Where do I Turn?

You're a small child.
You wake up from a nightmare in the middle of the night.
It's dark.
It's silent.
Where do you go for comfort?


You're a small child.
Your chest is aching.
Your throat is sore.
Your head throbs.
Who do you turn to for comfort?

Someone pulls you into their warm arms.
They lay your head in their lap.
They stroke your face and hair.
They whisper that everything will be alright.
They softly hum and sing to you.
You are comforted.

Now, you are a mother.
Your children cry for you.
You comfort them.
They are hungry.
You make them a meal.
They are sick.
You nurse them back to health.
They are afraid.
You rock them.
You hold them.
You kiss them.
You love them.
You are their comfort.

You are a mother.
You wake in the night.
You are afraid.
You are alone.
You are sick.
Where are you to turn for comfort?

The lord is there.

As the mother now, He is all I have.

I miss having a mother. I mean, I still have mine; She is very much alive and well. But when I feel afraid, alone or uncomfortable, I sometimes wish I could still just crawl up into someone's lap. That someone could hold me and comfort me in the way only a mother could. As a mom, there are just days when I feel that I've given so much of myself and not gotten anything in return. I feel so drained and alone. Like no one even notices that I have needs too. No one asks me what I want for dinner. No one asks me if I'm alright. If I'm unhappy, no one sees it and gives all they can to comfort me and make it all better. Is it so much to ask for? I'm grateful that I have the Lord there to talk to. That he is there to hear, answer, and comfort me. Like he takes me into his arms, strokes my hair, and whispers that it will all be okay.

Dinner Tonight

Is it cheating so tell you to order pizza? That's what I'm doing tonight...

Cache Valley Unit:

Who's ready for some Happy Hours and a Guilty Pleasure or two??

Any fun ideas??

Comment!

Loves =)

For the next week or so...

Happy Mom


Re-organize a space. Pick a room in your home that maybe doesn't get as much attention. I find that I am constantly cleaning and arranging my kitchen and living room because that is what everyone sees, while upstairs the black hole of a bedroom I sleep in every night is in MAJOR need of some help. I am happy to report that this post is something I have actually accomplished!

Start by straitening the room you want to change, it makes it easier to start with a clean room. Try moving furniture to a new spot, or if your space is limited and you cant make big changes try moving a lamp, or even the pictures on your wall. Rearranging elements of your home is one of the fastest ways to get a little face-lift. It doesn't take to much time (like painting) and is inexpensive because you are using things you already own. You can also try moving things from room to room, to mix it up a little.



Happy Husband



Give your hubby a little extra attention tonight by giving him a foot rub. Men enjoy this just as much as we gals do! If you happen to have some baby oil, or non-scented massage oil use a little to sweeten the deal. If you are like me, and are a little frightened of what is lurking under the socks at the end of the night, sweetly suggest a shower before you spring your surprise! (wow look at that alliteration, I wasn't even trying!)



Happy Kids


Ok, really this is the cop-out event of parenthood, but the kids never know that. Take to McDonald's and let em run free. We all need a little time when our kids are free to run and jump and climb without worrying that they are doing so on your cousins lamp, or your newly repaired bed....

If you don't want to spring for a whole meal get cookies at 3/$1 or an ice cream cone for $.79, your kids will enjoy the treat and you will enjoy some stress free playtime! Also check out other places in your area that offer cheap or free playtime. For instance, at our mall there is a lillte play area with large foamy type things they can climb on and run around. My kids LOVE to play there, and it is warm inside, and completely free. There is also another business that has a large soft play area and costs only $3.



Dinner Tonight


Chicken and Rice Casserole – 4-6 servings

I added the changes i would make to this recipe in ( )

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cups diced, cooked chicken
2 (14 ½-ounce) cans green beans (or frozen peas), drained and rinsed
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos (not even sure what this is?)
1 (10 ¾-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup (or cream of chicken)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (6-ounce) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package
directions
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
Pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over
medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until
thoroughly combined.
3. Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes
or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Another Dinner Recipe from Chelsea!

The Best BBQ Chicken EVER!



This is my favorite BBQ sauce:
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
2TBS vinegar
2 TBS brown sugar
4 TBS lemon juice
1 cup ketchup
3 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard


Mix everything together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Use boneless chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces, or bone-in legs,thighs, etc. Baste the chicken with the sauce and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes (longer for bone in meat)
Always check before you eat to make sure its done inside. You can turn and baste the meat throughout baking. You can also cook on the BBQ, unless of course its covered with snow!

Dinner Tonight

Veggie Lasagna

I love the veggie lasagna from Stouffer's but it is kind of expensive and makes a ton, we usually eat it for two or three days after. so here is a recipe that seems very similar, I will add some notes of ways to make it easier!

Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3 cloves garlic, minced(or go by a bag of mixed veggies from the freezer section)

Sauce:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper(or buy a can of your favorite alfredo)

1 (8 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
24 ounces ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided(this actually sounds like it might be an adequate amount of cheese! but hey, throw in some extra just for fun)

Directions:

These are for making your own sauce and cooking the fresh veggies, you can probably just use the frozen ones without cooking them first, also if you by sauce skip the sauce instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
(I have never boiled lasagna noodles prior to baking in my life. I realize some people do this but it seems silly when you can just add some extra water to the sauce and add the dry noodles. they cook up just fine in the oven this way! and it saves you a half hour of cooking time!) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot add broccoli, carrots, zucchini and garlic. Saute for 7 minutes; set aside.
Place flour in a medium saucepan and gradually whisk in milk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Reserve 1/2 cup spinach mixture. In a small bowl combine cottage and ricotta cheeses; stir well.

Spread about 1/2 cup of spinach mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, vegetables, spinach mixture and 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ending with noodles. Top with reserved spinach mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool for approximately 10 minutes before serving. (if you want to make it with dry noodles, build the lasagna like normal then pour about a 1-1 1/2 cups water over the entire thing! you can make this in the morning and leave it in the ridge till your ready to cook as well!)

Mother of the Week!

I'm excited to present to you our very first Mother of the Week!

Meet Chelsea K, a busy mother of two boys ages 2 and 4. On top of wrangling these energetic little guys, she runs her own business doing digital scrapbooking and making crafts to sell. She loves to plan and host parties and would like to one day own a party-planning business. She is the branch president of the Happy Moms Club in Cache Valley, Utah and has coordinated and hosted several Happy Hours and Guilty Pleasure Days. Her ideas for Happy Moms Club are fresh, new and awesome!

Happy Mom Goal

A Moment of Silence. The other day I was sitting in the living room, I was on my laptop Face-booking my husband who was downstairs on the computer, my kids were watching TV and my cell phone was ringing. It was loud. We are moving into the holiday Season which means that soon there wont be much chance of slowing down... we get so busy with all that we do and there is so much noise! My challenge for you is this: Plan a day this week to turn everything off. Shut the computer down, send the cell phone to voice-mail, unplug the tv. Do it on a day when you can all be together. Spend time with your family outside (if its still warm enough) or go for a drive (leave the radio off) and sing silly songs with your kids. Sit on the front porch. Enjoy the quiet. It will amaze you how relaxing it is to take a break from technology.

Happy Kid Goal

Cold Weather Fun. As we head into the winter season, I find myself dreading the days when I can't send my kids out of doors without spending hours bundling them up. With the help of your kids, put together and "Indoor Kit" filled with fun things to do inside. This could include construction paper, scissors and craft supplies, fun music you can dance to (they still need to get some exercise) bean bag games, puzzles, etc. Make the items appropriate for your child's age. You can use a box or a plastic tote, spend an afternoon decorating the box, the package is half the excitement later when they are bored and need something to do!

Happy Husband Goal

Ok I am going to take some inspiration from my own Husby, he has been so funny lately. I don't know if he feels like we're losing the spark or what, but the last few weeks he has been working really hard to make his appearance like it was when we first met. Lol! He finally shaved his scruffy beard back to a neat goatee, he got his hair cut, and frosted...etc. So the goal for this week, think back to the time you were dating or were a newlywed and pick out something you used to do that you have forgotten about, and throw it back into your relationship. For instance, i used to wear feathers in my hair...just randomly, but Dave always tells me how i never do crazy things like that anymore. So bust out the marti gras beads, put on an old cd you used to listen too, or go on one of those dates where you had crazy fun without spending any money because you were so poor!

Happy House Goal

Sort and store clothing! Go through clothes for your kids as well as you and your hubby, pack away anything that still fits but is out of season, and pack up the things that have been outgrown and pass them on to a friend or family with smaller children, or take them to good will! I am a huge believer in Pay it Forward, I have been on the receiving end and I love to pass it on. Another awesome way to pass on, especially this time of year is freecycle.com. This is a free website where you can post and recycle any usable items! You can post for things you need and things you have. I know there are a lot of people who are struggling this year with all that has happened with the economy, and im sure we can all use some good karma!

Dinner Tonight

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Not only will your kids love it, but you will too!

Ok, so if you read the last recipes i submitted, you know i don't actually adhere to recipes very well. If this is really hard for you, im sure you can look one up online to find some proportions...sorry!

Ingredients:

Elbow Macaroni

Sharp or Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Milk

Flour

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Boil the Macaroni till its just underdone- it finishes cooking when you bake it. I use a whole bag to make a 9x12 pan of mac n cheese.

Drain the noodles and spray with cold water (this stops the starches from sticking together). Spray a pan with cooking spray and make a layer of noodles on the bottom (about half the noodles)

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the noodles (a light dusting), salt and pepper, then cheese. (If you're me, you use lots of cheese!)

Then repeat the process, noodles, flour, salt pepper, cheese. Then you pour the milk over the whole thing. (You pour enough so you can start to see it through the noodles.)

Bake at 350 for 15 minute, then stir. It should start to thicken. Bake another 10-15 minutes till its crusty on top. yum. Don't eat it all at once. Share with the kids. If you want to get a little crazy you can use a combination of different cheeses....Parmesan, assiago, Gruyere, whatever strikes your fancy.