Author: Katy Flint

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Thankful for Thinkovator

— Katy Flint2 Comments

It’s not quite been a year since I started blogging, but I can’t believe how far I’ve come. When I started this journey, I hadn’t really shared it with anyone close to me. I was worried about what they would think and worried that I was going to fail miserably, so no need to share. Thanks to the constant support and encouragement of my friends with the North Iowa Bloggers, I grew, shared, developed, etc. Recently, it became very clear to me that I needed to be self-hosted.

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R is 15!

— Katy Flint

I decided on M’s birthday back in March, that I would write a letter to each boy each year on their birthdays. You can read the letter to M here, but today is dedicated to R, who turns 15 today!!

Dear R,

You’re 15 today!  I’m still in denial about it and plan on staying there for the next several years!  It seems like the last 5 years have gone so fast!  (You were just 10 when we went camping together for the first time, do you remember that?)  I do, so very clearly!  You were so little!  Not so much anymore!  You’re my gentle giant now!  I don’t know if I’ve ever met a 15 year old boy (I know you’re not a boy anymore, but see the first sentence about denial) that is as gentle and quiet as you.  You’ve always been that way too (as long as I’ve known you anyway)!

Our relationship has been fantastic!  We’ve never really had any issues between you and I and it seems, in my opinion, that our relationship is a special one.  It’s not like the one you have with your mom (and that’s great) or even the one you have with dad…it’s just what’s perfect for you and me.  I cherish it, I hope you know that!  I cherish the times we spend together! I cherish the memories we have together and those times when we just get to talk and you tell me about whatever is going on in your life!  Those times hold the most meaning in my heart and always will! 

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Recipes

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

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I love breakfast foods! I love experimenting with breakfast foods. I love french toast. I love stuffed french toast! I know, that’s a lot of love, right? This past weekend I was feeling adventurous and wanted to try something new. I also had 4oz of cream cheese that needed to be used beucase the other half had been used in Easy Beef Enchiladas earlier in the week!  In my typical fashion, I don’t plan ahead, so I have to make due with what I have in the house!  Saturday morning was no different!  I wanted to use up the cream cheese and I desperately wanted stuffed french toast, but had no real “fresh fruit” in the house as I hadn’t gone grocery shopping yet.  The only fruit I had in the house was apples, so the wheels started turning.

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

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The Things We Do…

— Katy Flint4 Comments

As I type this I am sitting in a camper while it is raining outside. There is a pop up canopy over a fire while a brisket roasts in a cast iron pot. Sitting near the fire is T & M and Miss Nike. Is this my dream of how to spend Memorial Day weekend? Camping in the rain? Not so much! In fact, if wishes were fishes, I would be home on my couch watching a movie in my jammies!  But, we’ve got an11yo who LOVES for

Several games of Skip-Bo and a couple movies is how we spent our morning!
Several games of Skip-Bo and a couple movies is how we spent our morning!

camping, LIVES for this time of year and camping, so here we are…in the rain, smiling even though I’m so tired and want to go home!

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Recipes

Easy Shredded Beef Enchiladas

— Katy Flint6 Comments
Easy Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Did you know it’s Beef Month and so these Easy Shredded Beef Enchiladas fit perfectly!  We are lucky enough to be able to purchase our beef from friends, who are farmers! We purchase it a half at a time (which means we get a half of a cow processed at a local locker) and our favorite locker is Lewright Meats in Eagle Grove, IA!  This also means that we can have cuts of meats that we don’t eat as often as others!  Ground beef goes REALLY fast in our house, steaks are close behind.  Roasts…slowly bring up the tail end.

So, I’ve been hunting for recipes to use with roast beef.  Last month I introduced Shredded Beef Tostadas!  Well, I have good news and bad news The good is that  I thought they were fantastic and the shredded beef that I concocted was melt in your mouth good.  The bad news is that T thought the tostadas were too messy and hard to eat!  I thought to myself…how can I use this mexi-beef in another dish?  So, without further adieu…

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My True Feelings About Mother’s Day

— Katy Flint9 Comments

Can I tell you a secret? I hate Mother’s Day! I love honoring my mom, which I feel that I do throughout the year and of course do my best to make her feel extra special on Mother’s Day, but being a step-mom on Mother’s Day is hard!  This is one of those real times that choosing the path I have is very difficult and the feelings are very raw!

R & M have a mom who is very present in their life and she is a good one!  I will NEVER try to take that away from her!  However, I’d by lying if I didn’t say that it hurts to not be recognized on Mother’s Day for the things that I do to help support and better the boys’ lives as well as love them unconditionally.  I don’t blame anyone for this, I’m not angry with them, T, or anyone else.  It just sucks and there is no good solution.  We try very hard to be very respectful of the boys’ mom and so we don’t make a big deal out of this type of thing (until now…whoops!)  In fact, while I was driving R to his moms this morning, I said to him, “you know Sunday is Mother’s Day…you need to make sure to make your mom a card or something!”  I encourage their relationship and focus on that she is their mother!  However, I will admit that every once in a while, it would be nice if someone recognized me for what I do for the boys.

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To Child Athletes & Parents, Part 2

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This is the second post in a 2-part series. If you missed it, catch Dear Child Athletes HERE!

Dear Parents (of Child Athletes),

First, you won’t a more enthusiastic parent in the stands than myself!  I’m the biggest cheerleader there is for my boys and am not afraid of who sees or hears, so before you start thinking that I’m one of those parents who sits on their hands and is silent (ironically, that is T), think again!

These Are Kids – I know that you think you’re setting your kid up for the future, but remember…right now they are kids.  Let them be kids!  Let them have fun and play their sports.  Let them run and get dirty, let them play with their friends…don’t fill their schedules with endless teams and practices.  Make sure they have time to just be kids!!  Be positive and upbeat.  You can provide criticism and coaching and still be positive!  Don’t kill your kids’ spirits!  Remember, they are JUST wpid-1430873347595.jpgKIDS!

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