Showing posts with label being a mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being a mom. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

I wanna Have some Pancakes with you Song.

Where do fireflies go during the day?

"Pancakes recipe song"

My mama wakes up,
real early in the mornin, 
Gettin ready to make, 
a treat for me.
She knows I love, 
to fill um up in my tummy, 
With her special pancakes that are just for me,

((Treat that's warm and yummy.))

I wanna eat some, pancakes with you,
oh dont'cha know it
pancakes with you, 
I wanna share some 
pancakes with you, with you, love you.  

She takes an - egg, a cup of flour and milk,
And whisks um all together smooth just like silk,
She adds a pinch of salt, some sugar too,
A little spoon of oil I don't know what its supposed to do? 
and then, she asks me

You wanna eat some, pancakes with me,
oh dont'cha know it,
pancakes with you? 
I wanna share some,
pancakes with you, with you, love you.  

Inn'a bowl mama sprinkles in the chocolate chips.
The pans gettin warm, waiting just for them
From batter to the laddle, 
to become a pancake!
I can't wait to have some

You wanna eat some, 
pancakes with me,
oh dont'cha know it
pancakes with you, 
I wanna share some,
pancakes with you, with you, love you.  

Sometimes mom adds blueberries, peaches or jam,
She likes them with bananas, I prefer some m&m's.
She pours in the mixture, counting one, two, three,
Then she sings a song she made up just for me,  

I wanna eat some, pancakes with you,
oh dont'cha know it
pancakes with you, 
I wanna share some,
pancakes with you, with you, I love you.  


Today was a gift


Make mistkaes breathe and laugh out loud - and sing to your babies.

 

Monday, January 14, 2019

The Black Hole Movie Trailer from Girl Scouts at the Apple Store Youtube AMI Studios

Baby Girl participates in her schools daisy program, and this week the daisy leaders put together an awesome Field Trip to the Apple store. There the Daisy's we introduced to iMovie, the apple app that let's you easily make movies at home. 

The girls selected the SCARY trailer theme as there template for making a movie trailer. The girls were divided into a few groups of 3-4 Daisy's and they were able to be the writers and directors of their trailers! 

THE RESULTS  

The Black Hole Movie Trailer from Girl Scouts at the Apple Store 

Youtube AMI Studios 


A professional looking trailer to their movie concept: The Black Hole. 


I will admit some of the snippets are "scary." The girls lay on the ground like they are dead. They're are scary moments and sound effects, and even a zombie like moment when a friend comes back to life. These girls were creative! 

Once upon a time I wrote a post about children and "Safe Fear." I think it is a part of our animal instinct to occasionally be afraid, and even like getting scared. These scary moments let our brain explore fear and "what would I do" in that situation. So while the ideas these girls explored and filmed are scary, we are okay with that, because this is how we start to learn about fear. Find the link to that post Safe Fear Versus Real Fear here.

The youtube blurb we typed up covers the logistics of what we were doing ... see below. We highly recommend the Apple Store Sessions where you can explore apple apps, and products. You can sign up your family, girl scout troop, and it's a FREE SERVICE. You can't beat that. 

We did not get paid to make this endorsement, but we really think this is an amazing service!  Contact your apple store or visit apple.com/today  



More about making the You Tube Video

We wrote a brief introduction to what the clip is about, especially since it is a new type of content on our channel. We also recommended the Apple Store service. Lastly, we closed with Baby Girl cool closing line. Yes, all edited and created in iMovie.


The Black Hole Movie Trailer From Girl Scouts at the Apple Store



" A little something new for our channel this week. Baby girl attended an Apple Store Session with her Daisy Girls Scouts. The girls were divided into groups and they each made their own iMovie trailer. Yes, super easy, and yes, each girls crew was very creative. The girls selected the SCARY movie trailer from the templates available in iMovie. Don't be alarmed at the scary themes. Kids are totally capable of having ideas about the scary things that can happen in the world. Kids exploring these ideas I call “safe fear” and we wrote a post about it here about "Safe Fear Vs Real Fear “Are You Sure About That Blog” our blogspot page on blogger: https://areyousureaboutthatblog.blogs... This was a field trip our awesome daisy leaders planned, but you too can make your own trailer or get support for ANY apple services with apple sessions apple.com/today or by visiting your apple store, and we highly recommend it! A great experience all around. And now our feature presentation: Apple Store Sessions Daisy Girls Scouts Make a SCARY iMovie Trailer THE BLACK HOLE "
The Black Hole Movie Trailer From Girl Scouts at the Apple Store


See it live >>> Click the link >>> 

Apple Store Sessions Daisy Girls Scouts Make a SCARY iMovie Trailer THE BLACK HOLE



The Black Hole Movie Trailer from Girl Scouts at the Apple Store Youtube AMI Studios 



Make mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh. Out. Loud.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Thank you Fans - Our Most Popular Posts

We love tracking our adventures. And thru nearly a decade of blogging about the fun we have had, we are sharing our most popular blog posts here. A top ten list to start the New Year! 

Along the path we have been on, we are now including our Video Channel, where you can see some of the sillyness live! 

While the banner is brand new, and we have lots of fun videos for you to enjoy - especially about insects, life with kids, and traveling.


Thank you Fans: Our Most Popular Posts

YOUTUBE CHANNEL AMI STUDIOS CHICAGO

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Thank you Fans: Our Most Popular Posts

Monday, June 12, 2017

Safe Fear versus Real Fear

When my older son was very little I have blogged about an idea of boys and violence, and what is considered "safe violence," You can read about that here in the post "My Son "Plays Rough" - How to Distinguish Violent Versus Rough Play. And I still recommend that documentary about "Raising Cain."

A little bit about safe fear. Walking dead is a hugely popular program right now. And I find my kids are very into playing hide and seek, and really scaring each other.

"I think all of us like to be scared once in a while, but it's most fun being scared when you know you're actually safe." The scary holiday, dressing at scary face and ideas of scary places, halloween of course has always been big at our house. I think all of us like to be scared once in a while, but it's most fun being scared when you know you're actually safe. You can enjoy this year without that feeling of horror. Goosebumps is a program that we love to watch on Netflix, we discovered it when our cousin came to live with us from Guatemala for that month. We'd watch goosebumps and my children would get startled and squeeze my arm and tell me to hold them. And then we would laugh about it afterwards because we knew it always had a scary and then funny part, and a safe ending at the end.

Safe fear is important for children to experience. They can talk about zombies and hitting them over the head with the television or shooting them in the brains with a gun as they might've seen in previews of the walking dead. It's important for children to understand what real fear is so when they do experience it in the life, which they most certainly will at some point, they'll have a concept of the feelings they have/haven't experienced and the concept of what to do when that moment arrives.

For example all this year on Halloween and preparation for Halloween my children remember the zombie mask my dad had given them the year before. They hate that mask. It is terribly scary. They told me even though I had begged and begged and begged that no, I could not dress up like a zombie from the walking dead. My make up would probably be "too good" said my younger son. I did buy a costume that was a zombie t-shirt and I asked to put it into my sons chupacabra costume he requested this year. But he overrode the piece that was the zombie part - too gross, too scary.

Finally Halloween had arrived, and to my shock and amusement. My children said that yes I can dress as a zombie next year. But the pirate costume has gone on too much and I need to change it up a little.

We went to see the new goosebumps movie that was released this year 2015. Yes we took my three-year-old. And she loved it along with her brothers and mom and dad. We were familiar with nearly every story line, except the aliens who freeze people, and praying mantis, and the abominable snowman. Those were storylines we had not seen on netflix.

Older son is getting very interested in the goosebumps books and he is starting to be done. My younger son wants to buy some of the Scholastic book fair. I said "don't you know the stories are scary?" "Yes but they always have a great ending" said my son. And that's a fear. The children explore the idea of being afraid and seriously in danger and having their wits about them and figuring out how to get out of the situation.

I don't know if this fear obsession comes back from nature were boys are determined to protect us and so we dream at night about running away from werewolves or fighting a small little rodent get me biting at our feet. It's our brain's way of processing through scenarios that could actually happen.

So when my kids are asking to be afraid, I encourage it. With in reason. My son wanted to watch scary movie, the hilarious comedy based on the screen series. So I insisted he watch the beginning of scream just the parts where the girl was home alone is getting phone calls. On the moment when the killer came in and the actual murder scene of course I covered his eyes and switched the TV channel. That's allowing fear within reason (it works for us) and pushing the boundaries of safe fear. We watched scary movie. He understood what the storyline was about. And he still slept in our bed that night. He was not happy with the scream mask that uses blood all over itself that his cousin offered him to wear for the next Halloween.

Make mistakes, breathe, reflect. And definitely laugh. out. loud.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Slow cooker Recipe Pork Carnitas Tacos

Slow cooker recipe Pork Carnitas Tacos


I MAKE THIS ALL THE TIME. About 6 times a year and freeze leftovers. Make sure you don't use HOT Paprika if you want a little more red. OOPSIE - kids still remind me of that time. My Guatemalan husband loves this because it is very similar to Helachas that he grew up with.

SERVES: 8 – 10
ADAPTED FROM MARCELA VALLADOLID

INGREDIENTS
2 to 2 ½ lbs pork shoulder or Boston butt roast, cut into 5 or 6 small pieces (in Charlotte we use pork from Grateful Growers Farm, which is sold at the Matthews Farmers' Market and Hillbilly Produce)
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 onion, cut into 6 or 8 chunks
3 garlic cloves, whole
1 recipe tomatillo salsa (use recipe below or can be purchased at Trader Joe's)
1 ½ recipes whole-grain corn tortillas
2 avocados, sliced
Fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix together oregano, pepper, salt, and cumin and rub on outside of pork pieces in bottom of slow cooker.
Throw onion and garlic on top of pork.
Slow cook on low for 6 – 8 hours or until meat is falling apart.
When finished discard the onion and garlic. Drain meat and shred with a fork.
Serve warm with tortillas, tomatillo salsa, avocados and cilantro.


Tomatillo Salsa
ADAPTED FROM SIMPLY RECIPES
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ lbs tomatillos (they look like little green tomatoes with husks around them)
½ cup white onion
¾ cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat broiler on high.
Peel and discard husks off tomatillos. Rinse and cut tomatillos in half. Place cut side down on foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Broil for 5 – 7 minutes until skin is lightly blackened.
Puree tomatillos and rest of ingredients together including onion, cilantro, lime, and pepper using a food processor, blender, or hand immersion blender until ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.


Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh Out loud.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Wearing Mommy's Necklace and Scarf. Baby Girl Steal my Things

I had quite the learning moment today about being a mom and sharing things with my baby girl.

I remember when I was little and even into early adulthood, seeing my mom see me admire something of hers. And then she would offer it to me to wear tomorrow. And I remember thinking why should give this to meet when it's her favorite? I was shocked that she was sharing it with me.

You Know when you have something that you treasure show much best friend can't borrow it or it's your policy never to borrow it. Yeah those types of things that my mom would let me borrow and still I couldn't believe it. And then I felt a huge sense of responsibility to take care of it and make sure to return it to her in good condition, even though she reminded me to do the same thing as well.

See the scarf that she wanted to make for herself to "match mommies."

Today I had one of those moments. As we were getting ready to go pick up the boys from school my darling daughter asked me to borrow a scarf. She couldn't find any scarves in her drawer, and it's crisp cool fall weather here in Chicago in November. So she asked to borrow one of my scarves that are hanging up in the closet. And I just said sure, then I paused.

I do not borrow my scars to anyone. Some women have their shoes, others have their art, books, or their jewelry. I have mostly scarves. It's not quite out of control and any means, but I do treasure them.

And so without holding back an at all I let her borrow my wool scarf that I had gotten last year from my mom with cherry blossoms on it. It reminds me of Japan and the wonderful cold that my husband bought me but she knew about and then intern got me a scarf to match.

The scarf of course is made for an adult woman so on her it is rather long, which of course makes her three-year-old little body looks so cute in it. I to remind her that she needs to take care of it and It cannot touch the floor or get scratched or ripped. She said I know mommy I will take care of it. We got in the car she took her coat off, but the scarf state around her neck as she put her car seat. It was just too adorable.

There's few things that I don't allow her, when I find myself hoarding some of my Amber Pete's from a necklace that broke waiting for the day when I'll have time to fix it, or the turquoise bracelet that our cleaning lady also likes to beat attempt at fixing which broke again and I again am waiting for time to fix it. I find myself taking these little precious things that I do care about and making her a bracelet or a necklace from it. And seeing her enjoy it in mediately and we are things for days thereafter. It makes it all worth while seeing her smile and enjoy these little perks in life. I hope she's also learning what took me a long time to learn about quality. I don't buy costume jewelry and I don't buy polyester scarves. I do invest in quality pieces whether they are precious or semi precious. My scarves are all cotton linen or the luxurious silk. I even have a fake Ermas and a real Hermas complements of my husbands.


I want my daughter to know that you invest in these pieces because God for bid one day the world falls turns upside down hopefully they will get you through hard times in life. We're costume jewelry that's plastic, and meeting China. It is not crafted by a person but I am machine there for making it less valuable. Of course on trips and excursions I buy little bits and pieces of jewelry that were handcrafted by local artisans like my shell card turtle from Mexico. There is actually the name for artisans car things out of shell, insert here.

I want my daughter to understand what the finer things are in life, and the reason you might not necessarily be exactly 20 with the new necklaces because you're wearing one of real silver beads or real pearls or six strands of red coral. Those pieces are called classic never go out of style.

Today's money moment was not only one for me seeing my daughter enjoy beautiful things but I guess she's learning to love beautiful things to and hopefully will carry that with her for the rest of her life.

Original post: November, 2015

Make mistakes, breeze, reflect. And don't forget to laugh out loud.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipie

Hot cocoa chocolate chip cookies

I make this with or without the hot cocoa mix. 

Ingredients:
2 and 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup powdered hot cocoa mix
1 Cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened
3/4cups packed brown sugar (minus 1T)
3/4cups granulated sugar (minus 1T)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 Cups white or regular chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and both sugars. Add cocoa mix. Add Eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. Slowly add in flour alternating w/salt and baking soda. Stir in chips.

Refrigerate batter before spooning or cookies will be flat. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls spoonfuls onto baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake 10-13 minutes. Allow to cool for 2-4 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to cooling rack. Makes about 3-4 dozen depending on size.


Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect, bake cookies, and Laugh.Out.Loud. at the flour all over the floor.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Shopping Lists: Thanksgiving and Christmas Annual Shopping List for Cooking and Baking our Traditional Dishes

Menus thanksgiving and Christmas. Yes these are my shopping lists. I need to keep them in a secondary location and I like to share...

Thanksgiving**

Corn chowder
Butternut squash soup or casserole with chinese spice and creme fresh
Candied ham
Sweet or mashed potatoes
Cranberries
Apple pie or apple strudel
Flan
Compot
Sweet wine

Xmas**

Mushroom soup
Malowiec
Polish vegetable salad
Rugelach roll - try
Kolachky
Spritz cookies
Gingerbread cookies
Chocolate chi cookies
Egg big w cognac

Baking Shopping list
2 bags sugar
2 bags flour
3 packs 1lb butter
2 bags chocolate chips
1can lg poppy seed filling
3 type mushrooms 2-3lbs
Sour cream
Dill
Check seasonings: nutmeg, Ginger powder, all spice, etc.
1 gallon milk
3 packs eggs
2 qts heavy whipping cream
2 cups cognac
1cup rum
2 cups whiskey
Add rugelah needs
Add salmon needs
Add apple pie needs
Soups, etc

New years brunch
Poached eggs
Bacon
Potatoes
Pick a new recipe every year


SOMETHING NEW:

YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Make mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Kids Shoes for the Very Young Under 2 year old crowd

When my munchkins were little I really took time to think about their little feet and best bets for when they learn to walk.

The Mix of advice from the grandmas and the experts helped me make my mommy plan.

Barefoot is best. 


In safe places where we know there is no glass or HOT ground (in summer), well you can find us barefoot. The days gone by that meant - for my grandmas generation - you were too poor to own shoes. To her horror I let my kids run around barefoot, and they run fast!!

Mommy too walks barefoot whenever I can. In the yard we are constantly barefoot.

In the house we can be barefoot or with house slippers. 


We dont tend to wear socks or shoes at home to prevent bacteria from transferring indoors. We also dont wear socks on bare floors due to slip and fall danger.

Always be sensible about kids feet. 


Shoes matter for long lifetime impact and a pain free life. Stride rites are a great brand, as are Hannah Anderson. However sometimes the trendy design like a boot or clog is just too difficult to flex their foot in and makes tripping easy.

Stylish is fun, but comfortable is first.


We do not, ever, wear flip flops. Not for mom or the kids. Slides have a tendency to make kids trip when the tips get folded under. Flip flops flip right off when running and making scrapes so much more common. Gym shoes for running activities are always a great choice, for the 3 tear old and up crowd. But what a out the 2 year old and under kids. For these soft soles with snug fits are great for foot formation AND comfort.

As for Shoe Brands for kids:


'Skidders' are great for under 2YO -- rubber bottom and sock top. 

Great for in and outdoors w safety non skid. These flexible shoes allow babies feet to grip and get a good feel for standing and those first steps.

Also great for little feet are Soft sole leather bottoms with soft tops: 'Robeez' -- We loved them. 

These are fab for dry weather in and outdoors, altho use caution on playgrounds. The leather or soft bottoms can be slippery on some jungle gyms at the park. But for a walk around the block on cement is perfect.

Then the 3+ crowd believe it or not I love 'crocs.' 


As long as they are sized perfectly. Kids can put them on and off, and manage them alone. We are croc converts! Great for their foot shape growth, as long as they are snug. When we have hikes or we trek in wet and dry conditions like running thru sprinklers, snug crocs are a safe bet, and more durable them the more common "wet socks" or snug wet shoes that I have found fall apart after use in a season around chlorine water mix.

Where to buy?



Frequently you can find these in big box over run stores like Big Lots or TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Target recently carries Skidders.

For off mark brands, check the sole attachment and make sure the glue is durable. No separation should occur with slight pressure from your fingers. And when you do find the shoes on sale, but 1 size up for next year. You'll be thankful your not scrambling for another shoes when that growth spurt happens.


Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

You learn as you go

You learn as you go.

My older son is now 7 and I have come to realize some mistakes I've made in raising him. 

When I wrote the blog below on a schedule for toddlers, I was very proud of the fact that I limited his TV tube time. He actually didnt watch any TV or kids videos until he was almost 3. This was before iPhone an IPad too. And now I realize that was a big mistake.

Routine keep me sane!


See our family routine in this post. And the original MIMIT KIDS TV SCHEDULE Routine post here. And more ponderings on the schedule here.  

Our youngest son did get some TV before age 2, mostly watching along side his brothers TV/tube time. So the youngest had early exposure to television.

Nowadays when my kids do get to watch TV for Friday movie night or cartoons on Saturday morning, the older one is completely plugged in (or zoned out). While the 3 year old can tune in and out to come get a drink from the kitchen and even gets bored with the shows. 

If I had to do it all again, I'd follow our new routine.


After we drop off the older one at school, my younger kids get 1 (one) hour of TV in the morning (which is public television cartoons like sesame street) without those commercials that are so awesome for kids who react with "I want that!" This way the kids get to relax and enjoy some TV time before we move on with our daily activities.  There is still almost no TV during the school week for the older one, except one 1/2 hour program (our play on the iPad) after homework and responsibilities are complete. 

Kids new that time to unwind, or wake up. And just like adults need to zone out sometimes, so do kids. 

YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Make mistakes. Breathe. Reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Monday, February 6, 2017

Moms Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List 2015

We are enjoying our 3rd Summer, and celebrating the nearly three months of fun with a Bucket list. As we approach the end of the school year we draft our list of things we want to do over the summer. Then of course when the kids aren't nearby mom at the things that are education related that I would like to accomplish over summer. Pinterest helps me find lots of different ideas and I do keep a summer bucket list on Pinterest. When you come across things during the year it's nice to be quickly reminded when you want to find the idea, that's where Pinterest is a brilliant idea. 

Of course my kids are brilliant at their ideas out. We don't need the time to Pinterest because some of the things they come up with are just fantastic and simple. My older son can write already so he comes up with his list draft of himself. Younger son and baby girl brainstorm with mom and I jot down their ideas. The reason I write down their ideas because it's showing them the credibility that what they say adds value to our conversation and what we want to do with our lives.

In my business life I am a marketing and event planning consultant. My strengths are in the planning, project management process, as well as budget management. So the skills translate into my personal life and to many summers and spending with my family out and about. Lots of our Summer Bucket List is lots of things that are for free, and within the surrounding Chicagoland area (have car - will travel).

So the next series of posts that I am drafting, will include the adventures on our summer bucket list 2015, The weekly playdates with our cousins and friends that live in the surrounding area, as well as our lazy days we enjoy often. 

As an aside, on my personal bucket list will be how to capture obvious fantastic moments that we share into a photo album. I struggle with keeping up on our scrapbook/photo albums. I still have to make my baby girls maybe scrapbook and it's three years later. And touching up my younger son's scrapbook, and I'm throwing all our 2000 and pictures into a Photo album. And fairly good at checking into places on my Facebook page as well as posting pictures from the days events, and I heard there's some great apps out Facebook pictures into an album, and I think this may be my solution or summer bucket list by year. 

Happy Summer 2015!

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud 

Thursday, January 19, 2017

When Fear is Around, a poem

"When fear is around" A Poem 

Story behind the poem:


The inspiration behind the poem. When we observe people around us I always say we are outsiders looking in, inside their box. Imagine the world you live in. It is different then mine. Your community, your office. your house. That is "your box." If I were to look inside your world it would like like me taking the lid off the top of the box and looking inside. I am looking into your box. Inside your world.

When we live in our own box, we see things from our perspective. But when an outsider looks into the box they will see things very differently. When my husband and I chat about life, the kids, or work, his perspective is different then mine. We look into eachothers boxes and sometimes see things differently. And that can be helpful, and eye opening (after the frustration of being told how different I am).

When looking into the box, we see people at their best or worst. But we don't analyze ourselves that way.

Both our Babcia's suffer from some level if anxiety and fear (night time fear of the dark, yet saying they are not afraid. Teasing kids with fear of animals, or losing a chess game...) I mean everyone does have some level of fear, or anxiety at some point in their lives. However as they age their fears are sharpened, like a fine point on a sharpened pencil. I just see WHAT their particular fears is more then they recognize it themselves. For one grandma, sometimes it is medical concerns, and death and dying. For the other its the darkness, nighttime and a fear of someone breaking into her home. I would argue we all have these as fears, at some point. Or concerns. I just see it amplified in them because they talk about THESE particular fears often.

The Poem // WHEN FEAR IS AROUND


Growing,
Stronger,
Every year.

Paranoia,
Anxiety,
Her fear.

Driving,
Walking,
Every day.

The Beach,
The store,
Every way.

Her fear of the dark has swollen thick,
When driving she fears getting hit,
What, when, where is it
The fear is hers and constant.

All. The. Time.
She can't face it.
She feels it,
She never unwinds.

Do you see that truck? Is the alarm on? In case of fire, keep it armed.
At night I hear her as she dreams, muffled noises, silent screams.

By morning we learn she was running away, from the dark, a man, an animal gone astray.

We can't discuss it,
she denies it's there.
The ever constant,
always growing, Fear.

The storm was so loud,
I laid in bed,
The the trees shook,
Branches scraping above my bed.

Did the siren sound? Did the earth shake?
No major alarms, but it still made her heart quake.

It's the smallest thing,
The quietest creek,
When her ears give alert,
And she listens for it to speak.

Fear says hello
In its own way.
Each of us hearing it,
What does it say?

For me it's the creaking in the hall,
Why is there noise when there should be none at all.

For him it's his wife coming to bed,
It's late, its dark, he rested his head.
Suddenly a light, someone entering the room,
He catches his breath as his heart zooms.

For the children it's the darkness, when they lay their heads.
And they snuggle their animals, warm in their beds.
They fall asleep to the sounds of kids songs,
The pounding of their hearts is drowned and gone.

And Great Grandma she wonders,
Will I fall asleep in my bed,
Or will I fall into that wonderland,
And my body lay cold and dead?
Then her heart pounds,
Her face warms, and she quakes
Her mind racing,
She quivers and quakes.
It's happening, this is the moment it's now,....
When fear takes over and all reason bows down.

I wish her peace, I wish her calm,
I wish her patients thru the it all.
Neither silence or sound,
Can help calm her,
When Fear is Around.

NEW UPDATE :: YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT BLOG


Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 



From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )



See It Live >>> 


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA


Make mistakes, breathe reflect, and turn on a light. Laugh at the dark.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Dad's EASY Cat in the Hat Costume

Husband needs a costume for school...surprise! Every year it is an adventure with him. He takes for-evah to decide what his costume will be. I love helping and making it... I would just like to start sooner then 1-week before it's due.

Shopping for material or digging thru bins, measuring him, once then twice. And finishing touches. I mentioned the constant children interruptions for drinks .snacks, wiping something, etc. etc. etc.

Anyway this one was easy.

Supplies:
  • Felt for the hat - white and red strips.
  • Left over stuffing for some light filler - so it wouldn't tip over. 
  • Extra red felt for the bow tie, with one single tail hanging down.
  • White felt circle for the stomach.
  • Plain black long sleeve shirt.
  • White gloves (left over from being a pal bearer ( I know they are supposed to go in with the coffin, stop yelling at me,... he know he knows. I even offered to bury his grandmas funeral gloves in the back yard and he insists on keeping them NOW because they paid off - - - as a costume accessory!)


Untitled
Cat in the Hat costume in progress. Felt pieces for hat.

Untitled
Cat in the Hat costume completed. What an awesome trooper. 

YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO



Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 



From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )



See It Live >>> 


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Monday, April 4, 2016

Getting to know your kids, interview questions

Getting to know our kids can be a little easier than usual. Sometimes we adults struggle with what to talk about with kids. They really are similar to us adults. They have interests, desires, want attention and respect.

I came across some first / new date questions to ask when you are getting to know someone. I narrowed them down to a version for "getting to know my kids."

Pick one question, or two, go ahead and interview you kid/s, and know that their answers will be fun and hopefully you'll learn something new.

I keep this list as a note in my iPhone. When we are at a restaurant or bored in the car and we need a distraction... I will reference the list. Really, this has been such a fun occasional activity. Go ahead - try it!!

These questions have also encouraged conversations to guide the kids naturally on situations that happened at school. Like fighting, arguing, or hurt feelings. And how to cope and talk it through. 

  1. What do you like to dream about?
  2. What is your best memory this school year?
  3. Who is your hero? Why?
  4. How would you describe your family?
  5. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?
  6. What are you most proud of yourself for?
  7. Who is the kindest person you know? Why?
  8. What do you like most about your best friend?
  9. What is one thing you would like to learn to do well?
  10. If you were an animal what one would you be and why?
  11. When is the last time someone hurt your feelings? How did you react?
  12. Do you know someone who is going though a hard time? How can you help them?
  13. What is the scariest thing that happened this year?
  14. If you could keep only one thing, out of everything you have, what would it be?
  15. Who do you think is really successful? Why?
  16. What’s the best thing about your teacher this year?
  17. When do you feel misunderstood by grown-ups?
  18. What three words best describe you?
  19. What’s something that makes you angry?
  20. What’s the best compliment you ever received?
2013-05-07 002
Young Son and Baby Girl on our daily walk. They took off talking on one question without mom.


Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Our Summer Bucket List - Northpark Nature Center and Learning about Spittlebugs - End of Summer

Last week we went on a walk at our local Nature Center, and I found these bunches of bubbles on plants. I assumed it was some sort of insect but I didn't know what it was. My daughter shouts enthusiastically now, it was a Spittlebug!! 

Our Summer Bucket List - Northpark Nature Center and Learning about Spittlebugs - End of Summer


I remember being on a trip to Wisconsin Dells and feeling these six drops of rain falling on me from under the trees. However it wasn't raining. That trip was last year when I was already paying attention to the bugs around me. I still did not know what it was, until seen this at the nature center. 

They had a handout on programs they had which included learning about spittlebugs which I assumed was this little creature. 

Spittlebugs, Learning and Summer Fun Combined, First Week on Our Summer Bucket List 2015 


Free learning at nature centers, these activities eat up our day!

Spittlebugs, Learning and Summer Fun Combined, First Week on Our Summer Bucket List 2015

Spittlebugs, Learning and Summer Fun Combined, First Week on Our Summer Bucket List 2015


Spittlebugs, Learning and Summer Fun Combined, First Week on Our Summer Bucket List 2015

Peggy Notebart nature Museum - a great way to see Insects

Our Family hobby: Bug collecting. We did a bug study and review at the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum Bug Installation Exhibit Display. Mom is showing young son how big the bug is compared to something familiar, like moms finger. YES, those are huge beetles.

Peggy Notebart nature Museum - a great way to see Insects


IMG_4846

With Younger Son

How about in video versions. . . 

Peggy Notebart nature Museum - a great way to see Insects

Monday, February 15, 2016

Writing a Dinner Menu for Guests: The Menu, their selection options, tips, advice and ideas.

I love to cook. But I don't always have time. I have found tho that staying on top of these at home chef skills help me keep my edge both in my business and as a mom.

Here is a recent selection I put together for a meeting of friends at my home. After getting any food allergies and cultural preferences down, I pulled from my repertoire of everyday yummy meals I can easily kick up to fancy.

My friend who knew both guests helped me make some selections.

I always offer a meat and a fish. Sides are usually vegetarian to appease anyone eating light or vegetarian. I don't tend to serve basic salads (lettuce and veggies) unless its our summer block party and I'm feeding 50+ people. 

My little secret: everyone thinks I worked all day and magically whipped together a multi course meal in 2 hours. That's Not the case. 


"Black beans are rinsed and simmered in onions, garlic and peppers, or my homemade frozen cubes of sofrito."

My soups can be made ahead, up to 2 days (and taste better if the flavors meld over at least a day).

Meats can marinate a day ahead, and be popped in the over with little handling. Or a slow cooker will do the trick with pulled pork or braised beef dishes.

I love fresh ingredients- but I am a mom, who works. So i have learned how to freshen canned goods. Black beans are rinsed and simmered in onions, garlic and peppers, or my homemade frozen cubes of sofrito. Beets get sliced and a squeeze of lime. Mandarins don't need extra love because they absorb the flavors they are presented with. This also goes for pre-sliced servings or shredded carrots versus my doing the sou chef work. Nearly everything can be bought convenient style. Butternut squash, comes frozen and cubed - easy peezy goodness.

In this same tone, raw ingredients are served fresh, always. Fresh bread- greek style is excellent for table service. With that our local market has Amish and Polish butter where the flavor comes thru in every schmear. Soften butter at room temp for 15 mins before serving. A fancy plate and butter knife helps make it appealing.


"Fresh bread- greek style is excellent for table service. With that our local market has Amish and Polish butter where the flavor comes thru in every schmear. "

Desserts like flan are a make ahead must, needing time to cool. And bought ice cream is easily topped with frozen fruits and sugar, heated in a sauce pan for an easy compote!

Starters of course can be slices before guests arrive. I save time by opening all my cheese packages in advance and store in an air tight container. That saves 15-20 minutes easily when guest arrival is approaching. The same goes for rinsing grapes when they arrive at home. Get it done and forget it. (Also dried fruits can replace fresh, so I always have a bag in the pantry just in case.) these time savers let you have those extra moments for pouring wine and resting as you wait for guests.

So now: Open container, slice cheeses, arrange pre-washed fruit. Replace in container and display. Open crackers, pour into basket. Done. Wine please.


Dinner for the Great Meeting: 

Hows arrival around 4:30

These are my specialties. Happy Selecting. 

Dinner Served Family Style

Starters:
- Cheeses, grapes, and baguette slices and those target crackers ;-)

Table Starter:
- Red Beets and Spinach salad with mandarins and a balsamic reduction.

Pick a Soup: (served with Greek Bread and Polish Butter)
- cup of soup: corn chowder w or w out shrimp 
- OR Butternut squash
- or seafood soup (sopa de mariscos).

Babcias Pierogi will be served w sour cream.

Pick 1 an additional entree...:

French-ish
- Shrimp Creole: shrimp saute in red tomatoe sauce with veggies and creole -not spicy- seasoning. Served over white Jasmine Rice. Siraha sauce or tabasco on the side.

Mexican Style -
- Fajitas with lotsa of veggies mixed peppers, onions. And served with a variety plate of seared steak, chicken and shrimp.

Toppings on table: sour cream, cheese (fresco or cojito), cilantro, etc.

Or Soft shell Tilapia Tacos.
Same toppings as above.

Guatemala:
Tostadas Guate style - a make your own fun light meal.

Make your own tostada; Layer onto a Crispy tortillas:


1. 1 spoon of this Veggie base: red beets, carrots, green beans, diced and cooked.


2. toppings at the table: ground beef, onions (raw), mexican cojito or fresco cheese, boiles egg slices, lime weges, sour cream.


3. Sauces: dallop of tabasco, horseradish, (even wasabi - not true to the original dish).


3. Enjoy over a plate! 
Making easy sales with our garden tomatoes. Served with scrambled eggs.
Homemade Salsa, with our Garden Red Japanese and Yellow Tomatoes.
This day I served it up with scrambled eggs. Fresh. Easy! 


Pick your 1 starch and 1 veggie:
- Baked rosemary garlic red potatoes (or fingerlings if I can find them!)
- green beans sauteed & lightly breaded,
- tri-color carrots in sweet glaze
- black beans and rice (Puerto Rican Style, made with a homemade sofrito base).
*if you pick tostada I recommend rice, and black beans will be served on the side. Tostada really is an all in one kind of meal.


Desserts
- Drink: Eisewine (Icewine) and Djadeks (grandpas) wine

Small servings of a variety of: 
- Homemade Flan
- Homemade Crepes with Nutella or Butter and Sugar
- or custard ice cream served with a compote fruit reduction, berry mix. Or mango.

- expresso, or americano, served with pan warmed milk (light froth) for  coffees or blooming flower green tea.

         ### 

Can't wait to see what you pick!!

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Halloween is not just about dressing up in costumes and asking for candy! It's a holiday steeped in folklore and customs. From carving pumpkins to trick or treating, each ghoulish tradition has its own fascinating tale.

Halloween is not just about dressing up in costumes and asking for candy! It's a holiday steeped in folklore and customs. From carving pumpkins to trick or treating, each ghoulish tradition has its own fascinating tale.

The Origins of Halloween

Although it only became popular in America in the early 1900's, Halloween dates back almost 2,000 years when it marked the Celtic New Year. Originally known as Samhain, which means "summer's end" in Gaelic, many Halloween customs and traditions have roots in pagan beliefs and Irish folklore. These customs became popular in America when many Irish fled their country to escape the potato famine of 1846.

Jack o' Lanterns

The meaning behind Jack o' Lanterns is a rather tragic tale. As the story goes, a drunken farmer named Stingy Jack was turned away from both heaven and hell. As Jack wandered the darkness of purgatory, he made a lantern out of a carved out turnip and a lump of coal to help light the way and guide his lost soul.

The Celtics believed that placing Jack o' Lanterns outside helped guide lost souls home as they wandered the streets during Samhain. The scary carved faced on each also served to scare evil spirits away. When the potato famine forced many families to flee to America they began using pumpkins as a substitute since they were much easier to come by.

 
Trick-or-Treating in Costumes

Since Samhain marked the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one, the Celtics believed the past and the present were closely linked during this time, allowing the lines between the living and dead to be blurred and the spirits of the deceased to mingle with the living.

They believed that visiting ghosts would disguise themselves in human form and knock on doors asking for money or food. If they were turned away empty-handed, the homeowner risked angering the spirit and being cursed or haunted.
Another Celtic myth was that dressing up as a ghoul or ghost would fool any evil spirits so that the spirits would not try to take their soul.

Bonfires

The word "bonfire," derived from the words bone and fire, means "fire of bones" and refers to the huge sacred fires Druids (Celtic priests) would build to commemorate Samhain.

During this time, the pagans would extinguish their hearth fires and gather around the sacred fire to burn crops and animals bones as sacrifices to the gods. Personal and symbolic items were also burned as offerings for relief from sickness or bad luck in the coming year. When the celebration was over, the pagans would use the embers of the sacred bonfire to re-light their own hearths as a way to protect them from the coming winter.
Additionally, the sacred bonfires were thought to scare away any evil spirits visiting. People would stay close to the fires wearing costumes of animal heads and skins to disguise themselves.

 
Witches and Cauldrons

Celtic folklore dates witches at Halloween back to the pagan goddess known as "the crone" (also "the old one" or "Earth mother") who was honored during Samhain and symbolized wisdom and the changing of the season.

The Celtics believed that when someone died, his or her soul went to the crone's cauldron, known as the Earth mother's womb, to await reincarnation. The crone stirred the cauldron to allow new spirits in and old spirits to be reborn.
Witches also became known as "evil" by the Christian faith, who believed talented and intelligent women were receiving their knowledge and power from something other than God. Accusing women of witchcraft was used as a way to keep them from threatening male supremacy. Witches in Christian folklore were ugly because evil was ugly, and typical symbols of witchcraft (brooms, cauldrons, and cats) were associated with the home and women's work.

 
Black Cats and Broomsticks

The black cat's bad reputation dates back to the Dark Ages, when elderly single women were often accused of witchcraft and their pet cats were thought to be a witch's "familiars," or demonic animals that had been given to them by the devil.

These old women were also usually poor, and therefore could not afford horses for traveling. They walked the woods by foot with the help of a stick or, sometimes, a broom.

Bats and Spiders

Bats and spiders were also thought to be witches' and ghosts' "familiars." Folklore claims that if a bat was seen flying around a house three times, someone inside was going to die. And if a bat flew into your house on Halloween, it meant that a ghost had let it in, and the house was haunted.

As the story goes, too, if a spider falls into a candle-lit lamp and is consumed by the flame, a witch is nearby!

 
Orange and Black

These colors were used by the pagans as they celebrated harvest. Orange symbolized the vibrant colors of their crops, while black stood for the death of summer.

Read more about our own Halloween Tradition with the Black and White witch who gets rid of our Halloween candy!

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.
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