Homeschooling Momma

TTFN

2008-03-16T16:39:00.003-04:00

Hi all, just wanted to make a short post - life has become extremely busy lately and it seems as I have no time to post AND read my favorite blogs. (Thankfully) nothing huge or extremely exciting has happened to post about, and I'd much rather read everyone else's blogs so I've decided to spend more time doing that. Thanks for stopping by my blog, hope it has been an enjoyable visit. Good bye and God bless :o)

Menu Plan Monday

2008-02-25T08:50:00.003-05:00

Head over to Laura's for some great menu ideas! Here's what's on our menu this week:

Monday ~ Sloppy Joe, buttered noodles, doritos

Tuesday ~ Breck, flavored rice

Wednesday ~ Chicken club wreath, chips

Thursday ~ Fish sticks, fries, flavored noodles

Friday ~ Hamburger Helper

Saturday ~ BLT's, mac & cheese, cottage cheese

Sunday ~ Chicken broccoli alfredo, garlic bread

Total lunar eclipse

2008-02-20T22:20:00.007-05:00

This is happening right now! I just came back inside (Brr), it is soo cool-looking but I can't get it to appear on my digital camera! What a bummer! I had forgotten about it, but I'm glad Megan remembered!! Here are some pics we took within the last half hour:

A Coincidence?

2008-02-20T22:01:00.003-05:00

I found this on Sweetpeas site and thought it was worth sharing :o)

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and science shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

"The news isn't that fruits and vegetables are good for you, it's that they are so good for you, they can save your life." David Bjerklie, TIME Magazine, Oct. 2003 _

Menu Plan Monday

2008-02-11T09:01:00.001-05:00

WOW, it has been forever since I've done this! I still make a menu, just haven't posted it. Head on over to Laura's to see others!

Monday ~ Cheeseburgers, baked beans, chips

Tuesday ~ Country fried steak, gravy, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies

Wednesday ~ Smoked sausage casserole

Thursday ~ Spaghetti, garlic bread

Friday ~ Rice with beef chunks and gravy, corn

Saturday ~ Chicken penne pasta, homemade bread

Sunday ~ Minute steaks, julienne potatoes, flavored rice

Baking Breads

2008-02-10T19:17:00.000-05:00

It has been too long since I last posted, but man have we been busy! I found an extremely easy recipe for beer bread, so we've been experimenting with different flavors of pop (soda). First, we made it with vanilla cream soda - not much flavor there, and we tried Dr* Pepper - you could really taste the pop in the aftertaste, and we had Sprite, it was the best. We also made homemade breadsticks, and we are now baking up some of Applebee*s blonde brownies - YUM. I got a recipe from a girl at work for pop cake that we're gonna try too. I would show you some pictures, but the battery in the camera is dead, and I can't remember to charge it. Maybe I'll go do that now. Have a great night!

And the winner is.....

2008-02-01T08:48:00.000-05:00

**UPDATE** Katie is the winner! Thanks to every single one of you who entered my contest! It was so much fun! Katie, please e-mail me your mailing info within 3 days so I don't have to pick another winner. Congratulations!! :o)

Just wanted to post that I am now going to go through all the comments and delete double entries and entries that aren't linked to blogs or list an e-mail address. If I can't reach you, then it's not fair to be in the running for the prize. That only makes sense - right?

Did you notice?

2008-01-30T14:01:00.000-05:00

I have added a video to my blog. We are trying to memorize the books of the Bible and I thought it may be easier if we had a catchy tune to sing them to. Shame on me, I don't know them either. I used to know the Old Testament, but I can't name them all anymore. Good for me, because I'm changing that!

Yummy!

2008-01-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

I found a recipe for oven-roasted chicken on Tammy's Recipes blog. IT IS DELICIOUS! And extremely easy!! Usually, when I try a new dish, there's at least 1 family member who doesn't care for it - not this one! I roasted 2 whole chickens for dinner, the only leftovers were a small amount of dark meat, which everyone wanted for lunch today! They've even asked for it again! Definitely a keeper!! You should try it!

Bloggy Giveaway!

2008-01-27T22:44:00.000-05:00

Shannon at Bloggy Giveaways is hosting another giveaway carnival. It is sure to be HUGE! I'm giving away this book:
You can read about it here. To enter my giveaway, just leave a comment (1 per person please) making sure I can get in touch with you (e-mail or blog address). This giveaway is open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike, but I can only ship to those living in the US. I'll be using this random number generator to select the winner on Friday. Good Luck! :o)

Great Deal part 2

2008-01-26T14:46:00.000-05:00

I've made 3 trips to W*algreens to get my free goodies (read the previous post to learn more) - I cannot believe all that I got!! I didn't have ANY trouble using my coupons either, which that part had me nervous because most stores around here won't accept internet coupons. Here's a pic of all I got:
That, my friends, is a LOT of stuff!! Oh, and can you guess how much I spent? I'll tell you - I spent $31.46, but let me show you how much I saved (brace yourself):

Yes, you're seeing things right! I saved $125.55, $134.51, AND $135.96 for a total savings of $396.02 WOOHOO!

Great Deal!

2008-01-25T22:03:00.000-05:00

I was just reading through my favorite blogs, and Amy had a link to Crystal, who has found the most amazing deal on Jane cosmetics! How about FREE?! Head on over so you can take advantage of it too, but HURRY, the sale ends on Saturday!

Why I make my own cakes

2008-01-19T14:31:00.000-05:00

This was passed along to me via e-mail. I didn't really get it until I read the bottom, then I lost it! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I can't believe this really happened (ok, yes I can).

This is how I imagine the conversation went:
Store Employee: "Hello, dis (Store Name), how can I hep you?"
Customer: "I would like to order a cake for a going away party."
Store Employee: "What you want on the cake?"
Customer: "Let it say, 'Best Wishes Suzanne' and underneath that 'We will miss you'"

Now, go back up and look at the picture again. This is hilarious!

I can't believe it!

2008-01-17T09:02:00.000-05:00

It is 9am and I have dinner ready to go! Ryan is over there now chopping things for the macaroni salad! This has been getting harder and harder to do since I've returned to work. We'd get up, do school, fix lunch, then I'd take my shower, and once that was done, I'd trip all over myself trying to get dinner to a point where Jim could finish it up when he got home. I know I keep rambling on about this. I've even been running out of time for me to eat. There's even been a time or two that we had to stop school early because it was time for Jim to come home for lunch. Any suggestions on what I could do to make things run more smoothly? I'd really appreciate them. Here's what I've already thought about:
Get up earlier - UGH, I'm not sleeping as it is.
Tell Jim not to come home for lunch - we have leftovers for lunch, so it's cheaper for him to come here than eat out every day.
Have Jim do more of the dinner cooking - Jim's cooking abilities are SpaghettiOs, and hot dogs. I try to get dinner to a point where all he has to do is bake it. Then I have to leave detailed notes on what to do to finish it up.
Have Jodi help with the cooking - Jim is more of a cook than she is!
Use the crock pot - This interests me, my mil gave me a recipe book. I tried using it last night, but the dish had rice in it and it was all mushy. Looking for more recipes to try.

Quickly

2008-01-14T13:54:00.000-05:00

Just a short post before I head off to work. I've been reading Dave Ramsey's financial books and I'm really energized! Jim is all for being out of debt, he's just not liking the idea of 'no new stuff' until we are. But I've been talking to him and explaining that it wouldn't be forever as we haven't had any credit cards or car payments for several years now. That alone has been a HUGE relief for the both of us! We only have a couple small bills and the house payment. Now that I've gone back to work (even if it's only part-time), I can't wait to figure out how much money we'll save in interest on the mortgage alone!! Jim is a visual-type of person, so I'm going to make some charts and things to hang on our fridge - maybe that'll help with the "stuffitis". LOL

Groundhog Day?

2008-01-08T20:16:00.000-05:00

Have you seen that movie? It is about a man who relives the same day over and over. That's exactly how my life is feeling right now. We are getting back in the swing of school, between that and working, it seems like the exact same things happen at the exact same times EVERY day. I know, some people would love to have it worked out like that - and really I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining, it just means there's not time for anything to happen for me to blog about. Maybe I'll have something tomorrow.

Back to normal?

2008-01-02T11:01:00.000-05:00

Not sure if there is such a thing as 'normal', but we are as close to it as I think we are going to get. Christmas was wonderful! We decide to do a small Christmas every year, but somehow it always ends up bigger than we planned. That's ok, because over the years we have gotten better at celebrating the true meaning of the holiday. My brother, sil, and nephew made it home from Hawaii safely (PTL!). It's always nice to see them! I took down the decorations and got them all boxed up and ready to go back in the attic. I love to put them up, but once Christmas Day is over I'm done with them. People say you should leave them up until after New Year's Day - but to me that's starting a brand new year with a lot of clutter. New Year's Eve we went to Jim's parents for dinner and games. Because my children get a little crazy without schedules, I decided we were going to go back to school today - Ryan caught a bug and was throwing up all evening! Scratch those plans. Now I need to jump off here and get lunch going so I can get their dinner ready (Jim worked all night plowing the snow, so I want to get as much done as possible to make it easier for him) and I'm back to work today! I was lucky enough to get a 4 day weekend for New Year's! Hope your holiday was great!

Jack Frost

2007-12-08T18:37:00.000-05:00

The first snow fall turned out to be a BIG one! Megan and Ryan built a snowman! Meet 'Jack' ~

This Year's Christmas Card

2007-12-08T18:28:00.001-05:00

I sent an eCard instead of snail mail this year. Here's what we sent:

Non-Crappy Starring You! eCards on JibJab

Tell me what you think!! UPDATED: It appears that sometimes it shows our family and sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't, try refreshing your page. Sorry.

Advent Calendar

2007-12-01T14:00:00.000-05:00

Hubby was telling us about growing up with an advent calendar, and I decided that should become a new tradition in our home too. So I set out to find them. Apparently I am too picky about what I want. Not a surprise here, but I REFUSE to pay the prices for some of them, so what is a Momma to do? I made one! I scoured the internet looking for ideas (I'm sorry, but I didn't keep track of all the sites) and mixed and matched and came up with this:
The kids poke through the numbered foils and inside there are Candy Cane Kisses (Those are Yummy!), and a Bible verse or little idea of something fun to make or do. And all I had to buy was the posterboard! The kids like it so much we also made one for Megan and Ryan's Sunday School Teachers! This is going to be a Frugal Friday post - you can check out more here.

Update on Christmas Cards

2007-11-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, I should've checked this out BEFORE I posted about it. I went to Walter Reed Medical Center and they have this posted:
Walter Reed cannot accept these packages (packages, letters, and holiday cards addressed to 'Any Wounded Soldier' ) in support of the decision by then Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Transportation Policy in 2001. This decision was made to ensure the safety and well being of patients and staff at medical centers throughout the Department of Defense.
It breaks my heart that I can't do something like this. I do understand their safety concerns. We had decided that instead of mailing cards to our usual friends and family, we were going to send them all to soldiers. I think I'll check with my brother who is in the Army - I bet he can get me a name or two. Just wanted to let everyone know.

One Way To Do It...

2007-11-25T19:23:00.000-05:00

We were outside and saw our neighbor putting up his Christmas lights. I've never seen it done the way he did it, but I guess it works for him! Take a look:
He climbed a ladder, then laid down on his belly so his feet were higher than his head! When I showed this picture to the girls, they thought he had slipped and was falling down the roof! Their eyes 'bout popped out of their heads! It was a good laugh!

New use for snowblowers

2007-11-25T12:12:00.000-05:00

Ryan came up with a new, innovative use for snowblowers. I mean, after all, you should be able to use them for more than just heavy snowfalls, right? They can be used to blow leaves to the curb! Here's how it's done:

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving day!!

Christmas Cards

2007-11-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

I try to have my Christmas cards in the mail by the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is NOT happening this year. I haven't even picked a photo for the cards yet. But I came across this and thought maybe we could ALL do this; won't you join me? I love knowing I can lift a soldier's spirits for all they've done for me!

(Edited: Walter Reed Medical Center will not accept the cards or packages)

Free Christmas Music

2007-11-21T14:30:00.000-05:00

Provident Music label is offering all bloggers a chance for a free copy of Michael W. Smith's new Christmas CD. All the details are on this site. Only the first 150 qualified bloggers will get a copy.

Little while

2007-11-15T11:17:00.000-05:00

It's been a little while since I've posted, I've had a killer ear infection and today is the first day I feel somewhat normal. The stabbing pain has stopped, but it is still swollen shut. Hubby had me put the heating pad on it last night and I was able to sleep. Haven't slept more than a couple hours a night since Sunday. Only woke up once last night for more Tylenol! Guess I'm on the mend!! It is so sweet to hear my kids and Hubs praying over me - knowing their requests will be heard and answered. Jodi got a part-time job at the local library! Her first job! We are all excited for her! That's what has been going on around here.

It's my birthday!!

2007-11-09T22:11:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday! Jodi made me chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing! The whole gang made me birthday cards (I love handmade cards) and I got some new pink fuzzy slippers! They look like fiip-flops, and they're really comfy cozy! I had to work late tonight, so this weekend we'll use the gift card to eat at our favorite Amish-style restaurant! I can't wait!!

Back to work

2007-11-08T21:09:00.000-05:00

I started a new job last Monday! I work part-time at our local bank in the Item Processing department. It is really nice because it doesn't interfere with schooling and it is so close to home, not to mention the extra cash will be nice! Just what I needed, something more to add to my daily "to-do" list LOL! Seriously, I think I'm really going to enjoy it. Just wanted to share :o)

Tea on Tuesday...

2007-11-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

Today we had sausage gravy and biscuits, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and orange juice. We read "The Mystery of the Dancing Angels" by Elspeth Campbell Murphy. Would show some pictures, but the battery in the digital camera is dead. Will have to charge it (again).

Food for thought...

2007-11-03T10:16:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder about those people who spend $4.00 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards: NAIVE

Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant like making a peeing section in a swimming pool?

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't they just stale bread to begin with?

If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP?

Do Lipton Tea employees take coffee breaks?

I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me ....they're cramming for their final exam.

I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks, so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use? toothpicks?

Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail?

If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

My imagination?

2007-11-02T07:48:00.000-04:00

This is really making me wonder - when I'm on a roll and blog every day, it seems like everyone else stops. I'll blog for several days and realize hardly anyone has updated theirs, so then I'll stop and it seems like there are so many new posts on everyone else's that I can barely keep up! Ever feel like this?

Laugh 'til you cry

2007-10-26T19:25:00.000-04:00

This is a long video - but I PROMISE it is soo worth it! My kids still laugh like him and it's been almost a year since we first watched it. I'm glad I remembered it so I can share it with you. I still laugh until I cry every time I watch it.

BFF Award

2007-10-23T13:22:00.000-04:00

Heather has given me the Blog Friend Forever award! Thanks so much! I love her blog, she's so personable that I feel like she lives right next door. And really, she'd fit right in - she has taken up fencing, and we already have neighbors that stand out in their front yard swinging their sword collection at each other! (Sometimes in fun, sometimes their screaming and yelling and really fighting) Shouldn't be too much longer and someone who's into jousting will move in across the street! LOL Back to the topic at hand; I want to pass this award on to:

Beth
Bethany
Michelle
Lori

Freaky

2007-10-18T20:09:00.000-04:00

This is soo right on with how I am! This is the first one of these here thingys that actually worked! I know, I'm easily amused, but hey, you like me. LOL

What Your Hands Say About You

You are logical, analytical, and rational. You have good verbal skills.

Bold and daring, you're not afraid to change your life if you think it needs an overhaul.

Consistent and reliable, you like to count on structure and routine in your life.

Your emotions tend to be nervous and potent. Your energy - both positive and negative - deeply impacts your life.

What Do Your Hands Say About You?

Another Tea Party

2007-10-17T08:11:00.000-04:00

We had another little party today! We drink tea every day, so to make our parties special - we usually drink something else in our tea cups. Today we had French Vanilla Coffee and donuts. I've had the recipe for the coffee for a long time but I can't remember where I got it from.

French Vanilla Coffee Mix
1/3 c sugar

1/3 c instant coffee
1 c instant milk powder
1/2 c powdered milk creamer
1/4 c French Vanilla instant pudding

To prepare, combine 1/4 cup coffee mix with 3/4 cup boiling water. Enjoy!

I'm thinking about making this and some homemade hot cocoa mix and giving it out with Christmas cookies as gifts this year. What do you think?

Laundry

2007-10-16T17:01:00.000-04:00

I usually do laundry on Mondays and Fridays, and I usually have about 4 loads, well we went through some clothes we were saving from Jodi for Megan, and they finally fit her!! She feels like we've won the lottery and bought her a whole new winter wardrobe! I feel exhausted because my normal 4 loads of laundry turned into 9! At least the child has clothes that fit her though! Her ankles will be covered! This winter anyways! LOL

Toffee Bars

2007-10-11T18:21:00.000-04:00

Today, Megan made us some toffee bars. We took pictures during the process to post the recipe BUT I didn't care for it! The end result was delicious, but it was a pain to make! The kitchen was even full of black smoke at one point! Then when we went to break them apart, the waxed paper stuck to them terribly. I will post one pic anyways (just because she is such a cutie!):
She has started her own blog too, check it out HERE!

Crazy 8 Meme

2007-10-11T09:12:00.000-04:00

Heather tagged me for this meme - I'll have to come back and finish it later. I don't know why, but these things are always so hard for me to do.
8 things I am passionate about:
Homeschooling our children
Getting the family to church EVERY Sunday morning.
Creating a love of reading in the kids
Being a good wife
Being a good mom
Cooking
8 things I want to do before I die:
Move to Amish Country
Be debt free! (pretty close now!)
See my children accomplish their goals
Play with my grandbabies
Make a difference
Lose weight
8 things I say often:
LEVI! (our dog)
Bless you (Ryan has the sneezies)
What did I tell you the last time you asked?
Go ask your Dad
Are you serious?
Somebody needs to take the dog out!
Are your chores done?
Knock It Off!
8 books I have recently read:
The Covenant
The Betrayal
The Sacrifice
The Prodigal
The Revelation
The Preacher's Daughter
I Kissed Dating Goodbye
The Children's Story Bible
8 songs I could listen to over and over
I Still Believe
Worthy of My Praise

Beautiful One
Wonderful Maker
Glory
8 things that attract me to my best friends:

Their faith
Humor Similar interests
Honesty
Loyalty
Dependable
8 things I have learned in the past year:
My house does NOT have to be spotless at all times
It's ok for my kids to act like kids
How to start a blog
Things always happen for a reason
I am human
People I'll tag for this meme:
YOU

Book Giveaway

2007-10-09T18:48:00.000-04:00

This looks like it's going to be an excellent book! Head over to Crystal's blog to register to win one of 10 copies!

DISCO

2007-10-08T15:34:00.000-04:00

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Let's Dance!

2007-10-08T15:11:00.000-04:00

Time To Make The Donuts

2007-10-05T17:00:00.000-04:00

We decided to have our first Tea today(see previous post), thinking Fridays may be a little more relaxed. We made donuts and had orange juice, and Jodi read "The Rainbow Fish." Here's some pictures:

And because I know you're DYING to know -

Homemade Donuts~ canned biscuits
~ icing
~ oil

We used an apple corer to cut the center out of each biscuit. Deep fry in the oil until golden brown on both sides. Decorate and enjoy!

Tea on Tuesdays

2007-10-04T16:00:00.001-04:00

Beginning next Tuesday we are joining Lori and her girls for Tea on Tuesdays. Megan LOVES tea parties and is so excited that we are going to be incorporating it into school. You should sign up too and let's see how big of a tea party we can have!

Ryan

2007-10-02T20:33:00.000-04:00

Ryan just had to have his own blog. He wanted me to post a link to it in hopes you might stop by and say "Hi" Here's the link.

Mac & Cheese Casserole

2007-10-02T08:57:00.000-04:00

Nicole asked how I make this, it is so simple and easy that I'm almost embarrassed. Just cook your favorite mac & cheese, put meat (diced ham, cut up smoked sausage, whatever you like) and chopped broccoli in the pot while boiling the macaroni. Drain and mix in the cheese. Place in baking dish, cover with crumbled plain potato chips. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes. How's that for simple?

FYI

2007-10-01T11:38:00.001-04:00

Just a little FYI...I had blogged quite a bit last night. So much so, that this is the first of 8 new posts! Didn't want ya to miss out on anything.

By George I Think I've Got It!

2007-09-30T22:47:00.000-04:00

I think I've finally figured out how to show my 'signature' on my posts. It took me several tries, and searching several different blogs, but here's what I came up with:

Go to THIS website to create your signature

Follow the directions and copy the HTML code

Go to your Dashboard

Click Settings

Click Formatting

Go down to Post Template

Paste HTML code

Click Save Settings

Thanks Ally for your help!

Homemade Egg Noodles

2007-09-30T21:31:00.000-04:00

Ryan could eat his weight in these! I double the recipe so everyone can have some. I can't believe I had this recipe for over 12 years before I tried them! So simple and delicious!

Homemade Egg Noodles
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 egg yolks
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup water

Measure flour into bowl. Make a well in center and add egg yolks, whole egg, and salt. Mix. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form dough into a ball. Turn out onto a well floured board. Knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover; let stand 10 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into a paper thin rectangle. Cut into thin strips. (Notice I'm using my handy dandy pizza cutter to do this, but you could use this!) Shake out strips and let dry. Cook in 3 quarts chicken broth (I suggest either using low sodium broth, or leave out the 2 tsp salt above, or both like I do) for 12 - 15 minutes or until tender.How do I dry my noodles you ask? Well, you could buy one of these little gadgets:
OR you could do what I do (we are trying our best to be as frugal as possible around here):

Chicken Club Wreath

2007-09-30T19:24:00.000-04:00

Beth asked what is a chicken club wreath. It is a delicious meal in itself and I got the recipe from the P*ampered Chef. The best part of this dish is the taste, but the 2nd best part is how simple it is to make! Here's the recipe:

Chicken Club Wreath
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and chopped
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
2 cans crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten

I've made this several times now, and I don't measure any of it. I just add as much as needed to make it taste delicious! This also gets used as a quick meal by using canned chicken breast, and H*ormel bagged bacon pieces - can't get much easier than that! I'm using this link on my blog to show you how to make the wreath, which is very simple too! I hope you'll try it and let me know what you think!

1st Award!

2007-09-30T18:47:00.000-04:00

I've received my very first bloggy award! It was given to me by Beth. Beth, you are such an awesome person! You make me smile, think, and even crack up at times. I miss you when you don't blog for a while, and I wish we lived closer because I'm sure we would have an amazing friendship.
This is what the person who created this award says about it: The thing that I love most about blogging is that I learn so much about a person just by reading their blog. I have met many wonderful people with wonderful stories to tell, and I am grateful everyday for each person that I have the pleasure of crossing paths in life with. I wanted to create something special for the top 10 people that have inspired me through their blogging; the stories they tell and the lives they lead with grace and dignity. I visit their blogs for inspiration and encouragement.
Now, I get to pass it on to others! I give it to:

Barb - I get so many great ideas from your blog.
Heather - Another great source of encouragement.
Karen - This post is a huge inspiration to me!
Sheree - My SIL - a private blog, but very encouraging
and last but not least, YOU! I want everyone to consider themselves tagged!

Menu Plan Monday

2007-09-30T18:22:00.000-04:00

Wow, these days sure seem to be flying by! I really like how Barb says that when a person doesn't blog, it simply means they are busy with their family. This is SO true! I love being so busy doing things with Jim and the kids that there just isn't any time to blog. Of course, I've been keeping a running list of things I want to blog about (things will slow down eventually, right?). Here's our menu plan for the week:

Cheeseburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, chips

Egg salad, fries, cottage cheese

Pizza hoagies, flavored rice

Mac & cheese casserole, homemade bread

Taco, cottage cheese

Spaghetti, garlic bread, porcupine balls

Check out more menus at Laura's blog!

Christmas Countdown

2007-09-30T13:37:00.000-04:00

Do you like my 'Days 'til Christmas' ticker? I know some of you are thinking "But it's September!" I know, I know, but I absolutely LOVE Christmas time, and besides that, the store ads this week have Christmas decorations in them. At least I haven't pulled out all of my snowman decorations ~ yet. LOL

Candle Giveaway

2007-09-30T13:35:00.000-04:00

How would you like to enter to win a set of 3 seasonal Home & Garden Party fragrant jar candles from Heather? Just click here. Good luck!

Menu Plan Monday

2007-09-23T20:12:00.000-04:00

It's been forever since I've posted my menu. I've still been using one, just couldn't find the time to post it. You can head over to Laura's to check out other ideas!

Sunday ~ Salad and breadsticks

Monday ~ BLT's, macaroni salad

Tuesday ~ Pork patties, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans

Wednesday ~ Chicken club wreath, chips

Thursday ~ Fish sticks, homemade noodles, fries

Friday ~ *Appetizer Night* ~ marinated chicken legs, twice baked potatoes cheesy breadsticks, dipping sauces, cheese sticks

Saturday ~Breakfast bowls (hash browns, scrambled eggs, sausage gravy, mushrooms, onions, cheddar cheese)

Airplane Ride

2007-09-23T19:56:00.000-04:00

We went to our local airport this afternoon for our first ever airplane ride! One family in our homeschool group is also involved in Young Eagles so we all were given this amazing opportunity! We (Megan, Ryan, and I - Jodi was chicken) rode in a 1958 Cessna. It was fun, exciting, breath-taking, and terrifying all at the same time! We went up to 3500 feet! Megan c0-piloted with Mike (the owner) and she absolutely LOVED it! Ryan and I sat in the back seat (a LOT bigger than it appears) and held on to each other for dear life! Neither one of us liked the turns at all! Mike took us over a couple corn mazes - that was too cool! Megan could've stayed up there forever, however Ryan kept asking when were we going to land! It was an awesome field trip!! Here is a pic of the type of plane we were in:
Here's a short clip of us taking off on the runway:

Pink Dyson Giveaway

2007-09-22T13:29:00.000-04:00

5 Minutes For Mom is giving away another Dyson vacuum - this one is PINK! Click here to sign up now!

Feeling Invisible

2007-09-17T14:05:00.000-04:00

I just read this, and thought it was too nice to keep to myself - so I share it with all my friends :o)

I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going ... she's going... she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it.

I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of
what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease
that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep
the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to
sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's
bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Cookies

2007-09-15T10:54:00.000-04:00

The other day Jim said he wanted some chocolate chip cookies, and me being the loving wife I am (cough, choke) I went to the store and bought the mix. I know, I should've made them from scratch, but I wasn't feeling THAT lovey then. hehe. Ryan mixed it all up and we started baking. Here's where paying attention would've paid off - I didn't read the package that said each package made 3 dozen cookies! How many packages did we mix up you ask? THREE! We baked well into the evening and had 9 DOZEN cookies! How many cookies did Jim eat that night you ask? ONE - a single cookie! THAT made me happy (yeah, right). Good thing is - Beth loves cookies, and she even found out that you can send them through the mail. Beth, send me your address! LOL

School Days

2007-09-11T20:27:00.000-04:00

It seems like since we've started school, there just are not enough hours in the day! That, and cooking meals, and baking this delicious bread almost every day, and reading. I've discovered the Amish stories by Beverly Lewis and I don't want to put them down. I've finished the first two and started the third one today. Megan wanted my full attention today, so after 20 minutes of listening to her "chatter" I thought of the brilliant idea to grab my book and hide out in the bathroom - NO GO, she followed me and sat on the floor and continued to chatter. I gave up, marked my page, and sat on our comfy couch and gave her my full attention. She was happy and I'm still trying to figure out what all she was talking about! hehe

Delicious

2007-09-05T08:57:00.001-04:00

I have tried just about every wheat bread recipe I could find, looking for one that all of my family liked. We even ended up with bricks (so hard and dense, even the electric knife couldn't go through it)! Then yesterday I used this recipe from Crystal's blog - it was light, airy, and most importantly, delicious! There's usually at least one person in my family who doesn't like whatever I made - not this time! Everyone loved it! The best part is, it is also probably the easiest recipe I've tried! The only thing different I did was mix it in the mixer instead of bread machine. I hope you try it.

Fun, Fun, Not So Fun

2007-09-03T11:55:00.000-04:00

We went to the Great Wolf Lodge yesterday - we had a great time playing in all the water and watching Jim go down the kiddie slide. It is SO funny to watch all these little kids slide down, then all of a sudden here comes this 40 year old man barreling down this tube, and when he gets to the bottom, his head goes under water (he can't hold his breath without holding his nose), and his feet go straight up in the air!! Then, he stands up and gasps for air. HILARIOUS!! Then he'd do it over and over, we were laughing so hard our faces hurt!
Then we decided we were water logged enough for one day, so we were ready to head home. Megan didn't get to ride one of the tube slides and wanted to before we left, Jodi said she didn't want to ride with her because she was cold (Hello, it was like 105* in that place), so Megan and I went and got in line. Jodi was waiting for us at the end. When the tube hit the pool at the end, I flipped out of the raft (which is why they love to ride with me), I looked up at Jodi and she was kinda looking around so I was yelling to her that she missed watching us - she wouldn't even look up at me. Then I start yelling for her to get her attention. She looked down at the ground and passed out!!! I was screaming "No" and because I was in 3 ft of water I felt like I couldn't move. Then a little bit of sense came over me and I started screaming for "HELP". I made it through the water and got over to her, nobody was coming our way. I looked a lifeguard straight in his eyes and screamed "Come and help me" as loud as I could. He stood there and looked at me! Did not even get out of the water! I ran over to Jodi and picked her head up and she came to and started crying. (I know, you shouldn't move anyone with a head injury - but I was one scared Momma) a man and woman jumped out of the water and came over to help me. Some employee come over and the woman with us asked him if he was a medic, he said no, she asked him if there was a medic in the building, he said no, then I looked at him and asked if he'd called 9*11, he again said no. I asked him what he was doing to help us - he said he was following procedures - shouldn't it be right up there to get medical attention asap?! He then started telling me that blah blah blah procedures - I looked at him and told him to call 9*11 and then not to confront me about his procedures until she was ok. Jodi was shaking pretty hard and said she needed a blanket, so the woman with us went and asked that guy for a blanket - he handed her a wet towel and walked away. Then I heard her going off on him, I just let her do it and focused on Jodi. I looked at the man who was helping us and told him Hubby was there somewhere and I couldn't go look for him - Megan turned around and took off flying to get him, he got there, then Ryan started getting sick from looking at what was (not) happening and took off to the bathroom to get sick. Finally, the ambulance got there, I rode in it with Jodi, sopping wet and not wearing any shoes. We got to the hospital, they did a CT scan and took x-rays. Said everything was fine, it was probably a combination of heat, chlorine fumes, exhaustion, and dehydration. So, we finally made it home around midnight and Jodi is just a little sore today. The woman from the waterpark who took the accident report called and checked in on her - that made it better. I'm sure it was just a teen aged lifeguard who was scared half to death and couldn't move, hopefully next time, instincts and training will kick in.

FUN FUN FUN!

2007-09-02T10:38:00.000-04:00

We were blessed with passes, so today we are off to the water park at Great Wolf Lodge! Thought it would be better to post now, because this evening we're sure to be completely wiped out! Hope everyone has a great day!

School

2007-08-31T19:37:00.000-04:00

Today we finished our first week of homeschool. It went pretty smoothly. The two younger ones whined because we did math review all week. Wait until they find out we're doing it next week too. Not really a lot to blog about, have just been focusing on the school work.

My 100th post!

2007-08-24T19:30:00.000-04:00

In keeping with tradition I give you 100 things about me. Better go grab a cup of coffee, this may put you to sleep rather quickly. Here goes:
1. My name is Tonya Jeanette. If you call me that I will think I've done something wrong.
2. I was born on November 9, 1974.
3. My mom wanted my name to be Nellie, my dad said he didn't care what she name me, he was going to call me Tonya. (Tonya was the nice lady who lived across the street from dad when he was growing up.)
4. I was also named after my great-aunt Jeanette.
5. I used to hate my middle name.
6. Then when Aunt Jeanette became ill, I realized how lucky I was to to have been the one to carry on her name. She was such a wonderful person.
7. I regret not naming one one of our daughters after me (and her).
8. I am the oldest of 3 children.
9. We were all born within three years.
10. I loved school and was a good student.
11. My favorite subject was math.
12. I was not one of the 'popular' kids. I only had a few friends but they were very dear to me.
13. My first job was at Cash Saver Foods (the kind were you bag your own groceries).
14. My aunt Donna set Hubby and I up.
15. We were engaged 5 months after we met, and were married 5 months after that.
16. I baked my own wedding cake. Another aunt decorated it.
17. My favorite foods are chicken and pasta.
18. I love to cook.
19. I love board games.
20. I become very competitive, which is why nobody will play games with me. I think I get this from my Grandma Rosie.
21. I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but what I do is very sentimental to me. My wedding rings, my Mother's ring (which even has my children's names engraved on it), my Brother's gold chain (he gave it to me right before he was shipped to Kuwait), and a 'MOM' charm on it that Jodi picked out for me for Mother's Day when she was 4.
22. I hate to be hot. I get cranky when I'm hot (just ask my kids).
23. I can't stand for anything to be turned up loud. TV, radio, anything - makes me cranky too.
24. I love making homemade gifts.
25. I would rather receive a homemade gift than anything store bought.
26. I'm always afraid that when I give a homemade gift the recipient won't like it.
27. I usually make myself sick about # 26.
28. I homeschool our children. Jodi and Megan for the last 2 years, Ryan since preschool.
29. My greatest fear was teaching Ryan how to read.
30. My greatest accomplishment was teaching Ryan how to read!
31. Followed closely by getting Jodi to understand math in a way she feels confident in doing it herself!
32. I have mostly gray hair.
33. Hubby asked me to quit coloring it - so I did.
34. The coloring wouldn't cover the gray anymore anyhow.
35. I passed out when I got my ears pierced.
36. I don't have any tattoos. Re-read #35.
37. I will only sing if I'm by myself or with my kids.
38. I can't sing.
39. I wish I was one of those people who would sing out loud and not care who heard them.
40. If I'm singing in the car, I stop when I get to a stop sign/light. And when I get close to another car.
41. I laugh at people who sing in their car.
42. While inside I'm jealous of them. Re-read #39.
43. I've never driven a stick-shift.
44. When I was younger, I shifted the gears for my mom when she broke her elbow.
45. I think I could do it (drive a stick-shift).
46. My favorite color is green.
47. My van is green.
48. My house has green trim.
49. Hubby says we're going to paint it white.
50. Hubby bought me an emerald (green) and diamond wrap to go with my engagement ring.
51. I have to renew my driver's license this year.
52. I really dislike doing that.
53. I've never flown in a plane.
54. Megan and I rode in a helicopter at Kings Island.
55. I enjoyed it, but wouldn't be upset if I never do it again.
56. I have 15 nieces and nephews. (And a nephew on the way!)
57. I just realized #56.
58. Hubby and I have TOTAL opposite senses of humor.
59. Hubby, all 3 kids, and I have blue eyes.
60. I'm 5' 2.5" tall.
61. I'm still 1/2" taller than my oldest child.
62. I love to remind her of that.
63. I've never broken a bone.
64. I wouldn't mind it if I never ate red meat again.
65. I could eat chicken every day.
66. I refuse to even try seafood.
67. I love laughing so hard I cry.
68. Being a mom is the only job I've ever wanted.
69. It's still the best job I've ever had!
70. It's also by far the hardest job I've ever had!
71. I am a list person.
72. I usually make a list every morning.
73. I love crossing things off my list.
74. I love writing down little tips to help me to do things better/easier.
75. I used to have stacks of tips lying around everywhere.
76. Now, thanks to Barb's Good Things binder, my tips are being organized in their new home!
77. My favorite number is 7.
78. We recently got a dog.
79. He is a poochon (poodle and bichon frise) named Levi.
80. I didn't think Hubby would ever get a dog. He used to always complain about people who treat their pets like children.
81. Levi has become our 4th child.
82. It cracks me up to watch Hubby with Levi - He has become one of "those people". Re-read #80
83. I wish I was more emotional with the people I love.
84. I won't watch anything that might make me cry.
85. Because I laugh at Hubby for crying.
86. I can't say "I'm sorry".
87. I hate that about myself.
88. I'm really trying to fix that.
89. I've always wanted to live in Montana.
90. I don't know anything at all about Montana.
91. I wonder if they have the beautiful leaves in the fall like Ohio does.
92. I cannot tell others "No", so Hubby does it for me.
93. I strive to help others.
94. I would LOVE to organize (clean out) Hubby's garage.
95. Hubby refuses to let me. He's such a pack rat.
96. I'm addicted to reading blogs!
97. This list was harder to do than I thought.
98. The greatest thing that has ever happened to me was becoming Jim's wife and Jodi's, Megan's, and Ryan's mom.
99. I love the Lord.
100. I can't imagine my life without HIM!
I hope you're still awake. I'm sure you're probably ready for a nap now.

Happy Anniversary

2007-08-24T18:39:00.000-04:00

Today is my mom and dad's 33rd wedding anniversary!

Family Reunion

2007-08-20T22:32:00.000-04:00

We were gone to a family reunion this weekend and just got back home, so I won't be posting our menu this week. We stayed an extra day and visited around Amish country - I love it there! It was my first time ever seeing the horse-drawn carts. And oh my word, those little Amish children are just down right adorable!! I'm sure I'll post more about it later - right now I'm beat, and my cozy bed is calling my name!!

Pictures

2007-08-15T15:46:00.000-04:00

The other day Levi was sitting in the living room with Jim and he was whining because he could hear the kids outside playing in the sprinkler, but he couldn't see them - so, Jim fixed it:

Problem solved! LOL

Another day, I was sitting at my kitchen table and looked out the back window and I saw this:
Now, just so you understand, the 'little' guy is every bit of six feet tall. I was in shock and made Jim grab the camera. That was one REALLY tall man. I wish I could have seen him climb out of that truck - I'll almost bet you he had to fold up his arms and legs to fit in there! *Note: please don't take this as me poking fun at tall people. I was just amazed at his height!

Friends

2007-08-14T18:06:00.001-04:00

Last night we had company over for a cook-out. It was a buddy of Jim's and his wife (Vinny and Charnelle) and their 2 daughters. Jim and Vinny have been buddies since the 2nd grade (ya know - way back in the 'Olden Days'. It was so much fun to have another adult to chat with! And we hardly spoke about school! Of course, time flew by. Hopefully we'll get together again soon.

Menu Plan Monday

2007-08-12T14:13:00.001-04:00

Another week has flown by! I've been getting all of our school books in order - that's a huge job on its own. Glad that's over! Now it's time to focus on meals for the week. Here goes:

Sunday ~ Fried rice, bread & butter
Monday ~ hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, chips
Tuesday ~ chicken broccoli casserole, homemade bread
Wednesday ~ sloppy joes, noodles, doritos
Thursday ~ Chicken patties, potatoes, gravy, green beans
Friday ~ Hamburger helper, corn, rolls
Saturday ~ Fish sticks, homemade noodles, peas

Make sure to stop by Laura's blog for more menu selections! Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday

2007-08-06T10:19:00.001-04:00

Here's this weeks menu. To check out more menu's - click HERE. Have a great week!

Sunday ~ Cincinnati Chili, spaghetti, nachos, chili dip
Monday ~ BLT's, cottage cheese
Tuesday ~ Tuna Salad, chips, mac & cheese
Wednesday ~ Pizza hoagies, fries
Thursday ~ Fried green tomatoes, flavored rice (haven't had these yet)
Friday ~ Hot dogs, baked beans, deviled eggs
Saturday ~Potluck, garlic bread sticks

Jodi's best friend

2007-08-04T19:14:00.000-04:00

We had Jaidyn over for a visit, she's grown SO much. Even though we no longer live right next door, she still knows that we always have Goldfish crackers here for her! She is such a sweetie, she still flirts with Jim like nobody's business!

Cinnabites

2007-08-04T18:52:00.000-04:00

My family (mostly Jodi) has been requesting these delicious, little pieces of heaven. You should try them! They taste just like Mc*Donald's

Cinnabites
3 cans refrigerated biscuits (cut into fourths)
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup DARK brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
8 disposable pot pie pans

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix together butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spray pans with Pam. Place a single layer of biscuits in bottom of each pan. Cover with a thin layer of cinnamon mixture. Place another layer of biscuits and cinnamon mixture. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Top with icing. YUM!I use the icing from my Cinna*bon roll recipe (it makes a ton of frosting, so I just store it in the freezer, and thaw as needed). Here's that recipe:

Frosting

The key to this is whipping it up for at LEAST 12 minutes.
8 oz butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese together. Slowly add in all powdered sugar. once all of the sugar is in the bowl, mix for at least 12 minutes. When almost done, add the lemon juice and vanilla extract.

Busy day

2007-08-03T20:41:00.000-04:00

Today was one of those 'non-stop' days! I made cinnabites for breakfast, then got lunch ready, then started the bbq ribs we had for dinner. Then I made homemade noodles (I've had the recipe forever but never tried them - they were SO good). After dinner, I gave Levi a bath, he loves to get bathed and get his fur dried. :o) Then I made my version of F*ire and Ice Cheesecake from this restaurant - and I'll be dipped in caramel - it tastes exactly the same!! I'll have to post the recipe on here, be forewarned though - it's NOT for health conscious people. LOL

Fried Green Tomatoes

2007-07-31T21:13:00.000-04:00

Candi asked if I would post how I fry them. It's really VERY simple. Here's what you'll need: green tomatoes, eggs-beaten, flour, cornmeal, and butter flavored Crisco. Mix the flour and cornmeal (50-50) together Melt Crisco in skillet over medium heat. If heat is too high they will burn (and fill your house with black smoke). Slice the tomato into 1/4" slices. Dip them in egg, then flour mixture. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Fry until brown and flip. We eat ours on buttered bread or buns. If anyone tries it, let me know what you think! Enjoy

Menu Plan Monday

2007-07-29T17:46:00.001-04:00

Check out other menus at Organizing Junkie's blog!

Sunday ~ Church cook-out

Monday ~ Egg salad, chips

Tuesday ~ Fried green tomatoes, flavored rice

Wednesday ~ Sausage balls, gravy, scrambled eggs, toast

Thursday ~ Spaghetti bake, garlic bread

Friday ~ BBQ chicken, broccoli & cauliflower in cheese, deviled eggs

Saturday ~ Minute Steaks, homemade noodles, mashed potatoes, corn

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

New TV anyone?

2007-07-28T11:20:00.000-04:00

5 Minutes for Mom is giving away a TV! It is from Best Buy and it must be a pretty nice one (I don't know much about them) because my hubby started drooling! lol Head on over and sign up to win!

So Nice

2007-07-27T18:26:00.000-04:00

Hippolyta, who won my giveaway for this book also won 2 other prizes today! She sent me an e-mail saying the following...

Wow, I feel a little guilty about winning so much. Your book sounds great. I think I will share the wealth, though and let the prize go to someone else.

Blessings,

Julia

How great is she?! So, the new recipient of the book is...April at Butterfly Kisses

And the winner is.....

2007-07-27T15:50:00.000-04:00

Hippolyta

Congratulations! I really hope you will enjoy this book! Thanks to everyone who entered my contest!

Made from scratch

2007-07-26T15:31:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Jodi and I made this Texas sheet cake. It was delicious! I love that all the ingredients were already in our pantry. It was unbelievably quick. While the cake is baking, you mix together the icing, and the best part is, you pour the icing on while the cake is still warm! You don't have to wait for it to cool completely! I would post a pic - but it's already gone! It's that good!

I know, everyone else on the whole face of the earth already knows about this cake and makes it all the time, but I just found out about it!

Do you have...

2007-07-25T09:27:00.001-04:00

My very first giveaway

2007-07-24T13:09:00.000-04:00

I'm soo excited! Shannon over at Rock's In My Dryer is hosting a giveaway carnival! What a great time for my first giveaway! I'll be giving away this book:

You can check it out here

All you have to do to enter is to leave me a comment! It's that easy! You can enter (only 1 comment per person please) up until Friday at 10 am (Eastern time) and I'll use this random number generator that Barb posted about to determine the winner at 10:15. This giveaway will be open to anyone living in the U.S. and Canada. PLEASE make sure to leave your e-mail address or blog name so I'll be able to get in touch with you if you are the winner.

Click here to check out the carnival!

Menu Plan Monday

2007-07-23T22:55:00.001-04:00

There's nothing like waiting until the last minute to do something! It's almost Tuesday, so I'd better get my menu up. Head over to Laura's blog, where there's over 100 menus!!

Sunday ~ Cook-out at friend's

Monday ~ Ham, twice baked potatoes, macaroni salad

Tuesday ~ Meatloaf, leftover potatoes, homemade noodles

Wednesday~ Fried bologna sandwiches, fries

Thursday ~ Cheddar Ham Omelet, hash brown patties

Friday ~ Pasta salad, breadsticks

Saturday ~ BLT's, cottage cheese

Hope everyone has a great week!

Evening sky

2007-07-20T13:16:00.000-04:00

I walked outside the other day, and seen this beautiful, picturesque cloud. I think it might've been the prettiest sunset I've ever seen. The very top of the cloud was this brilliant white and the pink and purple in the sky was amazing. This picture doesn't do it justice, but it's the best one I have:

Our newest addition!

2007-07-19T10:53:00.000-04:00

We have a puppy! This is Levi, he is a 4 month old poochon (poodle and bichon frise). We picked him up on Tuesday afternoon, and it took us until Wednesday evening to think up a name that we all (including my 2 nieces, because they were here, and they are, after all, family hehe) could agree on. He is wonderful! He was in a pet store in the mall so he was used to being all cooped up and just loves that he can roam around whenever he wants. He doesn't whine during the night or anything! The kids have been arguing over him non-stop and that is driving me crazy, but hopefully that's just the newness of him.

Menu Plan Monday

2007-07-16T12:34:00.000-04:00

Head over to Organizing Junkie's blog for more GREAT menu ideas! Here's our plan:

Monday ~ Hot dogs, baked beans, cole slaw

Tuesday ~ Chicken wraps, macaroni and cheese

Wednesday ~ Potluck, garlic bread sticks

Thursday ~ County Fair Food (YUM!)

Friday ~ Pizza

Our County Fair starts this afternoon, and that means I am craving funnel cakes! To try to save a little (ok, a LOT) of money, I made my own last night. And they turned out excellent! Makes me mad that I waited this long to make them - figures. Here's a pic:

UGH

2007-07-16T11:22:00.001-04:00

We had a virus on our computer and it took 2 hours with the technician, but thankfully our computer is all better! The only thing it would do is come on - no icons, no start menu, nothing. We had to reconfigure it to factory settings, which means we lost everything we put on here! So I'm trying to remember what all my bookmarks were - that will be fun! At least my computer works again! I choose to look at it like we just got a brand new computer. Gotta find the silver lining in it somewhere, right?!

Good As New!

2007-07-12T18:19:00.000-04:00

Last October, my brother (Robbie), his wife, and son were home from Hawaii (he's in the Army). Ryan, Robbie, and Papaw were out back at Papaw's tossing around a football, well the football went over the fence, so Rob lifted Ryan over it to get the ball. *Note* - Ryan is really tall for his age. While Ryan was being lifted over the fence, his bootlace got caught. Rob thought he'd cleared the fence so he let go. Ryan landed on his left elbow. I got a phone call from Mom who wanted me to know what had happened. I talked to Ryan and he said it hurt but would be ok until I got there. Jim and I arrived and Ryan was sitting in the chair holding his arm. I looked at it and seen a huge knot. A few minutes later Ryan was complaining about it so Jim looked at it again and it had become so swollen his shirt was cutting into his arm! We headed for the ER, which was just on the other side of town. The X-ray tech brought Ryan back and handed us a CD with the x-rays on them. She said she couldn't tell us anything but we'd need the CD. In other words - there was a BIG problem! The Dr came in and said the bone just above the elbow was broken, and he'd need surgery to have pins inserted to correct it! I was like BACK UP DR - what are you talking about! This was my baby, and this Dr is standing there telling me they were going to go ahead and give Ryan an IV so they could start him on pain meds so they'd be working before the ambulance got there to transport him to Children's Hospital in Cincinnati!! And by the way, his surgery is set for 7am! He could've at least told me to sit down before he started talking! Let's see, we took care of ER visit, x-rays, IV, ambulance ride, sleep-over in a hospital, surgery, pins in his elbow, and a cast(Bengals colors) in one trip!! The surgery only took a few minutes, but those were the longest minutes of my life! Four weeks later they removed the pins (grabbed them with a pair of plier-looking things and twisted and pulled them out) and put him in another cast. Two weeks after that he was done with the casts, but the Dr was concerned about the way a small mass of bone was building up in the elbow. We went back today for a check-up and the Dr said he is good as new and doesn't need to see him anymore! Here's a pic of today's x-ray, the arrow is where the break was.

Not much

2007-07-11T17:00:00.000-04:00

going on around here. We went swimming, and just staying in where it's cool and watching movies. Nothing really exciting going on - thankfully :o)

Menu Plan Monday

2007-07-08T20:55:00.000-04:00

Here's our menu for the week:

Sunday ~ Chicken patty sandwiches, noodles, corn

Monday ~ Breck

Tuesday ~ Spaghetti, garlic bread

Wednesday ~ Egg Salad, chips

Thursaday ~ Tacos, cottage cheese

Friday ~ Hamburger helper, homemade bread

Saturday ~ Fried rice, rolls

Check out Laura's blog for more great menu ideas!

Wallpaper

2007-07-07T10:22:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday we stripped all the wallpaper off our bathroom walls. Today we are scrubbing all the glue off the drywall. It takes a ton of elbow grease, but we have only spent $1 on the whole project so far! I bought a thing of fabric softener at the dollar store, it really works! We already had the putty knives and scrub brushes. I have a feeling my upper arms are going to be VERY sore tomorrow. Hehe

Happy 4th of July!

2007-07-04T13:18:00.000-04:00

Since Jim is off work today, I thought this would be the perfect time to try Barb's 'summer breakfast' ~ WOW was it delicious! I make sticky buns that are somewhat similar but these were great! For some reason, I couldn't get the biscuits in the middle cooked (very dough-y), so we just scraped the fruit off that part and ate around the edges. Problem solved :o) And the orange, banana, strawberry coolers are to die for!

We are going over to my parents for a lunch cook-out (Jodi made Butterfinger Pie), then we are having friends over for dinner! Tonight's dinner is: my version of Applebee's Bourbon Street Steak (with mushrooms and onions), Hamburgers, Hot dogs, Macaroni Salad, Bacon wrapped Mushrooms, and for dessert we're serving Magi's Better Than Almost Anything Cake

Our Wedding Song

2007-07-03T12:36:00.000-04:00

My kids look at our wedding photos and laugh and giggle about the way people looked 'back then' (only 12 years ago), but the one thing they've never made fun of was our wedding song. We played Alison Krauss "When You Say Nothing At All", Jim and I both stood up there in front of everyone and sobbed like babies, then we looked out into the crowd, EVERYONE was crying like babies!! The kids still play that song, and they all know every word. It is a very heartfelt song, and the words have rang true over and over for us. I'm still so very happy that this was our wedding song:

Menu Plan Monday

2007-07-01T22:51:00.001-04:00

Monday ~ Sloppy Joes, buttered noodles, Doritos (didn't have last week)

Tuesday ~ Grilled chicken, macaroni salad, green beans

Wednesday ~ 4th of July cook-out!!

Thursday ~ Breakfast bowls (didn't have this last week either)

Friday ~ Rice & beef chunks, gravy, homemade bread

Saturday ~ Fried eggplant, homemade noodles

Check out Laura's blog for more menu ideas!

Total Momsense

2007-06-28T10:40:00.000-04:00

This is so funny how she put this together! I would love to see one of her videos. Here's the link to her site: Anita Renfroe

Giveaways!

2007-06-26T13:44:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love giveaways?! Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and pick and choose (or choose them all) which giveaways you'd like to win. Good Luck!

Menu Plan Monday

2007-06-25T17:36:00.001-04:00

Been quite a while since I've posted my menu, so I'm going to try to get in the swing of it!

Monday ~ Chicken Club Wreath, flavored rice, cottage cheese

Tuesday ~ Pork patties, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn

Wednesday ~ Lasagna, salad, garlic bread

Thursday ~ Macaroni & Cheese casserole, homemade breadsticks

Friday ~ Breakfast bowls (potatoes, sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, cheese, mushrooms, & onions)

Saturday ~ Sloppy joe, Doritos, buttered noodles

My mil makes the world's best sloppy joes, but I could never get mine to taste like hers. She'd always say, "there's nothing to it - it's very simple". I FINALLY got close!! All it is is 2 pounds of ground turkey and a 10 3/4 oz can of tomato soup! Yep, that's all that you need! I was always using WAY too much soup. For more menu ideas, head on over to Organizing Junkie's blog.

Clock

2007-06-22T20:13:00.000-04:00

I seen the pendulum clock on Beth's blog and fell in love with it.

Today's much better than yesterday

2007-06-22T19:53:00.000-04:00

Last Tuesday, we went to my sil's house for a cook-out for Grampa P's (Jim's Dad) 69th birthday. I'm not sure if someone was carrying a virus or what was happening, but everyone except for Ryan, Gramma (who was on antibiotics), and I ended up sicker than a dog! The girls were taking turns throwing up and Jim came home early from work for the same reason! Jim and Jodi are completely over it today, but EVERY time Megan gets sick and is throwing up she ends up dehydrated and we usually spend hours in the ER getting IV fluids. Thankfully the last time we were there they gave her a prescription for the nausea and vomiting and it has already saved us 2 trips (counting today) back there! She seems to be doing fine now. Praise the Lord! I'm not sure why Ryan or I neither one ended up sick, I am just so very thankful!

Distant relative?

2007-06-21T10:11:00.000-04:00

I'm sure everyone has seen this video before - but I still crack up every time I watch it. I swear he must be related, Hubby and both daughters dance around the house all the time. Sometimes they look just like the man in the video!! I think that's really why I laugh so hard, thinking of them doing their 'dances'!! I have a video of my hubby doing one - but he FORBID me to put it on here ~ it is SO funny that the camera is shaking pretty much the whole time because I was laughing so hard!! Maybe some day he will give in and let me post it.