Mama Karen , i had some questions on mother & daughter relationships .. I see ur u have an amazing relationship with ur daughters . I would give anything to have that but my momma is a hard headed lady to get along with. Im 22 years young planning to have babies soon , I would hate to act the way with my kids the way mother does to me .. What advice do u have to cope with this ? If u have any or can relate .. Love karly


Karly,
If you don't have the type of relationship with your mom that you want, you can try to tell her how important it is to you and how you really feel, but you can't make her change. When it comes to parents, you get what you get. Not having the kind of relationship you desire with your mom has made you aware of how important it is to have a good mother daughter relationship and that has clearly inspired you to want to be a good mother. You are on the right track! Some mothers teach us what to do and others teach us what not to do. And yes, I can relate. I have very few photos from my youth. I would love to have photos of my many school activities. I don't have the photos, but I learned a valuable lesson.  My husband and I have thousands of photographs of the children and our family. I drove my son crazy with the camera in his face constantly. I didn't care, I just kept telling him, "one day you will thank me."  
You get what you get with parents but you create your own little family and give to them the things you longed for as a child. Learn your lessons and focus on the things you have control over and your cup will runneth over with love.
Love,
Mama Karen

Hi Mama Karen, When is it the "right time" to start having babies? I have been married for two years and feel like it's hard to know when you have enough money saved up or are far enough in your career and life to provide your child with the best you can. Thanks!


If you want to wait until you have enough money you must first quantify what "enough" is for your family. When my children were small we lived on a meager income. I cut corners without them knowing. I wrapped their birthday gifts with the comic section I saved from the Sunday newspaper. I clipped coupons from that same paper for groceries. I had more love than money to give them.  I've heard it said, if you wait until you can afford to have a baby, you never will.

Talk to your husband, honey. As long as you have a roof over your head and food in the pantry I bet the rest will work itself out. Having children has been the greatest blessing of my life. I wish the same for you.

Love,
Mama Karen

Hi Momma Karen!! I read your blogs daily. My question for you is....does true love see past looks? I have stretch marks and I just don't see why a guy would want a girl that has stretch marks regardless if they were a good woman on not.

 

Thank you for your question. I had forgotten I have stretch marks.

There’s your answer, honey;)

Have you ever had a fresh Angel Food Cake baked in you own oven? It tastes nothing like the kind you get at the grocery store. If you need a VERY easy but impressive dessert you can put your own twist on, then here’s our secret.

Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake Mix

It is divine. All you need is an Angel Food Cake pan, an electric mixer and water. Follow the directions on the box and you are in for a real treat. Even if you are not a big fan of Angel Food Cake, try this one. If you’d like to make a simple icing to drizzle over the top, just mix powdered sugar and little milk with a drop of almond extract and you have a FANCY Angel Food cake. You can even add food coloring to the icing to go with a theme, like pink or blue for a baby shower. Be sure to place the cake on a pretty serving dish or cake stand. It takes little effort and money to make a nice presentation. If you don’t have a cake stand, turn a heavy glass upside down and place a glass plate on top. Be creative! I think the little extra touches make ordinary things seem special and festive.

Another variation, serve it up with strawberries. Take a bunch of berries; remove the steams, wash and cut and mix with a little sweetener of your choice. Use a potato masher to smash them creating a little juice. Place the mashed berries in a cute little serving bowl with a spout or ladle and you are really fancy.

Stay tuned, more secrets and original recipes to come!

Love from my kitchen,
Mama Karen