Portraits of our "Chunky Monkey"

Easy Three Meat Pasta Bake

I don't usually posts recipes for main courses because. . .well . . . I don't like to cook! Baking is definitely more "my thing." I think it's because baking usually entails throwing a bunch of ingredients into a bowl, mixing it up, and pouring it into a pan. Cooking involves washing vegetables, slicing and dicing, digging in the fridge for the sour cream in the back, and using 2-3 pans for many meals. Oh, and let's not forget the standing by the stove to stir!

My husband is not a chef either - and probably because he is a perfectionist. We have come to the conclusion that if he made dinner, we probably would end up ordering pizza if things didn't turn out perfectly OR we would not be eating until 9 pm.

Fortunately, neither my husband or children are picky and they all like healthy foods. As a matter of fact, after we had only been married a short time, he asked for brussel sprouts. I had never eaten them, never mind made them, so I looked in my trusty Fanny Farmer cookbook. I think my mother-in-law gave it to me (it's had some wear and tear). I used it the first few years we were married to learn how to make pot roast, meatloaf, ham, and all those other things I never ate growing up.

I would say 95% of the time I try a new recipe, it's NOT from reading the recipe. I'll eat something I like (at a restaurant or friends) and just try to copy it. Isn't it more fun that way anyway?!?

OK, so enough blabbering. Here's a simple dinner that feeds 6. Serve it with salad and garlic bread, and everyone will be happy!

Three Meat Pasta Bake Ingredients:

1 box pasta

1 lb each of ground beef and ground sausage

20 slices of pepperoni

1 1/2 jars/cans of tomato sauce

8 oz mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Make 1 box of any type pasta (I used shells this time) and drain

Cook beef and sausage and drain

Add 1/2 jar of tomato sauce to each pan

Pour 1/2 the pasta in a 8x11 pan, then sprinkle on about 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese

I then add about another 1/2 jar of tomato sauce.Next, add all the ground meat, then pour on the remaining pasta. Arrange a layer of pepperoni on the top, then sprinkle on the rest of the mozzarella cheese

Bake it for just 15 min or so to let the cheese melt (when I've made 1/2 as much, I just put my 8x8 pan in the microwave to melt the cheese)

Here is a pic of it before adding the last bit of mozzarella and then after it's baked. . .cheesy goodness!

Gimme a break!!!

And I don't mean I want a piece of a Kit Kat bar :)

I realized the other day, that I am with my children ALL THE TIME! Now, being with them is not a problem - getting things done while I am with them, that is the issue. (In the time it took me to type those 3 sentences, I have had to tell my boys twice to stop talking and just eat their lunch!)

I mean, being a "stay at home" mom has many benefits, but when your children are so young, sometimes it just seems impossible to get major "projects" finished without being interrupted umpteen times! And it seems, I always have a major "project" to do (Type A personality, you know).

Well, on Sunday night the baby was quite sick with a double ear infection and I felt I should just keep her home from church so she could sleep. My husband took the boys, so I was left home alone with just Jessica. My first thought was, "What can I get done while those boogers are gone?!?!"

My project was cleaning the boy's rooms.

My boys are expected to make their beds, put their laundry away, and keep toys in their respective bins, but during the weekend it seems that things get a bit messy. I decided to do some major cleaning and reorganizing. I moved the furniture and vacuumed every nook and cranny. I put the toys into different containers, switched Jessica's clothes around, and even tidied up the closets.

Needless to say, I accomplished sooo much while they were gone for just 2 hours!

I have now decided that my hubby needs to take the boys out once a month for a few hours. He will not have a problem with that now that he is only working one job again, and I will feel so much better since my house will be "in order."

Love these "boogers" :)

Love Story

It seems that during the holidays, many people (at least women) get a bit sentimental and "mushy." I don't know if it's the Christmas lights, the music, or the over abundance of yummy food, but I thought it would be a good time of year to share our "love story."

December of '96 was when my hubby and I had our first date. He asked me to see the Nutcracker performed by the Boston Ballet. I loved it. It had always been one of my favorite performances, so he got "brownie points" right from the beginning, but our story began long before that date.

You see, we met back in the early '90's when his father became the pastor of our church. We were teenagers at the time and though he was nice, I didn't "pay him much mind." Poor fella - as my in-laws tell it, he was mesmerized by me from the beginning. After high school, I went off to

college and we wrote maybe all of two times, but there was definitely no "relationship" with which to speak.

After finishing college in '96, I came home and took a job at a day care. During the summer, we would often go out after church for fries or ice cream. Many times, his younger brothers would tag along (they were ages 4 & 8 - I think). He later told me that he decided "not to get his hopes up" and would "just be friends" with me, even though he was interested in more.

By the fall, we spent more time talking and "hanging out." I didn't tell him I was interested in him, but butterflies "danced" in my stomach every time I saw him. When he asked me to see the Nutcracker, I just couldn't bring myself to tell him my feelings. The poor guy had to wait until February - and even then, I wasn't too clear about what I was feeling. I will say, I married a very patient man!

During the spring of '97, my husband decided he would go go away to college in the fall. I couldn't believe it! The pressure was on! I decided that if I didn't tell him my true feelings, I might not ever get the chance!

After letting the "cat out of the bag," he and I spent quite a bit of time together that summer. He would often come visit me at work, and we usually went out on Saturday nights when he was done at his job. The summer seemed to go by waaaay too fast!

August came, and he left to go to Bible college. I took a teaching job about an hour from where I grew up. We spoke on the phone every time we had the chance! One time, the phone company actually shut off my phone because they thought someone else was making all those long distance calls!

It was true for us that "absence makes the heart grow fonder." By the time he came home for Christmas break, we started talking about marriage. You see, we had know each other for 6 yrs, and his whole family pretty much "adopted" me before he and I had ever become serious. I don't really think there was any surprise that we decided to get married the next summer.

We were married in July of 1998 and honeymooned at a quiet bed and breakfast only an hour from the church. It wasn't fancy or extravagant, but I still am very glad that is where we spent our first week together. A widower owned the place, and we were the only guests for most of the week. There was beautiful weather, a pool, and the owner even grilled us dinner! It was perfect!

After the honeymoon, we headed to PA (where he had attended school), to look for housing. God worked it out in that we found a place to live on the last day we were there! We moved in August and I began teaching at a Christian school at the end of the month. My hubby attended Bible college and worked part time.

My hubby has many good qualities, but what attracted me to him, is his tender heart and giving spirit. In some respects, he is my complete opposite, but in other ways we are very similar. I know the Lord brought us together and I am so happy to be his wife!

Why Home School?

Let me start by saying, that even though my hubby and I decided that I would home school our children, it does not mean I believe that everyone else should do the same. Every family is different, and what works for some may not work for others. I'm just going to share a bit about our decision.

First of all. . .

We did not chose to home school just because I am qualified to teach (I have a degree in Elementary Education and was state certified to teach grades K5 - 6th).

We did not chose to home school just because it is less expensive (if they went to the local Christian school, it would be a bit over our budget - especially with four children).

We did not chose to home school just because it is more convenient (I can not imagine having to feed, dress, and pack up four children every morning just to drive two of them to school).

We did not chose to home school just because we do not want our children exposed to the wrong atmosphere (and yes, I do think that even a Christian school can have a "bad atmosphere").

We did not chose to home school just because our parents, pastor, and friends have done the same (though I'm fortunate to have quite a few local friends who home school as well).

We did chose to home school because we believe that's what the Lord wants for us. Does that sound too simple? Sometimes simple is best!

I will say, I loooooove teaching. You can give me ANY topic, and I will teach someone about it (as long as I understand the topic myself!). I have taught music, art, choir, tennis, soccer, college courses on teaching, and of course all the basics (reading, writing, and 'rithmetic). I love it all!

Now, that being said, it also is nice that I know exactly what my children are being taught and how.

Remember this: teachers are humans too. So if you think about how your own mood is affected by your children's behavior, multiply that by 10, 15, or 20 students in a classroom! Teacher's have bad days and can be grouchy too. I know, at home, I have the chance to tell my boys, "Sorry, I didn't mean to 'snap' at you. Mommy will try to be more patient." That chance does not always happen in a classroom.

Also, some well meaning people become teachers, but that doesn't mean they are good at teaching. I'm sure you can think of at least one teacher you had that either was "way above your head" or made you cry (I know I've had both). Even though I do not claim to be the best teacher, I think, by God's grace, they will learn what they need. God gave parents the job to educate their children, so I believe he allows even the worst "teachers" to be successful in teaching their own children.

Since this is our first year, maybe my "song" will change by next spring, but I'm hoping it doesn't. Teaching in a classroom was much, much easier than teaching my own children at home. I need to take care of a new baby (who nurses every 3 hrs.), keep up with housework, entertain a 3 yr old so he doesn't bother his brothers, and still remember to be a wife to my husband too. BUT, so far, it has been sooo rewarding to see my boys learn. Someday I will have a daughter in K5 while my "stair step" boys will be in grades 3, 4, & 5. How fun! I better start getting in shape now! :)

Saw it, pinned it, made it!

If you haven't heard of Pinterest, let me introduce you. . . http://pinterest.com

Pinterest is a site where you have virtual bulletin boards to "pin" items that interest you. I have bulletin boards for Recipes, Things I want to make, For the boys, etc.

The nice thing about Pinterest is that I have discovered that there is no need for me to "rack my brain" in order to think of creative projects. . . other people have done it for me! I can view everybody's "pins" and that gives me plenty of ideas. I can also search for specific things. . . like "chocolate cake" or "rainy day activities." It's wonderful!

So far, I have made red velvet cheesecake swirl brownies, homemade Butterfingers, and low fat chocolate chip cookies. . . all thanks to Pinterest!

I have found lots of activities for the boys. . .

Colored rice. They have been playing with this stuff for the last week and love it!

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Milk, food coloring, and a "magic" stick. Kyle had fun with this when he was stuck at home sick. Just put some dish soap on the end of a toothpick (or I used a chop stick) and it does "magic".

So, if your looking for some recipes, crafts, teaching aids, cleaning remedies, photo op ideas, funny quotes, or anything else. . . give Pinterest a try!

A Minute of Your Time?

OK, so I have a confession to make. I do NOT like talking on the phone. Let me make it clear, it is NOT that I dislike talking to the people on the other end of the line. I DO enjoy talking. I just have other issues.

First of all, if I'm talking on the phone, that means I am not doing something else. Now, I do multitask a bit, but I find it extremely hard to hold a touch screen phone to my ear with my shoulder. I have hung up on more than a few people - oops!

Secondly, I feel like I should give the person on the other end my full attention, and that is nearly impossible. After all, don't your children always need something when you're on the phone?!?

That all being said, I have now challenged myself to talk on the phone with an adult at least three times a week. Why? Because I believe it may just keep me sane!

Think of this. I have four children aged 5 and under. My husband leaves for work at 5:30 am (before I am awake) and he often is not home until almost 7 pm. Because he works two jobs, he often works 10 days in a row before having a day off. Soooooo, I really don't get to see an adult during the day.

This week I spoke with an adult every day. . .and it made such a difference! Not that I don't enjoy talking with my children. . .

Really, though, it is nice to have an adult conversation once in a while. So, if I give you a call, give me a minute of your time. It just may keep me from the "loony bin" - lol!

Easiest Cookies Eva (yes, "eva" is a word in New England) ;)

I tried these cookies last night and they lasted just a few hours. . .and the batch made 50 cookies!!! The recipe called for Spice cake mix, but all I had in the house was yellow mix. It turned out fine - I just added some cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.

So, are you ready for this? All you need is a box of Spice cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and some chocolate chips. Yes, that is it! No eggs, no oil, no water!

Directions:

Mix together cake mix and can of pumpkin, then add in chocolate chips (I used half a bag).

Bake at 350 for 8-10 min.

Now, these cookies are very "cake-like" (can you imagine why), but I prefer that because it means less crumbs from my boys! I always bake cookies a little less than recommended, because they continue baking on the cookie sheet after removed from the oven, and I like moist cookies. Hope you enjoy!

A Large Family?!?!?

Our family went to have our portrait taken at Sears the other day. I couldn't resist the FREE collage print, so I had everyone coordinate and we headed out the door. For the past three years, we have had free portrait coupons from various vendors, but my favorite place (Picture People) closed, so we went to Sears this year. We had been to Sears once before, and the lady was efficient, friendly, and great with the boys. We loved the results. This year? Not so much.

The lady was a mother of three, yet she did not have a clue as to how to relate to our children. She did not ask them to say, "cheese" or count to three before taking their picture.It was extremely hot in the studio and the boys were trying to cooperate, but she was having a terrible time explaining to them how they should sit. She had tons of props and I assume she was trained, but she asked me, "How do you think we should do this?" Seriously?!?!? She was nice enough to tell me that our boys were the best behaved she had seen, but I really couldn't blame other children for not cooperating with her since she was not so good at giving direction. Anyway, I should not ramble about the poor lady's inability to be "comfortable" with children, my real reason for this entry is that she mentioned something about us having a large family, and I had some thoughts about that.

As you know, we have four children. This gives us a family of six. I do not consider that to be "large," but in today's society, I may be wrong. In public, it seems many people comment on us having three boys in a row, but in reality, it is not just odd to have them spaced closely as much as having three to begin with. Now that we have four, apparently, we have a "large" family. I'm thinking people must consider a family large when the children outnumber the parents ;)

Now, in our immediate circle of friends, most have three or four children, so we are not out of place. Personally, I think four children is "average." I don't think it is unreasonable or overwhelming to have a family of six. My husband is from a family of six children. Both my parents grew up in families with five children and both my in-laws had five children in each of their families. I think it is nice to have enough so that your children's children will have cousins, aunts, and uncles with which to grow up.

I love that we have four children (and especially happy about having a girl in the mix now!) They may outnumber us, but I don't consider them a "burden" or an "extra cost." So, for those of you who have four, five, six, or more. . .count your blessings! I know the Lord gives us children so that we may raise them for his glory, so I'm glad He saw fit to give us each of ours :)

And, for the record, the photo in this post is NOT from Sears - I took it myself, just so you could see our "large" family!

Who would have guessed?!?

Who would have guessed that a 3 year old could be so entertaining? I have three boys, yet only one is an honest-to-goodness comedian. My oldest is serious and responsible. He enjoys laughing, but not at himself. My middle son loves "goofing" around, but he tends to get in trouble for his silliness. My youngest son is just naturally "good natured". He laughs at himself and makes others laugh. Even his brothers say, "Evan, you are sooooo funny!"

Evan got himself breakfast : Cheez-its

(oh, and like the hat with the pj's?)

Today was a long day for me. My children have not napped for me for at least a week. Since I am nursing the baby, I get very tired and I miss my nap :( In order to have some "me" time today, I sat the boys down with a snack, and put some cartoons on the computer. I then went to take a shower in peace. I always shower in the boys bathroom because I like their shower head better and the master bath is in the back of the house, so if there was a true emergency, I may not find out until too late! After a few minutes in the shower, I heard the toilet seat go up. I asked, "Who's there?" "It's me, Mom," said my youngest. Then, in a very serious voice, he said, "There's a fish in the toilet." I said, "No there isn't, silly boy!" Again, very seriously, he says, "Yes, there is Mom!" We went back and forth, until I finally poked my head out of the shower curtain. He stood there, pointing at the toilet with a squinty-eyed smile on his face, and said, "SEE!!!" Of course, there was no fish, but he was quite happy that he made me look. :)

As a baby, Evan was very easy to distract. He would start crying and as soon as we'd divert his attention, he was fine. Even now, this tactic works for him. He just came to me and complained that his brother hurt him. I said, "Look, that's you on the computer!" He said, "I want to put that hat on now!" And he ran off without another word about his brother. It's nice having a child that can make you laugh, but I have found that it is difficult to stay upset when that child is just so stinkin' cute! ;)

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails. . .

Since I've been posting so many pictures on Facebook of our new baby girl, I thought it only fair to post some of my boys as well. These are just some photos of boys being. . .boys :)

Kyle trying on his Daddy's pants (my hubby is 6'5").

Kyle loving on baby Jessica (I think he'll really be connected to her).

Zack playing "Angry Birds" on my phone (I think he's an addict - lol!)

Two boys getting along (this doesn't happen all that often!)

Zack giving his brother's a "tow" (he figured this out all on his own)

Horseback riding with Daddy (oh, and a lollipop)

Evan watching his pet fish (I think they only lasted two weeks - lol!)

C is for COOKIE!!!!

Good news: I have lost 4 lbs in the last 5 days! Bad news: I still have many more lbs to go. BUT it is encouraging to see the numbers go down, even if it's just a little at a time.

I have not really altered my diet, but I have started keeping track of the calories I eat each day, and that seems to be a great help. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who will grab a cookie when I'm not even hungry or finish my sons bowl of cereal because I don't want to "waste" it! Keeping track of my caloric intake has kept me from doing those things. And for any of you that would like to keep track of calories and exercise, I suggest checking out this website: http://www.loseit.com (if you do like it, you can add me on there as your friend).

Well, anyway, I wanted to add a recipe to my blog that is low fat and yummy! I know, those two don't usually go together, but my husband and sons agree - these are gooooood cookies. I mean, you can't expect to stay away from ALL desserts while dieting, right? These are oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and the only change I made was that I used whole wheat flour. They call for dark chocolate chips, which are my favorite, but not my hubby's. The good thing is, he couldn't even tell! And I made a double batch, hoping they would last all week, but in one weekend, all but about 10 are gone!

I am not going to write out the recipe, but instead, put a link to another blog. I don't want to get in trouble for "stealing" someone else's good idea ;) Try them and enjoy!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/03/low-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-oatmeal.html

Do you remember?

As I sat rocking my darling baby girl, I looked around my living room. I saw the following: a game of Candy Land on the piano bench, a Buzz Lightyear gun on the floor, a baby blanket tossed on the couch, and two cowboy boots and a sand bucket by the front door. Now, none of those items should be in the living room, but I'm learning to adapt.

Do you remember what your house looked like when you were a young child? You see, my memories of the neatness of my house, are basically non-existent. What I DO remember is playing games and having fun. I know my mother let me put all the couch cushions on the living room floor so I could jump from one to another without "falling in the water." I remember my friends often came over to play, and you know, when other kids come over, ALL the toys seem to be taken out of the toy box! Oh, and lets not forget about the LEGOS! Now, as a mother, I know those things multiply, so I'm sure my own mother found them in various rooms of the house. I also spent a great deal of time outside, so I'm sure my mom spent a great deal of time washing my messy clothes and vacuuming the dirt I tracked into the house. But with all those memories, I don't remember our house ever being "messy."

With the arrival of a fourth child, I have finally realized that I will never keep my house "spotless." When they are older, they will help more with chores and their toys won't be so large, so I have hope. For now, I will try to be content with the clutter. I hope the boys remember that today we played Candy Land and made paper masks and finished our school work more than they remember the fact that I did not get around to vacuuming and have yet to run the dishwasher. . . I'm pretty sure they will :)

Postpartum Diet

Yes, I know what the first three letters of "diet" spell, but I need to do something to get rid of this "baby weight." I think I eat fairly healthy, but that's not cutting it this time. I don't know if it's because I had a c-section or because I'm older now, but the weight is NOT coming off!

When my first son was 8 months old, I tried Weight Watchers. Eating my "normal" foods and keeping a food diary must have worked because I lost 15 lbs in the first month. I liked that I didn't have to follow certain recipes and that most restaurants even had WW friendly meals. Unfortunately, the diet only lasted a month. I became pregnant again, and therefore, ditched the food diary.

Well, I'm going to try the food diary and counting my "points" again. I figure if I write about it in my blog, I will be more accountable. I would love any ideas, tips, or encouragement that my friends would like to share. Those who are moms may understand how hard it is to NOT grab a piece of chocolate or an extra cup of coffee to make it through stressful days.

Here's to shedding some pounds!!!

Easy Homemade Fondant

Since my boys are outside playing on this beautiful fall day, I have time to post my recipe for homemade fondant.It's very simple and easy to work with as well! Now, once I get more practice, it may even look good ;)

The only items needed for this project are as follows: a large bowl and spatula, some Crisco, a bag

of marshmallows, a 2lb bag of powdered sugar, and a Tbs of water.

First, you grease your large bowl with Crisco, then you pour in your entire bag of marshmallows. Add 1 Tbs of water then microwave in increments of 30 sec.until melted. If you only need one color of fondant, it is easiest to add the coloring now. Otherwise, you will knead in

your colors at the end.

You will then add about half a bag of powdered sugar into your melted marshmallows and mix together with your spatula. When the mixture starts to form a ball, you are ready for the next step.Your next step is to grease your work surface.

That's right. . .smear a big glob of Crisco onto your sanitized table, and your good to go!

Now, dump some more powdered sugar onto your ball of dough and knead until it has the consistency of play-do. Form into a ball and coat with some more Crisco (aren't your hands feeling soft now?).

Wrap with saran wrap and let it "rest." I have read that it needs to rest from 10 min up until 8 hrs.! I let it rest for about 4 hrs this last time and it worked fine :)

After it "rests," you are ready to roll it out. Again, you need to grease and

powder your table. Now, roll away until it is about 1/8 in. thick.

The other thing about using fondant to cover a cake, is that you need to prep the cake first. I cover it with a thin layer of frosting, but recently was told that a layer of jelly will also do the trick (and that sounds yummy!).

I had always been intimidated by fondant, but this process is really quite simple. Just think of it as play-do, and have some fun! Cut out shapes, letters, or roll to make a border. The possibilities are endless!

Oh, and this is my finished product: a yellow dump truck :)