Homemade Butter and Fun With Kids

I've been keeping a running list of things that I want to do with the kids over school breaks for the past few years.  It just seems to grow and grow!  Every time I mark off a park, museum, or activity I seem to add four more things in its place.

Lets just say we're never really at a loss for things to fill our time.

This afternoon we had an awkward bit of time between places we needed to be and my kids were sitting there lost in their electronics, oblivious to the world around them.

I decided to turn to the list to see what we could do with our time that might be a little more...engaging.

I found...drumroll please....BUTTER.

Butter?

Yes, butter.

Making Memories and Easy Breakfasts

My daughter sits on the counter, the light streaming through the window picking up the gold in her hair as her feet dangle below her gently tapping on the counter as she wiggles.

She picks up the spice jars one at a time, gently opening them and breathing in lightly to take in the aromas.

When she first began this ritual she would ask me questions from across the house.

"Mom, what does coriander smell like?"

"Why doesn't cream of tartar smell like anything?"

"What's dry mustard?"

Watching her, its hard not to draw parallels to the memories of time spent on the floor of my grandma's house in Wisconsin digging through her button jar, asking questions about all of the interesting pieces in her collection.

Easy Slider-Style Mini Burgers

My daughter likes for me to make "normal" foods when her friends come over for dinner.

Pizza.  Corn dogs.  Maybe tacos.

She's reaching that stage where the smallest thing embarrasses her and God-forbid I make a casserole or something for her friends.

I get it.  Totally.  I remember being terribly embarrassed by the most benign things my mom did when I was a kid, and I can absolutely suck it up and make something kid-friendly and less-than-healthy when she occasionally has company over for dinner :-)

Anyway, she had a friend over recently and I was out of ideas.  I wanted something cheap and easy and I came up blank trying to think of some basic kid-friendly food for them- so of course I turned to the internet.

Rainbow Trix Treats for St. Patrick's Day

I usually don't buy sugary cereal for our family except for birthdays- that sounds a little nutty, right?  

I know.  Blame my mother.

It was her rule and I adopted it with my own kiddo.  While she might sound a little silly standing in the cereal aisle carefully plotting out what her next birthday cereal choice will be, it's all worked out for the best- I have an eight year-old who loves regular Cheerios, Wheat Chex, Wheaties, and Kix.

Really.  She loves those cereals and doesn't even add sugar to them!

But, she's a kid.  And those brightly colored sugar-laden cereals are enticing when you're face-to-face with them in the grocery store.

Super Easy Super Awesome Slumber Party Invitations

Ohmygosh.

Where have I been?

I never go this long without writing.

Honestly?

Popcorn.  Lots and lots of popcorn.

I am incredibly thankful for how my Etsy shop has taken off, but between popcorn and kids I've just been ridiculously busy.

Did I mention we've had 8 snow days in the past two weeks?  Yup.  Popcorn and kids simultaneously.

I'm a mommy/homemaker/popcorn making rockstar lately...

A Lifechanging Haircut

Earlier last year, just as the weather was starting to warm up, I decided to chop my hair off.

My halfway down my back hair.

All trimmed up! :-)

My driving me nuts, I'm-not-a-girly-girl-and-I'm-hopeless-at-styling-it hair.

It suddenly, and spontaneously, had to go.

It may (ok, most likely) have had to do with the instantaneous feeling of freedom I felt when I took my son to his first day of preschool.

When he turned 3 he became eligible for the early intervention preschool in our school district.

Suddenly I wasn't alone.

Suddenly I had six hours a week BY MYSELF.

Six hours to go grocery shopping.

Six hours to peruse stores.

Six hours to paint my nails and actually let them dry.

Six hours to donate to a blood drive.

Six hours to make doctor's appointments.

Six hours to get my hair cut.

Double Fudge Cookies and One Long Night

Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you about a recent evening at my house...

Now, my husband had been out of town for four days.  I love him.  Oh goodness I love him.  I am grateful that his job provides me the opportunity to stay home with the kids even if that means a few times a year he has to travel for work.

That being said, a few days into his trip I  get a little...frustrated.  Jealous of freedom.  Rundown by single parenting, a very active daughter, and a son with autism.

Oh I had such great plans for that night!  I was going to be like...Pinterest Mommy of the Year or something.  You know, all rainbows and unicorns and happy childhood memories.

My daughter came home from her after school activities and immediately showered and got into cozy PJs.  Homemade double fudge cookies were baked.  Homemade chicken noodle soup was consumed.  We had a girly evening styling our hair and painting our nails.  We piled into the car to drive aimlessly and enjoy Christmas lights.  Upon returning I popped delicious popcorn, started the fire in the fireplace, and we all curled up together by the tree to watch Peter Pan live on TV.  Then we headed off to bed with visions of sugar plums dancing through our heads.

The Only Gift I Need

I don't need anything for Christmas this year.

I really don't.  I can't think of anything that could beat what I've already experienced this holiday season.

My son gets that it's Christmastime.

He got that it was Thanksgiving.

He understood that it was Halloween.

He may not have the slightest clue what any of those things actually mean.

He wouldn't eat his Halloween candy (that makes two years in a row his sister has really lucked out).

He ate a grilled cheese sandwich while we stuffed ourselves with Thanksgiving dinner.

He doesn't know to look forward to Christmas gifts.

Grandma Martin's Breakfast Muffins

This morning was not a stellar moment for me as a parent.

Mornings sometimes just stink, and not just when you're a kid.

I was tired and didn't really want to get up, so I probably wasn't in the best of moods when I tried to wake my daughter.

She didn't want to wake up either, big surprise, right?

She also didn't have her clothes picked out.

Or know where they were.

Or have an organized closet.

Or dresser.

I was...frustrated.

Today My Son Said "I Love You"

This one isn't food related and that's ok by me- I'm just super excited and have to share!

My son doesn't call me Mommy.

If I want to hear the word I can write it, because he'll read anything you put in front of him.

If I point to a picture of us he'll say "Mommy" when you ask who is in the picture.

My husband and daughter have had names for quite awhile.  

But he doesn't call ME anything.

I can ask him what my name is till I'm blue in the face and he would just repeat back "What's my name?  Who am I?" and giggle in that adorable way he does.

Last night, though, he was laying in bed next to me as my husband snored.  He flopped his head over on my chest, grinned at me, and said, "Hi Mommy!"

Oh my goodness.  Not only did he call me "Mommy" but he did it spontaneously, using his speech functionally, free of echolalia.

Sweet Vanilla Cupcakes For My Kiddos

Feeding my son can be frustrating.

The nuances of what he's ok with eating vs what he will physically cover his face to get away from can be tricky to navigate.

For example, sometimes he will eat orange goldfish crackers.  Sometimes.  However he won't eat the goldfish crackers that come in different colors- he won't even eat the orange crackers if he sees you picking them out of the multi-colored variety.

This lovely pink-topped confection was for my daughter!

He loves french toast sticks because they're dry and crisp on the outside, but won't touch a soft pancake.  Period.

He will eat yogurt with fruit blended in, but not the kind with even the tiniest of fruit pieces in it.

He will eat a peanut butter sandwich, but only if there is literally only enough peanut butter to hold the pieces of bread together- otherwise it is cast aside completely.

You know how some kids are just picky and will eat eventually if they get hungry enough?

Yeah...this isn't like that.  He really won't eat regardless of how hungry he is.  

Dear Churches...We Need You.

I need you.  WE need you.

You see, you are not only my family- you are my lifeline.  My son has High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder- a mouthful, I know.
He is sweet.  He is funny.  He is borderline brilliant.  He is not yet 3 1/2- yet he can read you his children's Bible, start to finish, unassisted.  He can write "xylophone" and "mother" and "queen" and any other word you throw at him- ambidextrously and in better handwriting than my 8 year-old.

He does not, however, call me "Mommy."  He does not understand potty training and is still in pull ups.  He won't eat the goldfish crackers you offer at snack time, because, well- who knows why.  Because his quirks and sensory sensitivities extend to his eating habits.
I know he shakes your expectations a little- if I wasn't his mother I would probably be a little confused by him as well.  But his hand flaps, excited vocalizations, and food preferences aren't any extra work, really.  To paraphrase Temple Grandin- he is most definitely different, not less.

Chopsticks and Stir Fry

My daughter and I have a tradition.

Every time my husband goes out of town on business, I have to make something we can eat with chopsticks off of the Asian-inspired dishes that generally live their lives unused, tucked away on the top shelf of a little-used cabinet.

It all started one year ago exactly with this recipe for Birds Eye® Teriyaki Chicken I made for Allrecipes for an Allstar assignment and apparently never blogged about.  My husband was out of town- Minnesota?  Utah?  Arizona?  lol he's gone maybe 6 weeks out of the year and I honestly can't remember where he was this time last year- anyway, he was somewhere in this great nation, and my daughter and I ate with chopsticks out of the dishes I never use.

Light Summer Pasta

I've tried to start this post like three times.

Each and every time the only words that have come to me are these-

I.  Am.  Tired.

Like, as in I am physically exhausted.  I'm not sure how to explain the toll having a 55ish lb, 3 1/2 foot tall, autistic little man is taking on my neck and back.  He's sweet.  He's adorable.  He's freaking brilliant.  And he's HEAVY and POWERFUL.  I'm seriously just...ugh.  There is a huge amount of physical exertion that goes into every task, from getting him into position to change his diaper to getting him into his car seat.

My back is toast.

Salmon BLT Stacks and Perfect Summers

I love road trips *almost* as much as I love flying.  Call me crazy- maybe I just have amazing kids- but I actually ENJOY being cooped up in the van with them having adventures.  Even reeeally long drives- remember those trips to Texas we take?  I pack some Roadtrip Sandwiches, start Spotify, and make sure I have plenty of snacks, books, and magazines within reach.  Then we hit the open road!

This year we decided to make an extra trip out to Texas to spend the 4th of July with some of my husband's family (16 hours driving is totally worth the chance to restock my favorite balsamic vinegars, right?) and we also were blessed enough to be invited to spend a weekend in historic, quaint, peaceful, all-around wonderful Rugby, TN to celebrate my Father-in-Law's 69th birthday.

Between trip-taking, popcorn-baking, garden-tending, and memory-making with the kids it has been one busy summer!

Ups, Downs, and A Side of Salad

We all have those days, don't we?  The days when you don't know which way is up.  There are days when I feel like both running for the hills and hiding in bed.  When I don't know if I want to fall into my husband's arms when he comes home from work or lock myself away in my room with a glass of wine and a book.

I think being a mother always means being torn in multiple directions, and it is often difficult to find a balance that makes you feel whole and successful in all of them.

I am wife.

I am mother

I am Nora.

Sometimes the planets align and I am happy to be all three.

Sometimes being a good Mommy is enough to make Nora happy too.

Sometimes I feel like a failure at them all.

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

I've mentioned it before in passing, but my little guy has High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.

He is awesome.  He's sweet, cuddly, hilarious, and can both read and write (well beyond his comprehension of language) already despite having just turned 3 last week.  He appears to be hyperlexic, which is crazy fun to observe.  That being said, he obviously has some issues and his sensory issues are probably second only to functional language delays.

He's slowly improving when it comes to tactile sensitivities, but he has so many weird issues with foods he can't/won't eat.  I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to sneak extra nutrients into the foods he will eat.  Lately he's been stuck on pizza.

Like STUCK on pizza.  He walks around asking for it all of the time.

Pizza isn't exactly known for it's nutritional value, and I can't just load it with veggies because he will only eat cheese or pepperoni pizza.

Starting the Day Off Right on St. Patrick's Day

Growing up, I swore up and down that one day my kids would be able to eat whatever cereal they wanted.

They'd have their pick of the cereal aisle!  Bring on the Golden Grahams, Trix, and Cookie Crisp!

It seemed wrong that while my friends could eat whatever they wanted in the morning, I was limited to Cheerios, Kix, Chex, Grape Nuts, Wheeties, etc.

It seemed CRAZY that my mom allowed my sister and I to pick out sugary cereal once a year- for our birthday.

It was a big deal.  My sister and I would spend weeks, dreamily planning which cereal we would pick with sugary dreams running through our heads.

(Delicious) St. Patrick's Day Treats

My daughter was an almost-St-Patrick's-Day baby.

Via Our Best Bites

Though she doesn't share her birthday with a holiday that REALLY overshadows her special day, it does mean that her classroom birthday celebrations tend to pull double duty.

A couple of years ago, when she was in Kindergarten, her teacher asked me if I wouldn't mind making the cupcakes green and running with the St. Patrick's Day theme.

I think it was my favorite birthday celebration yet- and those homemade cupcakes were way more yummy than the store-bought Justin Bieber cupcakes she had me buy last year...

Thick Cut-Outs: Sugar Cookies for Little Hands

There sure are a lot of different types of sugar cookies out there- thin crispy ones, thick soft ones, crackly topped ones...the list goes on.  Me?  Well, I like them all- I've rarely met a cookie I didn't like :-)

What I have met is a cookie that can't hold up to being decorated by little hands.  They crack and crumble, unable to stand up to less-than-delicate fingers.  Thankfully, I came across this recipe for Thick Cut Outs a few years ago and it's become my go-to recipe when I know kids will be involved in the decorating process.  They're delicious, soft yet sturdy, and can hold their own against whatever frosting or sprinkles little hands throw their way.