Good Old Fashioned Oatmeal Recipe

One of the highest forms of self-love is good healthy eating. Breakfast, for me, is the most favorite meal of the day. Today, I made some old fashioned traditional oatmeal. 

First I soaked the oats over night in warm water and apple cider vinegar. The following morning, I drained it and rinsed it and cooked it in milk with the following ingredients:

• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Almond Essence
• Vanilla Essence
• Butter
• Maple Syrup

Of course it was very yummy. If you’ve never had oatmeal cooked with a little butter, you are missing a treat. What I like most about old fashioned oatmeal is that I don’t get hungry soon after. Breakfast usually takes me well past the lunch hour.

I know I haven’t given specific measurements but that’s because I don’t measure. Use the instructions in the oatmeal container and add whatever flavorings your palet desires.

More importantly, use good ingredients. Nothing replaces that. I used Kerrygold butter; it’s made from grass fed cows. Also, the oatmeal was sprouted and organic. The milk and flavorings were of high quality as well. You can’t help but to make something tasty and wholesome when you use good quality ingredients.

Have fun cooking because your family will taste and feel the love in your food!  God bless!

Fall Recipes: Pancakes

Pumpkin pancakes are a staple for us in the fall. I just wanted to send some love to my readers by sharing this recipe. I’ve been using it for many years. Originally my sister gave it to me and I think she got it from Martha Stewart. I change the ingredients depending on the season but the dry ingredients remain the same:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 4 tablespoons of sugar ( I use coconut palm sugar but any sugar works)

Use a whisk to combine all the dry ingredients before adding the wet. The following are the wet ingredients. Remember this can change depending on the kind of pancakes that you are making.

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• Milk (I don’t measure, about a cup or so to the consistency of pancake batter)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon of almond essence 
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin purée 

Mix all of the ingredients; but be sure not to over mix as this will make your pancakes tough. It is a delicious compliment to any cozy fall day. Enjoy!

I Just Love Fall: My Favorite Season

We all get to choose, right? For me, fall is my favorite season. I love the crispness in the air; I love sweaters; I love the cozy feeling, not to mention the fact that Thanksgiving is in the fall and this is the time that families tend to gather.

In celebration of fall, I have decorated my home. I hope you enjoy the pics. Happy fall  ya’ll:)

Semi-Homemade Pizza: Trader Joes

One of our family traditions is to eat junk food on Fridays. For us, pizza is usually the junk food of choice. We can make a very tasty pizza from scratch. However, there are times when you just don’t want to mess with the dough. For times like these, try Trader Joe’s pizza crust. Add whatever toppings you like; put it in the oven and enjoy. It is delicious. 

Happy Valentine’s Day

When you know you are loved it is easy to make the necessary sacrifices. Just hold on for the long haul. God bless and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

You are Just Your Husband's Help Meet: A Mompreneur's Thoughts

If you read my last blog post, you would know that I was in a funk. I can't really put my finger on exactly why. I just know that some little comments from perhaps well meaning people in my life, pushed me over the edge. I was on the verge of depression. The comment that hurt the most was when my friend of more than 3 decades said that my purpose in life was to simply be my husband's help meet. She also insinuated that the success of our business had not as much to do with me but instead had everything to do with him, meaning, whether or not I was in his life, she believes the business would still have reached its current levels. I wondered how could she think those things and or believe them, if she truly wants the best for me.

Those comments left me asking myself, does my life have meaning? 100 years from now will I be remembered? Does it matter whether or not I contribute and should I even be concerned about if my contributions are properly attributed to me? What have I done with all the God given talents bottled up inside of me? Did I waste my talents?

We all want to know the meaning and purpose of our existence. Why are we here? Is it just to be some one's help meet. I pondered for a long time. Such dilemmas regarding ones purpose are common. Unfortunately, it is also all too common for a woman's worth to be underestimated and unfortunately relegated to the the shadow of her man, no matter how much she contributes. I am an equal partner in my company, have been from the very beginning. I work just as hard as my husband and I have set the vision for this company many times over. Because of my attention to detail, we have been awarded numerous funding that has allowed our company to reinvest for major capital improvements. Yet, I am still seen as the secretary or the help meet, as she so carelessly phrased.

I am here to say that though I am my husband's help meet, he is mines also. We are here to help each other get ahead. I am talented and my creative spirit feels like a corralled champion thoroughbred, waiting to escape.  I am fully aware that God gave me these talents for a reason. But I am also aware that God gave me this man for a reason, as well. When he needed me to leave my career and put my attention on our family business, I did. This decision is a mere example of how I have sacrificed some fundamental passions. Once the family business is stabilized, I do believe that he will do the same for me. Why, because I have seen him show love to me and our girls in multiple ways. He cares for us as he does himself. Success in business without success in marriage and life is no success at all. A broken man equates to a broken marriage. I hedged my bet.

I have to remain grounded and focused and not allow comments such as these to affect me on a guttural level. It's hard. It will take time and perhaps it will take my recognizing that all that matters in the end is the legacy we leave to our family and our community. We stand on the shoulders of giants and in no way do we want our contributions to weaken the foundation of those who came before us.

So, should I be concerned if my contributions are properly attributed to me? NO. Does my life have meaning? YES. Am I just a help meet? NO. Will I follow my passions? YES. Will my husband be supportive when that time comes. Resoundingly, YES.

January 2018 Reflections: The Sober Realities of Mompreneurship

January was rough for me. Though I started the year hopeful that I would be able to work on me, it quickly turned to new and very pressing business matters. The days were long and stressful. I didn't even have time to think about what I really want. Despite it all, I am still thankful for God, life, health and strength, my hubby, my parents and kids, grand kids, and family.

Reflections

As I reflected on the month, I realized that many of the words I used to describe my experience were negative. I asked myself "why?" With so many blessings and opportunities why am I so pessimistic? Resoundingly the answer was "you haven't yet figured out your true purpose." Yes, I am a Mompreneur but is my business in an area that I am genuinely passionate. Don't get me wrong, I am passionate about business in general and I am passionate about parenting,motherhood, and home keeping . But If my entrepreneurial pursuits isn't in an area that makes me want to jump out of bed in the morning, the questions is, why not? How am I to change course, especially when my current business is one that is so important to my community and to my family's well being?

Being Real

I am just being real here. It's going to take time for me to figure myself out. There are good days in entrepreneurship and there are ones where you wonder why you are doing what you are doing. I am confident that if one is working in an area he or she is passionate about, it almost does not feel like work at all. For me, January was one of those months where I felt confused and discombobulated. Here are the five primary reasons for my malaise:

1. Not Sustainable - I realize that my workload is not sustainable; so I need to determine what projects to put on hold.
2. What About Me - I am constantly asking myself where am I in the equation. It is so easy to take care of everyone else, the business, the kids, the hubby and forget about oneself.
3. Major Capital Improvements - We are about to engage in a major capital improvement that will substantially affect our balance sheet's liability column. This is always a scary thought.
4. Aligned with Purpose - I constantly ask myself if my business is aligned with my life's purpose and if not what am I going to do about it?
5. Planning without a Plan - If my purpose is not aligned with my pursuits then it seems as though I am planning without a plan, rowing to the wrong destination, which gives rise to my current mood.

What to Do

Given all of this, I will take time to think more about my life's purpose. What makes me happy? What can I do all day, everyday and not even get tired or feel like I am working? How can I give more to others in a way that doesn't feel as though I am being drained? And finally how can this new purpose be integrated in my present life? To answer questions such as these will take time. I'm in no rush.

How are you doing on your journey of entrepreneurship? Are you passionate about your business? Is your business aligned with your purpose? Share your thoughts below and let's help each other.