Healthy Cooking and Meal Planning

If you know me, you know I’m not the meal planning type of girl. That was until my new hubby asked if I could put together a shopping list for a week of dinners. I had no idea what to put on it. I usually just went shopping whenever I needed something, but since most of my staple food was either left in Colorado with family or the non-perishables were still buried in boxes, I had to come up with a plan (and buy a bunch of stuff that you probably already have in your kitchen).

I was thrilled when this plan ended up being 5 nights’ worth of dinners for a family of four under $100! Since we have a bad habit of going out to eat, the thought of making a meal for under $20 for all four of us (when even the cheapest restaurant will run at least $40) was thrilling!

And the best part… they’re all relatively HEALTHY meals! WOO HOO!

So here it is…

Shopping List:

• Whole Wheat Linguini
• Whole Wheat Rotini
• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes
• Black Olives
• Large Can Stewed Tomatoes
• Small Can Black Beans
• Small Can Pinto Beans
• Small Can Kidney Beans
• 2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 4 1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
• 10 1/2 Ounce Can Low Sodium Beef Broth
• 19 Ounce Can Red Enchilada Sauce
• 4-6 Cups Chicken Broth
• 8 Onions
• Garlic
• Celery
• Carrots
• 1 Jalepeno
• 3 Muli-Colored Bell Peppers
• 2 Large Sprigs Basil
• Green Onions
• Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Packet Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
• 1 Packet Dry Onion Soup
• 2 Packets of Chili Seasoning
• Oregano Leaves (Dried)
• Bay Leaves
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Onion Powder
• Baking Powder
• Flour
• Parmesan Cheese
• Colby Jack Cheese
• Provolone Cheese
• 3 Pounds Ground Beef
• 3-4 Pound Eye of Round Roast
• 1 Whole Chicken (or some frozen chicken breasts)
• 1 Beer
• Hoagie Rolls

Recipes:

One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

(Courtesy of MyFridgeFood)

• 12 Ounces Linguini Pasta (Whole wheat to make it fit my diet)
• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Liquid
• 1 Large Onion, cut in julienne strips
• 4 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano Leaves
• 2 Large Sprigs Basil, chopped
• 4 1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Directions:

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .

Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

French Dip

(Courtesy of The Redhead Baker)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3- to 4-lb eye of round roast
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 Medium onions, cut into ½-inch thick rings
• 1 packet dry onion soup mix
• 1 (10 ½-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth
• 1 (12-ounce) beer
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 12 French rolls
• 12 medium slices provolone (mild or sharp)

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season both sides of the roast with salt and pepper. Sear the roast in the pan, about three minutes per side.

Lay half the onion rings in the bottom of the 5 quart slow cooker. Place the seared roast on top of the onion rings. Sprinkle the contents of the dry onion soup packet on top of the roast then layer on the rest of the onion rings.

Pour the beef broth and the beer over the roast. Cook on low heat for 6 hours. Shred the meat with two forks.

Preheat the broiler. Split the rolls and brush each side with melted butter. Place them buttered-side up on a baking sheet. Broil until golden and crusty, about 3 minutes.

Place a slice of provolone on each roll, then top with the shredded beef and onions. Serve with some of the cooking broth in a small dish for dipping.

Chicken Noodle Soup

(Courtesy of Rebekah’s EaTs & TrEaTs)

Soup Ingredients:

• 1 Whole Chicken – Neck, gizzards, and livers removed. (Or I just use chicken breasts)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 Long Celery Stocks – Chopped Fine
• 5 Thin Carrots – Peeled and Sliced
• 4 Tbl. Dry Chicken Flavored Vegetable Base.(canned Chicken broth will work as well)
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder

Homemade Noodle Ingredients:

• 3 Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour (You may use more or less than this depending on the size of your eggs – Your dough should be stiff enough to roll out!)
• Salt and Pepper

Directions for Soup:

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and let simmer for several hours until the chicken is falling off the bones. Remove chicken and continue to cook broth and carrots. (You will need this to be boiling to drop your egg noodles into.) At this time you may need to add more water with base, or broth. De-bone chicken and add back to pot.. be very careful…VERY HOT! Replace lid and let it boil for a few minutes. Prepare and cut egg noodles from recipe below and drop into the boiling pot. Don’t worry if they sink they will float in a minute. Stir after dropping every few handfuls in. Cover and let cook for another 20 or so.

Directions for Noodles:

Roll out on floured board – making sure to flour both sides to prevent sicking. Roll up loosely! Cut in 1/4 inch pieces and add to boiling soup. Cook at least 20 min in a boiling broth to insure proper cooking.

Enchilada Pasta

(Courtesy of Number Two Pencil)

• 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 of a small onion, diced
• 1.25 pounds of taco seasoned ground turkey meat or 1.25 pounds of lean ground beef and packet of low-sodium taco seasoning
• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 19oz can of red enchilada sauce
• 8oz (about 2 1/2 cups) of dried rotini pasta
• 2 cups of freshly shredded Colby Jack cheese
• Green Onions
• Black Olives

Directions:

1. In a large skillet or sauté pan, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil over medium low heat until softened.
2. Add ground turkey meat and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon until browned.
3. Once turkey meat is cooked through, add pasta, chicken broth and enchilada sauce to pan.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduced heat to low and cover.
5. Cook on low, with pan covered for about 15 minutes.
6. Then remove lid and let simmer for additional 5 minutes until pasta is tender and sauce has reduced.
7. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheese.
8. Top pasta with additional cup of cheese and melt under broiler for a minute or tow, or place lid back on pan and let heat from the pasta melt the cheese.
9. Garnish with black olives and green onions.

Chili

(Courtesy of Crystal Ferry – Me!)

• Large Can Stewed Tomatoes
• Small Can Black Beans
• Small Can Pinto Beans
• Small Can Kidney Beans
• 1-2 Pounds Ground Beef
• 1-2 Packets of Chili Seasoning (one for each pound of beef)
• 1 Jalepeno
• 3 Bell Peppers
• 1 Onion

Directions:

Chop the onion, bell peppers, and jalepeno (more seeds = greater heat) and sauté them in a pan of olive oil. Brown the meat and add chili seasoning. Add the meat, veggies, and cans of tomatoes and beans to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. This can also be cooked on higher heat in either a slow cooker or a pan on the stove for 1-2 hours.

~

I hope you will find these recipes enjoyable, healthy, easy to make, and budget friendly!

~ Thankfully Exhausted

All Access Accountability

Today I begin a journey of 60 days of full and utter accountability. My life will be an open book where I will showcase my struggles and achievements; and through the help of the products I so heartily endorse I hope there are more achievements than struggles.

The past two months of my life have been a whirlwind of awesomeness. McDreamy and I reunited after my 109 steps to get over him obviously failed. We eloped and are now living in Iowa, the land of corn.

I miss my Colorado for a variety of reasons, but we are enjoying this new adventure in our lives… well, most of it. The one place that hasn’t enjoyed it is my weight. I’ve heard of baby weight, the freshmen 15, menopausal weight gain, and many others, but I had never heard of marriage weight. Seriously, I had no idea that going from being a single mom to a happily married woman would wreak so much havoc on my steadily slimming body. Now, several pounds heavier than I was just a short month ago, I am jumping in with both feet, full submersion, as I reverse this crazy cycle.

Now, I want to ask you a favor: Can you please help keep me accountable? I am going to be posting regularly on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and occasional blog posts about my journey. If you have a moment, can you visit one of these outlets and if you see I haven’t posted something by noon on any given day, will you call me out on it? Or if you see something you think I’m doing well, will you tell me so?

My Motivation: 

1. We have a vacation coming up in November to a swimsuit-wearing place. ‘Nuff said.
2. I have signed up to be in a PiYo Commercial which requires me to complete the PiYo Program in 60 Days. Since I’m starting today, August 11, 2014, I will be finished with my program on October 9, 2014 just before the deadline for the “after” pictures!
3. I am actively trying to build my Beachbody business and I want people to be able to get to know me so they feel more comfortable having me as a coach, joining my team, and participating in my challenges.
4. I want to inspire others to change their lives. Whether this be through one of the programs I sell, one of the challenge groups I manage or through another avenue, I want others to be inspired.
5. I want to help end the trend of obesity and help people to achieve their goals and enjoy a healthy fulfilling life.

My Plan:

1. PiYo – I will be focusing primarily on PiYo for my workouts.
2. 21 Day Fix eating plan – PiYo and 21 Day Fix have very similar eating plans (almost exact) and since I’m so familiar and happy with the 21 Day Fix eating plan, I’m going to be using those cute colorful containers!
3. Shakeology – a non-negotiable for me. Absolutely necessary for my overall health and weight loss goals.

My Goals:

1. To be comfortable wearing a swimming suit on our vacation.
2. To be consistent at least 90% of the time.
3. To have a visibly dramatic change in my before and after pictures.
4. To grow my business by 45% in 60 days.
5. To lose at least 30 pounds.

Thank you all for helping me to stay accountable. I will absolutely need your encouragement throughout this process!

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Don’t Give Up When You’re Missing Your Pup

Today’s post is by Guest Blogger Kate Townsend

In mid February I lost my dog on a hike in the foothills of the Rockies. She bolted after a deer, broke away from me, and vanished. Our group called for hours and hours, and when dusk settled in we rushed to the library to make lost dog posters. It felt so surreal, I couldn’t believe I was about to leave that park without my dog, I felt guilty, I felt helpless, knowing she could be anywhere.

The weeks that followed were filled with immense anxiety, sadness, and a rollercoaster of emotions. Between calls of sightings that didn’t pan out, driving up every day after work to where we lost her, and searching endlessly for her – time was in exhausting slow motion.

We printed hundreds of posters, put ads here on Craiglist, used the pet alert call system, gathered a search party, and shared it on facebook and via email threads. We tried leaving clothing with our scent on it where we last saw her, tried using a dog trap, tried doing a bacon burn to attract her to us – and we were getting nothing.

We never gave up hope but of course discouragement sets in, how can all this relentless hard work not pay off?

On April 1st I received a phone call from a woman who had been following my dog and I’s saga, and lived near the area she was lost. She had, like us, been searching for weeks in hopes to bring Blitz home. She was walking in her neighborhood when she noticed a small sign that read “Found” and had a picture eerily similar to Blitz’s. She rushed home to look up a photo of Blitz and was convinced it was her. She was so sweet and called me right away in tears of joy – certain she was about to reunite me with my dog. Sure enough, I phoned the number to leave a message of Blitz’s description and they returned my call asking what color collar she had on. I told them and heard the words I’d been waiting a month and a half for: “I think we have your dog.”

I rushed up to the house, rang the doorbell, and sure enough heard Blitz’s bark right before seeing her little head pop up at the door. Nothing short of miracle!! She had been lost in the wilderness for 44 days, defying all odds and making it to a family who brought her back to me. She is now home safe and sound – filled with unimaginable experiences of the outdoors.

I wanted to share this with those who have lost their pet, to encourage them not to give up. Your pet is out there somewhere, and if you can spread the word enough, they will come back to you.

• Check all surrounding shelters regularly, online and in person. Lots of dogs slip through the cracks this way because their owner doesn’t realize they are at the shelter.
• Call and leave descriptions at all surrounding vets, often times people who find dogs will bring them in to get checked for a microchip.
• Be sure to use social media – it is your friend! Colorado Lost and Found dogs and other animal rescues pages
• Craiglist is very useful – keep your posts constantly updated and at the forefront, on both the pets and lost and found pages – and make sure to read through the other posts so you don’t miss a post about your dog/cat/etc!
• Try leaving an article of clothing that was worn for a few days, heavy with your scent, where you last saw the dog, with a bowl of water. Check this spot as much as possible, often times dogs will be attracted back and wait for you at that spot.
• Create colorful posters, and talk to as many people in the area as you can, keep people thinking about it as much as you are. Canvass the entire area surrounding where your pet escaped.
• Utilize the FindToto or PetAmberAlert call system – these can be pricey but get the word out very quickly and efficiently
• Most importantly – DONT GIVE UP HOPE! – be diligent and keep doing everything you can to bring your pet home

Hope this helps reunite some pets to their loving families!

 

Thank you so much Kate, for sharing your story and for being such an inspiration to me as I was searching for my puppy!

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Find Your Lost Dog

I just recently lost and found my seven month old Golden Retriever puppy. She got out of our yard on a Monday night and was successfully returned on the following Sunday which just happened to be Easter Sunday (yes, God’s timing does exist).

I found a lot of different resources and met new friends along the way so I wanted to share some of my knowledge to hopefully help someone else find their dog. Please keep in mind that I live in Elizabeth, Colorado so some of the organizations might be different in your area.

Start Searching the Moment You Notice Your Dog Missing

• Walk the routes that you consistently walk with your pet (mine was spotted many times along our regular walking route) calling out in a nice voice.
• Take your kids, other dog(s), treats, toys, and a leash in case you find them.
• Get reinforcements – if you have family or friends in the area ask them to help.
• Go door to door at your neighbors’ houses. Tell them how important your dog is to you (if they don’t already know) and if you have a recent picture on your cell phone, show them the picture.

If Searching Yields No Results – DON’T GIVE UP!

• Get on Craigslist and Ebay Classifieds – put ads in both the pet sections and the lost/found sections. If you’re offering a reward include the word “Reward” – I didn’t include the amount. Also, check to see if anyone might have found your dog and posted a found report or maybe, and I hate to even say this but, check the people that are selling dogs that have a similar description to yours. If you contact them, act like you’re an interested buyer – not an accusatory owner.
• Call all the local authorities: Police, Sheriff, Park Rangers, Veterinarians (Leave messages on their machines if it’s after hours and call back in the morning), and Shelters.
• Put in reports where you can with a description of your dog and your contact information (Police, Sheriff, Shelters, Veterinarians, Kennels, Etc.)
• Put it on social media – find local rescue organizations and ask them to share a picture and information. If your dog is a certain breed, check for organizations dedicated to that breed. And ASK PEOPLE TO SHARE OR RETWEET. That’s huge because some people might not even think to share it but if you ask, they might be more willing to do it! Because of people sharing my post, I found out that a local government official received phone calls from Wyoming telling him to look for my dog.
• Create Posters – I find simpler is better. My poster was relatively simple as you can see:

• Put posters everywhere you can – on stop sign posts at local intersections, at coffee shops, pet groomer, pet stores, veterinarians, police departments, sheriff’s offices, grocery stores, post offices, feed stores, gas stations (on each pump if they’ll let you), restaurants, schools, and any other business in your area that will allow it. Keep a record of places you go – you’ll want to make sure to take them all down once you have found your dog.
• I made mini posters with a small treat bag and two dog treats enclosed to hand out to anyone I saw walking or to neighbors that I talked to.
• Expect some pushback, expect some naysayers, brush them off and DON’T GIVE UP HOPE.
• List your dog as lost on some or all of these websites or ones that are more relevant to your individual search area: www.petharbor.com, www.fidofinder.com, www.lostmydoggie.com, www.lostadog.com, www.lostdogsdenver.com, www.petamberalert.com – paying for an amber alert where they call people in your area and send out flyers to various pet-related businesses in the area is well worth your money, in my opinion.
• Keep posting on craigslist – every. single. day.
• If there are sightings in the area, go there and hang out or camp out if you can. Have treats, toys, food bowls (to make the sound of their feeding time), and other goodies to lure them in.
• Leave a crate or a dog door open in case your dog comes home. I left our dog door and gate open almost 24 hours a day (with the other dog secured) just in case she found her way home.
• Pray – I know it sounds simple but I believe it was THE key factor in us finding our Mayzie, and on Easter Day nonetheless! Praise God!

Some Tips That I Received

• If you see your dog and it seems afraid of you, that’s normal, get down on your hands and knees and act like there’s something very interesting on the ground or even lay on the ground. Your dog may get curious and come over.
• People have a tendency to take a pet to their favorite shelter – not necessarily the closest shelter so check EVERYWHERE.
• Dogs typically don’t wander more than 5 miles from home, especially if they’re alone. A puppy is even less likely to go that far. And dogs rarely run in straight lines.
• Keep your veterinary records, pictures, and anything/everything you have to prove that it is, in fact, your dog with you at all times. Shelters will require this and any normal citizen will require some proof – as I would expect them to!
• Make your vehicle your command center – keep posters, tape, push pins, dog toys, a phone charger, dog treats, a leash and collar, etc. in your car. You never know when you might need them.
• If there has been a sighting, you may want to take a blanket or dog bed that the dog is familiar with (scented like home) and leave it in the area. Dogs’ primary sense is their sense of smell, so they may gravitate towards it and then you might find them there the next morning.
• If your dog is on a feeding schedule, going looking at that time of day is the best because they’re hungry. Searching while they’re probably sleeping or resting (at night or when it’s very hot outside) will likely not yield results.
• If your dog is gone long, make new posters with a different title like “Still Missing” or “Still Lost”.
• I put my second round of posters on card stock, inside plastic sleeves with the tops taped so they would withstand weather and wouldn’t curl around sign posts.
• Post an ad in the paper.
• Talk to everyone you can about your missing dog. The more eyes that are searching the better.
• Don’t give up hope. I spoke with a woman who lost her dog for 45 days before she was returned.

Prevention is the Way To Go

• Get your dog microchipped. This not only helps if someone finds your dog but it can help prevent theft as well as ruling out other dogs you may see on shelter pages that look similar to yours, but you’re not sure. I drove an hour in each direction of my house to follow up on possible dogs to find out they weren’t my Mayzie.
• Get a GPS tracker like the Tagg Tracker. Mine just came in the mail!
• Always make sure your dogs are up to date on their vaccinations.
• Give your dog things to do – they need a job to keep their minds busy whether it be training for some time before you go to work, playing fetch, or even leaving puzzle toys for them to use.
• Understand your dog’s abilities. I had no idea my dogs were capable of escaping my yard. Now, I’m very aware.
• Take lots of pictures. I take hundreds of pictures every day and I still had a hard time finding one that looked like my Mayzie. Instagram changes the color of pets. Don’t use an Instagramed picture on posters unless it really does look like your pet.

I hope this helps!

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Missing (And Finding) Mayzie

As she sits at my feet meticulously licking her newly washed golden coat, I wonder if she knows the heartache and longing that her explorative outbreak caused. After jumping out of the yard, something she had never done even though she had spent hours and days in the same yard, we spent almost 143 hours searching and worrying. People I barely knew along with my friends and family were thinking, praying, and searching. Believers and non-believers were hoping for a miracle and what better day than Easter, the day of the biggest miracle in history?

A group of the people I had never met other than via email, telephone calls, and social media arranged a search party for today, Easter Day, at 4:00 p.m. My hopes were dwindling after I had shouted “Mayzie” almost a million times over the course of the past six days, but I was so excited that there would be so many of us, maybe we would actually find her. At 3:45 p.m. as I was about to walk out the door, my phone rang. An unknown number. The skip in my heart was less noticeable than it had been days before, but it existed nonetheless.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hi, are you the one that’s missing the dog?” A question I had heard so many times this week from unknown numbers.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“I have her.” He replied a bit winded.

“You have my dog? Are you sure it’s her?” My hopes starting to rise as I almost dropped the phone.

“Uh… yeah,” He said.

“Where!?!” I couldn’t control my excitement at this point. My keys were already in my hand and I was out the door, my kids left with my parents and my sister and her fiancé frantically trying to keep up.

He told me he found her down by the river and he caught her. He would meet me at the local church next to the elementary school.

Two minutes later I was waiting in an empty parking lot, looking for a truck or car or something to drive up. My sister and her fiancé had finally pulled in beside me as I was getting the reward money together for these people.

Then Brandon said, “There they are.”

And sure enough, two men were walking toward us from behind the church, one of them with a dog in his arms.

It was her!

Tears rolled down my cheeks as my slightly thinner, but all around healthy looking puppy wiggled back into my arms as she had so many times before.

They told me that they had found her down by the creek and even though she growled at them when they approached, they had seen the many lost dog signs hanging around town and decided they were going to catch her.

Though I tried to give them the reward money, they refused to take it over an over again.

I was then able to take Mayzie to where the search party was gathering and tell them the good news which was greeted with many gasps, smiles, hugs, and tears. When my kids joined us they threw themselves at Mayzie and with tears in their eyes they hugged and hugged her neck while she wagged her tail and licked their faces.

I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the help and support I received. I am so thrilled that our baby is back home. And now she’s forever on house arrest… Just kidding.

Tomorrow we will be off the to vet to get microchips and checkups while we wait for the Tagg GPS trackers to come in the mail.

When my brain is back to normal, I will detail all of the things I did to find her and hopefully they will help someone else. Good people, small community, prayer, and ultimately God brought my baby home on such a miraculous day. Thank you.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Special Thanks To:

• GOD
• Jake and Kyle (Who Found Her)
• My Dad
• My Mom
• My Sister
• My Brother-In-Law
• Whitne
• Sabrina
• Lisa
• Denice
• Carolyn
• Sue
• Shayne
• Suzanne
• JoAnne
• KaDee
• Erin
• Jenny
• Geniene
• Amanda
• Joelle
• Andrea
• Mike
• Carin
• The lady who called (Kate, I think) that had found her dog after it had been gone 45 days.
• The lady who called that found her dog after consistently putting up posters in Elizabeth.
• The man who called to tell me he saw her running by the elementary school.
• The woman who called on her way to pick up pizza for dinner when she saw Mayzie.
• The woman who gave me hope after sitting on a corner for hours when she told me that she saw Mayzie just the night before in that very place.
• The man who called to yell at me for putting up a poster in his HOA. (Yes, thanks to him too because he saw the poster and could have had an impact that I’m unaware of.)
• The man who got angry when I came to his door and slammed it on me only to find me a bit later down the street and apologize for his behavior. (Same reasoning as above.)
• All The Businesses In Elizabeth & Kiowa that Put Up My Posters and Helped Spread The Word
• The Elizabeth Police and Elbert County Sheriff’s Office
• The Local Veterinarians & Pet Businesses
• More Facebook Pages Than I Can List or Even Know About
• More Friends Than I Can List
• The Random Strangers That Called To Give Me Sighting Reports and Encouragement
• The Prayer Warriors
• My Boss
• My Co-Workers
• And Anyone Else I Forgot (I’m Sorry, I’m Very Tired)

I couldn’t have done this without you! Much love and thanks!

Mayzie’s already back at her old tricks of stealing my shoes!

Surviving April Fools Day in 7 Easy Steps

April Fools Day is a day that I simultaneously look forward to and dread every year. Not only is it the anniversary of my divorce (no joke) but it’s also a day that gullible suckers like me get fooled. So I figured I’d give all you gullible suckers out there a few ways to avoid being tricked this April Fools Day: 

1. Don’t eat, drink, or consume anything anyone gives you. Make your own food, coffee, etc. 
2. Don’t shower – trust me on this one, I’ve seen too many people with purple/pink/green hair. 
3. Avoid radio talk shows – last year I was convinced our beloved Peyton Manning had been traded from Denver. 
4. Don’t believe anyone who tells you they’re pregnant, getting married, getting divorced, etc. Shocking life events will still be shocking tomorrow and if they’re true, that person should seriously rethink their timing.  
5. Avoid Facebook. Yes, I know Facebook addicts this is hard for you but seriously if you don’t want to be tricked…
6. When walking down the street make eye contact with passersby, point at them, and say loudly, “I’m no fool!”
7. Be careful when interacting with your children – mine think an April Fools Prank is equivalent to a head butt, licking my face, etc. 

Or you can always just join in on the fun, laugh along with them and be the gullible sucker that keeps April Fools Day fun and entertaining. I think that’s the one I’ll go with.

Good Luck!

~ Thankfully Exhausted 

Hands Free Mama – Chapter 1

Typically, I’m the girl that gobbles up books taking mere days or even hours to get from cover to cover. About a month ago picked up a book called “Hands Free Mama” by Rachel Mary Stafford and though I have been reading it nearly every day, I just finished the first chapter. You may think this is because the subject matter is difficult or the writing is bad, but these couldn’t be further from the truth.

After just one chapter my outlook on life and parenting has changed. I am becoming hands free and often while I’m reading, I notice a moment that I have to grasp, put down the book and grab the moment with both hands, a sunset moment. I think Rachel would appreciate my willingness to put down the words she masterfully created to enjoy those moments. To creat memories. I’ve heard it said many times to embrace your children while they’re little, they grow so fast. This is the book that shows you how to do that.

I’ll probably write a full review when I’ve completed the book, but I just couldn’t wait to share how much it’s done for me in one single chapter. If you’d like to get a taste of the Hands Free Mama idea, please visit Rachel’s website.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Review: All Things Hidden

When a book challenges you to think, wonder, and research, it’s a book worth sharing. “All Things Hidden” by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is a book that had me rabidly Googling Alaska in 1935. This book, though fictional, had just enough fact to intrigue me. In addition to the intrigue, I was also touched by the story of Gwyn Hillerman and how her life is turned upside down, right side up, and upside down again.

Gwyn is a young nurse at her father’s clinic in a beautiful and very rural Alaska. She helps him care for the people in their modest village and the surrounding tribes until their modest village expands with government-sent colonists. This all happens after her mother and younger sister abandoned Gwyn and her father to rejoin their idea of proper civilization in Chicago.

Peterson and Woodhouse have an amazing way of creating beautifully multifaceted characters. I couldn’t help but love Gwyn even in her stubbornness and insecurities. She has a true beauty that far exceeds the picture on the cover of the book. When the handsome and newly eligible bachelor, Dr. Jeremiah Vaughan, travels to Alaska to help Gwny and her father with the growing population, the attraction between the two young adults is unmistakable and realistically awkward. It was a refreshing change of pace that the love story was honest and Godly, yet subtle and second to the overall storyline.

If you want a sweet, thoughtful, and intriguing book, this is the book for you. I highly recommend ordering this and reading it in your comfiest chair with a soft blanket and a hot cup of tea.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Can Your Child Save Your Life?

Back in the good ol’ days, when everyone had a landline, it was easy to teach your kids to pick up the phone and dial 9-1-1. Now, in a world of endless technology, calling for help in an emergency can prove to be more challenging.

My daughters (6 and 8 years old) who both attend an iSchool, both have iPods Touches, and both use iPads daily in class, could not figure out how to call 9-1-1 on my iPhone. I was beyond shocked when I decided to test them (under the calmest of circumstances) and they fumbled through my phone before becoming frustrated and giving up.

As a single mom, it scared me to think that something could happen to me and my girls would have no idea how to call for help. As a former Park Ranger and Volunteer Firefighter, I was disappointed in myself that I hadn’t even thought to go through this with my kids. Thankfully, it wasn’t too terribly hard to teach them. These are the steps I followed:

I started on the lock screen where you swipe to the right to unlock or go to the emergency screen.

I have a passcode to keep the kids out of my phone, so they would likely have to use the emergency call function to call for help.

I directed each one through the steps while they performed them.

When it came time to dial 9-1-1, I made sure they didn’t actually push call. I asked them repeat the steps several times over to make sure they had it.

I then unlocked my phone and directed them through the following steps. First, get out of an app by pressing the home button and finding the phone app.

Next find the dial pad.

Dial.

Pretend to push send. A few days later, I asked them to go through the process to make sure they still remembered.

Some additional things you can teach your child in case of an emergency:

• Their home address and to associate that address with their actual home. Now that we have cell phones everywhere, they may have to call when they’re not at home and giving their home address to the dispatcher could cause confusion even with GPS capabilities.
• How to describe what’s happening. Dispatchers are superheroes, they work crazy hours, deal with crazy people, and can still extrapolate a great deal of information from a frightened child. You can, however, help the situation by describing to your child what a dispatcher may say, ask, and how they need to answer as clearly and concisely as possible.
• The basics of CPR/First Aid. This awesome article from CNN.com has some great tips. 
• What situations dictate calling 9-1-1. Help them understand the importance of not calling when unnecessary. One way I explained it to my kids was that if the dispatchers at 9-1-1 are on the phone with you and you don’t really need them, they may not be able to help someone that really does need them. On a semi-related note, don’t ever vilify the dispatchers, police, or firefighters. I have heard parents threaten their small children with being arrested if they don’t clean their room, or that the police will take them to jail if they call 9-1-1 and don’t have a legitimate emergency. This really irritates me. Children need to know that police, firefighters, dispatchers, and other emergency personnel are there to help, not hurt, especially in emergency situations. If your child calls when they think it’s an emergency and it turns out not to be, it’s not the end of the world. Better to be safe than sorry. If they call when they know it’s not an emergency, well, let’s just say they’ll be rather embarrassed having to explain to the police/firefighters why they wasted their time.

I have heard of parents teaching their kids to call another parent, aunt/uncle, or grandparent in the event of an emergency. This could work, and though I wouldn’t discredit any parent for their methods, I would personally fear that that other parent, aunt/uncle, or grandparent may not be able to reach the phone. 9-1-1 is always there. Period. The Today Show had an interesting article where a 3 year old called “auntie” and left a message which her “auntie” received in a timely manner and was able to get help for the girl’s pregnant mother, so I’m not saying it couldn’t work, just that it’s not as reliable as 9-1-1.

My last tip, and possibly most important tip, would be to role play. Practice. Seriously, you may feel stupid, but practicing in a calm situation may help your child act in a stressful and scary situation.

I hope this helps other parents, if only to bring up a subject they may not have thought about before. If you have anything to add, I would love to hear about it in the comments!

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Review: Cecelia Jackson’s Last Chance

There are books you read once and may or may not recommend to a friend. There are books that you get half-way through and decide to cut your losses. Then every once in a while there’s a knock-your-socks-off, tell-everyone-you-know, amazing book that you have to read twice and three times because the first time you devoured it like a one year old takes on their first birthday cake. “Cecelia Jackson’s Last Chance” by Robbie Iobst is one of those devourable books.

Belinda Kite is caught up in a bad situation. A single mom in an abusive and inappropriate relationship, Belinda struggles to survive her daily life. Her daughter gets the worst of her, and though it’s heart wrenching to read, it’s honest. When Belinda receives a phone call notifying her that her estranged mentor/mother-figure has passed away, Belinda has to make a decision: return to her old stomping grounds to fulfill Cecelia’s dying wish or continue along her current path.

Donna Dougans and Maggie Shanks have the same decision before them. Long lost friends of Belinda, they have been asked to reunite after twenty-five years to recreate Cecelia’s famous tuna fish sandwiches. Though they all have their demons, grudges, and fears, they reluctantly come together in honor of Cecelia and the results are incredible.

The women in this book are relatable, friendly, funny, and genuine. Robbie has a way of drawing you into another world and holding your heart and mind hostage. Every time I read this book, I don’t want it to end. I have given it to so many of my friends as gifts and if I may go out on a limb here, I can honestly say this is one of my all-time favorite books.

An honest story of redemption, decisions, and God, this is real deal. Laugh, cry, dream, and hope with the women of Boots, Texas and when you reach the end, turn the book over and start again.

~ Thankfully Exhausted