Thursday, August 28, 2008

Cookie Salad Recipe

This recipe came from one of the wives from my husband's Guard unit.

Two weekends ago we went to the the unit picnic and this recipe was a hit. I am sad to admit, I didn't have any. I was too busy helping get an indecisive 4 yr old through the food line, without him dropping his plate and filling it with nothing but watermellon and chips. My son did have a big healthy scoop of it though, and it was "awesome, soooo good" and who am I to disagree with an 8 yr old. It was also good enough, that my cowboy soldier's Readiness NCO emailed it to everyone. I must say, I fully intend to make this recipe though, I'm thinking probably around the 8th, (when my roughrider cowboy leaves for WTC for a month) the perfect time for a big bowl of comfort food.

My thinking is... any salad that includes pudding and smashed cookies needs to be shared, and since it does have "salad" in the name that means you are free and clear to eat as much as you want because we all know salad = healthy!


COOKIE SALAD
BY: LUCAS MORAN


2 SMALL BOXES INSTANT VANILLA PUDDING
2 CUPS BUTTERMILK**
MED CONTAINER COOL WHIP
1 SMALL CAN MANDARIN ORANGES, DRAINED
1 SMALL CAN PINEAPPLE CHUNKS, DRAINED
1 PKG FUDGE STRIPED COOKIES, CRUSHED


MIX PUDDING WITH MILK. ADD COOL WHIP AND FRUIT AND CRUSHED
COOKIES. OPTIONAL: SPRINKLE A FEW COOKIE CRUMBS ON TOP OR GARNISH
WITH A FEW WHOLE COOKIES. REFRIGERATE


**IF YOU DON'T HAVE BUTTERMILK ON HAND SUBSTITUTE 2 TSP VINEGAR OR
LEMON JUICE TO 1/2 CUP MILK, IN THIS RECIPE IT WOULD BE 8 TSP TO 2 CUPS
MILK. LET STAND FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN ADD TO PUDDING AND MIX.



Monday, August 25, 2008

Back to School



Summer break is officially over. My big little went back to school today.

It's hard to believe that he's in second grade already. But, time does go by. This is my last year having my middle little home, this time next year he'll be climbing on the bus with his big brother and off to kindergarten. That will also be the beginning of one of the biggest challenges of my life thus far. Because next July or August my darling roughrider cowboy will be deploying for at least a year.

I'm at a point that I know the time line for that dreaded farewell and can't help but wonder am I prepared and what do I need to do to better prepare myself?

Oh, I know the basics. I know the paper work and business aspects of it, but it's been five years since I've been a married single mom, and I know I'll be fine, but what can I do to try and make the situation easier on my children. Kids are stronger and smarter than we give them credit for, and my little herd of cowboys are troopers. So, I figure at least we are lucky enough to have a rather large advance notice and make the best of the next year and enough memories and bonding to hold us through the separation of daddy being an American soldier and off fighting bad guys.

I am such a sap. I sit on the front step while my oldest cowboy baby waits for the bus. He's got his new school cloths on, probably the last time I'll see his jeans so pretty and new, give it a few weeks and the knees will be faded and I'll be continuing on the endless battle of removing grass stains, mud and markers. I look at him standing at the end of the driveway, all excited to be back and looking forward to 4H and wrestling. His backpack on his back and kicking at the dirt driveway with what started out as shiny new sneakers. The bus pulls up, Mark (the farmer bus driver) says a few things smiling at my boy, waves to me and off they go down the road.

Cough! Cough! Choke!

Sorry, I live on a dirt ride and it is crazy dry and windy so I just got plowed with a dust cloud. There he goes, I have to share my boy with the public school system yet again. Sigh! Sneeze!

What's waiting for me inside, once they wake up that is, is a 4 yr old (my middle little) whose world is not a happy place because he lost his play buddy and is going through the I'm too little for everything roughness of life and a spunky 16 month old who really is too little but everyone except him knows that. Deep Breath! First day is always the toughest for all. Lets find something creative and fun to distract middle little from peering out the picture window waiting for brother to come home.

Is it 4 o'clock yet?



Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Last Week Of Summer Break & Me on a Soapbox.

Bummer! On Monday I have to share my oldest cowbaby with the public school system yet again. I wouldn't say he's excited about going back, but he's not upset about it either. I chalk a lot of his liking his little feller career of school to the fact that it's still easy.

I cross my fingers and say my prayers that nothing happens that will cause his liking of school to come to a screeching halt. Especially with my hubby leaving in less than 3 weeks to go off to WTC ( training to teach him the Army way of doing things) and that's minimal a month long, I'm going to have my hands full enough with three little cowbabies, whom I might add are rather fond of having daddy home every night. So, I cross my fingers and my toes, except that my inky dinky little toe is a rebel and won't cooperate!

I really hope my oldest boy likes his teacher and she him, and that the group of bullies in his class keep it to a minimal.

I am going to take this moment to rant, not about anything affecting me personally but just in general.

Kids are mean! I'm not sure how much meaner than they where back in the childhood days of generation X, but I don't recall them being cold hearted viciously mean as kids are today. Oh sure, kids where picked on, shoved around, fought, dreaded dodge ball etc. But, I think kids have a loss of conscience now. It could be the lack to discipline, yeah yeah I know, whoaaaaaaa touchy subject. But, it's true. Too many kids do what ever they want knowing darn well that if they get in trouble for it, they can lie and mommy and daddy will cover for them or get them a lawyer. What the hell, lawyers are for divorces, not for blaming your child's lack of behavior skills on someone else, then try to cover your lack of back bone to be a parent rather than a friend. Kids have friends, they need parents, to teach them the morals and values that are needed to be lawful, respectful adults whom don't need to be informed of ways to help his fellow man. UHGG. OK, I think I'm off my soapbox. OH not quite....parents instead of buying carjacking murdering video games... try buying your son a belt and a haircut and your daughter an extra yard of fabric on her cloths, teenage girls do not need to be walking around with all their bits and pieces hanging out!

WOW! I can really rant about nothing in particular can't I. Especially when I live in the sticks pretty far away from the problems of the cities. Oh well, my blog I can ramble about what I want. I'm off though, I've got a kitchen to clean from lunch and Mt. Washmore is staring at me again.

I'm out. ZOOOMMMMM!

Monday, August 11, 2008

Busy and Slacking



I know, I know I'm terrible, it's been a week since I've wrote. I got busy...school starts in a little over two weeks, hubby leaves for a month to WTC in about three weeks, I've got three boxes of peaches, to make jam, can and freeze. Ahhhh, deep breath.

I love how some weeks are pretty mellow. Wake up, take care of kids, deal with minor child induced dilemma's, clean, cook and type on here at nap time, finish mommy duty day and call it a night when all the little males are asleep and I realize it's late, I'm sleepy and nothing else is going to get done that night. Then there are the other weeks. Every night I stop and go... where did the day go and did I accomplish anything today except baby wrangling my adorable little cowbabes and if I'm lucky, being able to shave my legs with out a child needing me or coming in bombarding my bathtub with the whole pile of tub toys.

Then again, I much rather that the rubber ducky baby bombs get thrown in the tub at me than where he usually throws them....the potty. Yuck! I just know in the next couple weeks he'll figure out how to flush it too.

* Bit of useless information for you. Did you know that 6 small rubber duckies will take a nice watery merry go round ride in the toilet before it goes on strike and decides to overflow. Thank you my darling oldest cowbaby...Cody, when you were 2. You have been the proud creator of this little known fact. LOL! Sorry that was six years ago and I need a moment to stop and chuckle at that adorable "look what I did Mom, aren't you proud" expression he had.

All you mother's of tots. Consider that bit of info when you see a bargain pack of 6 adorable, micro, smiling faced rubber duckies and you decide to buy 2 packs. One pack you are safe...step away from the second pack unless you enjoy cold toilet water pruned toes.

YAWN.

My hands still smell like peaches and I'm sleepy.

Good night & Sleep sweet! Have pleasant dreams of attacking rubber duckies. HA HA.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Childhood Summers

Summer... I remember as a wee little child all those summers running around the farm. Climbing trees, swimming in the pond, being pirates on grand adventures on our hay wagon , playing cowboys on our trusty steads. Many a days, Soaking up the sun, just laying on our backs in the pasture till mom called for us to come in or till the mosquitoes got so annoying we went in on our own accord. Which wasn't very often. As a child on summer break there is never enough time in a day for all the play and imagination thundering in our little minds and energy in our bodies.





Now myself as the mother, not the wind in my hair free spirited little child, I find myself looking out the window at my babes and smiling. There is something so special about a warm sunny afternoon with a light breeze, holding a large slice of juicy watermelon and a good spirited brother sitting beside you to spit your seeds at. The laughter and twinkles in my little imp's eyes is enough to make a mother's cup runith over.

Speaking of Imps (ornery little pixie creatures from the books of fairy lure)




I give you my littlest imp, watermelon for the first time. If those big eyes, strawberry blond ringlet curls and pug nose doesn't scream Imp I don't know what does. I tell you, I am rather quickly coming to the conclusion that this one might prove to be my biggest challenge.

I'm game though. Motherhood never has a dull moment and with age and experience I'm learning not to sweat the small stuff and pick my battles. Childhood is such a small window in our lives and before we know it the window closes and the door will open the the trials of adulthood.

But, even as an adult, feel free to kick off the shoes, go barefoot and eat a big slice of watermelon.

Friday, August 1, 2008

X Games

Today starts the annual X games. I know, why is a ND country mama writing about the X games. Well, that's easy I can explain it in 1 word....Cody.





Cody is my almost 8 yr. old. He's the oldest of my cowbabies, he's the only one that was around when my Cowboy man was in the military before. The only one to have previously gone through deployments. He's also my preemie, oh my tiny little orange colored (jaundice) inky dinky baby.


He's a country boy... boots, hat, obsessed with bull riding, but the one thing that will lead him astray from the western being that he is .... BMX and dirt bikes.


I give you the X games... The cowboy boots come off, a pair of sneakers gets thrown on as well as the helmet and pads, and not just any. NOOOOO, last year for his birthday it was a mongoose trick bike as he calls it, black helmet and pads that just so happen to say "X Games" on them. That child pulls on his bike gear and he's gone outside to try again to mirror whatever he last saw being executed on some program being sponsored by Amp, Monster or Rockstar energy drinks.




Oh my, would you look at the face. Fierce determination. He's got his game face on, or I'm going to run mom over face. I would much prefer it wasn't the latter one.


I'll go along with experimenting of who he wants to be. His hair is still short, his pants aren't down below his crack and he's still well mannered and respectful. So, I'll sit here and cheer him on as he tries again to pop a wheelie...but in the back of mind I keep thinking, bull riding and X Games. Yea, I know, just what a mother's first choice of personalities for her children is ... an action junkie.


Is it better for me to support him or to squash his dreams and ambitions just because of my fear of him getting hurt?


I will support him. To the point of one of the bull riders around here offered to teach my boy and I've mentioned to his daddy about the lumber in the pole barn and possibility of at least a ramp.


Would I still be a cool mom if I wrapped him in bubble wrap first? Hey, it was worth a try!