Confessions of a Mother

Confessions of a Mother

Being a mommy is hard. A lot harder then I thought it would be.

I always knew that I wanted to be a mom...eventually.

For those who do not know me, I was blessed with the news of my first child

shortly after my 22nd birthday. I know I know some of you are thinking "why so young?"

Life as you know it doesn't always goes as planned, surprise right?

and I was faced with a surprise that changed my life forever.

As a new 22 year old mom, I was in for a world of surprises.

My life went from all night bar hopping,

to all night feedings and diaper changes.

I went from date nights out with my fiance

to " it's your turn" while we lay on the couch exhausted.

Parenthood my friends, it's just not easy....

Here I am sitting before you,

one hubby, three daughters,

 and 5 1/2 years later and let me tell you it's still as confusing as day one.

Being a mother is a catch 22.

On one hand you feel like you can never do anything right, that you fall short,

and you are the most horrible person in the world when your child needs to "cry it out" (which I am having to do right now so my daughter sleeps in her bed, awful feeling!)

But on the other hand, you as a mother have the MOST important job and superpower in the world.

What other job can you watch the magic of their childhood happen through their eyes?

Make boo-boos all better, just from your kiss?

Where you hear "Watch me Mama!" and "I love you, Mama"?

Experience the joy in your child's eyes when you walk into the room, and they are just happy that you are there?

You are the most important and influential person in another human beings life, 

and there is no job my friend that can top that.

No CEO, no celebrity, no McDreamy doctor, nothing!

So tonight my fellow mothers, I raise my glass to you

 (which may or may not be a well deserved glass of wine).

Through all the diaper changes, sleepless nights, potty training,

tantrums, and "no no nos" 

You ARE doing it right!

You ARE enough!

And as long as you offer all the love you have to your child,

YOU will NEVER fall short...

Love,   

A tired Mommy

*Photo Credit: Marier Photography

What is Your favorite part about being a Mom?

A letter to myself on my wedding day

Oh Anniversaries...

This month Hubby and I are coming up on 5 years of marriage,

and while that's no where near a great accomplishment as many couples,

for us... it's our first big "milestone" anniversary.

We have accomplished a lot in our first few years of marriage. 

Five years has seemed to get flown by in a blink of an eye.

With my anniversary coming up in a few weeks, 

I am taking a moment to reflect back to where hubby and started this whole crazy journey together. 

..Our Wedding...

Would I have changed anything?

Was it worth all the worry and sleepless nights?

 I have to wonder if I wrote a letter to my "bride-to be" self,

what would I say?

*cough cough* So brides-to-be listen up, 

this is my heart-felt advice to you

A Letter to Myself on My Wedding Day

Dear Beautiful Bride, 

As you are about to embark on what you believe to be 

the most important day of your life,

 I want you to know that it's ok to breathe and I promise that everything will be alright.

Don't worry about how you will look in pictures.

...Your husband still thinks you look beautiful

(even FIVE years later).

Don't worry if the church isn't decorated perfectly.

... You didn't even notice them as you walked towards your groom.

Don't worry about finding those perfect shoes for under the dress.

... You kicked them off as soon as you got to the reception.

Don't worry about the rain in the weather forecast.

... The sun was shining for pictures and your young hopeless romantic guests had fun 

dancing in the rain.

Don't worry about if the favors are placed perfectly on the table.

....I promise they were happily eaten.

The seating arrangement that you lost many nights sleep over.

.... Your guests will comment for years how much fun they had.

Don't worry about creating the "perfect" play list for the DJ.

...Everyone danced the night away.

This day in your life is important. 

It's magical.

It's filled with love. 

But my dear bride,

 I promise this isn't the most important day of your life. 

Back then, I thought it was and I know you are feel it now.

Leave your worries at the door

and enjoy your day.

Just remember that the "most important" day of your life

is yet to come..

...Its creating your first home together,

and sharing laughs while painting the bathroom.

...It's burning that dinner,

that you tried so hard to impress him with.

..It's sitting on the toilet,

seeing that little stick turn pink.

... It's holding your child for the first time, 

and realizing that nothing else now matters.

... Its the first night home as a new family,

and your husband asks you to dance right there in the middle of the living room.

...It's being so angry with your spouse,

that you can't help but laugh at each other
because you can't remember why you were fighting in the first place.

..It's the "I love you's" 

and watching your family grow.

So my dear bride...

Enjoy your day and have it be worry free.

Don't stress out about the small things, family or friends...

 This day is for YOU..

It's a START of a beautiful journey,

and remember no matter what goes wrong...

... the "Best Day of your Life"...

... is still yet to come...

What advice would you give, if you could write a letter to yourself
on your wedding day?

Recipe: Whole wheat penne with mushroom and artichokes

So recently I have been on a hunt for new recipes

to switch up our "normal" rotation of meals. 

Winter can be so gloomy, so what better than a nice pesto pasta.

Usually in the summer I make homemade pesto,

since we have a bundance of fresh basil on hand.

But since its winter,

and I failed to grow basil inside this year,

store bought pesto had to do.

I found this recipe from the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook.

(I admitt, I changed a few things slightly. I can't seem to just leave a recipe alone!)

I really liked this recipe,

because most of the ingredients I usually have on hand

or are easily accessible in our local grocery store.

As a mother of two small children,

quick and easy is a MUST.

What you need:

6 oz whole wheat penne pasta

3 Tbs evoo (olive oil)

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 small sweet or red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large tomato, chopped

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and slightly chopped

1/4 c. pesto

5 tsp. grated parmesan cheese (for topping)

salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: In a large pot, bring water to boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions.

Drain and toss with 2 tbs evoo.

Step 2: Heat 1 tbs evoo in large nonstick pan on med-high heat. Saute mushrooms and onion for about 6 minutes until juices start to carmelize.

Step 3: Add garlic and artichokes, saute 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until softened.

Step 4: Add pasta and pesto. Toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5: sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serves 4

Enjoy!

Recipe: Homemade Buns

So I have been on a kick lately of trying my hand at baking fresh bread.

Ive tried whole wheat bread and olive oregano bread

in my bread maker,

but this what my first try at hamburger buns in the oven.

I tried two different recipes that I found..

...a long version and a short version.

Definitely the winner was the short version.

I found this recipe on Taste of Home.

What you need:

2 Tbs active dry yeast

1 cup  + 2 Tbs warm water

1/3 cup veg. oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp salt

3- 3 1/2 cups flour

(I used 2 c. white flour and 1 1/4 c. wheat flour)

In a stand mixer ( or larger bowl) mix water and yeast together until dissolved.

Add in the oil and sugar, then let rest for 5 minutes.

Add in the egg and salt.

(If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and turn to speed 2)

Slowly add in flour while kneading.

Knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.

(if kneading by hand, use a floured surface)

Divide dough into 12 round balls and place on a greased baking sheet.

Cover. Let rest and rise for 10 minutes.

Bake at 425 degrees for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool on wire racks and enjoy!

I loaded up these homemade buns with BBQ pulled pork.

YUMMY!

Slow and Steady

I wanted to give a little update on one of my new years resolutions

to eat a healthier, more natural, and less processed diet.

Eating organic is nice, but its not a huge concern for me right now.

I knew it wasn't realistic at this point for us to do

a complete 180 on our diet,

But my goal instead was to make simple baby steps in the right direction.

..and that I feel we have achieved

and we are on the right track.

- We now eat WAY more whole and multi grains.

- I try to make more homemade meals.

 -I started prepping and freezing meals,

so I always have a healthier options to cook

or place in my beloved slow-cooker.

- We now eat a salad almost every night with dinner

- More fruits and veggies

Don't get me wrong, we still enjoy sweets here and there,

or have good ol' comfort food

(I am from Minnesota after all, haha)

But I feel better overall of what I eat and what I feed my family.

Plus, losing that baby weight doesn't hurt either :)

Living Homemade: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

This was my first attempt at baking cookies with whole wheat flour.
 I was a little nervous about baking with it, in fear that it would be "grainy", but they turned out great! I couldn't even tell the difference from  plain white flour.

What you need:
2 c. 100 % white whole wheat flour
(I got mine at Trader Joe's, its great for pastries)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. softened butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla extract
 2 eggs
 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
 (I used milk and white chocolate)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine flour, salt and baking soda in small bowl, and set aside.
Combine brown sugar, white sugar, softened butter, and vanilla. Beat well until creamy. 
Add eggs and beat well.
Add dry ingredients slowly to wet mixture. Mix well.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop mixture, in rounded teaspoonfuls onto a non-greased cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes. (makes roughly 24 cookies)

Blessings

What is it about watching a baby sleep,

that makes you reflect on your life?

I sit here awake in my living room,

with nothing but the sound of my daughter sleeping

in her bouncy chair next to me. 

Her face reflects her innocence

and with one glance,

I am reminded how blessed I am

to be a mom..

..to be her mom..

My life is no longer about me.

It's not about my wants,

or my needs.

My life is now about my daughters.

and know what?

I wouldn't have it any other way.

I feel so blessed

to be able to hold their hands

and help guide them

to whom they will become.

God has given me

the greatest gift

.. and for that I am truly thankful..

My girls will grow up

so fast.

 I may lose countless hours of sleep.

But when I look over at her,

 she is sound asleep and dreaming.

I know that it is worth it.

These are the little moments

I will cherish forever.

Living Homemade: Banana "ice cream"

So in my effort to eat healthier,

I found my new favorite treat!

...Banana "ice cream"...

Well, yes it's technically not ice cream

but the texture is very similar.

Without all that extra sugar and fat.

heck, you'll  never know the difference!

It fulfills my frozen treat cravings.

For one serving all you need is:

 1 frozen banana ( I let it thaw slightly)

blender or food processor

Optional mix-ins:

peanut butter

fruit

anything you desire!

Yup that's really it.

Blend it to a thick creamy texture

and enjoy!

Living Homemade: Egg Noodles

So one of my biggest New Years resolutions was to have

my family and I eat cleaner, healthier and make more homemade goods.

With the majority of food being prepackaged and processed.

Its kinda scary what all the ingredients are in it,

especially when I can make the same thing and control what my family eats.

(That's the goal anyway)

So tonight I had my first attempt at making noodles.

It was super easy and I will make them again and again.

Although, next time I will definitely roll them thinner and cut them smaller.

The noodles expand a lot once cooked. So beware!

Next time they will be even better!

There are tons of noodle recipes out there,

but this time I used the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

Check her out- she has an awesome picture tutorial.

I would recommend this recipe when making spaghetti, lasagna or fettuccine type noodles.

As for a plain egg noodle,

I might try another recipe for more of an "eggy" flavor.

What you need (2 servings):

2 eggs

2 cups flour

(one for recipe and one for on table)

Yes, that's it!

I told you..easy!

In bowl, place one cup of flour. Dig a well in middle of flour to place your cracked eggs in.

Stir lightly with a spoon to mix in egg.

Then with a floured hand, knead dough on a well floured surfaced until dough becomes smooth and less sticky. 

You may have to use more flour if dough is too sticky to your surface.

Let dough rest for a few minutes. Then with a rolling pin, roll dough thinly and as flat as it will go.

remember your noodles will expand! ( I learned this first hand )

With a long knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into strips of desired shapes and length.

Place into boiling salted water. The noodles will cook in about 2 minutes.

Drain and pair with your favorite sauce!

Goodbye 2012.. Hello 2013

          The year 2012 was one of many adventures and adjustments for my family. 

Not only did we welcome April into the world,

but made the biggest purchase of our lives, a home.

This past year I also survived my Practicum teaching

(while being a full time mom and working)

and finished my last college course of my Undergraduate career.

2012 wasn't always easy,

but it sure was a year of blessings and change.

What's ahead for the year 2013? Well that is unknown..

I do know that I want 2013 to a year

of growth and settlement for my family.

Most importantly, I plan to graduate and obtain my Minnesota Teaching License.

I have been dreaming of the day when I finally get to wear that cap and grown, and finally receive my Bachelor of Science! It's been a long day coming.. SEVEN years in the making to be exact!

I plan on finishing unpacking our house

and making it feel and look like home.

With this busy last semester,

believe it or not, we sill have abut half of our boxes that we need to unpack.

That includes decorating and putting our "touches" in the house.

Its time for our new builder block house to reflect our taste and character.

I plan on finding new ways to waste less and save more.

This includes time and money.

Yes, I will be sharing my ideas of what works for us along the way.

I'm going to attempt more freezer cooking and homemade items.

Time with my children is priceless

and I want to get as many moments for that that as I can.

I plan on a healthier lifestyle and diet for my family.

We are pretty good when it comes to food,

but we need a diet change for health reasons.

With my husband having an auto-immune disease

and the girls and I having bad horrible eczema, we need to try something.

So our goal is to switch to less processed foods

 and try a more whole food lifestyle.

With busy schedules and trying to stay on budget,

we know its not realistic to go completely "all natural"

but we want to move towards that direction.

Eat less processed foods, and more fruits veggies and whole grains.

Oh and more exercise is a must for me (goodbye baby weight!)

With our three main goals in mind,

we hope 2013 will be an exciting and fulfilling year.

I for one, cant wait to see what it brings :)

Happy New Years!

Love,  

    Sarah

Winter Recipe: Navy Bean and Ham Soup

Well, Christmas is now over.

Time to slowly take down all the holiday decorations and clean up all the shredded wrapping paper from the living room.  Which brings me to my next project of turning our unfinished lower level into a play room. Between recent birthdays and christmas, I'm drowning in toys, toys and more toys. It's time to make a place for sophie play and have fun without me and jeff worrying about tripping over everything. But that project and post is for another day.

Today, I want to share my great-grandmothers navy bean and ham soup. This soup is perfect for leftover holiday ham, or if you are like me, and purchased a ham during after holiday sales.

This soup freezes well, so its great to make in a big batch. Easy lunch idea anyone?

This recipe can be altered a little bit, depending on how much ham you have.

I used 2 lbs of dried navy beans

Roughly a 1 1/2 lbs cooked ham (diced)

1 onion (diced)

3 carrots (diced)

3 celery stalks (diced)

garlic powder - to taste

seasoning salt- to taste

dash of cayenne pepper

dash of pepper

1/4 tsp.baking soda

Soak beans over night. In morning, boil about 15 minutes.

Add 1/4 tsp baking soda. Boil about 2-3 minutes more. Drain and rinse.

Cover beans with water. Add ham (and ham bone if you still have it). Also add chopped carrots, onion and celery.

Season to taste. Simmer for 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Winter Recipe: Mexican Cornbread

Nothing goes better with winter chili and hearty stews then cornbread.

My family this year did something a little different for Christmas dinner.

We had Cincinnati chili, salad and Mexican cornbread. Each family is in charge of bringing part of the meal to contribute, so I made my Nana's cornbread recipe.

This cornbread was delicious, and I got tons of compliments. It's made with creamed corn so it nice and moist. Sorry I didn't any pictures, it disappeared so fast!

What you need:

3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. melted butter

1 egg

1 small can creamed style corn

1 box jiffy cornbread mix

1 small green pepper (or can do a small can of chilies)

2 c. grated cheddar cheese

*If you like it spicy- try adding some jalapeno

Step 1: Mix all ingredients (except cheese) in a medium bowl.

Step 2: Add half of mixture in a greased 7x11 pan.

Step 3: Add 1 1/2 c. cheese. Then add rest of mixture on top. Top with remaining cheese.

Step 4: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas

 from our family to yours!

Love,

The Mariers



Photos by Shayna Marier



Winter Recipe: Baked Potato Soup

 With winter now in full swing,

nothing is better than a warm bowl of baked potato soup.

This soup was super easy to prepare

and you can even use leftover mashed potatoes!

What you need:

12 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)

2/3 c. margarine or butter

2/3 c. flour

6 c. milk

2 c. chicken broth (more if you prefer thinner soup)

5-6 medium potatoes (cooked, peeled, mashed in chunks)

4 green onions (chopped)

1 1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little more for topping)

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1 tsp. garlic powder.

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

Step 1: In a stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour slowly until smooth.

Step 2:  Gradually stir in milk,stirring constantly until thickened.

Step 3: Add in potatoes, onions, salt pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil and stir frequently.

Step 4: Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes (stirring here and there)

Step 5: Stir in majority (save some for toppings) of bacon, cheese and sour cream. Cook until heated through.

Step 6: Top with more cheese, onions and bacon crumbles.

Serve with sliced french bread. Enjoy!

Good to be back...

      Wow I can hardly believe that it has been OVER two months since I posted on this blog of mine. But I can say with pride and joy that I sucessfully completed my last semester of classes in college! ok ok,  well my last classes as an undergrad. I do plan to go on to Grad School once I am in the field for a little while. Thankfully, all I have left now if my student teaching next fall. I am very grateful for this break. So the moral of the story is that.. I'm back! and truely missed blogging.

So much to do..So little time!

    Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this blog of mine. I have officially stumbled upon my busiest semester yet.. the dreaded senior year.. Duh Duh dum.. 

    It crazy how their doesn't seem to be enough hours of the day to get everything done (especially when you're a student and teaching!).

     It makes me sad that I haven't had the time lately to keep up on my hobby, but I promise after the new year... I'm all yours.

Today, I started my first day of my 100+ hours of practicum teaching. I have to say, I absolutely adore middle school students so far! I was placed in a senior high classroom last time, and it's a completely different energy. My students are so full of energy and are willing to participate! Yay!

Teaching is definately a lot of work and time consuming, but it's worth it :)

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

-- Benjamin Franklin

Slowing Things Down

Is it me or are holidays now being pushed upon us earlier every year? I just purchased the girls holiday outfits, because sadly if you wait until December everything is picked over.

     As I kid I lived for holidays, and in many ways I still do.  Our house was always decorated accordingly and I loved it!

As soon as October came around, it was time for Halloween decorations.

November was a time for thanksgiving decorations

and in December everything was decked out for Christmas.

Now, it seems like all the stores are pushing the holidays on earlier and earlier. Department stores already have Christmas decorations out and holiday outfits, and Halloween hasn't even happened  yet!

 What happened to enjoying the holiday at hand?

Life flys by so fast as it is. Why are we always rushing to the next thing, instead of enjoying the little moments at hand? I always try to remind myself everyday in the mist of my crazy day, that I need to slow things down and enjoy every moment with my family.

 Sooner than I know it, the kids will be all grown up and all we'll have left is the simple memories.



"Forever is composed of nows." - Emily Dickinson

Kitchen Boycott: Pork and Potatoes with Mustard Sauce

Today was a foggy and cloud day in Minnesota. Days like this puts me in a lazy mood and all motivation for housework goes out the window. So today was the absolute PERFECT day for a crock pot meal!

 Pork chops seem to be a staple in our rotation of meats, so I wanted to try something new with it.

What you need:

6 pork loin chops - trimmed
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz)
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 medium potatoes - thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced

Step 1: In skillet, brown pork chops in 1 tbsp oil. 

Step 2: In crock pot, mix soup, chicken broth, mustard, thyme, garlic, and pepper.

 Step 3:Add potatoes and onion, stirring to coat. Place browned pork chops on top of potato mixture.

Step 4: Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 to 5 hours.

Recipe: Juicy Roasted Chicken

My husband is not a fan of chicken, unless it's moist and hidden within dishes.  So, I'm always trying new chicken recipes that he will enjoy.

Tonight was my second time making this recipe and both times was absolutely delicious. The celery keeps it so moist and the meat falls right off the bone. Plus, we now have lots of leftovers for future recipes!

What you need:

1 (3 lb) whole chicken- with giblets removed

1 celery stalk, cut into 3 larger pieces

1/2 c. butter

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 2: Place chicken in roasting pan. Add 3 tablespoons and celery pieces inside the chicken cavity.

Step 3: Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Step 4: Bake uncovered for 1 hr 45 min (until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees). Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

Apple Picking

      Today, Jeff and I took our girls and our niece and nephew to Apple Jack's Orchard in Delano, MN. Fall is my favorite time of year and it is always fun to enjoy the scents and flavors of the season.

The kids had so much fun playing on the hay playground,

Saw the animals in the petting zoo,

and pick out their own lil' pumpkins!

Jeff and I enjoyed fresh hot apple cider and bought honey crisp apples

and homemade apple butter to bring home! Yum!