Ordinary Dreams Are Big Enough For Me

I’m driving to Maryland with my sister over the holiday and she’s controlling the radio, picking episodes of her favorite podcasts for us to listen to. At the moment it's The Moth – people are telling stories, most ending with some take-away or lesson, and this particular story’s moral is “Have a big dream.”

I think about that. A Big Dream. It feels like I’ve heard this so many times in the past couple of years – the importance of dreaming big. Know what your end game is. Think big. Plan how to get there. Maybe this mantra is embedded in our culture, part of the American Dream. Or maybe it is just a message that makes my ears prick up.

So what is my Big Dream? I think and I think, this Sunday afternoon in the car, but all that I can think of is my two boys back at home. Being mom to those two boys, that is my dream.

It’s simple. It’s small. Not small as in “unimportant.” Small as in everyday. Ordinary. On the surface, there is nothing Big about this dream.

I wonder, Why must dreams be Big to matter? Don’t Everyday Dreams merit attention too? Do we cheat ourselves by not realizing that?

MLK Day 2015: 3 Strategies for Raising Racially Sensitive Kids {Video}

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, I decided my next video tip would tackle the topic of raising racially sensitive kid. I knew I could only scratch the surface in a short video - which I had to edit a lot to keep under 5 minutes - but I went for it anyway.

Below the video you'll find some questions you can ask yourself to gauge where YOU are with the 3 strategies I'll talk about in the video, as well as some resources that can help you out. And if you would rather read about this stuff, check out the post I wrote for BonBon Break on this very same topic. (But then come back and check out the questions and resources below!)



And now...

QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK YOURSELF

Delicious Dijon-Ginger Salmon

For as long as I've known him, my husband didn't do fish. Shrimp, yes. Scallops, sure. Lobster, of course. But beyond shellfish, he had a strict no-fish policy, which meant that for the past 15 years the only time I got to eat fish was when we went out to eat or I visited family. 

That is, until a few months ago. 

I first tasted this Dijon-ginger salmon at my sister's and it was so delicious I really wanted to give it a try at home. I had a hunch that the unique flavors of whole grain mustard, Dijon, and ginger would override Hubby's aversion to fish. And since Hubby and I have been trying to make salads and shellfish a more regular part of our dinner rotation, the timing was right - I appealed to his health-fanatic conscious side and convinced him to try this dish. Just once.

You guys, he loved it! This one dish totally turned the tide for fish in our family. It opened the door to start trying other salmon recipes and my husband even comes home with salmon now when he grocery shops. The guy who thought he hated fish now initiates fish dinners! All thanks to this recipe.

Chore Charts Made Easier With A Simple Twist

While I am resolving to do LESS in 2015, I'm love trying new things and I have a couple of fun ideas I want to give a try. Hopefully you'll enjoy these new aspects to Musing Momma, too!

The first new feature is a monthly-(ish) newsletter. I'm sending the first issue this week (hooray!). In the newsletter you'll get my latest posts all in one place and a few old favorites as well. There is a place to sign up on the blog and I promise I won't share your email address with the world or spam your inbox with 10 emails a week. I hope you'll give me the honor of sharing a little corner of your inbox!

The second thing I'm giving a try is video. Yes - video. Eek!!! Do I have lettuce in my teeth? Is my hair okay? My vision is to create brief (2-5 minute) videos that share practical parenting tips and strategies. The videos will be on my YouTube channel (I'm not sure how, but apparently I have one!) and I'll also share them here.

So let's kick it off! In this first video I share how we overcame our "chore chart challenges" with one simple change.

Baked Shredded Beef Chimichangas

As long as I can remember, my go-to meal at Mexican restaurants has been chimichangas. Oh, that fried, crispy goodness! Pair it with a margarita (on the rocks, with salt, pleeeease) and I am in heaven. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Excuse me while I wander off to the nearest cantina....

While I love cooking Tex-Mex dishes at home - quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos - I had never tried chimichangas. As a general rule we steer clear of cooking fried dishes, so they were off the table.  Or so I thought. Then I came across a recipe for baked chicken chimichangas which I tried immediately and they were so good, you guys! I made them about a bazillion times this fall.

Over the holidays my dad and stepmom came to visit. My dad loves chimichangas too - it must be in our DNA. But since he prefers beef filling to chicken, I decided to play with the recipe a bit and see what I could come up with. The filling was initially a little bland, so we all started throwing things in the pot to spice it up. My stepmom and sister declared the end result better than restaurant chimichangas. This recipe is a keeper!