Self Improvement: Part 4

The next chapter of my self improvement is to be a better partner to my partner. For so long it has been just him supporting us and while I appreciate him amd everything he has done, sometimes I think he doesn't realize how much. We also drive each other crazy because it is literally just us and the kids almost all day everyday.
So, here is my plan to gain a better relationship:

   1. Establish a date night. One night a week, every two weeks, or every month. A night for the two of us to go out alone to dinner, a movie, bowling, whatever. Just a time for us to be alone and have an adult conversation without being interrupted. As of right now, we average 1 date night every 3 to 4 months. That can't be healthy for this relationship.
   2. Let him have his night with the boys every two weeks. Since we are around each other almost 24/7, he needs to have his guy time doing manly things instead of helping me change diapers.
   3. Spend more time together when the boys are asleep. While I get the boys to bed he is always down stairs. After I get them to sleep I feel so drained from the day that I end up falling asleep right after them. It would be a good time to rent a movie and grab some popcorn and cuddle up on thr couch for some time together.
 
We do spend so much time together, but it always with the kids. I believe that any relationship needs to have time away from the kids. Even if it is just a movie on the couch when they kids go to bed.

What are some ways you improved your relationship?


-Kylie

Self Improvement: Part 3

My next step is being a better mom to my kids. This can either be easy or it can be hard. My 4month old will beno problem. But my 2year old might be a different story.

Here's how I am going to be a better mom:
    1. I am going to establish an hour each day with each kid. This way they get "mommy time". So I can play action figures or do school time with Little Man and talk to Little Guy since he can't do much.
    2. Do more family things. Like trips and vacations.
    3. Establish family time one nigbt a week. Since our boys are little we will start with a movie night.
    4. I need to stop, breath, and think when Little Man does something he shouldn't. Time out is set, but my nerves are shot most of the time.

I am sure there are way more things. But I nelieve this is a good start. My kids deserve the best of me and I owe that to my wonderful little monsters, I mean boys.

-Kylie

Self Improvement: Part 2

        Starting with the easiest aspect to my self improvement plan, I will begin with my need/want to get closer with God. I know, many people deny Him and don't want to admit their belief in Him to anyone. I have been that way for a while, but, as I sat here looking at my children I realized it was time to invite Him back into my life and start introducing Him to my children.

         So, here is how I will go about doing this:

                 1. It's time to pray to Him. For Him to enter my heart, my mind, my soul, my family, my home. This part is key to the beginning of a relationship with Him.
                 2. Find a reading plan. Now, I have found two that I want to start but I am having trouble picking between the two. They both are done in about 52 weeks, if you stick to the plans. Chronological order seems like the obvious choice, but I understand that it can get pretty boring. Especially for someone like me who gets bored and distracted easily. This reading plan bounces around each day so one day you read Romans the next is another and so on and so forth. This seems like a good plan for someone like me, but, also, wouldn't I understand it better if I went in order?
                 3. Start reading the bible to understand by using a study method. I have found many methods of bible study. I have looked into them all and this is the method that I found and believe could be most useful to me. The SOAP Method seems to be the best method to get me started. I am sure that after my first read through the bible I will need a new method to help understand what I missed before.
                4. I was told to write in my bible. I know, I was shocked when I was told this too. But, I was informed that writing in your bible isn't a sin or anything like that and most people do it to mark passages/verses that are meaningful to them. I thought it was a great idea. I found this Marking Guide to be the most helpful place to start. I once heard that a bible that is marked in and falling apart usually belongs to a person who isn't.
              5. Getting my children involved. First, I believe that I need to purchase a children's bible to hold his interest, he can't read, but, it could be a great start and go along with the lesson plans. I love the way this is laid out. I will be following this bible plan with my Little Man. And using theses coloring pages and other items from this site to go along with our study.

We are currently looking for a church to attend. The hunt goes on.


It seems simple enough, at least for those of us starting out. How do you study the bible and incorporate them into your children's lives?


-Kylie

Self Improvement: Part 1

We all have that time of the year where we are like, “Okay it’s time to work on me!” For most of us it is New Years, sometimes, like me now, it is when it almost time for summer. There are many reasons for one to work on themselves in any way (because there are many ways of self improvement). I finally set down and figured out a plan to improve myself.

So, as I was setting here debating on what I should do, not to change me, but to improve me, I thought, let’s get a game plan going. I then began looking into ways I can become a better me.

                Step 1: Be Healthy
                                This sounds so easy and some may even say, oh she wants to lose weight. But, honestly, that isn’t even it at all. I am not trying to lose weight, I am trying to gain muscle. I want to be able to chase my kids without getting out of breath. But, most of all, I want to love my body. So, how do I do this?
            -Put a plan together of a workout I can stick to.
            -Find a meal plan that is right for me.
            -Set aside an exercise time.

                Step 2: Be Closer with God
                                This will probably be the easiest, yet the hardest thing for me to do; the want and the need is there, but, there is also a little voice saying later or tomorrow. Here’s how I am going to do that:

            -Put a plan together to read the bible.
            -Make time each day for prayer and to read the bible.
            -Underline passages and verses that have meaning to me.

                Step 3: Be a Better Mom
                                I do believe this one is going to be my hardest, I can tell you that right now. My oldest is 2 and a half years old (Little Man), and man, does he know how to push one’s buttons. I love him and my 4 month to death (Little Guy), but, with the two of them and their dad, it can get pretty crazy around here. I will accomplish this by:

            -Set a time out rule and make sure that their dad sticks to it as well.
            -Put a couple hours scattered throughout the day that is set to be a time with each kid separately. This way they get mommy alone for an hour and daddy alone for an hour.
            -Obtain more patience when dealing with the rotten side of Little Man. We don’t get crazy, but, sometimes it hard to step back and take a breath before dealing with whatever trouble he has gotten himself into (which, is usually my makeup bag and I have no idea how he gets that).

                Step 4: Be a Better Partner for my Partner
                                I don’t know how this will go, it can either go fantastic or like crap. I doubt there will be any in-between. Since we have two boys and not much family around, it is hard and complicated for us to get to spend time together without the boys. We love them and love spending time with them, but, Mommy and Daddy do need some time each week alone. How??

            -Find a sitter, this will be hard, we don’t really trust many people and don’t really have any family around who would help us out.
            -Establish a date night, at least 1 time every 2 weeks.
            -Do small things to let him know I can and that he is appreciated.

So, here is trying for a better me and stay tuned for parts 2-5! Which will not necessarily be in the above order.

-Kylie

Mommy Wars: Crunchy vs. Chewy Moms

         This is something that as been on my mind for a while and I finally feel like discussing and giving my opinion on this never ending topic of Mommy Wars. As of late, we mothers are now given the labels of being either a Crunchy or a Chewy Mom. And those two labels define who we are as mothers and let others have the opinion on whether we are a good or bad mom to our children. It seems these two versions of mommies go head-to-head and toe-to-toe about all parenting topics. After spending excessive amounts of time on mommy boards and facebook group pages, I learned something, these two versions of mothers cannot get along nor can they accept the different paths all mothers take. And, trust me, there is a huge difference in the two types.
         Before we get real into this topic, I would first like to say, no matter which type of mommy you are, you are a mommy making the best decision for your child. I am not judging either side nor am I completely with either side. As a mother, I am tired of seeing other mothers bring each other down based on how they parent their children.  

What is a Crunchy Mom?

        This type of mom is often labeled as the mom to follow. These are moms who have chosen a more “natural” parenting route for their children. This means that they wanted a midwife at birth and probably did a water or at-home birth, though some had midwifes in the hospital. They are totally against circumcision. These moms are advocates for breastfeeding, and yes, they do it for a year and some go for more years. They are baby wears (and for more than just shopping trips), co-sleepers (been there), use cloth diapers, and usually have a vegan or gluten free diets. They are often against vaccinating their kids. A lot of them either grow their own veggies, and they make their own baby food instead of buying it.

What is a Chewy Mom?

        This mommy type gets the bad labels, like being a lazy mom; some are labeled as working moms. These moms usually have births in hospitals with doctors and get the epidural. They are fine with circumcisions. In every aspect they are different from the Crunchy Moms. These moms probably pack a lunchable for their kid’s lunch, use formula, and use the disposable form of diapering.

What type of Mommy are you?

        Well, for some this can be an easy question, for others, like me, you are a mixture of the two. What should we call our type, Mixture Mom? When it comes to parenting for me, I take a little from both sides, and they work well for me. I used a midwife at a hospital and had no epidural for both births (I believe this was a great accomplishment for me). I learned the hard way that co-sleeping is no fun at all; my oldest co-slept with us, it was horrible, and now we are trying to move him into his own space. I wanted to accomplish the breastfeeding for a year with both, but, that is easier said than done. I lasted two months with Little Man and three weeks with Little Guy. It was nice getting that bonding time with them, but, let’s be honest, that crap hurts and makes your nipples sore.

         Being either form of a mom doesn't give anyone the right to wage war on others. I have known Crunchy Moms to be the worst when it comes to judgment, especially over the circumcision issue. They really voice their opinion and accuse those who circumcised their sons to be “uneducated”.  Don’t get me wrong, Chewy Moms throw that crap right back too. 
        When will the Mommy Wars end? We are all mothers, we are all doing what we believe is best for our children. So, why must we always bring one another down? Support is what we need in this society, especially when it comes to parenting, because being a mother is not an easy task. Yes, we will always judge one another, but, we don't always need to voice our opinions.

So, what Mommy type are you?

-Kylie

What's For Dinner?

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde!!

                       

                Now, I know it seems that everyone has their own recipe for everything. But, I can promise you that this one is sure to be a hit. After four years of watching my mother-in-law (I guess I can call her that even though her son and I are not married), I have finally figured out her recipe, with adding a few of my own tricks to it. That’s right; she would not give me the recipe and really did not like people standing in the kitchen while she cooked. So, I sat the kitchen table and studied from afar.

            It took me about three or so months to prefect my recipe, and, it’s a bigger hit than anyone thought it would be. My boyfriend absolutely thought that I would fail making this dish, but, I proved him wrong the first time, he was like they taste good, but, you can do better. And, now, I have this recipe that he loves, but it is also really spicy, so I will show you how to make it less heated.

            We will start with the Salsa Verde.  I make a fresh, big bowl full two to three times a month because it really goes good with most things, and we eat a lot of Mexican themed dinners in this house. So, I will give you ingredients for a little and a lot.

                                Ingredients:
                                    -Jalapenos (2 or 3 for a little kick/ I used 6)
                                    -Tomatillos (3 or 4 for a small amount/ I used 8)
                                    -Onion (Half/ I used a whole.

                        What you will need:
                                    -Medium Pan              -Blender          -Coffee Cup

                        Directions:
                                    1. Peel your tomatillos and onion. Wash/rinse them and your jalapenos.
                                    2. Cut off the tips of your jalapenos. Cut your onion into quarters. Pull the steams out of your tomatillos.
                                    3. If you are making a lot, like me, then you will need to do this part in two batches: Place your two to three jalapenos, three or four tomatillos, and two parts of your quartered onion into your pot with water filled ¾ of the way. Place it to boil over high heat for twenty minutes.

                                    4. Scoop out all of your ingredients and place them into your blender, now, take your coffee cup and scoop out a little over half of your mug with the hot water you just took your produce from. Set your blender to grate for three minutes, and then set it to liquefy for an additional three minutes. Pour into a container that is easy for storage.  If you make more than you need, it is a freezable item and can be used later that way, and I only keep frozen for two to three weeks.

                Now, let’s make the Chicken Enchiladas. I know, there are only two people in this house, but I make enough to for each of us to have between 10 and 20 servings apiece. We usually have people over to enchilada night, so there is really never any waste. Even when it is the two of us, we store it into a container and pack it for work lunches and for our left-over night for that week.

                                Ingredients:
                                    -Jalapenos (1-2 for a little/ I used 4)
                                    -Big Red Tomato/Several Small Ones (1 Big, or three small for a little/I used 3Big)
                                    -Onion (1 for a little/ I used 1 and a half)
                                    -Tomato Sauce (1 Small Can for a little/ I used three Small Cans)
                                    -Chicken Breasts (2 lbs for a little/ I used 7 lbs)
                                    -Adobo (part of your seasoning, and it goes well on a lot of different meats)
                                    -Corn Tortillas
                                    -Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese (get whatever amount you like)
                                    -Salsa Verde
                                    -Cook Oil

                        What you’ll need:
                                    -Large Pot      -Large Skillet              -Blender          -Coffee Cup
                                    -Microwave Safe Plate/Casserole Dish          -Medium Pan

                        Directions:
                                    1. Take your large pot and fill it with water, clean off your chicken breasts and set it to boil until it is done.
                                    2. Peel your onion and wash off all of your produce. Cut the tops off your jalapenos. If you are using a large tomato, quarter it; if you are using small ones, half them. You will also quarter your onion.  Place your produce into your blender with a scoop of the hot chicken water with your coffee cup.  (If you are making keep 1 quarter of your onion out, if you are making a lot, keep the half of your onion out). Now, if you are making a lot, you will need to blend in two batches.
                                    3. When your chicken is done, drain it and let it cool enough to touch. Now, you can shred it by hand if you like chunkier chicken, I, however, used two forks to get it finely shredded.
                                    4. Take your skillet and coat the bottom with cooking oil and set it on medium/high heat. While your skillet heats up, chop up or slice your onion. If you are like me, you don’t care for onion, so I finely chop it so you can’t really tell that there is any onion in it, if you like onion you can make big slices. Place that into your skillet once it is hot enough.
                                    5. When your onions are starting to slightly brown, add your chicken and the adobo. Stir the adobo in and let it cook for twenty minutes stirring every five minutes.
                                    6. Add your can(s) of tomato sauce and the sauce you made in the blender. Stir it all around. Set the heat to low/medium and let it cook for an additional twenty minutes stirring every five to six minutes.
                        7. When you have about ten minutes left on your chicken, get out your pan and put some cooking oil in the bottom, set it over low heat. Place one to two tortillas in it at a time to cook for two minutes on each side. This will keep the tortillas from falling apart when you roll them. (Place them into your tortilla warmer, or use aluminum foil to keep them warm).
                        8. When both are done, place a tortilla in your plate/casserole dish, add a medium amount of meat to it and roll it up. Once you reach the desired amount add your Salsa Verde over top, make sure to put it on all of them. You can then add whatever amount of the Mexican blend cheese you wish to the top.
                        9. If you are baking them, place your casserole dish into the oven at 350 degrees and let them bake until the cheese is melted to your liking. (I don’t recommend this way because the enchiladas fall apart when you get them out and it is a pain to reheat if you want to). If you are using the microwave, set them in for three minutes for three or less enchiladas, if you make four to five then set them on four minutes. (This is the way I do them and here are several reasons why, you only make the amount you need at a time. They don’t fall apart because they are already on the plate you will eat them off of. It makes it easier to put your left over chicken in a container to use later).
                        10. Serve and you’re done.

I really hope you enjoy this recipe like my family and friends do.

-Kylie

Here's To Motherhood

         Good morning to you all on this wonderful Sunday. As I was standing here sipping my tea with breakfast cooking, on my second load of laundry, got the dishwasher going, running behind my toddler picking up his toys, and of course getting everything else done that needs to be done. Then it donned on me. Today is Mother's Day, the one day a year where your family is truly supposed to appreciate you, because let's be honest, they'd all be lost without you. And, if you're like me, today won't be too much different from any other day of the year; and to be honest with you, I am fine with that.

         So, here's a shout out to all you amazing mothers out there! Whether you had a natural birth, a medicated birth, a water birth, or a C-Section. you brought a life into this world and that is truly amazing. Whether you breastfeed, pump, or formula feed (or use jarred food or make you own baby food) way to go giving your child the best nutrition you can. Whether you practice attachment parenting or not, you're a great mom. So, this is your day, and here is to you continuing on this crazy, amazing journey we call motherhood!

         Being a mother is one of the hardest, yet, most rewarding, jobs there is out there, it doesn't matter if you have girls, boys, or both. You are your child's first teacher, their first role model, their first everything. You're their comfort, their friend, you're their mom. Being a stay-at-home mom, I really don't have much interaction with other adults, so yes, my oldest, Little Man, is my best friend. He and I go on a new adventure every day. Just the other day he wanted to go outside and look at flowers. He picked and gave me a flower for the first time. He also discovered those awful dandelions that you can blow around when they turn white (he calls them his wishes and picks one a day a makes a wish). Sometimes we spend the day in the floor playing with his TMNT action figures (he is always Mikey!). 

(Little Man and Little Guy)

          Bring a second child into our home was so much easier than what we were prepared for. Little Man accepted Little Guy quickly. He calls him his baby and hates when anyone other than Mr. Daddy or myself holds him. He attached to him without being coached into it and by the way Little Guy smiles when Little Man is around shows you how much love they have for one another and I am so excited to watch them grow together.

          Being a mother is a sacrifice we make that we honestly don't mind making. We put their needs and wants first. We teach them and watch them grow, nurture their minds and help fuel their imaginations. We are some amazing people doing amazing things.

          So, my dear, wonderful mothers, here's to letting the dishes pile up in the sink for the day, letting the laundry basket over fill this week, and spending your time playing with your child(ren) because don't you want them to look back and say, "Well, my mom was awesome back then."? So, here is to the occasional breakfast of chocolate cake or cookies,  to the late nights comforting the sick kids,  to getting up all night to feed them,  to hiding in the closet just to eat the Reese Cup, to never truly getting to potty alone, to doing the best you can with what you have, to the driving to and from school and sporting events, to being their first teacher, their first love, their everything. Here's to you mom! 

                                           Happy Mother's Day

-Kylie