Recipe Day: (Vegan!) Almond-Apple Spice Cake

Every so often, our family gives up dairy and eggs for a time, cuts back a bit on sweets and we practice a bit of self-discipline. Even though things like cheese, milk and eggs are cut out of our diet temporarily, a good vegan meal doesn't only have to be bland, boiled or steamed vegetables. On the menu tonight were: baked potatoes with homemade mango salsa, asparagus marinated in a chocolate-balsamic vinegar and walnut oil, and veggie meat substitutes (BBQ ribs for the adults and chicken fingers for the kids.) For dessert, I whipped up this delicious little cake. The recipe has its origins in The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, (a phenomenal little vegan cookbook!) but as usual, I changed it just a little.

Facing Challenges in Life

This is a post about rising to the Challenges life gives us, growing in those challenges to become bigger and better people, and broken appliances and the lessons they teach us by no longer functioning...

Do you ever catch yourself saying, "I need to 'catch up' on the laundry"? I've been saying that for some time now, but something has occurred to me about that particular phrase, "catch up on laundry"

You can never really catch up on laundry because there is always more laundry being generated

Praying Through the Day

Sometimes my children are my prayer. 

Aaaahhhh... The first 30 minutes of the day. Remember those moments when you were able to get up early, have a cup of coffee while the birds chirped outside and fall breezes rustled through the trees. A time of peace and quiet, when you could give your mind time to waken slowly and become alert before having to rush into the to-do list of the day.

Balancing Life Between Work and Home Schooling

Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

I'm starting with the quote above largely because it motivates me to always strive for more. But now on to the rest of the post!

I recently visited a work-at-home-mom's blog that was new to me called The Work at Home Woman. She had a forum for many different WAHM topics, including one that asked, "Do you home school your kids?" The post was started by the site owner, who asked folks to post tips on balancing work life and home schooling life. The first respondent was someone who (clearly) was not a home schooling mom. Her answer was,

I dont like the whole concept of homeschooling because i (sic) deprives the kids from non-academic learning such as learning to share, accepting failure, team work, value of friendship etc. Homeschooling can be a great way of teaching but it does not help a kid grow up as a sensitive individual. I think that kids should attend traditional schools and homeschool only on the topics that interest them.

I do not understand how people can continue to think that socialization is the number one problem facing home school families. Not only that, but what was her real need in posting her opinion in a forum asking for tips on balancing it all out? Okay, rant over. That just steams me. That one individual opinion aside, here is how I responded to the real purpose of the forum.

No socialization going on here... Nope.

Recipe Day: Mexican Pie

This recipe is one I really thought I had already posted at some point, but can't find an entry for. I am very fond of recipes that can include whatever I have on hand for last-minute meals. This is one which is easy to keep ingredients on hand and make on a night when time is short, hunger is high and you want to "push the 'easy' button".

I normally make in two pans so I have enough for everyone and rarely do I have leftovers. To help fill my hungry boys, I also make spanish rice (homemade and rarely the same twice!) and black or refried beans (also homemade - so easy and healthier than the tinned version.)

As a side note, when I make two pans, I make one spicy and one that is not as spicy, for the younger children. The spicy one uses straight enchilada sauce, the milder version mixes a can of mild enchilada sauce with diced tomatoes and omits the chili powder.

 Mexican Pie

Un-Churchy Thoughts... In Church

It should be no surprise to my loyal fans... er... friends and readers that I go to church nearly every Sunday. One of the things I've struggled with, really for quite some time, is staying mentally present during worship. Some people are distracted by people whispering nearby - an inappropriate thing to be doing in church, but people do and what then? Others are distracted by the noise small children make (in our church it's referred to with a chuckle as "Holy Noise.") And for yet another group, it is just the long to-do list awaiting them at home. The point is, we all deal with distracting thoughts in church.

It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it can be a problem!

These past few weeks I've been really paying attention to where my mind has been during prayers. The church we attend is pretty small. Many of the women wear ankle-length skirts, especially the married or older women. About half of the women choose to wear a headscarf and cover their hair. I don't and have never felt pressured to but some do and that's their thing. 

Some of the younger girls, who are still in high school, about the enter their college years, however, push the envelope. And my mind has strayed to meow-meow thoughts about their choices:

That skirt is a little short, don'cha think? Meow.


Don't bend forward too far, Honey, you show a little too much that way. Mrreow.


Yikes! Polka dots and stripes... Really?! Mrrreow!

Ahem... You get the idea. Does all this make me a bad person? Well, hopefully not bad, but it does certainly put a spotlight on a weak spot!

A Tale of Two Mothers