Sharing Rambling, Resources and Recipes for Learning in Life

Sharing Rambling, Resources and Recipes for Learning in Life

Category: Parenting

ParentingRecipes

Sausage to the Rescue! (Sausage Egg “Muffins”)

By Audrea2 Comments

Our other go to breakfast for school mornings besides our wonderful Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins are Egg “Muffins”. These are either a whole egg or some beaten egg, milk and/or cheese mixture poured over lunch meat, ham, bacon or porchetta. The girls love these and I love the high amount of protein and low amount of sugar they have! HOWEVER, I HATE cleaning the muffin pans after baking them. Inevitably some of the egg gets through the lunch meat and into the bottom of the muffin cups where I almost cannot get it scrubbed out.

The last time I made them, I decided to try sausage as the “crust” for my muffins instead of lunch meat. I was thinking about doing another Whole 30 and that led me to think of the Scotch eggs people often eat while doing Whole 30’s. And, drum roll please……. the sausage worked like a dream. The bottom of the muffin cups cleaned with barely any scrubbing or pressure. I had not greased the top of the tins and my sausage did not go all the way up the muffin cups. So, I did have trouble with the ring of egg left at the top of the cups. However, I got 18 muffins from 1 pound of sausage and 12 eggs. Next time I will either grease the tops of the cups or use more sausage so that it goes all the way up the sides of each cup. However, for both ease of cleaning and flavor sausage was a HUGE hit!! The girls always like these, but they had rave reviews for the flavor this week!

Sausage Egg “Muffins”

1 lb sausage

12 eggs

Olive Oil Spray

I just use my hands to press a small chunk (about the size of an unshelled walnut) of sausage into the bottom and up the sides as far as it would go (I tried to keep it about a 1/8 of an inch thick; just thick enough to not be able to see the muffin pan at all through the sausage) of each muffin cup. I beat the eggs with a whisk and then used a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the beaten eggs into each muffin cup to about 3/4 full. I bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. When they are firm to the touch they are done. I store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator for the week, taking the ones I need out each morning and heating them up in the microwave. My girls (they are 4 and 6) each eat 1 or 1 1/2 “muffins” every morning. I usually eat 2.

ParentingRecipes

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Granola

By Audrea3 Comments

I am trying granola recipes because I have the opportunity to sell some at an upcoming local craft event on Mother’s Day weekend at Granny’s Simple Blessings. And also because while I am not a big cereal fan, my girls and my husband are; and I am always looking for better, homemade options to replace (at least sometimes) their sugary choices!

So, once again I pulled out my Better Homes and Garden Cookbook to give me the basics for my recipe and started experimenting. This is what I came up with:

3 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/3 cup Ground Flax Seeds

1 1/2 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves

1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/2 cup Honey

1 cup Raisins

I set the oven to 300 degrees. Whisked together the oats and spices. Used the life saving hack of greasing my measuring cup prior to filling it with honey, measured the honey and poured it into the oats and spices. Stirred together with my spatula (that I also greased with less success than my measuring cup). Poured into my 9 x 13 glass baking dish and a 10 x 10 metal baking pan. Spread out and baked for 20 minutes. I stirred the cereal and baked for an additional 10-15 minutes and then took out to cool. Previously when making granola I have always been SO FRUSTRATED with it sticking to the pan once it cools. I find the best thing to do to combat this is to stir it every 3-5 minutes as it cools to lessen (or in this case eliminate!!!!) the sticking. Once it cooled, I stirred in the raisins and then put it into old honey jars (1/2 gallon glass jars) to store! The cook book says a week at room temperature or over a month if you freeze it. You can freeze it right in the jars if you want to! Also, if you do not have old honey jars, you can use any air tight container, even a gallon size zippered plastic bag!

So, the girls and I tried some today for an afternoon snack/early dinner. It’s another crazy t-ball pictures/game and gymnastics night! My four year old deemed it “Really, really, really good!” when I asked for her honest opinion on the way to gymnastics. It was less sweet than I expected. I thought about adding brown sugar, but since I’m trying to avoid sugar as much as possible, I think I may increase the raisins and maybe add some dried dates next time. If you try it, let me know what you think. Be advised we like spice in our granola and baked goods! If you do not like a lot of spice you may want to try just 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and maybe just a 1/4 teaspoon of cloves. I upped the cloves for the spiciness and because I have read about so many benefits from cloves! I was a little worried about it after tasting a little straight from the oven. But, once I added the raisins and we covered it in milk it wasn’t too spicy at all! I used nutmeg to add warmth to the flavor.

ParentingRamblings

Magical Unicorn Tea to the Rescue!

By Audrea1 Comment

Every Spring Break my sisters and I try to go out together for the weekend, day or evening. We do this in an effort to maintain, build or even rebuild our friendship with each other as we advance through life and varying responsibilities. This year was harder than others to schedule a time to get together. So, we only managed to set aside a time to go out to dinner together.

After dinner, we stopped by one of our favorite “for fun” stops, Savoy Tea. They always have some different flavors of tea out for sampling. This time one of those flavors was Magical Unicorn Tea! Now, if any of you are Momma’s to little girls you probably know how exciting I knew this would be for my ladies! My girls have been privileged to grow up, like I did, having tea parties with their grandmas and nanas. I don’t like coffee, so there is always tea at our house and my girls often have tea with me. We even have our own “tea parties” at breakfast time on the weekends, replete with a tiny tea pot and tiny tea cups filled with real tea. So, the combination of unicorns and tea is perfect for an “I was thinking about you while I was gone!” treat for my daughters. However, I had to ask the fatal question, “Is there artificial coloring in this?” I had to ask this question because this wonderful find was a brilliant purple hue. I was overjoyed to find that my favorite tea company had come through yet again, when the salesman replied that the color was all natural from the flowers in the tea. He then showed us the magic of the tea by adding a bit of lemon juice and changing the brilliant purple hue to a wonderful deep rosy color!

Needless to say, I bought my girls a tin and took home to them some magical tea and the free unicorn stuffy that came with it! However, the magic of the tea was only just beginning. As I tried, once again, to focus on maintaining and reaching an ideal weight, I found myself craving something sweet. However, I was out of calories and carbs for the day. I remembered the girls’ tea. I tried a cup and found my own magic in that wonderful purple brew! Slightly sweet, warm and comforting, it calmed and fulfilled my craving! It also gave me a caffeine free option for a second cup of warm wonderfulness in the morning after my typical Benner English Breakfast Tea that I buy from Aldi.

So, Savoy Tea Company and a little Unicorn Magic have brought my daughters and I continued warmth, joy and magical moments. In fact, I just finished a cup and my oldest is getting ready to start hers as we read a book together! Magical blissfulness at its best!!

ParentingRecipes

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (sugar-free ish)

By Audrea1 Comment

I have been working to do more food prep on the weekends to simplify making 20 lunches and breakfasts and usually 5 dinners every work week. It gets hard and it gets old!! BUT, I really care that my family, and my girls especially, have healthy food to eat. And, when you’re trying to use whole wheat flour and avoid artificial colors and stay on your budget, homemade is just about the only option there is. I like and even, on occasion, love cooking and baking. However, cooking and baking on top of a full time job away from home, in addition to parenting two energetic ladies and supporting a husband who coaches two sports and teaches English (not his favorite subject) and helping at church every Wednesday evening and keeping up with homework, gymnastics and t-ball it can get a little overwhelming sometimes!!

A couple of months ago, I added homemade breakfasts to my agenda. I did this after deciding that I just couldn’t condone the amount of sugar I was feeding my girls in the form of pop-tarts and granola bars. In addition to that, I decided that as much as possible and tolerable we should have truly whole wheat baked goods.

I’m not going to lie, it’s been a struggle!! I take the time to make something and usually the girls LOVE it when it comes out of the oven and even as they snack on it for the rest of the weekend. However, it seems invariably as we start the week that: “I don’t like that!” or “That’s gross!” or “Not again!” are the comments I hear. And it’s FRUSTRATING!! I’m trying to compete with Daddy’s Pop Tarts and I feel the need to give good, nourishing food that promotes focus and is filling for school! I spend extra effort and time because I believe it’s important and I love my daughters and it is SO easy to want to give up!

And so, drum roll please!!!!!!! Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins to the rescue!! We have successfully and deliciously made it through an entire week that ended with the very last of the bread for a bedtime snack because the girls liked it THAT MUCH!! I had been finding the recipes I was trying with whole wheat flour to be okay, but often dry or lacking flavor or just not as good as the “real” thing with white flour and sugar.

So, I pulled out my beloved Better Homes and Garden Cookbook and used their “Make it Mine Muffins” recipe as my guide. The result was a low fat, moist, light, DELICIOUS muffin with no white flour or sugar (except from the chocolate chips) that my daughters thought was a treat EVERY SINGLE time they ate them, my husband said was good and that I felt actually proud enough of, that we shared with our neighbor! So, here is the recipe:

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS (or bread)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease muffin or bead pan. Yields about 29 muffins (I made 18 muffins and four small loaves of bread from my batch)

4 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

4 large eggs

1/2 cup honey

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups mashed bananas (I used thawed frozen bananas)

2 Tbsp ground flax seeds

I whisked together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, flax seeds and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Then I whisked the milk, bananas, honey and eggs together in a smaller bowl. I poured the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mixed by hand until combined. Then I mixed in the chocolate chips by hand. Then I scooped into the greased muffin pans and loaf stone. Then I baked the muffins for 15-20 minutes and the loaves baked for 25-30 minutes.

HealthParentingRamblings

Respiratory Relief

By Audrea1 Comment

My youngest daughter has struggled with congestion and snot, literally from the day she was born. When she was tiny, I often wondered if it was because we had her at home and maybe the midwives were not as thorough, as the hospital had been with our first daughter, at sucking out all the gunk from joining our world. I then wondered if it had to do with the rate in which my milk would come down while she nursed. It was so much faster and so much more than I had had with my oldest that maybe that was causing the problem. I mean it certainly caused more spitting up than I had had with my other daughter. Then I thought of dairy and so cut all dairy out of my diet and that seemed to help her some.

Even so, she had ear infections, runny noses and then croupy coughs for almost all of her infancy. I knew they weren’t nearly as chronic as a lot of other kids, but it was so much more than I was used to. My oldest has had one ear infection and that was just this year at 6 years old. Once my youngest could blow her own nose it helped A LOT. The snot didn’t get the chance to sit and grow infected. However, she continued and continues to struggle with allergies. She’s taken prescription Zyrtec, we’ve used Vick’s vapor rub, she’s taken Benadryl for days on end. Then the last time she had a lot of drainage even those medications didn’t seem to help dry it up.

So, I tried essential oils. Many they would help her be able to breathe better and be able to sleep without constant coughing. But, still nothing dried up her drainage. She has outgrown much of her sensitivity to dairy, but continues to be prone to seasonal allergies and irritants like pets and smoke (cigarette and even wood). After reading on their website and finding a large variety of their oils at our local drugstore, Teasley Drug, I tried some of Northridge Oak Oils Respiratory Blend. It not only helps her breathe more easily, but I truly believe it dries up her drainage. I am SO thankful to have something to help her that doesn’t make her sleepy or hyper or have any other unwanted side effects!!

HealthParentingRecipes

Homemade Toothpaste

By Audrea1 Comment

As promised, here is my follow up on our toothpaste making adventure! And it was an adventure with 3 helpers 6 and under. My youngest sister and I partnered together to get the ingredients and make this homemade toothpaste from the Weed ’em & Reap website. Then we launched our pioneering adventure with the help of my 2 daughters and her daughter. We worked to measure out the ingredients and let the ladies pour. We tried two different mixing methods (her blender and my mini food processor). We stopped half way through to have everyone try it and decide whether or not we wanted to double the batch. And we doubled it and we’re using it!

We did not have the Essential Oils on hand that the recipe calls for so we added some ground cinnamon for some flavor. We also decided to add some turmeric after reading that that is a natural tooth whitener. Ours came out much thicker than we expected, especially after reading all of the comments about watery mixes. We left it thick since that would be similar to if we decided to leave out the coconut oil and water (we included both) to make tooth powder.

She has been using the toothpaste, but still follows with her straight baking soda that she’s been brushing with for years. Her children just ran out of their tube of toothpaste (thanks in large part to a trip into the toilet during morning brushing time!!) and have just started using it. They are not sold on it.

My daughters and I have been using it since we made it about 2 weeks ago. They aren’t completely sold on it either and every once in a while they still ask for their strawberry toothpaste. I didn’t let them finish their “regular” toothpaste before switching! But, if told that their strawberry toothpaste is an option, but won’t make their teeth white like the new toothpaste the will choose the new. And, it’s true!! Both girls would have some yellow build up on their front teeth even right after brushing and they don’t now! I think my teeth are whiter than they were before, although it’s not a startling difference and my husband can’t see it! Also, although my tooth sensitivity is not completely gone, it is reduced and that is a HUGE deal to me. It’s a huge deal not just for my own comforts sake, but also because it means it might be strengthening the girls teeth and that is my BIGGEST goal!!

So, we will keep using it. I do want to work on the consistency next time because I think it will be easier for them to use and it might also help it last a little longer. Since it is so thick and is taking getting used to, I and Daddy are doing a lot more brushing than we used to do. Although, that may pay off in cleaner teeth, too! Overall, this is a big success. It was SUPER easy to whip up and I’m SUPER excited to get more oils from Northridge Oak to help with flavoring and perfect the consistency to get even more buy in and enthusiasm from the girls!

EducationParentingRamblings

Education: What’s the Point?

By Audrea1 Comment

There have been some questions swirling around in our school district this year that have elicited some very strong feelings and opinions on my part. As I have been trying to get and then maintain a quiet heart and mind and seek a balanced perspective, I have been contemplating what the actual purpose of education is.

At first glance or thought it seems rather easy to identify this purpose, it’s to educate right? But, then ALL of the questions come into play about what educating means? Educating is just adding knowledge, right? But, if we’re to educate the WHOLE child then doesn’t it include feelings, self-esteem and mental well being? Once all of these layers and myriad of focuses come to mind then everything can get very murky, very quickly! So, I had to try to clear all of this out and I gained traction when I considered one of the my few solid take aways from my Educational Education!!

Education as a profession is known to jump from theory or bandwagon or school of thought to the opposite and back again, the whole pendulum analogy! In the midst of all of this it can be hard to gain any real bearings as an educator, and that is compounded when you also become a parent. However, especially once you become a parent, bearing must be sought, found, and clung to based on faith and the responsibility to God and the children He’s entrusted you with. So, my bearings and compass currently come from the idea of “begin with the end in mind”. This idea, that I first learned about in conjunction with lesson planning and assessment creation, is one that seems to stand through every tide and theory and cultural shift. I think the reason it stands up so well is because it lines up with Biblical thinking and teaching. We are commanded as Christians to test everything against God’s word, which will stand unchanged throughout all time. We are to measure everything we do and think and say against the example of Christ, our eternal high priest. We are to lay up treasures in heaven, our everlasting home. We are always to look to the end to decide what we need to do, think, learn or focus on now.

So, what does it mean that the reason for education is defined by “begin with the end in mind”? To me it means that we should always look at the end of what and where the children we are educating need and are going. They need to be able to be solid, contributing members of society and they are going out into the “real” world. So, the purpose of education is to equip them with whatever knowledge, information and life skills they need to be an exceptional employee as well as a thoughtful and active citizen locally and nationally.

So, anytime we are evaluating a new curriculum, initiative, school of thought, whole child view or discipline change, we must ask ourselves whether or not this will better equip our children for success in life. And if there is even a chance that it might weaken instead of strengthen them, simplify rather than educate them, we MUST step back and reevaluate. Our children are already strong and powerful! They are resilient and forgiving! We do them a disservice if we water down any information or shield from any situation that would actually teach them more, raise the bar or strengthen their ability to do hard things. We are not called to coddle our children, but to help them grow. Growth is hard, but it is also necessary and rewarding!

HealthParentingRamblings

To Fluoride or Not to Fluoride; “That is the question.”

By Audrea1 Comment

I was recently asked by one of my sisters whether or not we choose to “get” fluoride for our daughters at the dentist. I told her that we do because up until we moved into our recently built house we had well water (I miss it SO MUCH!!!!!) and so that was the only fluoride the girls got. Also, our oldest has had major issues with cavities. Our youngest, although, much better than her sister has still had way more than her mother (I’ve never had any and feel so inadequate to support the girls on their journey through all this dental work). So, since our girls never had fluoride in their drinking water and up until recently, due to age, never had it in their toothpaste, I figured the little bit painted on their teeth at the dentist’s wouldn’t hurt and might help.

My sister then followed up with questioning me about why fluoride is bad. I had to reply that I didn’t know. I just remember, as does she, hearing from various natural food and other natural/herbally minded folks we were raised around saying it was bad and should be avoided, filtered out of water and refused at the dentist.

So, of course, I had to look it up! I have NOT done excessive or even a lot of research on this yet! What I have read, though, says that topical application is best at helping with dental health. This is what happens at the dentist and mostly what happens with your toothpaste since you spit it out. Given this fact, along with our girls current struggles with cavities or dental carries, we will likely continue to “get” fluoride at the dentist. I do hope to help and possibly remedy some of our daughters issues with homemade toothpaste and diet. I am working to add more vitamin K rich foods in their daily eating and hope to soon try making our own toothpaste. I’ll let you know how the toothpaste thing goes! I’m cautiously optimistic!!

Effects from ingesting fluoride, however, are not so happy or helpful! Ingestion is what you get from fluoridating water and minimally from toothpaste. The toothpaste part is my own thought on the subject. I just think that once you put something inside your mouth, it is unlikely that you will actually avoid all ingestion. Too much fluoride, the definition of that amount can be debated, does all sorts of fun things like messing with your thyroid function, weakening your bones and ligaments, and actually discoloring your teeth by causing those interesting, super white spots that some people have.

So, my personal conclusion for our family, is that I want the fluoride filtered out of our water. If in fact is in there. That will be one more thing I will have to investigate. And I want to continue to give the girls toothpaste without it. I plan to continue to let the dentist paint their teeth with it, at least for the time being. That may change either as I research fluoride more or they “grow out” of their dental weaknesses through food and homemade remineralizing toothpaste AND God’s loving intervention! After all, if it is the right minerals and the right foods that “fixes” their teeth, it is definitely HIS intervention! I really want to continue working through, researching and understanding this with balance in mind. However, I also don’t want to help the girls’ or my teeth by harming the rest of our bodies.

HealthParentingRamblings

Essential Oils: Aromatic Luxury or Life Saving Elixir?

By Audrea1 Comment

As I dabble in the world and research of the use of Essential Oils, I encounter this question and more from others (my husband included) and myself. I think the answer is basically, Yes!! However, they may prove to be a luxury you truly can’t afford to miss!

I do think that essential oils are gifts from God. They come from His plants. They are His creation and I do believe He provides real and complete healing on this Earth. I do think that I need to do a LOT more research and learning to figure out how to effectively use them to maintain and improve my family’s health. I have experienced them helping my daughters sleep better, longer and apparently more deeply. I have used them and experienced miraculous relief from a sore throat. They have relieved congestion and I think they have even alleviated some of my PMS related symptoms. I really believe that they are similar to the Balm of Gilead and the oils mentioned for healing in the Bible. Even the idea of them being an aromatic lubricant isn’t wrong. Some of them smell beautiful, some not so much. Also, the quality and purity of the oil can be the answer to the question. The more I read, the more I am certain that purity and quality are crucial to take them from a sweet smelling perfume to a healing ointment.

I am grateful to my Momma for raising me with an awareness of homeopathic medicine and health remedies. I wish it were easier to find medical doctors who also had herbal and holistic medicinal training. Because, I do NOT disdain Western Medicine. We as a family, use ibuprofen and even take antibiotics. However, if there is a way to use the plants God created to make it so we need less of these Western remedies, I am all for it. Like so many other things in this life, I think balance is the key. The idea that there is something to be learned from everything IS true and I am learning that the more seasoned I become!

So, my take away about Essential Oils is that they are powerful and HIGHLY beneficial. They will require more patience and may produce slower results than traditional western medicine, but often with fewer or no side effects. AND, rather to my chagrin, they are also something to be used sparingly and slowly until I can research and learn more. But, as I give them the time and effort, I truly believe they will pay off with great dividends. Also, with the time I have found to research, I am finding more and more affordable, high quality options. One of my newest finds is Northridge Oak Oils, right here in Northwest Arkansas. Now, to find that time……Hmmmmm!

ParentingRamblings

Raising Innocence In a Darkening World

By Audrea1 Comment

Some days are so hard for me as a momma!! My daughters may drive me crazy and even seem to look for ways to cause frustration! However, even in those hardest moments, I could never say that my daughters are truly mean spirited or hard hearted. Both of my girls are innocent, as 6 and 4 year olds go. I know that they have a sinful nature and they are egocentric and they want their way. But if given a choice (carefully explained and removed from the emotion of the moment), both would always choose something helpful, loving or caring.

So then on days when I hear about or see the evil pressing in on every side, in every place, even “sacred” ones like churches or kids shows, I despair that I brought these innocent babies into a world that wants to crush them, steal their innocence and expose them to every dark, mean and nasty thing. BUT, then I remember that, although, I deeply and desperately craved to be a mother, I did not bring these angels into this depraved world. They were sent by a Heavenly Father whose love for them makes mine seem like hatred.

So, I am left to remember that my “one more thing” this time may not be something that will bring them joy, but it must be something that equips them to become what they were sent here to be; a light set up on a hill, not covered, although I shield their innocence at every opportunity, but exposed. And I MUST remember that just as stars shine brightest in absolute darkness, I must too. Because poor as I am, I am their Momma and as such on of their main examples to follow.

So instead of despair I must at least find determination. Instead of hiding my head in the sand from the hardship and depravity around me I must face it head on with prayer, light and the offer that there is another, higher, narrower way! And, also and perhaps hardest of all, I must allow them the opportunity to shine. Like when my 6 year old writes a letter to a friend and gives it to them in front of other children and makes them open it and read it in front of everyone. I want to make her stop, I want to tell her its okay, he can read it later. Because what if he doesn’t respond how she expects? What if the other students make fun of her? What if her heart is hurt, or worse yet, broken? I have to let her be herself. I have to let her stand there and take what comes. I’m grateful that this time she got a crooked smile and only a little misinterpretation of her use of the word love from the onlookers. Because she is innocent and she loves her friend like she loves her sister. (I know because I asked, I have to make sure that innocence remains after all!!)

So, I have to let go and let them shine because it will brighten others’ days and it will most importantly Glorify God. And when there are heartbreaks, I will get to be His hands and feet and hugs and kisses and He will mend my heart when it breaks with theirs. And, I must shine, too! Because it isn’t just “someone” who is watching, it’s my two angels who I love with all that I am and so far beyond myself. Even so, my love is nothing compared to their Father’s, and I am SO grateful that He also happens to be the one holding this WHOLE, messy, dark AND LIGHT world!!