Happy Homemaker Monday - 9/30/2013

Good morning, readers.

I was almost not going to participate in this today because I am drowning in housework.  The weekends become so busy with family time that any of the housework that needs done often is neglected and come Monday I have so much catching up to do.  I really want to devote all of my time and energy solely on the husband and kids when we are all together.  So in the midst of doing dishes, laundry, picking up toys and all of that stuff while the little one is taking a nap I thought of taking a few minutes to write this up.  So here we go.  Teaming up with Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.

Happy Homemaker Monday - 9/30/13

The Weather ...
It seems pointless to copy the 5 day forecast on here because it's not always accurate.  They are calling for beautiful weather this week.  Upper 70's to low 80's.  I love weather like this!  I can open up the windows and let the fresh air in the house.  It's not too cold or too hot.  It's perfect.  I would love to have this weather all year long.

Right now I am ...
Typing up this blog which is allowing me to take a little break in between housework.

Thinking ...
Of my sister and hoping she has a fantastic birthday today.  Also trying to come up with a plan for dinner tonight and the rest of the week.  I have to get better at planning ahead of time.  Hoping my son is enjoying school and hubby is doing okay at work today.

On my reading pile ...
My fitness and parenting magazines, of course.  I took my daughter to story time at the library last week and I hoped to find a book for myself to rent out but the little one decided to run around the aisles which mean I didn't have the time to browse the shelves.  Therefore, I left empty handed aside from a few children's books.  I was planning to brush the dust off of one of the books I already have and read it.  Possibly a Joyce Meyer book.  I love her!

On my tv ...
Right now a 7th Heaven rerun.  I used to watch this show every week when it was on and I'm so happy to see they brought the reruns back.

On the menu for this week ...
Forgive me for being so horrible at this.  I'm not one to plan for the entire week ahead of time even though I've always wanted to do this.  It would be so much easier.  I seem to be a last minute planner. I decided I'll have to just update this throughout the week rather than all on Monday.

Monday - pasta with tomato sauce
Tuesday -meatloaf (made my hubby while I mowed the lawn) 
Wednesday - pork chops with a side of veggies
Thursday - 
Friday - hubby's homemade pizza
Saturday - 
Sunday - 

On my to do list ...
Housework (that never changes)
Check out a few children's consignment shops to purchase some clothes for the kids
Write a check for Matthew's school pictures this Friday
Mow the lawn/pull the weeds

Looking around the house ...
Dishes soaking in soapy water in the sink ready for me to clean and dry them.  A vacuum standing next to me that needs put away.  Toys are actually put away in their proper place with the exception of a few.  Living room decorated in the very little Halloween/Fall decorations I have.  Windows are open.

From the camera...

 She told me to take her picture while she was eating her lunch. 

On my prayer list ...

Family and friends

The government and our country that it moves in the right direction, rather than the wrong one

Bible verse/Devotional ...

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." -- Proverbs 22:6

I want my children to believe in God and to always look to Him when it comes to any decision life brings them.  I have been witnessing the behaviors from so many children and it breaks my heart to see the kids who are very disobedient, not only to their parents, but to everyone around them.  Yesterday when I took the kids to the nearby playground there was a boy riding a bike with his friends, probably about nine years old, and he looked at me and held up his middle finger in the air.  I don't know this boy or what kind of home life he has but I didn't let his action bother me nor did I say anything.  I just rolled my eyes and prayed for him.  So many kids at that age pick up this kind of behavior from peers or even from their own family.  I'm seeing too much bad behavior from so many kids.  It's awful.  It saddens me when I see kids growing up thinking that this kind of behavior is acceptable and what frightens me more is that I have brought two children into the world who will be influences by many people like this.  There have always been bad people in this world, but it seems lately there are too many bad children who aren't being taught respect ... for themselves and for others.  I could probably write an entire blog or two on this topic. 

Welcoming Fall With Pumpkin Spice Brownies

Although I'm not one for the cooler temperatures I'm very excited that fall has officially arrived.  I enjoy this time of year since there is so much to look forward to.  The holidays are fast approaching, the leaves are changing colors and starting to fall to the ground, we have plans to take the kids pumpkin picking soon and you can find and make pumpkin spice -anything.  In fact, today I made a batch of pumpkin spice brownies.  It's the first time making this recipe and the aroma in this house is amazing right now.  The brownies are gooey and delicious.  Yes, I tried one.  Had to make sure it came out okay before presenting it to the family.  I've been trying to keep a healthy diet going but a little indulgence doesn't hurt, right?

And of course sharing this recipe with my wonderful readers is a necessity.

PUMPKIN SPICE BROWNIES

prep time: 5 minutes  cook time: 18 minutes

 Nutrition Information:

Serving size: 1/20th recipe Calories: 123 Fat: 2.5g Saturated fat: 1g Carbohydrates: 25g Sugar: 17.6g Sodium: 99mg Fiber: 0.9g Protein: 1.6g Cholesterol: 9.3mg

What you need:

One box of fudge brownie mix

1 can of pumpkin puree (make sure it's not pumpkin pie)  I bought the big can but all you need is the small can (couldn't find it so I bought the big can and only used about half)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

 This spice is pricey but worth it!

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven  350 degrees

2. Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish

3.  Bake for 18 minutes or until brownies are done, but still fudgy

Note:

The recipe I used also called for 1/4 cup white chocolate chips.  I didn't have any so I used a few dark chocolate ones instead.

 And there it is!  Delicious!  I can't wait until my husband and son get home so they can sink their teeth into this well deserved snack.  

I may use the rest of the pumpkin puree for pumpkin spice pancakes some morning for breakfast.  

Happy Fall y'all!

Happy Homemaker Monday - 9/23/13

Can't say I'm feeling much like a "Happy Homemaker" today.  For some reason I'm dealing with the blues today.  Hoping to snap out of it soon, but I wanted to write this up anyway.  Teaming up for the third time with Sandra.

The weather ...

Hello autumn!  So nice to see you.  Right now it's beautiful.  A little chilly but the sun is making it warm.  Perfect weather for jeans.

 

Right now I am ...

Typing up this blog while helping Matthew try on his Halloween costume.  He has the day off from school for a "Research and Development Day" so I took the kids shopping for their costumes.  Matthew decided to be Thor and Brianna picked out Minnie Mouse.  

Thinking ...

Of how mad I am that I bought Pumpkin Pie mix instead of Pumpkin Puree which I needed to make some pumpkin spiced brownies.  Now I have to go back to the store.  Also thinking of how happy I am that autumn is here.  I can't wait to go pumpkin picking with the family. 

On my reading pile ...

Here's some good news.  Kid's story time at the library starts up again this week so that's a good excuse to pick up a book for myself to read while I'm there.  

On my t.v ...

Spongebob Squarepants ... like I said, Matthew is home.  

On the menu ...

Chicken alfredo

On my to do list ...

Get dinner ready before the guys head out for baseball practice.  

Figure out what's on the menu for the rest of the week

Return Pumpkin Pie mix and get Pumpkin Puree.  Ooops!

Laundry and all the other usual housework

Looking around the house ...

Matthew's sitting on the couch watching some television and trying to stay quiet while little sister is napping.  Also noticing a pile of dishes in the sink I must tend to.  

From the camera ...

My husband and son walking along the lake this weekend during a family reunion.  

On my prayer list ...

The usual, giving thanks for all He's given me.  Praying for my family and friends.  

Praying for peace and understanding in regards to certain issues 

Bible verse/devotional ...

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." - Psalm 55:22

3 a.m Snuggles

About three o’clock in the morning I was awakened by a dreadful scream and crying from my 2 year old.  She kept yelling, “Mommy!  Mommy!”  Normally both my children are great when it comes to sleeping through the night unless something is wrong.  We have a camera over her crib which can be viewed from the small tv in our bedroom so I saw that she looked fine but I jumped out of bed and quickly made my way to her room.  I didn’t want her to wake up her brother who was sleeping soundly in the next room.  She wanted me to take her out of the crib so I did.  I held her and asked if she was okay.  She said, “I wanna see Daddy.”  I told her Daddy was sleeping and she replied, “And Matthew sleep too.”

“Yes Matthew is sleeping too so we have to be quiet so we don’t wake them,” I answered.

She wanted me to take her to the living room but I told her it was still night time and it wasn’t time to wake up.  She refused to go back to bed so I held her in my arms and rocked her in the rocking chair that sits in the corner of her bedroom.  She pressed her head against my shoulders and willingly snuggled with me for a long time.  Oh I loved it!  I mean, I don’t know what woke her and had her so afraid but having that moment to hold her in my arms was so precious.  I know how quickly my children are growing up and that it won’t be long before neither of them will be calling for me in the middle of the night so I want to embrace these moments the best I can (even though I love sleep).

Back when both my children were infants I admittedly dreaded getting up with them throughout the night.  I did it because I had to but I remember longing to get back into the comfort of my bed and hoped that they would quickly fall back to sleep.  It didn’t take long for either baby to learn how to sleep through the night and I love the uninterrupted 8-or-so hours of sleep.  Holding Brianna last night made me realize how much I do miss those nights of caring for a hungry and needy infant.  These years are passing by with a blink of an eye.  I knew as much as sleep was needed (for both daughter and I) I wanted to take that moment to enjoy having her in my arms.  It's these precious moments we mothers tend to take for granted.

Tasty Tuesday - Nutella Cookies

These were so delicious!  We're a big fan of Nutella in this family and when I saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew I had to try it.  It was a big hit.  If you're looking for a cookie recipe that's a bit different you'll have to try it.  It's easy to bake and delicious to eat.

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/nutella-cookies/

Happy Homemaker Monday - 9/16/13

The weather ...

Has gone from one drastic change to another.  It's either hot or cold.  We wore pants and jackets this weekend but suddenly it warmed up and we didn't need the jackets.  With only one more week left of summer the fall weather has already arrived.  This morning Matthew was excited to use his Spider-man umbrella while waiting for the bus.  It poured in the morning, cleared up with the sunshine and now the sky is starting to darken again.  More rain to come? 

Right now I am ...

Enjoying some peace and quiet while the little one naps.  We had a fun day of grocery shopping and playing.  Waiting on the laundry to finish in both the washer and dryer and then have another load to do.  I also am in the middle of making some Nutella Cookies.  Found the recipe on Pinterest and I tried one after it came out of the oven and OH MY GOODNESS!  DELICIOUS!  So easy to make and it tastes so good.  We're big Nutella fans in this house.

Thinking ...

Of my 5 year old son.  He's been giving us some issues lately.  Nothing major.  He's typically a well behaved and happy child who does well in school.  Lately he's been very whiny, cranky and extra sensitive.  I'm pretty sure it's because of the huge adjustment of this new routine.  He went from being home with me all day/every day to being in school 8 hours/day and then baseball practice after.  It has to be a lot for a little kid.  I also noticed he seems to lack in confidence.  I can see it when he's at baseball.  Maybe he's just not cut out for the sport and that's okay but during practice and games he seems to shy away from doing what he needs to do.  He tries when he's at bat but on the field he's in his own little dream land.  I don't know what to do to boost his confidence but I hope and pray he gets better.  Also, last Friday he admitted to lying to me about something.  I will not tolerate lying and he quickly learned that.

On my reading pile ...

I need to get better at this.  I used to read books a lot but now it seems I'm reading articles off of websites or magazines I subscribed to in the mail.  I'd love to get back into reading books.

On my TV ...

Love It Or List It on HGTV.  I love those home improvement/home decorating shows.  Plus, there is nothing else on right now that's worth watching.

On the menu ...

Monday - Eggplant Parmesan that my father made and froze for us.  We picked it up yesterday and I can't wait to cook it up tonight.  I'll also make some spaghetti to go with it.  We'll also enjoy those Nutella cookies for dessert.
Tuesday - Tacos
Wednesday - Chicken and rice casserole
Thursday -
Friday - Rob's homemade pizza
Saturday -
Sunday - 

The rest of the week is TBD.  I'll get back to it I promise.

On my to do list ...

Grocery Shopping
House cleaning
Wash bedding
Going through the kids' clothes and making sure they have enough for fall/winter
Taking the fall decor out of the attic 
List a few items on Craigslist

Looking forward to this week ...

Saying goodbye to the summer season and officially welcoming the fall this weekend.
Matthew's next baseball game on Sunday.

Looking around the house ...

I see toys, toys, toys.  My kids are certainly not deprived.  I can also smell the sweet, chocolate scent of cookies from the kitchen.  Yum! 

From the camera ...

One of my favorite things to do is to help my children learn and explore.  This morning my little girl and I had fun playing blocks.  Not only did we build a castle (which is what Brianna called it) I also taught her what each shape and color was.  I don't expect her to learn any of this now, especially the shapes.  She'll get it eventually.  However there are times when she'll pick something up and say, "red" or "boo (blue)" and some of the time she's correct.

On my prayer list ...

Matthew and the issues I discussed previously
Always praying for both my children that they will remain healthy and succeed through life
My husband who has been dealing with a lot of physical pain lately.  He's been dealing with certain issues his entire life and it's been harder for him lately.  Without going into more detail I will say that this is something that I worry about all the time.
My mom's continued healing after her stroke over a year ago.
My dad needs all the strength he can get as he continues to take care of my mother.
The recent events at the Navy base shooting.  When is all this violence going to end?  

Bible verse/devotional ...

"Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." -- Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)

Teaming up with Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom

12 Years Ago

I cannot believe it's been 12 years since September 11, 2001.  I will never forget the day and I relive it in my mind every year at this time.

I wasn't married yet and was living at home with my parents.  I had a full time job at a pharmaceutical company inspecting the flu vaccine.  That Tuesday was my day off.  I woke up early, dressed and then went into the living room to watch some television.  My parents were still sleeping.  I was watching a show that was interupted by the announcement that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in NY.  Then another plane came and hit the second tower.  I was in complete shock.  Totally stunned and unsure of what was going on.  My dad woke up and entered the kitchen/family room area.  I told him what happened and he looked at me with wide eyes before going back into his bedroom to wake my mother.  They both came out and we sat and watched the TV.  We listened as President Bush gave the announcement that we had been attacked.  We also learned of the Pentagon being hit as well as a field in Pennsylvania.  What was going on?  We had no idea at the time.  Were there more planes coming?  Where would they hit?  Who was driving those planes?  What were they after?  Such a scary thing to have gone through.

My family lives on Long Island and we later learned that my sister's friend was working at the World Trade Center when this happened.  He didn't survive.  It becomes even more upsetting when there's a personal connection to the attack.  I also remember riding over the Verrazano Bridge on the way to Long Island and seeing both towers in the distance.  Since the attack the view hasn't been the same.  I refuse to look at the NY skyline anymore.

It was a terrible day.  Let's never forget it. 

Poison Ivy And A Baseball Game

Last week as I was trimming the bushes I apparently came across some poison ivy.  Now I'm suffering because of it.  It's been spreading all over.  I tried Caladryl and some other stuff but it wasn't working.  Now I'm trying the baking soda mixed with water method.  Tonight I'd like to soak in an oatmeal bath.  I'm hoping something helps.  When I was younger I remember my grandma used Witch Hazel for everything and it always miraculously worked.  I came across that suggestion as I was looking up different remedies.  I can't believe I forgot about good ol' Witch Hazel ... and I'm glad we have some in the bathroom cabinet.  I'm trying all I can to get rid of this.  Caladryl used to work like a charm for me. 

I know I already shared this picture of my son and husband at their last baseball game but I wanted to talk about it. 

 

 The kids on the team are 5 - 7 years old and they are good.  I mean, really good.  Rob played ball as a kid and coached his nephew's team.  He always wanted to coach his son's team and now he has that chance and seems to be enjoying it.  I love watching him coach the team and I love watching my son try his hardest at the game.  He still needs a lot of help but he's getting better.  It's so much fun to watch.  Brianna, at only two years of age, knows how to hold a bat and swing so who knows, maybe she's our future softball player.   I love watching these kids grow and learn. 

Happy Homemaker Monday - 9/9/13

Happy Homemaker Monday - 9/9/13

In an effort to keep up with this blog regularly I decided to team up with Sandra at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom for Happy Homemaker Mondays.  I accidentally found her blog after doing a Google search for something having to do with stay-at-home moms.  I instantly became hooked on her blog.  She's so interesting and all of her entries are great.  I hope you don't mind me teaming up with you and the others who do this.  So here we go ...

The weather ...

Definitely feels like fall out there today.  It was freezing at the bus stop this morning and it's been a very cloudy day.  Somehow it's supposed to get hot again tomorrow.  This rapid change of weather is crazy!  No wonder everyone is getting colds lately.

Right now I am ...

Cooling down after an intense work out.  After I laid Brianna down for her nap I did some cardio and strength training.  She's napping, my son is in school and my hubby is at work so I'm enjoying some quiet time while I wait on the laundry to finish.  I also did a little cleaning around the house but there's more to be done.

Thinking ... 

Of what else I want to do to keep this blog interesting on a more regular basis.  Any ideas shoot them my way.  I'm also thinking of all the things I need to get done today and this week.

On my reading pile ...

My latest parenting and fitness magazines.  I wanted to try a few work outs in the fitness magazine.  As for books, nothing at the moment but I'd love to get to the library and start reading again.

On my TV ...

Nothing at the moment.  When the television is on during the day it's usually a kid show like Yo Gabba Gabba or Spongebob.  This evening I know Rob will be watching football.  Go Redskins!

On the menu for this week ...

Oh my.  What do I write?  I usually don't plan the meals out in the beginning of the week but I've been wanting to do this for a long time.  I usually decide on what I want to cook on that same day or the night before but I'd love to have everything prepared ahead of time.  I'll have to get back to this later once I have it all figured out. 

Monday - Polish kielbasa and pierogies
Tuesday -
Wednesday - I'd love to throw something in the crock pot.  Will decide later. 
Thursday -
Friday - homemade pizza (made by my hubby.  It's always good). 
Saturday -
Sunday - 

On my to do list ...

The usual laundry, vacuuming, dishes, etc.
Need to buy more white socks for Matthew
Finish the yard work

In the craft basket ...

I'm not a very crafty person and crafting isn't something I do regularly but I'd like to do more with the kids or even something on my own to help me unwind.  During our beach trip the kids collected some sea shells and I also put a pile of sand in a bag.  I would love to get a shadow box and have the sand and shells on the bottom with a picture of the kids at the beach in the background.  Yes, found the idea on Pinterest and it's such a cute idea.

Looking forward to this week ...

Matthew's baseball practices and a game on Saturday.
Shopping, even if it's just for socks.  I love doing anything that gets me out of the house.
Maybe a trip to the amusement park this weekend if hubby is okay with that.  

Looking around the house ...

And noticing a mess of toys that need to be picked up and organized.  The kids have definitely taken over the house with all their stuff but I've gotten used to it.  I keep reminding myself that there will come a time when they will both be adults on their own and this house will be empty.  I need to enjoy the chaos while I have it.

From the camera ...

Rob and Matthew had their first game of the season last Saturday.  It was against another league and I think all the kids did amazing (and so did my hubby the head coach).  I'm so proud of my husband, son and all the boys on the team.  They kicked butt!

On my prayer list ...

Asking God to help me to be a better daughter to Him, wife to my husband and mother to my kids.
My family and friends. 
My sister-in-law who is job searching

Bible verse/devotional ...

"The Lord is my light and my salvation.  Whom shall I fear?" -- Psalm 27:1

Fall Is (Almost) Here

16 days until fall is officially here but the autumn weather decided to arrive a little early.  It was very chilly this morning as we waited for the school bus and Matthew had a light jacket over his t-shirt but the day slowly got a little warmer with a welcoming breeze.  I love it.

I spent the morning trimming the plants and bushes and raking all the leaves into a garbage bag.  I also sprayed the weeds in the flower beds.  Then Brianna and I took a little break to play in the sandbox and slide.  She's really good at climbing up the slide. 

Then after lunch and putting her down for the daily nap I went back outside to finish the yard work.  It's a lot easier getting things done without a toddler constantly at my feet asking me to pick her up or play with her.  With this weather change has brought on runny noses and coughs from both my children.  I'm not sure if it's allergies or a cold but I feel bad for them.  Hopefully whatever is ailing them goes away quickly so we can enjoy this amazing weather.