I think I may be...

...more creative than I thought!

So guess what I made last night?  *Winky wink.*  Glazed pork chops.  Completely my own recipe.  My version is almost.... Asian-y--if that makes any sense? It would have been great in a stir fry, or even with a side of Asian rice on the side, or just with regular ol' 'all American sides' itself!

So here's what you're gonna need:

~ Medium sized bowl.
~ Medium sized baking dish.
~ Tin foil.
~ Measuring cups.
~ Measuring spoons.
~ Stove pan.

So here's what you're gonna do:

Take four pork chops from packaging and place them out thawed and ready for action! 

Measure 1 teaspoon of paprika, add to bowl.

Take 1/2 cup of brown sugar, add to bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of honey to the bowl.  

Measure out 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, add to bowl.

Take 1 teaspoon of cayenne power, add to bowl.

Add 1 teaspoon of black pepper to the bowl.  

Add a pinch of salt to the bowl.

Mix all of the spices together the best you can.  I know it's going to get thick, but what I did was add a teeny bit of water--no more than a table spoon--to make stirring it a bit easier.  

Once you've mixed your 'pork chop rub', grab a pork chop, slather it in the spices and repeat with all of the others.  Use ALL of the rub, you're going to need it. 

Now before you put your chops in the pan, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and get your baking dish and the piece of foil ready. 

Add your pork chops to the pan on medium heat (trust me, I put mine on high, and I ruined one!), and cook on each side for 6 minutes! 

After each chop has been semi-cooked, add them to the baking dish and cover the dish with foil.  Bake for 20 minutes!

Now, if you used ALL of your spices you should have a bit left in your pan.  Heat it up a bit to where it's smooth, run it across the tops of your chops and serve!

I hope some of you readers try it!  Feel free to send pictures, suggestions, questions, and comments to: mommatoamadmunchkin@gmail.com

Thanks you guys! 

~ Jessica.

And the choir says...

...Hallelujah! My floor recipe worked! *Cheers!*

I know I was putting it off for a while, I've been battling with some kind of cold...flu...mutation that knocked me onto my behind for a while, but I finally did it! I mopped with my homemade floor cleaner! And guess what you guys...?

It worked amazing!

I should have taken pictures, but ahem--I was too busy doing my victory screech! I wasn't dancing around happily just because I got my floor clean (though that was a bonus!), but because I didn't screw the 'recipe' three different ways!

So now I'm hooked on dee-eye-why (DIY) projects!

And guess who found a 'recipe' for an 'acne scars begone mask'?  This girl! And she has all of the ingredients in her cabinet!  Seems like a sick-y Saturday night will be home mixing up a face mask and sitting with my Mad munchkin!

Will post results tonight, ya'll~

Nobody ever said...

...being a parent is easy, but we all think deep down: "It's different with your own kid." Now that isn't entirely untrue, but when you're faced with the problems that parents come toe to toe with, you sometimes wonder: "Am I really cut out for this?"

Imagine:  Sleeping peacefully until you're snatched from dreamland by a blood curdling scream.  You flip over, terrified--not knowing if you'd been attacked, if someone was breaking in, only to see your child grinning from ear to ear and standing on the edge of your crib.

Now stop with the bull about thinking: "How cute."

Nothing is cute at 3 a.m. in the morning when you're given a cockadoodledoo like that.

It's difficult at any age--much less being a teenager, and though I've learned that I'm not first anymore, my eyelids want different when it comes to my sleep.

I got pregnant when I was a senior in high school.  I got married at six months pregnant two months after I graduated. (But I hold my head high when I say I DID INDEED graduate!) I have moved from being a child to being a wife and mom, and while the transition was--and sometimes IS STILL--difficult, I'm learning how to do things.

I guess I'm just rambling...but in truth, if I just got to one person--that's all I wanted.





By the way, I decided to go to a festival! It seems my floors will have to wait till tomorrow! If anyone's tried it however, email me at mommatoamadmunchkin@gmail.com!

Send feed back, suggestions, and questions!

I finally...

...found a mop that MAY work on the horrible linoleum in my kitchen!

*Cheers!*

Also, I've found a recipe for a homemade "heavy duty" floor cleaner, and I'm gonna' try it!

I'll toss out the ingredients for you guys, so you can try! I'll post my results later on today when I'm all finished with my attack on the kitchen!

So here's what you'll need, guys:

1. First you're going to need 1 cup of baking soda.

(I'm really excited, because I'm learning A LOT of ways to use this to save money and making cleaning easier!)

2. Next you're going to need 1 tsp. of liquid dish detergent! I used Dawn with bleach alternative! It smells pretty good and works wonders with dishes (better than any other brand I've used!), so I'm expecting it to work well in this little concoction!

3. Then you're going to need 1 cup of white vinegar. I'm going to be a bit generous with this (though I'm sure I shouldn't), because vinegar is GREAT as a cleanser!

4. And last but not least you're going to need 2 gallons of warm to hot water! Mix up your floor cleaner and use as you need it!

Like I said you guys, I'll be posting my results later on tonight! Don't forget to send feedback!

So...

...maybe I'm not cut out for making fabric softener.

But, on the bright side--I'll be trying this another time, right?

Try and try again, isn't that what they say?  And at least I have a nice new scent of...vinegar and conditioner in my home...

ANYWAYS~...

Does anyone have an issue with "cooking every night"?  I'm just the type that can make herself a sandwich and survive until morning, but it seems that every one of my married friends cooks "homemade" things for their husbands.  Sigh.  I feel a bit inadequate beside them, fluttering about the kitchen doing their "thing".

Like I say to anyone who asks:

"I'm not Betty Crocker."

And I'm not!  But I wish I was... I'm not a horrible cook, but not the greatest at it.

On another note...

Has anyone noticed how foul cartoons have gotten? I'm sure people have harped on this before, but who would expect a nineteen year old to knock "hardee harr harr" cartoons?  Spongebob, Fairly Odd Parents...it's amazing what's allowed on the television. It makes my stomach churn to know that I was watching this at such a young age, and JUST now I've noticed how filthy it is.  I'm not one to wave me "mommy" flag, or shove my views down someone's throat, but the things we're allowing our children to see...ugh.

Thoughts?

"Hello, my name is Jessica and...

...I am a Pinterest junkie."

Yes, I'm ashamed to admit it (no, I secretly love it), but I am in fact addicted to Pinterest.  I mean really, a place where you can find DIY, food, weight loss, photography, cute little pictures AND you can tuck them away into a nice and neat organized 'board' so all of this information isn't clogging up your laptop?

Uhm, I think YES!

But I've found Pinterest brings out the 'momma hen' in me.  DIY projects, sewing, food recipes, parenting tips, coupon 'here's how you's'...ah, I admit it:  "My name is Jessica and I am a Pinterest junkie..."

"And I love it!"

Speaking of my Pinterest addiction...

Homemade fabric softener?  I think yes!

As every mother (I don't blame you if you don't, because I had no idea about it until AFTER I had my daughter) knows a baby's skin is very sensitive.   Well, to keep my daughter from breaking out from harsh scents in the laundry detergent, I use "Tide--All Clear". Unfortunately for me, the one who LOVES 'smell good' clothes, the detergent has no scent.

But there's a silver lining! I found a DIY softener recipe!  Only three ingredients--where all you have to do is stir!  I'll update you guys on my progress (hopefully) tomorrow! 

Wish me luck!

I don't think...

...this blog will ever be popular. 

The ramblings of a nineteen year old, first time, soon to be college student mother cannot be as interesting as those DIY, hippy, all green organic, we are the breast-feeders of the world blogs.  I'm the one sitting on the other side of the screen, watching these moms create educational toys from twine and a rock, with a look of awe and true admiration and absolute jealousy.  I wish I was that creative.

I'm not a 'go green', 'boob in the mouth', 'let's wear our babies', and 'forget you, my kid needs a boob in her/his mouth, you don't like it you can go into the bathroom' mother.  

But I wish I was.

I'm a mom walking on stilts, getting the hang of having a kid and doing my best to not ruin it the whole way down the rabbit hole. I'm sarcastic, and loud, and I have the creativity of an hyped up squirrel.  My attempts at DIY are truly laughable, and if you're feeling like a nice chuckle at my frustration and failure, by all means have a laugh (because I know I will be). 

My little goober's name is Madelyn--but my husband (Hubs) and I call her 'Mad'.  She is absolutely positively the most amazing little girl on the face of this planet, and I wouldn't trade anything to change a single thing about my life. One different decision could have changed the fact that I had her--and I cannot imagine my life without my Mad.  Nineteen years old with a ten month old, married, soon-to-be in college and on my own.

Doesn't that just seem like a recipe for disaster?

Yeah, I think so.