O'Donnell Christmas

We celebrated Christmas here at Michael's sister's and brother-in-law's house. We had a wonderful day. We opened presents after lunchtime....it took a loooooong time - there were 13 of us opening presents. I got a few Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cookbooks, Sublime Stitching Book, ornaments and other goodies. It was a great day!

Doug made a ham, turkey breast, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn. Yum, yum. Christy ordered 3 pies from Village Inn, she made homemade carmels and I made an Eggnog Poundcake. I'm not crazy about eggnog - but other's thought it was tasty.

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful lunch at my Mom and Jason's yesterday. Mom made a great roast with baked potatoes, green beans with almonds, fruit salad and rolls for lunch. After dinner we opened presents from them.


Then last night, Mom and Jason came to our house to open more presents! I served appetizers, since we had a big lunch. I made sweet and spicy wings in the crockpot, beer bread with pizza dip, crackers, veggies and dip. After my parents left we got in the car and drove around and looked at Christmas lights. This afternoon we leave to go to Michael's sister's.

This whole month has been a whirlwind of activities...from Jacob's 5th Grade Musical performance, to Hannah's band performance, to holiday parties - both here and at other's homes.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

A Dutch ornament for Emily

A few Christmas Decorations...

Here are a few of my favorite ornaments. The felt heart was made by Emily. Actually, I have a set of felt hearts from Emily. Every year when I pull them out, I think....I want to make more, but I never get around to it. The ornament on the right, the white crocheted ball, is also a favorite. A friend and fellow crocheter taught me how to make the ornament....I am pretty sure I have forgotten how to make it, but I love the way it looks. I actually crocheted around a glass ball ornament. I only have 2 of them and every year when I take them out, I think....I want to make more, but I never get around to it. (Theme developing....actually, I think that is the theme of my life!) Another favorite ornament is on the bottom. My mom and Jason brought it back from one of their travels...it is a Dutch hand painted ball....

I'm also adding a photo of my fireplace. I love snowmen and have a large collection. However, this year when I was pulling things out of my Christmas totes, I just didn't feel like putting them all out. Either my tastes are changing or I just don't feel like clearing away my 'regular bric-a-brac' to replace it with Christmas clutter.

We finally got our tree decorated last night. Everyone helped, including the kitten. I'll share more photos later. Emily's photos inspired me to do the same.

We are having a Girl Scout Christmas Party here tonight. Johnna's husband is going to bring his guitar so we can sing carols around the fire in our new firepit...I'll let Michael post about his firepit since Eric and Josh posted theirs.

Fresh Grouper

A co-worker went fishing this weekend and caught over 100 lbs. of grouper. He baked a piece yesterday for his lunch and the entire office smelled like lemon and grouper...yummy! He let me try a bite and it was delicious. He brought me some today and I cooked it up for dinner. Since Michael is not a fan of seafood, I decided to fry the fish because Michael will at least attempt to try fried fish.

I cut the thick filets into strips and dipped them in flour. I then dipped them in an egg and milk wash and then in a mixture of bisquick, breadcrumbs , Sazon seasoning mix and some cajun seasoning. I then pan fried them. They were soooooo good. I cooked up some chicken for Michael as a back-up. He tried the grouper but said it tasted a little too fishy for him.

Thought I'd share a photo for you.

All this talk about food....

I found this online today and thought....hmmmm. I can see where it would be very yummy on lots of different things. Jason would probably love it to put on protein cooking in his new toy.

Have you found anything at the grocery recently that you thought...hmmm, I'll try that? I found Sazon Goya Con Cilantro Y Tomate. I added a packet to leftover chopped turkey and added green pepper, onions and lime juice to make so delicious turkey quesadillas.

Have you found anything?

BH&G List

I was reading my newest arrival of Better Homes & Gardens last night and thought I'd share some of things I liked on their Countdown to Christmas list.

Start A Tradition.

Traditions provide a sense of belonging, which is essential in families today....the 'sense of belonging' part. Some of their suggestions are: create a holiday dish or paint a new ornament each year. I have a friend who purchases an ornament for her children each year and when they are on their own, they will already have a collection of ornaments. I think this is a wonderful idea, but my kids are 12 and 11....it seems kind of late for that, doesn't it? I'll have to ask them if that is something they would like to do.

Wrap Happily.

Wrapping presents can be a pain the the neck, literally. BH&G suggests wrapping gifts on a countertop. What a brilliant idea! However, I don't have much counter space in my kitchen...maybe I'll wrap on my flattop stove!

Let Lips Linger.

A survey showed that couples who smooch often are 8 times less likely to feel stressed or depressed. Hang some mistletoe....I have never hung mistletoe, but think I will this year. Heck, if it will curb stress and depression and make my hubby feel loved...I'll try it.

Drink In Merriment.

No, not booze....something even better, chocolate! Dark chocolate helps reduce blood pressure. BH&G's recipe is: Heat 3/4 cup milk until just before boiling. Remove from heat, transfer to mug and add 1 ounce chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate and stir. Sounds delish!

Tie One On.

Wear a pretty holiday apron while baking this season. If for no other reason, you'll look really cute while baking!

Wander, Wonder.

I love driving through neighborhoods to look at Christmas decorations. But this year, I'm going to take BH&G's idea and walk instead. I have the perfect neighborhood for walking...well, except for the crazy Chihuahua that lives down the road. He actually attacked a friend while she was walking. I'll just skip that street.

Fall leaves and Christmas Decorations

How can we get our Christmas decorations out and put Christmas lights on the house when I have a yard FULL of leaves? It seems wrong, right?

Last year I took pictures of how we decorated inside...which was a great idea! We have soooo many decorations...too many for my small house. Actually, I got rid of a lot of our decorations last year when we were pulling the things out of the Christmas totes.

How do you decorate for Christmas? Do you have a real tree or a fake tree? I'm afraid our tree will be a "faux paw tree" this year with the kitty. He bats anything that even remotely moves...actually, he bats at things that don't move, too. Whose idea was it to get the kitty?

I've pretty much completed all my Christmas shopping. I will have to get a few stocking stuffers and I have a few things I want to make...but other than that, I'm done. Now, to wrap the gifts.....

Thanks

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day and dinner at my Mom and Jason's. Michael's family drove up to spend the day with us. My mother cooked for 13 people and it seemed effortless. She had the tables set, with name cards, before we arrived. There were appetizers waiting in the family room. The guys watched the Packer football game before dinner. Jason deep fried two turkeys that were delicious. Hannah, Jacob, Nina and Denver went for a hike before dinner and then afterwards watch a marathon on the Disney channel.

Since Melissa listed her menu, I thought I'd list what my mom and I made...mostly my mom.

Appetizers....

Crackers and Cheese

Veggies and Dip

Baked Brie with Walnut Sauce and Crackers

Dinner....

Fried Turkey

Cranberry & Sausage Dressing

Green Bean Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole (in the crockpot....it was yummy and didn't take up room in the oven)

Mashed Potatoes

Cranberry Sauce Salad

5 cup Fruit Salad

Rolls

Dessert....

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Brownies

Christmas Traditions

Hannah probably won't be happy about this post because she gets upset when she sees Christmas lights or decorations out before Thanksgiving. She wants one holiday to end before another begins. However, I thought it would be fun to list some of our Christmastime traditions.

Annual photo Christmas card
I love receiving photos at Christmas time and so I love sending photos. However, I do not like taking Christmas card photos. Inevitably, someone gets yelled at, someone gets teary eyed, someone gets frustrated and someone gets irritated. Yet, when we get our final product, we look like a happy family.

Christmas Parade
Every year, since Hannah was a baby in a stroller, we have gone to the Christmas parade. We've been so many years now that we know exactly where to park and where to sit. We always see friends, neighbors and acquaintances downtown at the parade. The kids love getting candy and bead necklaces.

Christmas PJs
Every year Hannah and Jacob get Christmas PJs. They always ask to open a present early and we ‘finally give in’ on Christmas Eve. Of course, the early gift is always the same thing….Christmas PJs.

Want, Need, Wear, Read
We started this tradition a few years ago. Since it is easy to overdo it at Christmas, we decided to get the kids 4 gifts for Christmas. We get them something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. It really makes it super easy to shop. I do buy some small items to put in their stocking. It has worked out wonderfully for our family….and the kids never feel like they didn’t get enough.

Christmas Goodies
I love food….big surprise, huh? Anyway, every year since we have been married I have made fudge for the holidays. I remember going to visit my grandparents and my grandma always had a container of fudge on the cabinet. My fudge recipe is super easy and super yummy! We also make cookies and breads, but since I love new recipes I don’t usually make the same things year after year…except for the fudge.

Christmas Lights
Each year we bundle up and climb in the car to tour Christmas lights around town. There is a neighborhood that goes all out…they even have horse drawn carriages that take people around the neighborhood. It is fun to see how people decorate, but dare I say….it is more fun to laugh at some of the things people do to decorate their houses. There is one house that is a must-see each year. There are over 100 plywood cartoon cut outs all over this family’s yard. It is interesting…to say the least.

What are some of your Christmas traditions?

Growing Up

Things I do now that I never used to.....does that mean I'm growing up? This is a completely random post, but was thinking about this the other day and thought it would be fun to share.

• Wear a housecoat.
• Wear a shower cap because I don't wash my hair everyday.
• Make plans.
• Pay bills on time.
• Clean the kitchen every day.
• Shop at Wal-Mart and K-Mart and think it's cool to do so.
• Wear jeans more than once before washing...okay, actually a lot more than once.
• Think about saving for the future.
• Listen to news radio.
• Think hand embroidery is really cool.
• Get up early because I can't sleep in.
• Go to bed early, because I get up early.

I know, most of you are thinking, "I've always done that." Well, not me....What do you do now that you never used to do?

Addition

We went camping this weekend at Paynes Prairie Preserve. We saw wild horses, bison and deer. It was a bit chilly, but we managed. Michael's brother, Jamie, and his wife and son came to our campfire Friday evening. On Saturday, we went on a hike on the wide open prairie and saw lots of animal evidence, but only saw bison from afar and behind a fence. In the afternoon, Jacob's Cub Scout Pack had a Chili Cook-Off and my chili won 3rd place. It helped that two of Michael's other brothers, Mark and Tad, came for the afternoon and evening and voted for my chili....at least they told me they voted for mine. They stayed for a great campfire built by Michael. Sunday morning we packed up camp, hiked to the top of the observation deck at the park and saw wild horses on the prairie. We will definitely have to camp at this park again....we didn't even get to hike the best trail.

On Sunday, we went to Melissa and Eric's for a quick visit and to pick up our new addition. For years we have said....well, I've said, no pets. However, Hannah and Jacob have been wanting a pet FOREVER. When the Botley's cat had a kitten, she offered it to us and I guess we just couldn't resist. We are still trying to agree on a name....we think the kitten is a female. We won't make it to the vet until the end of this week or next....so, we are trying to pick out a name that could go either way. Mine and Hannah's favorite was Sofie, but the boys didn't like it, plus if we are mistaken and the kitten is a boy, it would be a bit weird to call it Sofie. Jacob likes Kit, short for Kit Kat and Hannah likes Cookie. Michael still is undecided. If we don't decide soon, we'll be calling our cat the same name my mom named her cat....Kitten.

Meal Plan Monday...on Tuesday

• Monday – On Your Own
• Tuesday – Tacos & Yellow Rice
• Wednesday – Oriental Chicken w/Rice & Carrots
• Thursday – Moist Chicken, Veggies, Couscous
• Friday – Fast Food
• Saturday – Award Winning Chili & Fixings @ Camp
• Sunday – Melissa, what are you fixing?
  

Week in Review

• Michael got his truck back....we are a 2 car family again!!!!
• I stuck to my meal plan this week, except for one day, and we had some really yummy, home cooked meals. Check out the quick and easy recipe on the side bar....


• I made an apron, but forgot to wear it when I cooked my home cooked meals...oops!


• In our search for a new box of checks, Michael and I emptied a box from our garage...trust me ladies, this is a huge accomplishment!


• I added up all our debt....mortgage, school loans, car loans and misc. debt...now I wish I hadn't!


• Jason came over and fixed my storm door...now I can leave my front door open and lots of light floods my living room.


• This morning I forgot about the time change, so I woke up 'early' and we were still late for Sunday School.....urg!!!!!

Compromise = Vintage Style Apron

I have had my eye on some vintage apron patterns for a while. This week, after a small compromise, I made one! However, it (the compromise) was work related and I read once that you should never blog about work....so if you really want to know, or don't already know...you can email me. If you don't really care, which is fine because it really is not significant, then don't bother. (Of course, I've now made a big deal about it....which I should have just said: "I made an apron"....maybe I'll delete this whole post and start over.....but then what would be the point of me typing right now? Ummmmm....I'll leave it, why not?)

Anyway, APRON......

I found some really cute fabric, that looked vintage to me. I added some rick-rack to the bottom to add some character. I'm planning on adding a pocket with my name embroidered on it. (Question: Why do you need a pocket on an apron?) I also bought some stablizer for the band portion...got that idea from Emily and her notebook cover.

I made it on Tuesday night (which is a hint to the above paragraph). I intended on making the pocket today, but didn't have a chance yet. Since I've been a procrastinating blogger this week...or should I say this past month, I decided to just go ahead and blog about it anyway.

It was fun, easy and super quick.....might have to make another.....I should have borrowed Emily's title - Done, but just getting started!

Meal Plan Monday

Here is my meal plan for the week....

• Monday - Grilled Burgers, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, Green Beans
• Tuesday - Cincinnati Chili
• Wednesday - Crockpot Pork Tenderloin, Potato Pancakes, Mixed Veggies
• Thursday - Oriental Chicken w/ Rice
• Friday - Sausage w/ Rice (minus the chicken livers)
• Saturday - Turkey Stroganoff, Carrots

What are you cooking this week?

Week in Review

Here are a few highlights from this week....

• Won 2nd Place in a Chili Cook-off with my super easy and definitely delicious White Chicken Chili.


• Still a 1 car family....the part for Michael's truck is on national backorder!


• Checked out Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace book from the library. If I can get my act in order, I will have Conversation Peace and Financial Peace!


• Received a $50 rebate check in the mail!


• Walked to lunch with a co-worker...crossed Capital Circle at lunch time...it was an adventure, plus I got some exercise.


• Turned off the a/c...we have our windows wide open. Boy do I need to clean the window tracks!


• Ate too many belly flops....rejected jelly bellies. Like I needed to add to my already floppy belly! Oops!

Jamie and Martha's Wedding

Liability

I remember when I was in high school and I desperately wanted a car. My parents said no - they said a car is a liability not an asset. Yeah, yeah, yeah I remember thinking, I just want a car.

Fast forward 16 years.....

Thursday morning Michael hopped in his truck to take Hannah to the bus stop on his way to work (6:25am). He inserted the key into the ignition and turned the key....nothing. He tried again and received an error in the odometer reading. I get awoken to, "Mommy, Daddy's truck won't start and I missed the bus."

Michael tries to get his truck started in the dark with no luck. He gets on the Internet to search for the error code. Meanwhile, I throw on some clothes and take Hannah to school. She is freaking out, thinking she is going to be late. I'm freaking out because I think I'm going to be late for work, too.

When I get back home Michael tells me that the problem is with the computer in his truck and the only place it can be fixed is at the dealership. $$$ flash in my mind. We had a heated discussion, the stress of the unknown and the fact that we are both going to be late for work spews from our mouths onto each other.

It was decided that we would tow the truck to the dealership, I would take him to work in Quincy (20 miles away) and then I would go to work. All in all, I was only 30 minutes late for work...so I stayed 30 minutes later.

We received the dreaded call on Friday....$1,000+ to fix the truck.

This would not be a problem at all, if we had money in savings. For the past couple weeks I have been listening to Dave Ramsey on the radio when I get a chance. The first thing he tells people to do is get $1,000 fast for an emergency fund. I thought that was a great idea, in theory. Now reality has hit me and I can fully appreciate Ramsey's point. God was gently tapping me on the shoulder and when I didn't listen, he had to be a little more forceful with his tap........

It's Monday morning...I don't go into the office on Mondays. Michael took the van to work and my mom is going to do the afternoon carpool for me. Michael has a call in to the mechanic to find out the real damage. No stress this morning, it was a calm morning here. Tuesday, tomorrow, will be another story......not looking forward to it.

So, yes, automobiles are a liability and need to be planned for accordingly. We are back to learning lessons we've already been taught. I guess we didn't really learn them the first 100 times.

Jacob's Campout Party

Weigh Wednesday = Woe Wednesday

I forgot to weigh last Wednesday. I did weigh in on Thursday, but didn't post since it wasn't Wednesday. Anyway, weighed in the morning and was up a pound....so does that mean I gained 2 pounds? I certainly cannot pretend that I don't know how I've gained.....but was hoping that the days at work, not eating anything except lunch would have outweighed the indulgences. Guess not. Now I know that won't work.
Now, what do I do with the 3 tubs of cookie dough in my fridge? Urg.....
Jacob is having his slumber/camp out party this Friday. He wanted to have a camp out last year, but it was too cold the weekend of his party...so they camped in instead. He wants to make tye-dye t-shirts again this year. Michael mowed on Monday, so the backyard is ready. They'll cook hot dogs on the open fire and have s'mores. Last year I bought some glow sticks, bracelets and necklaces and they were a hit. I'll have to hit the Dollar Tree again.

Jacob

Cell phone....

Hannah wants a cell phone.

Her argument includes that she rides the bus and stays after school for different activities.
She has voiced her 'need' for a cell phone to me, on numerous occasions. She just went in and talked to Michael about her 'need' for a cell phone. He immediately went into the whole, "when I was a kid I didn't have a cell phone" rant. It is a learned art form to ask and get what you want, isn't it? Hannah isn't there yet, especially when she stomps off to her room.

Emily blogged about comparing a while ago. Her post was how it is good for us to 'sharpen' each other. I'm not certain that Michael's argument of "I didn't have one, you don't need one" was sharpening anything, other than Hannah's stomp.

Sometimes we just really don't want to be bothered and don't want to take the time to listen to other's (in this case, our children's) wants. I know that is the case with me, many times. I think it is ridiculous what they are asking and I don't want to take the time to even respond. Makes me think about God and my ridiculous want and 'need' requests. I conveniently go to Him in my times of need but then conveniently forget to go to him when things are normal. I even remember to thank Him when things are GREAT, but normal, not so much.

Do you do that also?

P.S. What do you think about the quote on my sidebar? It is from Conversation Peace.

It's been a while...

again....

I could say that I've been busy, but haven't we all? Actually, I feel like I don't have much to say. Do you ever get to a point where you realize that you just don't feel like talking? Or maybe I just don't feel like pretending. This blogging thing is wonderful and I absolutely love reading every one's blogs, but sometimes I feel like I must have something profound or crafty or wonderful to blog about...and I guess I haven't lately.

I have found a really great website for recipes...it is so big you can get lost there for um, hours. www.razzledazzlerecipes.com
Check it out. It is wonderfully organized, you can look up recipes by meat type, course, celebration, holiday - they even have a section for restaurant recipes.

Many of you know that Michael has been battling stomach problems for a few years. We thought he was lactose intolerant, so he has pretty much cut out all dairy. He does have cheese once in a while, but no milk at all. He has been referred to a Digestive Disease doctor and is set up to have a procedure tomorrow. Actually, it was supposed to be today, but they gave him the wrong paperwork. The paperwork they gave him told him not to eat 12 hours before the procedure. Well, after getting up early this morning and driving over to the hospital, he found out that he wasn't supposed to eat for 24 hours before the procedure. Long story short, he is starving and cannot eat until sometime tomorrow. Personally, I cannot even imagine. I was at work today and was ravenously hungry by 10am.

The bible study I am doing called Conversation Peace is wonderful. I have always been convicted about my speech - my motivations for the things I say and how I say them.

Enough for now...

Our 13th Anniversary

Pantry organization

Last week I organized my computer center, but that wasn't all that I organized. I also did a little organization in my pantry. On the bottom of the pantry I already had a plastic bin that was holding teas, individual flavoring packets for water, hot cocoa packets and Crystal Light. There also is a bin that holds baggies, plastic wrap, aluminum foil.

Well, after looking at this website, I decided to add to and label my bins.

To the Beverage Bin I added:

Empty water bottles

Can coozies

Disposable cups

To the Lunch Bin I added:

Napkins

Plastic utensils

Straws

A few sheets of jokes I printed out for the kids to add to their lunch to share with friends.

Then I labeled the bins...because I love to label! Have you organized anything lately?

Weigh Wednesday

Is there ever a time when nothing is better than something?
Today is that time....nothing gained is better than something gained.
I made the mistake of taking a peek at the scale earlier in the week and was down 1.5 lbs....so I was a little disappointed when I weighed in this morning. Oh well...maybe next week I'll be surprised, pleasantly surprised.

It's been a while...

I know.

It's been busy around here.

Today I started working part time in the office. My friend, Kim, has been trying to convince me for a little while that I would like it and be good at it. I only worked 3 hours today, and I must admit, I did enjoy it. Of course, I'm well aware how quickly the 'newness' wears off...so I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.

Over the weekend Michael and I cleaned out our computer center. It was a 'hot mess' Really, it was....wanna see how it looked? I thought you would....I took before and after photos! I can actually find things without digging through piles and stacks. Again, I'm well aware how quickly the 'newness' wears off....so I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.

I started 2 bible studies last week. One with my accountability group, called Women of Worth. It is wonderful. My interest was peeked at the very beginning of the introduction. "Women often define themselves based on what is expected of them...This study will help you see who you are - not as the world sees you but as God sees you." Yep, I'm ready for this study.

The other bible study I started is at church on Sunday evenings while Hannah is in youth group. I must admit, the main reason I decided to take it was because I didn't have anything to do while Hannah was in youth for 2 hours. We live almost 15 miles from church, so in an attempt to save money on gas, I thought "why not take a class." Well, 'coincidentially' the women's class that was offered is called Conversation Peace. Well, what do you know....need help here too, so I'm ready for this study also!

Weekly Sale Ads

How do you do your grocery shopping? Do you go with a list or without a list? I almost always try to go with a list and have been known to type up my list and then rearrange it on the computer to match the aisles in the store. Lately, I have been checking out the weekly sale ads online for the 3 grocery stores in town. Sure glad I did yesterday!

Albertson's is having a huge sale...10 boxes of various Kellogg's cereal for $10. They also have the package of individual boxes - 10 for $10. Hannah and Jacob go through cereal quickly. I have tried lots of ways to 'ration' out the cereal. I've put a measuring cup in with the cereal to remind them of serving size...they just add more. I've put the serving size in individual baggies....they just add more. In the past I have purchased the case of individual boxes of cereal from Sam's and that is what seems to work; there is something about opening 2 boxes of cereal, especially since it would be 2 different kinds. I probably should go back for more! Also, their 1/2 gallons of milk are on sale, 2 for $3.00

Of course, I also picked up a few of the buy one, get ones at Publix.

Anyway, just wanted to share my deals of the week! Did you find any good deals this week?

Weigh Wednesday -.5 lb.

It's Weigh Wednesday and I'm down .5 lbs. I suppose it is better than nothing and better than gaining!

A little something....

I had an old pair of denim capris that were in my Goodwill box. A while ago I saw an idea in a book about making shoe bags out of old pants. Saturday afternoon I decided to dust my sewing machine off and make a drawstring bag out of a pant leg.

I machine appliqued an 'R' onto the bag. When I went to sew it all together, I realized that the 'R' was not centered. If you know me, you know this was a problem for me. I quickly improvised and decided to hand embroider the rest of my name. My first attempt is not perfection, but it certainly is cute. This was the 1st time I've appliqued something and I had to go around the 'R' again because I didn't have the zig-zag set right the first time.....

Something new....

for us!

Let me preface this with....I really loved my Honda!

Last week we were driving through the credit union's parking lot; there is a small dealership that is part of the bank. Michael has been looking for a different truck, one that will seat the 4 of us. When we go camping we have to take both vehicles because we have sooooo many camping items. That's not the only reason, but you get the idea.

Anyway, while driving through the parking lot I spotted this van. 2006, low miles and a great price - I said, maybe we should test drive it, half joking....remember, I loved my Honda. Anyway, Michael, Hannah and Jacob all got very excited at the thought of a van; they have been talking about getting another van since we got the Honda.

The next day we did go and test drive it. We all liked it. It drives more like a car and actually is not that much bigger than my Honda. Since we didn't really need a new (newer) vehicle, we decided against it.

For some reason the thought of purchasing the van began to appeal to me. Maybe it was because my Honda was ready to flip 100,000 miles. Maybe it was the fact that after our test drive I began to have problems shifting out of park, even with the brake firmly pressed.

Anyhow, we are now the proud owners of a minivan again. Hannah did say that she wanted a minivan before Sept. 9th. Why you ask? To bring a bunch of friends to youth group with her. Guess she'd better get busy calling her friends tomorrow!

I really did enjoy driving my Honda. I wonder how many times I can type Honda in this post??? I think that I will like my Mazda just as much, I know my family will!

Shirley...Surely?

Pause my playlist on the sidebar before watching

Weigh Wednesday - I lost 1.5 lbs.

I'm down 1.5 pounds!

DeeDee's B-Day Dinner

Today is my mother's birthday. She and PaPa came over for dinner tonight. I made Pecan Crusted Tilapia, Red Potatoes and Green Beans. Very yummy! For dessert, instead of a cake, I made Dessert Crepes, with lemon and raspberry filling. Delish!


Dessert Crepes

4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. white sugar
1/2 t. salt

Whisk eggs, milk, butter, flour, sugar & salt until smooth. It may be necessary to use a sieve to remove the lumps. Heat small pan or crepe pan over medium heat. Grease pan. Ladle about 3 T of batter into hot pan, tilting to evenly coat. Cook 1-2 minutes each side.

Ironing Sheets

Last night I washed sheets and put them in our 'new' dryer and then went to bed. It was so nice to know that the dryer was going to turn off. Our old dryer's timer was broken, among other things, so we always had to remember to turn it off. I cannot tell you how many times we were out and remembered that the dryer was still running. Oops!

The only problem with having a timer is when clothes are left in the dryer they get wrinkled! Our timer has been broken for years, so I haven't really had to worry about wrinkles.

Hannah's sheets were in the load and came out very wrinkled. Since she likes to fold down her top sheet, wrinkled sheets are a major 'no-no'. I told her this would be a perfect time to learn how to iron. She got the ironing board and iron out and ironed her first items. After she was done with the flat and fitted sheet she then ironed 2 of her shirts.

I laughed when I read Emily's post today...she was ironing sheets today also.

A Good Wife....

Click on picture to enlarge it...this way you can read the print.

broken toe

It was a busy Wednesday. I pretty much ran from one thing to another. I did have a short reprieve with my bible study girl friends.

I came home to find Jacob sleeping on the couch and Michael under the covers in our bed. (Note: It was 7:45p) I notice there are books opened on the dining room table, meaning that Jacob is not done with his homework yet. I wake him up and he tells me that he was waiting for me to come home because he needed help with his writing assignment. Hannah, who was with me, immediately starts getting ready for bed. Her bus picks her up at 6:30a, so she starts her morning early.

Hannah goes to bed, Jacob finishes up his homework, Michael wakes up. We decide we are going to watch a movie. We don't start the movie until after 10p because Jacob takes foreeeever to get ready for bed.

Long story short (or is it too late for that?) I fall asleep during this movie. I wake up before the movie is over and decide I'm going to bed. I, half asleep, try to get up and walk to the bedroom. I successfully manage to take 2 steps, however, the 3rd step was the unfortunate advancement. My foot runs right into a stool. I scream and hobble to the bathroom. As I'm walking I yell, "I broke my toe, I broke my toe." Meanwhile, Michael watches watching the movie. (He did get me ice and pills...)

Fast forward...I did break my toe. Who would think that something so little could affect the whole body? I'm sure my back will be hurting soon, you should see how I hobble around. There's a spiritual analogy here, do you see it? Me too....plus, I feel it.

lazy susan

Okay....Here is a great tip!

When I was organizing my kitchen when we first moved in I quickly realized that my lazy susan, filled with spices, wouldn't fit in any of my cabinets.


While I was doing a little 'blog surfing' I found this website full of fabulous ideas, minus the LDS info! (oops, did I type that?) One of the ideas was to add a lazy susan to your refrigerator. I went straight to the garage, dusted off my old lazy susan and loaded it up with items from the shelves in my fridge.


Enjoy!

Weigh Wednesday

I'm down 1/2 a pound.
I'll take it, especially after overdoing it on banana bread yesterday. Oops!

Rewards

Tonight was the Open House for Jacob’s school. It has finally hit me; I have a 7th grader and a 5th grader! When did that happen? While I was listening to the 5th grade teachers talk about getting the students ready for middle school, it sunk in - this is Jacob’s last year in elementary school.

I look at Melissa’s photos of the girls playing and I try to remember that time; it’s hard. At least I have the pictures!

When Hannah and Jacob were little I distinctly recall older moms tell me to cherish every moment. Now, I’m one of those older moms! Time really does fly…..

Lord, thank you for blessing me with a husband who did everything in his power to make it so I could stay at home with our small children. Please forgive me for every sigh, groan, negative and ungrateful thought I’ve had about motherhood. You have rewarded me with a fun, loving, creative, smart and beautiful daughter and a thoughtful, caring, silly, bright and handsome son. Thank you for trusting me to be their mom. Please help me be the mother that they deserve. I love you Lord.

Creepy, Crawly....Flying

True story....

On Thursday, I dropped off my carpool kids. They left the back driver's side door open while they got their backpacks out of the trunk. They thanked me and closed the back door.

As I backed out and put it in drive, Jacob says with much authority, "Stop the car!" Of course, I ask, "Why?" To which, Jacob responds, "There is a HUGE roach in the car!"

That was all he needed to say. I immediately slammed on my brakes and put it in park. I looked behind me and sure enough, there was a HUGE roach on the inside of the back passenger door. I quickly exclaim, "Jacob hurry around and open the door." Looking back, I should have gotten out and opened the door myself, I was closer, but I was not thinking clearly.

Jacob obeys; he gets out and goes around the car. I'm turned around looking at him. I notice that he is sort of 'just standing there'. I see something fly by him and he backs up. Meanwhile, I'm screaming, "Open the door!"

Jacob finally, after what seems like 5 minutes, opens the door and the roach quickly scurries under my seat! Jacob tries to sleuth out the stow-a-way, but to no avail. I decide that it would be better to try to find it while parked in my driveway, so I drive home, the 8 houses, rather quickly.

I decide this would be a great time to clean out the car while trying to get the roach out of my car. I gather the papers and napkins and random other items in the car, but find no roach. I think to myself, Jacob did say that he thought the roach flew out of the car, even though I saw, with my own eyes, that it went under my seat.

Flash forward 2 hours.....

I'm on my way to meet Michael to look at dryers. While I'm driving I have my right arm resting on the arm rest. I'm singing along to something on the Christian radio station. I start feel something crawling up my arm. Keep in mind, I'm driving down the road at 50 mph. I immediately think of the roach and frantically wave my arm and see it fly across the car.

I decide that since I'm close to my destination, I'll look for the roach there. I get out and look for it, while parked in the parking lot. I catch a glimpse of something scurry across the front passenger side floor board. I grab some napkins and try to "capture" (aka squash) the thing. It is much too fast for me and flies up under the dash.

This story really is going on much longer than I expected.......hopefully, you are enjoying it.

Anyway, I go into the store, meet Michael, and look around. (Didn't find anything in my price range...so we left.) I had Michael look around in the car for the sly creature; no luck, it still is an expert at hiding. I'm back on the road, thinking that this thing is going to live in my dash forever. I start picturing me driving Hannah and Jacob around and it comes flying out at us.

I keep looking down at the floorboard. Finally, I see it. I again grab the napkins and try to get it. Meanwhile, I'm again traveling 50 mph down the raod and now I'm swerving to try and kill this thing. Apparently, it was skilled at escaping because it vanished.

I pull into the Publix parking lot and again look for it. I can't find it and go into Publix for a few quick items. On the way out, I decide that since I only have 2 small plastic bags I'll place them in the back seat, instead of the trunk. Turns out that this was Providence! I open the back door and out flies the roach. He quickly sprints under my car. With haste, I fling my groceries in the back seat and slam the door.

While driving home I get so tickled over the events of my afternoon that I laugh out loud. I decide the roach is probably telling his friends that he had the ride of his life and has lived to tell about it. That is, unless he hopped in someone else's car at Publix!

No Places to Go.....

Here is a video of Mary Janes Farm. While I'm not really a country girl, this video makes me want to live on a farm.

If you have time, watch the video. I loved the music!

Why do I even bother

to worry? Really, why do I?

I was up early this morning, around 4:30am and woke Michael up to tell him that there definitely was something wrong with the a/c. Well, if you know Michael at all, you know this probably wasn't the best time to be talking to him. Basically, he told me to go back to sleep because nothing could be done about it then, at 4:30am. Well, if you know me at all, you know that....

1. I was hot. Hot to me equals cranky.


2. I was worried; worried that our compressor went out and we were going to have to spend a whole lot of $$ that we didn't have.


3. I was hot. Hot + Me = Cranky!

Michael called the father of a boy that was on his soccer team, who owns a heating and a/c business. He was able to come out this morning and fix our problem. Here's a description of the bill:

Checked A/C unit. Found that capacitor was blown. Replaced capacitor. Cleaned outside condenser coil. Coil was full of grass and dirt. Checked freon pressure. Unit was 3 pounds low. Charged unit to right pressures. Unit running fine.

Total: $160.00

First of all, I'm again amazed by God's provision. Michael did 2 computer jobs last night, making almost that exact amount. Thank you God, for providing the means to pay this bill even before we knew we needed it. Please forgive me for my doubt. I know in my heart that you will provide, because you have proved this character trait over and over again. My logical thinking gets in the way and next thing I know I'm doubting you. Thank you for proving again to me that you are who you say you are - Jehovah Jirah, my provider.

Second of all, I'm thinking that maybe we shouldn't have wasted so many years and so much money on college. $160 for less than 1 hours work....not bad! (I'm just kidding, Michael, I know you love your job.)

Okay...this is totally not related, well, maybe it sort of is. You know, Weigh Wednesday? Well, I have been driving to Publix every Wednesday morning to weigh myself. I got to thinking that I really needed a scale. I had to go to Walmart yesterday and before I got there I thought about looking at the scales there. Well, once in Walmart I completely forgot....it wasn't on my list. Last night, when Michael came home, he announced that he had a gift for me. I love gifts...and was even more excited when he pulled out, from behind his back, a scale. Apparently, one of the clinics he was working at yesterday was getting rid of their old scales and Michael brought one home. Yeah....no more trekking to Publix.

Weigh Wednesday

Well, the scales don't lie, or do they?
I'm up 1/2 pound....
Come on girls, rally with me!
8 weeks and only 5 pounds lost.
There is seriously something wrong with that!
I'm switching to WW points this week.
I can do it, I know I can.
There is no reason I can't.
I'm getting out of the water;
I don't want to stay here anymore.

Free Chick-fil-a Sandwich

Register to receive a free Chick-fil-a sandwich and Coke. I love free stuff and love Chick-fil-a, so thought I'd pass this along!

http://www.freechickenandcoke.com/

1st day of school

Beach Day

Pause my music playlist on the sidebar.

A Blessed Home

I enjoyed Melissa's video of her home a few weeks ago and wanted to make one of our home, too.

The story of how God brought us to our home is truly a testimony of His grace. Although it was frustrating at times and at the time I didn't know the 'hows' or 'whys', God knew and had it all planned out, even though it seemed to be insignificant in the whole world's scheme of things.

While Michael and I were in school and even while Michael was just starting out his career, we lived in various apartments. I remember thinking, one day we'll have a home of our own. Of course, this didn't stop me from making our apartments home also. In the meantime I poured over decorating magazines, watched decorating shows on HGTV and planned out 'my' house in my mind.

When we were finally ready to start looking for our first home, reality and my dreams collided; reality won. What we could afford and what we wanted didn't match, according to the bank and our checking account.

Before and after our home search, I knew that God was in control. I even memorized

Matthew 7:9-11
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.

However, while we were in the midst of the house hunt, I conveniently forgot this verse.

Our house hunt lasted almost a full year. We put a bid on 3 different houses. Each time I would get excited and decorate the house in my mind. However, each time, for some reason or another, there was a glitch. I would get my hopes up, only to have them come crashing down. Each time I was upset, thinking that that was the perfect house for us. Fortunately for us, God knows best. I look back, and have even driven by each of the houses that I thought were perfect, and I am so very thankful that God had something better for us.

Through divine providence, we found a perfect, cute (which really means small) and full of character home. We live in a great neighborhood, each street is a cul-de-sac, which is perfect for the kids and their various means of transportation. There are also many children both Hannah and Jacob's ages.

At first glance, I thought this house would be a great 'starter home'....however, after living here for 1 1/2 years, I cannot imagine moving. I love my small kitchen, everything is just 1 step away. I love the yard and have grand plans for gardens, plants, trees.....

Enjoy a quick view of my home.......
Pause my music playlist on the sidebar before playing movie.

Beach Day

We spent the afternoon at the beach and the evening at the pool.

Tomorrow we are off to downtown St. Augustine and then to Emily and Josh's for a quick visit, then back home.