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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Green Thumb

We don't have our garden going this year, just the garden structure. Our green thumb will be put to practice next year and we are so very excited! What we do have right now though is one raspberry plant given to us by our sweet neighbors. I was so excited when they gave it to us months back. I have been ever so diligently and lovingly caring for it and have was really excited when I was rewarded with some raspberries!

Aren't they so pretty!?


Holy smokes I'm pretty dang proud of myself! I didn't kill it AND I actually got berries off it! Sweet! Hahaha! I've been selfish and eaten all but a few of the berries....I shared 3 with Timothy and 2 with Sam. 

Next year will be amazing.  I can't wait to get a whole bunch more and properly plant them as well as other fruits and veggies and finally start our garden! Until then, this little treat will tide me over. 


With love,
Mama Hauck




Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Revisiting: Working On It.

I came to the realization a few weeks back that I needed to take a step back, take a deep breath, and do a little soul searching. 

I find myself needing to do this when in one or more aspects of my life, I feel the storm clouds brewing and slowly closing in on me, affecting my mood and overall happiness. 

A few years back I did a post about all the changes I wanted to make in my life, called Working On It. I feel as if recently I need to remind myself of one of the most important changes I wanted to make.....



6. Quite possibly the biggest change I'd like to see is with my relationships. I need to choose who is worth my time and energy, who is not, and then cut my losses. Fair weather friends have no place in my life. I don't like being used or called upon only when it is convenient for the other person. I give all my love and go out of my way for those I care about and would like to receive that in return. Too many times I give and give and give of myself to someone, only to be dropped and ignored and left feeling like a fool when I am no longer convenient for them or the next best thing comes along. That's incredibly hurtful. I deserve more. I want someone to be my friend for the sole purpose of loving me and wanting the joy of my friendship. I know I deserve that. 



After a period of stormy weather, I have seen the sunshine again and am feeling the sweet relief of a mending heart, a more confident self, and an enlightened mood. 


Onward I march! Always forward. Striving to better myself, my life, and the life of my loved ones. 

With love,
Mama Hauck 








Monday, July 21, 2014

Night Waker


It starts with a whimper
Just a soft, sweet whimper
And all too soon I hear your tiny feet pit-pat-pattering on the floor
Groggily I roll out of bed
It's 2:30 in the morning, my clock tells me so
I meet you in our doorway, your arms already stretched out
I pluck you off the floor in one fell swoop
Your little arms wrap around my neck and your little legs around my waist
Your head rests upon my shoulder and you sigh a real deep sigh
What's on your mind, my little one?
What's woke you from your slumber?
I hold you tight and sway my hips
Dancing in the doorway with my sleepy night waker
Ever so slowly we make our way back to your room
Step by step, sway by sway, my bare feet on the cold floor
The moonlight filters through the living room windows
The curtains ruffle slightly in the night breeze
The house is still and quiet
As tired as I am, my heart whispers to go slow
I know better than to rush this moment
This most perfect moment that all too soon will be but an old Mama's memory
Standing by your bed now, I can't seem to lay you down
My arms squeeze you tighter and I softly rub your back
Your eyes start to close as I kiss your messy bed head
In the soft glow of your nightlight, my heart pounds with so much love
I close my eyes and soak up the moment
Sweet one, I would hold you for a million years if I could!
But time doesn't stop, no matter how much I wish it would
So down you finally go and I gently tuck you in
As I tip-toe out of your room and back into my own
I thank God for this moment 
This 2:30 in the morning, dancing in the moonlight, gone by too fast 
Perfect moment with my sleepy night waker


With love,
Mama Hauck

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Pinterest Win - Muffin Tin Pizza

I've been making muffin tin pizas for a little over a year now (Thank you, Pinterest!), and it occurred to me that I'm pretty sure I haven't posted them. I don't know who loves them more....the kids or me! Haha! I usually make them in a regular sized muffin tin, but this last time I decided to use my mini muffin tin. Way cuter and just as tasty. 

The Pin: 



My creation:


So here's how it goes: 

Ingredients: 

*Refrigerated pizza dough....I like to use Pillsbury Pizza Crust, Thin Crust
*Pizza sauce
*Mozzarella cheese
*Pepperoni, bacon bits, etc. 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven as directed on pizza dough. I've never had to grease my muffin tin before making these, but I know the original post says to. 
2. Unroll your dough and cut into squares. Your square size will be dictated by what size muffin tin you are using. 
3. Push the dough into the molds, making sure the dough covers the sides. Stick in your preheated oven and bake for a few minutes. 
4. Take out your slightly cooked pizza dough and with a fork, flatten the puffy dough in the molds. 
5. Spoon in your pizza sauce and other toppings. I like to put my cheese on last to help hold all the other toppings in. 
6. Put back in oven and bake until cheese is melted and pizza dough is a golden brown color. 
7. Let cool for a few minutes (seriously...let them cool...do not burn your lips and mouth like I did, lol) and enjoy! 


Thursday, July 17, 2014

Pallet Wood Succulent Planter

A few weeks ago I was at the Goldendale Farmers Market and a fellow vendor walked over to our booth and was checking our some of our signs. She liked one in particular, so I told her I would trade her the sign for a few hens and chickens from her booth. She happily agreed, but the succulents would have to wait until our next market day. No biggie, I was just excited about the fun trade!

Two weeks pass (we do the market the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month) and here she comes strolling over with two large flats of succulents! I was speechless. I told her it definitely felt like she was giving me more than $25 worth of succulents, but then she told me she felt like my sign was worth more than the $25 I had on it.

How awesome is that! Just another reason to love where we live and be thankful for the kind hearted people we know.

After letting a few friends pick out a couple succulents to take home, I still had tons left. Where should I plant them? I thought about planting them in a hollowed out log, and I thought about planting them in stacked up bricks, but ultimately I decided on a pallet wood planter. 

Sooooooo we took a few of our Goldendale Country Bumpkin pallet wood wine racks and just used them as succulent planters. Sam drilled drainage holes in the bottom and I put rocks in the bottom (because succulents need good drainage) and then got busy making my cute succulent arrangements! Sammy then screwed the pallet wood planters to the front of our porch and voila! 

So stoked with how they turned out. 


Love, love, love it!! 

With love,
Mama Hauck

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Mama's Birthday

I had a pretty enjoyable 28th birthday yesterday! The kiddos and I hung out at home waiting for Sammy to get off work early. Not too exciting, but I was surprised with lots of phone calls from friends and family as well as a few cards in the mail (thanks everyone!!) and a box from my dad that contained this cute frog wind chime! Thank you! 


After Sam got home, we loaded up and headed to The Dalles. We stopped at a few places where Sam bought me a couple cute lanterns for the front porch and I treated myself to a new lime green bistro table! So excited to add some new accessories to our front porch and yard.

We eventually met up with some friends at a restaurant called River Tap for dinner. We settled in and I opened a few gifts. The kids each made me a sweet card! Love homemade cards from my babies. Sammy got me a bracelet I had been eyeballing from a fellow friend and vendor at the farmers market. I was taking a look at all her wonderful jewelry a few weeks back and told her if she wanted to, she could drop a hint to Sam as to which one I liked, haha. Well she did and Sam took the hint and now I've got a special bracelet made by a friend! Thanks, Sammy! My friends Tracie and Kurt also wrote me a sweet card and got me a gift certificate to Old Navy. THANK YOU dear friends! 

Dinner was delicious and I so enjoyed visiting with friends and being out with Sam and the kids. 


After dinner we headed over to Double Berry Frozen Yogurt for dessert! It's a really awesome place where you pick your frozen yogurt flavor and then get to pick whatever toppings you want and then you weigh your bowl to figure out how much you owe. Mmmmmm, it was delicious and it was so fun watching the kids decide what they wanted for toppings. Anthony got a little crazy with the toppings and Timothy was especially exited about the topping picking process. As for me, chocolate frozen yogurt with chopped up reeces, caramel sauce, and hot chocolate sauce, please! 


Thank you to everyone who sent me birthday wises and love! I truly appreciate it! You made this Mama smile. 

With love,
Mama Hauck

Monday, July 14, 2014

July Hauck Family Photos

It's been a while since we did our last family photos....since November! So it was definitely time. It always feels so good to get them done and add them to our memory bank. 

The family....


Papa with kiddos, Mama with kiddos.....


Just the kiddos....


Timothy.....


Molly.....


Anthony.....


Sammy and I.....


With love,
Mama Hauck