Stacey A. Shannon is a freelance journalist and blogger who has been published internationally. She's also a Christian, a wife and a mom of two school-aged children. She started Families with Grace in 2019 to encourage Christian moms as they create homes filled with grace, love and faith.
Be sure to get the FREE family devotion book, "Finding Grace at Home: 7 Days of 5 Minute Devotions for Families." It's a great way to help your family draw closer to each other and to God.
Motherhood can be lonely. You weren't meant to go on your motherhood journey alone. Connect with Stacey and other Christian moms like you in the private Facebook group, Moms with Grace!
And check out the books from Stacey A. Shannon as well!
I can’t resist a good queso. The mix of tortilla chips dipped into creamy cheese is just divine! I’ve tried making a few queso recipes through the years and this skillet queso recipe is one of my all-time favorites. It tastes almost exactly like the skillet queso we order at a chain restaurant named for a pepper.
Basically, you put all the ingredients into a skillet or pot, let them melt and combine together and then serve it with chips. I’ve made this as a side. (In fact, I made it for Thanksgiving last year as a side for my particular eaters.) Or you can also use the skillet queso as a topping for nachos rather than a dip. My son prefers them nacho style. I like it both ways — nacho style or dip. No matter how you eat it, it’s yummy!
Getting started
The most work you’ll do for this skillet queso recipe is prepping the cheese by cutting it into cubes. Not too shabby at all. It uses cheese loaf that is known for melting. The name-brand is Velveeta, but I use the store brand without an issue.
(If you’re not a fan of this processed cheese, don’t let that stop you from this recipe. This is the only thing I cook using it and does not have a strong flavor of the cheese, I promise! )
You need 16 ounces of the cheese. The last time I made this skillet queso, I was only able to get a 32-ounce block. So, I cut it in half by looking at it, wrapped one half in foil and placed it in a zip-top bag in my freezer. (You’ll notice I used the brand-name label just for easy identification!)
Put the cheese loaf on a cutting board and slice it into cubes for better melting. I first slice it in about 1-inch increments.
Then using two or three squares at a time, I cut those into nines.
And now you’re finished with the hardest part of this entire recipe. I told you it was easy!
Putting it together
Pull out a deep skillet or medium-sized pot and put it the cubed cheese into it. Place it on the stove over medium heat.
Add 1 cup of milk. I make this using 1% milk because that’s what my family drinks, and it works just fine.
Add in all the seasonings: 2 teaspoons paprika, 4 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 tablespoon lime juice. (You can use fresh-squeezed lime juice, but I usually just buy a bottle of lime juice and keep in my fridge.)
Finally, add in one 15-ounce can of chili with NO beans.
Give it a good stir and let it hang out over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Stir it every few minutes to keep the cheese from sticking to the bottom.
Serve the queso with your favorite tortilla chips. You can use it as a dip or as a nacho topping, whichever you prefer!
You can also make this skillet queso in a slow cooker if you prefer. Put everything into your slow cooker on low and let it set for about an hour until melted. Alternatively, you can make it on the stove and keep it warm until serving from your slow cooker. It’s incredibly versatile and scrumptious!
Skillet queso
This skillet queso recipe tastes like something you'd get at a restaurant, but comes together in 15 minutes. Super easy and delicious!
7 More prayers parents can pray for their children
As Christian moms and dads, we have a responsibility to our children in so many ways from teaching them and caring for them to praying for them. In fact, prayers for your children is one of the most important tools you have as a parent.
While I pray daily for my children, I sometimes can get stuck in a bit of a prayer rut. I can find myself praying for my kids in the same ways or about immediate needs of theirs. However, I want to be intentional about praying for all aspects of their lives and their futures.
So, I am continuing with two weeks of prayers for my kids. And I’d love for you to join me on this journey of intentional prayers for your children. Today is part two of the prayers. Prayers for your children part 1 includes seven Bible verses and prayers just like this post does. You can pray them in any order. Combine them to end up with two weeks of intentional prayers for your children!
Why we should keep praying for our children
As we are continuing on with prayers for our children, I want to encourage you to keep going and keep praying. In my life, discouragement is one of the tools Satan uses most to get to me. Through the years, I have learned the best way to combat that is with prayer. I talk to God when I’m feeling discouraged about what I’m doing and whether it’s even worth it. I’m honest with Him and ask for help, wisdom and discernment.
And sometimes we can even feel discouraged in our prayer lives. I have prayed for situations and people so many times and am not able to see God at work. Yet, through faith and what His Word tells me, I know He is working even when I cannot see. So I mustn’t give up and neither should you!
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
The Bible constantly reminds us to pray without stopping. As we continue on with intentional prayers for our children this week, may we devote ourselves to prayer, be watchful and be thankful that God is working all the time.
Their mental health
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
God, I ask that you be at work in my children’s minds. Lord, help them with their mental health. Cast out any anxiety, fear and self-doubt they have. Replace it with goodness and strength that comes from you. Fill my children with your peace and calmness so they may live fully in your power and love. Protect them from any influence that brings harm to their mental wellbeing. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Their relationship with God
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Father, be with my children. Open their hearts and minds fully to you. If they do not know you as personal savior, help them to come to know you as personal savior. And if they do know you, Lord, strengthen and deepen their faith. Help them to stay connected to you in spite of all they have going on and the temptations in the world. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Their relationship with siblings
“Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.”
God, grow my children’s relationships with one another. Help them to love each other and treat each other with kindness. Give them grace and compassion for one another. Build their relationship with each other so that they may be friends as well as siblings. Lord, keep hard feelings from growing and festering among them. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Their relationship with parents
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”
Father, I ask that you help my children to have a good relationship with my spouse and me. Lord, give us wisdom as we parent them to be the kind of parents they need to raise them according to your will and plan for their lives. Help both our children and us to show grace, love and compassion to one another. Keep us close as they grow. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Their physical health
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
God, please be with my children physically. Meet their physical needs and help them to remain healthy in every way. Lord, let their bones continue to grow strong and their bodies function well. Help them to enjoy good health. And if they do have health struggles, Father, help us to turn to you and remember that you are always in control and always good. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Their safety
“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
Father, protect my children. Keep them safe when they are with me and safe when they are without me. Put a hedge of protection around them to protect them from the evil one and his schemes. Keep them safe in every way, everywhere they are. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Their future
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
God, give my children wisdom and discernment as they grow and decide the path for their lives. Help them to seek and find your will and plan for them. Lord, renew and refresh their minds so they can be open to what you have for them. Open and close the right doors for them according to your will and plan. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Find prayer cards with these prayers for your children on Etsy
How privately breastfeeding my children is the right choice for us
I wrote these words originally back in April of 2013 when my youngest was a couple of months old and my oldest was 3. This is part of my story of breastfeeding and what worked best for my children and me.
Sometimes I read something that really irks me. This was the case last week when I came across a link to an article titled “If you don’t support breastfeeding in public, you don’t support breastfeeding” on Huffington Post. It made me roll my eyes. And it made my blood pressure rise a notch or two. Let me explain.
First, I’m proud that nursing is working for my son and me. I had to exclusively pump milk for my now 3-year-old and that left me with many mixed emotions. Forming a working nursing relationship with my son has been precious to me, even during the times when I’m exhausted and seriously doubting my decision to nurse. (I’d wager every nursing mother has had those moments and powered through them.)
However, I don’t feel like I have to nurse my son in front of everyone to be proud that nursing is working for us. It’s our own private journey we’ve taken together. Sure, at home I nurse him in front of my 3-year-old and my husband. I’ve nursed discreetly a couple of times in front of my mom, but that’s where I draw the line. If anyone else is at our house I go to another room with the door closed.
The main reason I breastfeed in private has to do with myself.
Here’s the important message why: I do this for my own comfort. My OWN comfort. I think my extended family would be supportive should I stay near them and nurse my son. However, I’m not comfortable that way, even with a nursing cover. For now, at just over two months in, I find the nursing cover almost creates more trouble than help. I still need to see him and what he’s doing. I would be too uncomfortable to nurse sans cover in front of others for my own modesty reasons and just plain comfort. (Just so you know, my own modesty includes not showing my breasts, cleavage or even bare belly.) And so, my boy and I head off on our own during feeding times.
Not everyone needs to be part of my breastfeeding journey.
Second, random strangers are not invited to be part of my breastfeeding experience. I long ago had to get over the judging looks I’d sometimes get in public when I gave my daughter a bottle. At first I wanted to scream at those people that I was giving her breastmilk. I wanted to scream even louder that they should mind their own business and just be happy I’m feeding my child. Please know that I have no problem with formula-feeding moms. We all do what is best for our babies. Keeping them fed is most important no matter how we do it. I worked through those feelings last time and I refuse to let them they creep up this time. My choice is to either nurse in the car, which I’ve done a couple of times, or to pump and take milk with me.
And I know that pumping and taking a bottle gets some moms in a tizzy. They decry the torture of the breast pump. As someone who has logged hours upon hours upon hours upon hours hooked to a breast pump, I can say I’ve never found it torturous. In fact, the pump has been kinder to me than my baby. It never turns its head away while still attached to me. It never gets mad and bites down. My breast pump just stays attached and keeps a steady rhythm.
They also decry supply issues. These are the same kind of women who would say that you can’t build and maintain a milk supply with a breast pump. They irritated me last time around, too. I have the proof that’s possible since my daughter got breast milk from me via a pump and bottle for her entire first year and just beyond. Yes. It can be done.
I know that right now my milk supply isn’t completely established, so I have to be careful. Supply is established at 12 weeks; I’ll hit 10 weeks tomorrow. I know these things even more so based on my previous experience. Because of that, I’m careful about pumping and making sure that if I miss a feeding from the tap with my little man that I’m pumping enough around that feeding time so my supply doesn’t suffer.
Just last week, for example, my husband and I had a chance to go to dinner and a movie. I took my pump along with the car adapter. We parked behind the movie theater so I could pump before we went in since my son was getting a bottle at home from my mom. This time around I’ve pumped extra milk to have a bit of a stash built up. So I’d daresay that pumping has actually helped me build and increase my supply in conjunction with nursing. And it gives me a bit of a cushion to know I have milk for my son in case something happens and we need it in a pinch.
My baby drinks faster from a bottle.
The other benefit to giving my son a bottle is that feeding him goes faster. He takes a bottle in 10 minutes. With nursing, he takes twice that or more by taking at least 10 minutes per side. Having 20 minutes to sit anywhere in public is often a challenge. So, I’m more comfortable with a bottle. Thus far he’s had a bottle at church, two restaurants and two doctor’s appointments. He’s not minded. He’s had a chance to actually get his fill before we had to switch activities, and I’ve pumped within an hour at most of each of these bottles. We’re both happier.
Most importantly, this makes me most comfortable and at ease so it benefits my baby the most. We’re both more relaxed. I know how I’d feel nursing in public. The thought of it makes me feel antsy. That’s never a good feeling to associate with nursing. And it’s sure not helpful to my son who picks up on my emotions and reacts to them.
Breastfeeding in public doesn’t change anyone’s mind.
To say that I don’t support breastfeeding because I don’t nurse in public is offensive and downright incorrect. I have proven that I support breastfeeding by tying myself to a pump for a year to make sure my daughter got breastmilk. I have proven it by allowing my son to latch on and use my breasts for sustenance when, quite frankly, sometimes I’d rather be doing something else — like sleeping. It’s not about me, though. It’s about my children getting breastmilk. I’m happy to provide that for them.
What I support most is feeding babies however works best and is most comfortable for them and their mommies. For some that’s with formula. For some it’s with pumped milk through a bottle. Others nurse directly at the breast. Still others use a combination of methods. For me, I am most comfortable giving a bottle in public or going to the car. If a nursing mama is comfortable nursing in public, she should go for it. I don’t have an issue with anyone else nursing in public. I just know that it’s not for me and I don’t feel I should be chastised for that.
And I am not keeping nursing on the back burner by not nursing in public. Seeing me nurse in the middle of the mall is not going to change anyone’s mind about breastfeeding just as seeing political posts on my Facebook News Feed is not going to change my mind about my own political views. I don’t owe it to society to nurse in public. It’s not going to further advance breastfeeding. I only owe it to my baby to make sure he’s fed. And I will choose to do that in a way that feels most comfortable to me.
19 Fun family activities for autumn with a free fall bucket list printable
As the saying goes, it’s fall, ya’ll! Autumn is my favorite season. I love the colors, weather and flavors.
I’m on board with figuring out fun family activities to do throughout the fall season. After a hot Midwestern summer, we’re usually ready to head outside and start enjoying the cooler weather that accompanies fall.
This year, I decided to be more intentional about fall family activities. While my family has made a list of summer activities for a few years, we haven’t done so for fall.
So I decided I’d put together a fall bucket list of family family activities this year. Some we have done regularly and some are new to us, which I think makes a perfect fall bucket list list!
Go for a leaf sight-seeing drive.
One of the best aspects of fall is the colors and the leaves. Taking time to drive around and enjoy them is a great fall activity for families, no matter the age of your kiddos. Play some favorite music and just take in the beauty of God’s creation.
Head to a pumpkin patch and get your own pumpkin.
Fall and pumpkins go hand-in-hand. Head to a nearby pumpkin patch and get your own pumpkin(s). Even though I’m far from being a plant person, I still like the pumpkin patch visits. It just feels autumnal.
Plus you get a bonus of supporting a local farmer, which is always a good thing!
Bake pumpkin bread together.
Pumpkin spice is one of the most popular flavors of fall. I enjoy my pumpkin spice most baked into a loaf of pumpkin bread. For me, pair a slice of pumpkin bread with a mug of hot chocolate, and I’m in heaven!
While my favorite pumpkin bread recipe is easy enough I’ve made it with 40 kindergarteners at once, if you just don’t want to bake, pick up some pumpkin bread at the grocery store or bakery.
Go on a hike or nature walk.
Fall weather may not cool down everywhere, but for many of us, fall means temperatures start going down. And that’s why hikes or nature walks make for great fall family activities.
You get to be outside, enjoying the crisp air and colorful leaves. Find somewhere nearby and make some memories!
Drink apple cider (warm or chilled).
Apple harvest happens in the fall, so it’s a great time to enjoy some apple cider either warm or chilled. My daughter and husband especially love apple cider. They both prefer it cold.
Find it at the grocery store or a nearby orchard.
Play board games for at least an hour.
There’s never a bad time for board games when it comes to family activities. My family loves games, but making the time to play them can get tricky.
Adding this to your fall bucket list will help remind you to have a game night or afternoon. If your kiddos are young, be sure to check out this list of games for non- and early readers!
Snuggle for a movie night with popcorn and snacks.
Honestly, fall weather can be downright unpleasant. On a chilly, wet evening, snuggle in as a family and enjoy movie night with popcorn and snacks.
Our family tends to love this most on Friday nights when everyone is tired from a week of school and work. Do whatever works for you!
Go to the farmers’ market.
Autumn is a great time to visit the farmers’ market. The weather is cooler, which encourages you to stroll through for longer. Lots of produce is still fresh and vendors often have other items like home-baked goodies that would pair well with things like game or movie nights!
You may be able to find some apple cider at your local farmers’ market as well.
Do a fall family photo shoot.
The colors in fall are perfect backdrops for family photos. I have paid for family photos in the fall, but these days I usually just take my kids outside and take a bunch of photos with my phone. They’re easy to edit and pick my favorites.
My kiddos enjoy getting to come up with poses and usually I end up with more natural photos.
Attend a fall festival.
Fall is a great time for festivals. Find one (or two or three!) near you, and attend.
Here in the Midwest we have things like covered bridge festivals and historic area festivals. Then there are harvest festivals.
Find something and go just for the fun of it. We recently went to a Native American festival and had a great time.
Pick apples at an orchard.
Apples are fresh and delicious in the fall. If you have an orchard near you that lets you pick your own apples, then go for it!
You can try different varieties and see what you and your family like best or stick with one trusty variety. Either way, it can be lots of fun as a family.
Navigate a corn maze.
This is sort of an essential part of the fall season for those of us who live where the corn pops up in rows (Tim McGraw songs, anyone?).
If you’ve got a corn maze near you, hit it up and navigate your way to through it. Usually one of our kids leads us. Especially when they were younger, we would then end up suggesting turns they might want to take.
Paint or carve pumpkins.
Pumpkins are everywhere in the fall, and it’s a great time to get creative with them. We carve and paint pumpkins in our family based on each persons’ preferences.
My daughter likes to paint pumpkins; my son likes to carve them. I’m the only member in our family who loves cleaning out pumpkins.
All in all, it works out and is one of the great fall family activities during autumn.
Play charades.
Charades is one of my kids’ favorite games and has been for years. You can use themed charades games, like Halloween charades, general charades games or just let everyone come up with their own ideas.
In my family, we play charades by having one person act out the clue and the rest of us guess. We don’t keep score and just have fun.
Donate to a local food bank.
Autumn is a great time to donate to local food banks who are preparing for the upcoming holiday season. We often contact the food bank and ask what sort of items they’re most in need of before buying things.
Our kids usually use their “giving” money from their allowance to contribute to food banks. They take on the challenge of finding groceries or toiletries for cheaper prices to get the most for their money.
Eat a caramel apple.
Whether you make them yourself or buy them at the store, caramel apples are the quintessential fall treat. I like mine covered with chopped peanuts, while my husband prefers them plain.
And if you just can’t get on board with caramel apples, buy some or make some caramel dip for apple slices or other favorite fruit.
Go on a hayride.
Hay rides can be a great family activity. We usually work in a hayride on a visit to the pumpkin patch.
Beware that some hayrides have a scare factor with people “surprising” you. Definitely know what you’re getting into with younger children along.
Roast smores
Bonfires and firepits are great for chilly autumn evenings. And they’re a great excuse to roast some marshmallows as well.
Add some chocolate (or Reese’s peanut butter cups!) and graham crackers. Smores aren’t just a summertime campfire treat!
Make a leaf collection
This is a great activity especially for younger kids who delight in all the various types of leaves they can find. But when it comes to autumn family activities, collecting leaves can also be fun.
See who can find the biggest leaf, the most colorful leaf and so on.
Your family will go crazy for this Oreo ice cream cake!
This Oreo ice cream cake recipe has been a family favorite since I was child. The recipe has evolved a bit through the years and now is a heck of a lot easier to make with only four ingredients.
We still love this recipe. In fact, my daughter asks for this each year as her birthday dessert. It’s delicious, easy and is made ahead of time!
And, in the spirit of complete honesty, I’ve never made this Oreo ice cream cake recipe myself. My mom is who usually makes it these days.
In spite of her moving a few states away, she ended up being in town to make it for my daughter’s birthday this week, so I had her walk me through it and took some photos.
I no longer live in the land of sweet oblivion when it comes to making this dessert, but I don’t mind a bit. Because I knew I had to share this recipe with you guys and make sure I can re-create it myself in a pinch since my family loves it so much.
My mom actually made two of these this week so my daughter had one for her family birthday party last night and will have one for her friend birthday party this weekend. Her friends look forward to it every year as much as my daughter does.
Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.
Cookies and cream
This is an ice cream cake recipe, so you don’t need to preheat the oven, but you do need to let your ingredients thaw a bit. Thaw your whipped topping.
Your ice cream needs to be softened. You can leave the ice cream sitting on the counter for 10-15 minutes or pop it in the microwave. We usually go for the countertop method because some of my family members think microwaving the ice cream gives it a different taste.
Once your ingredients are thawing, pull out a 9×13-inch or 3-quart baking dish. I love my glass 3-quart baking dish with a lid for this Oreo ice cream cake recipe because it’s easy to store in the freezer. And when we are finished, I can stick it in the dishwasher!
Fill the bottom of the pan with Oreo cookies. We use Double Stuf Oreos for this to have some extra cream in the mix. But regular Oreos work also!
I buy the family size pack of Oreos that is 20 ounces. We usually end up with about 10 to 15 cookies left and happily eat them. But, you can get a smaller pack if you don’t want any leftover Oreos.
We added three more cookies after taking this photo. Mostly, you just want the bottom covered and then you’re ready to start smashing the cookies.
Like I said, my mom is the pro of this Oreo ice cream cake recipe. Through the years, she’s found the easiest way to crush the cookies is with the bottom of a drinking glass. Then she uses a butter knife to remove the excess from the bottom of the glass. Easy as that!
You want the cookies to be crushed but still chunky. Move them around in your pan to so the bottom is completely covered. (If not, add more Oreos!)
Add the layers
Next up, you layer on the ice cream. The original recipe for this used butter pecan ice cream. We now use vanilla. But you could use chocolate, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip or whatever sounds best to you!
Either way, make sure your ice cream is softened. Then dollop it in mounds over the top of the cookie layer.
Carefully smooth the ice cream over the cookie layer.
Put the pan into the freezer to chill and harden for about 10 minutes. While the ice cream is freezing, get out the hot fudge sauce.
I got a store-brand hot fudge sauce that was 11.5 ounces in the jar. My mom usually gets Hershey brand, which is 12.8 ounces per jar. Both worked well.
In order for it to spread over the ice cream layer, the hot fudge sauce needs to be warmed up. It doesn’t need to be as hot as if you were making a hot fudge sundae. The sauce just needs to be hot enough to be pourable.
My mom says the best option she’s found is removing the lid and heating the hot fudge sauce in the microwave for 30 seconds. However you heat it, once it is nice and warm, pull your Oreo ice cream cake out of the freezer. Drizzle the hot fudge sauce all over the top. It doesn’t need to cover every inch, but should coat well.
The final layer
The warm fudge layer softens the ice cream again. So, put the cake back in the freezer for about 10 minutes to let it refreeze some more.
Then carefully spread the whipped topping over the top of the fudge layer.
And that’s it for this Oreo ice cream cake recipe. Simple, easy and delicious! For birthdays, we often sprinkle some miniature M&Ms on top of the cake before serving. You can also used crushed Oreo cookies on top just before serving (any sooner and the cookies will get mushy) or chocolate chips.
Store the Oreo ice cream cake in the freezer and remove it 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Oreo Ice Cream Cake
With just four ingredients, this Oreo ice cream cake recipe easily comes together and makes a delectable dessert your family will love!
Thaw the whipped topping and soften the ice cream by setting it on the counter or using the microwave.
Cover the bottom of a 9×13 or 3-quart oblong baking dish with Oreo cookies.
Use the bottom of a glass to press on the cookies and break them into large chunks. Make sure the bottom of the pan is fully covered with cookie pieces.
Dollop the softened ice cream in large globs over the top of the cookies. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the ice cream out evenly.
Put the ice cream cake in the freezer for about 10 minutes to harden a bit.
In the meantime, heat the hot fudge sundae sauce. It doesn't need to be as hot as for a sundae, but it does need to be hot enough to be pourable. I suggest removing the lid and heating it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Pour the hot fudge sauce evenly over the top of the ice cream layer. It won't cover the ice cream completely,
Return the Oreo ice cream cake to the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Dollop the whipped topping to make the top layer. Spread it gently and evenly over the fudge layer.
Serve immediately or place in the freezer. Let the cake thaw 10 to 15 minutes before cutting to serve.
Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.
I wrote this post as encouragement for moms back in 2012 before my youngest child was even born. It may be 10 years later, but I still need this reminder just as much!
I’d guess that ever since Eve, moms have been questioning themselves and feeling like bad mothers when things go awry. My daughter was less than a couple of days old before I felt like a bad mom. It was so intense that my husband even suggested I talk with my own mother about whether it got better. My baby was crying all the time and nothing I did seemed to help. I cried. She cried. We saw a different pediatrician when ours was out who further laid the blame on me. I climbed into the backseat with my baby on the way home and cried some more. It was awful feeling so much love and so much helplessness. I felt like the world’s worst mom and I had barely even been a mom.
The end of the first week, my husband figured out the problem. The kiddo didn’t know what to do with her tongue to suck milk effectively. She was constantly hungry as a result. Once we knew the problem and were able to work on it by having me exclusively pump and then negotiate the bottle just so in her mouth, things got a lot better. I didn’t immediately feel like a great mom. I did at least feel better that my baby was happier.
Every mom has a different story, but we’ve all had those moments where we feel just awful. I’ve had many more moments since then like when my baby rolled off my bed, found a pair of scissors to play with, skinned her knee to pieces when she fell WHILE I was holding her hand and so much more. I have often said to my husband, “I’m such a bad mom,” and then lurched into a story about why.
Words of encouragement
Yesterday, though, a friend shared a quote on Pinterest that stopped me in my tracks a minute and got me thinking. It’s from “Unglued” by Lysa Terkeurst: “Bad moments don’t make bad mamas.” I like that way of thinking. Aside from needing to cut myself some slack (I have a lifetime of practice of being too hard on myself), I also need to change my way of thinking.
Instead of thinking, “I’m such a bad mom for losing my patience with her when she wanted to play,” I need to think, “That was a bad moment.” And then assess how I can fix it the next time that situation arises. We all have bad moments whether it’s in parenthood, at work, at home, wherever. They just happen. Life is far from perfect all the time. Life is far from happy all the time. But, bad moments really don’t make us bad people.
I suppose bad mothers exist, but the majority of us are doing the best with what we have. My own mom wasn’t perfect, but she was perfect for me. I have to believe the same is true for my children. I’m not a perfect person. I’m not a perfect mother. We’re going to have bad moments. But, I’m not a bad mother. Bad mothers don’t try. They don’t care. I try very much and care about being a mom above almost everything else. I’m hopeful that one day my children will be able to look back and know that I did my very best for them and, above all, loved them unconditionally with my whole heart.
And one of these days, I hope we can sit around together and laugh at some of the bad moments. Sometimes in hindsight things are much more humorous than they feel at the time they happen. I still haven’t been able to always employ a college professor’s theory of, “If you’re going to laugh at it later, you might as well laugh at it now.” But, I do see humor in some things now that weren’t one bit funny at the time they happened.
Maybe one day I’ll sit and joke with my daughter about how she had to figure out eating from the start. Or maybe we’ll joke about the time she rolled off the bed and survived to tell the tale. I’m guessing, though, that there are lots more bad moments that will happen between now and her adulthood that we’ll have to joke about. That’s a part of life, I suppose. And it will be all right. We’ll survive together. As long as I keep trying and keep loving her (and soon her brother), I’m pretty sure I can’t go all that wrong.
16+ Breakfast ideas you can make in 5 minutes or less!
Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.
I love breakfast food. If I had to pick one type of meal that I’d have all day every day, I’d go for breakfast food. There are so many options, and they’re all so yummy! But, making them in the morning is not as much my thing. The typical weekday morning has too much to do for me to want to cook a big breakfast that nobody has time to eat anyway! For more than a decade now, I’ve been making breakfast for my kiddos and have come up with all sorts of yummy, healthy and EASY 5-minute breakfast ideas.
These are things that make it into our lives all the time. They’re not all made from scratch; in fact, most of them aren’t. But they are ideas to get food in bellies to get the day started off on the right foot, and you can’t go wrong with that!
Continental 5-minute breakfast ideas
One of the things I enjoy about staying at hotels (aside from not having to wash the towels we use!) is the continental breakfasts. Most of them are so simple, but getting to choose from a variety of things that are premade is just special to me. (Again, I love all breakfast food, so this may not be too surprising!)
You can imitate continental breakfast at home. I’m not saying set out lots of choices for your family to pick from (though if that works for you, go for it!). But, I like having items on hand that are similar to what I’d find at a continental breakfast. Then I can mix and match them together for a healthy, 5-minute breakfast for the kiddos. Pick two or three choices from this list, and you’re set!
Yogurt
My kids love yogurt. So, we always have at least one kind of yogurt in the fridge. Strawberry, peach, vanilla and strawberry banana are their favorites. I used to buy it in individual cups, but I realized the big 32-ounce container makes way more sense. I love that yogurt adds a healthy, easy way to get some protein in their bellies before heading out the door to school.
We usually keep yogurt tubes as well both in the fridge and in the freezer. While they do eat the tubes at breakfast sometimes, they also work for lunchboxes and after-school snacks.
Granola bars
Granola bars are a staple in my pantry. Along with breakfast, they also work for lunchboxes and after-school snacks. There are a few different varieties we have liked through the years, but my kids’ all-time favorite is sweet-and-salty peanut bars.
When I am working ahead of time, we also love homemade oat and honey granola. It’s super easy to make; I often make it for us to snack on throughout the week. And when that happens, I almost always include it for breakfast, too!
Fresh fruit
The best fresh fruit for 5-minute breakfast ideas is fruit that doesn’t take much work. Think bananas and apples or precleaned and prepped berries or grapes. We also go for fresh peaches in season that I clean and slice up in just a couple of minutes for the kiddos. I usually pair flavors together. If I have strawberry yogurt, then I serve it with berries.
Dried and canned fruit
Fresh fruit is always good, but don’t overlook dried and canned fruits. My kids love raisins, unsweetened applesauce (Pouches and single-serving cups are super easy!) and fruit packed in its own juice for additional breakfast options. Dried and canned fruits last much longer and are easily accessible year-round no matter where you live.
Cereal
I LOVE cereal. In fact, that’s my personal go-to breakfast. Almost every single morning I enjoy a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with a small glass of milk to get my day underway.
However, you can get creative with cereal, too. My kids don’t like milk on their cereal. They eat it dry. So, I will often include a small amount of cereal as a side for them. They can add it into their yogurt as they eat it for an extra crunch or eat it solo. My daughter tends to go for Honey Nut Cheerios like I do, while my son really loves plain Cap’n Crunch.
Another way we get creative with cereal is making peanut butter honey nut cereal clusters. just like with the homemade oat and honey granola, this takes longer than five minutes. But just like with the granola, I make these clusters for us to snack on throughout the week and they end up being a breakfast option, too!
Muffins
Because they aren’t necessarily the healthiest option, muffins aren’t in rotation all the time at my house. But every couple of months or so, I’ll either make some muffins or buy mini muffins.
Carb-y 5-minute breakfast ideas
Some of these more carb-y breakfast ideas can pair well with some of the continental breakfast options above and some stand well on their own.
Bagels
Bagels are a staple in my freezer. Yep. I buy refrigerated bagels (Lender’s is our favorite brand) and stick them in the freezer. My son will eat bagels for breakfast, lunch or dinner. But they really are a great, filling and fast breakfast food. I wrap the bagel in a paper towel and thaw it in the microwave for 25 to 30 seconds, then put it in the toaster. The go-to bagel for my son is a plain bagel with peanut butter. I prefer cream cheese and sometimes another flavor like cinnamon raisin or blueberry.
Cinnamon toast
This breakfast is a throwback to my own childhood and more in the every couple of months breakfast rotation. All you do is toast bread and spread it with some butter while it’s still hot. Then top it with cinnamon and sugar. If you don’t have a cinnamon sugar blend, just use some sugar, a bit of cinnamon and mix together on the top of the toast. It’s so easy and so yummy!
Peanut butter toast
Toasted bread with peanut butter smeared on it makes another tasty 5-minute breakfast that packs a protein punch. I serve this to my daughter as toast and to my son as a sandwich. Either way, it’s a great breakfast option that pairs well with fruit or a yogurt tube.
Avocado toast
Avocado toast has become one of my daughter’s favorite treats. Sometimes she’ll add some egg with it, but she cuts the avocado and puts it on toast, usually with a drizzle of agave syrup as well.
Hot 5-minute breakfast ideas
Just because you are going for a fast breakfast doesn’t mean it can’t be a hot one. These hot breakfasts really are ready in 5 minutes or less!
Waffles
Frozen waffles have come a long way since I was a kiddo. You can get basic ones or Belgian waffles. Either way, pop them in the toaster and within minutes they’re ready to devour. My son loves his with a bit of butter and some sugar-free syrup. My daughter prefers to dip her waffles into unsweetened applesauce. In fact, I started them both on waffles and pancakes with applesauce as toddlers to be healthier and less messy. They both still eat them that way, though my son ultimately prefers syrup these days.
Pancakes
Confession of sorts: my kids prefer frozen pancakes to homemade most of the time. It sort of flabbergasts me, but then again they have frozen pancakes more often. I stick a stack of three pancakes in the microwave for 1 minute and 11 seconds. (Notice I don’t have to touch any other number besides one!) Then they’re ready to go. Just like with waffles, you can serve them with unsweetened applesauce as a syrup alternative.
Oatmeal
This comes with another confession: I only like instant oatmeal. It’s what I had most often growing up, and I just prefer it! Much to my husband’s disdain, I make instant oatmeal with hot water, not even hot milk. But make it however you like. My mom uses quick cooking oats in the microwave to make hers in minutes nowadays, but I still go for instant oatmeal. I like sugar free maple and brown sugar. My kids both like cinnamon apple (but only the store brand, as I discovered a few months ago when they were out of store brand and we got name brand!).
Scrambled eggs
I can’t talk about 5-minute breakfast ideas without mentioning microwave scrambled eggs. This has been a game changer for me. Game. Changer! Make them plain, buttered, Italian flavored, cheesy or omelette. Add in some toast or fruit on the side and you’ve got a hearty, filling breakfast in less than five minutes!
A pizza sliders recipe for family dinner or any time!
Last week I told you about ham and pineapple sliders my daughter and I love. However, the guys in my house don’t like either ham or pineapple. So when I make ham and pineapple sliders for dinner, I make these pizza sliders for them. They’re just as easy to make and don’t add time to dinner prep.
Pepperoni is the pizza topping of choice for my husband and son, so I use just pepperoni on these pizza sliders, but you could use any favorite pizza toppings, much like with the pizza subs recipe. The sliders are a bit different in size (obviously) and flavor with their sweet roll base and onion garlic butter topping.
Putting together the sliders
]Get started by preheating your oven to 350-degrees and spraying a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Next up, you need to prepare your slider buns. You can totally buy slider buns, but I prefer Hawaiian dinner rolls since they are a bit sweeter. I just slice them in half to make them into buns. Place the bottom half of the buns into the baking pan. I used one package of 12 rolls and divided them into two sides when I was making this recipe this time because I was using half of the rolls for these pizza sliders and the other half for the ham and pineapple sliders.
Once your bun bottoms on in the pan, you want to cover them with pizza sauce. I don’t usually measure it out and just dollop it on. It’s about 1 tablespoon per bun.
Use a spoon or butter knife to spread the pizza sauce evenly over the bun bottoms.
Next, top the sauced buns with about 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese to cover the buns. You can add more or less depending on your family’s preference.
Top the cheese with the pizza toppings your family most likes. My guys love pepperoni, so I used pepperoni. I ended up using a bit of extra pepperoni this time around because I was at the end of a package and wanted to use it up. For pepperoni, go for one to two slices per bun.
Add the top bun and then melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/2 tablespoon of onion salt. Stir until combined. (Mine usually ends up kind of like wet sand.)
Brush the garlic butter over the top of the buns.
Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Cut them apart and serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Pizza sliders
These easy pizza sliders are great for family dinners or carry-ins and can easily feed a crowd!
1/2tablespoon onion saltdried, minced onion also works
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half through the middle to turn them into slider buns. Put the bottom half of the rolls into the baking dish; set aside the tops for now.
Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the bun bottoms in the pan. Top with shredded cheese and pepperoni. (Add other pizza toppings as desired.)
Put on the tops of the rolls.
Melt the butter and then add in the garlic powder and onion salt. Mix it well and then brush the butter mixture over the top of the sliders.
Bake the sliders for 20 minutes until the tops are browned and the cheese is melted.
A ham and pineapple sliders recipe for family dinner
Easy-peasy recipes are my favorite and this ham and pineapple sliders recipe is definitely one of them. These work well for family dinner or a carry-in. You can easily double (or triple) the recipe to feed a crowd. And it’s a great way to put leftover ham to use after holidays. Basically, it’s super versatile!
Another great thing about these ham and pineapple sliders is that because of the way they’re made, you can also easily make a second type of slider if you have family members who don’t eat ham. Stay tuned to next week’s blog post for the pizza sliders I make for my guys whenever I make this recipe.
Putting together the sliders
Get started by preheating your oven to 350-degrees and spraying a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Next up, you need to prepare your slider buns. You can totally buy slider buns, but I prefer Hawaiian dinner rolls since they are a bit sweeter. I just slice them in half to make them into buns. Place the bottom half of the buns into the baking pan. I used one package of 12 rolls and divided them into two sides when I was making this recipe this time because I was using half of the rolls for the pizza sliders that will be up next week.
Once your bun bottoms are in the pan, dollop mayonnaise onto the buns and then a bit of honey mustard as well. Technically use about 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon of honey mustard per slider square. I really just plop it on without measuring! (If you love honey mustard and ham like I do, don’t miss these hot ham and cheese subs with honey mustard.)
Smear the mayo and honey mustard into the buns. Top the buns with slices of mild cheddar cheese. You can use shredded cheese or another flavor if you prefer. Swiss cheese would also be pretty good with this recipe, but I like the stronger flavor of the cheddar most.
Top the cheese with slices of ham. I bought pre-sliced packaged ham. You could totally use deli ham or leftover ham for this recipe.
Now it’s time for the pineapple. I have used pineapple slices for this recipe, but I actually like pineapple tidbits for these ham and pineapple sliders more because it is easier to eat and spread the pineapple out more over the sliders. For 6 sliders, I used one 4-ounce snack cup of pineapple tidbits, drained.
Add the top bun and then melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder. Stir until combined. (Mine usually ends up kind of like wet sand.)
Brush the garlic butter over the top of the buns.
Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Cut them apart and serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Ham and pineapple sliders
Stacey A. Shannon
These easy ham and pineapple sliders are great for family dinners or carry-ins and can easily feed a crowd!
1/2teaspoononion powder(dried minced onion also works)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half through the middle to turn them into slider buns. Put the bottom half of the rolls into the baking dish; set aside the tops for now.
Dollop the mayonnaise and honey mustard onto the buns in the baking dish. Smear the mayo and honey mustard evenly over the buns.
Layer the cheese, ham and pineapple on top of the prepared bottoms.
Put the top of the rolls on.
Melt the butter and then add in the garlic powder and onion salt. Mix it well and then brush the butter mixture over the top of the sliders.
Bake the sliders for 20 minutes until the tops are browned and the cheese is melted.
Keyword carry-in recipe, crowd pleaser, ham and pineapple, leftover ham, leftovers recipe, pineapple recipe, pitch-in, slider recipe, sliders
Even picky eaters will love the delicious ranch meatballs in this soup!
My family isn’t big on eating meat. My husband and son eat very little meat while my daughter and I eat some. So, when I tell you I’ve found a ranch meatball recipe our family really likes, then you know it has to be good! Paired with taco flavors and a slightly cheesy soup, this taco ranch meatball soup recipe is a great family dinner option.
I have served this with tortilla chips and with cornbread. Since the cornbread pairs so well with taco flavors in the taco cornbread bake, I figured it was worth a try with this soup. Turns out I was right! We’ve decided that cornbread is our favorite. In fact, we put the cornbread in the bowl and then put the soup and meatballs on top. It’s a filling dinner with a bit of Mexican flavor.
Make the ranch meatballs
The taco ranch meatball soup starts with making the meatballs. The soup comes together and simmers for a few minutes while the meatballs cook. When I first made this recipe, I used half the amount of ground beef called for because we aren’t big on eating meat. But since then I’ve used the full 1-1/2 pound of ground beef. Our family of four ends up with a few extra ranch meatballs, but not too many! (And they make a good meatball sub topped with a bit of ranch dressing!)
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees (F). If you are making cornbread to go along with this, mix it and set it aside. I use a JIF cornbread mix and pour it into my loaf pan to bake a loaf. It bakes in the same amount of time as the meatballs, so it works quite well! This is how my finished loaf turns out:
Put 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef in a mixing bowl. Add in 1/2 cup of crushed tortilla chips. I fill a sandwich bag about 3/4 full and then crush the chips with a glass. While I use corn tortilla chips, I think these ranch meatballs would also be good with flavored cheddar or ranch tortilla chips.
Add the tortillas to the meat.
Next beat one egg in a small glass (I use the same one that I use for crushing my chips). Add the beaten egg to the meat mixture.
Next, add 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing mix and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning to the meat mixture. (There is also something called rancho taco seasoning. If you buy that, then put in one 1-ounce packet. Save an additional packet for the soup.)
Use a spoon to combine the meat mixture together well. You can use your hands if you really want to, but I find this stirs together well with a spoon. Do what works for you!
Once the meat is combined, then form it into 1-inch balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper. I use the non-stick aluminum foil to make for even easier clean up!
Put the meatballs (and cornbread if you’re making it) into the preheated oven and baked for 15 minutes.
Make the soup
While the ranch meatballs are baking, put 32-ounce of chicken broth into a large pot over medium-high heat on your stove. Add in one 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning. Cover it and cook for about 15 minutes.
Turn the heat down, leave the lid off and add in one 12-ounce package of thawed frozen corn and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. It’s best to add the cheese in slowly. I usually do it in thirds. Let the cheese melt. Simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes.
Putting it all together
By the time your soup is ready, your ranch meatballs should be as well.
You have two options with this taco ranch meatball soup recipe: you can mix the meatballs right into the soup or you can leave them on their own and let everyone mix them in themselves. Our family prefers to leave the ranch meatballs separate. That also works better if you end up with leftover meatballs that you want to turn into a meatball sandwich! So, I move the meatballs to a plate covered with a paper towel to remove some grease. If you prefer, pat them off and put them right into the soup.
You’re ready to build your bowls of taco ranch meatball soup. You can put cornbread on the bottom, then top with soup and meatballs or skip the cornbread and just do the soup and meatballs.
Either way, it’s yummy to sprinkle some extra cheddar cheese on top.
And if you’re a big fan of sour cream like my family is, plop a dollop of sour cream on there as well!
Taco ranch meatball soup
Even my pickiest eaters like this taco ranch meatball soup recipe. It's a simple, yet filling family dinner idea!
1cupshredded cheddar cheeseplus extra for topping if desired
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees (F).
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, crushed tortilla chips, beaten egg, 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning.
Form the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes.
While the meatballs bake, put the chicken broth, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning into a pot over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat on the stove and add in the corn. Gradually add shredded cheese. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
When the meatballs are finished, you can pat them dry and place them in the soup or move them to a plate covered with a paper towel to dry and serve separately. (One benefit of serving separately is it makes leftover meatballs easier to use for sandwiches!)
Serve the soup with the meatballs and top with additional shredded cheese, if desired. Sour cream is also good with this soup. It pairs very well with cornbread.
