Simple pleasures

It's really the simple pleasures in life that can make or break a week, day or even "the witching hours." You know, those hours just before dinner, during homework, before dad comes home when your kids seam to need everything done for them, spelled out for them and insist on dancing on your very last nerve. Simple pleasures can be the difference between being this mom:

To this mom:

 This one:

 To this one:

 This one:

 To this one:

Some of a mom's simple pleasures are the same as any woman but some, are uniquely Mom.

A fresh new hip hair cut
New make up
A pedicure
A chance to pee in private
The first successful day of potty training - the end of diapers
The first time your child wipes his/her own butt
A book that holds your childs interest the entire way thru
The tv show or movie that guarantees you a minimum of 10 min.'s peace (see #4)
The meal that every member of your family will eat with out modification per plate.
A hotel for a night - They make the beds for you!!!
A shower with out having to answer questions :"what's that?" "why do you have to shave?" "why do you have hair there?"
Sleeping-in past 6am
Being woken up by a kiss or feelski from your husband vs a slober or pounce from your kids.
A midnight walk to the bathroom without stepping on a Lego, baby doll or that mysterious squishy thing.
Drinking an entire drink without having to share or defend against sharing
Eating an entire meal without having to ponder why the food on mom's plate tastes better than the kids plate despite the fact that it's the SAME meal!
A Starbucks coffee

The list could go on. What are your simple pleasures?

Friday

Ahh Fridays, how I love thee!

No, I've never found my motivation, maybe I should check in the dryer?
I spent yesterday at home spending time with my youngest brother who's in from out of town. We played games, watched movies with the kids and caught up on all those conversations that are so much better face to face than via long distance phone call. One of his favorite meals is fettuccini alfredo so I switched up the meal plan last night and thawed the chicken broccoli alfredo I made last Friday. It thawed perfectly and didn't separate at all. It was just as creamy as the day we made it. We served it over pasta with a small side salad and some easy breadsticks. It was delish! I can't imagine eating the chicken broccoli as a casserole though; it would be like just eating alfredo sauce with a spoon. Ok, well, maybe on the right day I could divulge into a spoon or two, but you get the point. The breadstick recipe comes from another blog I follow mostly for coupons and conversations but she has some great recipes now and then. The recipe is intended as pizza dough but I modified it a bit for breadsticks.

1 1\2 cup warm water
2 tsp yeast
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp garlic salt
3\4 cup butter
3 cups flour

Proof the yeast in the warm water for 1-2 min's. In the mixing bowl add all the ingredients and, using your dough hook on low, mix until dough pulls away from bowl then increase to medium for 2 min's. If you don't have mixer just get your hands in there and kneed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let the dough rest for 10 min's. then roll out to about 1\8 thickness. Using a pizza cutter or other sharp knife, cut into strips width wise about 1 inch wide. Fold the strip in half and twist. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 10 min's. Baste with melted butter and garlic salt and bake for 2 min's. more. Remove and serve warm or, cool and freeze for later.

Thanks MyLitter for the great recipe idea


Today I'm headed to the park with the kids and hopefully do some clean up so we start the weekend with fresh house. We're ordering out from Buffalo Wild Wings tonight for dinner and plan on watching a movie together. Ahh how I love Fridays!

At some point this weekend I need to get to the asparagus from Bountiful Baskets. I found this recipe for asparagus pesto when looking for more to do with the asparagus other than blanching it and freezing it. I'm going to make up a batch this weekend and hopefully the family will like it. If so, then I'll probably make up one or two more batches to freeze.

Have a great weekend!

How to stay warm on a cold morning

Me: "Makenna? Makenna, where are you? Come on, we have to go take the big kids to school. Where are you? Kids, help me find Makenna please."

Kids: "I think I hear her down the hall."

Me: "Check the laundry room, she was getting a yougert out earler."

Kids: "Nope, not in here"

Me: "What about the bathroom? Makenna! Where are you?"


Kids: "Nope, not here."

Me: "I'll check her bed, maybe she went back to sleep"

Me: "Nope. Anthony, check your room."

Anthony: "Nope."
Me: "Are you sure you'd be able to find her in there? Did you check the shower?"

Me: "Nope. Ok, Makenna, this isn't funny any more, where are you?!?!"

Hailey: "Mom, she's not in her castle either"
Me: "Did you look in the closet?"

Kids: "MAKENNA!!!"
Me:"MAKENNA LYNN! Where are you?"
Kids: "Kenna, Kenna, Kenna, where are you..."
Me: "Shh....."
Kids: "Kenna, Kenna, Kenna..."
Me: "SHH...."
Kids: Kenna, Kenna, Kenna"
Me: "SHUSH!!!!! I hear her....Makenna? Check the laundry room again."

Kids: "Nope. Oh, wait...."

All together: "Makenna!"

Makenna: "Cold!"

Did you see the Dora book in there with her? She was cold, someone left the dryer open and I'm guessing she thought she'd crawl in with the warm clothes and read. She was mad the light kept shutting off when she closed the door. Ahh, kids, where heart attacks originated!

Lacking the will of the warrior

Has anyone seen my motivation? I seem to have lost it at some point this weekend. I'm blaming the lazy Sunday, I slowed down for a day and can't get reved back up. My house needs some serious deep cleaning again. The dust bunnies are taking over. It's been all my energy just to keep the house picked up and dishes done, let alone do anything more. Ugh! Maybe the motivation fairy will visit me in my sleep tonight. I could really use a day like this.....Wednesday two weeks ago....

15 Bean Soup and Green Chile Corn Bread Recipes

15 Bean Soup

1 sweet onion
4 stocks celery
1/2 bag baby carrots or 3-4 large
Ham Steak or chub of boneless cured ham
Ham hock
Bag 15 bean soup mix
Cilantro
2 bay leaves


Soak beans over night or follow instructions on the bag for quick soak.
Chop onions, celery, carrots and ham to similar cubes. In a sauté pan with a little olive oil, sauté all until the carrots are a bit soft. Chop 1/2 the cilantro bunch, stems are ok. Add everything including your rinsed beans into a crock pot and cover to the top with water. Add pepper to taste. Be very conservative with salt as the ham hock adds a lot. Cook on low 8 hrs. Before serving add the ham flavor packet.
Garnish with extra cilantro, cheese, sour cream or fresh cracked pepper.


Green Chile Corn Bread

2 boxes Jiffy corn bread mix
1 can creamed corn
1 cup frozen corn
2 small cans green chiles
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Combine all the ingredients and let rest for 10 min's. Bake according to the instructions on the box for either Johnny cake or muffins.

Weekly meal plan 1/24/11

This weeks meals are based on what I have in stock:

Monday: Dinner salad with broiled chicken and whole wheat rolls

Tuesday: 15 bean soup with corn bread

Wednesday: Enchilada casserole (freezer stash) with refried beans (left over from the soup)

Thursday: Cranberry pork roast (freezer stash) with brown rice and fresh broccoli

Friday: order in

Saturday:
Breakfast: French toast casserole
Lunch: Tuna sandwiches
Dinner: Hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill with grilled mixed veggies

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Lazy Sundays

I love Sundays, especially lazy Sunday's. (Someone remind me of this tomorrow when I'm complaining about all the clean up I have to do!) Last night Brad and I got to go on a late night dinner date and he let me sleep in this morning till noon! The rest of the day was cuddling up with my babies watching tv or playing games. I did sneak Hailey and I out for a quick trip to the grocery store for the weekly staples.

I spent most of my weekly budget this week on our mega cooking day. It cost us $200 total for all the ingredients, which comes out to $8.00 per meal! Considering most of the dishes will feed our entire families plus some for left overs I think we did great! So while I don't plan to deplete my entire freezer this week, we will be relying on it for several meals. I hope to get the weekly meal plan up later tonight.

For dinner tonight we're having the Mediterranean Spinach Strata with bacon, a side salad and phenomenal cinnamon rolls. Yum!

The cinnamon roll recipe is my go-to bread recipe with a smidge more sugar and a splash of vanilla.

Dough:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Filling:

1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
1 tbsp flour

I use a bread maker on the dough setting. I combine the milk, water and butter in a measuring cup and heat for 1 min. in the microwave. Add to the bread machine then pile everything in the order listed. Once the machine is done working it's magic, roll out on a floured surface till the dough is about an 1/8 in thick.

Then spread with a 1/2 cup melted butter. In a ziplock bag combine the remaining filling ingredients and shake to combine. Spread over the dough then roll up.

I use a length of thread to cut the dough instead of squishing it with a knife.

Place the rolls in a buttered dish and let rise until doubled.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 min's until golden brown. Top with your favorite icing.

Bountiful Baskets

Have you heard of Bountiful Baskets? If not, you HAVE to check it out. It's co-op for fruits and veggies. I go onto the website and order every two weeks and for $15 I get a laundry basket full of fruits and veggies. This week I got:

2 Romain lettus's
1 Red Kale
4 Cucumbers
2 Bunches Asparagus
5 Roma tomatoes
7 Banannas
3 Ruby Red Grapefruits
4 Asian pears
5 Apples
1 Pineapple

I also got an "extra" order this week of 11 lbs. of Asparagus for $18. I plan on blanching and freezing them for side dishes later in the month.

Check it out, there are pick up sites everywhere! Bountiful Baskets

BIG Cooking day!

We did it! We completed everything we wanted to. My cousin and I started at 10a and just finished, clean up and all, at 7pm. We even got an extra roast done. It was so much fun; we laughed, drank yummy champagne and baked in perfect step together. The only debate was what to eat for dinner for tonight. There was 4 Crockpot’s going, the oven was on constantly and the stove top was in constant rotation of pots and pan's.

I'm off to soak in the bath. My back is killing me!

Here's the Garden-Style Lasagna

Here's the Mediterranean Spinach Strata in process

Enchalada Cassarole pre-cooking:



The Rolls:

Here's the final picture:
4 Mediterranean Spinach Strata's
4 Garden-Style Lasagna's
5 Red Enchalada Casseroles
2 Green Enchalada Casseroles
4 Chicken Broccoli Casseroles (*see note below)
2 Gallon Ziplocks with Cranberry Pork Roast (nick named Cran-pig)
2 Gallon Ziplocks with Pad Thai Peanut Butter Pork Roast (nick named Peanut Pig)
The large crock pot is full of Green Chilli Beef
24 rolls

*The Chicken Broccoli Casserole was strange, it didn't have any rice, bread or pasta in it and was very creamy. It tasted more like an alfredo sauce that should be put over pasta or on baked potatoes, so, that's what we dubbed it: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe

This is one of my favorite soups! It is not a sit and simmer soup so it can be made at the last minute. The down side is that it does not keep at all and once completely made it can't be frozen for later. There is a point in the recipe that you can stop and freeze it but truly you're only saving yourself the sauté time so 10 minutes max.

Copycat Zuppa Toscana

1 pkg mild itallian sasuage (bulk or just cut the casings off link ones)
1 large onion
3-4 medium baking potatoes
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 knorr chicken bullion cubes
14 cups water
1 pint heavy whipping cream (I use fat free 1/2 instead)
3 cups chopped kale

Sauté The onion and sasuage in A little olive oil until the sasuage is almost done. add the pepper flakes, bullion and water. This is the point you can freeze it if you want. Bring to a boil then back it down to medium. Cut the potatoes, skin on, into 1/2 moons, add to the soup. Cook till the potatoes are just tender, about 15-20 minutes. Finally add the cream and kale. The tempature back to a simmer and serve. Yum!

Thursday and change in the meal plan

I forgot to put the roast in the crock pot last night so the family had spaghetti and meatballs instead so technically I should make the peanut butter roast tonight but I really want to make the olive garden copycat soup. The bummer part is I forgot that I used all my potatoes so I'd have to go to the store and I hate going out for just one thing. On the bright side I made $5 last night selling one of my custom lotions so I could get a starbucks if I go out....humm...

I have to do lots of cleaning today to get ready for our big baking day tomorrow. Did I mention it got moved? Oh well, it's tomorrow and I need to make sure the cabinets and pantries are organized, the fridge is cleaned out and all my Tupperware has matching lids for storage. I also need to plot out cooking times of everything and make a pseudo schedule of the order we need to do things. That also means that we're not having the homemade pizza tomorrow night either becaues there's no way I'm cooking all that food all day tomorrow then busting out the homemade pizza. Sorry, even I have my limits.

I guess going out for a min. will help break up the cleaning and the extra yummy caffeine will boost my non-existent energy level today.

I'll post both the OG soup recipe later today.

My night away

Yea! Tonight is my once monthly Bunco group. It's a group of 12 women all related in one way or another. We eat, drink, laugh and share stories of childhood and motherhood. I look forward to it every month. Not to mention the fact that I leave the house at “the witching hour” and don't return till everyone's long asleep. Brad gets a night to play both mom and dad. But, if you haven't figured this out yet, I'm warped, I leave him a spotless house, home made dinner ready to eat (this is where those frozen meals from big baking/cooking days come in handy especially since I forgot to put the roast in the crock pot this morning!) and the kids are already bathed and jammied. I figure it's a small price to not have to play 20 questions tonight.....
"What’s for dinner?"
"Do I have to eat that?"
"Can I have water instead of milk?"
"Why can’t I sit in the big kid chair?"
"Can we watch TV with dinner?"
"Why not?"
"Why not?"
"Why not?"
"Why not?"
"Why is it night-night time?"
"Do I have to go to bed?"
"Why?"
"Why did you said so?"
......... And on and on it goes....

Grocery shopping on a cash only system

If you haven't had a chance to read the "About Me" section of the blog then you may not be aware that my family operates on a cash only system. In a nutshell it's exactly what it sounds like, we only use cash. We do not have a debit card or check book and only have one very small credit card for emergencies.
Someone asked me recently how I grocery shop on the cash only system and I thought I'd share the answer here.

First, I figure out what our budget is for the week. It ranges from $100-$175 a week depending. When needed, I can shop for my family of five on $75 a week. Then I look at the ads for Frys and Safeway and compare who has the better overall sales. I try to just go to one store but I'm not opposed to going to multiple stores if the sales warrant. I then make my meal plan based on the meats on sale or what I have in the freezer. I use an excel meal planner that has all the meals I make in it and let's me use an organized drop down box to pick a meal. This keeps me from getting stuck in a rut making the same thing over and over again. When ever I make a new recipe I add it into the meal planner. If I can figure out how to share it here I will.

After I have my meals planned I make up my list of needs. Those are the things I have to have for the week. Then I make a list of wants. Those are things that I already have stocked piled in the house but are on good sale this week and I want to keep adding to my stock pile. At any given time I have 3-4 deodorants, body wash, dish soaps, tooth brushes etc... Combining coupons with sales and/or store coupons I often get most of those items for free or at very least less than a dollar. Maintaining my stock pile ensures that I never pay full price for things I know I can get for 50-75% off. I try not to stock more than 5 of any one item due to space and need. At the end of the year I clean out my stock pile and donate items to local food banks or shelters.

Anyways, once my list is complete, I load my purse up with lollie pops, juice boxes and mini books in hopes of keeping the girls entertained while I shop. (You know you're a stay at home mom when you relish the chance to go grocery shopping by yourself!) At the store, I weigh each produce item and tally up the price of everything as I go. I carry a calculator and keep track of the total. I pull my coupons out as I grab the item and deduct the coupon amount plus more if my store doubles. I usually try to go into the check out lane about $10 under my budget just in case I missed adding anything.

I am not always this diligent but doing this has helped me be able to guestimate as I go with out the calculator and tally sheet for the times I can't or just don't want to be exact. The times I don’t spend our budget amount I use the excess to buy things I know we’ll eventually need such as pull-up’s, toilet paper, dog food, etc. Again, this just ensures that I don’t get stuck having to buy those higher price items on a short budget week.

How do you keep yourself on budget for groceries?

Dirty Laundry!

I finally got the Dirty Laundry tab up. Head over and check it out! I probably won't keep it up forever but it was too funny not to share.

http://momsinsidestory.blogspot.com/p/dirty-laundry.html

Cookies!

Morning!
Our weekend was pretty jam packed but I found myself with some extra energy yesterday afternoon and decided to get some baking done. I made Grandma's Perfect Oatmeal Raisin cookies, Chocolate Chip cookies and Butterscotch Pecan cookies. YUM!
I will admit that I do not, and never have, found a perfect recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies, so, I've learned to improvise. I use the Betty Crocker ready to make cookie mix in the cake isle (I usually get them for less than a $1 with coupons) and add a few extras to make them yum. I double the eggs, and add in a good splash of quality vanilla then add 1.5 cups of chips. They bake up perfect every time! Chewy in the middle, crisp edges and just the right amount of sweetness. I used this same recipe for the butterscotch pecans except, obviously, substituted the chocolate chips for butterscotch and added a cup of chopped pecans.
The oatmeal cookies are from my Grandma's recipe. They are the absolute most perfect, yummiest, oatmeal cookies ever. I promise you'll love them!

Grandma's Perfect Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 375

2c Sugar
2c Oatmeal
2 1/2c Flour
1c Butter flavored shortening
1 1/2 c Raisins
3 Eggs
1tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

First, measure out your raisins and soak them in very hot water, a dash of cinnamon and a splash of vanilla. Let them soak while you combine the rest of the ingredients. Cream the shortening and sugar together, add the vanilla, eggs, cinnamon then soda. Next, mix in the oatmeal until incorporated then add 2 cups of the flour. Drain your raisins, add them to the cookie mix then add your final 1/2 cup of flour.
Bake on greased cookie sheets for 10 min's or until just barely golden. I flip the top and bottom rack pans at about 4 min's just to ensure that all the cookies bake the same. Cool on the pan for a few min's then switch to a cooling rack.

Friday

Happy Friday to everyone! I spent the day relaxing, playing video games (yes, I know, very un-1950-ish) and running around with the kiddo's. Tonight I'm indulging in a bottle of my favorite wine, a good take out dinner and hopefully a quite movie night.

I'm hoping to get up the Dirty Laundry tab this weekend and start adding in some recipes so check back when you can.

Have a great weekend with your families!

Mega cooking/baking day

I am planning a mega baking day for next Thursday with my cousin. This will be our third one together. The first was focused on apples (sauce, bread, pie, chicken, etc..) the second was Christmas cooking (lasagna, quiche, marinara sauce, meatballs and a crock pot corn dish) and this time we're going to make healthy dinners. I think it's our most ambitious menu yet. Here's our agenda:

4 trays of Mediterranean Spinach Strata
4 trays Garden-Style Lasagna
4 Chicken broccoli Casseroles
4 Enchilada Casserole with ground turkey
4 Green chili shredded beef roasts
48 Whole wheat dinner rolls
48 Whole wheat breadsticks

I'll post the recipes for the Green chili shredded beef and the bread later in the recipie tab as both of those are my recipes and I don't yet have a link for them. My cousin and I split up the grocery list between Costco items and Grocery store items. It usually ends up pretty even that way. We are going to start around 9 and are usually done around 6pm. It’s a lot to do but the two of us work great as a team, cooking, cleaning, chopping, prepping, drinking…..

I’ll post pictures as we go, it’s an amazing sight to see!

Seriously?!?!

Lets play a game.....Which one of these doesn't belong: The calm, occupied children? The toy free, still clean living room? Or is it option 3, The dirty socks discarded off my husbands feet left there last night and still there this morning?

Did you guess option 3?

DING, DING, DING!!!! You are correct!!

See, here's the fundamental flaw in being a 1950's housewife in a modern world. When you pick up and clean everything for those around you all the time, they begin to not even think twice about doing it themselves. They subconsciously expect that you will do it. I say subconsciously because I know, if/when my husband sees this post he will be embarrassed and retort that he is perfectly capable of picking up his dirty socks, he was just very tired (he came home from work at 10pm after going in at 6am) and this morning he didn't see them because he was in a hurry....and....and...and. He would never consciously think, "eh, why pick them up when I know Jen will do it." If I ever believed for a second that the man actually had that thought, I'd be a 1950's scandal story of the divorced mom. But, the fact remains that there are dirty socks right in the middle of the floor in my perfectly clean house.

So, what to do? Leave them until he gets home and either notices that his last night socks are still there; see's this post and comes home to retrieve said socks; or just add todays dirty socks to the floor since obviously, if I wanted them cleaned up I would have done it?

Once again we're back to the fundamental flaw. I can not stand the dirty socks on my floor all day, it killed me to leave them long enough to take the picture. So, the socks are in the proper laundry basket with the rest of yesterdays dirt laundry. So, what has my husband and by association my children learned? If you leave it where it doesn't belong, Mom will take care of it.

Wednesday

Today coalesced into a beautiful event. EVERY room of my house is clean!! I woke up with full intention of sewing and taking it a bit relaxed today but strangely found myself very motivated. I dusted, did windows, hand scrubbed floors and even got the girls room and closet completely clean and organized. The room was thanks in part to my beautiful niece who gave up her movie time because she wanted to help me. How cool is that!
I could actually bore you with before and after pictures of each of the rooms in my house but I'll spare you and just leave tonights post short as I am going to just sit in my now quiet (it's past bed time here) and perfectly clean house! Tomorrow I'm planning out my next big baking day and skimming the grocery adds for this weeks deals. I'll be posting both.

*who's taking bets on how long it takes for it to look like a tornado touched down again? I say give it 21 hours. I'll be scrambling to clean up tomorrow night before I have dinner guests over. Someone remind me again why I even bother to clean?

My Dad sent this to me as a joke on Monday when I launched this blog. The funniest part about it is I agree and try to model almost ALL of these! Sick huh! Somewhere along the way I seriously took a full leap backwards for feminism. I didn't always use to be like this I promise, but I do admit it's slowing getting worse as time goes by. Who know's maybe I'll even get myself a pretty little lace half apron to wear.

Housekeeping Monthly, 13 May 1955

The Good Wife's Guide

* Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

* Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

* Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it. (Yes, because I'm sure he loves to hear two year old potty training tails and the controversy behind today’s Dora episode!)

* Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables. During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

* Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet. (Aside from duck tape, if any one figures out how to actually accomplish a quiet house at the witching hour please let me know!)

* Be happy to see him.

* Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

* Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours. (Nope, sorry bub! My conversations for the day have been with a 3.5 and 2 yr old, I'm bursting at the seams with all my interesting musings of the day - I get to go first!)

* Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

* Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.

* Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

* Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

* Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him. (Nope, sorry bub! It is my job to question you. We live in a 3 bedroom house, it’s not big enough for our family of 5 plus your ego if I don't question! Besides, everyone knows Mom's run the house, therefore - I'm the "master" of this middle suburbia castle!

* A good wife always knows her place. (In a clean home, with lots of children, good food and a happy marriage – my definition at least)

Tuesday

Morning!

I like Tuesdays. The girls and I go to a music class at a local resale bookstore. We take over the kids area and sing songs, play all sorts of instruments and they even get to do a marching band thru the store. Not only is it fun for the girls and me but, I always get a Starbucks on my way. You can't have a bad day when it starts with Starbucks!

Today I have to work on an embroidery project. I have 14 polo shirts that I am embroidering with my husbands company logo. I really dislike doing these shirts because it's tedious and I swore last time would be the final time I did any but, once again, the shirts just show up on my door step. It's hard to resist the money, even if it's tedious. A girl has to fund her Starbucks some how!

If I can figure out how to post pictures I'll share a few today. Dinner is easy tonight, hubby is in charge of the grill. That may back fire on me though as he knew going in today that it would be a rough day so I may end up switching out hamburgers for tomorrows salad with broiled chicken. Sounds so unappealing right now though.....

Monday - Updated

Oh Mondays, how I hate thee! Yes, even us stay at home mom's hate Mondays! My house always looks like a tornado originated under my roof, every weekend. So, game plan for the day: dishes, since at some point my little 5 used EVERY dish, cup and fork we own; laundry all 4 loads washed, folded and put away ( I hate laundry!!); toy round up and I promised my hubby I would clean up the girls room today so we can actually go in to give them night-night kisses instead of blowing kisses from the door; vacuum the 10 lbs of dirt ground into my carpet and mop the tile. I could swear I just did all this on Friday!

Dinner tonight is shredded BBQ beef on homemade whole wheat rolls with brussels sprouts and brown rice.

My no fail shredded beef:
Beef roast (I'm all for any cut of roast that's on sale - todays is a chuck roast)
4tbsp seasoning salt - I use these rub seasonings my brother gave me called Bolners Fiesta Brand Extra Fancy Rib Rub, but any seasoning will work.
2tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar (this is the key to a tender, easily shreadablr roast every time!)
1/4 low sugar BBQ sauce
1/2 sweet onion cut into slivers

Cook in crock pot on high till the internal temp reaches 160 (I live and bake by my digital thermometer - if you don't have one, grab yourself a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon and $20 and get one)
Once the temp is reached (depending on your crock and if the roast was frozen or thawed it can be 4-6 hours) move to a cutting board to cool. Strain juices in crock pot and add in the rest of the bottle of BBQ sauce and switch to low. Shred beef when cool enough to handle then transfer back to the crock pot. It's ready to eat right away or after about an hour on low will warm it back up. Serve in tortillas, over rice, in a sandwich or on rolls. Yum!

Alright, off the computer for me now, my first laundry load just finished and the dishwasher is almost done. What does your To-Do list look like today?

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Well, today was mildly successful for me. I accomplished everything except the one thing I promised I would do. Oops, ugh! I had full intention of getting the girls room cleaned I just ran out of time. I'd say tomorrow but I have to sew. More on that tomorrow.

On a funny note, I lost my youngest today. Ok, so, obviously not seriously, duh! When Makenna is quiet it usually means she's up to something he's not suppose to be. One time I found her stuffing tampons into the toilet, repeaditly flushing. I earned a new skill for the resume that day, "tampon fisher." Today, however, she was no where to be found, not responding to Hailey or me calling her. I would have panicked but the doors and gates were still locked so it was just a matter of finding her. On my SECOND sweep of her room I pulled her blankets back and caught a glimps of her. She had burried herself under her pillow, blankets and stuffed animals and was asleep! (this was 10ish when her regular nap is noon) Her room is such a mess that I didn't even notice the extra lump in the bed! Oops, guess I really need to clean in there. She was so out that she didn't stir the first time I went in calling her, turning on the lights and clearing a path to look in the closet. When I pulled the sheets and pillow back further the second time to make sure she was ok, she sat up, gave me the evil eye and pulled the pillow back down. Guess she was really tired!

Welcome!

Welcome to Mom's Inside Story.

My name is Jen and I am a mom to three children. My scientist, Anthony is 10 and my princesses Hailey and Makenna are 3.5 and 2. I am married to the self proclaimed "luckiest husband ever!" I am an old fashioned house wife at heart. Every day by 6 I try to have my house spotless, a homemade, healthy meal ready and my kids cleaned up and calm for Daddy to come home. Sickening isn't it? I blame my mom and can only hope one day my kids blame me!

This blog is to share my sickness with those unaffected and commiserate with those that suffer with me. I will share my weekly meal plan, coupon grocery trips, recipes and other domestic flairs that fit my fancy. I will also share my lazy days and the subsequent take out dinners, when I feel domestically challenged.

Thanks for stopping by! Come back often, leave comments and please feel free to share your triumphs, laughs and flops as 1950's housewives in a modern world.