Spanish Rice

I've been working on this recipe for a long time. I love Rice-a-roni in almost all varieties. Rice-a-roni, Pasta-roni. In fact, I really had a thing for ALL of those food-in-a-box meals. Hamburger Helper. Chicken Helper. Betty Crocker was my bff, which is much, much closer than the 'besties' I keep hearing about today. NOT Tuna-helper though. I had some standards. (haha!)

There was a time in my life when any of those would be an acceptable dinner. Rice-a-roni with some form of meat tossed in. Simple, quick, and easy. Actually, when I met and was dating my future husband, a common dinner of mine was Betty Crocker Scalloped Potatoes. I cooked them on the stove top, and then covered with seasoned bread crumbs. That was it. He has since confessed that he hated it when I ate that because the combination made a garbage dump smell better than what was being emitted from my mouth. Whoops! It was through an even greater necessity that I had to abandon my beloved San Francisco treat though, one a little mouthwash unfortunately can't touch.

Last year around this time my 2nd son was diagnosed with several severe food allergies. After blood tests, and skin tests, and many long trips to the doctor we were advised to always carry and epi-pen with us where-ever he was and to avoid all soy, white fish, peanuts, and egg. We should probably also avoid nuts in any form, and seafood too since he hasn't been specifically tested for those. It was overwhelming, to say the least. I left the allergist's office thinking I was taking home a ticking time bomb, and leaving him anywhere was an anxiety-filled event. Soy was in EVERYTHING, including ALL of my usual favorite side-dishes.

 

So off I started to replicate and maybe even surpass my go-to West-Mex side dish, Spanish Rice. I've had many failures. I started out with this, rice-cooker spanish rice over on Food.com. I am almost embarrassed to have that recipe still out there, published. It was okay, but nothing spectacular. Pretty soon I was off scouring recipes until I finally got a good idea of what I wanted, and what I didn't. What I've ended up with is this. I'ts spicy enough to satisfy me, but not so hot that the kids can't handle it. The best part? None of the allergens we have to avoid!

 

Dealing with a child with so many food allergies has been a struggle, but its been a great learning experience too. If I can't pronounce half the ingredients in the food I'm buying, why am I buying it? If I can't even decipher from the list if something is a soy product, it just doesn't go in my cart. I've made things from scratch that I never ever thought I would, and its made me rethink the way we, as a family, were eating, which is never a bad thing.

(Romans 8:28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

print recipe

OWYD Spanish Rice

by Nicole March 28, 2011

Flavorful, easy, delicious Spanish rice that is better than any San Francisco Treat.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Bacon Grease, hot2 cups Long Grain White Rice1/2 cup Yellow Onion, diced1 cup, chopped Red & Green Pepper1 - 7 3/4 oz can El Pato Tomato Sauce, Yellow Can1 1/2 Tbsp Chili powder2 tsp Salt3 cups Hot Water1 - 14.5 oz can Mexican Stewed Tomatoes

Instructions

1. Preheat bacon grease and add rice. Stir frequently until browned. When almost to the desired color, add in peppers and onion. Cook until soft and rice is the proper color. 2. Add water, El Pato tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, and stewed tomatoes. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Watch for doneness and moisture level. You may need to add 1/4 cup more water near the end.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 8 servings

For the rest of your next West-Mex meal, visit me over at www.OrWhateverYouDo.com for my chicken enchilada cassarole complete with homemade enchilada sauce recipes! ~Nicole

Special Needs Family

Throughout the month of March we met different families each Wednesday.  Even though I've been writing here since the beginning (way back in June of 2008!) my family has gone through some changes recently. I wrote about the changes at The MOB Society and I'd like to share them with you as well!

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Most of the titles we have we get to choose. I was a student, then a teacher, then a wife, then a mom. I’m a pastor’s wife, a blogger, and a homeschooler. But I now have a title I didn’t choose for myself–special needs mom. 

I’m not new to the special needs world. My older sister has Down Syndrome. I grew up going to Special Olympics track meets, hearing my parents talk about IEP meetings, and making sure people knew that the “R” word offended me. But I had no idea how involved I would become as a mom.

When we took our youngest son to the pediatrician for his three year well visit I voiced my concerns about his development. They referred me to the local school district that evaluated him. After spending about an hour with a speech pathologist, occupational therapist, and child psychologist, they were ready with their diagnosis. He has autism. Current stats say one in 150 children in the US is autistic, and autistic boys outnumber girls 4 to 1.

When you hear a diagnosis like autism (or when my mom heard the diagnosis of Down Syndrome) you go through the grieving process. You may be in denial, then sad, then angry.

Then one day (probably one of those days you’re feeling denial, sadness, and anger all at the same time!) God reminds you of His love, His mercy, and ultimately His control. You open His Word and read a promise that speaks clearly and deeply to your need. For me, that verse was Psalm 126:5, "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

So I have a new label–special needs mom. I’m researching epsom salt baths, GFCF foods and a busy sensory diet. I'm becoming an advocate for my child and for myself. When his pediatrician told me I was "uninformed and uneducated," it didn't make me mad, it made me stronger. (Ok, it made me a little mad, then it made me stronger.) I've already done things I never wanted to do, like send my three year old baby into the doors of the public elementary school because we decided he needed to be pushed out of his comfort zone a little and rise to new challenges.

I’m letting go of my expectations of  “normal” and learning what works for us. Most days I’m still sowing tears. But I’m praising God for the opportunity He has given me with this new title and remembering that my son is fearfully and wonderfully made exactly the way he is (Psalm 139:14).


Sandra is the family editor for Today's Housewife. She's a pastor's wife, mom to two boys and is in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. You can see what her family is up to at Celebrate Every Day.

To Hold a Little Something.

When I first crossed paths with these cute Origami pouches I knew they would make great Easter baskets. You see, I was raised receiving Easter Baskets well into college age, but I have been off again/on again with them myself. I'm not sure why, but maybe it has to do with procrastination. When I do get myself in gear on time I usually go over kill with candy and junk and stuff, and honestly it makes me happy inside to do give to those I love. I'm the same way with stockings. I have been known to pile things around the stocking after filling it. I know! I know it doesn't have to be huge, and that's what I was working on this year. I wanted to make it special, yet not overwhelm myself nor my pocketbook.

These pouches seemed like a great help. I knew the original size was a little small, so instead of an 8 inch square I used a grocery bag from a local store and cut out a 12 inch square. I could have easily made it bigger, and as you can see they are still fairly small when you compare them to my cell phone and itouch. I simply felt as if this was a good size for a little something and would keep me from overdoing it.

What I did to decorate mine was paint the outside of the pouch with a light blue paint, and cut out shapes from scrapbook paper. On the paper I roughly painted black along the sides for a more definite edge. I let these sit all night so the paint and glue could fully dry. Then I glued the scrapbook paper on the side of the pouches with the most folds showing. It simply seemed "neater" to me, but I really don't think it matters. I allowed these to dry while I cut out the beige paper. These were originally circles, but I burned the edges for a rougher more random look to them. For the names I simply printed them out from the computer onto clear adhesive paper and cut it out right around their names. I only wish I could print that prettily. For the handles, I wrapped floral wire with wire edged ribbon, punched holes, and wrapped it through. The great thing is you can do anything to them, and she has some great ideas on all of her tutorials for the pouches.

It took me about two days, minimum cost, and it leaves me with a great little pouch to put a small treat for the boys and my husband.


*One little note, in the tutorial she doesn't go into all the steps of the origami pouch, but you can find all the steps on her newspaper pouch tutorial.

Stacey Lozano regularly shares her latest craft endeavor and other parts of her day at My Unfinished Daze.

Rolls and Rolls of Ribbon

I ♥ crafts. But my best intentions and great ideas can often grow out of control when it comes to staying organized and being a good steward. I try to buy ribbon when I find it on sale or on clearance after holidays and when I do use ribbon I like to keep all my scraps. But my collection of ribbon and wrapping supplies was completely out of control. It was difficult to find what I needed and it looked terrible.

I took an hour or so one afternoon and was able to revamp my storage area. Here's what I did:

I started by taking all the ribbon out and separated anything that didn't belong in this area. Then I purged my ribbon supply. (If I'd saved it from a wedding present 7+ years ago and hadn't used the scrap, it needed to go.)

I took all my small scraps and wound them around my finger, taping the ends. Then I placed them in the basket. I also put my clear plastic bags in this basket since I almost always use these with ribbon.

Next I taped the ends of all the rolls of ribbon. (No more unwinding when I go to find a roll that I need!) I placed as many grosgrain on the pants hanger and then placed the others in the drawers so that I could easily see the colors and patterns. (I would like to get more pants hangers to hang other rolls on, but I wanted to complete this task without buying anything so I used what I already had in my house.)

Then I organized my tissue paper by color, folding it all in the same direction and placing it all on the same shelf together.

Finally, everything went back in the closet. It's so much easier to find what I need having all my ribbon in one place and easily visible!

Are your craft supplies a "problem area" in your house? How do you keep them under control?

Do You Use Swagbucks?

Swagbucks is my current favorite search engine! Not because of how "great" it is, but because of what IT can do for ME! How does it work? I search for hotmail, google calendar, facebook, etc. and earn "bucks" randomly throughout the day. After getting a certain number of bucks, I trade in my bucks for items. So far, I have gotten over 50 $5 amazon gift cards for free!! They have a lot of other great merchandise that you can trade in for as well! Most days I get at least 20 bucks and the cards are 450 bucks, so it doesn't take very long to earn them!

Here is more about them from their site: "Swagbucks.com is the web's premier rewards site. Powered by Prodege LLC, Swagbucks.com allows web users to earn virtual currency by doing the things they do every day - search the web, shopping at their favorite retailers, and by engaging in other activities such as phone recycling, submitting polls, and completing special offers. Swagbucks.com is the only place on the web to get what you want without ever having to spend a dime. "

So if you're interested in using this as your search engine and getting free items, use my referral code:

Check out my Squidoo lens that I made about swagbucks here: http://www.squidoo.com/swagbucks123

Adopting and Pregnant!

Hi there! I'm Sara from Happy Brown House and I am so excited to share a little bit about our family with you today! I'm wife to Ray and mommy to Jonah (3.5 years old). I'm a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom. Which, by the way, is the greatest gift my husband has ever given me--the chance to stay home and "teach" my most important student. Priceless!

We've always had a desire to adopt one day, but our struggle with infertility after Jonah was born brought the desire to the forefront. We started our adoption in November with a sense of urgency as God revealed things to our hearts about the state of orphans in the world. Little did we know that shortly after turning in our first round of paperwork, we would conceive. Yes, we're adopting AND pregnant. (Do you think they make t-shirts for that?)

While many would think, "Yay, we're pregnant. Now we don't have to adopt." We feel quite the opposite. We feel that God rewarded our obedience to His call to adopt and is using this to line us up with our child in Ethiopia. We also believe that God's calling to adopt did not change just because we got pregnant. Besides, we already consider the Ethiopian child a part of our family, including Jonah. It's amazing how God grows a place in your heart for someone you've never even met.

Jonah is excited to be a big brother...to both of our babies on the way. We look at the globe, talk about caring for babies, and spend a lot of time praying for his siblings. I often wonder if God whispers secrets into the ears of big brothers, because Jonah has made predictions about this entire journey that seem to be coming true. He's the one that mentioned we were getting more than one baby before I found out I was pregnant. I'm waiting in anticipation to see if what he's been hoping for is true about this baby growing within.

When I'm not talking about adoption or tackling the laundry pile, I spend lots of time teaching Jonah and write about some of our "Mommy & Me" activities on my blog and on Totally Tots. I have an Etsy shop, Stitches by Sara, full of monogrammed gifts and accessories that is helping us fundraise for our adoption. Since I'm a proud boy mom, I'm a monthly contributor for The M.O.B. Society, a website for moms of boys by moms of boys. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.

Easter Treats

Originally posted April 2010.

Awhile back Alicia blogged about making these fun cookies decorated with royal icing. I am up for a challenge and they looked so good. After all the birthday party sweet treats in February, I was needing a break from having all that sugar in my house. It is really hard for me to say no!

Since Easter is here, I thought it would be fun to make some spring cookies and let LilE help. I didn't even think to take pictures of her helping me. But she really did. She is one great egg cracker! She also enjoyed getting to cut the cookies in the shape of her choice.

The icing was rather intimidating, but I enjoyed the challenge. I think they turned out really well for my first attempt. And I learned a couple of things along the way: no more than two designs at a time and you really don't need 5 colors of icing!

Can't wait to try them again! (And learn how to take better pictures of food.)

Then we got fancy.

Spring Cleaning Essentials

It’s that time of year again. Spring is right around the corner. The crocus are sprouting. The temperatures are rising. The days are getting longer. The sun is streaming through my windows to reveal they need a good cleaning! Spring cleaning season is here!!


Before I start, I need to make sure I have all the essential supplies. There is nothing worse than being in the mood to clean and finding out you don’t have the right tools! Here is my list of the basic tools necessary to tackle almost any spring cleaning job around the house.

Microfiber Cloths

I just love microfiber! In our house we use them for everything from cleaning the kitchen to washing windows to washing the car. They clean so much better than conventional cloths - often without cleaners! I have a special microfiber cloth Norwex just for windows that is fabulous! It works great with just water and never leaves streaks! It is pricy, but I saved $$ on windex and paper towels - plus, it just works better! For general cleaning, I don’t spend a lot on cloths. I hit the automotive section at Wal-Mart and bought a pack or 8 or 10 for $5. We keep a box for them under the sink for the clean microfiber cloths and a plastic basket for the dirty ones. I, also, keep one in the cleaning buckets in our bathrooms.

Trash Bags

It’s hard to spring clean when you’ve got clutter. So, instead of moving the clutter around, grab some trash bags and start tossing. You don’t have to throw it all away. You can give somethings away or have a garage sale and make some extra $$.

Vinegar

We are a chemical free house (as much as we can be). I don’t want my family to be breathing or absorbing anymore chemicals than they have to. Cleaning products are loaded with nasty chemicals that we don’t even need to use. Plain old vinegar cleans just about anything! I use it futed in a spray bottle for cleaning just about all surfaces.

Baking Soda

Along with vinegar, baking soda makes an excellent, family safe cleaner. I use it as a scrub for sinks and bathtubs.


With those simple tools, you can tackle almost any spring cleaning chore from cleaning to de-cluttering.

What are your favorite spring cleaning tools?

Marci Goodwin is wife to an amazing husband and mother to two phenomenal kids. She is on a quest to get the "busy" out of her life so she can spend time on what's really important. Marci can be found blogging at OvercomingBusy.com or on twitter @OvercomingBusy.

Stress Refocused

Source:Dreamstime

   Stress, it is something that is a part of our everyday lives.  Each one of us has those little things that can really push us to the end of our ropes and make us feel like we have nothing left to give.  Right now, my husband and I are dealing with a lot of stress in our lives as we are getting ready to make our 14th move in 9 years for the military. Days are spent making lists of what needs to be done, houses to see in our new town, and getting our children ready for another move. As much as we have moved, it never gets any easier to say goodbye to the familiar and hello to the unknown.

   But, as Christians we do not have to go through stressful times alone. Be it a move, job change, or illness, we have one consistency to cling too... God.  He is right there with us, walking along the way, ready to strengthen us beyond anything we can imagine.  We  need to focus our eyes up and not just straight ahead!
Psalm 21 reminds us ...

                                                 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.
 ³ He will not let your foot slip—

          he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you  by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
                ⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.

 
   It is very easy to get caught up in all the "To Do's" we have to accomplish. I am very good at playing the "I have to do it all" card in my own life . The funny thing is the more I try to do it all alone the harder my life becomes, and the more stressed out I get. How quickly I am to forget that God does not expect me to handle it all by myself.  He is always right there waiting for me to turn to Him for the strength to get thou the unmanageable times.

 


Source: CBlakeslee

    Life is full of its ups and downs, good days and bad. As wives and mothers we are the glue that holds our families together, and helpmates to our husbands. We must wear many "hats" and keep everything in balance for the sake of our families and marriages. But, we can take comfort in the fact that God does not expect us to "do it all" nor do it alone. We just need to turn our eyes and hearts toward Him, putting our focus on the rock that gives us the strength to carry on.                     

   My question for you today is something that I myself need to thinkabout as well.  Where are you in your own life? Are you like me  playing the "I can do it all card" or are you focused on the Lord.asking Him to give you the strength to get through the daily ups and down that life brings.


Cassie is a military wife and mom to six who blogs at Day of Bliss.

Easy to Be Green (Side Dishes)

Sides dishes do not have to be boring! We often spend so much time fussing over and planning the main dish, that we often overlook the side dishes. In honor of St. Patrick's Day and going vegetarian for a year, and just the fact that I love these two side dishes, I thought I would share them with you.

Roasted Broccoli with Red Peppers

2 broccoli heads/crowns/bunches (whatever you choose to call them)

1/2 red pepper, big chopped

2 T olive oil

salt

red pepper flakes (optional, only if you want some heat)

Chop everything. Place on rimmed cooking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Bake at 425 for about 18-20 minutes, stirring once.

I love the crispy brown edges of the broccoli and this side dish is easy, inexpensive, and healthy!

Roasted Balsamic Green Beans and Mushrooms

I could eat these every day. I love them.

2 big handfuls of green beans

1 pkg sliced white mushrooms

1/3 cup EACH olive oil and balsamic vinegar

salt

Trim beans. Put all in a bowl and stir occasionally. You want the veggies to soak up most of the vinegar/oil mixture. About 30 minutes should be good for this. If you want them to soak longer, place in a big Ziploc baggy and place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Roast on a rimmed pan for 25-35 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your beans and how many of them you have. Stir the vegetables at least once during roasting.

See - side dishes don't have to boring, or colorless!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! What are your favorite side dishes to serve to your family?

You can find more of my recipes over at http://kd316.com/ or http://www.kimsstateoffood.blogspot.com/

Relief from Pemphigoid Gestationis

Note from Sandra- This guest post is from Brooke, who is passionate about what she hopes will help her and others who suffered like she did. Her opinions in this post are her own, based on her experiences. Please talk to your doctor if you are interested in learning more. 

Hey there, y’all! My name is Brooke and I stay at home caring for a spunky, yet shy 3 year old named Audrey and a super sweet 10 month old named Julia. I wanted to share something with you that hopefully you or a loved one will never need. It’s a drug called Low Dose Naltrexone. It helps with autoimmune diseases and some cancers. Before I tell you about LDN, here is a little background on me.

In March of 2010, I was finishing up a normal pregnancy. Normal, except for that I was on nausea medication for 38 weeks! I had a beautiful baby girl with a head full of black hair! I went home happy and healthy. Then, at 4 days post-partum, on Easter morning, I began breaking out in a horrible and miserable rash. I thought I was having an allergic reaction to something. To say I was itchy is the understatement of the history of mankind. A month later, I was diagnosed with a super rare pregnancy related autoimmune disease called Pemphigoid Gestationis (PG). This rash was all over my body, but fortunately, this disease spares your face. I could not even hold my baby due to the boils on my skin. I have never been so miserable.

I started taking Prednisone. What a relief! I took 20 mg and was able to wean off of it in a month. I didn’t get all puffy like many do on Prednisone, so I was happy. That is, until my body began going through withdrawals. My joints hurt, my teeth hurt, and I was extremely fatigued. I slept all day on the weekends and felt like I had not even slept an hour. The joint pain caused me to cry whenever I held my baby. I began to realize that Prednisone had wreaked havoc on my body. I took licorice pills to jumpstart my adrenals, thus ending a 4 month period of misery – 3 of which, it hurt to even hold my baby. I also came to realize I would never let myself get pregnant again if Prednisone was going to destroy my body. You see, it is very likely I would get this disease again if I got pregnant. I wanted to remain healthy for my two girls.

Sorry, that was long, but I wanted you to know where I’m coming from. A lady on the PG Yahoo group (a true lifesaver, btw) told us about a drug called Low Dose Naltrexone, or LDN. It had very few side effects and had helped her where Prednisone couldn’t. I was excited to read about another option when it came to treating PG. I began researching this drug and I truly believe many people can greatly benefit from taking this drug!

Regular Naltrexone (50 mg) is FDA approved and used to help heroine addicts and alcoholics overcome their addiction. It’s an opiate blocker. But, in low doses, 3.5 – 5 mg, it helps regulates your immune system and heal cells. It’s great for those of us with an autoimmune disease or certain cancers. Here’s the problem: the low dose stuff isn’t FDA approved. And it won’t be because it is so cheap and pharmaceuticals will not provide the funding to do research on it to get it approved. There is no money in it for them. In addition, pharmaceuticals would lose money once people stopped taking expensive cancer drugs and opting for LDN. LDN costs about a dollar a day. Also, the side effects are vivid dreams that last about a week.

It is perfectly legal to take LDN, you just need a prescription. The majority of autoimmune sufferers are women. Many autoimmune diseases flare up during pregnancy. It would be great if we could take this stuff, right?

I’ve already discussed the possibility of having another baby with my OB. She was obviously very cautious while discussing the drug, but seemed to keep an open mind. She sent me researching. I have found two doctors (one in the US and one in Ireland) that use this drug to help treat infertility. (Endometriosis could possibly be autoimmune related.) They have treated hundreds of women with this drug and they have had healthy pregnancies. I have also come across two women who have taken this drug while pregnant and I’m hoping to make contact with them.

So, I’m optimistic of having another child one day with LDN. I am also very excited to help others. If you have MS, fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, or some other autoimmune disease, please google LDN. I’d also look into it if you have cancer. It slows or stops the progress on cancer, but usually does not cure it. It just could be what you or someone else has been praying for!

Wrap Them in Prayer

I was introduced to Prayer Shawls sometime early in my crochet path. I learned that they were blankets made in anyway - quilt, fleece, crochet, knit - but the recipient of the blanket was prayed for while the blanket was made. They can be made for people who are ill, people you love, friends, family, for strangers as requests, and really for anyone you can imagine.

I have made my share of Prayer Shawls in the past, and each and every one was a special thing for me. I crochet mine, or at least that is what I have done with all of them to this point. I find it fun to create something personal and unique for the recipient. Different stitches, different styles, different yarns. I have always felt the blanket should be as unique as the person receiving it. I think it is wonderful to be reminded of how much God loves us, and to be part of sharing that love is equally so. I still make them when the occasion arises, or when I simply feel a nudging that someone might need to be wrapped in love and prayers.

Back in 2006 I wanted to make some Prayer Shawls for my children, but with them both being boys the idea of "shawls" didn't seem to fit right. I changed the name for theirs to Prayer Blankets and picked up my hook. Somewhere along the line, and I honestly can't remember if it was in the original idea or if it came later, I decided that the blankets needed to grow as the boys did. So, every year around Easter the boys pick a skein of yarn, and I add to the blanket with more prayers. While they know this is not the only time I pray for them, I love that it is a visible and tangible reminder that they are prayed for.

The middle camouflage rectangle on the left and the middle green rectangle on the right were the original blankets that started this tradition. It's fun to see how much the boys have grown along with their blankets.

Stacey Lozano regularly shares her latest craft endeavor and other parts of her day at My Unfinished Daze.

Cleaning Up... My Attitude

I was really grumbling this morning as I found myself down on my hands and knees scrubbing the fingerprints and scuff marks off my walls. It's not exactly a glamorous or fun task but a necessary one. Suddenly, I was struck by how sinful my attitude was. Instead of being irritated about this chore I needed to be grateful for it. In fact, when I stopped to think about it I was overwhelmed with the blessings associated with this one chore alone. I had to stop and pray for forgiveness and thank God for granting this opportunity to be grateful.

Here are few things that I'm grateful for when I clean my walls:

- I'm grateful that we have a home to live in.

- I'm grateful that my husband works so very hard and allows my to stay home and be the primary caretaker of our home.

- I'm grateful for two healthy boys, who run and play and are able to scuff the walls. And I'm grateful that they love each other and have wild and crazy imaginations that lead to all the scuffs, scrapes and dents.

- I'm grateful for modern conveniences like the Magic Eraser that make my job easier.

- I'm grateful for my own health that I can kneel and clean our home.

- I'm grateful for nap time and preschool that make cleaning easier and more manageable.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. The longer I cleaned, the more blessings the Lord brought to my mind. I want to challenge you to pray for an attitude of thanksgiving as you work today. Whether you are working outside the home, changing diapers, driving carpool, or cleaning, we all have so many reasons to be grateful.

I'd love to hear some of your blessings!

Do You Use Groupon?

I have noticed lately that there are tons of "group" couponing sites out there. I personally like to use Groupon because of their $10 referral credit when someone makes a Groupon purchase, great deals, and because it's what I first used! I have used them 4 times so far and never had a problem, but got some GREAT deals!


Here is more information about Groupon from their site: "Groupon negotiates huge discounts—usually 50-90% off—with popular businesses. We send the deals to thousands of subscribers in our free daily email, and we send the businesses a ton of new customers. That's the Groupon magic."

If you're interested in trying out groupon, here is my referral code:

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu2141489

Praising God in ALL Circumstances

Praising God during the good times is easy.

I’ve regularly prayed that I would have the strength to praise God in the middle of upsetting or depressing circumstances, too.

How can we know if we’ll praise Him in all circumstances until those distressing events happen?

We’ve had an event in our family this week that is sad, disheartening, and painful. Of course, many thoughts bombarded my head, questioning why, what could I have done better, I feel powerless to fix this situation. As I sat in a chair holding my sweet son (who is unaffected by the circumstances and fine), a thought entered my head:

Praise Him. Right now. Stop, and praise Him.

Honestly, it took me a minute. At first, I didn’t know how to praise Him. I was feeling broken, worthless, and hurt. Should I praise Him for those feelings? For these events occurring?

First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (emphasis added).

I don’t think this verse commands us to praise God for the bad events happening. But, we still can praise Him from within any circumstance for something about His goodness and glory.

Holding my toddler as he cuddled against me, I immediately praised God for my son. I praised Him for the love He surrounds me with in my family and fellow believers. I praised Him for my husband.

But, a part of my heart desperately wanted to praise Him for something about this event. I prayed for God to help me praise. Then, I praised Him for learning through this event and for His strength to cause me to rely on Him even more.

So, what if you find yourself in burdensome times and discover that it’s hard to muster up praise? How can we praise then?

Head to the Psalms. The Psalms are filled with statements of praise. David conveys honestly speaking, confessing, and then praising all in one psalm at times. Psalm 35 is a good example of this masterful blend. If you can’t think of some way to praise, just pray those words aloud, with a heart intent on praising with gratitude. (Psalm 86 provides great words to pray, especially with verse 12 in heart and mind.)

Remember that God is the “God of all comfort,” as 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Can your troubles eventually be used to comfort and encourage someone else? I pray that God uses your heart (and mine) for Him through all circumstances, and that you and I may always praise Him.

Above image from http://office.microsoft.com

No matter what your current circumstances, what is one way you can praise God right now?

Author bio: Caroline is a wife, mother of a beautiful and charming toddler son, avid reader, and writer.  She is honored to write with Today’s Housewife.  You can also find Caroline at her personal blog (Under God’s Mighty Hand) and on Twitter.

Sometimes We Just Need Quick and Easy

So, one of my husband's favorite phrases in regard to food (aside from talking about how much he loves to eat or about the joys of bacon) is "quick and easy." As in, "Thursday night is small group night so we need to have leftovers or something quick and easy." And as much as I love my husband, as a foodie and someone who loooves cooking and baking, "quick and easy" just seems like a cop-out to me. It's not that quick and easy cooking is bad—it just seems like cheating. I know, I know. I'm an overachiever... completely and totally an overachiever. But anyways, even though the phrase "quick and easy" grates on my nerves, my husband is right--quick and easy cooking is sometimes necessary, and it often can be really good. Take this Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce, for example. For the most part, this meal can be made with ingredients already in your pantry and fridge, and it can be whipped up in about 20 minutes or less. We loved how the savory, creamy sauce covers each bite of juicy chicken. This is a meal simple enough for a busy night, but special enough for company when paired with succulent sides like rice or couscous, bread, and a big green salad. We loved this dinner a lot and hope you do too!

By the way, while I have your attention, be sure to check out the $35 CSN stores giveway happening on my personal blog now through Sunday, March 13!

Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce

from Women’s Day, October 2010

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons flour
• salt
• pepper
• 1 pound chicken breasts, sliced and patted dry
• ~2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth (I'm not sure which I used but from prior experience, either should work.)
• 1/4 cup minced onions
• 1/2 cup fat free half and half
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Directions:

Mix flour and a little salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Press chicken in mixture to coat.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet. Add chicken and cook for about 8-9 minutes total, flipping halfway. Remove from skillet when golden brown and cooked through, then set aside.

Add chicken broth/wine and onions to skillet. Cook for 1-3 minutes or until onions are soft. Add half and half, water, mustard, and tarragon, then cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Return chicken and any accumulated juices on plate to skillet. Stir and serve chicken with generous amounts of sauce with rice or couscous.

Maybe You Have Wondered

My name is Tammy Jones and I am a former teacher, a wife, a SAH Mommy of 2 young boys and one sweet little girl from Ethiopia (coming soon!). I cherish this sweet time in my life, even though some days I admit to wanting to go back to “work” for a much needed break! My husband, Kent, works in ministry. I am so thankful for the opportunities God has provided to serve Him and make His name famous while serving the least of these.

Over the past few years, He has really been working in our hearts and revealing what it means to serve and love Him. We have 2 biological boys, ages 5 and 3. We are in the process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. We’ve been officially waiting for 9 months. During this precious time of refining, God has shown Himself in unique ways. Many things have become clearer in the midst of this process. One important thing is that I am adopted by God (shown all throughout His Word), and now I am His child, wholly and completely. After I accepted Jesus as my Savior, He adopted me into His family, loves me for who I am, imperfect and sometimes ugly, and continues to show grace to me. Because of his sacrifice, I can have a joy-filled abundant life and eternal life with Him.

Speaking of adoption, God has revealed to Kent and me that He desires to expand our family through adoption. There are 163 million orphans in this world. One of those is our daughter. We know SHE will be the blessing to us, and SHE will show us God’s love in ways we have never experienced or seen. We look forward to this day she is finally with us, her forever family.

I have had several people ask me, family members of mine or Kent's some questions surrounding adoption or multi-cultural families that are hard to answer with one or two sentences, but are extremely important that they do NOT go unanswered. Some are hard to hear from anyone, especially from loved ones. Some are questions that many people have that are scared to ask. So, here it goes...

1. "Why are you adopting when you can have children 'of your own'?"
Let me first say, even our adopted child will be "our own", forever and always. Please don't say this to adoptive families, especially in front of children. They need to know they belong (all of them) and they ARE a part of their family, an important part. Oh, and please don't say to anyone, "But are they REALLY brother and sister?" Yes, they are really. :) (If you truly want to find out if someone is adopted, ask the parent directly and privately.)

We knew adoption just might be in our future even before our boys. We have both thought it was a beautiful thing... how God works in miraculous ways to bring families together... it is amazing. When I got pregnant, it was still an option for the future. If you haven't considered it, fertility problems or not, consider it and pray about it. God will teach you incredible things about His character and your relationship with Him.


2. "Why adopt internationally when there are so many children in our own country that need families?"
Point blank... because we, the Jones family, are called to it. As you probably know, we are passionate about the Great Commission and making His name famous... until all people groups hear. We are also made more aware the past few years of the orphan crisis around the world. God has revealed to us that we, as believers, are all called to care for the orphans, widows, and strangers of this world (all throughout His word). How are we to care for them? Well, one way is to adopt... and our family is called to this, but not all are. Other ways are through sponsorship of children, orphanages, going and serving, giving, etc... so many ways! For the record, we think domestic is also important, and we are not closed to domestic adoption either!
(Recommended reading - Fields of the Fatherless)

3. "What if it isn't exactly what you hoped and dreamed it to be, and it ends up being harder than you ever imagined?" So does this mean don't do it? From what I recall, God has asked many people to do things that aren't easy. I mean, REALLY hard and sometimes seemingly impossible. But I am not to live with a spirit of fear of the unknown!! We wouldn't do anything worth fighting for if we did! We know it WILL be hard. We expect it. It may be harder than we expect, or it may be easier. God knows and He will be our strength. He will be all we need. It just doesn't matter. Our child is waiting for us.

"The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." - Deuteronomy 31:8
"You have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." - Hebrews 10:36

4. "Will you really be able to love an adopted child the same as your biological children?"
Ask this question to a mother or father who has had both for a long time and see what she/he says. First of all, every child is different. Discipline may be different for the second that it was for the first. But the unconditional love for your children runs deep, biological or adopted, and from what I hear it really doesn't matter. They will be MY children... ALL of them. God just brought them to me through a different route. God takes care of that. It is amazing and I am not worried about that in the slightest.

5. "How will you afford adoption? I have heard it is extremely expensive."
Yes, it is VERY expensive. It will cost us about $22,000. Yikes! But when God has called us to adopt, He makes a way. It has been incredible to see how He has already taken care of so much financially in this adoption. He is good... real good. What a neat thing to see Him work like this and KNOW without a doubt that we are doing what pleases Him and what He has planned for our family!! So exciting!

But let me say, that yes it may be expensive, but now the government will actually REIMBURSE a family up to $13,000 for adopting, the year it is final!! Awesome! So it isn’t as overwhelming as we thought

6. "Aren't you afraid the child will have something wrong with him/her?"
Again, we are not to live with a spirit of fear, but "When I am afraid, I will trust in You."
- Psalm 56:3. We are not guaranteed a healthy child, adopted OR biological. We just trust that whatever child He brings to us is perfect, and perfect for us, because He is sovereign. He knows best. He will sustain us and provide for us, whatever we need, no matter what. I also hold these verses close to my heart regarding ALL my children...

- "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him (or her) to the Lord. For his (or her) whole life he (or she) will be given over to the Lord." - I Samuel 1:27-28

- "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
- Psalm 139:13-14

I say all of these things praying I don't offend anyone, but hoping and praying to reveal my heart, why we are doing this, and possibly offer up a few things/answers to questions many may have but are afraid to ask. These are the things God has taught me, especially this past year. This doesn't mean that I don't struggle with doubt or fear on occasion, b/c I do. I just don't live in it or dwell on it. These are also things to pray about... that we will continue to trust God in all of these things and so much more.

FOREVER A FAMILY

We waited, and you waited.

We loved, and you wanted to be loved.

We prayed, and you longed to be heard.

God heard, and here you are.

Forever home, Forever a family.

-N.N.G. , August 2005

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Note from Sandra: The Ethiopian government is considering cutting back international adoptions by 90%. This could mean additional wait times for the 5 million orphans in Ethiopia--up to seven years. Tammy and I are asking for your prayers for the precious children waiting for forever families. If you want to help, you can sign a petition to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia from the Joint Council. We are trusting in the love and sovereignty of God, who is a Father to the fatherless.

Family Fitness Fun – Winter Exercise Ideas for Indoors

Winter brings a lot of beauty with boldly blue skies, softly falling snow, and crisp cool air. But, winter time can also bring harsh temperatures that make it hard for us to get outside with our kids to exercise.

We’re more than halfway through the winter season. While we’ll get peeks at Spring soon, many of us will still experience several cold days and nights ahead.

When the weather is just too cold to get outside, how can we help our kids release energy and stay active at the same time?

Regular exercise releases energy, boosts brain production (because of increased oxygen and blood flow to the body), strengthens muscles and bones, and is just plain fun! Below are a few ways to exercise indoors with your kids. Be sure to join in on the fun – you’ll help model great exercise behaviors, participate in invaluable family bonding time, and promote better fitness levels for yourself, too! Healthy families can often serve God, others (and each other!) better.

·          Create an obstacle course. Use pillows, boxes, chairs, blankets over furniture as tunnels, square mats at “stepping stones” – anything you can find to crawl under, hop over, scoot around, and climb on. Preschool age kids and up can help conjure ideas for using your household “equipment” as obstacles. Then, have fun going through your obstacle course 5, 10, or 20 times!

·         Have a dance party. Turn up the music, clear the furniture out of the way, and shake every inch of what you’ve got! Teach your kids some of your favorite dance moves, and let them come up with their own choreography to show you. If you all keep moving for a solid 20 minutes, your hearts gain great workouts.

·         If you have an active gaming system, several games provide opportunities to raise your heart rate and move many muscles. For families, Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, and Wii Fit really do provide some good exercises and movement options. The key to getting the best fitness boost from games like these is to mimic the actual movement as much as you can (like actually stepping side to side and swinging your whole arm for tennis) and to minimize breaks between exercises. The bigger movements you make, the more muscles are involved, which leads to better exercise.

·         Research ideas online from reputable websites or family blogs for indoor activities. The American Heart Association has tips on keeping your family active around the house. The KidsHealth website provides a massive amount of information for kids, parents, and teens on various aspects of health and wellness, as well as some ideas on active play indoors.

·         Every once in a while, bundle up and get out there in the cold. Even with chilly temperatures, getting outside for a brisk walk, kicking a ball in the yard, or playing in the snow can elevate everyone’s mood and provide activity. Wear several layers of clothes, keep your head covered, and still drink lots of water (since we lose most of our water content through just breathing).

Enjoy some active fun with your family during these last few weeks of winter!

What does your family do to get exercise during colder weather? What activities provide your family both enjoyment and great exercise time?

Above images from http://office.microsoft.com

Author bio: Caroline is a wife, mother of a charming toddler boy, avid reader, and actually enjoys several types of exercise. She writes for the Faith Channel here at Today’s Housewife. She also holds a background in family fitness and is a certified personal trainer. You can also find her at her personal blog (Under God’s Mighty Hand) and on Twitter.

New Uses for Dryer Sheets

I *love* dryer sheets. They have so, so many uses. Other than the obvious one of making your clothes soft and static-free, I use them all the time around my home.

Here are a couple of tips for making the most out of your dryer sheets:

1. I use only 1/2 of a sheet in each load. It is plenty for a normal sized load of laundry. This will significantly stretch that box of dryer sheets. (Plus, it allows me to buy premium brand dryer sheets without a worry about cost.)

2. Keep used dryer sheets. These get tossed in a drawer in my bathroom. What for? They are perfect for removing deodorant stains that can get on your clothes when you get dressed a little too fast.

3. Keep a few cut up dryer sheets (into fourths or eighths) under your kitchen sink. These do need to be clean, unused ones. They are perfect for removing stuck-on food from pots and pans. Drop the dryer sheet into the dirty pan with water. Let it sit for a few minutes or more. Use the dryer sheet to wipe the pan clean. Wash as usual. You will be amazed at how easily this method cleans even the most burned, greasy mess. I love to use it for my crock pot!

What uses do you have for dryer sheets? Anything I've missed?

Is Your Check Engine Light On?

Uh-oh, you know that sign.  It's the dreaded check engine light.  When I see that light flash in my car, the first few things I think of is how much will this cost me?  What is broken?  Can I fix it or do I need to go to a mechanic? 

Thankfully, many auto parts stores have a cool little machine that you just plug into your car, a code pops up and they know immediately what is wrong.  After that, they tell me what part needs to be fixed and I go tell my husband.  He looks it up in the manual for my car and tells me if he can fix it or if I need to go to a mechanic.  Whew, that sure was easy for me!

Do you ever feel like your check engine light is on?  Frequently I do.  Not so much as something is physically broken, but more on a spiritual level.  I wish I had a machine that I can plug myself into.  One that can tell me if I am lacking in my prayer life, my reading, my fellowship with God and other believers, or anything else that might be wrong.  We may not have a machine to test us, but we do have a user's manual that we can refer to.

The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."  Psalm 119:7 says, "I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws."  It also says in Ephesians 4:11-13, "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

So what does all that mean?  I can check my life according to what He has written.  Am I praying continually?  Does that mean every word and thought should be a prayer?  No, but in everything I can go to Him in prayer.  My eyes don't need to be closed, I can pray while I'm driving; the important part is that my heart is in the right place and I'm praying to Him.  How do I learn His righteous laws?  By reading the Bible and studying His word.  Why should I fellowship with other believers?  Because we are called to build up one another so that we can "...mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."  By being around other Christians, they help us to mature and grow in our faith and our walk with Christ.

Can you obtain all 3 of these by just attending church on Sunday?  No.  Attending church on Sunday will allow you to fellowship with other believers, but can you really mature on a subject by just spending time with it for 2 hours, once a week?  Think of it this way, if Sally did her homework and I copied it, have I learned anything meaningful?  How about, if my pastor studied, prayed and put together a sermon, and I just listened to it, have I grown closer to God?  My pastor prayed before the sermon, doesn't that mean that I prayed this week?  I challenge you to take a look and see if your check engine light is on. 

Are you spending time maturing in your faith, or are you still looking for the code to see what is wrong?



Photo provided by Department of Environmental Conservation.

Husband-Loving Bars

          The Lord has entrusted me with an awesome responsibility in the family He has given me to love and care for. A responsibility I rarely feel equipped for, which is exactly His design, I think. If I felt fully prepared with all of the necessary strength, endurance, and tools, what would I need Him for? When I find myself utterly overwhelmed by my life, the Lord is right there waiting to pick me up. Its often said that "God never gives you more than you can handle." Its my view that He does just that. He gives you more than you can handle ON YOUR OWN. He gives you just enough that you NEED Him, and thank God for that.

          The other evening when my husband got home from work and found a platter of cookie bars on the counter he said, "Who are these for?". "Well they are for YOU, of course!" That one simple question led me to all of this today. Who were they for?

         The previous day I had finished my chores, and set out to bake something. I hadn't posted in a while on my food blog, and I wanted to put up some content. I grabbed a cookbook that's been waiting to be worked through and got to baking. The next day, I laid out the bars and photographed them on a nice platter...for my blog. Oh. Crap. For my blog. Not for my husband. No wonder why he had to ask.

         Am I putting in the time and effort to impress my husband that I am to impress my readers? Do I care about presentation with him as much as I do with strangers? This just isn't about a nice platter and a plate of bars. Oh no.

         For years I've been mainly a stay-at-home-mom. I've had four kids, all boys, since 2004. Since September 2003 I've been pregnant, or nursing, or both. We got married in August 2003. I didn't adjust very well. "Homemaking" was a foreign concept to me. Very soon after I started staying home, I quit putting on makeup if I wasn't leaving the house. Not too long after that I started justifying staying in my pajamas, all day long. Less laundry, right? And who cares if the house is a mess. Its only us seeing it...right? Its okay. I mean, I have FOUR kids!! I don't have time for all that stuff anymore, right? Wrong.

        My husband, the one I cared most about, had slipped down to last on my list somehow. In fact, he had fallen completely off of it. Ouch.

       I know that I won't have time every day to have everything perfect in my home. I won't always have time to do my hair, or have the table set and dinner ready, or have a plate of treats made and laid out especially for him. That isn't the point. The point is that God has revealed to me and my heart that I should TRY. I should CARE. I should be respecting and loving my husband enough even in this season of our lives to put his needs up on my list over my blog. Over my message boards. Over facebook. Over last night's t.v. shows I have dvr'd. What does your list look like? Are you living a "J.O.Y.full" life? Jesus.Others.Yourself. Something my selfish heart has to be reminded of often. I want to be my husband's crown. Are you yours?

Proverbs 12:4 (NIV)
A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

 

Husband-loving bars
(printable recipe click here)
adapted from "A Book Of Favorite Recipes" compiled by Solway Senior Citizen Group of Munger, Minnesota, 1976

Bottom:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup quick oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (only if you used unsalted butter)


Topping:
1 - 14oz can Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Tbsp butter
6 oz milk chocolate

1. Cream brown sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined.

2. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients. Slowly add in to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Press mixture into a 9x13 lined with parchment, non-stick foil, or well prepped with baking spray.

3. Using a double boiler, or a pot with an inch of water and another glass or metal bowl on top of it. Simmer water underneath, and add condensed milk, chocolate, and butter to top bowl. Stir until melted and combined.

4. Pour chocolate mixture over bars in prepped pan. Bake at 350 for 12-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.


Turns out these bars were some of my husband's favorites. I hope they can be yours too!

For more photos of this recipe please see my food blog, www.orwhateveryoudo.com