STRUGGLING TO FUNCTION

Hey all you wonderful people out there in the world!  Just a quick apology for no new pictures, advice, or recipes today!  I have been up all night trying to break our son of the habit of coming in our bedroom and crawling up in bed with my wife and I in the middle of the night.  So I can’t really function to great today!  But I am working on some new sketches, photos, and much much more.  I will endeavor to post something a bit more worthwhile tomorrow!  That is if I get to sleep some tonight!  To everyone reading this, May you have a beautiful day filled with love, happiness, courage, and creativity!  That’s all for now, “Tune in tomorrow, Same Bat time, Same Bat Channel”!

BALANCE!!!!!

So I have learned over the past few years that the life of a Stay at home parent is a very delicate balancing act.  Sometimes we do it flawlessly like some sort of circus acrobat on the high wire preforming for thousands all without a net.  While other times we fall hard and fast like Icarus on his way toward the sun.  Well I say to everyone of you (those who aren’t stay at home parents included).  That the best we can do is pick ourselves up when we fall and try again tomorrow.  Because life includes failure, sometimes small and other times enormous, but it is a necessity, so that we know what true success is.  And for the times we cross that wire and make it to the platform on the other side, hug yourself, congratulate yourself, have an extra cup of coffee, splurge on some small trinket that you have had your eye on.  But above all live life and take it without regrets, because if we didn’t have the bad we couldn’t know the good for what it is.  (sorry for taking so long to post)

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

So today is valentine’s day! I thought I would spread the love and at the same time tell ya what I did for my family for today!  This is the day we celebrate love and show those we care the most about all the love we can!  So money was a little tight this week so I baked my wife a heart-shaped cookie cake that said I Love You in pink frosting and then made 2 smaller cookies cakes for my kids.  And then I made cartoon valentine cards for my wife (I won’t be sharing the contents of those some things are better left between two people lol).  So just remember that today no matter who says what or how people get on your nerves make the very best effort you can to show them love.  Know that not everyone gets the love they need in life so those of us who do should share.  Give a smile, maybe pay for the coffee of the person standing behind you in line, give a coworker a piece of chocolate, or stop by a homeless shelter and volunteer.  Because it’s been my experience in life that whatever love you give out seems to come back bigger and better than ever!  So for anyone reading this that doesn’t feel loved —– I say “I Love You” if for no other reason than you are here to help the world go round and you took the time to read something that I wrote!

Have an amazing day, and HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Loneliness The Hardest Part Of Being A Stay At Home Parent

So today’s post will cover the topic of loneliness  and how it can be a difficult thing to overcome being a stay at home parent.  So I will make this personal, and hope that you can relate to it.  Being a stay at home Dad is one of the greatest privileges that I could ever ask for.  I have been a stay at home Dad for going on 6 years now, and would not give it up for all the money in the world.  I have gotten to see my children grow, take their first steps, begin their journey into becoming the amazing individuals they want to be, teach, be taught, laugh, and cry.  These things are priceless, and make the job all worthwhile.  The hardest part I would say has been loneliness, not that the kids aren’t there, but rather they are the only ones there all day every day.  Earlier in my life as a stay at home Dad, I have had to deal with bouts of depression related to this issue.  It really can at times be very debilitating  and overwhelming.  As humans we have a primal need to interact.  It became very apparent to me that my depression was related to my lack of adult interaction.  Not to say that my beautiful wife was ignoring me, but that I required more than she alone could provide.  Please don’t misunderstand me, my wife is my best friend, and we have stood together through the tough and the easy.  I love her endlessly, and believe she feels the same way.  That being said she interacts with others all day long in her job, and in her simple day to day transactions (even just interacting with the cashier where she eats lunch).  I however do not get those opportunities in my day to day life.  So how do you solve this conundrum without going crazy, or thereby making your spouse crazy in the process?  This is how we did it.  First we talk every night after the kids are snug and sound in their beds (as any parent of toddler and young aged children knows, it’s almost impossible to hold a full conversation with them in the room lol). Then we also arrange one night every week that is mine to do as I want, be it workout or go have a drink or just get a cup of coffee and work on my sketching at the local coffee shop.  At first I felt guilty taking this time since I am the one responsible for all the functions at home, but then I realized after talking with my wife (a habit I recommend every couple engage in) that she was feeling like she never spent enough time with the kids.  Problem solved right! Not quite, I also learned that on my nights out of the house I had to find ways to meet people and become a bit of an extrovert!  Whoa big change for me (not now as it’s just part of who I am and always was but got buried by the responsibilities of adulthood).  I will say to all of you that this has been a life changing event for me, in that I have experienced new things, and met people that I never would have been able to had it not been for this small but crucial change in the way that I approach life.  So for all of you out there experiencing this kind of longing and loneliness  just know that you are not alone.  And if you ever just need someone to share with, shoot me a message and I will be glad to respond to you as quickly as I can. Because after all we all belong to the family called the human race so we should be there for each other both in times of great sadness and joy.  Have a Great Day, because you won’t ever get this day again! So make the most of it!

Best Ever Beef and Broccoli in under 30 min.

Have you ever wanted Chinese food, but didn’t want to go to the restaurant or have it delivered (cuz we all know that when you get it delivered it’s cold and soggy by the time it gets to you)?  So here is the recipe that I use for Beef and Broccoli that my family raves over.  And yes I know that the ingredients sound a  little strange but trust me and try it.  You won’t believe your taste buds, but it really does taste just like the dish you get at most Chinese restaurants.

What you need:

• 1 pound boneless beef sirloin or top round steak (we have even used the frozen steak     sandwich slices like you would get for Philly cheese steaks)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking the meat you can also use no stick spray if you go with the frozen slices)
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (think low sodium for a healthier option for both soy sauce and soup)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar (absolutely not optional)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 cups fresh or frozen (and thawed) broccoli flowerets (you can use the chopped broccoli that comes in the steam cook bags in the freezer section that will speed it up)
• 4 cups hot cooked rice (if you are like me you may want to use the boil in bag rice again for ease and speed)

What ya do:

Slice beef and brown in a skillet with oil over medium heat.  Remember you can use the non stick spray at this point if you prefer.  After meat is browned add pepper, garlic powder, vinegar, soy sauce, and soup, mix together well in skillet and bring to a boil Then throw in your broccoli and cook till tender stirring occasionally, or if you use the steam in bag kind just add it in after it has been cooked according to package directions and stir till hot and sauce has reduced some.  Serve it over your rice or however you prefer.  Just as  a side note you can grab egg rolls or dumplings in the freezer section and serve those with it.  We also like to grab a small bag of fortune cookies and have those at the end to complete the experience (the kids and grown ups love it)!

This whole meal should take you no more than 30 minutes total to complete.