You can't parent my kids from your couch

   This isn't how parenting works. You don't tell me what I should and shouldn't be doing just because it's what your grandmother did. No disrespect to your grandma,  I'm sure she's a lovely woman, as is mine, but all kids are different.

  Sure inherently we are all the same. We need love, food, attention, positive reinforcement, to be taught right from wrong and some basic manners don't hurt. But really, the journey to how you instill all of those things into YOUR child, is to each his own.

  What works for me, a rigid routine of meals, homework, clean up and  bed time, may not work for you. Or the fact that I let my children have 3 hours after school each day to do whatever they please before this rigid routine goes into play, is absolutely abhorrent to most parents I encounter. But like I said it works for our household.

  We also aren't firm believers in the word chores. Scoff if you will, but we don't use that word in our house and everything still gets done when asked. How, you might ask and the answer is simple. We ask. With a please, and a thank you after task is complete. Now I'm not saying our kids don't grumble and groan like the rest of them. We don't have robot children, but we do have kids that know they have to play a part in the household up keep or else it all goes to shambles.

  I'm not trying to say that my method is the way to go, but I'm also saying, maybe yours isn't for me. And that's alright. If your household runs at a functional level of happiness and order,  then you're doing something right. And by right,  I mean whatever works for you.

  I believe that most people mean well when they're doling out parental advice. What's worked for them if they are parents. What all those be successful parenting books have told them if they're becoming parents. Or even the ever well loved childless friends that seem to always know what's up. But at the end of the day, no one really knows jack shit until they're  knee high in puked on baby clothing with a toddler that won't sleep anywhere but on them or in a swing that has to run all night or you never get any sleep.

  The struggle and balance of parenting is a tricky one folks. There are no magical answers,  and some how everything you thought you knew goes out the window once you're there. Sure there's always sound advice on safe toys, the best swing, easiest pak n play to use (those things are trickier than they look), which car seat is the safest, and you should always take that advice into consideration when buying something new.

  But whether or not you let your kid have a pacifier back that recently fell on the floor. Or letting your kids wear pajamas all weekend if you're staying in. What time to feed your children. What time to put your kids to bed. WHERE to put your kids to bed (maybe you're a co-sleeper).  What you're feeding your ever picky 9 year old that only likes white foods. All these things, they're up to you. No one can tell you what's going to work best for you. No one can step in and say you're doing it wrong. Because guess what? 

  If you're child is happy, healthy and thriving, then you're doing it right. And that is something to be proud of. Hang those sloppy but cute finger paintings. Relish the moments your child hugs and kisses you when they're small. Embrace the endless questions of why, because one day, they will cease and your child will know everything.

  Remember to always take what other people have to say about your parenting skills with a grain of salt. They're not there 24/7 raising your child. And no one knows better than you. Even when you feel like you're doing it all wrong, know that the rest of us are too.

Family is Love

I have one sibling. Only one brother. And though some people may think this is normal, I know plenty who find it odd because they come from huge extended families. In fact, it seems more normal these days to meet people with 2+ siblings. Even in my family, that I've had, there are 5 kids (6 really but that's for another time).  And I know they have their differences but they seem to love being from a large family filled with love.

For me, one brother is enough though. He's so awesome I couldn't imagine having to share him with anyone else but my parents. I am the first born. Seemingly I would be the protector, the leader, the one that saves the day and makes everything good. But it is not so. My brother is my hero. He stands strong against the test of time. He has weathered the harshest of conditions and yet he still has kind words for people and always makes me know that everything, in the end will be ok. 

We did not have the most conventional of upbringings. Our father died when I was only 7 and he a mere 4. It has been a hard thing for us. Being raised by a single mother whom did nothing but teach us acceptance and love for others despite anything. She is a powerful woman, our mother. She always let us make our own decisions no matter how rash always reminding us that it is our own choices that lead us down paths in life we have to live with. I think my brother listened to these words more than I though. 

Being the eldest child I always ran free, not really having a care in the world and always doing whatever seemed fun and exciting. Not to say my brother hasn't had his own fair share of adventures, but

his lifelong dream was to be a husband and a father. 

He used to always tell me how he was going to work hard, raise a bunch of kids and just be a dad. A happy go lucky fun dad (similar to the way our own father was before his death). And this is what he has become. It has taken 30+ years of trials and tribulations, but I think he has achieved his ultimate goal. He's the father. He takes care of everyone around him (not without his faults of course. I'm not trying to say he's perfect).  He is always worried about tomorrow and what we are all going to do. He tries to have this cool aloof exterior when I know inside it's eating him alive, but he always says "It's going to be ok. No matter what". And he's always right. Every time. No matter what. It all works out, and he makes me feel better in the course of it all. 

When we were small our mom saw a psychic, this woman told my mom she had one child, a boy. But in her description of this child, it was a mix of my brother and I. Some people think we're twins when they meet us. We are very close and look strikingly similar (more so than most siblings). I think this says a lot about how I feel towards him. He's my better half. The less wild (which is saying a lot about me because he's an animal), and the kinder, more nurturing side. 

He's quick with hugs, always there with the laughter and has kind words for the worst of situations. All things I struggle with in life. My best friend (someone I've known since birth once told me she was afraid to hug me because I have that standoffish vibe I give off), but my brother, he always has his arms stretched wide open for those in need. 

I on the other hand am harsh, demanding, angry, quick with the words that cut and attempt to protect everyone. I'm possessive, he's just not. He lets everything be mine.  Probably because he knows I'm going to share with him in the end. He always wins. Everything. And he always makes me feel better when I'm at a loss. There's never a time when he doesn't make me see where I was wrong, and still accept me for being myself. He's never judging me. 

All of these rambling words come to one thing; I am most grateful for my brother. For all the times we fought and for all the times we've cried and laughed, I wouldn't trade him for the entire world and I'm thankful there's just him. No one else I have to share my love or him with. And of course, he's always making me feel safe and well loved despite all my downfalls.  

Sophia's Bakery

Sophia 1 Day Old

  I have one daughter.  5 children and only one beautiful little girl that is not so little any more.  I don't know if it is a blessing or a curse to her that she is the eldest, but I think it is just perfect!! Bright, innovative, smart, funny and driven my daughter is the sort that dreams are made of.  I know, I know, I should knock on wood and hope everything doesn't spiral out of control because I am praising her, but honestly I couldn't be more proud of her.  She is 15 and she has a dream to be a Baker.  Which warms my heart and excites me because I love food so much!!!

2 Months Old

   Sophia has always been full of fire and adventure.  When she was little, even now, she was always curious about food and willing to eat anything we put on her plate.  On one occasion she got a little feisty about not getting enough "bites" from her father's plate, took it upon herself to grab some and stuff it in her mouth before we could warn her that she was currently ingesting a roasted chili pepper!! Well as luck would have it, she chewed it up, had a little beaded sweat on her brow, and said yum!! I knew then that the food world would be good to her.  To this day she loves spicy food and doesn't shy away even when it seems a bit to much for others.
   Throughout her life I have attempted to bake and cook with my daughter (all of my kids really).  In some way I hope to instill the love of food that my mother set deep into my soul.  There is just something heartwarming and beautiful about creating something with your hands and your heart to share with other people.  Food always seems to be a winner.  Even though the actual edible treat doesn't last forever, the loving memory of it will always stick with you.  And when you only make certain things, like delicious Grandma's Snickerdoodles, at Christmas time, it makes the season seem that much more exciting knowing they are on their way.

2 Years Old

4 Years Old

  I guess a little something has stuck with Sophia.  Even if she doesn't think it comes from me, I like to think there's a little bit more of me inside of her than her scary identical looks.  At the beginning of High School, just 3 short years ago, she headed in full force with the intention of becoming an engineer like her father.  A profitable and noble job as any I suppose but in my opinion seems boring as hell!! Someone has to do it though.  Sophia has the brains and the sense to do such a job.  All Honors classes, all good grades, quickly on her way to a stellar graduation. And then she started baking.  I suppose it was helping her step mom keep up with dinners, or maybe just creating little snacks here and there for herself, but I like to think in a small way it was her inner desire to create something amazing that came from me.  But she has since changed her outlook on her future and decided that she would like to bake!!
I am crazy excited for this!! She has stepped forward in a direction I think that most kids her age are afraid to go.  She has created a Tumblr account, a Facebook account and a new Blog all to promote herself and her baking.  She self promotes through all of these venues and word seems to be spreading fast.  This last year in school she was creating tasty little treats for her schoolmates and selling them at reasonable prices, always selling out quickly!!! I think this really helped spurr her desire to do it on a larger scale.  This summer she even made a bunch of treats for a friends Bat mitzvah, employed by the mother, and she was a total hit!  I believe this really was a great boost to her confidence that she can in fact do anything she sets her mind to.

Letting her brothers help her Christmas 2012

  Like so many of us who love to bake, Sophia finds a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and she always executes and shows her treats off in a gorgeous manner.  At only 15, with fire and determination in her beautiful heart I truly believe that my little girl is growing up fast and headed forward in a direction that is only going to bring her joy in her life to come.  This really is a moment I can say the sky is not the limit, because I think she is well on her way past there already!!! Please check her out, support her efforts and watch this awesome girl make something amazing of her life.  Maybe one day you'll be eating in her bakery and remembering the 1st time you saw her embarrassing pictures all over a blog and smile to yourself.

The River Wild

I am not the wealthiest mom on the planet so I am constantly looking for ways to entertain my children outside of TV and video games without breaking the bank.  Of course, my tech savvy kids think video games are a way of life, I think it is important to branch out, get them connected with nature and enjoy the outdoors (hopefully more than I actually do).  This is not always an easy feat.

During the winter time I hope for snow so that we can enjoy building snow men and possibly, if bodies are willing, make snow angels.  The summer though opens a world of possibilities.  Although I am not a fan of the city I live in I do have to give credit to the abundance of outdoor activities that the warm weather offers.  We live in Reno, Nevada.  At the base of Lake Tahoe, near the Truckee River and just a hop skip and a jump away from Donner Lake, we have quite a few options as long as we are willing to drive and enjoy them.

 I am a kid from the mountains though so sharing my river front view with a million people, locals and tourists, is not exactly my idea of a good time.  With the Truckee River flowing right through the middle of downtown, this would be an easily accessible point to go to but I like to make things difficult.  I asked around my work for ideas of where I could enjoy the river NOT surrounded by screaming kids, dog poop, and trash and came up with a couple of gems.

In town, just down a couple little roads, there are two places that you can hike, relax and swim in the Truckee River without all the commotion of life.  Really enjoy the beauty and peace of the river life the way it was meant to be.  The first place is Mayberry Park.  In a million years I would have never expected there to be a hiking trail and nice river beach tucked back behind a beer distribution center but there it is.  A small little parking area leads to a nice paved path for mothers looking for a peaceful place to push strollers or for joggers to safely and quietly get outdoors.  There are quite a few dirt paths that veer off in every direction, all leading down to the water.  It takes a bit of hiking around to find the perfect spot for you, but it is well worth the time, and you get to enjoy a bit of nature in it's entirety while you're at it.

Since it is the river, made mostly up of snow runoff I wouldn't say the Truckee River is warm, but it is cool to dip into on a hot summer day.  My kids discovered an area that was very safe and enjoyable for them to play in as well.  The river is fast, but some other parents or children, collected all the rocks from the riverbed and built up a little retaining wall, creating a nice pool for swimming with a soft sandy bottom.  They really love this little river area.  And of course there is a little area for mom to relax in the sun and enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature as well.

The second "secret" in Reno is called Oxbow Nature Study Area.  We have yet to make it here while it was open to the public, but it is supposed to boast trails and river access that are not high traffic area.  They are open, according to the locked gate and sign, from 8am to sunset.  Which in a way makes it a bit difficult to visit in the evening since "sunset" seems to vary depending on the weather and the day.  But it is our next stop on the hiking agenda.  I am excited to see beyond the gate.  It is tucked way back at the end of a rather dismal road, that I honestly thought went no where.  The drive in boasts warehouse art businesses and a trailer park.  So I would have to say this is a pretty well hidden little gem if there ever was one.  Most people will not travel into such dire conditions to find anything, but I was ensured by coworkers that this was a real find.
Later this month, before the summer escapes us I am traveling my little monsters to their first visit of Lake Tahoe. Since they are not the most outdoorsy of kids, I wanted to wait until the weather was warmer, and maybe the lake as well.  If you don't already know, Tahoe is NOT the warmest water, ever.  No matter the conditions outside, but it sure is a beautiful and amazing sight to see.  I think it is the blown base of a volcano, but then I thought lakes like that would have been warm from the flowing lava underneath.  Maybe that's just still active volcanos......Either way, Lake Tahoe is a place I think everyone who visits the West Coast should visit.  It is truely a beautiful place and they offer year round activities if you are so inclined.
So cheers to you and yours on an exciting summer adventure that is maybe a little less plugged in, and a lot more peaceful.  We hope to make the most of what nature has to offer this summer ourselves.

Cookie Monster

I imagine there are a lot of people out there in the world in similar situations as myself.   I have a large family, two hard working adults and 5 rambunctious children.  We do not have a lot of luxuries, and we attempt to live a simple life that affords us the little things we have.  As I have stated before (I think) we love food.  Baking, cooking and eating are things that we enjoy together as a family.  I know that over eating can lead to obesity, but I do not mean to say that we are out of control in our eating habits. Rather we cook dinner together and warm our home on blustery days with baked goods that warm the soul.  I must admit though, when November hits, our home becomes a baking frenzy.  I think a very large portion of our Christmas fund is poured into the kitchen.

Cookies, banana bread, brittle, pretty much any concotion that sounds delicious are things that come out of our cozy kitchen.  Because I bake so much at Christmas time, we generally give more than half of it away as gifts.  Everybody loves snickerdoodles, devil bites and chocolate espresso cookies!!! 

Rarely though, in the spring or summer, do I fire up the oven because it is so hot (we do not use AC) and we are more in the mood for ice cream and iced tea.  Today is a rare occasion.  The weather has decided that it is more like winter outside (even dumping snow in the mountains now in May) and I wanted a little something to warm our home.  Of course because it is 5 months after the winter, Christmas season, my baking supplies are diminished to some bakers chocolate, half a bag of chocolate chips, a cup of flour and a lonely little cup of brown sugar.  What on earth can you possibly make with any of that??

Like many other days, I take to the internet and search eggless, dairy free, and quick recipes.  And much like other wonderful moments of discovery I come across this wonderful blog Authentic Simplicity.  Anne Simpson  (also on Pinterest) gave me the key to quick, easy, scrumptious chocolate chip cookies that just happen to be vegan.

No eggs, no dairy and veagn.  I imagine this may not sound like the most enjoyable recipe for a lot of people, but I am telling you, in a pinch, in a time when you don't have money but you're craving something sweet, or your baking cabinet is depleated, these Chocolate Chip Cookies are going to rock your world. The most simple cookies I think I have ever made really.  I made a few adjustments (I am not vegan) but they still seemed to come out just as tasty as any TollHouse cookie I have ever baked (maybe it was the chocolates).  And I must interject, they came out fluffy, soft and moist, all things that I struggle with in other recipes.  I have been advised by my wise Aunts and Mother that it is due to the elevation but I don't buy it.  I don't think TollHouse was ever the way for me to go.  I was meant for something more exciting, more daring and maybe a little more healthy.

Raley's Top-It Pizza made with Love

Recently I signed up for the Raley's Try-It program on the Raley's website. The basic idea of the site is to gain information from regular people like us and help get the word out about new products they are offering.  Right now I don't think I could be happier. My first program that I opted into was for the Top-It Pizzas!!! Anyone that knows my family, knows we LOVE pizza more than most food.  Pizza is always a winner in our house.

Because we enjoy cooking in our house, we seldom purchase pre-made pizza.  We prefer to cook in our own home which makes the Top-It Pizzas an all time winner in our house!  Not only does Raley's offer a Large pizza for $10 (larger than a Pizza Hut large) with red sauce and an herb cheese mix, they offer two Medium pizzas for $8 each (this is the same size as a Pizza Hut large).  The two Medium pizzas offered come in two varieties.  One pizza is a classic thin crust with a herb cheese mix and garlic white sauce.  My favorite is the second Medium selection, it is a whole wheat thin crust with herb cheese mix and pesto sauce. YUMMY!!!

Each of the Top-It pizzas come with your selection of toppings.  That's right, free with each pizza you get to choose your toppings! I have tried them all and have found that classic staples like Pepperoni with cheddar cheese and the Deluxe Veggie mix are our favorites.  They offer others though too like a Fiesta Chicken and the ever popular Margarita topping. I think there are optons for everyone. 

These easy to bake, make it yourself pizzas are so awesome that my kids get excited about making their own food.  This of course makes mom happy that the entire meal consists of preheating the oven to 375*, putting it in the oven, taking it out after 12 minutes and then cutting it.  Perhaps a bit of cleanup after my monsters make their creations, but it is a lot easier than a full blown meal.   

I would highly reccomend everyone trying these tasty pizzas.  This past Monday Raley's even offered the 12" Top-It pizza for $5.  Anyone that doesn't love pizza for $5 is just plain crazy in my book.  Of course as a partipant of the Try-It  program I got a pizza FOR FREE!!!! One free pizza and one $5 pizza on Monday made it a better start to the week than the regular humdrum of any other week.

Our Little Family

Conventionally I wouldn't say we have a small family, in total there are 7 of us, but I think we are a happy one. Although two of our five children are rather picky in their eating habits, each of them enjoys cooking with mom. 

For each season I attempt to bring my monsters together and encourage them to join in the making of something fun. Of course Christmas calls for the most goodies, but we try to do something all the time. Chex Party mix and Snickerdoodles (from Grandma's recipe of course) are family staples. 

This past year we have tried a lot of new foods, desserts and crafts. My beautiful daughter even started her own little bakery for school. You can find her on Facebook at Sophia's Bakery I encourage you to check out the power of a driven teenager. She loves to bake. That makes my heart happy because I love it too. There's something powerful in creating delicious moments you can enjoy. My little Boots loves too cook as well.

He is a bit of a ham and really doesn't like to eat many foods, but he LOVES making food and sharing it. Even went to school dressed as a chef during reading week to show what he wanted to be when he grows up. ( I'm not sure at the age 7 this will stick, but one can hope).

I suppose the idea here was to introduce a bit about us and our cooking adventures that are yet to be logged.  I'm still trying to get a handle on what I am doing so I can properly convey our adventures. I will try my hardest to source and link everything I ever share (with better looking links I might add). I am a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due. And that being said, I love the power of the Internet. I know a lot of it is the same information, but of course the presentation differs. I love pretty things. (Oh Pinterest *swoon*) I love to share. I hope you find something exciting on my page eventually. Please feel free to comment or share. I love meeting new people and am always open to suggestions of new sites to see and things to try!!




  

Revamping Blog time

Oh my gosh it has been YEARS, literally, since I was able to access this blog.  After a quick look over, it is quite apparent it needs a serious overhaul.  Where to begin? What do people blog about? What in the world are you interested in? You tell me what you want to hear and I will be more the willing to attempt to fill you in.  I suppose for the time being I will share my adventures in cooking (I kind of love food a lot) cool stuff I have seen on the internet and what not.  That's what people do right?  My ultimate goal is to use a new blogger app ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bloggo-for-blogger/id605860879?mt=8 ) on my sexy little iTouch my hubby got me for Valentine's day.  Must make best use of that bad boy any way I can.  I think hubby is starting to worry that I am only playing BeJewlled Blitz and Line Play on it........maybe I am......