Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Chocolate milk is very popular in my house. Although I despise the sugar content, it DOES get my kids to drink more milk. I was buying commercially prepared chocolate milk & calculated that it was cheaper than buying the Nesquik powder. Lately in a pinch I've been using Hershey's Chocolate Syrup mixed with white milk. When I ran out, I gave the following recipe a try!

Step 1: Unclog your Hershey's syrup bottle cap by letting it sit in a bowl of hot water while you make the syrup.

Step 2: Follow Hillbilly Housewife's chocolate syrup recipe. I made the recipe as written and it all fit into my current 24 oz. Hershey's bottle. Be careful when the syrup is boiling. This stuff bubbles up big!

Step 3: Let syrup cool. Or if you are impatient like me, let it cool just a little......

Step 4: Using a funnel, pour the syrup into your bottle. Recap.

Step 5: Use to make chocolate milk, pour over ice cream or in your favorite chocolatey desserts. Or for those of you having an anniversary........Voila!

A "REAL" Poll

I was just testing this poll feature to see if it actually works. I think it's kinda cool!

Mozzarella Sticks

My archaic method of saving recipes I want to try is just to write them by hand in a spiral notebook. I use a type of shorthand so I only have to write out the ingredients with a couple prepping and cooking instructions. This way, I am sure to actually only save the recipes I will really try since I am going through a little more work. It's easy to see what recipes are waiting for me to give them a whirl. This recipe is one of them. Hubs *loves* cheese sticks, so as a special treat I tried this recipe that was waiting in queue.

Mozzarella Sticks

Makes 16 sticks

1 egg
2 T. water
¾ c. seasoned bread crumbs
½ t. garlic salt
1/3 c. flour
1/6 c. cornstarch
1 qt. Oil {for frying}
8 cheese sticks

Procedure:

Heat oil to about 350° {or put the oil over medium heat while you're prepping everything else}. I used a medium sized pot with tall sides & just filled it up so the oil was about 2 ½” deep. You'll need three separate bowls. In one, mix the egg and water. In the second, mix the seasoned bread crumbs & garlic salt. In the last, mix the flour & cornstarch. Cut each cheese stick in half so you have 16 smaller sticks. Dip the sticks first in egg, then in the flour, then in egg again, finally in the breadcrumbs. {Helps to use tongs/forks/spoons so as not to gunk up your fingers.} I battered all the sticks first, then fried them all at the same time. Fry about 4 at a time for 30 seconds each or until golden brown.

Special Notes:

If you are not using “seasoned” bread crumbs you may want to add about ½ t. salt and some ground pepper for more flavor. I also sprinkled the finished sticks with kosher salt as they were coming out of the oil. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping. YUM!

Free Movies

This seems so great that I just have to mention it {especially since my recent post about Family Movies}!! I just read about this over here, but I will repost the details. AMC Theaters hosts a Summer Movie Camp every Wednesday at 10:00 am where the whole family {or group/organization~HINT. HINT.} can see a FREE movie. Of course no movie experience is complete without the right snacks, so for only $3.00 you can purchase an AMC KidsPack which includes one drink, one popcorn, and one kids-size snack. If you are a local reader, the closest theater to us that participates is the AMC South Barrington 30 . You can view the movie schedule here. I think Charlotte's Web on August 1 sounds especially appealing. Hope this helps you have some frugal summer fun ;>)

Thanks to Alicia's comment, I am editing this post to add that Regal Cinema in Crystal Lake also has free movies for the family as well. Much better since it is so much closer {to many of you local readers}. You can also check their home page to see if a Regal Cinema near you is participating. It doesn't give any information as to snack deals other than saying "Kids Meals Available". Here is the link to the movie schedule. The other great thing is that they show them on Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am and there are two movies to choose from. The two movies consist of one rated G and one rated PG--great if you have an older set of children. There are at least four movies that I would love to take the kids to go see. Thanks Alicia for the tip!!

Clickety-Click

Here are where all my blog clicks led me to this morning. First I started out at:

Like Merchant ships: reading her post about a tutorial she will be writing for homemade crackers. We eat a lot of crackers!! They just make an easy snack for the kiddos & I love dipping 'em in stuff too ;>) {By the way, I am also excited about her post on making homemade dishwasher detergent. This kind of frugal solution is right up my alley!}

After reading a post she had written a few days ago, I linked over to Charming the Birds from the Trees' post about the feminine attitude. I so enjoyed this post! What a great reminder about the kind of attitude we should have as women. I just feel so encouraged & motivated by this to be a better woman, especially because of the clear explanations of what this looks like.

Then I stopped over at My So Called Perfect Life, a blog I have been lurking at recently. I downloaded her instructions on making a Tote bag, since I have been sewing like a mad women recently. I love the idea of having bags already packed for the kids for church, library, beach, etc. Sounds like a great time saver!

From there I cruised over to Rocks in My Dryer . Her blog design is so happy & friendly looking. I love reading WFMW & learning new tricks to making my household run more smoothly. Out of the other bloggers she listed participating in the WFMW, I visited....

The Building Brows and her post about the Diva Cup. I don't know if you've ever heard of this product before, but I considered it once in the past. All of the commenters give me confidence to try this out {when I need it eventually of course}. I just seems so much less of a pain than mainstream products. You would never have to worry about running out of supplies & would definitely be a cost-saver in the long run. It seems amazing that it would eliminate cramps as well. Bonus!

In all fairness, those weren't the FIRST blogs I visited. I always stop by the blogs of my real-life friends first, this morning enjoying Alicia's reflection about how her despair has turned into thankfulness. Let me know if you've found any of my visits interesting as well. Stay cool today!

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

I just tried this recipe over the weekend & had great success. I didn't actually try any myself because my weird appetite just wasn't gonna let me. Judging from the empty pan at the end of the day, I can be confident that it was well-liked!

Chocolate Éclair Dessert

Makes 12 servings

1 box graham crackers {will only use about 2/3 of the box}
1 3 oz. package instant vanilla pudding
1 3 oz. package instant French vanilla pudding
3 c. milk
1 8 oz. container Cool-whip
1 16 oz. can chocolate frosting

Procedure:

Make the puddings using the 3 cups of milk. Let stand 5 minutes. Fold in the Cool-whip. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13” pan with crackers, breaking them up a bit to make serving easier. Layer with ½ of pudding, then crackers, rest of pudding, ending with crackers. Remove foil from inside of chocolate frosting can. Microwave for 30 seconds. Spread ½ of frosting over the top. {Save the rest for another use.} Refrigerate.

Special Notes:

Make at least 12 hours before serving!! Great for potlucks. The entire pan I made was practically licked clean ;>) I also used low-fat graham crackers and Lite Cool-whip and no one seemed to notice.

Family Movie Night

Please help! Hubby decided that for the summer {at least} we are going to institute a family movie & pizza night. I think it will be great to let the kids stay up a little later, especially since hubster's hours at work will get longer as the summer goes on. Nothing like a little snugglin' to keep everyone's love tanks full. {I also look forward to not having to cook that night!} But I am looking for some good family movie recommendations. Recently we rented Stuart Little 2, which we all enjoyed. I also bought Jurassic Park at a garage sale for $1.50. Tatiana had seen parts of it before and was really interested. We took out our Magic School Bus book about dinosaurs & discussed the different types, what they ate, the different shapes of their teeth, how a fossil is made, etc. Despite the small educational value, it is also a little on the gory/scary side. Even the 2 year old has started saying, "Dinosaurs eat people." But I digress. So any family movie ideas? Here are some that I came up with by looking around at plugged in online and a few of my own ideas thrown in:

1. Anne of Green Gables
2. Miracle on 34th Street {Christmas in July, anyone?}
3. Nanny McPhee
   
4. Mary Poppins
5. Free Willy
6. Polar Express {I miss the cooler weather I guess.}
7. The Princess Diaries
8. Cast Away {we have this already}
9. Swiss Family Robinson
10. Singin' in the Rain
11. Honey I Shrunk the Kids
12. Indiana Jones {??}

I am open to ideas. Have you seen any of the movies listed? I am kind of wanting to stay away from animated movies as {usually} they don't have a lot of adult appeal. Let me know what you think!

20 Reasons He's a Great Dad

1. He changed both of the girls' very first poopy diaper in the hospital.
2. When the girls were babies, he would get them from their cribs at night and bring them to me for a feeding, then put them back again.
3. He loves having a baby asleep on his chest {his favorite part about babyhood}.
   
4. He gives them baths.
5. He buys them M & Ms for no reason.
6. He takes one or both with him when he has to run errands.
7. He will take them both to visit his parents without me so I can enjoy some alone time.
8. His heart is made of marshmallow fluff, so when he has to spank them, he does it softer than I d0.
9. He will sleep in Tatiana's trundle bed if she is scared at night.
10. He tries to fix the girls' hair, even though that's not the easiest thing for a guy to do.
11. He will talk to the girls on the phone when they miss him, even if he has had to talk "baby talk" when they were younger.
12. He rides the carnivals rides with Tatiana since they make me sick.
13. He chases the girls around the house & riles them up & makes them laugh like no one else can.
14. He lets the kids hop on him, knock him over, tickle him and anything else in the name of fun.
15. He participates in pillow fights & tea parties.
16. He lets the kids stay up late to snuggle with him and watch a family movie.
17. He supports my decisions as a mom and is my #1 cheerleader.
18. He will help change the child & strip the sheets if one of the kids throws up in the middle of the night.
19. According to the kids, he is the fixer-of-anything-and-everything.
20. He loves them more than they will ever know or be able to understand.

I love you so much, babe. There is no one else that I would rather share this parenting journey with than you. I look forward to many more Father's Days with you {and maybe a couple more kids too}!

A Good Habit

I thought I would share something a little more personal, since lately it has been reader polls & recipes. So here goes. I have put away all my Bible study books. I have stopped reading books on Christian topics. Why? I have always struggled with self-discipline, especially in the area of my quiet times with God. I know it's something I should do, but would find a million excuses not to. My perfectionisitic tendencies would fool me into thinking that unless it was some earth-moving, soul-baring, hour-long experience then it wasn't worth it. I remember when I was younger {than I am now} I would look up to older more mature Christian women & think to myself that when I was older, I would be like them. I would *magically* study my Bible everyday just because I was older & wiser. Seems simple enough, but I finally realized: ain't gonna happen. Not *magically* at least. It is going to require work & {gasp} discipline. One reason why I started to develop this habit is because of my girls. I know they are watching me. I so badly want for them to grow up & be these godly women who love the Lord and long for Him and always want more of Him. With me as their example, I'm not sure that would be easily accomplished. They need to see it. I know now that it is better to spend 10 minutes with God every day, than 1 hour once a week. Why is it that I would waste an hour or two online, but I couldn't spend 10 minutes reading my Bible? Sometimes we are so emotion-driven that we don't have quiet times because we "just don't feel like it". I know now that this is wrong. It is something I should do whether I feel like it or not. He expects it of me and is just waiting for me to show up. I have started simply by using a daily devotional we received from K-LOVE. I look up all the Scriptures & do some journaling & praying. It has not been earth-moving, but it has been thought-provoking and, quite importantly, habit-forming. I leave my Bible & journal on the kitchen table, that way it is right there staring me in the face every day. It is my own gentle reminder of what I should do. If I happen to miss a day for some reason, I try not to beat myself up about it, but instead just move forward. I want to encourage you in this. Maybe everyone reading {to whom this topic applies} is much more disciplined than I am, but if not, I want to say: Just do it. Know that I am trying to "do it" too & that we can be on this journey together. We need a fresh filling of Him daily. Sunday mornings or Friday night small group is just not enough {although I can fool myself into thinking it is}! {File this under the: Million-reasons-why-I-don't-need-a-daily-quiet-time category}. If I can keep you accountable or ask you how you are doing with your quiet times, please leave a comment or feel free to email me privately. Or maybe you have some other tips that would help me to continue with my habit. This is the simple prayer I begin my Bible times with:

"Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in Your law." ~Psalm 119:18

Another Scripture that has really encouraged me in this process is Isaiah 55:10-11

"For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Even if I don't feel any spiritual adrenaline, He assures me that my quiet times ARE working and are "accomplishing what He pleases". He will work in you too! Have a blessed weekend!

Easy Summer Meal

Much to my dismay, I have not had the desire to cook as of lately. It was until just recently that I have been able to even watch the Food Network without feeling queasy. Needless to say, the fam hasn't been eating the well thought out home-cooked meals that they are used to. I did manage to put together this easy one-dish summer meal yesterday. I baked it early in the day when my energy was up & the outside temp was still low so the oven wouldn't heat up the house terribly. My mom used to make this quiche-like dish quite often, especially in the summer when zucchini are overflowing from the garden. Serve with a side salad or some sliced tomatoes. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Bisquick Zucchini Pie

Makes 6-8 servings

3 c. shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 large onion, diced
½ c. shredded Parmesan
½ c. shredded cheddar
½ c. vegetable oil
1 c. Bisquick
4 eggs
½ T. dried parsley
s & p, TT

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 9” pie plate. Combine all ingredients. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Special Notes:

I used 2 medium zucchini for the 3 cups. I also like sharp cheddar for more flavor. I like to let the quiche sit for about an hour so that it firms up a bit more.

Share a story, make a difference!

Did you know that you can donate a meal to someone in need right from your comfy computer chair? It won't cost you anything other than a couple minutes of time. Maybe you have seen the TV commercials for Shedd's Spread Country Crock's Spread the Sharing Campaign. For every story someone shares about a meal they have had, Country Crock will donate one meal to America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest charitable hunger relief organization. If you are in the giving spirit, you can donate more than one meal! When you are registering, there is an option to opt-out of receiving any emails from Country Crock & its affiliates, so you won't be getting any junk mail {if that bothers you}. It's such a simple way to make even a small difference. Please post a comment & let me know if you share a story. Blessings!

Are they really THAT different?

After reading this post at another blog I stumbled across, I began wondering, "Are boys really THAT different to raise than girls?" Do you treat your boys differently than you treat your girls? Do you expect them not to cry if they get hurt or expect your girls to be the compassionate ones? Are they really the stereotypical rough & tumble, rowdy, rambunctious creatures that they are made out to be? Aren't there quiet and thoughtful boys too? For example, my two girls have very different personalities. My oldest girl is a compliant, sensitive, feminine, and yet adventurous little lady. My second girl is a mischievous, highly curious, doesn't-get-hurt-easily, toddler who loves to cuddle {when she isn't getting into trouble}. She does things that I never even thought a girl would do like play in the toilet, eat dog food, & take off all her clothes and diaper when I'm not looking. Really quite different. I would think that personalities amongst children would vary widely, whether boys or girls. I know some intellectual introverted men & some rowdy extroverted ones as well. I know some very emotional women & some very non-emotional ones. If you only have one boy & one girl, I would think it might be hard to discern whether or not their personalities are different because of gender or whether it is just because they are two different children. I guess I am also curious because if this next baby turns out to be a boy, I am wondering what I am "in for"!

Small Town Living

I went to our local post office on Saturday to mail some packages & buy some 2 cent stamps. The postal worker there was so friendly. There are only two different workers that are ever in the office, so you start remembering and appreciate seeing the same friendly face. {I even remarked to hubby afterwards how personal it felt & how you probably wouldn't experience that in a bigger town.} She handed me the stamps and I noticed that there was an actual sized picture of the same stamps on the counter. Somehow I got so mesmerized by trying to align my stamps with the picture {yes, I'm weird or maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones} that I ended up leaving the stamps on the counter. I realized the next day that I had left the stamps there. Lo and behold, on Monday morning, the stamps were in my mailbox with a little note that I had left them at the post office. The worker must have looked up my address and took it upon herself to make sure they got to me. I don't think you'd get that kind of service in a big city. Just one thing to love about small town living!

Crystal Light on the Go

I really like Crystal Light {or the knock-off} since I'm really drinking water, but with much more flavor and without all the calories. It helps me keep my fluid intake up, which is especially important now. I've heard people rave about Crystal Light on the Go, little packets which you dump into a bottle of water to make Crystal Light {$$$}. I like this idea particularly because I could alternate flavors without having to make a full pitcher at a time. I figured out how to make my own at home. Here is what you do:

Open your container of CL meant to make a 2 qt. pitcher. Get your standard size {16.9 ounce} bottle of water. Measure out 3/8 teaspoon CL mix & dump into bottle {I usually do 1/4 teaspoon plus a half of the 1/4 teaspoon to make 3/8}. Shake vigorously, enjoy! Depending on how full your bottle of water is, you may have to drink a little off the top to get it to shake well. I just put the rest of the container on a safe shelf in the cupboard.

So there's another money-saving homemade idea to begin your week. Hope your weekend was blessed!

P.S. My favorite flavors are raspberry ice, pink lemonade, and iced tea {which I shouldn't drink too much of now}!

Reader Poll

Here's another fun reader poll, since it seemed many people chimed in on the last one:

Do you continue to patronize a restaurant/store where you have received bad service?

Many of you know I'm a serious kind of a food snob, so if the food was bad {or even only decent}, I wouldn't go back again. Recently the family ate at a corporate-owned neighborhood bar & grill type franchise. I have been to this restaurant a bazillion times. I *love* the food. I have had bad luck with the service though. Seemed really slow this time...on a rainy Tuesday night! {I'm sure the fact that I felt like I could pass out from hunger at any moment didn't help!} I have worked many customer service related jobs {restaurant server being one of them} and have really high standards when it comes to customer service.There is one Woodstock restaurant that after receiving bad service there, we have never gone back. It's a shame too, since Woodstock isn't exactly overflowing in the restaurant department. Anywho, back to my original question.....

Leaving a Legacy

Even though I am a day late, I feel somewhat obligated to do a Mother's Day post {that's what good mommy-bloggers do, right?} So here I am. When I think about Mother's Day and what others write about it and my own mom, the thought that comes back to me again and again is leaving a legacy. Mother's Day usually offers a chance for us to reflect on what our moms did for us as children, the greatest lesson they taught us, what they mean to us, etc. summed up basically in the term "legacy". One definition of the word is "anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor". It was really hard to put into words and appreciate the legacy my mom has left me, especially since she was not a Christian while we were growing up, but here are the two things that I was able to formulate:

Legacy of the Strong Woman: My mom passed down to me the idea that women are strong physically and mentally. We can do much more than we believe we can. We should not be ashamed to express our own opinions or emotions. If life hands us something difficult, we can and should keep pressing forward, never giving up.

Legacy of the Big Dreams: My parents always encouraged my brother and I to dream big. Imagine what it is you want to be and go for it! You can have it all! {I've come to realize this isn't true, but their hearts were in the right place.} Whatever we wanted to be, they would support, as long as it made us happy.

To this day, I still consider myself to be strong and am always coming up with Big Ideas. Hubby jokes that I am a one-woman think tank. And so, I am left to consider what sort of legacy I am leaving my girls {children}. Some days I wonder if they'll just remember me yelling or always asking them to pick up their toys. Each day that passes is our opportunity to work towards that legacy. I want mine to be one of prayer, passion, and purpose. {That sounds so cliche, but it's what came out while typing.} Basically, I want to leave behind that I put God first in everything, that I was passionate about life {enjoying it to the fullest} and the things of God, and that I was meaningful and had reason for the things I did. I also hope they remember how loving I am, how much fun we had, and how much they truly enjoy being part of this family. I am always telling my oldest daughter how lucky I am to be her mom and I hope one day, she feels the same about being my daughter.

To all the moms I know, Happy Mother's Day! I pray the legacy you leave will span the generations, so make it a good one!

I just don't get it

I really don't. I came across this story of a 7 year-old Colorado boy who died from cardiac arrest due to undernourishment. The article claims he weighed 30 pounds. That is about the weight of my 2 year-old. What is going through your mind when you are starving a child, any child, let alone your own? What words do people use to justify that to themselves. I just don't get it. I also read the story of a Texas mom who sold her 15 year-old daughter to a sexual predator for $3000. Some of us recently had a discussion about internet/real-world safety regarding our children. Can you imagine literally feeding your child to one of these predators? I wonder if when these babies were born, their mothers cried for joy or held them tenderly or were amazed at their creation. I wonder if they ever felt unworthy to be blessed with the miracle of a child. If so, how did they get to the point of doing something so unthinkable? My heart is just wounded for these children and thousands of others who are abandoned in some way by their parents. Can you fathom living the rest of your life knowing that your mom tried to sell you or kill you? I pray for these families today. I pray that they would find healing in the One who loves them unconditionally and will never forsake them. And it leaves me wondering how many kids I have come across or who live in my neighborhood or in our county who are hungry or scared or abused.......

Frugal Inspiration

Need some fresh inspiration for your frugal lifestyle? Here are some blogs I have come across recently that I really enjoy:

The Family CEO - seems like she hasn't posted in awhile, but when she does, it's good. Lots of links to other frugal blogs as well.

Like Merchant Ships

the Abundant Life

No Limits Ladies - ok, not so much a frugal blog, but a blog about money sense. I *really* am liking this one.

I have enjoyed all the conversations regarding frugality that I have come across as well, like this one. I came to realize that frugality is not about paying less, it's about living with less. Sometimes I think I am being frugal, when in reality I am just buying cheap stuff that I really don't need. I want to live a simpler life. {I think this is why I enjoy doing some things the "old-fashioned" way.} I want to have control over my "stuff", not the other way around. If you have any frugal inspiration or thoughts, please share with the group!

Reaching Out

One of the down sides to being a Christian stay at home parent can be, unless we are purposeful about it, the lack of unbelievers who cross our paths on a daily basis. My spouse, working in a secular marketplace, undoubtedly has many more opportunities to build relationships with those who need Christ than I do, which is why I have to be more diligent about creating those opportunities for myself. I think sometimes it can be a tendency of us young moms {do I still qualify for this category??} to surround ourselves with Christian friends, while at the same time neglecting those who need to hear the Good News. After all, "it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." {Mark 2:17} Here are some opportunities that you can create for yourself to try and reach out in love to those around you:

• Meet your neighbors! How many do you know? Make it a goal to meet one new neighbor a month {or every 6 months}.

• Talk to other parents at your child's sports practice/dance class/library story time.

• Myspace. It's there, let's use it. I've noticed quite a few of you joining lately. I purposely downloaded Myspace IM in hopes that I would reconnect with one of "my friends" who I know could really use a Godly influence in her life. Maybe after enough IMing I could invite her to a playdate or out to lunch. Use it for His Kingdom, instead of just for socializing.

• Connect with the parents of your child's school friends! Invite a couple kids & moms over for a playdate. I would totally be doing this if I had children in a public school. At dd's preschool I enjoyed talking with the moms & I think there would be a much bigger chance for relationship building when your child is attending with the same kids year after year. Seems like there is big opportunity here.

These are just a couple things that I have personally tried that I know God has blessed and are geared toward building relationships. Of course there are countless opportunities to reach out in love through random acts of kindness, but I was thinking more about long-term opportunities. Are you actively building relationships with those who need Him? Any other great ideas for creating opportunities for His glory?

Biding my Time

I have been biding my time, trying to think of anything I can blog about, other than the inevitable. Groceries. Warm weather. House-wifery. Anything. I guess I thought that if I went public, somehow things would be more real than they are now. For weeks now, I've been trying to pretend that everything is normal, ignoring the proverbial white elephant in my living room. My hand is being forced though. My cousin tells me that if I don't make an announcement soon, she will out me. Nice. I am still adjusting to my new version of life. I am trying to make sense of how one little line can alter my future. Forever. It just seems so inconsequential, that one little line. And then there are the three words that necessarily follow. The three words that are so exciting, joyful, nerve-wracking & exciting all at the same time. Do you know the three words I am talking about? Here they are:





I.

am.

pregnant.


So now you know.