Making Chili! Post #1

I'm making Chili for Michael's chili cook-off at work tomorrow!  Last year I won first place (and a set of mixing spoons and candy) with this recipe!  I've tweaked it a bit more.  Follow along if you'd like a great chili recipe!

I can't find my recipe, but I found it online, so I'll just have to remember my notes.  Here's what I've added so far:
1.5 green bell peppers
1.5 red onions
6 (tiny) jalapeños (recipe calls for 2, but these are so small I had to add more
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
1-2 tbsp canola oil

First, sorry that my measurements aren't exact.  They used to be, but I've made this recipe so many times I just eyeball it now. 

I start getting my Dutch oven hot with my oil in it.  I cut up the green pepper first and add in in to begin cooking down and softening.  It takes the longest.  Next the red onion, then the jalapeños, then the garlic.  I put the garlic in last because I don't want it over cooking while I'm cutting up other veggies.  The recipe says to cook 5 minutes, but I don't watch the clock.  I cook until all the veggies are my desired tenderness, and since I don't like big or all dente chunks of veggies in my chili, it's probably longer than 5 minutes.  ;)

Stay tuned for the next step in just a few minutes!!

November 9 - Thankful for the peace only God can provide

If you read my post this morning about yesterday, you know I'm struggling with the election results.  Tonight the kids had Kids Connect at church, the program that replaced AWANA at our church.  During the hour that the kids are in class Michael and I have been reading 'Love and Respect' together.  We began reading it before we got married when we failed to get premarital counseling.  We never finished it, so we've been working on it weekly together during that hour.  Tonight, instead of reading the book and working on our marriage we spent the hour in prayer.  We figured our nation and our leaders needed prayer more than our marriage needed work.  While I have had moments of sadness, frustration, and even anger today, I have also had peace, especially this evening.  Michael and I haven't had much time to discuss the results, decompress and debrief since the official announcement has been made.  But tonight was really fruitful.  We spent time discussing where we go from here and praying for our leaders.  I really respect what President Obama said about encouraging his staff to make an easy transition of power to Donald Trump.  The decision has been made and now we must move on.  Michael and I feel that many of the Republicans (specifically the tea-party) in our lives have spent the last 8 years being bitter and angry, tearing down everything President Obama has done for our country over the past 8 years.  These same people are now preaching that the Bible says we have to submit, respect, and pray for our leaders.  I sincerely wonder the ways they've been praying for President Obama over the past 8 years, but I'm not going to start a fight with them and ask.  Michael and I have chosen to take Michelle Obama's advice, and "When they go low, we go high."  It's hard to take the high road, to be respectful and positive when we've seen so many adults much older than us behaving extremely poorly the last 8 years, but that is what we are going to strive to do.  We're going to try not to let our distaste for Trump show, and we'll be praying fervently for him.  I believe that in this decision and in our faith in God's plan, we have been given peace.  Once again, this election was no surprise to our Lord.  It feels like a testing of our faith, and we are determined to rise above the madness and show Donald Trump respect, even if we think he doesn't deserve it.  Only when someone takes the first step, to act, will "the crazy cycle" begin to slow down and stop.  (<-- This is just a little snippet of what we've been learning in our Love and Respect book.)  I pray you will be in prayer for our nation as well, and that you, too, will find the peace only God can provide.

November 8 - Thankful for the opportunity to vote

Dear Friends, it is with heavy heart that I write this blog today.  It might have been better to have written it yesterday afternoon before the poll numbers started coming in.  It would have been more hopeful and enthusiastic then.  Today (well, yesterday) I am (or thought I was) thankful for the opportunity to vote.  It is a great privilege to have a voice in choosing the leader of our country.  I simply wish that the leader we (or half the country, rather) chose wasn't a racist.  I wish the leader chosen didn't use his celebrity status to sexually assault women.  I wish the leader of our country for the next 4 years had some experience in public office or some sort of plan on how to unite our country, but all I see him trying to do is divide us further.  I cannot believe it's come to this.  I am in absolute shock.  I suppose I shouldn't be terribly surprised.  I have a bunch of racist friends and family members (mostly family, friends you can choose, and I tend to prefer to be in better company).  They have unapologetically supported Trump for some time.  I suppose when hatred runs that deep, it will resonate with others who feel the same way.  I feel so sorry for all those people who are so afraid of people who are different than themselves.  And now I'm the one who's afraid.  I'm afraid of what 4 years with Donald Trump as president will look like.  Fortunately, I don't have to explain to my children what happened yesterday.  I do, however, worry about the future Trump will build for my children.  It is a very scary time we are living in, indeed.

It light of all the election results, I can say one thing already, I'm growing closer to God.  Not having a human you feel like you can trust in charge of your country (and state) leaves you no choice but to depend on God and His plan.  While I know I should always rely on God over men, it's easier when the man in charge has been a man of dignity and grace in the White House.  I prayed repeatedly as the results came in last night.  I said bedtime prayers with Avery and Connor through tears, repeatedly going back to hug and squeeze them, as if, when the results were final, they'd be taken from me.  Of course, that didn't happen.  My babies remain mine, but their future so much more uncertain.  I sobbed and prayed relentlessly as more results came in and the conversation shifted from the narrow path Trump had to victory to the narrowing path of Hillary must-wins.  My head throbbed and ached despite several painkillers.  Finally, just before I fell asleep, I asked Michael to pray for us.  His words, and the uncertainty of what I'd wake up to learn were the last things in my mind before I drifted off to sleep.  Michael stayed up and watched the results after that.  When I woke up this morning before 6am, I prayed.  Fearing, that what I thought was actually true, but feeling relief that God was still in control and that He works all things for the good of those who believe in Him.  I have prayed a lot today already.  I think I'll be praying a lot more over the next 4 years than I have in the last 8.  I was praying just yesterday for some friends who are going through a trial.  I told God that I didn't want another trial in our lives because they're hard.  I know they refine my faith, but they are still very difficult.  Now this.  Let me tell you, it feels like a trial of faith. 

It feels like trying to get pregnant after a miscarriage, not being happy for the first 20 weeks of your pregnancy because you don't want to be emotionally crushed again by allowing yourself to hope and then to lose the baby.  It feels like your husband losing his job when your 5 months pregnant with your first child and in a brand new house out of your price range.  It feels like thousands of dollars in medical bills when you thought your employer was setting you up with good insurance and an emergency came up.  It feels like your puppy, your baby at the time, dieing unexpected and suddenly at 6 months old and your husband begging you to not hate him because he came home to find her and somehow thinks this is his fault.  It feels like your family, everything you know, falling apart, and the news covering it so everyone knows.  It feels like the effects that one decision you didn't even make bleeding into areas of your life you couldn't imagine for years to come, possibly for the rest of your life.  Those are what trials of faith feel like.  That is the way I wept last night, like a person without hope, broken.  And that it the way I prayed last night and this morning, like a person with no one to turn to but God.  He's the only one I place my hope in, especially now.  I just pray He protects my family and me over the next 4 years and that He softens, reforms, and guides the heart of our newly chosen leader.

Anyone who know me very well knows I'm a Facebook addict.  I have been on facebook since the summer of 2005 when I got my .edu email address and was allowed in (it was only for college students back then).  I was grateful for Facebook for connecting me to friends old and new, and for allowing me to share in the lives of people who don't live nearby.  I was especially thankful for Facebook in December 2012 when my phone was stolen and the only pictures I had from Avery's first Christmas were the ones I'd uploaded to facebook.  Well, last night I deleted my Facebook app.  I didn't delete or disable my account, I just got off and got rid of it.  It wasn't what I wanted to see or where I wanted to be.  So you may be hearing more from me here, as my outlet.  It doesn't feel like a safe place there anymore.  But here, in my own space, I feel I can share my opinions and thoughts, if for no one else, then for myself.

I implore you to join me in prayer for our nation, so harshly divided and in pain.  My prayer is that our leader will be guided by Christ and that God will have His way in our nation.  My prayer is that the leaders who were appointed last night and who remain in office think of the least of these while they govern our country and state.  I also pray for myself, and ask that you will too, that I show the love of Christ everywhere I go.  That His brilliance, love, compassion, and kindness shines out of me and that I may point others to Him and His hope in this time of uncertainty.  I also pray for peace in my soul that God is in control, that my soul, heart, and mind all agree and have faith that His will and work are being done.  I must admit that this is hard for me, I am in deep despair.  But I am praying fervently that God fills me with hope and assurance that His plan is at work.  In those trials of faith I mentioned, God worked and strengthen me, though some areas He continues to guide me through where I am uncertain, I know He will do the same through this.  My faith is not in a mortal man or woman, my God reigns supreme and there are no surprises to Him.  Now I wait for His plan to be revealed and I love His people as much as I can and rely on Him to see me, to see all of us, through.

November 7 - Thankful for my puppies

Harlee and Gabby weren't always the sweet pups that they are today.  When we got Harlee, she was the only puppy in her litter who survived and she had learned zero bite inhibition.  Michael and I spent weeks to months pinning our stubborn puppy, who was certain she was going to rule the roost, on her back to the floor, standing over her and growling, and buying her ears (I know this sounds absolutely crazy, but we did a lot of research and that was what the experts said to do).  Finally we had her settled down and learning tricks she was obviously a smart girl and very motivated by food, as most Beagles are.  Then we moved to Wichita and got our second fur baby, Gabby.

Gabby was a stray mutt off the street, only 8 weeks old when we met her.  She was aggressive about food and bit constantly with needle sharp little puppy teeth.  Fortunately, we knew how to handle such behavior.  Harlee took a bit to warn up to the rambunctious new puppy, but she came around eventually and the two of them are best friends.

We wanted to prepare our pups for our kids before Avery and Connor were even a possibility.  We tried to think of everything a small child might do to our around a dog.  We pulled on their ears and tails and fur.  We messed with them while they were eating and took away toys and treats while they were enjoying them.  Anything a child might do, we wanted to know how the dogs would react and train them to allow whatever behavior we threw at them.  And, I have to say, our sweet girls rose to the challenge.

When we brought Avery home from the hospital, the dogs were very interested and always looked for her first when they came in the house from being outside.  It only took Gabby jumping on Avery's face a time or two for her to realize the baby was on the bed.  They kicked her right in the face and Avery opened her mouth and welcomed it, a story I'm sure she'll love hearing she gets older.  By the time Connor came along, having a baby in the house was an old trick.  The pups were less concerned with Bubba and more concerned with staying out of Avery's reach.  ;)

Now or pups are no longer top priority in our lives, something I never thought would happen, even when I was pregnant with Avery.  But we still love them an awful lot.  They are still very sweet girls and great with the kids.  Over the last month Laney had seemed to have been scared by the dogs, but I let them in each day to clean up her lunch mess and now she gets excited when it's time to let them in.  They laid very still and calm today while I pretty them so she could pet them as well.  They really are very sweet girls.  We love them a lot!

November 6 - Thankful for my comfy bed and snuggling with my hubby

After a busy weekend, it's nice to relax and snuggle with my hubby.  He's my favorite!  I love him!  I also really like this fancy new bed I got us for Valentine's Day.  :)  Goodnight!

November 5 - Thankful for days off with my family

Please excuse my tardiness on this post.  ;) Catching up for missing yesterday.

Today (yesterday) I'm thankful for days off with my family.  Sometimes it's out and about, sometimes it's quiet days at home.  I sincerely value this time spent with just us when so often or lives are incredibly busy.

As a stay-at-home-mom, it might seem like every day is a day off, but I think that couldn't be further from the truth.  On the contrary, I am always "on" or "on-call".  24-7 I am entirely or partially responsible for the care and well being of 2-4 tiny people.  So when I say I'm thankful for days off, I suppose it should actually be phased as "times assisted".  Monday through Friday I watch Dayton and Delaney 9 hours/day (along with Avery and Connor) all by myself.  In the evenings, Michael is home to help me, but most of our evenings are spent running around.  Monday night is gymnastics, Tuesday is the occasional Winds of Worship practice for Michael, Wednesday is Kids Connect and Choir, Thursday is Life Group, and Friday night is generally free (read: decompressing from a long busy week).  During the weekend we're down to two kids and Michael is home to help with them, I can't tell you what a sigh of relief the weekends can bring!  There's definitely a reason we decided to stop at two kids, and it was a very good decision for our mental and financial health.  Over the weekend we're usually very on the go as well, after staying home all week during the days, I like to go out and do activities and family time, do some of the fun stuff that we can't do during the week because I have 4 kids and Michael isn't home.  But Sunday is usually busy again, at least the first half of the day, usually spent at church.

This Saturday was more Michael's speed, and I have to admit, I enjoyed it as well.  While do like getting out of the house over the weekend, this Saturday we were all just home together.  I made breakfast, which we all are on the deck together.  Then we played in the basement and watched some TV.  Eventually my sister texted me and asked if I wanted to go shopping.  I thought I was going to be gone for an hour, but it turned into four.  This was good for my soul as well, because as much as I love my children, some quiet time away from them does me a lot of good.  Later I came home to spend the evening with my family again.  It was nice to not go anywhere for a change.  To just enjoy my little family here in our home.  I don't take the time to enjoy us nearly enough.  I'm thankful for my terrific family and for the opportunity to enjoy some nice quiet home time with just us.

November 4 - Thankful for my Mama

Today I'm thankful for my mom!  That statement seems so inadequate, because I am thankful for my mom each and every day!  She and my dad have done SO MUCH for me and for my family over the years.  It's not always big things either, she's been there, supporting me, loving me, teaching me, comforting me all my life.  She is one of my best friends and I am tremendously blessed to have her in my life.  Each day of thankfulness through November I think of something In thankful for based on the day and what's going on.  Today my mom is coming over to watch the kids so I can see the doctor, Monday she'll come back so I can see the doctor again.  If I can't get my voting done one of those days, chances are she'll come back again Tuesday so I can vote.  She's ALWAYS here, ANY time I need her, and I really love and appreciate that about her. 

As you can see, babysitting is a huge help that she gives me.  Since I don't work, I'm the one responsible in our home for making appointments and getting "business hours" work done.  Sometimes that means I need to leave the house, and doing so with 3 or 4 kids can be difficult.  Sometimes Mama comes over just to watch the kids so I can get away.  As an extrovert who is stuck in my house with small children all day, sometimes I just need to escape for a while.  Some days Mama and the kids come with me and we have a fun family day, other days I just "run away from home," leaving Mama and the kids behind.  Finally, let's not forget, though it's been a while *knock on wood* the times when I'm sick.  My amazing, loving mother will come over and watch the kids when I'm feeling too sick to do it.  This was REALLY helpful when I was pregnant with the kids, fortunately we're dove with all that.  ;)

I love going shopping with my mom!  We don't get to do it nearly often enough because of the kids, sometimes we try, but often it's more effort than it's worth.  I love spending time with her, hanging out.  It's great to have an adult available during the working hours when so many other people are unavailable.  But it's more than just someone to talk to, my mom is one of my best friends and favorite people to spend time with (often I was too spend more time with her than I do the children).  I love talking about our lives, the things going on, the kids, plans, she is easy to confide in.  I especially love hanging out with my mom this time off year!  Something about the holiday season fills me with joy and excitement, from baking to shopping, decorating to wrapping, it's magical, and who better to spend that time with than my amazing mom who loves the season add much as I do?!

My mom is incredibly generous!  I've already mentioned how generous she is with her time, but she is also generous with her money.  There have been times in my life and in Michael's and my marriage when money was tight, very tight.  And my parents have always been there through that.  I cannot tell you enough the relief I feel and the peace they give me when they say they don't want the money back.  Now, make no mistake, I intend to pay them back for all they've done, but the relief comes when they say they don't want it or expect it.  I know they aren't going to harp on me to pay them back in a timely manner.   They aren't bill collectors.  They are my parents.  (I'm tearing up now.)  And by loving me unconditionally and not putting the stress of money on me, that I already acutely feel from various other angles in my life, I feel so blessed and at peace.  During one of the most difficult times in our marriage, when I had a miscarriage and was stressed about the money to pay the bills, my parents helped us.  They didn't put the bill in an IOU box to bring our when we were less sensitive, they just helped and loved us.  That is the kind of parents we want to be for Avery and Connor.  (Don't even get me started on how generous they are to the kids!  Spoiled, really, but in all the best ways.)  :)

My parents are an inspiration.  They fill me with love and hope, they encourage me and have set a terrific example in the way to live one's life.  I am beyond blessed to have such wonderful parents.

I started this blog this morning but didn't get to finish it up and post it.  When I got back from my appointment my dishwasher was running, my kitchen, living room, and dining room were clean, and my mom was cleaning the kids' rooms and making their beds.  She was surprised I was back as quickly as I was and said she'd planned to have the vacuuming done before I got back.  See how amazing she is?!?!  :)

Love you, Mama!  Thank you for cleaning my house and all you do!  You are an inspiration to so many around you.  I am so proud to call you my mom.  :)

November 3 - Thankful for Naptime!!!

Today I'm thankful that my children nap almost every day still.  In a house with 4 kids (at least 5 days a week) quiet time to myself is hard to come by.  Thank goodness for my mom who comes to save me when I just can't take it anymore.  ;) Today the kids went down for their naps like dreams!  Not much fighting the bedtime battle, not much crying to sleep together, not many reflections to go back to bed.  Days like this are few and far between.  Quite often naps and bedtime are a constant struggle in our house.  But I'm thankful for the kids taking naps, however brief.  It gives me time to rest, relax, decompress, and have some time for me.  I saw something for teachers on Facebook the other day that said you can't pour from an empty cup, take care of yourself.  I thought that was appropriate of stay at home mom's too.  I can't be effective for them if I don't take some time to take care of myself.  That's why I sit and have my coffee every morning, why I eat my food before I get the kids their third snack of the day, and why sometimes the house doesn't get cleaned during nap time because I need to just enjoy the peace and quiet and not work myself to death every day.  :) Not every day goes as nicely as today did, but any nap time is better than none.  Thank goodness for Naptime!!!

November 2 - Thankful for Michael's job

Today I'm thankful for Michael's job, which allows us to live the way we do and affords us so very many opportunities in life. He has been working at AeTR for 4.5 years now, and it has been a God-thing right from the start! 

When Michael got his first engineering job at Bunting Magnetics in November 2011 we were thrilled!  Driving to Newton every day and being paid as a drafter instead of an engineer was alright, for the moment, because it was better than Toys R Us.  It didn't take more than 2 weeks for a better, engineering offer to come along, and Michael went to work for Dell.  The people at Bunting seemed genuinely confused about why Michael was leaving, thinking he wanted to "work his way up" to engineer from the humble drafting job they started him worth.   This is probably why they continued to lose employees over the next several months.  Michael was only there 2 weeks, but of the people he met and remembered from that time, at least two other engineers left in the next month.

Dell was contract work, which meant that he was basically assured a job for 6 months, and that's all the longer it lasted.  In that time we'd found out we were pregnant and bought a house.  But Feel was losing contacts and Michael was running out of work.  You see, Michael is a very focused worker who likes to complete his work in a quick and efficient manner.  I don't know if his coworkers at Dell weren't as quick or just understood the system better and knew to sit on their work for a while, but Michael was the one who was always completing his projects and asking for more, which Dell didn't have.  This eventually led to Michael going to Minnesota for 2 weeks at a time (with another engineer who'd left Bunting).  This was hard for us because we'd never been apart for such a long time since we'd been married, not to mention I was about halfway through my pregnancy with Avery, who we named, before we found out she was a girl, while Michael was away in Minnesota.  They did a good job of finding something, anything for Michael to do during those 6 months, but at the end, they informed him they weren't renewing his contract and he was let go.

It was May 23rd, 2012, our 3rd wedding anniversary, when Dell told Michael his contact was up.  He called me on his way home to tell me.  With a large house and a large mortgage to go with it and a baby on the way, to say I was upset would be an understatement.  That's when God stepped in.  I cried on the way home from my sister's house, but when I got home, instead of breaking down further, I went to the back yard and laid in the hammock to pray.  I knew my getting upset and stressed out want good for me or for Avery, so I laid there and prayed.  I knew God had always taken care of us in the past, and that he would do it again.  What happened next can only be described as "peace that surpasses all understanding".  I felt fine, content, at peace.  I didn't know how it would work out, but I knew it was in God's hands and that everything would be fine.

Meanwhile, while Michael drove home, he was making calls.  He called the head hunter who'd helped him find the job at Dell, as well as engineers he knew, including my Uncle Ed, who wad working at a place called Aerospace Turbine Rotables, a place Michael had interviewed when he was looking for the Bunting and Dell jobs.  Michael arrived home and we laid on the hammock together.  We agreed to go out to a movie for our anniversary still and not let this news ruin our day.  First, we agreed to take the dogs to the dog park to play.  While we are there, Uncle Ed called Michael back to tell him to come in Monday to sign paperwork and his first day would be June 4th.  Michael had gone 3 hours without a job until another one landed in his lap.  If that's not a God-thing, I don't know what is!

Michael has been at AeTR for 4.5 years now.  They took a chance on Michael with only 6 months experience and they have not been disappointed.  Michael has continued working hard, far surpassing the production of his coworkers.  He's been given ample raises and the company is currently discussing with him continued education and ways to further his career and his value to the company.  They respect him highly and the CEO has said that the company needs to do everything they can to retain Michael, naming him specifically.  Fortunately for them, Michael isn't interested in going anywhere else anytime soon.  Anyone who lives in Wichita or the surrounding area, especially anyone who knows engineers in this area can attest that the market is fickle for engineers in the aerospace industry in Wichita.  Having worked for a company for 40 years does not mean you're immune to being fired at the newest round of layoffs.  One of the things Michael and I love about AeTR is that they don't have layoffs like that.  They only have 4 engineers at the moment and rarely fire anyone in the company, definitely not the engineers who make the company millions of dollars each year.  Job security is worth so much in peace of mind.  It's a huge weight off of our shoulders knowing Michael has a secure job for many years to come.

This job has been such a blessing to us!  It's helped pay for our house, it's paid for medical bills to have two beautiful children, it's provided a couple vacations to Vegas (and some much needed time away from the kids for this Mommy, also thanks to my mom), it's provided the financial security that we need for me to quit working for a couple years so that I can stay home with the kids.  The things this job has given us are vast.  I am so thankful for AeTR and how great they've been to Michael and our family.  They have made a way for us to have so much more to be thankful for.  I am so thankful for this great job that Michael has!

November 1 - Thankful for my neighborhood

Hey Friends!  It's been a while since I blogged, and the last couple entries haven't been very upbeat ones.  Several times over the past month I wanted to blog more, but it was going to be more complaining, so I just kept it to myself.  However, today is November 1st, and therefore my month of thankfulness begins!  So get ready for some positivity!

Yesterday was Halloween.  For the first time ever, we waited until dusk, then took the kids out through the neighborhood to trick or treat.  We've taken them trick or treating before, to offices, churches, and other trunk or treat events, but this was the first time we were out at night with all the other kids.  We had a wonderful time!  The kids did a great job!  Connor got a little timid at some of the spookier houses, but opened up when Avery told people what she was dressed up as and he wanted to contribute as well.  Avery may not know what a Flapper is, but she knew she was dressed like one!  I tried to explain to Connor that he was a Mobster, but when he tried to repeat it back, it came out Monster, which he insisted he was not.  What he actually ended up telling people was, "I'm a man!"  Which was crazy adorable, so we went with it.  ;)

So today, on November 1st, I'm thankful for my neighborhood.  It's a safe, family-friendly place where my kids can be kids.  There were tons of families with small children out last night.  Everyone driving around paid careful attention to watch out for the kids and families.  I think it's great that we live in a place where we can still go for to door to trick or treat.  I feel safe here.  That's something money just can't buy.  So today I'm thankful for our neighborhood, a safe place to raise our kids and watch them grow.  :)

Happy November, Everyone!

Mood: Upset

Today while I was out with my mom and sister looking at houses, Avery drew a picture on our dining room table.  She drew it on paper, luckily, but she used pen.  She pushed down so hard on the paper that she carved scribbles into my dining room table.  I just now noticed, some 3-6 hours later.  Right now she's asleep in her room, which is probably for the best.  I tend to react without thinking, often times yelling at my children.  Today I would definitely be yelling if she were awake.  I love this table, but the last year has been rough on it.  Shortly after the holidays we had some friends from church over for lunch.  They put their water glasses on the placemats I had on the table, Christmas gifts from an aunt.  Turns out that, unbeknownst to me, the glasses were sweating and leaking through the placemats, causing large water rings.  When I removed the placemats later I was incredibly sad to find my once pristine table was marked.  Fast forward through the year and you can add a coffee cup heat ring (I didn't even know that was a thing) and some partial rings from plates that were too hot sitting on the table.  Now I have scribbles to add to it.  I know it's just stuff, you can't take it with you, and that having kids comes with some things getting messed up.  I am struggling with this (and have struggled with all the things in the past that they've destroyed, ie: holes in walls, holes in trim, coloring on walls, and chipped tile from dropping and shattering coffee cups) because I take pride in my home, in my things.  And when I've invested a decent amount of money into these things, I don't want to see them messed up.  Money has been tight since Michael and I got married, that comes with living on a teacher's salary with Michael still in school, both working minimum wage jobs, or only Michael working while I stay home with the kids.  We don't have a lot of extra money, but we save and have a few more things to our names than we had back then.  I have a nice car that's paid off, we paid off a couch and love seat over about a year while Michael was still in school, we paid for our washer and dryer in cash with money we saved for a vacation, we got our table and chairs with help from my mom for Christmas one year, we're still paying for our fence (and will be for the next 3 years), and we got a new bedroom set just this year.  These purchases take years to pay off and I'm proud of the things we pick out and pay off.  I'm incredibly frustrated to have our nice things messed up.  I am somewhere between wanting to scream and yell and cry.  I'm upset.  I know she didn't mean to do it, and I suppose I should feel better about that.  It was an accident.  But it's disappointing.  I just don't know what else to say.  I guess I'm glad she was asleep when I noticed so I didn't yell at her.  She doesn't deserve that.  Guess I just need to let it go.  Can't change it now.  :\

My Day...

6:30am - Alarm goes off.  Started seeing it for earlier because I need to look decent to take Dayton to school.  My days off staying in my jammies until 2pm are over.  But Michael's in the bathroom and I don't want to be bumping into him, so I snooze.  Ironically, he's up at this time because I told him, not that long ago, that 7am was when I needed to be up and in the bathroom and he needed to be done by then or wait until after I was done.  I think I'll wait a bit longer before I tell him I changed the time.

6:40am - Michael comes and kisses me goodbye.  Every morning, like clockwork.  It's one of the many many things I love about him.  It also starts my day off right.  And, in this case, it signaled he was done in the bathroom and my snooze time was over.  Straighten my crazy hair, put on regular clothes and look sadly at my jammies on the floor, make a note to do laundry today.  Make fried eggs for breakfast.  Yum!  Connor wakes up and asks for food and a drink.  Get him milk.  Make the eggs he requests, but he's onto something else by that point, so the eggs get cold on the table.  Not enough energy to fight this fight.  Make coffee.  Tastes like fall, yum!

7:15am - Dayton and Delaney arrive.  Older kids go downstairs to watch cartons, Delaney status upstairs with me.  Clean Avery's room, clean Connor's room, clean the kids' bathroom.  Play on my phone.  Drink coffee after reheating only once!  Score!

8am - Get Avery and Connor dressed to take Dayton to school.  Put Delaney and Connor in the stroller.

8:25am - Walk Dayton (4), Avery (3), Connor (2), and Delaney (one week short of 1) to Dayton's school to drop off (0.6 miles).  Walk the younger 3 back home (0.6 miles).  Listen to Avery complain that she's tired (she has to walk the whole way).  Listen to Connor complain that he wants out of the stroller.  Take Connor out, allow Avery to get in.  Listen to Connor throw a fit 5 second after he got out of the stroller that he wants back in.  Keep walking.  Let Avery get out of the stroller to go get Connor because we can't leave him behind.  Let Connor get back in the stroller.  Thank Avery for letting her brother ride.  Encourage Avery to keep walking the rest of the way home.

9:15am - Get the kids drinks upon returning home.  Get Delaney a bottle and lay her down for a nap.  Unload dishwasher.  Clean living room.  Clean dining room.  Referee argument between Avery and Connor because Advert wanted to play King and Queen and Connor won't stop roaring like a dragon and Avery doesn't want to play dragons.  Begin picking up the kitchen.  Gather dishes from around the house and bring to the kitchen.  Gather laundry from around the house and sort.  Start laundry.

11:25am - Gather the kids back upstairs to go back to school to get Dayton.  Let Connor device ID we should take the stroller out the wagon, he picks the wagon.  Put ice water in 4 cups for all 4 kids.  Put Connor and Delaney in the wagon.  Listen to Connor fuss about pushing the button on the remote to close the garage door.  Foolishly suggest Advert ride her bike to the school.  Console Avery 3 times in the 0.6 miles when she falls.  Spend most of the walk pushing her up tiny hills.  Make a mental note to add bike helmet to her birthday present list.

11:50am - Get to the school, pick up Dayton.  Ask if he would like to ride Avery's bike home.  Quickly realize he's not had as much practice as her when I constantly have to turn the handle bars to keep him on the sidewalk and out of the grass.

11:53am - Draft the bike home myself while Avery and Dayton walk.  Make a mental note, after listening to lots of complaints about being tired, that 2.6 miles is too much for these kids and two walls in one day is being a glutton for punishment.

12:30pm - Get home, feed kids lunch, when they decide the like fish sticks, make a second dozen.  Get excited about a new food that they'll eat!  Play on my phone, sit on the couch, drink water, ask myself why I do this to myself.  Load the dishwasher.  Build a fortress at each entrance to the kitchen Delaney doesn't get in to "help" with the dishes.  Look fruitlessly for more dishes to fill it up so I can run a load.  Fail.  Make a note to remember that the dishwasher is half full with dirty dishes, and to finish filling it after dinner and don't let it sit for a week.  Forget I made said note.  Fill jar with homemade sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil.  Feel pretty proud of myself.

2:00pm - Nap time arrives because the Good Lord has mercy on Stay at Home Moms (and Dads).  Fix Connor's messed up blankets 3 times before suggesting he stay in his room 15 minutes before you come back to fix them again.  Tuck Avery in because she needs her bed "tight" to sleep good.  Envy Sis and Adam as Dayton walks to his room for his nap and Delaney falls asleep almost immediately after being laid in her pack and play.  Make more coffee.  Look up on Pinterest how to get bugs out of pinecones.  Bake pinecones.  Get on tablet to blog, let an hour of Baltimore go by with no housework done (or coffee drank).

3:00pm - Here we are...

Just a day in the life...  Albeit, I more productive day than most.  I should do some housework now, only an hour left until Naptime is over.  Thanks for giving me an excuse to sit and chill for a bit.  ;)  Back to the grind...

Brownie Breakfast Bake

How about that Earthquake?!?!  I think everyone in the state of Kansas felt that one!  Here in Wichita we feel a lot more than my family in Towanda and Eldorado or friends on Manhattan, but it seems like everyone felt it this morning!  That was the roughest one I've ever felt!  I felt my first earthquake around this time of year 5 years ago shortly after we moved to Wichita.  I've felt several over the years, but still haven't gotten over how word out is to feel here in Kansas.  No, hydraulic fracking obviously has no serious ramifications...  I'm all for cheap gas, but at what cost?  What are we doing to our planet, guys?  I know we won't all be around to deal with it, but what kind of a mess are we leaving for our children to clean up?  Something to think about.  Maybe we should make those electric cars and renewable energy more of a priority.
*Tree Hugger Out*

Ok, onto breakfast.  ;)  That's why you're here, right?  Not to hear my opinions on the environment.  :P  So I had this recipe saved on my Pinterest board and was excited to try it this morning.  Who doesn't want chocolate brownies for breakfast?!  It turned out pretty good!  I didn't have quite enough chocolate chips because I have been slowly eating them out of the fridge for the last couple weeks, and Is probably add a little more maple syrup next time (remember, I use the sugar free kind, so 1/4 cup is 30 calories compared to 1 tbsp being 120 calories of the regular stuff), I also recommend you cook it until it's baked through, which will end up being more than 20 minutes, but this was a good recipe I'll definitely get out again!  If you're craving chocolate for breakfast I recommend you give this tasty treat a try!  Here's the link to the original recipe.  I think with a few modifications it will be amazing!  1 thumb up from me for now, but with lots of potential for next time.  ;)  I may try adding a little peanut butter next time too!  I think that would send this recipe through the roof!

Pita Pizza

Michael and I were both craving junk food for dinner tonight.  A bunch of thoughts went through my head after I mentioned this to Michael...  Golden Corral has fried chicken and then I won't have to cook...  Golden Corral is pretty expensive, we don't really need to be spending the money right now...  Andover has a KFC, that would be a little cheaper...  Michael doesn't really like fried chicken...  Maybe we could go to Dillons and I could get fried chicken, Michael could get pizza, and I could get Chinese food for the kids...  We just drove passed Dillons...  We could turn around...  Time to consult Michael...  So I asked Michael, and he was saying how he was at a lower weight than he's been in a while.  I, too, am down.  We decided it would be a better choice to make something healthy at home.  Michael wanted to go out and get pizza, but I remembered we had the supplies to make Pita Pizzas!  So we made homemade pizza instead of eating out or getting food to go and bringing it home!  Yay for good choices!  Always feels better after the fact than it does in the moment when you want fried chicken, a personal weakness for me.  Here's the recipe for what I did tonight!  Enjoy!

Pita Pizza
1 whole wheat pita
4 tbsp pizza or pasta sauce (I always have pasta sauce on hand, so that's what we had tonight)
Assorted spices
Assorted veggies
Meat, if desired (we didn't have any, or I was too lazy to brown hamburger)
2-4 tbsp shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 450.  Assemble pizza as desired.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy!

Pretty straight forward!  I think next time we make pizza I'm going to try having a Flatbread crust.  :)  This one was, as always is, great!  Here are the combinations our family enjoyed tonight:

Jen - Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning, Red Pepper Flakes, Torn Spinach Leaves, Sliced Red Onion, Chopped Green Pepper, Mexican Blend Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese

Michael - Garlic Powder, Oregano, Sliced Red Onion, Chopped Green Pepper, Mozzarella Cheese

Kids - Mexican Blend Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese

I'm pleased to say that everyone ate all their food!  This was a great recipe!  And now that I've eaten, I'm glad we ate healthy.  ;)  Although I would still take fried chicken if someone wanted to bring it over!  :P  Any takers??  No...??  Well, better luck next time!  ;)  Happy Tuesday, Friends!  Have a great night!  Luv ya!

Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie

Hey Friends!
I was craving something sweet after lunch, so I consulted my Pinterest boards.  I wanted a mug recipe that actually tasted good, and I wanted a different one that my Chocolate Covered Katie Coffee Cake Recipe.  I found one I'd piano that was supposed to be Paleo and a bunch of other buzz words.  But I don't have things like almond meal and coconut oil (Connor may or may not have an allergy to coconut) on hand, so I improvised!  I also didn't really measure...  Oops!  I didn't expect it to turn out terribly well, so I didn't measure or take a picture.  Then, it was delicious and I was kicking myself, lol!  Oh well!  I can approximate for you!  :)

Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie

In a Coffee Cup or Ramekin mix 1.5 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sugar (I'll try Stevia next time), 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

Add 1 egg yolk to the sugar mixture and stir to combine.

Add 3 tbsp all purpose flour and 0.5 tsp baking powder to sugar and egg mixture and stir to combine.  I found that the mixture was just a little dry still, so I added an extra 1 tsp water and the consistency was better.

Fold in chocolate chips.  The more the better, IMHO, but I probably used about 1-2 tbsp.

Microwave mixture for 40-50 seconds.  Do not overcook.  For me, the 40 seconds was perfect!

This recipe was delicious and quick!  Not necessarily healthy (I haven't put it into MyFitnessPal yet to get the actual calorie count), but took care of my sweet tooth!  It made enough that you could share this tasty dessert with someone, but where's the fun in that?  ;)  If you try it, let me know what you think!

*Edit*
Made it again, this time for Michael, and took pictures!  :D  He approves!

Sweet Potato Chips

I remember growing up, my Grandma making apple chips in her dehydrator.  They were so delicious!  A sweet snack that I was way more anxious to eat than regular apples.  I also remember her telling me not to eat too many or I'm end up pooping a lot.  :P  Wise woman!  I'm now telling Avery the same thing about regular apples!  She loves them!  Well as Grandma and Grandpa have been moving and reducing their possessions, I was blessed to get the dehydrator!  I quickly got on Pinterest looking for recipes!  I love chips, so if I can make fruit and Veggie chips and have a healthier alternative to potato chips, I am all about that!  Yesterday I tried my hand at Sweet Potato Chips!  I had a large sweet potato in the fridge that needed used, so I got out my mandolin and sliced it as thin as I could.  I realized this summer I really like sea salt and cracked black pepper potato chips, so that was the flavor combination I went for.  I threw all the slices in a plastic bag with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  I shook the bag until all my slices were coated and seasoned and put them in a single layer in the dehydrator.  Actually, I used two dehydrators, because that's what Grandma brought over and I needed both to use up all my sweet potato slices.  The articles I saw on Pinterest said to dehydrate for 12-24 hours!  I thought to myself, surely that's a typo!  But as I ate chewy sweet potato chips 4 hours, 8 hours, and even 16 hours later, I realized that they were right.  :P  The longer they dehydrated, the crisper, and better they got.  Unfortunately, I didn't mind eating the chewy ones, so I only made it to 21 hours before I'd eaten them all.  ;)  Needless to say, sweet potatoes are on my shopping list for next week!  I really loved that these gave me something healthy to eat, the chewier ones took a little more work to eat, and they kept me from munching on unhealthy snacks throughout the day!  So I'm calling them a win!  :)  Stay tuned for many more dehydrator recipes to come!  Including apple chips!  :D

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Hey, Guys!  I have a great new recipe for you!  I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one or not.  I should have known I would, all my cauliflower recipes have turned out well so far, this one was destined to be great as well.  But, as always, I was skeptical.  Turns out I was crazy to be skeptical because this recipe was delicious!  It was creamy, cheesy, and amazing!  Michael and I each gave this recipe two thumbs up!  The kids even ate it with no fussing or fighting!  Win!  Go ahead and make this Cauliflower Mac and Cheese sometime soon!  We had it was dinner but it would make a great side dish as well!

Roasted Chicken and Veggies Continued

Michael and I had the Roasted Chicken and Veggies for lunch today.  As I mentioned yesterday, it turns out I've made this recipe before.  It was just as good as it was in the past!  The roasted cauliflower and broccoli were my favorites, the green beans were good too.  The only problem I have with this recipe is that it's pretty dry when it's reheated.  Adding salsa, soy sauce, or chicken broth to the recipe would have probably helped.  :P  Note to self for next time.  This is a tasty recipe that you should give a try!  If nothing else, at least try roasting veggies when you need a side dish!  Yum!

Breakfast Egg Wraps Continued

Good morning, Friends!  I came back to follow up on the breakfast wraps I posted about yesterday.  I had one for breakfast this morning and Michael had one at well.  Here's what we thought...

Fresh
When you eat the straps fresh, you'll be able to eat them as a handheld on your way to work or school.  You might have to watch the spinach that it doesn't fall out, but the wrap won't get soggy from the time you assemble it to the time you eat it.  The spinach will also be crisper.  You're also more likely to have cheese in every bite because you won't have reheated it and had it melt and distribute.

Reheated
Like so many of my wraps, this one got a little soggy when I pulled it out of the fridge.  If you have time to heat your wrap in a skillet with some coconut oil, it would probably help.  I reheated mine in the microwave.  I found that after being in the fridge and reheating, this was a fork and plate kind of meal, no longer a handheld.  The spinach was wilted, which didn't bother me any.  The cheese melted and moved after being reheated, causing some boss to not have much cheese at all and some of the cheese spoiling out the ends of the wrap.  This may have worked better off I had folded down the ends of the wrap, but I didn't.

Overall
I give this recipe 1 thumb up.  I thought it was a little bland and the soggy wrap want add great for me.  I think I could improve this recipe significantly with additional toppings.  I also think a stronger flavored cheese like Cheddar or American would improve the flavor or this recipe.  Michael gave this recipe 2 thumbs up.  He's not as critical of my recipes as I am, as long as they aren't Chinese food.  ;)  He added ketchup to his wrap, he usually does any time I make eggs, and didn't think there was a problem with it being bland.  If only I liked ketchup.  :P  The good thing about this recipe is that is easy to customize to your tastes!  Next time I may try a flavored wrap, American cheese, more veggies, and adding some turkey.  I'm not ready to give up on this recipe yet.  Don't be surprised if you see another rendition of it on the future!  ;)  Have a great Wednesday, my friends!  Stay tuned later today for a revisit of the Roasted Chicken and Veggie Bowls and a review of how they turned out.  :)

One Pot Mexican Skillet

Ok, Folks, this is the last one for today!  Tomorrow I'll have to clean up my messes that I made today, but for now, I enjoyed all the food I got to make!  I have so much fun making all these new recipes and sharing them with all of you!  I hope you guys are enjoying them as well and finding recipes that are working for your families.  This One-Pot Mexican Skillet was a big hit with my family!

I love one-pot meals because they reduce the amount of dishes I have to do in the end.  That's a win in my book!  I also think it's awesome when rice or pasta are cooked right there in the pan with my meat and veggies!  So cool!  This recipe ended up a little soupy, so I might suggest reducing the chicken broth to 1/2-1 cup.  Otherwise, this recipe was perfect.  My children nommed it up and Michael loved it too!  4 thumbs way up for this one!  Also, as with the other ground beef recipes I've shared, we used ground venison from my brother-in-law.  It was great and I know the ground beef would be delicious too.  Enjoy!  Let me know if you try any of my recipes and what you think of them!

I didn't use any cilantro on this recipe because it's gross.  I didn't use any avocado because mine went bad.  *Sad Face*  I'm sure the avocado would have made it even better!  This recipe made 8 servings.  :)