I get the comment often “I don’t know how you do it all!”  Well, let’s be totally honest – I don’t – at least not “all” and rarely do I get to the “most” level.  I am a mom of 2 beautiful boys ages almost 5 and a 6 year old.  They are just over 12 months apart.  Because they hear me say on a daily basis “I wish I were an octopus!” Jace now tells me at least once a day  “Mom, I wish you were an octopus” – and so the story goes.

I am a wife, a mother, a business owner, a woman in her 40’s dealing with things that all 40+ year olds have to deal with.  I have friends and family – and on a daily basis…. I CHOOSE MY BATTLES.  Although it is mostly a saying, every day I need to choose what I need to spend my energy and efforts on – and anything that requires work I label my battles.  Really it’s not because any one thing is bad, and I guess a more appropriate word would choosing my tasks… but with two ninja children around me BATTLES sounds much more exciting – doesn’t it?

~I work every day.  I say I take Mondays off… but honestly – I don’t.

~I love my children every day.  But honestly… sometimes they drive me up the wall (ok, every day at least once a day).

~My house is a series of piles – then I straighten up the piles and then they grow back.

~I am thankful for my Facebook friends, because with having little or no time to “live” outside my routine at this stage in my life. It allows me the “catch up” if only for a “like” or a quick message… at least we know we are thinking of each other.

~I DREAM HUGE.  While I wish to accomplish everything I set my mind to.  I don’t.  But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming because that is the part that is the most fun anyway.

~I’m about as imperfect as they come.  With life & family… most days I am a firefighter. I have to deal with the most pressing thing or the hottest “fire” on my list.

In my life.  200% effort means I get 80% positive results, and that’s still above a C average on the report card in my head – and that has to be good enough.

It’s an exhausting life.  It is a life filled with anxiety and stress.  It is a life filled with high-highs and low lows.

MOST IMPORTANTLY.  I never get bored, and I have an exciting and event-filled life.  So I claim a successful life.  Besides… when I fight to get my kids to bed at night, and I wake up in the morning to hugs and kisses – It it the best part of my day.  And so the cycle starts over every day going faster and faster.

So this is a sneak peek at Karen’s creations for our project coming soon!  Check out the details on our Happy Camera Monsters 1.0 .  But we are so excited to get these into some happy hands and make some smiling faces!!!

Jalapeños seem to taste good in just about anything.  It’s the little bit of hot that can make a ho-hum dish or snack just explode with flavor.   And well… cheese just makes anything taste good in my opinion.  Poppers are just an amazing snack for game days or a side dish to a main meal.  Now… add sweet potato to this… and I am in LOVE.

2 Large sweet potatoes peeled, cut into thirds – boiled and mashed lightly with a fork (keep them a little chunky)

8 Jalapeños cut in half from stem to tip

1 tsp. black pepper, fresh ground

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

4 oz of Mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup of crumbled Queso Fresco

1/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cut jalapeños in half from stem to tip and gut them with a grapefruit spoon.  Place them on a cookie sheet.

Mix mashed sweet potatoes with black pepper, garlic salt and Mascarpone cheese.

Fill jalapeño halves with the sweet potato mixture.

Take broken off chunks of Queso Fresco cheese and push into each jalapeño and then sprinkle the tops with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Pop them in a 400 degree oven for approximately 7-10 minutes. or until the cheddar cheese is melted and slightly golden.

If you have some guests that want a little extra pop of “HOT” then take one Serrano pepper and cut into thin slices and place one fresh piece on the top of each popper!