Meet Joyful Momma

Welcome new friends from Pinterest.  So glad you found me!

I am Joyful Momma.
I love pearls
I really really like pink. My husband is color blind (extremely), he thinks our bedding is grey.  To be fair, I have told him that it is in fact, blush pink.
I went to nursing school….but didn’t finish. I have the basic knowledge (just enough to give me anxiety when I am feeling ill)
I can whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough, from memory, in the 6 minutes it takes for the oven to preheat.
I have an incredible memory. I can remember very detailed and trivial facts about people. These are the kinds of things that I don’t repeat as the person I hardly know might be creeped out by the things I know about them.
Along with that, I have what my husband terms”media amnesia”. I have had the same CD in my car for about 4 years and I still don’t know the order of the songs or the lyrics. This makes watching the same movies and episodes of Friends really great. Its like I am watching it for the first time.
I have a twin sister. No cool stories, but being a twin is really cool.
I LOVE alpacas. I REALLY LOVE alpacas. I am sure you will hear more about this.
I once worked at Sea World as the vendor in the stands selling popcorn and soda. Shamu freaks me out.
While I have some fun and quirky traits, I have a serious side as well.  These are this things that are a big part of who I am and how I live my life.
1. I am a daughter of The King. I put my faith in my Lord, and I am forever thankful for the love of Jesus Christ.
2. My everyday, in and out life, is my mission field. I strive to show the Light of Jesus to all who know me and all those around me.
3. I intentionally raise my kids. Not much about what I do is “hap-hazard”. I think about what I tell them, how I instruct them, and what I teach them. I want them to grow up in the love of a Christ filled home and see what that can mean for them.
4. I suffered a miscarriage between my girls. We named that little guy Paxton Daniel. I talk about him without shame or fear. I trust the Lord for life and while loss is sad and I grieve what life could have been like with Paxton, I think it is really pretty neat that the only thing Paxton will know is Heaven, and the first thing he saw was Jesus.
5. We have no plans of saying “no” to more children. We are excited and looking forward to opening our arms and our hearts to the kids God would bless us with.
6. Some people don’t agree with me…..and that is ok.
7. I am a list maker and I like to plan. I have a chore list, a laundry list, and a weekly schedule that I try to stick to. I want to be proactive, not reactive, to my situations.
8. My husband is really really wonderful. I will gush about him frequently.
Welcome to my little corner of the world. Enjoy!

Best Carpet Cleaner EVER!

Pinterest has done it again.  Who knew that you can use 2 things that you currently have in your pantry and get out those nasty kid stains on the carpet.

2 cups Hydrogen Peroxide and 1/4 cup baking soda.  Right in to a squeeze bottle.  Voila!  Stain removing magic.

I had just finished vacuuming and I was really annoyed that the Capri-Sun spill that I had diligently soaked up with hot water and vinegar was still getting darker and darker.  Last week I considered just rearranging the furniture.  This week, I took to Pinterest to find a solution.

That is amazing!!!  Pay  no attention to the dark spots still lingering near the couch.  They are now also long gone. 
I gave the spot a generous squirt of remover and rubbed and scrubbed it with my rag.  Then I went over it with the vacuum to dry it a bit.  Voila.  Really…..it felt like magic.  And now I don’t have to move the furniture.

Flashback Friday

These pictures are from exactly a year ago.  My daughter had just turned 2 and we went berry picking.  It is nearing the end of strawberry season, and we are enjoying doing the same activity this year.  My sweet girl sure has grown in the last year. 

Now this year, she is bigger and much more efficiant at berry picking.  We always have a great time getting outside and enjoying the sun and the fresh berries.  And this year, my youngest daughter was able to get in on the action.

Little N is a pro at finding the red berries.  However, she eats them before they make it in her bucket.  Good thing they don’t weigh my girls on the way in and the way out.  They both end up with a few berries as a snack.

This year we made really yummy muffins for V to share with her preschool class.  They were a hit and I will make them every year when it is berry season.

Strawberry Muffins
1 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. In a small bowl, combine the strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside for 1 hour. Drain, reserving liquid and berries separately.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the juice from the berries. Gently stir in the berries. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
4. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack

Enjoy!!
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Kitchen Injury

I have been slow at getting up new blog posts and recipes this week.  We had a great birthday party for my daughter on Saturday that ended with my mom driving me to the ER with a towel over my hand.  I lost a fight with the lid of a can.  I was even being safe and using a spoon to pry the lid back….but my finger slipped off the spoon and up the jagged lid.  Can you say OUCH!!  I was whining all the way to the ER.  It was a long 10 miles. 

A nerve block and a pain pill later, I am sporting 4 stitches in the top of my finger and a really awesome Band-Aid. 

I have been slow in the kitchen and even more so at typing.  That is quite a chore.  But, I am still cooking and baking and I will have new things for you soon.

Tea Party

My sweet V turned 3!  And we celebrated by having tea!  Do you like my rhyming skills? 

We hosted an outdoor tea party and had the whole family here.  There were 29 of us and only 4 were non-family members.  I love our large close family.  And 7 were not able to make it. 
I made 3 cakes and served tea, coffee, and lemonade.  There were also mini fruit pizzas and butter mints.  All the proper things for a tea party.
I made sure to visit Goodwill and my favorite thrift store several times to collect tea settings, punch serving sets, and cute cake plates. 
I had so much fun.  This was the first year that V realized it was her day and she loved the excitement.  We held the party at 10am to beat the heat of the day.  We had badminton, horse shoes, and a ring toss.  Yard parties are so fun and casual. 

Recipes coming this week of all the yummy desserts.  The Strawberry Shortcake Cake and the Raspberry Lemonade cakes were a hit.  The mini fruit pizzas barely lasted 10 minutes. 
Enjoy your Sunday evening.  I will sleep well tonight.

Family Style Chicken Pot Pie

Comfort food.  Oh, how I love comfort food.  Chicken Pot Pie is one of my favorites when it comes to comfort food.  Both my girls and my husband gobble it up.

I have a great recipe for pie crust, but today, I used pre-made (gasp!!).  I also used a foil pie pan to cut down on dishes since we have guests.  And, if you make this pie, just cover it and freeze it before baking.  Then thaw and cook according to directions.

Look at that delicious filling.  You can double this and freeze it in a zip lock.  Then just thaw it and pour it in a pie crust and bake.  Easy peasy!!


Family Style Chicken Pot Pie
Gather your supplies:
2 pie crusts
1 cup diced peeled potatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove minced
1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Enjoy your time in the kitchen:
1. Sauté the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in butter for 5-6 minutes.
2. Add broth.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour and milk until smooth.  Gradually add to vegetable mixture.  Bring to a boil, cook for 2 minutes until thick.
4. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes
5. Place 1 pie crust in pie plate.  Fill crust with filling and top with second crust. 
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Anything Is Possible…..Kona Inspired

You all saw last week that I posted about orphans.  This guy is working hard to do something about it.  He is hoping to race in the Ironman in Kona as a media athlete and share his story and share the cause.  Reece's Rainbow is something that, now that I know about it, I cant help but share it.  Here is a little blurb from his blog and the video.  Watch the video, vote for their video, and share it with everyone you know. 
http://rodsracing.org/  (Click to watch the video)
“I was unaware of the current situation of children with Down syndrome in many foreign countries. It is common practice that when a child is born with Down syndrome, they are placed into an orphanage. This is where they stay typically for 5-6 years at which time they are moved to an institution. Many of the children do not live more than a year once they are placed in an institution because of the harsh circumstances they face.
Reece's Rainbow is not an adoption agency, but more of a tool to help these children find their forever families. One important fact I learned after researching Reece's Rainbow is this; there are many families currently ready and willing to adopt, but they simply don't have the funds to do so. An international adoption has an average cost of $30,000+. In fact, Reece's Rainbow has gone as far as saying that there are so many families that want to adopt these children that if the cost of adoption were taken care of, there wouldn't be a need for Reece's Rainbow because there would be no more children left to adopt!
When I first read this, I was excited! It seems like there can be something done about that! That brings us to the purpose of our blog. As a family, we may not be able to raise enough money for all 400+ children all at once, but we can focus on one child at a time. We can also focus on sharing these children's story with as many people as possible in turn giving them the opportunity to act on the same promptings we felt when we first looked into the eyes of all these orphans. This is what we've focused on since November of 2011 and we have proven that the financial burden truly is the only thing standing in the way of these children finding a family! With the help of so many wonderful people coming forward, we've seen success first hand. You can read our success stories HERE. “
Brady is hoping that his video will receive enough votes to get him to Kona to help raise awareness.  What an awesome thing to see.  Would you watch the video, vote and share it with your friend?

Teamwork Tuesday

*even though it is only Monday*
"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act" Proverbs 24:12
Dear Readers….my dear, wonderful 750+ readers:
I want to share something with you.  Orphans.  We all know there are orphans in the world.  There are orphans here in the US, in Africa, in Eastern Europe, in East Asia….everywhere.  Depending on what search engine you use, you get the numbers of 143,000,000 or 163,000,000 or 210,000,000 orphans worldwide. In reality, we’ll never have an exact count, but the number is HUGE!  Really huge.  There are many people who are so overwhelmed by these numbers that they hide behind them.  “If I help one, it makes no difference at all….what is one in a sea of 100,000?”  Becoming aware of the need is the first step into the ocean.
I want to introduce you to a special little girl, Priscilla.  She is waiting for a Mommy and Daddy to find her.  Do you have room in your heart and in your home?  Think of how well she could do with a lot of extra love and some medical care to get her healthy.  Do you know a family who is hoping to adopt?  Would you share this sweet girl with them?  Click on Priscilla’s picture to get more information about her.  Don’t you love that smile and that cute button nose?!!

Lets talk about the cost of adoption.  We all know there are some BIG numbers there too.  Foster to adopt can be little to no cost, traditional domestic adoption anywhere from $5,000 to $40,000, and international adoption can be up to $50,000, all dependent on so many factors.  These numbers can make many people and families shudder and say “I just don’t have that…..we cant adopt”.  
What about the families who do step up?  What about the families that say “I want to spread the love of God and I want to bring one of these precious children home.”  They need help raising the funds.  God will provide, and lucky for us….we can be God’s feet by giving!  This is an exciting way to help.  Check out some of these families who are bringing their children home.  Would you help them?  Would you be part of their miracle?  Would you support them?  *Click on the links below the pictures to learn more about these kids and the families they are part of*
     
http://reecesrainbow.org/34942/sponsormaxwell     http://butbygraceitcouldbeme.blogspot.com/

http://reecesrainbow.org/32917/sponsorkeller   http://nataliekeller.blogspot.com/

http://love--conquers--all.blogspot.com/      http://reecesrainbow.org/29701/sponsormorse

http://reecesrainbow.org/35271/rose       http://heavenslittlerose.blogspot.com/

http://followingourcallingdaily.blogspot.com/    http://reecesrainbow.org/33992/sponsorvanhalle
  
http://www.lordisourshepherd.blogspot.com/    http://www.lordisourshepherd.blogspot.com/

Look at these precious ones!  Click on the links to these families’ blogs and sponsor sites.  This is a really  neat thing these families are doing.  Lets help them change the world one orphan at a time, shall we!!

Past Due: Reflection On Mother's Day

Most bloggers wrote about Mother's Day in a timely manner. I however, have had this post circling around in my head, thinking about what I wanted to say. I have a lot to say (surprise, surprise! Ha ha).
When I think about moms, I think of my mom, my Grammy, my auntie, my step-mom, my mother-in-love, and my husband. So, let's go down the list.

My mom- she managed a house of 5 busy kids, works a full time job caring for others, and teaching. My mom gives and gives beyond measure. She gives of herself at home. She gives of herself to her patients at work. We tease her about little thing, mostly because we like to see her laugh. We have to remind her to take time for herself to refresh. She has a heart for others like I have never seen in anyone else. I try to be like her in my ways of giving and caring for others.



My Grammy- oh Grammy. She is fabulous. She is a rock for our family. She has just the right, gentle advice when you need it and she isn't afraid to stand up for herself or state her mind. My husband frequently tells me that I channel a lot of my Grammy. She is genuine and a truly classy lady. She is the one we call for interview help, grammar correction, and what to wear for certain occasions. She is wise and patient. Very patient. She taught me to bake chocolate chip cookies.....my husbands favorite treat.

My Auntie B- I have several aunties. And they are all wonderful. But I am very close with my auntie B. She is my mom's only sister, and had lived far away for about 12 years. She just recently moved just 4 blocks away.....I am now spoiled. She has taught me the importance of working hard and playing with my kids. My aunt is the expert on kids books and games. I think she owns them all. She always remembers to make time for family and fun. She doesn't like coffee, but she makes an amazing latte.


My step-mom is fun. She is energetic, quirky, and more loyal than a golden retriever. She loves to help and has a heart of gold. She is a nurse, and that is a perfect fit for her. She knows everyone's favorite snacks, meals, and candies. She pays close attention to detail and knows how to make others feel special, unique, and important.


My Mother-in-love (law)- she is truly the most genuine, generous, and hospitable woman I have ever been around. She can serve a holiday meal with beautiful dishes, comforting food, and sparkling decor....all with a calmness and sweet spirit. She is even keeled and level. She loves loves loves her family. And it shows. She is a treasure to us. She has taught me more than she knows about being confident and patient. She does her teaching is subtle ways and in action.

my husband gets a lot of credit her too. He encourages me, trusts my instincts, and values our children. He works hard to provide an income, keep the yard looking beautiful, and he does the dishes. He is the perfect compliment to my high wired personality. He is calm and affectionate with me and our girls. Being a mom is hard work, but my co-worker is great. He makes my job easier everyday.

I hope you all got to celebrate with the mothers around you.


Blessings,
Joyful Momma

Recovering From The Fun

I am taking the week to recover.  We had 8 days of overnight guests, 30 hungry family members for dinner on Saturday, and plenty of late nights with laughter and stories.  It was so so fun!!  I love every minute of my family staying at my house. I love making coffee and muffins in the morning.  I love getting out lunch food and enjoying a mid-day meal with family.  It is always so fun to have dinner and then snack on sweets while chatting way past bedtime.
But then, I need rest.  So, rest it is.  Last night I picked up dinner at Costco.  Cold chicken salad and shrimp salad on their demi baguettes.  Side that with fresh strawberries, and you have one happy family.  We even ate out on the deck.   No cooking and very minimal clean up.  I plan to have my husband do the dinners the rest of the week on the BBQ.  He is great at cooking on the grill and I love that it keeps the kitchen cool.
Enjoy your week in the sun….hopefully it is sunny where you are.

Birthday Party Success!!

My youngest daughter turned 1!  We celebrated for 2 days with all the family.  We have all eaten so much cake, cupcakes, and cake pops!  I recruited help and we made 2 cakes, 4 dozen cupcakes, and 125 cake pops.

We had just under 30 people here to celebrate on Saturday.  N ate up all the attention and fun.  She was pretty shy about her cake at the start, but then managed to get her feet and legs in the frosting by the end.

This cupcake cake pan was so great to use.  I made two cupcake shaped cakes.  One for N to smash and one for the family to eat.  It is a small cake so it was devoured quickly, but it turned out so cute and it was so easy to decorate.  Well worth the purchase.
To end the party, we all had dinner together.  There were 22 of us gobbling up those delicious White Chicken Enchiladas and salad. 

Candy Land Cake (2nd Birthday)

Last summer when my daughter turned 2, I was looking for great cake ideas.  I found a few pictures on the web of a Candy Land cake and knew I had to give it a try.
I used 2 9x13 cakes.  I frosted them with confetti frosting (only the best frosting out there), and used Starburst candies to make the playing spaces. 
This was such a fun cake to make.  And it tasted really great.  Let me tell you, all of the little cousins loved how much candy there was!
Candies I used:
Gum drops on toothpick
Rainbow Twizlers
Fruit roll-up
Starbrust
Spree
Nerds
Ice cream cones with frosting and sprinkles
Reeces Peanut butter cups
Fudge frosting

Laughter In The Kitchen

Lets talk about my kitchen for a bit.  I have mentioned before that I have a large family.  Yes, I have 5 sisters and one brother.  Not only that, but my extended family is very close.  I see my grandparents on average every 6 weeks.  With their visit brings all the siblings, cousins, and my auntie.  We get together and there is instantly a crowd of 10-15 of us.  When one comes…..they all come.

I love this.  I especially love to watch the way my house transforms.  It is beautiful.  Suddenly, there are two pre-teen boys playing their Nintendo's and debating the best way to build a Star Wars Lego set.  There are 3 little ones toddling around and being passed from grandma to auntie and back.  There is a bustle of women in the kitchen prepping a snack or a meal or laughing about “Grammie’s best buns”.  We always have a joke about buns in the kitchen.  Then there are the very few men….just trying to hold there own.  They usually lay their claim on the recliner chairs and just watch the commotion. 
My twin sister is trying to learn more in the kitchen.  Her husband has his fair share of “inedible” meals. So, when I get the chance, I let her in on all the things I have learned and pass along some of my favorite recipes.
My mom and grammy have been running the kitchen for many years.  Our holiday meals are always so delicious.  And we still like to tease mom about her pie fail in 1994.  My mom hasn’t ruined many recipes and to this day, I crave her Blackberry pie and I always stash a piece away for breakfast the next morning.

In our family, life just happens in the kitchen.  Most of my memories growing up are in the kitchen.  Helping Grammy make her famous sugar cookies.  Watching my mom pack lunches and make milkshakes when we were sick.  Waiting very patiently as my dad made “all day lasagna”. 
My dads cooking skills need their own post.  It takes the man all day to make a lasagna.  He makes the sauce from scratch and enjoys the entire process.  He also is the king of breakfast.  But, he uses no recipes….so I have to spy on him and soak up what I can.
I am sure my girls will grow up with the same memories.  They have already learned to come to the counter if I am baking…..they know they will get a little treat.
What are you kitchen memories?

It’s True: I make my own laundry soap

This soap is great for High Efficiency (HE) washers and regular washers alike.  I was skeptical at first but decided the cost savings was worth a try.  I don’t plan on turning back.

Buy one of these big guys in the camping section of your local Walmart or Target.  I have a 5 gallon one with a pour spout.  So easy for doing laundry!

Just 3 ingredients!  (add water)  I find these 3 things on the bottom shelf of the laundry aisle in Walmart.  They are inexpensive and I get several loads out of each box of washing soda and borax.  Fels-Naptha is a mere $0.97.

I have a grater just used for laundry soap.  You don’t want to grate cheese on a grater after using it for the bar of soap.  Also, don’t was the soap grater in the dishwasher.  The extra soap will leave a film on your dishes.  Just rinse with hot water.
The soap may smell strong when grating it, but when diluted to 5 gallons, it is perfect.  Very mild and my clothes never have a soap smell.  My husband is sensitive to laundry detergents and this works great for him

Just fill your pot with water and melt the soap.  Don’t let it get too bubbly and suds up.  That will just make a mess…..I guess maybe it would be an easy clean of your stove top!
This soap works wonders on stains.  I just rub a little on and let it set a bit.  The time it sets depends on the type of stain.  This stuff works wonders on baby poo stains….seriously, my daughters clothes always look wonderful.

I wash all of my clothes with this soap, even delicates.  I don’t have a problem with fading or stains.  I cant say enough about the quality.  I have been using this recipe for almost 10 months now and I don’t plan to change a thing.  My 5 gallon jug lasts about 5 months.  And when I break down the cost, you guys wont believe it….. $3 for my 5 gallon batch!  That’s right!  $3 for laundry soap for 5 months.  That is just plain crazy.  And we do A LOT of laundry.  Probably 6-8 loads a week with towels and bedding. 
Give this stuff a try.  If you don’t like it, you are only out $3 and your time.

Laundry Soap
1 bar Fels-Naptha soap
1/2 cup Borax
1 cup Washing soda (don’t use regular baking soda)
5 gallon container.  I love mine that has a pour spout
cheese grater
1/2 cup measuring cup
1. Grate your bar of soap and slowly melt it over medium heat in a sauce pan filled with water.  Be sure to use enough water that all of the soap will disolve.  I find that 5 cups usually does the trick.
2. Fill your jug with about 1 gallon of HOT water and mix in 1 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup Borax.  Add in the melted soap.  Stir well.
3. Add in 2 gallons water and mix well.  Let set and thicken about 20 minutes.  Fill the container the rest of the way to equal your 5 gallons.  Mix well. 
I let this set overnight with the lid off to cool and thicken. 
Use 1/2 cup for top load washers (even HE) and 1/4 cup for front load washers.

Need A Little Inspiration?

I love to cook and be in my kitchen.  I have a collection of cookbooks and recipe magazines.  I find new things to make on Pinterest and on blogs daily.  But…..there are still some days when I need some inspiration.  I get caught in a funk.  I can’t make a meal plan or a grocery list to save my life.  Its been one of those weeks (2 weeks now)
I first found myself in a funk when I hurt my hand and had to be in a brace with my thumb immobilized for 3 weeks.  Freezer meals, oatmeal, and pizza for us.
Then, my daughter needed an unexpected visit to a specialist in another town 2 hours away.  We ended up out of town for 3 days. 
Now, I am back home and ready to get back in my kitchen.  But….I am needing to drag myself back to my usual routine.  And so far, all I have been able to muster up is a batch of cake balls (using my new Baby Cakes maker) and some fancy sub sandwiches.  I call them fancy because they have fresh avocado, crisp bacon and lettuce, and a chipotle mayo on them.  Yum, I know!!



Stay tunes, I promise to have more for you soon.