Happy New Year Everyone!

I thought it would be nice if I started out the new year by actually updating my blog.  2009 has turned out to be an interesting year for our family.  A lot of challenges and A LOT of changes.  Jeff was laid off again thanks to this lovely economy with no work in sight at a reasonable wage.  So we made the decision for him to go back to school and for me to go back to work full time.  It hasn't been easy but we have both learned a lot from our new roles.  I've learned how stressful it can be to be the sole provider of a family.  Frankly I don't know how you single Mother's do it!  Jeff has learned that running a household and taking care of children is a lot of work too!

This year my new years resolution is to be more grateful, even for the little things.  I am grateful I have a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food to eat and two cars that are paid for.  Most people are struggling to have that even.  We are very blessed.  I have a great job with benefits and a lot of people are still looking for work.  We may not have a big house and fancy cars and designer clothing, but the important things in life, frankly, aren't things.  We have each other, we have our beautiful children, we have our faith and we have our friends.  That makes us rich in my book!

Lyndsey-The "other mother"

I normally insist my children wear shoes in our backyard to prevent "owies".  Today my 2 yr old son Thomas went outside without his.  I immediately heard my 4 yr old daughter Lyndsey yell out "Thomas you get inside and put your shoes on this instant!".  I didn't know whether to laugh or scold her for lecturing her little brother!

Funny thing is Thomas saw the neighbor cat in our back yard and yelled at her to put her shoes on.  I guess he felt like bossing someone around too!

Just a Mom!

I received this in an email and thought it was worth posting, personally I love to put "Domestic Engineer" whenever I fill out a form asking for my occupation!



A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office,
was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.  

'What I mean is, ' explained the recorder,  
'do you have a job or are you just a .?'

'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman. 

'I'm a Mom.'

'We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation,

'housewife' covers it,' 
Said the recorder emphatically. 


I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.   
The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like,
'Official Interrogator' or 'Town Registrar.' 

'What is your occupation?' she probed.

What made me say it?  I do not know.   
The words simply popped out.  
'I'm a Research Associate in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations.' 

The clerk paused, ball -point pen frozen in m midair and
looked up as though she had not heard right.   

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire. 

'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,
'just what you do in your field?' 

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
'I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn't)
In the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out.)  
I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have four credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).  
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers

and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.'

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she
completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. 
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern.   
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more

distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.'  

   Motherhood!   

What a glorious career!   
Especially when there's a title on the door. 
Does this make grandmothers 
'Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations'
And great grandmothers 
'Executive Senior Research Associates?'  
I think so!!!   
I also think it makes Aunts  Associate Research Assistants.'

Win a Gift Certificate to West Coast Jewelry!

Win a Gift Certificate to West Coast Jewelry! Amazing and affordable jewelry!!! @Shopaholic_Mama http://bit.ly/VS7yy

New Background....
So What do you think of my new blog background? I thought it was cute myself!

How to make a GIANT chocolate chip cookie..just in time for Valentines Day!

Heart-Shaped Pan Cookie

“I found this recipe and was excited because it’s for one large cookie and I always wondered how to make one without it being doughy in the middle. I made this for Jeff for Valentines Day one year and he just loved it.”

Ingredients:

1 C plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ (1 stick) butter or margarine softened

½ C. packed brown sugar

1/3 C. granulated sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

2 C (12 oz pkg) chocolate chips divided

Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips; spread into greased and wax paper-lined 8 ½-or 9-in heart-shaped pan.

Bake in preheated 375°F. oven for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Microwave remaining chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl on HIGH power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10-20 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Spread over cookie. Chill for 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Decorate as desired.

Note: Cookie can also be made in a 9-inch round cake pan.

Which is harder to raise BOYS OR GIRLS?

My Uncle recently sent me the following email:

Cup of Tea ..
 
One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me.

I was maybe 2 1/2 years old and had just recovered from an accident.
 
Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a get-well gift and it was one of my favorite toys.
 
Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water.

After several cups of tea and lots of  praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home.
 
My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!'  My Mom waited,and sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy and she watches him drink it up.
 
Then she says, (as only a mother would know... )
 
'Did it occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?

This email posed an interesting question:  Are boys or girls harder to raise and why?  What are your thoughts?  I would love to hear them.  Please leave a comment on your thoughts in the comment section, here is mine.

Well personally I can give you much worse examples of what Lyndsey is capable of than the one above let me tell you.  Granite my boys are still pretty young, but even in their short lived lives to this point Lyndsey is  by FAR more high maintenance than  my boys.  I'm sure my Mom would agree to this after raising seven of her own children.  (Four boys and three girls).  She used to say in regards to my sister Katie that "if it weren't for her big brown eyes we would've killed her long ago for all the stunts she's pulled".  I now TRULY understand this as I now have a very beautiful little girl with big beautiful long eyelashes and green eyes and she has only lived this long because of it....hee, hee.  

Here's an example.  I have to hide Lyndsey's clothes in my office closest or she will go through a half a dozen "wardrobe changes" in a day.  These clothes inevitably end up on the floor getting mixed in with the dirty clothes somehow which just makes for more laundry for me.  So the only solution I could come up with is to keep her clothes in the one room that has a baby lock on  the door so she can't get to them.  However she has outsmarted me in that she still goes through her dirty clothes and changes into them, and she also loves laundry day because she goes through the hamper and changes into whatever she feels like wearing out of there.  I have a bag of dress up clothes that you would think would curb her appetite for changing clothes, but that only works once in awhile unfortunately.  This is just ONE example of her "high maintenance" ways.  Trust me there is more where this came from.  To top it off, my two year old son Thomas copies everything his sister does, so if she changes he gets it in his head that he needs to change his clothes too.  He actually can dress himself pretty good for his age and for being a boy.  However, quite frequently he ends up with his shirt on backwards and/or inside out, or he gets his arm stuck in the hole where his head should go leading to a screaming fit.  All because his saw his big sister changing her clothes, oh and that was just this morning, alas, my day has just begun......sigh!