Mom's on the Mean List

See this:

I'd like to introduce you to my wake-up-call to be a nicer mom. This is Nathan's "mean list" (I'm not sure why he put his own name on it). I am not proud to be included on it, although I probably deserved it. Here's how it went down:
It was one of those days (you know them) when Nathan and I were just butting heads the entire day. He was intentionally doing things to push my buttons and man I was frazzled!!! By the afternoon, he did something (probably small I don't remember) and I blew up...not one of my greatest Mom moments. Nathan calmly smirked at me, walked to his room, and got a piece of paper and pen. I thought "wow, he sure handled that well...maybe I finally got my point across". He then proceeded to ask me how to spell Aaron's name and my name. He then said "This is my list of everyone who has been mean to me today". Yep...I sure got a point across, but not one that I intended to. All of my yelling and frustration did nothing to correct his behavior, it just showed him that he has a mean mom. Oh, that was a blow right to my heart...he definitely got his point across loud and clear on that little piece of paper.

Thanks for the wake-up-call Nathan! You deserve a mom who shows you that you are one of the most important people in her life. Who's eyes light up when she sees you. Who loves you no matter what you may do and how naughty you my be. A mom who keeps her calm and sets a better example for you in how to act when frustrated. A mom who's name never appears on a mean list again! I am going to try harder every day to become that kind of mom for you Buddy!

Ride of a Lifetime

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey...delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." - President Gordon B. Hinckley

“Behold, we count them happy which endure”  James 5:11

I am grateful for this bumpy, smokey, sometimes endless, and occasionally thrilling and Heavenly journey that I am on!

Brownie Pizza and Oreo Cake

Kaylee just turned 11 (I can't believe she is that old). We had the funnest desserts for her party....Brownie Pizza and Oreo Cake....GREAT right?

The Brownie Pizza is a brownie baked on a pizza pan for the crust with frosting, shredded white chocolate, and candies for the toppings....and you thought pizza couldn't get any better! I let the kids make their own pizza...I had the brownie frosted and gave each kid a slice to decorate.
This would also be a fun and festive Valentine's / Easter / Christmas/ Halloween dessert. Just correlate the color of frosting with the holiday and get a variety of holiday candies and sprinkles to go on top.

Here's the brownie recipe that I used from six sisters stuff:

Brownie Pizza

Brownie Pizza Crust Ingredients:

8 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

pinch of salt

Directions:

Grease 2 pizza pans (12 or 13 inch pans).  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Melt butter . Stir in cocoa.  Mix sugar and eggs in mixing bowl.  Stir in butter and cocoa.  Add vanilla, flour, and salt. Spoon half of the batter into  the greased pizza pan.  This recipe makes 2 brownie pizzas.  Bake 17 minutes.  Let cool completely.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 pound powdered sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons milk

Red food coloring

Directions:

Combine frosting ingredients and mix well until smooth. Add enough food coloring to get your frosting as dark as you want it for your pizza sauce. Frost cooled pizza. Don't go all the way to the edge so that the brownie will show for your pizza crust. This will frost both pizzas. 

Decorations:

Decorate pizza with shredded white chocolate, small cookies, chocolate chips, and candies that go with your party theme.

The Oreo cake is two chocolate round cakes with a creamy Oreo middle and chocolate top. I found the recipe at kraftrecipes:

Oreo Cookie Cake

• 1 devil's food cake mix
• 4 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups whipped topping
• 12 Oreo cookies crushed...and more to decorate the top if wanted (I used the pink berry Oreos)

Make 2 (9 inch) round cakes according to directions on cake mix. Cool cakes completely.
Middle -  Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until blended. Gently stir in whipped topping and crushed Oreos. Spread on top of one cake, then put the remaining cake on top. Spread top of that cake with chocolate glaze, decorate, and refrigerate.
Chocolate Glaze - Microwave chocolate and butter for about 2 minutes (stirring after every minute). stir until chocolate is melted. Cool for 5 minutes, then spread on top of cake.

Enjoy!

Let It Go

 

I just read an incredible book about a man's true story of tragedy and forgiveness. Let It Go by Chris Williams is how Chris was able to move on, forgive, and be happy after a drunk driver hit his family's car; killing his pregnant wife and two children and seriously injuring another child. It is so inspiring how Chris' faith and trust in Christ gets him through this tragedy.

"Since the crash, I've had many conversations with people searching for peace and forgiveness in their lives, earnestly desiring to know how I was able to let it go and rely wholly on the Savior's grace in my life...We have an advocate who has been given the power and authority to carry all of our burdens, and yet I have met so many people looking and praying for the strength to carry their own burdens. Mine is yet another story of the enabling, healing, and enlightening power of Jesus Christ. He is everything, and I am nothing, and yet "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). "

Here is Chris' story in his own words:

Pomegranate Almond Salad

This salad is a refreshing and festive dish. The pomegranates with the green lettuce make a great Christmas side...and it is SO GOOD!!! (Don't judge it by this picture, I had Eric hurry and take a picture of it during Thanksgiving after it was half eaten.) It is one of my favorite salads, especially during the holidays when I am sick of all the heavy and rich foods.

Pomegranate Almond Salad

• 3 heads of Romain lettuce, chopped
• 1 large can of mandarin oranges, drained and patted dry to get most of the liquid off
• 1/2 cup thin sliced celery
• 3-4 green onions chopped ( I leave these out)
• 1 cup candied almonds - put 3 Tbsp sugar and almonds in pan. Cook on high, constantly stirring. The sugar will liquify, coat the almonds, and the almonds will get toasty. Spread on wax paper and let dry.
• 2 pomegranates - an easy way to get the fruit out is to cut the pomegranate in half and soak in water...it loosens the membranes so that the fruit pops right out.

***add all ingredients and top with dressing right before you eat the salad. If I am taking it somewhere I will just put everything in baggies/containers and toss it all together before we eat. Otherwise it will get soggy and gross...you have to eat it when it is fresh!

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Make this dressing the day before. Heat all ingredients on stove until sugar dissolves then store in fridge.

Enjoy!

Paper Bag Apple Pie

Mmmmmm, Thanksgiving was delicious. What was your favorite thing to eat? Mine was this apple pie. It is super easy because you don't have to deal with rolling pastry crusts and it turned out SO GOOD!!! I don't know what the paper bag does - but some kind of magic happened in that bag that I loved!

Paper Bag Apple Pie

Recipe from The Essential Mormon Cookbook

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 Tbsp cold milk

Filling:

• 5-6 peeled and sliced apples 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (cold)

Mix crust ingredients with a fork until well blended. Press into the bottom and sides of a greased 10 inch pie plate. Toss apples with sugar, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mound filling on top of crust. Combine topping with a fork until it is crummy. Sprinkle over apples. Put the pie in a brown paper bag and fold over edges. Oven must be completely preheated to avoid burning the bag. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Do not open oven during cooking.

Enjoy!!! 

Rejoice and Be Glad

Psalms 118:24 - This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 - And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

"Brothers and sisters, no matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it." - President Uchtdorf

I am truly grateful for so many things...yet sometimes I don't appreciate the little things that each day brings.

Today I a grateful for the unique personalities of my little pumpkins.