The Ultimate Chocolate Sauce

I was playing around with a recipe in my kitchen and came up with delicious chocolate sauce. I will never be buying another chocolate sauce from the store ever again. This was too cheap and easy to make to not use it.  Depending on how long you cook the recipe will decide what type of sauce you make.  I just may give this recipe in squeeze bottles and or little jars as part of a Christmas gift.

Ultimate Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 cups water

1 2/3 cups sugar

2 TBS corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa sugar and water.
2. Bring to a full boil and let boil (for 5 min to make your own version of Hershey's squeeze bottle chocolate)  (for 15 minutes  to make hot fudge ice cream topping) Stir constantly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in Vanilla.
4. Let sauce cool to thicken.
5. Store in the refrigerator.

Adding to the Joy of Baking

There are many things I can't live without bake without. The one thing most important to me for baking is my can of Baker's Joy cooking spray.  I can't say enough about how much I love that baking spray.  Even some of the stickiest and most troublesome recipes will always slide right out of the pan when using Baker's Joy.  Unlike when you oil then flour dust a pan separately, when using Baker's joy it uses only a fine mist of oil and flour.  Leaving much less chance for a simple mistake like too much or too little ruin your sweet treat.

My all time favorite packaged brownie mix is easily the Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownie. I buy mine in bulk at Sam's Club. 4 batches of this gooey brownie come in one box.  When we eat the last batch it is truly a bittersweet day.

My favorite use for brownies if they make it beyond the warm gooey treat fresh from the oven is turning them into hot fudge brownie sundaes.  Even with a lactose intolerant husband I can't live without my standard french vanilla ice cream to dress up with yummy treats like these brownies or even a favorite cookie.  It is the one ice cream you can always count on in my freezer.  Dress it up or mix something in, vanilla ice cream is a good base to start many delicious treats.  French vanilla is even more yummy with its vanilla bean speckles and custard-like base.

Here is a delicious hot fudge sauce recipe.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 3 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 - 13 ounce can evaporated milk

Directions

1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt butter and chocolate.
2. Gradually add sugar and half the milk alternately.
3. Stir well after each addition
4. Add remaining milk, stirring constantly.
5. Cook until mixture is thick and sugar dissolves.

Notes

May store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Breastfeeding in public (warning - offensive content) (via B O H O M A M A M O J O)

I recently posted about this subject myself. But the visuals provided here make the point so much clearer. Even though in Las Vegas it is legal for a woman to breast feed uncovered in public even if nip ends up being flashed, I have been harassed before for breast feeding in public while covered. I was horrified because I live in a city where there are billboards of more naked than clothed people, more magazines boxes for girlie ads on more streets than newspaper boxes and panhandlers on the main strip handing out flyers with only edited stars to cover the nipple. I hope that one day my girls wont have the same censure for breast feeding that we face today.

Women who breastfeed are constantly indecently exposing themselves. It really is quite offensive and someone should make it stop. Look at this gal, did the modesty gene skip her? Wait...Well, this is a bad example. Let's try again. Hmm...Just a minute. I'm sure I can find better ones than these... Eh, still not offensive enough. I'll check one more time. That is better. LOOK AT THAT! I see about a half inch of boob. DISGUSTING. UGH. Look at that … Read More

via B O H O M A M A M O J O

Hell Week ~ Motherhood version

This past week has been what could only be described as hell week the Motherhood version.  I feel like I unknowingly pledged to join some secret society and forced to pass some horrendous tasks.

With summer vacation coming to an end and the countdown to school starting my kids have, to put it in simple terms, lost their freaking minds.  They shredded my sanity in the process.

Little Mister is in a full-blown teething fit lately.  The teething tablet were lost. ::cry::  I tore the house apart looking for them since they are a $6 bottle of teething miracle.  The bottle was more than half way full, so I refused to buy another.  I stubbornly believed I would find that bottle.  After a 3 hour screaming jag on his part and a crying fit on mine did I buy a new bottle.  It was only after the last of my sanity slipped away I gave in and bought that new bottle. Why didn't I do this sooner?  I got an even bigger bottle, with almost twice the tablets for only 50 cents more.

My toddler tornado seems to believe that turning 4 means you double up the terrible twos.  She has been on a tantrum frenzy lately.  If she isn't having a meltdown she is having a pout fest.  With her older sister's back she spends a good part of her time doing everything in her power to annoy them.  Taking special things from their shelves. (she climbs on precarious self built structures to get to their precious collections)

She recently got extremely angry (picture a cute but very angry troll jumping up and down) because her older sister was holding little mister and wouldn't pass him to her.  She tried tattling that they weren't sharing brother. (like he is a toy) When that didn't work she screamed at her sister to go away she wanted her brother alone again.  The start of school can't come soon enough for the toddler tornado, then she will go back to crying when they go to class. (gotta love the drama that comes with 3 girls)

The tweens, Are experiencing nothing short of being possessed by some psychosis lately.  It leaves them bickering with each other over the smallest things. "That's my pet shop!" (out of the hundreds they own they fight over one.. worst part is it's one of the doubles.)  When they were toddlers they would tell anyone who listened that they were best friends.  Now, they spend more time as mortal enemies.

The tweens also recently got back from a month with their Nana who doesn't have the same type of household expectations as I do. Don't get me wrong I'm no clean freak or obsessive organizer. (I haven't arranged my movies in alphabetically order since having kids.) I do have some expectations though. I now get to spend my time turning them back into productive members of our household.  I get to re-teach them that their dirty clothes will not crawl their way to the laundry hamper themselves.  We limit TV times for a reason.  They should not sneak around and watch after being told to do a more enriching activity. (like practicing multiplication facts.)  Making your littlest sister cry is not an acceptable way to pass the time.

I ended up having a huge meltdown yesterday. Of course my brother shows up just in time to see it. ::embarrassed:: I was hormonal, tired, stressed and in desperate need of a break.    Four kids on summer break and no break in sight for mom makes for a very cranky mommy.  It's not that I don't ask for a break from the kids.  I do!  But for me to actually get one I have to go on strike or wait until everyone else is asleep to get some me time.  For a while now I have taken my me time in the early morning and using it to workout.  Unfortunately recently the kids have woken earlier and earlier leaving me for no personal time in the mornings to workout without an audience or kids badgering me about breakfast in the middle of my workout. Or even worse getting under foot.. (I hurt my leg due to a kid blanket that the kids left on the floor right behind me during a workout.)

I love my kids! Just because I vent about their meltdowns (ok so them causing my meltdowns) don't think I don't love them. Every parent needs a break.  More so for the ones that are the stay at home parent. My job's shift isn't over in 8 hours, I get no vacation time, no sick time, and no pay. (unless you count payment in hugs, but it's easy to forget those when the hug giver is standing in front of you in the midst of the biggest tantrum you have ever seen)

School will be starting again. Very soon I will be back in the middle homework battles, school projects and parent teacher conferences.  Before I know it I'll be looking forward to the first school break when we wont need to wake early or use a daily calendar for what to wear that day.  (No dresses for P.E. or favorite outfits worn on Art days)

Just don't get me started on what all these schedule changes are going to do to our parrots behavior.  It's like a having a bad toddler that doesn't handle change in their schedule AT ALL. Fun times.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

This is a delicious version of an old favorite of mine.  I came up with this yummy variation one day before a party for Lauryn's class at school.  These cookies ended up being an irresistible craving all throughout my pregnancy with Maxx.

You can make these cookies using any of your favorite recipes for peanut butter cookies and adding a thumb print of jelly before cooking.  When they are done baking and given a chance to cool the sweet jelly turns into a sticky gooey center.  I prefer using strawberry jelly, being a purest myself.  Feel free to use any type of fruit jelly you like. The fun in baking is in the experimenting.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Peanut butter (creamy)
• 1/2 cup Vegetable shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 TB milk
• 1 TB vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• Strawberry Jelly

Directions

1. Heat oven to 370 °
2. In a large bowl cream together the Peanut Butter, shortening and brown sugar.  Mix in the Milk and Vanilla, beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat egg into mixture until just blended.
3. Combine the All-Purpose flour, salt and baking soda.  Add it to the creamed mixture at low-speed.  Mix until just blended.
4. Make 1 inch balls of dough. Flatten them in your hand, using your thumb to leave an indent in the top. Be sure not to crack the sides.
5. Place the cookies on the cookie sheet.  Using a spoon drop a spoonful of Jelly onto the center of the indent.
6. Bake at 370° for 10 to 12 minutes or until just beginning to brown.  Cool for 2 min on the baking sheet.  Remove cookies to foil surface to cool completely.

Superstitious Me

Paraskevidekatriaphobics — people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th.


Many superstitions origins go back thousands of years.

Even in today's modern world of Friday the 13th I can't stop the internal cringing as I go about my day. I can't help myself from being superstitious. I believe my own personal affliction is exponentially increased worse from living in Las Vegas for most of my life. Just think that if you lived in a land where people consantly dabble in games of luck and chance every second of the day, it would be hard not to get drawn in to superstitions. The bad , the good and even the plain weird ones.

Most people are superstitious without thinking about it.

::Sneezes:: "God, Bless you"

How often do you tell someone "Bless you" when they sneeze? It is said to date back to the Middle ages in Great Britain during the plague. One of the first signs of the onset of this disease was sneezing. The superstitious Brits believed that saying "God, Bless you" gave the recipient an extra blessing before their impending death, but it also was also believed to force their soul back into their body, since they believed it tried to escape with every sneeze. In the Old Testament, it says that God "breathed life" into Adam through his nostrils. It is an old Jewish belief that the soul leaves the same way through the nostrils.

The covering of a sneeze wasn't brought about until later... And not for cleanliness. It became superstition that the devil would try to enter your body right after a sneeze. Covering your nose and mouth would not only keep you soul in place, but prevent the devil from entering as well.

Spilled Salt

What happens when you spill salt? Before I can think about it I am taking a pinch of it with my right hand and tossing it quickly over my left shoulder. I catch myself wondering why did I just do that? It was once believed by Christians that the devil hangs over your left shoulder, waiting for his chance to assault. By tossing the salt into his face you prevent the attack.

In ancient times salt was an expensive commodity that had many uses. Those lacking in superstitions will say that it's costliness is what contributed to this superstitions origin. If you consider it bad luck to spill salt than even the most clumsy superstitious fool will not bobble the salt.

It is also said that in earlier copies of the Last Supper painting by Da Vinci, That he displayed Judas as having just spilled the salt vessel. In old traditions they believe it to be a sign of broken trust to spill the salt.

::Knock on Wood::

How many times have you made some comment about good or bad fortune and found yourself knocking on wood? I know I do. This belief is said to come from the ancient druids in what is now Great Britain. They worshipped trees and believed that spirits resided in them. When they made a comment referring to good or bad luck they would knock on wood. It was said to awaken or perk up the spirits to work in their favor. By either keeping a good thing going or prevent a bad one from happening.

Bad Omens

The Egyptians believed ladders were the gathering place of the dead, because they were left in tombs for the deceased to climb out and into the afterlife. It is said that in Ancient Egypt there was a pharaoh that wanted to change his kingdom to a sun-god worshiping kingdom. He had temples in honor of the sun-god built without roofs, so they could feel the sun as they worshiped. People who used an umbrella to protect against the hot Egyptian sun were considered blasphemous. They were said to be denying the blessing from the sun-god by using the umbrella.

Lucky Charms

What about your personal talismans? Little charms to bring good luck or ward off evil. Every culture has them.

A horseshoe is said to bring good luck when hung over the doorway of a home. Which way to hang it depends on the area you are in. In most of Europe the horseshoe talisman should point down to rain down luck. In some parts of Great Britain and Ireland the horseshoe must point up or the "luck will pour out".

The four-leaf clover is said to bring good luck to those who find it, especially if found by accident. According to legend each leaf is a personification: the first is hope, the second is faith, the third is love, the fourth is luck. I have found a few of these through out my life. The last one I gave my husband and he has carried it with him in his wallet for years.

Just from these few things, how superstitious are you? There are so many more I could go on for hours. Just know that, you wont catch me near a ladder or playing with an umbrella today. I'll be the one on my couch holding my four-leaf clover and with fingers crossed. Ok, so maybe not that dramatic... but you wont find me taking any unnecessary risks today.

The First of 30 Days

Yesterday was the first day of my workout routine using the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred.

Let me just say.. She kicked my ass. I was left a shaking, aching, panting, sweaty mess. I can confidently say that was the best workout I have done by far. No other workout left me feeling so thoroughly whipped.  Plus the added challenge of my 4 yr old dancing in and out of the room. (as I refer to her while working out... increased difficulty) Or the blow to my ego when my audience containing my 5 month old was laughing at me jumping around and rolling on the floor. Maxx thought it was hilarious.

To add insult to out of shape injury my husband calls me on the phone just as I finish my first level 1 routine. He actually laughed at how out of breath I was and totally whipped I sounded.    So, I challenged him to do the workout.   He confidently agreed. "No way can a female's workout be that tough"
Well, he tried it.. That was the most sweaty I have seen my husband in a long time.  He was a soggy hot mess.  I can honestly say.. she kicked his ass too.  I didn't point and laugh at him struggling thru some of the moves... like I wanted to. (yes, I am a very sore loser.. and sore winner too) I did giggle quietly to myself when he was cursing at the tv towards the end.
When he finished the workout he was just sitting with his muscles shaking.  I let out a very satisfying...

I TOLD YOU SO!!

Even though I felt horrible right after my routine was over. I still look forward to today's routine.  I was left feeling energized after recovering from the total shock of my first real workout in over a year.  Sure my muscles ache, but for dramatic results you need dramatic action.

My Baby Boy and Me

I found this poem while sitting here in the wee hours cuddled with my baby boy.  It brought tears to my eyes and had me holding him closer.  I will admit there are days when I just want some peace.  The ability to do any chore with both hands or without him strapped to me.   Getting through an entire bathing ritual without someone calling out for me.  Or feeling like a pit crew when bathing.. how fast can you get everything necessary done?

Now when those days crowd in on me I will take the time to sit in awe of my sweet growing boy and revel in his need to have me close.  One day he will push for his independence, running away and laughing when I ask for hugs or kisses.  He wont remain little for long and his need for me to be near will never be so great.  For now, I will enjoy being the most important person in his life.  Even if it means having an audience while bathing.

My Baby Boy and Me

It's three AM, they're all asleep,
and no-one's here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.

His little hand is feather light
Tucked up against my chin.
I hold his tiny hand in mine,
and stroke his baby skin.

The house about us creaks and groans,
The clock hands creep around.
He snuggles closer to me still,
And makes his baby sounds.

I love these quiet hours so much,
And cherish every one.
Store memories up inside my heart
For lonely nights to come.

All too soon he'll be grown up,
His need for mama gone.
But until then I still have time
For kisses and for song.

Time for quiet hours like this
With him cuddled in my arms,
Where I wish he'd always stay
Protected, safe and warm.

And yet I know the day will come
When his tiny little hand,
will be bigger than my own.
He'll grow to be a man.

But until then he's mine to love
With no one here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.
...Author Unknown

Be the Right Kind of Village

They say it takes a village to raise a child.

What they really mean is it takes a supportive village to raise a child.

There are many choices a mother has to make for their child.  These choices will not only affect the child but the mother's life as well. It is her job as a mother to make those choices for her child and your job as the village is to support her... or shut up and get out-of-the-way.

• Exclusively Breast feed or supplement with Formula
• Formula  or Breast feed
• Cloth diaper or disposable
• Co-sleep or cradle
• Circumcision or intact
• Vaccinate on schedule or Delayed schedule Vaccinations
• To vaccinate at all
• Home-made baby food or Store bought jars
• Attached parenting or CIO

No matter what the parents choose it is their child and their parenting choice.  What does it matter if they name their son Christian or Damien.  As long as they love and nurture that child.

Support a Mom! Motherhood is hard enough without the criticisms of others.

Most of all remember that unsolicited advice is really just criticism with a nicer name.

World Breast Feeding Week Aug 1-7

Imagine yourself after a long day finally sitting down to enjoy your long-awaited meal. When suddenly someone walks up to you irate. They proceed to tell you that watching you eat is offensive and you need to place a blanket over your head to finish your meal.  Ridiculous right?  Many people do this very thing to children being fed by their mothers.

Why in our culture is ok to sell every item imaginable using a woman's body, but the image of a child nursing is horrifying? Breasts are used to sell everything from beer, perfume, hamburgers, and even to increase box office ticket sales.  Yet, as soon as a mother uses her breasts for their natural purpose of nurturing her child there are people practically frothing at the mouth with hatred.

Set aside your judgmental ways and applaud those women for nourishing their child in a way as old as time.  Stop trying to shame them into nursing in filthy restrooms.  Would you want to take your lunch in a public restroom?

In honor of World Breastfeeding week show a breast-feeding mother your support not censure.

A Good Parent

Today I was reading a blog post  Bad Mother Manifesto .  It really rang true to me how much pressure is put on us to be perfect parents.  If you get the chance go explore Her Bad Mother.  It has many great posts about motherhood.

Success by Martin Buxbaum

SUCCESS
You can use most any measure
When you're speaking of success.
You can measure it in fancy home,
Expensive car or dress.
But the measure of your real success
Is the one you cannot spend.
It's the way your kids describe you
When they're talking to a friend.

This is one of my favorite parenting poems. It always makes me smile and reaffirms I have made the right choice to be a stay at home mom and support my kids.

The Unwilling Night Owl

Early to bed and early to rise. That was my motto. Since having kids... It's changed a LOT and not willingly.
I now find myself struggling to fall asleep and once I do get to sleep it's even harder to stay asleep.

I've tried warm milk... ::GAG:: I don't like that stuff when it's cold.. it's so much worse when warm.  Counting sheep til I lost count and am really tempted to poke my eye out with a  spork.  List making to slow or even stop the thoughts that swirl through my head constantly. Mostly to do lists... As a stay at home mom to 4 kids I can always think of something that needs doing.  Warm baths seem to energize me and a shower is much worse.  What am I to do?

I catch myself spending all day yawning, but then I get to take very few naps.  The slightest noise disturbs my sleep or as my husband says, "You startle awake from a mouse fart."  Some days I can sleep in until 10 am. At the same time can it really be considered sleeping in if you aren't asleep but instead are pretending in the hopes you can trick yourself into falling back asleep?

As I type this I realize there are many factors to why I can't sleep.  I'm sure there are more but there are some that are a constant cause in my insomnia battle.

Having a new baby in the house I wake throughout the night and constantly check on him.  Maxx is exclusively breast-fed and seems to go from one growth spurt to the next with very little time between.

If only that were all that kept me from sleep.

My husband has a job that his schedule flip-flops throughout the year. Most the year he is working from 2 P.M. to 10 P.M.  but during the summer and winter school breaks from school he works 4 A.M. to Noon.  Throughout the year I stay up and wait for him because I can't sleep without him next to me.  Then during the flipped schedule I have a tough time falling asleep because he's already comfortably in bed snoring away once I finally get the house settled to bed.

With Maxx teething lately he's been up hourly throughout the night.  His constant need to soothe nurse has me worn out.  To make matters worse he's started refusing his pacifier lately.  So I have become the pacifier unless I prefer a little angry person yelling at me.  If it wasn't for Hyland's Teething tablets I would have run away to join a circus by now.  Some parents say they don't work for their children.  I pity those poor souls.  In our house they are miracle pills. My son just has to see the bottle and he perks up and opens his mouth ready for a dose.  My daughter did this too when she was little and teething viciously.

Maybe one day I will be the early bird catching her worm again.  For now I will be the content mama night owl off to obsessively check her flock "one last time".  Let's all hope I get more sleep soon or I am gonna be one nutty mama.

And for those that argue that Hyland's Teething tablets can't safe if they have Belladonna in it.. Please read this very informative post explaining their safety from a great natural mama site.

Everything Birth ~ The Safety of Hyland's Teething Tablets