Friday, March 15, 2019

You Can Do It: Use Your Words

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.


Use Your Words, a multiblogger writing challenge | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I'm using: destination ~ you can do it ~ wrench~ diabolical
They were submitted by Jules of The Bergham Chronicle.

                          
"You can do it, you can do it." Most of you, my lovely readers, can relate. This is a mom's mantra. No matter the obstacle, it's not in a mom's set of options to just give up. Having kids is exhausting, I don't need to tell you that. Each phase promises (well, in your mind anyway) to be easier than the last, but we all know that never happens. Every change requires a shift in the norm, more thinking outside the box, a different skill set, an incredible amount of ingenuity, mad organizational skills and just plain luck. 

Then there's the money. Surely things will get easier when they're out of bottles and diapers, right? Oh, then there's sports and activities. And do not even get me started on proms and cars.

No matter the phase, the expenses the planning and the saving, one thing you can be guaranteed, nothing is easy. There is not a single plan those diabolical little angels can't and won't throw a wrench in. One day you'll be washing marker (or worse) off of the walls when you're late to the pediatrician and the next day you'll be frantically explaining the inexplicable to the school principal or baking for the whole neighborhood who'd been invited over to play in your minefield of a house.



Nutella Cashew Cookie Bars start with a cookie crust, have a cashew center and are baked topped with a gooey Nutella mix. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #bake #dessert

Nutella Cashew Cookie Bars
Nutella Cashew Cookie Bars start with a cookie crust, have a cashew center and are baked topped with a gooey Nutella mix. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #bake #dessert



No matter the circumstances, just keep repeating that mantra. "You can do it, you can do it" I told myself on this particular day when the boys were very young. One kid on my hip crying with a boo boo on his knee, the other having a temper tantrum in the kitchen over the wrong brand of juice. But I can do it, I'm a mom. Although at this point, quite honestly, desperation is rearing its ugly head. Put down the child on my hip before I drop him. Lick the boo boo (what the hell, the situation has become dire), hand both kids a lollipop (sue me) and focus. My destination is just ahead. "You can do it, you can do it", get in the room, close and lock the door (learned that lesson long ago). Making sure the seat is down takes precious time I no longer have, but in a house full of men I learned that lesson long ago (sadly, with my knees around my ears and my butt hanging in the water). Pull down those pants (luckily mom pants today, no zipper) and pee . . .  with glee. 

Another successful day of conquering the challenges of motherhood. 


Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:





Nutella Cashew Bars       
                                    ©www.BakingInATornado.com


Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Nutella
1 stick butter, softened
1 stick margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour 
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup roasted unsalted or lightly salted cashew pieces

Directions:
*Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and Nutella. Set aside.
*Beat the butter, margarine, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Carefully beat in the flour, salt and baking soda. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven but leave the oven on.
*Sprinkle the cashew pieces over the crust. Pour the Nutella mixture evenly over the cashew pieces.
*Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, then allow to cool completely before cutting.

20 comments:

  1. You had me at Nutella. I am not much of a baker, but I will have to try these! And yes, I've always believed in You Can Do It/ It's my life's mantra for just about everything.

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  2. First of all, cashew bars sound delicious. Yum! Second, "You can do it!" is definitely a mom's mantra. MIne just changed as everyone got older to "You can do it????" I was and am never sure if I really can. LOL. As for peeing with the seat down, I get you. I know have two grandsons to add to my house-of-boys. Why can't THEY all pee sitting down?

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    Replies
    1. I agree, this whole bathroom situation needs to change. Can you look into that? You can do it!

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  3. Hahaha, the number one Mom wish!
    Those bars look delicious! Happy Friday

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  4. This variant of a hello dolly bar is so rich sounding, dare I resist?

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  5. My daughter and I were in the car this morning after a harrowing trip to the laundromat with no only her two kids but a child she was watching. Trying to chase them down, keep granddaughter from licking all of the chairs, keep grandson from taking everyone's carts and crashing them into each other. You get the picture. On the way home she said I can't wait until they can get in the car and buckle themselves in. I just died laughing...but didn't say a word!

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    Replies
    1. Ha, wonder how many times you think in your head "been there, done that".

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  6. The joys of motherhood is wonderful, however, the pain can be harsh as our baby is 23 and there is always something even though he's in college!

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  7. Yes I can do it, hang on what can I do..............

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  8. Oh yes and it just keeps on even when grown and kids of their own.........

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, except now I can actually go to the bathroom when I need to, so there's that.

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    2. So I haven't baked with Nutella before but I have had to substitute lots of ingredients before including a vast array of puddings and sugar types. Remembering bad days with the young ones, I can totally relate to that.

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    3. So life, like baking, requires ingenuity.

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  9. True success!
    But now I'm followed by a selection of grandkids. Prepare!

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