Protein pancakes!

I must admit that my "famous" made from scratch pancakes are actually a recipe I "stole" from Melissa years ago when I visited her house and we had breakfast for lunch. That was about 10 years ago. My family loves them.

However, I have developed the need for protein because of blood sugar issues. I make them for the family, but rarely eat them now a days.

I was browsing through a magazine this morning and saw this:

I was intrigued...and hungry...so I tried them for breakfast.

I used 1 c Greek yogurt and a splash of milk, 1 c rolled oats, and 2 eggs.

Yum! Pancakes I can have! They had a bit of a different taste because of the plain Greek yogurt, but I just love Greek yogurt, so it made no nevermind to me. I'm full. Serves two medium to small stacks of 3 pancakes.

How do you decorate?

I used to be all about decorating and HGTV.

Then I had kids.

Then life happened.

My decorating style has changed.

The other day, Terry reminded me that "love" is a verb. 

I've been thinking on that a lot. I realized that one way we show love in our home is we decorate with "love".

Instead of works of art recognized by the world, we are surrounded by works of art that say "I love you".

Artwork by my daughters:

Artwork by present and former PAI sisters:

(Sorry for the reflection of my dehydrator in the glass)

Purity Promise Rings

My husband, bless his heart, will shoot daggers with his eyes at me every time I bring this up. He doesn't want his baby girl to grow up. He takes a few days, but eventually I get him to talk with me. This is just hard on him.

For our children's 13th birthdays, we have decided to take them on a special mommy&daddy date and give them a special ring. They must promise to do everything within their power to be pure in front of God and their husbands/wife. We have had a long talk. I'm quite candid about sex with them. I always have been. It is probably the science teacher in me.

My oldest daughter has chosen a silver ring with a cross and a heart, plus two little cubic zirconia stones. I'll put the Amazon link here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SO0FFLW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_img?_encoding=UTF8&colid=37G3PLJ9WFSU&coliid=ID879FV6034DM&psc=1

Corn dog muffins

Hot lunch... My goofy kids say that is their fav part of being homeschooled.

Today I was knee deep in Algebra with my oldest. I only had the time it would take her to work her next problem to throw lunch in the oven.

I cheated. I needed to.

I know good and well how to cook from scratch. Wouldn't it be lovely if I had time?

I digress. A busy mom does what she has to do.

We live in nowhere AK.  Many days I have to rely on my freezer and pantry unless I want to bundle up and schlep 4 kids to the store.

Lunch was fast.

Mix two packages of corn muffin mix....made according to package directions.

Add 1 can cream corn.

Prepare A pack of Lil Smokies (I didn't have hot dogs)

In a prepared muffin tin with papers, fill the muffin cup 3/4 the way with batter. Poke one Lil Smokie in the center of each. Bake according to the package directions.

Marmalade Sandwiches

It is totally up to you to decide what to watch and/or if your family does family movie night. Several months back, we watched the new Paddington movie. It was clean, and my entire crew enjoyed it. One thing we like to be silly about now is marmalade sandwiches....really just almond (we can't have peanut) butter and orange marmalade on bread... It really isn't a great big deal, and quite cheap as far as lunches go, but we find such silly joy when we have marmalade sandwiches for lunch.

Your go to "delivery" meal.

My church has had an explosion of people needing meals delivered because of new babies and surgeries.

My go to "delivery" meals are chili and breakfast casserole. I gotta go to the store for more ingredients.

What are your delivery meals for those in need?

Parenting Goals for the New Year

What goals have you set parenting wise for the new year? Mine is to spend more one on one time with each kid. We operate so much as a herd. We do everything, including homeschool, as a group. Yet, each kid is so very different on their own. My kids were recently in a Christmas play. The director has watched them grow up for 4.5 yrs,  and nailed their personalities with the parts they played. I want to make myself see them more as unique people, not just my herd.

-Kendra