tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605752985120450022024-03-05T23:20:08.478-07:00The American HomemakerAmerican Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.comBlogger371125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-24734057981683055032021-08-01T18:10:00.001-06:002021-08-01T18:10:25.259-06:00Over 100 PG-13 Horror Movies<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmE8vBWyQe0l4ErvqdMHBNMflV4_vq-BCisZFy_VtajSfJN2bn4adaKA8UKt8cRDxsF9stQTLnmZyglEz3FDZDylQEgmeEHhJKZH37GszS29kEQkK7OOPberoY_YqHSq5CFuBhLxUzBA/s1080/Invited%2521.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmE8vBWyQe0l4ErvqdMHBNMflV4_vq-BCisZFy_VtajSfJN2bn4adaKA8UKt8cRDxsF9stQTLnmZyglEz3FDZDylQEgmeEHhJKZH37GszS29kEQkK7OOPberoY_YqHSq5CFuBhLxUzBA/s320/Invited%2521.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></div><div><span>We're creeping up on Halloween season. I love me some horror movies, but I don't really watch R-Rated movies. I've compiled a list of PG-13 horror movies that I've enjoyed</span>, some of them a dozen or more times! I have included a couple of R-Rated movies that are rated R for the scares -Hellllooo Conjuring Universe- but would be PG-13 otherwise. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>In no particular order...</b></h3><div><span><br /></span></div><span>The Ring 2002 - This was the first movie I thought of. It was 100% the scariest movie ever at the time it was released!</span><div><br /><div>
<span>The Ring Two 2003- Not as scary as the first, but still a good watch! </span></div><div><br />
<span>Arachnophobia 1990- Still as creepy as when I first saw it in the theater as an 11 year old!</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>Poltergeist 1982- I first saw this when I was four. Nightmares for months! It still has good creep factor.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>Poltergeist 2015- A really good remake. I love that it's not word for word the same as the original. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Cry Wolf 2005- Not many people have seen this one, but it was a favorite of mine for years.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>Disturbia 2007- Shia LaBeouf, when he was young and adorable, adds some laughs to this one. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Countdown 2019- Makes you a little creeped out about what you download to your phone. </span></div><div><br />
<span>His House 2020- Loved this unique take on the haunted house movie.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>The Conjuring 2013- So good. So scary.</span></div><div><br />
<span>The Conjuring II 2016- Another great Conjuring movie. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Conjuring III 2021- Not as scary as others in the universe, but good. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Annabelle 2014- Yikes. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Annabelle: Creation 2017- Creepy Doll. Creepy kids. What more to say? </span></div><div><br />
<span>Annabelle: Coming Home 2019- If you're following the Conjuring story, you don't wanna miss this one. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Nun 2018- This one was SCARY! And it ties into the other stories so well! </span></div><div><br />
<span>La Llorona 2019- Loosely part of the Conjuring world. Not as scary as the others, but eerie! </span></div><div><br />
<span>Prom Night 2008- Cheesy but fun.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>Carriers 2009- Classic world-ending virus story. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Insidious 2010- Scary good. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Insidious: Chapter 2 2013- Continuation of the story in the first movie.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>Insidious: Chapter 3 2015- Prequel to the first movie. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Insidious: The Last Key 2018- Not terribly scary, but rounds out the story. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Babadook 2014- Creepy for sure! </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Visit 2015- If you're scared of old people, this will especially freak you out.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>Winchester 2018- Not terribly scary or historically accurate, but a good watch. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Darkness Falls 2003- Having a kid who was scared to death of the Tooth Fairy made me not watch this for several years after it came out! </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Forest 2016- Nice creep factor. Makes you wonder what really happened. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Boogeyman 2005- Not scary enough for me to want to watch the sequels, but decent.</span></div><div><br />
<span>The Uninvited 2009- I really like this one! </span></div><div><br />
<span>World War Z 2013- Zombies and Brad Pitt.</span></div><div><br />
<span>Haunting of Molly Hartley 2008- Used to be one of my favorites!</span></div><div><br />
<span>The Boy 2016- Dolls sure are creepy! </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Boy II 2020- Just as good as the first. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Haunting in Connecticut 2009- Based VERY loosely off a true story. A good watch. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Messengers 2007- Birds are scary. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Final Girls 2015- One of my favorite movies. Comedy horror. Great film.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>Mama 2013- Tim Burton looking ghosts. Decent scares. </span></div><div><br />
<span>1408 2007- Weird and creepy. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Possession 2012- A Jewish spin on a demonic possession. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Last Exorcism 2010- Found footage film. Pretty scary. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Woman in Black 2012- Classic haunted house story. Definitely recommend.</span></div><div><br />
<span>The Woman in Black II 2015- Not as good as the first, but still worth the watch. </span></div><div><br />
<span>1922 2017- Slow moving, but a good story with some rats and ghosts.</span></div><div><span> </span></div><div>
<span>The New Daughter 2009- Creature horror.</span></div><div><br />
<span>Ouija 2014- Made my kids mad that they pronounced "Ouija" wrong. Haha</span></div><div><br />
<span>Ouija: origin of evil 2016- Better than the first one! </span></div><div><br />
<span>An American Haunting 2006- Old fashioned ghost story with a twist.</span></div><div><br />
<span>Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2019- I wasn't sure if they'd do the book justice, but this was a really fun, creepy movie. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Skeleton Key 2005- Voodoo is horrifying!</span></div><div><br />
<span>Cloverfield 2008- Found footage craziness. </span></div><div><br />
<span>10 Cloverfield Lane 2016- In the Cloverfield world but not a sequel. Really liked it!! I did not like the third in the series so I left it off the list. </span></div><div><br />
<span>A Quiet Place 2018- Don't eat or check your phone during this movie. It'll be too loud! </span></div><div><br />
<span>A Quiet Place II 2021- Glad they made a sequel. Also Netflix has a knockoff Quiet Place and it's trash. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Others 2001- Classic spookiness. I think of this movie often because of all the doors in my house.</span></div><div><br />
<span>Night of the Living Dead 1968- Must watch zombie flick. Ties well into current issues. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Truth or Dare 2018- Creepy good but not fabulous. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Sixth Sense 1999- Is there anyone out there who hasn't seen this film? </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Bye Bye Man 2017- Lots of plot holes, but still has some jumps. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Slender Man 2018- I didn't really know much about Slender Man before watching the movie. It's got some frightening scenes. </span></div><div><br />
<span>When a Stranger Calls 1979- Classic urban legend story. </span></div><div><br />
<span>When a Stranger Calls 2006- Not as good as the original, but still some nerve-wracking scenes. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Split 2016- Loved this. I know it's part of a series, but it's great as a stand alone. </span></div><div><br />
<span>White Noise 2005- Intense. I don't want to know what's in white noise. Haha</span></div><div><br />
<span>The Grudge 2004- Ugghh... the shower scene. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Hush 2016- This is a heart-racing one. </span></div><div><br />
<span>I am Legend 2007- So many references to this with the vaccine situation right now. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Veronica 2017- It was on several lists as the scariest movie ever. It was good, but it wasn't the scariest. Has subtitles. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Vast of Night 2020- Enjoyed this one. Retro vibe, good story. </span></div><div><br />
<span>#Alive 2020- Zombie movie set in Korea. Has subtitles. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Psycho 1960- We watch this at least once a year! </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Birds 1963- Have I mentioned birds are scary? </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Exorcism of Emily Rose 2005- The only bad thing is it tells you she dies right at the beginning. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Lights Out 2016- The opening scene is SO scary! </span></div><div><br />
<span>Sinister 2012- Super dark and horrifying. I wasn't a fan of the sequel though. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Unholy 2021- Decent religious horror story. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Escape Room 2019- My daughter and I got ID'd to watch this movie in the theater? </span></div><div><br />
<span>The New Mutants 2020- I know it's in the X-Men universe, but it definitely holds its own. </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Unborn 2009- Worrisome spirit possession. Aren't they all worrisome? </span></div><div><br />
<span>The Rite 2011- Religious horror flick.</span></div><div><br />
<span>Devil 2010- M. Night Shyamalan. Of course there's a twist.</span></div><div><br />
<span>House on the End of the Street 2012- Creepy house. Creepy dude. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Flatliners 2017- Remake of the R-Rated Kevin Bacon film of the same name.</span></div><div><span> </span><br />
<span>The Cave 2005- Creatures. In a cave. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Cat's Eye 1985- Three disturbing tales with a cat linking them all together. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>The Vatican Tapes 2015- Another priests fight a demon possession flick. <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Now for a few not-scary but fun Halloween movies:</b></h3><br /><span>Hocus Pocus 1993- A must watch every Halloween season! </span></div><div><br />
<span>Practical Magic 1998- Such a beloved witch movie. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Ghostbusters 1984- Who ya gonna call? </span></div><div><br />
<span>Ghostbusters 2016- Hilarious remake.</span></div><div><br />
<span>ET 1982- ET phone home. Don't forget the Reese's Pieces while watching this one! </span></div><div><br />
<span>Goosebumps 2015- I was surprised at how much I liked this. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Goosebumps II 2018- Halloween fun! </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>The Witches 1990- Much more frightening than the remake, plus it has the nostalgia factor.</div><div> <br />
<span>Fun Size 2012- Halloween night shenanigans.</span></div><div><br />
<span>Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1992- Vampires and teenagers. Luke Perry.</span></div><div><br />
<span>The Addams Family 1991- If you haven't watched this in a while, bust it out for Halloween! </span></div><div><br />
<span>Beetlejuice 1988- Funny, creepy, a classic. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Teen Witch 1989- I used to be able to quote this whole movie. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Hubie Halloween 2020- If you like 1990's Adam Sandler movies, you'll laugh your head off at this one. </span></div><div><br />
<span>Bewitched 2005- Fun and cheesy. </span><br /><br /><!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/clipdata/clipdata_bodytext_210801_145110_295.sdocx--></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Have a great movie night! I'm excited to see what new horror flicks will be coming out this fall!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ98ay_e5z66mltUoXHjHt9zkWnGgADeqys-CIPfhG33b8syG0pMGK88FjzRKFVDBwmoU-Gr9_2rRSvqeeKhyphenhyphen6mJ4O6j1MNgU3kcVGpO2vrUtlLB53H0md0qb4FvJDcGATz-rQJifSWKI/s1500/Over+100.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ98ay_e5z66mltUoXHjHt9zkWnGgADeqys-CIPfhG33b8syG0pMGK88FjzRKFVDBwmoU-Gr9_2rRSvqeeKhyphenhyphen6mJ4O6j1MNgU3kcVGpO2vrUtlLB53H0md0qb4FvJDcGATz-rQJifSWKI/w266-h400/Over+100.png" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-91638452594802926212020-02-12T11:37:00.001-07:002020-02-12T11:37:38.433-07:00Instant Pot Funfetti Healthy Dessert<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IdhMmfITOtgRHcG2enRQDehDhFnf8votRcBGG1rV7BMmYnXpXJkCqLaeFTqEvlK5LkCB_lJ8XCbWoqCiPHGi7dY94rnnOkZGI1mjniwWeEqNUUn8FuLWAPQ2OzkzGdf6_YyMv4bDP1Y/s1600/1581532009152032-0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IdhMmfITOtgRHcG2enRQDehDhFnf8votRcBGG1rV7BMmYnXpXJkCqLaeFTqEvlK5LkCB_lJ8XCbWoqCiPHGi7dY94rnnOkZGI1mjniwWeEqNUUn8FuLWAPQ2OzkzGdf6_YyMv4bDP1Y/s1600/1581532009152032-0.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPwzTqMFlNbnFKsnPFQ7TpgvrxGgB2nhtcbqpfyvsYI7F1MkVh5znurYe0W9YZrLokx9d6MC6aL3waq0UvwNMYiAVkb9VURol_G_idlYmzITrKVcNM-adReGkQ76AFa_B4neY6HHBi9E/s1600/1581531992456005-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPwzTqMFlNbnFKsnPFQ7TpgvrxGgB2nhtcbqpfyvsYI7F1MkVh5znurYe0W9YZrLokx9d6MC6aL3waq0UvwNMYiAVkb9VURol_G_idlYmzITrKVcNM-adReGkQ76AFa_B4neY6HHBi9E/s200/1581531992456005-1.png" width="200" /></a>This is a low fat, low sugar, Weight Watchers friendly (3 purple points for 1/6th of the dessert!), and super adorable cheesecake! I hesitate to call it a cheesecake because there's no cream cheese in it, but it looks like a cheesecake and tastes pretty dang close! It's high in protein and is super easy to make.</div>
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Spray a 7" push spring form pan with cooking spray.</div>
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Beat together: </div>
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3 eggs</div>
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1/4 c. granulated stevia</div>
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1 tsp almond extract </div>
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Add and beat: </div>
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32 oz container plain fat free Greek yogurt (if there is visible liquid, drain it off the top of the container first)</div>
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1 small box sugar free cheesecake flavored pudding mix</div>
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1/4 c dry yellow cake mix</div>
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Gently stir in:</div>
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3 TBSP sprinkles</div>
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Pour into prepared springform pan. </div>
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Place water in Instant Pot liner until it's just under where trivet will reach. Cover full pan with a paper towel and then tin foil, using the tin foil to keep the paper towel off the batter. Place on trivet with handles and lower into Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Once done, turn off heat, release pressure, but leave in Instant Pot for at least 10 minutes. </div>
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Carefully remove from Instant Pot, sprinkle with more sprinkles while still warm, cover with a paper towel and refrigerate overnight. </div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-64700036151114409172018-11-21T15:51:00.000-07:002018-11-21T15:53:50.684-07:00Dried Apple Pie <br />
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This is such a delicious pie recipe from pioneer times and a great way to use dried apples! </div>
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Soak 2 cups dried apples in water overnight in the fridge (or somewhere cool). Drain the water and mix with 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon (you can use pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon for some extra flavor!)</div>
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Place apples into a prepared pie crust. I prefer to use an all butter recipe crust. Dot apples with 3 T butter. Cover with top crust, seal the edges and make a few slashes in the <u>top</u>. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or topped with cheddar cheese! </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-14103768376627448052017-12-24T09:45:00.000-07:002017-12-24T09:48:46.272-07:00A Holiday Miracle At the beginning of the Christmas season I had a meltdown. I was tired of all my bah humbug grinchy family members ruining my Christmas cheer year and year. The kids and I had been fighting about them not wanting to go to Thanksgiving dinner and they were already being brats about Christmas. My husband was moping around about the holidays. I haven't had as much energy, physically or mentally, since I had major surgery in July. School was very homework heavy this semester and I was just feeling generally overwhelmed with the stresses of being a mom and caregiver. I couldn't take any more fighting over something like the holidays. This should be the happiest time of the year. It used to be. I needed it to be again.<br />
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I wanted to go to a small town Christmas festival early in the season and my suggestion was being met with complaints and grumbling. My kids said no way. My husband said he'd go if I went, but he didn't want to. After the month long fight over Thanksgiving and the complaints I was already hearing about Christmas, I had enough. "FINE! I AM DONE. I'M NOT MAKING ANYONE DO ANYTHING CHRISTMASSY. IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO CHRISTMAS THINGS I'M NOT MAKING YOU DO THEM. I'M NOT FORCING YOU. I'M NOT GOING WITHOUT YOU. I'M JUST DONE." I may have shed a tear or two. After years and years of being the queen of Christmas, with three kids and a husband who hate the holidays, I finally broke. My Christmas spirit was gone.<br />
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Something happened to my family after I had my outburst. They all decided we should go to the Christmas festival. I was pouting and not even dressed and they told me I should get ready. We went and no one complained about anything, even though there wasn't as much to do as I had hoped. We stood in long lines out in the cold, and no one said an single negative thing. They even agreed to get our picture taken with Santa for the first time since they were little.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuc0luAhczCfnOSyS5djZhyYOOAXFk1gB_KYXc8c8CrA2Ohsno7XDScT84QWf3nA1CU0TsvtpsrPmr7FRlbH3_JVY1cSxW_R9aMQwepfIVZm1KhIlPP-yu5JbfF_fcwhp8zIdS3cmpvE8/s1600/IMG_20171121_191654_844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuc0luAhczCfnOSyS5djZhyYOOAXFk1gB_KYXc8c8CrA2Ohsno7XDScT84QWf3nA1CU0TsvtpsrPmr7FRlbH3_JVY1cSxW_R9aMQwepfIVZm1KhIlPP-yu5JbfF_fcwhp8zIdS3cmpvE8/s320/IMG_20171121_191654_844.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But it wasn't just that night. They were enthusiastic about taking Christmas card pictures. They laughed and posed and had fun with it. Alyssa spent the evening helping me pick out the picture to use as our Christmas card and choosing which card design to order.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0pxp3zY-gJ_NVru5uQz1_x8knj9VSR1rHEI8Cr4HgorhdOSXvKB8z-PKCoNS-5K8sIEs5B3nQxqTzvQF7HoJsZgvsJhMeeN3-PyQNgdZ08RZM_EvyA4XjCbUuzxwLh8g55pDZ7Uidew/s1600/IMG_20171218_185017_376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0pxp3zY-gJ_NVru5uQz1_x8knj9VSR1rHEI8Cr4HgorhdOSXvKB8z-PKCoNS-5K8sIEs5B3nQxqTzvQF7HoJsZgvsJhMeeN3-PyQNgdZ08RZM_EvyA4XjCbUuzxwLh8g55pDZ7Uidew/s320/IMG_20171218_185017_376.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My husband has watched many Christmas movies with me this month. He wore silly socks to our family party even though he doesn't like attention.<br />
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Alyssa came home from her dad's house for our family Christmas party. She wore a Christmas sweater and socialized the whole night, which is very unlike her.<br />
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We've watched Christmas movies, listened to Christmas music, made gingerbread houses and my family hasn't complained at all. Alyssa has asked to do things I hadn't even planned this year, like going on a Christmas light scavenger hunt last night.<br />
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<br />
Caleb didn't want to go look at lights with us and I was disappointed, but I wasn't going to say anything about it since they've been so good all month. Alyssa jumped on his case and told him he had to go. He said, "Alyssa, you don't even like Christmas." She responded, "I know, but I'm really trying to this year.". I got a tear in my eye and told her, "Christmas is magical and life is hard. We should look for any magic we can find in this world." She said, "You're not wrong." and yelled at her brother to get in the car.<br />
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We drove around for hours last night, listening to Christmas music and trying to find all the hard things on Alyssa's list (Mrs. Claus and the Grinch escaped us). We all had fun and we laughed and laughed.<br />
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I have truly seen the magic of Christmas and giving in my family this year. They could see I was struggling because life IS hard and I needed the happiness of the holidays and positive family time. They gave that to me. I think they needed it too, especially Alyssa. As my kids are getting older, family time is the most precious gift in the world to me. My heart has grown three times its normal size this December. There have been no stresses this week, only JOY. I'm looking forward to Christmas eve festivities tonight and opening presents tomorrow morning with all three of my kids. I'm feeling Christmas excitement like I haven't felt in years. It's a holiday miracle!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-25538744634602009582017-07-01T18:08:00.001-06:002017-07-01T18:13:03.879-06:00Instant Pot Sweet Italian Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlhEvQsCj2Fcs1lms02pH7cPtvRL4UlBY9b_jArX_urTlendCJZW_oxJ2wV4CLIdJKSG_EW4oKK5aWG_1XYrxZuwO1Yqak_woIObQYOkc6Pszu17ZVW9taEIPThlTHdVNEOH4Afr1W_Q/s1600/1498953230410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlhEvQsCj2Fcs1lms02pH7cPtvRL4UlBY9b_jArX_urTlendCJZW_oxJ2wV4CLIdJKSG_EW4oKK5aWG_1XYrxZuwO1Yqak_woIObQYOkc6Pszu17ZVW9taEIPThlTHdVNEOH4Afr1W_Q/s400/1498953230410.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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My husband said this is the best meal I've ever made in the<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FLYWNYQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FLYWNYQ&linkCode=as2&tag=theamerhome-20&linkId=aab0a814a40e7032b3d0b953ef2db466%22%3EInstant%20Pot%20DUO60%207-in-1%20Multi-Use%20Programmable%20Pressure%20Cooker,%20Slow%20Cooker,%206%20Quart%20|%201000W%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=theamerhome-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00FLYWNYQ%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank"> Instant Pot</a> and I use my Instant Pot almost daily! It was super good! This could be made on the stove top as well. </div>
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Grilled chicken, diced<br />
Seeds of Change quinoa & brown rice pouch (I buy mine at Costco)<br />
Can diced tomatoes w/sweet onion<br />
2 cans water<br />
Diced yellow bell pepper<br />
Diced red onion<br />
Italian seasoning </div>
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Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes. You can quick or natural release. Serve with feta cheese.</div>
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To cook on a stove top, just simmer until peppers and onion are soft. </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-2248518561200695612017-06-18T21:03:00.002-06:002017-06-18T21:05:18.535-06:00Cherry Cream Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfSO7nAS0VEO2fbPKRfNehrM4RdbCUCqmWG79M5IY9YKBbYxV34EyOL94FXmuMQVcyZK0yxVbefPjejcZ3hHEHgv_Mvs4Qj2xtJ7SRCVsu_s6T3dsdaT3uL0xHeXDivYXbEeioVec0Bs/s1600/cherry+cream+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1203" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfSO7nAS0VEO2fbPKRfNehrM4RdbCUCqmWG79M5IY9YKBbYxV34EyOL94FXmuMQVcyZK0yxVbefPjejcZ3hHEHgv_Mvs4Qj2xtJ7SRCVsu_s6T3dsdaT3uL0xHeXDivYXbEeioVec0Bs/s320/cherry+cream+pie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Having a cherry tree in my yard means I often have canned cherries on my shelf. I needed a last minute dessert for Father's Day dinner tonight and this cherry pie came out amazing! I will be making it again, for sure!<br />
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<b>Cherry Cream Pie</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 quart canned cherries, drained or fresh cherries, pitted<br />
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homemade or store-bought graham cracker crust<br />
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Cream:<br />
3/4 c. sugar<br />
1/3 c. flour<br />
dash salt<br />
1/2 tsp corn starch<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 c. sour cream<br />
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Topping:<br />
1/2 c. sugar<br />
1/2 c. flour<br />
1/4 c. cold butter<br />
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Pour the cherries into the pie pan lined with graham cracker crust. Mix your cream ingredients well. Pour over cherries, moving cherries around as needed to allow the cream mixture to settle in. For topping, cut butter into the sugar and flour until it resembles crumbs. Sprinkle topping over cherries and cream. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. If edges of graham cracker crust start to darken, cover edges with tin foil. Serve warm with ice cream.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-70830401214060419982017-01-26T04:00:00.000-07:002017-01-26T04:00:01.289-07:00J-E-L-L-O<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHt1_MX2HRayZf_og7Q316lmr-0-UY4XF3G55-_pErQNfDPn4X_8Phdx-xGKCmRgo9Uw5NZMm87em7woNL-4ZOJCVgdEpnNm_x693l9EWkWugAtXR8cz3Qnm6JgrkGTiGYoFRbjNFU1tg/s1600/Overnight+jello+salad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHt1_MX2HRayZf_og7Q316lmr-0-UY4XF3G55-_pErQNfDPn4X_8Phdx-xGKCmRgo9Uw5NZMm87em7woNL-4ZOJCVgdEpnNm_x693l9EWkWugAtXR8cz3Qnm6JgrkGTiGYoFRbjNFU1tg/s400/Overnight+jello+salad.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">My kids now call me the "Crazy Jello Lady" and people at church sing the Jello song to me when I pass because I happened to be featured on a fun KSL news segment about Jello in Utah last month! </span><a href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=42552860" style="font-size: medium;" target="_blank">You can watch it HERE!</a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">It was a lot of fun! This is the Jello salad recipe I make more than any other. It's so delicious!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Overnight Jello Salad</b></span></div>
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<i></i>1 small pkg vanilla pudding (not instant)<br />
1 small pkg orange jello<br />
12 oz carton of cool whip (extra creamy, if possible)<br />
1 can mandarin oranges, drained<br />
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained<br />
2-3 bananas, sliced<br />
<div>
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Cook pudding according to package directions using water instead of milk. Add the dry jello powder and boil until dissolved. Cover and let set overnight. In the morning, whip jello-pudding mixture and cool whip in a large bowl together. Fold in fruit. Let chill.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-16629606416695895202017-01-24T16:17:00.000-07:002017-01-24T16:17:25.450-07:00Mental Illness Through the Eyes of a 16 Year Old Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfbmE-QHH2SJ28aFJTfZmfmVPN0XS8KbhF96XHRCvhUff-GeJgbI2Isw5HR6FpdV07nbpD9ucObF8FBHn-yoyZEtte-vc_fsZDlecWTDU9vURnNVn5Jxyzgixj0Up00vYG9LSmm-pkKk/s1600/A+Beautiful+Mess.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfbmE-QHH2SJ28aFJTfZmfmVPN0XS8KbhF96XHRCvhUff-GeJgbI2Isw5HR6FpdV07nbpD9ucObF8FBHn-yoyZEtte-vc_fsZDlecWTDU9vURnNVn5Jxyzgixj0Up00vYG9LSmm-pkKk/s320/A+Beautiful+Mess.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mental illness is not beautiful. It's not romantic. Depression isn't just being sad. I don't know what sad feels like. Anxiety isn't just being nervous. Bipolar isn't just mood swings. Self harm isn't just attention seeking.<br />
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Depression is feeling empty, numb, hopeless. It's staring at the ceiling at 4 am with burning eyes because your thoughts won't stop telling you that you're better off dead.<br />
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It's not getting out of bed for days because you don't see the point. It's leaving piles of homework in the corner because you lack any motivation. It's being told you're selfish and lazy when really you want so desperately to be able to go outside and hang our with friends but your depression keeps you in your basement all day.<br />
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Anxiety is not being able to pay for your food at a restaurant. It's the constant feeling of almost falling off a cliff. It's having panic attacks in the middle of class. Hiding in the bathroom as your chest doesn't allow you to breathe and the tears don't stop. You can't speak or stand and you can physically feel the walls caving in around you. It's the feeling someone would get when they're just about to take the most important test of their lives, only instead of a test, it's just asking for a takeout box.<br />
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Bipolar Disorder isn't just an over-emotional girl on her period. It's wanting to kill yourself for days as you suffer a rock-bottom depression and then all of a sudden you're so high you can't see yourself ever coming down. Mania is terrifying, not happy. It's laughing at the most dire situations. It's loud and chaotic. It's like spinning around in circles as fast as you can and not being able to stop, only to stumble into a pit and plummet back to that crippling depression. It's not being able to trust your emotions because you only feel in extremes.<br />
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Self harm is ugly. There's no one who is kissing your scars. It's feeling so bad about yourself and who your illness has made you become that the self hatred boils over, spilling out into hysterical crying and the urge to destroy yourself. Or feeling so numb and empty that you bleed to feel something again. It's pain. It's stinging. It's fear. It's regret. It's shame. And it's not being able to stop even when you want to.<br />
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None of these things are beautiful. They're ugly. They're destruction. They're chaos. They make you forget what it ever felt like to be happy. Mental illness consumes you. It is hell.<br />
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But if not for these illnesses taking over my life, I wouldn't be the artist I am. No one would be able to feel the emotion radiating off of my paintings. I would lose my creativity. To create is to survive. And the only things that is beautiful out of any of this is what I am now able to create. The most important thing I've ever learned is how to take all of the pain and negativity and channel it into a piece of artwork. Out of my suffering I have created beauty.<br />
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My paintings may be sloppy and dark, and difficult to understand, but they are beautiful and they are me.<br />
____________________<br />
<br />
<i>A note from her mom:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I've been surrounded by mental illnesses most of my life, but it is so different to watch your babies struggle. Even though I can understand what someone with a mental illness is going through, I can't truly understand how it feels to them. In our home I have worked hard to completely normalize mental illnesses. In fact, my daughter will mockingly call me "neurotypical", meaning I'm one of the only people in our family without a diagnosed mental disorder. I'm the odd-ball, which also means I'm the caregiver and carry a lot of stress due to doctor's appointments, medications, psychiatrist's appointments, counseling appointments and the day-to-day of helping those who are not-so-neurotypical. It's an exhausting life. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>This piece titled "A Beautiful Mess" was written by my daughter last year, which was a low point in her life. She has since made a lot of progress, thanks largely to finding a good bipolar medication, but she still struggles daily. I tease her all the time about being so high maintenance. I am very proud of her for finding healthy outlets to cope, such as painting and writing and I'm even more proud that she is allowing me to share her thoughts with the world. Please, parents, make your home a safe place for your teenagers to share their feelings with you, no matter how dark they may be.</i><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-46176420494840718032017-01-09T10:32:00.000-07:002017-01-09T10:32:12.960-07:002016: A Year in Picture Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
2016 was a year of MAGIC!</div>
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When I chose magic as my word of the year for 2016, I had no idea what would transpire, but it truly was a magical year. Here are a few of the amazing things that happened last year!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBCHBitDCZHTAgSL6_hPx7AePAaxA7Jj84pldwls_AEiQ7T81wP_i298_qRcnEW-dyIrknPvK6oa0yrTGc9hVGEf6ZizCY-SFLOrF5DDGifhhE02HfUWpADgzurkVVufE4fykt1qUZgw/s1600/20160210_172916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBCHBitDCZHTAgSL6_hPx7AePAaxA7Jj84pldwls_AEiQ7T81wP_i298_qRcnEW-dyIrknPvK6oa0yrTGc9hVGEf6ZizCY-SFLOrF5DDGifhhE02HfUWpADgzurkVVufE4fykt1qUZgw/s400/20160210_172916.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We visited the ice castles in Midway!</div>
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It was our first time and WOW! Beautiful!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIswa05jg0OUPn5Z2uu1_0pAujQ_gcCfJQy3mY8kB0WZGh6omfQVerW71tUwvWENThi0y85TKbNgkBcX3G1h4bXz-SFVuKR6VK4L37CIRlj5p8I817u2xDukai73FTCU4fpJuIJH3brhQ/s1600/20160212_204859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIswa05jg0OUPn5Z2uu1_0pAujQ_gcCfJQy3mY8kB0WZGh6omfQVerW71tUwvWENThi0y85TKbNgkBcX3G1h4bXz-SFVuKR6VK4L37CIRlj5p8I817u2xDukai73FTCU4fpJuIJH3brhQ/s400/20160212_204859.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I hosted a 1950s themed dinner party. Everyone dressed up, the food was perfect and we all had so much fun!</div>
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This will be a tradition for sure.</div>
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We went bobsledding in Park City! It was crazy, but so fun!</div>
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I attended my first blogging conference.</div>
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I met so many fabulous ladies and really had an incredible time!</div>
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We went to our first Utah Jazz game and got to go down on the court to high-five the players as they came out. I'm not really a sports person, but Caleb and my husband really had a great time!</div>
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I built a craft room! Ok, I hired someone to build it, but it's pink and girly and has a chandelier!</div>
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I threw myself the most amazing pink princess party for my birthday. This was such a magical event!</div>
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We went to Lava Hot Springs for the first time.</div>
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So much fun!</div>
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Our annual trip to Yuba Lake was as great as ever!</div>
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We saw Lita Ford, Ratt, Warrant, Dokken and Bret Michaels in concert! Bret Michaels was a blast! He checked Poison off my concert bucket list!</div>
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Costa Rica!!!</div>
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Visiting Costa Rica had been a goal of mine since I was a little kid.</div>
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I got to spend two amazing weeks there! I can't wait to go back again!</div>
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Weezer was another band on my concert bucket list. CHECK!</div>
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They played with Panic! at the Disco, which is a favorite of Alyssa's.</div>
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It was a summer of concerts! We also saw Kansas and Lynyrd Skynyrd!</div>
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Alyssa is a great concert buddy!</div>
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Crystal Pepsi made a limited time comeback in 2016!</div>
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I can't even tell you how many I drank!</div>
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I flew to Virginia for the first time for a</div>
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Pinups for Patriots conference!</div>
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I joined this fun organization in 2016 and really love it, even though I'm slow to get things going!</div>
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We attended the Modern Marine Expo at Quantico.</div>
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NYC! We toured the beautiful historic library and attended a Thank You for your Service documentary showing and reception on the USS Intrepid. So cool!</div>
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We took the family to the Witchapalooza dinner theater for the first time in October.</div>
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I had always wanted to go! So fun!</div>
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I entered a Halloween-themed pinup competition.</div>
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A weekend at Bear Lake with these fabulous ladies was just what I needed!</div>
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This is also going to become a tradition.</div>
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My husband and I celebrated our (early) anniversary at the Roof Restaurant and the Anniversary Inn... both incredible places!</div>
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I did an hour-long podcast interview for the new <a href="https://pinupsandpatriots.podbean.com/e/ep1/" target="_blank">Pinups and Patriots</a> show.</div>
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The very same week I had an <a href="http://motto.time.com/4557267/veterans-day-ptsd/?iid=sr-link1" target="_blank">article published on Time Magazine's Motto</a> website!</div>
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I couldn't include photos of all the time I've spent with fellow veteran's wives/caregivers over the last year, but this photo sums it up! This was a Wounded Warrior Project activity. We decided we needed to match in our pink castle dresses... you know, as people do.</div>
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Over the last couple of years, most media interviews I've done have been very heavy, dealing with veteran's and caregiver's issues. It was so much fun to do a <a href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=42552860" target="_blank">Jello interview</a>! Yes, Jello! So random. Take a minute to watch it. You'll see what a crazy Jello lady I am!</div>
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We spent a fun night on Fremont Street in Vegas listened to live music and watching the light show!</div>
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My first cruise was fabulous!</div>
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Holding a baby panther in Mexico was seriously a highlight of my life! It was the most amazing experience! What's really adorable is when people ask my husband what his favorite part of our vacation was, he says it was watching me hold the baby panther because I was so, so happy!</div>
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It was cold and rainy during our California trip, but the kids rode the ferris wheel on Balboa Island and we all had a lot of fun playing in the arcade together. I got beat at air hockey by one of my kids for the first time. It was so nice having some good old fashioned family fun time.</div>
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I can't wait to see what JOY 2017 brings!</div>
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<a href="https://pinupsandpatriots.podbean.com/e/ep1/" target="_blank">Pinups and Patriots Podcast</a></div>
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<a href="http://motto.time.com/4557267/veterans-day-ptsd/?iid=sr-link1" target="_blank">Motto article</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=42552860" target="_blank">A Brief History of Jello</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-75234863743717325712017-01-01T13:49:00.002-07:002017-01-01T13:49:26.846-07:002017: The Best is Yet to Come!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">It's New Year's Day! I've been pondering on my goals and my word for 2017 over the last couple of weeks. </span><b>I've decided my word of the year will be JOY</b>! Last year my word was MAGIC and so many magical things happened! I held a baby panther!!! You can't get much more magical than that! This year I want pure <b>JOY</b> in my life!<br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;">Each year there are so many things I want to improve on. This year I feel like I have a mix of big goals I want to accomplish and maintaining I need to do:</span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Spiritual-</b></span> Spiritual comes first on my list because God is number one in my life. My spiritual goal for 2017 is once again to attend the temple at least four times during the year. I think the first step in this goal is to find a good friend to go with me. I'm not motivated to go all by myself. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Physical-</span></b> My physical goal is to focus on a healthier lifestyle. I want to avoid eating out as much as possible, go to water aerobics at least once a week and cut most soda pop out of my life. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Intellectual-</b></span> My intellectual goal for the year is to complete 4-5 classes at the local community college in 2017 and get straight As in all my classes. I've enrolled in two fashion design classes and start school in a week! I'm pretty nervous, but also excited for this new adventure! </span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Emotional- </span></b> My emotional goal is to continue to attend support group meetings and Relief Society meetings, even though I'm going to be busier with school. I need the emotional support that comes from these types of meetings. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Social-</span></b> My social goal for 2017 is to socialize more as a couple. My husband is not a fan of socializing. At all. Under any circumstances. I miss hanging out with other couples, so I'm setting a goal for more double dates and couple parties. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Financial-</span></b> My financial goal is to make and sell 50 skirts and/or aprons this year... This one seems a little overwhelming to me, but I think I can do it!<br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Adventure-</span></b> It wouldn't be a New Year's resolution list for me without a travel goal! My goal is once again to visit at least one state I've never been to before. I also plan to go on a couple of camping trips! We didn't take our camper out one single time last year, so I need to clean the dust off and go have some camping fun!</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">What about you? Have you made any goals for the new year?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-86389546782948995292016-11-11T11:13:00.001-07:002016-11-11T11:17:59.615-07:00PTSD awareness isn't just about suicide.I shared this on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theamericanhomemaker/?fref=ts" target="_blank">facebook</a> a couple of months ago, but thought Veteran's Day was an appropriate time to share it here as well.<br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/dvsKFF7WtTo" target="_blank">Watch it on YouTube here.</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-90023396823689001222016-09-17T09:28:00.003-06:002016-09-17T09:28:34.221-06:00Instant Pot Italian Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've seen several versions of this chicken, both Instant Pot and stove top and I decided I wanted to try it. When your kids say, "Good job, Mom!" before they've even tasted it you know dinner is a hit!</div>
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<b>Instant Pot Italian Chicken</b></div>
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2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts</div>
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olive oil</div>
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Italian seasoning</div>
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garlic salt</div>
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1/2 c. chicken broth</div>
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1 c. cream</div>
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5-6 oz parmesan cheese</div>
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1 c. chopped spinach</div>
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1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes</div>
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2 TBSP cream cheese</div>
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8 oz sliced mushrooms</div>
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Slice chicken breasts in half to make them thinner. Coat with garlic oil and sprinkled both sides with seasonings. Cook chicken breasts in your Instant Pot two at a time on saute until lightly browned. After chicken is browned, remove all chicken. Add broth to IP and stir to remove brown bits from the bottom. Add chicken back into pot and high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release the pressure and remove chicken from pot.</div>
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Add remaining ingredients to pot. Simmer and stir on saute until mushrooms are slightly softened. </div>
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To serve, place chicken on top of cooked pasta and top with sauce. Yum!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-59315042218877027902016-08-31T21:45:00.000-06:002016-08-31T21:45:31.997-06:00No Spend September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DGYPu11uqAdQZ3alD1rJZEbx3Sr0L1ChhdLovSfoXWVC91X13ymXkBC2umAfWnXraSfJaxqbm1A01XDzu0a9NukKQyCOIh3Oem1C85pQBkj7huhZ_GJv1fKezHK-aKowRX17tRPGKoI/s1600/OCT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DGYPu11uqAdQZ3alD1rJZEbx3Sr0L1ChhdLovSfoXWVC91X13ymXkBC2umAfWnXraSfJaxqbm1A01XDzu0a9NukKQyCOIh3Oem1C85pQBkj7huhZ_GJv1fKezHK-aKowRX17tRPGKoI/s400/OCT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A couple of months ago I decided to try going a full week without spending any money. No groceries. No household items. No eating out. Nothing. I think my kids were more frustrated with it than I was... or I should say Alyssa was frustrated. She likes to talk me into french fries here, ice cream there and I always give in because it gives me one-on-one time with my lovely, spoiled 16 year old. The week was difficult for the whole family. My husband loves to eat out and I love to wander around thrift stores and craft stores. A week without spending may not seem like much to some people, but for us it was huge!</div>
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I feel like I've spent a ton of money over the summer between our big vacation and back to school shopping. Over $400 for school fees alone! For two kids at public school! That's not even counting school clothes or supplies. Soon the holiday season will be full blown upon us and more money will float right out the window. I decided I need to do a No Spend September as kind of a financial cleanse in between two very expensive seasons.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The rules I'm setting for myself are:</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1-</span></b> No shopping in person or online for anything, with the exception of basic groceries and household supplies. I'm giving myself a $400 budget for these items.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2-</b></span> No eating out, with the exception of date night once a week and lunch with friends one time during the month. No movies or other entertainment expenses outside date night. I'm giving myself a $100 budget for this. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3-</span></b> No rationalizing that something is a "good deal" that I just can't pass up. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4- </span></b>No wandering around stores when I am bored. The same goes for browsing online.</div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Are you up doing a No Spend September challenge?</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What rules would you set for yourself?</b></span></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-19861494065029253642016-08-30T18:36:00.000-06:002016-08-30T18:44:26.073-06:00Autumn Jam with an Instant Pot Shortcut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNJC0bPMBNnUHLPHRNF_H-2e3PjnF1bxhTEImyM4ZFxpQSF-dsjnekf86Q6cZtu2lNtmqMSlcvEwfpOJEXQa6qOSEToxwjpOdaTYMcaBYlb277aeeHYtM51W9btakwa2tkrD2PhS6p8M/s1600/Autumn+Jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNJC0bPMBNnUHLPHRNF_H-2e3PjnF1bxhTEImyM4ZFxpQSF-dsjnekf86Q6cZtu2lNtmqMSlcvEwfpOJEXQa6qOSEToxwjpOdaTYMcaBYlb277aeeHYtM51W9btakwa2tkrD2PhS6p8M/s400/Autumn+Jam.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This jam is amazing! I love all homemade jam, but this one really stands out. We don't eat a lot of jam at our house and I make several batches a year, which means I always have tons of extras. I whipped up a batch of this jam a couple of days ago and we've already gone through two jars, so I made my second batch today! I have apple, plum and pear trees all ready to be picked at the same time and who knew mixing the fruits all together would be so yummy??</div>
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Do you have an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-IP-DUO60-Multi-Functional-Pressure/dp/B00FLYWNYQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1472601618&sr=1-1&keywords=instant+pot&linkCode=ll1&tag=theamerhome-20&linkId=fdbe479ebd6afca7355195058a2e414c" target="_blank">Instant Pot</a>? I use mine every single day... usually multiple times a day! I decided to use the Instant Pot to shortcut my jam making and it did a great job! It saved time, saved dirty dishes, saved space on my stove AND allowed me to make jam without standing over a hot stove right next to a boiling canner in August!</div>
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<b> <span style="font-size: large;">Autumn Jam</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK60jaJLGqiOO64dRT1PyxLH_fvyKF_WITB9GqDlUNYktNCh7ChMZ1SoABBioSQice7C9OeFc2ERp0wl9rAlW_Hs5LnJpfj5o3csYrJxDN2h65RydJwOCeA5SDrIjl8Q6vi-eIsgeDSI/s1600/20160830_145656%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK60jaJLGqiOO64dRT1PyxLH_fvyKF_WITB9GqDlUNYktNCh7ChMZ1SoABBioSQice7C9OeFc2ERp0wl9rAlW_Hs5LnJpfj5o3csYrJxDN2h65RydJwOCeA5SDrIjl8Q6vi-eIsgeDSI/s200/20160830_145656%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tiny apple chunks compared <br />
to the size of the other fruits<br />
<b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
6 c. mixed apples, pears & plums<br />
(Apples peeled, cored and finely chopped. Pears peeled and cored. Plums, pits removed, no need to peel.)<br />
<br />
1/2 c. apple juice<br />
2 TBSP lemon juice<br />
<br />
1 pkg powdered pectin<br />
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice<br />
6 c. sugar<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>Instant Pot Directions:</b></div>
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(traditional directions follow)</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9Lc3WmzuRUalpJ3hFxb-zF8nSR_jK4s4Cu9lESmHIV4iad2KvST6gzeAP01DlE5mHLHL60CQaFpf0XB4huFsc8il5NmQEttwSJVaKOIKytzUfrkrfRDdBIPKAs8BXsdIGoib7CZbIoQ/s1600/20160830_151515%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9Lc3WmzuRUalpJ3hFxb-zF8nSR_jK4s4Cu9lESmHIV4iad2KvST6gzeAP01DlE5mHLHL60CQaFpf0XB4huFsc8il5NmQEttwSJVaKOIKytzUfrkrfRDdBIPKAs8BXsdIGoib7CZbIoQ/s200/20160830_151515%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ready to pressurize<br />
I used more pears & plums<br />
than apples</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Chop your fruit directly into the IP liner, filling it to the six cup mark. Add apple juice and lemon juice. Press manual and choose high pressure for 1 minute. Once the timer beeps do a quick release of pressure. Remove lid. Turn IP to saute on high heat. Stir in pectin and pumpkin pie spice. Use a potato masher if there are any big chunks of fruit to mash up. Once mixture reaches a boil, which should be right away, add sugar. Cook and stir until mixture comes back to a boil and time for 1 minute. Remove liner from pot. Fill hot jars and process for 15 minutes. <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Traditional Stove Top Directions:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs46hH6254ByNNZ8TOEJOQ71LFdvdP54LkfblvQ8X9x1X5GHqCxwKvBfM5LoQRP2NZpCQN0OkkUFziqZYyxUPTt7gu-Z5yaA9p23cLJrkaDG6QTQ5OnH1QQF0NxnBWWCmvqY1c4tTyVxc/s1600/20160830_153842%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs46hH6254ByNNZ8TOEJOQ71LFdvdP54LkfblvQ8X9x1X5GHqCxwKvBfM5LoQRP2NZpCQN0OkkUFziqZYyxUPTt7gu-Z5yaA9p23cLJrkaDG6QTQ5OnH1QQF0NxnBWWCmvqY1c4tTyVxc/s200/20160830_153842%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a>Mix fruit, apple juice and lemon juice in a large pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until fruit is soft. Use a potato masher if needed to mash up the hot fruit. Stir in pectin and pumpkin pie spice and bring to a rolling boil. Once mixture reaches a boil, add sugar. Cook and stir until mixture returns to a boil and time for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Fill hot jars and process for 15 minutes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcqq6_kDipaCjd95vxJpb3Jh3iiflxOhdbHilVIMRLSI4xEVv-v0NadCDVYQ7KVHXuhMXy502RuzcWUkW54H6IxMKJ5EJmH-N_TzXOofeBq0iHVw7hiN3KzzswSfwRgBCoLLJvdBssUA/s1600/20160830_160850%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcqq6_kDipaCjd95vxJpb3Jh3iiflxOhdbHilVIMRLSI4xEVv-v0NadCDVYQ7KVHXuhMXy502RuzcWUkW54H6IxMKJ5EJmH-N_TzXOofeBq0iHVw7hiN3KzzswSfwRgBCoLLJvdBssUA/s400/20160830_160850%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">contains affiliate links</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-64961631207939015392016-06-20T15:44:00.000-06:002016-06-20T15:49:20.577-06:00Pura Vida<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_TgqvIDguD0bUv9AhAOtojtsUf6kt7zaP-JSlP3VTKVtIolK3YGdPFAyxMH8H5CNsEF1V9KARojj8eJQaIG3M1KOd3SJbqZJWno6l1A4RI_7qtgKqK7f8XKtcRS2QYD-vxQJVJSM0HQ/s1600/13415481_10206902598424767_8385611638731164173_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_TgqvIDguD0bUv9AhAOtojtsUf6kt7zaP-JSlP3VTKVtIolK3YGdPFAyxMH8H5CNsEF1V9KARojj8eJQaIG3M1KOd3SJbqZJWno6l1A4RI_7qtgKqK7f8XKtcRS2QYD-vxQJVJSM0HQ/s400/13415481_10206902598424767_8385611638731164173_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A little known fact about me is that I'm half Costa Rican. As I child, when I'd see the American Flag or sing patriotic songs in elementary school I'd get emotional and choke back tears... okay, I still get emotional during the pledge or national anthem because I'm ridiculously patriotic, but as a kid I would ponder on how grateful I am to be an American and live in the United States. I've always had a deep love for this country I live in. I've also always been curious about Costa Rica, which is where my mom comes from. As long as I can remember, visiting Costa Rica has been one of my biggest goals.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v89ICoJdmJgldvEH8Jrmg904bzOi4ferx2aSi-OKJfjFG7eFkhCnFvoMLy2m9SXNavueOpPSMxa-HfZFYnW1FCvbwfBugroncY5zfVPUtStylp3edA9LpLxplJTTXWKCAx6XUiCmOjY/s1600/mom+and+ronnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v89ICoJdmJgldvEH8Jrmg904bzOi4ferx2aSi-OKJfjFG7eFkhCnFvoMLy2m9SXNavueOpPSMxa-HfZFYnW1FCvbwfBugroncY5zfVPUtStylp3edA9LpLxplJTTXWKCAx6XUiCmOjY/s400/mom+and+ronnie.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becoming US Citizens in 1964</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
My mom was adopted into the United States when she was two years old and her brother was just a baby. There was some adoption paperwork, naming my mom's biological mother and saying the two kids were given to a stranger in a bar and that man's wife made him take the kids to an orphanage. We always wondered what possessed someone to abandon their children. My mom's adopted parents were told that attempts were made to locate the family but no one had come forward. My mom and her brother, Ronnie, were adopted out of an orphanage in San Jose with along with another Costa Rican boy from a different orphanage. Her adoptive parents had gone to Costa Rica to adopt a baby and ended up taking three children instead! I have always thought that was really admirable.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgU2CQEQmcycrGt2iOZCgDJp0eFgDV6TfGd_Zk9WclPlo9cK4SpPQtXrJpKt1oZEoKWAEJCN-XPd23KD74DzO8YEx7dpOqVRcVTiAqRDFKrvE9Tl8Vq216zIx42XAoey5fYB22ISkELE/s1600/with+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgU2CQEQmcycrGt2iOZCgDJp0eFgDV6TfGd_Zk9WclPlo9cK4SpPQtXrJpKt1oZEoKWAEJCN-XPd23KD74DzO8YEx7dpOqVRcVTiAqRDFKrvE9Tl8Vq216zIx42XAoey5fYB22ISkELE/s400/with+family.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here they are with kids belonging to the family they stayed with while all the adoption paperwork was completed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My mom's hair was red from malnutrition and they all had worms. My mom was afraid of small animals and it was believed to be due to the rats she had been around. Years were spent speculating on where my mom came from and the circumstances surrounding the kids ending up in an orphanage. A private investigator was too expensive and we didn't know where to get more information.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5UcnYWXHbo-6u7zZowwu_qzOiEpeAbUJrPvWUADVik_L7TuuP2aI8oh8JvBfCj_S84QIejDE292ZjVWGQfaDt7fdPyczWB5eqsic88QimDwByrn8jKvX7P0H_By8Ek8XAVXaEIAtmic/s1600/20160520_1157031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5UcnYWXHbo-6u7zZowwu_qzOiEpeAbUJrPvWUADVik_L7TuuP2aI8oh8JvBfCj_S84QIejDE292ZjVWGQfaDt7fdPyczWB5eqsic88QimDwByrn8jKvX7P0H_By8Ek8XAVXaEIAtmic/s400/20160520_1157031.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Written by my mom's father</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
Eventually, along came the internet and with it, the ability to connect to people worldwide. My mom posted an ad on the Costa Rican craigslist website with the small amount of information she had about her beginnings in Costa Rica. A man responded to her and said he worked with public records. He did some digging and came up with her birth father's name. A second ad was placed, and someone responded! The email came from the secretary of my grandfather's brother! A simple ad in craigslist led to a family reunited.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I remember the first time we made a phone call to Costa Rica. My mom's Spanish was rusty, so one of my friends offered to translate for us. We placed the phone on speaker and all sat around the phone anxiously as we dialed my mom's older brother. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We learned that my mom's biological mother was separated from the kids' father and she had gone into the city with her two babies to try and find work. Her older son stayed home with his grandparents because he was sick. While she was in the city, the kids were taken from her by the government and placed in an orphanage. The family tried to get them back, but with no luck. The government felt like they weren't being taken care of properly. We're not exactly sure the circumstances surrounding them being given to a man in a bar, but that testimony in the court documents so somewhere along the lines my grandmother must have felt like she just couldn't take care of her children.</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RmfCZXNB4h7tleTaIqjONZAiypBsz-HvOwJqmMPgUA6ZdX7A4e5UjSYA61Gjm3DEMfG_yNZQyE-Bn5o5CAj4duraL3HbkTpsyQaC1-6-K__-ZcGbJ2gaf7d56yM3kFYXRNb9Dgj_jJ0/s1600/936952_10151659295028734_1006719771_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RmfCZXNB4h7tleTaIqjONZAiypBsz-HvOwJqmMPgUA6ZdX7A4e5UjSYA61Gjm3DEMfG_yNZQyE-Bn5o5CAj4duraL3HbkTpsyQaC1-6-K__-ZcGbJ2gaf7d56yM3kFYXRNb9Dgj_jJ0/s400/936952_10151659295028734_1006719771_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom and her biological father.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
My mom's biological mother never recovered. She lived a life of depression, alcohol and men to try and drown out the shame of losing her children. She died very young and there are no pictures of her. Her other son, my mom's older brother, was raised by his grandparents and went to work in banana plantations as a child to help support them. He actually still works in the plantations today. It's a heart-breaking story for my Costa Rican family to have lost two of their babies, but I know my mom is so grateful for her life in the United States. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marcos, Alicia, Ronnie... together after over 50 years!</td></tr>
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My mom has been to Costa Rica several times to visit since she found her family seven years ago. On her first trip she was thrown a party to represent all the many birthdays that had been missed over the years. She met her biological father and brother, several half siblings and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins! Her father's sisters especially were so happy to see her because they remember when the children were taken away.<br />
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My uncle, Ronnie, was able to visit Costa Rica a couple of years ago and meet the family too. We've been working on getting their brother Marcos and his wife here to the United States for a visit so we can show them what life is like for us! They are very traditional Costa Ricans and think we're a bunch of rich snobby Americans! They would definitely be in for a shock if they ever came to visit. My mom keeps telling me what a culture shock I'm in for when I go there!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom and her sister-in-law at their home in Costa Rica.</td></tr>
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I have cousins, aunts, uncles and a grandpa I've never met! My only living grandparent is in Costa Rica. <br />
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In a couple of days I will be leaving my "snobby" American life behind to go with my mom, my husband and my three children for a two week trip to Costa Rica for the first time. My Costa Rican family doesn't speak a word of English and I don't speak a word of Spanish, but I have so much love in my heart for these people I've never even met. <br />
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Of course as we've been talking about this trip for months we've all been getting excited about going to the Caribbean beaches, seeing sloths and eating delicious food, but really this trip is about family. These are the people I come from and although communication will be difficult, hugs are universal! <br />
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We are not staying at resorts, or even hotels. We've decided to rent houses and shop at the markets and cook our own food and really get a taste for the beautiful country of Costa Rica. I'm nervous, but I'm also more excited than I can express! I spent my whole life imagining where my mom came from and now I'm going to see it firsthand! </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-9547309732124989402016-05-20T10:27:00.000-06:002016-05-20T10:27:38.405-06:00Pretty Pink Princess Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's always been my dream to throw myself a princess birthday party! Why do kids get to have all the pretty princess fun? When researching ideas for my party I found that most fancy princess parties on Pinterest were thrown for one year olds! One? I wanted to host a princess party for grown-up women to dress up and feel fabulous! You're never too old to be a princess! </div>
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These beautiful mini cakes were the party favors. Each lady got to take home a pretty cake on a cake stand made from vintage china.<br />
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We had a couple more princesses show up after this picture was taken, but you can see that everyone princessed up! It was fabulous to be surrounded by so many beautiful women! Everyone was invited with plenty of notice to find a dress. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sexyher-Ladies-Vintage-Classic-Halterneck/dp/B00M6R6XRE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00&linkCode=ll1&tag=theamerhome-20&linkId=396e736af1d9d5885a27bff02b22cdc1" target="_blank">I ordered mine from Amazon. The pink taffeta was so lovely. </a> Amazon also had great prices on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vianla-Vintage-Rockabilly-Petticoat-Underskirt/dp/B0158B0Z14/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1463761127&sr=1-4&nodeID=7141123011&keywords=petticoat&linkCode=ll1&tag=theamerhome-20&linkId=51eaad4dfc282ff221e7dde0c0c9d0a6" target="_blank">petticoats</a>! I found my sparkly diamondy shoes and gold shrug from thrift stores. Finding the perfect dress was such a fun part of the party.</div>
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My daughters teased me that all my friends are way too loud! They said that they couldn't believe so many people could be laughing so hard all night... I say that's a good sign! We were all having a blast!</div>
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We played an ice breaker bingo game. It was a lot of fun finding ladies to initial the squares. I had small prizes for the first three people who got BINGO. Most of the people at the party didn't know each other, so the game was a great way to find out interesting facts about each other. After the game was over I read each square out loud and had everyone raise their hand who fit the square. I don't think there were many shy ladies at the party, so an ice breaker wasn't totally necessary, but it sure was fun!<br />
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Pink cotton candy is my favorite! Placed in nut cups and topped with crowns cotton candy looks adorable!</div>
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Setting everything up was so much fun! I had a couple of great friends come early to help me get everything ready.</div>
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Pink meringue cookies are so princessy! I totally want to play with the meringue cookie idea more for other events!</div>
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I hired a friend to make the meringues, scones and mini cakes. They came out so perfect!</div>
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I scoured thrift stores for weeks to find the perfect vintage pieces to make the 20 mini cake plates.</div>
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I dressed up bamboo flatware with pretty washi tape. I planned to use vintage china and silverware, but my daughters convinced me to use disposables so I'd have less dishes to do after my party.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKkGrHBTrXRXcBE0hi6kUv02uGDQpxcxi-f_RysfYCJrCONJJqS8irDRk9dbIoaXlWBp9VLA2I3VaHjCobC2WuUMH8ZgiIXEMEThZdGzaBSn2RTcLjeXak9yJ8K8KWxvKIAhkoqVNM-M/s1600/20160430_180808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKkGrHBTrXRXcBE0hi6kUv02uGDQpxcxi-f_RysfYCJrCONJJqS8irDRk9dbIoaXlWBp9VLA2I3VaHjCobC2WuUMH8ZgiIXEMEThZdGzaBSn2RTcLjeXak9yJ8K8KWxvKIAhkoqVNM-M/s320/20160430_180808.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of the most fun parts of the night was the Italian soda bar. I ordered several flavors of syrups with pumped to be mixed and matched. Ginger ale, 7up and sparkling mineral water were the bases.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwpJfmF0k3JEiNh2PP9tmF9Lw4mFIlgRMHa2szmGEcF5RHN-G6U1mkl47pnTRy45an52oRZpOOxID3tGLpP-J2uUF1jXKGkiDHncPHz0P3VCaAT3YmF8fDWKg5hh11ARMnW18yDWsXcE/s1600/20160430_182505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwpJfmF0k3JEiNh2PP9tmF9Lw4mFIlgRMHa2szmGEcF5RHN-G6U1mkl47pnTRy45an52oRZpOOxID3tGLpP-J2uUF1jXKGkiDHncPHz0P3VCaAT3YmF8fDWKg5hh11ARMnW18yDWsXcE/s200/20160430_182505.jpg" width="112" /></a><br />I purchased plastic cups with dome lids from a restaurant supply company. Everyone was able to decorate their cup with stickers. They came out really cute, plus it was easy to tell which cup was whose. The instructions were written along the way so everyone knew how to make their drink. Watermelon was the most popular flavor, which was surprising! Tiger's blood is one of my favorite snow cone flavors and I learned that strawberry, watermelon and coconut are what goes into tiger's blood. Yummy! </div>
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Along with the sweets, I served chicken salad, egg salad and cucumber sandwich fillings, along with ham and a variety of cheeses. Rolls and croissants were purchased from Costco for the sandwich bases.</div>
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The cakes made a stunning display!</div>
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The cakes were lemon with a vanilla buttercream frosting. They were delicious!</div>
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Several of my friends stayed until midnight. My friend Cearson and I died laughing at my husband who photobombed our midnight selfie. The whole night was magical. It was the best birthday party ever!</div>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-54023005912659135272016-03-09T08:00:00.000-07:002016-03-09T08:48:44.228-07:00St. Patty's Day Tablescape and Irish Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAUe4RzEYU-Dm_FVFE6HYKBtO-TXfil_V8VpU1ZH-f8TQ0EI2fl__flW3m9NiewdYTUMs6hbjuOhkmFeg11d_mqQvKOLPRTHNdrAk-I_nrg1IIq_9Lca8NkFdY5DlUO1wGzST53N2W68/s1600/St.+Patty%2527s+Day+Dinner+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAUe4RzEYU-Dm_FVFE6HYKBtO-TXfil_V8VpU1ZH-f8TQ0EI2fl__flW3m9NiewdYTUMs6hbjuOhkmFeg11d_mqQvKOLPRTHNdrAk-I_nrg1IIq_9Lca8NkFdY5DlUO1wGzST53N2W68/s400/St.+Patty%2527s+Day+Dinner+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We have never done leprechaun traps or other kidsy St. Patrick's Day traditions at our house, but every year I make an Irish meal and some sort of green dessert to celebrate the holiday. Instead of doing corned beef, I typically do pork and I always make Irish soda bread!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZFDheRUIaQWnGri69q4BJQALA7Zxh1jPs3lEUCVrNhkxMCsIFFyVVZ1KS23PwCglQdCBr3mhMsMKaWPtBe7r3vRxfiPi2UBH3f7MVbMivIebm2dKu1zTJC1NoS9iGYmPGBzfmINvnI/s1600-h/tablescape.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314353978357228578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZFDheRUIaQWnGri69q4BJQALA7Zxh1jPs3lEUCVrNhkxMCsIFFyVVZ1KS23PwCglQdCBr3mhMsMKaWPtBe7r3vRxfiPi2UBH3f7MVbMivIebm2dKu1zTJC1NoS9iGYmPGBzfmINvnI/s400/tablescape.jpg" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSusrF9EnwVg8Xk88QgzalNEMkSaZQKEvyA5vRTKE09Ftpzpp2sxr3vo5Fi2qyAfDYfrc9oV5yS5Iowou3YaF14Z1188CAHZfKCCFGfRp0gqG7YGRZhpG1PzcH4C526FuXDs8CyDZlkwI/s1600-h/tablescape1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314353972540962674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSusrF9EnwVg8Xk88QgzalNEMkSaZQKEvyA5vRTKE09Ftpzpp2sxr3vo5Fi2qyAfDYfrc9oV5yS5Iowou3YaF14Z1188CAHZfKCCFGfRp0gqG7YGRZhpG1PzcH4C526FuXDs8CyDZlkwI/s400/tablescape1.jpg" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8kU1w7H6T9wwE5eerDa3hTfdj6gluo1mtyhDLWW6JLo-xHQmT_RvQAcmiUeSQrfLgbTyhbYrEYv09DN1MWC1xouY0XVeAXqERXHGtYDzd3tkKg8Zc8d2ellHJ6nLIO9_TRAHgpOK-gM/s1600-h/tablescape2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314353546928983474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8kU1w7H6T9wwE5eerDa3hTfdj6gluo1mtyhDLWW6JLo-xHQmT_RvQAcmiUeSQrfLgbTyhbYrEYv09DN1MWC1xouY0XVeAXqERXHGtYDzd3tkKg8Zc8d2ellHJ6nLIO9_TRAHgpOK-gM/s400/tablescape2.jpg" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeEZd4fD_4VPDXU5N9AcAMoPabgTk69uvahoVFfDIG0cQ1sINNdKgUBrmBNt7sLOROIejr3VX3E6KIIeHBstyTZrvQdkrjvRjeXm0iqz8HfIW-NeVpCuV9D0Owmz5bQKWqwAiSA65644/s1600-h/plate+w+flowers.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314355139285657458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeEZd4fD_4VPDXU5N9AcAMoPabgTk69uvahoVFfDIG0cQ1sINNdKgUBrmBNt7sLOROIejr3VX3E6KIIeHBstyTZrvQdkrjvRjeXm0iqz8HfIW-NeVpCuV9D0Owmz5bQKWqwAiSA65644/s400/plate+w+flowers.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" width="300" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Irish Bacon and Cabbage</span><br />
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boneless pork roast<br />
red potatoes<br />
carrots<br />
cabbage<br />
salt<br />
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The night before cooking, place the roast into a big bowl of cold water and add lots of salt... about a cupful. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, place the drained meat in the crockpot with potatoes and carrots. Add a bit of water. Let cook on low all day. 30 minutes before serving add the cabbage, cut into chunks.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Irish Soda Bread</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>4 c flour<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 to 1 ½ c buttermilk<br />
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Preheat oven to 425. Mix together dry ingredients. Gradually add buttermilk, mixing with a large spoon until dough is firm enough to be gathered into a large ball. If the dough is crumbly, add some more buttermilk, a tablespoonful at a time, until it all adheres to the ball. Place on a lightly floured board. Pat and shape it into a flat circular loaf, about 8 inches around and 1 ½ inches thick. Set on a floured baking sheet. With the tip of a knife, cut a ½ inch deep cross into the dough, dividing it into quarters. Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and wrap in a clean dish cloth. Let cool about 20 minutes.<br />
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Of course in an LDS home we have <span style="font-style: italic;">root</span> beer with our St. Patty's Day dinner!</div>
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Happy St. Patty's Day!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-84223878176099701632016-02-23T10:15:00.000-07:002016-02-23T10:15:30.906-07:00Me and My Girls: YouTube episode 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wwAQNyt4xjc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wwAQNyt4xjc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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My teenagers and I have an amazing relationship. It's tricky to balance being a mom with old fashioned beliefs and values and having teens who are very much of the modern world. We totally make it work though! If you missed my Best Piece of Parenting Advice for Moms of Teens, be sure to <a href="http://theamericanhomemaker.blogspot.com/2013/04/just-love-them.html" target="_blank">read it here</a>!<br />
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As I was pondering on what kinds of videos I'd like to film for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnud8waN406go3li8j3DNg" target="_blank">my YouTube channel</a> I thought about recipes or crafty ideas, and although I may include those now and then, my greatest passion is women and relationships so that will be my main focus. <a href="https://youtu.be/wwAQNyt4xjc" target="_blank">I hope you enjoy watching this video as much as I enjoyed making it! </a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-9918501591428343272016-02-21T17:30:00.000-07:002016-02-21T17:34:00.842-07:00Tropical Crab Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We totally love fake crab at our house. We can sit and eat a whole pound of it right out of the bag! I love using crab in salads and main dishes as well. Here's a simple but yummy tropical crab salad recipe!<br />
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<b>Crab Pasta Salad</b><br />
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8 oz whipped cream cheese (in a tub)<br />
1/2 c. crushed pineapple<br />
1/4 c. milk <br />
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1 lb imitation crab meat<br />
1 can mandarin oranges<br />
cashews<br />
12 oz pasta shells, cooked<br />
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For the dressing mix together cream cheese, crushed pineapple and milk. Stir in remaining ingredients, chill before serving. Enjoy!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-55501403127698586362016-02-14T20:32:00.001-07:002016-02-16T21:11:30.521-07:00My Favorite Downtown SLC Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruges Waffles and Frites</td></tr>
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When we travel it's all about the food for me! I love local hole-in-the-wall type restaurants and rarely eat at chains. The same goes for eating out in our own state! You won't catch me eating at a chain restaurant unless I have to! We find ourselves in the downtown area of Salt Lake City quite often, and have found a few treasures over the years. Bonus, they're each $20-30 for two people to eat! Here are a few of our family's favorites: <br />
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1- <a href="http://www.richsburgersngrub.com/" target="_blank">Rich's Burgers n Grub</a>: This is a great downtown place for burgers. It's small and there is rarely more than one employee working at a time, but we've never had a problem getting a table. They have quite a few burgers on the menu and you can choose any of them with a hamburger patty, chicken breast or a veggie patty (they make the veggie patties in house). My daughter is a vegetarian and loves having so many choices. My favorite is the Mac & Cheese Burger with a side of fried green beans. Their sweet potato fries are also a delicious side option. We've never been disappointed at Rich's. The staff is friendly and the food is fabulous! They're located at 30 E. 300 S. (Broadway).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNyeXll6dhNioxYcparmrYeGbWjuY_APMAWOgUUbwKFtLJ9bzCPzW_0hArNW2QiTrsjUeWKDRlrjnrWpN3ipqeI4zPPCKsqmmW-CT2jR_IheC2uDFMH63Me0CYEcyigxy5cZLMrwba50/s1600/blue+nile+special.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNyeXll6dhNioxYcparmrYeGbWjuY_APMAWOgUUbwKFtLJ9bzCPzW_0hArNW2QiTrsjUeWKDRlrjnrWpN3ipqeI4zPPCKsqmmW-CT2jR_IheC2uDFMH63Me0CYEcyigxy5cZLMrwba50/s400/blue+nile+special.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Blue Nile Special</td></tr>
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2. <a href="http://bluenileslc.com/" target="_blank">Blue Nile</a>: We originally found the Blue Nile restaurant on Groupon and decided to be adventurous. We had never tried Ethiopian food and didn't know what to expect, but it was amazing! I highly recommend getting the Blue Nile Special. For $25 you get to sample many of the menu items plus an appetizer. It's plenty of food for two people to share. One of the interesting things about Blue Nile is you eat your food using a delicious spongy bread to scoop everything up instead of silverware. Service is usually quite slow, so give yourself plenty of time, but it's always friendly. This is one restaurant we'll actually drive to Salt Lake specifically for! They're located at 755 S. State.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSLnMitOtfEYnHjtmA5wrYE3FvcWrO1ytEqBVEqDgSo9a6BuRUNL99EBeIiPTU_X5TSQbQiXJMjMYXBnD-1ByRuhtyyeCzVm7CKp9PfPgGYqBB7ZsXFmXy4PQ5XZp_tzFaECc4U1XFqNE/s1600/bruges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSLnMitOtfEYnHjtmA5wrYE3FvcWrO1ytEqBVEqDgSo9a6BuRUNL99EBeIiPTU_X5TSQbQiXJMjMYXBnD-1ByRuhtyyeCzVm7CKp9PfPgGYqBB7ZsXFmXy4PQ5XZp_tzFaECc4U1XFqNE/s400/bruges.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruges Waffles and Frites</td></tr>
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3. <a href="http://www.brugeswaffles.com/" target="_blank">Bruges Waffles & Frites</a>: Oh Bruges, how do I love thee? If you're familiar at all with the Belgian waffle craze in Utah aka the Waffle Love truck, you have to try Bruges. They have amazing Belgian waffles, but they also have delicious Belgian french fries with flavored dipping mayos! The salty perfectly compliments the sweet. I love the liege waffle with whipped cream and strawberries and a side of frites with a good spicy mayo. The downtown Bruges has very little seating and most of it is outdoors, so be aware if the weather isn't great. There is nothing healthy about Bruges, but it's one of those places that's worth the calorie splurge! They're located at 336 W. 300 S. (Broadway)<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.toastersdeli.com/" target="_blank">Toasters</a>: We found Toasters for the first time a couple of years ago during Comic Con. I was researching good sandwich places with vegetarian options within walking distance of the Con and Toasters got great reviews. It has now become tradition for my girls to go to Toasters every single time they're at Comic Con (twice a year). It's a great lunch option with healthier options. I love the Turkey Avocado. It has balsamic vinegar and swiss cheese on it which makes it unique and yummy! They have three downtown locations: 151 W. 200 S, 215 S. State and 30 E. 300 S. (Broadway).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBY-LPSG7BLRhKFQvgDmMwdozS12ItRa93t_UPIcitMuOKKm0LkcHslU8qhsY1pSKSKC7mA0xtdsYws6lPGGsR2aATZylsXYMgEgYGsEJoHrzHfcp-3qdrTbmASQ4P5dzf4EbXD5kXhA/s1600/siegfrieds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBY-LPSG7BLRhKFQvgDmMwdozS12ItRa93t_UPIcitMuOKKm0LkcHslU8qhsY1pSKSKC7mA0xtdsYws6lPGGsR2aATZylsXYMgEgYGsEJoHrzHfcp-3qdrTbmASQ4P5dzf4EbXD5kXhA/s400/siegfrieds.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siegfried's Delicatessen</td></tr>
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5. <a href="http://www.siegfriedsdelicatessen.com/" target="_blank">Siegfried's Delicatessen</a>: This German deli was another Comic Con find. It's unique and fun! They have a gift store (with German chocolates!) and a full deli with sliced meats and cheeses. I like to order the traditional bratwurst with spaetzle w/gravy and red cabbage, but everything I've tried has been delicious. Just a heads up, my teens are not impressed with German food, so this may be a grownups only type place to visit! They're located at 20 W. 200 S.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivitsVhXT_A0alrRHCE2C1EDvpYUT0bTR9_fSeR46XaMxwAYqm3TnPMpVkVOdOeYr7fyNMuTDbM4KGMqUY0nulSdAh0-ZPg5KE0qV-Hti5EKVWVrPRjvIBTAra50vITdQFCKba4FvFzBs/s1600/chocolate+from+siegfrieds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivitsVhXT_A0alrRHCE2C1EDvpYUT0bTR9_fSeR46XaMxwAYqm3TnPMpVkVOdOeYr7fyNMuTDbM4KGMqUY0nulSdAh0-ZPg5KE0qV-Hti5EKVWVrPRjvIBTAra50vITdQFCKba4FvFzBs/s400/chocolate+from+siegfrieds.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute mini German chocolate bars from Siegfried's</td></tr>
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6. <a href="http://www.robinsnestslc.com/" target="_blank">The Robin's Nest</a>: This is another healthier lunch option. I've always gotten salads at The Robin's Nest, but their sandwiches look delicious too. I love the Nutty Flora with chicken added. The ingredients are fresh and their salads are filling. The staff has always been friendly and the service is quick even when they're busy. They're located at 311 S. Main.<br />
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We're always looking for fun new local spots to eat and I'm sure our downtown list will continue to grow! How about you? Are you a hole-in-the-wall type person or do you like to play it safe with chain restaurants?<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-66643016507285893442016-02-09T09:30:00.000-07:002016-02-16T20:59:56.575-07:00The BEST piece of parenting advice for moms of teens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFATNfUWZ33CHvbOmYx7SwjiKxPOj9ODHzdQEaU1IzsNlUluJIdWp06U075c4ND5slm3heAQTLRdVDrMKrh338HN9MiFxAUj1S0dawVdqj2IIAHF_vQhvLGnvg8Z9W4f7lF-E_5n0vg0/s1600/parenting+advice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFATNfUWZ33CHvbOmYx7SwjiKxPOj9ODHzdQEaU1IzsNlUluJIdWp06U075c4ND5slm3heAQTLRdVDrMKrh338HN9MiFxAUj1S0dawVdqj2IIAHF_vQhvLGnvg8Z9W4f7lF-E_5n0vg0/s400/parenting+advice.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
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When our children are young we can shelter them and keep them in a bubble, but as they get older we have to give them freedom and the ability to make their own decisions and their own mistakes, even though it's hard for us. We have life experiences and we know what the outcome will be when our kids make bad choices, but we have to let them make those choices and deal with those consequences.<br />
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Our Heavenly Father feels the same way about us. He has more knowledge than we do. He knows what will happen when we make decisions, but He allows us the agency to make our own choices, both wrong and right. Sometimes we pray and ask and even beg for things that He doesn't provide. We feel like He isn't listening, but really He IS listening. He just knows better than we do. How often do our kids beg and plead and cry for something that we have to say no to because it isn't in their best interest? It may be staying up too late, wearing immodest clothing, going to an inappropriate movie or dating too young. From the time our kids can walk we are telling them no. Don't touch that, don't climb on that, don't eat that; these are all things little kids don't want to hear, but we know better than them, just like our Heavenly Father knows better than us.<br />
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WE are His children. And just like our own children make mistakes, we make mistakes too. As our kids get older those mistakes can become wedges in your relationship with them. Teenagers often pull away from their parents, especially when the teenagers are doing things they know their parents don't approve of. A lot of that pulling away is because our kids think that we won't love them anymore if they don't fit into the mold of what we think they should be. How often do we pull away from our Father in Heaven because we feel like we aren't being the person He wants us to be?<br />
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The greatest thing I know about my Heavenly Father is that He loves me no matter what. He loves me even though I'm not perfect. He loves me even though I make mistakes. He loves me even though sometimes I cry and whine at Him and beg Him for things that He just isn't going to give me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Because unconditional love is offered by my Heavenly Father to me, I KNOW that I must offer unconditional love to my kids as well.</span></b><br />
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It sounds easy to just love them and yet I see so many parents with young teenagers who are kicking their kids out of the house, treating them badly or shutting them out of the family because the kids are doing things they disagree with. <br />
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I have three teenagers. In our family we've experienced eating disorders, cutting, depression, anxiety and suicide pacts with friends. We've had girls with hair every color of the rainbow and girls with heads shaved completely bald, along with mo-hawks, death-hawks, bi-hawks and clothing I would have never in a million years picked out for my daughters. My daughters have dated boys who are nothing that I would have wanted for them. We've experienced kids who've decided they don't want anything to do with church, kids who don't want anything to do with God and kids whose religious, political and social beliefs go against everything I've ever taught them. <br />
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But through all of this I have an extremely strong and personal relationship with each of my children. My 18 year old, who is now living on her own, texts me every single day and comes home for a couple of days at least three times a month. My 16 year old asks me to sit and do collages with her and to "go on adventures" with her. She tells me about her life and complains when I say I need to go to bed at night. My 14 year old son hugs me every time he sees me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I may not agree with my kids' beliefs and choices, but I love them and THEY KNOW IT.</span></b><br />
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When you have teenagers you realize that they are their own people. Yes, they still need you, but once they leave the walls of your home to go to school or out with friends then you have no control over what their actions are. You can be a good example, you can teach them, you can lecture them, you can discipline them, but essentially they are who they are and they will make the decisions that they want to make. All you can do is just love them. No matter what they do, just love them.<br />
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They need love more than anything. They need to know that whatever they do, whatever mistakes they make, whatever friends they have, whatever causes they believe in, whatever person they are, you will love them. This doesn't mean that we ignore bad behavior. A parent is still a parent, but make sure that they know that although you may hate their actions, and sometimes need to disciple them for those actions, you don't hate them as a person. <br />
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Being loving, <b>truly loving</b>, parents is something we should all strive for, however young or old our children are. We know that our Heavenly Father will always have His arms outstretched for us, even if we feel we don't deserve it and I strive to be the kind of parent who always has my arms outstretched to my children as well.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The best piece of advice I can give to other parents of teenagers? Just love them.</b></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-83619544070326211962016-02-08T16:37:00.000-07:002016-02-16T21:25:26.481-07:00Tomato Soup Cake <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58LrGRxHFgDXgRwuRPEJOZaSrDXCgJ87ZsLSUcd2w6PTtTQw-d_KkRYa8fwrzE1ocJ3DNGEIZPMUI0PTnCnouOskh2bUtt4wszU_Z_jUOHOymDzshT261NRwm_2Jjtyyp_tomsgnNBJI/s640/1950-tomato-soup-cake-recipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58LrGRxHFgDXgRwuRPEJOZaSrDXCgJ87ZsLSUcd2w6PTtTQw-d_KkRYa8fwrzE1ocJ3DNGEIZPMUI0PTnCnouOskh2bUtt4wszU_Z_jUOHOymDzshT261NRwm_2Jjtyyp_tomsgnNBJI/s640/1950-tomato-soup-cake-recipe.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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Do you ever see vintage recipes and wonder "What were they thinking?" Tomato Soup Cake is one of those kinds of recipes. I decided to try it out, frosting and all, just so I could say I did it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/tomato-soup-spice-cake-24354" target="_blank">Modern versions of the Tomato Soup Cake recipe</a> have been adjusted and perfected to make a much better cake, but the original 1930s version was fun to try.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7rDwymfRMZyX53Qt-rUmjBbkRJzQiAxHx4gFl-c1LtCnx1lFzk3g4GreAlWR3J6Cs-EBrGdZ1w8DkKClRO_c8R0akVRc07iIHMn_YvkY4l85eMUn0ADqYI1AHRghBkoVcZoGZo0Pj3U/s640/20150106_154807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7rDwymfRMZyX53Qt-rUmjBbkRJzQiAxHx4gFl-c1LtCnx1lFzk3g4GreAlWR3J6Cs-EBrGdZ1w8DkKClRO_c8R0akVRc07iIHMn_YvkY4l85eMUn0ADqYI1AHRghBkoVcZoGZo0Pj3U/s640/20150106_154807.jpg" width="112" /></a>It wasn't my favorite cake, but it wasn't terrible either. We all had a piece, but never actually finished the cake... it was a little too tomatoey for my taste buds. I can see why homemaker felt the need to improve on the flavor. The concept is unique, but the original recipe just wasn't quite right.<br />
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There is a whole article on the Campbell's Soup website devoted to the <a href="http://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/newsroom/news/2015/01/05/a-spicy-history-of-campbells-tomato-soup-spice-cake/" target="_blank">history of the Tomato Soup Cake</a>. If you're a vintage recipe nerd like myself you should totally check in out!<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-89853921767183958102016-02-01T15:37:00.001-07:002016-03-02T17:28:17.202-07:00Healthy Black Bean Fudge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am a sucker for fudge! This past summer we went to Bear Lake, Idaho and wandered into an adorable little shop that sold FUDGE. I bought a sampler so I could try a bunch of flavors and totally bought m&ms for the kids so I didn't have to share fudge with them! I don't make fudge often at home because I'll eat it all. ALL OF IT. </div>
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Chocolate is my friend and when I'm eating healthy I totally miss ooey gooey unhealthy chocolate. This healthy black bean fudge does not taste like amazingly fattening fudge, but <b><span style="font-size: large;">it satisfies a chocolate craving when you're on a healthy diet </span></b>and need to have the "good for you" stuff instead of the "good" stuff. My husband came into the kitchen when he heard the blender and after I poured the fudge in the pan we ate the rest right out of the blender. He was like, "Are you sure this isn't against my diet?" and my kids even ate some, so I can say it's a pretty good healthy substitute for fudge. </div>
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-You can add more sugar if you'd like to sweeten it a bit more. You can omit the 1/4 cup sugar if you want sugar free, but it tastes very dark without it. The dates sweeten it very slightly, but not enough for my taste buds.</div>
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-I make this fudge in my high powered blender (vitamix), but you can make it in a regular blender or food processor.</div>
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-Black bean puree can be made in large batches and frozen in smaller portions to use in recipes like this one.</div>
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-If you have a vitamix or similar blender you can start with whole almonds and coconut oil to make your own almond butter and then add the other fudge ingredients into the blender once the almond butter is nice and creamy.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Black Bean Fudge</span></b></div>
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1 1/2 c. black bean puree </div>
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1/2 c. cocoa</div>
1/2 c. almond butter
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2 T coconut oil </div>
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1/2 c. pitted dates</div>
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2 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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1/4 c. sugar</div>
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dash of salt</div>
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Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pour into a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate until set. Cut into slices. Freezes well. Store in the fridge.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-27025072070102035782016-01-28T08:34:00.001-07:002016-02-05T21:53:11.136-07:00Because we're fat...<b><span style="font-size: large;">"Because we're fat?"</span></b> has become a joke between my husband and I. Every time one of us wants to do something, anything from getting a milkshake to going on a cruise, and the other person says no, we respond with "Because we're fat?". It cracks both of us up, but in reality <b>the fatter you get, the less you can do</b>. My husband especially struggles with weight issues due to the medications he's on. They make him gain 100+ pounds every single time he's on them and it's a fight just to keep the scale from climbing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb_4qNaCzDqEHtvQbeZcjAiBbNMlJ4LBHPlob6HBe4q7CU5JKpgFemU375KmWWYhXaSev-5iq-0S-J_Fuu_TnQnH5xzfgwZAi_I-GMHQPsf162n7lpWg6qwY48klq-DLJHdcbsJnjiDw/s1600/12647291_10205869839446438_4905053925494103982_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb_4qNaCzDqEHtvQbeZcjAiBbNMlJ4LBHPlob6HBe4q7CU5JKpgFemU375KmWWYhXaSev-5iq-0S-J_Fuu_TnQnH5xzfgwZAi_I-GMHQPsf162n7lpWg6qwY48klq-DLJHdcbsJnjiDw/s200/12647291_10205869839446438_4905053925494103982_n.jpg" width="110" /></a></div>
I decided to try a "transition diet" to ease us into healthy eating this time around. Every time I go gung-ho into healthy eating I CRAVE EVERYTHING. Going cold turkey off the foods I love just doesn't work for me long term, but this transition diet has been amazing! <b>No cravings and I started to lose weight almost immediately</b>. I adapted it from a Beach Body diet I saw online and it's been working fabulously for us. <br />
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I printed out each week's plan and I post them in our kitchen so we can see what the focus is for the week. The first couple of weeks I had cheats on Tuesdays... just one day after the week started, but by the third week I wasn't even thinking about cheating. Now cheats just kind of happen naturally, like if I'm at a girls night out or something, I eat what is being served without guilt. I've been surprised at how well my body has adapted into healthy eating this time around. I've been asked several times to share what's working for us, so here it is, our six week transition diet:<br />
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<b>Week 1: </b><br />
-No junk food (chips, fast food, pop, candy bars, etc)!<br />
-Two cheats.<br />
-Drink 90 oz of water a day.<br />
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<b>Week 2:</b><br />
-No white carbs. <br />
-Eat a balanced meal or snack every 2-3 hours.<br />
-No food after 7pm.<br />
-No junk food!<br />
-Two cheats.<br />
-Drink 90 oz of water a day.<br />
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<b>Week 3:</b><br />
-Eat veggies & protein every time you eat.<br />
-Eat a balanced meal or snack every 2-3 hours.<br />
-No food after 7pm.<br />
-No junk food or white carbs.<br />
-One cheat.<br />
-Drink 90 oz of water a day.<br />
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<b>Week 4: </b><br />
-Avoid restaurant food.<br />
-Eat veggies & protein every time you eat.<br />
-Eat a balanced meal or snack every 2-3 hours.<br />
-No food after 7pm.<br />
-No junk food or white carbs.<br />
-One cheat.<br />
-Drink 90 oz of water a day.<br />
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<b>Week 5:</b><br />
-Eat very little carbs & sugar.<br />
-Avoid restaurant food.<br />
-Eat veggies & protein every time you eat.<br />
-No junk food!<br />
-Eat a balanced meal or snack every 2-3 hours.<br />
-No food after 7pm.<br />
-One cheat.<br />
-Drink 90 oz of water a day.<br />
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<b>Week 6 (super hard detox week): </b><br />
-Don't eat anything man made!<br />
-Eat whole foods only: veggies, fruits, natural meats, eggs, whole grain rice, nuts & quinoa.<br />
-No butter, cheese, breads, cereal, condiments... nothing!!!<br />
-Eat a balanced meal or snack every 2-3 hours.<br />
-No food after 7pm.<br />
-One cheat.<br />
-Drink 90 oz of water a day.<br />
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<b>Weeks 7, 8 and forever on: </b><br />
-Eat as healthy as possible using the habits you've built over the last six weeks!<br />
-Allow yourself a cheat now and then without guilt.<br />
-Whole grain carbs, protein, veggies, fruits and water are all your friends!<br />
-Menu plan if at all possible. It helps you from eating unhealthy foods or going out if you already know what's for dinner.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860575298512045002.post-15613989524690142472016-01-26T19:41:00.000-07:002016-02-16T21:16:18.636-07:00Breaking Molds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes the hardest mold to break is the one we put ourselves in. When we tell ourselves that we aren't good at something, things just don't work out for us, we're too busy or we'll never be more than we are right now, we place ourselves in a little box that we can't escape without conscious effort. </div>
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Placing ourselves into these molds can be very harmful. It feels nice and safe and cozy in the little mold we've made for ourselves, but <span style="font-size: large;"><b>there is no growth in the comfort zone</b></span> and no comfort in the growth zone! </div>
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I often hear women play the "someday" game when discussing what they think will bring them happiness... I'll do more for myself when my kids are older. I'll be happy when we have a bigger house. I'll wear cute clothes once I lose weight. I'll be able to do the things I want when we have more money. I'll travel when I'm retired. We seem to have this idea in our heads that we are stuck where we are right now and we won't find happiness, peace or satisfaction until some future event occurs. We may be "stuck" in the fact that our kids are the age that they are, our house is the size it is and our financial situation is what it is, but there ARE things we can do within our situation to become fulfilled and it's up to us to figure out what those things are. <b><span style="font-size: large;">If you can't find happiness in your situation now, you never will. </span></b></div>
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You need to climb out of the mold you've put yourself in! You are your only obstacle when breaking free and finding happiness. Take a class to learn something new, buy that adorable outfit in your size, make a new friend, develop a skill or talent or start putting money away for a vacation! Whatever it that you dream of in your hidden little heart of hearts can happen. <b><span style="font-size: large;">We need to let go of the negative mentalities holding us back</span></b> and create happiness for ourselves right now! No one can do it for us! </div>
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Lately I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life outside being a wife and mother, which of course will always be my top priority. Over the last couple of years I've developed a fear of failure that has been holding me hostage in a lot of ways. Finding happiness and satisfaction in my life, as it is, has pushed me to decide it's time for me to break completely free of the safe mold I've created for myself and stretch my wings even further. Who knows? I might even fly!</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Angie @ The American Homemaker</div>American Homemakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118562297826392361noreply@blogger.com0