Christmas season is like over easy eggs!

It's not very typical that our whole family of 5 is home for breakfast, but when we are we sure use a lot of eggs.  I'm thrilled that my kiddos love eggs as much as I do but it sure can get hectic in the mornings just trying to get everyone fed and out the door.

And of course it's my fault that I have passed on my love of over easy eggs to my children.  I will tell you that I sure have figured out the super special soft flip to make the best over easy eggs around!  Yes I have been in professional kitchens for over 15 years but not just everyone has the knack for the over easy flip.  It takes patience, love, and some understanding that sometimes it's just not "your day" for the perfect over easy eggs and then you have two options: #1 is to freak out, get down on yourself and probably make the situation even worse or #2 you compromise and embrace the flub and eat scrambled eggs knowing that you are appreciative of the food you have in front of you!

Making breakfast this morning made me think that the Christmas season is a lot like over easy eggs.  A lot of people get more stressed around the holidays knowing that they have more on their plates.  Another stressor  around the Christmas season  is that people typically spend time with their immediate family and extended family a little more than usual.  For this some love the extra time to be together and embrace it, and for some it's not always rainbows and lollipops.  For this I say to keep in mind about what it takes to make the perfect over easy egg, it takes a little more patience, love and understanding.  We should value everyone's opinions and personalities, and embrace what we have in front of us.  

Not everyone is as fortunate and have lost some pretty special people in their lives around this time.  These people would love to just have one last conversation with their crazy grandma that blurts out inappropriate comments as Christmas dinner, or their overprotective father asking lot of questions or even to hang out with their "annoying" sibling one last time.  Be kind to the people and strangers you see around the holidays, you never know what battle they are fighting.  

And maybe the next time you are around family that seems like you would rather be somewhere else, embrace the flub or chaos enjoy what you have right in front of you.  You'll be surprised at how much your mood changes!  

Hot Cocoa Shakes and Christmas Lights!

So I figured for my first recipe on the blog it would be something so simple that anyone can do it, and I don't even think there is a way to mess it up.  I mean I don't want to jinx it but it's a little dump here, pour here and if it's not to your liking add a little more of an ingredient.  This recipe is one that our family has done during December a couple different times.  I know you are going to think I'm crazy but it's Hot Cocoa Shakes!  Yes, it's a total oxymoron but call it what you want to call it, it's delicious, NOT nutritious, but definitely a treat!  This is a cold shake that we like to do because my kiddos love the taste of hot chocolate but they have the problem of it being too hot!  Yes, we like to put ice cubes in the hot chocolate after the marshmallows have melted a little but this is also a fun little treat giving us the best of both worlds. 

Look at our cute little kitchen penguin mascot!  See even he likes the hot chocolate shakes.

It's only 3 ingredients!  Kemp's Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt, Swiss Miss milk chocolate hot cocoa packet, and 1/2 and 1/2.  I'm not usually very brand specific but there are some things that I am and one of those is Kemp's VANILLA BEAN Frozen Yogurt.  This stuff is so good and you can tell the difference.  I will show you late in the blog why this brand is AMAZING!

**You can use milk but because it's around Christmas I like to splurge a little on calories and taste and you can really tell the richness with the 1/2 and 1/2.  You know your family and yourself better than I do so do what you want for your recipe and make it yours**

So all you do is take about 6 large scoops or about 3 c. of Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt, 1 packet of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Cocoa Powder, and 1 and 1/2 c. of 1/2 and 1/2 and put it into your blender.  Mix until all smooth and incorporated.

When you have it mixed up, take a little taste of it and if it's too thick to your liking than add a little more 1/2 and 1/2.  If it's too thin to your liking than add a little more ice cream.  If you like a really chocolaty shake add more cocoa powder.

Look at this little guy, we have a Hot Cocoa Shake!  Okay maybe it's a Cold Cocoa Shake, but you get the idea!  I like to still put them in our mugs to make us feel fancy and make it more of a treat.

**By the way this is why I am brand specific on Kemp's Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt!  Look at the bottom of the cup!  No I didn't put pepper in my shake, that is the actual vanilla bean that you can see and taste!  So good!**

After our Hot Cocoa Shakes we went driving around our winter wonderland this past weekend, braved the cold to look at Christmas lights.  We had the kids pick their favorite houses and we would get out to take family pictures with them.

We got a couple crazy looks.  We don't know if it was because it was late, or just plan cold and no one else was on the road, but we embraced it and made it a fun evening with the family.

Hot Cocoa Shakes
6 large scoops or about 3 c. of Kemp's Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt
1 packet of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Cocoa Powder
1 + 1/2 c. of 1/2 and 1/2

Add all ingredients into your blender and mix until all incorporated and smooth.  Pour into 4 mugs and top with chocolate syrup or whip cream.

Enjoy!

Embracing Christmas Chaos

Oh how Christmas sneaks up on us each year.  I swear if it's not snowing by the Friday after Thanksgiving it's hard to start thinking that Christmas is coming.  Since I live in the lovely state of Iowa it's just hard to get into the Christmas spirit without snow.  I know I will probably get a lot of crap from people that don't like the cold and snow, but I live in Iowa for the 4 seasons.  Granted 3 months of snow is all I like to see but I do like the changing seasons.  This morning snow brought the Christmas spirit out in me and my kiddos.  We decided to embrace all that is Christmas and cram everything we could in to today.

Paxton and Cyril talking to Santa to let him know what they want for Christmas.  This is the closest Piper has gotten to Santa without crying so we are making progress.  She even gave him a high five at the end and told her what she wanted. 

 My kiddos shoveling the driveway.  Okay before all the judgy judgy comments come up.  Yes, I let my kids shovel snow!  Yes, I helped a little!  Yes, they had asked me for 4 hours straight before this picture was taken to "please mom, when can we shovel the driveway?"  And yes they played in the little amount of snow that we had and had a blast after the driveway was clear. And yes, we came in and had some delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows.  Embracing the chaos by letting my kids help out.

We then decided to do some holiday baking so we finished up some Oreo truffles.  Yes I know they don't look perfect but I love having my kids help in the kitchen.  Why should I have all the fun cooking and cleaning when they want to help out?

And with a little help from some chocolate and red chips,

Viola!  Finished product!

Next thing waiting to be baked,  peanut butter cookies with Rolos.  My little helpers love to be in the kitchen with me especially when I am baking.  It might be because I pay in sugar!  They are taking the Rolo wrappers off for peanut butter cookies.  

Cyril concentrating on measuring out the flour for the cookies.

As Piper was literally running around the house, she realized she was missing out so she joined in rolling the dough into the sugar.

And finally Paxton wanted to help as well.

 Mmmmmm these are simple and delicious!  Peanut butter cookies with gooey Rolos in the middle.

My only rule in the kitchen is that everyone has to be kind and happy in the kitchen, otherwise they will "contaminate the cookies."  I learned at a very early age that my mom always put love in her food and that's why her's always tasted so much better.  Since I have grown up I can tell when people don't enjoy preparing their food.  You can taste the Love!  So if the kids are fighting while cooking/ baking they have to leave the kitchen until they love each other and then they can come back.  This way we don't "contaminate the cookies"

Hope you are all in the holiday spirit and embracing your chaos!

Hello Chaotic World!

Hello all!  I'm happy to start this little journey with you.

I know that I have done other blogs in the past but this one is going to be more sporadic, more chaotic.  Kind of how my life is!

I have done blogs in the past about just my family, and just cooking and recipes, but this one I want to do so much more with.  This blog I want to dedicate to all the chaotic moms/ dads/ men/ women/ and even children.  This life we have is so busy, and full of stuff we have "to do" that sometimes we forget to embrace the chaos and the busyness that is around us.  I have a hard time doing it as well but I have found that the more I embrace my chaotic life and just start living in the now, the happier I am.


Let me tell you that I am a huge planner in everything in my life, but sometimes I get so caught up around planning and looking into the future that I forget about the chaotic wonderful present that we get to live in now.

This is why I decided to make this particular blog.  Yes, I will still have recipes and pictures for you to follow, hopefully each week.   One of my favorite things about my job is teaching others to cook so I will try to get a recipe out each week.  I will have pictures of my family, food, friends and everything that makes up my chaotic life because embracing it means being grateful for all that I have been given so far!

I hope you enjoy the ride!!