It's like....Magic

When it comes to cooking, any meal eaten at our house around our table during baseball season is a victory. I promise, we keep Chik-fil-A in business all across Houston. Unfortunately, I have my firstborn so well trained, he now rebukes any other drive-thru suggestions under the premise they are unhealthy. Can you say 'backfire'?

Lately, I have been feeling like a new bride who only knows how to cook tacos and spaghetti. Some of this I can attribute to my youngest son preferring to eat out of a box rather than partake in the vast variety of food that exists beyond crackers. Ok, I am exaggerating a bit, but his food preferences can be counted on two hands.

I have a bazillion recipes on my computer that are yearning to be freed from my hardrive and given a chance to shine in the flourescent lights of my kitchen. And they just might get their chance because of my good friend and fellow blogger, Michele.

Check this out. She got wind of an ingenius idea when it comes to meal planning- choose 30 recipes your family will eat and rotate them each month. Sounds amazing right?

*You'll need a 3-ring binder, 20 plastic sleeves, dividers and a blank calendar.

*Start by choosing 20 or so recipes that your family really likes.

*Now find 5 more that you have wanted to try but have been resisting because it wasn't worth the grief. Make copies of each recipe and slide them into the plasic sleeves.

*As far as organization goes, you have a couple of options. You can organize them by main ingredient (beef, chicken, seafood), by category (Mexican, Italian, Crockpot, Grill, Pasta), or alphabetically. You decide what is the best system for you.

*Now take your blank calendar and decide which nights you don't need to cook (maybe you have date night once a week, order in pizza or have a night you eat out). Draw a big fat smiley face in those squares. You have the night off!

*The next step is to identify which nights need meals that are easily assembled or can be prepped ahead of time because of kids' activities, Bible study, Book Club, etc. Make a small red dot in the corner of those dates so you know that day needs a quick meal.

*The remaining days are free game. Choose any recipe you want!

*If you want to get super fancy, order your recipes by the day you'll be using them before filing them in the 3-ring binder.

Some things to consider when rotating your meals:

*Have dinner around the world each week: One night Mexican, another Italian, maybe Asian or Chinese food one night

*Get input from your family. Maybe they have a dish they'd like to see several times a month. Bonus!

*Consider meals that can double as a second meal. For example...barbecue chicken in the crockpot can make sandwiches, barbecue baked potatoes or barbecue chicken pizza.

*Breakfast for dinner is a quick favorite.

I'm counting-on Michele giving a shout out to how this is running in her home and what things I missed.

If you've done something similiar, give us your tips! Until then, here's three recipes to get you started.

Chicken in a Pastry

3 oz. light cream cheese, softened

2 tsp light margarine, melted

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

1 8oz can reduced fat crescent rolls

2 Tbsp milk

Combine cream cheese, butter, salt, pepper, milk, onion. Pour mixture over chicken and stir. Separate crescent roll dough into four rectangles and seal perforations. Spoon 1/2 cup mixture into center of each. Pull opposite corners of dough to center and seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Lazy Lasagna

1 pound ground beef

1 (26-ounce) jar low-fat spaghetti sauce

1 (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking spray

1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles

1 cup (4 ounces) pre-shredded reduced-fat mild cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and return meat to pan. Add sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses in a bowl; set aside.Spread 1/2 cup meat mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over meat mixture; top with half of cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup meat mixture, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining meat mixture over noodles. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Crispy Sesame Shrimp (Jenny, this is still one of our faves!)

¾ c. Pepperidge Farm Herb-seasoned stuffing mix, crushed
1 t. sesame seeds
¼ t. paprika
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. pepper
1 large egg white
Tabasco or hot sauce, to taste
¾ lb. Large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine first 6 ingredients in pie plate or shallow dish and stir well. Place egg white in small shallow dish; stir well. Dip shrimp in egg white, and dredge in stuffing mixture. Place shrimp on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat shrimp with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.

*Cooking hints: To get more sesame seeds on the shrimp, save these until right before you bake them and sprinkle them directly on the shrimp. Also-to bread the shrimp, combine ‘breading’ mixture in one plastic container w/lid and the egg whites in another plastic container w/ lid. First add shrimp to egg white container, put on lid and shake. Then add shrimp 4 or so at a time to the breading container (after draining excess egg white), put on lid and shake to coat. Results-even coverage!

We're Watching You, Mr. President

Accountability is a good thing. It keeps us motivated to do what we say we will do. And if we aren't, it moves us toward changing that behavior.

Our newest President made lots of promises, as most politicians do. Some are sure he'll follow through, some are sure he will not...and some are just sitting back and watching.

The Obameter is here to help. PolitiFact has compiled about 500 promises that Barack Obama made during the campaign and is tracking progress on the Obameter. They rate the status of the specifc promise as No Action, In the Works or Stalled. Once they find the action is completed, they rate them Promise Kept, Compromise or Promise Broken.

PolitiFact isn't Time Magazine for Kids, but it helps me with current events. Quite a fun little site. I think my favorite part is the Pants-on-Fire feature. I think People Magazine needs one of these meters as well. What? People Magazine isn't the factual version of Star and Us Magazine? Say it isn't so!

And in the meantime, if anyone knows of a Current Events for Dummies site, please pass it my way. Muchas Gracias.

The Right Combination

Cold and flu season is upon us. You can't go far without hearing someone mention loads of kids missing school due to strep, a stomach bug or any assortment of viruses.

It is a well -known fact, I have OCD tendencies... Specifically, keeping the hands clean. Therefore, I am a LOVER of Purell or any other derivitive of anti-bacterial hand sanitizer. If it was legal, I think I might just pour some of it down my kids' throats for extra germ-fighting powers. Put down the phone..don't call CPS just yet.

Those darn viruses can be picked up anywhere...not just on shopping cart handles and public restrooms (EEWW!). One thing that moms all have in common is the "Don't touch ANYTHING' speech we give our children before passing the threshold of a public restroom.

We are avid handwashers in our family. You'd better believe no snack is served until the boys have 'washed the day off', so to speak. We try to limit sugar because it suppresses your immune system. I feel like I am constantly on Nose Patrol...keeping fingers out. But sometimes, despite all my freaky preventative measures, the cold symptoms come and I must deal with them.

You would think I'd have an arsenal of medications to choose from, but I really do try to avoid massive amounts of medication. Remember...prevention is the key. But, often the right combinations can bring relief. It's just like hair products....when you mix and match products, only then can perfect hair be achieved. I'm still searching for that combination and I'm almost convinced that the Houston humidity hates me.

Let's hit the high notes of what the Mounce Medicine Cabinet includes:

1. Delsym- This orange-flavored liquid is pure magic to subdue a cough. This 12-hour suppresant can quiet itchy coughs and bring sweet sleep when needed. Bonus- Adults can take this too! I know you Robitussin lovers are shaking your heads right now....take it up with the FDA, not me.

2. Mucinex Mini-Melts- Grape, bubble gum, and orange flavored granules work to break up that goop that kids get on their throats that produce some of the worst coughs you've ever heard. In my opinion and JT's, the Mucinex grape liquid is 3-kinds of nasty. Stick with the granules and no one gets hurt or thrown up on. Trust me on this one. When looking for an expectorant, the key ingredient to look for Guaifenesin.

3. Motrin and Tylenol- We are berry-flavored Motrin and grape chewable Tylenol fans. Why do you need both, you might ask? Often alternating Motrin and Tylenol will bring a high fever down faster than giving one alone. I'm sure we all know that, being seasoned mothers and all, but just bringing it back up in case you've lost sleep recently and needed the reminder.

4. Rescon GG-This one was always good to have on hand when the kids were smaller. Often they would get all stuffy and then an ear infection came around the corner. This medication, found behind the counter in the Pharmacy, is formulated to relieve congestion in the sinuses and eustacian tubes. The more I was reading about this tonight, the more I'm thinking it needs to be in my stash again.

5. Triaminic Night Time Cough & Cold- My pediatrician is not a multi-sympton medication kind of gal and I follow her to the letter on most things (I get busted for not making the boys wear helmets EVERY dern year), but she is ok with this one. It helps suppress the cough so they can sleep and unstuff their head.

Now, my neighbor was swearing by warm-mist humidifiers yesterday BUT she says you must view it as disposable and get a new one each year. She also discussed Vicks vapor rub. I am midly curious about that smelly stuff, so if you have some experience, please share.

On a side note, JT also takes Zyrtec chewables preventatively for allergies AND has an air purifier in his room. I just recently added an air purifier to our master bedroom because of Glory, and Tray has noticed he wakes up almost completely clear instead of stuffy. Bonus! The reviews were right!

And last but certainly not least, I must mention Aquaphor. JT had some wicked diaper rash when he was small and this stuff was the only thing that would take care of it. We still keep it around because it helps with severe dry skin in the winter.

Your turn. Share your tried-and-true medications. And check out this very fun book, Mommy Calls: 101 Most Common Questions Parents Ask Pediatricans. I think that would have been a great resource to have in the early years, in addition to Ask Dr. Sears. Now, he is a wealth of knowledge, as are his wife and sons.

PS- You'll notice that this post is totally missing adult medication information. We still are yet to find something that clears up symptoms without keeping you awake all night or making you feel like a Mack truck hit you the next day. Suggestions? Bring it!

Lost in Translation

Dear Mrs. Jones,

I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer. I work at Home Depot and I told Sarah how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had. Then I found one more in the back room, and several people were fighting over who would get it. Sarah¢s picture does NOT show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot. From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.

Sincerely, Mrs. Smith

Set in Stone

I love the Men in Brown. Their squeaky brakes bring

serious joy and blessing to my home!

Looky what the UPS man brought me yesterday.

I just love it.

I love it more now because it withstood two boys picking it up to admire and read it and almost dropping it. For the love.

And as luck would have it, Big Mama is hosting a giveaway for one of these treasures!

Head over to her blog and throw your hat in the ring. She's announcing the winner on Sunday, January 25th. You'd better hurry!

If you are scared to enter drawings for fear of rejection, you can still shop in the safety of your home. She has a lot of other items that will catch your eye.

What a great Valentine's Day gift, right? And if you need to drop hints to your Hubs, just leave accidently leave this page up on the computer one night. It's a close second, only to Edible Arrangements, in my humble opinion.

Playing Favorites

Meet Glory Mounce... Glory-Belle Mounce to be exact. Not sure when, why or how her seconday name came to be, but it stuck.

Neither one of my kids have special endearing nicknames but my dog does. And for the record, JT and W don't count as endearing. Functional in a 'sprig-of-hay-in-your-teeth kind of way, but not particularly cute or fun. On the field, John Tyler is Mighty Mounce, but if we called him that around the house, we'd have to hire a contractor to enlarge the width of our door framings to accomodate his big head. And Weston thinks his nickname is Crash, but not something we broadcast in public. I'm just keepin' it real, folks.

There is just something about raising a dog that teaches you something. Glory is the first puppy I raised all by myself. I knew she was really going to be MY dog when we made the decision to bring her home for the boys 3 years ago. She is just love on a stick.

One of the things I love most about her is everything is her favorite. Her food she eats every day; her favorite. Walks to the bus stop each morning or every night after the boys are in bed; her favorite. Her blue water Kong and Nylabone; her favorite. Playing chase with Tray; her favorite.

My point? My dog lives in the moment. She enjoys all the things that make up her life as a dog in the Mounce Family. How unfortunate that a 3-year-old canine has grasped one of the greatest gifts of life that I struggle with at 35.

But I saved the best for last. My favorite Glory trait? She is thrilled beyond words to see her family each morning. It is as if she forgets we exist while she is sleeping and when she sees we are really still in her house as the morning light breaks...JACKPOT!

I want that for my family. I want them to know that I am thrilled beyond words that I have another day to live life with them; another day to live out the plans our God has for us; another day to choose to serve Him and shine His light to others.

I thought it so fitting that Bush's daughters's wrote a letter to Obama's daugthers, just as their father had done and left in the Oval office. They spoke of experiencing every moment possible because 4 years passes so quickly and treasuring the magic of the White House. But the piece of advice that stuck with me was their urging to cherish their pet because sometimes you'll need the quiet comfort that only they can provide.

I couldn't agree more. I've learned so much through the only other girl in my house that doesn't say a word. How's that for an oxymoron?

Distinctly Unique

Decisions, decisions....Blog...fold laundry....blog....fold laundry....BLOG!

Let's talk about children's clothing.

Being the mother of boys doesn't come with the all-encompassing job of finding unique and fun clothing. I have to admit...khaki shorts and striped shirts were all I needed in the early years. As they have gotten older, the clothing has become more and more casual. Both boys live in those swishy athletic shorts and various baseball tournament and Nike slogan shirts. We try to select the positive messages rather than the 'I'm-going-to-enjoy-taking-you-down-while-your-girlfriend-watches' slogans. Some things just shouldn't be on the shirt of a 8-year-old boy.

One of my BFFs, Jenny, has an amazing knack for finding the most darlin' clothes that are distinctly unique. Truthfully, that should be her life slogan because her sense of style, whether decorating or choosing clothing is just that....unlike anything I find or put together but TOTALLY wish I could.

Case in point...check out the cutie patooties below.





Number 1- Could these girls be any cuter? Number 2- Aren't those shirts too die for?

See what I mean? And this is just the tip of the iceberg! She is an endless supply of vendors that cater to those who don't shop where everyone else shops. One exception....Target. And even there, that girl can find things that MY Target never carries. But I'm not bitter.

These darn cute shirts along with other darn cute designs can be found at EM Tanner Designs. And yes Ma'am, they have adult sizes! Hey, all the cool kids are wearing them, including Jon and Kate's crew of 8!

I wish I had other fun kids' clothing links to share, but I am a firm believer in sticking with what you know. So, I leave you with a no-fail Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Yes, the extra egg makes all the difference. Jenny can vouch for this as we made these after Hurricane Rita made a pass through H'Town years ago.

BEST BIG FAT CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until blended. Stir in chips with a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough by 1/4 cups at a time onto the prepared sheets. Cookies should be at least 3 inches apart. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until edges are lightly toasted then cook on sheets a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.