photo credit

Remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz where Toto pulls the curtain back and reveals the secret...that the Great and Powerful Wizard is really just a man pulling levers and pushing buttons.

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"

Well, blogging can become like that. Many times, we, meaning mom bloggers, make our blogs look pretty and write positive, uplifting things and post beautifully staged pictures of our homes and projects, giving the impression that we have it all together. Not necessarily me. It can be unintentionally deceiving and discouraging to other moms who only see this facade and don't know what really happens in our homes and lives. They don't see the struggles, the mistakes, the same things that they deal with. The nature of blogging requires a balance of privacy and publicity. Of course, we have to be careful what and how much we share with the rest of the world and, naturally, we want to show our best side.

I'm pulling back the curtain a little here.

Honestly, there are days when, no matter how good my intentions are, no matter how much I've planned, it is just pure chaos here...morning to night. There are dirty dishes piled up and mountains of dirty laundry to be washed. Clean laundry that was folded and stacked has to be refolded because a little person was looking for his favorite shirt. The three-year-old is hiding under the table nibbling on a block of cheese or writing on his belly with a marker. Or he noticed the door was left unlocked and he is running down the driveway in his underwear...or naked. The six-year-old and nine-year-old are arguing over a toy, book, TV show, the color of the sky. The teenager disappears every time I ask him to do his chores and only shows up when he's hungry. I'm not up for the bedtime battle and I let little boys fall asleep on the couch watching cartoons. These are the days that wear me down. The days that I don't want to share because they make me feel like I failed somehow.

The truth is that these days aren't necessarily a failure in themselves, but they are the ones that define me. How will I respond? Will it be with grace and love? Or will it be with selfish impatience and anger? Another truth: I don't always respond with grace and love.

Being a mom is beyond hard.

Blogging gives me a creative and social outlet and allows me to develop another facet of myself. I am the woman behind the screen, pushing buttons and clicking the mouse, creating the vision of me that I want you to see.


Shared at: Fellowship Fridays

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Just look at those chocolate-studded muffins. Don't you just want to pluck one right from your screen? While I would love to take full credit for them, I can only say that I know how to follow a recipe. The recipe for these little gems comes from Maryea at Happy Healthy Mama. I followed her recipe almost exactly, using honey instead of agave and choosing mini chips over regular. They are delicious! Now, when I'm in the mood for banana muffins, I'll have to choose between these and my other favorite recipe, Banana Nut Flax Muffins. Decisions, decisions...

*Tip: Suitable for Feingold Stage 1, if you replace applesauce with pear sauce.

Menu Plan Monday - 12/17

Perhaps the week before Christmas is not the best time to go gluten-free, but I gotta go with my motivation. My original goal was grain-free, but that seems like Mission Impossible to me right now.

Monday:  A.M. Prep: Make chicken broth
                 Chicken & rice soup
                                 
Tuesday:  Dinner at Mom's

Wednesday:  Slow-cooker Italian chicken & veggies
                       Prep: soak pinto beans

Thursday:  Layered taco dip w/ Mexican rice, homemade refried beans

Friday:  Sweet & Spicy Crockpot Chicken w/Basmati rice, steamed broccoli

Saturday:  A.M. Prep: Make mashed potatoes
                   Shepherd's pie, mixed baby greens salad

Sunday: Garlic-lime chicken, Basmati rice, glazed baby carrots (Papa Bear's Favorite :)

Flurry of Friends Pinterest Party

Teach Them Diligently Convention and Apologia are hosting a week-long Flurries of Friends and Lots of Fun homeschool celebration with Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter parties. A random winner will be chosen on Thursday from the Pinterest board entries.

Grand Prize Package

One year of Apologia Science (winner's choice), 180 Days Around the World, family registration to the spring convention, and a complete set of TTD recordings of their choice!

After reading a post from Amy at Raising Arrows and getting inspired, I had fun putting together this Pinterest board. My theme is Afternoon Tea. Check out what it would be like to come over to my house for a cup of tea and homeschool mom chat. Then, join in the fun! If you create a board, leave a link in my comments, so I can check it out.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

My family was deprived of biscuits for nearly a decade once I stopped buying canned supermarket biscuits. Well, except when we went to Cracker Barrel or my mom's. I tried a couple of whole wheat biscuit recipes, but they were usually dense and a little dry.

That is, until I found a recipe in Joy of Cooking - there's a reason that cookbook has been around for decades. This is my slightly adapted version. The biscuits turn out light and fluffy with the mild tang of buttermilk. Slather on some real butter and a smear of sorghum or jam and you will experience a little bit of Southern heaven.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
(makes about 20-24)

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat)
1 cup unbleached AP flour
4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, coconut oil, or non-hydrogenated shortening (I use 1/2 butter, 1/2 coconut oil)
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first six ingredients in bowl or food processor. Cut in butter/coconut oil/shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in buttermilk. If dough is too sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until you are able to handle the dough. Knead it gently on a well-floured surface. Pat the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with two-inch biscuit cutter or juice glass and place on ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Handling dough scraps gently, you may pat out and cut again. Bake until lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes.

Soaked option: Stir flour into buttermilk, cover, and soak for 12-24 hours before making. Then, cut butter into chunks and work into the flour mixture, along with the remaining ingredients. Knead and cut dough as directed above.

Tip: For soft sides and slightly higher rise, place dough rounds touching each other. For lightly crispy sides, space 1 inch apart on sheet.

Linked to Better Mom Monday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wonderful Food Wednesday, Welcome Home Wednesday, Natural Living Link-up.