Family Fun

It's fun to think back to childhood road trips with your parents and siblings.  They were fun when you were little, silly when you hit elementary age, and a terrible cramp in your style when you were a teenager.  None the less, you never seemed to understand what goes behind these "family fun" trips.  Now that I am a mother of two, a wife to one, and a 20 year old soul trapped in what feels like an 80 year old body, I can fully understand and respect what these trips require.  Not only can I understand and respect, I question the sanity of every woman behind one of these "trips".  There is NO WAY you can pack and prepare for a family trip without completely loosing your mind.  I used to laugh at my mother while she ran around the house, the day before we left, like a chicken with her head cut off.  "Did you switch the clothes to the dryer?  Did you finish packing your suitcase?  You did?  Well did you pack enough socks.... Did you get church clothes?  Where's your coat?  That's not a coat, that's a jacket.  If we have car trouble, you'll freeze!"  Ah, I can hear her like it was yesterday.  Here's the funny part:  Today as I was packing, I found myself calling my husband, at work mind you, to ask if he had packed enough clothes, or if I needed to pack for him.  Tonight, I asked where his coat was and found myself in a deep, one sided conversation, about car hypothetical car trouble.  Wow, I guess the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree.  :-)  Love ya mom!  So now I sit here, ice cold coca~cola in hand, understanding a bit about what it means to be the woman behind the "family fun" trip...  Is there a return policy?

What are you Thankful for?

As we draw near to the holiday season, I try to reflect on the year past.  What has happened that was good, what was bad, what were the little moments that made me laugh?  Every year I do this as a reminder of how blessed I am.  This year, as I sit on this saggy, worn out couch with my favorite sweats and a hot cup of coffee, I have my daughter (our newest edition) laying in my lap cooing at me, and suddenly I'm reminded of what I'm thankful for.  I feel so blessed, and so appreciative, for all the wonderful things I seem to take for granted throughout the year.  I have a home; it may be small and cluttered, but it's a warm, safe home.  I have two miracle babies that doctors said I would never have.  I have a husband that is committed to me, a dog to protect me, a car to take me where I need to go, food on my table and clothes on my back.  So why must we wait until the end of the year to acknowledge what God has so faithfully blessed us with all year long?  Maybe that will be my New Years Resolution, to remember and be thankful for everything I have, all year long.

What's for Dinner?

One of the most infamous questions to grace a mother's ears... "What's for dinner?" If you are anything like me, that question just sets me off wrong. Most days I'm doing good just to make it to dinner time, let alone know "what's for dinner"! I'm always looking for new recipes and a change in flavor and I'm happy to share, I have created a new recipe that sounds great and won't break the bank, or your time schedule! What is this fabulous meal you ask? Spicy Ginger Shrimp over Pasta! This recipe can be made with whole wheat, or for those of us who are gluten intolerant, I have included gluten free options in parenthesis.

Spicy Ginger ShrimpWhole Wheat Pasta (Gluten Free Pasta)
26-32 Frozen Shrimp (thawed)
1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour (Brown Rice Flour)
2 TBSP Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Organic Coconut Oil
1 recipe Spicy Ginger SauceSpicy

Ginger Sauce:
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Rice vinegar
1½ tablespoon Soy sauce
1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
2 teaspoons Minced fresh peeled ginger
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 Carrot, shredded
1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper
2 Green onions, sliced thin
½ Cucumber, seeded, peeled and chopped
¼ cup Chopped fresh cilantro

Fill a two quart boiler half full of water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and allow to cook while you prepare shrimp. Warm olive oil in 10in skillet over Med/High heat. Place flour in medium mixing bowl and add thawed/rinsed shrimp. Toss to coat. Carefully place shrimp in hot oil without overlapping and discard remaining flour. Cook shrimp for 3-5 minutes and then turn. Cook an additional 3 minutes. While shrimp is cooking, mix together in clean mixing bowl all ingredients for sauce. Slowly drizzle sauce over shrimp and allow to cook 3 minutes more. Drain Pasta and toss in skillet with shrimp and sauce. Mix well and Viola'! This is great served with a salad and Sesame Ginger Dressing, or you can double the spicy ginger sauce and then you have a dressing as well! (This sauce is GREAT chilled.)

So ladies now you have the answer for that dreaded question, because "That's What's For Dinner." Enjoy!