OH MY WORD. Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce

Oh my heavens, this dessert is beyond incredible. I mean literally...it was euphoric it was so delicious and that was just the maple cream sauce. You absolutely have to try this dessert. It's not time consuming and actually pretty damn easy. The most time consuming was peeling the fresh peaches but I'm sure frozen peaches would work well...you might want to thaw them in a colander though to get rid of some of the juice, so they're not so wet. I could eat this cream sauce drizzled over a variety of things...any and all cobblers, ice cream, pecan pie, blackberries, strawberries, heck I don't even have to drizzle it over anything I could just eat it out of the bowl - yes it's that good. Please give it a try. It's yum! When you get to heaven make sure you come back and comment on your trip.

Ingredients

■5 whole To 6 Whole Fresh Peaches (best When Not Overly Ripe Or Soft)

■1 cup Flour

■½ cups Sugar

■½ cups Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed

■½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

■½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg

■¼ teaspoons Salt

■1 stick Butter (1/2 Cup)

■½ whole Lemon

■7 Tablespoons Real Maple Syrup, Divided

■1-½ cup Whipping Cream

■3 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup


Preparation Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt using a fork or pastry cutter. Cut butter into small pieces and gradually add to flour mixture until evenly mixed.

Peel peaches into a bowl. Add the zest from half a lemon. Squeeze juice from lemon half and stir in with peaches and zest. Add 2 tablespoons real maple syrup to peaches, stir well.

Pour peach mixture into a small pan (8” or 9” square) and cover evenly with crumb topping. Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until crisp and brown on top. Or you can bake for about 25 minutes and then crank the broiler on but DO NOT leave the oven to do something else, you will be forever saddened if you burn this sinfully sweet dessert.

Maple Cream Sauce:

Pour whipping cream into a saucepan. Add 5 tablespoons real maple syrup, 3 tablespoons corn syrup and stir over moderate heat until thickened and reduced by about one-third, approximately 15 minutes. Refrigerate mixture until it is cold and thick, or set the saucepan into a small bowl of ice (the ice will melt and turn into ice water). Stirring your mixture, it will cool and thicken in about 15 minutes. Drizzle sauce over peach crisp. Serve warm.

My heart is heavy tonight....

My heart is heavy tonight as I sit and listen to my 3 yr old son, Phoenix cry and cry. I feel soo bad for him because he doesn't have the ability to communicate very well or understand. There have been times where I've wanted to put him in time out instead of spank him but it wouldnt' do any good because he wouldn't understand me when I talked to him about the reason why he was in time out. I just feel so frustrated. I sit and watch Jonah develop beautifully in all aspects..mentally and physically and Phoenix is struggling. Jonah can properly use the pedals on a tricylce and Phoenix still pushes with his feet. Jonah can properly grasp a crayon or other writing utensil as Phoenix still holds it in his fist. Phoenix's delays are becoming more and more apparent with his younger brother surpassing him in almost everything. I feel so bad for Phoenix, my heart hurts for him. Sometimes I get frustrated at him because he can't understand me. I'm sitting here crying in frustration because I don't know what to do. He's had therapy since he was 6 months old until he turned 3 in October and it seemed like he was doing great but now it seems like he's almost going backwards. I just don't understand it. I never thought I'd have a child with delays - it's so heart wrenching, frustrating, and sometimes embarrassing when people who don't understand give dirty looks. I love my little Phoenix so much and I wish he was developing at a normal rate so he could have the chance to excel at stuff. He's 3 now and I would love more than anything to put him in Starter Pee Wee Baseball but he's not developmentaly ready - he wouldn't understand. I just feel like he's missing out on so much and it sucks. It just sucks. I've went thru every emotion when it comes to his delays...even wondering at times if it's MY fault. Do I spend enough one on one time with him? Do I interact with him enough? Am I doing all I can to make sure I am allowing Phoenix his full potential to grow? Why is he like this? Was it something that happened during pregnancy? Was it because I didn't take my prenatals? Was it because of the preterm labor drugs I had to take? There's just so many questions I have but no answers and that's the hard part about it all - WHY is he like this? WHY is it just him and not my other children? What is so different. I'm just so confused, hurt, frustrated. I think we will be taking a visit to the Pediatricians office soon for some better insight. I'm signing off for now.

I love my Bubby.

You Broke Your Child. Congratulations

I ran across Single Dad Laughing Pleading's blog awhile back and this entry spoke volumes to me for various reasons. I had shared it on Facebook at the time but I feel it's time to share it again.
                                                                                                                                    

Parents. Stop breaking your children. Please.

I feel a need to write this post after what I witnessed at Costco yesterday. Forgive me for another post written in desperation and anger. Please read all the way to the end. I know it's long, but this is something that needs to be said. It's something that needs to be heard. It's something that needs to be shared.

As Noah and I stood in line to make a return, I watched as a little boy (he couldn't have been older than six) looked up at his dad and asked very timidly if they could buy some ice cream when they were done. The father glared him down, and through clenched teeth, growled at the boy to "leave him alone and be quiet". The boy quickly cowered to the wall where he stood motionless and hurt for some time.

The line slowly progressed and the child eventually shuffled back to his father as he quietly hummed a childish tune, seemingly having forgotten the anger his father had just shown. The father again turned and scolded the boy for making too much noise. The boy again shrunk back and cowered against the wall, wilted.

I was agitated. I was confused. How could this man not see what I see? How could this man not see what a beautiful spirit stood in his shadow? How could this man be so quick to stub out all happiness in his own boy? How could this man not cherish the only time he'll ever have to be everything to this boy? To be the person that matters most to this boy?

We were three from the front now, and the boy started to come towards his dad yet again. His dad immediately stepped out of the line, jammed his fingers into his son's collar bones until he winced in pain, and threatened him. "If you so much as make a sound or come off of that wall again, I promise you're going to get it when we get home." The boy again cowered against the wall. This time, he didn't move. He didn't make a sound. His beautiful face pointed down, locked to the floor and expressionless. He had been broken. And that's how his father wanted it. He didn't want to deal with him, and breaking him was the easiest way.

And we wonder why so many of our kids grow up to be screwed up.

I'm going to be blunt. People see my relationship with Noah, and quite often put me up on a pedestal or sing my praises for loving him more than most dads love their own kids.

Damn it. I don't understand that, and I'll never understand that. Loving my son, building my son, touching my son, playing with my son, being with my son... these aren't tasks that only super dads can perform. These are tasks that every dad should perform. Always. Without fail. There is nothing special about me. I am a dad who loves his son and would literally do anything for his well-being, safety, and health. I would gladly take a rake in the face or a jackhammer to my feet before I cut my own son down or make him feel small.

[sigh] I am far from a perfect dad. And I always will be. But I'm a damn good dad, and my son will always feel bigger than anything life can throw at him. Why? Because I get it. I get the power a dad has in a child's life, and in a child's level of self-belief. I get that everything I ever do and ever say to my son will be absorbed, for good or for bad. What I don't get is how some dads don't get it.

Parents. Do your faces light up when you first see your child in the morning or when you come home from work? Do you not understand that a child's entire sense of value can revolve around what they see in your face when you first see them?

Parents. Do you not realize that a child is what you tell them they are? That people almost always become what they are labeled? Was whatever your child just did really the "dumbest thing you've ever seen somebody do"? Was it really the "most ridiculous thing they ever could have done"? Do you really believe that your child is an idiot? Because she now does. Think about that. Because you said it, she now believes it. Bravo.

Parents. Do you honestly expect anybody to believe that you can't find 20 minutes to step away from your computer or turn off the television to play with your child? It has to happen every single day. Do you not understand that children will hinge their entire facet of trust on whether or not their dad plays with them and how involved he is when he plays with them? Do you know the damage you do by not playing with your children every day?

Parents. Should anybody buy into this silly notion that anger is sometimes or often necessary? Do you not understand that anger is almost always an emotion for people who wish to control others while simultaneously failing to control themselves? Do you not know that there are incredible books and courses that can teach you better methods? Most importantly, do you not see the speed at which a child is crushed or becomes completely defiant when anger rules the roost? Are you that desensitized to the luminosity of your child's spirit that it doesn't crush you completely when they flinch or cower in your presence? Is that really what you want your child to do? To fear you?

Parents. Do you not realize that your child needs to feel your skin on his? Do you not realize the incredible and powerful bond that skin on skin contact with your daughter will give you? Do you not understand the permanent mental connections that are made when you stroke your son's bare back or rub your daughter's bare tummy while you tell bedtime stories? And if any idiot says anything about that being inappropriate, you're gonna get kicked in the face, first by me, and then by every other good dad out there. Touching your child is your duty as a father.

Parents. Wake up! These precious souls that have been put into your care are unique and so very sensitive. Everything you say or don't say will impact their ability, success, and happiness throughout their entire lives.

Do you not realize that your kids are going to make mistakes, and a lot of them? Do you not realize the damage you do when you push your son's nose into his mishaps or make your daughter feel worthless because she bumped or spilled something? Do you have any idea how easy it is to make your child feel abject? It's as simple as letting out the words, "why would you do that!?" or "how many times have I told you..."

Let me ask you this. Have you ever looked into the swollen eyes of a parent who's child has just died?

I have.

Have you ever cried through a child's funeral?

I have.

Have you ever touched a wooden box with a child inside? A permanent tomb from which another laugh or giggle will never sound?

I have.

If you want the motivation to be the best parent on earth, do that just one time. I pray you never have to.

Parents. It's time to tell our kids that we love them. Constantly. It's time to show our kids that we love them. Constantly. It's time to take joy in their twenty-thousand daily questions and their inability to do things as quickly as we'd like. It's time to take joy in their quirks and their ticks. It's time to take joy in their facial expressions and their mispronounced words. It's time to take joy in everything that our kids are.

It's time to stand up and ask what we can do to be better parents. It's time to get our priorities straight. It's time to come home and actually be a Mom or a Dad.

Parents. It's time to show our sons how to properly treat a woman. It's time to show our daughters how a girl should expect be treated. It's time to show forgiveness and compassion. It's time to show our children empathy. It's time to break social norms and teach a healthier way of life! It's time to teach good gender roles and to ditch the unnecessary ones. Does it really matter if your son likes the color pink? Is it going to hurt anybody? Do you not see the damage it inflicts to tell a boy that there is something wrong with him because he likes a certain color? Do we not see the damage we do in labeling our girls "tom boys" or our boys "feminine" just because they have their own likes and opinions on things? Things that really don't matter?

Parents. Speak softly to your sons. Speak calmly to your daughters. Who do you want your child to be? Do you want him to be the kid at school that sits by himself with absolutely no friends or self esteem? Or do you want him to be the kid running for class office and feeling like he deserves to win it? Do we not see that we have the power to give that to our children? Do we not see that we have the power to teach our children the tools of societal survival?

Parents. Do we not see the influence we have when we say we believe in one thing, but our children see us living something else? Do we not realize how little we encourage our children to actually decide what they believe, declare what they believe, and then live by it? Whether it's religion, politics, sports, or societal norms. It is not our place to tell our kids what to think. It is our place to teach our kids to think correctly. If we do this, we need have no fear of what they will decide for themselves and how strongly they'll stand behind it. A man will follow his own convictions to his death, but he'll only follow another man's convictions until he steps in manure.

Damn it, Parents. Every child has the innate right to ask for ice cream without being belittled and broken. Every child has the innate right to do so without being made to cower in the corner because the man who is supposed to be his hero is actually a small, small man altogether. Every child has the innate right to be happy, and giggle, and laugh, and play. Why aren't you letting them? Every child on earth has the right to a parent who thinks before they speak; a parent who understands the great power that has been given to them to ultimately shape another human being's life; a parent who loves their child more than they love their television shows or sports games; a parent who loves their child more than their material junk; a parent who loves their child more than his time. Every child deserves a superhero parent.

Maybe the truth is that a lot of parents don't deserve their kids.

Maybe the truth is that a lot of parents aren't really Moms or Dads at all.

I apologize for the heatedness of my post. I believe a part of me feels like a coward for not saying something to the man in front of me at Costco. Consider this post to be my penance. Perhaps a part of me feels that if even one person reads this and decides to be a better dad, it was worth every second that I spent typing it. If one child has a better life because something in my words stirred their father to step up their game, then it was worth every ounce of begging and pleading with you to share this with others, of which I am inevitably going to be guilty.

Parents. Children are gifts. They are not ours for the breaking. They are ours for the making. So stand up with me and show the world that there are a lot of good Moms and Dads around.

To the men and women who read this post... married or not... parent or not... please share this even if it doesn't apply to you because you're already all these things. If you've ever seen a father break his child, share it. You never know what child might get their superhero parent back. You never know what tiny spirit might feel just a little more loved because Mom or Dad took the time to tuck her in tonight.

All because you were willing to ask others to read it.

-Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing Pleading

What am I doing?!

My family attended church this past Sunday at a new church. This was my first time in 11 years attending church. I received a post card in the mail titled "To Save a Family" and they will be having weekly sermons on various topics. Well, the first topic was "Communication". It was a VERY eye opening sermon and I am anxious to see how it transforms my life, but it's up to me to apply it to such. I wanted to give you a little of what this message was about.

The word "family" has evolved and 'modernized' just like technology. Decades ago, family was a unit that consisted of a Mother, Father, and children who spent 99% of their time together. They worked at the home together, ate meals together, and enjoyed entertainment together. Often times, "entertainment" was sitting around the fire for light and warmth while Dad would read a book to the family, often times the bible. The children would share beds to keep each other warm. Could you imagine how that would go over with our families this day in age? How would your children react if you said, "No we're not going to the movies but we're going to gather around the fire as a family while Dad reads a book." I don't think it would be received very well.

When the family was traveling to church they traveled TOGETHER, often times in a wagon going at a slow rate of speed. What did they have to keep them occupied? Each other and their conversations. The family that we know might not even travel in the same vehicle. Dad might of had to work, the teenager is at a friends house, Mom is running late or had to run an errand first. IF the family is traveling in the same vehicle there are often very few words spoken. The children have their DVD players, the teenagers have their Ipods, Mom and Dad aren't talking because of the stress of the morning routine. It's a very cold and lonely 10 minute ride to church.

Communicating with your children. The old family would talk to each other because that was all they had known, they didn't know t.v., DVR, computer, internet, cell phones, email, social networks. They had each other. We are too occupied to even take time to listen to our children much less engage in a converation with them. When our children start talking we think to ourselves, "I wonder how I can end this conversation as quickly as possible so I can get back to what I was doing." Families rarely pray together anymore.

There is a lot more to this message than what I wrote but I wanted to get to the point where it really hit home for me.

What am I doing??!! Is what I kept asking myself after church. What am I doing?! I heard very clearly, "What about Facebook? People spend hours on Facebook reading other peoples status's about their life, when really who cares?! Your own family is sitting right there while you're worried about somebody elses."
That message hit hard. I spend WAY too much time on Facebook alone let alone researching certain things that spark my interest. What am I doing? I am ultimately ignoring my family no matter how I try to convince myself otherwise "I'd go insane if it wasn't for FB, it gives me a mommy break" "Being a SAHM, my friends live in the computer" "FB gives me a well needed/deserved break from the mommy world" Although those things may be true, I am letting the most important things in my life slip by. We all say, "where does time go?" "Seems like it was yesterday" "Time flies", I'm going to make a great effort to put my time back into my family. I'm going to make a great effort talking to my children more and then making them feel like they come second to what I'm doing at the moment. I'm going to make an effort in being a FAMILY and acting like a FAMILY..not just people that live under one roof; after this message there IS a difference.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. I have contacted the church to see if I can get the sermon posted on itunes so you can hear it for yourself, it was very moving.

Each of us deserves to live in a clean home, but who's going to clean it?!

Dear Friends,




I can't change the role society has put on women any more than I can change how we were taught that we could have it all. Women have always been the caretakers of the home, but now we are also the breadwinners. I know how hard it is to juggle those roles.



But there is something that I can change in each of you. I can help you get rid of the anger and frustration that comes from living in a CHAOtic (Can't Have Anyone Over) home. We all feel that if we had more help that our homes would stay clean. Most of us can't afford a full time house keeper, if we could, we would have hired one long ago.



Each of us deserves to live in a clean home. Many of us grew up in the 60's and 70's with the women's liberation movement. Well let me tell you, I have blazed a few trails in my life for women as farmers, fisherman, county commissioners, and in small business. Yet my toilet still needs to be cleaned, dishes need to be washed and clothes have to be laundered. These things don't happen by magic, someone has to do them. Sitting around whining that you don't have any help from your family is not going to get the job done. If it does get done what example have you set for your family: A fussy mom that is never any fun. How would it be if you were single or a widow with small children? Who would you whine at then?



I get emails all the time that accuse me of telling women that they have to be slaves to their families. Our attitudes make us slaves, not the work we do. Being a slave is not at all what I teach. I train people to let go of their anger and take care of their homes in love for their family. As a result of this change in attitude; they quit nagging their family and all of a sudden the kids start helping, the husband starts picking up after himself and guess what everyone is taking care of their home together! All because the mother started setting the example in love!



Love is an amazing tool! When you can clean a toilet because you love your family; it is no longer a nasty chore! Someone has to do it! Your routines keep it from getting so dirty that it isn't that big of deal anyway! A swish and a swipe and the bathroom is clean.



Attitudes of keeping score and whose turn is it anyway go out the window! All they do is harbor resentment and anger. If I can help you to see that we can have it all and do it all just like we were told during our feminist upbringing; then you let go of the frustration, self-hatred and anger that have been holding you down. The frustration comes from not being able to get it all done and not being able to afford a housekeeper. The self-hatred invades us when we are so stressed because we can't do it all and we see others that seem to be handling it just fine and the anger takes over our hearts and souls and we start blaming others because we can't seem to have this perfect picture of home the way we were lead to believe. But we really can HAVE IT ALL if we will establish simple routines!



The problem with the feminist movement was we were taught that we deserved it and demanded that it be given to us regardless of the effort we put into it, but no one ever told us how to do it. So how did we expect our toilets to get clean? If no one did it, it was not going to get done. Then we stamped our foot like a child throwing a fit! That action gets us lots of respect doesn't it. The cry from a child that doesn't get its way falls on deaf ears. It is only when we set the example and show your family that you are not too good for honest work that you will get them to help the way you have always wanted.



For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. I know you don't believe me, but if you will step out in faith and just try on this new way of thinking, you might actually begin to see changes in your attitude and the attitudes of your family. You are going to be surprised by the reactions you get.



I want for you what I have, Peace and this peace came from letting go of destructive thinking patterns and trying something different. After all if you keep doing it the way you always have, how can you expect a change. By throwing out those attitudes and replacing them with the love, you will be lifted higher!



Are you ready to FLY?



FlyLady

My husband and I have decided to TTC #5!!

I am feeling incredibly blessed to be where I am today, to have the children I have, the husband that I adore, the husband that adores me, and a roof over my head. Things could not be anymore perfect than they are except for one thing. Adding the 5th blessing to our home. We are both over joyed at having another baby, we just pray that God wants this for us as well. I have a feeling it's going to be a long bumpy road ahead of us but if God wants us to have another blessing, then he will provide. Please sprinkle us with **baby dust**.

Please, stop complaining!

If all you do is complain about your husband and kids then why did you get married and have kids? Be thankful that God has blessed you with a husband & children that will put up with you. You should WANT to care for them. Don't fail God, your husband and your children because you're stuck on the negatives, be the BEST ...positive woman you can be for your family and cherish them, don't complain about them.

Our husbands and children hear so much negativity in the outside world every single day, our home needs to be their safe haven where they can escape the negativities of everyday life. Our home needs to be different than the outside world. If you complain about picking up his socks everyday (I'm guilty), who is that really effecting?? YOU. When I complain about picking up his socks it makes me feel anxious and upset..when I just do it without complaining, the job is done and I didn't get myself worked up about it.

HERE'S A CHALLENGE - FOR ONE WHOLE WEEK YOU CAN NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT *ANYTHING*. DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE THIS COULD BE EASY OR IT COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. COMPLAINING BRINGS EVERYONE DOWN, INCLUDING YOURSELF. SO FOR ONE WEEK, WE WILL LET GO OF THE NEGATIVITY THAT SURROUNDS OUR LIVES.

Here's a mental picture for you.... you build a beautiful sandcastle on the beach. You are in awe over the job you did building this sandcastle and pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Now imagine waves starting to come onto the shore and little by little eat away at your gorgeous sandcastle. You watch your sandcastle be destroyed as each little wave comes higher and higher upon the shoreline. Pretty soon the beautiful sandcastle your poured your heart and soul into building is destroyed.

Now picture this - that sandcastle is your family/your home and the waves are the negativity and constant complaining that your family hears. You put so much time and effort into loving and building your family but everytime you complain or are negative it just keeps eating away at them until you've destroyed what you once put your heart and soul into. Think back as to why you built that sandcastle in the first place and how beautiful you thought it was and get your priorities back in order ♥