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5 Quick and Easy Meals for a Family

On days when I’m exhausted after a long day at work or a day of fun for the family I loo for quick and easy meals to feed my family.  I have a few go to meals that don’t really take any time at all that the kids love and so do I.

1. Pasta – all your have to do is boil water and toss in some pasta.  It’s done in about 20 minutes or so when you include waiting for the water to boil.  It is pretty effortless because you can walk away and do other things like change your clothes, vacuum  unload the dishwasher, or put away the laundry.

2. Couscous, garbanzo beans and a veggie – couscous literally takes 5 minutes to cook.  I start the water for the couscous, open a can of garbanzo beans and toss them in a pan with a few spices and let them heat up.  I add a steamed veggie that I can put in the microwave to cook at the same time. Everything is done and on the table in under 10 minutes.

3. Stir Fry – thinly slicked meats and veggies cook really fast and are delicious with your favorite stir fry sauce.  I like to serve it with minute rice on nights like these when I’m tired.

4. Soup and Sandwiches – a favorite of my family is grilled cheese and tomato soup.

5. Quesadillas – I always have lots of shredded cheese on hand. My kids also love to eat anything in a tortilla so I always buy them in bulk.  I can turn out a few quesadillas in minutes if I toss them under the broiler and then slice them up like pizzas.

 

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Things I Never Thought I Would Say As A Mom

Becoming a parent really opens up the world to a vast array of things you’d never thought you would say in your life. What are some of the crazy things you’ve said since becoming a parent?  What are some of the silly things you’ve heard parents say? These are just a few things I’ve said as a mom that I never dreamed would come out of my mouth.

1. Tampon applicators are NOT toys.

2. Dog food is NOT for eating.

3. The dog is not a pony.

4. Get that out of your ear.

5. Don’t tickle mommy’s nipples.  They are for food not a toy.

6. Stop eating your sister’s lunch.  You just had your own.

7. We don’t lick the dog.

8. No, marshmallows are not a breakfast food.

9. I do not want to smell your socks. Please get them out of my face.

10. Put the dog poop down.

11. That’s my belly button. Stop digging in it, it hurts mommy.

12. Poop is not for finger painting.

13. Get out of the tub so I can clean up the poop.

14. I want a mini-van.

15. No mommy doesn’t wear diapers.

16. There’s a party in your tummy. So yummy so yummy.

17. Get your finger out of mommy’s nose.

18. Yogurt goes in your mouth, not in your hair.

19. No we don’t put shampoo on our tooth brushes.

20. Why are there bubbles all over the bathroom?

 

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Cell Phones for Children at What Age

It took me a very long time to get a cell phone.  I was very anti-cell phone actually.  I thought of them as electronic leashes and I didn’t want to have anything to do with them. That changed one year when I was a senior in college and my car broke down in the middle of an intersection.  I was all alone and needed help.  At that moment I realized that having a cell phone in case of emergency was probably a good idea.

Now, my kids are starting to ask when they will be able to have a cell phone of their own.  They use mine all of the time to play games.  They don’t use it to make calls because they aren’t old enough to want to hang on the phone for hours.  Right now I think it’s more a fascination with all of the apps on the phone that serve as entertainment.  But I’m starting to ask when will that age be gone and it be time to get them phones for emergencies.

I’m thinking when the kids are in middle school will be a good age.  I will have strict rules about NOT using the phones during school to play or chat or text friends.  I don’t want them to disrupt other students or break school rules.  However, I do want them to be safe if they are walking home from school or are hanging out at the mall with friends.  I guess I’ll take it one day at a time for now.  I still have a few years to go before I really have to worry about it.

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Fridays and Why They Are So Special

Fridays are one of the best days of the week.  On Fridays you’ve accomplished most everything you need to get done for the week. I love crossing everything off of my to do list as the week goes by, and usually on Friday most everything is crossed off. It always makes me excited to know that I’ll be able to have the entire weekend to relax and not worry about the stress of the week from work. In the afternoon I always get a sense of euphoria as the weekend draws near.

Fridays bring a smile to my face just thinking about them. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love Fridays.  T.G.I.F. Thank God It’s Friday!  Who doesn’t celebrate Friday when it rolls around.

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Five Foods I’d Hate To Live Without

I was having a conversation with a friend and we were discussing what our favorite foods are.  Then we talked about which foods we couldn’t live without. We had some differences but this is what I came up with.

1. Chocolate: I don’t think I’d want to live without chocolate of course; it’s my ultimate favorite food.  It makes me happy and is just so darn delicious.  It would have to be dark chocolate too; none of that icky milk chocolate nonsense.

2. Chips and Salsa: I know that really sounds like two foods but I always think of it as one item.  I can’t ever seem to get enough.  When ever I go to a Mexican restaurant they have to bring a few extra bowls of the chips and salsa because we always devour them.

3. Avocado: Another favorite of mine that is just oh so divine.  I love them plain, in guacamole, on food, in food. You name I love  the creamy goodness that is the Hass avocado.

4. Coffee: Not for the caffeine, but for the flavor.  I just love a great cup of coffee. Decaff is absolutely fine as long as the flavor is bold, rich, and smooth I’ll be a happy camper.

5. Bread: Who doesn’t love bread?  There is soo much you can do with bread.  Make sandwiches, toast, puddings, stuffing, and soo much more.  I’ve only ever come across one bread I don’t like and that’s Rye.  For some reason the anise in is grosses me out.

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Ms. Leach, The Best Teacher Ever

The first day of school is coming soon.  It’s the time of year when school supplies are on sale at every store and there are specials for students and teachers.  I remember my fourth grade teacher very well.  She just happened to end up being my fifth grade teacher too!  She made our school time very special.

Each day we would sing songs and have learning activities.  But the one thing that made her very special was that she took time out of her busy day to talk to us about what was going on in our lives and how we were doing.  She asked us question about how we felt about learning and what we liked and didn’t like.  She worked really hard to tailor her lessons and activities to fit and and every one of us.

She always had something special planned for us each day.  I couldn’t wait to get to school in the mornings to find out what Ms. Leach had in store for us.  I hope my kids have teachers like her this year.  I want them to think learning is fun.

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Family Game Night – What Game Are You the Champion Of?

The Game of Life, Risk, Sorry, Monopoly. It’s family game night and time to break out the board games. I am our family champion for Monopoly. I can’t get enough of that game. I always have to be the banker, I think it has something to do with controlling all of the money.

My husband loves to play Risk. He seems to be great at all of the calculated risks and determining when to sacrifice something in order to come out on top. I am not the biggest fan of this game to be honest. It seems long, drawn out, and boring. However, we take turns choosing what games we are going to play and I am always a good sport when someone selects a game I don’t really like.

What games do you play for your family game nights for entertainment? Do you play board games, have tournaments with game systems, or maybe just play with a deck of cards? All of the above can be lots of fun. The important part is spending quality time with your family and having fun.

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Do You Need Coffee to Wake Up in the Morning?

Regular or decaf? That is the question. Are you one of those people that absolutely must have a cup of coffee in the morning in order to wake up? I used to be. I’m not anymore. I make sure to get a good 8 solid hours of sleep every night. Then when I get up in the morning instead of relying on coffee to wake me up I like to take a shower.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy a cup of joe in the morning, it just doesn’t have to be caffeinated. As long as it tastes good I’m absolutely fine with decaf. I invest in quality coffee and haven’t had a problem with poor flavor in my decaf coffee at all.

I know I don’t need coffee to wake up in the morning. If you are one of those people that do need coffee in the morning, what would your day be like without your coffee? I’d love to hear from you.

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Next Book On My To Read List Is…

The Hunger Games is the next book on my to-read list. I’ve been hearing all kinds of great reviews about this series. I haven’t seen the movie yet, and I don’t want to until after I read the book. I like to form a picture in my mind from what I read in the story instead of just taking and accepting what is given to me by Hollywood.

I’ve heard that there are a few blood and gore moments in the story. I know the short synopsis of the story, and I can’t imagine sending my children off every year to be slaughtered in some dumb competition for entertainment purposes. It seems pretty insane and barbaric if you ask me. Maybe there is more to it than what I’ve gleaned from the gossip I’ve heard. I guess I will find out after I read the story for myself.

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Food to Toss on the Grill

It’s summer and our grills are out and ready to be used. I like to toss all kinds of food on the grill, not just your average meat like hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks. I’ve been known to make entire meals on the grill. There is nothing wrong with using a pan on the grill in order to make a side dish to accompany your meal.

Grilled fruit is absolutely divine. I like to eat it along side a big giant scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pineapple is one of my favorites. Peaches and nectarines grill up pretty great as well.

What kind of food do you like to cook on your grill? I’d love to hear any tips and tricks you might have.