Thursday

Here's to Today!

Happy Mom Goal:Okay, let's be honest: how often do you really take time to shave your legs? I mean, most mommies leave themselves for last, and if you can hide your legs under a pair of cute pants, why bother all the time, right? Okay, so today, take the time and do it! (It's probably time anyway. Ha ha!)

Happy Kid Goal:

What child doesn't love a good tickle? Play with your kids and sneak attack them! It'll be lots of fun, I promise. Your child will get that precious attention from you that they always crave, plus, all that laughing will probably put you in a great mood!

Happy Husband Goal:

Take a few minutes today and organize your husband's closet. He probably doesn't care that much, but it will definitely be noticed! I've done this a few times, and yes, it becomes cluttered and un-organized in a very short time, but it shows him that you care (and it makes your room look and feel a lot nicer!)

Happy House Goal:

Today, we're going to dust. Not just the every day dusting that we all do, but somewhere we usually don't remember to do. Like the top of your refrigerator. Lampshades, door frames, etc; Good luck, and try not to sneeze too much.

Dinner Tonight

No, I'm not going to tell you to go to Wendy's and pick up a junior cheeseburger. We're going to do this. And without trying to convince our husbands to go out and fire up the grill!

Bacon Cheeseburger
8 slices bacon, cooked to desired crispness
1 1/2 pounds ground round (about 15% fat)
salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 thin slices of cheddar or other semi-hard cheese
4 hamburger buns

Gently shape the meat into 4 burgers about 3/4 inch thick and 4 inches across. Make a 1/4 inch dimple in the center of each burger with the tips of your middle three fingers. Sprinkle both sides with salt.
Place a skillet over high heat and let it get very hot, about 2 minutes. Add the oil and spread it evenly over the pan. Arrange the burgers so they aren't touching and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn and lay a slice of cheese over each burger. Do not Cover. Cook about 4 minutes more for medium-rare, or as desired.
Remove the burgers from the pan, place on the buns, top each with 2 slices of bacon, and serve proudly.

I usually add a leaf of lettuce and a slice of tomato as well. If I'm really into it, I sautee a few onions for the burgers and add some barbeque sauce for flavor.

*If you need a good idea for a side dish, go to the recipe page. I'll put up another recipe with this one for some potatoes that work great with burgers.


Today's Pep Talk
Is guilt free motherhood really possible? Sometimes I seriously doubt it. We feel guilty when we sleep in too late. When we spend any money on ourselves. When we take "too much" time away from our motherly duties. But today, I want us all to try and let go of that guilt a little bit. Sure, guilt is built into our systems, and we will never be able to completely let go of it - otherwise we wouldn't be called mothers! But when you get to your goals each day and see that first one at the top of the page that says "Happy Mom Goal," try not to make it the last priority (I put it at the top for a reason.) Yes, all the million other things you have to get done today are important.... but SO ARE YOU. You needn't feel guilt over thinking about yourself, taking care of yourself, or even spoiling yourself a bit! You are wonderful mothers, wives, and homemakers. You have the hardest job in the world, and you deserve to do things without feeling bad about it. So go ahead, do something today that you would normally not do, and feel no guilt!