The Very Existence of Super Mom

I had a whole blog post written that I have been working on for a few weeks that is some how gone. I was just working on it and then it was gone... It was about Super Mom.

Have you ever read a blog or website that states "I am Super Mom"? I haven't, so here is your chance to say you have seen it on a blog. I am super mom! Who am I kidding? I know and you know that Super Mom doesn't exist.

I love this picture for so many reasons.

 It truly captured how we both felt in the moment. 

I feel that lately, I have read articles about simplifying our lives (most of these are geared towards stay at home moms). In numerous of these articles it says super mom doesn't exist. They have clearly observed she does not. Yet I hear, read and am told in these same articles about websites where someone is super mom. In these articles someone is assuming someone else is pretending to be super mom. I ask again have you read a blog where some mother thinks she is super mom? I sure haven't. If you have, please share. 

You know what I have read about? People who share there talents, they are great at cooking, crafting, doing fun activities with their kids and so on (I am going to refer to these types of blogs as happy blogs). You know what else I have read? I have read on blogs about people who are dedicated to writing about the struggles they are going through.Some included infertility, divorce, single moms, someone that is single, living with depression or grieving something (I am going to refer to these as tough blogs). You know what the happy blogs and tough blogs have in common? They are writing about something they love, about their life and things that happen. They get to choose what they share. Some people are open to sharing difficulties some are not. BOTH options are okay. Heck you may even have a blog or website that dose not fit into happy or tough blogs and that is okay.  

Now that I have admitted that. I will say sometimes I avoid reading blogs, take breaks from pinterest and even Facebook. Why? Because it leaves me feeling bad about myself all the things I am not doing. Guess what that is okay. I choose if I am going to read those blogs or websites. I choose to get on Facebook. These are all my choices. I use to think people posted only the great things in their life and that they didn't have problems. I was clearly wrong because everyone has something. I use to refer to those blogs as super mommy blogs and I wished I could be more like them. Always happy, doing things with my kid, exercising, making great health meals and the list could go on.

I am that mom, I am the super mom I thought all those other people were. I found this out a hard way. I post lots of fun things I do as a stay at home mom. I post them to Facebook, instagram and blog about them. Well a few months back, a college friend from Snow sent me a text saying she deleted me from Facebook. I asked why, and she responded with "you always have so much fun and post about all these great things you do and it makes me feel bad". Talk about a knife to the heart. I never intended to give an impression that I live a perfect life; but to someone that is exactly what I was doing.  

I have my own set of trials and struggles. Some people are open about these kinds of things. I am somewhere in the middle. If you ask, and I know you well enough, I will tell you. I, however am not okay with posting it on my blog for everyone to read. Maybe one day I will be, but I currently am not. And that is okay. So does it make me a super mom because I don't blog about all the crap in my life? Absolutely not, she doesn't exist.     

Monster Cookie Dough

This is by far one of my favorite treats ever! I take this almost ever time I am asked to bring a treat. This is perfect for a Super Bowl Party and Valentines Day or anytime really. 

Best.Treat.Ever! 

 Recipe
-1  8oz package of cream cheese softened
-1/2 cup butter softened
-1 cup creamy peanut butter
-1-2 cups powered sugar depending on how thick you want it
-3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
-1/4 cup all purpose flour
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 1/2 cups rolled oats ( I usually do three, because i love the texture)
-1 cup M&Ms (if a is holiday coming up I used the holiday M&M's)
-1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ( I like to use the mini ones for this)
- some times I will add toasted coconut

Directions
1.) With a hand mixer beat butter, cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth.
2.) Add powered sugar, brown sugar, flour and vanilla.  
3.) Use a wooden spoon to mix in oats, chocolate chips and and M&Ms.
4.) For me it is a must serve it in something cute.
5.) Serve with apples or pretzels

I originally found this recipe at this website the girl who ate everything and have adapted it to what I prefer.  Both recipes are pretty close and mine was inspired by hers so it's only fair I give her credit.

*Be sure to mention to parents and expecting moms that it does not have egg in it. 

Bear Claws and Monster Face

Oh you know tonight after dinner we decided to go to Arctic Circle to get ice cream, It sounded like a great idea.... As we entered the play area a girl about nine asked the little miss what her name was. Ava responded and asked the girl in return what her name was. She responded with "I am Kelly but you can call me princess (it's a nick name)."  I thought it was odd but as long as she wasn't bratty towards my daughter I was okay with it.

After about twenty minutes of playing at the play place. The girl kept looking at me then talking to Ava, so Bryce and I strained our ears to listen. She was telling Ava she couldn't go down the slide. Bryce went and talked to Ava and told her she could go down the slide and that it was okay. The girl kept following my three year old and I was getting a little annoyed, so I stuck by Ava's side. When I went back to sit down the girl went to Ava and said go tell your mom to buy us all fries... Ava looked uncomfortable, it surprised me that my little miss sassy pants wasn't saying anything back to this girl. I went over to the girl who referred to herself as "princess" and said " stay away from my daughter.

Well she did, thank goodness and Ava started playing with kids her own age. A few minutes later princess' younger brother who was about six was playing with Ava when suddenly he drops his pants and underwear in font of my daughter. IN FRONT OF MY DAUGHTER. Bryce grabbed Ava and I went and spoke to his Dad. Who happened to be starring at his phone intently and prior was out in the foyer area talking on his phone. Not watching his kids.

He yelled at his son in front of everyone and then the son started crying so he cuddled his son and then yelled at him again and then cuddled him..I don't claim to be a perfect parent and I don't like to tell others how to parent, but I was livid. I was livid about what happened to my daughter and how the dad was responding to his son. As we left I couldn't help but judge the dad and his parenting skills. I felt bad about judging a man I didn't know, but how do you not in that case? I am far from perfect and in rare instances do I actually judge someone...

On the drive home Ava was upset because she thought she did something wrong because we left so quickly even though we explained to her it wasn't her fault. During the drive a million things raced through my mind

1.) Will I ever pull my phone out while we are at a park playing again?
2.) How do I talk to Ava about both incidents?
3.) What would I have done if it was my son?

As for question one I don't know but at this time I have no intentions of doing so. I don't think I have ever been bad at this,Yes I have pulled my phone out numerous times. Yet I still play with and watch my child. Maybe I play with my phone more then I should, maybe I don't play with it as much as I think. I am not sure I have ever judged another parent for playing on their phone while being out and about. I know for myself some days it is my only interaction with the outside world. That being said you should still know where your kids are and who the are playing with at the park and most importantly watching them or playing with them. When other kids are around I usually sit back and let Ava play with them. When it is just her and I we are playing together with few exceptions.

For questions number two we talked about it when we got home. We talked about what happened. Why it was not okay and what we should do if it happens again. We kept it short and simple. but I can assure you we will be talking about good strangers and tricky strangers a lot more. We have already begun talking about people who you listen to and those that you don't. We will be having lots more social stories at our house.

As for question three I would hope that if I was the parent whose child was acting inappropriately I would handle it appropriately. I really hope that it never happens but if it does, I hope I do a good job and teaching my child why it was wrong to do that.

What are your thoughts?
What would you have done?

My Mama Bear claws are a lot sharper, now. 

This is really my Monster Face that Miss A thinks is hilarious!  

Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls!

Red Velvet is something you either love or don't really care for.

I am a lover of Red Velvet anything. I saw a few pins floating around pinterest 

for red velvet cinnamon rolls. I knew I had to try them... 

These are perfect for Christmas or Valentines day. 

My first problem was that I have never made cinnamon rolls by myself.

I have only ever made them with my mom. My second problem it has been years since 

I have made them with my mom. 

So I searched and searched the world wide web for recipes. I found two that I 

liked and mixed and matched a little.

The recipe that I manly used can be found at No. 2 pencil and the other at the skinny fork.

Here is the recipe 

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

These took about three hours from start to finish

Makes 24 rolls 

1 box red velvet cake mix 

2 envelopes active dry yeast

2 and 1/2 cups warm water 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups of all purpose flour

The Filling 

1 stick softened butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup of white sugar

cinnamon 

1 Tablespoon coco powder

The Frosting

2 sticks softened butter

3 cups powered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

2 packages of softened cream cheese 

I think these are worth drooling over! 

These clearly are not healthy.... but very Delicious 

Combine two packages of active dry yeast with warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir until dissolved. Add cake mix, flour, vanilla and salt. Mix, I used a hand mixer but I am sure a dough hook would be much much better. Move to larger bowl, cover (I used a towel), and let rise for about an hour. Punch dough down after an hour (my favorite part of the whole thing), and let rise again for another hour.

Use plenty of flour on a clean surface and turn dough out.  Shape into a ball, then roll into a rectangle shape. Spread softened butter over dough. Combine brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and coco powder and spread onto the buttery dough!  Start from farthest edge and roll dough tightly into a long skinny log shape. Slice into 24 rolls.

Place rolls in pans that have been greased with butter, or sprayed with non stick cooking spray. I used one 9X13 and another round spring cake pan. Let rise a final time in pan for about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, prepare cream cheese frosting. I once again used a hand mixer and bowl, combine room temperature butter with powdered sugar. Beat until well combined, then add vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix again, then while mixer is going, drop cubes of softened cream cheese in the bowl two or three at a time until frosting is well mixed. Do a taste test or five of the frosting.... 

Oh and I realized once I started baking them... I forgot the the cinnamon. 

Enjoy! 

Colored Ice Cubes for the Snow!

I love finding new and fun things for Miss A and me to do during the day. 

I saw this activity at Growing a Jeweled Rose. She calls them ice sculptures, I thought colored ice cubes was more fitting for what we did with them. 

For this activity you will need;

a muffin pan

food coloring

water

I filled my muffin tin with water, add the food coloring and put it in the freezer over night. The next morning we headed out to play in the snow with them. 

Ava played with it for about an hour. She liked to burying the ice cubes and then finding them. 

Later when we were finished playing outside I left them to melt in the sink. Ava found them after quiet time and played with them for another hour in the sink. She probably would have done so longer, but the last of it had melted.  

Playing in the snow with the colored ice cubes.