Happy Thanksgiving

The Attitude of Gratefulness

In honor of Thanksgiving this week and being that Veterans Day just past, I thought Gratitude would be a fitting subject. All I have to say is that I am SO grateful to all of our veterans and our founding fathers who have given me and my family the freedom to live in this country we call home. Thank you to all who serve, who have served and all who have given their lives for the love of their people and country!

On another note....... I have to say I am so extremely tired of hearing the whining and the negativity and downright ungrateful words come from our mouths. Most of us have absolutely no idea of what it's like to want for anything. My children often hear words like these from me because it's just plain true. We live in a very wealthy country and yet we whine way too much! We whine if the coffee we ordered isn't perfect. We whine if we have to wait in line at the grocery store. We whine about the traffic. We whine and complain and feel the need to express our every discomfort through the look on our faces, our body language, and our attitudes. What a bunch of ungrateful snobs we can be!  Just saying.... and forgive me, I know that many if us try not to retaliate when things don't go our way.... but I also know that frustration and attitude seem to be so quick to escape our bodies without warning! Now I'm not saying to just get walked all over by people who just don't give a care, or to graciously take your coffee just the way you got it and be happy with it, but it's all about your character in the way you deal with any situation. Why is it so hard for the human soul to be kind and understanding? To be gracious and serving instead of selfish and unreasonable? If you ask me, we all act like a bunch of babies sometimes. We are quick to correct our children when they are treating each other unkindly or having out of line behavior and yet we catch ourselves doing the very same things. It doesn't have to be like that though! If we could only remember how very fortunate and blessed we are as we go about our day, then maybe we could not only change our own lives in a much more positive direction, but I guarantee we could change the lives of others around us! If we could just take the focus off of ourselves and put all that energy on thinking about someone else! To all my mommy friends, I know what you're thinking! "How much more could I possibly spend thinking about someone else? I'm a mother, that's all we do!" And it's true, we think about the needs of others most of the time, but I know I am all out of "understanding" and "kindness" many times when it comes to other people who are not my family. After all, can't they see what a hard day I've had? And to that all I can say is, just try you're best! You're not always going to be well rested, unemotional, and feeling like you can be the one to let yet another person cry on you're shoulder. 
Just to bring a little incite to what I'm talking about:
Feeding America quotes "15.8 million children under 18 in the United States live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough nutritious food necessary for a healthy life". 
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention quotes, "Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited. In the United States alone, more than 500,000 older adults are believed to be abused or neglected each year." 
Uniform Crime Reports, Federal Bureau of Investigation reported, "One woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 15 seconds in the United States." 
If these things don't open our eyes.... I really don't know what to say! Right here in our own country there could be children right next door who don't have enough to eat! Parent's who can't find jobs to supply the needs of their children. A single mother or father working two jobs just to make sure he or she can keep the lights on and food on the table for a family they rarely get to see. These are the things we need to be thinking about! These are some the people that need a kind gesture and a glimpse of hope! And even to those who don't have such extreme situations, I know we all appreciate someone who really shows they care about you. It's true there are horrible things happening all over the world, but maybe we forget to look up away from the news and media and see that we have the power to change the life of someone right in front of our faces! 
I hope the next time my coffee isn't quite right or someone cut's me off on the road, I can remember to act in graciousness and kindness, and remember that my reaction has the power to change someone else's day as well as my own, for either the worst or the better. Will you be that glimmer of hope in humanity? 
Happy Thanksgiving and REMEMBER to LOOK UP with Gratitude!

Mommy's Love Affair

I know this may seem strange but I actually think intimacy and a good love making session with my husband makes me want to be a better person and makes me feel like a more complete and whole woman. I have been married to the love of my life for just over 14 years and I think I just realized something I've never thought of.  I actually want to get up in the morning and be a more loving, inwardly beautiful person. I want to look and act attractive and feminine. I want to be thoughtful and sweet....and it may all be due to the passion in my relationship with my husband. I'm not talking about one of those "quick the baby's waking up" love sessions (of course those will happen too).... But I'm talking about when you have some actual time to spend with each other. When your heart feels so full of love and passion for one another and when the true meaning of feeling "at one" in your marriage is at it's height. You are overwhelmed with desire for your spouse and that is exactly how marriage should feel. Not lust, but true chemistry and deep love and affection. I've heard people say things to newly weds like " Oh honey, enjoy the honey moon phase"! That insinuates that this passion and excitement you feel for one another will end and what I think is, DON'T LET IT EVER END! AND don't ever let anyone make you feel like it's weird or wrong or not normal because maybe it should be the "Normal". Maybe sex has been made to be something unexciting and uncommon in marriage, especially after the babies come along! Maybe that's why the younger generation is so afraid to "put a ring on it". They are afraid that life will become dull and unexciting! I know it's hard, BELIEVE ME! At the end of the day it's not something that's at the top of the list. After four kids and running around getting them where they need to go,  housework,  homework, cooking,  shopping,  changing poopy diapers,  and laundry,  I seem to be the last thing I want to spend any time on and getting the kids all to bed and trying to get the romance on, is not usually what follows an exhausting day. But in our marriage we try to make it top priority. When my martial relationship is strong and I feel loved and taken care of both emotionally and physically and looked at as though I'm sexy,  I somehow feel driven to look and act even more attractive in all aspects of my life as a woman and mommy. I never want to loose that spark that I love so much!  I know not all relationships are like this, and don't get me wrong, we have had our ups and downs and roller coaster rides and heartache, but I have to say that one of the things that had always brought us back together on common ground is a longing to be at one with each other again! My husband has truly been amazing to me! Through pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss, raging hormones, he has always said how attracted he is to me. He has always said how much he wants to get me all to himself and when there are issues we need to deal with, we talk about them and honestly there are many times we aren't really sure what the best way is to move forward. Even in the midst of a storm, extreme issues, and bipolar differences we have CHOSEN to make our marriage work! All I can do is trust and pray that our desire never fails us.  I have always thought that any marriage can work and be successful if BOTH people have the common belief that you are in for the long haul and that your ultimate goal is to make your spouse truly happy. There are so many variables in marriage and I know it takes two people to build a strong lasting relationship. One of the keys is to keep a soft heart toward your spouse and be willing to stop talking with your mouth and fall in love over and over again both in and out of the bedroom. So I challenge each of us, as mommies and wives to make some time. Get out of those yoga pants and make special time to love on your hubby. We owe it to our children and to our selves to have a happy, healthy, passionate, long lasting love affair!

The Under Paid Maid

Some times I feel like a maid!!!! We as mothers fulfill all and more of what a maid does. In fact I could give a whole list of jobs we fulfill without earning a single dollar for them! Personal chef, nurse, teacher, chauffeur, therapist, photographer, event coordinator, counselor, party planner, cheerleader, hairdresser......laundry, dishes, diapers, and homework.....the list could go on for days as you know! It's a 24/7 job that gets no time off for good behavior and many times all of our hard work goes unnoticed! So many times I have wondered how anyone would even survive without me here to wipe the jelly off their faces or fill the hot water bottle when they have a stomach ache or tell them where their library book disappeared to. Oh and let's not for forget the socks and dirty shoes!!! Socks and shoes are usually left for me as a daily reminder of how much I am "loved and needed". If it weren't for a daily dose of "brake it up", I'm certain my children might kill each other! Somehow all these things leave me feeling worn down and I know if I think about it long enough, I am ready to run far far away without leaving a forwarding address! How is it possible for one person to keep it up day after day, night after night??? And then I finally came to the realization that even though I am worn down a lot of the time and feel like there is never a moment to breath, I LOVE MY JOB! Of course not everything! Diapers, arguing, and broken bones are definitely not on the list of things "I can't live without", but I really do LOVE what I do. See, I don't HAVE to do any of the the things I do! I could just sit back and watch as the house eventually blows up and someone uncovers us all from a mass of dirty laundry. I could pretend that my children will become model citizens without having guidance and the love of a mother.... I could just say forget it and walk away! But oh, how I would miss those faces! And can you imagine not having those dirty socks and shoes to pick up? I would miss my morning hairy monster stinky breath kisses, I would miss when my husband pulls me in and whispers how much he loves me and thinks I'm his sexy queen (even when I've been up all night with the baby and look like a train wreck), I would miss hearing "mommy I love you so much", "mommy kiss my boo-boo", or even do you know where my "such n such" is? I would miss the excitement, the frustration, the heartache, the happiness.....I would miss MY LIFE!  What else is there??? Yes I know we all have personal goals, hobbies, and maybe jobs out side the home, but chances are when we are old and grey we won't be searching through pictures to remember our own accomplishments or deadlines we met, but rather those of our children and family. Pictures of a tooth lost, first steps, science awards, milestone birthdays and anniversaries, yearly family photos, smiles and laughter are all things I know I don't ever want to live without! These are the things people long for and cherish forever! Every challenging day can bring new found wisdom as a mother, wife, and woman, if we only let it. We can either let the stress control us and those around us or learn and grow even through the storm. Am I really under paid??? Or can any amount of money ever measure the fullness of my heart??? Hopefully my new found realization will enlighten or encourage you or maybe you already know how much you are truly needed and loved! Either way keep going and know you are SO important and awesome and this world and your world at home, can't live without YOU!

BALDING WITH STRETCH MARKS

WARNING: It is strongly recommended that women who have NOT had children be cautioned and move on to the next post. May not be appropriate for all audiences.

Well I know I just started this blog, but I feel I need to write something to help all you new and old mommies to know YOU'RE NOT ALONE! I just had my baby boy 10 months ago and being that there were six years between my last baby and this pregnancy, I have to say there were many things that I did not remember about pregnancy, labor and delivery, and after birth. I know every pregnancy and experience is usually different and it definitely was for me this time around! Pregnancy is wonderful and beautiful and some women carry with such grace and cuteness.....unfortunately that's not me! As soon as I take that pregnancy test somehow my brain tells my body to start packing on the weight and so I immediately have to start unpacking the prego clothes! At least maternity clothes have started becoming more attractive! I remember with my oldest who is now almost 13, it was like I was expected to become a knitted frumpy grandma in order to become a mother. Most of the clothes I had were waist-less smocks with patterns that belonged on a bedspread. With this pregnancy I already had the stretch marks from my previous pregnancies so that was nothing new, my sciatic pain was tolerable, but 6 months into my pregnancy I developed this horrible condition called Symphysis Pubic Disfunction or SPD. It's when your bones separate due to the weight of the baby. These bones are not normally supposed to separate therefore causing excruciating pain no matter what you do. Sit, stand, lay down, it feels like you have just been kicked and then stabbed in the pubic bone. Thankfully it didn't last long, and I was on to high blood pressure and regular visits to the hospital so I could be monitored while my other children climbed the walls and asked repeatedly when we could go home. And then came the baby......my beautiful baby boy! The moment when you know you would go through anything and everything just to hold this sweet baby in your arms. And this is why God made them so cute....so you can forget about the torture you just endured and fall in love with your miracle! 

The overwhelming feeling that you are now superwoman and can conquer the world will usually follow, but my advise REST! Just take a minute! You have the rest of your child's life to do things for him or her so just let other people do things for you and take time to recuperate. I didn't do this with my previous pregnancies and I know for many of us, it's just not an option. Life still goes on and things have to get done, but all your daily tasks will still be there FOREVER, so enjoy your baby and your family! Now on to next unpleasantry, how could I possibly forget the Hemorrhoids? I didn't have these after my three daughters, but leave it to me to make sure I experienced every single unpleasant experience some time during and after pregnancy. They tell you to make Witch Hazel pads, freeze them and put them on the area to relieve pain and swelling. And even though I think they did work to some degree, all I have to say is just go buy medicated cream. You don't have to act like a hero on this one! You just had a baby and other things are still healing. Now is NOT the time to get All Natural! Go get the cream so you don't bite someones head off or worse, go into complete crying convulsions. On to the next item......BALDING! So, I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a character building experience or what? It's not enough that you feel all stretched out everywhere, your hormones are all whacked out, your boobs are sore, you're counting down the days you can stop wearing the granny panties and put away the pads that feel more like a diaper, and you aren't sure if you should stay wearing your large comfy maternity clothed or try to go stuff yourself back into your pre-pregnancy wardrobe, now my hair started falling out. I guess my hair was supposedly better during pregnancy? It started about 4 weeks postpartum......my hair falling out by the clumps! I thought I had started noticing changes in how thick my hair looked on top of my head when I looked in the mirror and thought that maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me . I was wearing my hair up on top of my head most of the time, but the first time I freaked out and thought I needed immediate physician care was while having a nice long hot shower. If you're a mom, you know we don't get many of these moments of relaxation uninterrupted any more!I wet my hair and ran my fingers through it and as I pulled my hand away from my head, I realized the hair was still on my hand. Half of the hair on my head must have fallen out during that next month. Thanks to a frightful Google search, I was able to calm myself down and I tried to convince myself that I would not in fact go completely bald, but that this trial might in fact continue for up to A YEAR!!!!! One website recommended investing into a few cute hats or maybe some headbands............ Ahhhhhh! Well gratefully I am here to tell you that I am now sporting a nice new growth of baby hairs all over my head and am hopeful that some day my long hair and baby hair just may meet and be the same length again. All of this aside.....I have to say something so cliche'....I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING! Life is all about learning and change and rising to the occasion, and for me I see my beautiful God given children and none of these things matter any more! My kidos are healthy and happy (most of the time) and maybe we as women live through all of these things, good and bad, so that we can offer a kind word to another women going through the same things or even our daughters some day. Every day is a gift and I am so honored to be a mommy! If you are experiencing any of these things, rest assure you are not alone! Try to stay positive and know this is only a phase.You'll get through it! I PROMISE! It is SO worth it!

Fall is Finally Here! In honor of my most favorite season, here is a delicious recipe that not only tastes wonderful, but will fill your kitchen with some fabulous smells!

            Pumpkin Cake

This is one of the most moist delicious cakes for fall time and Thanksgiving!

And if you wanted to leave the icing off, it would make just as yummy of a bread.

I used some coconut flour since it tastes so good,

but also because it has 9 grams of protein per 2T. which is amazing! 
It is a little pricey but you don't need much. 
Don't try to completely replace your other flower with it though 
because the texture is not the same and your recipes will not turn out the same.

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup apple sauce

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup raw sugar

3 eggs

1 ¼ cup canned pumpkin

1t. baking soda

1t. baking powder

½ t. salt

½ t. all spice

1t. cinnamon

½ cup coconut flour

1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup pineapple

1 cup golden raisins

½ cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350.

Oil and flower 8x11 glass dish.

Mix oil, apple sauce, sugars, and eggs together until creamed.

Add soda, baking powder, salt, all spice, and cinnamon. Mix in pumpkin.

Slowly add both flowers. Lastly add pineapple, raisins, and pecans.

Pour in baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz cream cheese, room temperature

3T. butter, room temperature

1t. vanilla

2 cups powdered suger

Whip cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and add

powdered sugar a little at a time.

Wait until cake is completely cooled before icing.

Enjoy