Thursday, June 28, 2012

Tell the Truth Thursday! Be Your Own Parent!

Sounds like a silly title... I of course don't mean be your own parent as in be your own mother (even though we are all becoming more and more like them everyday... I know I am anyway!) I mean be your own kind of parent.

I have been seeing a lot of these "rules for mother's of sons" or "guides for mother's of daughters" and "you must do this with your child" posts on Pinterest. While I am all for posting on your blog what you feel your rules for being a momma are, and I am by no means attacking those blogs or bloggers because if we weren't all off different backgrounds and opinions this blogging thing wouldn't be very much fun, but so many people are pinning these posts and commenting that this is the be all and end all list of how you should parent your boys or girls or your whole brood. I am all for the hints and tips that other momma's can share but when you compile a list of "rules" it feels like your saying there is no individuality to being a parent anymore.

I also feel like its a little judgey to put out a list that says this is how and what to do with your daughters, or this is how to love your son. Why can't I love my kids my way, with our life and experiences rather than looking at a list and checking off what that mom or this dad did...

To me part the beauty of being a parent is that we get to learn from our mistakes, our successes and our out right PARENTING FAILS...

I love that I am a parent to both sexes and that my experience (even just to 10 months so far) has been very different with each and that I have had two different kids with different needs (which I think would happen no matter if they were both girls or even both boys). I love that as I see changes in them I can adapt to what they want and need and that as they grow I can introduce new experiences with them  and I personally don't think that a list of rules for mommas of boys or of girls can tell me what they need to experience.

Almost all of the lists that have been floating around are similar and most say the same thing....

LOVE YOUR CHILD!

So why not love your child your way, the way that you were designed as a parent to love them, the way that they are asking you to love them...

Forget rules and lists and do's and don'ts and make your own lists of how you love your little ones, how you live with your little ones and how they interact with you.

Be a proud and independent parent who does what they feel is right and rewarding.

But hey thats just this momma's opinion and the TRUTH is even though I dislike those lists its just another momma's opinion too...

What's your TRUTH? Are you for or against the "rules" and have you posted your own? I'd love to hear what you have to say in the comments!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Make It Monday! Blast from the Past!

So if you've been here for a while you may have noticed that I have a love of cupcakes as seen here, here and here... and also a love of Peanut butter seen here, here and here...

So when put together how can one go wrong....

It's a trick question, you can't! Hehehe

So when I picked up some books at this years Annual Canadian University women's used book sale and I saw this blast from the past (lets just be clear that this is well beyond my past) I had to pick it up knowing that it would have some fun recipes that Delaney and I could try together, and who are we kidding I can't walk past a cookbook and not look at it let alone buy it and try out a recipe or two!

I was leafing through last week and stumbled upon this gem and couldn't put it down until I baked up a batch and gave them a try!

Peanut Butter Cupcakes!

Crumble ingredients;
1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Flour
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
1 Tbsp Butter Melted
1/2 Tsp cinnamon

1/3 Cup Shortening (I used butter)
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Egg
1 1/4 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Milk

Mix your crumble ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy, add the egg and vanilla, beat well. Add flour, baking powder and salt to the creamed mix and incorporate completely. Fill 12 muffin cups 1/2 way and top with the crumble mix. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes!

These are AWESOME and are as you can see super easy! Everyone who tasted these said they were great, and I agree but if I make them again.... who are we kidding I'm making more right now... I will add some peanut butter to the cake batter as well it needs just a little more of that rich peanut butter flavor...

Are you a fan of old recipes? How about old cook books? Share an old recipe with me in the comments and you never know it may just end up on a future Make It Monday!