Words and Thoughts of a Mom/Bonus Mom

Part time working mom and wife who loves spending days with the family and cooking good meals.

[littleladybugs11]

Who Am I?

My name is Elizabeth. I am a wife to an amazing husband. I am a mother to two beautiful children. Beyond that, I am not sure who I am anymore. I love being a Mom. There’s nothing else in this world I have more pride in than my kids.But without them I don’t know who I am anymore. 

How did I let this happen? I know being a mother and taking care of a family and a home is a full time job, but how did I let it be the ONLY thing? I don’t really have friends anymore. I have people I talk to, but I don’t really “hang out” with anyone anymore. I don’t get to have “girls nights out” or even just time to myself. I rarely have adult conversation outside of my husband, work and the occasional phone call with my Mom.

I don’t have hobbies. Nothing I have an interest in that fills my free time (the rare occasion I have it). I am simply Mom. The kids take up my every waking moment. The baby who is permanently attached to me (who screams nearly every time I put him down) and the six year old who, since the baby has come along, has become less and less independent. 

I don’t exactly live in a place that’s teaming with entertainment. Nor do I have people nearby that are willing to help out and give me even a few hours without my kids. I work part time and can barely afford to pay the daycare to do that, no way I could afford to work full time. 

I live in a small town where everyone already knows everyone and then there’s me. Just me. 

[littleladybugs11]

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday!

[littleladybugs11]

Tonight Hermey leaves, we have had a great few weeks with him and will be sad to see him go. Can’t wait to see him again next year!

[littleladybugs11]

Santa is resting up because in 1 week he makes his trip around the world! Hurry up Christmas!

[littleladybugs11]

Christmas Eve is 1 week away! I can’t wait for Christmas, my most favorite time of year!

[littleladybugs11]

Just needed a little tune up...

[littleladybugs11]

The Christmas time adventures of Hermey the Elf on the Shelf

[littleladybugs11]

Hermey the Elf has made his grand return in a gift box. Looking forward to many more fun days with him this year!

[littleladybugs11]

The time has arrived, Happy Slapsgiving everyone!

[littleladybugs11]

Who’s ready for some turkey!? Four more days!

[littleladybugs11]

Cooking Mom - Recipes

Even though the “grilling season” is coming to a close that is not stopping us from firing up the grill (even if it is only an electric one). This week we tried a new grilled pork chop recipe that was perfect for the fall.

Apple Cider Glazed Pork Chops

Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs of pork chops Rub: 2 Tbsp brown sugar 2 tsp chili powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 Tbsp olive oil

Apple Cider Glaze: 1 1/2 cups apple cider 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation: 1. Light your grill and heat to medium-high heat. 2. In a small saucepan prepare your glaze by combining your apple cider, syrup, Dijon mustard and crushed red pepper. Bring to a simmer.  3. While the glaze simmers prepare your pork rub. In a small bowl combine your brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork. Add your oil to the mixture and stir. The consistency will be a crumbly paste. Pat your pork chops dry with a paper towel then cover all sides with your rub. 4. Put your chops on the grill and brush with glaze. Cook for about 6 minutes, flip and glaze the other side. Keep repeating this process until the pork chops are cooked through with an internal temperature of 145°F. 5. You can also grill apples to compliment this dish. Just brush halved apples with the glaze and grill about 5-6 minutes. 

Credit to Delightful-e-Made for this great fall recipe

[littleladybugs11]

Only 1 week away from....

[littleladybugs11]

Chronicles of a Devoted Stepmom

So, it has been awhile since I have posted. I just haven’t been able to bring myself to write about this topic in light of all of the hardships our family has been going through these last few months. 

Let me start off by saying that no parent should be denied access to their child. This is one of the worst heartaches my husband and I have ever known. We have not seen our son since the beginning of September. And he has not had an overnight here since the middle of August. 

Biological or not, he is my son. And I feel as if I have lost a child. We don’t get to see him or speak to him. I feel like a part of my soul has been torn from me and I feel a huge empty space. 

I know that many women would side with her and probably say that either myself or my husband have done something to deserve this. But I promise you that’s simply not the case. I think that this has been brewing for years now. And she finally decided she wanted my husband out of his life completely and she’s doing it. She is erasing my husband from his son’s life. 

And the worst part of all is hearing my daughter cry and ask when she will get to see her big brother again. To hear her say how much she misses him almost every day. How as a mother do I explain this to her? 

I’m lost. And I’m not sure how to get back on track.

[littleladybugs11]

Cooking Mom - Recipes

Crock Pot Salisbury Steaks

Ingredients: 2 lbs. lean ground beef 1 pack (envelope) dry onion soup mix 1 pack dry au jus mix 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/4 cup milk 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 cans of cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz) 1 cup water 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp pepper

Preparation: 1. In a large bowl mix together ground beef, onion soup mix, pepper, oregano, thyme, italian seasoning, bread crumbs and milk. Shape them into 6-8 patties depending on how big you want them.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cover the patties in flour to coat, then place them into the heated skillet to brown both sides.

3. Place the browned patties into your crock pot and be sure to place them evenly so they stack nicely.

4. In a medium sized bowl mix together your cream of chicken soup, au jus mix and water; then evenly pour the mixture over your patties. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours, be sure the ground beef is well done. 

5. Serve with sides of your preference. My family ate them with mashed potatoes and corn.

Credit to pinkwhen for this crock pot recipe.

[yrbff]

On October 21st, he asked me what day it was.

[babeimgonnaleaveu]

“All right, Doc, What’s going on? Where are we? When are we?”  Back to the Future: Part II (1989) dir. Robert Zemeckis

[littleladybugs11]

Back to the Future Day Oct 21, 2015

[littleladybugs11]

Cooking Mom - Recipes

One of my favorite things to eat on a cold fall day is soup! And one of my favorite soups to eat is potato soup! It’s also my daughter’s favorite soup, she is my little soup eater and would eat soup even in the middle of summer time.

Potato Soup

Ingredients: 8-10 potatoes (depending on size) 4 cans of chicken broth (not huge) 1 small onion, diced 3/4 all-purpose flour 2 cups cold water 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups heavy cream Salt & pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups of colby monterey jack cheese, shredded 1/4 cup bacon bits (I use real bacon bits) 1/4 cup green onions, diced

Preparation: 1. Dice your potatoes, boil and save until the end. 2. In a large pot add your broth, onions, water, salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. 3. In a small pot melt your 2 sticks of butter and 3/4 cup of flour together then slowly add to your broth.  4. Then add your heavy cream slowly so everything begins to thicken. 5. Simmer everything for 20 minutes then add in your potatoes. 6. When ready to eat garnish with bacon bits, cheese and green onion.

Credit to food.com for this very yummy soup recipe!