My Future Baseball Player

If Bryson doesn't end up being a baseball pitcher, he has missed his calling. I don't know how many times I have had something thrown at me while I am doing something. I have taken a full sippy cup to the nose, a real baseball to my left cheek bone, and numerous other things that my child will pick up and throw at me. And he doesn't just toss it either. He throws it so fast and so hard that a lot of times I don't even have time to react.
This morning I was fixing his breakfast and he snuck into the kitchen behind me and nailed me with a quarter he found somewhere. If I had to guess he had probably been scrounging around in his brothers' room. He likes to steal their money that they don't put away and put it in his own piggy bank. They get really mad because I don't stop him from doing this. Maybe I should...but the way I see it is....if they wanted it they would put it away right? After all....I am their mother, not their guard of all things that they trash their room with. Which is a lot.
Back to the story....
I told him that it hurt and asked him not to throw money at me. He didn't say anything and I went about my business of fixing his breakfast. He did it again. I explained that if he threw it and it went into his food, I would have to throw the food away. He didn't say anything again, but went into the other room. He came back a minute or two later and stood behind me. He mumbled something to me. I wasn't sure what he said so I asked him to say it again.

"I'm sorry Mommy."

My heart melted! My child had told me he was sorry without being forced to apologize! Which as most of us know, that is the only way you will get an apology out of a two year old. And sometimes an 8 and 11 year old. I leaned down and kissed him and told him that I forgave him. and he said something else.

"I'm sorry I threw money Mommy."

I always tell my kids that when they tell someone they are sorry don't just mumble "I'm sorry" to them . Tell them what you are sorry for! It doesn't mean anything if you are told to apologize and you don't even look them in the eye and then mumble it under your breathe. That is not truly being sorry. That is trying to get yourself out of trouble. But Bryson said it to me and he was truly sorry.

I am telling you this to encourage all you parents that feel like you are talking to a brick wall sometimes with your kids, because I know sometimes I feel that way. They truly are listening to you. Sometimes it just takes awhile! :)

Sara

It Ain't Food Network, But They Eat it....Tuesday!

So I started to post another dessert today, then I started thinking maybe that is why I am on Weight Watchers. Yeah. So I decided to do something healthy today AND that my family loves! I found this on line (surprise surprise) awhile ago. I changed it a little, so this is my version. And you can change it however you like. Seems like you can't mess it up. I mean...you can if you change the liquid amount I guess, but season it however you like. This is how we do it. Isn't that a song from the 80's or 90's? I am sure Stephen will let me know. I am gonna go with MC Hammer?

On to the recipe!

I have been serving this with asparagus and if I am really busy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Really quick meal.

Couscous
Makes 6 servings (big servings)
3 WW points (if you stretch it to more servings, less WW points.)
2 cups broth (I use chicken. You can also use bouillon cubes and water to equal 2 cups)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 (10 oz. package) couscous ( I started buying it in the big container so that would 1 1/4 cups). If you buy it in the 10 oz container, be sure you buy it unseasoned.

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT THE COUSCOUS in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in couscous. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

This is a good substitute for white rice. Because remember...high triglycerides? And every time I make this I end up having some left over. You know...you think you will eat it and then you aren't home for a week and then clean out your fridge and it is a science experiment? Yeah. I think I am gonna half this next time and it will be just right.

And just for my sister....bouillon cubes...aka: booger soup.

Sara

This is Not a Just a Recipe Blog!

Just letting you know. In case that is what you were thinking. We have been super busy. I know. Who hasn't right? Baseball will be over in a few weeks and maybe that will help. We have been so busy at work that I have had to start bringing my work home just to keep my head above water.

Oh, and about all the rain...sorry there has been so much. It seems like when both of the boys have games at the same time, different fields, or are over lapping somehow, we tend to pray for rain.

Ahem. Don't tell the coaches.

Sara

It Ain't Food Network..But They Eat it, Tuesday!

After all the talk on here last week about everyone picking strawberries, it made me think of a recipe that I got from my Grandma Row, who got the recipe from her mother- in-law. It is super good and super easy. It calls for frozen strawberries, but you could easily replace those with fresh. Have I ever done this? No. I am just guessing. haha! I don't see why not though!

Strawberry Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 small box strawberry jello
3 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. cooking oil
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 box frozen strawberries

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Mix:
remaining 1/2 box strawberries
1 box powdered sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
I use my mixer for this part (just in case you are thinking mixing with just a spoon) so it gets the strawberries small.
Make holes in cake and pour mixture over while still hot.

It Ain't Food Network, But They Eat It....Tuesday!

Warning! If you are diabetic don't even finish reading this post! This is a BIG family favorite but it will make your sugar run high just reading over it! I NEVER make this unless I am taking it somewhere because it is too dangerous to leave around my family only! This is their absolute favorite desert and we fight over it until the very last bite. Which I was raised the cook should always get. Just like the middle cinnamon roll.

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

1 yellow cake mix (no pudding)
1 egg
1 stick of butter

Mix together and spread in a 9x13 pan. I usually spray my fingers with cooking spray for this and press it down into the corners.

Then mix:
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 eggs
dash of vanilla

Pour over crust mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until almost set. Will still jiggle slightly. Dust with powdered sugar when partially cooled. Be sure to let this cool completely before trying to cut it. And cut the pieces small...it is very rich!

Sara

From My Window...

...I can see the plants growing in our garden! Some were started as plants and some from seeds. A week after the seeds were planted I could see little tiny bits of green from my window. Every morning I look out and they are getting bigger by the minute! The green beans are almost doubling every day. And the corn is starting to look like corn instead of weeds.
I was on the trampoline last night with Bryson waiting for daddy to get home. We were talking about all the vegetables we are growing. He told me "YUM!" when we talked about the corn and green beans. He curled his nose when we talked about the carrots. He told me he doesn't like carrots. Can't blame him. They do taste like dirt, but I told him Blaine is growing those for Dolly, our rabbit and she really likes carrots. We talked about the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. I told him daddy had to put the peppers in 5 gallon buckets this year because we have Mexican rabbits in our yard that have eaten our peppers the last couple of years before we could. I told him we will make salsa to eat with chips like at Casa Blanca.

"Oohhh! Ca Blancha!"

He likes to eat there. Almost as much as me.

We talked about our toad that he looks for every time he goes outside. They met last summer and every time he headed out the door he went looking for him. He always looked in the places he had found him. Behind the trash can, in the tomatoes, or against the fence by the garden. Then daddy dug him up last fall when he was digging up the sweet potatoes. I always wondered where toads went in the cold weather! He has come out of hibernation and is hopping happily around the garden again. Or maybe he is running for his life. Not sure.

It was starting to sprinkle last night when we came in to get ready for bed. I told Bryson God was going to water the garden for us so it would grow. I went to bed last night and the rain was falling softly on the window. I couldn't help but think to myself how quickly the garden is going to grow now with the rain. When I woke up this morning the rain was coming down hard and I couldn't help but be thankful that all ballgames were cancelled this weekend because the Bermuda grass that is starting to come up in my flowerbeds is going to take over now! And the ground will be soft so it will pull up easily. I guess I know what I will be doing on Saturday!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sara