CrAzY Working Mom

Friday, January 27, 2012

Slow Cookin' - Creamy Italian Chicken

My family loves Italian Chicken. I love the fact that it's made in the slow cooker!! Prep time is a breeze and the outcome is amazing! It's a recipe we've used for a while now and it's a perfect meal for those nights where you're on the go, or a Sunday after church meal. Prep is easy, and you can serve it over just about ANYTHING. Rice, Bow-tie Pasta, Angel Hair Pasta...you get my drift here I'm sure. My family prefers the angel hair pasta version. But, you can use whatever you have in your cabinet. There are variations on the cooking method of this recipe, this is the way I make it.

Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:

4 Large Chicken Breasts

1/2 Stick Butter - Melted

1 pkg dry Zezty Italian Dressing Mix

1 pkg Cream Cheese (softened)

1 can *cream of chicken soup

(*You can add more if you like a creamier consistency
or you can add a bit of chicken broth)

1. Add Chicken Breasts to slow cooker.

2. Cover with melted butter.

3. Sprinkle with Italian Dressing.

4. Cook on Low for 4 hours.

(cook time may vary depending on chicken size and whether or not you're using thawed or frozen breasts)

You can do these steps before you go to work, school, church, etc. When you return home in the afternoon, you can do the remaining:

5. Fold in cream of chicken with cream cheese in bowl, set aside.

6. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred/cut, to your liking.

7. Add liquid from crock pot to cream cheese mixture. Mix well.

8. Add liquid and chicken back to slow cooker.

9. Cook on High for 1 hour.

Serve over rice or your choice of pasta!
It is pictured here with angel hair pasta served with carrots and green beans.
ENJOY!!!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Etiquette in the school pick up/drop off line

Before we even turn into the school driveway, I tell my kids to get jackets and backpacks on and have any lunches, snacks, extra things that they are carrying in hand. We drive a mini-van so loading and un-loading usually goes rather quickly. Occasionally someone will drop something, or forget something or stop to ask a question, but most of the time things go off without a hitch. I try to be prepared for a quick and easy drop off. I don't have to punch a time clock, so I don't necessarily have to be in a hurry to get in and get out, but I am considerate of the fact that most parents do. It's those hand full of people in society that think it's okay to inconvenience the rest of the world that drive me insane!! I know it's not only something we experience at the school pick up and drop off line, but right now I want to give a few pointers for those of you who may not realize that you are a big inconvenience, or for those of you who have small children and may not be dropping them off yet. BOOKMARK THIS PAGE, PLEASE!!!!

School Loading and Unloading Etiquette 101:

1. When you need to go inside to talk to a teacher, pay lunch bill, or otherwise take care of business inside the building, use a parking space. That is what they are designed for...TO PARK!! PLEASE, for the sake of courtesy to others, and COMMON SENSE do not use the loading and unloading zone to do this. There have been mornings when I get stuck behind a car because they have parked to go inside right in the middle of the curb where you drop off students. I can't back up because there are other cars behind me. Basically you leave us no choice but to sit and wait on you (holding up traffic!!!!) until you come out or we can otherwise put our back up lights on and slowly back up praying to God that we don't bump into anyone else coming into the line that doesn't realize that you are being a HUGE inconsideration to everyone else who is trying to do things the proper way!!!!

2. Use the time you are driving to school to have conversation with your children. Let's not play twenty questions while they stand at the curb with the car door open. C'mon!! Get out of the way for the love of Christ...or you could park and finish your conversation and then walk them over to the building!

3. Pull ALL THE WAY up so that as many people behind you (here we go with being considerate again!) can pull into the driveway as possible. Some people will stop in the middle of the curb leaving room for only one or two cars to unload behind them. This is very annoying and a big time waster. It's too dangerous for cars to pull around you to the curb!

4. I realize that some parents may see folks they know while waiting in the school parking lot. That's great. Why don't you guys meet for coffee and play catch up. Let's not do it in the driveway, K?!

5. In the afternoons things are hectic. It's a traffic nightmare at the school my children attend. We are all trying to get out of there as quickly as possible. Be sure to let your kids know that after school is not social hour. We can meet up with friends after school at the park for social time. They need to get to their car as quickly as possible so the line can start moving.

6. If you park in a parking spot and walk across to get your child, pay attention to the flow of traffic when taking your sweet, slow time to walk back across. If you're stopping the flow of traffic, you're grid locking the entire system!! I actually changed drop off locations for my kids because this became a MAJOR problem at our school. Many parents don't wait in the line of traffic, they just park and go across to get their kids. That's a fine solution until you have 30 parents and students stopping the flow of traffic in turn grid locking the entire system!

7. This one should be a no brainer, but I see it ALL OF THE TIME, put the cell phone DOWN while you are in the school zone. It's very dangerous to be trying to talk or text while there are children loading/unloading in the school zone. Make the call after the drop off.

I realize that many of these problems could be solved with someone who can help traffic. I am not sure why our school doesn't have this option, but we never have and I am assuming we never will. There are usually two duty teachers on each driveway and they have their hands full just keeping up with the students. There is not time for them to baby sit the parents who have no consideration for what is going on around them. Traffic is a nightmare at either drive way and I get a headache just thinking about it. Maybe if you're reading this you can stop and think about ways in which you can help flow traffic just a bit easier.

I am going to put away my little soap box for today. If you shook your head yes the entire time you read this post, why don't you share it on your FB page or pin it on Pintrest (you can use that little button right under the post). Spread the word...stop the insanity at the school pick up/drop off line! ;)

Now, in saying this please don't think I am one of those parents who get in a fit or rage when someone stops traffic! I do get angry sometimes when I feel like people are being inconsiderate of others. I want to get out and tell them such, but instead I just blog about it. :D

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Prayer Board

I saw this idea on Pintrest and thought it was a perfect fit for our family. Our Prayer Board is a visual reminder of those who have asked for prayer or we know could use prayer. This is a wonderful aid in teaching our children the importance of praying for those in need.

I went to our local super center where I purchased a 16x20 photo frame. Along with the frame, I purchased a poster board. You could use a colored poster board, or even fabric backing to go in your prayer board. I chose to keep it clean and simple. I also bought a post-it dispenser that can be hung on the wall, along with a sharpie so that the post-it notes are handy to write down prayer requests when we get that phone call so that we can hang our requests while they are fresh on our minds. You'll notice the dry erase marker. You can also use that idea, but since we have young kids, I like the idea better of them writing them on the post it and then putting them on the board. You can add a family photo, favorite memory verse, or whatever you choose as a backdrop to your prayer board. We used Philippians 4:6 as our verse: "Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your request to God".

These are a few of the requests that we've accumulated from two youngest:

3 year old Emily added "Nannie" (my Mom)

6 year old Tyler added "Grandpa". (He spelled it phonetically)

Another one from Tyler - "Everyone" LOL So sweet.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

We're Finally Out of The Closet!!

Shelby's closet has been made over! I do not have any before photos and even if I did, I don't think I would have the guts to post them. It was horrible. Our house was built in the 1970s and her closet showed it! It was a couple of long bars with a piece of plywood on the top for a bit of storage. It was not practical, and impossible for her to reach her clothes!

Darling hubby went to the local home improvement store and got one of those quick kits, only AFTER he let Shelby pick out the color she wanted her closet. She chose this green color with a pink color for the trim. Eventually we her entire room will be this color and she's very excited about it. Shelby got to design her closet, how she wanted the bars, shelves, etc. She loved that idea. The shelf was in her closet prior but it held the baskets with her socks, and undergarments. This way, she has these things in the baskets on the shelves in the closet itself and this other shelf is for her purses, bags, art things, etc. She loves it and enjoys the fact that she can get her own clothes with ease. The things on the top bar she can reach with a step stool, so we chose to put the items that were out of season there. When summer comes, we'll just switch it around so she can reach those clothes and put the long sleeved ones on the bottom!

It's a win-win situation for me because now she can put her own clothes away!

Here's another shot of her room, another one of those inexpensive white shelves with baskets beside her bed. You can clearly see the need for paint in this shot!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Leftover Makeovers - From Pork Roast to Pork BBQ

With three kids growing faster than weeds in a garden, the hubman and I, (well, mostly I) are constantly trying to come up with ways to be frugal, cut costs, and have a penny left at the end of the week.

Last Sunday we had Pork Roast for our lunch after church. I LOVE to cook roasts, because they are so easy. I throw them in the slow cooker and then it cooks and all I have to do is prepare a few sides when we get home from church. Sundays are hectic for us and by the time we all get in from church, we're starved, so there's not a lot of time for preparation.

There was left overs from the roast. This of course was planned. I bought a rather large one. So, I decided to make bbq pork sandwiches for Monday night's dinner. It's easy and delish and of course a hit with the entire family!

I started out with the left over pork roast.

Shredded it up into bite sized pieces.

Added some Barbecue Sauce and a Can of Diet Soda.

Simmer on Low Heat until the hungry family arrives home for dinner.

I served this Barbeque Pork on Hamburger Buns. Some members of the family like cole slaw on theirs while others don't. It's always optional around our house. You can serve it with a side of fries, veggies, or chips and voila, you've got a quick, easy way to re-use your Pork Roast. Note, you can use a Beef Roast, but we like the flavor of a pork roast better, and I don't think that it tastes as good when used for barbeque.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Arkansas Sunset

Photos like this TOTALLY make me miss hosting the Looking at the Sky on Friday meme. I captured this last Wednesday night as we were headed out the door for church. When we opened the door, it was such a captivating sight!!! Capturing God's magnificence is often difficult. I was in a hurry, so it's not a great shot but I couldn't let the opportunity pass and not photograph such an exceptional sight!! The sky was a beautiful bright pink and purple. It was an amazing experience...and to watch it quickly fade as we drove away was exciting knowing that we were lucky enough to watch it.

Beautiful Arkansas Sunset!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tator Cakes

I remember when I was a kid my grandma used to always make what she called tator cakes. I have never made them as an adult, and in a friendly conversation, a friend sparked my curiosity as well as my taste buds! I longed for that deliciousness I remember from my child hood!!

For our Sunday lunch, we had a roast with mashed potatoes, carrots, purple hull peas, and of course mac and cheese. There were lots of mashed potatoes left over, so I thought since I was going to make barbecue out of the pork roast for left overs I could also recycle the mashed potatoes! So, that's just what I did.

It turned out pretty well. The kiddos loved them and I have a feeling that when they get home from school the remainder of the tator cakes will be gobbled up for their afternoon snack. Want the recipe? Well, here ya go. It's simple and I am pretty sure it'll be a hit with the entire family as a side dish, snack food, or as in our case, a great breakfast!

Tator Cakes

2 Cups Mashed Potatoes

1/4 Cup Flour

1 Egg

*finely diced onion (optional)

*shredded cheese (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together. It will not have the consistency of pancakes. It will be thick and sticky which can be tricky when putting them in the pan to fry. Put some oil in the bottom of the pan and heat on medium heat until nice and hot. You don't want a lot of oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Dip a tablespoon full of the mixture out into the hot grease and then take a clean spoon and dip the back of it into the grease and smooth out and smash your potato cake down. Cook 'em up golden brown, flip them babies over and do the same thing. There you have it, some yummy potato cakes. You can eat them plain, or with your choice of condiments. My kids prefer Ketchup. *The optional items can be added to your family's likings!

Enjoy!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Temple Run Leads to Text Neck

Oh my goodness, I think I have figured out what has caused my neck to hurt all weekend, "Text Neck". Only, I don't think that I got "text neck" from actually texting. What is text neck, you ask? Well, text neck is caused from frequent texting or looking down at your mobile device for extended periods of time. Apparently this is something that is happening to a lot of people and becoming some what of a global epidemic. The repetitive stress injury caused by flexing of the neck for prolonged periods can result in tightness across the shoulder. Headaches and neck soreness may occur and this could even result in permanent arthritic damage if left untreated. WOW!!! I do a lot of texting, but I do not think that texting itself is what is causing my sore/stiff neck.

THIS is the culprit...

Temple Run

Hi, my name is Tisha and I am addicted to Temple Run! There, I said it. It is very easy to distract me from anything from my favorite television show, to screaming children when I have my cell phone in hand and a fully charged battery. This is a free App available at the Itunes Store (and I am NOT being paid for this post!!)

I woke up Saturday morning to a terrible pain in between my shoulder blades and in my lower neck and I could not shake it all day. I thought maybe I had just slept on it wrong, but upon further research, I really do think it could be caused from trying to beat my high score in Temple Run. (Which by the way, I did!!)

If you have suffered from this crazy epidemic, my advice to you would be the same advice I gave myself...STEP AWAY FROM THE GADGET!!!

In all seriousness, my 9 year old has an Ipod, my 3 year old has a leap pad touch, so I think this is something that we need to educate ourselves about. There's lots of info. on the web about text neck, so maybe it's time to do a little surfing yourself, especially if you or anyone in your family suffer from headaches, neck, or shoulder pain. If you see a chiropractor, this might be something to bring up during your next visit.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

A Child's Ten Commandments to Parents

My three babies, my joy, my world!

1. My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely: don’t restrict me unnecessarily.

3. Housework will always be there. I’m only little such a short time—please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.

4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don’t nag me all day long. (You wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness.) Treat me as you would like to be treated.

5. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragement, but not your praise, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.

8. Please don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations. I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me with my brother or my sister.

9. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.

10. Please take me to Sunday school and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow.

by Dr. Kevin Leman

I think sometimes as parents we can get so caught up in the day to day "routines" of parenting that we lose focus of the big picture...our job as parents. It is the greatest, most awesome job we will ever have. It is the most rewarding, but also the toughest and most draining both physically and mentally. We need daily renewal, prayer, and motivation! I hope this in some small way might motivate you as it did me.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Kindergarten Home Work - Rated PG 13

The objective in my Kindergarten son's homework for Thursday night was to "Draw a picture of 2 things that start with the letter B. Write the words."

In the first picture he drew Big Foot (which looks eerily like a spider with only 4 legs). He wrote BIG so big that foot would not fit on the line. But instead of erasing, he drew a nifty little arrow so that his teacher would know that foot was to go with the word BIG he drew on the line.

In the second picture, he drew a butt!!!! He wrote the word "But" on the line. Although he misspelled it, he intended on the picture to be of a back side and the word to coincide!!! I try to let him do his work independently and check it afterward helping him make any corrections needed. Obviously I couldn't let him turn in this work. So, the final product he turned in to his teacher was a similar picture, only he drew another line across the middle and made the picture a button and added a "ton" to the end of the word.

Boys!!! Who would have thought that a Kindergartners home work could be PG 13?!