Tasty Tuesday! What I'm Cookin'!

Today I am making something yummy and delicious. 

Something that was quick and easy, but slooooowwww cooking all day long.

BEANS.

They're wonderful fruit. 

And you know what happens the more you eat of them . . . 

Well, let's talk about the beans themselves, shall we?

First off, I LOVE MY CROCK POT.

It has become my BFF in the kitchen and I use it at least twice a week.

Today it holds a favorite of my whole family.

Pinto beans. 

NOM NOM NOM.

Here's how I did it:

I picked through a lb. bag of pintos, picking out all the broken bits and stones.

I poured the lot into my crock pot and covered it with two cans of chicken broth plus two cans of water 

(I used the chicken broth cans).

I then added a bit of chili powder, some King's Spice 

(from Scarborough Faire in Texas), 

some Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. 

Then I popped on the lid and let 'er rip.

I started them at 7am. It is now 9 and my house smells amazing already.

Tonight we have beans.

Tomorrow night I will take 1/2 the leftovers and mash them and make homemade refried beans.

Thursday they will go back into the crock along with a can of black beans, some hamburger meat, tomatoes, beef broth, seasonings, and bell pepper and onion for a delicious chili.

Yes.

I love beans.

So, what are YOU cookin' today?

Helping Robert

See that beautiful smiling face?
That's my amazing, wonderful, fantastic nephew, Robby.
Isn't he adorable?

Recently, Robby was in a terrible accident.
While he and some friends were out riding their bicycles, Robby was hit by a 3/4 ton pickup truck.
He sustained extensive injuries including a fractured vertebrae, a broken pelvis, and a laceration on his kidney.

It is a literal miracle that Robby is still with us today.
Robby is in the hospital recovering, and doing well.
He's had surgery to install a metal plate in his hip to help the healing of his pelvis and will have to undergo another surgery in 3 months to remove said plate (to allow his bones to continue to grow)
He will be in the hospital for another two weeks while rehabilitating.

His father and step mother have both had to take off work to alternate being with Robby in the hospital, as a result, their income has taken a beating.

Robby will need extensive home care as well as renovations made to their home to accommodate the wheel chair that he will be in for the next few months.

Additionally, because of his parents current financial situation, bills (rent, utilities, etc.) are piling up.
They are in desperate need of help.

I am reaching out to you all - my wonderful followers - to help my sweet nephew.
If you look to the upper right hand side of my page you will see a "donate" button.

This button will link you to a pay pal page where you can donate whatever amount you want to help.

$1, $5, $10, $100, $1000 . . . Ever single dollar will help.

When you get to the pay pal page, please note that the page is in my mother's (Robby's Grandmother's) name.
If you can't help monetarily, then please donate your prayers.
If you go to church, please put them on your prayer list.

Robby is such a joy to us and such a blessing to so many people.
Thank you so much for being a blessing to him.

*please share this post with everyone you know - we need all the help and prayers we can get*
God bless you all.

TMI Friday! Are You Mom Enough?

That's Right, Kids!
TMI Friday is BACK!

And this weeks topic is sure a hot one - 

and fits right into the TMI logic.

*WARNING - TMI FRIDAY MAY CONTAIN ADULT SUBJECT MATTER*

Picture Courtesy TIME Magazine, Copyright 2012.

Is there anyone on the planet that has not seen this magazine cover?

The image of a little boy suckling on his mothers breast is not one that I expected, nor desired, to see when I took my four year old to the grocery store. 

Now, let's get one thing straight here, I am 100% in support of breast feeding your child whenever and wherever. 

Within reason.

If you're still breast feeding your kid when he's four, that's you're business.

But please, let's leave it as your business.

I don't believe that breastfeeding a child that big in public is appropriate, AT ALL.

And quite frankly, the possible psychological ramifications from nursing that late really disturb me.

And to go even further, it's not so much the image on the cover that offends me.

I think it's a little strange, and I'm really horrified that the media would use such an image solely for the sake of stirring up controversy (which was exactly their intention). But it doesn't offend me.

What offends me is the implication within the article that I am not a good enough mom because I chose to not be an attachment parent.

No, I am not, never have been, and never will be an attachment parent.

First of all, my kids are way to independent.

Secondly, I really want my kids to learn how to care for themselves.

I am not going to be there when my kid is 18 and in college to nurse him or her to sleep at night because they had a bad day.

While I can see the benefits of attachment parenting to a certain age (like, 2), beyond that, I honestly believe it can do more harm than good.

We are raising a generation of children that will wrongfully believe the world revolves around them.

Their reality will be skewed and they will not be prepared to handle the real world that involves things like solitude, loneliness, and even losing every once in a while.

Additionally, the psychological ramifications that will come from boys growing in to men that have been attachment-parented for a long period of time. He will grow with the unrealistic expectation that any woman he marries will be as perfect as his mother - or even a second "mother" to him.

I certainly hope that extreme attachment parenting is a fad and goes away soon.

For the sake of the young men of America.

Please.

Alright ladies and gents, that's my soapbox for the week! How do you feel about this topic? What's you're opinion? SOUND OFF!

Why Are Children Such Jerks?

Yes, I said it out loud.
MY CHILDREN ARE (sometimes) JERKS.
To me, to my husband, to each other.
They can be belittling and cruel.
They make fun of each other and call each other names.
They throw things, hit, kick, and bite.
What is it about kids that puts them into this mode?

One day my children are perfect little angels,
Playing well together, laughing with each other (as opposed to laughing AT each other)
Even defending one another and being helpful to one another.

Then the next day . . .
All H-E-double-hockey-sticks breaks loose and they become these little tyrannical monsters that appear to hate the world around them - including each other - including me!

Now this is not an everyday occurance - for the most part my kids are wonderful and amazing and I love them more than anything.

But some days . . .
I just wonder if the gypsies are still taking applications for children . . ?

God's Answered Prayers

This post was inspired by one of my dearest friends who is going through a tough time right now. In her struggle, she has begun to question her faith. This is to show her that sometimes the struggles aren't what they seem, but merely a pathway to something better and more beneficial for us.


Once upon a time there was a young woman.
She never thought she'd have anything worth anything.
She was single and alone, married to her work and her education.

Then one day, God showed her that he had plans for her.
He took away everything she held dear.

In their place He put a tiny child.
Then He put love,
A family,
A home,
And Hope.

God always answers prayers,
Sometimes it's not what you expect.
But sometimes it's what you NEED.
God Bless you all.
Have a wonderful weekend.

My Geeky Side . . .

Hello. My name is Jennifer. And I am a geek.
You wouldn't know from this blog, but I am .
A HUGE one too.
I love Renaissance Festivals, Dungeons and Dragons, Munchkin, Console Gaming (PS3, Xbox, Wii, etc) - and not the silly kiddie games either - no, we're talking hardcore games. Infamous. Bioshock. Left 4 Dead. Skyrim. (O.M.G. I LOVE SKYRIM!!!)
Yes. I am a geek.

One of the drawbacks perks of being a geek mom is that you get to raise geek kids. This poses a problem sometimes - for example, D&D time is Mommy and Daddy time. Our 16-year-old doesn't understand this concept and can't understand why he can't just jump right into our game mid-campaign (D&D games can last YEARS).  Another example is that my four year old son can now play Portal and Portal 2 better than some adults. Why is this a problem? Well . . . Okay, it's not a problem, I just wanted to brag on my 4-year-old gaming prodigy of a son!

But there are moments too that really make a geek parent proud. Like when your child can compare the subtle nuances between Little Big Planet and Mod Nation Racers, or they can talk about the importance of breaking during a drifting moment in Burnout. Or they can give you advice on how best to avoid the Creepers in Minecraft. Or the fact that they not only know who people like Rod Roddenberry, Wil Wheaton, Felicia Day or Steve Jackson are, but they actually look up to them as the kind of people they'd like to be.

Sometimes it's rough being a geeky parent in these non-geeky times. But sometimes, just sometimes, it's a blast.

Speaking of being a geek parent, I have started a journey with my husband and our two best friends to leave a geeky legacy for our children to follow. We are recording our console gaming sessions and posting them on YouTube - mainly for our own amusement, but also for the amusement of others who enjoy laughing at someone's expense. Some of them are hilarious, some of them are . . . meh. But they all show my geeky side. Feel free to check them out at http://www.youtube.com/user/4NerdsGaming My personal favorites are the Portal videos with me and my best friend trying to play 2 player - pretty funny stuff!

10 Rules for Peaceful Parenting

Today I'm linking up with my friend Nan at Mom's The Word for Making Your Home Sing Monday! After you read here, head over there and give her some love!

As the parent of two teenagers, a preschooler, and a special-needs school-ager, I can tell you from personal experience that sometimes the term "peaceful parenting" seems like a bit of an oxymoron. I mean, let's face it, parenting is anything but peaceful. But over the years, I've learned that there a few things that we parents can do to ensure that the chaos is lessened to a minimum. So, without further ado, here is my list of 10 Rules for Peaceful Parenting:

1. Take care of yourself. You can't expect to chase your toddler or help your teen with homework if you're not well taken care of. This means eating right, exercise, regular check ups, and taking time out for yourself daily!

2. Do one special thing for each of your children every day. Making your children feel special and loved every day works wonders for their behavior.

3. Lower some of your expectations. Now, yes it should be expected that your child will do his or her homework, or follow the household rules, of course. But when it comes to some things, I've noticed that some parents expect more out of their children than they're physically able to achieve. For example, little Billy might not be able to hit that T-Ball no matter how hard he tries. Sally just might not ever be able turn a somersault. And lets face it, most teenagers aren't going to do the dishes or wash clothes to our specifications. Just relax and remember: THEY'RE ONLY CHILDREN.

4. Raise other expectations. Other problems that can arise come out of parents not expecting enough out of their children. As I said in number 3, they are just children, but they are far more capable than many adults give them credit for. For example, your toddler may not be able to do the dishes yet, but he can certainly learn to pick up his toys. Your teenager may not fold the towels right, but she can keep her room picked up and keep her grades up.

5. Keep a schedule. This is especially important for children with special needs. My daughter, for example, has ADHD. She works really well when we have a structured schedule and keep it. This way, your child knows what to expect and when, so it's no surprise when you tell Sallie "It's time to turn off the TV and brush your teeth!"

6. Set ground rules and don't sway from them. It's important that your children know exactly what's expected of them at all times. If we let Colton jump on the couch one day and the next day tell him it's a no-no, he's going to get very confused, and inevitably will act out. The rule has to be set right then and there "Colton, the couch is for sitting only." And BE CONSISTENT.

7. Pick your battles. Sometimes arguing over something is more fight than it's worth. Kids need to feel like they have some control over their lives - so if David wants to wear his PJ pants to school or Emma wants to wear her Cinderella Costume to bed, really consider if it's worth arguing over. Now, of course, if it is a household rule that's been previously established, by all means it is worth the "fight". But some small daily details are usually worth letting go.

8. Keep a sense of humor. Remember that this too shall pass, and it's probably going to be quite funny when you look back on it at Junior's wedding. And lets face it, sometimes what some of our children do is quite hilarious.

9. Support your children's other parent. If your married, that means supporting your spouse. If you're divorced or a single parent, that means supporting your ex (as hard as that may be sometimes). BOTH parents have to be on the same page about discipline. And if your child is not living with you, then it's important that your respect the custodial parents rules and guidelines, even if they're a little different from your own. This will show your child that you are a strong support team and they cannot turn one parent against the other.

10. Keep the Faith. God should come first in your household - Faith is the foundation of family, and will strengthen your relationships. Every morning, pray for your children and spouse. Every evening do the same. Read the bible with your family, listen to worship music together, go to church. Teach your children about grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. You'll be glad you did.

These rules are by no means set in stone. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a child psychologist. I'm just a mom that has been there. Try one. Try two. Try all ten. Then get back to me and let me know how your parenting has changed.

If you already have parenting rules, post them here!

God's Blessings,