I have started and restarted this post 4 times now.
You know when something horrific and life changing happens in your life? Or maybe to someone else that you are close to and it has a direct impact on you? And for the million times we ask why me? or why now? We never get an answer. Because honestly, there is no answer. It just happened. And that has to be good enough. Forever.
I don't believe that to be totally true though. I believe we take our life experiences and we use them to help others. We take our moments of despair, our triumphs, the moments of happiness, the times of the unknown in our lives and the lessons learned throughout and how we got to where we are today and we expand that out into the world.
Because here's the thing: It's HOPE for the next person. It's "if you can do it, so can I.". It's a reminder that the pain is only temporary. It's a glimpse into their own future that allows them to see the light at the end of that stupid tunnel that is filled with anger, resentment, confusion, betrayal, hurt and heartache. And that light is what everybody needs to see to get through it. They need you. They need me. They need us to tell them that it's going to be okay and mean it.
I have gone through the tunnel. I have been there twice. Through death and divorce.... And I am at the other side. I'm waving at you and I'm telling you....in time, it will be better. In time, you will look back on this and you will be someone else's light.
It is good to be the light at the end of the dark tunnel. It is good to be HOPE.
I shared all of my 'growing up' with a stranger yesterday.
Without knowing it, every time we do this, it mends us a little bit more.
Just another Mom with a Blog. I love all things pretty...or that make you feel that way. Whether it's make-up or hair products or just eating good and working on my fitness. I try to keep it real. Either way, thanks for stopping by.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
My Net
In my last post I had mentioned reading a book called Bloom by Kelle Hampton. I won't go into too much detail about the book. It's a very special book. I don't feel the need to persuade anyone to read it. If you are interested in it I figured at this point you would either google it or ask me to borrow it. The latter has already taken place so you will have to wait in line.
Anyways....
A lot of what she writes about are her relationships.She devotes an entire chapter to this topic. She refers to them in their entirety as her "Net". I love this analogy. Net - 1 a : an open-meshed fabric twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals b : (1) : a device for catching... ( Source http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/net) Consider it. A group of people, each their own person, who make a difference in your life. Who come together as your warriors and make it their sole job to catch whatever you can't handle. They accept the responsibility to hold you together when you are falling to pieces. They are your hope when you have none. And I was envious of her fabulous "Net". It was the one thing that stayed with me after finishing the book that I didn't expect. I was impacted. Mostly because when she spoke of her 28 friends that made up her beautiful support system, I didn't think I could relate.
I was wrong.
It took some time but I figured out that I do, in fact, have my own Net.
And this makes me happy.
It may not consist of 28 women who will stop everything at the drop of a hat but it does make up the most amazing people that I know in my life. They are people I can be honest with, I can be real without being judged. We have created a place between us where there is comfort in knowing that everyone's normal is not the same but we embrace it with arms wide open. A place that validates our feelings instead of questioning them. We can vent to one another without explanation or having to justify it. We pray for each other. And we pray hard. We cry for each other. We laugh together. We tell stories about being bucked off horses named Skip and we know it's okay to laugh. We share our joys and we discuss our fears, no matter how crazy they may seem. We listen to each other. We love each other.
I have a Net.
And my Net is bad ass.
Anyways....
A lot of what she writes about are her relationships.She devotes an entire chapter to this topic. She refers to them in their entirety as her "Net". I love this analogy. Net - 1 a : an open-meshed fabric twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals b : (1) : a device for catching... ( Source http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/net) Consider it. A group of people, each their own person, who make a difference in your life. Who come together as your warriors and make it their sole job to catch whatever you can't handle. They accept the responsibility to hold you together when you are falling to pieces. They are your hope when you have none. And I was envious of her fabulous "Net". It was the one thing that stayed with me after finishing the book that I didn't expect. I was impacted. Mostly because when she spoke of her 28 friends that made up her beautiful support system, I didn't think I could relate.
I was wrong.
It took some time but I figured out that I do, in fact, have my own Net.
And this makes me happy.
It may not consist of 28 women who will stop everything at the drop of a hat but it does make up the most amazing people that I know in my life. They are people I can be honest with, I can be real without being judged. We have created a place between us where there is comfort in knowing that everyone's normal is not the same but we embrace it with arms wide open. A place that validates our feelings instead of questioning them. We can vent to one another without explanation or having to justify it. We pray for each other. And we pray hard. We cry for each other. We laugh together. We tell stories about being bucked off horses named Skip and we know it's okay to laugh. We share our joys and we discuss our fears, no matter how crazy they may seem. We listen to each other. We love each other.
I have a Net.
And my Net is bad ass.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Oh yes, Christmas was magical.
Yes, it's true. I have been on a blogging hiatus. I'm sure you noticed.
I had to go on this lapse for myself. Too much happening all at once.Too many posts I had forced myself to figure something out to write about. It makes me feel empty. But for whatever reason, I felt like I had to keep up. No more of that nonsense.
And then December 14th happened. And I couldn't really do much of anything the first few days. I was sad and I didn't want to write about it. Everyone was writing about it. I couldn't do my feelings or those beautiful kids justice. I still can't. And mostly, I couldn't justify being so mournful. I didn't feel like I had that right. So I'm still not going to attempt it. Honestly, what could I say that you haven't already heard or that you didn't already know. My husband brought it up last night while we were trying to drift off to sleep. I know that's a sorrowful, morbid place to go when your trying to find peace and slumber but I guess if anything that's what I want people to know. What I want people to do. To not ever FORGET it. But who am I? Just little ol' me. I blend.
Christmas was magical. Christmas is always magical. I feel like I don't really ever realize how enchanted it really is until it's over. I try though. I try really hard. And I hang on to moments. And I recognize the ones that will end up being some of my favorite moments that we revert to when we talk about different Christmases with my children in the near future. Like Jackson's reaction to getting his phone. I'm not sure he has ever hugged Jacob so tightly before. Or Ella's squeal when she got the Taylor Swift "concert tickets". Holy high pitch Sister! You take the cake! I loved when Landon saw his bike sitting out on Christmas morning and instead of attempting to open up any other presents under the tree he walked straight over to his bike, gave us a quiet little "Whoa"...and walked it to the front door to head outside to ride it. Imagine his face when we opened the door to the pouring rain. Well actually, you would think he would have been disappointed by the rain falling in buckets but I don't think that would have stopped him. And my favorite, when my husband opened up the gift I made him. While fighting back tears of my own, I could see how much he loved it in his eyes and I could hear it in his reaction. He was so pleasantly surprised, "it's so much better than what I expected." - Husband said. Which raises the question....What the hell did he expect? And the best...the most memorable part of the entire day...The snow. It was so beautiful and it was the best Christmas present the Big Guy could have given us.
Oh yes, Christmas was magical.
And then I read a book....It was a Christmas gift from my husband. A very thoughtful one. I have wanted this book for months. And he remembered. The book changed my insides a bit. Reprogrammed by brain. But did so in a way that you probably won't notice. It was a subtle shift. It was quiet. And the change will be quiet too. But there will be change. You can't read a book like that and not feel compelled. Not crave something new. Something better. Something that says, "Growth is good. And it's time." I haven't figured out how yet. But that's okay. I'm not in a hurry. If anything, the author of the memoir makes me want to be a better version of myself. And she didn't do that on purpose. It's not meant to be a self help book but it turns out that people can inspire you in all sorts of ways.
Lastly, and this always happens to me after Christmas, I need to find a creative outlet. I need to make something. I think it's because I have to put all the pretty things away. Although, I'm not going to lie...while all the pretty things are out I can't breathe. My living space closes in on me when the tree is up and the wreaths are on the wall and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care. So now that I can breathe again, I need to make something pretty. I have an innate desire to craft the heck out of something. Something that is less space consuming but can wave it's fabulous flag proudly.
May the creative force be with me.
Happy New Year. Be safe my friends.
I had to go on this lapse for myself. Too much happening all at once.Too many posts I had forced myself to figure something out to write about. It makes me feel empty. But for whatever reason, I felt like I had to keep up. No more of that nonsense.
And then December 14th happened. And I couldn't really do much of anything the first few days. I was sad and I didn't want to write about it. Everyone was writing about it. I couldn't do my feelings or those beautiful kids justice. I still can't. And mostly, I couldn't justify being so mournful. I didn't feel like I had that right. So I'm still not going to attempt it. Honestly, what could I say that you haven't already heard or that you didn't already know. My husband brought it up last night while we were trying to drift off to sleep. I know that's a sorrowful, morbid place to go when your trying to find peace and slumber but I guess if anything that's what I want people to know. What I want people to do. To not ever FORGET it. But who am I? Just little ol' me. I blend.
Christmas was magical. Christmas is always magical. I feel like I don't really ever realize how enchanted it really is until it's over. I try though. I try really hard. And I hang on to moments. And I recognize the ones that will end up being some of my favorite moments that we revert to when we talk about different Christmases with my children in the near future. Like Jackson's reaction to getting his phone. I'm not sure he has ever hugged Jacob so tightly before. Or Ella's squeal when she got the Taylor Swift "concert tickets". Holy high pitch Sister! You take the cake! I loved when Landon saw his bike sitting out on Christmas morning and instead of attempting to open up any other presents under the tree he walked straight over to his bike, gave us a quiet little "Whoa"...and walked it to the front door to head outside to ride it. Imagine his face when we opened the door to the pouring rain. Well actually, you would think he would have been disappointed by the rain falling in buckets but I don't think that would have stopped him. And my favorite, when my husband opened up the gift I made him. While fighting back tears of my own, I could see how much he loved it in his eyes and I could hear it in his reaction. He was so pleasantly surprised, "it's so much better than what I expected." - Husband said. Which raises the question....What the hell did he expect? And the best...the most memorable part of the entire day...The snow. It was so beautiful and it was the best Christmas present the Big Guy could have given us.
Oh yes, Christmas was magical.
And then I read a book....It was a Christmas gift from my husband. A very thoughtful one. I have wanted this book for months. And he remembered. The book changed my insides a bit. Reprogrammed by brain. But did so in a way that you probably won't notice. It was a subtle shift. It was quiet. And the change will be quiet too. But there will be change. You can't read a book like that and not feel compelled. Not crave something new. Something better. Something that says, "Growth is good. And it's time." I haven't figured out how yet. But that's okay. I'm not in a hurry. If anything, the author of the memoir makes me want to be a better version of myself. And she didn't do that on purpose. It's not meant to be a self help book but it turns out that people can inspire you in all sorts of ways.
Lastly, and this always happens to me after Christmas, I need to find a creative outlet. I need to make something. I think it's because I have to put all the pretty things away. Although, I'm not going to lie...while all the pretty things are out I can't breathe. My living space closes in on me when the tree is up and the wreaths are on the wall and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care. So now that I can breathe again, I need to make something pretty. I have an innate desire to craft the heck out of something. Something that is less space consuming but can wave it's fabulous flag proudly.
May the creative force be with me.
Happy New Year. Be safe my friends.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Kidless on Christmas
Being a single mom is hard enough as is. Being a single mom on the Holidays is by far the worst. I know. I've been there. And it was hard. And I would never wish that upon any momma. Ever.
I know a Mom that is going to be without her baby on Christmas morning for the first time this year. I went to bed last night thinking of her. That led to a lot of old memories coming to the surface. I got angry all over again. I became really sad all over again. And the tears came all over again.
I remember the first Christmas my kids went away. Ella was nearly a year old and Jackson was a little over 3 years old. I was so happy to be with my babies but in the back of my head I knew my time was going to be short. It would never be long enough again. I knew their dad would be there to pick them up and take them away and I would be left with a lit up tree, wrapping paper every where and toys that weren't being played with. I would be left with the reminder that I was all alone. Thankfully, my mom was there. She helped me put together Jackson's Thomas Train table the night before and set out gifts. She actually helped me in more ways than I realized until now. But it wasn't the same. I wanted to spend that day with my children. I already missed them and they weren't even gone yet. I'm positive I cried because of that before they even left.
And then he came. And they were gone. My house was filled with silence. Deafening silence.
I wanted to stay home. I wanted to feel sorry for myself. I wanted to cry on my own terms. In my own bed, balled up like an infant. But my mom wouldn't let me.
Some how she convinced me to leave the house that day. To go visit family. I did NOT want to. Not at all. I'm positive I was not the cheeriest of people. I thought being around my nephews would make it better. It made it worse. I felt the somberness creep its way back into my aching heart. I felt resentment and anger come back in the form of a lump in my throat. I made several trips to the bathroom to let the tears go that I was so desperately trying to fight back. And then I had to wait it out in the bathroom for the puffiness to disappear from under my eyes. I did this act consistently through out the rest of the day.
As horrible as it was, something happened that day that changed my life forever. I "met" my future husband. I met the man who, in the next few years, would be my rock and my shoulder to cry on when the Holidays came around and I wasn't with my kids.
And that he was.
Two years after that was the first time I didn't wake up on Christmas morning with my kids. The first time since both of them had come into my world. The first time I didn't hear the pitter patter of feet in the early morning hours of Christmas. The first time we didn't go to bed checking on Santa's location to see if he was near. The first time the house wasn't in an upheaval with wrapping paper and toys before 8 a.m. The first time I didn't care about ever getting out of bed. And so I didn't. I didn't get out of bed for hours. I layed there and I cried. I allowed myself to be sad. I allowed myself to say, "It's not fair!", I allowed to let it all go. And Jacob just said, "I'm sorry." And he let me be. He was patient and as understanding as he could have been. He never made me feel bad for crying so much or for being so sad. Or for feeling angry or sorry for myself. Never. Not once. He just let me be.
It's been 7 years since I had my first Christmas without my kids all day. Their little brother will never know what it's like to spend an entire Christmas Day with his brother and sister. That's not what I want for any of them but it's our reality. It's been 7 years and I still cry when we drop them off at their Dad's after lunch. I won't have them this year on Christmas morning so I am sure I will be a mess all over again. Only, it's a different version of the mess I once was. I have other things to look forward to. The be thankful for. I know my husband will hug me extra tight and kiss me and say, "I'm sorry. I love you." I know the excitement on Landon's face on Christmas morning will be evident whether Jackson and Ella are there or not. Yes, I have many other things to look forward to.
I hope you have someone to fill the void for you. Not that your kids are replaceable but emptiness can be filled with love. With understanding. With Patience. With Family. This is my wish for you this Holiday season and every season to follow. It won't be easy and it doesn't have to be. Time lessons the blow, that I promise. And tears are therapeutic. I pray you always have someone when you don't have your munchkins. And as cliche as this may be, remember, that in the scheme of things, in this big, beautiful, ugly world we live in, it could be so much worse. We truly are blessed beyond what we deserve. All those blessings come shining through in our kids. It's a reminder that God loves us and He is looking out for us.
God loves you, He is looking out for you.
Be well my sweet friend. And Merry Christmas.
With Love,
Amy Marie
I know a Mom that is going to be without her baby on Christmas morning for the first time this year. I went to bed last night thinking of her. That led to a lot of old memories coming to the surface. I got angry all over again. I became really sad all over again. And the tears came all over again.
I remember the first Christmas my kids went away. Ella was nearly a year old and Jackson was a little over 3 years old. I was so happy to be with my babies but in the back of my head I knew my time was going to be short. It would never be long enough again. I knew their dad would be there to pick them up and take them away and I would be left with a lit up tree, wrapping paper every where and toys that weren't being played with. I would be left with the reminder that I was all alone. Thankfully, my mom was there. She helped me put together Jackson's Thomas Train table the night before and set out gifts. She actually helped me in more ways than I realized until now. But it wasn't the same. I wanted to spend that day with my children. I already missed them and they weren't even gone yet. I'm positive I cried because of that before they even left.
And then he came. And they were gone. My house was filled with silence. Deafening silence.
I wanted to stay home. I wanted to feel sorry for myself. I wanted to cry on my own terms. In my own bed, balled up like an infant. But my mom wouldn't let me.
Some how she convinced me to leave the house that day. To go visit family. I did NOT want to. Not at all. I'm positive I was not the cheeriest of people. I thought being around my nephews would make it better. It made it worse. I felt the somberness creep its way back into my aching heart. I felt resentment and anger come back in the form of a lump in my throat. I made several trips to the bathroom to let the tears go that I was so desperately trying to fight back. And then I had to wait it out in the bathroom for the puffiness to disappear from under my eyes. I did this act consistently through out the rest of the day.
As horrible as it was, something happened that day that changed my life forever. I "met" my future husband. I met the man who, in the next few years, would be my rock and my shoulder to cry on when the Holidays came around and I wasn't with my kids.
And that he was.
Two years after that was the first time I didn't wake up on Christmas morning with my kids. The first time since both of them had come into my world. The first time I didn't hear the pitter patter of feet in the early morning hours of Christmas. The first time we didn't go to bed checking on Santa's location to see if he was near. The first time the house wasn't in an upheaval with wrapping paper and toys before 8 a.m. The first time I didn't care about ever getting out of bed. And so I didn't. I didn't get out of bed for hours. I layed there and I cried. I allowed myself to be sad. I allowed myself to say, "It's not fair!", I allowed to let it all go. And Jacob just said, "I'm sorry." And he let me be. He was patient and as understanding as he could have been. He never made me feel bad for crying so much or for being so sad. Or for feeling angry or sorry for myself. Never. Not once. He just let me be.
It's been 7 years since I had my first Christmas without my kids all day. Their little brother will never know what it's like to spend an entire Christmas Day with his brother and sister. That's not what I want for any of them but it's our reality. It's been 7 years and I still cry when we drop them off at their Dad's after lunch. I won't have them this year on Christmas morning so I am sure I will be a mess all over again. Only, it's a different version of the mess I once was. I have other things to look forward to. The be thankful for. I know my husband will hug me extra tight and kiss me and say, "I'm sorry. I love you." I know the excitement on Landon's face on Christmas morning will be evident whether Jackson and Ella are there or not. Yes, I have many other things to look forward to.
I hope you have someone to fill the void for you. Not that your kids are replaceable but emptiness can be filled with love. With understanding. With Patience. With Family. This is my wish for you this Holiday season and every season to follow. It won't be easy and it doesn't have to be. Time lessons the blow, that I promise. And tears are therapeutic. I pray you always have someone when you don't have your munchkins. And as cliche as this may be, remember, that in the scheme of things, in this big, beautiful, ugly world we live in, it could be so much worse. We truly are blessed beyond what we deserve. All those blessings come shining through in our kids. It's a reminder that God loves us and He is looking out for us.
God loves you, He is looking out for you.
Be well my sweet friend. And Merry Christmas.
With Love,
Amy Marie
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Taggin' Tursday??
Okay so oops.... I missed Crystal's Taggin' Tuesday by two days. I procrastinated, I admit it.
Either way, prepare to have your mind blown.
Either way, prepare to have your mind blown.
Random Facts About Me
My husband is my bestest friend.
I eat 2 egg whites every morning and cannot have them without Frank's Red Hot Sauce. That stuff is the bomb diggity.
My husband's brother is my brother in law....squared. And my sister is also my sister in law.
When I run and when I'm trying to sleep is when I come up with my blog post ideas. I am working on a SOA one currently. Because I can.
This conversation just happened. (btw: "stree" is slang on the street for....street...Yeah)
My dumb dog still pees every where. Bed. Couch. Floor.
I put Vaseline on my eye lashes at night before bed. C'mon eye lashes, grow! Damn it!
I love the feel that a lit lamp can give a bedroom.
My husband paints my toes. What? It saves us lots of money!
I believe our lives are a series of events that are meant to be. But we have to be content with not knowing the reason for EVERYTHING that happens to us.
I love the beach. Hate swimming in the ocean.
I love getting new, fun colored, loofah's.
I tried to pierce my sister's ears when we were little. I kinda, sorta got in trouble for that. But I blame the movie, Grease.
I use to have a huge crush on Corey Haim.
I get overly excited and scream with joy when my 3 year old says, "I love you most."
The End.
Mind Blowing, wasn't it??
Friday, November 30, 2012
Been There...Tried That - Part Two
I told you guys I would do a post about the recipes I have taken on in the last month and I am a woman of my word.
*taken on - Please don't be fooled by this statement. Not one single dish was difficult.
With all the countless emails I receive requesting me to fill you in on the numerous new recipes that I take a stab at, I figured it's about time I do that.
I'm just kidding. I don't receive any email regarding food or recipes. I don't get any emails requesting anything actually. Okay, I don't get emails at all. But I've always wanted to put that. Just to feel important for a second. But soon after I wrote it I felt like a fraud. I don't want to be a fraud.
I digress.
I HAVE actually tried a few new dishes and desserts this week. That was not a fraudulent statement. So here's my ever so popular segment : Been There.... Tried That.Also, it's really not popular at all.
So obvs I'm doing all the sweet stuff first. If it wasn't obvious, I'm doing all the sweet stuff first.
Smores Bake - This was really easy and if you can get past the marshmallows you may like it. I'm not a big marshmallow fan, as we discovered on Instagram this week. But my kids don't mind them so much so I thought I would make this while tree decorating and listening to some Christmas tunes. I give it a thumbs up because it was easy, it was definitely tasty and a hit with the kids. But still too much marshmallow for me. Now these puppies (see below) are to die for. They are the perfect mixture of all the glory that goes into a Smore without all the gooey that I don't like . I, personally, have not made them but my girlfriend has and I loved them!!! (Shout Out Erin!!)
You can get the recipe for the Smores Bake here. And the Smore Bars here.
Taco Pizza - So I wanted to make this beautiful, picture worthy, Taco Pizza. But I didn't. I made an "eat-worthy" Taco Pizza. I'll take it. Anytime my kids will eat anything, I will take it. And they ate the heck outta this!! You can find the recipe for this awesome dish here.
Side Note: I would use the size dish pan she used or recommends. I didn't have one so I had to go smaller. (9x13) I believe. So the crust was thicker and I was going for thinner. Also, I didn't add anything except the beans, meat (ground turkey) and cheese. When I cut my serving I added shredded lettuce, hot sauce and jaleps. My kids added hot sauce and sour cream. So you can make it your own. Enjoy!!
Tomato Basil Soup - Only this isn't your average TBS. My favorite is from La Madeline. Like it's the best soup in the world. I have tried to find something comparable. Between other restaurants and the grocery store but, to no avail, always came up short. This is no different. There is still nothing like La Madeline but this soup was definitely delicious. There are a lot of TBS recipes on Pinterest. I picked this one because I wanted something a little more hardy for my family since I was serving it as dinner. The thing is, I didn't make it until this afternoon. I pre-made it for our dinner tonight. (may not have been the best idea since it states to serve immediately) But I did give some to my three year old and he ate it up!! Again, if the little likes it then it's a hit in this house. You could always make it without the pasta and ground turkey. I did try it and I'm looking forward to my dinner tonight!!
Crockpot Pineapple Chicken - I loved this. I love just about anything you can put in a crockpot and leave to cook for the day. I made rice to mix it up with and a side salad and crescent rolls. (And I wonder why I can't lose weight. Pfffft...) Anyways, all the kids loved it too and it was really simple. 4 ingredients and that includes the chicken. You can find the recipe here. Hope you love it as much as my family did!
I have updated my 'Recipe' tab on the home page. You can go straight there to see any of these or any previous recipes I have tried and lived to talk about.
This concludes the 'Been There....Tried That' portion of this post. Hope you all have a great weekend!!
*taken on - Please don't be fooled by this statement. Not one single dish was difficult.
With all the countless emails I receive requesting me to fill you in on the numerous new recipes that I take a stab at, I figured it's about time I do that.
I'm just kidding. I don't receive any email regarding food or recipes. I don't get any emails requesting anything actually. Okay, I don't get emails at all. But I've always wanted to put that. Just to feel important for a second. But soon after I wrote it I felt like a fraud. I don't want to be a fraud.
I digress.
I HAVE actually tried a few new dishes and desserts this week. That was not a fraudulent statement. So here's my ever so popular segment : Been There.... Tried That.
Caramel Cheesecake Apple Dip - I served this at Landon's Birthday party recently. It twas' a hit, I say. And by hit I mean I have never seen so many kids eat so many apples at once. And double dip. I just bought the pre-packaged Apple slices at the grocery store. (the red and green kind) Here is the recipe. It's easy peezy! Don't recommend the lemon squeezy. Unless of course you use fresh apples and want to help them avoid browning. Then use the lemon squeezy.
Bite Size Party Bark - You can find the recipe here for these beauties. But that is all they are to me, Pretty. I love sweet but I had to spit these out. Matter of fact - I'm pretty sure my brother-in-law did too. Or maybe that was everybody. Anyways, these things were super, duper sweet. Like eating a piece of hard sugar dipped in more sugar.
So obvs I'm doing all the sweet stuff first. If it wasn't obvious, I'm doing all the sweet stuff first.Smores Bake - This was really easy and if you can get past the marshmallows you may like it. I'm not a big marshmallow fan, as we discovered on Instagram this week. But my kids don't mind them so much so I thought I would make this while tree decorating and listening to some Christmas tunes. I give it a thumbs up because it was easy, it was definitely tasty and a hit with the kids. But still too much marshmallow for me. Now these puppies (see below) are to die for. They are the perfect mixture of all the glory that goes into a Smore without all the gooey that I don't like . I, personally, have not made them but my girlfriend has and I loved them!!! (Shout Out Erin!!)
You can get the recipe for the Smores Bake here. And the Smore Bars here.
Taco Pizza - So I wanted to make this beautiful, picture worthy, Taco Pizza. But I didn't. I made an "eat-worthy" Taco Pizza. I'll take it. Anytime my kids will eat anything, I will take it. And they ate the heck outta this!! You can find the recipe for this awesome dish here.
Side Note: I would use the size dish pan she used or recommends. I didn't have one so I had to go smaller. (9x13) I believe. So the crust was thicker and I was going for thinner. Also, I didn't add anything except the beans, meat (ground turkey) and cheese. When I cut my serving I added shredded lettuce, hot sauce and jaleps. My kids added hot sauce and sour cream. So you can make it your own. Enjoy!!
Crockpot Pineapple Chicken - I loved this. I love just about anything you can put in a crockpot and leave to cook for the day. I made rice to mix it up with and a side salad and crescent rolls. (And I wonder why I can't lose weight. Pfffft...) Anyways, all the kids loved it too and it was really simple. 4 ingredients and that includes the chicken. You can find the recipe here. Hope you love it as much as my family did!
I have updated my 'Recipe' tab on the home page. You can go straight there to see any of these or any previous recipes I have tried and lived to talk about.
This concludes the 'Been There....Tried That' portion of this post. Hope you all have a great weekend!!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing....This actually has nothing to do with this post. However, now that I have Googled it quite thoroughly, I made need to take the time to watch this movie.
I will start over.
This is a compilation of my randoms. You're very welcome.
My Thanksgiving was wonderful, thank you for asking. I did not eat enough though. Days later I wished that I had eaten more. Or taken left overs home. Something. I did burn myself on the delicious and very hot green bean casserole. That numbness stayed with me for a few days and was a nice reminder of how badly I wanted more.
My mom bought the small olives for the appetizer. Therefore, there was no fun eating olives off my fingers. No, not this year. Tragic, I know.
Remember that kidney infection I had back in August. Yeah, my insurance company is still contending with me to settle it. Seriously. It was not a pre-existing condition. P.S. I hate you. (Not YOU, the insurance
company)
I loathe this weather. It's so ridiculous. So not fall like. Which only means winter will, yet again, skip right over us. I know this opinion isn't shared by everyone. But the people that I do share this with keep me comforted. Allison, I thank you for the "future forecast" text. It has done wonders for keeping my hope alive.
The word LOATHE is stupid. Necessary at times but still STUPID.
In years past, we would normally let our children decorate the tree all on their own. The ritual was that after their bed time I would usually rearrange all the ornaments in an orderly fashion so that my tree didn't look like it threw up all the ornaments in one place. This year, however, the ritual changed. This Holiday Season, my husbands' OCD only compelled him to move a few and these were mostly all of Landon's doing. At the front, on the bottom, three ornaments to one tree branch. Obviously a necessity. Otherwise, I don't know if I'm more proud of myself for not rearranging anything or my kids for decorating the tree with a purpose. I give this year's tree decorating ceremony two thumbs up.
I have four more gifts to get and I will be done with my Christmas shopping. Four. I can hear your applause from a distance. It's very satisfying.
Yesterday, while we were at the doctors office, a stranger came over and started making conversation with Ella and Landon. It was weird. She then proceeded to sit on the ground and teach Ella how to multiply by 9's. The weirdness continued. She heard Ella say that she was going to write a story. Stranger wanted to know every detail in her story, like putting Ella on the spot because she hadn't thought that through yet. And just when I thought she would never go away, she said that she had an appointment with her therapist. Of course at that point, it all made sense.
I am registered for two different 5ks!! As excited as I am about this I also believe it will be very anti-climatic. I always pictured my loved ones being at the finish line with a big bottle of water, hugging me and congratulating me on my success. Maybe even some tears. But I run more than a "5-k" distance at least three times a week. This really isn't going to be an accomplishment for me. More like a "Yay!! I got a t-shirt and a runners bib! Go Me!" And the 2nd 5-K, well that's so crowded and colorful I hear you can't even run it because everyone is stopping to get sprayed with color. I mean obviously I will be doing this very thing. I watched the Color Run video again last night, I don't care if I run it, walk it or crawl it - I am so looking forward to this event!!!
I'm going to start training for a 10k. Soon. Very soon. By soon I mean after the New Year. Just so we are clear.
I have tried three new recipes from Pinterest this week. I will be posting about them later. Be excited. Be very excited.
My Mom bought my daughter,Ella, tickets for the Taylor Swift concert. We have decided to give them to her for Christmas. This is torture. I can't even freaking wait to see her face when she gets this gift!! She is going to looooooove it!!
You know when you are uber thrilled about giving your kids a gift that you think they are going to love just to have their reaction fall flat and not meet your expectation at all? Total Bummer.
So you know that Christmas Party that I got so worked up about for my Husbands work? Well now Husband doesn't know if we are attending. Mostly because he doesn't want to have to buy me anymore clothes for anymore special occasions. Is it my fault that his company called for a business attire? Absolutely not. So I may have nothing to report about. What I will tell you is that if my sweet Husband waits until the last minute to tell me we are going just to have me frantic about what I need to find to wear, I may kill Husband.
Later Gators
I will start over.
This is a compilation of my randoms. You're very welcome.
My Thanksgiving was wonderful, thank you for asking. I did not eat enough though. Days later I wished that I had eaten more. Or taken left overs home. Something. I did burn myself on the delicious and very hot green bean casserole. That numbness stayed with me for a few days and was a nice reminder of how badly I wanted more.
My mom bought the small olives for the appetizer. Therefore, there was no fun eating olives off my fingers. No, not this year. Tragic, I know.
Remember that kidney infection I had back in August. Yeah, my insurance company is still contending with me to settle it. Seriously. It was not a pre-existing condition. P.S. I hate you. (Not YOU, the insurance
company)
I loathe this weather. It's so ridiculous. So not fall like. Which only means winter will, yet again, skip right over us. I know this opinion isn't shared by everyone. But the people that I do share this with keep me comforted. Allison, I thank you for the "future forecast" text. It has done wonders for keeping my hope alive.
The word LOATHE is stupid. Necessary at times but still STUPID.
In years past, we would normally let our children decorate the tree all on their own. The ritual was that after their bed time I would usually rearrange all the ornaments in an orderly fashion so that my tree didn't look like it threw up all the ornaments in one place. This year, however, the ritual changed. This Holiday Season, my husbands' OCD only compelled him to move a few and these were mostly all of Landon's doing. At the front, on the bottom, three ornaments to one tree branch. Obviously a necessity. Otherwise, I don't know if I'm more proud of myself for not rearranging anything or my kids for decorating the tree with a purpose. I give this year's tree decorating ceremony two thumbs up.
I have four more gifts to get and I will be done with my Christmas shopping. Four. I can hear your applause from a distance. It's very satisfying.
Yesterday, while we were at the doctors office, a stranger came over and started making conversation with Ella and Landon. It was weird. She then proceeded to sit on the ground and teach Ella how to multiply by 9's. The weirdness continued. She heard Ella say that she was going to write a story. Stranger wanted to know every detail in her story, like putting Ella on the spot because she hadn't thought that through yet. And just when I thought she would never go away, she said that she had an appointment with her therapist. Of course at that point, it all made sense.
I am registered for two different 5ks!! As excited as I am about this I also believe it will be very anti-climatic. I always pictured my loved ones being at the finish line with a big bottle of water, hugging me and congratulating me on my success. Maybe even some tears. But I run more than a "5-k" distance at least three times a week. This really isn't going to be an accomplishment for me. More like a "Yay!! I got a t-shirt and a runners bib! Go Me!" And the 2nd 5-K, well that's so crowded and colorful I hear you can't even run it because everyone is stopping to get sprayed with color. I mean obviously I will be doing this very thing. I watched the Color Run video again last night, I don't care if I run it, walk it or crawl it - I am so looking forward to this event!!!
I'm going to start training for a 10k. Soon. Very soon. By soon I mean after the New Year. Just so we are clear.
I have tried three new recipes from Pinterest this week. I will be posting about them later. Be excited. Be very excited.
My Mom bought my daughter,Ella, tickets for the Taylor Swift concert. We have decided to give them to her for Christmas. This is torture. I can't even freaking wait to see her face when she gets this gift!! She is going to looooooove it!!
You know when you are uber thrilled about giving your kids a gift that you think they are going to love just to have their reaction fall flat and not meet your expectation at all? Total Bummer.
So you know that Christmas Party that I got so worked up about for my Husbands work? Well now Husband doesn't know if we are attending. Mostly because he doesn't want to have to buy me anymore clothes for anymore special occasions. Is it my fault that his company called for a business attire? Absolutely not. So I may have nothing to report about. What I will tell you is that if my sweet Husband waits until the last minute to tell me we are going just to have me frantic about what I need to find to wear, I may kill Husband.
Later Gators
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