My Little Gallery Wall

So I've been playing around with my "artwork" in the house.  Since I didn't have one big statement piece to go over the couch, I've been playing around with some of the many little pieces I've accumulated over the years.  After playing around with it all, this is what I came up with.  I think It looks pretty good.  It was hard to  figure out the right balance between symmetry and artsy-ness. I'm pleased though.  I want to build on it too, now that I see it in pictures. :)

Mastering the Curling Wand

Here ya go!  My take on the curling wand.  It's a little lengthy, but I wanted to give you as much info as I could.  Hope it helps!

Curling Iron 101

I thought I'd create a little visual to show the results of different sized curling irons.  With each look, I held the iron vertically.  Soon I'll make a video tutorial so you can see exactly how I use each iron.  Until then, hopefully this helps!

Pepper Steak

So this recipe to me is a classic.  This was one of my favorite meals my mom would make growing up.  The smell of it cooking still brings me warm and fuzzies.  This is actually a pretty easy recipe to make and a family favorite.  Enjoy!

Here are your ingredients...

To feed a family of 4-6 you'll need about 2 lbs. of round steak, lightly pounded and cut into strips...
Soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, red and green bell pepper (my mom uses a tomato instead of a red pepper. You could throw in whatever veggies you want), salt and pepper.  You'll also need water and corn starch.

Go ahead and brown your meat on a medium high skillet and lightly salt and pepper it...

Once the meat is good and browned, add about 3/4 of a cup to 1 cup of water, 5 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. vinegar, 1 tbsp. brown sugar...

Let this simmer on low, covered,  for about 45 minutes or until the meat is nice and tender.  Add in your peppers and let simmer for another 15 minutes.

Once your peppers are ready, you'll need to thicken your sauce.  Go ahead and bring up the heat on your pepper steak to about medium.

I use corn starch to thicken this up.  You'll need about a half cup of water.  Stir in about a tbsp. of the corn starch to the water.  Slowly add the mixture to your pepper steak sauce, stirring constantly.  Keep adding the mixture until it is at the desired thickness.  Turn down the heat 'cause you're done!  This is so delicious!  Serve over rice and enjoy!

Pepper Steak

Prep. time: 15-20 min.  Cooking time: about an hour. Feeds 4-6

1-2 lbs top round steak, lightly pounded and cut into strips

3/4 cup water

5 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp. vinegar

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 tbsp. corn starch mixed with 1/2 cup water

Serve over rice.

Brown your meat on medium high to high heat, lightly salt and pepper it.  Once meat is browned, stir in water, soy, vinegar and sugar.  Let simmer on low for about 45 minutes or until it reaches desired tenderness. Add in your peppers that have been washed and sliced.  Let simmer for another 15 minutes.  Once peppers are cooked, increase the heat to medium.  Slowly add corn starch mixture and stir constantly. Once you've reached the desired thickness, reduce heat and serve over rice.

~Encouragement for step-moms~ Part 1

When I married my husband not only did I gain a partner for life and a best friend, I also gained the opportunity to be a part of the life of a sweet, beautiful little girl, Melody.  She was three when we met and four when her daddy and I married.  Melody is six now.  Through this time I have been blessed to have a very strong and close relationship with my step-daughter.  With her being so young when we met, I had an advantage that a lot of step-moms don't get.  She has very little memory of me not being in her life.  That has helped maintain a closeness between us.

It was a bit overwhelming at first-  not truly knowing where I stood in her life.  Balancing the emotions of attachment and then separation since the custody is shared.  It was very easy for me to be a mother to her (nurturing her, buying her clothes and shoes and toys, dressing her, feeding her, caring for her when she is sick, etc)  when she was with us, but then have to completely let go of it all when she wasn't.  You get close and then realize...wait...she's not mine.  And that's okay.  That's part of the deal.  The role is full of challenges and struggles and blessings and every situation is unique.  

There were some very choice pieces of advice that were given to me before Austin and I married that really helped me through the process and help me still.  I thought I might share them with you all out there.  

1.  You are NOT her(or his) mom. 

This was hard for me to understand and accept at first.  In so many ways I felt like her mom and wanted to be her mom, but the truth was she had a mom already.  I must respect that and guard my emotions accordingly.  This helps when there are instances when the child naturally wants their mom.  At first, if Melody would ask for her mom, I would get sad, thinking, "I'm right here!"  But, I had to think about how natural it is for her to feel that way and not let it affect my emotions-  and not take it personally. I know she loves me too. :)

2. When the children are at your home, you may not be their mom, but you are THE mom.  

What this means is when your step-child is at home with you, you maintain your motherly role at all times.  That means, you love them like a mom, discipline like a mom, and take care of them like a mom.  There is no favortism or difference in treatment from the step-child to your natural child.  And your authority is always respected and maintained.  This also allows the child to trust you in knowing that you are there for them no matter what the circumstances are. Sometimes this can be an emotional work-out, but it is vitally important. 

3. You and your husband must be united at ALL times.  

In every decision, stance, or value, the two of you must be completely in sync.  This unity must also be displayed on a regular basis in front of the children,  Never open a door that could possibly allow the child to play one parent over the other.  Be sure to communicate EVERYTHING with your spouse in regards to discipline and up-bringing. Even if you don't agree with each other on everything, be careful not to display that in front of the kids.  

More to come...

If I can offer any more encouragement to you in your situation, please let me know.  What are some pieces of advice that helped you adapt to being a step-mom?

Disney Tips You May Already Know...

This past weekend I took my lovely step-daughter, Melody to The Magic Kingdom and we had a fantastic time!  Having lived in Orlando for seven years, I've been to Disney many, many times, so I've learned a few things that have helped with the over all experience to make it a little bit more pleasant.  So here is my attempt at offering my two cents on how to get the most out of your Disney World experience...Some of this you probably already know but hey- maybe I can give a little insight to someone out there!  Here we go!

1. If at all possible, go in the off season.

Months like January, February, May (right before school lets out for summer), and September, are primo times to go to DW.  It is always crowded...just these times are less tired than others.  If you can avoid going in the heat of summer, by all means do so.

2. Get the Disney World Wait Times app for your smart phone if you can.

This app is great!  You can choose out of the four main parks and it will give you pretty accurate wait times to each attraction.  A must!  So helpful.  There are also great apps that have park maps and other cool Disney World features.

3. Get to your park of choice EARLY.  

And by early, I mean like at the park entrance a good half hour before they open. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom parking lot at about 8:00. We got a great parking spot.  Walked to get our tickets and then took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom gate.  We got there about 8:30.  Park opens at 9:00. There were a lot of people there, but it really wasn't that bad.  Also, about ten til 9:00, they actually did a little welcome show for us that included a count down to opening and a little fireworks! It was great!  Being some of the first people in the park gave us an opportunity to ride a whole lot of rides before lunch time.  It was great!

4. Master the art of the fast pass and time management.

Fast passes are wonderful and if you have the wait time app, you can look up which ride has the longest wait time, get a fast pass for that ride and then go do things with shorter wait times or see a show, eat lunch, meet Tinker Bell, get ice cream, etc. Then ride your ride and then get another fast pass.  Keep in mind you can only get one fast pass at a time.   Fast passes are located at kiosks at each ride entrance. Seems like a pretty obvious concept, but you never know... If you can take a little time to plan things out you can fit in so much more into your Disney day and not have to waste time waiting in line so long. :)

5. Don't rule out EPCOT. 

It seems like this park gets a bad rap from a lot of people before they've even visited.  Oh how mistaken they are! I love all of the Disney World parks, but this one is honestly my favorite.  It is a little bit more of a grown-up park, but there is a lot to with the kids as well.  There are several cool rides (including Soarin' and Test Track), great restaurants, and a lot of fun educational experiences for everyone. It is actually very romantic to stroll around the "World Showcase" especially at night.  Imagine walking around Paris and Italy with your love in the same evening!   The fireworks display is the best out of all the parks, too.  If you can, visit EPCOT during their "Flower and Garden Festival" in the spring or their "Food and Wine Festival" in the fall. Beautiful scenery, food and free concerts from some pretty big names!  We've seen the Beach Boys, Boys II Men, Chubby Checker, The Four Tops, Starship, and so many more!  You can go to the EPCOT website to find out the concert schedule.  If you are a Florida resident you can even get an EPCOT pass that is annual admission any day of the year after 4:00 pm. Last I checked it was around $200.  If you live locally, it is worth the investment, especially during festival seasons.  Christmas time at EPCOT is fabulous, too!

Hope this may help someone out there!  Feel free to ask away if you have any Disney World questions.  I'll do my best to give you a helpful answer!

Glamah Shots with Mindy Kerr Photography!

My sister, Mindy, is an amazing photographer!  Last weekend I had the opportunity to join her for a photo shoot to do some hair!  I think it came out purty. My sister does photo shoot packages that include professional hair and makeup. If you live in the central Florida area, check her out here!

Look at this beautiful head of hair!