Simple Home and Happiness

I am in a moody place right now. I am in the middle of tax preparation (makes me want to scream), kids are in post-Christmas detox, baby boy still has yet to sleep through the night, and my husband is trying to help, but I mostly want to punch him in the face. My struggles are small in comparison to many but sometimes even the little struggles can feel monumental. I have cried simply because I am tired, because my back hurts from falling on the ice, because I have not gotten my way, because everyone needs something from me ALL THE TIME. I will get out of this funk. I will find the happy, and I will fight for it. Normally when I sit down to write, I try to think about what someone may need to hear to lift them up and I usually end up giving myself a pep talk in the process. But today there is no pep talk. Today there is just brutal honesty. Today I am tired, I am sad, I am frustrated. In this space, where I try encourage others, I want to let you know, that even the most ...

As I ran out the door to take a hot lunch to my seven year olds classroom today, I found myself thinking, "A better Mom would have brought a vegetable." Despite having baked four stromboli loaves from scratch, despite having been up since 4:30 a.m., despite having kept four children alive for another day, I somehow thought (however briefly) in that moment, that I wasn't good enough. Of course half way to town I shook myself out of it. I reminded myself that it wouldn't have mattered if I brought the perfect vegetable pairing or take-out pizza or casserole from a box. The only thing that mattered was that I was going to show up. I was going to bring a meal to a great group of kids, who could not care less what they were being fed. They were just happy to get food; kids are easy like that. I am sharing two posts that I wrote awhile back, because I needed the pep talk today. And maybe I am not alone, maybe you need it too. No matter who you are, no matter your ...

Its cold outside. Not just a little cold, like it dropped below zero and will not be going much higher for quite sometime, COLD. Soup weather? I think so. The hubs is not much of one for soups, unless they are a thick, hearty stew, that you can pretty much eat with a fork. So this is a soup I make for myself. Literally. I waited until every, single child, husband, attention demanding, creature in this house was in bed. Then I stayed up and made this for myself. It's what I do to unwind. Then I leave all the dishes in the sink to wind me up again the next day... but I digress. I hesitate to post recipes, because I am not a rule follower. I use what I have, I use what sounds good. I rarely measure. And soup is perfect for this kind of cooking. Soup is forgiving. So be daring, be brave, take this recipe as a starting point and jump. Here's a quick walk through of my version of an easy French Onion Soup with bacon! In a large pot fry up some bacon, always a go...

Mary must have been exhausted. She was carrying a miracle, yes, but she was also carrying an out of wedlock baby, on a long journey, to give birth in rudimentary settings, with no family around, and no idea what would happen next. Christmas Eve found me sleep deprived, anxious, and preparing for an evening ahead that would require more energy and happiness than I could muster. So I sat in a church pew on Christmas Eve and cried for Mary and how tired she must have been, for how unfair it was that she would never fully comprehend the awesome power that her sacrifice would bring to the world. I cried because that one little baby would make every single one of my mistakes ok. Maybe you are in the middle of your own exhaustion. Maybe you are carrying something wonderful and powerful, but right now it just feels like a burden. Stay strong, your burden may become a light for others. If you are still happily enjoying the extra time with kids, and the extended bed times, and the fami...

Christmas is just a week away!  Time to get in the Holiday spirit! I can read all day about Edie's love for people and   hospitality  . A friend sent me this beautiful idea for passing on the tradition of Santa.  Chex mix for your next gathering.  100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time  (Three of my all time favorite Holiday movies made this odd, and eclectic list. How many have you seen?) We make these cookies every year.  We have begun cutting way back on Christmas gifts for our kids, and I love what this article has to say about that.  Apothic Red and Apothic Dark are my new favorite wines. (If you are local, they sell it at CFC!) Source  I hope you all have a blessed and very Merry Christmas!      

If you never cook another dish in your life, I simply ask that you make this one dish and then you may die in peace having cooked the most perfect dish ever. Maybe I am being dramatic, maybe I'm not. I guess you'll have to taste it and see for yourself.  I made this dip again for Thanksgiving recently. My local grocer couldn't get in Fontina, so I substituted mozzarella and monterey cheese. It was a major hit.  I had the herbs left over, so I got to thinking about what I had in my fridge and what I could make to go with the herbs.  And thus, this dish was born.  Seriously amazing.  Mouth watering.  Divine happiness.  So dang, stinking good, I did not take a single picture before we devoured them.  Just make them.  I am being bossy. Try them, then you'll understand why.  Have I made myself clear?  Good. Let's get started.  Best Stuffed Mushrooms... Ever Ingredients 1/2 tsp...

I have never been able to figure out if I am an extrovert or an introvert. If you know me personally, you probably think right away, "She's an extrovert!". But as much as I love people, and gatherings; I love, love, love being at home. I love being here with my people, watching movies, playing board games, just existing, together at home. It's my favorite.  So when I have running around to do, it can get stressful for me. I can quickly feel overwhelmed, constantly picking up one kid, dropping off another, going to town and back again several times a day. And when things are scheduled on a Sunday, my tolerance level peaks out. I like my Sundays to rest, reset, and breathe.  This month I do not have a single Sunday that will be spent at home.  I am dreading it already. I want to curl up and cry. I want to stomp my feet and say, "No, No, No". I want to put on my pajamas and Christmas music, lock the door and pout.  But since that does not ap...