Photo by D Sharon Pruitt

Nurturing yourself

We’ve all been here before – stressed out, tired, no pizzazz left.  How do we get back the joy – to that fun loving, happy-go-lucky, free spirited person we used to be?

Do you want more joy in your life?  It begins with accepting you can’t be supermom.  No one expects it from you.  You are the one putting the pressure on yourself.  You don’t need to do it all.  You don’t need to be an expert gardener, supreme baker, creative crafter, home project do-it-yourselfer, gourmet chef, Mrs. Cleaver organizer and coupon clipper.  You don’t need to do it all, and obviously can’t do it all.  But we put so much pressure on ourselves to accomplish it all.

Just being you is what your family needs.

You need to decide what is important to you, decide the things you want to focus on and most importantly know the things you are not going to do.

When we feel like we have to be super spectacular at everything we do, and take on more and more responsibilities – that’s when it starts. That is when the fatigue – the stress – the overwhelmingness of it all starts to set in.

 When I started feeling out of balance I knew I had to make changes.  Something that is so important and has been such a positive change for me has been scheduling free time for me.  It’s actually on the calendar – MY DAY!  After getting married and having children it had been quite a few years before I took some free time to myself.  A few years?  That sounds so crazy to me now!  And when I finally did take some free time I felt like a new woman!

I need some “white space” in my head.  Managing a household, raising two boys, being a good wife – my brain was on overload – I lost touch with the real me.

Scheduling a day for myself gives me the white space I need to relax, focus on my needs, plan goals for the future.  All of which I can’t do while juggling the hub-bub of daily mommy life.

Nurturing your relationships

Your friends are there for you thick and thin.  They are there for the fun times – the weddings, the babies – the real joys of life.  They can also be there for the valleys – the meltdowns in your life too. 

So many times we put on a shinny, happy, plastic face.  Everything’s good over here!  While you are just dying inside – all stressey and feeling bad. 

Do you find yourself only calling your friends when you are in a good mood – or having a great day?  Try this – the next time you are in the middle of a meltdown – call one of your good friends.

Perhaps she’s never heard from you in a meltdown type sobbing state.  But she is your friend.  She is there for you.  And you, you’re having a meltdown – these things happen.  But be real about it, let your friends in, let them know the real you.   Your friendship will grow from it.

Your friend will be so happy to be there for you – to be that shoulder you need.  She will offer fresh perspective – maybe even get you to laugh in the midst of your meltdown like my good friend did for me!

Connect with friends – don’t hallow away.  It takes time and effort to stay connected, but your life will be filled with more joy having these relationships in them.

It’s hard to be a good mom if you don’t take care of yourself first.  Reconnect with yourself, reconnect with your friends.  Take better care of yourself.  Realize when things are getting out of control.  You’re never going to be 18 again – but you can get back in-touch with that free spirit you had then and incorporate that joy into your daily life now. 

-          Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

 Preparing the the dough into a log to be cut into rolls.

 Letting them rise before baking.

Fresh out of the oven – makes the whole house smell delish!

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Pound of Dough (can use fresh pizza dough)

1/2 stick melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 pecans (toasted and chopped)

Method:  Grease a 9″ pie plate.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Lightly flour your working surface and roll out dough to 12″ x 20″ rectangle.  Brush on melted butter.  Sprinkle on sugar & cinnamon and top with raisins & nuts.  Roll dough into a log as pictured above.  Using a serrated knife, gently cut into 1″ rolls.  Place rolls cut side up into prepared pie dish.  Be  sure to pinch seams after you place them in the pan.  Let them rise about an hour in a warm place until they have doubled in size. 

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until puffed and lighted browned.  Check in between rolls to make sure they are done before removing from oven. 

While they are baking prepare frosting:

1/2 stick  butter, room temp

8 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream butter and cheese together in a medium bowl and then mix in vanilla and powdered sugar – spread onto warm rolls.

They don’t store well – so be sure to eat them up!  If you do have leftovers, heat them in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them up.

- Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

In the meantime I created a little version of springtime for my bathroom.

Here are some inexpensive materials I found at Garden Ridge – only $10 total!

And voila – spring has sprung! 

Not only did it cost just a few dollars – it only took me 10 minutes to arrange it!  Enjoy!

- Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

For years I have wanted to make my own pastries at home.   But just the look of a cheese danish seem so complicated.   So I went without them, as where I live we don’t have any good bakeries that sell pastry.   Then I was inspired by an Barefoot Contessa episode and then shortly after that I read a recipe for them in Every Day with Rachel Ray magazine and I said I can do that too! 

The recipe is so easy thanks to using frozen puff pastry and a few simple ingrediants!   You can alter the filling as you see fit – add in different flavors – almond paste, lemon zest, cinnamon…..and for the fruit – same thing, choose what flavor you like.  Next time I am going to try them with some fudge sauce for a chocolaty danish!  Just make sure the jam is not to thin as it will spread too much.

Homemade Cheese Danish

4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar (separated)

1 egg yolk at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Zest  of 1 lemon

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (defrosted in fridge overnight)

4 teaspoons jam (blueberry, raspberry, etc.)

1 egg beaten with a little water for egg wash

2 tablespoons cream or milk

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.  Put the cream cheese and 1/4  cup of the sugar in mixer and beat on low until smooth.  Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, salt and lemon zest.

2. Unfold puff pastry on lightly floured work surface, and roll out to a 10″ x 10″ square.  Using a sharp knife cut into 4 squares.  Evenly place dollops of the cream cheese mixture into the middle of each square.  Top each with 1 teaspoon of jam.  With a pastry brush, spread the egg wash around the boarders of the pastry, and fold two opposite corners together so they overlap and pinch lightly to seal together.  Brush the tops of pastry with egg wash.  Using a metal spatula transfer the pastries to the prepared baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Bake pastries about 18-20 minutes until puffed and lightly brown.  Cool completely.

3. In a small bowl combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cream.  Place in a ziplock bag, cut small hole in one corner to make a pastry bag and drizzle over pastries. 

Again you can experiment with this recipe.  To double use 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 egg yolks and 2 sheets puff pastry.  My family loved them, and wanted to know when we were going to have them again!

- Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

So much detail and thought was put into making this!  I added a W to the picture frame that she distressed because it was too new looking. 

In the middle of the book she made this cute little pocket that folds up and is held together with a magnet.  I am going to add some journaling to this area and talk about the year I started blogging!

I was so impressed with the dragonflies that were scattered throughout the book, like this one on this tag and others that were stamped on.  She knows I love dragonflies and it was such a cute way to personalize it for me!   There were cute little cards that are scattered throughout the book that I was able to journal about my family and add some cute personalized info on each of them, like what age the boys are and what their favorite foods are. It’s going to be such a great memento to have and pass on to them! 

Of course I was tickled that Tanya even found paper with Domestic Goddess on it!  I will be proudly displaying this beautiful scrapbook in my house, and be quick to let my friends know just who they can contact for their very own personalized scrapbook!  If you are a scrapbooker and want the details on how she made this – check out this video she did on it http://timeforscrappin.blogspot.com/2010/02/vintage-mini.html

I am truely inspiried by her creativity  – it makes me feel like getting crafty!  Of course that may take me to the kitchen!

- Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

I am always so excited to share good savings tips!  I love to cook homemade dinners, but of course I also love to eat out!  When we do go out I am always looking for a deal and coupons if available.  With the economy in the state that is is there are so many restaurants with great deals and coupons.  Well with Valentines Day coming up I got to thinking about going out to eat, while I may not do that this actual Valentines’ weekend – as I hate a crowd – we will probably go out next weekend. 

Restaurant Coupons

So I started searching around for restaurant coupons and found this http://www.savings.com/c-Restaurant-coupons.html and they have links to great restaurant coupons!  Good restaurants too like Melting Pot, Cheesecake Factory and Ruby Tuesday.  Some of them require you to fill out a form or survey but then you get a great coupon!

Restaurant Reviews

Do you like honest restaurnat reviews – not just those ones that are written up in the paper by food critics?  Real honest to goodness people out in your community that have opinions on local restaurants?  Then check out Yelp! http://www.yelp.com - on my computer it magically knew what city I was in, but you can tell it to go to a particular city.  And when Charlotte popped up – then it even narrowed restaurants down by neighborhood areas!  So the next time you are dying to try out that new Thai place in town and want the real scoop on it – this is a great place to check it out before you spend your hard earned money there!

Free Online Coupons

If you are looking for tons of coupons on a variety of items - check out  http://www.savings.com - as they have access to terrific coupons.  I just started getting into the coupon thing this year, and it can be addicting once you start saving money!  There is many coupon categories to choose from housewares, clothing, kids – from stores like Target, Gap and Macy’s.  Again there is a link to the sites to fill out forms, but if you are in search of a coupon this site is a good way to narrow it down.

I am a saver by nature – not a spender.  But when I do spend – I want to spend wisely and use a coupon when ever possible!

  – Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

Mess #1

I couldn’t take it anymore – it was taking forever to find anything in my messy drawers.  When we moved in, we had boxes everywhere and I just threw stuff in.   And for no good reason did I just dealt with it, until I had a good case of PMS and decided to organize it!!

#1 Organized

Right away I felt so much better.  And the best part?  It only took a few minutes to go through it – pitch the junk and organize the rest of it!

Mess #2

Even my husband was getting annoyed at not being able to find a spoon or thermometer…..it looked like the mess my kids leave in their playroom.  I knew I could do better than that!

Organized #2

 

Kitchen Drawer Organizer from organize.com

 - Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!