Mothers' Hideaway

We've Moved!

2010-07-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

You can now find our blogs at www.mothershideaway.com/blog

Can't wait to see you there!!!

Mother-in-Law School

2010-07-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had to acknowledge your limitations when it felt like the world was falling apart?? I have.

I have lupus. People know it. I know it. Yet, some internal mechanism in me says "Don't let anyone see it." I hurt most days. I'm tired every day. Yet, I won't ask for help unless I really need it or my husband gives me no other alternative (aka harasses me until I give in). Even then I'm dragging my swollen feet and it's rare I'll explain that my lupus is the cause.

On Sunday night I had to rush my four month old to the ER. After a series of tests on the poor baby, he was admitted to the hospital for further observation. Monday my husband didn't have to go to work (woohoo for holidays!) so he was able to watch our older son. We knew that, regardless of when I got home, with only two hours of sleep I would be rendered useless and my lupus would start to rear its ugly head even more than normal. So after going through our list of options for help, I did the unthinkable....I asked for help from *DUN Dun dun* my ~~monster~~...err...mother-in-law.

Now I will give her credit where credit is due. She did help with my older son and I did get to sleep in. Of course, she didn't or wasn't able to do this without making me feel like a lazy mother. Many times she purposefully dismissed me. She made it seem as if the trip to the ER was because I was nothing more than a neurotic over protective mother and that the baby was "just fine". (He was diagnosed with GERDs so go ahead and tell him that the burning in his throat and chest is "just fine".) She wouldn't talk to me, wouldn't be more than polite (if that), and when all I needed was some validation that I was a good mother and some rest she made me feel worse. What hurts the most was when I finally acknowledge my own weakness and my own painful limitations (which is extremely difficult for me), I was made to feel subpar.

So here's the point of this blog....

After talking to quite a few of the women on Mothers' Hideaway, I began to realize that mother-in-laws must take some course in "How to Torture Your Daughter-In-Law 101". I've scoured the internet and have yet to find an accredited school that provides this course. I'm starting to suspect that maybe the pediatricians sneak it to them when the mother-in-law's son hits puberty. I have yet to test this theory out seeing as my kids are under 3 years old, but I anxiously await the results.

Until then I have created my own draft of what that syllabus must look like. It has been created from my own experiences or the experiences of others that I have spoken to about this issue. I decided to make this public so that every one of us daughter-in-laws will be able to fight the monster if we know what they've learned!

How to Torture Your Daughter-In-Law 101

Step 1: As soon as your son begins to date a girl worth of bearing your grandchildren act normal. It is essential that you do not show any signs of insanity that may scare her away because you need those grandchildren!

Step 2: Once your son has chosen the aforementioned girl and has solidified plans with a proposal make sure you support her in most, if not all, of her wedding plans. Make sure you include plenty of "Girls Trips" or loving "Thinking of You" cards during this time. This will ensure that she won't notice you sticking your claws into her back.

Step 3: After the wedding begin to drop not so subtle "it's time to have kids" hints.

Step 4: Once she is pregnant slowly let the insanity slip into view. Overbuy, overbear, and overwhelm the new mother-to-be. Make plenty of "you just wait" comments and talk about all the things you're going to do with that grandbaby. Do not ask her what her opinion is and if you must, ask in a passive aggressive way so she can not disagree with your wishes.

Step 5: As soon as that child is born you are given the right to act insane. Your daughter-in-law can never rid of you (even through divorce) so there is nothing for you to hide! Make sure you call constantly the first few weeks to see if she has more pictures, buy more newborn and 0-3 month clothing the child will never wear because "it was too cute!", and drop by the new parents' house frequently. You must be capable of vocalizing your opinion on everything she does from changing a diaper to how and what she feeds the baby, from how she lets the baby to sleep to how she bathes the baby. Tell your friends how horrible a mother your daughter-in-law is and bask in their nods of agreement. Whisper poisoned suggestions into your son's ear and revel in the knowledge that, at the end of the day, he will choose you if you act pitiful enough. Enjoy the fights between the young couple.

Step 6: Continue Step 5 for the rest.of.your.life. Make sure to passive aggressively add insults to your daughter-in-law when your son is not around.

Now that we have their rules. I want to make sure to encourage every mother, especially those with sons, to make sure to never ever follow these steps. It will only lead to heartache, frustration, and inevitably...insanity. Then again if you're into those sorts of things....I just gave you a cheat sheet.

Do you have a great mother-in-law story?? Share with us here at Mothers' Hideaway!

The Girl I Used to Be

2010-06-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

She came tonight as I sat alone...

The girl I used to be...
And she gazed at me with her earnest eye
And questioned reproachfully:

Have you forgotten the many plans
And hopes I had for you?
The great career, the splendid fame,
all the wonderful things to do?

Where is the mansion of stately height
With all its gardens rare?
The silken robes that I dreamed for you
And the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad
For I wanted her pleased with me...
This slender girl from the shadowy past
The girl that I used to be.
So gently rising, I took her hand
And guided her up the stairs
Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay
Innocent, sweet, and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems,
And precious they are to me;
That silken robes is my motherhood
Of costly simplicity.

And my mansion of stately height is love,
And the only career I know
Is serving each day in these sheltered walls
For the dear ones who come and go

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,
She smiled through her tears at me.
And I saw the woman that I am now
Pleased the girl I used to be.

I read this poem today. It perfectly fits my mood lately, because I've been mourning the old me. I have a younger single childless sister that I slightly envy. She's beautiful, carefree, career driven, and free to do whatever it is her heart desires. I miss being able to do what I wanted when I wanted. I miss having the body that, while I had my fair share of issues with, I didn't mind having the lights on (if you know what I mean). I miss working at a job and having glowing reviews. I miss teaching. I miss having time for myself. I miss looking good and made up. I miss my high heels. I miss my short skirts. I miss looking good and looking like it didn't take much effort. I miss my confidence. I miss my ambitions. I miss my dreams. I miss my future.

I miss the girl I used to be.

Don't get me wrong. Just like many of you, I love my family and my life now. That doesn't mean I don't have the right to mourn what used to be. Maybe not mourn...maybe daydream about the past. My husband and I have been talking a lot about "back then". Back when we first met. I was 20, he was 25. We were sure of who we were. We knew what we were capable of doing. We didn't have a care in the world beyond the today. Yeah we were finishing with school and entering the "real world", but really...we thought we were hot stuff. We thought we were invincible. We were carefree. Then we grew up and reality hit us like the heat on a humid day when you step outside.

Over the past eight years I've gone from that carefree girl to a woman with lupus; who has had to learn a new pace of living; who has moved to another state 1000s of miles from home to be with the love of her life; who has had to leave the job she loved because her body just couldn't keep up; who has carried and birthed two beautiful boys; who has suddenly gone from motivated, energetic, inspiring teacher to a worn out, disheveled, housewife and mom, who hasn't had her body for herself for 3 years; who hasn't looked like the girl she remembers in just as long (wow, just saying it all makes me winded!).

Is there a way to meld the two worlds? The carefree, self-attentive girl with the sleep deprived, selfless woman? I don't know and I have yet to learn how to do it. The irony of it all is that this woman, this person that I barely recognize, is really who I always wanted to become. I wanted to be a mom at home with my kids. I just didn't want to lose me in the process. People tell me that someday I'll have the time to take care of myself, but until then I stare into the Fountain of Youth and reach out to touch fingers with my younger reflection and try to think "I miss you, but I love me."

I hope that someday I'll be able to be that girl and this woman at the same time. Do you?

Share your story with us today at Mothers' Hideaway.

Are we over-sensitizing our kids?

2010-06-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take my two and a half year old son to see Toy Story 3 at the theaters today. I've been planning on it for a few days since our local theater has Mommy and Me Movies on Tuesday mornings. This was going to be his first trip to a movie theater and I wanted to make sure he had a blast! So...being the mother that I am I decided to look up the reviews made by other moms from this past weekend to see if it was appropriate for his age group. After reading a few I was petrified.

Apparently, according to these mom reviewers, Toy Story 3 was going to scar my child's retinas with burning flames and a pit of fire. They said the characters were too mean, the theme was too dark, the scenes too scary. They were positive that my child would have night terrors, horrible thoughts, and an imagination that would include, but not be limited to, psychotic toys coming to life to throw them into the fiery pits of hell as a maniacal monkey clashes his tambourines together as he sounds an alarm. My son would be scared of putting his toys in bins because suddenly he would think he's sending his beloved trucks and trains to jail. He would be over sexualized by the relationship between Barbie and Ken. He would mentally be broken from the underlying theme of growing up and throwing out the past. He would not survive! Ok, ok, the last sentence may be a wee bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one.

Regardless, I decided I was going to make the venture out to the theater. I wanted to take him, darnit, and I would! So I did. Hesitant that at any moment all hell would break lose and my son would scream and cry as he clutched to my bosom because heaven knows a G rated film should never be watched by a two year old. I waited and waited and waited. Sure, the monkey was a bit crazy looking and I admit it freaked me out a bit, but that may be due to my own hesitation of dressed up monkeys. Not once did my son get upset at the "scary" parts, and not once did he cry (except that he wanted out of his chair to walk in the row a bit). At the end of the movie, my son was there in my lap cuddling with me as he sucked his thumb (I know, I know, he shouldn't do that...it'll ruin his teeth. You can scold me later.) and as the final credits came on I wiped tears from my eyes and my son said "Mommy! Watch again!"

No, Toy Story 3 did not scar my child.

I left the theater angry. I was mad I had ever doubted myself because of multiple other sites saying it was too violent a film. I started to think "Are we over-sensitizing our children?"

Let's think about it. Our children are not allowed to play "Cops and Robbers" anymore because they shouldn't have guns. They're definitely not playing "Cowboys and Indians" either because heaven knows that's not PC (even if one could argue it's historical reenactment). A child comes to the park with a squirt gun and the other moms are sure that he's going to join the "Future Criminals of Amercia" club when he's in high school. I mean, isn't that how they all started??

I remember the first movie I ever saw in the theater was with my mom, sister, and some friends. We saw Bambie. In case you don't remember, Bambie's mom is killed pretty early on. Shot dead by a hunter. Years later, I loved Lion King and in that movie the father is killed by his own brother as the son watches! And let's not forget Dumbo where the mother is holding her baby through the grills of her circus car jail. No one ever said I'd be screwed up from that, and in fact, besides a few mom issues...I'm totally fine.

I'll be the first to admit I am a bit overprotective. I won't go to a wood chip park because what if he fell and that woodchip landed in his eye? I bust out the suntan lotion because what if I didn't one day and he got skin cancer? Oh, and hand sanitizer...I love me some hand sanitizer. I will admit that I've had to learn to say "He's a kid, he'll get over it." I'm learning that I can't and shouldn't protect him from all the harsh realities of the world. Yes, we live in a world where there is good and evil. Yes, we live in a world where people are mean. Yes, we live in a world where the right thing isn't always the easy thing. Yes, we live in a world where we all grow older and things that were once important to us get left by the wayside.

Today's children are going to end up unable to handle any of these harsh realities if we continue to protect them from it. Toys get hurt, they get thrown away and broken. People get treated the same way (although metaphorically). Tomorrow's adults are going to be scared to stand up for themselves, of taking risks, or of being adventurous because we, as their parents, have handicapped them by over protecting them. Sure, there's something that is "age appropriate", but that age seems to be getting older for some things (harsh realities) and younger for others (sexualizing).

We're turning our children into adults that have no spine or gumption when it comes to life.

We're turning our children into...dare I say it....sissies.

Do you think we're over-sensitizing our kids? Tell us today at Mothers' Hideaway!

Parents vs the Childless

2010-06-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

Pop Quiz:

You're in Target and you see a mother carrying a screaming toddler in a football hold as he screams "Nooooo!!! Down! Down! Mommy NOOOOO!!!" while she has a newborn in the basket in his car seat crying for one of the many reasons a newborn cries. What do you do?

a) Smile at her with the "It's ok...I've been there" smile
b) Obviously roll your eyes while giving the mom the stink eye and think "Why won't that mom shut her kids up????"
c) Turn on your heel running in fear and think "Holy crap, there's my birth control for the day!"

I've been that Target mom. I was lucky because I got more people that answered with "a" instead of "b" (although my sister did say "c" to me later that day). That was a good day and I was able to leave Target feeling a little less ashamed of my disheveled appearance and screaming children. A feeling that lasted for ohhhhh 5 minutes.

When you have a child your life changes. Your world is flipped upside down and inside out and no one can truly prepare you for what comes with it. Oh the beginning is easy. Your newborn sleeps, eats, and poops. They sleep in their car seat while you go out with your husband to a much needed dinner. Maybe a little peep, but nothing a binkie or a rocking of their car seat can't fix. Life is good.

Then one day that sleeping child wakes up. They want to look around. They want to make noise. They want to grab that spoon, that fork, that salt shaker, that pretty little vase with the silk flower that resembles something of a centerpiece. Suddenly before you even sit down at the table you assess the table, remove any potential meltdown makers, and whip out the hand sanitizer. Suddenly your not quite one year old wants out of the high chair, they want to crawl/walk on the floor, they want to scream and discover their voice, they want to make their needs known to the entire restaurant, and you......you want to hide from the stink eye you're getting from the other restaurant patrons. As you're trying to hush your child while simultaneously trying to melt under the table you realize that the other restaurant goers don't have what you have..........a child.

Now that I have joined the parenthood posse I've realized there is a large and quickly growing abyss that separates the parents and the childless. The childless glaring at the parents and the parents glaring at the childless. As a parent you're judged all the time from anyone and everyone. You're judged by your parents, your in laws, your siblings, your friends, other parents, other people that have no idea what it means to be a parent except that you have this slobbering ball of drool and mucous that wants you to hold them all the time.

People without children will be the first to tell you "Stay home!" or "You have to make sacrifices when you have kids." I have made make sacrifices. Lots of them. I haven't had my body not be carrying or feeding a child in 3 years (except for 3 months). I haven't been to a baseball game in 2 years because I can't bring my son and I haven't been able to find a sitter when we wanted to go because they were going to the game. I haven't been able to travel as often as I'd like without having to worry about all the logistics. I haven't been able to sleep in just as long. Do not tell me I can't take my child to a child-friendly restaurant. I have the right to not have to cook for ONE night!

When you get married, you lose some of your single friends because "you've changed" and you must now consult with your new husband about your plans for the weekend/night. When you have children, you lose some of your childless friends because "you've changed" and you must now plan your get togethers around naps, babysitters, and schedules. The childless don't understand the ins and outs of parenthood and they won't until they become parents themselves. It's the way the world works.

I understand both sides, I really do. My husband used to be that childless guy that would say "What's wrong with that parent for doing this or that?" While I always would say "Give them a break. It's hard keeping an 18 month old entertained." Then again, I was also the person that didn't think having a baby was going to be bon bons and butterflies. Sure, it's easy to judge the kid's parents, but we don't know the temperament of the child or what that child needs to be happy, if anything. I admit, I like to see that the parents are at least trying to keep their kid quiet, but I understand that at a certain point parents learn to tune out the annoyances. I am positive that it's a self preservation mechanism otherwise the parents might decide it's a better idea to eat their young.

So childless people of the world....what would you like for us parents to do? Get out of the house to maintain our sanity, or lose our minds and eat our young to get through the day?

Discuss with us at Mothers' Hideaway today!

Who I was yesterday, who I am today, and who I will be tomorrow.

2010-05-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my sister on the phone today. She's 2.5 years younger than me and living a life completely opposite of mine. She lives in sunny California, I'm in windy Chicago. She's single, I'm married. She has no children, I have two. She works as a supervisor in a bank, I stay at home with my kids. We're at completely different stages of our lives, but I am so proud of her.

You see, my parents typecasted us as kids (more about this at a later date) and predetermined our futures for us based on who they believed we were. I was smarter than average, she was average. I was quieter, she was social. I was a leader, she was a follower. I would be the successful career woman, she would be the stay at home mom. I would marry a passive guy, she would marry a strong man. I hated this as a kid. Passionately despised it. I knew I didn't want to be a career woman. I knew I didn't want a passive guy. I knew my sister was more than they gave her credit. I was sure of it, but.....I went to school. I had a career. I dated those passive guys. I was exactly who they wanted me to be.

When we were young I pushed my sister to be something more. I told her she could do whatever she dreamed of doing. I told her she could be whoever she wanted to be. I told her she was smart and she would succeed. And she has. She followed what my parents said at first. She didn't believe in herself and couldn't focus on school or life. It took her a while and a path less than traditional, but she's there. She's successful and happy, and everything my parents thought she wouldn't be. In fact, my mom constantly says "Who would have thought? You're the stay at home mom and she's the career woman." I'll tell you what, Mom, I thought it.

Anyways, back to the original point. My sister and I were talking about how funny life turns out. How we've ended up completely opposite of what our parents had destined us to be. How we have changed so much in the last few years. My sister has matured in how she deals with men. I've changed in how I see my life. We've had big life changes. We've had small ones, too. Yet, we agreed that one thing remains the same....

We're not who we were yesterday and tomorrow we won't be who we are today.

People change. Daily. It may be seemingly insignificant small changes or sometimes we have huge life changes and that alters us in more visible ways, whether they be bad or good. But the bottom line is....we change. If we're doing something right we change because that means we're able to adapt to our lives. We adapt to being single or married. We adapt to new jobs and new homes. We adapt to new people and new friends. We adapt to becoming parents. We adapt to our environments. That's what makes us survive. We grow comfortable in our skins only to have them shed and change as our world changes. We know who we are based on who we were. We can only hope to become someone better.

I'm not who I was yesterday, and tomorrow I won't be who I am today. I hope to be someone better by all accounts.

How about you? Tell us today at Mothers' Hideaway.

Is marriage easy?

2010-05-23T12:47:00.001-07:00

I read something today that irritated me. Someone said it's not true that marriages are hard. That they're easy, breezy, beautiful, and natural. That many, many women are happy wives.

I call bull.

I love my husband. I do. But our relationship isn't always easy, breezy, beautiful. It's hard. There are moments that I love him with all of my heart and loving him comes naturally. I can't get enough of him and the thought of him going to work makes me sad because I'll miss him. There are also the moments where I can't stand him. I want to run away and avoid him at all costs. I dread (yes, I said dread) when he comes home from work because I just don't want to deal with him.

Love is work. Plain and simple.

I don't know anyone that loves going to work everyday. That when they wake up to the sound of their alarm they jump out of bed excited and ready to conquer what lies ahead at their job every. single. day. Sure, there are moments; moments of accomplishment, recognition, success. There are also moments of grueling hours, demands, unsuccessful encounters, and inter office drama (or was that just mine?). During those periods that snooze button seems so much more alluring.

The difference between work and marriage is one you can change with a simple two week notice....the other you made a promise to stay for better or for worse. Inevitably, we usually try not to get fired from either job and try to dodge the pink slip.

Statistics show that 50% of marriages result in divorce. Clearly, those aren't happy marriages. What about those that are still married?? Are they all happy? I don't imagine so. There are the marriages where the unhappy spouse stays for "the kids" or money or....it's just easier. Finally, there are those that are really, truly, happy. Although, it's really hard for me to swallow that these people are always happy and that conflict never enters the relationship.

Maybe I'm just jaded.

I've been with my husband for over eight years. We've been married for over six of those. We were young when we were married and life looked glamorous, wonderful, and we were invincible as individuals and as a couple. Now, we're older, have two young children, I have a chronic health issue, and he has a high demanding job (read: high stress, long hours). Life gets in the way of "us" and "we" get in the way of life. It makes sense in some warped way. The trick is to remember that marriage is work. You're not always happy at work, but you still trek through it because really....you don't want that pink slip.

I am not always a happy wife. I'm not always an unhappy wife. I'm just a wife...and mother...and friend...and chauffeur....and housekeeper....and milk factory....and cook.....and entertainer....and psychologist.....and social worker ...and... and.......

Is marriage easy? Tell us what you think today at Mothers' Hideaway and join our discussion here!

Sleep Training

2010-05-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

When I had my oldest son I was tough. I decided he would sleep well, eat well, and behave well. I was strict, but loving. I was tough, but kind. When he turned 10 weeks old I began sleep training him. He was stubborn as heck and eventually I learned that he would just have to cry it out. If I came near him he would freak out more. I started on a Tuesday (I remember because I intentionally did it for when my husband "the softie parent" would be at work) and after four grueling days, it worked. In fact, I also remember crying to my husband when he came home Friday night, "He hates me! He glares at me when I get near him! I'm so mean!" Of course on Saturday our son was an angel and my husband had no clue what had been so hard. GAAH! To this day my oldest son is a very stubborn child, but I can tell you this much...He sleeps well and behaves well. Eating....well....he has his days.

Then came Son #2. He's our final baby and he's so much more mellow than his older brother. This child rarely cries (unlike his brother at his age) and when he does it bothers me because I know something must be wrong. I tried sleep training him a few weeks ago when he was 8 weeks. I tried it. Really I did. Then I gave up and decided I'd wait until another day. In my mind I made the decision that 10 weeks would be it. Ten weeks was when Son #1 was trained and look at him now. I'll do the same with the other.

And the came week ten.

It was hard. He cried all day, he fought me tooth and nail, and it broke my heart. I thought he hated me, too. In fact you can read about my day at Mothers' Hideaway here. I was so lucky to have my MH girls to support me through it. I had a long rough night and probably totaled a grand total of 2 or so hours of sleep, but I held strong. I had my MH girls behind me, and I had my oldest son's results to back me. I could do it.

Then we come to today. He woke up with smiles for Mommy and has been cooing to me all day. As of yet he hasn't fought me to go to sleep in his crib and he's in there sleeping quite peacefully now. Now I know that since I wrote this I probably just jinxed myself, but I'm proud of myself. I did it and hopefully, with time, he'll be a good sleeper, too.

Come share your sleep training style at Mothers' Hideaway in the Kiddie Pool!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Vinyl Gloves!

2010-01-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

Disposable gloves, either vinyl or latex. An absolute lifesaver. When I was working in a restaurant kitchen many moons ago I had issues with raw chicken: the feel of it made me gag. Not a good thing when you work in a kitchen. To solve the problem I picked up a $5 box of vinyl gloves so I could easily work with the chicken and I wouldn't get wigged out by the sensation.

It turned out to work for more than just that situation. I was in the back deboning some chickens when a customer came in (it was a small deli style restaurant with an open kitchen). The waitress was helping someone at a table and I was the only other one there so I slipped off the gloves and served the woman. Easy as pie! No hand washing required.

When I had my son two years ago I bought a box of vinyl gloves to keep in the kitchen because, inevitably, as soon as my hands touched raw meat of any kind he'd wake up/fall down/need my attention immediately and him screaming for whatever reason while I paused to wash my hands was not something I wanted to deal with. By using gloves all I had to do was take them off and I could touch him without worry and there was no stopping to wash my hands. I still do it because, as with any child, as soon as I'm unavailable he'll need me or my attention immediately.

Share your Kitchen Tips with us in our Recipe Forum on Mothers' Hideaway!

Thanks to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Happy Holidays

2009-12-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

We at Mothers' Hideaway hope everyone is having a great end of 2009 and hope you will continue visiting us in 2010! Happy Holidays!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Perfect Cheesecake

2009-12-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks Jo for today's Kitchen Tip!!

I love making cheesecake and eating it! Who doesn't? Okay maybe 1% of the population. BUT you know what I hate the most? When my cheesecake cracks just as I take it out of the oven. Luckily, I've never had to give a cheesecake as a gift so people overlook the mishap and dig in.

What I found through trial and error to fix this problem is to make sure that all my ingredients are at room temperature and to slowly bring down the heat in the oven once it's done baking. If you bring it from hot to cold too quickly that is where the mishap starts.

I always bake my cheesecake (new york style--no other like it!) on 325 for about 1.5 hours (depending) and then put the oven to 225 and crack the door open until it deflates.

80% of the time my cake comes out PERFECT. The other 20%-- well, just dig in.

Come share your Kitchen Tips with us in MH's Recipe forum!

Thanks to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

MH Christmas Baking Challenge- week 2!

2009-12-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks Carmen for today's baking challenge blog!

Here are some snowflake sugar cookie favors I made for tonight's staff and board Christmas party.

A couple of my "tricks". I never use margarine, I always use butter. Although I do cheat and buy store brand. I used the recipe on allrecipes.com called best rolled sugar cookies

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Bes....aspx?prop31=2

and for my icing, I use this recipe

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/12/...nd-cookie.html

I'd go a little bit less on the milk. That's what I did this time because usually it's a little on the thin side and drips down the sides and I end up thickening it a bit. This time, I just left off the 2Tbls of milk and it was good.

The other "trick" I do is to roll the dough, cut out the cookies, place on sheets of parchment paper or wax paper and then stack those sheets on a cookie sheet and then chill them ALREADY CUT OUT. If you chill the dough, then roll and cut out, you've basically undone the whole chilling process by handling the dough after chilling. I've found that my dough actually holds the cute cut out shapes much better if I chill it after cutting it.

Those are just my tricks. I've pretty much stuck to what works now that I've found what I like. I'm to afraid of trying anything new when it comes to cut outs.

Visit our Recipe Forum for more great ideas!

Please add your link to your blog in the McLinky below! Link backs are appreciated or grab our button from the sidebar. Happy Baking :)

Things I Love Thursday- Cleaning Delight

2009-12-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much Hillarie for today's blog!

I lied...cleaning isnt a delight.

I have yet to find joy in mopping floors or scrubbing toilets. The only thing Ive found delight or joy in is vacuuming and that's because I can turn on the music loud and rock out as I do it LOL.

However, I do have one little thing in my cleaning arsenal that makes me grin. My cleanser. Its my soft scrub type stuff that I got a recipe for and it works so well.

The first time I used it....my sinks shone in that sparkly white that you only see on silly tv commercials. You know with the sparkle stars leaping off the surface...thats what happened. I was hooked right then and there and it was so clean and sparkly that even my husband noticed and commented.

He NEVER EVER EVER notices when I clean ANYTHING, let alone comments. He's the kind of fella who wouldnt even notice a new haircut unless you had mentioned you were going to get one(and even then he might forget by the time you get back). So this was amazing to me.

Its a very simple cleanser that anyone can make and use. Its got regular dish soap, baking soda(a must for all cleaning...works great), vinegar, and water. I put it in a budget-friendly ketchup/mustard squirt bottle(you know those kinds you see at restaurants with the pointy lids). Much better than the old shampoo bottle I was using and it was less than a dollar. I think Id recommend using those for just about anything you need to squirt stuff out of.

So, I will post the "recipe" and if any of you use it...let me know what you think!

Budget-friendly and easy to make?? Cant be that bad, right??

Soft Cleanser Recipe:
16oz of baking soda
1/2 c. of liquid dish soap
1/3 c. of water
2 tbsp. of vinegar

Stir soap into baking soda.
Add water and stir til smooth.
Add vinegar and stir again.
Pour into bottle and shake before each use.

Come share cleaning solutions you love with us at our Mothers' Hideaway forums!

Thanks to The Diaper Diaries for hosting Things I Love Thursday!

Works for Me Wednesday- Natural Lip Exfoliation!

2009-12-09T12:59:00.000-08:00

Natural Lip Exfoliation

Exfoliation is a term to describe the removal of dead skin. The importance of exfoliating your lips is that it keeps them healthy and gives them a fresher look after it's done. It can also help prevent drying and cracking. If you're a lip licker, you'll know what I'm talking about. Licking your lips can really cause them to crack. Lips do not moisturize themselves and so we all tend to lick our lips a little. Drinking enough water to hydrate your body will also help prevent cracking, peeling and dryness on your lips.

Honey is a great way to hydrate your lips. The ancient Egyptians did it and it's still used in tons of skin care products today. The more hydrated your lips, the softer they look.

Sugar is going to be used as our abrasive. It will help rub off the dead skin, leaving the fresh and new skin.

Rebekah's Honey and Sugar Lip Scrub

What you'll need:

1 teaspoon Honey

1 teaspoon Sugar

Crush sugar using the back of a spoon, mix it into honey. You'll want the sugar to soak up the honey and make a thick mixture. You may need to add more sugar or honey until you get it to this point. Use a cotton ball or your finger to apply to your lips. Rub it around on your lips in circles and apply slight pressure.You can repeat this process as necessary.

After this apply your moisturizing oil to your lips. Natural Moisturizing Oil; olive oil, vitamin E oil, sesame oil and jojoba oil, etc.

The best part about this scrub is that it's completely safe for you (and edible)!

This post can also be found on Rebekah's blog, Journey to Juniper!
What works for you during winter? Share your tips with us in our Women's Health Forum!

Thanks to We Are THAT Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday- Christmas Season

2009-12-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

Share your pictures with us on our forums at www.mothershideaway.com!

See more Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Easy Meal Solution!

2009-12-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks Jo for this great tip!

When I am lazy and tired but still have to make dinner, I turn to a tried and true recipe—Chicken Soup! You can basically use anything you have in your pantry. I never have all the staples—celery, carrots, onion, etc. So I usually just throw in whatever I have.

Today I threw in some chicken legs, vegetable stock, water, carrots and onion. I also put in some cracked pepper and some Turkey seasoning—hey I said it’s whatever you have on hand!

When it seems just about ready I’ll throw in some rice and whatever frozen vegetables I happen to have and dinner will be served—even for my 8 month old! Throwing together whatever items I have on hand and throwing those recipes out the window usually works for me every day, and allows me to put together a complete meal from my family. Because sometimes, it's just easier not to follow a recipe..

Come share your Kitchen tips with us in MH's Recipe Forum!! And, be sure to submit your links to MH's Baking Challenge , with blog features each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during December!

Thanks to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Mouthwatering Monday- Rebekah's Dutch Apple Pie!

2009-12-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much Rebekah for today's blog!

Rebekah's Dutch Apple Pie

This is the best apple pie recipe I've ever made. It's easy and delicious. I received so many compliments I blushed! I made it over Thanksgiving Holiday's and my Father-in-law liked it so much it gave me an idea. I'm going to make it again to give them as a Christmas present. This is part of my handmade pledge.

What you need:

1 - 9 inch Pie Pan

6 large Green Grannysmith Apples

1 Pillsbury Pie Crust (or you can make it homemade)

1 cup. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. flour

2 tsp. butter

Pie Crust Prep

First add a small bit of powder to the bottom of your pie crush then place your frozen (or homemade) pie crust in the pan. Once in the pan smooth the crust out and ripple the edged using your fingers. Use a stick of butter and lightly go over the bottom of the crust then sprinkle a small ammount of flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pie Filling

Peel and core your apples then cut up into bit sized pieces. Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour all together. Add apples and mix all together. Pour into pie.

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1 stick butter

Mix together sugar and flour. Cut the butter into the sugar and flour mixture using a fork, pastry blender or food processor. Sprinkle over top of pie.

Bake at 400°F for 40-45 minutes. If the pie begins to brown too rapidly, cover lightly with foil.

Best served warm with vanilla ice cream. :)

Prepping the crust

Filling the pie

The crumb topping

The final results

This recipe is also featured on Rebekah's blog. Journey to Juniper.

Share your recipes with us at our Recipe forum! And, be sure to check out MH's Christmas Baking Challenge to add your links each Friday-Sunday!

Thanks to A Southern Fairytale for hosting yummy Mouthwatering Mondays!

MH's Christmas Baking Challenge- 12/4

2009-12-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

I'm going to start off the Mother's Hideaway Christmas Baking Challenge with a classic: Chocolate Chip Cookies. Because really, what would the holiday baking season be without these classic staples? These have always been a favorite of mine, I loved to bake with my grandmother. While we would spend countless hours decorating sugar cookies, the chocolate chip ones were always my favorite to eat. So, enlisting my 4 year old son as my sous chef, we set out baking!

The Classic Recipe from Nestle Tollhouse

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Please add your link to your blog in the McLinky below! Link backs are appreciated or grab our button from the sidebar. Happy Baking :)

MH's Christmas Baking Challenge!

2009-12-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

What are you baking this Christmas? Mothers' Hideaway wants to dedicate our Friday blogs this month to all the delicious baking we're doing for the holidays (we may even have to spill over into the weekend!) We'll post pictures of that week's baking and some recipes. We'd love to see what you are baking too! Use the McLinky to link to your blog featuring your baking wonders. Please visit and comment on others too! Please link back to this blog or grab our button from the sidebar :)

Merry Christmas!

Visit our Recipe Forum for more ideas!

Things I Love Thursday- The Season of Giving

2009-12-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Meshell for today's blog inspiration!

This time of the year seems to bring out the generosity in many people. The magic of the holiday season fills us with hope and joy and the desire to share that with others. In a season that has become largely about commercialism (and let's face it, a lot of us love the shopping!), it's amazing and humbling to be reminded what a difference we can make in other people's lives. It is easy to forget that world does not revolve around us and our hectic holiday schedule. A member of our forum posted a great story the other day.

The holiday season seems to be the busy time for most charities. Everyone seems to be in the giving mood. DH and I received a check in the mail as a credit back from our water company from when we were in the other house. It was an unexpected $80.00 so we decided to buy gifts for the Angel Tree on base. We bought clothes and diapers for two different babies on the tree. We are hoping to do some volunteer work too and get into the habit of volunteering more often.

This post made me realize that caught up in my own hectic December schedule, I hadn't even thought about Toys for Tots that we make a point to do every year. I was slightly chagrined at how easily I could forget- and thankful for the reminder of what the holiday season means. It's time to get myself and my family in gear, and remember what the Christmas Season is truly about. And that is something to love.

Do you give to charities during the holidays? Is there a certain charity you give to every year or do you just give to one you see or hear about? Share with us at our Mothers' Hideaway Forums!

Thank you to The Diaper Diaries for hosting Things I Love Thursday!

Works for Me Wednesday- DIY Holiday Edition!

2009-12-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks Jo for today's blog!

Have you ever buy a roll of wrapping paper and then realize that you don’t have enough just when you thought you were done wrapping presents?

Well what I sometimes love to do if I run out of Christmas paper is grab an old brown paper bag (sometimes you get the nice sturdy ones from the supermarket with the handles) and cut it just right so it resembles a sheet of paper. Turn it on its blank side and use pretty decorative stamps or metallic markers to embellish it. You can also do with a roll of white butcher paper. If you have kids you can also let them embellish it and give it a personal touch. Use their hands and feet in Christmas colors to make it extra special for the Grandparents!

With the left over scraps you can make lovely little gift tags for it also. I like to wrap mine with butchers twine because it gives it that rustic/country feel. A simple and cheap way to recycle that leftover paper you have no use for!

Share your tips for getting through the holidays at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to We are THAT Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday- Santa? Seriously mom?

2009-12-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks AshleyMommy2Eli for today's photo!

Visit 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday!

Share your pictures with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Safe cutting board disinfectant

2009-12-01T10:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks Jo for today's blog!

How often are you in the middle of cooking when you realize all of your other cutting boards are dirty or you simply don't feel like making room and getting out another one? They say to use one for poultry/meat and one for fruits/veggies/etc. but who remembers? I clearly don't!

I try to use my glass one for meats since the knife can't cut into it like it does for the plastic or wood but sometimes I am just too plain lazy to take out the giant glass one so this is what I've come up with.

Keep in mind I don't have a dishwasher so I have to make sure to get all the germs off of everything by using really hot water and loads of soap so to make sure I really clean them well I started making my own disinfecting spray.

I could easily just use some fantastik but that can not be safe to use on food utenstils. So I use Lemon to disinfect it. Lemon is a natural disinfectant and I don't have to worry about contaminating my food. You can also scrub it with baking soda in between the disinfecting it to ensure that you get rid of any odors that food can leave behind. Obviously if you are using a glass cutting board the baking soda isn't important but for wood or plastic (which I would stay clear of wood cutting boards for meats!) it would be a good idea to give it a good scrub with the baking soda.

Here is the recipe to use for the disinfectant: 1 quart of water and 3 tbsp. of lemon juice. (I'd use a fresh one and not the bottle kind though I'm a big fan of that one for cooking!)

How do you save time and energy in the kitchen? Share with us in our Mothers' Hideaway forums!

Thank you to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Mouthwatering Monday- Oven Roasted Broccoli

2009-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks Jo for today's blog recipe!

I'm always looking for delicious vegetable recipes for my family. Between my husband, myself, and my four year old, we all have different ideas of what vegetables we like and how we like them prepared. This easily leads to very few ideas on how to serve that night's vegetable. Sometimes, the simplest additions or variations can lead to very satisfying results- especially when convincing my entire family to eat broccoli. Steaming it yields very little success, and simply melting cheese on top only pleases my four year old. This recipe, however, has met the ultimate success; we all ate it, and, what's more, we all loved it!

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

1 pound broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or sharp Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Cut the stalk into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.
Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan, place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

Share your favorite recipes with us in Mothers' Hideaway Recipe Luau!

A big thanks to A Southern Fairytale for hosting Mouthwatering Monday- yum!

Christmas Decorating We Go!

2009-11-29T12:57:00.000-08:00

I love the weekend after Thanksgiving. To me, this officially starts the Christmas Season. I have several superstitions, as before this I do not watch Christmas movies, read Christmas books, or listen to Christmas music. But, once the turkey and stuffing is put away and the last of the pumpkin pie is eaten, it is time to let the Christmas Season invade! This year will be interesting for us. Typically, it's all systems a go, let the decorating begin. But, this year, we'll be moving the weekend before Christmas. So, we've decided to forgo the outdoor lights (well, maybe, unless I change my mind!) and instead focus on the inside. I put up the decorations, will pack them the 18th of December to be moved and then re-decorate in the new house the day we get there. Whew!

So, my evolution of decorating begins with a dining room full of boxes..wish me luck!

Share your decorating stories with us at our Mothers' Hideaway forums!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2009-11-27T11:25:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving! Enjoy a great holiday weekend and join us over at www.mothershideaway.com!

Wordless Wednesday- 4 years in a blink of an eye

2009-11-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Substitution Sifter!

2009-11-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Elaine & Jo for today's tip!

Have you ever gone to bake something that required you to sift flour- just to realize your little one broke the sifter playing drums or throwing it at the ground? Or, did you realize that you left it behind in a move or just simply lost it? Let's face it a sifter is a great baking tool. However, if you broke that sifter or just don't have one, a wire mesh strainer works great!

As Elaine mentioned to us, "I have a wire mesh strainer that I use (I've never used a sifter). I put the flour/sugar/cocoa whatever into the that and push it through with a spoon."

A great kitchen save!

How do you recover from your kids helping in the kitchen? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Unexpected Thankfulness

2009-11-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

Thank you Hillarie for today's blog!

I know this may be a bit of a downer, but it is the month to be thankful. Since there has been something on my mind lately, I thought I would blog it out.

My grandfather passed away suddenly July 8th. He was 85 and this month would have been his 68th wedding anniversary with my grandmother.

I think of the life and example he left us and am proud and grateful (eternally so) and thankful. He was a man of service, he cared about others and helped others as often as he possibly could. He was a good man. He did service right to the end. He brought in garbage cans and newspapers for little old widows who lived in his neighborhood. He did that every Wednesday but this time his heart gave out after getting home.

Although its been extremely tough on my family I cant help but think of this man, this rock and his smile. When we had his viewing, my grandmother nearly collapsed. It took my mom and my 3 sisters on all sides to hold her up and get her to sit next to him. As much as I was totally overcome with despair, mostly for my grandmother, I couldnt help but realize how that much sorrow also meant that there was that much love and devotion.

I looked at my husband and realized that I was so blessed and thankful to have him in my life and how much sorrow I would have if anything were to happen to him. A balance you could say. To have light you must have dark, etc.

I'm thankful for the love he and my grandma shared and that example. I'm thankful for his service to his fellow man and teaching me that. I'm thankful for his deep voice and crooked grin that resonate in my head daily so the sorrow I feel doesn't take over like it could.

I'm thankful for death because it taught me so much and it made me look deep within and see things I would not have focused on before and it has helped to make me a better person. It has helped to make me a better and more appreciative granddaughter to my grandma. It made me see her in a clearer way (and not the jaded way you can see stubborn older people at times LOL).So even with the great sadness it brings, my grandfather's passing helped me to see that there is always something to be thankful for- even in death.

Share with us what you're thankful for at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to Carnival of Family Life for hosting this Thankfulness edition!

Works for Me Wednesday- Hoover Steam Vac!

2009-11-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks Sandy for today's blog!

With 5 kids at home, I know I'm going to see some messes. So we had to find a product that helps keep stain at bay (or else replace the carpet once or twice a year!) We use the Hoover SteamVac Spin Scrub TurboPower Carpet Cleaner. It's amazing!

I have to use it about once a month at least. I love having one at home because with 5 kids even though we have rules about no snacks or drinks in carpeted areas it just doesn't always happen that way. I have white carpeting in my living room and it's DISGUSTING and next on my list to replace. As a matter of fact THREE days after we had the new carpeting installed Skyler accidentally dropped an entire gallong of blue juice on the new carpeting while carrying it up from the spare refridgerator in the basement!!! If it weren't for the steam cleaner we would have some very expensive brown carpeting with blue "accents"

How do you keep your house clean with kids running around? Share your tips with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to We Are That Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesday!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Homemade Cleaning/Disinfectant

2009-11-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

Thanks Jo for today's blog!!

How about those grimy cutting boards? They say to use one for poultry/meat and one for fruits/veggies/etc. but who remembers? I clearly don't!

I try to use my glass one for meats since the knife can't cut into it like it does for the plastic or wood but sometimes I am just too plain lazy to take out the giant glass one so this is what I've come up with.

Keep in mind I don't have a dishwasher so I have to make sure to get all the germs off of everything by using really hot water and loads of soap so to make sure I really clean them well I started making my own disinfecting spray.

I could easily just use some fantastik but that can not be safe to use on food utenstils. So I use Lemon to disinfect it. Lemon is a natural disinfectant and I don't have to worry about contaminating my food. You can also scrub it with baking soda in between the disinfecting it to ensure that you get rid of any odors that food can leave behind. Obviously if you are using a glass cutting board the baking soda isn't important but for wood or plastic (which I would stay clear of wood cutting boards for meats!) it would be a good idea to give it a good scrub with the baking soda.

Here is the recipe to use for the disinfectant: 1 quart of water and 3 tbsp. of lemon juice. (I'd use a fresh one and not the bottle kind though I'm a big fan of that one for cooking!)

How do you make kitchen cleaning easier and safer? Share your tips with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Tackle It Tuesday: Renovating some more!

2009-11-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks Elaine for today's blog!!

We have wanted to redo our basement since we bought our house 7 years ago but never had the time, money or the motivation to do it. At the end of July our basement, along with about a thousand other homes in our neighbourhood and surrounding area, was flooded after heavy rain. Luckily no raw sewage (gag) just rain water but no one could guarantee that there was nothing damaging in the water so virtually everything it came into contact with had to go. Suddenly we had the motivation and the money to redo the basement. Time, not so much, but motivation and money, yes. With my husband working full-time, a 2 1/2 year old boy terror running around and a new baby due come the spring (we were out buying a pregnancy test when the basement flooded, actually, and wouldn't have known about it if our neighbour hadn't asked us when we pulled into the driveway), time is something we don't have a lot of.

So, you know all that stuff you pitch into a room/closet/in our case basement that you'll "get to later"? Well, we were forced to "get to it". A lot of it was tossed in the garbage as was all the furniture which was great because most of the furniture was old and crappy anyway.

~ Round 1 ~

Restoration company rips out bottom two feet of drywall throughout the rooms. We clean out all the junk that had accumulated over the years and toss all the furniture.

~ Round 2 ~

Tear down walls, ceiling and remove the bathroom. Make a mental note to force all those helping to wear face masks so they're not inhaling the minute dust particles floating in the air...

Attempt to figure out what the heck the previous owner did with the wiring. *scary*

~ Round 3 ~

Remove the remnants of torn up linoleum left on the concrete floor because previous owner glued it down. For the record, this sucks. There is no easy way to do it and believe me, we tried all sorts of things. We used a heat gun and tried to scrape it up; incredibly slow going. We poured boiling water on it and tried to scrape it up; slower than the heat gun. We tried a blow torch; slow going and emitted a horrible odour. Finally we pulled out a belt sander and after filling our entire house with dust (note to self - cover ALL vents when we start sanding the drywall) the linoleum foam and glue was gone. *Happy dance* After the dust has settled we cleaned the floor, primed it and sealed it with paint.

This is what happens when you put too much pressure on a cheap paint roller handle. Snapped off at almost the base of the handle forcing the person who snapped it (AKA my husband) to finish half the floor on his hands and knees.

~ Round 4 ~

Put up new insulation that meets the R requirements to get a refund from the government. *Another happy dance* Frame the exterior of the room. Take a stab at the so called laundry room and see what sort of damage we can do to the remaining drywall (that's behind many pipes and wiring).

Apparently the floor was a little messy so Ben took care of it...

Nothing is work when a compressor and nail gun are involved.

I do believe the end is in sight. *Yet another happy dance* We still have a long way to go but once the walls are up it starts to become fun. How often are you given a big cheque and told to buy all new stuff? After the government rebates (for making our house more energy efficient) and tax credits we'll get a good portion of the money we pay out back. *Final happy dance* Now if only there was a way to get a little more time (like 3 day weekends) so we could have the work done by Christmas.

How do you balance your renovations with family life? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to 5 Minutes for Mom for hosting Tackle it Tuesday!!

Things I Love Thursday- Family Pride

2009-11-12T18:44:00.000-08:00

Thanks Hillarie for today's blog!!

Hmmm parenthood....I always go back to that scene in the movie, Parenthood with Steve Martin and the little ole grandma who talks about the roller coaster ride and how it is like being a parent(well life in general really).

You get your ups and your downs. You get your nauseated moments and your joyous ones. You get the moments when you want to rip your hair out by the roots and then the moments where you realize that making that cookie dough requires hair pulled back and out of your face.

I get things done a little at a time. I do a couple things a day but do dishes and take trash out daily. Everything else gets done once or twice a week. I dont care if my home is perfect and I realize I miss things or blow them off but thats ok. My home is decent and people worthy...immaculate can wait til Im dead LOL.

My kids needs will always prevail household chores so if they are sick or hurting vacuuming can wait. My time for myself consists of computer time. Thats where I get my out and my "me" time.

A MEMORY...

Last December my husband and I decided to celebrate both Yule and Christmas. We decided we would put the tree up close to Christmas Eve because we loved the idea of having Santa put the tree up and decorate it while the kids slept. Just another joyous, magical moment of the season.

Since we celebrate Yule we did the tree while the kids napped the afternoon of the 21st(you have to understand my husband and I tend to procrastinate. Well, he's lazy and I procrastinate so its a great combo). We sat it up and when the boys came out of their rooms we showed them the little tree lit with various colors of the rainbow. The sparkle in their eyes were soooo bright you couldnt see anything else. My oldest(was 4 then) said "did Father Winter and his fairies do the tree for us?" and my husband and I said "yes." He was so excited that little fairies had come into our house to do that special for him he just kept jumping up and down. My 3 yr old(2 1/2 then)quickly joined him in the jumping and squealing. My youngest was bright eyed but that was about it, he was only 11 mths so he wasnt big on jumping and squealing just yet.

My heart grew with joy and pride in that moment simply because I saw the wonder of the season through my childrens eyes and its a gift. You always forget that feeling when life gets in the way but thankfully a child is always nearby to remind you of the innocence and wonder that takes away, even for a moment or two, all the stress you may have been feeling.

What do you love about your kids? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to The Diaper Diaries for hosting Things I Love Thursday!

Works for Me Wednesday- Keeping baby warm!

2009-11-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

Taking walks give both mommy and baby a break, and can do wonders for inducing naps. But the fall weather can present a bit of a problem for babies that like to be worn. So I had to find a product that works for me, and I've found that I love my peekaru! It keeps Matthew warm when it's cold out and I don't have to bundle him up. If we go for a walk with the Ergo I just pop the peekaru over him so I don't have to wear a coat. It's great for those brisk fall days when you don't want to bundle up but still need something to keep the chill out.

It's also really easy to use by yourself. The step by step instructions are really clear cut and you really do not need help from anyone! I love finding simple and easy to use mama/baby gear that works for me!

What works for you when facing parenting obstacles? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to We Are That Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesday!!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Letting your children help

2009-11-10T08:17:00.000-08:00

When cooking something in the kitchen, it seems inevitable that your children are going to have to be underfoot. They're in the kitchen asking for snacks, wanting to play a game, or just plain driving you crazy with "What are you doing? What are you doing now? How about now?" So how do you entertain your kids while still getting things done?

I found that turning the kitchen into our own Food Network set has made things fun! When baking cookies or putting together a meal, I get everything ready in dishes ready to put into the mix. Now granted, this does not work for every meal, but it sure makes things more fun! For example, I was making a pasta salad for a picnic. I had my 3 year old picking up his toys and washing his hands while I prepared the ingredients, and then he "made" the pasta salad.

The perfect way to get a meal or some baking done while letting your children help :)

How do you involve your children in the kitchen? Tell us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Things I Love Thursday- Indoor Craft Project with the kids.

2009-11-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks Mama Sandy for today's blog!!

When it's too cold to play outside, how do you entertain the kids? I love to do projects to keep them buys! Do you remember doing paper mache in school? You know the stinky stuff with all the strips of newspaper and it was a huge mess? Well, I recently decided to take on a paper mache project with the kids and honestly, it wasn't too bad. Not as messy OR as stinky as I remember it being!

The first recommendation I have is that you invest in a vinyl or plastic tablecloth before you even consider this project. You can pick those up for a dollar that the dollar store and then just toss it or wash it up to re-use for other messy projects (or for under the high chair).

Our paper mache project was a large spider halloween decoration. We used punch balloons for the "posterior" of the spider and a regular party balloon for the head. I also purchased some evergreen garland that we spray painted black for the legs and some green rubber balls for the eyes.

The first step was preparation. We placed the vinyl tablecloth on the dining room table and set out our supplies. Here's what you'll need:

The already mentioned tablecloth/cover

A form anything that will hold the shape of your paper mache (wire, balloons, etc.) but should be something that can remain inside the paper mache as you won't be able to get it out. We used balloons so that we could pop them later and remove them.

Newspaper, lots of newspaper. Brown paper bags work too but since newspaper is easier for us to come by we went that route.

A large bowl or container for your "paste" or the container it came in if you're using wallpaper paste

Paste - a flour and water mixture or wallpaper paste. There are other types of pastes out there and an internet search could produce many different recipes.

Rubber gloves

We started by tearing our newspaper into strips. The paper tore very easily into strips in one direction but not the other. It's better to tear the paper rather than cut it into strips as it will fray the edges and make a smoother finished product.

Once we had that part complete it was time to blow up our balloons and start the actual paper mache process. We decided to use wallpaper paste for our past since it will not mold like a flour and water mixture can. If you decide to use the flour and water mixture it's as easy as that; flour and water mixed together to form a paste so the consistency should be rather thick. If you do use the flour and water mixture you should be aware that it absolutely has to dry for at least 24 hours between layers to help prevent mold from growing on your finished product.

We used a medium sized bowl to rest our balloon on while we applied our newspaper strips because otherwise it rolled around once one side got heavy. We dipped the newspaper strips into the paste and removed the excess by running the strips between our fingers (why we wore rubber gloves). Then we placed them on the balloon in a thin layer with each strip going in the same direction and overlapping slightly so the entire balloon was covered. We kept the strips in the same direction so it was easy to tell the layers apart as we got further into the process. Once that layer was complete we used the rubber band on the punch balloon to hang the balloon to dry.

Our next step was to blow up the part balloon and tie a ribbon to the end so we had something to hang it to dry from. Then we followed the same steps.

This continued every day or two until we had completed about 4 layers for each piece. The finished products were nice and firm. We popped the balloons and removed them through the hole that was left from the end sticking out.

Then it was time to put the pieces together. We glued the larger paper mache end to the other and let it dry overnight. While we waited for the glue to dry we spray painted the evergreen garland (purchased at the dollar store for only a dollar) with black spray paint, let it dry and applied a second coat to make sure we had covered all the green.

The next day we spray painted the spider peices that were glued together, glued the green rubber balls for the eyes, poked holes and glued some of the garland for "fangs" and also for 8 legs. Here is the finished product still on the vinyl tablecloth:

The kids all loved this project and it was something that kept us busy for an extended amount of time while the October weather was too cold and damp to play outside. Add another balloon and this could be converted to a snowman project. A great activity and entertained children- things I love!

What things do you love to do with your children? Tell us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to the The Diaper Diaries for hosting Things I Love Thursday!

Works for Me Wednesday: Easing Hosting Strain!

2009-11-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

Thanks Jojo for today's blog!

I used to love cooking and baking every holiday. I would take on the task of making multiple dishes without anyone helping. I enjoyed literally slaving over ingredients for days. Thanksgiving--I would take 3 days to get everything prepared and ready so that by the time Turkey day rolled around all I'd have to do was pop everything into the oven and it would be set.

But this year things are different. I don't have 3 whole days to get things prepared. Heck, I don't even have 3 hours to get things prepared so I am calling in help. Each family member will be bringing a dish to this years Thanksgiving table. I guess you can say we are having a potluck Thanksgiving! If you want to eat you must participate! Of course, I still have to have full reins on the turkey and one side dish.

I figured this new trick out when I said in advance that I was hosting Easter. I didn't really realize how tough it would be to host a dinner and have a newborn. Everyone pitched in and brought something and it was so stress free. There wasn't much to clean up and it was great.

Now to make it even more easier I might have to go buy some plastic forks and plates. This in addition to barely cooking works for me!

How do you handle the holidays? Tell us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to We Are THAT Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesday!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Themed food!

2009-11-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks Sandy for today's blog!

Halloween themed meals

We recently had a meal made from hot dogs and crescent strips. Rather than wrap the hot dogs into the crescent rolls in the typical "pigs in a blanket" fashion we cut the crescent dough into thing strips and wrapping them around the hot dogs to look like bandages. When they were cooked we let the kids put eyes and a mouth on the mummies with mustard and ketchup. It was a big hit and the kids had a blast making them and eating them.

We also made our own personal pizzas and let the kids decorate them with creepy faces:

Sausage Beard The Pirate

Olive the Vampire

And, just to make the chili we had for dinner on Halloween night fit into our theme we let the kids cut their cheese into jack-o-lantern shapes

How do you make meals more fun for your kids? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- It's all about the flavor!

2009-10-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks Carmen for today's tips!

As busy moms, we are always looking for quick tips to enhance flavor or help our food last longer. One of our MH mamas, Carmen, provided some great tips!

One of my favorite cooking tips is to substitute your favorite coffee creamer for the milk in a french toast recipe. Or if you don't want it so strong, do half flavored coffee creamer and half milk. My favorites are Amaretto, Pumpkin Spice, and Vanilla Caramel. Also, Walmart makes a really dense 9 grain bread that I love to use. If not, I like buying the Texas Toast bread for french toast.

Or, if you're wanting to make goodies last longer, try this tip! If you want to keep your cookies soft, throw in a piece of bread or a slice of apple in with them when you pack them. When you reopen it, the bread will be hard (the cookies sucked up the moisture) but your cookies will be soft. Feel free to throw the piece of bread out and replace with a new one.

What kitchen tips help you stay sane while taking care of your family? Tell us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Keeping it juicy in the crockpot!

2009-10-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

With fall underway, the crockpot is in use now more than ever! A great meal that requires little effort is Pineapple Ham in the crockpot. I pick out a precooked ham at the grocery store that will fit in the crockpot. Then, I use a large can of Pineapple Juice. I pour half the can of juice in, then the ham, then a can of crushed pineapple, finishing with the remaining pineapple juice. Set the crockpot on low for about five or six hours, and you have a delicious pineapple-flavored ham. Mashed potatoes are a great side item, or try some macaroni and cheese for a quick alternative. The tip to getting the ham juicy and full of pineapple flavor is to take a knife and make half-slices around the ham- just enough to let the juices soak in. The result is ham that is juicy and full of flavor, instead of dried out meat. Enjoy!

What kitchen tips help you stay sane while taking care of your family? Tell us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Tackle it Tuesday: Sandy's Basement Renovation!

2009-10-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks MamaSandy for today's blog!

We're always doing some type of home improvement project at our house. Here are some pictures of the latest projects.

Kevin is putting a small powder room in the lower level and with that project he's also tiling and trimming out the hallway.

The tile is layed, grouted and sealed. He's working on staining and polyeutethaning the woodwork. Thank goodness he's so handy.

Here's the powder room which still has a long way to go but it's coming along

Here is the family room in the process of moving furniture and getting the concrete under the carpeting sealed

Here is the area that is going to be carpeted the evening before the carpet layers came. It's DISASTER but ready for them to "git'r done"

And TA DA, with the new carpeting (but before I had vacuumed the carpeting)

What projects are you tackling? We'd like to hear about it at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to 5 Minutes for Mom for hosting Tackle it Tuesday!

Motivating Monday- Trying to Conceive

2009-10-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jojo for today's blog!

How do you stay motivated when trying to conceive? What kept me motivated was the end result. I knew that whatever hurdles we had to go through was worth it because in the end we'd have our beautiful baby. Determination was also a big key factor in our TTC journey. I was determined to have a family. I wanted us to be a family more than anything and I wasn't going to let anyone or anything stop me.

I know this sounds like I'm some kind of psycho but the strong urge to be a mommy is one of the most strongest/purest things I have ever felt. Nothing stopped me. Not the terrible results of my husbands first SA not the month after month of failure. Nothing. Now that I think about it a year TTC isn't long at all but in that moment it felt like an eternity that was never going to end.

But it was worth it.

Tell us about your trying to conceive journey at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to Garibay Soup for hosting Motivating Monday!

Works for Me Wednesday- Food mill for baby food!

2009-09-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jo for today's blog!

I love making my baby's food because hey I love to cook! It's actually easier than most would think and what works for me to make it even easier is my food mill by Kid & Co. I enjoy the whole process of steaming the veggies or fruits and then grinding it in this little machine. It just makes cooking for him so much fun. I make sure to have the foods super soft so they grind really easily and if they aren't that mushy I just add some water to the mill to help it work quicker.

I have ground: dried prunes (make sure they are very soggy), dried apricots (same as the prunes), peas, corn, potatoes, apples, peaches, carrots, avocado, bananas, sweet potates, butternut squash and so much more I can hardly remember!

I also once made this lentil soup and it was so easy to just put it in the mill and grind it up. It's really simple. It's easy to clean and reassemble also so no yucky dried up left over food stuck anywhere! (It's also dishwasher safe!)

We want to know what works for you at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to We Are THAT Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesday!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Chop chop!

2009-09-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Saving time in the kitchen by chopping effectively is a great way to save time while reusing a cutting board (as to not make even more dishes to wash!)

I like to cut up ingredients in an order as to not mix flavors I don't want mixing or require frequent washing of cutting boards or several cutting boards. For example, when making Beef Stroganoff and brocolli for dinner, I start by cutting up the broccoli to be steamed. Setting that aside, I move on to slicing mushrooms after a quick wipe of a paper towel. I then move on to the garlic and onions so that the vegetables have not been coated with their taste, but the meat can be mixed up on the remains of the garlic and onions since the flavor is wanted in the meat. Since the meat is the last thing cut up, there is no need for an additional cutting board or a need to wash the board to prevent contamination. It makes chopping and preparing for the meal go quickly and with less items to clean up at the end!

What Kitchen Tips do you have to share? Come to our Recipe Luau at www.mothershideaway.com and tell us!

Thanks to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Things I Love Thursday- Scrapbooking!

2009-09-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jojo for today's blog!

Things I love? There are so many things besides my family. I love scrapbooking. It helps me to relax and take some time for myself. I love to write and express myself but it isn't always easy and of course finding the right words isn't always easy. i always have this fear of being too corny but when I scrapbook it seems as if my inner most thoughts come out and I can express them so neatly on paper. It's how I feel and I'm not scared that any will read it because it's like my own personal journal.

I also love all the papers and embellishments that go along with it. They are fascinating. I am a minimalists though and don't like to crowd my pages. I know I've done a good job when I can sift through my work and read what I've done with a tear in my eye.

What do you love? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to http://thediaperdiaries.net for hosting Things I Love Thursday!

Works for Me Wednesday- Lullaby CD!

2009-09-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jojo for today's blog!

There are so many trials to face when being a parent. The endless cleaning, the messes, the cooking.. So, what do you do when you reach that point of total exhaustion- just to find your little one just will not go to sleep?? Seek out a solution as quickly as possible. How else can you possibly use that supermom cape? So, what works for me? This American Lullaby cd!

It has really helped with my 6 month old getting to sleep. We use it for naps and for bedtime. I swear he's like Pavlov's dog when he hears this cd. It's like an automatic button has been turned on and he conks right out. (well not always!) I swear it's what saved us on sleeping. The music is very very soothing and even makes me sleepy when I turn it on. It's a compilation of various artists and is worth every penny! Because you know, sleep just really works for me.

What works for you when you need to occupy your kids or get them to sleep? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to We are THAT Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesday!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday- Slow Cooker to the Rescue!

2009-09-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jojo for today's blog!

What mom doesn't need some help in the kitchen? Well, as I'm waiting for my sous chef to arrive, I have been picking up a few tips. My new found cooking tool is my slow cooker! It is amazing. I have the new calphalon 7 quart slow cooker and I absolutely love it.

I am not always able to stand in the kitchen and cook especially with a 6 month old bellowing for his mommy to hold him so I usually just dump all of my ingredients in there and let it cook. I recently made some chili, chicken with vegetable, vegetables with rice and chicken cacciatore in it and it all comes out quite delicious and warm. All you need is a little bit of creativity and whatever ingredients are on hand for a great meal. I am sure this is going to be used more often as the winter months start coming in. It really is a time saver and a sanity saver!

What Kitchen Tips help you out in your busy day? Share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to Tammy's Recipes for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!

Tackle It Tuesday: Renovation Continues

2009-09-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Elaine for today's blog!

This weekend marked the beginning of the basement demo. We started with the simple move of a switch. Building code dictates that the power switch for the furnace must be in the same room as the furnace. Our switch wasn't and to save the $100 to have it moved by the furnace guys we did it ourselves.

Next came the tear down of the horrid, ugly ceiling tiles. Great if you're 6 feet tall but it sucks if you're 5 feet tall. My husband walked through the room with a crowbar pulling down the tiles while I had to stand on my tip-toes to barely reach them or stand on a stool, pry the tile down, get off the stool, move the stool and start the prying process over again. I gave up after 3 tiles and moved on to pulling off trim from around the ceiling.

You know, there's nothing like smashing a hammer through a wall and not getting in trouble for it. We took turns smacking the wall until we were able to pull most of one sheet off. This was just an brief initiation to the actual demolition that we'll be doing in the next few weeks. This week I'll be removing all the power outlet covers, light switch covers and phone jack covers so we can get down to business next weekend.

I'll give previous owner credit for doing his own home reno's but he could have at least done them right. We're going to have to hire an electrician to check all the wiring down there because MacGyver didn't have a clue what he was doing when he added light fixtures and outlets and the place looks like a fire trap. When we moved in he had the dryer hot wired directly to the wire from the breaker box. We had to put in the special outlet ourselves. We also discovered that one of the light switches is much the same (no electrical box, the wires go directly to the switch).

We also found a light box hidden behind the ceiling tiles full of a bazillion wires and we're not sure what they're for.

There's some really scary stuff down there. Yup, time to call in a professional...

What are you able to tackle while dealing with mommyhood? Come share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to www.5minutesformom.com for hosting Tackle It Tuesday!!

Motivating Monday! Weight Loss

2009-09-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jojo for today's blog!!

Weightloss has been a big thing for me lately. After giving birth to my son I have been the biggest I have ever been. At 38 weeks I weighed in at 198 lbs so I really don't know how much I weighed when I hit 41 weeks.

At my 6 weeks post partum check I had dropped 30 lbs. (I am still going according to my last weigh in. It could have been though.) This is the amount of weight I should have gained during pregnancy but I wasn't your typical pregnant lady. I was disappointed and discouraged. I had read that so many other ladies have dropped so much that they were smaller than they were pre-pregnancy or fitting into their jeans by week 4! I was jealous!!

So instead of moping and being crabby I did something about it. I stopped eating junk. I started using the excuse that I was breastfeeding to have that extra piece of chocolate or that sugar cookie. Don't get me wrong. I still indulge from time to time just not like I used to.

It isn't easy but you know what keeps me motivated? It's silly but it works! I look at old pictures of myself and pictures of what I look like now. I don't enjoy looking at pictures of myself. I downright loathe the camera. So I know that this helps to keep me on track. In the beginning of this venture I also bought 100 calorie packs for when I wanted someone sweet and they helped too. (the trick is to not eat the whole box!)

And my other motivation is my son. I know I will never look like I used to and that's totally okay with me. I know what my body did was absolutely amazing and a miracle and that is enough to make me realize that this will take time and if I don't ever reach my goal then that's okay because I have what's important--my family.

What motivates you? Share your motivation with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to Garibay Soup for hosting Motivating Monday!!

Things I Love Thursday: Love....Times FIVE!

2009-09-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to MamaSandy for today's blog!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a larger/ish family? Like say, FIVE kids? Well, let me tell you it's the most amazing thing in the entire world. I realize that many of you are frantically laughing so hard you may explode and others gasped so loudly you almost woke your cat/dog/baby/significant other. It's true and I am being 100% truthful when I say it's the most amazing feeling to look into those 5 little faces and see the love, intelligence and curiosity that I see every day.

Wondering what brought on this strange, random little thread? Nothing in particular and yet everything all at once. The way the kids woke up this morning and NEEDED me for something...each and every single one of them needed ME to help them with something. It couldn't be Daddy or their teacher, just mommy! The fact that Averie at only 8 months old looked at me with SO MUCH pride today that I almost melted. Literally, I almost dripped into a puddle of mommy right there on the floor because she was walking with a walker/push toy ALL.BY.HERSELF! Can you believe that!? The way the kids came home from school, smile at me and asked ME how my day was before I was even able to ask them. MY KIDS are so big they are asking me how my day went. My stepson even told me that he wanted MY help with his homework, not his dad's help. He asked me to kiss his forehead to check for a fever, not his dad! How do these types of things happen? When did my "baby" become a 14 year old that has some major emotional growing pains to work through yet is getting straight A's? When did my second born become such an intelligent bookworm that he is a literal fountain of knowledge at only 10 years old? How did my first daughter become such a beautiful and imaginative 8 year old? How did every single one of these kids make my day so unbelievably wonderful today?

They were just a part of it, that's how!

What do you love about your kids? Share with us at The Kiddie Pool at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to The Diaper Diaries for having Things I Love Thursday!

Tackle It Tuesday: Basement Renovation!

2009-09-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are about to tackle one of the biggest jobs (besides parenthood) we've ever done. Full demolition and renovation of our basement including a small bathroom. Normally this wouldn't be a huge challenge but we have a 2 year old and I'm almost 12 weeks pregnant so we have limited time to do it (weekends only) and we have a deadline (next April). Sounds an awful lot like the job I left when my son was born...

Short version, on July 24th our basement was flooded with about 2-3 inches of water (storm sewer backed up) and along with losing most of the things we had in the basement the bottom 2 feet of drywall was removed from most of the walls. We were one of of 500 homes in our neighbourhood and roughly 1000 homes in total that were flooded.

Yesterday I talked to our insurance adjuster and she was sending in our request for a cheque to cover the structural damage from the insurance company (contents and appliances are not included in this pay-out). This means we can FINALLY start demolition!

Main room:

Back room and bathroom (computer space is to the left and behind me):

We're not quite sure what the end result will be yet but we've got 2 plans laid out. Both involve the removal of the wall separating the two rooms (on the right side of the top picture). That's going to fun. I've got a hammer, lots of frustration (I'm a SAHM with a toddler...) and I'm ready to start smashing through some drywall.

This will be a work in progress of our adventures in renovating. I'll post pics as we go so I can track the progress. My brothers and BIL will be helping us and I'm foreseeing several close calls but pure entertainment at the same time. As long as I'm not within their reach I'll be fine...

What are you able to tackle while dealing with mommyhood? Come share with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to www.5minutesformom.com for hosting Tackle It Tuesday!!

Works for Me Wednesdays- New Toy

2009-09-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

When I was younger my dad could be kinda tough on us. In fact, he was straight up cruel at times. We'd end up in these huge arguments and inevitably I'd end up crying and screaming, he'd end up yelling and shouting, and somewhere in my girlish hormones doors were slammed. Hours or perhaps even a day or so after a blow out my father would take me out to "apologize" and usually...this meant he bought me something. By the time I was 12 I had figured him out and I thought it was lame. He figured out that I thought it was lame and stopped giving me stuff. Or....he'd do it and would be hurt by my dismissal of him.

My sister and he tended to have similar fights, but at the "apology" trip my sister would be head over heels over whatever he got her. She'd forgive him and inevitably he was the best daddy ever. Every.single.time. (For the record, this still works for her and she's 25). Dad would feel better and the smile he'd get would shine from ear to ear. I'd roll my eyes in my big sister teenage gloom and think "You're so easy to be bought. I'm tougher than that."

Now, here I sit with my own 20 month old son. All I want is to make him happy and patience is hard to come by at times. He frustrates me, just as I frustrate him, but in the end....I just want him happy. So, while sitting in his playroom the other day I realize....he needs more toys! Off to Toys'R'Us we go.

I let him roam the aisles and check out every.single.thing in the store and while my son put numerous things into the stroller, I put just as many (oh wait, all of them) back on the shelf. Finally, as I'm disheartened because I can't find a good ol' fashioned car toy that made no noise (apparently those don't exist!), I pass by a race track, with cars that made *gasp* no noise!!!!!!! It was affordable! AMAZING! Off to check out we go!

I posted about the results on Mothers' Hideaway in a post that says

"OMG he loved it. He ended up having a tantrum when it was time to eat and go to bed last night. Then this morning when he woke up he said "Eat" to DH because he didn't eat well last night, but when he saw his cars he said "Go CAR!"

The best part of it all was when we were opening it I had said "Mommy got you a new toy, buddy!" Then after a while when we had been playing it he smiled at me....walked over to me....and gave me a big hug!! Totally spontaneous. I LOVED it and DH said "Oh I think he's giving you a 'Thank You' hug"

I have to say....that's the BEST feeling in the entire world. "

To bring this back to my dad buying us off....after I got the hug from my son I realized what works for me.....I realized that even for my dad back then and for me now that nothing is better than being your kids hero or receiving your kids love. Even if it costs $19.34 including tax.

To see the entire post check out Mothers' Hideaway or to tell us about your New Toy experience check us out at www.mothershideaway.com

Thank you to We Are THAT Family for having Works for Me Wednesday!!

Things I Love Thursday!

2009-09-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

There is one that makes my heart melt would be my little man Matthew. I love watching him sleep. I love watching him laugh. I just love him so much that it is still such a strong feeling of passion and pride and I know that that feeling will never go away.

To know that my husband and I made this perfect little being albeit sometimes a pain is indescribable. I don't think there is any love as pure as the love you have for the child that comes from your body and from the person you love.

What do you love about your kids? Share with us at The Kiddie Pool at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to thediaperdiaries.net for having Things I Love Thursday!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday 8/4- Magic Eraser

2009-08-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

So when asking for some kitchen tips, Jo provided a great tool on our boards:

Anyone ever use Mr. Clean magic eraser?? Holy! It is the best cleaning tool I have used on my stove/sink/microwave/etc. You do not have use any elbow grease whatsoever. Just dab a little water on it and scrub away (can't even call it scrubbing--it's so easy to use!)

On my stove I usually spray some fantastik and just whisk around the magic eraser and my stove looks brand new! I also use it in the sink to get off all the grime. I just love it!

This of course, reminded me of a story (as most things do) of when my nearly 4 year old son was a bit younger. I myself also love the Mr. Clean magic eraser. We have used it on many stains.. wine stains, coffee stains, juice cup stains, you name it. Any stain too tough to get out, you could depend on Mr. Clean's magic eraser to get out. Even.. dog stains??

Now, I don't mean stains the dog may have been made by the dog by bathroom accidents or dragging food around. No, no, I mean stains on the dog. What stain, might you ask? Well, the one our then toddler made by surreptitiously dropping his peas on the floor. Now, one would think the dog would be eating these peas, but that person would not take two things into account. One, we had a very bizarre dog who would not eat green food (lettuce, broccoli, etc.). No kidding, if it was green, he would not eat it. (Sigh, is it bad when your animals have issues?) Two, the dog was busy eating some of the food we had noticed our son drop on the floor. So did we think to check what the dog was happily munching on under the table? Of course not.

Why didn't we remember the dog's aversion to green food?

Well, we quickly remembered once the meal was over, and out comes Keuper (the dog) in a nice new shade of sickly yellow-green. In my ever level-headedness, I scream, hysterically of course, that the baby has vomited all over the dog and he's sick. My husband rolls his eyes at me and said he must have rolled around in the peas our toddler dropped on the floor (that was my next guess, I swear). Ahh, life as a parent.

So, we go about getting situated to give the dog a bath. My husband goes outside to get the hose around the side of the house, while I go to get the doggie shampoo and a towel. As I return into the kitchen and dining area, my husband walks inside. We both look, open-mouthed at our toddler, scrubbing the dog with- that's right, you guessed it- a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

First we (okay, I) panicked, whisked our son up and scrubbed him clean of any chemicals and yelled at my husband for leaving it out (since I was actually the one who had been using it on one of the aforementioned juice stains).

Then, we laughed. We laughed, and laughed, and laughed. It seemed our toddler not only knew how to clean, but was aware of just how often the Mr. Clean magic eraser was used in our house. So my kitchen tip for this Tuesday? Keep the peas away from the dog, chemicals away from your kids, and the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser handy. You never know what you may have to clean!

Want to share your Kitchen Tips and real life stories with other moms? Join us at
www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to http://www.tammysrecipes.com for hosting Kitchen Tips Tuesday!!

Motivating Mondays: Braving the Outdoors

2009-07-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

How do you become motivated to do things that are against your nature? For example, are you an indoor or outdoor person? Does it depend on whether or not you have the kids with you? This was a thought that occurred to me after a playgroup, so I brought up in discussion on our boards. A few replies:

We are outdoor people. It is much more difficult with kids but we still spend a fair amount of time outside. In FLA we have to be a little careful about what time of day we are outside with the kids - nothing midday.

I would like to say I am an outdoor person but it seems lately that I like the indoors. I like the A/C when it is hot. I do like it when the weather is nice. It is like I come out of hibernation So I guess I better say I am more an indoor person for now.

I like being outdoors if it's warm. I'm not the nature type of person though. I'd rather shop than sight see.

The last answer is my favorite, and one I could have written myself. I am all about the "outdoors"- when it involves a lounge chair and a glass with an umbrella in it, or a leisurely walk along the beach! I am not, nor have I ever been, a big fan of nature. I don't do critters, I don't do bugs, I don't do extreme temperatures (in either direction).

But, now I have two kids. So, at the request of my 3 year old son, I spent the evening with the family at a park, with a ton of old oak trees. It sits on a bay, clear water in the distance, a calming presence to the insanity of the playground. It was a picturesque location, perfect for family fun.

And then came the bugs. And the sticky heat. And the critters. All the things I cannot stand, bites covering me, heat irritating me. I finally have enough and need to leave- my 3 month old little girl just got bit by a bug while in her stroller. It was time to go. I could not even fathom why we came in the first place. Then, as we were going to the car, my son tugs on my hand. I look down at him, sparkling eyes and sweaty face. He says, "thank you mommy, I love the park!".

I hate extreme temperatures, sluggish heat, critters, and biting bugs. But I have two kids now. Long live the park. My kids are my motivation to do those things I just don't want to do.

How do you motivate yourself with the demands of your kids? Tell us at www.mothershideaway.com!!

Thanks to www.garibaysoup.com for hosting Motivating Monday!

Works for Me Wednesday- Lazy Potato Peeler!

2009-07-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love tricks that work for them in the kitchen? Thanks to Jojo for today's blog!

I'm a lazy cook. I try to take the easy way out a lot of times but I do love cooking. I love eating also so I try my hardest to make everything scrumptious.

One of my favorite foods in potatoes. Who doesn't love the mushy goodness of carbs?! BUT I hate peeling potatoes. Hate it with a passion. I especially hate the nobby parts and the nooks and crannies because you have scoop them out with the peeler end. By the time you're done peeling and scrubbing and soaking you realize you should have just bought a bag of Ore Ida fries.

So what I do is lightly rinse them. I get a big pot of water and put the potatoes in. Boil them until they are tender and then I cool them off and peel off the already falling off skin.

Now this works wonders for Mashed potatoes or potato salad but not so well for french fries or home fries or anything involving "fries." What I do for those is I get my husband to wash and scrub and soak.

What works for you? Tell us on www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to We Are THAT Family for having Works for Me Wednesday!!

Motivating Monday: Demanding Toddlers!

2009-07-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Elaine for today's blog!

I admit it. I'm lazy and somewhat of a procrastinator. When Ben goes down for a nap every day I'd much rather be sitting on my duff reading a book or snurfing some cool sites (like MH!), anything other than a) cleaning; b) prepping food; c) laundry; or d) cleaning (did I mention that already?). I have to push myself to get things done all-the-time.

Ben, my just turned two toddler, has recently decided that the kitchen sink is awesome. Since he was old enough to reach the tap from a chair we have let him play there with a slight trickle of water and it will occupy him for hours. It kills our water bill and environmentalists would blow a gasket if they knew how long we run the water but it keeps him happy and we don't do it often. Until the last few weeks. Now it has become a daily battle. When he hears one of us run the tap, even for a second or two, he'll come running in, point to the sink and say "WHA! WHA! WHA!". Quite often we'll let him play but when it happens every single the time the tap runs it starts to get a little old. Oh, and it's really hard to say no when he says "Peaze Mommy? Peaze Mommy? Peaze Mommy? Peaze Mommy?". Sigh...

My new motivation for getting things done while Ben is down for a nap is not having to deal with a screaming and flailing toddler. When he goes to sleep in the afternoon I walk past my laptop and ponder squeezing in a few minutes of surfing before I get to work and then think of the potential fit he'll pitch and I keep moving on into the kitchen. I clean up the morning dishes, chop whatever needs to be chopped for dinner, put together as much of dinner as I can and it's all done without the hassle of a tantruming toddler.

In short, nothing motivates me more than my snotty, demanding, the world revolves around me and I want it and I want it NOW toddler. I love him to pieces but all you parents know how it is...

How do you motivate yourself with the demands of your kids? Tell us at www.mothershideaway.com!!

Thanks to www.garibaysoup.com for hosting Motivating Monday!

Works for Me Wednesday! Pain, uh, relief!

2009-07-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Farah for sharing her pain and what works for her!

F*** F*** F***ity F***! Yes, that's what I said. Yes, you heard me right.

This past week I had a run in with a girl in a hurry and a heavy metal door. I was heading to my physical therapy appointment and was entering the building from the parking garage. Miss In-A-Hurry pushed the door open with all of her strength as she rushed into the garage and BAM. I was down for the count.

Ok, I didn't fall, but I should have. It would have hurt less. Instead, when she apologized profusely while I grit my teeth in pain, I nodded and said "Oh, it's okay!" with a pain ridden smile. Clearly, she saw the pain because she asked about three times "Are you okay???" To be honest, I wanted her to just leave so I could say the expletives that were bubbling and burning a hole in my throat.

As she scurried away I walked into the stairwell and shouted "F*** F*** F***ity F***!" I look down at my toe...and there it was. Wounded in action. It hadn't done anything wrong...didn't misstep, didn't give out. The poor thing was just was at the wrong place at the wrong time. My toe nail was the real casualty. It was off of my toe...attached by only the bottom right fourth. It was bleeding profusely and spiling on to my new Dr. Scholl's sandals (so comfy, by the way). I shout a few more words that rhyme with "Brother Trucker", "Rod Slam It", and "Spit spit spit!" Oh it felt so good to just let it out! ****! ****! ARGH!!!!!! It felt so good that I was able to catch my breath, and hobble to my physical therapy appointment.

Why does swearing work for me??? Why does it feel OOOOHHHH so ****ing good? Because studies show it can distract you and makes your tolerance for pain so much higher. Perhaps if I hadn't cussed I would have cried, collapsed in pain, and passed out on the floor waiting for some good (non rushing) Samaritan to save me from my bleeding toe. Perhaps, maybe, could be. Instead a bit of **** and **** saved us all the trouble.

At the end of the day I realize that not only is my nail gone, my toe starts to swell and well....it's broken. Just in time for my Vegas trip! F***! Guess I won't be wearing those heels. Wait....I'll just throw a few "****s" in my conversations and it'll make everything feel allllll better.

To see pictures of the critically wounded toe check out my post on Mothers' Hideaway in our Cabana!

This blog has been posted on We are THAT Family's What Works For Me Wednesday

Kitchen Tips Tuesday! Homeade Cleaner

2009-07-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Elaine for today's blog!

A few weeks ago I had an epiphany. Ben wanted to play in the kitchen sink (which is a daily battle) but it needed to be cleaned. I didn't want to use a harsh cleaner and I remembered reading that baking soda was a fantastic cleaner of sinks so I pulled the box out of the freezer (I have a feeling that it's long past it's deodorizing abilities by now but with out limited cupboard space the freezer is where it stays) and gave it a whirl. I sprinkled some in the sink and went at it with the scrubbie.

After a few minutes of scrubbing I rinsed the sink out and stared down in amazement. It was spotless. Absolutely spotless. Nice and shiny too! No nasty smell, no worry of missing a spot while cleaning up and Ben getting it on his hands, nothing. It was a miracle! I proceeded to attack our bathroom with my new found cleaners and you guessed it! Spotless!

Later on I did some online searching for homemade and chemical free cleaners. There is an absolute treasure trove of info out there of safe, non-toxic cleaners you can make on your own. My personal favourites are plain old baking soda and distilled white vinegar. Apparently you can do darn near anything with baking soda from freshening the cat littler box to cleaning your teeth to shining silver. Who knew?

A few days later I was cleaning up after some particularly messy fried potatoes (a few taters decided to attempt an escape from the frying pan but only made it as far as the stove top before they were thwarted) so I grabbed the bottle of vinegar and water I'd mixed up (recipe found on Make Your Own Cleaners), sprayed the stove top and with one wipe of the paper towel the grease was gone. Gone. Completely gone with virtually no effort and the little effort that was required came from squeezing the spray bottle.

I'm trying to figure out who exactly convinced people that harsh cleaners are so much better than the basics everyone used to use (baking soda and vinegar). There's no extra work involved, everything comes just as clean as it does with chemical cleaners AND you don't have to open every window in the house to get rid of that 'cleaner' smell or wear rubber gloves so the chemicals don't eat holes in your hands.

My new found best friends: baking soda and white vinegar. I wonder if I can buy baking soda by the truck load...

Come visit us at www.mothershideaway.com and tell us what you think!
Visit us to share your Kitchen Tips here: http://www.mothershideaway.com/forums1/showthread.php?t=1690

Thank you to Tammy's Recipes for having Kitchen Tips Tuesday!! http://www.tammysrecipes.com/taxonomy/term/53

Things I Love Thursday! (sleep vs. kids)

2009-07-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

I love sleep. I enjoy curling up in a cocoon of soft blankets, resting my head on a cool pillow, and drifting into a world where I just don't have to do anything for awhile. I love waking up feeling energized, ready to face the day with a spring in my step. I love when the bags under my eyes are nearly nonexistent thanks to finally obtaining the rest my body so desperately needs.

That being said, I have two children. I have an amazing 3 1/2 year old little boy who jumps on my bed in the morning, eyes bright and full of excitement, asking "what are we going to do today?" He also has periodic night terrors. As a parent, it is so hard to watch your child have one of these, and it is even harder at two o'clock in the morning. Ahh.. sleep. Not for either of us on a night like that.

I also have a 5 month old little girl who thinks sleep is highly overrated. When 3 am rolls around, you can bet my beautiful baby girl is ready to party. So, I instead sit on the couch, baby to my breast, wondering how I can enjoy these moments. Because, even as the hours tick by an I lose more and more sleep, I simply can't stop gazing down at this amazing little baby, thinking over and over again just how blessed I really am to have her. Even if we don't sleep.

Last night, my son had a night terror and my daughter didn't sleep for more than an hour and a half at a time. I was nursing my baby while comforting my three year old, all of us awake though desperate not to be. Finally, m son calmed down and fell asleep curled up against me while my daughter's eyes finally drifted shut while laying on my chest. There I was, in my three year old's bed with my back against the wall, awake at 4 am. And, I was in heaven.

So, yes, I love sleep. One day, I will again embrace that good old friend of mine. But for now, I love these moments even more.

What do you love about your kids? Share with us at The Kiddie Pool at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thanks to thediaperdiaries.net for having Things I Love Thursday!

Works for Me Wednesday!

2009-07-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

I cried the other day because my son wouldn't eat his dinner. He threw his milk on the floor because milk is so gross! I sat on the floor next to the spilled milk upset because....there was milk on the floor.

I sobbed in defeat as my 18 month stared at the insanity in front of him. Who was this woman with disheveled hair and tears streaming down her face? Who is this woman that cries over spilled milk?? The look of anger, confusion, and humor crossed his face in an instant and he began to laugh. Which led to me cry harder.

Then....the simplest of words made me stop....."Mom?"

Now, I'm sure he meant it as a "What the heck is wrong with you, woman???" But I took it as a "Mom, are you okay? Why are you crying so much? It's just milk, Mom." So, I paused and thought about what was making me cry.

It'd been a month since she last visited. It'd been 30 days in fact. I had been cramping a bit, moody a bit, hungry a bit, tired a bit, achey a bit. Yes, she was coming and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

The next day she was there and it was time to alleviate my PMS symptoms. What works for me?? Heating pads, ibuprofen, and chocolate. Oh, and cuddling an 18-month old that just won't eat his dinner.

Come share what works for you for your pms Here!

Be sure to check out all our topics at www.mothershideaway.com!

Thank you to We Are THAT Family for having Works for Me Wednesday!!

Kitchen Tips Tuesday! All Purpose House Cleaner

2009-07-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mama Sandy for today's blog!

Have you ever had one of those items around the house that you just can't live without? When I was growing up my mom always had a "cleaning caddy" that she kept all her cleaning supplies in and drug it from room to room. She had the squeegy, window cleaner, furniture polish, old t-shirts for dust rags, toilet bowl cleaner, tile cleaner, old toothbrushes for cleaning grout, etc. It was a total hassle. I used to have the same type of caddy myself because, well, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

I ended up getting a steamer because I needed an easier way to clean the grill than to drag out Kevin's pressure washer. I mean, really the pressure washer isn't exactly the easiest tool to just get out and use on a whim. Sure, it will scrape the paint of the international space station from your back yard but it's not exactly convenient to just grab and go.

After using the steamer to clean the grill I was inspired. I kept on going after I used it because it was already plugged in and ready to go so why not? I cleaned the refridgerator handles that even bleach wasn't getting clean and it was great! Anyone that's seen me cook will attest to the fact that it's like watching a spaghetti and meatballs bomb go off in the kitchen. I have actually had to wash splattered spaghetti sauce off of the microwave range hood after cooking spaghetti...repeatedly.

Now when I clean I get out my steamer, fill it up and I use it for just about everything. What I find as a huge bonus is the fact that it disinfects too. I clean the kitchen sink, the stovetop, the inside of the oven, the floors, the toilets, bathroom mirrors. Everything really.

Just fill up the tank on the steamer:

Plug it in and wait for the yellow light:

Place your attachments on and start cleaning:

Seriously, I absolutely love this thing. You know how difficult it is to clean those small spaces between the faucet and the backsplash? Even with a toothbrush? This thing will just shoot the icky stuff out and all you have to do is wipe up a little bit of water and the ick afterwards. Also, I have asthma and setting the oven to self clean is out of the question and absolutely forget about chemical oven cleaners. I don't need those things anymore because the steamer takes care of it all. The attachments are all on board. There are two small brushes, a squeegy, a small angled nozzle to direct a strong spray, and a mop attachment with handle extension.

Another bonus? It will steam wrinkles out of clothes and upholstery. I have a rather elaborate living room curtain setup and it takes forever to iron the sheers, scarves and curtains. With the steamer I don't have to worry about that I just wash them in the washer and hang them on the rod to steam the wrinkles out.

Ok, I will stop there but I think you get the hint. This thing is awesome!

Come visit us at www.mothershideaway.com and tell us what you think!
Visit us to share your Kitchen Tips here: http://www.mothershideaway.com/forums1/showthread.php?t=1690

Thank you to Tammy's Recipes for having Kitchen Tips Tuesday!! http://www.tammysrecipes.com/taxonomy/term/53

An outing with Matthew

2009-06-11T18:38:00.000-07:00

Today, we're going to take a glimpse inside the day one of our adorable MH Munchkins, Matthew! Because really, seeing adorable photos of gorgeous kiddos and showing them off is what being a mom is all about- and Mothers' Hideaway likes to celebrate that! (Thanks bubbasmomma for the blog!)

Mom decides to take me for a walk because I was being mischievous and fighting sleep like no other little did I know she'd put this stupid hat on me again:

Things started getting bad. I was hot and fidgety so mom stuck the paci in my mouth:

I then realized that this was 1. not my bottle and 2. not a boob so I spit it out and kept wondering why my mommmy was taking pics of me and not feeding me:

So I had enough and let it out. Mommy finally stopped snapping pictures and we took off and I fell asleep:

I got her back and woke up as soon as we got home

Do you have photos to share of your little one? Want to share your challenges with baby? Join us at www.mothershideaway.com!

Our first Picture Caption Winner!

2009-06-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

Come join us and check out our picture caption winner for the following photo:

http://www.mothershideaway.com/forums1/showthread.php?t=1256

Family Vacations

2009-06-04T19:57:00.000-07:00

A member on our site mentioned how she and her family were going to travel out of town for a friend's wedding and how it will provide them with a chance for a family vacation:

Our friend is getting married next weekend, Eric is the best man. It's in Texas and we just booked a studio hotel for an awesome price. It'll be nice to have a little kitchen and microwave! Eric also told me there is Seaworld right there. I always LOVED Seaworld when I was little so we are hoping to get there on Friday and take Conner. I know he's still young but I am super pumped! It's like a weekend get away, and our first Family "vacation" even if it is only for a few days!

Reading this made me consider the importance of family vacations, and how often they really get to happen. For instance, we live far away from family. So, if vacation time is available, we usually need to spend it visiting said family. However, last year we actually took the time to spend a week at the beach. It was amazing, and truly worth it.

I think family vacations are essential to maintaining a sense of balance. Work, household demands, bills, relatives, friends... basically, the demands of everyday life can amount to a whole lot of stress. As a result, we find ourselves forgetting about quality family time. Sure, there are things to do at home and ways to make sure you connect on a regular basis. But nothing beats taking the time to travel together and really appreciate each other. You can appreciate the way your spouse interacts with the children while you look on, enjoy the delight of a new or exciting place to your children, and simply relish in the fact that the mundane is far, far, away-- especially from your state of mind.

Do you have exciting summer vacation plans? Share them with us at www.mothershideaway.com!

The Traveling Circus

2009-05-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

Are there days where the insanity of your life just makes you shake your head and laugh? One of our fabulous mommies, Mama Sandy, shares insight into her crazy world with 5 children- and a trip to the vet!

The Traveling Circus

I was reading Ashley's post about how much she loves her kids and a trip to the doctor's office and it reminded me of a couple weeks ago when I took the dog AND the cat to the vet. I was fortunate that the older kids were in school that day so it was just me, Averie, the ginormous Chihuahua and cat. I had a 9:00 appointment (what was I thinking?). I got up and got the older kids off to school so I could finally claim my spot in line for the bathroom. I showered quickly while Averie was in the bouncy seat then gave her a bath. While I was getting dressed the elusive creature that is our cat was lounging nicely on my bed so I shut the door to keep her accessible in that room. After dressing Averie she had one of her usual poopy diaper explosions; is that considered a wardrobe malfunction? Time for another bath and change of clothes.

After a quick nursing session Averie was asleep and gave me time to wrangle the critters. I got the cat into the pet taxi with surprisingly little effort and the dog on the leash. Okay, now what? I have to load the baby into the carseat, put the carseat, pet carrier and dog into the vehicle. So, after a quick trip to the car with the whining cat in the powder pink carrier I rush back into the house to manhandle the dog and baby to the car. Talk about concierge!

The trip to the vet's office is only about 5 minutes but was filled with many different sounds; the cat whining, the dog whining and Averie wide awake and cooing which sounds more like a cat with it's tail stuck in a door. I am giggling like a crazy woman all the way there.

This is where things get interesting since I made two trips to load the car but only have one shot to unload. I wore my Moby wrap for Averie. I get out of the car by slinking through a crack only a small child should have been able to fit through so the dog doesn't get out also. Go over to the back passenger door and put Averie into the Moby while holding my knees against the door to keep the dog inside the vehicle. Then I have to grab the leash and walk in circles while the dog wraps the leash around my knees and grab the pink pet carrier. This is where the traveling circus comes into play. All I needed was a whip and a tutu; the whip for the "viscious" lion in the cage, the tutu for the dancing dog. Of course Averie and I were the main attraction of the side show in a display reading "Mother/Daughter Conjoined Twins".

Luckily the vet was quick and thorough. The nurse was kind enough to feel sympathy for me and carried the cat out to the car while I whirled in circles so the dog didn't turn me into a May pole.

Needless to say I took a nap when we got home

Do you have a story about your kids to share? Join us at the Kiddie Pool @ www.mothershideaway.com!

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

Mothers' Hideaway would like to take this opportunity to thank our troops and veterans and their families for all their sacrifices and dedication. Because of them, we get to enjoy our lives, liberties, and freedoms. Thank you.

Come share what you are thankful for at http://www.mothershideaway.com

Appreciating our children

2009-05-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

Our children all make us want to tear our hair out at times. They can exasperating little things. But, the love and joy they give us overrides any of that. Today, I'm going to share some thoughts of one of our members, and her very energetic little boy!

I love my son. I know that's true about every mother, but today....I realized that even though he's a handful, even though he's stubborn, even though he's difficult in so many ways.....he's my baby boy and I love everything about him.

Today I had a doctor's appt that typically lasts 3 hours. I was nervous because I was bringing him with me. I was wise enough to make the appointment for his playtime and not naptime or food time, but I was nervous. I expected the worst. We're talking screaming, crying, hitting, dirty looks from people, throwing of food, and more. Today, what I got was happy screams, flirting, waving, talking, laughing, some crying (he hit his head on the chair), and just overall good behavior.

First I had my appt and he flirted with the nurse and the doctors. While we were waiting in the exam room he kept laughing, but bent over and left a mark on his forehead (even more to make him look like an abused child). Then he kept walking from my doctor to her fellow and giving them high fives and laughing. Then when he was ready to leave he walked to the door and kept saying "Bye Bye" and waving Then he did the same when I went to have my bloodwork done.

At the very end of the appointment I had to have an xray of my back and they took him back with us and put him in the nurses station. At first he cried because he couldn't see me and there were 5 female nurses going googly eyes over him. It was dinner time for him, so I'm sure that didn't help. Then, once they learned that he loved high fives and "Zzzz" (taking his pointer finger and zapping you) he was flirting and laughing up a storm. They were laughing the whole time I was on the table getting turned and twisted for the xrays When I said it was time to go he said "Bye bye" and waved.

We came home, did dinner, bathtime, and bed time. He was so worn out he was falling asleep in my arms as I sang him his bedtime song.

He made my day so easy....I really really love him for that.

Read about other thoughts and tell us what thoughts your children evoked today at http://www.mothershideaway.com/forums1/showthread.php?t=823!!

2009-05-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

Weather and Moods

2009-05-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

Consider the following quote:

It's raining..

Yes! Here too!!!

All friggen week. It's annoying. I think we had about 6 hours of total sunshine. It's so depressing when the weather is like this.

True, isn't it? I find it interesting that the weather can so well influence our moods. I know that when I go outside and the sun is shining, my mood instantly lifts. Tell me who doesn't agree that driving with the windows down, the radio blaring, and a warm breeze drifting through the car is one of the greatest feelings? Sometimes we need elements to combine to help us reach the right level of relaxation, that zen level of just right.

Then there are those rainy days. Now, every now and then I enjoy a good storm. I like a vicious one, with the clouds angrily swearing at the world below, the rain thrashing about, angrily soaking us all. The darkness can create a wonderful cloak, under which only a glass of wine and a great novel will satisfy.

But, life dictates that these situations are not typically meant to be. Trying to run errands, take the kids to activities, and just dig out the energy to complete a day can become insurmountable tasks when the weather turns on you. What was once our radio-loving friend is now our fatigue-inducing foe. When life is pouring things on us faster than we can drink, losing the boost of a friendly weather day can be devastating.

Why is this so? Because we are women. That's the easy answer, but it's true. As women and mothers, we take the weight of the world on our shoulders. So when it's a nice day, things can maintain at the status quo. But when it's a dark day, it's on our shoulders. It weighs on us, as though it is our fault the skies are angry. It reflects the things that are bothering us that we just don't have time to deal with in an ordinary day. In essence, it embodies what we do not have time to address.

It's our hidden mood. So, when we can enjoy beautiful weather, not inhibiting the tasks we rush to get done, we can find an element of joy to boost us. But when the weather dares to infringe on our hectic days, when it dares to hinder what we try to be.. well, that's why weather impacts our moods.

What are your thoughts? Do you want to complain about your weather, or share your thoughts on something else? Join us at our new and improved Mothers' Hideaway!!

http://www.mothershideaway.com/forums1/index.php

Happy Birthday Farah!!

2009-05-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

Today is our administrator's birthday. So, I'd like to take a moment to wish her the best year yet!

Farah has done a fantastic job developing Mothers' Hideaway into just the right place to be. Her dedication to ensuring that the details are seen to so we can all have a place to chat, relax, and relate has been amazing, and the end result is a fantastic site with all the capabilities one could want. She followed her vision to make a place where women can find support, friendship, and a little bit- okay, a lot!- of fun. As a result, we wish to introduce the new and improved, Mothers' Hideaway.

Join us! http://www.mothershideaway.com

And Happy Birthday Farah!

Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

I have been mia this week, but Mothers' Hideaway has still been hopping! We had family in town, so I was off doing that. But today, Mother's Day, we are back to having a house with no guests, and I am back to my regular computer time!

Mother's Day is an amazing day. It's a day where all us moms get to be celebrated. However, I think it's important to realize that while we enjoy being appreciated, Mother's Day is an excellent day for us moms to be thankful for how lucky we are. We get to enjoy the greatest gift that life has to offer, every day. Whether we are cleaning that mess for the umpteenth time, scrubbing jelly out of the table, or doing our tenth load of laundry for the week, we are doing it all while experiencing our children growing and learning. The smile that lights up my kids' faces when they see me in the morning is something that means the world to me, and something I'll keep with me forever. So today, as I let my husband and kids spoil me for being mom, I'm also taking a moment to be thankful that I get to be "mom".

Happy Mother's Day! Come join us at Mothers' Hideaway and tell us about your Mother's Day plans! http://mothershideaway.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=339

Your first job

2009-05-06T21:03:00.000-07:00

What was your first job? What memories do you have from it? How would you sum it up? Here are a few from our discussion:

My first legal job was as a front desk clerk in college. It was a suite hotel in my college town and I worked there for 3 years. I loved it. I had all sorts of perks and I could use the outdoor pool/spa anytime I wanted *sigh* The good ol' days of my college years

I babysat a lot then I worked at a summer recreation program for a few years. Then after college got a teachign job where I still work.

My first job was picking strawberries and blueberries at a berry farm just outside of my hometown. I think I was about 14 at the time. After that was doing dishes and working banquets at a golf course during the summers through part of high school. I don't count the berry picking as "real" work because I'm pretty sure that I ate more berries than I picked...

I was a grocery store clerk at Foodland. It was a blast. (rolleyes)

What I find interesting is the tone in the different responses.. some look back fondly, some look back with annoyance. What do you remember?

I have good memories of my first job. I worked for a doctor and his wife in their practice. They treated me like I was their own, and would check on my schoolwork constantly. If they knew I had a paper due or an exam coming up, they wouldn't let me come into work! However, the one thing beyond memories I have taken with me from them is the how to truly enjoy a work environment. These were two people who truly loved what they do, and that is not always such a common thing.

As teenagers, experiences shape your views, some which stay with you for a lifetime. A person's first job often influences how they approach future employment endeavors. So, how did your first job influence you?

What do you think about this? Visit our forum and tell us! See our topic of the day, plus a ton of others! http://mothershideaway.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=287

Weekend break!

2009-05-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the missing entries, it was a busy weekend! I'll add a new one today, but for now, check out www.mothershideaway.com.forums to be entertained :)

Your children's future profession

2009-05-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

Today's topic of interest: your child(ren)'s future profession. What do you want your child(ren) to do??

I'm going to start with this post:

Oh, I'm going to be the lame one that says "Whatever he chooses". I was raised by parents that had my career and lifestyle chosen for me and I hated it. If I had been a weaker person I would have listened to them instead of following my passion of teaching. You know?

Now, be honest, who else had the initial thought of doctor or lawyer, etc? Me, me!! LOL. Seriously, you can't help but think, I want my kid to be that above and beyond all profession, where he/she is the best of the best and makes a gazillion dollars. But, let's consider our poster's thoughts; what happens if we push our kids to something that would ultimately lead to their unhappiness?

Would we know that we were the cause of our children's unrest? Would we care if they were quote unquote Successful? Would we care more if they were unhappy without financial security? What standards need to be in place before we decide that our children's fate is truly up to them? Also, at what point are we thrilled if our children decide to buck everything we want them to pursue? Do we say never? Do we say always?

I say somewhere in between. Because, at the end of the day, I don't want my children hurting for money. I don't want to have to support them (come on, you know you thought that too!), I don't want them to have to have several jobs, and I don't want them to be scraping by. I want my kids to have a profession that both makes them happy and pays their bills.

Shooting for the moon? Probably. But I'd like to think I'll land among the stars.

What do you think about this? Visit our forum and tell us! See our topic of the day, plus a ton of others! http://mothershideaway.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=233

Real life vs. Online friends

2009-04-29T22:47:00.000-07:00

Ahh... the internet vs. reality. An interesting subject to approach from many angles. A great discussion was brought up on this subject on our forums:

I was talking to one of my friends today about this topic and thought it would be interesting to have you all weigh in. In today's world of social networks (like Facebook and Myspace), message boards (like MH), and other internet outlets are the relationships you build online the same or different than the ones you build in "real" life? Do you categorize the two separately? Do you value them differently? Is there ever a time that an "online friend" can become an IRL friend? What does it take to get there?

So many questions!!

Finally, what does it mean to be a friend? Is meeting a person face to face at first change their ranking of importance?

Is it interesting, or strange perhaps, to think that we can now form relationships more solid and lasting through the computer than we can in real life? I know a person who I have chatted with, both online and on the phone, for years now. Between us, we have 3 moves, 5 kids, and several web sites. But, if push came to shove, either of us could count on the other for anything.

So, how do we evaluate this? Is it appropriate to create lasting relationships from online interactions? At one point, I would probably have said no. But, as I evaluated the discussion thread on this topic, I truly thought about it. Person a would be one of the first people I went to with a problem. I say one of, as I do have a real-life best friend-- 1000 miles away. So perhaps our relationship is now electronic as well. Mostly phone calls and online discussions-- but does that take away from what we have? And a new situation- someone I have become close with in a month- a month! Does that seem long or short? In real life, that seems like a quick time to become close with someone, and the few times this has happened for me has led to the great friendships in my life. I think the online version is leading to the same thing. When you feel so comfortable with a person, even if hesitant at first, I doubt the channel of communication really matters.

So, I end with this. True friends are hard to come by; it is rare we find a person we can truly trust, and truly feel comfortable just being ourselves with. When this happens, it should be embraced, whether in person, or in the crazy world of online.

What do you think about this? Visit our forum and tell us! See our topic of the day, plus a ton of others! http://mothershideaway.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=228

Busy day..

2009-04-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy one.. I could barely keep up with my kiddos today, let alone anything else. So, today's entry will be brief.

First, thank goodness for my family. I love my husband, I love my son, and I love my daughter. (go ahead and amend the statement to reflect yours).

Next, thank goodness for bedtime. There is nothing that gives me sanity like having a quiet house.

Finally, thank goodness for a place like mothershideaway.com/forums. A shameless plug? Sure. But after a day like today, I'm thankful to have a place to talk to the only people who understand why I'm awake after finally getting everyone else in bed- other moms.

Join us at http://mothershideaway.com/forums

Mommy time

2009-04-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Moms are busy people. We spend our days working, whether its in or out of the home, taking care of our families, cooking dinners, cleaning up messes, wiping noses, kissing boo-boos.. whew. You get the idea. But, what do mommies do when they have the coveted "mommy time"?

This was a question posed on our forum. As I read the responses, including my own, a pattern caught my attention. Here, a few example answers:

Get on here or watch tv. That's pathetic! I have a coupon for a mani/pedi that Dh gave me for Christmas that I haven't used yet. Must do that ASAP!

I have one too!!! It expires in October so I need to go soon. I am thinking of bringing (my daughter) with me and having a mommy/daughter day.

OOO Yes You Must!! I have been wanting to do that too. Now that Sandle Season is back.

Notice a pattern?? These are just a few, but notice how the mommies, when asked what they do for mommy time, answer with what they "should" or "want to" do. Sure, answers included tv and some internet time, but is that even really an escape for mommy time? Instead of really doing something 100% for them, moms instead tend to do something semi-relaxing, like watching television, while still being completely accessible to her family.

Not so much mommy time, is it?

So, as we take our 5 minutes to be (insert name here) today, lets add on a few more one day this week, and do something where mommy can't be disturbed.

What do you think about this? Visit our forum and tell us! See our topic of the day, plus a ton of others! http://mothershideaway.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=63

Not talking about your kids..

2009-04-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

Can you do it?

This topic recently came up on our forum, and it really sets the mind rolling. Our esteemed administrator has granted me permission to reprint her post:

Can you do it? I'm not saying not bringing up your child at all in conversation, but can you talk about things beyond your child? DH and I were talking about this last night and I was venting to him about how going out with the moms with my playgroup always ends up with us all talking about our kids. That's it. No one really talks about us...as people beyond our roles as mom and wife.

How many does this ring true for? Isn't it the truth? Do we not all, as mothers, sometimes find ourselves identifying ourselves as "such's mom" or "such's wife"? What happened to hello, my name is Ashley? Yes, I think we all find ourselves pondering this at some point in our mommyhood. The question is, to what degree, and to what end?

I personally think we are all going to do this to an extent. Period. I mean, when I have a few minutes away from my kids, I don't want to be talking about them constantly. However, I think it is obligatory to spend the first few minutes of a gathering exchanging child updates, because really, if you don't, then people wonder what kind of mother are you. Of course, after this obligatory exchange of information that no one is really interested in, your children should be in the back of your mind only. You are always going to be a mother above and beyond everything; but, you need to be a person too.

So, in light of this thought, let's all take 5 minutes to be (insert name here) today. And then, we can go back to being mom.

What do you think about this? Visit our forum and tell us! See our topic of the day, plus a ton of others!
http://mothershideaway.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=132

About Mothers' Hideaway

2009-04-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

Being a mother is hard and all-consuming and we all need our own little slice of paradise to enjoy and escape from it. Mothers' Hideaway is a message board and forum designed by a mom for moms so we can support each other in the daily joys and cheers, as well as the trials and tribulations of motherhood. We have a supportive community of women and love to chat daily with each other from topics about how to cut our hair to what we feed our little ones!

Join us at www.mothershideaway.com/forums today!