Another Housewife

Blessings In Disguise

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Jenniemarie

Yesterday we celebrated my niece’s first birthday. Any day our kids get to spend time with their cousins and I get to spend time with my sister and brother is a good day. Getting to eat cake is a bonus.

The kids did what they do best and ran amuck around Peter Piper Pizza. Us grown-ups sat around in disbelief at how old our kids our getting. We each have a kid going into Junior High in the fall, the oldest grand child is graduating High School in a few weeks and the youngest one is already a year old! Don’t blink people.

The time came to say goodbye and thirty minutes later two of my kids were still at the ticket counter trying to claim their ticket yielding prize. To say I was a bit irritated is an understatement. I was all huffy and puffy, stomping my feet and rolling my eyes at the idiocity of claiming a cheap piece of crap that will not even make its way out of my car!

We finally settled in for our thirty minute trek back across town to the place we call home. Luckily I had to access the freeway via a frontage road because I was able to catch a glimpse of the backed-up, non moving cars and not get on. I remained on the frontage road and we could see cars backed up for miles and eventually a couple of fire trucks.

We did what we always do when we come across a situation like this, pray. It was then that I realized had I not had my inconvenient thirty minute delay at the ticket counter I could have been stuck in the traffic or worse part of the accident. I started to wonder how many other times have inconveniences really been blessings in disguise.

Next time you catch every red light, have to run back home because your forgot something, have to miss something because of a sick kid, sent the wrong way by your GPS, over sleep, need to stop for gas or leave your cell phone at home it may just be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps that’s why we are to rejoice always, even when we are inconvenienced. Just a thought.

Have you experienced an inconvenience that was really a blessing in disguise?

Welcome Back

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jenniemarie

Jesus said to them, “It’s not the healthy who needs a doctor,
but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
~ Mark 2:17

My faith has been on an emotional roller coaster. In the midst of my struggles I slowly, without realizing, began to push God away. I was in this weird place were I knew where I was and where I needed to go but I was stuck. I knew it was Satan attacking me. I am far enough in my faith to know that these moments are when I needed to be nearest to the Lord. Yet, I convinced myself otherwise.

One day I realized the uncertainty in my life came from the lack of my personal relationship with the Lord. I was attending church sporadically. I convinced myself I needed to get my mind right before I could read my Bible and before I knew it, aside from scripture on Pinterest, I hadn’t read His word in over a month. My prayers became a long-winded list of all the reasons I am ill-equipped to be a Christian at the moment. I started to simply pray for strength, discernment and courage.

About a month ago, after missing church for several weeks, our family was up early to hear Jon Acuff speak. A funny thing happened. While we were worshiping with song, I clearly heard God (through the Holy Spirit) say, ’Welcome Back!” In that moment I lifted up these words to the Lord,

“Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Forgive Me, Forgive Me, Forgive Me!
Lead Me, Lead Me. Lead Me!”

I have been praying these words ever since. I am still dealing with the same struggles but I am being equipped through prayer, scripture and fellowship to move forward in my walk with the Lord. My mind is cluttered, in a good way, with scriptural devotions. I will be posting those devotions here as I find the time to transfer my scribbled index card notes into a post.

Have you ever pushed God away when you needed Him most?

Quick and Easy DIY Thank You Gifts

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Jenniemarie

When you have three kids who have a combined total of seven teachers, five coaches and a crafty challenged mommy, an easy go-to “Thank You” gift is a must. Thanks to Pinterest and Mason Jars I have discovered such a gift. They are perfect for any occasion. They look cute, are inexpensive, easy and are well received.

Here is what you need:

Mason Jar
Candy Filler (I use chocolate)
Gift Card
Ribbon
Cupcake Liner

Instructions:

1.) Fill the mason jar with candy.
2.) Place the gift card inside.
3.) Cover the top with cupcake liner and place lid back on.
4.) Tie ribbon around the neck of the jar
5.) Admire your crafty work.

Seriously! Can it be any easier than that? Of course you can make this craft as fancy as you want it to be. Pinterest is filled with extra embellishment ideas. I personally find this to be the perfect amount of cute, practical and from the heart. What I love most about it is it is a universal Thank You gift. You can make them for teachers, coaches, friends, staff and anyone else who is in need of a Thank You gift.

What is your go-to Thank You gift?

Mother’s Day Recap

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Jenniemarie

This Mother’s Day goes down as one of the best days ever. What made it different from all the others? Me. My attitude and my willingness to accept the day for it is made all the difference. Instead of obsessing over why I loathe Mother’s Day and letting the sadness of missing my daddy ruin my day, I focused on praising God for being incredibly crazy enough to make me a mother. I was determined to not just slap a fake smile on my face but to feel real joy so I started a day early.

I went to church on Saturday night and heard an amazing, yet challenging message from Kay Arthur about the importance of motherhood (more on that in another post). Then I invited my sister over for dinner and used my armature skills to gift her with a family photo shoot. My sister is a single mother to four girls and is raising those girls with no help from their father (financially or otherwise). She is my hero.

On Sunday morning, the kids showered me with their homemade gifts. Apparently my youngest daughter thinks I am 41 and my one wish is for another baby, neither are true. After a quick breakfast and the shower merry-go-round, we met my mother in law and oldest son. We rode the light rail into Downtown Phoenix for lunch followed by a baseball game.

I allowed myself to just take in the day. I was overwhelmed to have my nearly twenty-one year old step son, chose to spend Mother’s Day with me. It validates all the times I held my tongue, put him first and the sacrifices we made while we were raising him. Being surrounded by all four of my kids yesterday was a blessing all its own.

I loved watching my kids interact with their grandma and cheer at the game. I loved being surrounded with other moms holding a beer in their hand and really watching the game. It was heaven.

Yesterday my eyes were open to the fact that it is so difficult for Mr. C to make Mother’s Day extra special because he celebrates me every single day. He tries so dang hard but my depression doesn’t allow me to fully appreciate all of his efforts. It’s hard for him because he doesn’t full understand my struggles and sometimes thinks he is responsible for making me happy and that just depresses me more. Oh the vicious cycle.

I am still dumbfounded as to how I could have such a fairytale life. Mostly because I spend so much time obsessing about how I am screwing things up. Yesterday I allowed myself to just breathe and soak in the world around me. Life would be so much more enjoyable if I allowed myself to do that more.

How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?

Mother’s Day Heirlooms

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Jenniemarie

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I have recently been thinking about the importance of heirlooms. Aside, from my dad’s favorite Arizona Diamondback shirt that I wear to their Home Opener every year, I do not have anything tangible that represents either of my parents or grandparents for that matter. I am very low maintenance and do not own anything that would break my heart if I lost it, except for my wedding ring. Since I am starting from scratch, I have been brainstorming ideas. Here are a few ideas you may decide to add to your own legacy.

1.) Books:

*My most valued book is my Bible. I’ve decided to rotate through a couple of different ones, reading each one with a certain child in my mind. I want to be able to make notes, thoughts, and prayers knowing (praying) that one day that child will be reading from my Bible.

*I also plan on leaving notes in cookbooks, several different books of poems, and other books I deem to be a great read.

2.) Recipes:

*I started a binder for my daughter a couple of years ago that contains print outs of recipes she and I have made together, including our Thanksgiving feast. I write little notes marking special memories or how the dish turned out. I plan on doing this for my other daughter as well.

*For my son, I plan to start a collection of recipes of his favorite meals. It seems that we all have ideas of how food is supposed to be cooked and taste. Even the simplest of meals is made different from family to family.
I would then give the collection to his future bride as a bridal shower gift. A passing of the torch, if you will.

3.) Love Notes:

*Every time I make my kids a school lunch I send a little note along inside. I often find these notes at the bottom of their backpacks or in their pant pockets. It makes me smile to know they cared enough not to throw them away. I started to stash them away in an envelope and will eventually do something with them.

*I always say I want to write down the story of their birth. I have told them each their own stories several times and they are always so fascinated by it. I would love for them to have it in my own handwriting.

*A scrapbook or journal chronicling their life, with little remarks is on my to do list as well.

Some of these things may be obvious or second nature to you, but I have to strain my brain to be conscious of the huge impact something so simple as saving a handwritten note can make in my children’s future. This Mother’s Day I challenge you to remember the legacy you wish to leave behind.

What heirlooms have been handed down to you?

What do you intend to hand down to your children?

Becoming A Better Friend

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Jenniemarie

The other day I was hanging out at the baseball park watching my daughter practice. A friend unexpectedly pulled into the parking lot and said she was just passing by and stopped to grab my two spectator kids for an impromptu play date with her kids. Seriously! Who does that? An awesome friend that’s who.

I did what I always do in these situation, kick my self in the butt for not being that kind of friend. I know I need to be a better friend but I get caught up in the details. Like every aspect of my life I have made being a good friend more complicated than it needs to be. Maybe I watch too much television because I thought being a good friend meant constantly talking on the phone and being joined at the hip. That is so not me.

I thought about how I can reciprocate that kind of friendship. I started by asking myself this question, “What does being a friend really mean?” According to the free online dictionary, a friend is a person whom one knows, likes and trusts. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause. If that’s the case God has placed a handful of wonderful woman in my life who are the epitome of this definition.

I can be that kind of friend. It isn’t complicated but it takes some effort. Here are a few no-brainer ideas to help us become a better friend.

1.) Meet for Coffee – I am so guilty of consuming myself with the busy of my life, I forget to reach out and stay in touch with friends. Grabbing coffee is a quick, easy and cheap way to stay connected.

2.) Remember Birthdays and Milestones – Make a master calendar with all of your friend’s birthday and milestones and send a shout out to let them know you are thinking of them. Don’t know what they are? Find out at coffee.

3.) Send a Note of Encouragement – Never underestimate the power of receiving a short note in the mail letting someone know you are thinking of them.

4.) Ask for Prayer Request – There are times in my life when the only thing I can do as a friend is pray for them. Thankfully prayer is powerful. You can stay connected with friends by asking them how you can pray for them and then following up on that request.

5.) Don’t Think It, Do It – I think we are all guilty of clinging to the phrase, It’s the thought that counts. It’s not. If you feel led to give a friend a call, offer to baby sit, buy a gift or whatever, DO IT!

What is your definition of friend?

Do you have any other ideas to add to the list?

Crock Pot BBQ Ribs

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Jenniemarie

Have you ever made a meal that made you second guess if you really made it because it was so good? The other day I found my self saying, “yum” after each bite, licking my fingers and declaring, “these are the best ribs ever.” Of course it was in an I am amazed I made these kind of way and not out of conceit. What made them even better was the fact they were so incredibly easy to make.

Easy is where I am at these days. We spend nearly every night at the ball park. In order to have a “real” dinner I have had to rely on quick and easy or crock pot meals. I was starting to hit the same ol, same ol rut when I walked into the grocery store and found ribs on sale buy 1 get 2 free, score. I looked up bbq rib recipes on The Crockin Girls websites (my go to site for crock pot recipes) and found an easy recipe and made the modifications in the recipe below:

Crock Pot BBQ Ribs

Ingredients:
3lbs Ribs
1 Small Sliced Onion
McCormick Grill Mates Sweet & Smoky Rub
Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue Sauce
1 Cup of Water

Directions:
I slathered the ribs with the rub, wrapped them in Saran wrap and let them marinade for two hours but according to The Crockin Girls recipe marinating is not necessary.

Then I cut each slab of ribs in thirds, placed them in the crock with sliced onions spread in between, poured in a cup of water and let them cook on low for 8 hours. I know, I know so exhausting!

After 8 hours, drain all the liquid out of the crock pot, slather the ribs with barbecue sauce and cook on low for another hour.

Serve with corn on the cob and a salad and enjoy!

Have you ever made ribs in the crock pot?

What is your favorite quick and east or crock pot meal?

Loving This Stage of Life

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Jenniemarie

Motherhood has never come easy to me. I don’t say that in a pity party, I’m a failure of a mother kind of way. I say that as a fact. Growing up becoming a wife, let alone a mom was never a goal of mine. Don’t get me wrong, I am incredible blessed and humbled that God picked me to be a mother to my children. I love them with all my heart. I am fully aware that being called mom is a privilege. What I am saying is being a mother is no joke, Yo!

I spent the infant, toddler and preschool years overwhelmed and exhausted. I lived in constant fear that I was screwing up motherhood. Granted my childhood played a big role in legitimizing my fear. Let’s just say having a mother who abandoned you when you were seven and then spent your teenage years calling you up to let you know you could never be loved and are basically worthless, is not the kind of legacy I wanted to leave for my children. In fact it had the opposite effect. I tried to be perfect thus spending everyday feeling like a failure because being perfect is an unattainable goal.

Aside from the baggage that a mother may have, raising babies is exhausting. There are restless nights, nursing babies, the constant guidance, doctor’s appointments, feeding schedules, baby proofing and potty training that needs to get done. I know some mothers love this stage of life. I however am happy to leave those days in the past. It has taken me a long time to be able to admit that out loud. It doesn’t mean I love my kids any less, it just means that I am enjoying this stage of life so much more.

I love grabbing Starbucks and spending hours in a book store with my 11-year-old baby girl. I cherish every second my 9-year-old son wants to spend cuddling on the couch to watch Quick Pitch with his momma. I adore watching our 5-year-old baby girl use her creativity to play house, put on a fashion show or dance around like a princess.

In this stage we get to enjoy all the hard work we put in molding them when they were babies. After years of saying, “Say please, Say Thank you.” We get to see them use their manners all on their own and make wise (and not so wise) decisions on their path to becoming young adults. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a perfect stage. The amount of bickering is reaching all time high but at least I don’t have to change diapers!

I’m not sure what the teenage years will bring but I do know that I will enjoy this stage of life to the fullest.

What stage of life are you in?

Which stage has been your favorite so far?

My Cast of Characters

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Jenniemarie

I thought I should introduce you to the key characters that make up many of the stories chronicled in Another Housewife. My continuous goal is to become a better wife and mother. Here are the reasons why:

Kailey (5) is the baby of the family. She is a vivacious, pink loving, princess wanna-be, football loving, tomboy who loves is obsessed with pigs. In other words she is perfect. She started Kindergarten in the Fall and has already been pegged as a social butterfly. She loves to give hugs, plan parties, be with her friends, give gifts and never, ever stops talking.

Our Parenting Challenge: To stop giving her a pass because she is a baby. We need to follow through on our parenting instead of giving her pass because she is the baby. Our biggest challenge her coming into our room to sleep with us at about midnight every night part. Yeah, it really needs to stop!

Kaiden (9) is in the third grade and is for all intense a true jock. He loves to watch any and all sports and ESPN is his favorite television channel. He just finished his second year of tackle football and is now playing Spring baseball. He is rough, tough, rowdy and a momma’s boy all wrapped into one. He is the kind of kid who will give you the shirt off his back, let you cut in line, give you the bigger piece and concede in a disagreement to keep the piece.

Our Parenting Challenge: He is starting to push his boundaries. He does not like school (except for P.E., lunch, and recess) but is very smart and gets straight A’s. He is starting to realize his sisters take advantage of his kindness and is fighting back by antagonizing them, day and night. Our biggest challenge is disciplining him without breaking his spirit. Although he is rough and tough, he is a very emotional boy.

Karisa (11) is in the sixth grade. She is a book loving, artsy introvert. She lives vicariously through her siblings and others because she is shy and scared to put herself out there. She is a smarty pants in school and loves to learn. She has a very kind heart but it gets overshadowed by her take charge need for things to be done her way, at home. She is starting to come out o her shell by being loud and silly at home. She is in her thirs year of softball and it has helped her branch out and gain confidence in her gifts. She is currently trying to decide what her “style” is.

Our Parenting Challenge: It is almost impossible to get her to open up to us. She keeps everything to her self, even simple things like who her favorite musician is or the best part of a movie. “I don’t know” is her go to answer. It’s like pulling teeth. I find this age, and her being a girl, the most challenging because I didn’t have a mother growing up. I don’t know what is “normal” or how to build a healthy, open and honest mother/daughter relationship. The fact that we are exactly alike is a little bit challenging too. I’m determined to keep trying.

Kaleb (20) is my step-son and doesn’t live at home. He lives with his mom so he is not technically out on his own yet but he is not here as much either. He does come home for every holiday (real and made-up), birthdays and family happenings.

Our Parenting Challenge: We are trying to figure out how to parent an adult child. How much space do we give him? How involved should we get in his decisions? I will admit that the real challenge to these questions is the same as when we he was a child and that is us not wanting to overshadow his mom.

Me & Mr. C have been married for ten years. We are both stubborn, controlling, first-born children who left home when we were teenagers. Our core values are the same for the most part but our personalities are totally opposite. Mr. C very rarely gets angry, can talk out any situation in an even tone, is a spontaneous person who believes rules are suggestions, can talk to anyone about anything and has an it could be worse attitude. I on the other hand am a Type-A, rule following gal who gets angry at the drop of a dime, introverted, friendless person who thinks everything is the end of the world. Yeah, basically we are a match made in heaven! Despite our ups and downs we love each other to the moon and back and are dedicated to God, our marriage and raising our kids, everything else is secondary. Oh did I mention I think he is the most handsome man on the planet? He is.

Although I continue to make progress when it comes to being a housewife, I still feel like I have no idea what I am doing. You know what? I am learning to be okay with that. Life is an adventure. I am determined to leave a legacy one memory at a time, even if I have to make mistakes first.

What are your biggest parenting challenges?

Do you have a child who is exactly like you?

Are you and your husband as opposite as Mr. C and I?

Welcome Home

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Jenniemarie

The other day, as I was pedaling my guts out in spin class, this song started to play and I immediately thought to myself, “This is Another Housewife’s Theme Song.” I then proceeded to write an entire blog post in my head in between the instructor yelling, “More tension. Just a little more tension. Stand up. Run. Sit down. Stand Up. Spin faster. Just thirty more seconds!”

When I finally sat down to convert this brilliant blog post from thought to words I had nothing. Turns out I didn’t even know the name of the song or who sang it. Thanks to a little recon mission on Google, I discovered it was called Home by Phillip Phillips (Yes, the kid who won American Idol). After listening to it again,and again, it reconfirmed that this songs represents how I would like you to think of Another Housewife. I want this place to be your home.

It also confirmed that this song sounded familiar because I heard it a million and two times while watching the Olympics but never once paid attention to the words but I digress.

I want whoever takes the time to read my ramblings to know that they are notalone. The truth is loneliness is a stronghold Satan has over us. I lived many years in the dark, shamed and alone in my life circumstances at different times in my life. The more I was willing to open up, the more others shared their life circumstances with me. I can’t say that I discovered I was normal because describing me as normal is just cRaZy talk! I did learn that the more we are willing to speak truthfully about life the less alone we feel.

I am a give it to me straight and don’t sugar coat anything kind of girl who doesn’t know how to be anything but honest. I can’t help it. I was raised by a man. Believe me when I say I am so completely and utterly humbled that the Lord picked me (feisty, controlling, selfish, motherless, emotional scarred, battles with depression me) to be a wife and mother (I know, right?). This lends itself to some interesting blog post.

My hope is that Another Housewife will be here to teach you a new recipe, show you how to tackle a DIY project, aggravate you with poor grammar and punctuation, teach you how to meal plan, bore you with our busy daily life, share parenting tips with you, impart our legacy, show you God’s love, discover ways to fall in love with your husband all over again, make you laugh, make you cry, make you think but most importantly my goal is for you to know that You. Are. Not. Alone.

Is this not the perfect song to reflect that? I officially, unofficially (for legal reasons) declare Home the Theme song of Another Housewife.

~Jenniemarie