Sweet And Salty Ice Cream Brownies

Last night we met for our Little Blessings group.  We had such a fun time!

Because of the high temperatures, I decided to bring a COLD dessert to share.  I didn't really have a go-to recipe to use but decided to rely on my hormonal cravings and threw this brownie dessert together.

In my head, these were going to taste AMAZING!  I have to say my mouth did agree - and the other ladies agreed as well. :)  

So I thought I would share the recipe for this cool treat during these hot days.  Enjoy!

 Sweet and Salty Ice Cream Brownies

1 box Betty Crocker Fudge brownie mix (plus water, oil, and eggs required to bake them)
1.5 quart vanilla ice cream
crushed pretzels (about 2 cups)
chocolate chips (1 cup)
caramel ice cream topping (about 1/2 jar)

*Bake brownies according to the mix directions in a 9x13 pan.  I slightly undercooked mine so they would be softer.
*Cool brownies completely.
*Soften ice cream for a few minutes on the counter.  Spread ice cream evenly over brownies.
*Top with crushed pretzels, chocolate chips, and drizzle caramel topping over the top.  You could use as much or as little as you desire.  The above amounts were about what I used.
*Cover the pan and put back in the freezer.  Freeze for a couple of hours to harden.

serves 12

Yum!

Take Our Poll!

As we begin to plan future events and activities for Nurture, please take our poll on the left and let us know how Nurture can help you as a mom!  You may select more than one answer.

If there are other ideas you have, please always feel free to leave a comment to this post or email us at nurturewfa(at)hotmail(dot)com.

We appreciate your feedback!

Family-Friendly Fun - Freedom Fest 2012

Are you looking for some family-friendly fun this weekend?

New Life Assembly of God church in Janesville (2416 N Wright Rd) 

is hosting Freedom Fest this Saturday, June 30. 

The gates open at 11:00 am. 

 Everything is FREE except for food and souvenirs. You can also bring in your own food, if you'd like.

I checked out their website (http://freedomfestnewlife.com/) for more information:

"We are excited for our eleventh year of Freedom Fest at New Life Assembly of God. As always, Freedom Fest exists as a Christ-centered, family-friendly, alcohol-free, community event that is meant to bring glory to God and give honor to our country and those who serve and have served it.

RIDES

Each year, we continue to offer a number of rides available to children of all ages. Our mechanical rides may be reserved for the older children, but we offer a number of inflatable rides for the younger ones, too!

There’s no waiting in lines to buy tickets for more rides; we skip that part and just say, “Get on and have fun… for free.” Particularly, we are excited about having bigger and better mechanical rides than we have ever had before. This year, we will have a bigger Ferris Wheel, Ali Baba, Tilt-A-Whirl, Cliff Hanger, Orient Express, and the Sizzler.

FOOD VENDORS

We have several local food vendors that will be on the grounds during Freedom Fest. You should be able to find anything you want from burgers and hot dogs, pizza and wings, to ice cream and cream puffs.

We are looking forward to our food vendors this year: Famous Dave’s, Rollin’ Pin, Sonrise Cafe, Pizza Hut, UBake, Culver’s, and more!

FREE HEALTH CLINIC

We are pleased that Mercy Health Systems will be helping to sponsor this event once again. If you are in need of a dental check up or medical screening, visit the free health clinic at Freedom Fest from 11:00AM to 3:00PM.

STAGE ENTERTAINMENT

We are excited to announce that nationally-known recording artist Aaron Shust will be headlining this year’s Freedom Fest. In 2007, Aaron Shust won the GMA Dove Award for songwriter of the year and his song “My Savior My God” won song of the year. Currently, his song “My Hope Is In You” has been on the Billboard charts for the past 36 weeks, peaking at the number one position.

We are also excited for Mark Alan, out of Minneapolis, MN, as an opening act. In 2003, Mark Alan won the United Kingdom’s international songwriting competition for best gospel song. He is also the worship leader at Emmanuel Christian Center.

Be sure to make your way over to our main stage at some point to enjoy the great entertainment:
5:00pm – In This Room
6:30pm – Mark Alan
8:00pm – Aaron Shust
9:15pm – Pastor’s Address

FIREWORKS

At the end of the night, we have a wonderful fireworks display. After our last stage event, which will be about 9:30PM, the sky will light up on the north side of Highway 14 directly across from our property. So after you watch the stage acts, you can just stay put and be amazed! As we do each year, we strive to have bigger and better fireworks. Whether you have seen our fireworks before or this will be your first time, you are certainly in for a treat."

For more information and photos, check out http://freedomfestnewlife.com/

Looks like a fun time!

Little Blessings Reminder

Just a reminder ~

Little Blessings is meeting this Thursday, June 28 at 7:00 pm in room C at WFA.

If you are pregnant or a mom of a baby under a year, please join us for a fun night of connecting with other moms in this same exciting stage!  Babies are welcome to come with their moms.

Invite your friends and neighbors!  We had a great time last month and I'm looking forward to another night of fun on Thursday!

If you have questions, please see Jamie Halquist, Amy Prebil, or Jessi Brome.  You can also email us at nurturewfa@hotmail.com.

Let us know if you are coming so we can be prepared to welcome you!  

We are so excited to share in your journey of motherhood with this new baby!!

My Life As a Mom On Crutches

I am pleased and honored to introduce our first guest blogger this month. Rachel is a fellow blogger and a friend. She is an amazing person and mom. You can read more of her story on her blog, my leg is not broken ...

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My Life As a Mom On Crutches

by Rachel

I have a great husband, a spunky toddler son and a job I love. All the things you hope for as a little girl. They were things I was not sure I would get since I am different. 
I was born with a disability and I use crutches to walk.  I can’t do all the things that everyone does and I spent a lot of time as a kid having surgeries and therapy. 
There are days when I want to be different, but who doesn’t?  I have my pity party moments when I wish I could trade in my body now and not have to wait until heaven. However, once I became a mom I found myself longing for a strong body more often. 
It started the day my son was born. My husband was standing in our hospital room rocking him. Later I watched a nurse effortlessly pick him up and carry him across the room. When we left the hospital my husband secured our precious baby in the carseat, grabbed the handle and walked toward the car. 
These things are awesome. I’d give anything to do them. 
Coming home from the hospital, I was tired. I had little rest due to never-ending company during our stay at the hospital. Having a huge family is a blessing but some sleep would have been cool. I was sore, bleeding, emotional, lactating, swollen and scared. I had my whole life to figure out how to do things but I had no time to figure out stuff with my son. He was here and screaming in his swing. 
My husband was my rock for the first few weeks. He changed a lot of diapers and let me slowly find my way. I know there were times when he was frustrated and felt alone in this baby adventure. I felt like I was failing as a mom and a wife and it tore me up.   
Things changed as I had more time alone with my son. No one was around to rescue me and I had to figure it out.  I avoided onesies with 200 snaps. I stuck him in the stroller when I wanted to go to another room.  I cried with him when I was struggling with his diapers and he was impatient. I begged God for help when times got tough and praised him often for my perfect baby. 
As my son turns 2, conflicting emotions flood my mind. I am sad that he has become big so fast. I am also excited to get my life back. Right now I can’t go places with him alone. I need help carrying him. When I see a mom carrying a baby on her hip or pushing a shopping cart with her child riding along, I fight off pangs of jealousy. I am scared to play outside with him alone since he now runs fast and has no concept that the street is dangerous. 
I knew the early years would be hard. I also knew it would be worth it. These struggles have changed my heart. They taught me to find joy in asking for help. Most importantly it has been a daily reminder that God never gives us more than we can handle. The moment it feels like too much, I cry out to him and it always works out. 
To follow my journey visit: www.mylegisnotbroken.com 

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Thank you, Rachel, for sharing your story with us! 

Are You Ready For A Coffee Break?

What mom couldn't use a break from time to time?  

Join us for a relaxing Saturday morning Coffee Break!

Specialty coffee drinks will be available for purchase while you snack on delicious morning treats provided by  Nurture  and connect with moms in every stage of motherhood.

We will be having our first Coffee Break 

on Saturday, July 14 from 9:30 - 11:30 am 

in the Higher Grounds cafe at Waukesha First Assembly.

We will have a barista to make the specialty coffee drinks from 9:30 - 10:00 am only.  House coffee will be available all morning.

ALL moms are welcome.  This is a mom-only event; no childcare will be provided.


Invite your friends to join you for a Coffee Break!


Hope to see you there!


** To see photos from our July Coffee Break, click here.

It's A Giveaway!

Last year in my Bible study group we read the book "Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldredge.  This book played a big part in my healing process last year and helped me to see how valuable I am in the eyes of God.

"Every woman in her heart of hearts longs to be romanced, to play an

 irreplaceable role in a greatadventure, and to unveil beauty.  And yet, women consistently exchange those dreams for a life filled with nothing more than duty and demands.  But Jesus Christ did not move heaven
and earth to make you tired.  He came to restore your heart as a woman, and to set you free through His love.

By revealing the core desires every woman shares, women are invited
to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God.  God placed these desires in women's hearts to help them discover who they are meant to be and the role that is theirs to play, and to draw them more deeply into His heart."

I have a copy of "Captivating" and the study guide that goes with it that we are giving away to one blessed woman on Monday, July 2!!

Your name will be included in the drawing for each of the following:

*sign up to be a follower of the Nurture blog on the left sidebar

*follow the Nurture blog by email by submitting your email address on the left

*follow @NurtureAtWFA on twitter 

Your name will be put in for each of the above requirements you fulfill with a total of 3 chances to win!  If you are already a follower, your name will automatically be put in the drawing.

The drawing will take place on Monday, July 2!  I'm so excited to see who wins this amazing book!

Invite your friends, neighbors, and relatives to be part of the fun and get in on this neat giveaway, too!

My Life As a Mom

There will be a new series on the Nurture blog called "My Life As a Mom" that will post on the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month.

Every month 2 different moms will have the opportunity to share their "story". This is their chance to tell their story and create awareness and empathy among moms. 

As moms, we judge and are judged. I'm sure we've all done it at least once. We judge other moms' choices, behavior of their kids, and even how their kids look. What we don't always realize is what that mom's life is REALLY like. Every mom has a different story. Each of us has unique challenges we face and joys we experience. 

By telling your story, you can help other moms broaden their views and create community when another mom recognizes that some of YOUR story is also part of THEIR story. 

I'm excited and I think this will be a fun thing. You do not have to share anything that you do not feel comfortable sharing. The posts do not need to be fancy or extremely well written. Just give us a glimpse into what your life as a mom is really like. 

If you would like to tell your story, please email me at nurturewfa(at)hotmail(dot)com and I will set it up. I already have several moms that are willing to share their stories, I hope you will be, too.  If you know of anyone else with a story they would be willing to share, let me know. 

Some ideas of stories could be :

My Life As a Mom  ...
of boys; 
of girls; 
working full-time; 
working part-time; 
at home full-time; 
after infertility; 
dealing with depression; 
of a child with special needs; 

The list could truly go on and on. God has given each one of us an unique story and life. Let's celebrate that! 


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I will go first and share my story with you today ...

My Life As an Overwhelmed Mom

by Jamie

I was married at a young age - just shy of my 21st birthday.  After experiencing some female "issues," I was worried that I may struggle with infertility.  Since being a mom was really important to me, we decided we should start trying to get pregnant earlier rather than later in case it took awhile.  While it did take 6 months or so (which is totally normal the first time), I became pregnant with no problems whatsoever.  I have to laugh now - pregnant with my 5th - that infertility was ever a concern in my mind but you just never know. :)

My oldest daughter was born when I was 23.  Most of my friends were not even married at this point, let alone mothers themselves.  


I loved my daughter.  


I loved being a mom.  


But I was lonely.  


There was no one to have playdates with.  No one, besides my mom, to glean information or tips from.  I really had no idea what I was doing and it was HARD.  

I had no idea how hard motherhood was going to be.  How much it took out of you.  The fact that I really had no one to go through it with really stunk.  I avoided most of the "mom competition" that happens but I lost out on the comradery, too.

After my second daughter was born 3 years later, I started to develop some issues with anxiety.  Over time it worsened and motherhood was not the beautiful thing I thought it would be.

My story is really complex and someday I hope to share it ALL with you but in a nut shell I experienced some very hard, dark years.  I lost my identity.  I didn't know who I was other than "mom" and though I loved being a mom and my kids are the joys of my life, I don't think I was truly happy.

I was overwhelmed. Like big time. Even the simplest daily tasks were totally overwhelming to me. And dealing with people, forget about it. 

Most days I felt like I was drowning in life. Every so often, I'd come up for small gasps of air but as soon as I was up, I was pushed back down into this swirling abyss that I did not have the strength or energy to pull myself out of. So many times I thought, Why doesn't someone help me, throw me a life preserver, pull me out? Doesn't anyone see that I'm drowning? Doesn't anyone care?

I later realized that no one could help me because they didn't even know what was going on.

I know there were years where I was simply not myself. I had lost myself and for the life of me, couldn't find the real me again. I hated the person I had become but it was the only way I could deal with life.

Avoidance. The best way I could cope was simply by avoidance.

I couldn't handle the clutter in my house, I avoided it. (In which, the clutter grew.)

I couldn't deal with people, so I avoided them. (Yep, relationships suffered.)

I couldn't deal with the pregnancy pounds and clothes not fitting and I avoided taking care of myself. (it definitely took a toll on my body.)

Avoidance was the key to keeping me out of the insane asylum but it literally destroyed so many areas of my life.

I don't know why we go through the things we do but I do know that we can use those situations and what we've learned to help others. I feel compassion for people struggling with things I struggle or have struggled with. I know what it's like. I pray God is able to use me to help others like me. 

During those hard years, God placed a desire in my heart to minister to other moms.  It was strong and it was my "dream."  It was something I couldn't ever really see happening.  How could I help anyone when I couldn't help myself?  But the desire never left and only grew over time.

About a year ago, God stepped into my life in a BIG way and turned my life upside down.  He healed me from so many of the issues I had dealt with.  He provided the pathway to bring me to where I am right now.

Helping out with Nurture is not just another thing on my "to do" list.  God has given me this passion for moms that started years ago.  The fact that God feels He can use me in this way is so humbling to me and makes the desire to serve the moms of our area a privilege.  

I want to provide opportunities for moms to make connections with other moms; whether it is through playdates or Saturday morning Coffee Breaks or Little Blessings or whatever else the future holds.  I don't want any other mom to have to feel alone or like they have nowhere to go with their mommy questions, concerns, and triumphs.  

I pray that Nurture is able to support moms in all they are going through.

*If you are feeling hopeless or overwhelmed beyond belief, please feel like you can come to me and confide in me. I've been there. There are still days I feel like I'm headed back there but God is faithful and able. There probably won't be much I can do but I'll do all I can and I'll pray for you - that's everything right there. You do not have to go through this alone. You are not ever alone (God is there), but I know it feels like it sometimes.*

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

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Check back on June 22 for the next My Life As a Mom  story!

June Playdate

Our June playdate will be on Friday, June 22 at 10:00 am.  We will be meeting at 

Fox River Parkway North playground  (1500 Fox River Parkway - off of Sunset Drive in Waukesha).

As always, moms with children of all ages are welcome but especially now with summer vacation starting soon, feel free to bring your elementary age children as well.  There is a grassy area right next to the playground, if any of the older children want to bring a ball or frisbee to play with.

Snacks will be provided. 

If you would like to help by bringing a package of snacks (goldfish, animal crackers, graham crackers, etc), please leave a comment on this post or email me at nurturewfa(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Please feel free to invite friends, neighbors, and relatives who may be interested in joining in the fun.

We hope you can join us for a fun time of play with our kids!

**Our next playdate is Monday, July 23.  The playdate calendar dates will always be on the left sidebar so you can plan ahead.