Giving picky eaters exposure to new foods

via Daily Prompt: Exposure

We all have our food quirks. We all went through that phase where our parents thought we were going to starve ourselves. If you have kids, you know the struggle. I know my parents struggled with me to eat peas.. my aunt told me my hair would turn purple and now I LOVE peas. I would never dream of eating Spinach or asparagus until in my 20s when my mother in law made me try them and now I love them.

If my bonus child had her way, we would only eat Biscuits and gravy, Mac N cheese, pizza, chips, candy, cereal, Grilled cheese, bacon, and Turkey sandwiches. This child has the strangest food choices mainly because everyone lets her get away with it. This child drives me nuts when it comes to food. She “hated” taco doritos… it’s all we had and she now begs for them. She loves fresh bell peppers but put them in food and they make the food too spicy. She refuses to eat anything with onions in it but will sit and eat White Castle sliders like she hasn’t been fed in days. She hates ketchup but loves plain tomato soup. She hates tomatoes but will eat cherry tomatoes like candy. She prefers nasty canned spag O’s over spaghetti.. will not touch goulash.

I hate explained to her it’s all in her head. We have tricked her into eating things and will get a “this is yummy” but when we explain she may or may not eat it again just on principle. My husband is passive about it because he too is picky, not as picky but still annoying to someone that likes variety. He hates cooked veggies. He hates beans. He isn’t a fan of casseroles. Unless it’s chili or potato soup, soups are off the table. His reasonings I can deal with.. he has tried them and dislikes them.

I made it clear when I moved in, things are changing in this house. She actually hasn’t been horrible. There’s been resistance, there’s been stubburness, but there have been plenty of aha moments for her also.

My kids are not picky. My twenty month old will eat anything. Daddy puts tabasco on his food she still eats it. Jalapenos… she will take a bite or two. Her dietary concerns are on the other end, she will eat as long as she has food to eat.

Through the week, I surrender for the most part to their “food” because I’m tired, I don’t want to cook and I don’t want to do a million dishes. I usually always try at least a new dish in the crockpot on the weekend, even if its a twist on something they already like. On a great weekend, I try two new dishes. It’s a rule that the kids must try what is cooked.

This summer it is my goal to get most of the junk out of this house. We tried planting tomatoes and peppers last summer. This year I vow to either have a raised garden or pot veggies. I’m going to dehydrate, freeze, and force veggie snacks. I’m sick of arguing over chips vs veggies..I want the processed crap gone.

I am a firm believer that if kids are introduced to new foods they will find new likes. Most of the time they do not like foods because someone else does not.

Child hates BBQ – so we are going to try this Honey and soy chicken

Child hates tacos but loves pizza – Mexican pizza

Child LOVES mac n cheese but it needs a twist – Mac n cheese with a twist

Child loves pizza but hates goulosh – Pizza bake

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Panic attacks and the unseen

via Daily Prompt: Unseen

In 2011, my husband of seven years just leaves and moves in with his girlfriend. I couldn’t walk out my front door without hyperventilating. I thought my asthma was flaring up. I dealt with it until I drove 30 miles from my apartment to my mother’s and felt like I was having a heart attack. I rush to the ER and they did blood work. I hate needles, I cringe at the thought of typical bloodwork. I hope to never have an ABG test  again. Having blood drawn from your artery instead of your veins is painful. The Doctor diagnosed me with anxiety and panic attacks. The nurse would not let me leave without a heart to heart. I will never forget this nurse. She opened my hand and placed an angel in my hand. she told me that she had been through it and everything would be okay.

My meds helped for the anxiety but I was still deep in depression. After a week of lying in my bed, I took the entire bottle of pills. I spent 72 hours on suicide watch after having drinking that nasty charcoal drink. They checked me out refusing to give me anything for depression or anxiety. The $7,000 hospital bill helped my will to live so damn much.

I ended up back at my mom’s, no job, no money, a husband that just couldn’t stop hounding me about getting the divorce papers signed. It was 3 months later, we finally got the divorce papers signed. Three months after that that he left me alone. I left out apartment in July weighing 180 pounds by November I was down to 130. Not because I tried but because even the thought of food made me ill.

In January of 2012, I pulled my head out of my ass. I got a job and quick feeling sorry for myself or anyone else for that matter. Life was not perfect after that but I was mentally okay. July 2015, in the middle of moving in with my now husband… I was just sitting watching TV and started feeling like I had OD’d on coffee. By later in the evening, I could not stand to be around anyone. A simple hello set me off. It was probably 2 months of this episode on and off. I’m assuming the stress of the move, working, and combining two families was the trigger.

January of 2016, chaos began in this house. We had a rebelious teen, people that can’t mind their own business, starting a company, money issues, custody issues, you name it 2016 threw it at us. I handled well until May when my son’s father started his insane case. even then I had forced myself to stay sane. In October, my husbands ex started her case. I’ve found that forcing myself to stay sane was the worst thing I could do. I wasn’t talking. I wasn’t venting. I was avoiding even thinking about what is going on. I was holding it all in and becoming angry.

Over the last few months, I have been trying to sort things out. I’ve been trying to adjust and finding less toxic releases. Trying to better myself. It’s not an easy process. You get pissed off when you fail.  As you can tell if you read through my blog I have failed several times.

My husband has been great since I opened up to him. He knew I had anxiety issues. He knew some of my triggers but was unaware of some. I gave him a run down of what I needed from him. He at first didn’t get it, he didn’t understand how overwhelmed I was.

 

The above picture fits in every aspect in life, not just fitness. I have been working on this, its not in total use but I’m working on it. I think it’s important. I have acknowledged that there are MANY aspects of my life that are unhealthy and need changed. My most important goal is getting my anxiety under control and getting mentally right. Let me clarify… I’m not “mental” in the aspect of dangerous to myself or anyone else. I’m just not mentally at my best. My mental state has me borderline depressed, my motivation is lacking. I’m fed up with randomly feeling as if I’m having a heart attack because I hear a certain word, I see a color, or the wind blows the wrong direction.

Taking one day at a time is a HUGE step in our family’s current situation. My husband and I have been working on this together as a team since we are both dealing with exes. We sat down and made a plan of what we hope happens and what we do if it doesn’t work out and left it at that, the rest is in the court’s hands.

Surrounding yourself with positive vibes is not as easy as one thinks. It can be hard to not dwell when things seem impossible. My husband and I set a rule, we can talk about our negative feeling with our cases at anytime and it needs to happen ASAP; anything else politics, anything that doesn’t have a direct impact on us we avoid.

The vision board and SMART goals we will be doing as a family this weekend. I think that it is important that we work on this together and with my anxiety I will not feel as alone in the progress.

Rewarding myself is different from most people. Some take it as a shopping trip or eating a piece of cake. Date night is my reward. Date night again…. not the same as most. Our date night is one night a month kid free, in our home, just chilling. We watch TV, enjoy the quiet, I get a hot bath, hubby makes dinner, concentrate on ourselves.

I do believe in myself. I have shitty days but in the end I know only my reaction matters. I can sulk and hate life or change it my damn self. I’m stronger than what everyone sees. I’m bettter than everything that people think they know.

I see 2017 being a great year. It may not be starting out that way, but we will all come out better and stronger. I will stop digging at myself.

Shower meditation to me is very important! On days that I do not have five seconds to myself except for my shower this is my twenty minutes of sanity. My husband has noticed that I will just out of the blue get up and shower and he has made a habit of asking if I wanted to talk about anything.

If you have anxiety, there is nothing to be ashamed of…….TALK. Don’t hold it in. Let others know what your body is doing. Let them know your triggers and that you may not know all of them. You may not even know why you are anxious, its okay.

Do you have anxiety? What are your triggers? How do you cope?

 

Dinner when you are overworked

via Daily Prompt: Overworked

Follow me Here on Pinterest

I love food! I love Pinterest! I love my crockpot! I have begun a routine of at least one meal a week is in my crockpot. Why? By the end of the week, the last thing I want to do is slave over dinner. There is nothing better feeling than loading the crockpot after I make the kids lunch and having free time for the rest of the day. Todays post is a few of our family favorites.

I did not write out the actual recipes as they are not mine, I found them on Pinterest and do not deserve any credit for them. I did provide the links to where I found them and the ingredients you will need. I hope you enjoy.

Beer can chicken – Yummy and moist! My husband didn’t understand the foil balls and the beer not actually touching the chicken but when he tasted it… he stopped questioning me. What you need – 

Meat

• 1 (6 1/2 to 7 pound) whole chicken, whole

Produce

• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 2 tsp Oregano, dried leaves
• 2 tsp Thyme, dried leaves

Baking & Spices

• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp Paprika, smoked
• 2 tsp Pepper, coarse
• 2 tsp Salt

Beer, Wine & Liquor

• 1 can Beer

Other

• 4 (6-inch) strips Aluminium foil, each bunched into a ball

Slow cooker lasagna – My bonus child hates lasagna, not sure why she loves spaghetti. To satisfy her enough to try and because my hubby hates ricotta and cottage cheese I omitted these. They loved it and couldn’t get enough. My husband actually said the sauce was the best he ever had.

You will need – 

Meat

• 1/2 lb Ground beef
• 1/2 lb Italian sausage

Produce

• 2 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 Onion, large
• 2 tbsp Parsley

Canned Goods

• 1 (6oz) can Tomato paste

Condiments

• 1 (29 oz) can Tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Pasta & Grains

• 1 (8 oz) package Lasagna noodles, regular

Baking & Spices

• 2 tbsp Granulated sugar
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt

Dairy

• 1 1/2 cups Cottage cheese
• 4 cups Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Liquids

• 1 1/4 cups Water

Potato soup – I think the chicken stock was a little much. I think I would sub at least a cup of it with milk.

You will need – 

• 6 slices cooked bacon*, diced
• 3-4 cups good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes**, peeled (if desired) and diced
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 4 tablespoons bacon grease* (or butter)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (12-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream

Honey Lemon chicken – I would honestly omit the lemon being cooked inside the chicken. To us, it was a little overwhelming. Next time we will just squeeze a lemon over the chicken after cooking. Other than that it was great!

What you need –

Meat

• 1 Chicken, whole roast

Produce

• 1 Lemon, whole

Condiments

• 1/2 cup Honey
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice

Baking & Spices

• 1 tsp Lemon pepper
• 1 Salt

Oils & Vinegars

• 2 tbsp Olive oil

Drinks

• 1/2 cup Orange juice, lite

Dairy

• 4 tbsp Butter

Crustless pizza – This is the house favorite to date! My bonus child has never ate dinner and said “Can we have this every week?” My husband was skeptical about the fact that it was crustless.

I served the pizza over buttered toast that was sprinkled with garlic powder. Instead of using hamburger.. we used breakfast sausage. Instead of using jarred pizza sauce I used a recipe that I also found on pinterest, it will be included also.

What you will need

• 2 lbs Ground beef

Condiments

• 1 14 oz jar Pizza sauce

Baking & Spices

• 1 Garlic salt
• 1 Your favorite pizza toppings

Dairy

• 2 cup Mozzarella cheese
• 2 cup Pizza blend cheese

Homemade pizza sauce – Instead of using the basil, thyme, and oregano..I just used Italian seasoning. I also omitted the bay leaf.

You will need

Produce

• 1/4 tsp Basil, dried
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp Oregano, dried
• 1/4 tsp Thyme, dried

Condiments

• 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
• 15 oz Tomato sauce

Baking & Spices

• 1/8 tsp Black pepper
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar

Liquids

• 1/4 cup Water

 

 

 

Starting my New Year resolutions now

My life in the last year and a half has been amazing within my marriage. My health, stress levels, financials, and so on need some repairs.

I have had back pain and migraines since my childhood. My migraines are always hell the ONLY thing I could ever get to relieve them was a shot at the E.R. My back pain, no one wanted to do anything but give me muscle relaxers. In September I had enough! I couldn’t get into my Doctor so settled with our Nurse Practitioner. She did the usual “here’s your script” she had a shocked look on her face when I told her  I did not want a single pill until the source was found.She ordered MRI’s and Xrays, I have mild disintegration from my neck down, several bone spurs, several herniations and arthritis. It is believed that the spurs in my neck are what is causing my migraines. My medications did not change but I do not feel crazy when explaining my pain, there is no mystery. I now have to learn stretches, relaxation techniques, and my limits.

When I met my Husband I was a size 3 at this time we were just friends and I was working at a job where I was running 10 miles a night gathering foam and seat covers for Toyota Highlanders. A month before we started dating I had given birth to our daughter (he adopted her)  I was a size 5. Slowly, as I became content in my life my weight spiraled out of control. I went from 135 pounds to now 175 in a year and a half. My diet is crap. My Husband and his daughter are the pickiest I have ever met. He loves veggies but hates cooked veggies, he hated casseroles, he hated anything with sour cream or cottage cheese in it, he hates cream of mushroom and much more. Luckly, he has worked with me and has started to try different things. The bonus child…. no so much. She thinks she hates everything. If she had her way we would just stock Mac N cheese, biscuits and gravy, grilled cheese and tomato soup, Pizza, and lunchables. She will eat spaghetti but put spaghetti sauce on any other noodle she freaks. Getting her to try new foods you would think I was trying to poison her. I hate gotten her to try new foods and she reluctantly admits she likes them. Sometimes, I lie about what’s in it until her plate is clean but she still will hold on to her “I hate that.” So with these two, finding something healthy and well balanced is complicated.

For the most part of our life together, I have not had to work outside of the home. My husbands business is doing and until issues arose with our Exs we were living well. $7,000 in lawyer fees is not something you want to deal with right after you pay your house off and right before the holidays. We are struggling to pay bills and keep our sanity.

It’s time for a change! Now more than ever I need to feel better about myself and our situation. I’m going to lose weight, I’m going to better my sanity, better my marriage, better my family, my finances,  and more.

Changes –

1. Start a savings plan for Christmas next year
2. Start a cleaning schedule that will help me not feel overwhelmed
3. Start a workout schedule
4. Sleep schedule… I need to get up at 3:30 A every morning and bed by 9P
5. Mental wellness
6. Morning routine
7. Be a better step-parent
8. Journal more –

Regaining my Vigor – Day 1

 

 

 

 

Holiday anticipation

This is only my second Thanksgiving with my husband. Roles at his parents have already been established his dad makes the Turkey, Sister makes the pies and green bean casserole, Mom makes everything else. Every dinner, we bring the Soda and if any needed the chips. I’m rebelling this year… I love to cook and love desserts. I’m making no-bake Reese’s rice krispie cookies, Pumpkin cheesecake balls, and Magic custard cake. I  can’t wait til dinner.

Most of us in his family see each other or speak on a daily basis. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only time we are all together in one spot. It gets super interesting. The sibling remind the parents of the mischief they got into. The siblings mess with each other like they are still teenagers. They teach their off-spring to mess with their cousins as if they were siblings. There is not a dull second when the Keesling Clan is under one roof. I love seeing my Husband forgetting about the stress of his job, our financials, the outside issues with those we have children with. I love learning more about my husband childhood. I have never been big on the way holidays are commercialized but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this family life and the aroma of a meal cooked with love.

No bake Reeses Krispy treat cookies – these are super easy to make, require little time, and are delish.

You need

• 4 cups Rice krispies cereal

• 1 cup Corn syrup, light
• 1 1/4 cups Peanut butter, creamy
• 5 Reese’s peanut butter cups, regular sized
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Milk chocolate chips

Melt Peanut butter, corn syrup and sugar in the microwave I did 2 minutes.

Pour over cereal and mix.

Pour in Chocolate chips and mix. Let cool for a few minutes.

Break up Reeses and mix in the rest.

Spoon onto wax paper and let cool.

Flatten…. done

Magic Custard cake – This is truely magic! I did not think for a second when I placed it in the oven it was going to turn out. It did and was great except I would add a tad more vanilla and would whip the egg whites AFTER putting the other ingredients together.

My no bake cheesecake balls failed –

What can you do with those Tart fruits?

via Daily Prompt: Tart

If you are a follower you know I LOVE pinterest! I love finding new ideas and ways to save money. Today, I give you frugal ideas with Oranges, Lemons, and limes.

Let’s start with a couple oh so yummy recipes

3 ingredient Orange chicken sauce – You need BBQ sauce, orange marmalade, and soy sauce…

Lemon Parm Pork Chops – You need Pork Chop, Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs , lemon, olive oil, and eggs.

2 large eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
zest of 1 lemon
4-6 boneless thin cut pork loin chops
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tbs olive oil
lemon wedges for serving (optional)

Whisk the eggs to blend. Place bread crumbs in another dish.  Place the cheese and lemon zest in a third dish.  Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with cheese and lemon mixture, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the panko bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat up 3-6 tablespoons of olive oil in a large over medium heat. Add pork chops and cook about 6 minutes on each side, or until nice and golden brown and the temperature reaches 150 degrees in the center of the meat.

Fruits are for more than cooking.

Skin care –

Raspberry lemonade lip scrub

Orange vanilla bath salts

Face Masks as seen below

Lemon, lime, and coconut Stress relief sugar scrub

breakout targeting mask

lemon scrub

Honey pore cleanser

Foot scrub

clear skin as seen below

Home remedies –

Fruit infused water

add to your bath

Eliminate mucus

Cleaning and more

Gift ideas for the lemon lover

 

 

 

 

 

Does shopping leave you feeling subdued?

via Daily Prompt: Subdued

We live in a small village (graduating class of 20ish.) We have a meat market, a dollar general, and a Caseys. Budget wise I’m left with a few decisions pay extra to shop in town or drive the ten miles to go to our nearest Wal-mart. It might seem like an easy choice but its not. The Meat Market is fresh and has soooo much more flavor than Wal-marts meat and of course Wal-mart always has a way of distracting the mission of the list.

Cut your average bill by using these tips I found on Pinterest

Strawberry roll ups – I rarely buy the roll-ups from the store the prices are insane and I’m not all about foods packed with sugar and preservatives laying around.

3 ingredient meatloaf – You’ve neglected the shopping this week.. Do you have a box of Stuffing, hamburger, and milk? Good you have meatloaf!

Cheesy garlic bombs – $2.50 for 6 breadsticks? Nope… not in this house.

Caramel green apple chips –

Freezer hashbrowns – Buy too many potatoes?

Dehydrate your potatoes

Perfect pork chops – should be pantry friendly except for chops and lemon

Easy ingredient exchanges -We have all had those “Oh crap Im outta….” moments

Non-food

Vicks shower bombs – I haven’t bought these in forever because the price was insane

Avocado face mask – I’m the only one that eats Avocado and we always have that one banana that goes bad… PERFECT

These are only a few of my favorites. Do you have any budget friendly ideas?

 

 

Is it worth the argument?

via Daily Prompt: Argument

Anyone that says family life is smooth sailing all the time… is lying. I love my husband. I love my kids including my step-kids. To be blunt… they can get on my damn nerves.

The kids and my husband at times, think I’m their maid. Blending families has not been easy. By seven my kids knew the basics to keep me from snapping. Somehow my nine year old step-daughter has not been taught how to locate a trash can, how to scrape a plate, how to make her bed, how to put clothes into a hamper… ya know things that a child should know. When I call her to the neglected issue, she literally looks at me not knowing what the problem is. DRIVES ME NUTS!

Sometimes my husband thinks I’m too hard on her and ask too much. To me as draining as it can be, it is worth the argument! I love this child as she were my own, I hope that later in life she understands I only want her to grow up not expecting everyone to take care of her.

I am a firm believer that each generation is becoming too dependent. Kids have no life skills.. mommy and daddy should support them. There’s a few things I’ve let her slide on but only because shes sharing a room with her sister at the moment.

Grades are also an issue. A BIG issues. We only have her Thursday-Sunday so most of her studies we can’t control. Her Accelerated reader points are rarely acceptable. Fighting with her mother about it.. not really worth it. At nine years old she needs to be held accountable for not doing her homework and not taking her reading seriously. We have no control over what books she brings home but punishments are being handed out. She has had a habit of bringing joke books or grade 1 level books home. If a book is brought home under third grade level she is losing a privilage for the weekend.

I had to explain to all of my children how important reading is. It’s not just homework, its a way of escaping, time traveling if you will.

Unfortunatly, three of my six have been compromised by others. Their father, grandparents, others in life gave them the easy way out and they took it. No chores, having everything handed to them. My husband is afraid that his daughter will fare the same way. I don’t know. She fought a lot at first but she actually has tons of pride when she gets called out for not having to be told.

I find the following Picture to be so true in keeping stress out of our marriage.

There are plenty of things that neither one of us can change about our past or about who we are. Changing the person you are with to me seems completely ignorant. I fell in love with my husband because of who he is, if I have to change anything we were never in love.

In a relationship you must be able to maintain a sense of humor. Life gets crazy. Go with the flow.

There are many times that I feel argumentative and really for no reason. I really do have to take myself to the bedroom and look in our full length mirror. “What is wrong? Am I upset with something they did? someone else? or am I disappointed in myself?”

Making decisions is a must! I quit asking “What sounds good for dinner?” I quit asking “Do you care if I buy ….?” I get the same answer and it gets annoying for the both of us. He doesn’t care what I make. He knows I’m not a huge on spending.