my child didn't make the team...

Guess what? My daughter didn't make the team. 

She didn't win. 

Of course my heart was crushed. I watched her try her hardest.

I watched her practice until it was dark outside. 

I saw the sweat and determination in her face.

I watched her strength and belief in herself grow. 

Then I watch her try. 

I watch her be judged. 

I got to see her and her competition. 

I saw the look of excited turn to worry.

Her sweet smile hidden with self doubt.

When messed up she had the look of frustration smeared across her face. 

I watched as my beautiful child encouraged other girls when they didn't do THEIR  best. I saw her pick herself up when she fell. I got to witness my daughter put on a brave face and push forward. I watched as she gave it her all. 

 I saw her cry.  I held her as she was so upset. I listened as she told me how badly she wanted to be on the team. I watched tears stream down her face. I rubbed her back and told her all the amaizing things she did. Then I left her to herself. I let her take it all in and really let the pain sit. Then I watched her walk through the door, give her daddy a hug. I watched my husband hold her and say he was proud of her. I saw a tiny smile on her face. I watched her walk away knowing she did her best. It wasn't enough...but she did her best. 

I heard about how she lifted her friends spirits when they told her they didn't make it either. I listened as she told me about the conversation she had with her friends. 

My pride in my child grew, as if it was big enough already. 

You guys who REALLY is the winner? Her character astounds me. We hear all the time, We can't ALL win all the time. There MUST be a loser. And it's true. In a race, game etc we can't always win....but we CAN always come out on top. And today, my darling girl, surly came out on top. 

breakfast...

good morning monday!!

okay i have a delicious most SCRUMPTIOUS blog for you today. 

Breakfast is probably my fave food. 
:)
that and cake.

I LOVE waffles, scrambled eggs (with tomatoes), bacon (or faken) 
biscuits and gravy, sausage, oatmeal with ice cream, cream of wheat, cheerio's, yogurt and granola, toast with sunny side up egg flopped on top, pancake and whipped cream with berries,  you name it...I love it. 
BUT I am such a picky pancake eater.
I can't love a plain old pancake. 
And don't even THINK about putting some chocolate chips 
in the batter and telling me they are better (gag).

There is ONE and ONLY pancake I LOVE. Like I love this pancake so much I crave it, will go to the restaurant  ALONE, order it, eat it and feel complete.

 Black Bear Diner.
That D word pancake!
I LOVE IT!
 I have searched high and low for that recipe and I CANNOT find it! 
Please don't ask if I have searched pinterest. YES. I have wasted plenty of ingredients and time trying those recipes. 
 I have mixed and mixed trying to get it!
(if one of you happen to be reading and actually KNOW the recipe ...PLEASE! give a girl a break and leave it to me in the comments!)

Until the beautiful glorious day when I receive the ACTUAL recipe...I will say this.
By pure accident...I think I can now make something thats the CLOSEST I have come to a BLACK BEAR pancake!!
(angels sing)

wanna know how we do it??
okay :)



We didn't have enough plain old add water to the mix pancake mix (Krusteaz) one morning...SO, my genius brain said...just add a box of Jiffy Cornbread mix to the bowl. Add the egg. Add the milk. Mix it. pour it. Flip it. 
Devour. 


And I'm not the mom that gives her kids syrup...instead we opt for whipped cream and sprinkles. 
BUT we DO have a scrumptious syrup recipe I let them eat once in awhile. Trust me. The sugar in this makes up for all the other many times they don't get it. 

Make Shift Black Bear Diner Pancakes 

I like my Krusteaz pancake batter a bit runny...like box cake batter kind of runny. So I usually start out with about 1 1/2 -2 cups of powder mix and add water until I get desired runny-ness. 

To that add this:

1 Box Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

mix. pour. flip. eat. :) 

Almost Carmel Syrup

(aka expoding syrup)

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup buttermilk (regular milk works, too)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp Karo syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1 TBS baking soda.

Melt butter in a pan. Anything bigger than a sauce pan works. Mix in milk ,sugar and karo syrup. Bring to a boil. 

Add vanilla and stir. 

Then add the baking soda. It will bubble up pretty good! This is why a bigger pot is good news :) 

Let it sit for minute then enjoy :)

only daughters for us...

hi, my name is teresa and I have four daughters.
(hi, teresa).

It has been 15 years since my first pregnancy and all I seem to make are girls.

FOUR girls. 1.2.3.4.

Over the past 15 years I have had the usual,
 "she's adorable!"
"she looks just like you!"
"Look at her beautiful hair!"
type of comments.

But it seemed after each new daughter was born,
 I got a few NEW comments added to the typical list.
"FOUR daughters?!!"
"Wow. ALL girls?!"
"Good LUCK!"
"Do you own a shot gun?"
"Have you invested in Kotex?"
"Oooooh those teenage years are gunna be rough!"
and my very favorite ( not)
"Are you going to try for a boy??"


Well, I'll tell you what. I really didn't mind them at first. The comments ;)
But then after daughter number three, it got old.

Yes people. YES. I have THREE daughters and no sons.
What gave it away the huge bows or the pierced ears?
The tutu's. It must have been those dang tutu's.
LUCK? What does that mean? I don't need luck raising my children.

And then baby number four came...another daughter. My sweet husband literally cried when we left the doctors office. Looked at him with a silent tear running down his face and said out loud, "Babe! We can try again! I'll do this again!

yeah no.

 So NOW my shopping trips, vacations, church gatherings, outings and school sign ups were even more filled with the same questions I was already expecting.

Well, yes...yes I DO have 4 daughters!
Yes! All girls! Can you believe it?!
Don't worry...we have stock in Kotex!
A BOY? Oh honey number 2, 3 and 4 were all TRIES for a boy!

A shotgun? We have four.

word.


 Can I just say right here that I LOVE having all daughters.
(yes, teresa, you can.)
Okay, thanks. Because it has been GREAT with hand me down clothes and blankets and shoes and bows and bedroom decorating is a breeze for me!!

I don't have to worry about circumcision, sweaty pits, feeding a horse, the sex talk I have NO clue about! (my husband lucked out of that one, too. lame.)

In fairness-being the dad to all girls is a rough gig. and we are thankful everyday for ours.


Yes. Having girls HAS been loud. They talk FOREVER.
 Every little detail is important and I surly know about them.
Pink is a color I never thought I would actually like again...last time being when I was  six.
But man! Show me the perfect light rose dresser with soft
Chantilly pink handles and I am SOLD!
Tears? why yes...I have seen tears galore.
LUCK? okay someday I see why they said good luck. ;)


 BUT.
but but but but but
I have NOT seen blood and boogers and scabs and loogies.
(well except for my husbands ;)
Farts aren't as common, private parts being itched,
hairy faces/pits/legs don't show up too often here.
Burps and loud clapping after a three pointer from half court are reserved for the husband...I can handle that.

Having girls has been a trip for us. There are SO many things we LOVE about having all daughters. And maybe just ONE true thing that is rough for me.
We LOVE that our girls cook.
We LOVE that they are helpful around the house.
We LOVE that they are motivated and responsible.
We LOVE that they are helpful, compassionate and thoughtful.
We LOVE their hearts.

The very only one thing that i really struggle with is that I have SO much to teach them.
Some days it seems it is ALL on my shoulders. I am their primary example of how to be a good woman/human being. I don't care what anyone says, girls gravitate mainly to their mothers. MINE surly do and the pressure is ON! I take it seriously. and playfully...but seriously.
So I better do it right! ;)


Daughters will always stay close to home (fingers crossed).

They will take care of us when we are old (hopefully).
And one day I will see myself in the way they teach and grow and learn and love.
THAT will be my final grade.

back to school blues...

I had been SO excited about school starting...hello read my last post. 

We had outfits laid out. Supplies bought. Shoes by the door.  

The girls lunches were packed and their bellies were filled with warm breakfast. 

Every hair was in its place. 

Shirts were tucked in, belts were on. 

I had a list of FUN and EXCITING things I was looking forward to doing the second I got home from dropping my babes off at school: 

mop kitchen floor (yeeeees!! so excited about this!!)

vacuum the floors

DUST!! oh happy day I can dust!!

I GET to wash and fold all the laundry!!

yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

 Don't worry about the dishes girls...I'll do them!!

Water my plants, clean the garage, vacuum my car out,

 I even DREAMT about my car being washed.

My closet needs a cleaning, diabetic supplies need to be ordered,

sheesh I might even paint my nails!

I WAS SO EXCITED!!

Then we pulled up to the school. 

As I said good bye to my 7th grader who wanted to walk in alone, my heart broke.

 She kissed her mama, and  

with an apple in her hand, I watched her walk down the hall. 

Boo.

Then I took my precious {L} to her class. 

Ew. 

I can't even tell you how badly I wanted to cry. 

I don't want to leave her!

She put her things away, gave her teacher an apple and smiled as she went to her desk. 

I kissed her a  few (hundred) times ...not wanting to leave, but as I did, she smiled. 

She was so happy! 

Then it was time for my darling {D}, who is just like her mama on

 a first day of anything...bashful. 

CRAZY because she is my social butterfly! 

But just like her mama she needs to feel it out...see where her 

safe zone is. When I dropped her off, she saw her 

best good friend and her annoying old classmate. Instant irritation. 

But she shook it off, hugged her BGF, handed and apple to her teacher, 

took a quick photo, kissed her mama and sat down in her seat with confidence. 

All was well.

And then I took my FRESHMAN to school. 

Ew. 

Gag me with a spoon. 

How in the world did my baby get to high school??

I am SO glad she let me take her to school! 

And lucky her, I made her late!!

(ten points off my cool mom meter)

She was a bit nervous. 

She has seminary first so I kept telling her she would be fine. 

When we pulled up she didn't know where to go in. 

SO! Lucky lucky me!! I got to WALK her in!!! 

haahahahahahaha!!! 

I was SO excited!!

I opened the first set of doors...Then told her to come in. 

I opened the second set of doors and told her to follow...she was so hesitant.

I hid by the door of her classroom. You could hear the teacher talking. 

He was really happy and friendly.

 I looked her and said with a smile telling her she's got this, "I love you. Have a good day." 

She literally took a deep breath in and smiled. 

Then I heard her sweetest voice say, "Are you Brother {S}?" 

He said yes and to come on in! She calmly asked 

if she needed to sit somewhere specify and he said, "close."

 I couldn't see what she did, but when I left I snapped a photo of 

my baby girl...who just entered her first day of high school. 

Again, how did this happen? I JUST was holding her in my arms 

in my soft maroon rocker. I was JUST running my thumb 

across her chubby olive cheeks. 

She JUST learned how to say mama when she wanted me, and now she will 

be learning a completely new language. She will be helping 

students her age find hope and light in their lives as she is part of the youth 

counseling group at her school. She will be attending dances, and making 

new friends and finding her true self. She will be tempted and heartbroken and grow 

and learn and in four short years she will be driving away with my heart. 

I have looked forward to this as much as have dreaded it. 

As a parent we all know the day will come when they will leave...they will 

be old enough to take the lessons we taught them at home and soar.

 But man. This morning was rough. 

This morning was supposed to be exciting and happy and full of fresh starts. 

And for my girls it was! I am so happy for them and the great things they

 will learn and great school they attend. But, this morning was also a bit sad... for their mama. 

These children are my WHOLE world.  They are my meaning. I am drowned in the title MOM and I love it. All the parts of it. Even on a bad day I wouldn't trade places with anyone. 

So, as I look around my home, without anyone screaming or asking for something, just all by myself, 

 it heavy reminder that time flies when you are having fun. 

                                  

                                               And we sure have had a lot of fun so far. 

yes...yes i AM glad school is starting...

not gunna lie. I LOVE summer break. I LOVE sleeping in. I LOVE vacations. 

I love slower days. i LOVE spending time with my babes. I LOVE playing in the water.

I also LOVE routine, a clean house and my sanity ;)

 I really REALLY love that I get to spend time with my children BUT geeeeeeeeeez!! 

This summer felt like my girls were determined to see how crazy they can make me!! ;)

EVERY morning was the question,

"what are we going to do today??"

And MOST mornings I had a plan for them.

But, other days I honestly would pretend I was still asleep until they said my name 10 times...and I would respond with, "NOTHING. We are laying in our beds all day watching the television."

(I wish that would have been true).

And now that summer break is done, I'm a tiny bit sad I didn't take them to the lake MORE. Or get to the national park near our home MORE. Or ride bikes everyday. I'm sad that I didn't let them play outside until dark EVERY night. 

But guess what, kiddies?? 

When you wake your mom up before 8 am EVERYDAY and she totes you around and plans and plays and prepares meals and makes your life grand...by 8 PM she is EXHAUSTED.

 There was honestly a week or two this summer when I felt literally DRAINED of everything. 

I felt stretched and pulled and forced and overwhelmed. Done. 

SO. Yes. I am glad that school is in session. 

For the next little while at least...

then I'll be overwhelmed with the 

homework and wish it was summer again. ;) 

yes. these are my natural curls...

It's a curse and a blessing. 

Natural curly hair.

Its the fastest hair to do.

Wet hair, brush, gel/mousse, 

air dry. GO.

Its beautiful. It's full of volume.

It's soft. It's unique.

but hey guess what. 

It's also frizzy. Tangly. Messy. 

And sometimes quite out of control!

Some of us curly girlies have loose curls. Some of us have tighter curls. 

Your curls dictate the amount of stress of frustration 

you will experience through out your life.

  But I HAVE to say it.

YES. 

We curly girls have the best of both worlds. 

We have the quick hair. The natural "beach waves" hair. 

We have the full/volume hair. 

AND we can have straight hair. 

AND we can have straight hair with curling iron curls. 

BUT we have frizzy hair. getting my hair to straighten/straighten 

with curling iron curls takes TIME. 

And arm strength.

AND product. 

BUT the result is GREAT!!

AND if you are like me and don't have much oil or sweat... 

I won't have to do hair have fully for 5 days!!

Touch ups, for sure...but maybe a few minutes :)

{Fave products}

For a curly day:

wash and condition my hair with 

Suave Professionals Natural Infusions

(I'm in love with the Macadamia oil White Orchid scent)

This brand is dye and paragon free and I LOVE that. 

Then i usually just add some gel, 

preferably my 

Fructis Style Pure and Clean 24 hour clean hold gel.

On a straight day I have a TON of options. 

Wash then dry using a round brush...I want the volume. 

I ALWAYS use a root booster and also an aerosol heat protectant.

Then I go straight to my Hot Tools 1 1/2" curling iron. 

If its CRAZY goofy I'll use a serum to help but I NEVER put it on my roots.

my VERY favorite hair spray is Aussie Sprunch!!

smells like sweet heaven. 

xoxo

these are a few of my favorite things...

in case you were wondering :)

My family. (duh)

 Organic.

                                    Make up.

Baking. 

Gold necklaces.

 Fresh produce.

Famers markets.

Laying on a blanket under the trees reading.

See's candy.

Yoga.

Roller Skating.

Sweet treats.

My pajamas. 

Oh dang...I LOVE my bed.

And fresh flowers. 

 LOVE.

What are YOUR favorite things? Do we share any??