Easy Recipe for Pancakes

To me its so much easier to make my own pancakes. I dont always have the time to run to a market which is at least 45 minutes away for us to get the bagged pancake mix. Its just easier to use my moms recipe! I found it in her recipe box that I got after she had passed. So much goodness in there! Love it! I will pass it down to my kids too. So here is the EASY recipe for handmade pancakes! So easy and so good! Plus I always have this stuff in my house.

My Moms Pancake Recipe:)

1 cup of flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Mix. Then add

1 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil

Mix all together and BAM! There is your batter.
I like it when whisked and creamy. It is so simple. I like to use a griddle to make mine.

This makes 8 medium size pancakes so you can double or triple this recipe for hungry or large families. Excited for you to try it! My mom would love that her recipe everyone can use! We like to even make breakfast for dinner sometimes. So Enjoy! Love, Ro

You're better than me

Let's just get that out of the way, you're better than me.  I can say that with absolute certainty, YOU reading this...... are better than me.  Can we just end there? Can you just be content in knowing you are better than me?  No? you need to know why?  to actually make you accept that you are better, to give you some satisfaction and pride you need to know why and be able to think that over. Ok, alright...you may run a faster mile than me, have better ankles, be a better mom, a better cook, a better friend, a better sister.  More than likely I'm better at some things about being a sister and way worse at some.  I can cook and bake and yet there are so many better than me and yet.... I'm better than many.  Your smile may be better than mine and I may give a better hug.... the point is we cannot compare only what people are good at and us.  This mom makes better lunches for her kid, this mom always has the kid's hair so cute, this mom makes friends with everyone.  yet that's not the same mom, why do we think we need to be the best of everyone?  Theodore Roosevelt said "comparison is the thief of joy"  let's stop stealing our own joy, know we are the best at some things, we are the best at knowing our kids, don't let comparison steal our joy. -Lo


I think we all have things we are good at and I am happy when someone is better than me at stuff because I can easily learn from them. Love, Ro

25 Completely Useless Facts

Have you ever met one of those people who knows everything about everything? Well now you can tell them a couple of your new completely useless facts! I think of my dad in this so much because he is so smart. Like actually genius smart. He could win anyone in trivia and it would drive me crazy ha. I love him so much though. So here dad...Do you know all of these? Here are 100 completely useless facts! This is also for my son Jason who tells me these facts all the time and I have to look them up to see if they are true.

1. Every time you lick a stamp you consume 1/10 a calorie
2. Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts
3. The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes
4. Vatican City registered 0 births in 1983
5. James Bond car had three different license plates in Goldfinger
6. In California, Washington and Idaho its illegal to own a monkey (my son bec he wanted one looked it up)
7. Walt Disney holds the world record for the most Academy Awards
8. Bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers were all invented by woman
9. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear
10. Poland is the stolen car capital of the world
11. Babies are more likely to be born on Tuesdays
12. The average lifespan of eyelashes are 5 months
13. An Ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain
14. Ingrown toenails are hereditary
15. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath
16. Some lions mate over 50 times a day
17. Elephants are the only animal that can't jump
18. All polar bears are left handed
19. Almonds are a member of the peach family
20. There are 293 different ways to make change for a dollar
21. Most toilets flush in E flat
22. Non dairy creamer is flammable
23. It is illegal to hunt camels in Arizona
24. The average person spends 6 months of their lives sitting at red lights
25. No English word rhymes with orange, purple or silver
    

I would love to know if you have an useless facts that I can tell my father or son! Its so interesting. I bet we all could learn a useless fact once a day forever. Can't wait to hear yours. Love, Ro

long car rides with kids

 When we are on a long car ride it is very regular for us to play 20 questions.  I guess it is more common when my sister is in the car with my kids and I....as you need another adult to help pay attention while I am driving.  Now we don't play this game typically I suppose, we don't count questions we just keep going and the one who guesses doesn't go next we go in clockwise order (I mentioned we are in a car and I'd rather not have any extra arguments.)  Also, we have some other adoptions that just make it more fun and make us laugh.  Somehow "mythological animals" became an option.  So ...animal, vegetable, or mineral? animal? mythical or real?  My eight year old has stumped us with a jack-a-lope.   The funniest conversations have ensured! What a great way to use Greek mythology and antiquated knowledge for instance, "Is it bigger than a breadbox?" my children, of course, have no clue what a breadbox is, so it's fun to try and explain what one is and why people had one and just how big one may be.    My children can now answer "is the mythological creature humanoid?" Thanks to my sister.   This is a game that has created many laughs and lots of thinking and I'm sure will be one of the things they remember from childhood which warms my heart (and lessens car arguments and the number of "how long till we are there's?" and them wanting a screen of some sort, WIN!) what game do you play as a family and what adaptations have you made organically while playing?
-Lo

I love this so much and can totally see you and your sister doing this to them. We do twenty questions a lot also just to learn more about our teens. When hubby and I got together we played this a lot. Great way of finding out about each other. And laughing....a lot! Love , Ro

                                               

My Favorite Youtubers

Oh Geesh! I love You-tube. Maybe its because we chose to not have cable or just because I like it because its a good get away. Here are my favorite ones and why. Let me first tell you that I am so all over the map its crazy! I guess you can see my interests too in what I watch. I think its pretty funny. You can check them out also I will put the links to their pages.
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Its a Buzz world https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDRTAewerzwhGm7aSgw

I love watching this. I have watched all seasons and episodes of Outdaughtered. I am so capitvated by how they live and the girls are so dang cute. They have a little girl who is 7 and quintuplets that are 3 years old. Its so fun to see all their personalities. Plus, they are super funny. I do want to know how the parents are so fit with that many little ones! Seriously! And all the kids are girls!

Five two Love  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKMT-NFpYshJT9v-Fd6tmrw

Ha! Guess I am into quintuplets. This family is truly funny. They have two older boys and 6 month old quints. They do little skits and stuff which make me laugh like one of the babies hiding stuff that you know they cant hide. Its a good one! 

McHusbands https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoNqcyYmT3czFelR4H9B0Xw

 I have been watching them for over a year. I watched this gay couple who is pretty funny go through deciding how to have children. Their bff gave them the eggs and their sister in law carried for them. They are so into their twins and I have watched since they were thought of up till now and they are turning 1. THREE!

Ellen Fisher https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH3D9swlnNdy__zz9PH3fvg

Ellen Fisher is a vegan. Although I am not a vegan I like watching her and what she makes. I have made a lot of her meals. They just look so good. Plus I like her parenting tips. She is an advocate which I admire.

Barnyard Bees https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g3DukLp8dE9Ap7_LLfPeg

I really love watching this one. I think its because my husband and I want to start having bees on our land. I think its satisfying to watch it go from hive to honey.

Shane Dawson https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV9_KinVpV-snHe3C3n1hvA  

I have written about him before but I have watched him for a long time. It started out with his conspiracy theories and now I am just hooked on his trying to find out more about people and why they are the way they are.

1000's of Roots https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_iz0mIhVFaMwD-KBfrLPWA

These are off the grid homesteaders who I just started watching and got hooked. Its pretty interesting to see how they do everything in such a little house with lots of kids. They are so polite and I love that.

Phil and Alex https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAkM_UgVD8EK4oJePdv36fQ 

I love watching them. So positive. They adopted both their children and have gone through a lot of infertility.  Alex is going through the process again to have a child. I love how they treat the birth parents and they are so involved still.

The Gathering Nest https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJfx4F-W-GYBHaHLMnYzvjg

 I have watched them for awhile. This couple has 7 children. They have gone through some pregnancy problems and a lot of their children are adopted. I love watching the adoption stories and that's what got me to start watching. After that I just love how the mom explains life.

James Charles https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCucot-Zp428OwkyRm2I7v2Q

Wow talk about a make up artist that is so good. I like him because he calls everyone sisters and talks fast while showing designs for make up and even Halloween designs. For such a young adult he is so talented.


I am sure there are a lot more that I watch. I tend to watch things that are adoptions, twins or quints, parenting, homesteading, makeup and recipes. Here are a few that I love. Tell me which ones you watch so maybe I can open my horizons.  Or do you even watch YouTube? If not...its free and you really can find anything on there. Just search what you like to see and Bam its there! Cant wait to hear what you like.
                                                                            Love, Ro

Cushings: Am I High?

Am I high or am I low? This is a big question for those who are trying to get diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease. No one wants to have a Rare Disease that makes you gain weight, have anxiety, lose your hair, get a buffalo hump, have high blood pressure, diabetes, insomnia etc.

For those who do not have Cushing’s it’s hard to really understand why that person feels great one day and is say walking fine and very active but the next day they can hardly get out of bed.

I was diagnosed with Cushing’s. Had my first surgery on July 25^th 2014. Went into remission for 10 months. Then had to test again because I was out of remission and all my symptoms have come flooding back in full force.

When testing for your doctor you want to test when in a high. These are the basic symptoms you will have (at least the ones I have) when you are in a high. Side note…High is when your body is producing crazy amounts of cortisol. This gives you the feeling of “fight or flight”.

High Symptoms:

1.       Insomnia or wired at night

2.       Constipation

3.       High energy

4.       Low pain

5.       Anxiety/Mood Swings

6.       High Blood Pressure

7.       Water Weight Gain/Weight Gain

8.       Acne

9.       Speed talking

You don’t want to test however when you are in a low because it will not show your Cortisol Levels when it should be showing what is happening to you.

 

Low Symptoms:

1.       Nausea

2.       Weight Loss

3.       Depression/Crying

4.       Extreme Fatigue

5.       Muscle/Joint Pain

     6.       Diarrhea

 It’s hard for people to understand that your symptoms can be so one way one day and another way the next. I had a cycle of about 5-6 days low and 2-3 days high. During my highs I couldn't sleep but maybe 2 hours a night. I had all this energy so I cleaned the house in the middle of the night. I feel like a drug addict or something but it’s just my body creating a hormone that does this. After a couple days of being in a high I crash. I am so tired I don’t want to do anything but sleep. I hurt all over. I cry more often which is really annoying to me. I am thankful that I have an amazing family to help. This is what helped me to get my highs on my tests for my second surgery. You just have to keep on keeping on.

Just know that we have resources out there.

NORD (national Organization of Rare Diseases) can help you if you need financial help on getting diagnosed.

www.cushingstories.com  is a great site for those who want to see Blogs, Videos, and Personal Stories of people who are dealing or have dealt with Cushing’s before.

http://www.cushings-help.org/ is a great site to learn about Cushing’s and research answers.

And please feel free to always write me at Cushingscountrygirl@gmail.com and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

 I don’t always talk about Cushing’s but it’s good to have that knowledge too! It was a huge part in my life for so many years. Thankfully I am now forever in remission. I just still want to be able to help people get diagnosed because for some it can take up to 6-8 years. I want to help you so it goes so much faster! I am here to help too if you ever need it! This is me now Cushings free. Love, Ro

Have to VS Get to

Is this how your day starts? mental notes, I have to get the kids to school, have to prepare for two meetings and finish a report at work, then I have to pick up the dry cleaning (ok I just threw that in cause it makes me laugh....I don't have dry cleaning), then I have to pick up the kids from school, make dinner, finish (6) loads of laundry, read that book club book, make the children lunches, make them brush their teeth and get them in bed on time because they both have field trips tomorrow (crap they needed sack lunches.....).  I have so much to do! constantly! We all do, drink the 120 ounces of water we need, make homemade meals, send balanced food for lunches, work, get exercise the list never ends really.  Are we stressing ourselves out more by how we talk to ourselves?  Look at your list again, what if we say we "get to" instead of "have to"?
I get to take my kids to school (this is the start of their day, I get to be sweet, encouraging or embarrassing as necessary)
I get to work, I have a job that helps pay the bills, it may come up short but I have it and most days it brings me joy, how lucky am I?
I get to pick up the kids from school, I get to ask them about their day and hear the best stories
I get to make dinner, I get to chose what I offer to go in their mouths to nourish their heart, their brain, and their bodies. And yes they get to complain about what is offered.
I get to have an excuse to sit down and fold laundry
I get to read a book that was recommended by a friend and I get to discuss the said book with friends
I get to teach the kids that routines like brushing teeth are important in life and I get to call them out on dragon breath if they don't ( I can only say that to one of mine the other is too sensitive)
I get to hear about those field trips...just recently " We got lost in a corn maze it was the best experience of my life"
I get to exercise, thank goodness I have the ability.
I get to do life, I get to experience busyness and calm.
Try changing " I have to" to "I get to"  I guarantee it feels so much better to think of the all the things you get to do versus have to do.                             -Lo



This is such a great way of thinking for sure! I get to make beef stew for a family dinner.:) Love, Ro