Five and Still Alive

This picture was taken on a hike we did at Volcano National Park

I feel like coming back into the blogging world wouldn't be the same without a re-introduction ;) I started this blog back in 2013 to document the first year of our "new" life. We started homeschooling that year and we had a new pregnancy. We started a real focus on eating as organically as we could. A year full of firsts. I know that I'm back to blogging for a different reason than when I started. After giving birth to our last child, the last for our family, I felt the need to be apart of something. Obviously, I couldn't leave my home and honestly don't want to. Now, blogging is my creative outlet. A place to put my thoughts, a place to share my creativity, and a place to escape my world as I know it.

I'm not ashamed to admit when things don't work out for me and I'm most definitely not afraid of admitting my mistakes. Homeschooling was never a mistake. It was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. After the birth of our fourth child, it became difficult for me to stay on top of things. I felt that I was doing a disservice to my children. My point of view on that last statement has changed as I developed a better sense of myself and my children. With the help of a friend, I found an amazing charter school close to home. I met with the teachers and sat in on some lessons. The children's new school definitely made my transition out of homeschooling easier. I can't say that I'm completely finished with homeschooling. All I know is that I am a lot better equipped to deal with life than I was two years ago.

This new chapter of my blog will entail a lot more "mom" posts than before. Next week, I will be showcasing "Moments of Motherhood." This is a week dedicated to moms! I will share with you the things I did for myself to help me find happiness. Some of the topics I'll be discussing...

• Closing the Books on Pregnancy..what now and how to move on.
• Postpartum Anxiety...yes, it's a real thing. Also we'll take a closer look at placenta encapsulation. It's not as weird as you think.
• Mommy Makeover! New moms don't have time for a visit to the salon. How to cut your hair in beautiful layers-YOURSELF!!!
• Finding Yourself (again)
• Working Out!!

Now that you know what to expect, I hope you love it <3 This helps me in more ways than one, so I'm just happy to be back. The kids are asleep*, I have an ice cold beer, a deck of cards, and a handsome hubby calling my name. Til next time!!

*Stay tuned for my post on how I get ALL five kids asleep. And ALL three down for a nap ;) Hubby and wife time is important to me. Let me help you!

We're Back!! With a Recipe, Of Course

HELLO BLOGGERS!!

I've been fighting the urge to come back for a couple months now, and well, here I am! Lots and lots of changes have happened since our last post back in 2013. We are now a family of SEVEN!!! SEVEN!!! It still amazes me to say that. Our youngest is just shy of 4 months old. I thought transitioning out of the pregnancy stage of my life would be a lot harder than it is, but I'll save that for another post ;)

Luckily for you all, I've been saving a few recipes to post here. Today, I started Day 1 of the 21 Day Fix (for the fourth time since giving birth). I'll be posting a lot of 21DF friendly recipes as well! I don't wanna overload the page today, but honestly?? IM JUST HAPPY TO BE BACK! I can feel my creative juices flowing again, and that's just what I need!! I'm excited to share with you all that I've been learning as a mother of five. Each day, it's something new. A new struggle, a new idea, a new problem, a new solution. You know I wouldn't leave without posting a recipe, right?

Fall off the Bone Crock Pot Whole Chicken

 Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

1 Tbsp salt

3 tsp paprika

3 tsp onion powder

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup baby carrots

1.5 cup chicken broth

3lb whole chicken

*To add spice: 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

Combine spices in bowl. 

Rub mixture on chicken and IN chicken.

Cut celery and add veggies to the bottom of the crock pot. Add chicken broth.

Place chicken breast down in crock pot

*Make sure break is DOWN so the juices will collect in the breast. This will leave your chicken juicy and fall off the bone tender!!

Cook for 4 hours on high heat

Watch the meat fall off the bone! Seriously the most tender chicken I've ever prepared! I shredded the chicken and served it with brown rice and the veggies from the stock. Set your portion sizes and it's a perfect 21DF meal!! Separate into containers and you've got a few meals prepped! 

***SAVE THE BONES FOR AN AMAZING HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK***

(link to recipe below)

Check out one of my favorite websites for an awesome homemade overnight chicken stock in the crockpot. 

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/01/24/recipe-overnight-chicken-stock-in-the-crock-pot/

I'm a huge fan of Jook, or Congee. Jook is a kind of rice porridge made with rice and chicken broth (or turkey). It's PERFECT for those cold, rainy days and amazing when you are sick. With all the rainy, cold days ahead, this will be perfect as a side dish with our meals! Enjoy!!

**COMING SOON**

For the Kids: Bedtimes and Broomsticks, a look into our schedule for five
For the Moms: Finding Yourself <again> and why it's so important
Recipes: The No Fail Pasta Sauce, that isn't only for pasta ;)