A Long Time & A Challenge

Well, yes it's been a long time & yes I'm sorry. I've been a bad blogger but I've been a good Mama so I think it evens out.
With the holidays blogging was seriously not on my mind. I had so much more to do with my girlies like baking, cooking, decorating. Then we had our school break & The Hubby was on vacation as well.
So, that's my excuse...K?

Now, I've decided to do a "12 month challenge"
Here's how it works, I will commit to trying/doing something new every month as well as some personal goals.

So here's my list...

January- Homemade Marshmallows
February-Learn to Knit
March-Make Homemade Cream Cheese
April-Window Herb Garden
May-Sew a dress for the Piglet (nope, I don't know how to use a sewing machine)
June-Homemade Cream Cheese
July- Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter (Piglet is allergic to PB)
August-Homemade Ice Cream
September-Homemade Cottage Cheese
October-Homemade Foaming Peppermint Hand Soap
November-Homemade Seasoning Mix ( Taco, Ranch, Onion Soup )
December-Homemade Body Scrubs (I hope to use these as Christmas gifts)

Some personal goals for the year 2012 are;

1. Have a date night with The Hubby once a month.

2. Lose 40 lbs, now I'm not telling you my starting weight & you can't see me so you have absolutely NO CLUE what I'll end up looking like. I mean maybe I'll be rail thin & maybe I'll still have some junk in my trunk. But considering it has just recently come to my attention that my trunk is scraping the sidewalk I think it's time to get crackin'.

3. Decorate my apartment!! Woo hoo!! This one I'm uber excited about! Hubby says since we will be staying in this apartment another year I get X amount of dollars to fancy it up a bit. I'm really happy about that because since we've moved from a house to an apartment things have been sorta modge podge haphazard. This will be nice =D

4. Paint the entire apartment no later than April. This will not be nice...

5. Get my eyebrows threaded once a month. Now I know this may appear immature & really dopey but honestly I do very little for myself. I often put my children's wants/needs before my own as many of us do. I think it's okay to take time to pamper myself a bit considering I found a place that threads cheap & I can sit & have some time reading a book after. Besides, not getting my eyebrows done tends to make me look somewhat like a sasquatch.

Spiritual Goals;

1. Read the Bible in 90 days. I'm using this plan on my YouVersion App. I am a few days behind but considering that in just over a week I've read 2 books of the Bible I think that's pretty good. An added bonus, for me at least, is reading it on my droid. It is always in my purse or even in my jean pocket, that means I can read it ANYWHERE. Waiting at the Drs office, during lunch, taking a potty break or "I'm hiding from you using the bathroom as an excuse!!" break.

2. I also plan to deal with some very tough childhood issues this year, actually the group I will be involved in is a 2 year program. It deals with a very difficult area of my past that is most definitely wreaking havoc on my present & could most certainly affect the future. This one is gonna be painful but my children deserve the best of me & God will never leave me. I know he will be holding my hand the entire time & carrying me when I need it.


Well, these are my goals & as of yet they aren't too scary. I plan to post them as I try to give each one a go. I hope to get those marshmallows whipped up soon.

The Blessed Supermom

ATTACK OF THE LAUNDRY MONSTER!!!!!!!!!

This is what happens when the washer breaks. I've been avoiding it ya know...this wicked thing. But when there's nothing left to cover the derriere..well, ya gotta wash clothes.
I wish I could say this was an easy task but let me give you an idea of my laundering adventure. I used four 30 lb washers & one top load washer. Then there were 4 dryers to use, that puts us at a total of $24.50...
To wash clothes >{
Oh but let's not forget sorting, matching outfits & socks, folding, hanging...the total of time spent?? Six hours!
Then we had the Cow issue, although Cow doesn't know there was a Cow issue however, if Cow reads this she'll know now about the issue. For some reason her clothes didn't wash good, they all had a funky smell. I had to rewash all of them but I couldn't do that last night, guess who was at the laundromat again? Yep, me.
I went today while she was in school (yes she's in school, no she's not homeschooled, yes I'd like her to be but she's not OK?? We're not gonna go there..)
Anyway, I went today borrowing my Mama's car & washed as fast as I possibly could cuz she had to hurry home. Thankfully the dryer works so I could move a lot faster & get home. At the laundromat I added a 1/2 cup of vinegar to the wash cycle cuz I heard it can help with odors, I was kinda afraid that my daughter would smell like a big giant pickle! But guess what?? The clothes smelled great! No weird funky unexplained odor & no pickles!!
Yay me!!
So I happily come home & quickly dump the clothes in the dryer in the basement, add the fabric softener sheets, put the quarters in & fly upstairs.
I said bye to Mama & set the timer for 10 minutes, Cow has a few tee's that can shrink so they just get a quick dry. After I scatter myself around the house & clean a cute but sticky baby I race back downstairs to find the dryer isn't going..gettin a wee bit testy at this point.
OK, now run back up the stairs, oh heck who am I kidding?? I struggled for breath as I hobbled up the stairs..
I called the landlord to let him know that the dryer was broke too. However when I went back downstairs to check again I found that I didn't push the quarters in...duh.
So here I am all pooped & mind you in the middle of this we're having school, the girls got a lesson in the need for daily exercise.
After ten minutes I have to rush back down & pull out Cow's incredibly shrinking shirts & guess what?? They stink again!!
I'm a mad Mama now.
Anyway, I can't go to the laundromat again so I pull ALL the tee's out & spray the daylights outta them with febreeze & let em' air dry.
That seemed to work cuz now they're all purdy. I can't say I know exactly what the stinking shirt issue was but maybe the washer was hateful & wanted to ruin my day.
Mean hateful washer...
Ya know, I used to complain about the up & down laundry hike I hated it, honestly hated it with a passion. But I will never complain again. This little adventure into the world of laundry H-E-double hockey sticks has taught me to be grateful for what I have, no matter how inconvenient.
That said, I need to go do some laundry.

The Blessed Supermom

Erg..

I'm not gonna make a ton of sense here, just gonna complain. A lot.
K??
Oh & my spelling may just look like a second grader, I don't care. I woke up this morning to a smiling happy baby, a rarity lately as her royal pigginess has evil wicked bones protruding through her tender gums.
Anyway, she woke up all happy & smiley & I thought YAY!! we're looking forward to a good day here. Then lo & behold I stood up, see I was sitting on the sofa. Apparently she can only be happy if I'm sitting or at least that's what it was this morning. This afternoon it could be to walk backwards on my hands wearing clown clothes singing Old Susanna.
Anyway, it's been rough since. I walked into the kitchen to find the Monkey standing on the counter. We don't call her Monkey "just cuz" Commence wicked Mommy stare down & talking through gritted teeth to the little girl with deer caught in the headlights look.
Then there was the incident with the Amish...
No, I didn't have a bunch of meek people yelling gently at me, it was the bread. Amish bread.
If you've ever made the 10 day yummy goodness you know it's really simple stuff. If not, it's really simple stuff OK?
Anyway, ya use starter, basically you have this bag of batter goo & it ferments for 10 days. Yes, it's safe & no it's not gross. So after the 10 days there's enough batter to bake 2 loaves of bread & give away 3 bags (cup each) of starter to friends.
OOOoorrrrrRRr...you give away 2 & keep one. That's what I do. But today, I dropped about a cup of MY starter.
Then we have the ants. Lots of vile little crawling things that are from the pits of hell & they want to destroy me & eat my soul.
OK, not so much but either way I don't like bugs in my home. Well, I had to get down & seriously scrub the floor because this Amish starter stuff is sticky. And ants like sticky.
Then the phone rings, important call, gotta take it...but what? What's that noise? Keys? Whaaa??? Why is the Hubby coming home now?
Lemme just answer the door for him "eh, excuse me important person but can you hold on for one moment?"
Trip over toys, move toys, open door, scream.
Not the hubby but the exterminator.
That was fun....
So now we have the important person on phone, gooey sugary starter spill, a strange man parading through my bedroom, ants running for cover, & screaming baby who now smells kinda funky.
I politely get off the phone, smile & make small talk with exterminator guy & the whole time I'm holding my ever so stinky baby on my hip. After things calm down a bit & piggy has a fresh bottom I get to baking the bread.
Yes, I washed my hands! Geesh..
Something seems off about the Amish batter though, it seems extra stinky. I mean this stuff usually has an odor but I keep getting a whiff of something extra special. And as I go about my day of interesting chaos, there's that wafting little something letting me know I've missed something. I check the trash, move stuff on the counter, look behind the fridge but I can't find anything.
However, it's almost like everywhere I go that smell just kinda pops up.
After several hours of this odd unanswerable question I find the culprit!
It's me!!
Looks like Piglet poop leaked on my shirt.
Nice.

The Blessed Supermom

Kitchen Limbo

Well, this weekend was the Illinois Christian Home Educators Convention. It was great! And crazy, my homeschooling friends know what I'm talking about. It's kinda like being at a wonderful farmers market, there's all these great things to see & do. At first you take in all the sweet aromas & meander slowly though this ever so relaxing time, maybe even run into a few friends & buy some treasured items. After a while though, your feet start to swell & all those previously sweet smells begin to mesh together & you have a headache, Then BAM!!! Run over by a cart full of flowers!!
You're laying their dazed & confused but there's all this pretty stuff around you & no matter how much you know you should walk away, instead you limp toward the flowers & ask for more....
Now, if you think I'm exaggerating you should take a look at the golf ball sized bruise on my leg!
That being said, the bumps & bruises are worth it I'll go into more detail, but not today.

What is on my mind however is the mysterious allergic reaction the Bear had just over a week ago. I was really leaning toward cheese or some sort of dairy product because she had another reaction (or so it seemed) Wednesday & the only connection I could make was cheese. We also thought it could have been food poisoning but after thinking some that doesn't add up with all her previous tummy issues.
I just spoke to her pediatrician & she has absolutely NO ALLERGIES...UGH...seriously???
Well, we are still waiting for the Gluten Intolerance results & hope to get them tomorrow. But come on really! I am trying not to wig out over here! What's the deal???
I'm really at a loss, I don't even know what to feed her & don't want to give her something hurtful.
Errrggggggg.....

OK, pardon my miniwig.
I think I just made up a word...miniwig...fun.

Anyway, without having clear direction I don't feel comfortable having my regular Monday Cooking Day. I will bake some breads for the week & try to come up with a menu plan but that's about it. I'm also toying with the idea of removing Gluten anyway because an article I read explained the difference between Gluten Intolerance & Wheat Allergy. There is a large portion of people with Celiac Symptoms (gluten intolerance) who don't test positive for it. These people assume maybe they're just allergic to Wheat & go about their lives with the impression everything is fine & it's OK to eat it learning to live with the chronic issues. Or maybe their diagnosed with IBS. The problem is if you're not testing positive for Celiac & do have it, it becomes quite a danger over time. It is not an allergy, it's an Auto-Immune Disease & is cause for concern if not treated.
Well, after schooling you on all the Celiac stuff you probably understand a bit more why my kitchen is at a standstill. And furthermore why I may just cut Gluten out all together, see Bear is having so many symptoms of Gluten Intolerance & if it doesn't show up on her initial blood test we have to do further blood panels & possibly a biopsy of her small intestine.
Yea, I really don't think I'm gonna go there.
Who knows maybe it will show up on the test & I will have answers & if it doesn't Big Daddy & I will figure it out from there, either way I'm sure God will direct our paths.
And my kitchen =)

The Blessed Supermom

Cooking Frenzy

OK, so I've read a lot about freezer cooking & I've always been more than interested. However, I just don't have the space.
What I prefer to do is cook up as much meat as I can & freeze that. So I decided to have a mini freezer cooking day & I figured I'd make up our weeks worth of snax too.
So here's my list of what I'm preparing...

2 batches of World’s Easiest Make-Ahead Marinated Chicken Recipe
Pan of Baked Oatmeal~after cooking, cut into squares & freeze
Brown 1 lb pork, 2 lbs turkey, & a package of Italian Sausage
Boil & shred 5 lbs chicken breast.
All of these previous items will be frozen.

Now, onto the weeks goodies.
I'm gonna whip up some guacamole & fry tortilla chips.
Make the kiddos some jello.
Make a double batch of chocolate chip cookies~bake one & freeze the other.
Bake a loaf of Whole Wheat Honey Bread (maybe two)
And last....my first attempt at homemade doughnuts.

I'm not sure about this last one though, I hope to be done with EVERYTHING by 2 pm. But after all the other cooking I may be all shriveled up & toasty & unable to do anymore.
We'll see...I think I may be a wee bit crazy =)

The Blessed Supermom

Butter, Syrup, Whipped Cream...OH MY!!

Whew! Me & the girlies have some seriously sore arms & huge muscles now. We made butter!!
OK, it wasn't all too hard, but a lil more work than I thought. Probably cuz we made a whole cup of butter & another cup of whipped cream.

Yes...oh so yummy!!

So here's how we did it....

We started off with a simple carton of heavy whipping cream, here are my wonderfully gorgeous models showing it off. Aren't they beautiful!!

Then the Bear started whipping. Honestly we whipped the daylights out of this cream & we were getting a whole lot of NOTHING...

Poor baby. However, she wasn't upset, in fact she was tickled at the idea of making this yummy topping. After a while of getting nowhere we couldn't figure out what was wrong so I called my SuperSister who suggested we use a chilled metal bowl.

The Monkey gave it a whirl & lo & behold...NOTHING!!
Ha! Just kidding, it just wasn't happening fast enough for my girlies so Mama had to take over. Once it started to thicken up they naturally became interested again & promptly took over =)
We added some vanilla & sugar & ran a few taste tests. It passed!!

Then came the butter. OK, maybe we shouldn't of tried to make as much as we did. We started off with 2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a jar then shook the daylights out of it.

Honestly, this part was hysterical! Watching the girls shakin & shakin! Well, you can imagine that it didn't take all too long before they decided that I should do it! Well, I didn't let em' get off that easy & we all took turns, however~my turns were two to three times longer than theirs. Finally, we started rolling it across the floor to one another & VOILA! BUTTER!!!
So we got all excited & tasted it, then decided it was gross & added a wee bit of salt...PERFECT!

I was able to explain to the girls how the forced air from the mixer whipped the cream into a fluffy consistency. However, when we didn't add air by keeping the cream in a jar the consistency of the cream was different. The fat particles in the cream began to "stick" together making butter =)

With all this homemade yummy goodness we decided to make waffles for dinner! The Hubby cooked up some bacon & Monkey even helped make some vanilla syrup. It was an awesome time with my sweet girls & we all enjoyed breakfast for dinner =)

The Blessed Supermom

Baked Yummy Goodness & Some Fruit Too

Soooo, you'd think after the baking frenzy during Christmas I wouldn't want to go near a kitchen again right?
Well, I have this problem...see, I like food waaaayyyyy too much =)
Oh! And my wee ones too, they bring a smile to my face when we cook together.
I love to be in the kitchen with my littles to try out new & fun recipes. I hafta admit, initially allowing the little people to help made me feel somewhat insane.
It always started out ever so sweet...we all had our aprons on & big ole smiles but eventually I'd get a little more than batty because flour was being spilled & they were determined to taste everything with a raw egg in it! ACH!! By the end of our time together I was ready to run out the door, climb up a tree & start barking!!!
But, I've gotten better over the years, trust me this is no small miracle. I've actually come to a point where I can laugh at the mess & ENJOY my daughters.

I have learned to be prepared for the best & expect the worst. That may sound negative, but really it's not. See, in the past I was putting too much pressure on myself, and the kiddos, to have this "perfect" experience. I had visions of Ma...ya know?
Little House on The Prairie.
Here I'd be smiling as my wonderful little girls made bread that didn't fall, they got along wonderfully of course, then ran off to milk the cow & churn some butter.
OK...OK maybe there wasn't a cow....but there was butter! At least there will be tomorrow...really, don't ask.
Anyway, to get a little serious here, I'm grateful that God adjusted my perspective. He showed me that what was important was not whether everything was "just so"
What mattered was my children's hearts. Yes, in something as simple as baking in the kitchen with Mommy, I was given the blessed opportunity to minister to my babies.
As we work together we are loving one another, the girls are learning to be kind & gentle with one anothers hearts, & to have a spirit of peace & patience.
Sound familiar? These are a few of the Fruits of The Spirit.
And what better place to learn them then in the home, at Mama's side.
Learning by the example I give when the bowl of flour is tipped & I laugh with true joy and even show some self control instead of all that tree barking.

I'm a wee bit embarrassed about that...


The Blessed Supermom

True Treasures Review

Hi!
I'm so excited to tell you all about this most awesome gift I received! But first let me give you a lil back story. A few months back I started following Mrs. Lorrie Flem on Facebook, she is an awesome SUPERMOM. She has a wonderful publication by the name of Eternal Encouragement
(formerly TEACH magazine)
I'm always so encouraged by her updates & posts.
So when Lorrie asked if their were any bloggers out there that would consider reviewing materials I jumped at the chance. I can not tell you how ecstatic I was when I was approved to be one of The Gabby Moms !!
I anxiously awaited the mailman looking for my first project. Naturally, it came in God's perfect timing, just after Christmas.
When I was nice & burnt out =)
Here I sat on my sofa opening up a package addressed to me & it didn't even cross my mind that it was from Mrs. Flem. Imagine my joy when I looked upon this beautiful book wrapped in a sweet little bow.

I felt like a child opening up that oh so special present Christmas morn. And let me tell you this book has been a wonderful gift!!
Where do I begin?? There is just so much packed into these 104 pages. There are 6 chapters full of wisdom from Godly Women Such as...
Shelley Noonan
Marilyn Boyer
Nancy Nolan
And of course Lorrie too!
Topics include everything from strengthening your marriage to parenting to successful homeschooling. I really loved the regal theme of this book, following the title True Treasures, the chapters titles are as follows

Chapter 1~Jewels That Make the Heart Sparkle
Chapter 2~Marriages of Solid Gold
Chapter 3~Parenting Pearls:Practical & Priceless
Chapter 4~Homemaking That Dazzles Like Diamonds
Chapter 5~ Homeschooling Nuggets of Wisdom
Chapter 6~Godly Living That Glitters

As I read these articles I felt...well, like a princess!! Being handed all these precious jewels, I am a Daughter of The King right?? =)
This book has been a wonderful blessing & an amazing encouragement. I have gotten so many practical ideas on homemaking & just being a good mama. I'm certain I will pour over this book time & time again in the years to come.
I highly recommend stopping over at http://www.homemakingwithteach.com/
& picking up your own copy of True Treasures. The regular price is $19.99, but if you order before May 31st 2011 you can get $4.00 off by entering the code GabbyMom at checkout. (Only 1 use per customer and per order.)
And while your there be sure to check out all the absolutely wonderful resources offered.

In closing, this book has brought me to tears as I've felt convicted by the Holy Spirit. It has reminded me of God's continual provision & strength. And most importantly it has reminded of the high calling & blessing it is to be called "Mommy"

The Blessed Supermom~


“I received this product for honest review from TEACH Magazine as a part of The Gabby Moms blogging program. All opinions expressed are solely my own.”

Real Housewives of.....

New Jersey, Orange County, New York, Atlanta....
Apparently, this is where the REAL HOUSEWIVES live...
Have you seen them? They are tall, thin, & beautiful with 28 inch waists & hair down to there. They are of concern to me.
Why?
Well, I finally decided to watch an episode because I've been wondering what's all the hype? Being a "housewife" myself (I prefer SUPERMOM) I wanted to see what BRAVO's impression of this type of woman is.
We all already know what ABC thinks...big fat UGH...
Well, unfortunately...it's not much better, in fact I think it may be worse.
Because these aren't actresses, these are real women & although I'm not saying these women are bad I do think it's a poor representation of a SAHM.
First of all, from what I saw there are a lot of Nanny's. Now, let me make a point of saying if you use a nanny or are a nanny yourself I have nothing against you. That being said, most women I know don't have one so that in & of itself isn't so "REAL"
The other thing of serious concern to me was the language.
WOW!!! Seriously????
Call it what you want~freedom of speech, in your face entertainment, independent, bold. But come on, when did ladies stop acting like ladies & become foul mouthed, suggestive, offensive truckers??
I know that I am far from the dainty lady sitting in my heals & wearing a string of pearls, minding all my P's & Q's but I am most certain if there's a camera rolling I'm not gonna be saying anywhere near the stuff I heard Sunday night.
Then there was the arguing, backbiting & downright snarling.

Half these women don't appear to like one another. They are continually running around & gossiping about their "friends" & many feelings are hurt. Unfortunately when feelings are hurt there are no apologies & hugs instead they are vicious & appear that they will tear each other apart.
You would think after arguments & name calling the "friendships" would cease, however, they all end up at a spa or party hashing it out with more name calling & they even come close to throwing fists!!
This apparently, is how they make up!
Now, what I found most noticeable was the appearance of these "housewives"
I have nothing wrong with being good looking, I'm really not so bad myself =)
But I just don't feel this is all too realistic. The women I watched had legs miles long, perfectly manicured fingers, & make up on as soon as they rolled outta bed!

I am most concerned about this last detail because our my little girls gonna think this is what "Real Housewives" look like??
Are they gonna beat themselves up to fit an almost unattainable mold??
NO!!
Because my daughters aren't being exposed to this program but what about all the little girls & young teens who are??
What will they think when reality hits & they are wallowing in piles of laundry as the baby fusses & the toilet overflows?

Just a few hours prior to watching this most interesting show I watched the goodness of God in the real housewives I'm blessed to have in my life...
We had a great time sipping coffee, munching on donuts, & just laughing!!
I am quite certain only one of my Supermama friends had on make up although I can truly say Jo really rocks those glasses of hers & Mrs. Toni was workin' the "do" in my opinion =)
I myself am not too sure my socks matched & my other girlfriend was quite proud to show off her sweater that read "Because I'm The Boss, That's Why"

Now, these women...they are REAL HOUSEWIVES....
They are clothed in humility & beauty. They aren't ashamed to wear the grace of God & show Christ to children who are testing them. They are encourager's to their men & create safe havens for them to come home to.
These are beautiful women.
They are THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF GODLY HOMES.

And yet another giveaway!!

I love reading about other Supermom's who embrace the high calling of motherhood. Women who share the calling as as honor & look to Christ to guide them as they train their children. Well, a few months back I stumbled across Raising Homemakers. You will find on their website that their purpose is;

"dedicated to inspiring, teaching and blessing mothers who have an interest in raising their daughter in godliness and preparing them in the arts of homemaking to the glory of God."

Well, as a mommy to 4 daughters I find this website quite an encouragement. They are hosting a giveaway of some great audio books which are encouraging, inspiring, challenging, & uplifting. Sharing about the beauties and hardships of life and the women who lived before our time – women whose examples we can learn from. Godly women.

I encourage you to stop by, even if you don't have daughters, this is an opportunity for your own growth as well.

12 Week Holiday Planner

OK, I can't take credit for this, although I'd love too. This comes via my Awesome Supermom friend. Lemme tell ya, she's really Super. Ya know, one of those Supermoms that when you get in a sticky situation you think what would shheeee do???

Well, she posted about a "12 Week Holiday Planner" & if she "highly recommends" it well than I do too!

Just look at some of the great stuff this e-book offers

• Weekly "To Do" lists showing exactly what needs to be done each week

• Thanksgiving and Christmas Menus forms

• Shopping Lists

• Christmas Craft and Gift Ideas

• Memory Making Ideas for the Family

• Holiday Baking Schedule

And this is only a small snippet of what's in the e-book, there's so much more! So click on the link below & visit my wonderful Supermom friend & check out the Holiday Planner while your there!!

Take Flight: 12 Week Holiday Planner: "I know...you're thinking it's too early to be thinking about Christmas. Not so! A friend of mine just posted on her Facebook that Dollar T..."