crystal chapman

How to Survive the 2019 Government Shutdown

June 1, 2019 By crystal chapman Leave a Comment

Another Shutdown….Now What?

Yep, it appears as if this is becoming something we as governmental employees and families can count on. Seeing as this is the longest shutdown on record (with no current end in sight), let’s talk about How to Survive the 2019 Government Shutdown. Regardless of your political views, we’re all at a point where times are tight financially. The average American family lives paycheck to paycheck, and the burden of a governmental shutdown without savings on hand is scary and overwhelming. It’s 100% out of our control when it’ll all open back up and we’ll return to receiving those hard earned paychecks, so let’s control what we can in the meantime.

It’s time to save where you can, cut any costs that are pure luxuries at this time, consider selling household items you’ve been holding onto for far too long, and maybe even pick up a side job.

Ways to Save Money

1. Reevaluate monthly subscriptions –

While this might seem silly, those $9.99 payments begin to add up! What was once a way to unchain ourselves from the cable company has turned into spending almost as much monthly between all of the providers. Maybe one or two of those can go, or at least for the time being.

2. Ditch the Restaurants –

One surefire way to hold onto your money is to limit your eating out….if not remove it completely until the government shutdown is over. Pack lunches for work, bring your own coffee from home, and get busy making dinner!

3. Meal Plan –

Start with taking a full inventory of your pantry, cabinets and freezer. You’ll want to build your meal plan around what you already have in order to stretch that money as far as you can. You’ll be surprised what full meals you can pull together with minimal ingredients needed from the store.

Try to think of meals you like to make that blend into others, and use your leftovers for that! And don’t forget to add in a leftover night. This will help you on having to cook that night, as well as needing to budget out for another meal. Try out my Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Meatball Subs, General Tao Chicken dinner recipes for some ideas! One of my favorite meal planning resources is Once A Month Meals. They have a monthly service available but I prefer to use their free recipes instead.

4. Free Family Fun –

Search your local Facebook pages and community newsletters. Things are constantly going on in your community, you just have to look! The library is a great place to start! Search ‘things to do in …..’ and you’ll be amazed at what pops up!

5. Have a Sale –

You know that ever growing list of things you plan to sell…well now’s the time! Declutter your life and earn a few bucks while you’re at it. Some easy to sell items are furniture, kids items like clothing, baby gear and toys, and things of the like.

6. A Side Hustle –

Do you have any skills you can earn a few bucks with right now? Maybe you fix things, repurpose furniture, dabble in photography, or make hair accessories for little girls? Other great areas for fast (and relatively easy) cash are babysitting, delivering pizzas if that’s a thing in your area, dog walking, etc. The options really are limitless, you simply have to decide what you are willing to do. Have you ever thought about starting your own gig but haven’t quite had the courage? Well there’s no time like the present!

7. Pay Your Priorities –

In the words of Dave Ramsey, you take care of your 4 walls first. Those are house, food, utilities and vehicle. If you’re stressing about credit card payments, let them sit until payday arrives. They are NOT your core priorities and they will be waiting for you when this is all over. I promise.

It’s Up to You

As much as we all need our hard earned checks from our “stable and safe” government jobs, this is all up to us individually. Nobody is going to ride in on that white horse to save you or me, we have to do it ourselves and for our families. As frustrating as all of this is, it will end and the government shutdown will be over…until next time. So take a breath knowing this is all for the temporary. Do what you can while we’re in the thick of all of this and bust your butt to make ends meet. It will end, and when it does, build your emergency savings up. We can’t avoid this because it’s beyond our control but we can control how badly it hits the next time a government shutdown strikes.

How to Set and Achieve a Goal The SMART Way

December 27, 2018 By crystal chapman 1 Comment

Why is it Important to Set a Goal?

Much of our lives begins with a dream. A dream to have a more financially free life, a dream to be able to spend time how you’d prefer and not how you have to, a dream to own your own business or become a master at a skill you love. The limiting factor behind a dream is yourself. Do you believe enough in yourself to pursue it and have the grit necessary to continue pushing for it? Do you have a goal with a map to get you there? Often times, it’s the lack of a concrete goal with an action plan to get there that holds people up.

A goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time sensitive – it’s a SMART goal! Let’s dive into how to set and achieve a goal the smart way so you an dominate your goal and reach your dream!

Steps to Setting a Goal

1. Specific – What do you want to achieve? Get really specific by not setting an open-ended goal.

2. Measurable – Break your goal down into daily, weekly or monthly steps.

3. Achievable – Is your goal one that’s realistic and achievable? You’ll determine a time-frame in step 5 and that will help tremendously with setting yourself up for success.

4. Relevant – Your goal needs to fit a need in your needs because adding something new to your plate when already pulled thin won’t serve you well. If you’re at capacity with your time, maybe adding the goal of a new hobby into your life isn’t well timed.

5. Time Sensitive – When are you going to achieve this goal? Set a timeline for your goal to be completed so you can have that finish line to work towards.

What Does a SMART Goal Look Like?

Goal – I want to increase my sales this year.

SMART Goal – I want to double my current monthly sales goal this year by reaching $2,000 in sales each month by the end of the first quarter. In order to hit my goal, I will need to sell 5 additional items each week (20 in a month), which I will do by adding two additional income producing activities each week, as well as being more active in my community group.

Goal – I want to lose weight

SMART Goal – I want to lose 50 pounds by the end of four months. I will need to average slightly more than 3 pounds in a single week in order to achieve this goal. I will accomplish this by meal planning, limiting my snacking to fresh vegetables, walking during my two breaks at work, and doing a Zumba class five times at week.

What’s Your Goal?

Be sure to comment below with your goal because I can’t wait to hear what you decide to work on this year!! It might be the beginning of a new year right now but goals aren’t limited to starting only then. You can be successful regardless of when you set your goal if you are mindful of exactly what it’ll take to accomplish it. Make it specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-sensitive, and you’re sure to be successful! If you don’t reach your goal before the end of your time-frame, reevaluate to see where you went wrong or what could have been done differently, and set a new goal with that information!

If you enjoyed this post, take a look at my 8 Must Have New Year’s Goals and see if any of those ideas speak to you!

8 Must Have New Year’s Goals

December 26, 2018 By crystal chapman 2 Comments

A New Year is Upon Us!

As with any new year, it’s always accompanied with the want to improve areas within our lives. I encourage you to select a goal to strive for within each category. Keep in mind that these do not have to be massive undertakings that are life changing, they are small but mighty. Let’s get started on the 8 Must Have New Year’s Goals to help you start the New Year on the right foot.

Goal setting plays such a big role in helping us push to do better and achieve our dreams. The first step in achieving a dream is to write it down and create a goal. Let’s get to crushing some goals this year!

8 Must Have New Year’s Goals

1. Intellectual

How are you going to challenge yourself this coming year? Are you going to read a book a month? Maybe you’ll learn a new skill or hobby. Whatever it is, you need to challenge your brain.

2. Physical

A common New Year’s goal is weight loss. A physical goal is so much more than that though! You can focus on being more active by getting out for a 30 minute walk five times a week, achieving that advanced yoga pose, successfully completing a marathon, etc. A physical goal is one that challenges you exactly where you are and helps you get to where you want to be.

3. Spiritual

A spiritual goal is so much more than religion, so be open-minded! Sure, this might be where you strive to get to church every week, but it might not be! Meditation and taking time for self-reflection are also great goals to have within this category! Maybe your bucket is filled by giving back to others and you’ll choose to volunteer a certain amount of your time! Be creative!

4. Family

This is a wonderful goal to have! We get so caught up in the day to day and rushing to each requirement that before we know it, the month is over…or maybe even the year. Will your goal be to eat dinner at the table 4 days a week, schedule in time away with your partner, mommy/daddy dates with your child individually, or even lessening the amount of extracurricular activities you say yes to. It’s okay to say no, especially if it means your family is served best!

5. Social

For the most part, we are social beings but those daily responsibilities push our wants to the side. Who are you going to prioritize seeing or talking? Or maybe you say yes too much and feel burned out with so much social stimulation. Determine your limits if that’s the case and be okay with them!

6. Career

While work isn’t everything, it plays a huge role in our lives. Are you wanting to push for a certain promotion? Maybe you’re burned out from your current job and want to begin looking for a new income opportunity? Or dare I suggest it’s time to ask for a well deserved raise? If so, it’s time to ask!

7. Financial

Are you wanting to get out of debt this year? Save for a big purchase? Start your retirement or child’s college fund? Set your goal and work backwards – what will it take to achieve that goal and does it align with your current career? While these are all independent goal categories, they all spill into the other!

8. Personal

Taking time for yourself is vital. We spend so much giving that we often find our own buckets empty and it’s impossible to give from an empty bucket. Is this the year your prioritize taking time for yourself even if it’s only an afternoon a month? Heck, a good bubble bath with some music or audible book is just as rejuvenating for some!

Are Your New Year’s Goals Ready?

I’m excited to hear how you’ll be catapulting yourself into success with this list of 8 Must Have New Year’s Goals! Comment below and share what you’ll be focusing on!

If you enjoyed this post, How to Set and Achieve a Goal the SMART Way is another post about goal setting and setting yourself up for success!

Yummy Gluten Free Appetizers

December 21, 2018 By crystal chapman Leave a Comment

Yummy Gluten Free Appetizer Recipes

Yummy gluten free appetizers aren’t exactly known to be a thing. I don’t know about you, but one common issue I’ve found in my 11+ years of being gluten free is that almost every single appetizer is usually not gluten free. You might as well forget about ordering one in a restaurant as well. But fear not, times are changing, and here are some yummy gluten free appetizers for you to try!!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, gluten free can be delicious! As it should be!

Gluten Free Jalapeño Poppers

If you’re like me, you miss this spicy and sweet appetizer. Most jalapeno poppers you’ll find at a restaurant are deep fried, which also means they aren’t likely gluten free! This delicious twist is not only healthier, it’s also one of the best recipes jalapeño popper recipes I’ve ever had! My husband stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago and it is a staple appetizer we will bring to any event because of how well loved it is!

Ingredients Needed

25 jalapeno peppers
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 lb bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Click HERE to see the full recipe.

Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks

Gluten free mozzarella sticks…you know that illusive item you will pretty much NEVER see on a menu while eating out. These are stringy, crunchy and full of flavor. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure a gluten free version out for mozzarella sticks. Years of missed opportunity. LOL

Ingredients Needed

1 16 oz bag of mozzarella sticks
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups Ian’s Gluten Free Italian Breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2/3 cups gluten free flour – My favorite is Namaste Gluten Free Flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 qt oil for deep frying

Click HERE to see the full recipe.

Marinara Sauce

If you’re already making a killer homemade mozzarella stick appetizer, you might as well go all out with this easy marinara sauce to add the finishing touch! You can also use this as an amazing marinara prep for all red sauce recipes you have! I use it for meatball subs and it’s SO good! Another yummy option is to start your homemade spaghetti sauce with this base. I prefer to add a bunch more garlic when using it for my simmer all day long spaghetti recipe!

Ingredients Needed

3 Tbsp olive oil
5-6 cloves fresh minced garlic (or more to taste…I like a lot of garlic and usually use more)
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, or 1 1/4 tsp dried basil
3 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, use dried if not available
Pepper to taste

Click HERE to see the full recipe.

Gluten Free Onion Rings

I’m talking real and yummy and crunchy with a soft and gooey onion center! Seriously! These are magical! My husband wasn’t sure this was a recipe worth trying but he was incredibly wrong! And he actually admitted that. Ha!

Ingredients Needed

1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup gluten free Namaste Flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup Ian’s Gluten Free Italian Breadcrumbs
1 qt of oil for frying

Click HERE to see the full recipe.

Which Are You Planning to Try First?

If you’re on the fence, I suggest a having an evening in watching movies and having these yummy gluten free appetizers for dinner! Haha!! That’s actually how we chose to celebrate Christmas last year since we’re a small family of 4. No need to spend countless hours making a dinner when all I want to do is relax with my family as well, and it was such fun! It’s going to become a yearly tradition for us!

Regardless of how big or small your plans are, these yummy gluten free appetizer recipes are sure to please your guests. Let us know how you plan to use these fabulous recipes and what you think of them! Do you have a well loved and tremendously missed appetizer? I’m always up for finding that perfect recipe and tweaking it to be JUST RIGHT, so be sure to comment!!

Don’t forget to subscribe to Sass Not Optional if you enjoyed these recipes! You’ll also find other wonderful gluten free recipes, such as Gluten Free Unicorn Cheesecake, Gluten Free Brownies, Gluten Free Sugar Cookies, Gluten Free Monster Cookies, and more! Can you tell I like my snack foods? Haha!!

Gluten Free Stuffed Jalapeños

December 14, 2018 By crystal chapman 1 Comment

Sweet and Spicy Deliciousness!

Gone are the days where you’re left missing the delicious taste of a stuffed jalapeños. While this isn’t a deep fried version, this is even more delicious, in my opinion! I found this ah-mazing recipe on Taste of Home a few years back and I can’t even count the amount of times we’ve made it! It’s an easy crowd pleaser and always the first snack gone when sharing with friends. Let’s get to the details of how to make these delicious gluten free stuffed jalapeños!

What You’ll Need

25 jalapenos peppers
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 lb bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Directions

1. Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Set the peppers aside.

2. In a small bowl, beat in the cream cheese, feta cheese and syrup until smooth. Add jalapeño seeds into the mix if you want to add a little extra kick to this recipe. We usually add the seeds equivalent to 3-5 peppers. We like spicy around here.

3. Place on an aluminum foiled baking pan. Top with bacon and sprinkle with brown sugar.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase cooking time to 30-40 minutes if you want a medium or mild taste.

Tell Us What You Think!

If you love stuffed jalapeños, let us know what you think of this recipe! As much as I love experimenting with classic recipes and making modifications to turn the gluten free, it’s my favorite when I don’t have to do anything at all! Between Taste of Home and All Recipes, I couldn’t tell you where I’ve gotten the majority of our favorite or staple recipes!

If you love appetizers like we do, be sure to take a look at Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks and Marinara Sauce, and Gluten Free Onion Rings!

6 Reasons Why You Should Put Your Child into Sports

November 7, 2018 By crystal chapman 3 Comments

Your Children Need Sports

It’s an endless list when it comes to why sports are important for children, and I’m going to outline 6 reasons why you should put your child into sports.

1. Healthy Habits

It’s no secret, we are at a time in our society in which physical activity is at an all-time low for children. Unfortunately, it’s also a standard across all age groups, but it doesn’t have to be! Being on an organized team instills an early love and appreciation for physical activity. What a life skill to have so early in life!

2. Confidence

Our tiny people are learning about who they are, how to navigate in this world and find their voice. There’s something about an organized sport to help pull confidence out of a child, and confidence is something your child will carry with them their entire life. It allows them to realize their capabilities on their own and grow into who they’re going to be. The adolescent years are challenging. Building up their confidence before peer pressure starts to become an issue will help soften those obstacles, and the sting of rejection. When you’re child is confident in who they are and what they believe, they are less apt to experience bullying.

3. Respect

A lot can be said about the amount of respect learned through being on a team. There are coaches, teammates, rival teams and referees/umpires. Having respect for others doesn’t mean you fold whenever someone of a ranking balks orders at you, but it does mean there are times when you simply listen. An early introduction will teach your child there is a time and a place for everything, and sometimes they won’t like what they’re told, but that’s life.

4. Responsibility

Being a member of a team means others rely on you because you have a role to play and a position to fill. Certain tasks need to be accomplished or else you will let your team down – talk about pressure to perform! To clarify, I’m not talking about needing to be an amazing athlete in order to learn responsibility. What I’m talking about is showing up. This is about knowing the importance of showing up and doing your best regardless of how difficult times get. That’s a standard life skill every person needs to have. Life will get hard and times will be tough, but that doesn’t matter because it won’t change anything unless you choose to show up and do your best to improve the situation.

5. Pride

There isn’t a much better feeling than seeing your hard work pay off, and a solid competition that makes you grit your teeth and do your best will do just that. As wonderful as it is to win, pride is there regardless because you know you gave it your best. Pride is there when you are the one to score a goal, or assist someone else in doing so. Those small victories your child will experience on the field will reinforce why they work hard and help them appreciate their achievements. It feels good to be good at something. It’s motivating to know hard work does eventually payoff!

6. How to Lose but Not Quit

Things have changed since I was a child. Nowadays, everyone gets a trophy at the end of a season, and some teams don’t even keep score. But the fact of the matter is you will have times when you win and lose in life. Just because you’re better than most at a skill doesn’t mean someone else isn’t better than you. We’re doing a disservice to our children by allowing them to think everything in life is fair because it’s not. They won’t always be a winner – they need to lose and learn how to do so gracefully. Being on a team allows for the opportunity to experience winning and losing, both of which are equally of value.

Let Them Play

I encourage you to get your child enrolled in an organized sport. You will notice a difference in your child pretty quickly and it’s a difference they’ll thank you for later in life. Organized sports not only get your child moving and enjoying physical activity, but it teaches them about who they are and what they like. Empower your child with the opportunity to navigate their way through these life skills without you to lean on. As much as we want to be the ones that teach our children everything, there are things we need to let them learn on their own or experience from others.

Top 5 Essential Oil Blends For The Cold and Flu Season

October 13, 2018 By crystal chapman Leave a Comment

Cold Season Has Arrived

Ugh, cold season…it’s back. It’s October and children have been back in school for at least a month now. We all know what that means, we’re rapidly approaching prime cold season because kids love to share. Through my experience of using essential oils, these are some of my most tried and true essential oil recipes. In hopes of saving your home from that dreaded first sniffle or being taken down with the plague, I’m going to share some of my favorite essential oil blends.

In my opinion, these are the top 5 essential oil blends for the cold and flu season.

Simple Morning Blend

The Simple Morning Blend will help energize and get your immune system ready for battle. It’s perfect to diffuse as you’re getting ready for your day!

Immunity Bomb

The Immunity Bomb is a great essential oil blend to use as a preventative measure. It also helps battle cold symptoms. You can roll this blend on the bottom of your feet nightly for preventative care. I like to use this oil blend in the same manner every 2 hours when trying to combat a cold.

Immunity Stimulator

To help stimulate your immune system into action, diffuse the immunity stimulator when you get home from school or work.

Breathe Easy

Feeling a little congested or like it’s a little tighter to breathe? Breathe Easy will open things right up for you.

Nighttime Diffuser Blend

To help give your immune system a boost while you sleep, diffuse the Nighttime Diffuser Blend at bedtime.

Ready To Take On Cold and Flu Season?

I hope you’re feeling better equipped for cold and flu season! If you want to learn more, join me over in a group I love to hang out in! Tiffany is an excellent source of oil information, and you can find her at The School of Aroma Ace on Facebook. Do you have a favorite essential oil blend for the cold and flu season? I’d love for you to join our community, Sass Not Optional – Featuring Paisley Raye, and share your personal favorites as well!!

*I am not a medical provider and you should always consult with your healthcare provider with any questions.

9/11: A Day Remembered

September 11, 2018 By crystal chapman Leave a Comment

A Day in History

Today is such a vivid day in my memory, as I’m sure it is for all of you. I remember where I was, what I was doing, and that I pretty much cried all day. We watched the second tower get hit live on television while in global history class. I remember that frantic feeling among teachers and students, as we all very quietly exited school. It’s as if we were all in a trance. A trance caused by shock, pain, horror and fear to name a few. I remember watching the news all day long from my cousin’s home because I was babysitting their baby girl. I sat and rocked her, and cried. What was happening and what did it mean for our future?

Now that I am a parent, I often wonder what kind of world did I bring my children into? My son entered kindergarten a few weeks ago – will they talk to his class about the significance of this day? As much as we work hard to not shelter our children, is he too young to hear this? Will learning about this very significant day in our history take away some of his innocence?

Thousands went to bed on the eve of 9/11 and finished the day with their lives forever changed.

A United Front

My sister told me a story recently that’s been sticking with me. She witnessed a 3 car accident and barely missed being the 4th vehicle involved. She was on a multi-lane highway on her way home from her nursing job, and in the pouring rain, she ran across the highway to take care of those in need. She’s both an RN and prior soldier. She needed to stay, right? She was obligated to…but was she really? No, she wasn’t. She could have thanked her lucky stars, called the paramedics and left, but instead she crossed the highway and risked her safety to help others. She did what needed to be done and didn’t question it. THAT’S what us Americans are about. THAT’S what we all saw when we were attacked. We were united.

Selfless individuals – military and civilian – are what make this country of ours so great. We take for granted so much in our lives and it’s a shame, but we’re all so very human. It’s insane to think this was so long ago that children are learning about this in books and will never know or feel what that was like. As horrible and terrifying 9/11 was, it was so very uniting.

A Patriotic Response

I remember enlisting in the Army Reserves that following summer and sworn in as a junior in high school on 7/1/2002. It’s kind of unbelievable to think I made such a big decision at only 17, but it was what I wanted to do. I remember at basic training, we were asked to say WHY we chose to enlist and the amount of people that stood and said “because of 9/11” probably encompassed the majority of the room. While I never served overseas and my time was served as a Reservist, I’m still honored to have served. I don’t often share I served because I was “just a reservist” but I am still proud of what I accomplished. I know I learned skills, life lessons and things about ME I may never have learned – especially at that early of an age in life.

Some of my greatest friends are fellow soldiers, both reservists and active duty, and across all branches. There’s a unity there regardless of where you fall in that group and it’s pretty amazing. My father, brother in law and best friend are among some that served overseas. It’s insane to think my brother in law and best friend wouldn’t be in my life had it not been for the military.

We are American

So with that, I’d like for you all to maybe take a step back and reflect on where you were. For those of us old enough to remember when the attack occurred, it’s impossible not to remember. On this day in 2018, it’s hard to believe this hateful and horrible nightmare took place 17 years ago on 9/11. History books are now printed with stories from 9/11 to educate those too young or not born yet to learn about.

We are American and will always find a way to come together in a time of crisis and need, and we will always rise above the occasion. But I do wish it didn’t take tragedy to see that American front so clearly. Be the change. Help someone today. Go out of your way to be kind. Thank a soldier, a family member of a soldier, law enforcement officer or first responder. And please be one to stop the next time you see someone in need.

Family Rule: We Take Care of Each Other

August 8, 2018 By crystal chapman 3 Comments

A Family Rule

I work hard to teach my children to be kind and to take care of one another. It’s our number one family rule. They are almost 4 and 6, and know it’s their job to always make sure the other is okay. We take care of each other because that’s what family does. But it goes further than that. If you see someone hurt, you always run for help. You don’t ask questions, you don’t worry about who it is, you just run and get help, because that’s what we do.

It’s important to instill this value into children young because they are our future, and we need to be teaching kindness and compassion. Our world isn’t always pretty and to see a change, you need to be part of the change. Things like using manners, holding doors and being aware enough to include others are seeming like a lost art. Our children deserve to see those things role modeled for them. After all, when you know better, you do better. And my goal is for my children to always do better.

And Then it Happened

Earlier this week, I was at a vendor event with my two children that took place outdoors and backed up against a fenced in school playground – glorious, right? Before sending them off to play, I said “Xavier, take care of your sister. Scarlett, take care of your brother. Go have fun!”

It was amazing. The sun was shining and I was able to do my thing while knowing my children were safe and having fun….until I heard that dreaded sound of my daughter screaming. I wasn’t even looking and couldn’t see who the child was, but I knew. I knew that was the sound of my child, and more specifically, I knew it was my daughter. As I started to run, I saw my son racing towards me. I didn’t stop to ask what happened, I just ran by him. But it didn’t matter because he followed our family rule and all I needed to see was him running towards me to solidify something was wrong.

My baby girl’s knee was stuck in between two metal bars and I couldn’t get it out. Just as I started to panic because her screams were only getting louder and she was crying hysterically, I noticed there were at least 4 other adults that instinctively followed behind me the second they saw me start to run. The instant relief I felt when I saw others were there to help without me having to ask is indescribable. Thankfully, a man was able to pull on the metal bar just enough for me to pull her knee out and she wasn’t seriously injured. I am so thankful I wasn’t alone because I don’t know how I would have done it.

A Heartfelt Lesson Learned

I cannot begin to count the number of times I’ve ran to help someone else. Because that’s what we do. It’s what I was taught and what my husband was taught. You always help. But thankfully, I’ve never been in need of being on the receiving end of that help. Our society is fast and ever moving. We’re always late and have forty things left on our to-do list, and sometimes manners and small courtesies are left by the wayside. But you know what? When it matters and someone is in need, those same people will move and help.

If I learned anything from this experience, it’s that we are never alone. It might feel like you’re surrounded by people with zero manners or awareness to those around them, but people are good, and they will help when you need it. I learned far more homes teach these same values to their children and if we look beyond the news, you’ll see the good outweighs the bad.

To the man (Davy) that rescued my daughter – thank you again. But also thank you for proving this isn’t a life lesson that’s only being taught in my home. Thank you for showing your growing family that you always have compassion for others and you run for help when someone is in need. After my daughter had calmed, we walked over to the man to thank him. His response was “when you see a mama running, you follow her and don’t ask questions.” It’s not just mama’s thought. It goes further than that. If you see someone hurt, you always run for help. You don’t ask questions, you don’t worry about who it is, you just run for help, because that’s what we do.

Do You Have Family Rules?

I’d love to hear what your family rules are! Every opportunity to learn how others do things is a learning opportunity, and I enjoy bringing new thoughts to our home. Please comment here or hop on over to my Facebook community and share your thoughts! If you’d like to learn more about our new friends, you can find Davy and his wife, Toi at Fittastic Bodies.

Gluten Free Homestyle Onion Rings

August 1, 2018 By crystal chapman Leave a Comment

Gluten Free Homestyle Onion Rings

Yes, you read that right – you’re going to attempt the most amazing gluten free homestyle onion ring recipe ever! It’s not often I feel as if I’m going without by being gluten free because there are countless options wherever I go, but I notice it when I look at the appetizer section at a restaurant! It only took me 10 years to find the right recipe for me to adapt in the ways best suited for the gluten free route. We all know it’s not as easy as changing up the flour, more goes into it than that, and here’s the fruit of my labor! Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup gluten free Namaste Flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup Ian’s Gluten Free Italian Breadcrumbs
1 qt of oil for frying

Directions

1. Heat oil in a fryer or dutch oven to 365 degrees F. Next, setup your work station by placing wire racks on top of baking sheets to minimize mess.

2. Separate the onion slices into rings and set aside.

3. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

4. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until all are coated, then set aside.

5. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour together.

6. Dip the flour rings into the batter to coat, then place on the wire racks so the batter can drain until it stops dripping.

7. Spread the Ian’s Breadcrumbs on a plate and coat onion rings one by one. Tap the onion rings so the excess breadcrumbs fall off, and the onion ring should be well coated. Repeat with remaining rings until all are coated.

8. Deep fry the rings for 2-3 minutes at a time, or until golden brown. Remove the paper towels to drain.

So What Do You Think?

Are you excited to make these? Just typing out this blog post has me wanting to plan an appetizer night for dinner this week! Don’t forget to take a look at the other recipes I have up on this blog, such as mozzarella sticks, buffalo chicken dip, general tao chicken, sugar cookies, unicorn cheesecake, and more!

Don’t forget to hop on over to my Facebook community because I’d love to see your pretty face!