Wafflepalooza

I don’t cook much.

OK, I really don’t cook at all.

BUT I can make a mean waffle.  Waffles at our house are a major food group.  They take special priority and can occasionally be found at the dinner table.

*gasp!*

It isn’t all bad.  The boys enjoy applesauce or a fruit topping on the first one and then the syrup comes out for all to enjoy.  They really are good.

A few Christmases ago a family member gave us the fancy barnyard waffle maker.  I figure that protein is implied when the kids are eating cows and chickens.  The gift is well used.  It probably is used more than my oven.

The waffle recipe I use is originally from the Oster Belgian Waffle maker I received for my wedding 17 years ago.  I have tried a lot of other recipes, but this is by far my favorite:

LIGHT ‘N CRISP WAFFLES

2 egg yolks

2 cups milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Preheat the waffle maker.  I separate the eggs placing the whites into a small mixing bowl and the yolks into a large mixing bowl.  I add all the other ingredients to the large mixing bowl.  I pull out my hand mixer and first whip up the eggs until fluffy.  Then mix the other ingredients with the hand mixer until they are combined.  I then fold in the egg whites with a spatula.

That is it!  Pour the batter into the waffle maker…

Mmmmmm.

Dinner? is served.*

*also works well for breakfast!

When Holly isn’t trying to pass off breakfast food as dinner to her family, she is at June Cleaver Nirvana.

Divine Connection: Unplugging

For bone-weary Burb Moms who need to recollect themselves and reconnect with the Divine.

This week’s encouragement is to practice the spiritual discipline of unplugging. Did you know ”unplugging” was a spiritual discipline? That’s what we call it these days but it addresses the universal and timeless need to recollect our senses and our selves from “out there” to ”in here” where me and God live. It takes the first step of recollection by removing the distractions, the biggest obstacles God would have to climb over to get your attention. In my life it means I literally need to unplug…from the internet, email, Facebook, online games, and dare I say even Burb Moms. (It’ll be ok. It’s only for a time. We can get through this.)

I thought it important to address this now because we are in the season of family vacations. This offers a wonderful opportunity to unplug and to strengthen many virtues. Right now I sit in front of open suitcases that will miraculously be packed and loaded in the car for a departure in less than 8 hours. I know you’ve been there, so I know you’ll understand when I say we take more than just our visible baggage when we go with family to visit family. Sister, if life is ever going to present you with an opportunity to practice unplugging and recollecting yourself, a car trip with children is it! A visit to the in-laws you say? Going to visit your own family? You’ve got a family member who knows where all your buttons are? Heaven help us, we need a spiritual survival guide! Yes, it is often easier to distract ourselves or our children with technology but unplugging creates space to have face-to-face human interaction and an opportunity to make a Divine Connection.

Here’s a method of recollecting yourself I teach people who are going through anxious times. When you are so upset you can’t calm down enough to pray, sit comfortably in a chair and take a few deep breaths. Maybe a method of self-comfort like rubbing your earlobes or progressively tightening and then relaxing your muscles will help you center and remind you everything will be ok. Then, lean with your elbows on your knees and try to pray. Turn the palms of your hands up toward God as you pray. When troubling or distracting thoughts come, turn the palms of your hands toward the ground letting your wrists hang limp. Imagine the thoughts running down your fingertips into the ground. When you’ve dumped them, turn your palms and your attention back to God. You may need to release many thoughts into the ground initially but soon, because you’ve addressed them, your mind will be freed from the clamoring of emotion and God can enter in and comfort your soul. God offers real comfort, better than a phone call to a friend or an online distraction.

Mark Thibodeaux has a great book called “God I Have Issues: 50 Ways to Pray No Matter How You Feel”. Each section is titled by an emotion you’re experiencing, i.e. judgemental, unforgiving, angry, sad, etc. His section titled “Family” begins with this verse: “When his own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost his senses.” (Mark 3:21)  You ever get that kind of treatment from your family? Please don’t lose your senses this vacation season. By unplugging you are able to be fully present and uninterrupted in your interactions with God and others. You’ll be amazed at what more you can see–be it the real need behind a person’s behavior so you can pray they receive that grace–or the places where you contribute to the problem so you can pray for grace of your own. You might even see where God is moving in a person’s life, even yours. I pray that in your practice of unplugging, you catch a glimpse of the Divine backside and make a Divine Connection.

Fuel kids for summer fun and fitness

 

Ads for fast foods, snack foods, sweetened cereals and sugary drinks are frequently blamed for fueling the obesity epidemic among kids in the U. S.  But a Federal Trade Commission study found these might not be the culprits they’re made out to be.  Using Nielsen Monitor-Plus/Nielsen Media Research data, the researchers determined children’s exposure to television advertising.

Of the 25,600 TV ads 2 to 11 year old children see in a year, only 5,500 (22%) are food ads, 9% fewer than kids saw in 1977.  The majority (78%) are for non-food products with 43% promoting sedentary activity: ads for TV programs, screen/audio entertainment, games, toys and hobbies.  Ads that encourage kids to be active, like those for sports and exercise equipment, make up for less than 1% of ads kids see.

Summer can pose extra challenges for parents in encouraging healthy habits for kids.  In fact, an Ohio State University found that children gain more weight in the summer than during the school year.  But parents can help their children eat healthfully and burn more calories while out of school by using a few simple strategies:

Snack Smart

Stock the refrigerator and pantry with baked or low fat chips, pretzels and crackers; lower fat cookies like vanilla wafers, graham crackers and Fig Newtons; fresh, frozen or small cans of fruit; baby carrots; low fat cheese like mozzarella string cheese; low fat yogurt, pudding cups, ice cream and frozen yogurt.

Pare Portions

To keep portions under control buy the 100-calorie packages of cookies and crackers (Oreo, Chips Ahoy and Cheese Nips Thin Crisps, Ritz Snack Mix); 4-ounce pudding, ice cream and fruit cups; and 1-ounce bags of pretzels and baked chips.  Or use the big packages and create your own kid-size snacks by filling small plastic zip bags with baby carrots, grapes, watermelon chunks, animal crackers, pretzels or low-fat popcorn.

Fill up on Fluid

Hot summer days make it even more important for kids to get plenty of fluid to keep hydrated, at least 8 to 10 cups a day including those at meals.  Contrary to popular belief research shows that all beverages, even those with caffeine, are just as hydrating as water.  Studies also find that children drink 45% to 50% more liquid when it’s flavored, so offer them beverages they enjoy.  Options include small bottles of juice, soft drinks in 100-calorie cans, and low-fat plain or chocolate milk, or, for kids who need to watch calories, diet soft drinks or fruit flavored bottled water.

Add Activity

Summer is a great time to get the whole family active.  Instead of watching TV or playing video games, encourage kids to get outside and play in the yard or park, swim at the pool, walk the dog, ride a bike, or play tennis, golf and baseball.  When planning your vacation, consider active ones like camping, hiking, water skiing or sightseeing trips that require lots of walking.

So don’t let this summer go to your family’s “waist.”  There’s no better time to be active together, plan, shop and prepare meals together and all get on track for a healthier future.

Road Trip Tips for Summer (or anytime of the year)

Summer is fast approaching and with that means road trips and camping–or maybe it means you want to take a road trip or go camping, but something is keeping you back.

Namely your kids.

Or rather, namely your chief fear of taking children along for the ride and adventure…which can be a scary proposition indeed.

But it doesn’t have to be!

My little ones, ages five, six, and seven, have gone on road trips and camping with us since I was pregnant with them.  I’ll be the first to admit that caring for a child while inside of me is a lot easier and less stressful than taking care of it after I’ve given birth to it, but with a few quick pointers I think anyone can have a fun and enjoyable time vacationing with small children.

Pee stops, whining, and “are we there yets” included.

You think I’m kidding right?

Well you’re wrong.

Maybe.

Let’s begin with road trips.

The most important thing to remember while driving for any type of long distance (one-and-a-half hours is a long distance for a child) is comfort. If you can keep your child’s relative comfort in check, it will go a long way for both you and your child. While you can’t totally eliminate whining, pee stops, and annoying questions, you can drastically cut down on the number of occurrences by following these simple measures:

• Plan accordingly–know where rest stops, scenic overlooks, and Walmarts are. Even if you hate Walmart. Why Walmart? Because Walmart is everywhere and has everything.
• Keep the sun out of your child’s face.
• Stock up on formula, water, and clean bottles/nipples if you are traveling with a baby.
• If breastfeeding, well dang you’re just lucky. Breast pads and nipple cream?
• If the child is eating semi-solid to solid food, bring extra baby food jars or dinners with you. My favorites were the kinds that needed no refrigeration or preparation that I could use in a jam.
• STOP to eat or feed a child. Rest stops and scenic overlooks are great opportunities for you and your children to get out and stretch your legs and/or clean up.
• Bring extra diapers and wipes–in fact more than you think you need–and change that kid’s diaper. Again, rest stops and scenic overlooks are great places to do this (just don’t spoil the view).
• For each day stuck in a vehicle, bring two extra pairs of clean clothes and underwear for ages 2 and under and one extra pair over the age of two. Dress your kid in the ugliest outfit first, and arrive in nicest if visiting family or friends. Why? Because spills, spitups and blowouts happen.
• Bring a comfort item from home–this could mean a favorite blankie, a doll, a pacifier, or in my youngest’s case a string to put in his nose.
• Pillow for older kids to rest their sleepy heads on.
• Blanket to keep them warm (the warmer they are the sleepier they are).

The second most important thing to remember for road trips is distraction. That’s right, keep that kid occupied and you’ll be less likely to pull your hair out at the end of the day:

• DVD players anyone?
• Favorite toys (keep to three maximum for older children). Suggestions: Cars, dolls, rattlers, stuffed animals, balls, action heroes, play thing that straps to a seat for infants, and more.
• Simple games like goldfish, battleship, connect the dots, checkers, chess,  etc. Keep these games in a designated box or tote.
• Silent distractions: Books, crosswords, puzzles, etch-a-sketch, coloring book with nine crayons, doodling pad. Keep these distractions in the same box with the toys.
• Road games like ABC, license plates, and I Spy, cost nothing.
• Snacks.
• Headphone and a music playing device.

I highly recommend not traveling for more than eight hours in one single day if your trip is going to take longer than fourteen hours. This means that if it typically takes you all morning, afternoon, and evening to get to grandma’s house, then start traveling at 8 am the day before and stop for the day at 4 pm. Do this twice unless camping or hotels are out of the question. Yes, this means that your usual one day trip now takes two days, but I promise you that it will be worth it in the end. I live in the Dallas area and it takes me 24 hours of straight driving to visit my husband’s family who live in central Utah. We used to travel all day non-stop, but last year we got smart and spread the road trip over four days while camping for the night. We were all much more relaxed, happy, and less stressed when we arrived at our destination.

If you are just attempting road tripping, travel no longer than two hours from your home to test things out the first time. Go to a historic place, a state park, a hike, the lake, or even a museum for the day.

Anyone else hitting the road this summer with the family?

How do you manage to navigate the interstates, highways and dusty trails of our great nation with kids in tow?

The Key Word is CHOOSE

I once made a comment that “The Terrible Two’s do not have anything on “The Tween or Teen years.” I am certain I am quite justified in this statement since I am parenting a tween, a 10-year old (almost a tween) and a 17 month old (which I firmly believe is the beginning of those “terrible twos”) and not to mention that I have gone through the T2’s once before with my now “tween.”

This “tween” stage is rough and tough. It is kicking my tail. Not only is this “tween” pushing every limit possible but he is experiencing life-altering changes at the very same time. There is puberty, new friends, cell phone, new school, we recently moved, g-i-r-l-s, dances, deodorant, cologne, brand name clothes, the list goes on and on. Most of that is normal and part of what is to come. Once he hits high school it will be all of that X10 and I pray I am prepared.

I am going to do all I can to be prepared, which brings me to some advice I was recently given to assist us through this rather challenging age. It is a technique we have began using with our two older boys.

Choice Language – for example, when approaching the child about their not so good behavior you would do it like this… “(child’s name), we do not throw things in this house. It is not safe for you or for anyone else. You can choose to (bad choice) or (good choice) – if you choose to continue with (bad choice) then you are choosing to loose your ______  & ______.

You are supposed to select what means the most to them and allow them to choose to loose it or not. If they choose to loose their privileges then you take it away for one day (obviously this depends on the seriousness of the choice) and tell them that it is ok because they get another chance tomorrow. You never take anything away more than three days at a time. The key is to let them know that they do get another chance and that it is their choice. You should say it all to them very matter-of-factly, almost like you do not care because it is up to them if they loose their stuff or not.

We have been using these techniques for a couple of weeks now and have seen some improvements but were also told it could take a while as the child has to get used to the parent reacting differently than they used to.

I am constantly searching the net and blogs for different types of parenting advice for teens and tweens and other stuff. I know I am not the only parent that is going through these challenges and if it works me it very well could possibly work for you too! So here I am, paying it forward.

Pear Honey – Blue Ribbon Quality!

When it comes to my mad skillz in the kitchen, they are pretty much non-existent. My kids’ favorite meal is Hamburger Helper and my husband usually just looks at what I’m cooking, then fixes something separate for himself. And, to answer your question, YES I find that insulting but I am so used to it by now, I have become desensitized. At least he is doing the fixing for himself.

But, when it comes to canning, I’m not afraid to shine. In the summer of ’07, I won 5 first-place ribbons and one second-place ribbons for canned (preserved) foods at the Clinton County Fair. (I could only find 3 of the ribbons for the picture. I think I was using the other 3 for bookmarks.)

That fair, by the way, is exactly the stuff you see (or read about) in Charlotte’s Web. There is a parade, Fair Queen pageant, Kettle corn, all types of livestock judging, carnival rides, (local) celebrity cow milking contest, etc. 4-H has a booth selling Lemon Shake-Ups (If you’ve never had a lemon shake-up, you’ve never tasted summer.) And, of course, in the exhibition hall there are lots of submissions for judging, like quilts, canned foods, fresh foods, artwork, hand-sewn clothes, woodworking, etc. I submitted pickled asparagus, green beans, tomatoes, dill pickles, apples, and pear honey.That’s Texan Papa in the green ball cap. He was a “local celebrity” because he’s a pastor. It doesn’t take much to be a celebrity, I guess.

There’s Peppermint Patty, Charlie Brown, and Linus eating watermelon slices off of a frisbee after the very long and hot parade. (I walked with PP and Linus in the parade, 6 months pregnant, pulling a wagon and throwing out candy. Linus walked with the Cub Scouts.) See what I mean about it being a real country fair?

Now, in case you don’t know what pear honey is, I am happy to tell you: It is a wonderful sweet spread, much like the consistency of marmalade, but with a taste of honey. However, the honey does not taste sugary-sweet, but rather fruity-sweet. I found a recipe for Pear Honey when I was given 2 bushels of very ripe pears and had no idea what to do with them. Well, as it turns out, pear honey is best made with overripe pears. It’s SO simple to make. If you have pear trees or if you get pears from a neighbor, I highly recommend making it. It is so unique and your friends and family will gobble it up! I even made some and put it in small half-cup or half-pint jars and then gave it out with a mini loaf of pound cake at Christmas time. It was a perfect teacher gift and also for the church secretary and organist.

Pear Honey:
8 cups very ripe pears, peeled and crushed
1 cup Pineapple juice
8 cups sugar

Put pears and pineapple juice in a large stock pot. Add sugar. Bring to a full boil and reduce heat to medium for a gentle boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 minutes. Pour into prepared jars*. Process in boiling water for 10 minutes. Makes 6-7 pints.

When you first pour the mixture into the jars, it will seem a little thin, but it will thicken while the jars are processing in the boiling water. And, once cooled, it will thicken even a little more.

*Prepared Jars are canning jars that have been washed thoroughly and warmed in a canning pot with simmering water. The jars are kept in the simmering water until they are ready to be filled. Processing in boiling water means, once the jars are filled, and new caps and rings are screwed on (tight enough to close but not TOO tight), then the jars are returned to the simmering water with at least 1 inch of water above the caps. The water is returned to a boil. This is NOT using a pressure cooker.

When Texan Mama isn’t taking the County Fair by storm, she is raising her four…almost 5 (yes, I said 5) children and writing at her blog, Who Put Me in Charge of These People??

Mama Called The Doctor, and The Doctor Said, No More Corn Kernels Stuck Inside Your Head!

Once upon a time, in the land of Vacation, was playing in the room while Mommy took a

came into the bathroom & told Mommy “I put a popcorn in my ear!”

“You did what? A what in your ear?” Mommy said.
“A popcorn. Look!” And as digs his finger in his , Mommy yelled “Stop!”

From inside the , she saw in his .

“Tilt your head & jump up and down.” says the soapy Mommy in the . No luck. The was firmly in place.

Greaaat. At least we passed a hospital about 5 minutes away from the hotel. Mommy had a feeling we’d be making the trip, so she told to ask to try & get it out.

As he’s working at the computer, sees come over nervously & says “I have popcorn in my ear. Can you get it out?”

Thinking Mommy would be mad (and not knowing that Mommy already knew), and went quietly into the bathroom to look for a tool to remove the .

Luckily, found , and using his big, bad Daddy ninja-skills, he popped the out of Reese’s .

Mommy was SO glad we didn’t have to make a hospital trip, & we all understand NO popcorn kernels in the ear!!

vase crafts

Looking for an easy way to decorate your house for the holidays? Try this at home:

You will need:

• A clear vase
• Ornaments, plastic fruit, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, acorns, or any other small decorative thing that you can fill the vase with.

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the vase thoroughly.
2. Fill the vase with one of the decorative items from above – keep it consistent (either all the same size or all the same color schemes).

This is great way to get the kids involved in decorating the house and you can display the vase anywhere – from the middle of the table, to the coffee table to the bathroom counter.

Get creative and tell us what you’d fill your vases with!

Thanksgiving Confessions from a Burb (Grand)Mom

Three generations gathered around the Thanksgiving table…at my daughter’s house. “Over the river and through the hills to DAUGHTER’S house we go!”

She took over hosting that holiday event four years ago… seamlessly.

Her turkey was a work of art. I caught my son-in-law taking a picture of it before he wielded the carving knife. Now, that’s a compliment! The grandmoms brought a few side dishes and the whole dinner came together perfectly at just the right moment. I’ll admit it. I was SO PROUD!

As we sat down, my daughter asked firstborn grandson to offer a prayer. He gave his sweet child’s verse in that still young voice. Then she asked each of us individually what we were most thankful for. Wow.

The adults, choking back a little emotion, had trouble keeping it short. The 19 month old scamp just looked happy to have us all together. Firstborn grandson, nine, said it best, I think. “I’m thankful for my Mom, my Dad, and my little brother. And Nana and Mimi and Paw Paw. And Mom’s turkey! It’s the best! And Pokemon!.”

I looked into the faces of my grandsons and watched them enjoy the feast. Firstborn tore into the rolls and turkey. Green beans and potatoes, well not so much. The scamp seized on the candied yams and green beans. The turkey, not much interest. Ah multiples, they are so very different.

Football on TV, grandmoms cleaning the kitchen, the scamp playing hide and seek in the backyard with his dog, and firstborn grandson into his game things.

It just doesn’t get better than family. I now know that family is anyone you care about. And family grows as time goes by. My son-in-law’s mom is a great friend now. We have lots in common. My grandson’s friends are family when they come to swim in summer. My neighbors are family, especially when they stop by to sit on the patio for awhile.

I am so thankful to have them all.Co

Super Easy Potato Soup

Is dinner a puzzle?

Do you need a low maintenance supper recipe?

I promise this is easy!

I don’t cook and I can do it.

This is what you will need:
Potatoes
Onions
Salt
Pepper
Milk or cream
Baked potato toppings

I figure for every two people I am serving I use one very large potato. I use an onion for every 3 large potatoes.

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces.
2. Prepare the onions and chop. The pieces do not have to be small since you will be blending later.
3. Put the potatoes and onions into large pot and cover with water.
4. Cook on stove until all are tender–you can “over cook” at this point. There is a lot of leeway!

5. Blend the onion-potato mixture in a food processor or blender. Add milk or cream as needed to get the desired consistency.

6. Return the blended soup to the pot on low heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Obviously you can add other spices at this point if you desire.

7. Add additional milk or cream as needed for creaminess and consistency. I find if your potatoes are really, really soft it reduces the necessity for cream and ends up quite creamy.

8. Serve! I like to add a topping bar with bacon, shredded cheese, chives, sour cream and anything else that tastes yummy on baked potatoes.

9. Eat.

10. Left-overs are yummy too…

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