...he smelled like an old man. It was his musk.

Now that spring/summer is upon us again, I must face the stench that is little boys feet. My oldest son, any time he wears sandals, his feet stink. I'm afraid "stinky" (Sean) will have the same fate this summer. I even noticed Baby B's (9 months) feet are starting to stink.

I've found that the Target brand nighttime bath soap works pretty well for cleaning and making the boys smell nice. As they get baths at night (because I'm not putting them to bed smelly) they can smell good for a little bit.

Ah, summer. Windows open, farmer's markets, swimming pools and stinky feet. I've missed you.

Tip Tuesday: Start a Garden from Seeds!

Since the weather has turned nice, Judah and I decided it was time to start our seedlings for our garden this year. Our purple hyacinth and yellow daffodils have already graced us with spring fragrances and blooms. Our rose bushes are turning green and our mums show buds peeking through the soil. All we need is some annual plants to complete our garden.

We have a town home but being on the end has allowed us to grow some vegetables on the side of the house in years past. In previous years, we have done bush beans, snap peas, broccoli, lettuce, and peppers here to help save some money at the Farmer's Market. The front of the house we save special for flowers like rose bushes, hydrangeas, hostas, and my all time favorite, snap dragons. We usually even display hanging baskets of geraniums from the porch ceiling to complete our homey landscape.

Most years we also plant herbs. Herbs can be expensive directly from the store. Also, you end up wasting your herbs before you can use them all. So in the past we have maintained cilantro, oregano, rosemary, parsley, basil, and many others in window boxes that hang on our porch railing.

To start our garden this year, we first need to pick out some herb seeds. Most people are intimidated by starting seeds, not knowing what to do. Seeds though can be a frugal way to start your garden if you keep in mind simple precautions. Then anyone can start seeds no matter where you live.

To select the right seeds, you must consider the following tips I learned long ago from my days in 4-H in order to help you be the most decisive and economical.

Know your temperate zone. Your seed package will explain to you when you may start planting seeds in the ground depending on frost dates. You may get a head start by planting the seeds indoors and setting the box outside on warm, sunny days. Later you will transplant these mature seedlings into the ground when they are hearty enough to withstand the current temperatures.

Know how much sunlight your designated area receives during the day. Choose seeds that require the proper amount of sunlight that your garden will receive. For instance, I plant my "sun" plants on the side of the house where they will receive the most light. I learned to plant seeds that require shade in front due to a large tree that limits sunlight during the summer daylight hours.

Check to see what the anticipated growth will be. You do not want to have vine plants like squash growing in a small area. Likewise, you do not want to transplant smaller plants behind taller plants where they cannot access light or water.

Determine how far apart you may plant your items. Knowledge of space will help determine how many seeds you are allowed to plant in your designated area. You do not want to start too many seedlings without no where to plant them. Also, you want to check to make sure you have enough space for a bountiful harvest.

Choose seeds you will actually use and enjoy. Do not waste your space with tomatoes if no one will eat them. Choose items your family will use.

Your goal proves you can not only exhibit a green thumb but provide some economical value in your harvest. Gardening can be a hobby but also lead you to a life of more simple living. Have fun choosing the right seeds for you and your family this year.

For other frugal living tips, visit Frugal Tip Tuesday at Learning the Frugal Life.

Make Monday: Make it an Adventure!

It was a beautiful day yesterday. It was finally beginning to feel like spring. While I had a lot of work hanging over my head, I decided to take the afternoon for some family time with my husband and our boys. I usually try to play catch up on my work on the weekends as my husband is home and he can corral the boys...but with snow in the forecast for the end of the week (really?) we HAD to seize the day.

We decided to visit a park that we've never been to...it is near our house and near the Learning Resource Center and City Hall, where I've been attending a lot of meetings lately. I have driven by the park a number of times but never stopped.

We found a place to park and headed for the swings. The boys loved it.

We found a tunnel near the park that went under the road and over to city hall. We explored, we ran, we played. Make it an adventure. Don't corral yourself and your kids to the same park over and over. And get out before the snow hits again!

Salvation Sunday: Clean Those Dirty Diapers!

Have you ever noticed your toddler likes to walk around in dirty diapers? Mine does.

In fact if I ask him if he has a dirty diaper (and I know he does because I can smell it), he shakes his head "no." Then I end up chasing him around the house trying to catch him to change his diaper. When I finally get him, the delight of chasing him turns into Mr. Hyde as he throws himself into a unruly fit.

I think if I let him he would just run around in his dirty diaper for a while. He ignores the stench (that we all seem to smell), just continuing to play with his toys or read his books. Some kids even pretend to be sneaky about their business.

This sounds all too familiar in our Christian life, doesn't it? We sneak around God as we fall to sin. The stench permeates everything around us in life. We like to remain in our own filth of dirt, wearing it on us. We even run from God as He chases us.

And the sad thing of it all is that all we have to do is let God change us. He wipes away the guilt and shame, replacing our black "dirty diaper" with a clean, white heart. And finally at last as we surrender to His chasing, He takes away the stench.

I started reading from the Bible book of Isaiah for my daily devotions. The first chapter addresses this very subject, addressing Israel's continuous sin of idolatry and immorality. Isaiah 1:5, says "Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick." I can just hear God saying not only to the Israelites but to us today, "Why do continue to wallow in your dirty diaper?"

The answer (almost with a bit of humor) is found later in the chapter,
Isaiah 1: 18, ""Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." The solution is so simple but we still choose to continue down our own filthy path.

My prayer today is to let God clean me of my sin. I am tired of wearing this dirty diaper. Lord, make me clean again. I hope that is your prayer as well.

Shuffle Saturday: Pick Your Battles

Ah, parenting. I understood the phrase "pick your battles" before I had children but I didn't really have to LIVE it--until I had kids.

As a kid, I hated wearing shoes...and socks. I would go barefoot all summer if I could. I practically lived at the swimming pool, that was right across the street from my childhood home. The only time I would wear shoes is when they would rock and tar the street.

I ran barefoot, rode my bike barefoot...did everything barefoot. And apparently I passed it on to my children. My middle son, Sean, HATES to wear shoes and socks. It doesn't matter if it is 90 degrees or 9 degrees outside. He is constantly kicking his shoes and socks off in the car, which usually adds a few more minutes to the trip time as we have to first find, then re dress his bare feet.

Last week, Emma and I got together for a play date. As is his fashion, Sean kicked his shoes and socks off in the van. When I got to Emma's house, I thought, 'I could put them back on him, only to take off his shoes as soon as we get in the door, or I could just carry him into the house and bring the shoes/socks in with me.' And that's what I did. Emma inquired as to why I was carrying him into the house and I explained it to her. Emma laughed and said, "Pick your battles."

I could have fought him to get his shoes and socks on...but it wasn't that big of a deal. Going to bed at bedtime? Yes. But shoes and socks? No.

Food Friday: Salmon Patties for the Kids!

I have a toddler which means PICKY! You probably have been there and done that. I have been trying new recipes with my toddler in mind, hoping that I can find something he will eat and will provide him the nutrition he needs.

Salmon patties is a old family recipe that I rediscovered. In fact, the recipe comes from my Grandma and one that my mom grew up on. Sometimes I wonder if it is an idea off of the Great Depression. It is cheap, easy, healthy, and yes (drum roll) my toddler ate it, even saying YUMMY! So I thought I would pass on this traditional recipe from one family to another.

Serve it with some rice, green vegetables, or even cooked carrots for a complete meal.

Salmon Patties

1 can of pink salmon
2 eggs
1 lunch baggie of crushed saltine crackers
Bacon bits (optional)
Parsley

Open a can of pink salmon. Drain the juice and discard the bones and skin (although you can technically eat it as my Grandma leaves them in...just your preference). Meanwhile crush up a lunch bag full of saltine crackers. Stir fish, crackers, and eggs together until you get a sticky consistency. On top of stove, heat some olive oil. Take a spoonful of mixture and brown flat ball in pan. Add fresh parsley to top. Add bacon for additional smokey flavor. This recipe serves 3-4 people.

Enjoy! And hopefully your toddler eats for you!

Toy Thursday: Church Toys

While I think it is important for kids to pay attention in Church, I know it's not always a reality. We're Catholic so Mass usually lasts an hour...holy days and weddings are longer. And with three boys under the age of 5, we're usually playing zone defense trying to stop them from getting out of the pew.

Our oldest is usually good about Church. We actually refer to him as "Father Liam" because he makes sure we pray (sometimes twice) before meals. He's very spiritual and has a consoling spirit. It's the 9 month old and two year old that we have to worry about.

We always try to make sure we have puffs and biter biscuits for the baby and fruit snacks and cheerios for the toddler to keep them happy and occupied. I have no trouble nursing the baby during Mass (Jesus was breastfed, after all) and a mom has to do what she has to do to keep kids quiet.

We have a special "Church bag" of books and QUIET toys that the kids only see on Sunday. That way it is special. The books are hard pages (so no ripping) and don't make noise. The toys are also quiet toys (cars and such) as to not interrupt the other worshipers.

When it comes to the snacks though, be sure to check the bag before Church. On more than one occasion we've had snacks in a Ziploc baggie that had a hole in it. Whoops. Most of Mass was spent picking up and hiding the treats that fell on the floor (so the boys wouldn't eat them) and trying to stop them from eating food off of the floor.

Good luck. Before you know it they'll be surly teens who are too cool for Church. But for now they're just children. And as Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Wash Wednesday: Tis the Season for Shedding!

I am so happy that spring is finally here. I have the windows open letting in fresh air and the sounds of birds chirping. The spring flowers are up and starting to bloom in daffodil yellows and hyacinth purples. The bright blues skies overhead shine down with the spring sunshine as we walk and play outside.

As you can see there are not too many down sides to spring, especially after a long winter except maybe tornadoes and storms, allergies, and shedding. Yes, if you have a pet, tis the season for shedding.

With the warm breezes of spring comes shedding season. My long-haired, orange cat is the perfect example of accumulating a thick coat of hair over the winter followed by dispersing it when the weather turns at the tiniest hint of spring. I have learned over the years how to cope with all the extra hair and fur bunnies that float around the house.

Perhaps the best way to cope with the extra hair removal is combing my pet on regular basis during this season. In fact, often times I take him outside to the porch and hold him down while I use my FURminator comb. This comb is excellent at taking off loose hair by the gallons. The mess of combing is contained to outdoors as I usually let the hair just float away in the breeze for the birds.

Shampooing your cat enhances the combing, limiting hair removal and eventually hairballs. My own cat does not like baths though so we wipe him down with cleaning wipes you can find in the pet store. We use these wipes after combing so that he does not rub off the loose hair onto the furniture.

Inside, I do extra vacuuming on the carpet to keep up with the hair. I wipe down the couch and chair cushions with the added task of a lint roller to collect any remaining hair. And it seems like I cycle through more laundry to control the extra fur.

I am anxious to hear what you do to combat this side effect of spring? In the meantime, enjoy the nice weather.

Tip Tuesday: Don't Eat in the Bathroom

This past week has been a rough one for our family. As you've read, my husband's Grandfather passed away. He'd been failing for some time, so it wasn't a complete shock, but I believe no matter how much time you have to prepare, it's always hard.

Yesterday we traveled to Ottumwa for the funeral. We met the rest of the family at the funeral home first, in order to say a few prayers, view the body and follow the hearse to the Church. It was a two hour drive from our home to the funeral home and I knew the baby would be hungry once we got there.

I saw a few open "office" type rooms at the funeral home. I approached a woman who worked there and asked her if there would be an open office where I could nurse the baby. I was being polite. Rather than just helping myself to the open office, I thought I would ask.

I was very disappointed at her response. "There is a bench in the ladies room. You can nurse in there."

I gave her a shocked look. I said, "No thanks. I won't eat in a bathroom and I don't expect my child to either."

She rolled her eyes at me and went into her office. Conveniently enough, there was a bench right outside of her office. And that's where I chose to nurse. Granted, it was a busy hallway (the bathrooms were across the hall from her office) and there was a lot of family walking around, but I had enough foresight to wear my nursing tank under my black suit.

You couldn't see anything "inappropriate" but the moment she walked out of her office was classic. She turned, saw me nursing and talking to family...gave me a stern grimace and continued on her way.

As my husband said, "She seems to show more compassion to the dead rather than the living."

Know your state's law. In Iowa, I am protected to nurse my child where ever I am allowed to be. I could have nursed him in the main hall, if I wanted to. Don't feel pushed into a bathroom. Nursing your children shouldn't be a thing of shame. You wouldn't eat in the bathroom--you shouldn't expect your child to either.

Make Monday: Stepping it up with a Banner!

A few weeks ago, the weather went from one nice spring day back to its usual cold, gloomy mood the next. Ready for spring, cabin fever hit Judah and I very hard. We were starting to annoy each other, fuss a lot, and getting into things.

I decided right then and there that we would do something fun and different to distract our "going crazy cooped indoors" minds and bodies. That is when I got really brave with finger painting with our feet. Yes, I said our FEET!

Judah and I unrolled a large piece of white banner paper onto the kitchen tile floor. I took a marker and wrote "Happy Birthday Dad" for daddy's upcoming surprise birthday party. Then I squirted some washable crayola finger paint on each end of the paper on either side of the words. Stripping Judah down in his sleep shirt (since we did this before we got dressed in the morning), we spent the next twenty minutes walking around on the paper with paint on our feet.

Judah and I would step in the blob of paint and walk around making colorful footprints to decorate the large banner. Next, we dipped our fingers and hands adding hand prints and other designs. Judah laughed at the funny feeling of the wet paint on his feet that made their way to the paper. This fun lasted for a while before the paint started to stick our feet to the paper.

This activity was certainly fun and distracting from another cold, winter day. The fun though soon turned into a little mess. Judah had to wait for me to clean my own hands and feet before wiping down his paint. Meanwhile, Judah was all over the paper, the kitchen tile, touching the cabinets with his hands, and stepping onto the carpet before I could catch him.

The garage was empty where we could lay the banner down to dry. Thankfully, the washable paint on the cupboards came off with baby wipes and the paint on the tile floor was easily mopped with the Swifter Wet Jet. I even just used a wet wash rag on the carpet for the paint spills. Finally, Judah and I made our way upstairs to get dressed for the day.

Daddy could not even tell we painted that day and was very surprised by his big, colorful birthday banner. Painting helped pass the time, entertaining us from effects of cabin fever. And painting on our feet enhanced our creativity and our sense of touch, adding new meanings to finger paints.

My only advice is perhaps do this activity in the garage on a warmer day. Then hose down your "little Picasso's" outside after they are done painting!