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

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

So tired of being stressed out and miserable all the time

thats it, thats all I had to say.

Wednesday 7/13/2011

I am one tired mama today!! I just don't know what I am doing wrong but I can not get this little girl to sleep all night in her bed. She goes to bed in her crib but every night like clockwork she is up at the same time. I go get her and put her in bed with us, with her cup, she drinks her cup and goes back sleep but she tosses and turns and kicks and pushes, ALL.NIGHT.LONG

She absolutely won't take her cup and lay back down in her bed, she won't go back to sleep until she comes to bed with me.

HELP!! How do I get her to sleep all night?? Is this just a phase??

I am tired and I feel like I walk around in a daze most days, I need more sleep, that I know for sure!!

Monday, July 11, 2011

TGI MONDAY!!!

Oh man what a week and weekend!! I didn't think I would ever say this but I am glad its monday and we are back to our normal schedule. Well as normal as it can be with VBS this week.

We have been so busy its crazy.

It started last weekend, there was a 3day weekend because of the 4th of July holiday. It was a great weekend. Dh bought us a pool and we anticipated getting things ready for setting it up.

On Tuesday a load of stone and a load of gravel was delivered. Tuesday night dh and worked ourselves silly out there trying to spread out and level the stone. A neighbor had just rented a bobcat for the day and saw us working on the stone and told dh to come over and use the bobcat, it saved us alot of time for sure, we worked until dark that night.

Wednesday my youngest brother and my mom brought over dad's tractor and my brother finished spreading and leveling the stone then did the same to the sand. Then once dh got home they put the pool together. They worked till near dark that night as well. I fixed tacos/nacos/taco salads for 11 that night.

To be honest I don't think anything significant happened on Thursday if it did I don't remember, lol

Friday dh came home and we loaded up and went to lowes to get pavers to put under the pool supports.

Saturday we went to the feed store and got straw, worked in the garden till I I thought my clothes were going to have to be peeled off we were that sweaty and the water guy came with 3 loads of water for the pool. After he left we loaded up and went to the pool store and got some needed things to keep the pool running clean and such, went to the grocery store. Then came home and even though the water was cold, we got in anyway. We let the kids play a bit then I brought the baby in, and in her swimsuit I put her in the tub with warm water and let her play some in there as she was NOT ready to get out of the pool even though her little lips were starting to turn blue and she had the shivers. She was adament that she was playing in the pool. But the warm tub to play in was a close second, lol

Sunday we went to church, fiddled more with the pool, dh set up a, as he calls it a "Redneck Solar Pool Heater" which essentially means he took 2 lengths of water hose and laid them back and forth over our black shingled garage roof, hooked one end of the hose up to a sump pump we used to have to use when we owned our townhouse 6 yrs ago because the basement kept flooding, and then took the other hose end and ran it back into the pool. So it works like this. The sun beats down on that black roof heating it up incredibly, the sump pump then pumps the water up through all the hose on top of that hot roof then it comes back down into the pool on the other side. Believe it or not it actually works, he was able to bring the pool water temp up 1 degree an hour yesterday. He let it run while we ran errands in town. We went to Costco and the grocery store and to Brunch since it was our anniversary, and his solar pool heater ran for 4 hours and it raised the pool temp by 4 degrees. Its still cold but the kids still wanted to get in. We played for a bit then got out came in for me to fix dinner.

All in all it was a nice weekend, we got alot done but to be honest all that working in the garden, then working and playing in the pool. I feel like I've been beaten. I told the hubby last night, I love you, Happy Anniversary and can we please stop having fun now, I don't think I'll be able to walk tomorrow. LOL he laughed and said he was going to ask me the same thing. LOL I know what did it, loading then unloading 6 bales of straw, being bent over in the garden spreading straw then teaching the kids how to make a whirlpool in the pool by walking around the edge making the water swirl a bit. They enjoyed it temendously but being out of shape and power walking in water will definately make your legs hurt!!

Now I've got the housework to do that has been neglected because of all the "FUN" from the weekend and we have VBS tonight, umm yeah I think I need some ibroprofen. My back and legs are killing me!!

Have a great day!!!
Dana

Friday, July 8, 2011

Late posting this but here it is anyway....

July 2011 Menu!!! I actually have a menu made for the entire month of July!!!!

I'll start from today:

8. Hm pizza
9. Burgers on the grill, ff
10. Our Anniversary- Planning dinner at home, just going to pick up something fresh when decide what we want for our anniversary dinner

VBS 11-15 Fast meals most of the meal will be made ahead and then heated up when we get ready for dinner.

11. Tacos
12. Fried Chicken Salad
13. Tuna on Toast, cukes
14. BLTs
15. HM Pizza

16. Fahjitas
17. Lasagne, garlic bread
18. Beef Stir fry over rice
19. Eggs, fried potatoes, sausage patties
20. Fish, baked potato, spinach
21. Italian Sausage, FF
22. Hm Pizza
23. Burgers, oven fries
24. Marinated chicken Kbobs, baked potato
25. Shrimp and Mushroom Alfredo Garlic bread
26. Pancakes, Sausage patties
27. Pork Chops, fried potatoes, brussels sprouts
28. Take out at home General Tso Chicken, over rice
29. Hm Pizza
30 Unstuffed Peppers, mashed potatoes, corn
31. Ribs, Creamed Potatoes, green beans

Sounds yummy and hopefully I can do it all under budget!!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Tuesday 7/5/2011

Today is back to business!! But I have to admit, the boys stayed over at my mom's last night, and its just me and miss boo today so we are having a laid back kind of day!!

She's napping right now and later I need to go to get some salt for our water softener!! I will probably pick up the boys on my way back home!!

So I thought I would check in and say I hope you have had a wonderful weekend!!

Enjoy your day!!
Dana

Saturday, July 2, 2011

July 2, 2011

33 years ago today, my mama and my daddy became husband and wife!! To them they had 3 children, 2 boys and Me!! They have 10 grandchildren!! and 2 grandchildren were waiting for daddy when he got to heaven!! 3 kids and 12 grandkids is a great accomplishment!!

For better or for worse and in sickness and in health they took their marriage vows very very seriously.

Growing up, I had lots of friends who had step parents but my parents were a testimony to the way a marriage should be. Yes things are hard sometimes, but yes the rewards are great. Marriage is work, but its work well done!!

I hope I live my life in such a way that my own children will be able to look to my husband and I as good examples of the way a marriage should be. To be able to look back over the years and see the love, and how it grew!!

Happy Anniversary Mama and Daddy. I know we all miss him terribly and love never fails!!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Happy Friday!! Happy July 1st!!

I am on the fence on how I feel about it being July 1st already!!





I am excited because:


* This is a 3 day weekend, 3 whole days home with my hubby, the kids are going to be over the moon happy to have daddy for 3 whole days!!


* This month I will be ordering fabric to get ahead on my christmas gifts for my kiddos


* A little more wiggle room in the budget, not much but a little


* Garden is doing well, canning time will be soon!!!





I am a feeling a little down because:


* Tomorrow would have been my parents 33rd wedding anniversary, I know tomorrow will be super hard on her. Missing him every day is super hard on me.


* My baby girl is 18mos old already, the time is flying by, seriously way to fast





Ok so those are just a few reason I am happy but a little sad that July is here already. But ya gotta bloom where your planted right?? And right now I am planted right here and I need to make the best of it for me and our family so that is that huh??





Today I am taking dh's gram to town later on, she needs groceries, and I need a few things, we may stop at the farmers market which would be great I am itching to buy whatever I can't grow. I just hope the prices at the farmers market and my pocket book agree, :)





Because its the begining of a new month I am seriously going to be watching what we spend on groceries and such. I need to be more diligent on saving. We have plans and goals and one way I personally can help with that is to get a good handle on food spending. Honestly I hope I can keep my grocery bill down while stocking up the freezers and pantry, as we need to be ready for winter. So stay tuned and see how I hopefully feed 6 of us, stock the pantry and freezer and not break the bank doing so.





Oh and I know I said the 6 of us, I am including my mom in that as she eats alot with us since its just her now and she doesn't like to cook for just 1 and with her still laid off and not working and my dad gone, not to mention that my dh has her kitchen torn apart to remodel it since it was really really bad, she isn't able to cook anything so we are trying to help her out with meals and such. She is doing ok, but homecooked meals and a gallon of sweet tea are nice and she appreciates it. Hopefully she will be called back to work soon and money will be better for her soon. The kitchen remodel is almost finished but I still think she will be eating with us for some time. And that is ok with me, and I thank God for an understanding hubby. Our grocery bill has always been tight but we are able to feed us well and my mother included with out a whole lot changing and I know its because God is helping me. Praise God for knowing all our needs!!





I also have yard work planned today, if we can get it done today then we will be able to do lots more things with dh home this weekend!!





So a very very busy, fun filled family weekend ahead!! I can't wait!!





Have a great day!!


Dana