On Wearing Skirts

When we are little girls, we wear shorts under our skirts because we are rowdy.

When we are adults, we just wear skirts, because we are ladies.

When we become moms, we wear shorts under our skirts once again because while we are now ladies, our children are rowdy.

We interrupt the planned blogging installments to submit something for your approval.

I would like to submit the opinion that the worst way to smash a bowl into a thousand pieces is at 7:30 in the morning-when you are already running super late with your breakfast because the bus will arrive in roughly half an hour and you still haven't eaten, brushed your teeth, combed your hair, or made your lunch-on the kitchen floor, when it is full of piping hot oatmeal.

Poor Mom.  Poor J, his morning was off to a running start.  He ended up eating yogurt and a banana because there was no time to make more oatmeal and still get him on the bus in time.

"But he had 30 minutes!" comments highly interested reader.

"That's just exactly how pokey my J is in the morning."  I reply with a kind and patient smile.

Let me tell you why piping hot oatmeal is the worst.  It's gooey. It's sticky.  It's not a liquid, but isn't exactly solid either.  And because of the gooey stickiness (that some weirdos think is yummy) you can't just vacuum it up.  And it is hard to sweep up because it makes your broom all gross.  But you have to do both because there are little tiny pieces of razor sharp ceramic all over your kitchen floor that you don't want your 10 month old to crawl in.  You also don't want your 12 year old (or yourself) to get any cuts trying to clean it all up with a paper towel.

What to do?

You pick up the big chunks (of bowl and oatmeal).

Then you sweep.

Then you get down there with a paper towel.

Ten, once the oatmeal chunks are gone and therefore can't clog your $20 walmart stick vacuum, you vacuum for bowl fragments.

Then you vacuum again because you are using a $20 vacuum and you don't want any surprises later.

Then you get out your mop and wash the floor because it's a sticky mess.

Did I mention this happened at 7:30?  While trying to keep J on task so he wouldn't miss the bus and G trapped in the stocks (exersaucer) in the family room crying about A) Being sentenced to the stocks for no wrong doing and B) Wanting to come into the kitchen and find trouble socialize.

We had a pretty awesome morning.

(Later I'll have to figure out how to clean that broom.)

Chicken Fajita Tacos

I mentioned in my last post that my family gave up gluten for Lent.

I won't go into a lot of detail because I know you are dying for this recipe, but this was the first year that hubby and I have actually counted down to the end of of it.  With that last statement I want you to consider that in B.C. times (before children) we have given up solid food with the exception of dinner ever day.  That's right. In years former we penitently did one solid meal a day, and weren't counting down by the end.  I've fasted from cheese, from chocolate, from all deserts.  This year was the toughest.  I think that speaks volumes to what place wheat can hold in America's diet.

Alright, I'm back out of the rabbit hole and ready to share something tasty.

This recipe is something that my hubby came up with while I was pregnant with G.  It is A) fast and easy because I was on bedrest at the time and he had to come home from work and then make dinner (as well as a host of other household tasks to keep the ship from sinking), and B) Gluten free because I had gestational diabetes and contrary to what the "dietitian" said, wheat was something I couldn't really eat without my blood sugar spiking, and staying up forever.

Chicken Fajita Tacos

Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken Breasts (about 2 breasts)
1 bag (14oz) of Frozen Pepper Stir Fry Veggies (sliced green, red and yellow peppers and onions)
9-12 Small Soft Corn Tortillas
Salt, Pepper, Poutlry Seasoning to taste for your chicken
and your toppings:
Salsa
Sour Cream
Sredded Cheese

1) Lord your nourish us with food and with blessing.  Bless my work and strengthen my family with this food and love.
2) Preheat oven to 350 F
3) Season and cook your chicken.  Brown it in a pan and then slice to finish cooking. ~OR~ Cook it on a George Foreman type grill. ~OR~ Send your hubby outside to the real grill.  Slice it up.
4) Bake your tortillas on a cookie sheet (they can overlap a little) at 350F for about 10 minutes.  They should be crispy but still flexible.
5) While tortillas are cooking, add your bag of frozen veggies into your pan.  If you cooked your chicken on the stove just throw the veggies into the same pan.  If you used a grill, you can keep your chicken separate, or throw it all in the pan together.  Do what's easiest.
6) Once everything is heated through you are ready to enjoy!  Makes 9-12 tacos depending on how much you put in them.  These would go great with a salad, or refried beans, but to be honest, we usually eat them alone.

Can you see how the edges are a little crispy and curled up but you can still fold the taco?

Dry your Tears My Friends

I bet you thought I abandoned this blog.

Not so my friends.

It's just been a while since inspiration has hit.

I've spend the Lent (and beyond) focusing my efforts on my vocation.  That is to say that I have been concentrating on trying to improve as a wife, a mother, a housekeeper, and family historian.  Did I mention that we gave up wheat/gluten?  I should really write something about that.

Blogging was just a causality of my endeavor. That seems to be how it goes.

I guess you will just have to make sure you are subscribed to that you will get a nice email whenever I have something I feel is worth saying.  At least I'm not blowing up your inbox!

Well, when it rains, it pours so I have a few things planned:
1) A Fast and Easy dinner Recipe
2) Something about my new favorite way to enjoy coffee
3) The long awaited post "I Cloth Diaper Because I'm Cheap"
4) Two variations of Gluten Free Shortbread
5) Some delicious Italian without the carbs (no pasta, no wheat, no grains, no problem!)
6) Crafts and homemade gift  ideas etc.
7) More kitchen tips!
Plus 8) Something else I have been working on that I am excited about!

Lets hope I can maintain enough organization to actually get these thoughts to you here in the next week or so.  I'll even update this list with links as I knock 'em off.

Lenten Giveaway

Wow.

There is an amazing looking giveaway going on at My Broken Fiat.

Have you ever seen this blog?  I haven't but I'm subscribing!  I have a feeling this is going to be a lady I can relate to.

Anywho... I am excited to have been informed about this giveaway.  That is one great thing about blog giveaways.  Even if you don't win, you can find a really cool new blog to follow because of all the word of mouth the giveaway generates.

So go check out the blog/giveaway.

But don't enter, because I want to WIN.

In other news, I am working on a post about cloth diapering again.  I know, it's been a long time coming.  I need blogging/writing lessons.