Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I always make this soup when I see Roma tomatoes on sale at the grocery store. Now that your garden is overflowing with tomatoes, this soup is perfect for using up all the extras you can't get eaten quick enough. This soup freezes well and is super simple. You will never buy canned condensed tomato soup again!


1-2 Yellow Onions, chopped
3-4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
12 Roma tomatoes, halved (For amazing flavor use garden fresh tomatoes)
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. basil seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
One heaping handful of fresh basil leaves, chiffon cut (optional)
1 cup heavy cream (optional)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Saute onions and garlic in 1-2 Tbsp. EVOO. Add crushed tomatoes, and seasoning. If you plan to omit the fresh basil portion of this recipe, then this is where you will want to add a few extra teaspoons of dried seasoning. Turn onto a low heat and let simmer. Meanwhile half your Roma tomatoes and place skin side up on a foil lined sheet tray. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with salt. Place in a 450 degree oven and roast until blackened and bubbly. Remove tomatoes from oven and add them to your pot. With an immersion blender blend the soup until creamy. If you do not have an immersion blender you can blend the soup in a regular blender. Taste your soup at this point and add salt and pepper as desired. Chiffon cut your fresh basil and gently fold it in. Add your heavy cream at this point if you desire a richer flavor. To keep it light and healthy omit the cream. Serve with chunks of hard crusty bread.

The Real Celebrities!

I'm sorry Michael Jackson passed away and our sympathies to his family, but enough already! Every time I turn on the news there is another story related to his death. If it's not about Michael then it's some other celebrity drama about who broke up with who, who was spotted drinking here, who was dressed the best, etc. Wouldn't it be nice to turn on the news and actually here news that mattered. On one of the most recent episodes of Jon & Kate Plus 8 Jon was quoted as saying, "There are men & women dying in Iraq everyday and all people care about is what I ate for lunch today." His statement nailed it perfectly!

Our soldiers are fighting and dying for our freedom everyday and why aren't they being recognized? Most recently:

Chief Warrant Officer Douglas M. Vose III, 38, of Concrete, Wash., died July 29 in Kabul Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Stuttgart, Germany.

Pvt. Gerrick D. Smith, 19, of Sullivan, Ill., died July 29 in Herat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry, Illinois Army National Guard, Marion, Ill.

Pfc Donald W. Vincent, 26, of Gainesville, Fla., died July 25 of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

SPC Justin D. Coleman, 21, of Spring Hill, Fla., died July 24 in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

These men are only four of the many who have lost their lives or sustained injuries this month. Counting only the names released so far this month there have been thirty four casualties related to Operation Enduring Freedom. That is way too many. The issue here is that I bet before you sat down to read this you didn't know about SPC Justin Coleman or Pfc Donald Vincent. Without question I imagine you did know about Michael Jackson, and Kim Kardashians latest breakup.

To read about news that really matters you can log onto http://www.defenselink.mil daily for up to date information regarding Operation Enduring Freedom. If you click on the news release tab under the press column to the left of the home page you can view information on all the latest casualties. These are the people we need to be talking about and praying for daily. This is the latest gossip that matters. These are the real celebrities!

Tomato, Cucumber, & Onion Salad

Summer vegetables are here! I only wish I had planted a garden this year. The fact that my house was on the market made me hesitate in hopes that we would have moved by now. Guess what. We are still here. A slow market has left us in real estate limbo. My mom was kind enough to share the wealth of her garden by filling a bag of cucumbers & tomatoes for me. If you don't have a garden hit up your local farmers market every weekend. This salad is so good. Warning; Your six year old won't want anything to do with you due to your onion breathe. Make sure you spend the rest of the day chasing him around covering him in kisses!!

2 Lg Garden Tomatoes, Chopped
4-6 Garden Cucumbers, Chopped
1 Red Onion, Sliced Thin
2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 Tbsp. Balsalmic Vinegar

Taste at this point to see if you need more salt, vinegar, etc. I never measure anything so just eyeball it and taste to your liking. Pour all ingredients into a ziplock and toss in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour. Eat plain or top your grilled burgers with this delicious salad.

Greek It Up by adding 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese and 1/2 cup kalamata olives.

Carrot Cake

This is my all time favorite dessert! I make this every year on my birthday. Last night I came home to finding my husband making it for me this year. He made it last year as well. He only cooks once a year, and carrot cake is becoming his signature dish. I'm very lucky! I hope you love this as much as we do. It's super simple and so delicious!

Carrot Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soda
1 cup oil
3 cups shredded carrots

Mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Don't over mix. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 35 minutes. You can layer this cake as well by using two 8" rounds.

Frosting
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add your powdered sugar and vanilla until well incorporated. Frost your cake after it has completely cooled.

The Big 30

Happy Birthday to me! It's official. I'm 30! I can remember feeling like I would always be in my twenties, and although thirty is very scary I must say that I would not want my twenties back if I was given the opportunity. They were hard! Very hard! Your twenties are about finding yourself and "making it." I always said that I wanted to "make it" by the the time I was thirty. Did I? I think so. I have an amazing husband, and it only cost me one divorce to find him, and I have two beautiful children who will fill the next decade of my life with many memories, love, and daily joy.

Anything else that comes along at this point is just icing on the cake. I may not own that business I always planned too yet, but after I produce my husband another boy I'll have plenty of time for that. For now this time in my life is about my husband and kids. So here's to turning 30! The best years are yet to come. The entire house is still asleep so carrot cake and coffee here I come!

We Love Our Bumbo

How did I survive Jonah's infant days without this amazing seat? We love our bumbo seat! Gracie gets to observe many day to day activities with the assistance of this amazing chair. She helps me make dinner while sitting atop the dishwasher, she watches me brush my teeth and get ready for my day sitting atop the bathroom counter, & she sits atop the dinner table and enjoys a family meal with all of us. How amazing! Usually she is slumped over sucking on it as she has started the everything goes in her mouth stage, but nonetheless it allows her to see things from our view while giving her confidence in her own independence. If you don't have one you need one. We got ours used off of craigslist, but every department store now carries them. They are around $30 new. Can't live without our Bumbo!

Best Of The Best

My husband is best of the best! He was ranked top of his WLC class out of all seventy five attendees. On top of being named Honor Grad he also made Commandant's list due to superior academic results as well as excellence in demonstrated leadership. So two weeks of long hard days and family neglect paid off! There was apparently a big ceremony where Kevin was presented with numerous awards and medals. Me being the clueless military wife and always the last to know anything of military importance, was regretfully not in attendance to witness these honors. Regardless I couldn't be prouder of my husband and all of his hard work and sacrifices. It has definitely been a huge ego boost for him as well. All weekend he has referenced himself as best of the best, I'm the shit, and damn I'm good at what I do! We love him and are very proud of our hero!

Confirmation That I Should Never Leave The House

Yesterday we ran to town to run a few errands, and on a whim decided to swing by my old job and have lunch with a few friends. Everything was going along just great, and I had even ordered a beer in my attempt to bask in this rare moment. Two sips into my beer and food not even on the table Gracie lost it. I don't mean a little fussing, I mean full blown painfully scared cries. Nothing I tried would console her. She was not letting up, and it was only getting worse by the second. Everyone in the restaurant was staring at this point, and I can clearly see that this lunch is over.

So my amazing friends helped me scrape up all of our belongings and exit the restaurant. My friend Kim stated on the way out, "Don't worry Gracie we never have to go back there." It's so true that she most likely remembers all the smells and stress associated with that place from being in utero. After sitting in the parking lot for another thirty minutes trying to console her, she finally gave up the fight and fell asleep. Two hours later she was back to being the happy girl we love.

As much as I always think that a change of scenery would be good for her, any attempt always seems to end in a mad rush to get back home to her comfort zone. Babies like routine and even the slightest disruptions from that can send them into a state of panic. I realize that it won't always be this difficult to leave the house, and she won't always rely on the comfort of her routine. Before I know it she will be six like her brother and will be begging me to leave the house. So in the meantime we will continue to attempt the occasional outing, but for the most part I think we'll stay right here at home. We love visitors so come visit anytime. Just make sure you call first. You know me, I don't answer the door if I'm not expecting you!!

Go Away I Have A Bread Knife!

When Kevin is away in the field I usually find myself out of my comfort zone when it comes to going to bed at night alone in a big dark house. I know I'm thirty years old, but I still get nervous when my husband is away. Last night only confirmed the need to make the call to get the security system installed that I have been putting off. Despite my husbands attempts to get me to learn how to use a gun I find myself always heading for what is most comfortable, a chefs knife. This was my weapon of choice when I was a single mom as well. Whenever I got nervous there my knife would lay beside the bed. Last night upon being startled in the middle of the night I immediately got out of bed, cell phone in hand programmed to 911, and made my way cautiously to the kitchen and grabbed the first thing within reach, a bread knife! Then I paraded through every room in the house turning on the lights and checking to make sure all of the doors and windows were secured knife in hand. Then with every light left on I went back to bed gently laying the bread knife beside me and attempted to close my eyes. Of course I heard something else, so once again I jump up bread knife in tow and paraded through the house cautiously again. This morning I have to laugh as I imagine what would happen if there ever were an actual intruder and there I am with my bread knife ready to attack. Do you think they would pause and laugh. I think they might. Maybe it is time for that gun lesson. It's going to be a long year!

It Burns! It Burns!

It Burns! It Burns! Those are the words we hear every time Gracie accidentally touches Jonah followed by screams and Jonah running from the room. Up until now Jonah has wanted absolutely nothing to do with his sister. With Kevin in the field this week Jonah, Gracie, and I find ourselves spending a lot of time together. Last night I put Gracie in the Jumperoo for the first time and Jonah was equally excited. He sat there on the living room floor talking away to her. "Look at this Gracie., Do you want to bounce Gracie?, Gracie do you want it louder?, Hey Gracie do you like this?" It was too cute! He looked at me and said, "Ok fine, I like her." So tonight it got even better when he was wanting me to cut him some peaches. I told him that he would have to hold his sister if he wanted peaches, and after some initial hesitation he did it! I couldn't believe it. I ran to get the camera to capture this rare moment as quickly as I could, and before he changed his mind and dropped her. It only took four months and some serious summer boredom for Jonah to admit to loving his sister!

Pasta A La Kim

My dear friend Kim mentioned purchasing pine nuts today and I was inspired to make this simple yet delicious pasta.

1 lb linguine
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 pinches red pepper flakes (only if you want a kick)
3-4 Tbsp. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Toast your pine nuts on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for approximately 5-8minutes. Just watch them carefully as they will turn and burn fast. You can also toast them in a skillet on the stove top just as easily. In a hot skillet saute garlic and red pepper flakes with EVOO. Cook linguine until al dente. Drain pasta and while it's still hot toss it in a large bowl with garlic mixture, parsley, pine nuts, & fresh ground black pepper. Top with tons and tons of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

How Many More Days?!?!?!

Ok I just counted. Thirty one more days until school starts. That's a whole month left to go! If it wasn't obvious by this blog title Jonah is quickly driving me crazy! He hovers around me like a vulture. Always one step behind me. He is regressing to childhood behaviors, and I'm not sure if it's due to his new sister or the fact that he knows that Kevin is leaving again. He has started pulling my hair again which is a comfort behavior he did through his toddler years. Every time I turn around he is trying to pull my hair! Ahhhhhhhhh. Seriously not ok. He gets this catatonic stance and stares off into space while sucking on his bottom lip and continually pulling my hair.

I told Jonah at the beginning of the summer that this would be a difficult summer with Gracie so small, but that we would do everything we could to make it fun. We can't go swimming due to the fact that the local pool has zero shade and the sun is just too much for Gracie. This is Jonah's biggest complaint. We have talked about getting a pool for the yard, but the fact that he refuses to run through the sprinkler or use his slip n slide has deterred me from acting on this purchase. We have included every possible summer activity into our days, but that is clearly still not enough. He refuses to go outside and play unless I am two feet away from him. Everyday we go through a list of ideas and I'm lucky if he agrees to one. His idea of the perfect day would be sitting in front of the tv from sun up to sun down. Unfortunately for him he knows that I would never agree.

So the countdown begins. I'm thinking of creating my own daily countdown to help me see that the end is in sight. Summer vacation. Every child's dream and every parents nightmare!

It's A New Day

Every morning my baby girl Gracie opens her eyes, smiles that big smile, and looks around like she is seeing her surroundings again for the first time. She kicks her legs, flaps her arms, looks around wide eyed, and smiles and smiles. What an amazing way to start the day! I remember this from when Jonah was little as well. Babies love mornings. Everyday is the start of an amazing new day of learning, discovery, and fun.

Wouldn't our lives be so much better if we all started our day with that same excitement for what's to come. Of course I realize that our days are not filled with endless warm milk, naps, and a smile around every corner. Regardless you have a choice everyday as to whether to put a smile on your face and make the most of what life throws you good or bad. Life is one big obstacle after another, but how you choose to wake up and face those obstacles is what sets the tone for your whole life and the life of those around you. It's a new day. Kick your legs, flap your arms, look around you, and smile!

Camouflage

Kevin had to teach a class yesterday on how to camouflage yourself to his colleagues. Aside from the traditional camo techniques he discovered they came out with these new ACU color camo sticks. Now you can paint your face to match your blue/gray ACUs. Very strange to say the least. Kevin started painting Jonah's face and of course halfway through Jonah freaked out. Quickly Kevin got to work on his own face to make Jonah feel better. After that Jonah quickly thought it was fun and we laughed very hard over the fact they they both looked like the boy whose face turns blue in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. You should have seen them trying to get it off of their faces!

Almond Tea

This recipe is a summer staple at my house. This recipe came from my Mom. Growing up she always made it for neighborhood block parties. It has quickly become one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

Almond Tea

2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. Instant tea
1 Cup Lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp. Almond Extract

Dissolve the sugar and instant tea in the boiling water. Add remaining ingredients and cold water to fill a one gallon pitcher. Chill and enjoy!

Up on the Housetop

When Jonah was born I made the decision to exclusively breastfeed just as I'm currently doing with Gracie. For whatever reason I felt overwhelming Mommy guilt if while I was nursing him I wasn't singing to him. So I sang. I sang all the time. If he was nursing I was singing. Jonah was born the end of October. So with the holidays right around the corner it was only fitting to sing him every Christmas carol I knew. The Christmas carols quickly became the top songs in my lullaby memory file. As a result of all that singing, to this day when Jonah eats he unconsciously hums. No this is not a joke. He hums while eating, and he has no idea that he is doing it unless someone calls him out on it. We have always thought it was endearing until he started attending school and getting made fun of everyday at lunch. Now whenever he does it we quickly point it out to correct him. Who knew that my crazy mom guilt would create this food related hum that is still going strong at six years old.

Now here I am nursing Gracie and I hate to admit it, but the Mommy guilt is back. So I sing to her as well every time she nurses. The problem is that my lullaby memory file is not very large. I know very few lullabies from memory. So even though it's July, it's Christmas in July at my house. Up on the Housetop, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, & Frosty the Snowman. They all get sung to my nursing baby girl everyday. My husband always walks by me and just smiles shaking his head in amusement. It will be interesting to find out if Gracie turns into an unconscious food eating hummer as well. If you ever stop by don't be surprised if you hear Christmas tunes coming from inside. It's just me singing Up On The Housetop for the tenth time that day. It's Gracie's current favorite.

Daddy's Home!

Daddy's home! Something about saying those words sets the whole house in a spin of excitement. Everyone can't wait to see Daddy, and Mama can't wait to have some help to get through the rest of the night. I have heard many Moms talk about the late afternoon hours waiting for Dad to get home being the worst hours of the day. I agree completely! They call this time of day for newborns the witching hour. For us Moms it's simply called survival hour! Poor Daddy walks into the house after a long day and everyone attacks. The kids can't wait to jump all over him and get some Daddy time, and Mama can't wait to have a minute alone for a quick breathe. They wait for him on the bed as he changes clothes, they peek under the bathroom door as he goes to the restroom, and they wait patiently squeezing between his legs as he kisses and hugs Mama. It's amazing the element that one more person adds to a household. It can go from quiet to chaos within seconds. There is no greater feeling than that love whether your a Dad or a Mom coming home from a long day. Opening the door to a household of people who can't wait to get their hands on you and share with you how much they missed you and love you.

Military Cadence

Hail O' Hail O' Calvary! This week started my husbands two week WLC (Warriors Leadership Course) training. His morning starts at 3:30 a.m. and when he crawls into the door late evening he immediately hits the computer to memorize another military cadence to lead the troops the following day. Kevin walks around the house marching with Gracie as he chants cadences like Hail 'O Hail 'O Calvary, & If I Die In A Combat Zone. Gracie looks at her Daddy with smiles and confusion rolled into one. Jonah rolls around on the floor covering his head begging for it to stop. There is no denying it now, we are officially a military family. Our life is filled with cadences, flags, shelves of army issued ACUs, more tan t-shirts then any one human being should ever own, combat boots, MREs, & glow sticks the size of telephone poles. This will prove to be a long two weeks for all of us as the running cadence memorization comes next! If I die in a combat zone are not the words I would typically hope to have running through my head when I close my eyes at night. As I'm humming myself to sleep I'll have a big smile on my face picturing my husband marching around the house with our baby girl in tow attempting to carry a tune while remembering all the words. Left,your left,your left right left.

Who's that baby in the mirror?

Gracie has discovered the mirror. She loves it! She smiles that big open mouth smile, talks to herself, and last night we heard her first giggle upon seeing herself. These moments make it all worth it!

Dude. I've seen hot chicks and trust me they do not look like you!

Dude (aka Mama)! I've seen hot chicks and trust me they do not look like you! When did my six year old turn into a teenager? Hearing about hot chicks is something I was hoping not to have to deal with for at least ten more years. Personally I blame tv and the fact that yes he most likely watches way too much. The Disney channel is now filled with shows like Hannah Montana, ICarly, & Wizards of Waverly Place just to name a few. If you happen to catch an episode from any of the above you'd probably find yourself removing all televisions from the house. Unfortunately my husband is totally against this idea or else trust me it would have been done long ago. I mean what would happen if he couldn't watch all of his shows as well! Shows like, Dirty Jobs, Myth Busters, Deadliest Catch, & Man Versus Food.

Imagine for a minute what your world would be like without tv. We would be forced to read books, play games, eat at the dinner table, go for walks, & talk to each other. I know that's a lot to take in! Getting off of our asses and using our brains. Imagine how your family would be changed. It's pretty overwhelming to think about. Life without technology. In ten more years I can only imagine what we are in for.

On a recent family vacation to my inlaws it only confirmed to me the impact that tv has had on the family unit. The tv never went off the entire visit. We only see this part of the family once a year, and the tv never went off! This quickly drove me insane. We drove fourteen hours in the car to visit with family just to get there and watch tv! What has happen to families? No one knows how to talk to one another anymore.

Husbands and wives don't even go to bed together anymore. One is either passed out in front of the tv or asleep with one of the kids. Remember back to when you were dating. The tv rarely came on, and you always went to bed together. Trust me even if there were kids involved as there were when Kevin and I dated, you always found a way to make it to bed together. What would that feel like to find that intimacy with your spouse again. To lay in bed together at night and giggle and talk. Fall asleep holding hands. Just the two of you talking and connecting like you used too.

This year I plan to work hard on bringing my family out from in front of the tv and back to each other. With Kevin's second deployment right at our heels all of the lost family moments to the tv have really started to show themselves. I may never get these moments back with my family, and when I look back I sincerely doubt that I'll be thankful for that hour I spent watching the newest episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8. Jonah might not agree right now, but someday when he has married that hot chick he talks about and has a couple children of his own he will understand completely.

Kevin's Favorite Gouda Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 onions (yellow, red, or white), julienne cut
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz Gouda cheese (any cheese of your choice works just the same)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove any fat from the chicken breasts. Place them into a zip lock bag and pound them until they are equal in thickness. Heat a large skillet. Add 1-2 Tbsp. EVOO. Add your onions and garlic. Saute over medium heat until well caramelized. Remove onions and garlic from the pan and set to the side. Dredge the chicken breasts in a mixture of flour and salt & pepper until all sides are coated with the flour mixture. In your well heated skillet add 2-3 Tbsp EVOO. Place your chicken breasts into the pan. Immediately take two forks and poke them all over creating holes throughout entire breast. Saute them until well browned on one side. Flip them over and quickly add your onion and garlic mixture, heavy cream, and cheese. Cover with a lid and place in preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. The chicken will be melt in your mouth amazing!

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas)
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. tahini
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup sun-dried julienne cut tomatoes in oil

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend well. If you don't have a food processor a blender works just as well. With a blender you will need to add about 1/4 cup water to help with the blending process.

Lift the seat up!

Only recently has the fact that my six year old little boy does not lift the toilet seat up to go potty started to create problems for the female in the house. This new development has appeared out of no where as if his growth spurt has thrown off his once perfect aim. There are now little potty sprinkles all over the toilet seat that weren't there once before. Maybe it's simply the fact that the sprinkles are growing as he grows, and were in fact always there. Only now have I started to see them glistening on the porcelain seat every time I get ready to sit down. My husband likes to blame me for Jonah's lack of basic male bathroom procedures. Kevin came into Jonah's life when he was two, so prior to that he was learning his behaviors from his Mama. Fast forward to Kevin's absence once again during a fourteen month deployment and that's still a lot of time with just Mama. Kevin really became aware of Jonah's need for male influence on our recent vacation. Kevin recalls an experience on one of our many bathroom stops on our eighteen hour road trip. Kevin said, "There we are side by side doing our business at a very busy gas station. I look over and all of the urinals are full with more people waiting behind us as well. I glace at Jonah and smile, and Jonah gives me a thumbs up and a head node. Then I do a double take and realize that there Jonah is pants and boxers around his ankles, hands on his hips, and his little white buns hanging out there for all the world to see! Every other man and child standing at the urinals are still pants intact as they take care of their business. But not my Jonah. White buns and all exposed with a smile on his face." At that moment Kevin said it was all he could do but turn to the people waiting at the door who had just witnessed this show and smile and say, "Yep that's my boy!" Needless to say all the remaining rode trip potty stops were followed with urinal lessons involving keeping your pants around your waist. It's at these moments that I'm very thankful for my husband. Now about those sprinkles....

Mama your not really that pretty!

It's true! I heard the words that every mother hopes she'll never have to hear one of her sweet children say, "Mama your not really that pretty, and you have acne all over your face." What!! I tried to quickly recover from the painful words that just came out of my six year olds mouth. My mind was a fog trying to come up with something to say in response to keep from bursting into tears. "Well you know Mama just had a baby", and before I could even begin the rest of my excuses for being named the worlds ugliest mom he said "no mama you've always had acne!" Wow! I have nothing left to say or do but to leave the room and try to regain my broken self. Here I am turning the big 30 this month! I just gave birth to my daughter a few short months ago, and although I was back to my prepregnancy weight within days of giving birth I have never felt worse about myself! I hate the way I look, I hate the way I feel, I am pretty much a big ball of hate when it comes to anything that has to do with myself. Now to top it all off my children are now validating everything I was already feeling about myself. Your children spend the first years of there lives looking at you as if you are the most amazing person on the planet. Mommy and Daddy can do no wrong. I could always count on knowing that when I walked through the door and Jonah looked at me his eyes would light up and he would look at me with a love and adoration that no one else ever would. Gone are those days with my Jonahbug. Thank heaven for my little girl who will only have eyes for her Mama for at least six more years if I'm lucky! Unless you have long hair, a sparkly shirt, wear purple eyeshadow, and are named Hannah Montana then you can forget about Jonah wanting anything to do with you! Hearing those words only awoke my spirit to what I need to work on within myself inside and out. With 30 around the corner it's time to get moving and knock the socks off of not only myself but my six year old as well. With a sparkly shirt and purple eyeshadow I'll be a hot mama again in no time!

Homemade Pizza Dough

1 pkg dry active yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)
2 Tbsp honey
2-3 cups flour (Any kind you like)

In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, or by hand if you don't have a mixer. Place the yeast, sugar and warm water in bowl. Mix with a fork to get the yeast activated. Five minutes later add your EVOO, honey, and with mixer going slowly add your flour. Add more flour or water as needed until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. Set the dough in a warm spot covered with a towel until doubled in size.

The Great Escape

My husband Kevin has ran from arguments and uncomfortable situations since we first started dating. Back then he would jump into his Denali and drive off circling the neighborhood until he cooled off. Then he would come sulking back begging for forgiveness and all would quickly be forgotten. These days its no longer the once prized Denali. Now it's a motorcycle. No not a Harley, that would be too safe! It's one of those need for speed crotch rockets. I know nothing about what kind it is or how fast it can go, and I honestly could care less. All I know is that it is far too dangerous for a young father of two, and that we make a monthly payment with an ever sky rocketing interest rate every month. Tonight as Kevin attempted the nightly bike riding lesson with Jonah, the boys quickly started butting heads as they often do. Before I knew what had happen Kevin was revving up the engine on the motorcycle and ripping down the road. Then as always a few laps around the block and he came back with a clear head ready for round two of the bike lesson with Jonah. I can't tell you how many arguments my husbands great escape routine have created throughout our relationship. As angry as it always makes me I know that no matter a Denali or a motorcyle Kevin will always need that escape. In the end he always comes home, he always apologizes, and we always start again. Until the next great escape tomorrow!

Fourth of July Photo

In the attempt to get the annual fourth of July photo for the Grandparents the bribery began. Jonah has only held his sister one other time and that was in the hospital the day she was born. Sixty shots later and the promise of a trip to the fireworks tent down the rode we got a photo. Kevin & I found ourselves giggling hysterically later that evening in bed as we imagined how ridiculous we must have looked to our children dancing, singing, & making funny faces in the attempt to get them to smile. Happy 4th of July!

Swimming Lessons

Today is day two of swimming lessons for my six year old Jonah. I have often felt like a failure this year as it quickly has become apparent that my not so little boy does not know how to do many fundamental activities that many children his age have mastered now for several years. Not only does Jonah not know how to swim, but he also cannot ride a bike. So thus the two big summer goals have been set into place; learning how to swim, and learning to ride a bike without training wheels. Learning to ride a bike has quickly become a huge power struggle between Jonah and Dad. Jonah gets quickly frustrated and storms off after one attempt around the driveway. Dad in turn gets equally frustrated and starts making statements regarding giving the bike to a little boy who will appreciate it. I usually step in at this point with my encouraging mom words saying, "You can do it just four more times around the driveway and you can stop for the day." A desending goal always seems to come through victoriously in a childs mind. So after four long whine filled laps around the drive we complete one more learning day of bike riding 101. I have much higher hopes for the swimming lessons as my husband and I are not the instuctors but rather we have paid the city to take on this challenge. Jonah came home day one full of smiles and actually stated that he liked it! Day two brought the same smiles and excitment. Eight more lessons to go and I hope to have a little fish on my hands.