I know would is different than could. But trying things cost money…so I’ve been sticking to what I know, or make what I have work for what I want to try.
But if I could, I would try professional ballroom dancing. I love to dance. All types of styles! Ballroom, Latin, Swing….I like to watch hip hop, but I don’t know if I’m able to actually dance it well.
At one point in my life, I would go out dancing. I would be out swing dancing until almost 11pm every weekend. But I loved ballroom dancing the best. I felt so elegant and fancy.
To do it professionally would be fun. Not to do it to win! per say, but to do it because I love to dance.
But obviously I’m a full time mama, and I want more kiddos, so my figure is not what most professional dancers look like.
But it would be fun to try. I’ve even got the shoes already…they were my wedding shoes.
But still happy to be a mama. Never going to change that.
The latter is worse. But we’ve been so busy lately. My daughter is only four years old so I technically don’t have to be consistent until next September, but I’ve been trying to do some things before then. But “some” being the key word. It’s only occasionally and not at all consistent.
It’s difficult with my husband’s schedule being so funky. On his days off we do projects; so no school. On his night shifts I let my daughter spend the morning time with her daddy. And then the rest of the day is filled with our normal chores.
So I’m hoping to spend these next 11 months figuring things out.
But for me personally, it’s exercise. I want to get back into exercising, but again I never seem to have the time. And o know, most people say you always have a small window of time. True. But sleep is important.
Wake up. Wake daughter up. Make breakfast. Feed children. Eat my breakfast while cleaning up kitchen. 10-1pm on most days filled with playing with dad or a longer day until 3pm on projects. Also add in the middle my sons long nap time. 4pm let chickens out, and do outdoor chores or projects. Head back inside around 5:30pm. Start dinner. Finish dinner, eat. Watch a short educational show with kids. Start bedtime 7:30pm. In bed 9:30pm. Asleep by 10:30pm. Repeat. My days are the same all the time. So yes, maybe I could fit some exercise in there. And once it’s winter I will have more free time.
But for now my exercise is the projects I do. I’m constantly moving. Maybe even lifting things. So I think I’m good. I need to be able to stay fit for my kiddos. I don’t want to be a lump.
So yes, I’ve been putting these things off, but I’ve been trying to find different solutions that fit in my current schedule.
When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?
I know they mean grown up as an adult but also remember the day I felt grown up as a kid.
I’ve already mentioned the day in detail on a previous blog post. But it was the day I stood between my dad and siblings. That day flared up my protective instincts. But felt like I grew up that day.
The day I felt like a grown up….not a very deep emotion day. But the day we bought our first couch. I don’t know why but that seemed to make me believe I had grown up.
But it’s strange. It wasn’t when we got married. It wasn’t when we bought our first house. Or moved away to a different state. Or had my daughter. But the couch came before our son. But I didn’t really feel like anything changed until the couch.
Normally when your young you buy fun things. I spoiled my husband….a lot. But I never had the desire to buy the grown up things.
But when the couch arrived I felt, “wow I’m old.” Haha! Blinds. Blinds are also something I feel like you have grown up if you want to change your blinds.
But I wonder when I’ll feel I’ve grown up to older adult life…
If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?
My mom.
She deserves it!!
I always have this dream. That if I win the lottery, what would I do.
First, I would buy my mom’s house; she could live there forever. I’d pay off debt. I would buy her a car just like mine. I would pay for all remodeling she wants to do to the house. And I would set aside money for her to get allowance for the rest of her life. She deserves this and more. So much more. ❤️
But also most importantly, my husband could choose to work or not. His choice. I know he has many dreams and ideas that he cannot do because he provides for the family. And he would invest some of it; into various things. He would want the money to continue to earn.
Next, I would pay of our debts. And also add square footage to our house and shop. We would still do the work ourselves. Just because we would be made out of money doesn’t mean we would be wasteful.
I might splurge and get myself one of those awesome craft stations….I’ve always eyeballed one.
🤤
But maybe the husband could build one for cheaper….
But other than that I don’t really have anything that screams out to me like I need.
But I would want to keep living the same. No one would know that we won the lottery. I would want to still be me. And our kids would still grow up the same.
I know. I’m pretty boring when it comes to what you want when you win.
But for me, if my husband is happy, I’m good. If my mom has no more worries I’m good. And if my family can live comfortably, I’m good.
All of our holidays have something in common. Can you guess it?!
#1
New Year’s Day:
Growing up we would stay up until midnight the. Rush outside with our pots and pans, clanging them! Celebrating the new year.
However now, I can’t seem to stay up that late. Especially my kiddos. Maybe when they get older we will have a late night game night. Or watch a traditional movie. But for right now, I sleep early. Haha 😂
Valentine’s Day:
Before marriage I would buy my mom and siblings flowers. Every year. Even my brothers. Also make my extended family valentines.
Now that I’m married and I live so far away, I prepare my husband’s favorite food. Chicken Parmesan, rolls, salad, and then a wonderfully delicious chocolate lava cake. But I also try to send valentines to my family. My daughter loves to help with those.
Easter:
(If a child is reading this, you may want them to skip this passage. Due to childhood believing.)
Younger years: I believed in the Easter bunny for a long time. I don’t know if I believed there was one or if I liked the fantasy of it all. But church was always first, then a huge egg hunt!
Now as a mama, I try to dye the eggs the Saturday before. Those ones are only for food purposes. Since where we live we have wild animals I don’t want to miss an egg and have a bear or snake visit us. We use plastic eggs outside. We go to church then come home to an egg hunt. That’s the same. The only difference is if snow is still on the ground by Easter; then obviously we have an indoor Easter. But the Easter feasts are the main purpose! I try to replicate my childhood meals to my grownup years.
Birthdays:
We don’t just celebrate our own birthdays. We also celebrate my siblings and mom’s birthdays. So most of the year is filled with cake. January, March, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. Lots of cake!!
Fourth of July:
Childhood years were pretty consistent. City parade. Delicious foods for lunch, which the leftovers would also be dinner. Fireworks in the park; until they were illegal. Staying up and having lots of family fun!
Now as a mama, parade in a city park. It is a huge parade that lasts almost 1hr. Or more. Go home and eat delicious bbq ribs that the husband makes!! I can’t eat ribs anywhere else. My mom can attest to the deliciousness of them. Hanging at the house for most of the afternoon. Then heading back to the park for an 1hr firework show. We also set off fireworks on our property the night before.
October 31st:
My childhood was for the most part church functions. Every church I went to would have a event on October 31st but it was never scary or disturbing. If church is part of your life, I think it’s best to have your kids participate in church activities on October 31st. Because once your kiddos grow up they tend to go trick or treating with friends. And I personally think it help me discern what was not okay. But anyways back to childhood memories. As a family we would all dress up and have a fun evening eating candy.
Grown up now…I still like church functions. Ours is called the harvest festival. I do the face painting. My kiddos go off with their dad and get candy. No fish! But it’s always lots of fun. We only do that; we don’t go additional trick or treating. We just have lots of wonderful family time.
Thanksgiving:
My childhood years we always had delicious foods. My mom was amazing at having a spread of cheeses and fruit before the dinner meal. All is kids would be playing or watching a movie while my mom and older sisters slaved away. But the meats and gravy. And mashed potatoes. Stuffing….my mouth is drooling 🤤
But now as the mama I too keep up the tradition and I cook all the foods. Everything is from scratch. Minus the pumpkin pies. I don’t make them from pumpkins…haha 😂 But I try and have everything timed to be done at the same time. I make enough food for maybe 15 people and it’s just us four. We eat thanksgiving foods for several weeks after thanksgiving.
Christmas:
(If a child is reading this, you may want them to skip this passage. Due to childhood believing.)
Childhood memories. I also believed in Santa for a long time. I think I was 12 or so when I finally decided that I was old enough to stop believing. But I wanted to keep the gifts magical. Also helped when my nephews were born. But we would wake up and open gifts. We wouldn’t rush through them. We would each take turns and watch as each other got their gifts. We would devour candy all throughout the morning into lunchtime. And we would wait for the delicious dinner that was being prepared. Slowly dinner was changed to delicious Chinese food in downtown. Less dishes.
Now as the mama I love to watch my kiddos open their presents. I like getting presents from people but I love giving presents more. The sparkle in my daughter’s eye as she sees all the gifts from Santa makes me so happy. I want that imagination to keep stirring. We don’t eat lots of candy. My daughter turns crazy with any amount of sugar. But I do devour a bag of Hershey kisses all by myself. I eat about 7 to a mouthful. 😊 Then we eat a small lunch. Then dinner. I have kept the tradition of Chinese food alive. But I make it all from scratch. Christmas dinner is the hardest for me. My husband knows to leave me alone while making the meal. I run around like a chicken with no head. But it is always delicious.
Well there you go. Can you guess what is the common ground? Food! Delicious food! Probably why I can’t seem to lose weight. I’m always eating food through the year.
Well I hope this answers the prompt. Have a delicious Wednesday. We are getting firewood again. It’s going to be another long tough day.
We left the house around noon today in search of standing dead trees…for yes, firewood.
I will suggest, if you are on a hunt for firewood leave first thing. Because if you have an almost 1 1/2 year old, the little guys don’t last long. But the husband had to finish fixing the brakes on the trailer. (The reason for leaving so late.)
But here I sit in the truck, after 6 hours of getting some firewood. Not a lot, but at least we got some.
The husband and I have it down! He cuts down the tree, then he carries the log a short distance away, then I pick them up and take them the rest of the way to the truck. The logs are roughly 6ft long and maybe 6” in diameter. So a decent log; and I can move them. 😎 I feel so awesome when I help the husband.
But yes, our evening was attempting to fill a trailer with wood. Our 21ft trailer looks giant now with the maybe 6 trees worth of firewood. But it’s something.
We are having Subway for the drive home. Our go to…”oh, we won’t be home until after 7pm!!” dinner decision.
But maybe once in bed the husband and I will watch a movie together. If I’m still awake.
Not a normal evening for the normal person. But luckily, I’m not normal. 😊
Have a wonderful Wednesday evening.
Photography By: emily2jane “The Tree” 9-13-23
The picture is of a tree we really wanted to get, but it was too big. And the brush around it was about 7ft deep. But oh…it was a glorious looking tree. A tree that many people have probably driven by saying, “I want that tree!!”
Originally it was my great grandma’s recipe. Then I added some from a pioneer recipe. Then I added a Pinterest recipe. Betty Crocker recipe. And just some personal thoughts. And now I have an awesome pie that anyone likes.
But it has a lot of sugar. So the anti sugar people out there, maybe you can alter the recipe and make it with honey and maple syrup. I don’t know.
I’m not a big fan of apple pie. But I can eat Costco’s apple pie and mine. That’s it.
I know this recipe by heart. I made it enough. My husband loves the pie. It’s the food that has made him fat and happy. His words.
To start: 2days. This makes 2 pies. 6-8 green apples, peeled and sliced. In a large bowl. Add apples, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 4 shakes of cinnamon. I don’t measure the cinnamon….maybe 2-3 tsp. Depends on if you like cinnamon. Mix and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24hrs. This was my grandma’s secret. It helps the apples soften.
Next day. Make 2×9” Betty Crocker pie crust recipe. Plus 2 batches Betty Crocker biscuit dough made into cinnamon rolls. Let pie crust chill 30min in fridge.
Slice cinnamon rolls and place in pie pan. Push down and around to form a bottom crust. This is the Pinterest idea. (I think is was for mini pies with cinnamon roll cup. I just enlarged it.) It should fill the pie pan.
Scoop out apples and place in pie pans. Do not put the liquid in apples in pie pans; save juices. This next part is from a pioneer cookbook I got in Boston. Pour sugar juices into small sauce pot. Mix 1 TBsp flour with 2TBsp water. Whisk into sugar juice mixture. Turn heat to medium high. I personally add the butter now instead of putting butter with the apples. Let simmer until thickened. About 5min. I sometimes forget about it and then it’s always magically done. It should still run off the spoon. You don’t want it clumpy, but also not runny.
Pour new thickened juice mixture into apples. I usually use maybe 3/4 of it.
Next the pie crusts. Roll out dough. I usually do lattice crusts. it’s pretty. I add leaves or something pretty to top made from dough. That’s just personal touches.
1/4 cup of milk. Brush tops of pies. Also sprinkle white sugar on top of milk. This helps the crust have a nice crunch and color.
Cook @375 for 38min. This step depends on where you live. You will have to learn what amount of time works for you. But if you make the apples 1 day ahead you don’t have to cook the pie forever. I usually cook until I can really smell the apple pie then I check. I like the lattice to be golden. And to see the juices bubbling.
And you are done. Enjoy!! It is delicious. I love vanilla ice cream on it, but it’s delicious enough to just have it plain. My daughter who is picky likes it. My son already eats anything.
Well I hope you like this recipe. And I did just write it from heart. I didn’t get up from the couch. Haha 😂 It is a great pie for holidays. The cinnamon roll crust helps it be something new. And I’ve never had someone says they don’t like it. And if you are someone who can’t have dairy use non dairy milk and butter or just leave those steps out.
But this recipe I know I can’t take all the credit. I have morphed recipes together to create this one. But it is awesome!!
This is a great question. And my answer is actually quite funny.
Turns out my first name was just because my mom loved the name. All my other siblings were given family names. But I was named my name because of pure love. Which makes me happy, and I am okay with that reason.
Especially since I have a name for hopefully another little girl, and the first name is not a family name. It’s just a name that I love.
My middle name is a family name. And this is the funny part.
My entire childhood I thought my middle name came from my grandma on dad’s side. She was an awful human being. I only met her once; once was enough.
Through my entire childhood I thought about what to legally change my name to when I was old enough. That was how much I was disturbed.
Obviously I kept the name. Only to find out, from my mom, that I’m actually named after a grandma on my mom’s side who was a lovely person. Haha 😂 Mind you I found this out when I was maybe 17-19. I can’t remember exactly. But for a long time I wonder how my mom could name me with love and hatred.
Safe to say I was mistaken, and now I love my name. And maybe when I become a grandma, maybe my name will be the start of a family name. 🥰
Finally back to our room, “Dude? Are you okay?” I asked Charlie; he had been grasping his rib cage.
“Yeah. The wind was just knocked out of me. And I think my back is bruised. But I should be fine by morning,” Charlie climbed into the bed across from Jeremy. “But what were you thinking? You know that what you did today will kickstart how the upperclassmen treat you, right?”
“Don’t worry about me. I have a knack at head butting bullies. Sometimes they change their personalities once they have met their match,” I smirked and looked over at Jermey.
“What?” Jeremy exploded, “You think I was as bad as Bryan?”
“Not as bad, but you were a bully that I tamed,” I laughed this time, because I never thought of it that way. A pillow hit me head on. ‘I knew it would, but I still continued to laugh.’
“You were a bully?” Charlie had slightly sat up in his bed.
Timothy propped up Charlie with pillows.
Jeremy groaned as he sat in his desk chair, “Yeah, I was. I was major jerk back in high school. Thankfully George was able to understand me through these last two years of high school. I don’t know if I would have changed so drasically unless George was my role model.”
‘Wow, didn’t know that’s how he felt.‘ “Wow. didn’t know you thought of me that way,” I walked over to give Jeremy a sarcastic hug.
“Don’t you dare,” Jeremy had held up hand to stop me in my tracks.
I chuckled and backed back to my own chair. I also remembered it was not us the pair of us in the room. I bursted out a laugh because of Timothy’s expression; it was pure horror. Jeremy looked their way and joined the laughter. “Sorry Timothy,” I tired to muffle my amusement, “being roommates with Jeremy so long has changed me.
Charlie sat confused as well, but maybe a bit more entertained.
Timothy turned towards Charlie, “Sorry you had to witness,” Timothy stopped and turned back towards Jeremy aand myself, “…that. I guess I’ve not spent a lot of time with these two.”
“Well that will have to change these next few months,” Charlie tried to laugh but instead just retreated into the pillows around him.
‘It won’t be that long for me. Soon I’ll be entering into the lions den that I have already pissed off.’
emily2jane 