Thank You Mom

This is a public shout out to my mama...

Thank you mom...

For being my friend.
For your words of encouragement.
For your wisdom.
For understanding me.
For loving me.
For caring for me.
For imparting your Biblical knowledge to me.
For praying for me.
For praying with me.
For talking me "down" when I'm anxious or afraid.
For giving me grace when I mess up.
For listening to me.
For reminding me that I'm a child of the Most High God.

Thank you mom for everything.

Spare Room Dilemma

If there is one thing about this house that I wish I could change, it would be the closet and storage space. We literally have ONE spare closet in our entire house and it's under the stairs, so as you can imagine, it's not a walk in closet and space is limited to the ceiling slope of the stairs above it. People, we don't even have a linen closet. And... our pantry doubles as our laundry room. We truly are cramped for storage space.

We have a spare bedroom, but the people who built this house, decided to make the room function as an office and they didn't feel the need to have a closet put into the spare room. What?! Who doesn't put a closet in a room, in a house that is already lacking in closet space?

But, I digress...sort've...

Here's my dilemma:

We have this spare room on the first floor of our house. I want to convert it to a storage/craft room/computer room, but Randy is concerned that if we do that, we would lose the spare bedroom functionality.

Of course, that is a concern of mine too, but the reality is, we have visitors (our parents) in our home about 3-4x a year (or approximately 6-8 days out of 365). The other 357 days, the spare bedroom/craft room looks like this...
I cannot keep this room organized for several reasons!

1.) The girls use this room for their art projects and crafts. They don't clean up their messes very well. That's fine, I'm okay with that. I want them to be able to have fun with their projects and not worry about creating a mess.

2.) The second reason is because this room has become a "catch all" room and it's hard to organize/clean an area that is designated as the catch all room.

We talked about a getting a Murphy Bed, but they are over $1K for a decent one. Air mattress is out of the question because our folks can't sleep on the floor. Giving up our room to our parents when they visit is not even worth arguing over with Randy... So, you see? I'm stuck with a queen sized bed in a small closet-less bedroom.

If I had my way, this is what my storage/craft room would look like minus the sink & washer/dryer:

I also like this set up, but it's more scrapbook/craft oriented, but I like the built-in countertops:

I love this storage area and we have something very similar from IKEA, but I don't envision our stuff being as neatly arranged and organized as this:

And of course, I love this storage set up... but not for pantry food items:

So, a quick question... what are your thoughts?

• Ditch the spare and go for storage?
• Or, compromise and do both (better and more efficiently)?

I only nag you, because I want you to be happy

Several night ago, Randy and I were lying in bed talking and I wrapped up my portion of the conversation by saying, "I only nag you (about this) because I want you to be happy."

Oh, did he get a laugh out of that one. And really, I wasn't trying to be funny. It was totally and completely appropriate in the context of our conversation. Or, so I thought.

Whatever my intent and purpose was, he found it hilarious. He called it "deep woman logic" that was "simple, yet complex" and made complete and utter sense to him in his quest for understanding me.

What? Oh no! Part of the mystery and intrigue that surrounds me is the fact that Randy does not fully understand me. What have I done? Did I spill the beans on myself? On all woman-kind? Have I ruined it for everyone?

I relent. It's true. I nag, because I want everyone to be happy. Or, at least, my brand of happiness.

So, when you hear me nag my husband, nag my girls or nag my friends, it's only because of the love I have in my heart.

[Sigh...]

Blog Brain Dump

It's that time again... time for a "Blog Brain Dump - PMS Version"

So, today marks 6 days without my kids. And thanks to my husband, we'll be picking them up on Sunday, not Saturday, as originally intended. I nearly broke down in tears last night when he was making plans with his dad. I want my kids back now. Like yesterday.

I had such grandiose cleaning aspirations while they were gone this week. I have checked off about 3/4 of my to-do list, but unfortunately, I've left the hard stuff for today and (now... see above) tomorrow. I did manage to clean out, clear out and remove a vast amount of clutter from the girls' rooms including, but not limited to, clothing and hoarded bits of paper, trinkets and trash.

I figure since Elisan will be turning 9 in several weeks, this will probably be one of the last times I will be able to get into her room and go through it freely without her crying foul. Don't get me wrong, she still lives in my house and I'll have access to her room... but, with wailing and gnashing of teeth, of course.

I had dinner with one of my dearest friends on Wednesday and she also has two girls. During the course of our conversation, she asked me, "So, does Elisan know who Justin Bieber is?" I told her I only know who he is because the radio DJ's were talking about him, otherwise, no... no one on our family is familiar with him, his face or his music. She looked at me and said, "How is that possible?" I dunno... probably because we don't listen to his music, watch television where he is featured and Elisan's best friend is Kyla, who, incidentally, is also my child.

I gathered from her expression that she was impressed that we've managed to stay out of the loop for so long. I'm hoping it stays that way, but something tells me that 4th grade will be an entirely new ball of wax. Sigh...

Speaking of television, Randy has the girls hooked on "The A-Team". Ah, yes... I recall watching The A-Team when I was a little kid. That show is so lame. How we ever thought it was cool and exciting is beyond me. But, my kids love it and it is pretty harmless,... aside from the fact that "Face" tends to kiss all the pretty girls each week. Both girls agree that Face is their favorite character. I know why they like him, but Elisan is a little more coy in her response. "He's funny" she says. But, not Kyla... she's say, "Because he's cute!" I have a live one on my hands.

I guess I'd rather them watch "The A-Team" versus teen situation comedies where parents are portrayed as clueless and dumb. At least I can stomach "The A-Team" much better.

Tonight is date night with Randy. And now, since we're not going to pick up the girls until Sunday, Saturday is also date night. We're going to eat sushi tonight and then tomorrow, who knows... I'm open to suggestions though...

So, I think that is all for now. I still have plenty of stuff to talk about, but I figure this post is long enough. My attention span is already maxed out.

Happy Friday!

Shredded Pork

It's true... shredded pork is so versatile! And, the added benefit, pork roasts aren't nearly as expensive as beef.

I usually buy a shoulder pork roast. The price ranges anywhere from $6-$7. Since I am roasting it, I'm not particularly interested in fancy cuts or varieties. A plain 'ol shoulder roast will do.



I generously season with the roast with coarse ground pepper and sea salt. Toss in a few bay leaves, pour in a cup or two of water, cover it with the lid and place in the oven at 350 degrees. I let the roast cook for several hours. Once it's cooked, I'll remove the roast from the oven and let it rest until it is cool enough to handle. (Discard bay leaves.)



Then, I shred it with two forks until it is looks like this. I don't shred it ultra-fine. I just shred it enough to have nice big chunks that allow me to portion the roast into smaller containers. I usually get about 3 family size portions from each roast.

Here are a few ways I use shredded pork:

• Pork Soft Tacos w/verde sauce
• Hatch Soup (add shredded pork for a heartier soup)
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches (add a bit of BBQ sauce)
• Enchiladas (w/verde or red sauce)

Enjoy!

Best Deal of the Year!

Check out my Goodwill Gal blog to read up on the "BEST DEAL OF THE YEAR!"

What's a mom to do?

Guess what I'm doing this week? Or, better yet... guess what my kids are doing this week?

They are with their grandparents for the week, which means... WHICH MEANS... I'm home, sans kids. And here's the kicker. This is the first time I've been alone in this house, without kids for this extended amount of time in my life.

Sure, they've visited their grandparents for a week before, but we've always had something going on too. Like the cruise we took several years ago, or part-time work, or Randy was home and we were doing projects around the house. Or, Elisan was the only child to go out of town, because Kyla was still too young... You get the gist.

This is the first time I've been without kids for this extended amount of time in my life. IN. MY. LIFE.

So, what am I doing? I know you are dying to see how fabulous I really am...

I am cleaning. Yep. Fascinating, isn't it? Cleaning, de-cluttering (again), reorganizing AND hoping to make some serious headway while I'm at it. I'm going to buy fancy new storage bins that actually fit in our teeny tiny closets and begin the act of organizing. I'm going to throw out stuff that has long ago wore out it's welcome. I'm going to bag up clothes that I've kept in the 'off chance' I will get fat (again) and hand them over to a local consignment store. I'm going to go through the year's worth of school papers and art projects and ditch 90% of it. Yes! I'm on a mission.

But, there's a problem. I think I'm too optimistic that this will all get done this week. But, lucky me, the girls will be spending a week with their other set of grandparents in July, so I'll get the chance to finish up my big household sweep then... that is, if I don't finish this week.

I do plan to do something fun this week. I plan on seeing a matinee this week - maybe Thursday and I'm having dinner with one of my friends Wednesday night. And don't forget about the loads and loads of time that Randy and I get to spend together while the kids are away. I think he's even taking me on a date Friday night!

So, don't cry for me. It's not a completely boring week of cleaning.

Battle of the hair wash

Two weekends ago we had an incident at our house that I was SURE would not repeat itself.

Every Saturday afternoon, we take the girls out to eat and run errands. This particular Saturday, the girls took their baths before we departed because they were extra dirty from a day's worth of outdoor play.

Kyla took her shower, got dressed and came downstairs to get her hair brushed and fixed. I literally could not pull a brush through her hair. Upon careful inspection and a quick sniff test, I realized that she had not washed her hair. Oh... she stood in the shower for 10 minutes, but did not in fact wash her hair. After a 2 minute stand off with her denying the allegations that she did not wash her hair, she finally confessed that she indeed had not washed her hair and had no idea why she did not.

Randy told me to let it go, because she eventually told the truth and it wasn't that big of a deal.

Fast forward to last night...she takes her bath and I tell her to get the brush so we can brush it out and lo & behold... she did not wash her hair AGAIN! After another 2 minute standoff, she admitted to not washing it. However, this time, she received a punishment. Last night, she had to go to bed 30 minutes early and without dessert.

OH. MY. GOODNESS. She cried and cried and cried. She cried all through dinner, she cried until bedtime and she cried for 30 minutes after we put her to bed. I definitely nailed her "currency" with this punishment.

I'm thinking she won't do that again. Let's hope not, anyway.

Goodwill Shopping Day!

A few weeks ago, my friend Heather decided to organize a Goodwill Shopping Day. Of course I was on board and I couldn't wait to head out to the stores! So, yesterday was THE day and we had a great time.

Heather and I know each other from church and have many mutual friends, but we've never had the opportunity to hang out together. It was fun getting to know her a bit better and realize that we have A LOT in common. Aside from loving a good deal at any type of thrift or resale store, we both are stay at home moms with common values in how we raise our kids. She's also a type A personality which is always a good pairing for this type A personality!

We ended up stopping at two Goodwill stores and the Salvation Army. Heather had never been to the Salvation Army, so it was great to introduce her to the 1/2 price deals of SA.

Heather got some great deals on school uniforms for her daughter who will be starting Kindergarten this year. She also found several really cute outfits for her youngest daughter who is almost two. She also scored some really great clothing items for herself.

I found a variety of items and ended up spending less than $30 the entire day.

• Banana Republic tank
• 2 New Balance sport bras
• Nike skort and soccer shirt for soccer practice
• 5 books
  
• Littlest Pet Shop playhouse
• Ron Jon Surf Shop boogie board

It was a fun day and Heather and I agreed that we will need to set up another Goodwill Hunting shopping day soon.

Organized Mom

Okay, y'all... it's true that I have friends who wonder how I do it. Do what? Do IT... this thing called mothering and housewiving... and continue to do it on time, on a schedule and make it seem effortless and so organized... Hah! Yeah, right.

Seriously, though... I am an organized mom. Things might not be effortless, but being organized sure makes it look that way.

Last week, I read an article that described ME (as a mom/wife) perfectly. I'm not sharing this article to say.... "oh, oh! Look at me!", but rather to give you insight on what this author deems an organized mom. (Some of you may enjoy this article, others may want to stick your finger down your throat and make gag noises. That's fine too. Whatever works for you and your family, right?)

Here's the article link, but I've copied and pasted it for you here.

The Organized Mom

by Beverly Frank

A mom often wears many hats, taxi driver, cook, housekeeper, bread-winner, shoulder to cry on, and more. So, how does mom juggle it all? The following are six secrets of organized moms to help make things easier:

1. Routines. Organized moms serve dinner at the same time each night, have strict bed times, have after school routines with homework and socializing. If you want to be an organized mom, you have to have a routine you stick to. This might mean that you get your child up at the same time each day, and expect them to get dressed and make their bed before they come in to breakfast. You may have a few different routines, such as your morning routine, your after school and evening routine, and your weekend routine. A routine helps you, the mom, keep things on track, and helps your children to know what to expect, and what is expected of them.

2. Meal plans. Organized moms do not spend extra time in the grocery store, or standing in front of the refrigerator trying to determine what to prepare that night. Organized moms take a few minutes once a week to create a meal plan for the week. Monday: Soup, Tuesday: Chicken, Wednesday: Pizza, Thursday: Hamburgers, and the list goes on. The idea is that if you know what you are going to make you can be prepared throughout the day. For example, if you are going to roast a chicken for dinner, you will need to get it out of the freezer in the morning in order for it to be defrosted by dinner time.

3. Rules. Organized moms have rules or guidelines for their families. They may be simple like dinner is at 5:30. Or they may be more complex like, no friends, television, or snacking until your homework is completed. A mom can’t keep the whole family organized without some participation, so rules, and guidelines are helpful. Make them clear, and enforce them.

4. Time off. An organized mom does not let herself get overly stressed, or overwhelmed because she knows when to say no, when to de-stress, and when to take a break. She knows that when she is starting to lose her cool, that letting dad take the kids to McDonald’s rather than fixing a nice meal, is sometimes better, even if it is not the healthiest option. The organized mom knows when she needs a break, and figures out how to take one.

5. Organized home. The organized mom has an organized home. She creates a place for everything so that school mornings are not spent hastily trying to find shoes, backpacks, pens that work, etc. Instead, everything has a place, and the kids know where things go, and contribute by being sure to put their backpack on the hook, in the cubby, or whatever the case may be, the night before.

6. Back-up plans. Organized moms always plan ahead, and prepare for the worst. They carry a spare outfit, some cash, and phone numbers of friends and family, just in case. They take things in stride. So, for example, if your tire goes flat while driving, and it is your day to do carpool, the organized mom has the numbers of the other carpool moms on hand, and knows which ones can typically swap days. So, have a back up plan.

Beverly is a stay-at-home mom and writer. For more parenting tips, visit http://www.surfnetparents.com.

Great gift idea!

Several years ago, I purchased a great gift for Randy for his birthday. With Father's Day coming up, I thought I'd pass it along!

I bought him a weather station. I know... sounds cheesy, but trust me, he has gotten more enjoyment and use out of it than I ever expected.

Anyway, there are many, many styles and price ranges to choose from. I bought ours on eBay, but I've seen them on Amazon.com, Cabela's, Home Depot, etc.

If you have a great Father's Day gift idea, share it in the comment section!

Next time, she won't miss

Last night, as the girls were heading upstairs to brush their teeth for bed, we heard a faint wailing from the bathroom. It was Kyla.

Next thing we knew, Elisan was bounding down the stairs to tell us what had happened. She said, "Kyla hurt her hand. She was trying to spank my booty, but missed. She hit the door instead."

By this time, Kyla's faint wailing, turned into full blown loud and obnoxious wailing. Randy called out to Kyla, "Kyla, what's wrong?"

She wails/says, "I hurt my hand." (Notice no mention on how she hurt her hand.)

As I'm heading up the stairs I ask her, "But how did you hurt your hand?"

She is standing on the stairs waiting for me in full wail regalia , "I hit the door with my hand."

I say, "But how? Why did you hit the door?"

She (finally) wails, "I was trying to spank Elisan's booty and I missed! Wahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

I pick her up and she's inconsolable. Randy notices her hand is red and puffy. She really meant to punch Elisan's booty, not spank it! Randy then tells her, "Next time, try not to miss and you won't hurt your hand."

In her teeny voice, she says, "Okay, Daddy."

Blog Brain Dump

I think Blog Brain Dump is going to be a regularly featured "topic" on my blog. I think by making it official, I don't have to feel bad about it.

Onward and upward...

So, a while back my shopping savvy friend Leigh Ann (from now on will be referred to as LA... it's just easier) told me about TERVIS TUMBLERS. I had never heard of them. They are double insulated plastic cups that according to LA, keep your cold drinks cold and your hot drinks hot. She said she also loves to give them as gifts because of their functionality and cute appeal. I had to check them out, because I'm always in the market for cute disguised as functional. She said that Bed Bath & Beyond sells them and that she uses the 20% off coupon when she buys them. I walked into BB&B and there they were, front and center, displayed in a section that you see as soon as you walk in. Tervis Tumblers in their clear plastic double insulated glory. But, here's the deal... They are pricey. A set of four tumblers is $40ish and to buy individually, they are roughly $12-$15 - depending on style. So, I didn't buy one.

Imagine my surprise when I walked into TJ Maxx the other day and saw this. It's NOT a Tervis Tumbler, but it's a stinkin' close knock off and it was only $3.99. Sold! And while it is not a Tervis Tumbler, it is awesome. It keeps my drinks super cold for hours. It's my new favorite drinking cup.

Last week marked our first outing to the pool. Y'all, I'm going to try not to complain about the droves of people who show up at the gate wanting to be let in because they "forgot" their key. Honestly, some of the teenagers that stand at the door don't even bother with the whole, "I forgot my key" story anymore. They just stand there until someone walks out or walks into the pool area. Sigh... Okay, that's my first and last complaint (publicly) about this issue. Cleary, I'm offended, but apparently no one enforces the rules, so being mad about it is only hurting me.

But, here's a cute picture of my girls enjoying their first official swim!

It's that time of year again... birthday party plans are underway for Little Miss Elisan. She (with my subtle influence) has decided to have a "Luau" party theme. Oh, and wow... The Dollar Tree and Hobby Lobby have a ton of Luau stuff out right now.... who would've thought?

So, anyway, we bought a few key pieces at Hobby Lobby and filler stuff at The Dollar Tree and now we have the makings of a really cute party! Here's a picture of the items we bought at Hobby Lobby.


And because I love to make the girls' invitations on Photoshop, I decided to re-create a set of graphics to match this design.


And here's how the invitation looks! I just love this and Elisan thinks it's so cool!


This is really random and comes from outta no-where, but I've been witness to some Facebook bullying over the weekend. It's so sad to see and it makes me feel awful. Because one of the people being bullied is a family member close to me, I've decided to "un-friend" the other family members who have been doing the bullying. Yes... you read that right... family members. I never in my ENTIRE life thought that my family members would stoop so low as to publicly defame another family member in a public forum like Facebook. It's so juvenile, that it is almost laughable, except that it hits close to home. And the kicker? These family members are OLDER than me. Yes... OLDER, more "mature" adults. It's just... sad.

My family member has asked me to not get involved and stoop to their level, which I have agreed to, thus the reason why I "un-friended" them. But, I just had to get it out somewhere...here?... how ridiculous it is. So, there. I feel better.

Ahem...

And so, I leave you with this picture of my girls. The skirt and shorts they are wearing were purchased from Goodwill. I blogged about it on my Goodwill Gal blog last week! I just think they look so cute!

Through a Mom's Eye

So, the last two weeks Randy has been out of town on business, which means... I get to watch whatever television I want. So one night, while perusing the cable guide, I noticed that the movie "Dirty Dancing" was showing and I decided to record it.

Here's a bit of back story about "Dirty Dancing"... This movie was banned from my house growing up as a kid. The movie came out in 1987, so I was 15 years old. A freshman in high school. Well, of course, I was going to watch it the very first chance I could and I did. (Sorry Mom...) I remember getting my hands on it (somehow) and watching a rented VHS copy of it one weekend while my parents were out of town on a fishing trip. I recall loving the movie way back when. I laughed, I cried... it moved me. The soundtrack was fabulous and I can't hear "I've Had the Time of My Life" or "She's Like The Wind" without thinking fondly of Johnny & Baby.

So, I was excited to watch "Dirty Dancing" last week, without interruption (or sneaking around), in the privacy of my own home. Let me just say... wow. Watching this movie through a mother's eyes now... well, it's just wow. I can certainly understand why this movie was banned from my house when I was a blossoming teenager. The (well..um... dirty) dancing made me blush, the story line with the botched abortion, references to one-night stands and of course, Baby and Johnny's many (many) sex scenes...well, it was just... shocking to me... As.An.Adult!

I have honestly never watched any of the newer television shows that focus on teens and young adult situations like "The O.C.", "The Hills" or whatever... But I can only imagine the content is much more racier than what I saw on "Dirty Dancing" (now and way back when, in 1987!)

That, people... scares me. Yes, it does.

So lately, I've been going back and forth in my mind about my "purpose" in this world and what I am contributing to the planet as a human being living for Jesus Christ. But, you know... it seems like it is becoming more and more clear to me that my "purpose" - at least for now - is to:

• Raise my girls to be LIGHTS to this world!
• Raise my girls to be beautiful on the inside!
• Raise my girls to be lovers of Jesus Christ, not of this world!
• Raise my girls to know about true love... real love... not the "love" they see on television!

Being a mom of two girls, IS my purpose. It is my mission.

And weirdly enough, sometimes it takes a little bit of "Dirty Dancing" for me to see what my purpose is.

No one has ever accused me of having a green thumb!

This year, the girls and I decided we needed a garden in our backyard. I did not want to be too ambitious in our endeavor, so I settled for two varieties tomato plants, a jalapeno plant, a strawberry plant, basil and rosemary. We have enjoyed watching our little plants grow and Kyla especially enjoys plucking the tomatoes off the vine in the evening.

I do have to admit though, about 3 weeks ago I very nearly killed each and every plant we had out there. I mixed up a solution of dish soap and water for a mild spray detergent to get rid of bugs and I ended up burning the leaves on my plants. So much so, I had to trim back all but ONE of the leaves on my jalapeno plant. I had to trim about 1/3 of the leaves on my tomato plants as well.

Thankfully, my little plants have much more resilience than I gave them credit for, because they are once again flourishing. Notice the new leaf growth on my jalapeno?

(That yellow stuff around the plants is cornmeal to help keep the ants away)

Unfortunately, I have not had any success with my strawberries. Oh, the plant is producing a lot of fruit... but, as you can see, the strawberries are a wee bit small!


Elisan has enjoyed the garden so much this year, she wanted to plant some more tomatoes. So, we started some seedlings in the house to transplant later on. Not sure they will do anything since it is so late (and hot!), but we can definitely try.


And finally, I leave you with this little guy. I saw him in the grass by the house the other day. I see these caterpillars everywhere! If you look close enough, you can see these furry little guys scurry across the streets in the cool of the morning. These little caterpillars can move fast! I think they will be moths, but I'm not certain.

Southwestern Salad

I love this time of year when eating a salad for dinner feels "right". You know what I mean?

Anyway, I found this recipe online and as usual I tweeked it a bit to suit my family's taste buds.

Southwestern Salad

• Romain Lettuce
• Tomato (diced)
• Red Onion (sliced)
• Black Olives
• 1 can black beans (rinsed)
• 1 can corn (rinsed)
• 2-3 grilled chicken breasts (diced)

Dressing:

• Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dressing (store bought variety - or make your own)
• 1-2 Chipotle peppers
• Cilantro
  

Blend dressing, cilantro and peppers in blender until smooth.

Note: I like to toss and coat the lettuce in the dressing before I add in the additional toppings. I place the lettuce in a large plastic container and add a tablespoon of dressing. I cover the container and shake it all around. If necessary, I add more dressing. I end up using less dressing this way, which helps cut down on the calories!

Enjoy!


Oh, and yes... that's a pie plate. We find it works better than a regular plate! (Yes, rednecks... I know.)