From a Stay At Home Mom to a Working Mom and Back Again

When John was born I wasn't sure how long I would get to stay home with him but was hopeful to stay home as long as possible. I wanted to be the "ideal" stay at home wife and mother. That's not exactly how it happened. I was learning how to be a mother. We had just moved into a fixer upper. I was frustrated. Very frustrated. My husband was working extremely hard and trying to keep his grades up in his Masters program. Eventually due to financial needs I went back to work when my son was six months old. It was very hard. I wanted my son. I wanted him close to me. I was breastfeeding. I needed him and he needed me. I was lucky because we had worked out a schedule were my husband could stay home with him while I was at work and we would switch when I got home. I longed to hold him instead of the babies I was holding at work but, eventually it felt like those babies were mine too. John did fine when he was home with his dad and I got more comfortable with it. Some days were still very hard but we made it through them.

I am so excited that starting in November, I will be back to being a full time, stay at home mom with my little man. I prayed and prayed and prayed for this to happen. This time around I feel like I have a little bit more of an idea of what I'm doing. I'm going to try to keep a schedule. I'm going to take John to the park, go for walks and daily Mass too. I feel like I am so much more prepared this time around. It helps that John is older now and that doesn't want to nurse every time I start to work on something. It will all change when the baby comes. Hopefully because this one is my second I'll know what I'm doing more and feel like I can get more done.

I learned through my experience that working moms need just as much support as stay at home moms. It's hard for working moms to leave their children. It's hard for them to leave their children for eight hours a day with someone else and feel like they are missing out on so much of their child's life. They are jealous of their caretakers if they choose to admit it or not. It makes sense, THEY want to be the one taking care of them and playing with them and changing their poopy diapers. They need advice, they want to connect with other moms, they want to feel like they have worth too.

I've learned that stay at home moms want to feel respect for all the things that they do. They want society to realize that they are doing hard work. That raising children, cleaning the home ( 5 or more times a day after children constantly destroy it), running the household, and trying to keep up an attractive appearance is exhausting, honest, hard work that has you constantly on your toes 24 hours a day. Stay at home moms want to connect with other moms, they want to know that they are not the only one feeling lonely, tired, frustrated, and like they aren't doing a good enough job.

Having done both now, I can not judge. Each one has its benefits and it's downfalls. I am looking forward to staying home again and becoming more involved with the groups I was previously apart of before I had to go to work. I am so excited to get out and meet other moms and swap stories. I am even more excited to be able to snuggle my little man and watch him learn every day.

God Always Has A Bigger Plan

In my personal experience the good times have outnumbered bad. There are times in my life though that I have dwelled on the bad. Times that I have let the bad, troubling, hard times make me feel like there was no hope for that situation. I tend to be one who over anazlizes situations and words that have been spoken, reading way more into things than needs to be or just assuming certain thoughts, feelings, or ideas of the other person (typically negative towards me or situation).

What I have learned so far in my life though, is that there is good in everything. God has a plan for every situation that we are put into, every trial we face, every joyful moment. There is that saying that "when one door closes another opens", I've found that so very true.

I recently read about a family of missionaries ( 2 parents and 6 children) who were doing missionary work in Mexico. They were faced with a devastating loss. Their youngest, their 18 month old, died from from a drowning accident. Their testimonies about the beauty of their child's life and the beauty in their child's death is so heart wrenching and faith filled that it only gives me hope that someday I can have that much trust in God and in God's divine plan. Both the mother and father see the good that has come from their little boys life even in the midst of their grief.

Here is the father's eulogy: http://frommetomissionary.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/saint-ezekiel-kiehl-missionary-and-apostle-to-mexico/

Here is the mother's http://frommetomissionary.wordpress.com/2014/09/18/st-ezekiel-daniel-francisco-kiehl-vrazel-pray-for-us-by-teresa-kiehl/

I'll be honest, as a mother to an 18 month old myself and with a little one on the way, I bawled throughout both of them. To the point where I had to stop and walk away many times. Have some tissues handy!

Their story was just what I needed to remind me that God's hand is in everything we do, everything that happens to us, everything that happens around us, and everything that will come. Though I have never met this family or the little boy they've touched my heart and made me focus more on God and my faith. They've lead me closer to Jesus just through their story.


Today I am thankful for my babies but also for this family. I am thankful that I came across their story. I hope that their story opens your heart to the knowledge that God has a plan for each one of us and that the things that feel so wrong in our life are only leading to better things to come.

Little Saint Ezekiel - Pray for Us.

Have You Prayed Today?

One of the shirts my husband had made for his company simply asks the question, "Have you prayed today"? I'll be honest, some days I have to stop at the end of the day and think, "Did I"? Did I pray today?

Our prayer life is a journey that is constantly changing. I always liked the idea that praying is like picking up the phone and calling a friend, only that friend is God. When I think about it that way it makes it easier on me to accept the times I failed to pray. Our relationships with our friends seem to be very intense, often calling one another, and at other times, a few days go by, weeks, months, maybe years. If the person is a really good friend, it doesn't matter how much time has gone by because you can pick up the conversation right where it left off the last time you spoke. Speaking to God is the same. He is the super great friend that no matter how much time has gone by they genuinely want to know what's going on in your life, they want to hear from you, they want to know what they could do to help. He's that friend that always answers, no matter what time it is or how busy they are.

I have found that my prayer life is sometimes more like, little texts to God throughout the day. As a mom, it's easier that way for me. As soon as I walk out the front door for work, I say, "Good morning, Lord".

 As I'm changing diapers, I may pray for another child to go to sleep. On my way home, I may or may not exasperatedly pray for the driver in front of me to get off of their phone and use their blinker. (That may or may not have happened just today.) When I'm doing the dishes (my LEAST favorite chore), I put a prayer card on the window sill and say the prayer while I'm washing the dishes. Some days I have longer "phone" conversations with God but typically, I'm more of a text message kind of girl.

I like to think that some how my little "text" prayers make up a bigger prayer that was just said slowly throughout the day.




 How about you? Do you "text" pray or "phone call" pray?

"Momiform"

I have found that there is a HUGE difference between how I wore clothes before I was a mom and the clothes I now prefer to wear as a wife and a mother. I guess that it's possible because there is a very obvious (to me at least and of course my husband) 20 pound difference and the way I see myself.

In high school I was led to believe that showing off the feminine figure with was flattering.

I couldn't find a good picture of what I was describing but, you get the gist from this look.

 My early years of college I was led to believe that plus bought into the sloppy, Pj's as day clothes, just rolled out of bed look.



Mismatch PJ Day

In our culture we are led to believe the sexier the better for women. We're also told that wearing pjs in public is an acceptable clothing choice. It has become a free for all. It has become overly subjective. I find this less than liberating. I find it shackling. Shackling because it minimizes true beauty and intelligence. It takes away from others their ability to see me with dignity. People do judge on appearance. Our clothing choices tend to say a lot about how we view ourselves, our respect for others, and how we want to be treated.

I feel lazy in sweats. Yes, I realize that's silly because normal people work out in sweats. I'll be honest, when I put on sweats, ALL I can really think about is laying on the couch and sleeping. Now, when I put on a nice outfit and do my hair I feel like, I could run errands, clean the kitchen, and if someone came to the door, I would have no problem answering it.


I no longer see myself as someone with something to prove by my looks as I did in high school. I see myself as an example to set for my children, a lovely image for my husband to come home, and a woman with dignity who should be respected by myself and others.

I feel better when I dress nicely. I act differently when I dress nicely.

My good friend Sarah and I often send our "Momiform" outfits to each other as a sort of way of holding each other accountable. It is one of my favorite parts of my day.

I have even noticed that since I have made a distinct effort to look nice every day that my husband treats me differently. Not in a huge way but in little ways.


A "Momiform" day with my little man :)

Sarah's outfits are different than mine. I usually wear a skirt and a shirt and do my hair. I don't wear makeup but will try to accessorize a little bit here and there.

My challenge for you is to try just one day this week (if you don't already) to put yourself together. Does it make you feel different? Does anyone treat you differently?

Ramblings

Whoops! Time has flown by since I have written last. School and family life have taken over much of my time. I've been thinking about my blog (as little as it is) and thinking that I am in need of writing something. So, the rambling thoughts I've had lately.

#1. It's amazing how much one action can affect another person. I'm coming to realize that it really is the little things that matter. It is going out of our way to do something for another that is true charity. Small acts of charity are what show we are Christian. These small act of kindness are so easy ( or maybe not, depending on what you are doing). Who knows, maybe it will start a chain reaction and those people will feel called to also act with charity towards another person. We're all battling something that causes darkness in our lives, helping creating hope and light in another person may be the extra "umph" we need to embrace the light and let the darkness fade away.

 Some easy ones to do are:

•  Saying a prayer for the person in front of you at a stop light
• Holding the door open for the person behind you at the store
•  Smiling and responding to the greeter at Wal-Mart
• Keeping bottled water in your car and giving them out to the people you see begging on the sides of the road

2. John's first Birthday is rapidly approaching and I just can not believe that it has already almost  been a year. As I type this he is standing in his bed (on top of a toy), waving, and saying "mama". Holy Cow! So different than March of last year when I brought home this little bity baby boy in a car seat and thought to myself, "what do I do now"? ( I don't think I'm the only mother who has had the surreal moment when you realize, this little baby is mine, and I need to do all these things for them, and oh my gosh, where do I begin?) I haven't even started planning his birthday party. Whoops!

3. Can we make it a common courtesy to never ask a woman if she's pregnant unless she is most obviously pregnant. By that I mean, really she has a basketball sized bump and is waddling, and complaining about how she is craving strawberry ice cream with some dill pickles and a roasted bell pepper filled with fried mozzarella sticks pregnant.  As a woman who apparently is often mistaken for being pregnant when I'm not, I find it so rude. Before I was married I had the question posed to me a few times by random people with whom I didn't see on a regular basis nor did I know well enough to even call an acquaintance. I laughed it off and said "not a chance". As a married woman who now has been through a pregnancy I have been mistakenly asked if I was giving John a baby sister. Though I said, "I'm not expecting yet but maybe some day". I'm not sure the older woman fully understood that I'm not pregnant.  What I really wanted to say is "I'm actually just fat or haven't lost all of the baby weight from John yet whichever way you want to look at it."

4. John has begun to hold his breath and clench his fists when angry or frustrated. It's terrifying to look at but my husband also thinks it is a tad funny. I worry what this means his temper will be like in another year when we hit the terrible two's and he is wanting so much to assert his independence. Please, someone tell me this is just a stage!

Are You Building Your Husband Up?

Proverbs 21:9  "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife."  

 I think that lion would LOVE to be on the housetop right about now.

         
       Our husband should be treated with the utmost respect. We should not be nagging. We should be building them up to their true potential. You can not build someone up with negative comments. I believe in positive reinforcement. Praise will get you a lot further than complaint.  This is true not only with your husband but with anyone.

For example: You're walking out of the gas station and your husband holds the door open for you. You look them in the eyes and say, "Thank you!" with a smile. Chances are, he is going to hold the door open again. If you had said, "oh, I can get it" and don't smile or make eye contact chances are he won't try to do that again. That goes the same for anyone. When was the last time someone reacted negatively to you doing something? Did you want to that action again?

 

My husband showed me this. I think it is so funny!

Our husbands have pressure from society just like we do. Expectations that they might not meet, may make them feel like less than a man. We want them to come home and feel like the "Man of the house". We want them to know, we love them for the man that they are not what society says they should be. I think we as ladies expect our husbands to tell us we look beautiful, to maybe bring home flowers every once in awhile, to plan romantic/fun dates, or do sweet things for us but are we telling them how much we appreciate their hard work, how nice they look all dressed up for work, how much we appreciate when they help out around the house, or when they spend time with the kids while you get that project (or maybe a bubble bath) done sans children?

Today take a moment today and build your husband up!

Linking up with Living Proverbs 31.

10 Ways How Being A SAHM Has Changed Me

 

 

1.  Coffee no longer gets me through the day but prayer does. Staying home with your children and taking care of the house is no easy feat. Though rewarding it can also be frustrating. I've learned that a quick prayer of "God, please please please help me get through this". Usually gets me through what ever diaper explosion, full sink of dishes, nap refusing, teething, spit up all over a clean outfit and I'm already late, moment.

2. I've had to become creative with meals. I am not a veggie lover. I like some vegetables but...if given of the choice of carrot sticks or apple slices. I'll probably always choose the apple. My husband likes to garden so we have a lot of vegetables. I've had to find ways to cook these vegetables so that we both will eat them. I've begun making our own bread. Which is honestly really easy with a bread machine. I even made cinnamon raisin bread for quick breakfasts.

3. I've had to become more thrifty. Not only when it comes to baby items but also with groceries (see #2 lol), clothes for myself, and household items we may need. Garage sales, Goodwill, and other thrift stores have become my favorite stores! Never again will I shop at name brand stores!!

4. I like to clean. I'm sure my mother is thanking God right now. I never really enjoyed cleaning but now, I like it because, I like to have a clean home.

5. I am a light sleeper. I used to sleep through alarms and need multiple alarm clocks. Now that I have an been co-sleeping with my son, the softest noise from him will wake me up for a good 5 to 10 minuets.

6. I need a schedule. I like knowing what is going to happen next. I technically follow my sons schedule. He typically likes to get up, eat, sleep, play, ect. at about the same times every day. I love knowing, when I'll be able to shower, eat, hang out diapers, all of my other chores. It makes me feel less stressed about getting everything done.

7. I love reading other mother's blogs. I never desired to read other mother's thoughts on certain topics until I became one myself. Now I find peace of mind, humility, understanding, and a shoulder to cry on through the experiences of other moms.

8. My idea of luxury will never be the same.  I don't need the nicest car, the nicest house or a million dollars (Though don't get me wrong, the million dollars would be nice to live off of and give away) I just need my healthy happy family, some wine, chocolate, and a good movie.

9. Vacation...You mean taking a shower alone? That is my idea of a vacation.

10.  I appreciate my husband's hard work even more. Being at home with our child helps put things into perspective for me. My husband works hard to make enough money to make ends meet to keep a roof over our head, food on the table, gas in our cars, and pay our bills so that I can stay home. He never complains about all that he has to do for us. I know that he does all of these things out of love.

This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday.

7 Quick Takes

--- 1 ---

Last Saturday was the La Leche League Big Latch On. It was so fun!

We're on the right. Signing In. Our friends are on the left :)

--- 2 ---

Southwest Missouri Real Diaper Circle - We go to this meeting once a month. We discuss cloth diapering options. I love going to this meeting. I get to see babies of all ages in all their super cute cloth diaper glory. Plus, John gets some socialization.

--- 3 ---

I am loving some White Zinfandel wine right now. I usually really like dark reds. My hubby picked this up at the store the other day and it is so light and yummy!

--- 4 ---

I made Fried zucchini the other day with this recipe. It was so good. It tasted almost like the fried zucchini you can get at Olive Garden. YUM!

--- 5 ---

Hasn't this rain been crazy?  I don't know about you, but I could use just a little sunshine. We stayed out at John's godparents house this week. They live way out in the country. On our way back into town you could see where the roads had been washed out by the rain the night before. There was even debris in the middle of the roads (think big logs) from small creeks that usually never get high enough to reach the road.

--- 6 ---

I decided to put a new quilt on our bed. This quilt was made for me by my Grandmother Connor (My mother's mother). It is made up of each state's flower and bird. She hand painted each square! Some of them are quite intricate.

 

--- 7 ---

Has anyone else heard of this? It is amazing!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

5 Favorite Summer Drinks

1. Home made Strawberry Lemonade - I can't get enough of this stuff!


2. Sweet Tea - The sweeter the better!



3. Marco Negri Moscato D'Asti- I could drink the whole bottle in one sitting. It's so light and sweet!
 I might be guilty of doing that a time or two.


4. Black Berry Gin and Tonic - YUM!



5.  Mango Infusion Tea - Mystic Monk  
This is a great breakfast tea! It is made with black tea so it has just enough caffeine to wake you up a bit!




This post is linked to:

Top 10 Reasons Why I Use Cloth Napkins

Right after my husband and I got married we decided to start using cloth napkins. This was an easy way for us to save money. I was a little wary of them at first but now, I think they are wonderful. Here are my top 10 Reasons why I use cloth napkins.


1. There is no trash! These help so our trash can doesn't fill up as often. You just wash and reuse!

2. They can be plain or have fun designs. I love that I can match mine to the season or holiday.


3.  They are cheap! You can either buy them at yard sales, second hand stores, off etsy, or make your own! My husband refuses to pay more than $0.25 per napkin. We have bought really nice ones for as little as $0.10 per napkin.

4. You can fold them super fancy!  Want to impress your company? Just check out this website for instructions on how to fold your napkins!




5. You can use it as a bib! Forget to do that load of laundry with the bibs in it? Don't have time to run and grab one? Just slip a side into your child's shirt and instant protection.


6. They are easy to clean! You can just throw them in with a load of your regular laundry. If you are not getting them super dirty at one sitting, you can use them again and again until they are dirty. We use ours for a few days before we wash them.



7. You can use them as coasters! We just fold our napkins into 4ths and slip them under our glasses.

8. You can use them to clean things other than your hands and faces. I often use ours to dry the table off after I have wiped it down. Sometimes I even dust with ours.

9. You can use them as hankies. I often use ours to wipe up spit up from our 4 month old.

10. They last for a long time! All of our cloth napkins are second hand and we've had them all for a year. They look just as good as they did when we bought them!


This post is linked to Top Ten {Tuesday}.

A Letter To Newlyweds W/ References to Indiana Jones

So many of my friends are getting married. I've written a letter full of just the little bit of wisdom I've learned since I've been married. Though, I've only been married for a year, I think some of this advice will help. At least, I hope it does.

Dear Newlyweds,

This is an exciting adventure that you are embarking on. I say adventure because, much like an Indiana Jones movie, there is a treasure to seek, some perils to go through, some laughs to enjoy, some friends to help, some companions that will let you down, some romance, and if you're lucky a perfect ending.



The treasure you seek together is Heaven. Pray for each other. Don't pray to change the other person. Pray to better understand the other person. Sometimes you are the one in need of change. Pray together. It builds a good foundation for when times are rough.

I pray for my husband every time I pray before a meal. That is roughly 3 times a day. I also pray for him before I go to sleep at night. We sometimes pray the Divine Office together. On car rides we often pray a rosary together. Almost every Sunday we go to mass together. (There are few exceptions.)



There are perils to go through. Indiana Jones would  had to almost die 6 times, be covered in some kind of creepy crawly thing (or snakes....ugh snakes) to get to what he wanted. They may be financial instability, a loss of a job, infertility, a loss of a child, illness or infidelity. It could be anything that puts a lot of stress on your relationship. You will have to learn to work together. This sounds easy now when everything is wonderful and perfect but, when things are frustrating, annoying, and hard it is much much harder than you think.Money is always an issue in marriage. Be honest, be honest, be honest! It is hard sharing money and financial matters with another person. Remember to be honest about how you feel. Sometimes one of you will need more space than the other to think things through, to deal with it, to figure it out, to pray it out and that's ok. Don't fight that need in the other. (This could lead to larger conflict.) Compromise is sometimes harder said than done. Pick your battles. Know when you should just let it go.


 My husband is in charge of all of our financial matters. He is the head of the household, he has final say in all matters. That is what works for us, what will work for you will depend on you two. I lost my job 24 days before my son was due. My insurance was due to run out a week before his due date. By God's grace we had him early but what a stress in the meantime. I'm now a stay at home mom, which has meant my husband had to work even harder than he was already working to make ends meet.



There are so many joys in the vocation of marriage. You will to learn things you never knew about the other. There will be times that are so great you wish that they would never end. There will be lots of laughs. You may be blessed with children. They just add to the joy. They are the cherry on top of the sundae of marriage. For Indy he found joy in adventure of finding his treasure.

Oh the joys of marriage! The first meal I cooked for my husband, (who at the time, did not eat meat) I made a rice casserole, steamed broccoli, and rolls. I was shocked to learn that my husband did not like broccoli. Since then, I have learned something new almost every day. It's amazing what I didn't know before I married my husband. We were blessed with a honeymoon baby. Watching him grow has been scary and wonderful. The fear for your child's well being is so strong and automatic. He is our miracle and I hope for many more. My husband often says I bring so much joy to his life. Usually he is saying this because I have said or done something super silly (like stupid) and he finds it hilarious. My husband is by himself just a super witty guy.



There will be friends who build up your relationship with both each other and God. Embrace them! Indiana Jones seems to always have friends that help him along the way. They guide him, give him advice, read the map for him, and fight off the bad guys.

We have been so blessed with friends. These friends have helped us in our times of financial difficulties. They have been a safe haven when we just needed to get away. They have offered us advice, congratulated us, prayed for us and with us, they have been the truest of friends to us. I hope that you find friends just as wonderful!




There will be people that come into your life that make things harder. In Indiana Jones movies these tend to be the bad guys who want the treasure for themselves, they are jealous, conniving, thieves.
There will be family members that one of you don't get along with, friends that want to go out drinking till 3 am, old flames that try to creep back into one of your lives, friends that don't like your spouse as much as you do. Don't let those people come between you two.


I had to say goodbye to more than one of my friends. This was usually because they weren't big fans of my husband for one reason or another. They couldn't understand that to be apart of my life I needed people building my marriage up not trying to break it down. If someone can't respect your spouse they can't respect you.

 

Indy was always quiet the ladies man! OOO LA LA! There will be romance. Duh, it's marriage. Just remember that romance is not always about the  physical interactions between you two. Show appreciation for what the other one does. Ask how their day went. Listen! Go on dates, stay in, do things together leave love notes, the little things matter!


My husband likes to leave little notes or comic strips around the house for me to find. It's cute and fun and I LOVE IT. He will buy me a bottle of wine when he goes to the store just to be nice. I try to find fun and interesting meal ideas to cook for him. I try to have the sink always empty of dirty dishes (he really likes the dishes clean). I often fail at this, but I do try. I try to make the house a home so he wants to come home at the end of the day to relax.



 For Indy, this is getting the ancient, precious, valuable item and returning it to some place safe, getting the girl, and going back to normal life. Our perfect ending is Heaven. As spouses we're suppose to help each other get to Heaven. If we have lived our lives the way we should and attempted to become saints, hopefully at our final judgment God will have mercy on our souls and let us enter his kingdom.

Well, obviously we haven't died yet so, I don't have anything to say on this except this is what we are striving for, sainthood & Heaven.



Linked to Living Proverbs 31.

Rain, Clothes, Rant

For some people, if they wash their car then it will rain the next day well, for me if I leave clothes on the line over night IT WILL RAIN. Each time I checked the forcast before hand and each time, I woke up in the early morning hours to it raining.



Oh oh oh oh! I forgot to post about this! I went to a church garage sale on Saturday and did some serious shopping. I have been in need of some clothes that, (ahem) fit. This Ijusthadababyafewmonthsago body does not fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes (ok, yes, they do *fit* but I don't look the way I want to in them) and my pregnancy clothes look like I'm wearing a tent, except for the one pair of jeans. I don't think I'll ever go back to regular pants. Ok, yes, I will. I have to. I just need to lose these last 25 lbs. That's not a lot considering I have lost 40 lbs in 4 months.

Oh yea, back to my new wardrobe. I got what looked like brand new name brand clothes. I was able to mangage 10 shirts, 2 skirts, and a 3/4 length black jacket for, here is the kicker, $6.

Best deal of my life! I'll have to post some pictures of them tomorrow.

Today I went to mass at the Cathedral for Mass with the Bishop and the seminarians. (My husband's brother in a seminarian for our diocese.) While I was there, I was distracted by this little girl wearing what looked like a home made tube top dress. (Keep in mind this girl was maybe 7 or 8) Under it, I only know this because it kept slipping down, was a lace bra. I thought the straps were to the dress and though, eh, that's kinda cute but then when it slipped down and I saw that it was a bra I about died. Really?? She is a little girl. There is no reason for her to be wearing something like that. When did stores start making lace training bras? From the look of it, lol, she didn't even need it. I believe this is one of the reasons girls starting at a younger and younger age see themselves as sex objects. Not to mention, letting our little girls dress like adults attracts men looking at them like they are. (As you can even see in this article. Disgusting.)

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/07/18/study-girls-as-young-as-6-are-thinking-of-selves-as-sex-objects/




1950's




Really??
 


It just drives me crazy. (Yes, I know I am now officially old. I'm annoyed at how youngsters dress nowadays)

Sugar Overload w/ A cup of Coffee

Yesterday after seeing a recipe for Cinnamon Roll pancakes my mouth was watering at the idea. So, I told my very willing husband that I planned on making them for breakfast today.

They were SO yummy but I could only eat two. They were so very rich and yummy. There is so much butter in these. Did I mention they were yummy?

I'm not sure who to give credit to for the recipe or the photo so via facebook.com

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:

... for the Pancakes:
4 cups all-purpose flour
8 tsps baking powder
2 tsp. salt
4 cups milk
4 tbsps vegetable oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

for the Cinnamon Filling
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp ground cinnamon

for the Cream Cheese Glaze
1/2 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

To make the Cinnamon Filling:
Mix the three ingredients together. Place in a disposable piping bag and snip the end off or put in a Ziploc bag and snip the corner off.


To make the Pancakes:
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Stir them together until everything is moistened leaving a few lumps.

Heat your griddle to exactly 325 degrees. You don't want these too cook too quickly, and you won't want your cinnamon to burn.

Make desired size pancake on greased griddle and then using the piping bag and starting at the center of the pancake, create a cinnamon swirl. Wait until the pancake has lots of bubble before you try to turn it. You will find that when you turn it the cinnamon swirl will melt. The cinnamon will melt out and create the craters which the cream cheese glaze will fill.

To make the Cream Cheese Glaze:
In a microwave safe bowl melt the butter and cream cheese and then stir together. Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add a little milk if needed to make
it a glaze consistency.

Place pancake on plate, then cover with cream cheese glaze.




Doesn't that just scream, "Eat Me!"



They goes very well with His Coffee!  I enjoyed a cup of Holy Grounds (Medium Roast).  If you haven't tried His Coffee yet. You should. It's a Christian Company based in California who's mission is to spread the habit of spending time in prayer while enjoying your daily cup of coffee. They also have some great teas if you are a tea drinker.

Patron Saint Of Homemakers

I started thinking about St. Martha a few days ago. To my delight I noticed today is her feast day. I am more of a Martha than I should be. I tend to be a Martha. When we have people over I tend to focus more on taking care of everything than on the people. This may be because of my overwhelming desire to try to make things...perfect. (They never are) I would just always like for them to be. Doesn't everyone?

Isn't this a lovely rendition of her?

 I would love to be the perfect hostess with creative décor and great food. Is that more because of pride or because I want to treat everyone as Christ? I fear it is because I'm prideful. One of the things I've been praying for lately is to become more like Mary, the sister to Martha and Lazarus. To focus more on Christ within the person. I want to treat everyone as I would Christ. It's hard. It's incredibly hard.

 

Chapter 53 of St. Benedict's Rule is concerned with the treatment of guests, who are to be received "as Christ Himself". This Benedictine hospitality is a feature which has in all ages been characteristic of the order. The guests are to be met with due courtesy by the abbot or his deputy, and during their stay they are to be under the special protection of a monk appointed for the purpose, but they are not to associate with the rest of the community except by special permission.
 via: Catholic Encyclopedia

I want to strive to better greet guests as I would Christ walking through my door.

Here is a novena to St. Martha! I'll be beginning this tomorrow!

Here are two links to information about St. Martha. EWTN's & Catholic Online

Back To School

School is starting up in 4 short weeks. Where did my summer go? Although, I can't lie. Isn't there just something so special about going back to school in the fall? Isn't there an excitement in the air? Most kids get to go pick their school supplies, back packs, and shoes.



Who isn't ready to come deal with this everyday until a holiday instead of spending time with their families in the sun and drinking margaritas?

 I know my teacher friends are all probably dreading their summer break being over. Parents on the other hand are happy to have a little bit of time back to themselves.

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. It's cooler, there are Friday night football games, all the back to school festivities, the leaves start to change color, my birthday, and Thanksgiving. In my opinion fall is the best time of the year. I'm exciting to be sharing this fall with my little man. He may even be able to partake in some of the many comfort foods of Thanksgiving this year. How great is that?!? I'll have to be sure to take a lot of pictures.

I want this right now. YUM!

Maybe it has always been the beginning of school that has filled me with this great hope for change or maybe it's the changing of the leaves that make change seem so easy. Walking thru the store I love seeing all the back to school, school supplies. I want to go and pick all my stuff out too. Although, as a online student, it doesn't really matter because no one sees these things but me. I also have more than enough school supplies at home from previous years that it just seems silly to buy anything else. Plus, they are probably not in the budget.


Whoa! Wasn't today beautiful? I could have stayed outside all day. I wish we were camping right now. It would have been a nice night to cuddle up to my guys in a tent. (Which reminds me, I can't wait to take my little man camping!!!!)


 What is your favorite thing about fall? I'd love to know!