Because I must...

It's WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY

2011-01-12T06:23:00.000-08:00

HOORAY!! It's Works for me Wednesday over at We Are That Family!!!

I LOVE WFMW! It's always been my favorite blog party...mainly because a) I'm really not that crafty~it takes great effort to be even the slightest crafty and b) I am good at finding shortcuts and easy, peasy ways to get the job done!

This week I wanted to share with you my favorite idea for FINALLY clearing up the adult acne I've struggled with for years. Seriously folks....it was awful! I felt worse than a 14-year-old boy, at least a couple of weeks out of the month. I would have breakouts, mostly on my chin and eyebrow areas. Of course, never where they could easily be concealed. I finally broke down and visitied a dermatologist.

Now this is what gets me. As I am in the health profession, I don't visit health professionals very often. Let's face it....I'm a bit overeducated! So most of the time I do really have an idea of what is ailing me or what needs to be done to fix something or if something truly qualifies as an emergency and must be treated. That rarely happens. Most of the time, I'm a fix-it-yourself kinda gal. So actually going to the dermatologist took a humbling, I-swear-I-have-to-take-care-of-this-once-and-for-all moment!

So this was his recommendation:

Yep! That's it. Genius in a bottle! Liquid Gold!! I wash with this every night and if my face doesn't get too dry, every morning as well. I use Neutrogena but he did say that any off brand of OIL-FREE cleanser may work. You have to test them out. But they must be oil-free and not contain any cream or lotion-y ingredients. Stay away from additional oils he said! Genius this man was (or not but I think since I paid him to tell me to buy some over-the-counter remedy, he must be genius~~~)

Seriously, here were his recommendations and they've worked:

A) Wash twice a day with the Liquid Gold.

B) Avoid creamy moisturizers, no facial creams of any kind. Creams clog the pores and that is causing breakouts.

C) Avoid milk and most dairy. Dairy is made from cows milk, which most of the time includes some growth hormones. And since many women, myself included, breakout when it is that time then we need to avoid any additional hormones in our bodies. I've switched to using some soy milk but mostly just don't drink or consume as much dairy as before. I do take a multivitamin more often for calcium and vitamins.

D) If your skin is very bad, he did give me some antibiotic cream to apply. I did for about a week or two and then found that I stopped breaking out as much so have cut back on the cream. It is very drying as well.

I really believe that if you have oily skin and breakout with surges of hormones like I have, this could help you as well. Try it. As I said, it is very drying at first and you'll have to temper how often you use it but it has been exponentially helpful in my skin! Love it!!

It totally works for me!!

Now head on over to We are that Family and see what other great tidbits of wisdom await you!!

2011-01-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

First off this week, I'm joining in on the Pantry Challenge over at Life As A Mom and Organizing Junkie! My goal is to use up what is in the freezer (actually we have 3 freezers....probably a bit much, huh?), fridge and pantry. I will be stocking up on loss leaders throughout the month and working my way into building my stockpile for the next few months.

So here is a shot at our menu for this week, using up what we already have:

Monday: Sticky chicken, green beans

Tuesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas

Wednesday: Spaghetti, salad

Thursday: Chili, cornbread

Friday: Leftovers or dinner out

Saturday: Buffalo chicken soup

Sunday: Homemade pizza

Breakfast is always either oatmeal, cold cereal or eggs. Lunch is usually leftovers. I pack the boys leftovers or peanut butter and jelly for their school lunches. Hubby is on the road so don't have to worry about him. I eat whatever is convenient and (hopefully) healthy....it isn't always pretty though!!

The Sticky Chicken and Buffalo Chicken Soup are from Sparkpeople recipes that I found today. I can't wait to try them...they sound absolutely delish!! I'll report back how it turns out.

Sticking to the plan, I should only need milk and bread from the store this week, plus I'll grab any BOGOs that make sense for us and some other loss leaders. I haven't checked them out yet so have no idea what they are.

How about you? Do you try to plan your meals around your pantry?

A New Year!!

2011-01-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

Here we are....2011.

I've gotten ~~harrassment~~ encouragement from others to keep this blog going. They said they actually enjoy it! Truth be told, I do too!! I've missed it!! And since life is back to some semblance of normalcy....did I just say that?.....I have made a commitment to keep it going. That is one of my 2011 resolutions.

I've got some goals for this year. It's actually going to be a VERY busy year. I'm still in school for my ARNP degree and this is the heavy year. Not a long program and this year is the majority of the work. Whew....anyone out there have a firm grasp on Pathophysiology and care to tutor me?? :)

I've renewed those typical goals of eating better, exercising more and budgeting better. The budget one is an absolute necessity. I've decreased my hours at work because of the heavy class load I'm taking and first year at a new airline is never very good. So we'll be hitting the Dave Ramsey program pretty hard again and focusing on our dollars. Have you tried Dave Ramsey yet? Great advice!

As for the healthier lifestyle, I'm checking in with Sparkpeople EVERY DAY! I LOVE Sparkpeople! Keeps me accountable, great reports, easy to use and let's you make some very real changes in your health. Every time I've focused on this and checked in, I lose weight. Easy as that. Seriously. I track my food and exercise, gain my points and read about other's success. It truly is one of the best sites for making healthier lifestyle decisions. Check it out!

In the meantime, here are a few pics of what is going on in our world right now.....

Big Boy has been very under the weather. Huge fever, sore throat, sniffles, achy. He has war wounds to prove it....

Those darn fever blisters hurt! Poor kiddo!

We've added a new addition to the family......Meet Drake. We lost our oldest Boxer, Max, last November. Drake joined us a couple of weeks before Christmas. He's adorable....and sweet.....and is measuring up to be a GREAT pup!!

Super Hubs has a new job. He started at JetBlue Airlines in December. Loves it! I'm really happy for him and we've prayed, a LOT, that this is the direction God has for us.

Most importantly, we will spend a great deal of time thanking God for His wonderful blessings on our home and family. We have SO much to be grateful for!

How about you? What are your 2011 Resolutions? What do you want to improve on this year?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG BOY!!

2010-09-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Big Boy turned 6 last Sunday. We celebrated with lots of friends, MANY blessings and good times! We love you Big Boy~~

Works for Me Wednesday

2010-09-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Big Boy has started Kindergarten and Little Guy is still in PreK. About 2-3 times a week, they have homework. In three weeks, I've already completely worn out the "where is my pencil" welcome. It's driving me mad!!

So this is my simple solution to homework time:

The super simple, super convenient pencil case! Snag an extra during that clearance time at your local Red Dot aisle, WalMart or Staples and stuff that baby full of pencils, crayons, erasers and scissors. Keep it near the homework area. For us that is the kitchen, so these little babies are in the "junk drawer" near the table. When the boys return from school, they change their clothes, grab a snack and settle in to finish their homework. This has solved the "where is my......" statement every time.

Join all the other genius moms over at We Are That Family for more great WFMW tips!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

2010-09-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

I figured today I would hook with one of the old favorites....Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays and Tasty Tuesdays!

This is one of our very favorite breakfast recipes....and we do breakfast for dinner at least once every couple of weeks. YUM! Hope you enjoy it as well!

ORANGE PECAN FRENCH TOAST

* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 1/3 cup chopped pecans
* 12 (3/4 inch thick) slices French bread
* 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
* 1 cup fresh orange juice
* 1/2 cup 2% milk
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 egg whites
* 2 eggs
* 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, melted butter, and corn syrup. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish, and spread evenly. Sprinkle pecans over the sugar mixture. Arrange the bread slices in the bottom of the dish so they are in a snug single layer. I often use leftover bread pieces--it works great.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, egg whites, and eggs. Pour this mixture over the bread, pressing on the bread slices to help absorb the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Remove the cover from the baking dish, and let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature.
4. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Join the others over at At The Well and Balancing Beauty and Bedlam for other terrific recipes!! Have a wonderful day!!

Works for me Wednesday!

2010-09-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait to come back to WFMW! Oh! How I love it!! I learn something new and great every single time and astound my friends and family with my wealth of knowledge! Ahem.....I'm just sayin'......

So today's tips for WFMW are what works for school. All those great back-to-school tips and tidbits.

Here is mine:

I took a frame with a glass front:

Then I covered the background with some some scrapbooking paper:

Finally, I measured out my calendar days, added a few boxes for miscellaneous things like grocery lists and other various to-do lists. I mismatched a lot of different textures and designs, all in my outstanding effort to cover how much of a non-perfectionist I am. See? Looks well planned out, right?! Yep--that's how I work! :)

And voila! The final product:

You can simply write on the glass with any dry erase marker and they wipe off in a flash. I hung it in our kitchen area. I did the close up because the rest of the wall is not finished yet. I plan on adding a couple of finished cork boards to hang things on and a little chalkboard for the kids to play on, down below.

I really use the calendar faithfully....keeps everyone on board with a quick glance to see what is coming up this week.

That really works for me. What works for you?

Join everyone else on over at We Are That Family for tons more tips!

First Day of School

2010-08-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

You know....that God of ours sure knows what He is doing!

If I was still in my old job, I probably would have missed this....

or this....

or this and this.....

Thank you God, for knowing so much more than I do. Thank You for guiding my journey of motherhood and always leading me in Your way.

It was a pretty fantastic first day of school!! WOO HOO!

We're BACK!

2010-08-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hi y'all!!

We're BACK!

Well, we really never went anywhere....except work, school, work, school, work.

It's SO overrated ya know?!

Remember the story about how I thought I would try a new role out at the hospital? I did. Didn't like it. No-not really.

So back to life as I once knew it. Back to working shifts at the hospital. And back to parenting more full-time instead of hardly part-time. Back to laundry (Oh.My.Gosh! Did I really say that?!).

We spent a lot of time with God and prayer, trying to figure out what the next season of our life is. I'm not completely sure. But it does not involve working 50 hours a week, while the hubby still travels. And the boys are young. That isn't quite what works for us. (Is that great little bloggy theme around?!)

I'm really looking forward to having some time to take care of my family and to go to school myself. I'm pursuing a Masters in Nursing to gain my Advanced RN Practitioner degree. The plan is that will afford me some great flexibility from now until....oh, until the boys are gone from home and married? That should work. I hope!

Until then....here is how we spent yesterday, getting back into the swing of of spending time together.....

That's Noah.....as Jesus on the Cross....at the beach....

Have a great day! See you around, very soon!!

We hung with pirates....

2010-03-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

We hung out with some pirates this past weekend at the Renaissance Festival.

And one amazing Wizard!!

Chicken and Pasta in Brown Sauce

2010-03-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

I sure wish I had taken a picture of this great recipe!

It was a HIT with the family and we all loved it!! ENJOY!

Chicken and Pasta in Brown Sauce

2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1/2 med. onion, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups chopped leftover Rotisserie chicken (meat, no skin)
3 cups whole wheat penne pasta
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. cajun seasoning
2 tsp. black pepper

Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta to al dente. While pasta is cooking, saute onion in olive oil until browned. Add chicken. Warm through. Add chicken broth, bringing to a low simmer. Remove approximately 3/4 cup liquid to a spare bowl. Combine cornstarch with hot broth and stir, removing all clumps and starting your gravy/sauce. Return broth/sauce back to pan, simmering on low until thickened. Add pasta. Add cajun seasoning and pepper. Serve.

Honestly, it is simple and delicious! Not too mention low fat and full of whole grains with the whole wheat pasta. Good stuff!!

Join others on over at Blessed with Grace! for other tasty Tuesday treats!

We're losing it around here.....

2010-03-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Teeth that is....

Big Boy lost his first tooth today!

It's been loose a while now. He got tired of being patient and just pulled it out after lunch!

Writing that letter to the Tooth Fairy so he can collect his loot!!

And so begins a new chapter in our family. When baby teeth fall out, all sense of babyhood is gone. Now excuse me while I grab a tissue.....*sniff* *sniff*

If I only had a month of Sundays....

2010-02-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

I've spent the better part of this morning just ogling over some wonderful things on other people's blogs....

And because my camera has taken the final dirt nap, I can't show you any of my projects right now.

But here are a few that I simply LOVE to look at and can't wait to copy!

This gorgeous homemade dry erase calendar from Somewhat Simple!

Perfect for our spot in the kitchen. And I'll be adding a corkboard above for all those school notes and papers.

Aren't these pillows just PERFECT? I LOVE THEM!! And for goodness sake, even I can sew a square! You can find the whole tutorial over at The Blessed Nest.

How about this gorgeous mod-podge light cover? So easy and yet it adds so much to a room decor. This I can do!! Thanks Leanne over at Organize and Decorage Everything!

I truly love this idea! I don't have 5 kids~~~but I do have a great family and I can picture doing this with a great Bible quote and family pics! Great ideas over at How Does She?!

And I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to find this tutorial! I've been wanting to do a Lego table for the boys for a year now.....perfect idea for an old table I have in the garage! Thanks Kate over at the Gaines Gang!

How about you? Have you found anything wonderful on the Web lately?

Anyone else?

2010-02-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

I'm wondering if anyone else gets

SO. DARN. EXCITED.

for this:

photo courtesy of http://www.yorkblog.com/flipside

only to be

SO. DARN. FRUSTRATED!

when it ends because we know very little after than we did before we watched it?

Yeah....me too.

But I can't wait to be frustrated!!

WOO HOO!!

Goodbye Sweet Girl

2010-01-31T07:16:00.000-08:00

Our dog has died.

Our girl Boxer, Lucy, passed quietly in her sleep last Monday. She had been suffering from a very bad case of pancreatitis that did not improve with treatments. It didn't take long. Two weeks and she was gone. We were terribly afraid we were going to have to make the horrendous decision to put her to sleep. But then she saved us from that and passed that morning.

It has been so very, very sad. The boys have been weepy, distraught and confused. Full of questions about death and Heaven and what she is doing with God. We do our best to explain. But how do explain how sweet Lucy actually gets to Heaven so she can play fetch with God? It's not been easy. An important life lesson, yes. But certainly not easy.

Super Hubs has been very sad. We realized through this whole process that he has not lost anyone close to him in many, many years. His father, though struggling with his disease, is still here. I've lost a friend's son and others. But together, as a family, this was our first death of someone close. A blessing in some ways; other ways, not so much. It's been hard.

Thoughts of her come to me occasionally and really catch me off guard. I did not expect to grieve quite like this. I grew up on a farm. Animals die. But I realize now that I've never had a family pet, who I lived with, slept with, cuddled and loved so greatly, die. Growing up, our pets never entered our house. Pets living in your house? A different story. A member of your family. Most certainly. And I miss her.

The boys are entertaining thoughts of a new pet. We have a male Boxer who is sad now. They think he needs a new friend. But hubs and I aren't ready yet. Not quite ready for a new puppy to overtake that part of our hearts or home. We feel like we owe it to sweet Lucy to give her a little more time to be the 'other girl' in the house. So we'll wait.

Have you lost a pet? Were you too, surprised at the pain of the loss?

It works for me....

2010-01-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Prayer.

It's what Works For Me.

I'm happy to get back in on a WFMW post with friends over at We Are That Family.

Because we too, are one of THOSE families.

And what works for me is prayer. Prayer every. single. day. Sometimes more than once a day.

I've often really wondered about people that have no faith in Christ. Those that are not believers. It is beyond me. I don't ever remember not having faith. Not having a relationship with Christ. Not being a believer in Him, His Kingdom, His Word. I don't criticize those that aren't believers. I just simply don't understand it.

This week, because we are ONE of THOSE families, I've been challenged to stand faithful and strong. Challenged to lean on Him more. Through some of life's everyday happenings, I lean on Him. And through those not-so-everyday happenings, I lean on Him.

Prayer works. One of my favorite quotes is here on my blog. "I pray because I must...it doesn't change God. It changes me." I got it out of a movie called Shadowlands, when Anthony Hopkins portrayed C.S. Lewis. Mr. Lewis had just lost his beloved wife and was grieving terribly. His friends were trying to console him. He could not be easily consoled. If you have not seen this movie or read any works by C.S. Lewis, I would highly recommend it. His writings were and are, phenomenal. The movie was fantastic. His writings have deepened my faith and helped me explore areas of my Christianity that I had not yet looked at.

So try it. Prayer that is. It works. For me.

Join everyone else on over at We Are THAT Family to find out what else works!!

Cleaning....otherwise known as my prescription for anxiety....

2010-01-17T16:13:00.000-08:00

Who else cleans like Martha Stewart when faced with a difficult decision? Who else falls in love with Mr. Clean when life deals you a deck of crummy cards?

You?

Definitely me.

I hate to admit it but I'm most effective at cleaning when I'm anxious. Or mad. Or both.

When I have a situation that looks bleak, my stainless steel is screaming bright! I can accomplish more in 30 minutes when I have a difficult situation I'm facing than I can accomplish in 3 hours when life is easy peasy. It's just the way it is. Beats eating chocolate.

Except for the times when chocolate goes hand-in-hand with said cleaning. Then it's just. not. pretty.

But my friend over at Thrifty Decor Chic is asking for cleaning tips. Cleaning shortcuts. Genius ideas for cleaning.

Mine? Other than cleaning my house rather than taking a massive dose of Ativan?

It's Playlist.com

Playlist is a free site that lets you build a playlist of your favorite songs and play them on your computer. I have several lists. One for massive amounts of cleaning. One for relaxing when done cleaning. Great kids music. A really cool set of Christian music. All I have to do is define my mood and hit play.

Here is one of my favorite playlists right now. Feel free to use it next time you gotta get something done.

Works for me. Every time!

Join all those other creative peeps on over at TDC for more great cleaning tips!!

It is THAT time of year....

2010-01-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Another little peek into one of my FAV-O-RITE pleasures....

It. Is. NFL. PLAYOFF. SEASON!

And in one week, these guys

will play against these guys

And that makes this house, one crazy, hyped-up, football frenzied HOT MESS!!

New Year--it is still January, right?

2010-01-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

It is still January so technically, ahem! I can still say
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I've thought many, MANY days about catching up on the blog but then doubt would interfere and I'd ask myself, "What do I really have to say right now?"

I am at a crossroads of sorts. Not quite sure what to blog about. My life has changed. My focus is much different than it was six months ago.

Or is it?

I went back to recap on some of my blog entries from the past year. They reflect a woman who was driven in many ways. Driven to create the best home for her family. Driven to feed her family well, AND frugally. Driven to be a better wife, a better Mom, a much better follower of Christ.

Those things have not changed.

My daily routine has changed. But those goals are still there. Still REALLY there! With some new challenges mixed in. As you all know, I work Monday through Friday again. A new career focus. New challenges professionally.

But the depth of who I am remains the same. I struggle to make sure our marriage is growing. I want to show my husband that he is the head of our family. I want to get better at giving him the reins in which to lead our family and lead our marriage. That means that I continue to learn to let go. Let go of my selfish will. Let go of my stubborn emotions. Let go of my need to control! Go out of my way to encourage him, to support him, to listen to him and to show him how much he means to me.

I continue to work at this Mama-gig. There are still numerous lessons to teach our sons. Many kisses to send their way. Hugs too. I still want SH and I to lead their education and growth. It helps that we absolutely love the Christian preschool that they are attending. Every day they come home reciting a new Bible verse, talking about how they learned about Christ that day and singing songs over and over and OVER again!! We are very comfortable that we made the right choice of schools for them to attend. And they love it so that helps us to feel so very comfortable with the decision. We are learning more and more every day about their personalities and how that is growing in to the young men they are. They are set in many ways. Big Boy continues to be emotional, very sensitive and very thoughtful. You cannot get a single thing past that boy. We must carefully choose our words and actions, every day. Because he picks up on them every. single. time. Little Guy continues to be the free spirit. He is goofy and enjoys to be the life of the house! We must be careful not to assume that means he is silly and reckless because he is not. He simply does not take any part of life too seriously. That will help our Type A driven home, A LOT!

There are goals that I have for 2010. Every year I try to identify things that I want to accomplish, both for myself and for our family. This year is no different. So in no sense of order at all:

1) Strengthen our family bond with Christ. SH and I have talked about this and have made some concrete measures to include God in our daily lives. We pray every day on the way to school with the boys. We pray at meals. We pray at other times too. We talk about our behaviors and how they either please God or displease Him. We don't attend church as often as we feel like we should. Let's face it, church is a habit. And one I feel like we need to strengthen in our entire family. We are somewhat torn as to what church to attend so that is a journey we must attend to. We talk about God daily and His sacrifices for us. We don't talk about our sacrifices for Him nearly as much. Room for growth in this area, definitely.

2) Remove ourselves from $50,000 of debt, which will include remaining credit card debt, home equity, student loan and mortgage. We won't be debt free but we can be closer to the prize! Definitely something we can do if we really focus. REALLY focus!

3) Take charge of my health. Let's face it. I'm almost 42 years old. 42 folks. That is, ahhhhhhh, close to middle age?! No matter how young I feel. No matter how late I started with the whole parenting gig (so I feel like I'm 30 with preschoolers, when in reality I'm almost 42 with preschoolers!). The body is just not gonna hold up like it did 12 years ago. Time to really start looking at ensuring those healthcare dollars are well spent on prevention!

4) And as always, there is a smattering of decorating projects, garden plans, weekend trips to plan. Little things to make family memories. Those change every other week so I'll keep those on the back burner.

5) Keep up with the blog. Even the mundane, inconsequential things. Because someone may find them mildly entertaining. And I love going back to read where life has taken us in the past year.

HAPPY 2010 EVERYONE!

Letters to Santa

2009-12-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

We worked really hard on our letters to Santa this morning!

Little Guy concentrating....

Big Boy sure had a long list!

I'm SO proud of Big Boy!! He wrote his entire letter by himself and never gave up!! Little Guy decorated his with a picture of Santa (that happened to look a whole like a head on sticks....sorry Santa!).

I just love the Christmas Season!!!

2009-12-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

The harsh truth revealed itself this week.

It is the beginning of the end. We must all deal. We must all face it. We must all have Faith.

Pappa's time is nearing. The awful disease that racks his body has taken control, once and for all. It robs him of his dignity. It robs him of control. It robs him of moments, breathes, smiles.

It robs us all.

For Big Boy, it has taken the lessons he was to learn. He started many lessons only to have them cut short. Many truths about the pride, the role, the job he has inherited as the first grandson. He will not be learning those lessons from his Appachan. He will have to search uncles and Daddy for those. He will most certainly lose out on something in the gap. He will have a few memories, vague, distant and foggy. Maybe some that have clarity, though likely those will be the funeral, the emotion, watching the pain his family has to endure. It etches into your mind. I have those memories from his age and sadly, fewer before it.

For Little Man, he may not remember at all. He may have few memories of the smile, the laughter, the pride and love. For Little Man, there is just not enough time.

For my precious husband, it is the stark pain on his face that is so very hard to bear. It is the recognition that the time is nearing. That he will soon become a son without a father here on Earth. It is so hard to watch. Because words cannot comfort. Touch does not connect. It is a reality we must all endure and he is the first of us.

I want to wrap them all in my arms, to ease the pain and wipe away the tears. I pray that God, and it is always God, that lends his strength to us all. That He comforts Pappa in his time here and shortens the time of suffering. That He leads us through this process. He opens His Doors.

We are confident where Pappa will be. His Faith is strong. He has the Knowledge. He knows. The sadness we endure is only momentarily, before we remember the glory in knowing where he is. God will be there to meet him. God will take him home. Too soon.

But he will be Home.

In the busy-ness of the Season

2009-11-29T18:28:00.000-08:00

In the busy-ness of the Season, I hope that you all take time to breathe and enjoy the wonder of it all.

These are the favorite ways that I like to spend my time during the holiday season

I would LOVE to host a Christmas breakfast for friends and family this year!! Doesn't that look yummy?

LOVE these burlap wrapped gifts and the chocolate brown ribbon!

I've already filled bowls full of ornaments, fruit and bling!

So inviting...

Photos courtesy of Southern Living.com. Full of great ideas for the holiday season!! What are you doing to decorate for the Season this year?

Works for me Wednesday

2009-11-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

Need a tip on how to bathe your little ones? What REALLY works?

I can't take credit for it. My Super Hubs actually thought of this one.

We outfitted the boys' shower with this beauty:

Works like a dream! I just pull it off the holder, spray them down, soap 'em up and rinse 'em off!! Simple! Easy! Genuis!!

Great idea HONEY!!

Join some other genuis peoples on over at We Are THAT Family for more Works for Me Wednesday! Have Fun!!

Get that Crockpot Going!!

2009-11-09T17:36:00.000-08:00

What sounds good this week? It is fall, y'all! My favorite time of year!!!

So that means it is CROCKPOT season!

This week I'm busting out the crockpot and getting going on this recipe for Tuesday! Think of us all fat and happy around the dinner table tonite.....OK...let's go for happy, minus the fat! ;)

White Chili with Turkey

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 (4 ounce) cans canned green chile peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

ground cayenne pepper to taste

ground white pepper to taste

3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans

5 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack

Combine the onion, garlic and ground turkey and saute for 10 minutes, or until turkey is well browned. Add to the crockpot and toss in all the other ingredients, except cheese. Stir well and cook for 6 hours on low setting. Top with cheese and ENJOY!!

Join the rest of us on over at Blessed With Grace for another wonderful TMTT!! Happy Fall Y'ALL!

Fitting it all in....

2009-11-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

I'm loving this right now.....

it just....

fits.

Everyone needs a little Super Hero

2009-11-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

We had a little Halloween celebration down town last weekend. LOVED it! The boys really enjoyed themselves. It was safe and so much fun!!

Batman AKA Big Boy enjoys a little treat!

Super Heroes awaiting the bouncy house! By far, their favorite part of the street festival!

Pony rides came in a close second for favorite things to do!

Train rides were definitely a huge hit!!

Before & After PARTAY!!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

I promised and yes, I eventually deliver!!

I told you all about a little paintin' party fixin'-up Super Hubs & I took on, right? Well..... HERE IT IS!!

I'll admit that most everyone is a better decorator than I. But sometimes, just a few times, I really get it right. And this time, I got it right.

A quick before:

Note the plain white backgrounds...

Kitchen area

Family Room

Kitchen

Our kitchenette office corner

Family Area

The gold color is Bungalow Gold and the darker color is Cayenne. Both are from Valspar. We did use the same primer for both, which was tinted with the gold color.

Honestly, it is SO warm and inviting now! I'm not sure if you can tell from the pictures but we have a very large open kitchen and family area. The darker colors have helped to bring them together and it is very cozy.

I did re-do the top of the entertainment center. I just got the two vases, added some more greenery and dried arrangements. I still don't like the clock next to the other round thing-y but it'll do for now. And yes, I have a lot more decorating on the walls but it takes me FOREVER! I hate to confess it but this is the first paint job in these rooms in SEVEN years! It's been "custom builder rather flat off white" for years now folks....give me some time for those decorations huh?!

I finally think I have a little something worthy of Sarah's Before & After Party over at Thrifty Decor Chick! Join me and a bunch of other thrifty decorating chicks....just don't compare me with Sarah because that lady is a Decorating Goddess!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

2009-10-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of weeks ago, we had a wonderful little baby shower for my sister-in-law. Baby Joshua is due to come to us around Christmas so we celebrated a little!!

I made this fantastic fall dip for the occasion. It is SO. VERY. YUMMY!! It looks great on any harvest table and I guarantee it'll be the hit of any party! We're having a little Pre-Hallow's Eve party with the boys and their friends on Friday and you can be certain I'll be serving this one!

Pumpkin Harvest Dip

1 can pumpkin
1 tub whipped cream
2 Cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 pkg. softened cream cheese

Mix well and serve with graham crackers or gingersnaps. OH YUMMY!

Enjoy this great recipe and many more over at Blessed With Grace!

Happy Fall Y'ALL!

A little research is needed...

2009-10-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

Oh my bloggy friends....

I NEED you!

I need help with my new work routine. My new life routine. My new life.

ACK!

So we've been at this for about 3 weeks now. Boys are doing really well in school. Of course, Big Boy is the overchiever that he is. Straight Gold Stars. Nothing else is acceptable. In fact, yesterday he had continuous meltdowns because he wasn't allowed to be the leader. You know. Because he is...The Leader. (his words...not mine!). So it is even more apparent that our little A-type personality continues to develop. Our parenting challenge continues to be teaching him to let go and just be. It is a challenge. He doesn't let go easily.

Little Man on the other hand....umm....not so much into pleasing others, let's just say. Not straight Gold Stars. I'm not saying that's bad....just waaayyy different than Big Boy. He doesn't mind doing things his own way and certainly, if that doesn't fit what the teacher wants that day, well then.....so be it! So we're trying to figure out how to keep him motivated in a much different way.

No matter, they are both doing great in such very different ways. I really thought it would be this way.

Me on the other hand? Not as great! I caught a lousy cold this week and have been ExHauSTeD! It's been awful. The new job is great though. Huge. Enormous. A LOT different than life one month ago! But a good different.

I sat down at the computer this morning though to catch up and do a little research. My bloggy friends, y'all ROCK when it comes to organizing and getting the proverbial shiiiitte together! And I need your advisement!! So I'm searching for ways to organize this house and home for two full-time working parents. What works. How to get ourselves prepped for the week, and how to keep it going all week long. Five days is a millenia sometimes, ya know?!

I'm starting with meal plans. Gotta get that going. Otherwise, KFC stock will increase dramatically, thank you. And how to get these clothing issues sorted through. Boys have uniforms. I have a uniform. Super Hubs has a uniform. So how do we have 7 loads of laundry to do? UGH!!

Any ideas my friends? Can you help me out??

Trash to Treasure

2009-10-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a few projects and here is one.

LOVE this treasure!!

I took a wide black frame, purchased at Michael's on sale for $4 my friends. SaWEET!!! Added a little bit of fabric to the back with a bit o' Mod Podge....that stuff ROCKS my friends!!! It goes on beautifully and that lovely green fabric is going nowhere folks! Then spray painted the letter J for our last name and glued that on.

Easy peasy!! My idea of craftin'!!

Hook on up over at Reinvented with my friend Kimm. She's got so many more wonderful little trashy treasures! ENJOY!!!

Are you wondering?

2009-10-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

If you read my blog....and ahem, obviously.....

Anyhoo....y'all are probably wondering what's going on around here? I've been a bit more than absent these past few days.

Sorry folks.

Major life change.

I said MAJOR life change!

I got a job. Another job. And not just another job. But a Monday through Friday kinda job. Replaced all those other jobs I've been doing.

What was I thinking?

Actually, I was approached a few weeks ago by the hospital where I work, asking if I would take a nurse manager position. Then they made it worthwhile, if yaknowwhatImean.... And I thought about it. And we prayed about it. A lot. And decided in these economic times, we would do it. I say we because it is such a HUGE change in our family that it truly had to be a family decision.

We looked at schools for the boys and have found a fantastic Christian school in which we enrolled them. They've been there for two weeks now and LOVE IT! Really love it!! And they are learning a lot, and having a ball with the other kids. I kinda feel bad they haven't had that. We have playdates but honestly, they are such social little guys that this is really fitting for them. And I'm still in mourning over not being able to homeschool at this time. I really wanted to. But alas, we decided not to at this time. It is always there if we want it and we may take advantage of it at another time in our lives.

We made this decision for many reasons, one is the financial aspect of it all. Let's face it. These are lean times and nursing is a great profession. But also, in our grand master plan (our plan, not God's and we fully understand that....) we may move again to be closer to family. They live several states away. And this opportunity would make me much more marketable in that endeavor, should we ever do it. Always nice to have options.

And mostly, we prayed and truly felt that God put this into our lives at this time for a reason, His reason. I'm not quite sure what that it is. It may not be for me. It may be for someone else. Who knows? He knows. I fully trust that. I fully trust that He will lead me through and that I will do my best to follow.

I will be continuing the blog but maybe not quite as often as before. I may not participate in as many carnivals and memes as I have. But I'll keep y'all up to date on what is happening in our little world. And I do have some terrific new pictures coming soon on the painting we've been doing and some of the cute little things I've gotten together. I PROMISE!! Coming soon!!!

Works for Me Wednesday!

2009-10-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

Today's WFMW is all about our favorite cleaning products. Or favorite ways to clean.

Me? I use a variety of products. This is by far, my favorite:

Smells WONDERFUL! Cleans great!

If I'm feeling a little environmentally conscience....and sorry folks, but sometimes convenience just outweighs my desire to save a plastic bottle.....then I just simply use vinegar and water. Or vinegar and baking soda. Or vinegar. You get the point.

If you want to see my favorite ways to use vinegar, you can go here.

But mostly, if I just get myself in the mood, I can clean like a mad woman. But I gotta be in the mood. This always helps me get in the mood!

How about you? What gets you in the mood to clean? What works for you?

Let me know and then head on over to We Are THAT Family for more great cleaning tips on this edition of WFMW!!

My new FAV-O-RITE product!!

2009-09-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

Oh. WOW!

Like....WOW!!!!!

I have a NEW favorite product, y'all!! And YOU will love too!!! I'm going back for more colors tomorrow....

It's Chalk Ink---

This fantastic new item is just what I used to write on my chalkboard painted door thingies....you know, those baskets. And I LOVE IT!! It goes on just like a magic marker. Beautiful!!

This stuff is wonderful!! Smooth, easy and totally erases just like chalk. Only better!

I got mine at Michaels with a handy-dandy 40% off coupon. Try them--I PROMISE you'll ~~like~~ LOVE them too!!

Head on over to Kristen's for more WFMW tips and lovelies. Always a great bunch of stuff over there!! Enjoy!!!!

Falling Into You

2009-09-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

I spent the better part of Friday finally getting the house all glamourized for Fall.

I really ~~like~~ LURVE (as my TDC friend says....) Fall!! Except for the weather here in hot, steamy Florida! It's still 92 degrees around here.....yes, at the END of September! That's NUTS! We are getting a 'cold front' soon...it'll be more like 83 degrees instead. Sigh.

But at least in the house, it is all cozy, pretty and ready for the harvest.

Join us on Metamorphosis Monday over at Between Naps on the Porch and Rhoda's Southern Hospitality for more wonderful Harvest specials!

Fantastic Fall Food

2009-09-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

I'm jumping on board with everyone over at Life as Mom for some fantastic Fall Foods.

It doesn't get chilly often here in Florida. Rarely and not for another month or two actually. So jumping into fall foods at this point just seems, well, a bit premature.

However, it IS my favorite time of year. I've got the fall decorations out and am creating things as we speak...err, type. So I'm sticking this wonderful recipe into the crockpot today. It'll give us that wonderful fall feeling and terrific fall tastes. It is YUMMY!

Beautiful Beef Stew
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water
1 cup frozen peas
Combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Place the beef in the bag and shake to coat.
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat; brown the beef in the hot oil and remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the onion to the remaining oil and cook until browned. Pour the beef and broth into the crockpot. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients, except peas. Cook on slow for 6-8 hours. Add peas in last 45 minutes. Serve with warm, crusty bread.

Works for Me Wednesday!

2009-09-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

OK...so we've got 93 days until CHRISTMAS!

That's right folks. I said it. Christmas!

Have you started your shopping yet?

Are you one of those planners or are you the "wait until the day after Thanksgiving" or are you the last-minute, rush kinda person?

I'm a planner. Drives me absolutely nuts not to plan. Have to have an idea. Like two months ago.

SH on the other hand, likes to do all his shopping starting about December 23rd...IF he's planning ahead. Most times, he closes the stores on Christmas Eve.

Which drives me batty. I'm home cooking up a storm and he's running out and about for "just one more thing". It's an annual tradition at our house.

So I thought I'd pull out my favorite online shopping haunts to help you get started on your holiday endeavors. Here are some of my favorites that yield the very best bargains:

fishingfordeals.com This is probably my favorite. Start here to get tons of coupon codes, deals from all over the web, connections to all your favorite online stores and some really great bargains. I found Disney pajamas for the boys here 3 years ago and they are still wearing them today!!

DealsofAmerica.com is another site that yields high bargains. They have a little something for everyone. And check out the info on Black Friday! They really do a great job of letting you know what is coming!!

dealtaker.com Check out their forums to find the very best info on bargains! It's terrific!

slickdeals.net Again--find the forums to get all the latest bargain info. All of the best deals are usually passed on from bargan shopper to shopper. Make friends!!

And if you are me, you always check Craiglist.org to see if your list can be filled by someone else wanting to rid their attic of extra stuff.

So have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Where are your favorite bargain stops?? Let me know and then head on over to We Are THAT Family for great Works For Me Wednesday tips!

It was MAGICAL!

2009-09-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long delay in posting folks. Been a bit distracted with....life. And little time. Last week was B.U.S.Y! I really need to improve my "write a lot, post it later" method of blogging.....

I wanted to share some pictures of our birthday trip to Walt Disney World.

It's evident that the boys really had the MOST fun ever! And yes, we adults did as well! It truly is a magical place! More so when you get to experience it with your children, as they see things that you don't. It was a wonderful day, not too hot, a little rainy and overcast, busy but not slammed-packed. Make sure to check out Disney's WHAT WILL YOU CELEBRATE? It's full of great options on how to plan your trip to The Mouse--and celebrate any occasion! Big Boy got a button that stated he was celebrating his birthday! They wrote his name on it and honestly, all the park employees (and many strangers) would should out "Happy Birthday!" as he walking by! He felt like a King!! And Little Man got his own button that stated he was celebrating and those employees would ask him "What are YOU celebrating?". It opened up a lot of conversation throughout the day and made him feel so special as well!

We've decided Big Boy was truly born the right time of year for a great vacation!

A letter to Big Boy

2009-09-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

Your 5th birthday has so quickly come and gone. Now, son, you are a boy. There is no denying it any longer. There is no baby left. Where I once cradled the fat little baby who emerged from my body, I now struggle to catch long enough for a well-deserved kiss or hug.

It makes me stop. I struggle to contain the tears. I struggle to stop the wave of angst that comes around when I think about the time that has passed. Friends and family have the same, well-meaning statement...."Enjoy them while they are young. They grow much too fast".

I do. I DO enjoy you. I've loved every.single.moment. since you made your first cry. I love every bit of you. When you were moments old, screaming in frustration of being thrust into the light. When you were four months old, and staring at me with the wonder of who I was. I loved it when you were two and you would babble on about everything and nothing at all. I loved it when you announced at three years old that "soon I be big like Daddy". I love it when I come home after being absent for a few hours and hear you scream "Mama!!!!!" as you run down the hall to greet me. I really love it when you talk about "last night, when I was little....". I love it all. I love you.

And as much as it tears me up in the knowledge that you are growing up, I'm unbelievably proud of the young man you are becoming. You are wise, son. You are kind. You have great love and great compassion for all things. I love how you wrap your arms around Max and claim the dog as yours. I am so touched at the love you have for your brother, in your already present guidance and protection of your younger sibling. I love how you boast at how you are so much bigger than him, relishing in the fact that you will always be the BIG BROTHER. You have a dry and practical sense of humor. Your quickly gaining in that smart sense of humor that I love as well. You are FUNNY! And you are emotional. You'll likely grow to hate that at some point. But I hope you embrace it. Face it son, you care....deeply. Much like your Daddy.

So as much sadness as I feel about losing my "baby", I'm amazingly proud of the boy you are. I thank God each and every day for you. I thank Him, that in His Infinite wisdom that He felt I was deserved to be your Mama. I don't know how that is entirely possible. But grateful, I truly am.

I love you son. I adore you. There are not enough words. Happy Birthday Big Boy!

Works for Me Wednesday

2009-09-09T06:24:00.001-07:00

It's Wednesday and that means that we have WFMW over at Kristin's blog.

My little tidbit for today has to do with where we are going TOMORROW!

See....it's Big Boy's birthday on Saturday!!! Yes, my "baby" is turning 5 on September 12. Five years ago this little hurricane stormed into our world. And it's never been the same since! I'm so happy for him and honestly, kinda sad for me. As a mom, I'm overwhelmed all. the. time. with how much I love my guys. I'm equally proud that he is growing into such a wonderful young boy. But that's just it folks. He's a BOY now. No semblance of the baby I once birthed. He hardly fits in my lap, with his gangly limbs and pokey elbows and knees. He still tries. Just for a few moments here and there. For an "I love you Mama" and a quick kiss. Then off he goes.

Anyway...I'm diverging from the post of the day. It's WFMW right?

So we're headed off to a hotel stay for a couple of days and then a birthday celebration with this guy:

Because the guy up there will suck you dry of every penny in your savings account if you let him, we are going to pack up some things with us to make our trip...ummm, more frugal?! Is there such a thing? YES! We are making this trip as frugal as possible and this is how:

--Packing up food! We booked a hotel room that has a full kitchen. We're making all our food except for the day of the park. We'll take cereal and milk for breakfast, yummy deli meats/cheeses for lunch sandwiches, veggies and dip, fruit and dips, chips, etc... We are not planning on eating out at all with the exception of the park. I'm heading off to Sams today for drinks and other supplies so we'll be set.

--Hitting Walmart close to the Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom. I'm planning to stash some Disney related goodies for the boys. This will cut down on the amount of junk that we buy at the park. We'll have a few surprises so they can have trinkets and such and we don't spend $20 on a Tinkerbell slurpy cup! (BTW--the boys LOVE Tink! Sure hope we get to see that girl!!)

--We saved a few bucks already on the hotel because I have a friend who has a discount they shared with us. Thanks Karyn!!

--We'll have the cake and ice cream celebration at the pool, at the hotel. Because this birthday is such a big one, I didn't think a huge birthday cake celebration was necessary. So I'll head out to our fav bakery (thanks PUBLIX!)to grab a yummy little cake and we'll celebrate with a few friends by the hotel pool. Which leads me to my next point;

--Booked a hotel where we don't mind laying around for 2 days with no other plans necessary. That's because the hotel has all this:

Entertainment for two days...DONE!

What Works For Me is making memories...but not too huge of a dent in our budget plan for this year. We're pretty excited! We realized that this is not only Big Boy's birthday but honestly, the first family vacation with just the four of us that we've ever taken! We usually go to see family any time we have vacation. But this time...it's just us and The Mouse! YIPPEE!!

Triathlon Women ROCK!

2009-09-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT time at the Trek Women's Triathlon in Orlando this year!! A bunch of did the Tri as a relay team. Already, a few of us, myself included, are planning to train for next year's Tri and do the entire thing ourselves!! What a goal!

I have to say it was one of the most fantastic experiences of my life! There were women of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities! I was most impressed with a few women who had disabilities such as a prosthetic limb, who completed the race in outstanding time. It was empowering and awesome.

I would fully recommend participating in an event such as this. Whether is a Breast Cancer 3-day walk, a Trek Womens Triathlon or the Alzheimer's Memory Walk; they are all inspiring and very motivational. What a great event!!

Thanks to all my women colleagues and friends who completed this year's Triathlon with me! Y'all inspire and make me LOVE being a WOMAN! Thanks girls!!!

Labor Day?!

2009-09-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer (isn't that a great name for a blog?!! LOVE IT!) is hosting a Labor Day party, of sorts.

How about telling us a little about your labor? You know...the MOST IMPORTANT KIND OF LABOR you've EVER done!??!

Here's mine:

How long were your labors?

Big Boy: Extremely active all day since we were in the midst of a hurricane of sorts. I walked and walked and walked all day to see if I could speed things along and of course, nothing. So I tried to sleep. Slept for about 2 hours before I rolled over in bed and splash! Water broke! Off we went to the hospital. From there, four hours of nothing, 14 hours of chemically induced mind-blowing contractions, finally consenting to an epidural and na-da. zilch. zippo. No progress. 18 hours later, we finally consented to a c-section because, despite being maxed out on the chemical that induces the contractions, my body had no clue how to actually give birth and not a single centimeter of dilation had occurred. So, 18 hours of pain for NOTHING!

Little Guy: Gave him until 3 days prior to his due date to give me an indication he was coming. He didn't. So we opted for a second, repeat c-section. No labor. Yee-haw!

How did you know you were in labor?

Big Boy: I thought I was. Evidently not. It really stunk!

Little Guy: Never was. That second c-section, planned. Wow, it was amazingly simple.

Where did you deliver?

At the hospital. I would have preferred a birthing clinic but SH thought we'd stopped delivering babies "out in the wild" in this country. He would have none of it!

Drugs?

Many, obviously. And gratefully!

C-section?

Yes, both.

Who delivered?

This really amazingly talented and wonderful physician whom I dearly respect. I felt completely cared for.

How about you? What is your labor story?

Storage boxes

2009-09-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

Today over at We Are THAT Family, there are tons of brilliant minds giving you their best storage tips. What works. You know the drill....it's

Yeah Kristin!! Thanks for giving me a reason to sit here and just peruse your wonderful blog ALL. DAY. LONG!!! I love organizing but honestly, am always striving to get it together....just a bit more.

These are two of my FAV products for putting junk...err...important stuff away in our house:

I bought this wrapping storage center a couple of years ago after Christmas for next to nothing...less than $10! I absolutely love how it stores all my wrapping needs and I just grab it and head to the kitchen table to do my work. It can slide under the bed but we have no room so this is where I put mine:

This is why I have NO room under the guest bed!! We keep these storage containers full of everything from extra (dusty! jeez honey?! shouldn't you be taking care of that???) computer equipment, and extra sheets, pillowcases and out of season clothing:

I absolutely LOVE how they slide underneath, out of sight! That would explain why they are dusty....out of sight, obviously out of mind!!

I gotta say I almost love this solution as much as THIS one!! Check it out!

What are you FAV storage solutions??? These are mine!

Distraction....

2009-09-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

Oh! Distraction!

It is where I'm at.

I'm at a crossroads. God is giving me plenty of time to think it through.

And boy am I thinking!

My poor brain cannot stop.

I toss and turn. Even wine fails to do it's job. One glass is not enough. More than one is probably too much.

What if? That is not the question these days.

Is God in charge of this? That is the question.

Is God leading me? Am I following?

Is this His will or simply my lowly earthly ideas of what is next in life?

Is this His Purpose? Is this His preparation?

UGH! There are no answers yet. It must be faith. Faith is what has lead us through other shadowing valleys. Faith is what we have leaned on when we had no answer from ourselves. Faith is our strength. Faith is our crutch. Faith is our wheelchair. It carries us forward. It allows us to sit there, wallowing in indecision. The answers will possibly, boldly, present themselves in time. Then we will be able to say it is meant to be. Until then, we allow our Faith to carry us, together, through the process.

Kid Friendly Friday!

2009-08-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

I'm SO excited about starting the homeschool routine with the boys!! We start Monday, bright and NOT-too-early!!

I wanted to share our plans and outline our schedule for our school week. It's a work in progress, though. I do plan that it will change....frequently. That is the main reason we're so excited about homeschooling. It will be something we can mold into our daily lives and when it changes, all the better.

Here is our outline:

Monday: Letter of the week introduction (we will be doing the entire alphabet this year).

Calendar time

Weather time

Art activity related to the letter of the week

Reading time

Shape of the week introduction

Tuesday: Memorization games and activities

Color of the week introduction

Cooking activity

Reading time
Calendar time

Weather time

Wednesday: Story time at the Library

Outside activity or playgroup date

Letter of the week review
Calendar time

Weather time

Thursday: Math games

Manipulative play time

Reading time

Science activity
Calendar time

Weather time

Friday: Fun Friday!! This will include a review of letter and colors but be a very fun end to the week!! We'll plan lots of playdates on this day as well.

Letter of the week: This is rather easy as there are 26 letters and it'll take us quite a time to get through the alphabet.

Shape of the week: This will be lots of review obviously as there aren't that many shapes to get us through the entire year.

Color of the week: We'll cover basic colors, as well as color mixing and other fun little science experiments related to colors. We will be creating a color wheel as well.

Reading time: We've already started this but reading time includes an adult reading to them, as well as the boys spending 15 minutes a day "reading" to themselves. Right now, the time is mostly spent with picture books, magazines, etc... They are really starting to enjoy their reading time.

Science time: We're planting a garden this fall (we live in Florida folks...September is planting time!!!). The boys are super excited to grow some of their own food!!

Math/manipulatives: We'll do lots of work with manipulatives, beads, sorting, etc... Big Boy has gotten pretty good with his counting. Little Guy has a long way to go.

Again--lots of playdates because I really think at this age, the boys need as much social outlet and play skill practicing. We're taking a rather Montessori, eclectic, dare I say "unschooling" approach to this year. I can't wait to see where the year leads us.

In addition, we have a friend who is really excited to teach our children Spanish so we will be adding that into the mix as well. How cool is that?!!

So what are you doing for your preschooler this year? Anyone else homeschooling this age group? Have you decided to follow a curriculum or to create your own? Do tell friends!!!

How does one know?

2009-08-27T03:02:00.000-07:00

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions ~

Rainer Maria Rilke

There is much angst in my heart right now.

Someone asked me a question about a week ago, of which I have no answer for right now.

I have prayed for guidance. It is not quite there.

I have prayed for knowledge. I'm still not sure.

I have prayed for understanding. I understand but still wonder.

It is not a bad thing. I don't believe. But when opportunities or questions or circumstances come into your life, how do you know?

I have this wonderful group of new friends in a small study group at church. They are walking through this with me. We study about faith. We discuss miracles and whether or not we see God in everything. Because He is, you know. In Everything.

So I believe that He is here. And He is taking me to this crossroad. I'm just not certain which road it is that He is leading me. I'm anxiously awaiting the burning bush. But so far, only a little smoke.

So again, I pray.

I wait.

I listen.

And when I choose, I believe that He will be there too.

Works for Me Wednesday!

2009-08-26T05:57:00.000-07:00

We don't have junk mail in this house.

Well...almost...no junk mail.

Because when something interesting comes in...not interesting to me but interesting to the Little Man, it gets used up in his reading time. He loves to look through catalogs, pointing out colors, numbers or pictures he recognizes.

I don't care if it gets roughed up. Heck, I don't even care if it gets torn to shreds. Which sometimes it does. Because sometimes junk mail is the perfect "victim" to his scissor-practice sessions.

Today, he's in Superhero heaven! He found the catalog we got yesterday with all the newest Halloween costumes coming out this year. He ran screaming to his room to wake his brother to let him know that BumbleBee was on the cover! And when he found Superman? The world erupted...

Now if I can find a way to make these horribly expensive costumes for 95% less than what these outrageous companies charge....

Head on over to We Are That Family to look for more great hints to help you get through life.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

2009-08-24T19:30:00.001-07:00

Hey y'all! What's cookin' this week?

As fall sets in at our house and the lazy days of summer come to an end, we start spending a bit more time making dinner. Most summer evenings we're looking for the grill or something quick. I get a little....just a little...more domesticated as fall comes around and start cooking more.

Tonite I made this lovely staple and wow, the boys just ate like there would not be another meal later! I was shocked because they finished their plates with zero complaints and not a morsel left. So whenever you have to get "back to basics", try this recipe. Works every time!!

MEATLOAF WITH FRIED ONIONS AND RANCH
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
1/2 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine meat, eggs, ketchup, stuffing mix, ranch dressing mix and fried onions.
Shape into loaf and fit into 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Bake, covered loosely with foil, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

Enjoy this great meal and find lots of other goodies over at Blessed With Grace or Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.

13 days n' countin'....

2009-08-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

Remember that day I told you I was running in a triathlon?

I still am.

In 13 days!

I'm getting a bit nervous. Still training for it. Today went quite well. 2.3 miles on the treadmill and it FELT FANTASTIC!

I've followed the directions in the book that I told you about in the last post, The Complete Guide to Running. It really doesn't stir you in the wrong direction. It has some fantastic information.

Like stretching. Really helps a lot! Especially those tender little calves.

And hydration. Helps MORE THAN A LOT! It is a quite long and painful workout when you have no reserve.

So I'm keeping it up and working toward my goal.

What is my goal for the race, you ask?

Breathing and still upright. THAT would be good!!

Science is so FUN!

2009-08-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

We spent the day at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) in Tampa today....

And Elijah discovers his head.....

What have you done this week to make your life more Kid Friendly?

Works for Me Wednesday

2009-08-19T00:28:00.000-07:00

I'm on an endless search for ways to stay ON TRACK.

You know...with it.

All together.

Prepared.

Yeah, right.

Not very successful sometimes but I'm getting there. What works for me you ask?

Why, thanks for asking!

One of the greatest tools known to man....err, womankind is the Google Calendar.

Love it! It has a million ways to post notes, schedule events, review to-do lists, schedule multiple appointments (YOU know what I mean?!), remember important holidays (sorry about the belated birthday card, Mom), contacts, addresses, on and on and on....

Easy to get to (www.google.com/calendar)

And SUPER easy to maintain....because y'all are like on your computers ALL DAY LONG like me, right?!

And my newest, most favorite-ist reason for lovin' my google calendar? It syncs with my new toy....

And now, my friends, I'm totally with it, all the time....

Enjoy a few more peeps that are really with it over at We Are That Family. They have way more brilliant ideas on how to keep it together than I.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!!

2009-08-18T05:56:00.001-07:00

Here is one of our favorite new recipes. We made these last week and oh yeah, they definitely make it on the weekly menu! YUMMY!!

BUFFALO CHICKEN TENDERS

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into finger-sized pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 egg whites, beaten
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
1/2 cup melted butter
ANOTHER 1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Coat a baking sheet with a nonstick spray.
Soak chicken pieces in 1/2 cup of the hot sauce--just put it all in a Ziploc bag and marinate for about an hour. In a shallow bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. On a plate, mix the bread crumbs with the rest of the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt.
Take marinated chicken out of the hot sauce. Dip and cover the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour. Beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon water, and place egg mixture in a shallow dish or bowl. Dip seasoned chicken in egg mixture, then roll in the seasoned bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for about 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Use tongs to turn pieces over. Bake 8 minutes longer, or until chicken juices run clear.

IF YOU LIKE IT REALLY SPICY, coat again in the other 1/2 cup of hot sauce and put back into the oven for about 5 minutes.

My friend over at Blessed With Grace has SO many more wonderful recipes for you to enjoy today!!

Have a blessed day my friends!

Thrifty Finds

2009-08-17T05:55:00.000-07:00

OK everyone....I've kinda tricked you here.

I don't have a thrifty treasure today, for Rhoda's great blog on thrifty finds.

But I'm looking for a thrifty treasure and where better to get that than all my REALLY creative thrifty friends???

This is where we are going in three week for Big Boy's 5th birthday:

I need your BEST tips, tricks and thrifty ideas on how to enjoy the day at Walt Disney World!!! We're blessed to live within driving distance of The Mouse so we are taking advantage of the "get in free on your birthday" option. We're taking Big Boy for his 5th birthday---FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!

Don't know about the kid but jeez, this Mama is OVER THE TOP excited!!!

But because I'm not made of money, and so far, the marry-a-sugar-daddy plan in life didn't quite work out that way, I need tips on how to save a few dollars. We plan to stay in a local hotel, just for the fun of it for a couple of nights and then hit WDW on his birthday.

So hit me with your best shot....err, tips!

And then head on over to Rhoda's Southern Hospitality because THOSE ladies really know how to find a great bargain!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!

2009-08-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

That would be the crazy Iowa grandma, complete with her headband ("keeps the sweat out y'all!") playing in the yard with her grandsons!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET CRAZY GRANDMA!!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!

Kid Friendly Friday!

2009-08-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

We're getting back into the groove with Kid Friendly Friday!

I went to the homeschool meeting last evening and really think this will work for us! I have a friend who has a preschooler and decided to join with us. For a nominal fee ($20/yr) we have access to their website, a forum with about 140 other HSing families and open invitation to their weekly structured field trips. There are other opportunities as our children age, such as Kindergarten graduation ceremonies, Boy Scouts, educational forums, parent meetings, Scholastic book ordering, and on and on! I really think this will be helpful in our journey. I appreciate that there are SO many families in the group. Certainly we will find someone in the group to connect with.

My only concern at this point is there was seemingly a lack of ethnic diversity at the meeting last night. There was only one couple of mixed color in the group and that was my friend!! I usually don't get too worked up about that but honestly, it does make a difference for us. We want our boys to grow up in an environment where there are many different cultures and races among the members. It is very important to us that they see that the world is made of diversity and not everyone is the same. They are not, obviously. We want that reflected in the world that surrounds them. I am hoping that this is available to us, despite the lack of that appearance last night. Granted, there were less than 40 new members last night so it was not a complete showing of the group.

So...that is my Kid Friendly Friday post. For my fellow homeschoolers, I fully recommend finding a support group to connect with. We're really looking forward to the opportunities and learning experiences the group will offer. I'm looking forward to meeting new friends....errr...the boys meeting new friends?! Oh heck! We want new friends too!

Head on over to my friend Sarah at I Blame Mom for more Kid Friendly tidbits. And in the meantime, don't forget to breath in the chaos of getting ready to go back to school!!

We'll See..

2009-08-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

Tonite I'm attending a homeschool support group meeting. It's my first. I'm not really sure if this will apply to us this year or not. The boys are doing preschool. I've got ideas on what we are doing and have started writing my schedule, but there still is nothing set in stone. I'm mainly looking for support, avenues for ideas for curriculum (mainly for the future) and social opportunities. Unfortunately, SH can't go with me. I'm solo, again! I'll let you know how it goes!

About God

2009-08-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

Big Boy asked me over dinner last night, "Mama, does God sleep?"

After several moments to take it in, I answered "No. He's always awake so he can answer our prayers any time of the day."

Big Boy ponders that one for a moment and replies, "Then is he like us?"

"No" I answered, "He's God. He's not human. He is so much more."

This got him really thinking. "So does he have legs?"

"Yes."

"Does He have arms?"

"Yes."

"Does He have toes and fingers?"

"Yes. God has all his limbs." I say. At this point, I'm stumped. We go on to discuss that he may look like us humans but he is God. That means He is capable of much more than we are. The rest of the conversation was about how God is there for us, but He is not like us. He is Almighty. He is Everlasting. He is Most Powerful.

Quite a conversation with a 4-year-old inquisitive mind.

And one that reminds me that this Mama job is still the best gig I'll ever have.

Back to the Bloggin' World

2009-08-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

I'm sorry for such sad notes last week and then a disappearance. The sadness lingers and is slowing ebbing it's grip off my heart.

For my friend, of course, it still envelopes her entire soul.

I find myself worried that it may never subside.

I know it will.

I trust that God will ease her pain. I trust that Our God will restore her spirit. With time. We have faith.

It is still, so very sad and so. very. difficult.

However, I've been tossed back into REAL LIFE.

UGH! I've picked up lots of hours to work. I've got a class syllabus and lectures to prep for. I've got homeschool planning to complete. And the boys are back into swim classes again next week. JEESH! I'm tired.

But I had to show you a little rehab that I hope to work on soon. Something to get me back into the groove. Whatever that is....

Here is another new project!

Aren't they positively tacky? Yes, they are.... So these will be part of a re-do as well.

As I get myself together this week...that is the plan, ya know?! IF I get it together, I'll have a reveal ready for you by the end of the week.

I got the spray paint just screamin' my name!!!

In the meantime, head on over to Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for more great treasures!!!

No words

2009-08-05T06:06:00.001-07:00

Because there are no words when you lose a child.

Because there are no words when the call comes to tell you the news.

Because there are no words to comfort the grieving mother who's just watched her son take his last breath.

Because there are no words that will replace his wild curls and his mischevious grin.

Because there are no words to reassure those that life will continue on, that you will smile again, that you will eventually not be consumed with this awful grief.

There are words not spoken by us, but written by Him. Those are the only words.

Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.' Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?' Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'

John 14.1-6

Praise Him In This Storm

2009-08-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

Praise You In This Storm lyrics

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Jarin DeWayne Janey

July 28, 1991 - July 30, 2009

Please don't drink and drive, and certainly don't get in vehicles with others that have been drinking.

And the countdown begins!

2009-07-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

One of the most USEFUL tips I have in the parenting world? Countdowns!

You know when your kids have optionally chosen to listen to Yo Gabba Gabba's advice on saying please, but chosen to completely IGNORE your request to turn the TV off and get ready for dinner? Or when they swear they didn't hear you tell them to stop beating their brother with parts of their Thomas the Train tracks? Yours don't do that?

Oh....sorry.

Ours do.

And when I can't get their attention, I count. Firmly. 1--2--3--4--5. The boys have learned quickly....or maybe not so quickly....I've been using this techniques for a couple of years now.....that when we get to 5, a time-out or something much more drastic is coming. We rarely get to 5 anymore. It helps them to make a decision and focus on our request. It gives them parameters on their choices...either they act before we get to 5 or they have a time-out. Easy enough.

Very effective. Super parenting tips. That's what I'm giving you this week. Use it at your beck and call!

And head on over to We are THAT Family for more great life-saving tips!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

2009-07-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

I've been in a funk lately, cooking wise. Not too inspired, am I....but evidently I like Star Wars characters? Not really...

But I did manage to make some cookies the other day with the boys. And these were DELISH! I found the peppermint chips around the holidays and stuck 'em in the freezer for such a wonderful treat. And they are.

Think Christmas in July, via cookie flavors...

Andes Peppermint Stick Cookies

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla (use the real stuff people--it is SO worth it!!)
2 eggs
1 pkg. Andes Peppermint crunch baking chips
2 2/3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional).

Blend butter, sugars, soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until smooth and creamy. Stir in baking chips, then flour. Add oatmeal and pecans. Drop round spoonfuls onto baking sheet. I ALWAYS use parchment paper and then there is virtually NO clean up! Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 12 minutes. They will be soft with just a bit of crunch to the outer edges but they do not get very brown.

Careful not to overbake because then they are only good crumbled up into vanilla ice cream (hmmmm....wonder how I figured that one out?!)

If you don't eat them all before they cool, they make a great treat for a swim party! Enjoy!!

Head on over to Grace's Mom for more wonderful TMTT treats!!

Thrifty Treasures

2009-07-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

Gotta brag about some wonderful thrifty finds--other than the Veggie Tales movie!! Check these out!!

I love this little side table! Gonna paint it a creamy white and stress it out a bit. Come back and see it!

I'm SO excited! Look at this chalkboard I found for the boy's room. A fresh coat of chalkboard paint. The little container will be painted and home to fresh new chalk!

Got this tripod for a steal at $3! Hubs thinks he can use it and if not, it will resale easily.

For our lawn care! SH is still really giving me a hard time because I sold our last one in a yard sale because I didn't think we needed it....ummm...we need it! Not bad for $3.

These clothes for Big Boy? FREE!! WOOT!

Head on over to more great thrifty finds at Southern Hospitality! Good luck on your thrifty finds this week!

What's Keeping Me Busy

2009-07-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

I've had a few followers ask me what was keeping me so busy these days.

And it really is swimming lessons, laundry, work, laundry, swimming, laundry....you get the picture.

The other thing that is keeping me occupied? Plans to return to grad school.

I reveal this fact a little hesitantly. Grad school. Work. Grad School. Laundry. Grad school. Homeschool. Grad school. Lessons. It will be a very hefty goal. And exhausting. One I'm very well aware of. I finished my last degree when I was six months pregnant with Big Boy. And not one moment too soon. I was ready to be done. VERY happy to be done. Adament that I did not want to return to school. Done.

I guess I wasn't done. Super Hubs and I have been discussing long-term goals again. The uncertainty of his career has weighed heavy on our hearts for quite some time. It is not improving and we are facing the reality that it may never resume the once rock-solid career it once was. Maybe...maybe not. But it is all he's ever done. All he is educated in. All he's ever wanted to do. So if he is to continue in this field, we need to think about how we will continue our goals towards retirement and our family. To continue on this road, we think it would be best if I went back to school to get my Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) license. That would give me more flexibility in my career, more opportunities and as with most any healthcare career these days, more security. All good things, right? I am very blessed to have chosen a career that is so solid in this waning economy. I'm very blessed to be given this opportunity to help others in such a meaningful way. I'm aware that these two factors are such a blessing from God. I'm not complaining. But honestly, I'm a bit hesitant and sad, maybe? School is very hard work and very demanding on my time. I've been blessed to place our boys, and our family, at the very top of my priority list for the past several years. I'm not all that excited about making something else a priority.

So I'm revealing this to you, my bloggy friends, so that if I ever should whine, complain, oh! let's-face-it! Bitch---about my blessed opportunity to do this, please remind me of what a blessing it really is?! Help me to keep my eye on the prize! This degree would afford me the opportunity to practice my skills in very productive, direct avenues to help people (I'm seeing some terrific medical missions in my future! How awesome would that be for the boys to participate in?!). It would possibly afford us the opportunity to move closer to our families. And very likely, to keep some rock-solid job security in our family. So I'm sucking it up, friends, and getting back to work on those applications. I'll keep you up-to-date on how it's going. And hopefully, you won't hear me complaining too much about the workload. Let's keep it real though....if you are anywhere in the Southeastern U.S., at some point, you just may hear me throw a Pharmacology textbook at the wall....

Every Woman's Dream

2009-07-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

A man that does her dishes for her, on a Saturday night.

Ahhhh....

True Love!

Please forgive me....

2009-07-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

For being absent. I'm actually not. Absent that is.

Just BUSY! Like, barely any time to sit down, busy.

Working n' taking kids to swim lessons, playdates with long-lost friends, more swim lessons, applying to grad school---AGAIN(!!), swimming for fun and practice, laundry....ugh! Life has taken over again!

I'll beg forgiveness and leave you with this---I've got some great trashy treasure. Believe it or not, in the busy-ness of life, I did get to some great little yard sales and found some wonderful trashy treasures.

One of the best items I scored? This!

The boys love the Veggie Tales movies! And this one has been a hit---for $2!!! I love that it reinforces wonderful values and they love and get, all the great humor in it as well.

Now, lest you think that all I do is reinforce video teaching, I'll back off the videos for a bit. I've got MUCH more wonderful things to be showing soon.

Wonderful little trashy, treasure-y things. WOOT! Check back in a couple of days!

Kid Friendly Friday!

2009-07-17T06:08:00.000-07:00

A definite must-have in our homeschooling 'curriculum' (if you can call it that....I'm creating things as I go and not buying anything right now...) is this item here:

It is a fantastic video! The boys love it and I really enjoy it as well!!

Now, I do not endorse teaching children via video for the most part. We do a lot of discussions regarding proper phonics, letters and sounds as well. We write, paint, color and draw our letters.

This video is an excellent SUPPLEMENT to your other teaching methods. The phonics and pronounciation hints have been really helpful. I find the boys quoting the video often, making the proper letter sounds and identifying their letters correctly. It's been very rewarding to see a video so effective.

I believe that items that really reinforce your homeschool lessons are worth the money. This is one of those items. In the future, I will continue to endorse items that I think are really worthy of your hard-earned dollars and time. If it is not helpful in our homeschooling efforts, I'll clue you in on that too. Not all items that are labeled "homeschooling" or advertised as a must-have for homeschooling are necessary. You can do so much at home, without a structured curriculum or costly one, to teach your children. You simply have to be creative and search around. The second best part of our Letter Factory video? It was a STEAL at less than $10!!

Stay tuned for more recommendations that we're using or going to be using in our homeschool adventure.

In the meantime, head on over to I Blame My Mother for more wonderful Kid Friendly articles! Lots of great stuff!!

Works for Me Wednesday

2009-07-15T05:42:00.001-07:00

I've never been more serious about a WFMW post. What Works for Us this summer is this:

FloatSuit flotation suits for kids. Both our boys have them and they are fantastic! Little Bit is quite the little fishie....and he LOVES his Floatsuit. Big Boy is NOT quite a fish yet and he LOVES his Floatsuit! Both of them, for slightly different reasons. Little Bit is more than courageous and the floaty provides him with more buoyancy. He's learning to hold his breath and jump into the water. Big Boy doesn't appreciate the water nearly as much and the floaty gives him a little more security. In both situations, I'M very happy that they have them on!!

It's one, if not the, best things that Works For Me!!

Now head on over to We are THAT Family for more great tips on what Works!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!!

2009-07-14T17:55:00.000-07:00

I really love food.

Really.

My favorite food?

Bread!

Just about any kind of bread. I love foccacia, whole wheat, sourdough, asiago cheese, straight-from-the-oven white.....oh! Really folks.

I LOVE IT ALL!!

Here is one of my favorite recipes of all time. It's SO very easy and many times, I'll hack off little palm-size chunks and make rolls instead of a loaf. It is absolutely easy-peasy and delicious! Hope you enjoy it!!

HOME MADE BREAD or ROLLS
3 3/4 cups bread flour, divided
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees F/50 degrees C)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, sugar, shortening, salt and yeast. Add water, milk and egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. I use my KitchenAid mixer with the bread hook for this step. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Dough is ready if indention remains when touched.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half; cut each half into 24 pieces. Form the pieces into rounds. Place the rolls close together in two lightly greased 9 inch round cake pans. Brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until doubled. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake for 12--18 minutes.

Head on over to Blessed with Grace for more wonderful recipes and yumminess...yes that is a word and I love it! Yumminess!!

Summer porches

2009-07-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

We have a lanai....an enclosed back patio area in the South. Not sure why they call it a lanai? Anyone else know this? I'm not a true Southerner ya know....that seems like something a true Southerner would know. I'm a transplant. In the Midwest, we'd call it a porch.

Maybe my porch could look like this:

This beauty is from this beautiful little blog, Between Naps on the Porch. Umm...except for I doubt that I would get much done except for napping. Oh it is a delish porch, right?

Or how about this one?

Or this?

All these porches have been decorated rather frugally....some wicker, which you can usually find at flea markets and garage sales. Lots of green plants. Love those ferns! And I want SO desperately to paint the floor!! I'll have to do it when the hubs is away...

This is our porch. Sadly neglected. Usually used as an extra playroom. In the heat of the summer, not used much at all as it faces the western setting sun. I have a pretty open design and a 10x40 space to work with. But during fall and winter, it is wonderful area to sit and visit, play or entertain.

Ideas? Thoughts? Help me out here fellow bloggers? Any porches or outside rooms you absolutely LUV?! Show me YOUR porch! Lead me in a direction! I am open to many ideas but the budget is tight, of course.

Boys are so darn cute sometimes....

2009-07-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Little Boy is growing so. doggone. fast. I can hardly keep up. So I gotta keep track of the latest "Little Boy Speak" before it changes. Because it does daily.

One of his very favorite things to do these days is to sneak up on you and try to surprise you. Except he announces himself way too early. It's adorable....

Mama! I sneaked on you!!

Bear with me....

2009-07-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hubs is home and I've got him doing some HTML work on the blog. Hang with us while we wander aimlessly and try to make some improvements!

Home, some more...

2009-07-09T08:41:00.001-07:00

Home

2009-07-09T08:28:00.001-07:00

A few pictures of home. I miss it already...

Works for Me Wednesday

2009-07-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

So I'm drawing a blank as to what Works For Me. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

So I dug WAY.......BACK.......into the recesses of my mind.....you know the 41 year old, nearly demented one.....and figured maybe someone had not heard of this one yet.

I use vinegar for TONS of stuff. I love it. Loved it as a kid---though back then, I actually drank the stuff. I know....YIKES! But love that sour taste!!

So here are a few of my very favorite uses for vinegar.

--Forgot that you left wet laundry in the machine and it now smells moldy? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.

--Keep the steam iron clean and in good working order by getting rid of mineral deposits in steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and distilled water. Set it in an upright position and let it steam for about 5 minutes. When the iron is cool, rinse the tank with water, refill and shake water through the vents onto an old cloth. Test before using.

--Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.

--Make pasta less sticky and reduce some of its starch. Add just a dash of white distilled vinegar to the water as it cooks.

--Make onion odors disappear from your hands by rubbing with white distilled vinegar.

--To keep eggs from cracking when boiling add a tablespoon or two of white distilled vinegar to water.

--Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. This works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways.

--Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.

--Remove berry stains on your hands by rubbing them with white distilled vinegar.

--Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.

--Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so then run hot water down the drain.

--Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.

--Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Let them soak overnight.

--Kill germs all around the bathroom with a spray of full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

--To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.

And there really are tons more. In fact, while I was home and rifling through my mother's books, I found a terrific old book on the thousands of ways you can use vinegar. That kept me entertained for nearly a whole day! (I'm not always this exciting....really, folks.)

Hop on over to We Are That Family for more wonderful tips. Though probably not any other ones on vinegar. All that excitement is right here in this very exciting blog.

Works for Me Wednesday

2009-07-08T00:05:00.000-07:00