Mom Life

Tis the season for apple picking and making sauce

Posted on by thewexfordhousewife

I love this time of year…the leaves are starting to change, the house smells like pumpkin spice & I can finally break out my scarves and boots!  It also means that we can venture to the local farm for hayrides and apple picking.  Over the weekend we took our son to the apple orchard; he loved picking his own apples!

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By the time we were finished we had a 10 lb. bag and one happy little boy!  Since we had plenty of apples to go around, I decided to make applesauce!  Follow my simple recipe for an applesauce the whole family will love.

Laura’s Apple Cider Applesauce – Prep time 15 min, Cook time 20 min, Yields 1-1 ½ quarts

Ingredients:

7 – 10 Apples (we picked Jonathan, but Granny Smith or Golden Delicious would work too)

3 tbsp. Lemon Juice

1 Cup Water

½ Cup Apple Cider

1 tbsp. Cinnamon

Put the water and 2 tbsp. lemon juice in a large pot.  Peel, core and cut apples into quarters.  Add apples to the pot of lemon water as you cut them to prevent browning.  Halfway through cutting the apples add the remaining lemon juice and stir to make sure all of the apples are covered.

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Once all of the apples are in the pot add the apple cider, bring to a boil, and then lower the temperature.  Cover and maintain a low simmer for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

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Once the apples are fully cooked, remove the pot from the heat.  Add the cinnamon and use a potato masher (or a fork) to mash the apples in the pot.  My family likes a thicker applesauce, but if your family prefers a smoother style you can mix the apples in a blender.  Taste the applesauce, if you believe it’s too sweet add more lemon juice or if it’s not sweet enough add 1/4 cup brown sugar.

You can serve the applesauce hot or cold, with pork chops or mixed with yogurt!  It also freezes for up to a year in a cold freezer.  Enjoy!

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(Took inspiration from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/applesauce/)

Joining a Mom’s Group saved my sanity

Posted on by thewexfordhousewife

Being a Stay at Home Mom can get lonely fast.  Although, I was constantly with my son I missed having adult conversations and found myself slowly losing my mind.  My friends nearby didn’t have kids and my husband had a hard time relating to my SAHM struggles.  I finally did some research and came across an app called MeetUp.  Through MeetUp I was able to find several mom’s groups in my area & ended up joining MOMS Club, an international group with chapters in all 50 states.  At first, I was a little embarrassed to admit I joined a group I had found online, but now I embrace it!  Not only am I able to surround myself with women who are going through the same things as I am, but my son & I get the chance to embark on some pretty amazing adventures such as visiting a local dairy farm, hiking through a nature reserve, riding a tractor through a pumpkin patch and going to the Aviary!  Not to mention, we have monthly Mom’s Night Out events that give me a chance to unwind with a glass of wine.

I encourage every SAHM to connect with other mom’s in their community!  You’ll have the opportunity to build lasting relationships and it will save you from bombarding your husband with poop stories when he walks through the door.

Click on the link below to find your local MOMS Club chapter

http://momsclub.org/

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The 1,2,3’s of renovating a room

Posted on by thewexfordhousewife

Renovating a room should be fun & stress-free.  For me, decorating a room is like styling clothes – sometimes it takes a while to find the right piece but I love the excitement of the hunt!  I’ve put together a few questions that help make (re)decorating a room a little easier:

  1. What am I using this space for?
  2. What is my color scheme/accent color?
  3. Am I incorporating a pattern with my rug, curtains and/or furniture?

When my husband & I moved into our new house this summer the room I was most eager to get my hands on was the Morning Room.  I wanted this room to be inviting and comfortable.  A place where we could sit and watch the sun rise & set, drink wine, discuss our day & entertain guests.

Since this room was going to be a place to relax & unwind we chose a calming color scheme of blue & grey.  The first step in our transformation was changing the paint color from a burnt orange to a tranquil blue called Jubilee (Sherwin Williams) – this made a huge difference!  If you can’t decide on a color scheme, take direction from one of the largest patterns in the room.  Maybe you have an oriental rug that you plan on keeping in your living room that could become the feature of your color story.

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It’s important to stay flexible when looking for furniture.  I originally planned on incorporating a pattern with the two accent chairs, but couldn’t find any that I loved and ended up with a patterned Fretwork rug instead.  With the accent chairs and storage bench both being grey I realized I needed a pop of color – I chose yellow!  Blue & yellow are complementary colors on the color wheel and should technically be used in more formal areas of the house, but as with fashion I like to bend the “rules” with decor as well.  Don’t be afraid to mix patterns either.  I’m still on the hunt for a floral-patterned love seat or oversized chair to add to the Morning Room!

Whether you’re renovating your living room or adding decor to your bedroom, find a theme or color story that you love and run with it.  You’re the one that has to live with it, so make sure you’re happy!