First Priority.

Life is so short.  Can I get an Amen?

I have so much stress in my life but most of it I have created.  I lose sight of my priorities very easily.  Do you?  It cannot just be me.  I have so much to do on any given day that most days I end up spinning my wheels.  I'm starting to fall into the category of 'I do everything but I do nothing well'.  You would never know it.  If you are one of the ninety seven people that I do something for, then you would never know that the ninety six other people exist.  I give 150 percent, each and every time, no matter how big or small the task.  But, what is all this 'yes ma'am' stuff getting me?  A frickin' headache, that's what.

I over volunteer.  I say 'yes' way too often.  I don't know why.  I guess if I'm honest with myself its because I don't want anyone to think poorly of me for saying 'no'.

Lately, I have found myself in a predicament where I can't wait for the kids to go to bed so I can hop on the next project.  That is terrible.  When I actually realized that I was doing this I had to stop and think to myself....I have totally lost track of my priorities.  Between working, blogging, room mom, soccer mom, cheer mom, cooking, cleaning, Junior Achievement, any other 'kid' thing, baseball, wrestling....I mean the list just goes on and on and on and on....Oh wait, I forgot about school, I am a full-time college student also.  Do you notice what is missing from my very very long list? Church or anything that has to do with God himself.  WHAT is wrong with me, where did I get so off track?

I typically spend Sunday mornings watching Church of the Highlands internet feed from my desk, while working.  While it is amazing and Pastor Chris is wonderful, this just isn't cutting it anymore.  The first Sunday in March, I will be in church.  I physically will leave my house and find the righteous pathway back to God.  I have let all of these things overwhelm me and consume me.  It has totally made me forget what really matters.

If I have to say 'no' in order to say 'yes' to Christ then I guess I may be disappointing a few people.  If Christ is your number one then your number two through ninety-nine thousand will certainly just fall into place.

~I can do ALL things through Christ Jesus.  My father says so.  Philippians 4:13.

                                                           It's a GREAT day,
                                                                               Traci

Ain't No Flowers in My Attic....

Don't call CPS, for the love...do NOT call CPS!

The girls have been obsessed with a movie lately and I kinda sorta remembered it being advertised on the Disney channel so I never really checked it out.  HOLY MOTHER OF MARY.  THAT won't be happening again.  I mean, holy crap batman.  HOLY CRAP.

So they have watched said movie at least 10 times.  They were actually laying in my bed when I walked in there to kick them out so I could make the bed up and I saw a young woman (who was the mom) standing in front of her children with her bra on and her mother demanding her to take off her shirt so that the children could see what would happen to them if they didn't behave.  The woman had been whipped...I mean full fledged flogging going on up in Grandma's attic.  SERIOUS business.

I immediately turned the TV off and was greeted with 'MOM we were watching that, why did you do that'???  UM, because you are seven and there is a naked woman on the television?  Maybe?  So I begin to prompt them about the show.  They gave me the synopsis of a grandmother that keeps her grandchildren in the attic and the same grandmother 'scratches' the daughters back when they're bad.  Come again?  Haleigh said 'one of the twins dies and then the big brother he almost died with poison pastries'.  So my head is spinning at this point.

I decide to not let them watch it again until I have investigated.   I watched the movie 'Flowers in the Attic' on Megashare.info later on that night.  Hell fire and brimstone.  Y'all, I am still shaking my head.  Just to clarify so no one else is duped as I was.  'Flowers in the Attic' is on LIFETIME, not Disney.  Don't be a fool.  Like me.

:::Let me break this down for you:::
-Mom is married to her uncle (dad).
-Mom and dad have four children.  In the movie they are 5 year old twins (boy/girl) and a high school age age boy and girl.
-Dad dies in a car wreck.
-Mom doesn't work and decides they need to go back to her parents house and she needs to develop a relationship with her father that disowned her once she married her uncle.
-Upon arrival, psycho crazy grandmother declares the children will stay in the room that leads to the attic and they will play in the attic as to not leave or go outside EVER.  This is so the grandfather will not know of their existent.
-They are delivered one basket of food everyday, it has to last the full day.
-Mom begins to develop a relationship with her father of whom she is waiting to keel over from heart problems, inherit his fortune and leave with the children.
-Grandma is sneaking pastries to the children.  They are poisoned.
-Mom begins to enjoy the single life and riches of living back home while the kids sit in the attic.
-Older brother in sister turn into parental figures for the lack of having any.
-Grandma whips mother for living in sin and the abomination of being with the uncle.  Like, whips her, with a belt and mares her skin.

-Kids are scared.

-A week turns into months and months turn into two years.
-OKAY READY:  Brother and sister start DEVELOPING FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER AND BEGIN TO MAKE-UP AND THEN THEY DO THE NASTY ALL UP IN THE BED...in the attic....

-Brother and sister have a half naked moment in the bathroom.
-One of the twins dies from the poisoning.
-Mom sneaks off to marry some dude.
-Kids find out that POPS died 2 months ago and their mom has hit the road and she ain't coming back no mo no mo no mo!
-Kids escape by trapping crazy psycho grandma in the attic and turning off the lights.  CRAZY PSYCHO GRANDMA IS SCARED OF THE DARK.  Who knew?

So to recap.  My seven year old twins totally watched a movie about not only locking the kids in the attic but beating and poisoning them....Oh and the fifty shades of incest.

I flipped out and told Haleigh LANE SILLOWAY if she EVER even considered watching something on Lifetime or anything other than Disney for that matter that she better think twice....because at the end of the day.......we also have an attic!!!!

HA!

Then I had to ask her if she watched 'Lizzy Borden Took an AX'.  She assured me she had not.  I reminded her that just because she knows what channel 'Vampire Diaries' and 'The Walking Dead' comes on that doesn't give her the much needed permission to watch them!

Feel free to nominate me for mom of the year.  

                                                        I'm totes deserving.  Peace out.

                                                                         TRACI

Mommy Fail 101

This is pretty epic in my book.  On Monday, January 27th, 2014 our awesome school system celebrated the 100th day of school.  This is a BIG deal.  Every year the kids dress up as old people (100 year old people) and we tend to go ALL out.  There are balloons, games, special snack and just tons of fun!  Well, teachers have sent things home for the past two weeks 'don't forget 100th day of school' kinda stuff.  SO I wrote it down in my calendar so I would not forget.  Come Sunday night we are pulling stuff together; the kids are so very excited.

I give you Haleigh, otherwise known as 'Talula' the rich Southern Belle old lady.  Haleigh's short waisted mink jacket comes with a patent leather belt, double strand of pearls and WAY to big glasses.  Don't forget the bright red lip stick (we borrowed Nonnie's of course) and a CRAP load of 'gray' hair spray.  She was over the top happy with her outfit.
Payton or I should say 'Margorie, the local retirement home fitness instructor', has on her work out gear, fanny pack, big glasses, big make-up and of course, her sweat band.  Duh, how else to fitness instructors dress?  You have to use a fanny pack to carry your heart medication, kleenex and Vaseline chap stick.  She was ready to 'work you out'.

  So the girls were ready to go, happy with their outfits and of course I am yet again receiving "Mom of the Year" awards left and right.

Fast forward to 3:23 PM when they get off the bus.  Oh wait, when they get OFF the bus crying.  Payton was crying and I mean big crocodile tears.  Haleigh immediately says 'thanks a lot mom'.  I said 'what's wrong, what are you talking about'?  Haleigh goes into this story (because Payton can't quit crying) about how.....get ready for it.....wait for it....wait for it....SECOND GRADE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO DRESS UP.  WHAT!!!!  Nope, second graders weren't participating 'this year'.  Key words 'this year'.  I immediately go to the ol' laptop and start emailing out.  I'm so mad that neither teacher emailed or called me to come get the girls or bring them a change of clothes because now they have spent the day being made fun of.  Payton's teacher tried to rectify the situation and have her take her make-up off (with water) which just made things worse because, I don't know, she LOOKED like she took her make-up OFF WITH WATER!  The rest of her outfit was normal but she did have really gray hair.  Whoops.  Haleigh could care less what anyone thinks and she was perfectly happy with being different and just the mere fact that she had make-up on in the first place....well she was a happy little goat.  Payton has such a difficult time on a day-to-day basis with kids making fun of her weight that this was literal icing on the cake.

So - with all that said.  I did read the notes that were sent home.  But, not one of the notes ever mentioned anything about dressing up; the notes said remember the 100th day of school.  Why do I need to remember it if I'm not suppose to do anything?  The kids have dressed up every single year so I just assumed.  Lesson here: don't assume...anything...ever!  Oh and don't send your twins to school looking like cracked out old ladies if they're not supposed to be dressed up as cracked out old ladies.

I'll Take My Prize Money in Twenties,

Traci.

PS...they got over it and forgave me, not that they had much of another choice, they are seven!

Maple Glazed Oven Roasted Pork Chops

In our attempt to rid the kitchen of all the prepackaged convenient items we are getting down to the bare minimum.  I had a pack of pork chops that I purchased a few days back and as I was cleaning out the massive collection of spices that I have accumulated over the past year or so, I found some rather tasty pure Maple syrup.  I thought, what the heck.

Maple Glazed Oven Roasted Pork Chops

1 Pack of Chops, Whichever tickles your fancy...I used a bone-in pack of 12.  

Olive Oil

McCormick's Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple Seasoning

1 T. Butter

1 Small Onion, Minced

1 tsp. Garlic, Minced

1/2 Cup of Good Maple Syrup

1/2 Cup of Water

1 T. Soy Sauce

2 T. Brown Sugar (Light or Dark)

1 t. Chili Powder

In a skillet heat a smidgen of Olive oil (you can use what ever oil is handy) over medium heat.   Preheat over to 375 degrees. Take the maple seasoning and rub into both sides of each pork chop.  Once the oil is ready begin searing off each side to a light golden brown, do not cook all the way through.  As you sear all the chops place them on a lined deep sided cookie sheet or casserole.

In a small sauce pot add in the butter.  Once the butter has melted add in the minced onion and cook for one minute over medium heat, add in garlic, cook an additional three minutes until onion is translucent.  Do NOT let the onion or garlic burn.  Once the garlic and onion have sweated add in the maple syrup and water.  Bring to a boil.  Add in soy sauce, brown sugar and chili powder.  Stir over medium high heat at a boil for about four minutes until the sauce is well combined and begins to reduce.  Reduce heat to low in order to reduce further for about 8 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Take a barbecue brush or mop and mop each pork chop with the glaze. 

Cook for ten minutes at 375 degrees, turn over and mop again.  Cook for an additional ten minutes.

Remove from over and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.  There will be additional sauce in the cookie sheet or casserole dish that can be spooned over the chops while resting and at service.

Yumm-o.

I need to apologize in advance for the picture....the kids attacked the food and I could only take a picture of the leftover 2 chops (out of 12).

                                                                                                Peace, Love and Broccoli Rabe-

                                                                                                            Traci

Dirty Today, Clean Tomorrow!

Okay.  So we are in process of cleaning out our kitchen of all processed foods.  We are fat, we are tired and we are chemically poisoning ourselves every single day.  It is what it is, let's be honest.  Even if you say it's not...YOU'RE WRONG.  You are just so wrong!  We are pumping our bodies full of chemicals at an alarming rate and I promise you that I'm not a hippy bandwagon go with the flow kind of gal!  I'm not! I like a good cheeseburger and pack of oreos as much as the next fat girl but OH MY WORD!  When you break it down and really get into the nitty gritty of things - HOLY CRAP BATMAN!  Things have got to change....I'm not saying that we are going totally clean eating.  We are cutting out all processed foods such as snacks, soda, flavored drinks, condiments, seasoning packets (ranch dressing, dried onions), pop tarts, waffles.....if it comes in a box or a packet then we will no longer be purchasing it.  We hopefully will be completely homemade by the time summer rolls around.

You know little blueberries that are in muffin mix or the packaged muffins that the kids love?  Let me break that down for you - they're NOT blueberries, they're made with the same chemical that is used to all-weather your RV, they're made from the same chemical that are used to keep your pipes in your vehicle from freezing and last but certainly not least, they are used in the chemical drink that you have to drink before a colonoscopy to 'clean your pipes' out completely.  I'm serious!

There is an excellent documentary called 'Hungry for Change'; we watched it on Netflix recently.  We as American's are paying dearly for convenience.  I hope its worth your life.

The items that we are keeping that would keep us out of the Paleo or Clean Eating groups, we are switching those to organic.  We are not going to give up dairy, meat or sugar (real sugar).  If it is something that you think isn't that big of a deal then you should really, really do a little digging.  As a society we have decided that instead of eating more raw veggies we will just replace THAT measure with the measure of taking a prescription med.  What a great replacement...

This is NOT going to be easy, at all.  This is going to put a huge responsibility on my shoulders to cook every single thing we eat.  When you write it all down and study over it, I promise you will have a 'OMG what have I gotten myself into' moment.  Here is a little example: Cheeseburgers.....I have to make the bread, ketchup, mayo, mustard and pickles. Yeah.  But then you have to think about it like this: I'm having to make the bread, ketchup, mayo, mustard and pickles because ALL of those foods that are so easily grabbed out of the cabinet are ALL LOADED with the same chemicals that can be found in paint thinner!  I made that part up but y'all see where I'm going with it.

I'm 32 (ugh, 33 in a few days) years old and I have been on 2 different blood pressure meds since my first pregnancy, eight years ago.  I'm over it.  I hate taking medication.  My mom and sister both have type 2 diabetes.  I am really overweight and have been for my entire life.  ALL OF THESE ISSUES are because of weight and our choices with food!  It is TIME to get a grip!

It is time to eat to live and STOP living to eat...because that, my friends, is just going to kill you!

I dare you to make 2 changes this week!  Tell me below what 2 changes YOUR family will be making...Ready....SET....GO!!!!

                                                       Love you enough to warn you,
                                                                               T-R-A-C-I