Potty Training...Not for the faint of heart!

   My son Jeremiah turned 3 on Cinco De Mayo this year and he started using the potty last week. Yep, you read that right...My 3 year old is not completely potty trained yet. We've tried several times over the past few years, but it was to no avail. We tried bribing, punishing, and inevitably giving up. The fights, yelling, and tears were just not worth it!! I can live with diapers more then I can live with the heartbroken look on my oldest sons face whenever mommy and daddy got mad at him...like he had failed us!! 

Jeremiah making faces at me

   Now, my son is extremely bright, he's also very stubborn!! To put it simply...he is a 100% testosterone filled, dirt covered, truck loving, worm digging boy!! He wants what he wants, when he wants it. Do we give in...sometimes yes. Let's be honest though, most parents give into their kids wishes sometimes. It's not spoiling them, it's called picking your battles!! Potty training is one battle that the parenting community is torn on. I know some people who have their kids potty trained by a year and a half...while other's, like us, didn't even actually start until our kids were 3. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the super-duper mom's who do it early...I also have nothing but wonderful things to say about the other half of us super-duper mom's who wait. Because in the end it's YOUR decision. 
   My husband and I had to learn that. Jeremiah is our son, so we'll potty train him when HE'S ready. You know what...we've had a lot less frustration because of it!! Jeremiah loves using the potty!! We cheer him on like a pepped up cheerleader on speed!! If someone were to see us jumping up and down, clapping and cheering like a crazy person they'd probably have us committed. That's OK, because Jeremiah loves it! He tells me whenever he has to use the potty and then when he's done, he jumps out of the bathroom with a big smile on his face and exclaims "I DID IT!!" which is then equally met with the enthusiastic "WAY TO GO BUDDY!! I'm so PROUD of you!!" and then we do the potty dance. It's turned an otherwise pain in the ass (no pun intended) experience into a fun one. Does he have accidents? You bet! Do we get mad at him? No. I've come to a place where I refuse to shame my son for having an accident. Is it frustrating when he has an accident? Yes it is. He knows when he has to go, but for some reason when he gets underwear on or even pants on, he has a hard time holding it. At home he does awesome, no accidents!! Of course he's running around in his birthday suit, but it's getting results. 
   I know this isn't going to be a quick experience, but I've also come to realize that the reason for that is because it's new. A person who has never played the piano isn't going to be able to play a complicated piece of Beethoven...unless they are freakishly talented (Crazier things have happened though) the same goes with using the potty...now Jeremiah isn't doing rocket science, but it is still a new experience...and new experiences can sometimes be scary. 
   Is our approach for everyone? Probably not. I still get snide remarks from people who think he's too old to be in diapers. Maybe he is, but forcing him wasn't working and this is, so I honestly don't care. Everyone has to decide for themselves what is right for their kids. For us letting our opinionated, bull headed, wonderfully sweet 3 year old decide for himself when he was ready was the right decision for us to make.


~Savannah~

Ode to Salmon

  My family is a HUGE fan of fish!! Salmon, Cod, Tilapia, Tuna...Fried, Baked, or Barbecued...Give us a good fish and we'll turn it into an awesome meal! Tonight was no different!! Tonight I made a Salmon Teriyaki that is to die for!! I amazed myself it was that good!! Don't worry I'm not here to make you jealous, I'm here in my supermom cape to bring you the wonderful recipe that graced our table this evening!!

NOT YOUR USUAL TERIYAKI SALMON

This is AMAZING Teriyaki Sauce!!

4 Salmon Fillets (or however many you happen to be using)
Kona Coast Spicy Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 stick of softened butter
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
1 green onion
A few mint leaves
Rosemary
Pineapple 




First off grease your baking dish...I used Olive Oil because it tastes the best and helps the fish not dry out so fast!! Place Salmon Fillets in dish and cover with Teriyaki sauce..turn over a few times so that both sides are covered in the sauce.
Next mix butter, minced garlic, chopped onion, mint leaves (chopped), and rosemary. (I used our teeny-tiny food processor and it worked great!) Take butter mixture and place on top of the fillets. Also at this time place pineapple pieces randomly around the dish.
Cook on 450 degrees for 6 minutes (uncovered)..check at 6 minutes for doneness...We had to cook ours an additional 2 minutes, but it's always best to check because you don't want to overcook the salmon or it will get dry!!
ENJOY

I gotta say the bags of frozen Salmon at Winco have been a lifesaver!! They thaw out super fast and they taste great!! Anyway, try it out...make it your own and see what you come up with!!

Parmesan Encrusted Salmon & Tilapia

 It's no secret that, sometimes, toddlers can be picky eaters. My oldest is no exception, however I will say that I can't complain too much because, thankfully, he'll eat pretty much whatever we put in front of him with few exceptions. So tonight I wanted to give my family a dinner we all would like, that would fill us up and something that would be healthy. I think I nailed it!
 After scouring the internet for fish recipes, and coming up short, I decided to combine a few. What I came up with this:

PARMESAN ENCRUSTED SALMON & TILAPIA


Grated Parmesan
Spices (I used garlic powder, pepper, and fresh rosemary...thank goodness for our plant!) 
Salmon/Tilapia Fillets (I had 2 Tilapia and 3 Salmon Fillets)
1 to 2 Eggs (For dipping)
Olive Oil


Mix Parmesan and Spices (if using fresh rosemary, don't mix with the cheese) in bowl big enough to dip fish in. Dip both sides of fish in egg and then in Cheese mix. Place in baking dish, place rosemary sprigs on top and drizzle with Olive oil. Bake at 450 for 6 minutes. Check for doneness and enjoy!


All of the above measurements are what I used for 5 pieces of fish. If using less fish cook for about 4 minutes and check.


 I know that fish can be expensive, especially Salmon. I got both the Tilapia and the Salmon at Winco in the bags. They come frozen, in the bag and they are vacuumed sealed and individually packaged and they aren't horribly priced.. definitely cheaper then buying from the meat counter and since they come in their own packages, they're pretty darn good...not slimy. Besides fish is so good for you, especially Salmon and the fact that my 3 year old was excited for "Cheesy Fish!" was a major plus!! I served it with Corn on the Cob (another favorite of my 3 year old) and I must say it was one of the best dishes I've made!!


**I was going to add a picture, but I was really hungry and it looked incredible...so I ate before I remembered the snap shot! Instead, hears a picture of my son who loved his cheesy fish!**

My oldest baby boy

Just Me: JUNE 21st

Just Me: JUNE 21st: I'm a hosting a fundraiser with a friend of mine to help support Exodus Cry. We'll be *hopefully* showing clips from the movie nefarious...(...

NOT FOR SALE

    I recently watched a documentary called "nefarious." It's done by the group Exodus Cry and it's about the TRUTH of Human Sex Trafficking. It broke my heart, the kind of broken that makes you stop and say "this needs to stop and I need to do something about it!" I know that I'm not equipped (yet) to go into these countries and try to single-handed rescue these girls, boys, women...I'm 5'1 and 103 lbs, it would be foolish. However I do feel a calling on my life, and my families life to be directly involved. Whether giving money, or maybe even some day joining exodus cry. I know that I can't do nothing, and my husband agrees with me 100%.
   As a mother the thought of these children and women being ripped from their homes, away from their families is heart wrenching...worse though is the very real hurt the girls whose parents sell them must feel. I can't comprehend how a parent could choose to sell their girls. This post could easily stretch out and be extremely wordy, but you know...I'm not going to do that. I am going to strongly suggest that you go to www.exoduscry.com and check out their blog. I also strongly suggest that you watch nefarious, they have it for sale at exoduscry.com and all proceeds go to combating human trafficking. We can do something!! Raising awareness and learning the facts is just the beginning. I've started a pin board on pinterest.com called NOT FOR SALE, I figure that if even one person looks at the board and starts doing research then that's one more person who can make a difference.
   This is not a hopeless cause! I have a big God who does BIG things, and I believe that HE can put a stop to this. 






DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER,


I PRAY FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING. I PRAY THAT YOU HOLD THEM IN YOUR HANDS AND COMFORT THEM. LORD, I PRAY FOR THE MEN INVOLVED, CHANGE THEIR HEARTS FATHER. LET THEM SEE YOU, AND LET THEM SEE THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS WRONG. HELP THEM REALIZE THAT ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD IS NOT WORTH WHAT THEY ARE PUTTING THESE VICTIMS THROUGH. I PRAY FOR THE "JOHNS" WHO PAY FOR THE SERVICES OF THESE WOMEN THROUGH PROSTITUTION OR ESCORTS, CHANGE THEIR MINDSET GOD. I KNOW THAT YOU CAN PUT AN END TO THIS HORRIFIC PRACTICE,I PRAY THAT PEOPLE WILL WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN PUTTING AN END TO THIS. THANK YOU FOR BEING A BIG GOD, WHO HAS NOT LIMITATIONS. 

AMEN
 

Enjoy the Ride

   I just realized that the last post I made was in March. I've had several recipes I was and will still post on here, but life is unpredictable. March/April and now May have been crazy, but not in a bad way. March came and with it brought my little brother home from Afghanistan!! It also brought my husbands 27th birthday and the never ending cascade of bills. April came and with it brought stress, tears, bills, more tears, but it also brought my brother! He's stationed on the East Coast and we live on the West. He came home on leave and we got to spend some time with him, making some memories along the way.
   Now we're in May...things have made a dramatic change for the better!! God is showing me things that are all pointing to a new direction for our family. New is intimidating, but I'm excited to see where He's leading us!! I'm so amazed at the never ending Love He has for us. He's so faithful to provide. Isn't it funny how when things are going good we never really think we need God. I mean things are good, there's no stress we think that we have everything under control. So God, even though we still believe in Him, gets pushed to the back our minds, but as soon as a tough time hits we're on our knees asking him to save us. I know I'm very guilty of this! This last time I decided that I was going to stop looking up ONLY when times were hard. I'm going to praise God everyday for his providing our every need!! I'm going to stop living my life for just me, and start living it for HIM. I know he has BIG plans for my family and I'm not going to let them go to waste!! I'm going to enjoy the ride come what may!!

Don't Text & Drive

   I'll be 24 this year. I come from the generation of texting and wi-fi. On one hand it has made things a lot easier, on the other it's also caused an epidemic...texting/talking on the cell phone while driving. It's kind of like drinking and driving only the person is (usually) sober. How stories are there about kids dying in a car accident because they were texting or talking on the phone while driving? Yet people read those stories and think "well, that will never happen to me!" You know, that's not necessarily true. You can be a great driver, but if your attention is on your phone instead of the road then that's a dangerous situation. 
  I just read a story about a young girl who plowed into the back of tanker going 80mph. She was IMing a friend on Facebook and wasn't paying attention. The police say they don't think she even hit the brakes. Her parents say that she was a responsible girl, a good driver, she had a bright future ahead of her...it only took once, her attention was elsewhere and now her family has to go through their lives without her. She was 18...graduated top of her class...I bet you she was thinking "it'll never happen to me." Her last text even said that she couldn't talk because she was driving. My heart grieves for her family.
   As a mother I pray that my boys will grow up into responsible young men, but it's up to me to set the example. I've gotten on my husband for talking on the phone while driving. In fact before we got our Jeep we walked EVERYWHERE! I can't tell you how many times we almost got hit because someone wasn't paying attention because they were on the phone. We would be in the crosswalk...the little white guy would be on the sign and we'd be pushing the stroller and BAM! we'd have to quickly jump out of the way. Most of the people looked horrified at what almost happened, while others looked pissed that we were in their way.(I can't stand self-entitled people!) I got really good at giving dirty looks or confronting drivers! I bet most of those people were usually very good drivers, but if we hadn't been paying attention while their attention was diverted to their cell we very well could've wound up in the hospital, or worse. 
    As you can see this subject is important to me! I know that in this modern day, cell phone using world that people rely, almost solely on their phones. It's their agenda keeper, appointment reminder, and personal assistant. Multitasking has been made easier then ever, but please if you feel that you absolutely cannot not answer the call or the text, then PULL OVER!! PLEASE!! For one it's against the law and for 2 it is dangerous. You may never get in an accident, but do you really want to risk it? I know a lot of people will tell me to get off my soap box, but I believe it's important that people really think about what they're doing. We're living in  a zero accountability world and that scares me! I'm 23, so this isn't a post by your grandma or your mom, it's from someone who is your generation! I graduated in 2006, I turned 21 in 2009. Just think about it.