Thursday, May 31, 2012

Garden Work

Well I dove right in working on weeding out the weed patch garden patch. I was able to get over 1/2 the garden weeded yesterday and planned on finishing up weeding this morning but wouldn't ya know it good ol' wrench showed up. Ya know that wrench that always gets thrown into the middle of your plans??

Well even before my hubby left for work this morning I heard it, the wrench that was going to mess up my plans.

Today it is in the form of a paving crew that is stationed on the road in front of my house, sealing the asphalt.
Normally this would not be a big deal but with a very curious 2 yr old and mama busy in the garden, yeah just don't like the idea of her being out running around with strangers so close and me concentrating on working in the garden.

Let her help me in the garden so I can keep her close you say? Yes well I tried that yesterday and she about trampled my peas to death, so instead of getting angry and letting my temper cause me to yell and fume I sent her and her brother off to play.

Brother has already left for school so my garden work will have to wait till later today. But I will get it done!!

Super excited to get my veggie plants in the ground.

So while the road crew is working I'll take care of the inside of the house instead!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Happy Day after Memorial Day!!

Good Morning!!

I hope your weekend was as wonderful as ours!! With the 3 day weekend we were able to get alot of things done around here that really needed done.

On friday evening dh was able to come home earlier than usual because everyone in his office had already left early to enjoy their weekends so the office closed early!! He and the boys worked on the garden fencing while I started up the mower and got a head start on the yard work. We called it a night and came in when it was too dark outside to see. Thankfully he was able to get the fencing completed!!

Saturday we were up and attem' and finished up the yard work!! Dh mowed more with the push mower and did all the trimming. The kids and I moved yard furniture around and made sure the yard was all picked up. I even worked in the garage some to organize and straighten things up a bit. Mostly things like holiday decorations that had just been put in the garage but not nessassarily put away properly. Dh was happy about this as it freed up some valuable walking space in his garage!! After yard work we took trash away.
After that we came home cleaned up and in the heat of the day we went to town. Dh suprised us with a really nice late lunch/early dinner at Olive Garden!! I picked up some supplies and we headed home it had been a very full day!!!

Sunday we got up early and got ready for church, our pastor had called the night before and asked if our boys would help him by participating in the service the next morning. Our boys ages 10 and 6, dressed in their cub scout uniforms carried the American Flag and lead the congregation in Pledge Of Allegiance. I was honored and proud to say the least!!!

After Church we went to my grandmother's side family reunion, it was so hot and miserable that I was relieved when it was over and we were able to come home. Don't get me wrong it was nice seeing everyone but I am hoping next year they wait till early fall to have the reunion.

Then we came home and relaxed a bit before being suprised with some drop in company that stayed for dinner.  While making dinner I was able to make my macaroni salad for our cookout on Monday!!

Monday(yesterday) I got up and got busy getting the rest of the food made for our cookout. We made:
BBQ and Greek Chicken
Hot dogs for the little ones
Macaroni Salad
Potato Salad
Cake
Tea and Lemonade and Koolaid
Our friends and family brought:
Sweet Potato Souffle
Greek Salad
Chips
Cakes
hm from scratch brownies-oh my sooooo goood!
more drinks (sodas)

It was a feast!!! Sooo good, and everyone had a blast sitting around talking, eating, playing in the water and with bubbles. It was an awesome day!! One granted to us by those who selflessly give of themselves so that we can enjoy all that we do.

By the end of the day once all the food was put away and the cookout semi cleaned up,  last night, when the boys told me they were a bit hungry before bed, one asked for a bowl of cereal and the other asked for another hm brownie I had no problem being the cool mom and saying go for it. Yes I know not the best choice for a quickie snack but I'll fill them full of good for them stuff today to make up for it!! lol Extra veggies and fruits all around, lol

Today is catch up day for me, I need to clean up this cookout we had yesterday, by the time everyone left last night and we got the food put away, I gave myself the night off and so the dishes are waiting for me this morning, but that is ok. There is also laundry to do and the house to pick up. But I have great reasons to inspire me in my work today. My children and my hubby, make it all worth it!!!

Speaking of the children and the Hubs, the children are back to school today, only 5.5 days left of this school year and yes they have end-of-year-itis, and are ready to start their summer vacaction!! Hubby is back to work today as well, he's still battling his sinus junk but hopefully will be on the mend soon.

Not sure about dinner tonight, I'll come up with something good, its been super busy around here, a whirlwind of activities really, that I need to take a moment and get centered and refocus on my menu and such. Its so much easier when I have all the meals planned out!!!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and I'm wishing you well in the week to come!!
Blessings to you!!
Dana

Monday, May 21, 2012

Fried Chicken Salad

Since a couple of ladies have asked how I make our Fried chicken Salad I thought I would just make a post about it.

Sorry I don't have any pics, but hopefully as I explain my way of making it, your imaginations will recreate how really yummy this salad is.

The best part is that its truely very very simple.

I was able to buy a bagged salad mix very cheaply but then added to it. The salad mix I bought had iceburg lettuce, red cabbage and shredded carrots in it, then I added, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes,  and fresh raw spinach leaves that were chopped smaller since they weren't baby spinach leaves.

I also cooked and chopped up some hard boiled eggs.

Then for the fried chicken part I had coupons for those Tyson Breaded Chicken Tenders, so I used those but have made this many times before with my own breaded and fried chicken tenders.

I took the Tyson Breaded Chicken Tenders and deep fried them, and then let them cool, once they were cool I chopped them all up kinda small. Smaller makes it go farther.

I set it all up almost like a buffet, I had a huge bowl of salad chock full of veggies, a bowl of chopped hard boiled eggs and a bowl of chopped cooked breaded chicken tenders and then toppings like different dressings, bacon bits, etc.

When I assembled mine I took and  piled on the salad, ( I♥Salad) then topped with eggs, chicken, bacon bits and salad dressing, it was very very filling, you don't have to have alot of chicken and its still yummy so it works well as a stretchy meal.

IT IS SOOOOOO GOOD AND SOOOO FILLING and its a great meal for those super hot days!!

I also like spicy foods so I sometimes make Buffalo chicken salad, My husband don't care for spicy food at all so when I am craving something spicy I make everything just like I listed above but in a small bowl I put a pat of butter and then some Frank's Red Hot hot sauce, and microwave it till the butter is melted then I toss in some of the already cooked and chopped up chicken and toss to coat, you don't need alot of sauce, just enough to lightly coat the chicken, then I put it on top of my salad and drizzle ranch dressing over everything and then gooble it up :)

I used to bake potatoes to go with this meal too, so it wouldn't be just a cold meal but lately I haven't done this and its just as filling and satisfying without having  a baked potato on the side.

I hope you try this salad, its really easy and really yummy!!!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Friday Happenings

Good Morning!!
Today is errand day. To be honest I have been busy with other things this week, helping friends, busy in my home, outside my home, with my kids and one day of migrain or maybe allergies who knows what that kept me from things that needed done!!

I am not ready for errand day, but will muddle through because that's what you do when people depend on you. Dh's gram is a sweet lady, she's got and onery side to be sure but mostly she is just a warm loving family centered woman. She truely is a blessing to me and our family as well. She's older in years 88 her birthday 2 months ago in March and she's winding down and needing more help than she has in the past. That's ok with me, she's such a blessing its never a burden. NEVER.

Today she needs me to take her shopping for groceries, although truth be told I think she buys more for her little dog than she does her self. :) she loves her little dog. I also need to help her pay a few bills, she doesn't see as great as she once did and needs me to write our her bills for her.

We'll hit a few stores to get the best deals and then home to get it all squared away. Then tomorrow I've promised to take her strawberry picking!! Which means while I am out I need freezer bags, and sugar. I can almost taste the jam!!!

Dh's been working on our garden fence, in the evenings after work,  making it more permanent more secure, hopefully with the new fence we'll get more veggies than the deer get ;) one can hope right??

Dh's gram has started me some seeds for cucumbers and tomatoes. She's got a greener thumb than the incredible hulk, she can grow anything!! I can't wait to get the plants in the garden and I pray for a good harvest this year. Lord knows we need it!!!

I hope to do lots of canning this year!! It sure would be helpful to have lots on hand especially with the prices lately. Gas is coming down but its not nearly low enough for my tastes!! 3.45 a gallon this morning. It has been more like 3.95 so its a start but it needs to keep coming down!!

Well I need to pack my kindergartener's lunch and get little miss ready for her day of shopping with Mama and Mammaw!!

Enjoy your day!!
Oh and dinner tonight is Fried Chicken Salad, yummy!!
Have a blessed day!!!


Thursday, May 17, 2012

Tickled with myself!!!

Its no secret I am a procrastinator, I have no idea why other than I guess I am sort of on the lazy side. I guess if I am truely honest that's the only real reason isn't it?? Anyway I half started cleaning out my little girls room a few weeks ago and then once I made noticeable progress ie cleaning out clothes that are too small, thinning out toys that aren't played with etc, I slacked off on finishing. Well today I finished!! I put all the clothes away, I moved things around and I have even taken back some of my livingroom space by moving the kitchen set she received for christmas out of our living room and into her bedroom!! Yay for toys being in the bedrooms where they belong and not on my livingroom floor!!

Now the only thing that needs done in there is to find something to do with all the baby blankets I am keeping and to make curtains and find something to decorate the walls with. I am pleased with myself!!

Here's hoping I can continue on...The boy's room is next!!!!

Have a blessed day!!!
Dana

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tuesday 5/15/2012

It's been an eventful day around here so far. Woke up to the power being off then coming right back on, thought I could lay still a few more minutes till the phone rang and my mother's power was off and hadn't came back on and she wanted me to call the electric company to report the outage.  So I went ahead and got up, called the eletric company, packed dh's lunch, packed oldest's lunch and took him to school- I let him sleep alittle over since we were out late last night to a scout meeting. Our power had went out again shortly before we left to take oldest to school and it was still off when we got back. Started picking up around the house, which is all I could do with no power. Wasn't too long till the power came back on, apparently a transformer blew and caught fire so that was the source of the outage.
Now I am in full swing, I've got the dishwasher unloaded, reloaded, and going, the washer going, the dryer going- our middle child played in puddles last night in the rain after scouts his shoes are soaked and if he is going to make it to kindergarten today they must be dried first, I've got tea steeping and am fixing to go get something for the headache I gave myself by sleeping funny. I was having trouble with sinus drainage last night before bed so I propped myself up and well it worked well for the drainage but not so much for sleeping I woke up with a kinked neck and a headache, yay me!! Oh well hopefully some advil will take care of it as I have lots to get done today and well this week too!!

Plans for the week include- the house work and laundry of course
take away trash
Mow the grass
Help dh work on garden fence in evenings after he is home from work
clip coupons and match sales
make a grocery list
grocery shop
and hopefully find time to take dh's gram strawberry picking at a local UPICK place. Then of course put them up ie..Jams, frozen etc
Buy a babyshower gift- yeah I know I should have made something but...diapers will be much appreciated I am sure.
Our weekend looks like this:
Go to a baby shower
Go to the Scout BBQ fundraiser
Help a friend on their farm with putting up a building and moving the wood pile
Then go to church on sunday then hopefully home to relax!!!

So yeah busy busy busy!!

Have a blessed day!!!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Tuesday 5/8/2012

Good Morning!!
I am busy in the house today, laundry, dishes, straightening rooms, baking- I must bake today I promised the boys!!

Dinner tonight is Chicken, Alfredo noodles with broccoli!! And home made bread god willing!! Trying a new recipe today, hope it turns out yummy!!!

Have a great day!!
Dana

Monday, May 7, 2012

Menu this week

Tonight- Tacos
Tuesday- Chicken Alfredo with broccolli
Wednesday- Pancakes and sausage
Thursday- Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Friday-HM pizza
Saturday-eating out after choral competition
Sunday- Dinner with dh's gram

Monday 5/7/2012

Good Morning!!
How was your weekend?? Ours was supposed to be semi-low key but ya know that never really happens!!

Our original plans were that dh was going to hang out at home with the kiddos, our nephew was gonna come over and hang out as well and Mom was going to go on a mom's day out with her bestie. I was super excited!!

Well we got a call on friday evening and I was asked if my son could lend a hand on Saturday during the parade. (Our town has a annual HUGE parade in celebration of a local crop that is pretty much the basis of our entire county, lol its a big deal- Farming and Apples and they celebrate it huge here.) So I asked the caller I guess that would be alright but which son? To which the answer was I'll take them both and I want your hubby as well. I'm sure I've mentioned it before but in case I haven't both of my sons are cubscouts, my husband is a leader and as of the next school year so am I :) and the caller wanted my boys to carry a flag in the huge parade. It through a wrench in my plans but it just so happened that my bestie called and asked if I mided if her daughter came along as well, to which I replied that it was funny I was just about to call her with the same question!!! So it was all sorted.

Silly me thought the boys would be carrying the scout pack/troop parade but it was a much bigger deal than that.

My sons and my husband were part of history!! They were involved with carrying the 9/11 flag!! The one that is on a journey across America through the 10th year anniversary of those horrible attacks on our country. The flag is being stitched back together little by little as it makes its way across America. As I am told it even has part of Abraham Lincoln's Flag stitched to it. What a completely amazing honor!! I am proud of them!! You can learn about it here: http://www.national911flag.org/

So the guys went to the parade and Lil Miss and I and my bestie her daughter went to see all the arts and crafts at the park, then we went to lunch and did some shopping and finished the day off at the frozen yogurt shop before heading home!! It was an awesome day!!

Sunday was just as eventful even though it was supposed to be low key also. Well I guess you can say it ended up low key but started out a little crazy. I got up through a load of clothes into the washer and then into the dryer, dh was in the shower and the kids were just hanging out, we were fixing to get ready for church when right in the middle of those preps the power went out. A few calls later determined everyone was out of power even 6miles away. So with my church clothes still wet in the dryer and my hubby the only one that was even partially showered. Another call to the power company informed us that yes there was an outtage but NO they didn't know why or when it would be back on, so plans to church got scraped pretty quickly and we switched gears, did some straightening up around the house and as soon as the power was restored some couple hours later we finished up showers and drying clothes, got ready, and picked up our nephew then came home and grilled out, watched a movie- the baby and fell asleep in the middle of, lol and then after nephew went home we chilled out at home, worked in the flower beds then came in and made hm pizza!!

Soon after dinner it was bed time!!!

Now its Monday, the boys are off to school, hubs is off to work and I am here with the business of the house to take care of!!

Dishes, laundry, clean up, bills, lists etc are on the agenda for today!!
Oh and even though the weekend was busy hubby fixed the oven!! So I might bake something up today as well!!

Have a great day!!!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Tuesday

Good Morning!!

It's dreary and overcast here today, with a chance of thunderstorms off and on all day. A great day to stay in and do some laundry!! Which of course with 3 kids and a hubby in the business world I definately am in no short supply of clothes needing washed :)

My other plans are to tidy up and find something scrumptious for dinner!!

I might spend some time in my daughters room, I need to take down the crib and changing table and start transitioning her into a big girl bed, and make her room look more like a big girl room instead of a baby's room!! I haven't used the changing table in probably at least a year, mostly its a storage for this or that but it all needs to be taken down. I guess part of me has held onto it and left it up because she is the last little one we're ever gonna have and I am just trying to keep her little for as long as I can. I know it sounds silly, but its true. In all honesty she keeps me as busy as if she were 3 children all in one, lol  So maybe some bedroom updating will be in order this week, hmm who knows!!

I also finished the first 15 crocheted snowflakes last night!! I worked on the last 2 while I sat through the cub scout pack meeting. The pack meeting is mostly about achievements being recognized and upcoming events, the boys also put on skits and sing songs, so while that was going on, I finished the last 2 of the first 15. I am thinking that a gift of 6 different crocheted snowflakes and 2 different crocheted wreaths would make a nice gift. So that is whay I am aiming for, but I need to stay focused because that means I need a total of 90 crocheted snowflakes and 30 crocheted wreaths. I may not need 15sets but I settled on 15 because I thought that would leave me with a few sets leftover incase I forgot someone or I could always use them myself :)

Have a great day!!
Dana