Thursday, December 29, 2011

Perfect Rice

I've been on the search of a perfect rice recipe and I have tried many.

What I am looking for is rice that is similar to that which is served at a chinese or mexican restaurant.

My rice always seems sticky and somewhat mushy. Blah!! So not what I am looking for.

I want rice that is cooked done but not mushy, that isn't sticky and doesn't stick together in clumps.

So I've seen a few recipes online and I've watched a couple cooking shows and this is what I tried tonight.

1 tablespoon oil or butter- tonight I used sesame oil
1 cup of rice
1.5- 1.75 cups of water

Here's what I did

In a saucepan I put the oil and the rice, and stirred it up and let it cook a bit, everything I read said cook till somewhat translucent, then I added the water, it boiled immediately so be careful, put the lid on, turn the heat down and set the timer for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off remove from heat and fluff with a fork. That's it and it turned out great!!

Now to try to recreate the red tinted rice we get at the mexican restaurants!! That's my next adventure!!!

~ My sweet girl is 2!! ~

Yesterday my baby girl had her 2nd birthday!!

I can't even begin to tell you how blessed I am to be her momma!! I just love her to pieces!! Every last spoiled rotten bit of her!!!

As it was daddy's last day home before going back to work, we spent the day just haning out and playing with the littles!!

I did a couple loads of laundry and of course the meals and dishes but nothing over the top, it was a very relaxed day.

After Little Miss Boo woke up from her nap she was in the mood to cuddle and so we did for quite a while. We were cuddled up on the couch, she and I, wrapped up in a cozy blanket watching a movie. Bliss!!! Truth be told she hadn't got her nap out and just wanted Momma to hold her, and ya know I was good with that!!!

It came time to start thinking about dinner and I knew I would have to run to the store and little miss don't put me down- take me with you or I will scream and drive daddy nuts, and I got ready to go and we went to the store. I needed fresh loaf of bread and a bag of chips for daddy's lunch today as well as some mozzarella cheese and sausage for our birthday pizza night!!!
Little Miss picked out some bananas and also a wee little cake for our birthday celebration.

We made hm pizza and bread sticks, ate cake and just hung out some more. Kara opened 2 new "Yee-Has" aka mini my little ponies for her birthday gift, she won't get her big gift till her party but she doesn't care. She loves those little ponies!!
The Birthday girl was treated to "bubbles" while I prepared dinner. "Bubbles-nigh-night" is her way to ask for a bath!! Which she enjoyed emmensely while the dough was rising!! Isn't it cute how she understands a bath then bed time??

We played a board game then watched a couple shows together and then the boys went to bed and Kara and I curled up on the couch with that snuggly blanket and we fell asleep cuddling on the couch while daddy finished watching a crime drama show!!

When the show went off, I tucked a conked out birthday girl into her bed and daddy and I made the rounds locking up and setting up coffee and then we too retired for the night.

It was a great day to spend with family!!

The funniest part of the whole day is someone would call and say to Kara, Is today your birthday? And she would ALWAYS answer "nah"!! She says no to everything even when she means yes, lol

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Menu Plan for January 2012

Yes I just wrote 2012!!! Seems weird but it is what it is, ready or not 2012 is just days away!!!

Anyway with Christmas behind us, and the New Year upon us its time to get my focus back!! I need to be and have to be diligent about everything, money and time being the big ones. So that being said, the hubs and I worked out a menu, the shopping list is made, the coupons have been clipped and friday I will be doing a big shop!! And I do me BIG, I am out of everything yall!!! Time to stock this house back up!! I am sure my family is probably tired of "What do yall want for dinner?? Then after answering me they hear, " that would be great but we're out of that". Its been interesting, I've been resourceful and inventive, we've not gone hungry but we haven't nessassarily had the norms or the faves, its getting bottom of the barrell so the big shop MUST TAKE PLACE on Friday!!!

Here's the menu!!

Tonight 12/27/2011 I am baking a ham, and am also making mashed potatoes with gravy, I have leftover green beans and corn so will heat those up as well to go along with our Ham dinner.

Tomorrow 12/28/2011 my baby girl will be 2!! Yes 2!! Tradition in this house dictates hm pizza, and brownies or cupcakes!!

Thursday 12/29/2011 Leftovers, probably leftover pizza for the kiddos and leftover ham for the adults!!

Friday 12/30/2011- Our traditional New Year's Eve, seafood dinner only a day early!!

Saturday 12/31/2011- We have been invited to the neighbors for dinner and fellowship, so lookign forward to this!!

Sunday 1/1/2012- Happy New Year!! We will also be having little Miss Boo's Birthday party after Church. She is in love with Mickey and Minnie Mouse right now so we will be having "Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot diggity dogs!! With all the fixings: chili, cheese, kraut, ketchup, mustard, onions, relish- not all together mind you, lol more like a Hot Dog Build Your Own Buffet!! :) with chips and dip, pink punch and cake!!

Then for the rest of January 2012 (maybe the more I type/write 2012 the faster I'll get used to it....meh who knows, but its worth a shot right? )

1/2- Leftovers from the weekend or Beef Tips, with Mushrooms and gravy over noodles- my bet is that there will be plenty of leftovers from the weekend but I wanna be prepared just in case!!

1/3- Broiled Salmon, Baked Potato, Broc
1/4- Sausage Gravy on Toast, fried potatoes
1/5- Fahjitas, spanish rice
1/6- Hm Pizza
1/7- My honey's 35th birthday, he has requested Crab cakes, and we will have them with either ff or bake potato
1/8- Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and pan gravy, another one of lovey's faves, so why not, just going to give him a birthday weekend of favorite meals!!
1/9- Soup and grilled cheese
1/10- Nachos
1/11- Waffles, sausage links
1/12- Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
1/13- Hm Pizza
1/14- Burgers on the grill, ff
1/15- Greek Chicken, Baked potato, salad
1/16- Leftovers or Soup and grilled cheese
1/17- Spaghetti and garlic bread
1/18- Hot dogs,baked beans, mac and cheese
1/19- Roasted Whole Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn
1/20- Hm Pizza
1/21- Chicken and Dumplings
1/22- Beef Roast, mashed potatoes, mushrooms and onions
1/23- Lasagne, garlic bread
1/24-Fettuchini alfredo, with chicken, mushrooms and garlic
1/25- Bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes
1/26- Salmon, Baked Potato, broc
1/27- Hm Pizza
1/28- Bowling with the boy scouts, eating out this day!!
1/29- Baked Ham, mashed potatoes, green beans
1/30- Grilled Ham and cheese, or Ham and eggs, or Ham and potato empanadas
1/31 Unstuffed Peppers, leftover mashed potatoes, gravy, corn

Saturday, December 24, 2011

:) Merry Christmas:)

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to All!!!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry 2 days before Christmas!!!

Today will be a whirlwind I am sure!!

I want to finish cleaning up the kitchen and do the floor first thing this morning.

We are having company later this evening so I need to make sure things are done!!

I still have wrapping to do, and 3 gifts to finish for the kids, but I will get it done!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!!!
Merry Christmas!!!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Hope Chest Suggestions???

I have a neighbor friend whose daughter is I think 15. The mom and I have discussed how we had a hopechest and how it helped us get ready for life on our own and the daughter seems somewhat curious. So being that no one, including this family has any money these days I was wondering what suggestions you might make for someone who wants to fill a hopechest, what could she make for her hopechest?? The only thing I can think of is blankets, pillow cases, quilts.
Is there anything else she could make??

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Ready for Christmas???

Ummm No, me neither, lol

I still have a couple things to buy, then of course the baking and there's always the housework that needs done and to be honest we haven't even put up the tree yet. I know I know its awful.

Partly I am hoping that by putting it up late I will only have to decorate it once, not the 40 or 50 times it might need redecorating once the baby has her way with it, lol

Speaking of the baby, its not gonna be easy on me to come to terms with the fact that she will be 2 on the 28th of this month. No, not easy at all. She's my last child and I just am not ready.

I am however excited that she is excited about all the lights on the houses that we see when driving at night, how she lights up when she sees someone's christmas tree when we are visiting, the fact that she does a super adorable santa inpersonation, both with the Ho Ho Ho's and the munching of cookies, I wonder though if Santa leaves as many crumbs behind as she does??

My christmas spirit is slow in coming to surface this year, I'm doing better than last year, last year I didn't want to do christmas at all, I miss him, so terribly much, I grieve for what my kids are missing without my dad here. I miss that "Santa" won't call them like he did me when I was their age. I know in my heart that God had a reason to take him, I know that and I trust that, I have faith that my dad is enjoying christmas in heaven with great grandma who raised him, with Great Uncle Jennings that was his father figure growing up, I am sure he is up there spoiling the baby we lost, I know he is better and not sick anymore. But it still hurts not to have him here. And I know Jesus is the true reason for the season but it just doesn't feel like christmas without my daddy.

And ya know I can almost hear him saying, ok straighten up, you've got those kids to think about, you don't have time to boo hoo, they are expecting a great christmas and its up to you to give it too them.

And I will Daddy I promise.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Super Busy But Wonderful Weekend!!

Its been a typical Monday so far.....

Got the kids up late
Dh woke up not feeling well
Dh was late leaving for work
Oldest was late for school....
And so typical Monday, lol

But the weekend, Oh the weekend was wonderful!!

Dh took the oldest and they joined the Boy Scouts on a Day trip to the state capital. They were up early and gone all day but they had a great time!!

The littles and I went to town, then came home for naps and getting ready for a get together.

Once the guys were home, we loaded up and dropped oldest off at the neighbors house, to hang out with some older friends for a video game and pizza fest, and dh and I, took the littles and had dinner with friends as well. It was a great night, got to bed way late but everyone had a good time. Both of the boys wanted to know could this be what we did every saturday night, lol, umm Probably not but good try asking boys, lol

Sunday we got up and went to church, then the children had christmas program practice, then we got lunch and came home. I ended up with a migraine so when the baby laid down for her nap I went with her, I ended up sleeping a couple hours, and boy I needed it, because it really helped get rid of that migraine. While the baby and I napped, daddy and the boys played a board game. Its one of their favorite things to do with daddy!! They get him all to themselves with out baby sister trying to eat the pieces or tear the play money.

After my nap I got up and got everyone ready and we went to church for the childrens christmas program, all three of my lovlies were in the program this year and it was wonderful!! Both of the boys had speaking parts, they all sang and even the baby not quite 2 had a speaking part, she was the "Moon" in the creation story!! She's talking but not fully but she can say moon and it was adorablely cute when she said it for the program!!

After the program they had light refreshments and we stayed way too late talking to friends, family and church members. It was such a wonderful program!!!

Getting home and everyone in bed was late as well, which put us late getting going this morning. But it was so good, so very good and a great way to spend the weekend!!!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend too!!!
Dana

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Time gets away from me!!

I really need to be better about updating my blog.

So much has happened in our lives that keeps us busy that before you know it, time just gets away from me.

So how about some updates???

We had a good thanksgiving, we ate with my side of the family at 12 on Thanksgiving day. The food was great!! We had Turkey, Ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, sweet potato casserole, saurkraut, Baked mac and cheese, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls, sweet tea, watergate salad, pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake It was all sooo good!!
Usually we eat a lighter dinner with dh's gram on Thanksgiving night, but this year dh's gram was very sick and so we just came home, ate something quick for dinner and worked outside around the house. We had a bonfire and burned up all the limbs that fell when we had that first freak heavy snow storm in October. The kids had a ball!!

I did not fight any black friday crowds, instead I stayed home and did some shopping via internet.

Since then dh and I both have been really sick both with horrible sinus infections, Praise the Lord that we are on the mend, it was horrible to be that sick.

I was asked to bake a couple large cakes for a Eagle Scout Ceremony, which we were also invited to. I am really glad we went!!

I put together a christmas party for our cubscout pack, I had help from great friends and it was a nice time although poor Brady was sick and didn't get to go. Thank goodness for Granny ( my mom) who took care of him so I could put this all together for the scouts. So thankfull that whatever was ailing him, he has recovered from!! Poor fella was really sick!!

I am working getting Christmas gifts finished, either bought or made, I need to start wrapping.

This weekend the older scouts are going on a field trip per se and then afterwards we are all going to have dinner with some friends, so I need to plan out what I am making for that. Its going to be more of a just hang out and visit kind of dinner I think so I am for sure planning on making potato skins, they are always a hit, I just need to figure out what else to make. I think we will probably order pizza for the kids.

Busy busy busy thats just the order of things.

Oh and I can't believe I forgot the most important update of all...

On November 27th- the first day of Advent-
My Husband, my oldest son, my youngest son, our baby girl and I were all baptized and officially joined our church!! What an amazing day that was!! I can't believe how happy that has made me!! I so love our church and the people who attend there. I love having a church home!!!!

So I think that about does it for me for updates, time to get busy and get things accomplished!!!
Enjoy your day!! Even though its raining buckets, I will enjoy mine!!!
Blessings to you!!
Dana

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Tuesday 11/22/2011

Good Mid-Morning!!

Thanks Cheryl for the get well wishes!! I took the first dose of antibiotics yesterday and I was actually able to sleep some last night, I totally slept through my hubby getting up for work this morning and only woke up in time to tell him good bye,I didn't even have time to pack his lunch, I asked him why he didn't wake me and he said he knew I needed the rest and that he could eat at the cafe at work today, no big deal. I hate that I slept through and didn't get his lunch packed but to be honest I think I could go back to bed now and sleep some more. This being up all night the past few nights coughing and not being able to breathe really takes its toll. I was able to sleep better last night so hopefully these antibiotics are the key and I am on the mend!!

Now that I am feeling a little bit better, I think I am going to try to get somethings done around here today. I've already loaded the dishwasher and got it going, and I know there is at least 2 loads of clothes that need washed, dried and put away. Our trash place is closed on Wednesday normally and I assume it would be closed for Thanksgiving so I hope to get our trash gathered up and taken away today as well. That way its not sitting here till friday. Not sure I want to be out on Friday anyway. Sleep deprived shoppers on the road could be a bad idea.

Other than that, depending on how I feel I will probably get started on some Thanksgiving dinner preps.

Dinner tonight I think will be Spaghetti with hm bread.

Hope you all have a great day!!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Broke down and went to the Dr.

I AM SOOOOOOOOO SICK!!

I don't think I have ever been this sick with a head cold before. I went to the doctor first thing this morning.
Luckily it hasn't moved into my lungs but I do have a serious sinus infection. THANK GOD the doctor gave me some antibiotics and after talking to my husband it must be a pretty strong one because I am to take 2 pills today and only 1 pill a day for the rest of the week. I sure hope it works I am so miserable!!!
Every time I cough it feels like my head might explode, my ears have fluid behind them and I can't breath, my throat feels like its been scrubbed out by a porcupine, miserable just doesn't do how I feel justice.
In addition to the prescribed meds the doctor said to continue to take over the counter meds to help with the symptoms.

So there is my update. Hope your all feeling well.
Blessings

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Thursday 11/17/2011

I am busier than usual I guess, poor poor neglected blog!!

Today is catch up day for me, I need to catch up the laundry, the dishes, the housework the....yeah just about everything needs done today!!

I also need to clean out the fridge, wash up any dishes from the fridge clean out and then get my menu and grocery list finished!!!

I have a nasty head cold with an awful headache slowing me down but the work needs to be done, so there's no use in complaining about it.

Not sure about dinner yet, I'll probably grab something quick as we have religious service award training with the boys tonight.

That about sums it up, time for some meds and I gotta get busy!!
Enjoy your day!!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Cheap Eats!!

Today we left early to gather food donations to take to the local food bank. This was part of our cub scout community projects.

Normally we would go out to lunch as a reward for all that walking and lugging but being that dh won't get paid again till sometime next week, we decided it best to come home and not spend any unnessassary money.

So I dug through the fridge and freezer and put together some lunch for all of us.

Oldest ds wanted hm pizza leftover from last night.
For the rest of us I used some leftover sauce from when I made lasagne earlier this week and I remembered I had a small bowl of leftover spaghetti sauce in the freezer so I put the two of those together and cooked some noodles and ta-da Spaghetti!! It was really good and there isn't any left so I guess it went down just fine :)

Oh and my pumpkins I told you about yesterday??? I cooked them and then puree'd the flesh and ended up with the equivalent of 14 cans of pumpkin puree'. I froze 12 and will use 2 today to make pies. Not bad for free pumpkins!!

I thought about it and I am planning on drying some of the apples and using them to make wreaths as part of my christmas gift baskets this year!! Another free item put to good use. Oh and I will still have plenty to turn into Applesauce!!

God is good!! Wouldn't you agree??

Have a blessed day!!
Dana

Friday, November 11, 2011

Blessed...SO BLESSED

I know I've probably said it before and if I haven't I really should have.

I am blessed by my Great Aunt Dorothy!!

She is an awesome lady!! She's the one who gives me all of her extra garden stuff, her extra plants early in gardening season, her extra garden harvest when she has canned or preserved all she can use, apples in the fall, I could go on and on, she always thinks of us. We are so blessed by her.

This weekend there is a Spaghetti Benefit Dinner for my cousin Pam, she has breast cancer and is undergoing treatments that are very expensive and as I understand it, they don't have insurance and the treatments are very expensive. Yesterday I took some #10 cans of tomato sauce to my Aunt Dorothy to use to make the sauce for the benefit dinner this weekend.

Aunt Dorothy called me on Wednesday to ask me if when I came out yesterday was I ready for more apples, she had some more "seconds or drops" that I could have if I wanted them.

!!"Of course I wanted them"!!

So I get there yesterday to drop off the tomato sauce and I filled up the back of my truck with 2 bushels of apples and she asked me if I wanted any pumpkins as well!! OH JACKPOT!! I am completely out of pumpkin puree and have been looking for cheap pumpkins and truth be told dh won't get paid till next week so I was hoping to take care of that next week, when we had a little money to work with, but she had 3 that she wanted rid of "3"! I am over the moon!!

I'll be busy working up all the apples into applesauce but hopefully with all these apples I won't run out of hm applesauce, my kids love it and we go through a lot!!!

And even though the pumpkins can wait a bit to be processed, I think I will try to go ahead and do those as well, and maybe work up some pumpkin pies- 1 for my Pap- his birthday was the 9th and he knows to expect a pie from me, its tradition :) and he'll enjoy it while reading over the Farmer's Almanac for 2012 that I gave him last weekend!!! 1 Pie for the hubs- he loves them!! And while I am working up a pie crusts for those 2 pies whats a couple more?? So I'll work up a couple pies for my Aunt Dorothy to sell at the benefit dinner as I hear they are having a bake sale table as well.

Busy-busy-busy- but its a good busy, I love it!!
Have a great day!!
God Bless!!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

11/8

Looks like today will be a continue of yesterday, I didn't get everything done on my to- do list but thats ok, its life and I'm just going to roll with it and hopefully accomplish more today. I did get a few things done yesterday just not as many as I had hoped!!

No biggie, today is a new day!!

Have a great one!!

Monday, November 7, 2011

11/7

Good morning!!

Thanks to daylight savings time my body automatically woke me up at 5:30 !! I tried to lay there thinking I might drift back off to sleep until the alarm when off but someone must have not told the dog that the clocks were set back and so she wanted out at 5:30 as well. So I've been up for a while. Its usually never good when you beat the coffee maker out of bed,lol I decided as long as I was up I would put the dog out, start the coffee of course, lol and go ahead and get started on my day...

So far I've emptied the dishwasher then reloaded it
*Packed Mike's lunch and got him off to work
*Paid bills
*Started laundry
*Fixed a quick breakfast for the kids
*Semi-cleaned off the table- its a catch all but I've sorted paperwork, threw away what needed to go, boxed up some jars that I've used the food out this past week and then cleaned and now they are boxed up and ready to return to the garage, bagged up some canned goods for the food drive.
* worked out whats for dinner
* worked on the cub scout calendar and emailed dh all the dates (cubscouts and personal) so he could sync his calendar with whats going on

And now I am just checking in with my blog before I continue on with the day. My kids are out of school today so I hope with them here I will be able to get a good deal accomplished, the boys are great at occupying their little sister while I get things done- well most of the time, haha
Lets hope that is the case today, this house needs some TLC!!!

Still on my list of to-do's is:
Finish cleaning kitchen
Sweep and mop kitchen floor
Finish Laundry and get put away
Clean livingroom
sweep and mom livingroom floor
clean bathroom
sweep and mop bathroom floor
clean dog bedding
Bake some goodies for lunch boxes
Start Smoked ham hocks in crock pot for tomorrows dinner

and if I get all of that done then maybe tomorrow I'll be able to dig out my desk and maybe deploy some organization to the entire mess?? Who knows miracles do happen so here's hoping I can work out a homemaking one!!! :)

Dinner tonight is Lasagne, and garlic bread- if I don't have any in the freezer I'll have to make some, whats one more baked good???

Have a blessed day!!!
Dana

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Thursday 11/3/2011

Just sitting here enjoying my coffee. The boys left a little bit ago to have breakfast with Dad. They were supposed to go to school for the "Donuts with Dad" before school this morning but it was cancelled for who knows why and we weren't told till the kids got home yesterday after school. Since dh works about 1.5hrs away he took a personal day because he normally has to be at work long before the kids are even catching the bus so it made no sense to go into work 3-4 hours late, to work a couple hours then come home so he took the day off. I had some very bummed out boys yesterday afternoon but daddy saved the day saying that instead of donuts he would just take them out for breakfast instead. Everyone was up early to be ready to leave and that is where they are now.

Little Miss Boo and I are hanging out here at home till he gets back then I guess our day of busy catch up will get going.

Having daddy home for the day allows me to get things done that I normally can't do by myself or things that need an extra strong hand. He's also going to do some lifting and rearranging of building materials for my mom. We are blessed to have him for sure!!

Then tonight we have "God and Me" training class at Church for Scouts!! I am looking forward to this!!

So that is our day in a nutshell, errands, helping out family, taking care of a few things here that need Daddy's attention, then scouts and class!!

Gotta love full days especially when they are filled with family!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Goodie Giveaway!!!

Kendra over at Newlifeonahomestead.com is having a giveaway!!
Go check it out here:
http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2011/11/fair-trade-usa-goodie-bag-giveaway/

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

November 1st, 2011

Time is flying by!! Today is my wonderful momma's birthday!! I am so lucky to have her!! Our plan is to take her out to eat tonight!! A new to her restaurant that she has never tried, a buffet her favorite full of country cooking just like we do only in mass quantities, lol lots and lots to choose from!!

Other than that my day will be laundry, bill paying, house cleaning, you know the usual!!

With the weather turning cold and our sudden and curious snowstorm this past weekend- Yes snow in October- I found it hard to believe myself but it happened, any way with this cold snap I have deviated from the menu a bit and yesterday I made a huge pot of Chili and a huge pot of Beef Vegetable Soup. It was very enjoyable with this cold weather. We had soup for dinner last night and tonight we will go out for dinner for mom's birthday but tomorrow we will have soup again, plus I will take plenty of each to Mom's for her to enjoy this week. Any left after that the baby and I will enjoy for lunch till its gone!! Oh how I love soup!! Its one of my favorite parts of cold weather!!!

There are only 50-couple days till christmas so I've been crafting away but not enough and I need to step up my efforts in order to be done in time for the wonderful holiday!!! Oh and the great news is all this time I've wondered if people actually enjoy my homemade gifts, I mean sure they say they like them and such but you still wonder way backin your mind if they really enjoy them and a couple days ago I really got my answer!! A lady contacted me about making a gift for her to give to her girls for Christmas!! I just don't think you can get any more confirmation than that!! I am totally excited!!

I hope you enjoy your day!!
Blessings from our home to yours!!
Dana

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Menu

I was able to go grocery shopping yesterday, with dh's new job we are only able to do a big shop about once a month with quick trips for bread or milk inbetween. What has helped is making a menu and trying hard to stick with it. I'll be able go on the next big shop on the 18th so here's my menu plan till then!!!

Here's our menu for 10/22-11/18
10/22- Spaghetti, garlic bread
10/23- Invited to dinner at Dh's grams
10/24- Nachos/Tacos
10/25- Fried chicken salad, baked potatoe
10/26- Cheese Ravioli with alfredo sauce, marinated chicken breasts
10/27- Kielbasa, fried potatoes, pinto beans, spinach
10/28- Clam chowder, corn bread muffins
10/29-Burgers on the grill, oven potatoe wedges
10/30- Lasagne, garlic bread
10/31- Hm Pizza
11/1- Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans
11/2- Eggs, fried potatoes, sausage patties
11/3- Beef and Snow Pea Stir fry, rice
11/4- Hm Pizza
11/5- Italian Sausage, onions and green peppers, either on buns or over rice
11/6- Beef Cubes, Mushrooms and Gravy in the crockpot over egg noodles, lima beans,and corn
11/7- Soup and grilled cheese
11/8- Ham slices, fried potatoes, spinach
11/9- Nachos/tacos
11/10- Spaghetti, garlic bread
11/11- Hm Pizza
11/12-Salmon Cakes, baked potato, spinach
11/13- Pork Chops, fried potatoes, lima beans and corn
11/14- Soup and grilled cheese
11/15- Chicken, Alfredo noodles, broccolli
11/16- Beef Roast, Mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans
11/17- Shrimp Fried Rice
11/18- Hm Pizza

Breakfasts are: Muffins, pancakes, waffles, eggs, cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat
Lunches for Dh- I pack his lunch everyday, he takes normally a sandwich, chips, fruit(fresh, canned, or dried) yogurt, something sweet for dessert
Lunches for the boys- I either pack which consists of: Sandwich, chips, fruit, granola bar, juice or they eat lunch at school
Lunches for the baby and I through the week or for all of us on weekends are: Mostly Leftovers, or hotdogs, ramen noodles, mac and cheese, etc.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Thursday 10/20/2011

THURSDAY!! One more day till the weekend and I can't wait!!

Right now I am waiting for a call from the scout office, then hopefully I can finish up with this Popcorn and be DONE!! Ugh frustrating doesn't cover it, really!! Alot of it is because this is the first year I have been the popcorn chair and I had no idea what I was doing and well you can probably figure out how its been frustrating for me. But oh well its just one small thing really and it will soon be done and hopefully done right by me. :)

So while waiting for that call, I hope to get things straightened up around here finish up more laundry and then finish cutting coupons I can't believe how many I have that need cut.

Also before I forget one of the local fire depts is having a fundraiser bake sale, for a local man who has cancer and is set to have surgery soon, the fundraiser is to help raise money for his wife to be able to stay down close to the hospital with him while he is in surgery and recovering, so all that to say my grandma asked me to bake something so I plan on making a cherry pie and a loaf of applesauce bread for the bake sale.

So that is my plan for today!!

Have a blessed day!!!
Dana

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Wednesday 10/18/2011

Didn't get as much done yesterday as I had hoped but it was still a productive day none the less!!

The cinnamon roll bread made great french toast, but I think next time I will soak the bread a bit longer than the recipe for french bread called for. It was a bit dry in the middle of the slices but still good!!

As for today I have 2 maybe 3 loads of laundry to do.
Regular straightening and cleaning up to do
Finish up my menu
Work on coupons- a neighbor just stopped and brought me more!!! I love saving money!!
I already have the leftover roasted chicken carcass simmering away on the stove in a big pot of water with some boullion and garlic, going to turn this into chicken and dumplings for tonight!! Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Can't wait!!!

Just a normal day for us today!!
Hope you have a wonderful day!!!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Tuesday 10/18/2011

I have once again neglected this blog... Life as you know has a way of messing up one's plans.. I've learned to just roll with it!!

Thought I would do a mini recap of the weekend and such....

This past weekend we went camping with the boy scouts, this was the first time our cubs had camped with the older boy scouts and I have to say the most of the boy scouts were very acccomodating to the young ones!! Miss Boo and I even went and we had a blast!! I thought we were going to freeze to death in the middle of the night but for the most part we had a great time!! The purpose of this camping trip was to serve the community as parking attendants for the Battle of Cedar Creek Re-enactment. Yall - I was in my glory, all those hoop skirts and long gowns, oh I just have to make Miss Boo one of those for next year. I just couldn't soak up enough history and all the wonderful things set up for us to look at and enjoy!! We helped with parking but there was plenty of time to tour the encampments which were set up just as they would have been all those years ago. Amazing, truely amazing!!!!

Sunday we had to pack up and come home, we also had a committee meeting for our Cub Scout pack and then I went by my mom's to pick up our dog- she doggy sat for us so Gretta wouldn't be alone all day Saturday. Sunday also marked 1 yr since my daddy left us. I gotta admit that I did better than I thought I would. Yes, there were times that I just couldn't keep the tears from falling but I think..no I KNOW he wouldn't have wanted me to sit around crying the whole weekend and would have wanted me to find the joy and live it so I made the decision to go camping with the boys and to enjoy the re-enactment. Don't let me fool you though, I miss him like crazy!!

Sunday night we got home from picking up the dog and visiting with my mom and it was later than I had wanted so we had a simple dinner, grilled cheese sandwiches for the kids and I hard boiled some eggs and dh and I snacked on them as we relaxed and watched a show after the kids went to bed.

Yesterday I spent washing up all the dirty smokey smelling laundry from the camping trip, I worked on scout paperwork and popcorn orders and then made a huge dinner for us to reheat and enjoy after scouts. I packed dinner for my mom and the baby and took Miss Boo over to my moms and then we went to scouts.

After scouts the boys ate and we got the kids off to bed then dh and I ate quickly and we weren't long for bed ourselves. It was a long weekend and a long day monday.

Today is hopefully a little bit more laid back, I still have popcorn for the scouts to work on, and there is always lots of housework around here that needs doing but we will all be home tonight to eat dinner together and spend time together before bed!!

I think tonight for dinner I will make breakfast for dinner.... I have a loaf of hm cinnamon roll bread leftover from camping this weekend and I am betting it will make AWESOME French Toast!! I think I also have some sausage in the freezer to go along with it. Ya know I also have some leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge from dinner last night, I could just make a feast for dinner tonight... Hmm... I'll see what everyone wants to eat but I am thinking:
Cinnamon Roll French Toast
Sausage Patties
Mashed Potato Cakes
Eggs if anyone wants them??
Yep sounds like a feast to me!!!

Hope you have a great day!!!
Dana

Thursday, October 13, 2011

For Cheryl!!

For some reason I am unable to respond to the comments section of this blog. I've tried numerous times and still am unable so I thought I would just comment back in a post and answer you!!

In this state your vehicle must be inspected every 12 months to ensure its a safely opperational vehicle. Some of the things they check are your Tires, brakes, windshield wipers, horn lights, etc. If any of the long list of things they check for are bad or need replaced they fail your inspection and you have 15 days to remedy the situation and obtain an inspection sticker. The inspection and sticker cost 16.00. Since I've already paid this and obtained a fail, once I remedy the wrongs I can have the car reinspected at the same place for 1.00.

All vehicles must have a inspection sticker and a county sticker.

The county sticker is also good for 12 months and it costs 25.00 a year. Its tied into personal property taxes but is a seperate charge we still have to pay personal property taxes in addition to the county sticker.

I hope that explains it a bit better, I didn't take into account how different things are in other states.

Horrible day yesterday but still a praise to share!!

By the time evening came yesterday I was ready to just declare the day a fail and go to bed and hope that today I could get a do over!!

Wednesday for me started out like this:

RAINING- good grief its been raining for what seems like forever with sparse days of dry in between

Then I got pulled over not a mile from my house for a dead inspection, the officer was really nice I told him it had just slipped my mind and honestly it had it wasn't like I was up to anything devious, then he said ok give me just a minute and he comes back with a TICKET!!!! My inspection was only 12 days out of date and he obviously ran my license and saw that I had no record no spots on my licence at all but I still got a ticket. I was sad and dissapointed to say the least, its not like I have an extra 30.00 just laying around to pay tickets with, but I agree I am at fault, I guess the it slipped my mind statement held no water, Maybe what I should have said was it slipped my mind because I have 3 kids, I practically run my entire household by myself because my husband leaves early and comes home late to provide for us, I take care of my husbands 87 yr old grandmother, my mother is a widow I cook and take care of her, I also help when I can take care of my mother's parents who are in their 70's and have health problems, I have 2 sons in scouts, I am the pack secretary and I spend most of my time running errands here and there for everyone but myself, I never take a shower by myself or use the bathroom by myself, I don't get to bed until Midnight or later, my daughter doesn't sleep through the night and I am back up by 6am every morning , I am over worked and totally under appreciated and I truely am sorry that I let the inspection lapse but Thank you very much officer I will gladly pay the 30.00 ticket on the one income that I can barely keep my kids fed with-Seriously they are eating machines, but please sir won't you have a nice day?? Ok I am off my soap box, like I said its totally my fault for not having it done but it galls me that I am getting a ticket for dead inspection but the truckers at the truck stop a mile from the house can pull out in front of you, run you off the road-yes seriously, block the road and tie up traffic for a hour but there is NEVER a cop when you need one but Lord help you if average joe smoe is 12 days out of inspection- beware they are coming for you!!!

Then after accepting my ticket I still had to run about 4000.00 worth of unsold popcorn back to the scout office and I decided to go ahead and get the inspection taken care of, and guess what it failed, yep FAILED, turns out the truck needs new rotors and brakes on the back, I just had new tires put on the front like 3 weeks ago, wouldn't ya think they would have looked it over and gave me the heads up?? Nope Nada!! I'm gonna let that one go there simply is no point to getting worked up over it. I will just have to remember to be more thorough when asking questions and having work done by anyone but my hubby.

Ok so enough complaing here's my praise:
My husband GOD BLESS HIM, puts up with me even when I am a ranting red head!! He has this amazing ability to calm me down and talk me off the soap box. GOD I love him!! I'm lucky to have him!!!He also GOD BLESS HIM is gifted as Jack of All Trades and although he spends his days as my geeky computer guy, he will be able to put on my rotors and brakes as soon as I get them which will be his next pay day.
A big praise is that at least I found out there was a problem with my truck before something serious went wrong and with hubby fixing it for us it will save us a great garage charge!!
So not too bad I guess after all!!

So that pretty much was how my day went yesterday!! Here's praying today is less eventful...Who ever said being a housewife was boring????......Not this red head thats for sure!!!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Not a great way to start my day....

I am out of my favorite coffee creamer~sniff sniff~ lol
Not my ideal way to start the day but I'll manage, lol I decided not to let it get the best of me and have already put sausage patties and biscuits in the oven for the kids. I'm trying something new, They can eat some for breakfast and then I will put whats left together and freeze for some easy and fast, microwaveable breakfast sandwiches for them in the mornings before school. As it is right now, our oldest likes eating breakfast at school with his friends but what he is telling me he is eating and for the price I just think I can do better at home and maybe save us some money,and no doubt hm breakfast at home will stay with him longer than a bowl of cereal at school for 1.30!!!

My plans for today are to continue on with the applesauce, I wasn't able to start it until yesterday because we had such a busy weekend but I hope to make a dent and maybe finish up what I have been given today. The way she talked she might have more for me so I need to be ready when she calls!!!

I also hope to be able to work on my coupons and to sneak in some crafting as well, I can't believe how fast time is flying by and I am no where near ready for christmas!! I gotta get cracking on those hm gifts!!!

Dinner tonight is Skillet steaks, baked potatoes, green beans

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Blessed = busier than I had planned but happy!!

My Great Aunt just called and asked me if I wanted any apples!! She has been apple picking and offered me the seconds/drops!!! For Free!!!!!

I can't even begin to tell you how blessed I am by this woman!! She always always always blesses us with extra this or extra that!!

Earlier this year she blessed me with extra plants for my garden plus extra veggies she had already harvested!!

Now she offered me the apples, which I will use to make applesauce!!!

She does this every fall I can't believe I had forgotten it. I had just said to dh that I was hoping we could find the money to buy a bushel or 2 of apples so that I could make apple pie filling, canned apples and applesauce!!

We go through so much applesauce, my kids love it!!

I am so blessed to be loved by her!!!!! I feel like a kid at Christmas time!!

My week is booked full there is so much to do, but I will find time for canning applesauce!! Especially free applesauce!!!!

Wednesday in my home 10/5/2011

I've already packed 2 lunches and got Dh off to work and oldest ds off to school, made breakfast for the littles scrambled eggs and toast with fresh apple butter mmmm- oldest eats breakfast at school with his friends- its cooler to do it that way ya know ;) or so he tells me, I've unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher and so I deem that enough to be still a moment and drink my coffee before it cools and catch up a bit in the bloggo world!!

Today 10 yrs ago(~!10!~) I went to my last ob appt., it was on a friday, the baby I was carrying-my first!! had already tried to come early twice!! And I had been dialated to 1-1.5 for about 3 weeks with no change. It was technically 1 day past my due date and the dr asked me if he could find a place for me at the hospital did I want to go ahead and go in...and have the baby?
I was ready oh so ready to meet the little person that had given me such heartburn that I thought I could breath fire, who had kicked my bladder so much I was almost afraid to leave the house for fear I would wet myself with one of those kicks- I had plans of entering the little one in the NFL as soon as he made his appearance as I was sure he could out kick any team in the league, the little one who actually kicked in perfect rhythem when ever we were in the car and his dad played Pink Floyd or Grateful Dead, yes I was ready but the hospital they was packed and so I would have to wait till Monday unless I went into labor on my own over that weekend. It was a great weekend too, nice weather, we got lots and lots done in anticpation of his arrival. I never went into labor that weekend, you would have thought that 2 times of them stopping my labor early on that this child actually wanted to come out but nope he was quite happy, warm and snuggly right where he was and so I would have to wait 3 more days!

What a great memory to have today!! I could sit and ponder memories all day long!! Sadly the housework must be done and I have a party to get ready for this weekend so no more reminiscing for me, ok maybe just not as much... :)

On the agenda is more straightening up, more laundry, Its supposed to a nice warm NOT RAINING day today so hopefully I will get the laundry moved through and can get my rugs washed and hung out...here's hoping!!!

SO ya know the ususal day to day stuff needs done, I better get off here and make a dent!!!
Have a great day!!!
Dana

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Tuesday in my home 10/4/2011

Wow, I'm having a hard time writing 10 as the month. Where has the time gone?? I guess we really have been that busy that we haven't seen it flying past us FTL!!!

Today I am happy to report a day at home. The only time I will leave my home is to put the children on and off the bus and I need to go 1 mile from home to get gas in my gas hog, aka the truck!!

Other than that I will be home, keeping house!!

I have the normal laundry, and cleaning that needs done.

I haven't cut my coupons this week, sheesh I haven't even looked over the sales flyers yet. Oh I'll get to it but it might not be today. After saving 30.05 in coupons last week, you can bet I won't be overlooking them and I will definately find time to get the coupons cut and organized, and matched to sale items. The money just doesn't stretch as far as it used to. Anyone I talk to says pretty much the same thing, the money is much less stretchy these days!!

I've got christmas gifts in the works!!! I've been working on felt food and on the needle right now I have a Luna Lovegood Scarf started in a favorite color of the intended reciever!! Hows that for spoilers?? Not much to go on as to who it actually belongs too!! I'm a little sneaky like that. :) I am also fixin to order the material to make my sweet boys pj bottoms in their favorite character, which at the moment is Doctor Who!! So soon the sewing machine will be humming along as well!!!

It feels good to see the pantry filling up<- albeit very slowly, and also the gift closet filling up. Maybe this year as the cold weather and winter settle in I won't be as stressed?? I surely hope so!!

Not sure about dinner tonight, It will definately be something from the menu posted a couple days ago but I need to consult the menu and see what looks good from what we have available.

So thats my day, cleaning, laundry, etc etc but the important thing is, I AM HOME for the day!! Now only if I could be home with out a million things that needed done...Oh what a lovely day for crafting that would be!!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Friday, September 30, 2011

Menu for the next week or 2...

Here is the plan, albeit a loose plan but its a plan and thats what counts right???





Saturday 10/1: Lasagne, Salad, bread- with Amber for her birthday!!


Sunday 10/2: Beef Roast in the crock pot, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans


Monday 10/3: Soup and grilled Cheese


Tuesday 10/4: Tacos


Wednesday 10/5: Chicken Alfredo with Broccolli


Thursday 10/6:Ham, potatoes, spinach


Friday 10/7:Hamburgers, FF


Saturday 10/8:Steak, baked potato/oven fries, Salad, hm bread- Colby's Birthday


Sunday 10/9: Colby's birthday party- Pizza


Monday 10/10:Soup and Grilled Cheese


Tuesday 10/11:Shrimp Fried Rice, Egg Drop Soup


Wednesday 10/12: Whole roasted Chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans


Thursday10/13: Italian Sausage Sandwiches, FF


Friday10/14:Hm Pizza


Saturday10/15: Grilling out


Sunday10/16: Beef Roast in the Crockpot, l/o mashed potatoes from Wednesday

Friday 9/30/2011

Another busy day planned for today!! Ok by me though!!

So far I have packed dh's lunch and got him off to work.
Packed oldest son's lunch and helped him get ready for school as today is picture day and for what you pay for them I wanted to make sure he looked nice. And then got him on the bus.
Back home to unload the dishwasher, empty out some too far gone stuff from the fridge, reload the dishwasher and get it going, switch out the laundry and get it going.
Left todo today:
Get my youngest son ready for school-picture day for him too, pack his lunch and get him on teh bus
Work on and hopefully Finish laundry
Get Oldest Son packed and ready for camping with the scouts this weekend
Hem his Class A uniform pants
Put some things away in the garage so they will stop taking up space in my little house
Clean up around here
Hopefully get all the laundry folded and start putting it away.
Dinner preps
Ya know there is probably more but thats all that I can think of right now

Have a great day!!
Dana

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Checking in... But just quickly!!

Its been a whirlwind kind of time around here. With fall comes birthdays (both of my boys), cubscouts, back to school, and just normal everyday business. Only it seems ours has been mulitplied!!

This past weekend we went to Luray Caverns and went camping, all 5 of us in a tent, even miss boo who was on her very first camping trip and LOVED it!! We went with Uncle Mike and Aunt Liz, the kids adore them!! I think they are quite smitten with the kiddos too, infact I know they are!! We have lots of pics to post, I just don't have the time right this moment but soon I promise!!

I also have started christmas shopping here and there, Yes I know its not quite October but with my christmas list its not to early for me to start, I am actually doing quite well. I can't wait to take some pics and show off some of the homemade gifts I am making. And I do believe the hubs has some hm gifts on his list planned as well.

The garden is finished, I do still have some brussells sprouts out there and am waiting for the first frost to harvest them, and maybe a cabbage, and some peppers here and there then its done for the season. Of course I have big plans for next years garden already, but I have all winter to work on that!!

On my needles right now is a new project which will also be a christmas gift. I honestly have so many hm gifts planned I really need to buckle down and get them done!!

Ok thats my quick chaotic update, time to swap the laundry, and get back to work in my kitchen!!

Have a great evening!!
Dana

Monday, September 19, 2011

Back to business...9/19/2011

Its Monday and there is lots to do around here today! The house is a complete and total mess. I really need to be more organized. I'm working my way there but its a work in progress!! Its good to be back to business though, what a busy weekend we had. Scouts, church, visting with grandparents and great grandparents, busy busy busy!! Even though its Monday and the weekend is over, today doesn't look to be much better in the being busy dept.

On the agenda for today is:
Laundry
Strip beds, wash bedding, remake beds
Work on grocery lists
Clip coupons and match sales
Meals
Dishes
Regular pick up and cleaning of the kitchen, livingroom, bathroom, bedrooms....

I've already got the laundry going, so hopefully I will get it all done in one day, then its on to stripping the beds.

Before long it will be time to get lunch going for little miss, after lunch she will take her nap then while she is down for her nap I hope to get the bulk of my cleaning and straightening done!! Not sure if I will get to everything on my list today but I hope it make some kind of headway at least!!

Not sure about dinner tonight, Its a toss up as to what we have on hand, I didn't get any shopping done this weekend so I'll have to see what we have available. Hmmm????

Well I am off to get back at it!! Have a great day!!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Sunday morning 9/18/2011

The house is quiet, except for the hum of the dishwasher which I forgot to run last night. :(
The boys stayed the night with my mom, and baby girl and the hubs are still snoozing away.
I am ready for this cold virus to leave our home. My little girl has been hit with it as well, which in itself isn't pleasent or at least I think she has, but add to that she is cutting teeth too, these teeth are taking their everloving sweet time to come all the way through and it makes for an unhappy time for everyone. She is suffering with a super runny nose, she is super-super drooly and she's having a hard time breathing on top of it all so you can imagine how much fun it is. :(

Last night she was so congested and drooly that she coughed and gagged herself which caused her dinner to erupt out of her, it was the very first time she had ever vomitted so she was extremely upset. We ended up changing her out of her clothes in the tub then using the sprayer part of the shower to clean out the tub..Except she hates the shower and is scared of the sprayer so not only is she upset that she has thrown up, now she is screaming because Daddy is spraying out the tub. We get her pretty cleaned off and the tub completely cleaned out then we ran her a bath with bubbles, as soon as he put the sprayer away she was fine, I let her play in the warm bubble bath for a good long while, hoping it would help break up all that yuck in her sinuses. She was a happy miss after that, she loves her bubble bath!!

I am guessing the warm bath helped with the sinuses because she was able to sleep last night, infact as soon as we got her out of the bath, dried, lotioned, diapered and dressed, she was out. Infact she is still sleeping!! I hope she sleeps off whatever is ailing her. My momma always said that when your sick you need to sleep, your body heals itself when you sleep, so I hope she gets plenty of sleep so she will feel better!!

I'm going to go get ready for church!! I hope you all have a wondeful Sunday!!!

Friday, September 16, 2011

SICK

Yep, I'm sick, ugh.
This little ditty started with Brady telling me it hurt when he swallowed but once he got a drink it was fine. A few days later he is hoarse and coughing and then Kara starts sneezing and with a runny nose, now I can't breathe, the head and face hurt from pressure and I feel like I have been up for 4 days and just generally feel blah. UGH I HATE BEING SICK!! Oh well tis the season I guess.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Menu and such

Here is our menu for the next week:
12-Last night we got drive thru- I know I know but we were out of time and the kids were hungry and I had to drop the baby off at moms and be at scouts on time..yeah..enuf said :)

13-Tonight we are having Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches-YAY!! I am so glad hubs is in the soup and sammies mood again, I could eat soup every day, anytime any weather but not him, he's a soup in the winter and fall kind of guy!! So the fact that he has requested soup and sammies this week makes my heart happy, as soon as he said it I just went ahead and filled it into monday night on our menu and started thinking off all the different soups I can make,mmmmm soup, I am a happy lady!!

For the rest of the week:
14-Wednesday Breakfast for dinner, Sausage patties, eggs and fried potatoes- breakfast for dinner is one of my kids favorite dinners
15-Thurday- Fried chicken Salad
16-Friday Homemade Pizza
17-Saturday Burgers on the grill- not sure of sides yet
18-Sunday Ham Steaks, fried potatoes, spinach

Today is a busy day for me, I have groceries to get, then home and I think I'll go hiking, that is I'll have to climb Mount Never Rest aka The dirty clothes pile, lol I also have scout work to work on, plus normal house work. It will make for a busy day but I need to get it all done.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Sept.1st and a Menu of sorts

Can you believe its already September 1st?? I am struggling with it myself, it probably has alot to do with the fact that summer is almost over , which means winter is on its way and my baby boy Brady will be 6 next friday!! Just doesn't seem possible!!

Trying to get organized I have a menu for the first week of September and I thought I would share:

September
1. Broiled Cod, Baked Potato, Spinach
2. HM Pizza
3. Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, pan gravy, green beans
4. Grilled Sirloin Tips, baked potato, Stir Fried Veggies
5. Seafood Boil
6. Spaghetti, garlic bread
7. Waffles and Sausage
8. Beef Stir Fry and General Tso's chicken - both new recipes, over rice
9. Brady's Birthday HM Pizza, HM Bread Sticks, Brownies
10. Brady's Party- Grilled Hotdogs/chili dogs, Potato Salad, Mac Salad, Chips, Cake
11. Burgers on the grill, leftovers from the part if any


Thursday, August 25, 2011

Thursday 8/25/2011

Taking a minute for some me time!!

The baby is down for a nap and both boys are at school so I figured while its quiet I would hop on the net for a minute to check things out!!

My day has been a normal one... up early, hubby off to work, got the boys breakfast and ready for school, took Colby to catch the morning bus, then home, I started the dishwasher then it wasn't long till we were back to the bus stop so Brady could catch the kindergarten bus, then home again, heated up leftovers for Kara and I for lunch. She has been changed and is now fast asleep.

I still have much to do, its never ending really.
There's more dishes that need done, always laundry, and there is something sticky on the kitchen floor so I needs a scrubbing as well. Then I need to finish my coupon clipping I am way behind and try to make some sort of menu as well as a list of what I need to make pies for the church yard party on saturday. I volunteered to make 6 pies!!!

Now that school is back in I have picked up my crochet hook again, I like to have something to work on while we wait for the bus it helps to pass the time. Right now I am working a prayer shawl that I will donate to church when its done but a dear lady from church called yesterday to talk to me about the yard party this saturday and told me she is expecting!! I have to tell you I am so happy for her and her hubby. They are a dear sweet couple and have tried for so long and been through many complications and are now expecting! I was so happy when she gave me the news that I actually got goosebumps!! SO I will soon be making something for their upcoming arrival!!

Busy Busy Busy, I like to think of it as somewhat organized chaos, lol

Have a great day!!
Dana

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Tuesday 8/23/2011

Good mid morning!!
Today is the last day before the new school year starts!! I am going to be a busy lady today!!
So far I have:
* unloaded the dishwasher, started to reloaded it but its not full enough to run yet maybe after lunch.....
*got the laundry going!! Plenty of that to do today, regular laundry and new school clothes that need washing
*I've got baking to do, the blueberry muffins I made yesterday didn't stand a chance and so in order to have some for breakfast and lunch boxes I gotta make up some more. I am also itching to make a carrot cake but that may be moved to tomorrows list. Oh and shhhhh don't tell but I think I am going to try to sneak in a baking of brownies to suprise some little boys when they open their lunch boxes tomorrow!! Wonder if I can get them outside to play long enough for me to be sneaky?? Yeah probably its gorgeous out there!!

Then of course there is the normal house work that needs done, it was a whirlwind weekend so the house needs some attention!!

Dinner tonight is Pizza/strombolis- Normally a friday night fare but I thought it would be nice to have a dinner time fave before sending them off to school tomorrow!! Plus I can go ahead and get them ready and stick them in the fridge and bake when we get home after orientation tonight.

So that is my day today, cooking/baking, laundry, and cleaning up!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Friday, August 19, 2011

Friday 8/19/2011

Today is another busy day for me. Seems like its been one fury of an activity after another this summer but thats ok tis the season of our life at the moment... right??

Yesterday I canned peaches, sadly I didn't get them all done and so there are more that need done today or maybe this afternoon as today I have a few errands to run and visiting to do.

First I am going to straighten up some in the kitchen, I'm terrible yall, as soon as nap time hit I started on the peaches, and I worked right up until the baby got up from her nap I changed her and while the canner cooled down we headed out to the pool store to get some kind of testing strips that dh had requested, then I came home and unloaded, and then reloaded the canner, and got busy working on dinner. Truth be told we ate a late dinner last night, and then Kara was clingy and a bit whiny so I ended up snuggling her on the couch till she fell asleep and by that time I was D.O.N.E!! I put everything in the sink and dragged myself to bed. I didn't clean up a thing, its horrible but I was whipped. I was hoping for a peaceful restful night but it was not meant to be, Kara woke up and was HOT and gaggy, I thought sure she was going to errupt but she never did. I got her some meds for the fever and some watered down juice and we laid back down, she seemed to sleep peaceful after that but momma didn't. She is still warm this morning but not terribly and I can't pinpoint if its new teeth/sinuses ie allergies/ or a summer cold coming on. I guess we will just play it by ear today and see how she does. I only need to pick up a couple birthday gifts and I know just what I want to get so I shouldn't be long, and I need to pick up my Scentsy orders from the party I hosted!! Can't wait to get them fired up and all the wonderful scents to be dispersed in the house!! Then home for some canning and housework!! Sounds like an exciting day, no??

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Oh Happy Day...

I was able to get green beans and peaches at the farmer's market yesterday, I came home and got started right away, I almost finished the bushel of green beans but didn't because I had gotten too late a start in the day. I stopped only long enough to make dinner and then as soon as dinner was ready I started another batch in the canner. I got 14 qts done yesterday/last night and I have a few more to do today then will be moving onto the peaches!!!

After peaches I want to make salsa from tomatoes in our garden.

Oh how I love canning season!!!

Have a blessed day!!
Dana

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Tuesday 8/16/2011

I wasn't able to get anything from the farmers market yesterday. I called before running gas out to go there and they said they hadn't picked the beans yet but to call back today and hopefully they will be picked and ready for me today.

Hopefully that will work out for us!! If so I need to go to the farmer's market, the bank and the pharmacy, oh and I still need to take trash away too. The plan was to do that yesterday too, but I am trying to combine as many trips as possible so as to not waste gas. My truck guzzles it, and where it has come down some - I think it was 3.29 yesterday, its still alot to pay when filling my truck!!

So those are the plans for today, if it doesn't work out then I will continue with what I got going on with housework and laundry which is never ending, lol!!

I hope you have a great day!!
Dana

Monday, August 15, 2011

Monday...Back to business!!!

8/15/2011
After a very busy weekend we are back to business here today!!

We had a great weekend though!!
Saturday we went to the farmers market, I was on the hunt for green beans but they were sold out so I will probably go back today but I will call first. If they have the beans I plan on getting a bushel and probably another bushel of peaches.

Sunday I went to church, after church I took dh's gram to pick up a condensate pump for her AC unit, picked up a quick lunch and came home to have lunch with the family, then I loaded up our 3 kids took them for haircuts, a weeks worth of grocery shopping and a few more clothing needs for back to school- socks and underwear. By the time I got home after doing all the running all the shopping and such I told dh that the next time I think its a good idea to take 3 kids for haircuts, a weeks worth of groceries and school supplies and the baby hasn't had a proper nap, to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ask me to take moment and think it over, lol I was BEAT, and FRAZZLED!! The kids were pretty good but the baby was just not happy to be shopping instead of napping but it was the only time I had to get it all done. She fell asleep in the truck on the way home and got her nap out which was good, she was much happier after that!!

But now its monday and its back to business so to speak!!
On my list of things that need done are:
Bills
Laundry- should have 3 or so loads
Gather and take trash away
Go to farmers market if they have what I need
Get dinner prepared ahead of time
Kickball game with the cubscouts tonight- which is why I want dinner made ahead of time so when we get home we can just reheat and eat!!

If I luck out at the farmers market I probably won't have time to work up anything today so I'll focus on the housework today and the canning tomorrow!!

I have a pulling in me to get ready for winter!! Not sure if its the canning bug that bit me or if I just feel like we are going to have a bad winter but I want to be ready either way ya know??

Have a great day!!
Dana

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Tuesday around our place 8/9/2011

I didn't get a whole lot done yesterday. It was not a day of cooperation on my kids parts and well after a very busy weekend and going to bed late sunday night, I just didn't have the gumption to get anything done yesterday. Couple that with a run to the store for sugar, bread, milk, etc, and a trip out later to help dh's gram take her car to the garage for repair and well I just didn't get anything done.

Today has to be different!! I've got beans to can, maybe salsa to make and I need to take a trip down to the garden to see whats what down there.

At some point today I will need to take dh's gram back to pick up her car from the garage, lets hope its much later in the day!!

So there ya have it, canning and housework- mostly laundry and I should be right busy today!!

Hope you have a great day!!
Dana


Monday, August 8, 2011

Busy Wonderful Weekend!!

Oh what a weekend!!

Friday I did most all of the school shopping, it took all day to get the school shopping done and all the errands run, and it was HOT but I got everything done which was great!! We came home and got some veggies picked in the garden and then called it an evening!!

Saturday I spent the day cleaning up and trying to get ahead on a few things, then around 6 my mom came over to stay with the kids while we went to a wedding!! My best friend's little sister got married!! It was a great ceremony and the reception was SO.MUCH.FUN!!! Hot but what a great time we had!! We got home late and then dh followed Mom and the boys home to her house so he could make sure they got home safe and sound. Mom doesn't like coming home late by herself and even less so when the boys stay over so dh went over to make sure everything was ok then he came back home and we crashed, we were so tired!!

Sunday started out as a normal day, church, visiting at the cemetary and then visiting Gram and Pap, while we were at Gram and Pap's they told me to go and cut the last of the collards and kale and Mom and Pap picked green beans, they said there was only enough beans and greens out there for about a mess of each but I got a grocery store bag of each one of the greens and Pap and Mom picked 2 grocery store bags of beans which they sent most of those home with me. Mom's kitchen is out of commission so I will can them and split with her what I get!! Some of the green ends are sun scorched so they will have to be picked over well when I clean them and then hopefully there will be enough that I will can the collards and with the kale I plan on making a big pot of Sausage, Potato and Kale soup!!

All those veggies and my garden is still struggling along as well, the heat has all but dried out and killed everything but I have been watering as I can and we were lucky enough to get a good rain on Saturday so maybe there was enough to keep it crawling along.

After the veggies were all picked, mom sorted out Grams meds for the week and did the bills, and then I made the bed and "greased" grams leg. Thats what Gram calls it when I put lotion n her leg and foot. She's an amputee now for the last 35yrs and so her remaining leg gets very dry and scaley so I rubbed lotion on her leg and foot and even some on her stump, not to much though because she's having alot of trouble with her stump and is under doctor care for a wound she has on her stump. It stays pretty sore since her fall so we have to be careful with her stump.

The plan after all that was for me to take Mom home and then dh wanted to take us to this BBQ place, we asked mom to go but she wanted to stay home, relax and get ready for the coming week. But those plans did not go through because we got the biggest most wonderful suprise!!

Dh called me while we were at Grams and asked if we could put off our plans because his Nephew had shown up and wanted to spend some time with us!!! This is huge because we have only seen him 1 time in the last year and before that it was a long long time since we had seen either dh's neice or nephew. Its a very long story full of messy divorce, dh's sister running away from her kids and responcibilities and dh's ex bil and his new wife who pretty much didn't want the kids to have anything to do with us which explains why we never got to see them. But the nephew is 18 now, left home and is living with his grandparents (father's family) and decided he was going to make his own decisions and one of those was to get in touch with us and we couldn't be happier!! So instead we spent the evening catching up and having dinner and then we went to visit dh's gram so she could see her great grandson whom she hasn't seen in just as long a time as we haven't seen him so needless to say everyone was super happy!!!

The sad news is that our neice still lives with her father so the chances of us seeing her anytime soon is slim but we won't give up hope!!

God is Good ALL THE TIME!!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Friday, August 5, 2011

Today is the day!!

School supplies shopping!! My oldest is a pro at this, lol he is going into the 4th grade this year but his little brother will be starting Kindergarten this year and as excited as he is about new pencils and glue sticks he would be just as "happy staying home with mama thank you very much", lol So he has said to me!! He thinks Kindergarten will be just fine but thinks it would be better if I came and waited for him in the parking lot, ya know the entire time he is in school, lol Its a time of adjustment for us all but I know he will love school!!

Soon it will be just me and miss boo at home. I don't know what I will do with just one at home but I am sure I will come up with something. *wink*

Little Miss Boo will surely miss her big brothers!! But there are books to read, movies to watch, dollies to play with and lets not forget piggy toes to paint!! She's really young so it will be a big adjustment watching her big brothers get on the school bus when she isn't going to get to go along. We'll get along just fine though!!

I can't believe how fast they grow!! I swear I feel like I just barely brought them home from the hospital now I have a 4th grader, a kindergartener and the "baby" will be 2 in December!!

The old saying is true is Time really flys when your having fun!!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Update: Unstuffed Peppers

I had planned on making the "Unstuffed Peppers" on monday night but after canning all day dh took pity on me and brought home take out chinese. He said he was craving it but I think he really just felt bad that I was hot and tired!! He's a sweetie for sure!!

So yesterday I still had canning that needed doing but I think I found my groove and the 2nd 1/2 bushel went faster than the first and so I wasn't completely warn out when it came time to get dinner together.

We love stuffed peppers but we never eat the pepper that its stuffed in. I guess its a texture thing but we love how it flavors the pepper so I thought I would experiment a little and I came up with this.

I had bought a family size package of hamburger and from it I made us a big batch of hamburgers that we grilled out over the weekend. I hadn't bagged up and froze the rest of the hamburger because I had originally planned on making this dish on Monday but the hamburger was still good on Tuesday and I had about 2lbs left from that family pack and I put that into my mixing bowl of my KA mixer, then I added 2 green peppers chopped fine- these were from my garden and we smallish I'm guessing one regular size green pepper from the grocery store would be about the same, I added 1 large onion chopped fine, 2 cups minute rice, 2 cups spaghetti sauce, 2 eggs and salt and pepper, and then let the KA mixer mix it all up for me.

I used a mini muffin pan and made mini size loaves of the mixture and baked them till done.

The verdict? Dh loved them deemed it a keeper they weren't dry and tasted great and now I can chop up my green peppers and freeze them so I have green peppers to cook later with instead of them being used just as a flavor conponent and holder for my stuffed pepper mixture!!

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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Peaches!!!!

Ok so yesterday I was going to go gang bustgers on the bushel of peaches and just get them canned and be done all in one day!! But..
Ya know what they say about best laid plans right?? Yeah that would be just about how it works out for me. And it seems its every time I plan something. Truth?? I think I am just miserably unorganized. Its a fault, and I am owning it, there I said it!!

So my day yesterday went more like this instead:

My youngest 2 slept in, which is epic!! If I could only get them to do that on Saturdays I tell ya!! Anyway I started by putting the canning jars in the dishwasher, and got it going, started collecting pots and such I would need to can the peaches and then it hit me: I didn't have enough lids sooooooooo, once the kids were up I got them dressed, bagged up the garbage that needed to go to the dump anyway and we were on our way. I made 2 stops after dumping the trash and without going all the way into town the only lids I could get were the ones that come with rings so I bought what I could and came on back home but not before stopping at dh's grams who had bags of ice she had been saving for me!!

Once back home I whipped up a quick lunch for the kiddos and I and soon after little miss boo was ready for her nap so I loved her up and she fell asleep fast and I laid her in her crib and got busy!!

I had picked the last of our green beans on Sunday and I knew my mom was coming over after work to pick up her tea so I got busy and snapped and cooked her a big pot of green beans with country ham and the later after the beans and ham were done I added a bunch of cubed peeled potatoes!! Yummy. Then once that was set I started on the peaches. I was able to do 16 qts of peaches yesterday before it was time for dh to be on his way home from work. He called to let me know he was on his way and God Bless him took pity on me and brought home dinner!! Good man I tell ya!!

By the time it was time for bed I was more than ready!! My back was screaming!! The skin around my fingernails is stained and ya know I don't care!!

Oh I almost forgot I had to make dh some potato salad before I was done for the day, they are having a BBQ at work for a farewell to a coworker so he had asked me to make Potato Salad, which I finished making at about 10:30 last night.

I slept good but my back, knees and legs are pretty sore.

Only another 1/2 bushel of peaches to do today then onto the apple seconds!!

So if you need me I'll be in the kitchen!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Monday, August 1, 2011

Another busy weekend, another busy week!!

Wow, I think our weekends are just as busy as our weekdays!! And this weekend was no different.

Lets start with Friday....
I needed to go to the grocery store, its been a while since I did a real grocery shop so that was first on the list!! With temps near and at 100* though it made for a long and drawn out day.
I got the kids and myself ready then we went to pick up dh's gram, switch car seats and were on our way. First stop: Walmart, since the heat was so intense after we were done with our walmart trip we took everything home, unloaded the car at dh's gram's house, then unloaded our things at our house got all the cold items put away then back to town we went this time we stopped at Arby's and dh's gram treated us to lunch!! Then we went to the bank, then to Martin's for our meat and some sale items, I like to buy my meat from Martins or Costco, then we came back and unloaded everything at dh's gram's house, and this time we took all of my purchases and put them into our truck and then we came home, unloaded the truck then put away all the cold items again, then the kids and I went back to the feed mill to get pool salt so dh could set up the salt system for the pool, its supposed to save lots of money over having to by clorine for the pool not to mention its better and easier on your skin.
After we got home with 200lbs of salt, I called it a day and refused to go anywhere else, lol, It was so hot and miserable. I worked on getting the grocery dry goods put away, and I made dinner while the boys were in the pool with their dad, the baby wasn't interested, she was tired and not having a decent nap during the day from all the running she wanted to just stay inside with me. So I popped in her Tangled movie, sat her down with some cheez-its and she was happy to hang out while I got dinner ready!! We had Hm Pizza and bread sticks!! Yummy!!

Saturday, the boys were up early with their daddy, I had little miss snuggled next to me so I stayed put in bed till she was awake and ready to get up. Then we got ready to go, dh stayed home to mow the grass, and the kids and I went to dh's grams to pick her up then we went to a farmers market to get peaches to can. I bought a bushel of peaches, a box of apple seconds and a box of cabbage seconds. Then we came home, the boys got in the pool with daddy, the baby took a nap and I worked on the laundry. Saturday night we took the kids to the county fair!! They had a blast, Kara rode the merry go round 3x!! We left the fair something like after 10 the boys stayed the night with my mom and the baby didn't go to bed till almost midnight, I was so tired!!

Sunday we got up and the baby and I got ready for church, dh had to work so he stayed home, I went over and picked up mom and the boys and we went to church, then after church we went to the cemetary to visit dad, then to my gram and paps house, where he loaded me up with all sorts of things, crackers, cookie mix, raisins, tomatoes from my great aunt. I guess one of my aunt's church gives away boxes of food to the elderly and shut ins and Pap was giving me all the things they won't use but didn't want to throw away, so I'll make use of it one way or another. I don't normally turn down free food :) Then we came home, worked in the garden and then played in the pool till time to get dinner ready!! Dinner last night was Burgers on the grill, Mac and cheese, cukes from our garden, tomatoes from my great Aunt Dorothy's garden and peaches.

Today I already have the jars washing in the dishwasher but I discovered that I don't have enough canning lids to do up the peaches today so as soon as all the kids are up and dressed I am going to take away the trash and while I am out get some more canning lids!!! Then home to work up the peaches. Once the peaches are done the apple seconds are next they are going to be turned into apple sauce!! I also have some free hot peppers from a friend that I hope to get canned into hot pepper rings. So looks like I'll be busy for a while!!

Dinner tonight is a new concoction I am going to try: Unstuffed peppers. I love the flavor of stuffed peppers but I don't care for the cooked pepper that the meat mixtured is stuffed in. I hate wasting so I am going to try to make an unstuffed pepper and see how it turns out. I'll report my findings tomorrow!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Pics to share!!

I've been working a homemade gift for the little girl I used to babysit. She received a play kitchen for the past christmas and so I've been making her some play food to go with it!! Next month is her birthday and I can't wait to give her these cute little goodies!! I've already started a set for a friends little girl and I am going to make my daughter a set for her birthday as well!!

So far I've made:



Bacon and Eggs



Poptarts



And Strawberries!!



Closeup of a strawberry top (sorry its alittle blurry)




I am super excited with these little foods, I have plans to make a bunch of different kinds but I haven't been to town and I need more materials, until them I am sort of limited to work with what I have on hand. So right now I am making another set of bacon, and I have enough felt to make some more strawberries and I have already cut out the peas in a pod I plan to make. I love having a project to work on, especially at night when we watch tv. I just hope the cutie little girls in my life enjoy their play food as much as I have been enjoying making it for them!!




























Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tuesday 7/26/2011

Good morning!!

I'm a little more coherant this morning. Kara still didn't sleep through the night but she did come to bed with me once she woke up and settled in alot better than she did Sunday night so we were able to get some rest. Not as much as I would have liked but more than we got Sunday night :)

We are still eating from the pantry and are doing quite well with that, however I did need to go to the market yesterday and get a few things. Namely things for dh's lunch. We were out of his sodas, I had no fresh bread,no lunch meat, no chips, no...ok you get the idea. I also picked up a few things for the house.

Off the top of my head I bought

Potatoes- I bought 2 bags of these because dh is supposed to take a dish to work and he requested potato salad, although I was wrong on my dates and he doesn't need it till next week sometime. So... Potatoes for dinner anyone??
lettuce
tomatoes
Lunch meat
Bread
Chips
hotdogs
milk
taco shells
hotdogs
coffee creamer- totally a want on my part but seriously I am not pleasant to deal with when I haven't had my coffee, so lets say I did it for the kids right?? lol

I don't remember what else off the top of my head but its Ok you get the idea.

Dinner last night was Tacos. Its a kiddo favorite here, and after eating out of the pantry all last week they were due for a fun meal, I just needed to add taco shells to what I already had on hand, and of course lettuce and tomatoes. There's plenty of leftover taco meat in the fridge so that will be lunch today.

Dinner tonight will probably be ham slices from the freezer, fried potatoes ( since we are in abundance at the moment due to an oversight on my end lol) and either eggs or a veggie. I'm betting dh will choose eggs!! He's crazy over ham, potatoes and eggs.

My friend Tiffani is canning up a storm it sounds like, her soups sound good!! I've canned 7 qts of green beans and I need to can lots more, hoping the garden keeps producing so I am able!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Monday, July 25, 2011

Monday 7/25/2011

Its monday, I am exhausted from the weekend!!

Kara is just not sleeping I just do not get it. Meh I guess this is just the season of life I am in right now.

The boys stayed with my mom last night, so its just me and the boo today. I need to work on laundry, and straighten up around here.

Still working on the grocery challenge, just don't know right off the top of my head what we will be doing for dinner tonight. It will be something from the freezer and it may or may not require additional ingredients from the store.

I need to do a quick check and see what I need, I do know I will have to go out at some point today to get sodas for dh's lunch and a fresh loaf of bread but anything else I'm not sure about.

Mind is drawing a blank, refer to above where Kara is not sleeping which translates into I am not sleeping. I definately need more coffee!! I'll check in later when I have more details on the menu plan!!
Have a great day!!

Friday, July 22, 2011

The chicken and dumplings were divine!! I was so happy they turned out so well!! Its not a dish I make often as I didn't know until recently that dh really liked it. I actually thought he disliked the dish but recently discovered that he likes it however he wants it FULL OF DUMPLINGS!! So last night I made LOTS OF DUMPLINGS and he ate it up!!

Tonight I am making him either Ham slices, fried potatoes, and eggs or Pork Chops, fried potatoes, and a veggie. DH's choice!!

Still eating out of the pantry, and its still going well!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Thursday, July 21, 2011

What is it they say about best laid plans.....

Yeah well anyway my dinner plans got shot all to pieces yesterday. Before I got time to start doing what I needed to do the kid's Memaw called and wanted to know if she could come over and stay with us for the day since she was in town and lives out of town about an hour away and didn't want to run home just to turn around in an hour or so and come right back. I of course said yes not thinking it wouldn't disrupt my day that much but it surely did.

Ya know how it is when you have company all things you would normally be doing get back burnered while you entertain guests right?? Well that's what happens to me.

So I didn't get the chicken on to roast till late, then by the time the thighs were done roasting and ready to boiled off it was almost time for dh to be making his way home, I cranked up the heat but it still didn't cook off the bones like I had wanted so we ended up doing a grab and growl for dh and I, the kids had the baked chicken legs and rice.

I let my pot cool then stuck it in the fridge and I will resume its cooking today, we WILL have chicken and dumplins tonight for dinner!!

Its supposed to be super hot here today, I think now that the kids are all awake I am going to run out to the garden and see if there are any beans that need picking. Maybe I'll have enough to run the canner today?? Let's hope!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Eating from the pantry day 2 recap...

Last night the plan was Lasagne made from leftover spaghetti sauce that was in the fridge, hm canned green beans and cresent rolls. All from things I had on hand. Well come time to fix my lasagne I discovered that I actually didn't have any lasagne noodles. I was about to stress, because this was my plan and I always have lasagne noodles and now I don't what is up with that?? Not to fear, no lasagne noodles resulted in me pulling a box of mini penne pasta (bought on sale with a coupon don'tcha know!!) out of the pantry and turning my lasagne night into pasta bake night!! It went over well and I only cooked 1/2 the box leaving me 1/2 a box of mini penne to make into something else... (I spy cream cheese in the fridge and shrimp in the freezer stay tuned the recipe for that one is super yummy)

So all in all eating from the pantry is good eats!! Good cheap eats that is!!

Leftover spaghetti sauce...free, I am counting it as free because it was technically leftover and remade before meaning, I made spaghetti once, I used hamburger, onion, mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, garlic spices- and from that we had spaghetti, then I had a little bit of sauce leftover from that spaghetti dinner and I was looking for lunch one day and a meal for my mom and I added, more mushrooms and some cooked hot italian sausage that was leftover from our hm pizza night, a little water to thin it out a bit and more spices and garlic and made lunch for me and the kids and dinner for my mom that day. The sauce I used last night was leftover from those meals. So it was truely truely leftover and I consider it free!!

1/2 box of pasta .15- seriously bought on sale with a coupon and only used 1/2 a box

mozzarella cheese 1.00

Green beans..free- grew them and canned them myself or Pappy grew them and I canned them myself, that year of green bean canning was epic and I canned and canned and canned till I thought if I don't can something else we will only have green beans to eat that winter, lol Thank God for great harvests, and generous family!!

Cresent rolls- technically leftover from another dinner last week but if I had to buy them I would guess at 1.25 as they were generic

That adds up to 2.40 for dinner AMAZING!! And I have a good amount left that will go to my mom. She will be able to get at least 2 helpings from what I have left. NOT BAD AT ALL!!!

Speaking of dinner for mom I need to make her some sweet tea today too!!

Now as for dinner tonight??

Remember that roasted chicken carcass?? Yeah I have big plans for that, lol
Truely there is not enough meat on that carcass to feed us for dinner but it will richly flavor a pot of water, so yesterday I laid out some chicken legs and thighs from the freezer. I plan on Roasting them, then letting my boys eat the legs for dinner and then cooking the thighs after roasting with my chicken carcass and then turning it all into chicken and dumplings!! Mmm Sounds like a yummy meal to me!!

Oh and I have some baby carrots in the fridge leftover from my little get together on Saturday and I am going to turn them into carrot cake muffins or carrot cake bread, I was looking up recipes online yesterday!!

I think I am having too much fun with this!! Its really neat to see what you can come up with when you have very little money to spend and only have your pantry and freezer to fall back on.

I did have dh stop at the store on his way home last night and pick up for me very little to keep us going till he gets paid next week.

He picked up 2 18 ct eggs, 10lbs of potatoes, 1 jar of mayo, and 2lbs of sausage.

Those items with what I have on hand will hopefully get us through till next week. I may have to have a loaf of bread for sandwiches. I could bake a loaf and that would be fine for us at home but dh prefers store bread for his work sandwiches. I think I have enough store bread to last me for dh till next week, so maybe I should bake a loaf of bread for us to have here at home. Or maybe cinnamon rolls, hmmm the possibilities are endless!!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Eating from the Pantry...

Day One: Last Night/Monday Night

I baked a whole chicken, made mashed potatoes and hm gravy, corn, I also made rice for Colby as he doesn't like mashed potatoes

My crew pretty much picked the chicken clean, but I am determined to make a meal out of the carcass, honestly the flavor you get from cooking a roasted chicken carcass is just amazing and so I don't want to waste it. I'll figure out what to do with it later.

Day Tow: Tonight/Tuesday Night

I've got leftover spaghetti sauce in the fridge and I think I have mozzarella cheese in the fridge as well so I am thinking of a lasagne, I'll serve green beans (home canned from before) and I'm pretty sure I have a couple tubes of cresent rolls leftover from my home party on Saturday in the fridge as well. Yep sounds like dinner to me!!

Money spent on Monday $0.00

Stay tuned, hopefully I can work a whole menu for this week off of what we have on hand.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Changing our menu up a bit and regular day to day stuff.......

Truth is we have over spent on putting this pool up. We knew going into this that it would be expensive to set it up, I just didn't realize how expensive.

Couple that with dh being away all weekend working and we haven't had any family time at all. Its been hard on all of us.

My rememdy to the lack of family time is to fix a nice Sunday dinner only I am making it Tonight which is monday. It will give us a chance to slow down, sit together and enjoy having a big family meal together. Not to mention I hope to have leftovers enough to send in dh's lunch tomorrow and anything left I am thinking of making some stretchy meals.

For the rest of the week I am joining FishMama at lifeasmom.com in her pantry challenge!! Essentially we will be eating out of what we have on hand and hoping to buy very little to get us through.

Wish me luck, I'll keep you posted as to what kind of meals I come up with!!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Sunday Evening 7/17/2011

Taking time to check in. Its been a busy week and a busier weekend. Last week our church held Vacation Bible School. All 3 of our kids participated. I worked in the nursery with our youngest. They all had a blast!! By the end of the week I was so tired. I love VBS but it throws off my whole schedule. As does appts in the middle of the week. But the appointments we had this week actually brought us good new so that is a blessing.

Tuesday Brady had his Kindergarten Screening, its something new this year, he sailed through it and they were impressed that he is reading on a high level and knows all of his leters, colors, can count to 100, etc. I'm pretty happy with his progress as well, they told me they would do their best to make sure he is challenged and feel like there is alot to offer him in Kindergarten and even though he reads on a high level they are going to wait to see if he needs to be moved on ahead. Friday I had a neurologist appt, I got good news, and they backed off my meds by half. PTL!!

Yesterday I hosted a Scentsy Party for a friend. I think it went well. There wasn't very many people here but the ones that did come brought their kids so my kids had others to play with. I made snacks and such, I always worry about the food being good but it must have been pretty good I had a couple ask me for the recipes to some of the dishes!!!

Today we went to church, then ran a couple errands for my grandma, then to the cemetary, then to visit grandma and Pap. Then to Lowe's for some garden hoses. We dropped my mom off then came home and I have just been decompressing since. I clipped some of my coupons but haven't finished yet.

Right now I am waiting for dh to get home, he worked some side work this weekend. Its been a long weekend without him. Last night he didn't get home till almost midnight, as he is working pretty far from home.

Once he is home I guess we will just enjoy having him home, and soon it will be bed time.

I'm changing up my menu for the week, since he has been gone working all weekend, I am planning a Sunday Style Dinner for us tomorrow, the kids have really missed dinner time with Daddy and I think a big ol' family dinner will put things right back on track!!

Have a great evening,
Dana