My Birthday Weekend “I met Pioneer Woman” And I Ate Pretty Good Too!

“A little bit of Heaven sitting in the Drummond rocking chair outside the lodge”

Hello everyone! I hope all you mothers had a wonderful day yesterday. I have not blogged in a few days. I really wanted my next blog post to be exciting. I know if you are a blogger and house wife you are familiar with Ree Drummond, pioneer woman. Well, I had to pleasure of meeting her this weekend. And it was a dream come true. You know how there are those certain times in life where you feel like God is really pouring out His precious love on you? This weekend was one of those moments. My husband showered me with flowers and kindness. And offered anything I wanted that day! And this is why this will forever be the “Happy House Wife” blog.

My husband drove me to Pawhuska, Oklahoma. We went and toured the lodge, where Pioneer Woman films for Food Network, and ate at the Mercantile. The Mercantile is her restaurant and bakery. There is also a general store attached to it. This food was amazing and tasted like it was cooked with love. The people there were very welcoming and showed so much hospitality.

As we drove through the rolling plains of Oklahoma, my husband and I were in awe behind how much land there was. We truly got a new-found respect for God’s creation. We often take for granted the little things that don’t cost us a penny. While we were driving I told my husband “do you notice how everything that brings us beauty, man did not create” Man did not make trees, flowers, mountains, the sun, the clouds, the ocean, love, joy, peace a beautiful breeze on a hot day.” Man could not have done this.

In the small town of Pawhuska, you can see how material possessions are not as important as the quality of your life. That was what I gleaned from this weekend. You can have everything you want in the world, but will it add quality to your life style? I was able to watch the cows lay in the grass.

We were on the watch for some buffalo, my husband wants to raise them when we finally settle down from being a traveling military family. We plan on moving to Oklahoma, buying land and enjoying flowers, gardening, fruit trees, buffalo and two horses, “that’s what I want” Ha! My husband is the gardener, I the onlooker of all the beauty that comes from his green thumb.

I used to live a fast-paced life, but after moving to Ft. Riley Kansas, fast living is not a desire of mine any longer. I realized you can be in a hurry to go nowhere. And when you finally get there it was not as attractive as you thought. Everything that we are supposed to have in life, we will receive it. God is not going to let us miss a single beat. Now with that being said let me share some amazing photos with you guys of my birthday weekend!

Rosalyn

The Happier House Wife!

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Finding Beauty in a “Monday”

When you think of Monday’s you don’t think of beauty, usually. Beauty is something that we behold or  captivated by. Beauty is a memory that made us laugh, or feel special. As I sit here and type this blog the front door is open. I can hear the birds chirping outside. The gentle-fresh breeze the wind provides adds a unique feeling of “vacation” to my day. The simple things in a typical  “Monday” have brought me joy.

I made brownies at 10:00 a.m because my kids are out of school today. I found myself making lunch at the same time.  My day started with me feeling super lethargic, in bed not wanting to move. Just getting out of bed was good. If I laid there any longer I would have missed the beauty in Monday. I contemplated working out, running on the treadmill or taking a walk around the neighborhood.

Instead I ended up walking downstairs, grabbing a croissant, green tea and my lap top. I wanted to catch up on blog reading. I always love to read what others have to share or what inspired them over the weekend.

My oldest daughter Brandee came over. She typically graces us with her presence when her husband is at work. This is her in the photo below. Where else can you get a fresh breeze and sunshine while you work, as well as food! Mom’s house of course.

“Brandee”

Lunch is angel hair pasta and brownies, as you can see a small portion is covered in nuts because Brandee and I love nuts, but my other children do not “ brownie compromise.” lol

Hold the nuts please!!

What makes your Monday beautiful? Is it a visit from a neighbor or family member. Could it be the smell of fresh brewed coffee in your home, or the sound of the Starbucks Latte machine? Maybe the barista yelling your name over the noise.

You may find your pleasure in reading the morning paper or working on something around the house? Whatever your Monday consists of I’m sure it is beautiful. Living in a small town you find yourself appreciating things like sunshine, fresh air, birds and light breezes. This is life to me. I hope it is life to you.

I pray that each and every one of you have a beautiful Monday. And if it is not beautiful at the moment, maybe you can change it with a smile. Jesus said

“whatsoever is good, whatsoever is noble think on these things.

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

“Why Chase Money When You Can Chase God?” Considering the Quality of Your Personal Life.

Hi everyone! recently, I took on another task to add to my list of things I juggle “at home.” Among the cooking, kids, husband, crochet needles, yarn and card stock I really didn’t need anything else. Well, not really! I feel like if it comes to mind and it makes you happy “do it.’ You are not living for anyone but yourself.

As I begin to look into my new project needs I found myself overwhelmed by the “requirements.” Getting plans together and shopping for supplies, locating the best resources to meet the financial need, I got exhausted. I sat back and evaluated “was all this necessary?” We go into adventures head first and we do not consider the cost of it. Our time will be expedited and our anxiety level may increase. But one thing we have to stop and reconsider is “is this worth my quality of life.” 

It is no secret that we lead a relaxed life over here in my house. And that is the way we want to keep it. I realized that if I take the joy out of my new project I have nothing.  If I shift my focus from purpose to monetary, it will be a meaningless.

Jesus said For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36 KJV

I was thinking things over and I had to say “Rosalyn, you’re good.” You have everything you need, and some desires.  My quality of life is rich. It is wealthy in peace, prosperity and abundance. It is anchored in Jesus Christ and my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, therefore I am set.

Now, if you think I am a millionaire you have missed the whole message of this blog post so far. The quality of life I am referring to is love. Knowing that Jesus is my Lord and Savior is true wealth. We cannot get love in making more money, opening more businesses or chasing more dreams.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 KJV

We cannot get a peace of mind filling our calendars up with “to-do‘s” to seem busy or important. I learned this lesson quick. “Thanks to the Holy Spirit.” Anything that I do I want to consult with Jesus to see if that is what He has for me. I have found that we don’t need to beg Him and pray all day when we want to do something. If we are happy and joyful and it does not take away from our family and spouse were good.

If it seems to overwhelming and we have to find outsources to fulfill a means, maybe we need to rethink if that came from Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom. It is a big world out there and we can easily lose sight of our Savior by taking on the world. The Israelites were always looking for more. They were never satisfied with having the Lord as their portion. This got them in a lot of trouble and bondage.

We do not need to add chaos to our peace. We do not want to place our self in a world of bondage that Jesus has already delivered us from. If you can go to sleep at night without worrying about how your going to pay your bills, you are blessed. If you can go to the grocery store and buy food and put gas in your vehicle, you are blessed.

Why do we want more, look for more and seek more? I’ll tell you why, because we are human, that’s why. But as believers, when we venture off “a little” the Holy Spirit is right there to say “hey” look around. You have everything you need. That my friends is contentment that  millions of dollars cannot buy. It is joy that a shopping mall did not give you. We don’t have to keep up with the Joneses. We just need to abide in Jesus. Now, enjoy your weekend, relax in the abundance of love and peace that the Father has bestowed on us today, Maybe even stop and smell a flower. Watch a bird fly.

God is true to His word. When you rest in Him you will find opportunity, heavy favor and abundance chasing after you. Take a look at Deuteronomy 28. In the first half of that chapter you will find all the blessings that are bestowed upon those that love Him. When you believe that by faith you have a treasure that cannot be stolen. You have a reputation that cannot be ruined. And a status that cannot be moved. What makes it a winner will be the faith you have to believe in what He said. “Will you obey?” Take a look….

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

² And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

³ Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

⁴ Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

⁵ Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

⁶ Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

⁷ The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

⁸ The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

⁹ The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.

¹⁰ And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

¹¹ And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lordsware unto thy fathers to give thee.

¹² The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

¹³ And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

¹⁴ And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 KJV

That is good living y’all

Until next blog! God Bless! I love each and everyone of you precious readers that come across this blog. May God’s grace shine forth to you and through you.

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

Cinnamon Vanilla Nice Cream “Why Nice? Because it’s all Bananas” Vegan Recipe, Super Nutritious!

 

Happy House Wife here with a twist on “vegan ice cream.” If you are familiar with “nice cream” then you know its our way of saying ice cream in the vegan community. Do you enjoy sweets but without the guilt? We can do without the empty calories since summer is coming. You do not have to be a vegan to enjoy this amazingly, quick, easy confection!  And I mean quick, so eat up and only make the amount that you are going to be eating at the time. You can jazz this “nice cream” up with cocoa nibs, pataschios, pecans, strawberries, blueberries, almonds, spices etc.

The list goes on and on with variations of this dish. It is easily made by freezing some bannanas. Bananas are the only ingredient for the base of this dessert. The spring/summer season is finally here. Spring and summer call for “light eating”, right? Well, for my family we do sandwiches, fruits, light salads during this time of year. When it’s hot outside heavy meals can be dreadful on your digestive system. As for me, I love ice cream, without all the extra sugar that makes me sleepy.

When I have some fruit sitting around I grab the food proessor , some sort of milk, like almond ot cocomut and make a sorbet or “nice cream.” Literally, five minutes of your time. You couldn’t drive to Mc’Donalds and order a cone in that amount of time. 

I added some cocoa nibs to mine.. I keep it simple! Here is the recipe! Enjoy and eat up fast.

The down side to these vegan dishes is that there are no preservatives. So it melts fast.

We try to be so free of things like additives and preservatives, but as a mother, I have found those “extras” useful. Just say a few blessings over your meal and there you go. No harm, no foul, just longer shelf or fridge life.

 

Ingrediants:

1-2 ripe bananas

Cinnamon

Vanilla Extract

Food Processor

Instructions:

Slice the Bananas and place them in a plastic bag and freeze overnight.

The next day:

Grab your food processor, I have never used a blender for this but a Vitamix will work.

Simply toss the frozen bananas in the food processor and turn it on. You will have to stop it occasionally to press down the custard as it is processing. Repeat this a couple of times until you have a smooth consistency close to soft serve.

Next, add a splash of vanilla extract and sprinkle in some cinnamon. Mix one more time.

Grab a bowl. I chilled my bowl in the freezer to keep the “nice cream” cold. Top it with your favorite toppings nuts, spices, chocolate chips, cocoa nibs etc. Grab a spoon!!

My Vanilla Cinnamon Nice Cream with Cocoa Nibs

If you try it I would love to see a photo! Leave a comment or connect with me on instagram @rosalyncosmetics

Rosalyn

The Happy “Sometimes I Eat Vegan” House Wife

 

No Bake Strawberry Jello Lasagna – OMG Chocolate Desserts Recreation!

I don’t think I can say enough about this irresistible white chocolate lasagna! My husband loves white chocolate with his “whole heart.” It is my mission to flip white chocolate any way I can just for him to enjoy! This is a light dessert. Very refreshing and perfect for spring and summer. I made this quick for anyone who wants to try it out. My family loved it. My kids usually don’t try new things but once I put the finishing touches on this white chocolate strawberry dessert Jalyn was all in.

Below you will find the link to recipe. This is not a Happy House Wife original. I found this on Pinterest, my second home!

Third layer, strawberry, yogurt and cool whip with a twist. You’ll have to try the recipe to find out.

I made sure I took photos of my process. It does take a while for this dessert. It is not quick because each layer has to set. But it is well worth it!! When I told my husband I was making it, he skipped lunch so he could have some at dinner. I always send him pictures of what I cook for dinner to lunch to give him something to look forward to after a long day at work.

I used my husband’s favorite white chocolate truffles as the topping to his dessert.

Cream cheese and fresh strawberry layer!

 

It was so hard not to try each layer while putting this dessert together! Feel free to connect with me on social media. If you try it out, I would love to see your photos. Cheers to creating happy husbands and happy homes.

Recipe Link form OMG Chocolate Desserts Blog

Source: No Bake Strawberry Jello Lasagna – OMG Chocolate Desserts

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

The Pros and Cons of Becoming a Published Author, “Self-Publish or Publishing House What Avenue Should You Choose?”

So, you’re thinking about writing a book or want to become an author? Here are a few things to take a look at before you do.

1. Self-Publishing

2. Publishing House

3. Literary Agent

There are a lot of avenues you can go as an author.

The Author “You!”

Word of advice, if you’re looking to “get rich quick.” It won’t happen overnight. Bringing in money from your written work is the byproduct of being a good writer. Writing the book is the natural part. You have a story to tell, tell it! If you want to inspire others, inspire. If you’re going to encourage your audience, help.

The first thing you must build as an author is Confidence!

If you don’t believe in your work or feel like “who is going to read it anyway?” Then don’t expect many readers of your work.

Publishing Houses

Big publishing companies like Simon & Shuster and Random House offer book deals. When you work with one of these you may want to consider working with a literary agent. A pro to choosing a publishing house is manuscript composition. Now, do not get distribution confused with marketing. The publishing company is not going to market your book unless you have a deal.

There are a few companies out there that only print your title for you. I don’t know what to call these companies, but they just publish your work. The author will be able to order copies on demand or set up book signings. The company will print your book and ship it where you would like them to go. The title will released in many outlets. But there are some contingencies that will divide your earnings. The author roughly takes home about 20% of sell price.

Also, they ask you to pay them $2000 to $3000 up front for their service. They promise to edit, produce a cover with high end graphics. These companies may offer to get you a opportunity to get in fromt of a publishing house to present your work. At that time you have a few moments to “elevator pitch” your title.

Contingencies on Pay for your Title

Keep in mind no matter which avenue you choose everyone gets paid. Your profit on book sales will split among the outlets. Out of $1.00 you will see $.20. I am using this as an example. From my expeience Apple iTunes will get 80%. Barnes and Noble will get roughly 10% and Amazon will get 4%,more or less. On every sale you may see $2.00 to $3.00, depending on the cost of your title.

The company mails royalty checks to you at the end of each month or you may set up a direct draft to your bank account.

Marketing and Book Deals

When you chose a publishing house as an author they will take care of your marketing and publishing. The title gets selected because they feel you have a audience. Professional will edit your work. This is a significant pro to getting your book ready for the public. It also gives the author an opportunity to learn how to write for a public audience. Some companies out here ask you to pay them $2000 to $3000 to get you in front of the big names in publishing. They promise to edit, produce a cover with high end graphics and your title will get picked up.

Self-Publishing

I decided to self-publish my own personal titles. Self-publishing is free and offers no advance fees. Amazon has a platform called Create Space that I have been using since about 2012. Create Space is perfect for someone getting started. The platform is user friendly. It has pre-printing templates for design and inside text formatting. Amazon does offer marketing as well as cataloging your title.

Promoting Your Title

When you are choosing these aspects, it is good to remember that they are not “get rich quick” platform. The many outlets include college libraries, Barnes and Nobles, Walmart, Books-a-Million etc.

The Take Home

I wanted to share with you dear readers the pros and cons of both avenues. There is never enough books. There is a market for whatever genre you’re interested in. As a blogger, writing is a career, so becoming an author go hand in hand. Writing a book is an excellent way to add value to your expertise. You can use your blog to direct readers to your published works. How is that you can draw readers?

Everyone has an audience. If you have a genre that you like to appeal to then those are the readers, you will receive. Whatever you like they will like. Be honest with your readers. If you are offering personal information. Do not mislead the audience. They are investing in your work.

There was something that drew them to your writing style. Be unique and make it your own. Allow your personality to shine through your work. Make your work clean and comfortable to read. You can use websites like the Hemingway App, Grammarly. These sights critique your work for errors that we may miss when we are proof reading. The more you write the better your writing style will become.

Here a look at a small e-book that I published on launching a personal cosmetic line, Launch Your Line. You can use this as reference. I have a few more titles that I am currently working on. I will always choose the “self-publishing” avenue for now. You will be jumping for joy as the royalty deposit come into your account. They may not start out 10,000 a month, but the fact that someone is actually buying your work is gratifying.

May I stress “tell the truth.” There are thousands of authors who are writing and publishing books in the same genre as you are doing. One thing I wanted to do see what others in my style were doing. What were they writing about? Was it easy to read? Can I duplicate the steps they provided and reach my goals? These are examples of questions that I asked myself. What makes me different? When I answered those questions, I found my voice and writting flow.

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

Paula Dean’s Peanut Butter Bars” With a Twist!

Seriously, you can’t cut these delicious bars without eating one!! “yummy“

Hello everyone, its Rosalyn “The Happy House Wife!” If you clicked on this blog post from my Rotisserie Chicken Soup Recipe, then you’re in for a treat. We had these peanut butter  bars that same night. It is no secret to my family that I love Paula Dean. Her food has been in my house for years. But if you clicked on the recipe because you want something sweet. And easy to make, then let’s do it!

Gotta love Paula!!!

I’m going to make this easy for you. I’m breaking every rule for “homemade recipes.” What I am about to do is take a photo of the recipe and the directions from the book and post it right here!!! haha!!! look below!! There you go!! Quick and easy. Thank you Paula Dean. Us moms love some good easy desserts.

Being a house wife is about making stuff easy and accessible.

Now, you can read a little further if you want to know my twist. It is simple. I used Honey peanut butter. Paula’s recipe calls for regular peanut butter, but I went with honey peanut butter.

Oven Ready!

Furthermore, I never flour my pan. I don’t like the taste of grease and flour at the bottom of my desserts. I took good old fashion Crisco in the “big blue container” and greased my 13×9 baking pan with that. The oil is perfectly absorbed by the dessert and easily removed out of the pan! Get to cooking ladies! Those babies want to smell something sweet when they get home!

*store in a air tight container on the counter. No need to worry about spoiling they won’t last long. lol

My husband thought it was a cake, fresh out the oven and ready to plate.

 

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

Low-Sodium Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup “Kid Friendly”

Low-Sodium Rotisserie Chicken Soup

Hello my dear readers, moms, wives and friends. Today I made this delicious Rotisserie Chicken Soup, funny story how it came about. Of course, all good homemade recipes have some kind of story that comes along with it, right? That’s what makes it homemade. The memory behind the meal. Well, for staters, my family doesn’t like leftovers so I had the task of disguising yesterdays chicken as a new meal. haha..

With the rain outside, I decided to make a soup. When I cook my meals I tend to think about the occasion or the reaction my family will have when they get home. The kids will be starving coming from school, and kinda sleepy. My husband will just be happy to smell something cooking after his long day at work.

Therefore, my motive behind the soup was “cozy goodness.” My son and I love grill cheese sandwiches so I paired ours with half of one. the funny part is the soup did not call for cabbage. Usually onions and celery, but when my kids said, “add some cabbage” this recipe became theirs. Now, its time to get cooking. If you’re like me the hours between dropping the kids and picking the kids off comes fast. Let’s Cook Ladies!!

*Note: The salt level in this recipe was perfect for my family. By all means if it is not enough for you then jazz it up. The best part about it is you can always make something your own.*

Ingredients

Ingredients:

1 left over Rotisserie chicken (mainly bones)

1/2 Rotisserie Chicken

1/2 or a little over package of Egg White Noodles, depending how big your family is

1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)

3 whole carrot sticks (sliced)

1/2 head of Cabbage (sliced)

2-¼ tsp of salt

2-¼ tsp of black pepper

3 TBS Olive Oil

 

Steps:

On medium to high heat, boil the rotisserie chicken leftovers/bones for homemade stock. Boil for about 1 hour. The water from the stock will be absorbed by the noodles, so no need to pre-boil the noodles.

Put enough water to cover the chicken entirely and to cook the noodles. You will lose some water from the cooking.

In a separate cast iron frying pan, sauté vegetables with olive oil until onions are tender. I used 3 TBS of olive oil adding a TBS at a time as needed. Next add cabbage and cook until tender, but not soft. Add 1/4 salt and ¼ pepper. Add carrots last to assure they stay firm. After vegetables appear tender set aside.

 

Remove chicken from the pot and pull off remaining meat and toss it back in the pot. Anything that looks good on the chicken, we used for stock, can be put back in the soup. Discard that chicken, its done! #file13

Third, cut half of the second rotisserie chicken and put it in the pot as well. The other half we will turn into a rotisserie chicken salad for our husbands (future blog post).

 

Add the vegetables that were set aside.

Stir Fried Vegetables in a cast iron pan, the cast iron puts a nice sear on the vegetables.

 

Lastly, add noodles. Add another 1/4 salt and 1/4 black pepper. This is a point where you can taste the broth the assure it is well seasoned to your liking.  Turn the fire to low heat or medium to low if you are cooking on an electric stove. Cover and let simmer. I cooked my noodles with the ingredients for about 12 minutes. The noodles absorbed most of the water over time. So, be careful not to overcook. 12-15 is all you need from this point on. Once the noodles are tender remove from the fire and allow soup to sit until you are ready to serve.

It was about lunch time for me, so I grabbed my favorite Paula Dean Cookbook and made myself a bowl of this “cozy goodness.” I found my self saying..Umm..Umm..good. Sorry Campbells it’s not about you today. The spin on this recipe was the cabbage. My kids were the ones that said “Mom, put some cabbage in there.” Anytime they request a vegetable I’m happy!!

Finished and delicious! 

Feel free to head on over to the next blog post where I dive into dessert! Peanut Bars are a favorite in my house! If you remake the recipe, I would love to hear from you! It’s one thing when your family enjoys your cooking, but when someone else can make wonderful memories with it, its a blessings…

Funny ending story… I know, I know, your ready for that soup. But my kids passed out sleep soon after they ate it..lol Want some peace and quiet cook some ‘cozy chicken soup!” 

Rosalyn,

The Happy House Wife

 

 

 

“Cookies and Puzzles” You Don’t Need Money to Make Moments!

Jalyn Working on the Mickey and Minnie Mouse Puzzle

I love finding little things to do with my kids. When I was a single mom I didn’t have a lot of money to take my kids on fancy trips and fancy dinners. I still wanted them to have a childhood filled with memories of “mom time.”

With a smaller expense budget, I had to get creative with the way we spent our time. I would look up recipes that were easy and kid friendly. We would paint or color. Can you guys relate to having to use creativity to make memories for your kids?

As mothers we have the task to make “the house, “the home.” When it came to the kids I realized that it was never about the amount of money I spent on them, they were going to remember the moments. Funny story, we use to make “midnight runs.” the kids and I would jump in the car and head to Walmart when no one was there. This was the “shelf stocking hours.” So, you can imagine how fun it was to maneuver around the boxes piled in the middle of the isles, Talk about a jungle gym.

Ben and Jerrys is our family favorite ice cream brand. We each would grab what we wanted and head home. The kids would pile up in my bed and we would watch movies until we all passed out, or either got a sugar coma…kidding..kidding!

Another memory that my kids enjoy is coming home to fresh baked cookies, cakes, brownies or whatever treat I could dish up. After school they would run in because “we smell something mom,” that was what they would say, as soon as the door opened. Or “oooh, that smells good,” rubbing their hands together peering at the stove and lifting the tops off the pot.

This is what they remember. I used to agonize and pray for the Lord to just drop a bunch of money on my lap, so I could do more for my children. But the Lord wanted to give us something more than that. He wanted to give us life! And sweet moments of virtue. Often as “stay-at-home moms,” we can’t see how valuable we are to our little families. We are our daughters first example of a woman. We teach our boys manners and how to take the trash out or pick up the yard. These are examples of chores they will do when they become adults.

Moving right along….to cookies…

Today I baked up some cookies. It’s spring time and the kids are due to get out of school in just a bit. I went the quick route for dinner and whipped up some hot dogs and fries. I froze some Gatorade because they are always thirsty when they get out of school. Especially, when it’s hot.

I grabbed these puzzles for my daughter and I. I started one with Brandee, my oldest. Brandee is married and decided to take the Las Vegas puzzle home, so her and her husband could put it together. The Las Vegas puzzle, by Buffalo is 2000 pieces. Brian was joking with us and said he could put it together in 2 hours..ha..ha. We shall see!!

Puzzles…500 pieces, 1000 pieces, or 2000..Yikes or Bliss..

“Remember Rosalyn we’re making moments!! When Brandee and I opened the Las Vegas Puzzle up I dumped it on the table and she said, “Mom what did we get ourselves into!!!” haha!!

Yep, I moved into the unknown and brought 2000-piece puzzles. One of the pictures I’m including is Jalyn’s puzzle. The other one is mine.  Once these puppies are put together I’m going to put them in shadow boxes on the wall in her room. After she does her homework we will head to the table and get to work. The first night she and I both were on a mission to separate the pieces and get them together really fast. I took the “border” approach and started with the outside first. Jay took the “color” route and started working from the corners.

This diminished her time on the phone, thumbing through Instagram. Eurecka!!!! The phones have my kid’s attention more than I do. We asked my son if he wanted to do one and he replied, “Puzzles are not my thing mom, Fortnite!” Ugh!! maybe I’ll catch Brandon next time. Although, he did cuddle with me yesterday. I know he’s a big boy, but they need their momma’s too. When my husband is away working he likes to climb in my bed and watch movies with me.

Mine

You’re never too old to be a child. There will never be a day that I will not have time to bake cookies, put puzzles together, or tell my son he can cuddle. If you ever feel like you don’t have enough money or resources to make life “fun” for your kids. Just remember, you are enough! Kids don’t need money, they need mom. Your husband probably could care less what you have on as long as your home when he gets off work. We must remember as wives that, we are good enough. No one is more of a perfect match for your family than you are.

The good Lord gave you that son, or daughter and your spouse. He knew that everything He placed on the inside of you will be what they need in their life. They need your sense of creativity, style, charm, your laugh, your smile. All the things money cannot buy.

There are so many moms who have to work a steady job to make ends meet, and just don’t have the time. Shout out to working moms! But with you being at home to welcome your kids, or your husband is remarkable. God made the woman to be in the home. That is your perfect place. That is your oasis.

Your life at home is  irreplaceable virtue. Your moments will be whatever you make it! Money will fade fast. And from my experience, when I put a lot of stress trying to create perfect “moments,” it never comes together. As I let go and let God, moments always turn out beautiful. Wish us luck on this puzzle. Jalyn and I are going to tackle these a little later on tonight!

Here is the link to Buffalo Puzzles, if you lose a piece or something is not right, they will ship you a replacement after a few details are collected.

Go Make Moments Money Cannot Buy..

Rosalyn,

The Happy House Wife

 

“The Masters Makeover,”My Secret to Lasting Beauty

Every woman wants to know the latest beauty secret. We all want to improve our bodies, faces, hair and style. We want to look our best at all times. After all, when we look good, we feel good, right? Being a woman who loves to pamper herself, I have found one of the most ancient beauty secrets that a woman could ever come by. The secret is one that you may have heard of, but never thought it involved cosmetics. This secret is the best foundation for complexion. It will match every skin tone. Sorry Maybeline, #notsorry..ha!

This is the key to long beautiful hair, without buying tons of expensive conditioners. You don’t have to pay hundreds of hard earned dollars on high end shampoos. Above all, it is the mother of all body makeovers. You will not sweat your life away in the gym trying to develop the perfect body. You do not have to call Dr. Miami and take out a personal loan to get that flat tummy. This revolutionary beauty tip will have you doing away with all false pretenses about your figure. Karlebach, Ray and Witter wrote in their book, The Inside Story (2009).  “If we’re not perfect, we don’t think we are beautiful” ( p. 80).

“You are so beautiful, my beloved, so perfect in every part.”-Song of Songs 4:7 NLT (p.80)

You do not have to go organic, vegan or paleo to get this makeover. It is not going to break your bank, empty out your wallet or cause you any grief. You will not have to deal with someone at the makeup counter in the mall trying to sell you the best mascara for your eyelashes. You can erase everything you have learned or been told about where true beauty comes from; because my friends, it all comes from Jesus!

Yes, Jesus is the ancient beauty secret. He is the remedy for thinning hair and combination skin. He is the one who repairs your body better than a fad diet. As a matter of fact, you can throw out all your diet ideas. Keto 30, Vegan, Paleo, Zero-Carb, High Protein, Low- fat, calorie counting. When you make Jesus your Master instructor you are free to enjoy life. Look at what Jesus has to say about your body.

And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on (Luke 12:22 KJV).

You can eat whatever you want. When you have Jesus as your trainer you won’t have the mind to over indulge or eat beyond what your stomach can hold. (Fun Fact: your stomach is the size of your fist). “Think about it!”

When you eat the amount of food that your body can hold you will find the pounds melting off faster than running five miles a day. I have found that eating less than half of what my stomach can hold is better for my body (Arthur and Judy Halliday, Thin Within 2002).  You will learn that you do not have to starve yourself to reach the ideal weight for your body type. Jesus made us all different shapes and sizes. Our characteristics and body makeup is tailored to our individual lives. Here is what Jesus says about your design:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (Psalms 139:14 KJV).

You can stay in good health by reading the word God.”Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones” (Proverbs 3:8 KJV)

Now, I know that some of you who are interested in beauty and cosmetics may not be interested in Jesus. And this is perfectly okay. But money cannot buy us a beauty that is eternal.. Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighter cannot make you glow as much as Christ can. Urban Decay is no match when it comes to bringing out your eyes, the way Jesus will. Dr. Miami, cannot lift, tuck and cut on you better than Jesus. And his Brazilian Butt Lift is not capable of sustaining your peace, love, happiness and the relationship with your significant other.

…and while we are on the subject of bodies, A smaller body will not bring a man in your life.

You can put away the Kim Kardashian West dream body ideal. You can hang up getting lip fillers, to look like Kylie Jenner. You do not have to worry about being able to dance like Beyoncé. Those individuals are doing what they want to do in life, so can you!  You probably will increase the level of personal anxiety by trying to imitate them. It is best to be who God created you to be.

We cannot keep up with anyone but ourselves. It will be a race that you will never win, trying to imitate someone.That person is always growing, moving, evolving, changing and you should be too.  If you want to know who to follow, or who you can look up to, who is the best of the best, look in the mirror, it’s you!

Here is an excerpt from The Inside Story (2009) in the chapter titled America’s Next Top Model. “We measure ourselves by the world’s standards of outward beauty. The models on magazines and on shows like America’s Next Top Model seem perfect. We think if we just looked like them we’d be beautiful. When we think this way, we are believing the devil’s lies.

Have you ever heard the words “she’s better than you?” “She is prettier than  you?” “How come you are not like her?” “She does not eat like that.” “That is why you are fat.” “That is a carb, it will make you fat.” “Starve yourself for the weight to fall off.” “Workout until it hurts.”  These are all examples of lies that the enemy keeps putting in our heads. We have to put what Jesus says in our minds to drive out all the lies.” 

You are the best the world has to offer. It is not how many followers you have on YouTube or Instagram. It is not the amount of hits, likes, hearts, thumbs up on your social media handles. The best is you! When we fully deicide that we want to be beautiful we have to go to the source of all beauty.

God is the creator. He is the original designer of woman. As much as I love Coco Chanel and Luis Vuitton, they cannot give me eternal life.  Jesus knows you have cellulite, stretch marks, grey hair, funny toes, fuller figure, thin hair, thick hair, slanted eyes, curly hair, flat hair, freckles,no money, no savings, no job, lots of money, lots of clothes, lots of designer hand bags. If He knows all of this and still loves you, “why can’t you love you too?”

Why do you need to spend money on more false hair, false eye lashes, more makeup, plastic surgery? More shoes, more clothes more mascara, more nail polish, to feel pretty. Those things are accessories to the beauty that is already on the inside of you. I’ll tell you why. Because you want more.

The other stuff gets old and once the newness wears off you chase more “new.” I am that person who loves to spend money on cosmetics and all kinds of beauty creams, but when Jesus shared with me what true beauty is; I was able to put everything in perspective. I came to the conclusion that Sephora was not going to get me into heaven. And having the best arched eyebrows was not going to earn me the crown of life. I began to look more into developing beauty that is eternal.

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.⁴ You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.⁵ This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands” (1 Peter 3:3-5 NLT). 

The beauty that is eternal is developed with love. Love will make your eyes white, bright and clear. Love will make that brown pupil appear almost transparent, and just one ray of sunlight. Love will cause the roots in your scalp to circulate and stimulate long natural hair growth. Love will brighten your skin without skin lighteners, bleaches or fade creams.

Love will bring health to your body without seeing a doctor. Love will give you favor with people from all walks of life willing to be a great blessing to you and your family. Love will provide, Love will make you debt-free. Love will get that body you always wanted.

Love will allow you to eat in “mental” peace, give you a desire to dress up and look your best. Love is all you need. So, the next time your putting on that mascara or grazing the isles of Ulta remember to put on the real beauty first, that way you will not over spend your money on an item that is only going to make up the outside appearance. Because when get ready for bed you are going to wash it off. But when true beauty is on the inside of you it will remain. Neutrogena’s best makeup wipes will not be able to erase the permanent glow that is beaming from the inside of you.

Here are a few resources you can take a look at for further study on true beauty.

Thin Within by Arthur and Judy Halliday (Daily Devotional Book)

For Teens: “The Inside Story” by Connie Witter, Rose Karlebach and Kelly Ray (purchased this for my daughter and ended up loving it)

For Young Adults: Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy ( I read this book while I was single)

Final Nugget

“I had the pleasure of reading “When God Writes Your Love Story,” by Eric and Leslie Ludy, prior to marriage. This book was a story of waiting on God to bring the perfect mate into your life. A young lady or gentlemen does not have to go out and look for a spouse. God will set the perfect stage, the perfect atmosphere and the perfect timing when He wants you to be married.

After all, when you become married it is a whole new avenue where you no longer are living for yourself, as a woman. You are living to compliment the work and destiny that God has planned for your husband. When you become a wife. Family will be your only concern and making your house a home for your children and your mate to enjoy will be your greatest accomplishment.

That last nugget was something that comes from way down within me!

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

Meditation, “Its not a New Age Thing”

I use to believe  meditation is something practiced by Buddhist or New Age Movers.  My husband likes to meditate on God’s word and shared with me the importance of  “sitting in God’s presence.” Most of the time we want to pray. We open our mouth and begin to talk, talk, talk. God “I need this” or “can you change that.” 

We ask God questions on why life happens to us the way that it does, but have you ever wondered that maybe we need to just sit and listen. That is what has changed my prayer life and my “life” in general. I no longer go before God asking Him questions or seeking Him for His hand of provision, rather than for “who He is.” God longs to have a personal relationship with us. In relationships one person cannot do all the talking.

Maybe next time when you go before the Lord in prayer, just listen. Listen to what comes up in your heart. Most of the time it is a song of worship that leads the way for me. Like I mentioned before I was terrified of truly just “sitting still” I didn’t want to go off into the “dark side” and empty my mind. I knew that was not of God. But I do not want to sit there and talk the whole time either. I wanted to listen. My husband told me to just think on Jesus.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.(Psalms 1:2 KJV)

As I begin to put “thinking on Jesus,”  into practice I noticed that, naturally, my spirit followed the pattern of prayer. First, it was praise and worship. Second, I was led to ask for forgiveness as I forgive others. We can find this pattern in the book of Matthew “the Lord’s Prayer.” Next, I would just listen to see what was coming into my heart. I was seeing other people in my heart to  pray for. I would see what the Holy Spirit was leading me to do that day. I could hear what needed to be worked on in my life. The pattern was “perfecting” me as a person.

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.(Psalms 104:34 KJV)

My spirit was not begging for money, clothing, a bigger home or a new car. This is not what Jesus is about. As a matter of fact Jesus is not concerned with the material possessions of the world, it is the heart that He cares about. Clearing it out of envy, jealousy, defeat, fear, doubt, anger, hatred. These are characteristics of the world. Jesus knows that we need shelter, transportation. Jesus also knows  money is a tool to obtain our resources.

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Matthew 6:8 KJV)

But in the kingdom of God, love is our currency. Love is the stock that we should invest in. Love is what is stored up in heaven. Love is what brings the rewards in this life and the next.

My husband gets all the credit for that last statement. I have learned so much about who Jesus is by following His example and listening to His advice. After all, the word of God says if we as women, have a question we should ask our own husbands at home.

And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:35 KJV)

Asking my husband questions on meditation and sitting in the presence of Jesus was something that money or things could not buy. Meditation is a virtue that we can benefit from. I admonish you to add it to your time with God. You will be led by the Holy Spirit in all areas of your life.

…and a quick note,

Do not start your prayer without the Holy Spirit. “

I usually sit and wait. In my heart I rely this simple request. “Holy Spirit I am waiting here for you to lead me into prayer.”  We cannot come to God on our own. We are led into His presence by a pattern. The Holy Spirit leads us to Jesus, and Jesus leads us to the Father. So the next time you go to your Lord and Savior to spend time with Him, consider meditating. Contemplate just sitting still be Him. “Be anxious for nothing!” This scripture may help with the flesh, which tends to get bored and restless durning prayer.

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

 

Easy At Home California Rolls

Happy House Wife here with this quick “easy” recipe for California Rolls. Have you ever wondered why they are called “California Rolls?” Clearly, they are not from California! But anyway, they are easy to make. I put this together one day when Corey, my husband, was coming home for lunch. He enjoys light lunches, so I figured this would be good. Sushi rolls are one of my “go-tos” when we are hungry and want to have something light. I always keep full-sheeted seaweed and rice on hand for moments like this.

First, gather your ingredients. The recipe can be pretty versatile. You can put just about anything you want in the seaweed roll as long as its cut pretty thin. Since we are making California rolls I stuck with the traditional imitation crab, cucumber and avocado. I purchased a “sushi kit” from Walmart to make rolling easy. I also decided it would be a good investment to buy a wooden bowl to prepare the sushi rice in. The wooden bowl allows the rice to breathe while it cools down. The wood absorbs the water that is in the rice. We need this rice really “sticky” for good sushi.

Here is what you will need:

Sushi rice (my daughter uses Jasmine boiling bag rice and it works perfect) The boiling bag rice cuts down on time. It also helps those who are not comfortable with cooking rice on the stove top. Rice is one of those things that can be tricky. It can be too starchy, too big, or just mushy. So, if you are not friends with regular rice, give the boil-in-bag rice a shot.

Full-Sheet Seaweed, any seaweed will work.

Materials:

Wooden Bowl

Small bowl of room temperature water-to dip your finger tips

Wooden Spoon-for cooling and stirring the rice.

Wooden rolling Mat (Sushi Kit)

Plastic Wrap

Produce:

This is where you can be creative!  I used:

Imitation crab rolls- the long ones

Avocado

1 Bag of stringed carrots

1 Cucumber

Condiments:

2 TBS Rice Vinegar

2 TBS of white sugar

Preparation

Cook rice according to the instructions on the package. While rice is boiling cut your veggies into long strips to fit inside your sushi roll and set aside.

Cooling the Rice

Once your rice is done, place it in the wooden bowl and begin to fan it with a sheet of paper or your hand to bring the rice to room temperature. This may be a challenge but do the best you can. It was a bit difficult to fan the rice and use the wooden spoon. With the wooden spoon in hand mix the rice with chopping motions. Stab it and move it around with a light hand. We still are working on cooling the rice.

You will notice the wood bowl will absorb any extra water the rice has. Take the rice vinegar and, sugar mix it in a small bowl. After mixing pour the mixture into the rice. This give the rice the authenticate sushi taste. The sugar will make the rice “sticky” and that is what we need when it comes time to put everything together.

Prepare the Mat

After the rice is pretty sticky place damp paper towel over the bowl. This helps it to retain moisture. Grab the sushi mat and cover it with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap keeps the seaweed nice and neat while rolling. It also makes rolling your sushi easier.

Putting your California Rolls together:

You can fold your seaweed sheet in half for these or you can leave them long and work with the whole sheet. I folded my seaweed sheet in half and carefully tore it along the fold. Be careful the seaweed is fragile.

*do not work with seaweed while your hands are wet, it will cause it to become weak and tear easily*

Take your sushi mat covered in plastic wrap, place half sheet seaweed paper at the edge that is close to you. Dip your fingertips in the bowl with lukewarm water, just enough so that the sticky rice is easy to work with. Grab a handful of the sticky rice and make a little ball in your hands. Take that ball and press it to your seaweed paper. Do not pack too much rice on your seaweed. Be sure to leave gaps to allow the air to flow through and easy rolling. You don’t want your rolls to fall apart when you eat them.

Once you have a nice even layer of rice grab a “log of imitation crab meat and place it about 1/3 away for the edge of the seaweed paper closet to you. Then put in some carrots along the same line as your crab log. Last, top with avocado.

Rolling Your California Rolls

Next, roll the wooden mat over your seaweed. You can roll these pretty tight, so they stay together. Once you see you have made a perfect roll, peel back the mat and place the roll to the side for later. Assemble and roll the rest of your California rolls until you have enough. You can make as many as you like. One roll usually makes about 6-8 little sushi rounds. I do about 3 rolls for me and my husband.

Once you have assembled and rolled all the rolls you will need then take a good butcher knife to cut the rolls. Here is an important note. Cut the rolls with a damp knife. Use a damp paper towel or cloth to dampen your knife. You don’t want to run your knife under water. That will make it too wet and it will tear your seaweed apart.

Cutting your California Rolls

Grab one sushi roll and cut it in half, right down the middle of the roll. You will notice how the knife cuts them just perfect because its damp. You may have to clean it with the paper towel or damp cloth because rice tends stick to the knife. You want nice clean cuts in you California roll.

Next, take the two halves that you cut and place them side by side and make a few more cuts starting about 1/3 for the front of the rolls. Continue to cut even pieces. Plate them once you are done. When you turn them over you should have a perfect looking California rolls.

You can pair them with soy sauce or wasabi (my husband’s favorite) and pickled ginger.

Grab two sets of chop sticks and enjoy your easy California rolls you made at home.

I hope you found this recipe easy and fun! Relax when your rolling your sushi. If this is your first time you can watch a few YouTube videos on how to roll the sushi. It can become time consuming, but the results are well worth it! Until next time!

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

 

 

“I Can Only Imagine”

Like the pen of a ready writer, we sit and wait for inspiration from the Holy Spirit. We don’t know how it will come, or if it will show up at all. But when it does show up there is no doubt we have truly been inspired by God. When we get inspired we must share that inspiration. This morning while I was driving the kids to school, we were listening to Big Daddy Weave’s “I Can Only Imagine.”

As we were singing along with the lyrics my son Brandon asked me “is he singing about heaven?” “Yes, he is”, I replied. Then Jalyn, my daughter, asked me “what is it going to be like when we get there?” Have you ever stopped and imagined heaven? Have you imagined looking at the face of the man who died for you? As believers in Christ, making it to heaven is our goal. We live to hear the Master say,

“… Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (KJV: Matthew 25: 23)

I continued to share with the kids that in heaven they will be greeted by loved ones who have passed on. They will receive a big welcome home gathering like never before. “you won’t even remember earth,” I explained.” All the people who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and allow Him to be Lord of their life will be there. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (KJV: Romans 10: 9)

You will have your own mansion. You know, like the ones the celebrities live in, but even better. So, if you think they have glorious houses, can you imagine what Jesus has prepared for you? Jesus told his disciples that he had to go away and where he was going they could not go. He was going away to prepare a place for them. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also” John 14:3 KJV).
He further went on to say, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2 KJV). Can you dream of having your own mansion filled with everything that you love? Can you just see yourself walking around heaven and talking to your mom or dad who passed on before you? Anyone that you have lost to death and that believed in His name, you will see them there.

I shared with the kids that, unfortunately, not everyone is going to make it into heaven. When someone has passed, and you think they are there they may not be if Jesus did not know them. They must accept Him as Lord over their life to make it in. Heaven will be for eternity. If you do not choose Christ your destination is hell, and there is no other alternative. I recall the movie “90 Minutes in Heaven, by Don Piper.  Don was in a great car accident and died on the scene. He found himself in heaven and experienced the glory of God. He did not know he was dead because he could not recall earth.

He ran into his grandfather and a few others, in heaven who had passed before him. He recalled seeing people who were strangers in his lifetime that he didn’t know personally, but their lives crossed paths. He mentioned that heaven is beyond anything you or i can imagine. Everything is glorious and what is beautiful here on earth cannot compare to the beauty of heaven. The water is crystal clear, and the streets are paved with gold. There is no sun that shines because Jesus is the Son, and He is the light.

Don, a young man at the time, was not able to stay in heaven. God told him he must go back to earth to finish the work that he was purposed for. Once he was resuscitated, still at the scene of the accident, he grieved. For one, he did not know he had died. Secondly, he no longer felt like his life here mattered, since he knew what it would be like after he was gone. Don got stubborn and refused to cooperate with the doctors.

His wife, family and friends told him to “get it together.” He had a call on his life. Then after a while when he realized that God was not going to cave, and death was fleeing from him, he decided to mentally receive his healing. Heaven was not an option at that time, but he knew he had something to look forward to. And the lord, not his pride, will call him home when that work is finished.

Are you ready to see Jesus? Do you know if your soul is secure with Christ? Christ is the only door to heaven. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6 KJV).

 

If you do not know the Lord for yourself then you can get to know him today. Salvation is a simple process. The Lord only requires that you or I believe that he died on the cross for us. We do not need a worship service, all we need is a willing heart, and a firm yes Lord I believe. Is the Holy Spirit knocking at the door of your heart? Offering you salvation. If you don’t know where to start you can use this simple prayer…

            “Thank you, Lord Jesus, for dying on the cross and forgiving me for all my sins, past, present and future. I believe that you died on the cross and your blood was shed to free me from a life of sin and death. Come into my heart. I want to make you Lord of my life. Amen”

My dear brothers and sisters when Jesus is Lord of your life you have a promise laid up for you that no one can take away. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:20 KJV).

With Jesus as Lord over your life you have something to sing about, like the kids and I this morning. The word of God says “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10 KJV). Don’t you want to see Jesus?  It does not matter your background, culture, or the sins of your past. You may have made mistakes or feel like you have no hope, but there is hope. Jesus is our hope. He came to set us free from guilt and shame. Jesus wants you to live your best life today!

He wants to have a relationship with you. He wants to be your father, if you do not have one. Your mother, if you are orphaned. He wants to be your healer, if you are sick. He wants to be your provider, if you are poor. His word says “. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3 KJV) Yes! You heard that correctly,” yours is the kingdom of heaven.” You do not have to try to earn wealth. With Jesus as Lord over your life “you are the wealth!”
Our Lord and Savior Jesus is thee king. And if you received him today on this simple blog, let me be the first to say, “welcome to the family!’ Get ready for an amazing transformation in your life like never before. And if you happen to catch “I can only imagine,” by Big Daddy Weave, playing on the radio you no longer have to wonder. You can say for certain “I’m going to stand in the presence of Jesus when this life is over!” “I know the Lord and He knows me.”

“My name is written in the Lambs book of life and one day I will lay my eyes on the man who died for me. One day when this life is over I will have no more pains and strains, only joy, love and peace. There will be no more tears, hunger and defeat because I have entered into the kingdom of heaven. “

If you do not have a church home, I encourage you to find one. We all need that love and encouragement in our Christian walk. We are not made to walk alone. As a matter of fact, it is better to be great in number among them that believe. Find a good church family. Get into the word of God and study the bible for yourself. Ask the Lord to fill you with his Holy Spirit so you can receive  direction in all areas of your life.

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

“Grande Hazelnut Mocha Coconut Milk Macchiato Please, Our Kids got Gigs!”

Hi Guys! Happy House Wife here with another morning blog. As you can see the by the title, I’m at Starbucks, and my husband and I don’t have to open our wallet this summer! “Our kids got gigs!” So, my kids want to be entrepreneurs this summer. I guess for my son, Fortnite is popping. And for Jalyn, high school is around the corner. She needs good stock in Vans and Ralph Lauren Polo shirts. How about you, are you ready for the kids to be home 24 hours out the day? Do they have expensive taste in clothing and need to stay up on the latest fashion? Then why not help them work for it? Instead of lounging around they can gain a bit of cash flow.

With the kids working, us moms can have some extra bucks for our hobbies, or keep some extra funds in the bank. If your husband is like mine, he can order all the car parts he wants for his “fixer uppers” parked in the drive way. If both of you guys have hobbies at least with the kids working you can indulge a bit while enjoying that low electric bill since the kids are busy. Expenses go up in our house durning the summer. The grocery bill gets higher and all the televisions are on 24 hours a day.

With that being said I had a interesting conversation with the kids this morning that went like this…little did I know the ride to school turned into a business meeting that would fix my “kids are home for summer blues.” Just kidding I love my babies…

CAR RIDE TO SCHOOL THAT LEAD TO THIS BLOG!

Brandon: “Mom, I need and job.”

Me: “Why son, you’re not old enough?”

Brandon: “I want to make some cheddar this summer!”

Me: “Son what skills do you have? You love dogs, you want to walk the dogs in our neighborhood?”

Brandon: “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”

Me: “I can help you make some flyers, and two weeks before school is out you can put your flyers in the mailboxes. Attach with your phone number, and have them shoot you a text. How does that sound?”

Brandon: “Man that would be great!”

Me: “So, what are you going to do with the dogs when you get them?”

Brandon: “I’m going to walk them, pick up their poop and run with them.”

Me: “Okay, we can include that in your flyer. “Are you going to walk them one dog at a time or multiple dogs together?”

Brandon: “One at a time, so they don’t fight, or get mad”

Me: “Okay, sounds good son, we will get to working on it!”

Me: “Jalyn you want to make some flyers for your baby-sitting since our neighbors are leaving?”

Jalyn: “Sure”

Me: “Well guys, looks like you have a plan so let’s get started before school ends on advertising.”

Kids: “Sounds good!”

“How is that for a car ride? The kids want to work!” 

Morning car rides to school are fantastic . I get the chance to talk to the kids and dig up little treasures like this one. I was able to stop by Starbucks and grab some coffee without  counting my coins for “summer save up” aka (kids funds).

Last summer we enrolled Jalyn in a baby-sitting course and she got certified as a babysitter. Jalyn also got certified in CPR.  “The baby-sitting course gave her the opportunity to become registered with the local Child Youth Service. CYS created a personal profile for Jalyn, which allows parents to check her out before hiring her for a “gig.” This a great alternative since she is a minor and can’t register with care.com.

THE TAKE HOME

If you have a daughter this may be a great way she can earn some extra money for those new “school jeans” she wants. You can check out your local newspaper and see if there is any programs offered through the YMCA’s or Child Development Centers in your city.  And if you have a son that is in love with video games this can be a way he can earn some extra money for the expense. Not everyone wants to walk dogs, but usually boys love animals, mine do.

As mothers, we can assist our children in their efforts so they feel confident about earning a few extra bucks. You never know what it may lead to. You could be raising the next Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. After making all that money in the summer its a good idea to teach them to save. Kids need some kind of financial wisdom to prepare them to be adults. I do not mind my kids being free with what they earn but saving up a penny or two is not such a bad idea. I listed a few books below that you and your family can enjoy.

GOOD READS

I gave Jalyn “Rich Dad, Poor Dad for Teens.” My husband read Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and raved about it. Of course, when I came across this one for teens I grabbed it for Jay. So, with that being said my awesome readers, I won’t have to sell out our house chores this summer. “Dishes tonight $5.00 going once, going twice.” My children got “summer gigs” and mom just might snap a few pictures for her blog content.

What are your kids going to do for the summer? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you. And if your kids are not of an age where they can baby-sit or walk dogs, check out your local libraries and community centers for “free activities” You don’t always have to spend money to have fun!

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

My Delicious Pinterest Recreation Avocado-Vegan Brownies

if you are like I am then you are always looking for something good to eat! There is nothing wrong with that delicious piece of chocolate cake or that soft biscuit that just came out of the oven, right? Well, there can be something wrong with it if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle. Somewhere between my late 20’s and now late 30’s my body had made up, it is “own” mind that it wants to be vegan. I have been vegan for a while, and after my husband came back from a deployment, we decided to add meat back into our diet. Now some of you may think it was a “harmless choice,” after all no one gets sick from a piece of grilled salmon or a chicken strip from Chic-fil-a, but my body did not have it. I was extremely uncomfortable and felt heavy. I soon learned that once a vegan,  always a vegan! With that in mind, I went back to my old habits and began to search Pinterest and the internet for some amazing new vegan recipes. This lifestyle has to taste good, yes? This recipe comes from http://www.frugalmomeh.com and (top photo credit: http://www.frugalmomeh.com)

“Fresh out of the oven.”

Frugal Momeh did an excellent job with the recipe itself. The ingredients are spot on when it comes to measuring for vegan food. Items such as coconut flour and almond flour can get pretty tricky, as I have learned in the past. You can find these delicious, guilt-free brownies on  Pinterest, just search avocado recipes or go directly to www,frugalmomeh.com I was looking for a recipe because I just had some avocados laying around that I did not want to go bad. When I saw this recipe, I was like “perfect.” I decided to remove all processed food and sugar from my life. However, as I mentioned, I like to eat! These came out just as expected. It took me a whole three hours to eat this little corner in the photo below. This decadent brownie is too good to be called “healthy.” I stored them in a air-tight container, as suggested in the recipe. The recipe did not say whether or not to put them in the fridge, but since it contains produced, I decided that would be best.

Boy, did I make the right choice? These puppies were even better the second day. I could not believe how well they kept and how good they tasted. I was not missing a thing by not eating a processed brownie filled with sugar. I happily enjoyed one more today and placed the container back in the fridge. My kids cannot stand healthy food like this, and my husband is away working. Therefore, they may be in the refrigerator awhile. If you are like me, and want to eat clean without giving up the good stuff in life, I recommend this avocado brownie. If you are a first-time vegan cook be patient with yourself, it takes some time to learn. You will quickly learn that the “whole food” tastes exceptionally different from the “processed” food we grew up on in childhood.

“These were heavenly”

It can turn a “newbie” away from the lifestyle, but if you intend on sticking around on earth for a while why not be super-healthy and make the best food choices possible for your body. I would love to hear from you. If you want to be daring and try the recipe go for it! if you have any questions on modification to vegan cooking do not hesitate to leave a comment below.

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

Make It!

Produce
1 Hass avocado, medium sized pitted and peeled
2 Hass avocados, medium pitted and peeled
Refrigerated
3 Eggs

Condiments
1/2 cup Honey or maple syrup
3 tbsp Maple syrup
Baking & Spices
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
3 tbsp Cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Oils & Vinegar
2 tbsp Coconut oil

Other
300 g Dark chocolate (chopped or chips)
1/2 cup Less 1 tbsp. coconut flour

 

 

Crazy Corey’s Homemade Spicy-Oven Baked French Fries

Happy House Wife here! I am super hungry today and did not want to go to the grocery store. It’s cold outside here in Kansas and the weather is not hair friendly. I usually do my grocery runs in the morning after dropping the kids off to school but while I was driving the “light bulb” came on.

First, it said “hey Rosalyn, let’s save some money. Then a mental picture of my fruit/veggie bowl, sitting on my counter, popped into my mind. Perfect! I’m heading home and by passing the light next to WalMart (giggles).

Time passes as I head home because it is not safe to Blog and drive from your iPhone! Lol

I’m home now let’s get to the bowl. I grabbed the last two white potatoes and sliced them into fries and pre-heated my oven to 400 degrees. Since it’s just me eating this “brunch” at 8 a.m I stored the rest of what I had left over in a air-tight container and popped them in the fridge. One question came to mind “should I put water in the bowl or store them dry?” If you have the answer or know something that worked for storing your leftover white potatoes leave a comment below. I decided to store them without water. The only time I remember seeing my mom use water while she waited was when she was cooking pan fries for breakfast, mouth-watering!

Moving right along to these “amazing spicy puppies,” I grab a metal pan and coated it with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil. And next comes the magic. I pulled out all the stops on this one. I did one of my husbands moves when he cooks. The cabinet to our seasonings fly open double-doored and as long as it does not contain salt, here goes seasonings. My husband loves to season up some food. And that’s when it clicked.

I should have named these “Crazy Corey’s Homemade Spicy Oven Fries. I was heavy handed with turmeric, Southwest Salt-Free Seasoning, Blackened Seasoning by Zatarain’s, onion powder, garlic powder, organic cayenne pepper, black pepper and cumin. I love the rustic taste of cumin and the smell of it when it starts to cook. Cumin has such an earthy flavor, it is also super nutritious along with the other spices.

Once I was done with my “seasoned masterpiece,” I put it in the oven for 20 minutes. I was supposed to turn them half way through but I ran upstairs to do something (because I’m a mom and we are all over the place) I was alerted by the oven timer.

I ran downstairs, grabbed my oven mitts and pulled the pan out of the oven so fast. I was hoping I didn’t over cooked my potatoes that I had on my mind since I dropped the kids off. To my surprise (not really because I set a timer) they were pure Perfection!

I grabbed a plate and this little container we use for dipping sauce. I enjoyed the fries by themselves but I just needed some kind of sauce. Ketchup would have been an over kill, so BBQ sauce it is. And there you have it! Crazy Corey’s Homemade Spicy-Oven Baked French Fries. If your a vegan and your hungry you can try these out! If you love spicy food and you want some fast-food without leaving home, or the extra guilt, here you go!

I was going to take a photo before I started eating them but my belly could not wait. Here is a photo of my plate when I realized I never took a finished photo. I would love to hear from you if you try them with the seasonings I used, or simply winged it for yourself!

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

Learning Together as the Body of Christ

We all need daily inspiration and when we find it it is a high duty to pass on the “good news,” also known as the “gospel of Jesus Christ.” There are so many beautiful, bold and fearless brothers and sisters sharing their stories of faith and courage through books, blogs and social media post. When we seek of Lord for encouraging words or personal daily devotions, he leads to His vessels.

The kingdom of God is already here, we just have to pray that the blinders would be removed from our eyes to see what real treasures are right in front of us (2 Corinthians 4:7 KJV). Individuals may want to hear a particular preacher or watch “one” particular ministry, but why limit ourselves to “one,” when we can utilize the “whole body of Christ” to be nourished by our Savior. I encourage you all to enlarge your border beyond Facebook and Instagram to be led to a community of pure, undefiled conversations (1 Chronicles 4:10).

Rosalyn
http://www.rosalyngreen.com
The Happy House Wife Blog

Shifting Into New Beginnings

Finally,the time comes when all your struggles, trials and obstacles are OVER!! After walking through the drawbacks of life and growing within ,you realize that truly all things work for your good.

The time that you spend soul searching,seeking,exploring,and risking is worth more than any ritualistic outlook on life. The monotony of work,home,kids etc. does not allow you to STOP!

It screams loudly “I’m first, I’m the priority in life”!!!! Causing you to miss what life is truly about. In my opinion, life is about the evolution of soul. Evolving within to produce a prosperous,abundant way of life.

We should desire love and harmony with all of creation,especially within ourselves. We could seem to miss US. Self Love and Evolution within shifts you into dynamic realms of life that are truly unexplainable.

Now I can talk about shifting into new beginnings but I feel its necessary to explain just how to get there. The answer is tap into your true self. Seek that spiritual balance in your life. We all are spiritual beings no matter what perception you carry.

Thus, truly knowing that divinity lives within you simply tap in!! Spend Time with you. Get to know you. What are your natural abilities? Walk in th true you no matter what.

Blessings,
Rosalyn

Simplicity in Personal Salvation

Salvation through Jesus Christ is easy to obtain. Personal salvation is usually offered at the end of a local church service. Some people may not have heard of “salvation through Jesus Christ,” until they attend a Christian church service. The local Pastor or minister will ask you “do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” “Do you believe that He died on the cross to free you from a life of sin and death?””Do you believe that Jesus shed his blood on the cross to offer you forgiveness of you sins?” “Do you want to invite Jesus into your heart to be the Lord and Savor of your life?” When the answer is “yes,” to all of these questions,  you just received “personal salvation.”

 After we receive personal salvation the Holy Spirit, which is our comforter, comes into our lives to help us refine our way of living. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (KJV: John 14: 26).

As the Holy Spirit guides you to living the life of Christ, you will come face-to-face with personal challenges. These challenges are not to deter you away from Jesus, but draw you closer. You will start to clean up your life and forgive people of wrong doings toward you. Some encounters may be difficult and others may be a breeze. You will bring to light the hard issues that are deep down in our hearts that keep us from seeing things in a pure way. No one else can do this internal work on the inside of you, except the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, being saved means learning to love. We must begin to see ourselves as Jesus does and desire His best for our lives. We must engage in loving interactions with our peers, families, love-ones and strangers. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another”.(KJV: John 13: 34) The life of Christ is a life of love. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God”(KJV: 1 John 4: 7). When we love our brothers and sisters we are showing the world that we are children of God. When the world sees us loving they are able to see the gospel of Jesus coming alive right before their eyes.

Furthermore,  the gospel message of Jesus can get over studied, examined, explained and dissected. The modern believer must learn to “keep it simple.” Keeping the gospel message of Jesus Christ simplified keeps us from stumbling over it. We don’t want to get mixed up in mindless ideologies that have nothing to do with Jesus. The message of Christ is love “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another (KJV: 1 John 4: 11). Our unified goal, as the body of Christ, is to walk in love. Nothing fancy, nothing too complicated. by this we have fulfilled the greatest commandment.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.(KJV: John 13: 34)

In conclusion, as we walk as new believers in Christ, with clean hearts. addressing those tender issues and inner struggles with maturity, we now pass it on to someone else. Allow you light to shine. Jesus is on the inside of ever believer. He will use your talents and abilities to reach a lost and dying world. We have a great purpose when we receive salvation and that is to further the gospel with our love. Before Jesus left to go be with the Father he told his disciples to go in to the world. And likewise, we must to the same.

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”
(KJV: Mark 16: 15 – 17)

 

“Who Doesn’t Enjoying a Good Wreath for Fall”

So, fall season is fast approaching or should I say “making an entrance.”. In desperate hopes that it will be here soon, I started decorating my home in anticipation. The moment the temperature dropped “just a little bit, here in Kansas” I pulled out the pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice candles, wax melts for decorative, fragrant warmers, leaves, gold and orange glass pumpkin ornaments for my tables as well as pinecones, fo-corn on the cob and floral arrangements.

You would have thought the leaves were turning brown and bright orange outside, as they do this time of year, by the way my home appears. I noticed one tree in our front yard with turned leaves that said “hello Rosalyn” your fall decor is not in vain” I am here!.

To brighten the occasion, I filled our cookie jars ever so strategically with iced oatmeal cookies and started baking goodies for my family. As a housewife, I keep flour, eggs, butter, and sugar in our pantry. I filled our fall leaf inspired candy dishes with candy corns, Reeses and white chocolate Kit Kats. Needless to say, when the kids came home they were just as excited about fall as I am.

My second oldest daughter Ania said “mom fall threw-up in our house!” “Threw-up, ok” wait until Christmas, it will explode with every silver and white decor I can get my crafty hands on, to say the least.

Well, enough rambling. I completed our fall wreath for the front door today, and it came out so gorgeous I decided to share it on my blog. I have been on “blogcation.” The summer came around, the kids were out of school. Therefore I choose to stop what I was doing and relax as well. Here are a few pictures of our lovely wreath. It was hanging on our front door at first. The wind started to blow aggressively and led me to bring it in and hang in at our garage entry.

Not to mention, why not enjoy the work of my hands with my family. Strangers get to see the handy work as they drive up and down the street, but it looked so beautiful I thought might as well allow my family to see it too. This gives me a reason to go out craft shopping and buy up deco mesh, ribbon and pinecones because I just have to make one for the front door.

P.S,

I can’t wait until the pumpkin patches open up, what will I think of next!

Rosalyn

Happy Housewife

The Lord Loves His Ladies

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

At first glance, if you are a believer in Jesus, you would say “yes I know He loves me.” We all desire to be loved. We want love from our children, spouses, friends and strangers. As women our existence thrives off of connections evolved in love.

A warm smile, a hug, flowers, kind words. Anything that makes us feel appreciated we want to receive. But how often are we able to recognize God’s love for us. God’s love is not good enough because we can’t see Him. There is no handsome face to make a connection with. There is no strong stature to cuddle with and make you feel safe. He’s just not evident enough? Or is He?

What we can see with our physical eyes can fool us. Jesus shows us love by doing little things you may not have thought about. Jesus cannot be compared to another because He is all the man that anyone women or person will ever need.

Photo by Snapwire on Pexels.com

But let’s get to the ladies. I am drawn to John 4. The woman at the well. Jesus made time to see about her. Therefore He will make time to see about you. Jesus offered the woman eternal life. Today we may want the romantic Hallmark movie but that will not be satisfying.

The love from another human is imperfect but Christ love is perfect. He wants to provide us with security, protection, stability, wisdom, patience, joy, grace, love. I know, I didn’t say money, houses or land. I mentioned virtue. Physical items can be obtained easy with money.

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

Virtue,modesty, tranquillity, peace of mind cannot be purchased. These things can only come from Him. Today if you find yourself missing love. That special someone is not around or the kids are giving you a hard time. I invite you to remember Jesus loves you. Until next blog…

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

 

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Lunch time calls for something light. It is super hot outside and spring/summer has finally made an entrance. Today I wanted to whip up something quick and fresh. It took about ten minutes to make.

So if your hungry and want something light, try these awesome turkey wraps. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

Ground Turkey

1 Head romaine lettuce

1 Green pepper (sliced long)

1 Red pepper (sliced long)

Directions:

In a skillet brown the ground turkey add the sliced green and red pepper. Add whatever seasonings you like. Once the ground is brown placed mixture on a pretty plate along with fresh washed romaine lettuce leaves and serve.

See, good quality doesn’t have to be complicated. Until next blog…

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife

Which Eye Shadow Color is Best?

Recently, I shared a photo of eye colors. I thought it would be helpful to share with some beauty lovers on how to choose the correct eyeshadow shade. With all the magazines, commercials and media we can get in a frenzy over the perfect “look.”

Back when I started getting into makeup I researched what was done in the early 1920s. I did this because that was the age of swing, jazz, and tv actresses were the “go-to’s on beauty tips. What I discovered was woman need to bring out their own natural beauty.

What ever feature you were blessed with, that’s the one you allow to shine. If you have high cheek bones, full lips, freckles, almond eyes etc. Make them the star of the show.

If you have brown eyes then green, purple or mauve shades are best. If your eyes are blue then brown eye shadow is just perfect. I wanted to encourage you today. It’s not what you put on your face that makes you gorgeous. It’s what shines from the inside out. Our beauty comes from within us. How we treat others and how we live our lives will be the greatest beauty tip.

But for the sake of this blog post, you can have beautiful makeup and let your eyes stand out. Here’s a chart on eyeshadow selection. Until next blog…

Rosalyn

The Happy House Wife