Military Mommyhood

The Yell Jar

2011-11-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

Lately the yell volume in our household has seemed to increase ten fold! It started out fairly harmless, but slowly and before we knew it...it has become almost acceptable and normal! One person yells, another person follows suit, and before you know it the entire household is now communicating this way.

Well, this form of communication is clearly not working. In order to fix this current volume problem in our household I have created a yell jar system. Everyone gets 5 marbles of a certain color. If you yell or are caught yelling you have to move your marble over to the yell jar. At the end of the week whomever has the least amount of marbles in the yell jar gets to choose a family activity of their choice.

We have only been at it a few days, so I'll have to report back on the progress. Being the Mom I went ahead and moved all of my white marbles over to the yell jar on the first day. What did you really expect? Someone has to maintain the troops around here...;)

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Peach Pie

2010-08-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had an invite to dinner with friends. Jonah is away at the farm for the week and thus I knew the huge bag of peaches in my fridge would not be eaten by our peach lover. So, peach pie it was for our hosts. This recipe is incredibly yummy. You will love it even if you don't like peach pie. It is well worth the few extra steps from a traditional peach pie. Don't cheat with a store bought crust. This crust is simple and delicious.

Pie crust:

2 1/2 cups A.P. Flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Combine dry ingredients and add chilled butter incorporating it with your hands until fine crumbs are formed. Slowly drizzle in ice water until dough comes together. Slice in half and form into two disks. Wrap and chill in fridge for at least an hour. You only need one half for the pie. The other half of dough can be frozen for up to a month or used for decorating the top of your pie.

Once the dough is ready, roll it out and press it into your pie pan. Then line the inside of the shell with parchment paper and pie weights like dry beans. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 until crisp but not completely done. This step ensures a non-mushy pie bottom. Well worth the extra time.

Peaches:

10-15 peaches, pitted & sliced (Pealing is optional. I prefer not too.)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Put all ingredients over sliced peaches and toss gently with your hands to get an even coating. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. After thirty minutes remove from fridge and drain off the excess liquid with a strainer. This is key to avoid an overly runny pie. Place aside and proceed to making a quick caramel sauce....

Caramel:

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Combine the water and the sugar into a small sauce pan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. You can stir it a few times, and then just let is do it's thing. Once it starts to develop a light caramel color quickly remove from heat and whisk in your butter and cream creating a caramel. Place aside.

Crumb Topping:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed

Using your hands work the butter into the sugar and flour until crumb like.

Fold the caramel sauce into the strained peaches. Place into your pie crust. Top with the crumb topping and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve warm.

Yes, It Has Come To This!

2010-05-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

Look Out Mama!

2010-04-25T06:07:00.001-07:00

That's Gracie's current mantra. All of a sudden Gracie seems to be able to do it all. She can go down the slide at the playground all by herself! After assistance up the ladder of course, but once up at the top, look out! She pushes herself off and flies down.

She also loves somersaults, and I find her with her head down on the carpet ready to show off her new skill all throughout the day.

The best of the best though is her favorite new game. Climbing onto the bottom bunk of Jonah's bed and standing on the bed. Oh yes. Mama has sprinted across the house several times to discover our little monkey jumping on the bed with that ornery grin on her face as she dives into the covers to try and escape her fate.

Toddler hood has arrived ready or not!

Oh Lonely Forgotten Blog....

2010-04-15T04:50:00.000-07:00

I promise I am still here. I just cannot seem to get back into my routine since Kevin left us once again. My laundry is still not caught up. I finally steam cleaned my floors for the first time in weeks last night at midnight. Groceries are few and far between. Bills are sitting idle. Everything feels off and like a huge weight yet again.

To top it off we sold the house, bought a new one, and have to move out in a month. My Wamego safe havens are getting ready to be flipped upside down. I am excited to move, but unexcited as well. Scared for my kids to start again, and truthfully me as well. Making friends in the neighborhood has never been a strength of mine. It took me 1 1/2 years to befriend my neighbors in Wamego. Now we are moving away from some of our dearest friends.

I know it's all worth it, and the change will only bring positive results and blessings in the end. It's just getting to that point that is the hard part.

Daddy Love

2010-03-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

Daddy's Home!

2010-03-24T04:17:00.000-07:00

Fifteen days with Daddy! We couldn't be more excited!

Bring on the sun!!

2010-03-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

Don't tell Daddy!! Her first bikini!

Hairbow Holder Project

2010-03-10T21:02:00.001-08:00

Gracie's hair has started to grow a lot within the past month. It seems to get darker by the day, and she has little curls at the base of her neck. In preparation of the bangs to come, I have started making lots of hair bows and clips. I needed a place to put all of the clips, thus the photo frame project began.

I paid $2.25 for a frame at the local thrift store. Bought a can of pink spray paint and went to work. Brown ribbon and a glue gun completed the project. Now if only I had a wall to hang it on. She definitely needs her own room.

Gracie Can Finally Clap!

2010-03-08T18:14:00.000-08:00

After months and months of trying to get her to clap, tonight she did it!! She clapped and was so proud of herself she continued to clap all night.

Bronson's Miracle

2010-02-24T06:38:00.000-08:00

I came across this story and felt it was something that we should all take the time to share with as many families as possible. This is a very eye opening truth about never leaving our precious miracles alone in the bathtub for even a few seconds. Although this video is very hard to watch, it is an important reminder for all of us. This Mom walked out of the room after placing her two small children in the tub. When she returned the results were devastating. You can read her account of the day at the following link;

http://stakerzxposed.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

Jonah's In The Army Now.

2010-02-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

After six months of unsuccessful attempts at getting Jonah to stop pulling his hair, last night Mama got him with the hair clippers. Poor little booger cried, and I admittedly feel truly awful about it. When we started I never intended to cut it that short, but surprise! We now have a little Kevin running around. We quickly came up with all the pros;

We don't have to rinse his morning bedhead so he can sleep an extra ten minutes in the morning.

Gracie will no longer be able to grab a handful of his hair sending him into a screaming frenzy.

Rubbing his head now feels like rubbing Kevin's head, and we love rubbing Kevin's shaved head.

We will save $ on shampoo.

So next time you see him make sure you tell him how handsome he looks and how mean his Mama was to do that to him!

What happen to my baby girl?

2010-02-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Gracie is all of a sudden not so little anymore. She now walks everywhere. Gone are the days of baby steps. She has officially taken off. Every time I see her following behind me or walking across the room, I have to do a quick double take to believe my eyes. Jonah is equally stunned. Tonight we were at the library and she was racing all over the place. Squealing with delight at her new trick. Walking between all of the aisles and searching around every corner. Jonah stopped dead in his tracks and I watched his jaw hit the floor as he stood in awe watching her go.

My little girl is really walking now. It's the most amazing and sad moment all rolled into one. She is such a beautiful spirit and it is devastating that her Daddy has to miss these milestones. When he gets home she won't be walking. She will be running! The perfect speed for Daddy.

What is it about bubbles?

2010-02-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

What is it about bubbles that make everyone so happy? The $2.99 bubble gun that I got the kids for Valentines Day has turned out to be a huge hit in our household. Everyone loves bubbles!!

Cranberry Scones

2010-02-20T05:44:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite breakfast treat. These freeze beautifully. You can just pull out a couple at a time and microwave for 20-30 seconds for a quick breakfast on the go.

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled and cubed
1 cup cranberries, fresh or dried
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1/2 orange
1 cup soy milk or heavy cream

Mix dry ingredient and fold in wet. Your dough will be wet, but you should be able to work with it. Form it into a circle onto a lightly floured surface. Cut it into triangles like you are cutting a pie. Place on baking sheet. Brush with cream or soy milk. Place in a 350 degree oven for approximately 15-20 min. When they have cooled drizzle with powdered sugar icing.

Powdered Sugar Icing:

Powdered Sugar
Vanilla
Milk

*This recipe is all by eye. Add approximately two cups powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix in 1 Tbsp. Vanilla and approximately 2 Tbsp. Milk. Add more powdered sugar or milk to get your desired consistency.

The Flu Bug

2010-02-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

Today Jonah came down with the flu. Not twenty minutes after I dropped him off at school I got the call. It's days like this that confirm my decision to stay home with my kids.

So with Jonah in isolation, Gracie is trying to figure out why he can't come out and play. I am on a clorox cleaning frenzy in hopes that Gracie and I stay healthy. Considering we haven't had the flu in probably five years I guess I can't complain. It was bound to get us eventually.

My Husbands Smell Is Gone.

2010-02-15T20:07:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made my way to my closet to pick out a t-shirt to wear to bed. Instead of reaching for one of my usual choices I found my way to my husbands side of the closet. This is a place I often find myself going to on a bad day. When I reached for one of his shirts I instantly smiled thinking of him giving me trouble if he saw me wearing it. He would say that it was one of his best undershirts, or that I would stretch out the collar.

When I took it off the hanger I stopped and engulfed my whole face in the shirt and took a good long breathe. I was instantly overwhelmed with emotion. I could feel him all around me, but his smell was gone. We are just over ten days shy of the six month mark and his smell is gone. I start smelling every t-shirt, polo, and dress shirt he owns. Nothing. Not even the sacred navy blue polo that was worn nearly every other day. The shirt that he had such a deep connection with that he rarely put it in the wash. Nothing. My husbands smell is gone.

I was broken. I felt instantly swallowed by the reality of this ghost I live with. My husband is gone. Now his smell is gone too. The Army has taken him away from me and now I live my life married to a two dimensional computer husband. I spend every second of my day on alert waiting to hear that whisp sound letting me know he is on the computer. The kids and I rush over to get our ten minutes of what has become our new normal. Touch and smell are no longer a part of our relationship. Only the idea of those things keep us going. Another day crossed off the calendar and one day closer to wrapping our arms around each other and taking a long deep breathe in.

Banana Cake

2010-02-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

This recipe is so moist and yummy. It can easily be made vegan or non-vegan. For those of us who are not fans of the traditional banana bread this is another way to use up those leftover bananas. This is twice as good the next day!

1/2 cup soy butter, rm temp (or regular butter)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup apple sauce x 2 (or 2 eggs)
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup soy milk (or cows milk)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3 over ripe bananas, mashed

Mix all dry ingredients together and fold in the wet until mixed well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. You can eat this plain like we do or top with cream cheese frosting.

Mama I was so overwhellmed I was speechless!

2010-02-14T17:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had an invite to pizza and a play date. The family attends church with us and has a 1 year old girl and a 5 year old boy. The Mom and I met at the kids Catechism classes. She is also a stay at home Mom and her husband is in the local family business. This family business has nine branches.

When we pulled up I suddenly wished I would have canceled yet again. As I pulled into their driveway in my 2004 Oldsmobile Alero, which mind you hasn't seen a car wash since my husband left, my poor little car suddenly felt very small and dingy next to one of their two shiny black beemers. Jonah said, "We are going in there. Too that mansion!" I quickly said, "Yes honey we are. Yes they have more money than us, but please be polite." It took everything in me to get out of my car and make the long walk up to the marble steps. My clothes, my hair, everything about myself and my children I started to question. I felt very small and intimidated as they opened the massive double doors to greet us.

Everything was beautiful. Down to their photo frames on the wall. My mind was quickly wondering to my own photos on my walls in their Walmart $9.99 frames, and how they couldn't begin to hold a candle to what lay before me.

The toy room was like a department store. Toy after toy. Gracie was in paradise. She just kept going in circles and didn't know where to begin or end her journey. We have a 12 by 12 toy box for Gracie in our living room! I started to feel very suffocated and overwhelmed by the fact that I can't even give Gracie a fraction of what their little girl has. Jonah was on his own sensory overload. Lego after lego was displayed in the little boys room. Jonah was instantly taking tally in his little brain and jealousy had set in.

We ate and wrapped up our visit quickly more out of my own desire to escape the reality of what I had just witnessed. They are a wonderful family and they were very kind to us, but how could I ever dream of having them over to our home after stepping foot in theirs. I can't even afford a new shirt let alone the newest toy for my child. I know, I know what you are thinking. But still!! It was a lot to swallow.

When we reached the car Jonah was instantly professing his jealousy for this little boy. He said, "Mama I was so overwhelmed I was speechless." This is true. I never heard a peep out of him the entire visit. Gracie and Jonah were both on sensory overload. Who am I kidding, I was too!

When we got home and got settled Jonah and I talked about what made them successful. We discussed what we should take away from this experience is simply a desire to always continue to push ourselves to try and achieve our own personal fortune and success. We may never have a mansion with marble steps and every toy money can buy, but if we are successful in our own eyes then that is all that truly matters. Money and things can't buy happiness, and I am very aware of that as I have more than I need in my small beautiful home blessed with the love of my children and husband.

Money and a mansion would be nice though!

My Little Valentines

2010-02-14T10:12:00.001-08:00

First Words

2010-02-10T05:16:00.000-08:00

Gracie has developed quite a vocabulary lately and it is so much fun to watch her everyday try and recreate her own version of what I say.

Outside, Squirrel, Hi, Bye, Mama, Dada, Jonah, Star, Duck, Hungry, Bird, Dog, Kitty, & Music just to name the ones that come to the front of my mind. If you heard these words you might not understand them, but being her Mama she sounds clear as day to me.

Everywhere we go she says Hi to anyone who will listen. She arches her head at them in attempt to catch their eyes. She will continue on until the once cranky Walmart shopper is forced to stop choosing cereal and say hello to her. It's amazing how the words of a child can bring a smile to anyones face.

Bye is her new favorite. She pushes her baby stroller around the house saying, "Die, Die, Die." Her version of Bye. Jonah and I can't help but stop what we are doing when this occurs. It's not everyday you hear someone chant Die, Die, with a big grin on their face!

Applesauce Granita

2010-02-09T06:15:00.000-08:00

This is a refreshing simple snack or dessert.

2 cups applesauce
1 tsp. lemon juice

Spread into a shallow pan and place in freezer for at least one hour. Shave with a fork or spoon. Spoon into bowl and enjoy as is or top with fresh berries.

Gracie Is Walking!

2010-02-09T06:14:00.001-08:00

Bucket Swing

2010-01-31T20:37:00.000-08:00

Today it was finally warm enough to enjoy the park if only for a short burst of fun. Gracie enjoyed her first cruise in a bucket swing. Bring on the Spring! We need the sun!

Happy Birthday Jeter!!

2010-01-26T07:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Jeter! I can't believe your a year old already!! Enjoy your first bite of cake!