January, 2017 | MomAdvice

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January 2017 Must-Reads

Tuesday, January 31st, 2017

I hope that you are off to a great start with your year of reading. I’m over here furiously flipping pages between the MomAdvice Reading Challenge, our online book club, local book club, and reviving our Sundays With Writers series. Of course, there is no other way I’d rather spend the day then curled up with a good book, especially in the winter. I’m excited to share eight great reads that I tackled this month with you.

Just as a reminder, I read many more books than are just featured here, but try to feature the ones that are my absolute best picks. If you want to see more of what I am reading, please feel free to friend me on GoodReads! You can find me right here and I am always happy to connect with people there too! There is nothing more motivating than seeing what other people are raving about and my to-be-read pile continues to grow with all of my new friends on there! In fact, many of the books featured are ones that I have found through my friends on GoodReads.

8 Must-Read Books from January 2017

Mischling by Affinity Konar

I have read so many books about the Holocaust over the years, but I never feel like I am informed enough about the horrors and struggles that were faced during this time in history. Once again, I find myself oblivious to those who suffered as Konar unfolds the story of twins, Sasha & Pearl, who became a part of the experimental population of twins that were known as Mengle’s Zoo, based in Auschwitz.

Many begged and falsely claimed that their children were twins to be part of Mengle’s Zoo because they believed they had been saved from certain death. Unfortunately, these children were far from safe and became a part of tests to separate the twins from one another, both physically and psychologically. Konar explores this through these sisters, told from alternating perspectives, as they are brutally experimented upon.

How something so horrible could be written so beautifully is a true tribute to Konar’s writing. Her writing style reminded me a lot of Eowyn Ivey’s writing in her beautiful book, The Snow Child, an almost magical quality even to the harshest of moments. It’s impossible to read Konar’s words and not feel deeply moved and surprised by her well-crafted language. Beautifully told and based upon the stories of real victims of these crimes, Konar’s debut is strong and promising!

Affinity will be joining us this month for our Sundays With Writers series– stay tuned!

Reading Challenge Category Completed- ~~A book that takes place during a war~~

5 Out of 5 Stars

The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner

Laura Tremaine shared about this beautiful memoir when discussing her favorite books of the year on Sorta Awesome. I listened to this book, read by Ruth, and was so moved by her story that I can’t stop thinking about it. This book is haunting!

Ruth is the 39^th child in her polygamist family of 42 children. Ruth’s father was brutally murdered by his own brother and Ruth’s mother later marries another polygamist who cares little for these children or providing for his family. He is the epitome of a deadbeat dad with little to offer to his family.

This is also a true survivor story as Ruth becomes sexually abused and the people who should love and believe her the most are not there for her in her life. It’s about what it is really like to grow up in poverty, the true challenges of being just one of many wives, the challenges of disability, and how Ruth has had to learn to stand up for herself.

Well-written and hard to put down, the tragedy that unfolds left me stunned and in awe of Wariner’s strength and resilience.

Reading Challenge Category Completed- ~~An audiobook~~

5 Out of 5 Stars

Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson

I received an ARC from the publishing house in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions on this book.

Swanson’s last thriller, The Kind Worth Killing, was so solid that I could not wait to get my hands on his latest thriller.

In this story, Kate and her cousin Corbin, decide to apartment swap so that Corbin can conduct some business in London while Kate is given the chance to escape to take art classes in Boston. Kate has had some trauma in her life and struggles with anxiety and is using this trip to prove to her friends and family that she is stronger than they think she is. Of course, the neighbor next door gets murdered and contributes to Kate’s uneasy feelings.

Not knowing her cousin well or anyone in the area, Kate begins to try to piece together what has happened to Audrey, although she could never guess how deep Corbin is involved and the cat and mouse game that is now mounting for him and for her.

This was entertaining for a light escape between my heavier books and I would recommend it for The Girl on the Train fans!

Reading Challenge Category Completed- ~~A thriller~~

3 Out of 5 Stars

Evicted by Matthew Desmond

I am, admittedly, not much of a nonfiction writer, but when I read about Evicted, I knew that it was a book that I should read this year. If you are looking for a compelling nonfiction read that explores an issue that is not talked about enough, this is the one for you.

Desmond threw himself wholeheartedly into learning more about the eviction process and follows eight families struggling with the basic necessity of home. He sheds light on a very broken system from poor wages to the ramifications of eviction on a family’s life to living in neighborhoods filled with crime and drugs. There are so many survival tactics needed to just keep a roof over one’s head that you find yourself, as the reader, hoping and praying for a better outcome for so many in this book and marveling at the tricks of the trade to just get by.

As an ethnographer, Desmond pulls himself completely out of the equation until he shares how he built his book at the very end. It’s an incredible testament to his great writing and documentation that he is able to build the story in a way that you feel like you are with these people as they struggle with basic needs and necessities. He, in fact, lived in a trailer park to fully immerse himself into the daily life, even struggling with issues in his own home while writing.

I doubt you could read this and not feel a new sense of compassion and gratefulness or to not feel compelled to explore how our country could develop a better system for those in need. This is a must-read!

Reading Challenge Category Completed- ~~A book you will be proud to share you finally read this year~~

5 Out of 5 Stars

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

Another pick from Laura Tremaine that I wanted to dive into this year was, The Stranger Beside Me, as my true crime selection for the MomAdvice Reading Challenge. Ann Rule worked at a crisis clinic, answering calls on a suicide hotline, and it is there that she met the charismatic Ted Bundy. The book builds as Rule begins to suspect and then comes to grips with the fact that her kind and sensitive friend is the prolific serial killer that confessed to killing thirty-six young women.

Ann Rule keeps to basic facts and stays away from many of the horrific details of these killings, making it a, perhaps, easier to digest story than it should be. Although this case was extreme, it does make one think how we can know someone and not really know them.

Those wishing to dive deep into Bundy’s psyche will be disappointed as Ann honestly shares that she is no expert and can only go on her own feelings that Bundy was rejected and went out to seek women he could kill and, ultimately, reject them. Rule definitely wasn’t gullible; she just was charmed as so many others by the presentation that Bundy was able to pull off.

Reading Challenge Category Completed- ~~A true crime book~~

4 Out of 5 Stars

History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund

I love when readers reach out and ask me if I have read certain books (feel free to do that anytime!) and the book I was asked about this month was, The History of Wolves. I hadn’t read it, but decided to put it on my stack after reading that Fridlund had won the McGinnis-Ritchie award for its first chapter and then decided to expand upon that story for this book.

I know as soon as I began reading her words that I would love this book. Even something as monotonous as swinging becomes a thing of beauty when told by Fridlund.

“Later, I could get that drizzle feeling just about any time I saw a kid on a swing. The hopelessness of it—the forward excitement, the midflight return. The futile belief that the next time around, the next flight forward, you wouldn’t get dragged back again. You wouldn’t have to start over, and over.”

Coming-of-age stories are often my favorite each year, but can feel predictable at times. Fridlund’s book, however, is anything BUT predictable and that is why I enjoyed it so much. Without giving too much away, a teenager begins babysitting for a local family and a mystery builds around this child and these parents that the narrator reflects upon from her youth. Her need to belong to someone is so strong that it overrides, perhaps, how one might normally respond to a situation.

If you like neat and tidy stories, skip it! There is nothing tidy about this tale and the ending feels as confused as the narrator probably feels at the end.

If you like depth, meat, and uniquely told stories though, this book is for you!

4 Out of 5 Stars

Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Hoffman’s novel has been in my stack forever and I’m not sure why it took me this long to finally settle with it. I was an avid reader of all her books for many years and I must say, this is one of her sweetest stories of all.

The main character, Shelby, is a teenager who has been involved in a tragic car accident that leaves her best friend in a coma. Unable to forgive herself, she finds herself on a downward spiral. Motivational messages are being sent to her from an anonymous sender though telling her to keep fighting and going. These act as an important catalyst as Shelby’s life begins to find new purpose.

Heartbreakingly real, this redemption story of finding you are loved, even in your darker moments, is surprisingly hopeful. If you like a good love story, you’ll really enjoy this book.

4 Out of 5 Stars

I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi

I received an ARC from the publishing house in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions on this book.

If I was going to pick a book that surprised me the most this month, I Liked My Life would be it! The idea for this story sounded horribly depressing. A mother commits suicide and her family is left to pick up the pieces… but it is so much more than that!

Fabiaschi writes this story in a way where the mother, Maddy, is still there and able to manipulate her family members into doing what she needs them to do by speaking to them through their thought streams. From helping them find better solutions to deal with her death, to guiding friendships, and even finding her replacement. Her presence and voice is one of the alternating chapters in this novel, along with the voices of her husband and teenage daughter.

Each character reflects back on the good and the bad that has happened in their lives in real moments that mimic your own. The petty fights, the difficulty as a mom to make every day special for your family (while no one makes the effort for you), and the struggles of mother and daughter relationships. I could see so many of of my own struggles in this character, making Maddy real and relatable.

Heartbreaking at times, laugh out loud funny at others, I doubt you would pick this one up and not get something out of it. I am committed to no spoilers, but want you to know the ending is quite satisfying as a reader!

Abby will be joining us next month for our Sundays With Writers series- stay tuned!

5 Out of 5 Stars

What did you read this month? Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site! Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads! xo

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

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Tags: Best Books 2017, Evicted Review, Faithful Review, Her Every Fear Review, History of Wolves Review, I Liked My Life Review, Must Reads 2017, The Mischling review, the sound of gravel review, The Stranger Beside Me Review
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Small-Budget Crushes 01.30.17

Monday, January 30th, 2017

Don’t forget to sign up for eBates before doing your shopping and get cash back on your purchases!! If you haven’t signed up before, here is $10 to get you started!!

funnel neck sweatshirt (use code LOVETHIS for an additional 50% off clearance today!!)

retro swim dress

cozy flounce dress (extra 40% off, no code needed!)

so happy right meow skirt (60% off, no code needed!)

go away, I’m reading mug

iphone speaker

ugg rain boots

perfect stripes dress

floral print dress

tasseled apron

nama’ slay print

Keep on window shopping by visiting all of my Small-Budget Crushes. This post contains affiliate links that help our site! Thank you for supporting me! xoxo

Tags: Gifts, Shopping
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Sundays With Writers: Miss Jane by Brad Watson

Sunday, January 29th, 2017

I am so excited to be sharing my first interview for 2017 with such an incredible and talented author. Miss Jane ended up making my top ten list, for my 2016 reading, right at the very tail end of the year. I just knew that it would be such a treat to share an interview with the author, Brad Watson, in our series. The sincerity and assuredness in his writing give the reader the feeling of reading a timeless classic and I appreciate Brad’s vulnerability in sharing the challenges of writing this book.

I am always astounded and thankful that even when a work is so incredibly challenging that it takes over a decade to write, he kept at it because they know this story must be told.

As a reader, it makes me appreciate a book so much more.

I had been dying to talk about this book with someone so I had the MomAdvice Book Club read it and then I read it with my local book club too. It’s one of those kinds of books that you want to research more when you finish. In fact, I’d love to chat with you in the comments when you finish it too!

If I was going to pick a book that surprised me the most, it would be, Miss Jane. Watson pens the story of his great-aunt, Miss Jane, and her struggles with a genital birth defect that alters Jane’s life path greatly. Set in the early twentieth century in rural Mississippi, Jane knows that she is not like other girls. Her struggles with this defect every moment of her day are told in ways that often feel unfathomable.

Her kind doctor takes her under his wing and has honest discussions with her about limitations and continuing research to try to help her. He becomes her confidant in a time of true loneliness. As she ages, she knows that her biggest hurdle will be having her own love story and Watson writes poetically of Jane’s love for a boy. Yet, in a time when a woman’s most useful task is to bear children, Jane knows that her love story must be a different one and she bravely accepts what this path looks like.

The peacock design on this cover is beautifully woven into this story and brings together all the beauty in this gorgeous book. It reads like a well-versed literary classic. I doubt you won’t fall in love with Miss Jane too.

Grab your coffee and let’s chat with the wildly talented, Brad Watson!

First of all, your book is absolutely beautiful from start to finish and one of my very favorite reads in 2016. I am so incredibly honored to share your story with our readers.

I understand that the story for Miss Jane was based upon your great-aunt, but you had very little information to go on to carve out her story. Did you find not having a lot of information created more freedom as a writer or did you find it more challenging that so much needed to be imagined for her life?

Thank you, Amy. I didn’t have much to go on, it turns out. My great aunt died in 1975, long before I decided to write a story inspired by hers – then I found out her story was mostly unknown. Most who’d really known her were gone, and those remaining hadn’t know her that well. My mother remembered generalities about her condition, but no one knew what it was, specifically. There were no surviving medical records or nursing home records. And the more I looked into probable conditions, the more of them didn’t make sense. It took me several years to settle on a plausible condition, and only then could I really make any progress on the novel. I couldn’t imagine her life, daily or long-term, without deciding on the condition that would have so defined her – initially, and after she decided how she was going to live with it.

After much research, you concluded that the diagnosis that would have fit best for Miss Jane would have been persistent cloaca. As readers, we get to experience the smallest fraction of her continued pain, discomfort, and difficulties that she would have struggled with. Did you also imagine these experiences or did you read about other people’s experiences, with this disorder during this time?

Whether my lack of talent at research or a real lack of information out there, I simply could not find accounts of people with that condition, living in that time. I read whatever I could find, but there wasn’t much literature about it because of the condition’s relative rarity. And perhaps there was too much shame. And perhaps a lot of babies died soon after birth. But I found nothing about it in Hugh Young’s seminal book on urogenital disorders, published around the time my character would have been a teenager.

Nature plays such a large role in Miss Jane understanding her own body and sexuality. From the stinkhorn, to how the animals mate on the farm, and even to the beautiful peacock that graces the cover of the book, these moments help bring understanding for Miss Jane. Why did you want to use nature to help guide her toward a better understanding of herself and how did you build this element of discovery for her? Was it through your own observations as a child or was it witnessing things later when visiting the land she grew up on that shaped this important element?

Visiting the land where she (and my mother, in the next generation) grew up was part of it. Being a loner child who loved roaming the woods was part of it. But necessity finally drove me to take her in that direction, finally. What is this girl, isolated physically and socially by her secret condition, to do with herself when she’s not working, doing chores for her mother? She tried school and couldn’t do that. So she took walks, and in the woods she found a world that was accepting, the natural world, because the natural world is a place where some of the strangest, oddest things are no more unnatural than anything else. A stinkhorn mushroom belongs in the forest as much as does a wildflower. A possum is as much as a deer or bobcat or bird or a bat or a toad. Nothing is alienated or reviled or ostracized in the forest. The possum is not ugly in the forest. In the woods, Jane is just another variation on the innumerable creations in the world.

Each of your characters are so beautifully developed that I found myself attached to each one. I know Miss Jane must hold the sweetest spot in your story, but who happened to be your other favorites to write? Were any of these special characters based on real people in your family?

Dr. Thompson, of course, was a favorite; in fact, at one point I worried he was going to take over the story, which forced me to find ways to allow Jane and the other characters to become more interesting than they were at the moment. He rose the bar. But then I began to find the deeper, more complex and interesting parts of Mrs. Chisolm, Mr. Chisolm, and Jane, herself. But he was the first one who really opened the door to the novel’s narrative voice.

For those that don’t know, you really poured your heart and soul into this book for over a decade. What do you think you have gained the most from the process of writing this particular book and how did you power through this difficult moments of creation when it ended up taking longer than you thought it did?

It was the hardest story and character to get a grip on I’ve faced so far. For a long time I really worried I would not be able to write it. But I’m pretty stubborn, and also whenever I would try to work on something else, Jane stayed lodged in the back of my mind, providing interference. It was finally something I had to finish, one way or another, in order to move on. It took too long, really. And I really emptied the well. There was nothing left in me when I finally turned Miss Jane in for good. I’m embarrassed I had such a hard time writing what turns out to be a pretty simple story. But it was not only understanding someone so foreign to me, personally, but also figuring out how to tell such a person’s story. I’d read very little fiction about characters so alienated from society, from other human beings, in a way that could not really be overcome, that must be instead accepted and bent to that person’s advantage in whatever small ways possible. It was very much a line-by-line, word-by-word effort. And in the end I had more drafts, trying to get it just right, than I’d ever put down on anything, short story or novel. Once I knew what the story should sound like, feel like, what its limitations were and where it could go that other stories might not, it was a backing up and very careful proceeding once again into the whole of it, language, people, world around them and in them. Some novels need as much care and attention as a short story or a poem. This seemed to be one of them.

In a time where women find value and worth from having children and marriage, Jane has to find her value in other ways. Do you think your aunt would have been proud of the way you told her story? What is the message you would love your readers to take away from sharing this story?

I never met my great aunt. I saw her once, when I was very young, and thereby caught the first inkling of her mystery. From what my mother and a cousin or two told me, I gathered that she was strong, private, and kept herself in good spirits, at least in public or among others. She kept her condition a secret, and people didn’t talk about it. I don’t think she would have wanted this book out while she was alive. I felt good about it because I was writing a story about someone with a very strong character, resilience, determination to live a life as full and as dignified – as as free – as was humanly possible for her. I was writing out of admiration – and, later, wonder.

You can connect with Brad Watson on his website! I’m always thankful for these moments with writers and I hope you will pick up this amazing book! You can always connect with me on GoodReads, through our books section of our site, and you can read our entire Sundays With Writers series for more author profiles. Happy reading, friends!

*This post contains affiliate links!

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Tags: Best Books of 2016, Brad Watson Interview, Miss Jane Interview, Persistent Cloaca, Sundays With Writers
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It’s the 3 Little Things: Never Let ‘Em See You Sweat, Sabbaticals, and Tension Taming

Friday, January 27th, 2017

If your week was anything like mine, you are probably quite thankful it is Friday!

This week our family adopted a new focus on our little lightbox sign…Find the Good.

It is easy to find the bad right now and several things have felt frustrating in our life whether it be job-related, a challenging task, or the discourse that is happening right now in our country. Instead of focusing on the bad, we are working to focus on the good.

For me, it had to change with my own behaviors so I went back to killing my news feed on Facebook and only use it for my business and a few well-selected groups. Just this little switch has changed my week dramatically. I did not realize how much of my time was boredom scrolling and how much that seemed to spiral me emotionally.

Many can read with great detachment, but as an HSP, I FEEL ALL THE FEELINGS and not always the good kinds of feelings.

When my husband was grumbling about something this week he said, “I know, I know…find the good…So…”

When we sit down at our dinner table to discuss roses and thorns, we gently remind the kids, yes, that stinks! Thorns in our life are terrible. How can we find the good though?

Such a simple and needed switch for this crew.

I hope you can find the good this week too!

Here are a few other things that are making me happy…

No More Embarrassing Sweaty Lady Stories

I don’t know if it is hormonal or what, but I am one sweaty lady these days. I have avoided wearing things I love or have avoided certain colors and fabrics for fear of that sweat seeping through under my arms. I’ve tried every deodorant that I can, but there just is no stopping this embarrassing situation…

UNTIL NOW.

I started searching the interwebz and ran across these Thompson Tees. Basically, they feel like a soft bamboo undershirt, but under the pits are extra protective layers to stop your sweat from seeping out onto your beautiful clothing. I ordered two for me and two for my husband (he also struggles in tough business meetings and such!) and told him that I just knew this was going to be a game-changer.

If you don’t believe me in how effective these are, definitely watch this news team give these a spin in 150 degree weather.

Isn’t that CRAZY?

If you are struggling, I can’t recommend these enough. They would also be great for nervous moments like first dates, uncomfortable social situations, business meetings, interviews, speaking engagements… or just being a dang mom and running your kids every flipping place.

Let me know if you give these a try and if they change your life too!

A Peaceful Facebook Sabbatical

I told my husband that I was considering a Facebook Sabbatical to give myself a break from some of the ugliness I had been reading (from both sides!) regarding the political climate right now. When I went to look up Facebook Sabbatical (a retreat I thought I might have invented), I found this great site that actually supplies signs for different durations of time to let people know you are taking a break.

Leaving and not saying anything would be weird, at least for me, so this was the perfect way to let people know to still stay in touch, but that wouldn’t be the format I was using to keep updated anymore.

Although I’m only in my first week, I feel so much better! I slept better this week, got in more reading time, had more real-life moments with friends, and actually had a lot to talk about since I had no clue what was going on. That constant interrupter that I had allowed in my life isn’t there so I feel a lot more focused. I will be curious if I feel this way at the end of the month or if I will start to feel out of the loop.

Only time will tell!

Two New Tension Taming Routines

My evening unwind is looking a little different, without the scroll, and I’m trying to start some better stress-relieving habits than a big glass of wine and Facebook. Tension Tamer Tea is, by far, one of my favorite tea blends and I really do find it is a quite calming beverage. Whether that is psychological or not, I’m not sure, but I have found it be a wonderful evening drink with a good book. It smells so good that you can’t help but feel calmed.

Theanine is something that I have relied upon successfully, in the past, for anxiety and I am back at it again and loving it! Depending on how much you need, I find one in the morning and one in the afternoon, of this supplement, helps tone down my sharp edges of anxiety a lot. Do your own research, of course, but I have always had great success with this supplement over the years. Here is an article that explains how it works!

Eating: I made this chicken and vegetable sheet pan stir-fry for my lunches this week and it is phenomenal. I packaged it in containers of quinoa and it has been a great way to get my veggies and protein in for the afternoon!

Reading: Oh, my heart is all wrapped up in this book this week. You must, must, must read it!

Geeking Out: Over my new laundry basket system! It is saving our laundry area so much space and I love the handles for the kiddos. Unfortunately, not online so you have to head to your store to snag these budget-friendly organizers!

Spending: My birthday money! Thank you, LOFT, for the incredible sale. Several super cute items will be in my capsule for less than $15 each. You can browse their sale over here! This is one of my favorite purchases and how I styled it for winter.

Happy Friday, my friends! xoxo

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things!

Tags: Facebook Sabbatical, How to Prevent Sweating on Garments, Sweat Protection Shirts, Tension Tamer Tea, Theanine for Anxiety, Thompson Tee Review
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Amy’s Notebook 01.25.17

Wednesday, January 25th, 2017

source: foodie crush

Now this is a game day spread– WOW!

I love a good foreign flick so I can’t wait to check out a few of these recommendations.

So many great lessons learned from a year without spending.

I cannot stop laughing at these obituaries. Don’t worry, I’m not awful (or am I?)! Read them!

I’m feeling inspired to paint a wooden bead garland for my mantle- this looks so fresh and modern!

This is your brain on poverty. So thought-provoking!

“It’s a scary thought, all the letting go that must happen. But it must happen consciously, and if we never get around to it, there will never be enough time….”

I’m really pumped about this new small space collection. The pricing is better than their typical rates!

source: unfancy

Get inspired to minimize your wardrobe with this 10×10 challenge. It is making me excited about my next capsule wardrobe!

Do you struggle with digital clutter too? I love these ideas for minimizing that!

I always love a good binge-worthy series! Bookmarking this for our next binge session!

How to detox from social media without deleting your accounts– love these tips!

This article on high-functioning anxiety definitely strikes home. Do you struggle too?

source: jones design company

I need to bookmark this list of the best indoor plants to add to your home. I need more greenery in the winter months!

I finished this book yesterday and absolutely loved it! Have you read it?

These gadgets look like they could really step up my phone photography.

These ideas are inspiring me to get our laundry area more organized.

So much style inspiration in this beautiful living room.

28 books to read in 2017– can’t wait to tackle a few on this list!

I hope you enjoyed our notebook, a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, thrifty ways to spruce up your home, and thoughtful reads. Nothing brings me more joy than to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration! Please note, there are affiliate links that do help support our site- thank you! xoxo

Tags: Amy's Notebook, Crafts, Decorating, DIY, Food & Recipes, Recipes
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One-Pot Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese

Monday, January 23rd, 2017

If there is one thing my children love and would eat daily it is macaroni and cheese. It has been a challenge to match that creamy macaroni and cheese we loved without paying an arm and a leg for a really good gluten-free version.

That is why I am SO EXCITED to share that we finally mastered an incredible one pot gluten-free macaroni and cheese recipe after MUCH trial and error in my kitchen. If you are looking for easy, affordable, minimal dishes, and a recipe that yields a lot than I have an incredible recipe for you!

As you can see, the pasta holds up to this recipe well, BUT this has been a lot of trial and error in my kitchen with many different pasta brands and types. It is VERY important that if you are attempting to make this dish that you choose the right pasta for the job.

No, this is not a sponsored post.

This is just a poor mom who has had many failed one-pot attempts before I was able to achieve the consistency that I was after.

THIS is the pasta– do not substitute. I have tried the elbows with the best results and the second best results are their rotini noodles.

You will find a video tutorial below to walk you through each of these steps (let me know what you think- feedback is always appreciated!) and the first step is to rinse the starches from your pasta before you cook it. It sounds strange, but you are doing exactly what you would do if you made rice to rinse those starches away and to create a fluffier consistency. After that, you add your milk and spices, then start stirring and YOU NEVER STOP.

You know how Dory has to keep swimming? Yeah, you have to KEEP STIRRING while you make this because the pasta will release those starches and it will create the thickening agent needed to make that milk thick and creamy. I used skim milk and still had a plenty thick enough sauce for our macaroni and cheese.

The finishing touch is, of course, the cheese! If you feel inclined, freshly shredded is lovely. Let’s just say, I’m not inclined on a busy weeknight so packaged stuff it is.

I hope you love this recipe as much as my family and I can’t wait to hear what you think. Since I have made this, we have it in our weekly rotation for a satisfying bowl of comfort food.

Check Out My One-Pot Gluten-Free Video Tutorial Below!

One-Pot Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 6

This easy one-pot gluten-free macaroni needs to go on your weekly rotation for an easy comfort food dish that has all the flavor without the gluten. You won’t believe how easy this is to do!

Ingredients

One Pot Gluten-Free Macaroni & Cheese
3 cups gluten-free elbow macaroni (see my tips above for best brands and types)
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried mustard
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Pour uncooked dried pasta into colander and rinse the pasta well to remove some of the starches. Place the drained pasta in a pot with milk and seasonings. Turn heat on medium-high and stir, just as you would a risotto, until the pasta mixture comes to a simmer. Once it is simmering, turn the heat to low and continue stirring and cooking for another 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. You may need to add a small amount of additional milk during this process if it absorbs too quickly. Finish by folding in your freshly shredded cheese until it is fully incorporated. You can also add additional milk, if needed, to thin out the sauce. Serve immediately.

Tags: Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese Recipe, One Pot Gluten Free Dish, One Pot Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese, One Pot Mac and Cheese Gluten Free Recipe
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Amy’s Notebook 01.18.17

Wednesday, January 18th, 2017

source: gimme some oven

I want to make this easy sheet pan chicken and veggies stir fry for some healthy lunches to enjoy at my desk!

A black female Astrophysicist explains why Hidden Figures isn’t just about history. Thinking about taking your kids? Check out our review on the site!

This budget-friendly kitchen makeover is so inspiring! I had no idea they made Formica counters that beautiful!

I spent a little of my birthday money on this cute item for my capsule! I am already seeing it in a million combos for this year!

I really wouldn’t mind doing laundry if I had this adorable room to do it in! That wallpaper gets all the heart eyes!

60 things to toss out in the next 60 days– I LOVE this challenge (and need to to do it!)

I’m going to have to try this chunky beef, cabbage, and tomato soup recipe in my Instant Pot!

source: design mom

Wow! Such a beautiful family story in the Living With Kids series and, I’m sure, an encouragement to many. And that bookshelf is making me awfully happy too!

Organized entryways minus the closet– I’m inspired!

No, this is not just the way it is. Beautifully said!

Bookmarking this list to dig into more great movies this year.

Here are some new ways to use your Evernote account. I love that tip for not cluttering up your inbox!

I always feel like I am getting ripped off so this piece on cell phone plans was a good read!

source: apartment therapy

I love this diy felt message board– I think this is going to be a weekend diy project over here!

I’m listening to this adorable memoir, for the MomAdvice Reading Challenge, and laughing out loud often. It reminds me a little of Sedaris!

I am wowed by this home exterior makeover!

6 podcasts to add to your listening schedule!

I hope you enjoyed our notebook, a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, thrifty ways to spruce up your home, and thoughtful reads. Nothing brings me more joy than to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration! Please note, there are affiliate links that do help support our site- thank you! xoxo

Tags: Crafting, Crafts, Decorating, DIY, Food & Recipes, Recipes
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Lies and Lying: What to Do When Your Child Lies

Tuesday, January 17th, 2017

Lies and Lying: What to Do When Your Child Lies from MomAdvice.com

Editor’s Note- I’m so honored to have Kristina, from Thriving Parents, join our writing team this year. MomAdvice should offer…well…mom advice! I’m no expert, but I am proud to offer to you Kristina’s incredible wisdom on parenting. Today she shares some tips on what to do when your child lies. Can I say I’ve been doing it all wrong? So thankful to read her words today on our site!

“It’s this way to the bathroom.” A little girl led the other kids to the bathroom so they could all wash their hands before a snack. As the only adult left in the room, I could hear the water running and the kids being cooperative about taking turns.

Crash!

All of a sudden the kids started scrambling. I heard muttering and whispers. Then I heard this conversation:

“Let’s go get our moms.”

“NO! We can’t! They’ll be mad.”

“They won’t be mad. They’ll show us how to clean it up.”

“NO! I’ll get in big trouble!”

“For spilling something? Accidents happen.”

“I’ll get punished and then won’t get to play. I’ll clean it up.”

This is a true story of what happened once when we went to a playdate. The little girl had knocked over a bottle of baby powder. In an effort to be responsible and clean it up, she wet a towel and started to rub it on the baby powder spilled on the floor. If you’ve never seen baby powder get wet, be thankful. The baby powder turned into a white, pasty mess all over the floor and bathroom counter.

This was an accident. This little girl was so afraid of getting in trouble for an accident, she lied to her mom about what had happened.

Lying is pretty common among kids. There are a lot of reasons that kids lie. I listed over 10 reasons on this post, Why do kids lie? The most common thread among all those reasons is kids are afraid of getting into trouble.

It’s our natural reaction to get angry when our child lies. We feel disrespected. We feel like our kids are trying to be sneaky. We do not want to raise dishonest children.

What you may not know is lying is a developmental skill. Children usually start lying around 3 years old. One study says when a child lies at a young age, it shows they have a higher intelligence. It’s attributed to the Theory of Mind, where a child is able to differentiate that people have different opinions, beliefs, and desires.

So what should you do when your child lies?

Acknowledge your child but don’t acknowledge their lie (at this time).

I know this sounds foreign and a lot of you must be thinking if you don’t acknowledge the lie, it’ll encourage them to lie again. There’s nothing further from the truth. Let me explain.

Adults lie because of stress. We lie when we’ve forgotten to rsvp to a birthday party, when we want to pay less for our child’s ticket to the movie theater, or when we are running late.

Children lie out of survival. For them, it’s not about the lie. It’s about not disappointing us. Everyone has a need to be loved and accepted – especially children. They feel a need to convince us they’re telling the truth so they don’t feel like we’ll take away our love and acceptance. Now you and I know we would never take those away. Children’s brains are still developing. While they may say they know they have our unconditional love, their brain goes into a state of fight, flight, or freeze. They need to know they can trust us and we’ll love them regardless of when they make a bad decision.

When you consistently acknowledge the child but not their lie, you won’t be reinforcing the lie with negative attention.

What does this look like?

You walk into the kitchen to find your 5-year-old with a cookie in her mouth.

“Are you eating a cookie before dinner?”

“No.”

Here’s where you’d normally want to say, “Open your mouth and let me see” or something similar because you just KNOW there’s a cookie in her mouth. Instead, try saying, “I know you must be hungry. Dinner will be ready soon.”

Later, tell her, “I know you didn’t want to admit you had a cookie in your mouth earlier. I think you may have been afraid you’d get in trouble. Next time I need you to be honest with me so I know I can trust you.” If she continues to protest (“No, Mommy, I didn’t!”), let her know the moment has passed. “It’s over now. I just need you to be honest with me next time.”

We don’t need to harp on mistakes. Kids will think about things after we’re done talking about them. Adults do the same thing. Your child doesn’t need judgment because she knows what she did wrong. She doesn’t need to admit it out loud to know she was wrong. Believe me – she knows. Instead, she needs to know she has your love and support.

Here are some other ways you can handle lying:

Change your reaction

Do you make it easy for our child to be honest? Adults can have a hard time hearing and not reacting negatively to the truth. If your reaction is too harsh or critical, a child is going to feel less safe coming to you when they need help and have messed up. This will lead to more lies so they can avoid your judgment.

Understand the emotion

There’s typically an emotion behind the lie. Are they feeling frustrated, left out, or scared? Find the root of the problem and you can work on strategies for handling the problem in the future.

Offer alternative solutions

I once watched as one of our children elbowed her sister and pushed her off of a chair. Before I could pause, I said, “Why did you just push your sister?”

“I didn’t,” she replied. I had seen her do it so I knew she was lying. I didn’t choose to walk away and discuss it later because this was a safety issue.

Instead, I handled it this way: “I think you wanted your sister off of the chair. If that happens again, what could you do?”

There was no response. She was embarrassed and I could see she froze in place. I continued talking to her.

“Next time, you could either ask her to move, ask a parent for help, or move to another seat yourself. Which one do you think you can do next time?”

Again, there was no response.

“I’ll let you think about those choices and we can talk about which one you’ll do next time later. Remember, the choices are: you could either ask her to move, ask a parent for help, or move to another seat yourself.”

Then I walked away. She knew what she had done was wrong. She didn’t need me to repeatedly point it out to her.

Later that night at bedtime, I asked her the question again. “Next time you want your sister to move from a chair, what could you do? Ask her to move, ask a parent for help, or move to another seat?”

“Ask you for help.”

“Great! I’ll always help you when you need it. It’s really important we keep everyone safe in our family and that’s why we don’t push people.”

I gave her 3 choices because her brain was stuck in fight, flight, or freeze mode and she wasn’t capable of thinking of them on her own. She was embarrassed she was caught red-handed. By giving her 3 choices, she had the freedom to pick which one worked for her, or she could have added her own choice.

Have your child repair a mistake

If your child broke something, have them repair it. If they said unkind words to someone, have them make a list of kind things about that person. If they threw books all over the floor, have them pick them up.

Don’t be judgmental, critical, or negative

It can be difficult to hide our disappointment in our kids. They can usually see it on our face before we even realize we’re doing it. Not being judgmental, critical, or negative is important because you want your child to be able to come to you and be honest with you in the future – especially in the teenage years.

It’s going to take some time for your child to stop lying. The first time you don’t react to their lie, they’re going to be surprised. They’re going to test you to see if there will be a reaction the next time. Keep with it! Eventually, they’ll begin to be honest because they know they can come to you without fear of punishment.

The best thing we can do is to teach our child that everyone makes mistakes. It’s important to own up to those mistakes and try to do better the next time.

During these formative years, we want our kids to make as many mistakes as possible. This way we’re available to help guide them on how to pick up the pieces and repair their mistakes, if they need it. When they’re old enough to go out into the world, they’ll be better equipped to handle mistakes and uncomfortable situations.

Here are some books to read with your child about lying:

Liar, Liar

Half-Truths & Brazen Lies

Telling the Truth: A Book About Lying

Ruthie and the Not So Teeny Tiny Lie

The Berenstain Bears and the Truth

Help Me Be Good About Lying

Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Monkey On His Back

Lying Up a Storm

–Kristina

Kristina Grum is a Certified Parent Educator who has over a decade of experience working with children, including being a classroom teacher. She took the (very) long route to loving motherhood. These days she strives for ways to connect with her kids, while using shortcuts to manage and organize her home. She is a postpartum mood disorder survivor who thrives on helping others find the joy in parenthood that is just lurking around the corner. She currently teaches positive discipline parenting classes in her local area and she believes that every parent can shift from barely surviving to thriving in Parenthood. Visit her on Thriving Parents today!

Lies and Lying: What to Do When Your Child Lies from MomAdvice.com

Tags: Child Lying, How to Handle Lying, Parenting Advice on Lying, Punishing Child for Lying, What to Do When Your Child Lies
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I Took My Daughter to Hidden Figures and This is What She Said

Monday, January 16th, 2017

I have Hidden Figures in my book stack right now and I can’t wait to catch the film now with my daughter after reading this review from Mary today!

From our marriage & parenting contributor, Mary Carver.

The first time I saw a preview for Hidden Figures, the movie based on true events in the lives of three African-American women working at NASA in the early sixties, I cried. And I don’t just mean a tear or two slipped down my face. No, I sobbed. LIKE A BABY.

The same thing happened the next five times I saw a preview, too. Clearly this was a story that moved me, and I couldn’t wait to see it. Even more, I couldn’t wait to take my nine-year-old daughter to see it.

I’ll admit, when I showed her the preview a couple months ago, she did not understand what the movie was about or why I wanted her to be excited. And, though, we talked about it a little before seeing the movie last weekend, she still went into it with a lot of questions.

Questions like, “What is NASA? Are they the best at making space ships?” and “Why are they calling her a computer when she’s a person?” and “What is that?” (It was a typewriter. A TYPEWRITER, you guys!)

But her biggest and most frequent question was simply, “Why are they being so mean?”

Over the past year we’ve had quite a few discussions about racism and civil rights, both in our country’s history and in current events. I’ve tried desperately to keep up with my daughter’s compassionate, curious nature as she asks questions that I don’t always know how to answer but know are crucial to helping her grow into a kind, educated person who makes a positive difference in her world. We’ve read some books and watched some videos, and I just knew this movie – thankfully rated PG – would allow us to take our conversations to a deeper level as we learned, together, about a previously unknown part of our nation’s story.

I’m so happy to say that I was right. (Let’s face it; I’m always happy to say I’m right – but even more than usual this time!) Hidden Figures was an outstanding movie.

$I Took My Daughter to Hidden Figures and This is What She Said$

The writing and acting were fantastic, with realistic dialogue that included both humorous banter between friends and family and sharp, nuanced conversation between races and genders. (And the wardrobe was gorgeous. It’s possible that, in addition to her more serious observations, my daughter also noted how pretty their clothes were!) It was funny and heartwarming throughout, but also intense and heartbreaking.

Unsurprisingly, I also cried LIKE A BABY more than once.

I cried when the women were talked down to and disrespected purely for their gender and the color of their skin, when their lives were made unnecessarily difficult and yet they just kept on going. I cried when I leaned down to explain to my daughter the significance of a white woman calling a black woman by her first name while the black woman called the white woman Mrs. with her last name. I cried when the characters didn’t GET IT, and I cried when they did. I grinned so big when people simply treated others like humans, and I shook my head and said, “No freaking way!” when they treated others like less-than-humans.

But you know what? I didn’t cry one time in the car was we drove home after the movie – or as I answered question after question after question at bedtime that night. I didn’t cry when my girl asked, again, “But why did they have to be so mean? Why would they do that?” Because those conversations are exactly what I hoped for when I decided to take her to this film. Even though we don’t have answers for all of those questions, the fact that she’s asking them and we’re discussing them is a big deal.

The most important takeaway for my daughter (and for me) was absolutely an eye-opening education about these women, about the racism and sexism they faced, and an appreciation for the way they fought against those challenges. We also talked about our own racist tendencies, prejudice that we hate and want to deny but must acknowledge exists.

And aside from the global implications of this movie and its themes, I’m also hopeful that my daughter learned – from a source other than her parents – that she can do hard things. I hope she can apply what she saw to her own life and acknowledge that life is hard, but just like the women working at NASA fifty years ago, she can do hard things.

On our ride home following the movie, I asked my daughter a few questions so I could share her perspective with you. Here they are, along with her answers:

Me: I’m going to ask you some questions about the movie, so I can write a blog post about it.

Her: Cool! I’m being interviewed! Wait, do you have a secret camera recording this?

Me: No. … Moving on … What did you think about the movie?

Her: It was good! I liked it a LOT. (*sings* I don’t like it. I love it!)

Me: What was your favorite part?

Her: They were so smart! And they fought for the right to be equal. And that one guy was really nice when she told him how far away her (colored women’s) bathroom was. I liked it when they said funny things, too. Oh, and John Glenn.

Me: Why did you like John Glenn?

Her: Well, he was really cute, but I guess that’s not the point. (KILL ME NOW, FELLOW MOMS. Although, she wasn’t wrong.) I mean, maybe it’s part of the point…

Me: Was there anything you didn’t like about the movie?

Her: I didn’t like how mean they were! And it was kind of scary. I mean, the going to space part. (Like mother, like daughter.) And the kissing parts.

Me: Are you glad we went to see it?

Her: Yes!!!

So, there you have it. My daughter and I both highly recommend seeing Hidden Figures – and taking a young person along with you!

MOVIE SYNOPSIS from 20^th Century Fox, via IMDB.com: As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the unbelievably true life stories of three of these women, known as “human computers”, we follow these women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history’s greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteeing his safe return. Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes.

**Have you seen Hidden Figures yet? What did you think?**

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Tags: Can You Bring Kids to Hidden Figures, Hidden Figures For Children, Hidden Figures for Kids, Hidden Figures Movie Review
Posted in Early Childhood, Education, Family, Teenagers | No Comments »

It’s the 3 Little Things: Sock Storage, Fighting Hard Stuff, & Welcome Escapes

Friday, January 13th, 2017

It’s become a bit of a joke around here that whenever my husband takes a day off for my birthday the kids figure out a way to ruin it. God bless them. Two years in a row we got the dreaded call from the nurse’s office. One year we felt like we finally pulled it off and a child burst through the door puking off the bus. This year we patted ourselves on the back because everyone was healthy and we were FINALLY going to get our day date that we had been dreaming of.

That is, until my son looked at my husband bewildered last night and said, “It’s teacher record day tomorrow. Didn’t you know that?”

GOD BLESS THEM.

We are proceeding as planned without the enjoying the whole lounging in our quiet house thing together. I’m off to see La La Land, stuff myself silly with sushi, and antique with my handsome fella today!

Happy birthday to me a couple of days early because the kids are off for the holiday on my actual day too.

I mean, GOD BLESS THEM.

To show you how old I am, you will appreciate my old lady happy list today! I mean, only old ladies get all the feels about sock storage, amiright?

Here are 3 things that are making me happy today!

Organized Sock Storage

We don’t have a lot of drawer space so I have been using an under-the-bed organizer for my sock storage. Our bed sits low so these inexpensive risers allow me to make the most of the storage underneath the bed. I feel like risers on beds are a small bedroom requirement- it’s amazing how much you can organize under there.

I’m not sure why I had not thought to use an under-the-bed shoe organizer for sock storage, but when I saw these organizers at the store, I grabbed one for my socks. The compartments allow me to separate the types of socks I need into groupings. One has my short gym socks, one for long, one for my boot socks, one for furry pajama socks, one for tights, and two hold my belts and smaller scarves. The top is clear and it has handles on each side for picking up and grabbing.

This inexpensive little tweak is making getting ready for the gym in the mornings so much easier!

A Clean Dishwasher

Hard water issues plague us and my dishwasher has been looking rather disgusting. The vinegar cleaning jobs that I had been doing became no match for whatever was gunking up this dishwasher and so I researched cleaners that could clear the gunk better so I wouldn’t have to replace our appliance. These Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner Tablets cleaned it out in a single normal cycle and it is even safe to run it through with your dishes. For the first round, I used two tablets, but typically a single tablet should get your dishwasher looking like new again.

My gunky dishwasher looks like new and I plan to run a cycle with these once a month to keep things humming along in our home! I highly recommend them if your dishwasher is looking a little sad too!

It’s Gonna Be OK Playlist

I am really glad I subscribed to theSkimm for my morning news especially this week. It does not mean, however, I am living in complete oblivion of what everyone is talking about on Facebook. Shortly after the election, my husband made a playlist as a lyrical form of encouragement. My husband has a real talent for picking meaningful music and he says that this playlist was meant to be listened to in order (turn off that shuffle, yo!) to encourage the listener.

I wanted to share it with you this week if you are not feeling okay about all of this. Even if you are like, “I FEEL JUST FINE, LADY” you still might enjoy it.

I hope this is a bright spot in your Friday as it has been for me.

Namaste.

Reading: I am loving working through our first MomAdvice Reading Challenge! This week I started this book and I am so thankful for what it is teaching me. Much like, Just Mercy, I am finding myself frustrated with this broken system as the story follows eight families that are struggling to keep the roof over their heads. This was my selection that I will be proud to have said I read this year and I am finding I already feel that way in just these first 100 pages.

Eating: This green bean & turkey saute on repeat for a healthy version of takeout at home. I feel like this dish is going to be our new easy weeknight jam!

Watching: This is the last week of my free 30-day HBO trial and it has been so much fun to catch up on movies and shows I’ve wanted to see. This week I finally watched the movie, Joy, and I loved it so much, I watched it two times in a row (once by myself and once with my husband). I think this would be a GREAT movie to watch with your tween or teen daughter because it’s about a woman entrepreneur and how she never gives up on our dream of designing and manufacturing a product.

It also is a great discussion builder on how much of your success is built around your team and those who support you. It’s a feel good flick of a truly successful business woman.

I’m off for a little La La Land magic! I hope you have a wonderful weekend, friends! xo

Happy Fri-yay!

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things!

Tags: Affresh Dishwasher Tablet, Political Playlist, Under the Bed Shoe Organizer, Under the Bed Sock Organizer, Uplifting Playlists
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