Whirlwind Woman [Happy Birthday Oreo Cake Batter Blondies!]

So, lately life has been a whirlwind.  I'm sure most people understand that.  Not enough time for anything, or just a little time for everything and nothing finished.  Kind of like how I clean the house, as I walk from room to room I stop and fold some laundry here, pick up some trash there, throw some toys in a bin over here.....the end result is nothing really being done.

But for now, I'm okay with that.  We recently decided as a family that I will be continuing my college education for oh, 6 more years or so.  The decision was daunting and it required a lot for me to realize that I will not, cannot be the Mom that does everything.  Taking a full college load, being a mother of 4 young children, working part-time in addition to being a wife, friend, and very sporadic blogger means I cannot do it all.  And on the worst days I can't do any of it.

I'm trying my best for now, to relax about it.  I have come to understand that my anxieties are not just my own but a burden on my family and also in direct relation to my trust in God.  If He has set me on this path I must trust that each day will take care of itself.  My laundry may never be completely done, my kid's might have unbrushed hair and unorganized rooms but ours hearts will be full.

So for now, while school takes priority over mopped floors and alphabetized blu-rays [yes, I do that.] I will do what I can.  And what I can do is make this awesome dessert in under 5 minutes.  Super easy. not healthy in the slightest, and my kid's loved them.  Hopefully when I've finished my Masters I'll look back at this time in our lives and be joyful about the things I let go.

Happy Birthday Oreo Cake Batter Blondies

• 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
• 15 Golden Happy Birthday Oreos, chopped. 
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup sprinkles
• 1/3 cup milk 
• 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 11x7 pan.
2. Combine cake mix, coconut oil, egg and sprinkles.
3. Slowly add milk and stir together, batter will be thick!  This is good. :)
4. Once combined fold in 3/4 of your chopped Oreos and 3/4 of your sprinkles.
5. Pour into the greased pan and sprinkle reserved Oreos and sprinkles on top.
6. Bake for 28 minutes until edges are slightly brown.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely so blondies can set.
8. Enjoy! 

Attention Please! [Home-Made Play-Doh]

Oh the brain, you tricky thing.  I just completed my 2nd [out of 16] week back in school.  

Yeay!  Right now, even tho my class is Human Development, we're learning a lot of basic Psychology stuff because obviously all these things are intertwined.  It's slightly stressing me out cause when I took Psych 100 like 7 years ago, I failed it. 

But I'm starting to believe that in some people's cases, hopefully mine, the older you get the wiser you get and this time around Psychology is actually starting to make a little sense! 

Right now we're learning about the brain and ATTENTION.  It might not surprise you, and I don't know why it surprised me but our attention is like a pie, it can't get any bigger than what it is it can only be divided in different ways.

When my teacher was explaining this he talked about multi-taskers, of which I definitely am one, and about how they think they are so great that they can do all these things at once when really you're not giving any one thing your full attention.  I was offended.  Multi-tasking has always been one of my greatest abilities.  As a mother I have stopped children from falling off tables, while sweeping the kitchen & talking on my phone.  That's a skill right?

But where I thought I saw strength I'm starting to see weakness.  Andy brought up with me the other day that it seemed like the kids always stress me out, this is true, they do.  That doesn't mean I don't love them, cherish them, would give my life to them but oh, do they stress me out.  Andy is the nurturer in our family, as much as you would expect it to be Mom, Andy is the one.  He can sit on the couch and snuggle with them all day.  Watch Pete's Dragon without getting up or looking at his phone ONCE.  He can read with them, do math lessons, teach them to make Top Ramen.  All this is done with patience, kindness and no yelling involved.

Does this make him a better parent than me?  I really hope not.  It was something we both had to come to understand, I love my family differently.  I love them by running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  By starting a load of laundry, making a grocery list, helping Lily with a worksheet, setting up a play date & yelling at Oliver to stop biting his brother at the same time.  This is how I function.  To me there are just not enough hours in the day to pause, to sit down at the table while the kids are eating lunch, there are dishes to wash, children to tame & muffins to bake at the same time.  But it saddened me to think that my husband could look at me and think my children just stress me out. 

As much as I hate to admit I may need to change as a Mother, I understand.  I see how much he loves  being with his kids, watching them ride bikes, and talking to them that I want to be like that too.  The house will never be clean.  The laundry will never be done.  Oliver will never stop terrorizing everyone.  So, I'm trying.  This is a semi-new revelation so don't expect too much of me as of yet!  

But I'm trying, if anything to be aware, to know when I'm doing too much and making the conscious decision that maybe my kids as people come first and not their next meal, or a made bed, or a certain Kitty towel freshly washed.  

So I've been trying.  To slow down.  To focus.  When I'm older will I be happy all the attention I gave to the things that dirtied themselves again, or will I be happy to know I sat with my daughters and painted their nails?  

I cooked lunch WITH Lily today instead of telling her to just "Let me hurry up and do it myself." 

 I still cleaned the kitchen while we made Play-Doh tonight but hey.....baby steps right?  

Home-Made Play-Doh

1 1/2 cups AP Flour

1 1/2 cups water

1 tbs. Vegetable Oil

1/2 tbs. Cream of Tartar

3/4 cup Iodized Salt

Food Coloring [any kind]

[1] In a medium saucepan mix together all the ingredients, any order is fine & make it any color you want!  Although I will warn you making a pretty Violet is doomed to begin with.

[2] Place saucepan on medium low heat.  Using a wooden spoon stir constantly.

[3] The "batter" will start to dry up and become a ball, this can take a few minutes.  About 5 or so.  Just keep stirring and watch the consistency.

[4] When it's starting to look like Play-Doh take it off the heat and turn it out onto a table to cool for a bit.  

[5] When it's cool enough to handle, I just start right away because I have asbestos hands, knead it like dough till it forms a smooth consistency.  Play on! 

[6] Store in Ziploc bags or containers.  Not sure how long it will last since ours magically disappears somewhere before the 2 week mark. 

Oh hot damn! [Grilled Jalapeno Poppers Recipe]

Wow!  Without even realizing it my blog has reached over 2,000 views!

I'm pretty pleased with myself, despite the fact that it's most definitely just the same 20 people reading every blog.  Including my Mom.  But oh well, I'll take what I can get.

I know most of my blogs have a theme, or I try to, in order to help myself stay focused and not ramble about nothing in particular.  But I feel like doing just that tonight, so I shall.  

1st thought.  Oliver's potty training is going well!  At 20 months he has become a master at knowing when he is going to pee and/or poop.  This is great, he will even take off his diaper to do it, even tho those who follow me on Instagram know that we pretty much let him be a pantless terror to make things easier on everyone.  Instagram: nicolehopefully in case you were wondering. 

Downsides so far.....he WILL NOT use his potty if there is already something in it.  If he has already peed/pooped and you haven't cleaned it out fast enough and he comes back to find it dirty he'll just pee or poop right next to his toilet.  Smart guy.  Only other obstacle we have had is he did happen to have one accident that unfortunately involved our iPad and it's Smart Cover.  Still trying to figure out how to clean that one.   Also if you happened to think we are awesome potty training geniuses cause Oliver is only 20 months you'd be wrong.  Jonas didn't get potty trained until almost 3 and had an incident involving his Nintendo DS and poop.  Ahh memories. 

In other news, school has started full swing!

I completed my first week back at college and feeling pretty happy about it.  I'm taking Human Development and little did I know it's something I'm actually interested in.  Hooray!  We did some Psych 100 review this week and next week we start on the Pre-Natal stuff.  I definitely feel outdated with my pen & notebook when all of the 18 year olds whip out their Mac books looking like Tumblr pictures or something but whatever.....my teacher looks like Liam Neeson so for some reason to me, it balances out. 

So, yep.  I am officially back in school & loving it!  It's much easier to appreciate an hour of calm 3x a week than it was when I was a teenager.  I know it won't always be this easy or exciting but I'm looking forward to this new-ish journey of becoming a student again.  And just to think, in 10 short years I may actually be a midwife?!  Ahh, to dream. 

And while I've been continuing my higher education the kids finally made it to their first co-op!  This is our first homeschooling co-op and I'm really looking forward to the year and everything that's to come. We meet every other Thursday and rotate teaching/snacks so we each end up doing it about twice a year.  At co-op they do music [the Mother dreaded recorder, or as I call it "screech of death"] along with art & science.  It helps the kids to learn how to listen to someone else and also let's them "socialize."  Eh, that was sarcasm but whatever. 

[All ready for their first day at Chestnut Grove co-op!]

I think I just realized my blogs do have to have a theme, there's no getting around that.  If there is a theme to this entry it's just that our lives are busy!  Even when we're trying not to do much there's still way too much to do, but I love, I crave it, and I wouldn't know how to live any other way.

In just the past few weeks of my Mom & sister leaving we've been to High Tea parties, learned about Essential Oils, cleaned, laughed, watched Hunger Games for the 3rd time.  I've had great talks with new friends, more Starbucks than I should have, and gotten the best mani/pedi ever.

I've started new books 7:An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess [which I'll blog about later] and Taking Charge of Your Fertility [which I should probably start reading now!]  I've had great talks with friends,  started working on American Heritage Girls badges with Lily [Sign Language is our First!]

Cleaned our van, contemplated changes, actually started getting ready for this little girl that is due in just 5 short weeks.  Gone to the library.  Gone to the park.  Gone to Whole Foods and spent way more money than we should have.  

So yeah, life is good.  I won't deny it.  Potty training.  Poop.  And all. :)

And tomorrow is my friend Dawn's baby shower!  

Almost everyone I know is expecting a little girl, and Dawn even with 2 beautiful girls before this is not an exception.  Looking forward to celebrating Alaula with her tomorrow and she requested my 

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers so here they are!  

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers!

You will need:

10 Jalapeños

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese, packed

1 bar of Cream Cheese, however many ounces that is.  8?

Salt & Pepper to Taste

I package of Bacon, slices cut in half. 

Toothpicks

[1] Cut your jalapenos in half and using a spoon scoop out the seeds.

[2] In a mixing bowl or food processor combine your cheese, salt & pepper until well blended.

[3] Using a spatula, the easiest, fill the hollowed out jalapenos with the cheese mixture. 

[4] Take one half slice of bacon for each jalapeno and wrap it around, using a toothpick to secure it as well as you can.  BE CAREFUL.  If you poke the toothpick too hard and it goes through the jalapeno and under your fingernail you will be screaming bloody murder.  Trust me. 

Just try to get the bacon as secured to the jalapeno as possible.  As it cooks it will shrink and stay on better.

[5] Grill these on medium heat, turning as needed until the bacon is nice & crispy

 and the cheese is melted!  It's a party in your tummy! 

A full plate is bound to break.

I've been starting to feel overwhelmed again lately.  God has been so good to us with Andy's new job and the time it gives us to spend together and pursue some things on our own has been amazing if not a kind of new concept.  So, at 7 months pregnant with our 4th child it yet again, feels like a new beginning.  We've just gotten ourselves mostly settled here, about 6 months in and we're TECHNICALLY unpacked while still moving things around, trying to find cheap furniture on Craigslist & finishing walls.......

So I guess I just feel the need to change things up,  I used to [ok, maybe still do] want knuckle tattoos that say "restless."  I just can't seem to stay still and we as a family seem destined for a semi-nomadic life.  Going wherever the wind & God takes us, which is ok by me!  

So I decided to become a college student again.  It's been almost 8 years since I have been in school, and it shocks me that time could pass that quickly.  When I went before it always seemed like a battle between school & work, of which I didn't have enough time for both.  Now I don't have time to go to the bathroom by myself so I'm once again reminded of the ridiculousness of my youth.  And while I have always loved learning doing it without a goal in mind made it hard for me to focus. 

I go back August 20th!  Because of my out of state resident status [errr!] And quite possibly because I will have a newborn baby along with a 6, 4, & 1 year old I decided just to take 1 class this semester.  I am so excited to go back while having a hard time struggling with the fact that somehow it feels selfish?  Maybe, because the past 8 years all I've known is being a wife & mother, and sometimes a Starbucks employee.  To take anything from my family makes me think that I'm not giving them enough.  But I have to remember that this is now my enough, that I love them enough to better myself.

So along with school & being pregnant I also signed up to host The Big Latch On this year to promote breastfeeding awareness and have two doula/birth photography clients both due the same month as me. It will be interesting to see how that all works out!  If I can complete the 2 births before I give birth I hope to be able to send in my DONA certification paperwork by January!

 So I pray for God's strength, my own discernment, and a wonderful husband to help get me to the end of this year!  

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" 

[Matthew 11:28]

And since I've been slacking on recipes, and I live in the great state of Hawaii I bring you a recipe for...

Cast-Iron Pineapple Upside Down Cake!

adapted from www.bigmamashomekitchen.com

Make this whenever you're in the need for a tropical getaway.  And no matter how bad for you I know they are I just can't resist Maraschino cherries.  They just taste fake but they are strangely addictive to me.  When I order drinks at bars, or Shirley Temples when I'm pregnant, I always ask for extra of these.  Ooh....red dye #40 you so tasty.

Cake:

2 Eggs

2/3 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Pineapple Juice

1 tsp. Almond Extract

2/3 cup AP flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. Sea Salt

Topping:

1/4 cup butter [1/2 stick or 4 tbs.]

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 20 oz. can Pineapple Chunks

8 Maraschino Cherries

Use a 10-inch cast iron.  The batter won't look like its enough, but it is! 

[1] In the cast iron pan on medium-low heat cook the butter & brown sugar together for about 3 minutes or until it starts looking caramel-y.  It's better to underdo it than over do it, like I did the first time, cause it will cook more in the oven.

[2] Drain the pineapple chunks [reserving the juice for the batter] and add pineapple to pan. 

[3] Cook for another minute or two spreading pineapple evenly on bottom, put the cherries wherever you want in the pan. 

[3] In a stand mixer beat eggs, white sugar, pineapple juice & almond extract.  

[4] In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder & salt. 

[5] Add to the mixer and beat until batter is smooth.

[5] Pour batter on top of pineapple mixture and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Let cool & then invert!