Doing What's Right, Not What's Easy

Making the choice to do what is right is not always as easy as it sounds.  

A co-worker of the husband's recently lost his Mother.  She passed away suddenly and from what we know, she was not elderly- meaning she still had a long life ahead of her and she was not ill previously.  The husband reached out to his co-worker to offer his condolences and was not acknowledged.  Eh- ok.  We chalked it up to a son still grieving the loss.

But the thing is- this co-worker has always been a bit distant.  Time and time again, the husband has gone out of his way for this person and has seen no returns on his time invested.  How so?  Well the husband has personally helped this person out on his days off, has done phone consults with them unpaid, covered shifts for this person and when this person took almost 4 months off and stalled and stalled coming back to work- it was the husband that bared the brunt of this extra workload.  When the husband has needed someone to cover him and help him out- this man never stepped up.  To say that this person was less then deserving of the husband's generosity, would be an understatement.

But then his Mother died.

Unfortunately, this co-worker was scheduled to work the same weekend he was to lay his Mom to rest.  I won't even get into the fact that a company would expect a person to work during a time like this.....gah, disgusting!  But here's the thing- not a single one of his co-workers volunteered to help him out.  Perhaps it had a thing or two to do with how he treated them mmkay....

Then one night the husband told me that he had called the office and volunteered to take this man's weekend shift.  A long, brutal, exhausting shift....He went on to say that he wasn't even going to tell his co-worker that he had stepped up for him because he wasn't looking for praise but was simply doing what was right.

He was simply doing what was right.

Yeah, he's pretty amazing like that....but then we talked about it and I mentioned that perhaps it would ease this man's mind to know that he didn't have to worry about working the same weekend he buried his Mother. 

So today after his normal Friday meeting, he told his co-worker- "Hey Man, don't worry about this weekend.  I got you."

Oh.  My.  Gawd.

And this man was at a loss for words.  This man who had taken the husband's generosity time and time again and couldn't be bothered to return the favor- this man was speechless.  He simply had no way to express his appreciation and thanks and so he gave the husband a long handshake and walked away with tears in his eyes.

Sometimes doing the right thing is hard.  Even more so when we feel like the person isn't deserving of our kindness.  But at the end of the day you have to make the choice to follow the right path, even if no one notices you walking along it.

Dearest Husband- I know.  I see you.  You are a good man, doing the right thing and modeling for the kiddo what a man should do.  Being a good person means you make the choices to follow the good even when no one is watching.

So the next time I am faced with stepping up and doing the right thing, especially when I may feel hurt or offended- I will do my best to remember this moment.  The moment in which the husband showed me that we do what is right no matter what.

Transform Your Health- A Husband's Journey

The last few years have seen us focusing on improving the husband's health.  I'm just going to lay it all out here for you guys and I hope by sharing his story- I can inspire you to make some positive changes.

The husband is a big guy.  You've all seen some of the photos I've shared- he's tall and he's built like a linebacker.  Mmm...yummy.  But what's not so yummy is that several years ago, he was struggling with his weight and really not feeling good about himself.  We've all been there, right?

We sat down and talked about it.  I had successfully lost over 50 pounds prior to our wedding and have maintained the same exact size for our entire marriage.  While I will NEVER be skinny, I'm happy with my size and healthy.  This is where we both wanted the husband to be- happy and healthy.

Healthy- he was not.

During a routine exam for our life insurance application, it was brought to our attention that the husband was not only overweight (ok, yeah...we knew about this one) but at risk for diabetes and had high blood pressure.  Add this to the joint pain, fatigue, sinus problems and eczema/skin issues and you've got a seriously NOT healthy husband.

Wow.

He put on a brave front but I will personally tell you all that I was terrified!  My partner in crime couldn't be this ill already, at this early stage in our lives!  It was an eye opener for sure.  Diabetes is nothing to mess around with you guys and to find out that the husband needed immediate medication for his high blood pressure- yikes!

And so started the transformation.

I feel like we didn't do anything to drastic.  We had already begun our "food journey" and were eating less meat and processed foods but what we were missing was the addition of more fruits and veggies.  Before I go any further- it must be said that I am not a doctor.  Umm...yeah, don't be taking medical advice from me mmkay....But- I am a wife.  I'm good with the Google.  And so I set out to transform my husband from the inside out.

I learned that plant based foods are where it's at!

I learned that the husband needed to stop eating the Taco Bell and other fast food junk on the regular.

I learned that cinnamon will help lower blood pressure.

You guys- I learned SO much good stuff.  And then I simply put it into action.  In truth, the husband was a bit resistant at first.  My man is stubborn!  So I started slow.  Because I want to make this as easy as possible for others in a similar situation, I'm going to just throw out everything we have done in the last few years and I hope that it will help some of you.  Here goes....

• Reduced soda consumption.  The husband was drinking up to 4 cans of regular Coke or Mt. Dew each day.  He's now down to only one.  Some days, he has none.  Sugar is a breeding ground for illness and disease and the amount of sugar in soda is just crazy!  We also started sharing a soda when we eat out.  The husband really enjoys a Coke with his burger but now we share one and when it's gone, it's gone.  NO more free refills mmkay....

• Added a cinnamon supplement to his morning vitamins.  Cinnamon helps lower high blood pressure naturally.  But since the husband will never consume enough that's needed, I simply started adding it into his morning routine.

• Fall in love with smoothies.  Would you believe that up until just a few years ago, I had never made a smoothie?  Seriously, my idea of a smoothie was a margarita.  Ha!  But then I discovered the power of the Green Smoothie and it was all over for us.  The husband LOVES green smoothies!  We now make smoothies several times each week, kiddo included!  We do not add in any sugar but opt for a tiny spoonful of raw, local honey when needed.  For fruit based smoothies, I use plain organic yogurt to reduce sugar consumption even more.  Add in chia seeds and you're in business!

• Started taking Apple Cider Vinegar each morning.  This has helped clear up skin issues, helped with digestion but the biggest improvement the husband has seen is the removal of nasal spray.  You see- he gets horrible sinus infections year round and was told he would need surgery.  He used to spray that chemical cocktail up his nose like there was no tomorrow.  The ACV has eliminated the need for this.  NO nasal spray and NO surgery.

• Less fast food.  Yes, we still eat out but we do our best to make better choices.  The husband even gave up his beloved Taco Bell, something he swore he would never do!  When dining out, we opt for fresher options like Chipotle and if we just want a burger and fries- we typically go to Five Guys.  Ingredients matter.

• Discovered the Kombucha.  I just can't say enough good things about Kombucha.  Google it and you'll see what I'm talking about.  We all (kiddo included!) now drink about 2 bottles each week.  

• Remove the processed foods and cook at home from scratch.  Alright, so I had already started doing this but I made even more of a commitment to completely remove all processed foods from our house.  When you control the ingredients, you control your health.  I now look for ways to add in more fruits and veggies and I almost always immediately reduce the amount of sugar that any recipe calls for.  I've discovered that most recipes truly don't need that much sugar and sugar is bad for our bodies mmkay...

• Adopt a humane diet.  So yeah.  This one might be tough for most folks but the concept is simple.  When eating any animal product, do your best to know where it's come from, how it's lived, how it was raised and cared for, what it ate, if any antibiotics were used....you get my point.  In addition to this, we've begun to eat more vegan friendly at home.  I started with just one vegan dish each week and most times we are at 2 or 3 without even having to try.

• Get off the prescription pills!  Please talk with a medical doctor prior to doing this.  Please.  With that being said, the husband used to take Paxil for anxiety and it has taken almost 5 years to wean him completely off of this toxic stuff.  Head zaps, fatigue, anger, depression- oh my word this stuff is the devil!  Free your body from this chemical crap.  In addition to this, we seek out more natural methods for minor health issues like a cold, body ache or fever.  We no longer run straight to the Rite Aid and stock up on the Nyquil.  It's all about Epsom Salts, essential oils and diet.

• No more chips!  I think for my boys, one of the hardest things was removing the snack foods.  In truth, I didn't think I even bought that much.  But when it was time to get rid of all the Cheetos, Doritos, crackers, pretzels....yeah, that was tough.  My advice- just rip it off like a band aid.  Would you believe we actually had a going away party for the snacks?  Yep, several years ago we invited family over and I filled the table with all our bags of snacks.  We ate it one last time and then that was it.  Adios processed crap!

• Turn the TV off.  We've unplugged quite a bit.  Not completely but we've greatly reduced the amount of tube time around our house.  Last year we got rid of cable and now we find ourselves watching the TV with intention rather then mindless abandon.  Less TV means more active time outside.  It also means more sleep.  Umm...and more sex.  All very beneficial things!

• Go green!  I never used to buy green food.  Seriously- iceberg lettuce was about it and even then it sat in the crisper drawer in the fridge until it turned gooey and brown.  Now, there's SO much green stuff in my fridge and fruit bowls- it's seriously an epidemic around here.  Green is good.  Dark green is better.  Find ways to fit the greens into your diet.  Spinach goes well in pasta, smoothies, eat celery for a snack, a little avocado on toast, kale pesto, top a burrito with dark leafy greens etc.  Along with going green, you should also think about eating the rainbow.  Your plate should have lots of different colors.  It should never be beige.  Ever.

• Pack it in.  I now religiously pack the husband a lunch for work each day.  Even if it means I get up at 5am or I'm packing lunch at midnight, I do it.  Lunches for the husband are hard- his job doesn't make it easy with no access to a microwave or a fridge.  But I do my best to fill his lunch bag with healthy, homemade foods that will sustain him for a 12+ hour day.  In addition to packing the husband his lunch each day, I am also vigilant in packing food for the entire family.  Whenever we take a long drive, go on vacay or even if it's a long day full of homeschool classes, I've got a bag of food packed.  And many times, you'll find us sipping on a Kombucha or a homemade smoothie while driving down the 405.  That's just how we roll....

It's been several years since we first took that exam for our life insurance policy.  Just a few months ago, I called them up and asked if the husband could retake his exam.  I was convinced that his body was healthier today than it was several years ago.  And since we were paying a butt ton more each month to insure his unhealthy body, I wanted to see if we could lower our premium and have him qualify for a better rate.

The results are in!

The changes we've made have made the husband healthier.  He's lost weight.  Like so much weight that I can now wrap my arms completely around him and his wedding ring is slipping off.  He's eliminated the need for his daily blood pressure medication.  Seriously- his blood pressure was scary high just a few years ago and now, he's medication free!  He is still at risk for someday developing diabetes.  So this means we need to focus even more on the sugars.  You guys- this is crucial.  Pay attention to your sugar consumption!  He has the occasional flare up with his eczema but no longer battles it daily.  He sleeps better.  He no longer snores.  Oh My Word- the snoring was insane!  Due to his job, he still suffers from occasional body pain but it was no where near the level it was before.  His back pain is greatly reduced and no longer needs to visit a chiropractor weekly.  He no longer needs surgery to correct his sinus issues.  The list seriously goes on and on....and can I just tell you that our insurance rep was stunned.  Seriously- stunned.  He had never seen a transformation quite like this and was pretty darn impressed.

The changes in his mind and spirit have been equally amazing.  But the bottom line is that he is finally embracing these changes.  He ate lentil pie last night for goodness sakes!  And he LIKED IT!  And yes- his health has improved so much that he qualified for a much lower life insurance rate.  It was the wake up call we needed.

So I say this to all of you in the hopes of offering you hope and encouragement.  It can be done.  You CAN transform your health.  The husband's story is one of success- it can be your story too.

My Weekly Menu 7/17/15

Alright, so I'm a weekend late in posting this, but that's a pretty big improvement mmkay....

I typically start a new "week" on Fridays because this is when the husband's work begins their work week.  So many times, we think of Fridays as Mondays around here.  I know....that's pretty awful.  Fridays are CLEARLY not Mondays.  However, since the husband and I work most weekends, we've found that this way of thinking works for us and my menu planning is no different!  Just do what works best for you.

This week I'm planning 6 meals, 2 breakfasts and 2 desserts.  Normally I only do one dessert but I was working on a new recipe for cobbler so I planned another one just in case the new cobbler recipe was a total disaster.  Here we go!

Evening Meals

• The Pioneer Woman's Au Grain Potatoes.  Alright, so I make scalloped potatoes THE EXACT SAME WAY except that I layer in the white sauce between the potatoes.  However, these au gratin potatoes are made even easier by just cutting up the potatoes into chunks and pouring the sauce over the top.  Serve with a big salad or oven roasted veggies and you've got a great and easy meal!
  

• Crock pot Vegetarian Chili and Grandma Janice's Mexican cornbread.  The crock pot recipe is new but the cornbread recipe is a family favorite.  Sorry folks- it's a secret recipe!

Photo Courtesy of TriedandTasty.com

• Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas with Spanish Rice.  The kiddo LOVES "Taco Tuesday" so I try my best to make a yummy Mexican dish on Tuesdays.  This week, I'll be making up a double batch of these healthy enchiladas and popping the second pan in the freezer for another night.  Since our schedule is much slower in the summer time, it's a great opportunity for me to build up my freezer stockpile!  *Please note, this is a personal recipe of mine that I have yet to post to the blog.  I will update here once it's up!

• Mini Lentil Shepard's Pies.  Another original recipe that I will do my best to put up this week.  These are SO simple and ridiculously cute!  If you can make a shepards pie, you can make this!  Just substitute your meat for lentils- that's it!  Here's a photo to give you an idea of how simple these are to make.  I'll prep my crust a day ahead of time and then when it's time to assemble, just pull it out of the fridge and roll out.  You can also make your mashed potatoes a day or two ahead as well.  Easy Peasy!
  
  

  

  Photo Courtesy of Tablespoon.com
  
  
  

  
  

• Kale Pesto Pasta and salad.  This was on my menu last week however the kiddo wasn't feeling well, so I subbed out this pesto pasta with a plain Orzo and Veggie Soup.  So I've still got all this kale to use up!

  

  You can easily make this pesto ahead of time
  for a quick & healthy weeknight meal!

• Cauliflower Fried "Rice" bowls.  Cauliflower is perhaps the most wonderful veggie of all!  Did you know that it can make a fake "Alfredo" sauce, a base for a cheese sauce, works great as "taco meat" and now....well, now you can use it to make fried rice!  Add in a ton of veggies to your cauliflower rice and it's a guilt free meal.  Seriously- it's just all veggies!

  

  Photo Courtesy TheKitchn.com
  
  
  
  

  
  

Breakfasts

• Pancakes and fresh fruit.  I will mix up a HUGE batch of pancakes in my super large mixing bowl and then whenever the kiddo wants a pancake in the morning, he'll just pull out the bowl, stir it up and pour it into the pan.  Super easy!
• Strawberry Banana Bread Muffins.  These are made with yogurt to reduce the sugar content and I'm going to try making them with my frozen bananas since I seriously have a butt load of them!

  

  Photo Courtesy Juliasalbum.com
  

Misc

• Roasted Garlic Parmesan Hummus.  This week I'm trying out a new recipe in the hopes that I can convert the husband to loving the hummus.  He likes my black bean hummus but let's be honest- it's not a true hummus since it doesn't have tahini.  I've made a few other dishes from this site so I'm excited to give this snack a try!
  

• Blueberry Peach Cobbler.  I posted above about working on a new cobbler recipe, well this is the final result.  The husband has labeled it "damn good" and I'm pretty impressed with my awesome self.  It turned out great!
  

• Brownies.  I am on the eternal quest to find THE PERFECT brownie recipe.  It took me years upon years to find the best chocolate cake recipe so now I've moved on to finding just the right brownie recipe.  This one is pretty close.  I do not make with the frosting and just sprinkle the M&M's right on the top before baking.  If anyone has a favorite brownie recipe to share, I'd love that!

  

  Photo Courtesy AverieCooks.com

Ok guys, that concludes this week's menu.  Have you been following along the previous weeks?  Given any of the dishes a try?  I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments!

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

My first ever dessert recipe posted on the blog!  WooHoo!!!!

I make a dessert or yummy treat for my boys just about every week.  My hardworking husband deserves something yummy at the end of a hard work day and I aim to make sure he's happy and satisfied.  So desserts- yeah, we love dessert around here!  And you guys, there's simply nothing better than a home cooked dessert.  Store bought just doesn't even compare!

Today I wanted to surprise the husband with something new and since I had tons of leftover blueberries from the 4th of July and 2 sad peaches left, I decided to use them to make something special!  I followed this base recipe here and please note that I have NEVER made a blueberry peach cobbler before.  Lots of cobbler, but not this combo and you guys- it was AMAZEBALLS!

Now, if you read through the original recipe and follow it exactly, you're bound to go into diabetic shock.  Oh.  My.  Word.  Does this women ever love the sugar!  Yikes!  Please, for the love of God- do not use this much sugar.  Below is my recipe, adapted from the original, with MUCH less sugar and a few small changes.  It's good mmkay...

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

For the filling:

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 medium to large peaches, sliced thin *or 2 cups if not using fresh
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Step 1:  Spray or coat your large pie dish (2 qt) and set aside.

Step 2:  Combine berries with sugar and flour.  Spoon blueberries into the pie dish.  Leave the extra flour/sugar mixture in the bowl to add later.

Step 3:  Arrange your sliced peaches on top of the blueberries.  Evenly spoon the leftover flour/sugar mixture over the top of the peaches.  Then sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the peaches.  Set aside.

Before adding the crumb topping.

For the crumb topping:

1 cup & 5 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons unsalted COLD butter, cut into small squares
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Step 1:  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Use a pastry cutter or fork to add in cut up butter.  Set aside.

Step 2:  In another small bowl, whisk together the vanilla and egg.

Step 3:  Combine the vanilla/egg mixture with your flour mixture.  You might need to use your hands to get it to "clump" a bit.  DO NOT over mix.

Add the egg/vanilla mixture to your flour.
Be careful not to over mix.

Step 4:  Arrange the crumb topping evenly over the fruit mixture.  It will be messy- this is OK.  You'll have loose flour and bits of butter, again- this is OK.

Step 5:  Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the top of your crumb topping.

All ready for the oven!

Step 6:  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  I put a sheet pan underneath just in case it bubbles over.  You might need to bake a little longer if you've used frozen fruit instead of fresh.  Check your cobbler at the 30 minute mark and if needed, put foil over the top so it doesn't burn.  Allow to cool for several hours.  Seriously- I mean it, several hours.

This cobbler is so good with some organic vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Fresh from the oven- YUM!

I Just Love Your Beautiful Faces

I posted this over on the Facebook page last night and I just thought it was SO good that I should probably share it here too!

As I was scrolling through the new page likes (sometimes I like to see who likes me- I'm a freak) I was overwhelmed by all your beautiful profile pics.

We are all so different at first glance. Young, old, couples, white, black, that one girl rockin the pink hair, tattoos, religions, motorcycles, single men (wait- what?!?), large families, gun enthusiasts, baby wearers, newly married, grandmas & grandpas, holy buckets someone after my own heart in a Samcro t-shirt, different countries, teachers, vegans, same sex couples, homeschoolers, public schoolers....

At first glance, we are such a varied group of people who have come together in this one spot. This little corner of the internet where we all hide out together. And it's pretty amazing when you think about. Us. Here. Supporting one another.

But take another look.

We snuggle our babies, we love on our men, we cherish our women, we embrace education, we love freedom, we live our lives. Fully. Completely.

We aren't so different after all.

So tonight- a big thank you to the fans. We are different & yet- the same. Thank you for being here in our tiny little corner of the Internet world. We're so glad we could share this with you & so blessed to have you here.

PS- I promise I'm not stalking you all. I just love your beautiful faces!

I Would Encourage You....

Well it's official folks- I'm now offering advice to the younger generation.  Gah.  I used to be the younger generation but now it seems that I'm becoming part of the older, wiser generation.

Perfect case in point.

Yesterday I was speaking with someone and he told me he didn't know how to go about renting a house.  A twenty year old doesn't know how to do something that I've now done more than once.  Crap.

And then he talked to me about just buying a house...with someone who is not financially responsible.

So I felt compelled to say- STOP.  That's a bad idea mmkay....although I did word it a little nicer.  In fact, my new favorite phrase seems to be anything that begins with the words, "I would encourage you to....." followed by my sage advice that can only come from too many life experiences.

Is this what it feels like to be in your mid-thirties?

I've dated.  I've married.  I've birthed.  I've bought and sold 2 houses.  Rented houses.  Had poor credit.  Had excellent credit.  I've bought cars.  Been hospitalized.  Had major surgeries.  Been through traumatizing health scares.  Vacationed without my parents.  Hosted big, major events in my own home.  Hell- I have my own home.

It's official.

I'm a grown up.

And it just feels so weird.  And it just feels so foreign.  I used to be the stupid and carefree 19 year old.  I used to have to ask my parents how to do stuff.  But now I'm a parent and I'm offering my encouragement to the younger crowd.

So wow.  I'm just gonna think on that one for a moment.

And the next time someone younger then me asks for my advice or how to go about something- I'll remember that I was once them.  I was you.  You are me.  We are the same.  And so I'll willingly give you what I've learned and say to you, "I would encourage you...."  And I just hope that someone older and wiser than me, will do the same when I need a little encouragement and guidance.

Marriage is NOT 50/50

As I was driving into work this afternoon (yes, work on a Sunday) I was thinking about ALL the things I did before leaving for work.  Then of course I thought about all the things the husband did before he left for work- yes, he had to work this afternoon as well!  You guys, I found the comparison just so darn funny that I had to share with all of you here!

Please know, this isn't a "bash" on husbands.  I LOVE husbands, mine most of all!  If you follow me over on the Facebook page, you know I'm ALWAYS lovin' on the wonderful men in our lives!  But this ladies....well, this is just too funny and completely true.


Wives List of Things Before Heading to Work:

• Turn on lights
• Start coffee
• Feed dogs
• Give dogs medicine
• Clean up kitchen after kids have trashed it
• Shower
• Make everyone breakfast
• Wipe down dining table or breakfast bar
• Put dog toys in basket
• Throw a load of laundry in the wash
• Give husband a hair cut
• Take dogs outside to potty
• Make sure all windows & curtains are closed
• Pack lunches for everyone
• Set out vitamins
• Remind everyone to take vitamins
• Pour apple cider vinegar for husband
• Remind husband to drink apple cider vinegar
• Clean up dogs dishes from breakfast
• Rotate laundry to the dryer
• Load breakfast dishes in dishwasher
• Wash any dishes from breakfast
• Start dishwasher
• Clean sink
• Get dressed
• Yell at kid to get dressed & put on deodorant
• Put on makeup
• Do Hair
• Put dogs in kennels/bedroom 
• Pick up random trash off the living room floor
• Remind husband not to forget cell phones, laptop, lunch
• Turn off lights
• Set alarm
• Drop off kid with sitter/family/classes etc if necessary
• Drive to work

Congratulations wives!  You can now start your "Work Day".

Husbands List of Things Before Heading to Work:

• Shower
• Get dressed
• Go potty
• Eat breakfast made by wife
• Take vitamins that wife set out
• Drink apple cider vinegar after wife reminds you
• Grab cell phones, laptop & lunch 
• Drive to work

BWHAHAHA!  Now this is just plain funny mmkay....and completely true for my house.  But here's the thing- I wouldn't have it any other way.

PS- If you are so blessed to have a wonderful marriage, you know that we all contribute in different ways.  My husband shows his love differently.  He has different tasks and jobs in regards to our family and our home but at the end of the day, it truly all balances out.  I hope you'll all remember that marriage is not 50/50.  It works when each person gives 100% and forgets to keep score.

Weekly Menu 7/10/15

Hey!  It's only taken me 3 weeks to post the 2nd installment of "My Weekly Menu", that's not too bad!  Mainly because last week we lived off 4th of July leftovers.  No joke!  We ate leftovers for dinner pretty much every day last week, that's how much food I made.  That's just crazy mmkay...

This week we are finally getting back to normal, so I'll be sharing with you our meals for this week.  As always, I plan 6 dinners and typically 2 breakfasts and a few things for snacks as well as one dessert.  I do not normally buy "lunch" foods unless the husband specifically requests it.

Here goes!

Evening Meals

• Crock pot Enchilada Orzo.  I've been meaning to try this yummy looking crock pot meal so this week I'm finally going for it!  Vegetarian crockpot dishes are super hard to find!  Let's hope it tastes as good as it looks! 

Photo Courtesy DamnDelicious.net

• Sun Dried Tomato, Mozzerella & Quinoa Burgers and local corn on the cob.  The husband LOVES these burgers!  Seriously, he does!  Make a double batch & throw some in the freezer for a quick meal later on!  These will be perfect this weekend with the local corn on the cob delivered fresh from our CSA.

  

  Photo Courtesy Jessicainthekitchen.com

• Kale Pesto Pasta and roasted zucchini.  If you haven't made my Kale Pesto yet- I highly encourage you to give it a try!  I've got kale coming in this week's CSA and there's not a more perfect way to introduce your family to this healthy powerhouse!  You can add the pesto into my Alfredo sauce or simply eat it as is- both are good!  

  

  Just the plain kale pesto

  

  Or with my Alfredo sauce!

• Lentil and Black Bean Soup.  Soup in the summer time?  Heck yes!  Tip- this soup is PERFECT for freezing!  So make yourself a double batch and pop the other half in the freezer for a quick, homemade meal down the road.  You can also "stretch" this soup by cooking up some rice and simply pouring it over the top.  

  

  Photo Courtesy CookinCanuk.com

• Mile High Meatless Pie and Kale Salad.  Another new recipe this week made with EVEN MORE LEFTOVERS from the 4th.  Oh My Gawd, the insanity!  Turns out I have about 3 cups of leftover marinara from the spaghetti dinner I made last weekend.  You guys- don't ever throw out homemade marinara!  Even if it's just a small amount!  You can totally use this for pizza sauces, pastas, this meatless pie dish, meatball subs, etc- the sky's the limit!  I'm excited to give this a try!
  
• Crock pot Chicken Teriyaki, Rice and Roasted Veggies.  Another new recipe!  A couple weeks ago I found local, organic chicken 50% off- that almost never happens!  And now I've got several pounds of chicken just sitting in my freezer because....well...we really don't eat chicken.  I know, right?  NOT eat chicken?!?  But it's true!  So I'm trying to find some good chicken recipes and this one looks pretty tasty.  I'll serve it with steamed organic jasmine rice and oven roasted veggies.

  

  Photo Courtesy of DamnDelicious.net

Breakfasts

• Sausage, Egg, Cheese Biscuits.  I know you won't believe this but I've got so many leftover biscuits from the 4th!  It just doesn't stop!  So this week we will be eating these up with a combination of sausage, cheese, fried egg or just plain jam.  Whatever your heart desires.
• Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits.  Perhaps the easiest breakfast ever invented.  Layer your fruit (berries are best!) with yogurt and granola.  Or simply dump it all on top and stir away!
  

Misc.

• Apple Crisp.  Yep, I've got enough granny smith apples left over for another apple pie or crisp- even though I already made two!  So another apple dessert it is!
• Blueberry Smoothies.  My one true love....
  

Want to check out the 1st installment of My Weekly Menu?  Click here mmkay....

So yeah...this happened today.

Today we were at a small, local event making blankets and toys for shelter animals.  It was a sweet moment to give back- a small thing that can have a big impact.  You know I'm all about that!  Outreach, community service...yeah, it's good stuff and something I strive to incorporate into our homeschool.

But that's NOT what this little story is about mmkay....

At the end of the event, they did a little raffle for the kids.  Tiny little trinkets but still fun all the same.  The "grand" prize was a large puzzle- which the kiddo just so happened to have won.  Yippee!!!  He was stoked about this puzzle.  He came over to me with the biggest grin and kept showing me his grand prize.  It was a pretty sweet puzzle.

Now here comes the very best part.

As we were getting ready to leave, he noticed there was a little girl crying.  You see, she hadn't won anything in the raffle.  To make matters worse, it appeared that all her siblings had won something.

The kiddo noticed and he said to me, "Mom- do you think it would be alright if I gave her my puzzle?"

So yeah.

"I think that would be a great idea," I replied.  So the kiddo walked over and he gave her that grand prize that he was so excited about.  Freely.  With NO thought but to give and show kindness.  When I think of the man I want my boy to become, this is it.  Right here.  Kind, good, loving, strong....yep, there it is.

The thing is- he's already becoming that man.  So forgive me for suddenly having an attack of the "allergies" on the way out the door because I realized that we must be doing something right.  My boy is becoming a beautiful man and what a blessing for me to witness.

A Hair Raising Issue

About a year ago the kiddo started asking for a buzz cut.  Well- that's not entirely true.  First he wanted a Mohawk but then decided he would settle on a buzz cut.  Since I cut hair for the husband and the kiddo, they pretty much get what I give them and that's just the way it goes mmkay....

Hair stylist- I am NOT.

However, the kiddo was intent on this buzz cut.  Every few months he would ask me and my reply would always be the same, "ask Daddy."  Each and every time the husband said no.  He thought it would make the kiddo look like a delinquent...he preferred the kiddo with his normal hair style...the reasons why didn't even make sense to me, let alone the kiddo.  But he said no and so we respected this decision.

My child is determined.

And so it happened that just last night, he finally got his buzz cut.  He fussed over his new hair, or lack thereof.  He remarked how differently his hat fit on his head.  And then he said, "Mom, I kinda look like a girl."  To which I reply- "you're adorable!  Now we can just see more of your beautiful face."

While sweet- that's not what I will take away from this moment.

After the kiddo had FINALLY gone to bed, the husband and I were sitting and talking.  I was curious as to the real reason that he had finally allowed the kiddo a buzz cut.  He said that part of it was that he was tired of being bothered about it and the other part was that sometimes we have to learn through doing.  Meaning- sometimes we need to finally attain what we think we want so that we can learn if it's something we truly desired.

Wow.  Who knew the husband was so deep, right?

I then remarked that I was glad he had finally allowed it because it's just hair after all.  The husband said, "I know it's just hair but people will judge you for your appearance no matter what."  So true husband, so true.

At the end of this convo, here's what I walked away with.  It's big, so I hope you'll listen and think on it.

In all the battles I will wage with the kiddo- hair is not one of them.  I have more important struggles and lessons to fight with him about and I  want to make sure that those I choose to engage in are worth it.

Simply put- if I'm going to argue about the kiddo's haircut or about him not smoking cigarettes- the battle on no smoking wins every single time.

It's OK as parents to PICK AND CHOOSE your battles.  Let's not be noble here and think we won't ever have any "battles" with our children.  Of course we will!  Our job as parents is to guide them and teach them and it doesn't always go as smoothly as we hope.  I for one do not wish to spend his entire adolescence arguing.  I want to enjoy him.  I want to laugh over the feel of his new haircut and smile at his adorable face- it's just hair after all, it'll grow back.

I'll save the battling for the bigger issues.