One Kids Bedroom Down and One To Go!

I uploaded the pictures of the twins room onto my computer and I'll be posting those here in a minute. The bedroom that the twins sleep in was actually the master bedroom when we bought the house. It is a very large room. With having such a big room they get to house most of the toys. So, they have toys for 5 kids in their room for the most part. So, when we painted their room about a year ago we wanted to fix shelves for all of their toys. We decided on painting it 5 different bright colors. I think it turned out pretty well. I found the Sponge Bob stickers at Lowes and thought that it would make it cute and go with the colors that we chose.

So, here's a look at the clean room~for now. Hopefully I can keep them picking up a little at a time as they play with things. I don't have a picture of before but you can just imagine all of the totes with them overflowing and everything everywhere. So, here's to a little organization. Hope you like.





The boys mini offices!






The entertaining area.








The sleeping quarters.






Where the toys are "suppose" to go!






4 out of 5 playing. (Our oldest son is out with Dad.)











So, that is what I have done since Christmas. :0)

Hugs and Pugs. I can't leave a post without a new picture of our Puggies with the kids! I wonder if they are thinking, "Man, that breeder didn't know what she was getting us into did she???!!"

My Plans For My Next Post.

I'm planning on doing a post on our twins bedroom. I worked on it for two days off and on. Just got it done and the boys loved it! Having done this about a year ago and setting up their shelves I knew it was going to take a while. When I did the redo of their room before I painted it too. So, you will see lots of color! 5 colors to be exact. They now both have their own office. They got their new offices for Christmas. I think they feel more grown up with their new offices! :0)

I'll be back later on with pictures!

Hugs and Pugs! Have a nice day.

Angie

Here are our new additions to the family.

This is Lenny our lil Mr. Nosey.













This is Squiggy our Mr. Naps~a~Lot.





















Here's our new babies!! Lenny and Squiggy is what we are calling them so far. :0)

Hugs and Pugs.

$25 Kroger Card Give Away!!

I wanted to post about a $25 gift card give away. Boy that would help out a budget.....especially with 5 kids!! If you shop at Kroger you know that if you shop well you can get quite a bit for your money. The store is always so clean!

Here's where you go to find out the details.

http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com/2008/12/kroger-gift-card-giveaway.html

:0) Good Luck everyone!!

Hugs,
Angie

Had the blahs lately.

Do you ever get the blahs? Well, I have had them here lately. I haven't wanted to do much and have felt like I have so much to do but don't feel like doing any of it~! I still need to finish wrapping up presents. Which for 5 kids is a lot to do!! I have gotten quite a bit of that done. I stayed up till almost 3 am this morning. So, I have drug myself around all day. I need to make up some snacks for our oldest son to take to school tomorrow. They are all having their Christmas party tomorrow. DS wants me to bake him a Lemon Cake. He loves that Lemon Cake!! Isn't that sweet?!! I offered to make him some Chocolate No Bake Cookies because I know he likes those but nope he wants the Lemon Cake. :0) Sad part.....I won't get a piece! LOL!!


I hope that everyone is ready for CHRISTmas. We've been talking about the true meaning of CHRISTmas with the kids. They know why we celebrate it. Our youngest son said, "Mom aren't you excited that it's almost Christmas?" I said, "Yes, I guess I am. Why are you so excited?" He said, "It's almost Jesus' birthday!" I thought that was so sweet!! Our little guy is growing up.


I wish you all a Wonderful, Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year!

Hugs!

A Christmas Present for the Kids!

I wanted to post a picture of one of the Christmas presents the kids will be getting. I am so excited. May change my mind later! Ha! Ha! No, DH and I are very excited. We are getting the boys 2 pug puppies for Christmas!!! I can't hardly believe it myself. I have had people that know us tell me that they can't believe we are getting a puppy either! LOL DH said that he thinks getting 2 of them will help the dogs have each other to play with. Plus it will help the kids hopefully from fighting over them.

I don't think our oldest son checks my blog.....well, I sure hope not anyway! LOL If so he's in BIG trouble! If he does check it we'll have to take that plasma he's wanting back!!! No, really we didn't get him a plasma. That's what he has been saying he wants. I have told him that he's just dreaming. Look around do we have any plasmas in the house? No! So, quit looking. Then he says well, where's my wii? Umm, there again, NO WII for Christmas either. The 3 older boys each have their own playstation and t.v. (which is mostly not being used....for some reason or another.....usually because they have it taken away.)

Anyway, I wanted to share a picture of one of the puppies with you. I would like to name them Lenny and Sqiggy. I also like Pete and Repeat, or Tom and Jerry. One of the twins has really been wanting a dog and wants to name it Biscuit. So we could have Biscuit and Gravy or Sausage and Biscuit. So, who knows what they will be named. DH likes Brutis....he said they need a BIG dog's name because they'll be little. I honestly don't like that name. They'll always be Lenny and Squiggy to me! LOL

So, I leave you with this picture. I just think it's adorable!! Hugs To You All.

Our Thanksgiving....

Our Thanksgiving was good, except DH wasn't at home. The meal was good. We actually had it all done at 1:10. Which is good because I said we'd eat at about 1. I'm usually running behind more than that so I did GOOD this year! The kids and I had been talking about what we are thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving. I try explaining why we celebrate the holidays that we celebrate. Trying to teach them right anyway.


I didn't make the Pumpkin Crunch Cake like I had wanted to. I made just the Holy Cow Cakes instead. We definately needed something chocolate. So, the desserts were Holy Cow Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Mincemeat Pie and Jello with fruit and marshmallows. So, there was plenty of desserts to eat.

The Sweet Potatoes were right up there on my list with the ham. Oh it was good! I made the ham with brown sugar and pineapples. I didn't have the rings of pineapple like my mom has always used. I had chunks so I just used those and put toothpicks in them to hold them onto my ham. I pressed some brown sugar on it and then poured the pineapple juice over the top. It was so good!

The turkey was good. I don't usually eat much of it. My DH is the turkey fan in our house! I could take it or leave it and he's that way about ham.

My DMIL was here, my parents, my brother, my sister and her boyfriend and their dog were here. The kids enjoyed getting to see everyone. They really liked playing with the dog. Dobbie was a hit I do believe.

That's it for our Thanksgiving.

This weeks Menu...

Today we had Chicken....imagine that! My parents came over and they got to eat lunch w/us. I tried a new recipe. It was pretty tasty I think. After lunch we had cake for my Mom's Birthday which was Friday.


7 Hour Chicken (Crockpot Recipe but it only took an hour in the oven)

Chicken breasts,
8 oz sour cream
1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Mix the sour cream, soup mix and the soup. Put chicken breast in the casserole dish and spoon mix over the top. Bake at 375 for about an hour, until chicken is done.

This was originally a crockpot recipe. It says to cook it on low for 7 hours.


Monday's Dinner will be something easy. I have to do our Thanksgiving and regular shopping so I won't have a lot of time. We will have Karate at 5 so I have to get dinner done early.

Tuesday's Dinner Taco Soup w/Tortilla Chips and cheese (the twins have their Thanksgiving dinner at school and I am going to go and help with it.) I'll need somthing going while I'm away. We have Karate on Tuesday but this week our midweek church service will be on Tuesday because of Thanksgiving.

Wednesday's Dinner Chicken

Thursday Lunch at about 1 pm.

Turkey, Ham, Mashed Potatoes, The Best Sweet Potato Casserole, Corn, Peas, Dressed Eggs, Stuffing, Turkey Gravy, Rolls and several different desserts. I like to make Holy Cow Cake and Pumpkin Crunch Cake, Peanut Butter Pie. My DMIL usually brings Jello with marshmallows (the kids love this!), Mincemeat Pie and Pumpkin Pie. Sometimes my Mamaw makes us a Pecan Pie.....it's so good!

Friday's Dinner will hopefully be leftovers! We don't do the Black Friday shopping. We tried that last year and were so miserable we said NEVER again! It was so cold and the stores were just lined w/people. It is not worth it to me to get up so early and go out for NOTHING! We couldn't even grab a bite to eat...everything was packed!

If anyone would like any recipes just let me know. I will add the Sweet Potato Casserole recipe on here because it's just the best ever! I'll add the Peanut Butter pie recipe, my stuffing recipe that I came up with on my own. It's really good! I have the others that I talked about too added on here.

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving.




(This is the recipe for stuffing that I came up with. I don't like sausage in the stuffing I like bacon so.......give it a try-it's just awesome!)

Stuffing With Bacon

1 lb. Bacon; cooked and diced
4 Celery ribs; chopped
1 Med. Onion; chopped
1 tsp. Sage
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 Pkg. or 16 oz Cornbread Stuffing
2 TBSP Parsley
4 Eggs; beaten
2 Cans Chicken Broth
1 TBSP Butter or Margarine

Keep 2 tablespoons of grease from the bacon. Put celery and onion in grease until tender, add sage,
salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in stuffing, parsley and bacon.
Mix together. Combine eggs and broth, add to stuffing. Mix well. Spread in a greased pan and dot
the top with butter. Cover and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes about 13 cups



(This is from my friend Star at the Taste of Home website)

The Best Sweet Potato Casserole Ever

3 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes (if you don't want to boil fresh, get one large can..the big one and one normal sized can and that will equal approximately three cups mashed)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and spoon into casserole. Cover with topping:

Topping:

2 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Mix all ingredients and spoon over casserole.
Bake casserole 30 min at 400 degrees. Topping will be browned.



(This recipe came from my Best Cousin in the whole wide family!) :)

Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Pie

8 oz Cream Cheese
8 oz Cool Whip
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1-Graham Cracker Crust

Soften cream cheese. Blend cream cheese, cool whip, peanut butter and powdered sugar together. Pour into pie crust and chill till ready to serve.


Pumpkin Crunch Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 c pumpkin
3 eggs
1 t pumpkin pie spice
1 c brown sugar
1 c nuts, chopped
2 t cinnamon
2 T flour
2 T melted butter
Mix together cake mix, pumpkin, 1/2 c water, eggs and pumpkin pie spice.
Pour 1/2 of batter in 9 x 13 in greased, floured cake pan. Combine brown sugar, nuts cinnamon, flour and butter and sprinkle half of mixture over batter. Spread remaining batter over top then remaining crunch mixture.
Bake in 350 degree oven 45-50 min.


Holy Cow Cake

(this is another recipe from my cousin)

Devils Food Cake prepared;
As soon as it comes out of the oven take the end of a wooden spoon and poke holes in it, pur an entire can of Eagle Brand milk and about 1/2 a container ( or more ) of Caramel (from the ice cream topping section). Refrigerate until this is cold and the caramel and milk are set in. Take our and top with Cool Whip and Sprinkle with Butterfinger pieces.

We all love this and it is so easy.

I've been missing in action again. :0)

We've been busy busy busy. With MG having ear infections, the boys all selling candy bars, Church, Karate and life in general I've not had much free time.

My laptop is now up and running. My DBIL came in from Arizona and he said he would clean up our computers for us. I am so thankful!! Thanks Mike, I really appreciate it!! I wish his wife Emma could have came with him for the visit. She's really sweet. My kids just love Aunt Emma!

Mike has been working all of 3 of our computers. Our regular home pc, my laptop and then our oldest son's computer. They all needed to be just wiped out and rebooted. The home pc is around 7 years or so old, the laptop and our son's computer are about 4 years old.

Anyway, I've still been cooking as much as I can to try and save money. With Christmas coming up, Auto Insurance and our House Insurance we've been hit pretty hard. I know that GOD is in control. I can't say that I haven't worried because honestly I have. I keep telling myself to give it over to GOD though. I know that he has ALWAYS, ALWAYS gave us just what we have needed. Just enough but always enough. So, I have to drop my shoulders and take a deep breath. I Thank God that he's always there for us.

It has gotten colder outside. Maybe it will kill off some of these germs going around. Lots of people sick, coughing, sneezing and such. Oh, and the flies. I'm so glad it's turned off cold so maybe it will get rid of those pesky things! If you know me very well you will know that I cannot tollerate a fly in the house! Drives me INSANE! LOL

Well, I have jabbered enough. I have missed blogging and hope to get back to it on a regular basis. I am going to compile my Thanksgiving menu for my next post. We host dinner at our house so that my parents and my DH's DM can come and anyone else that wants to can come and have a nice dinner with family/friends.

Hope to hear from some of you that stop in.

Leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from you. You can always leave it without your name. Ask me a question if you like. Just be nice, I wear my heart on my sleeve sometimes! Hugs!

Angie

I've Not Posted In A While....

Well, as you can see I haven't posted in about 10 days. They have been an exhausting 10 days. I've not been at the computer much lately at all. We have been working on our addition to our house. It is really looking better!! Thanks to my DH and Butch(my Dad, one of two), my sister's boyfriend Scott and my DH's best friend Dennis. They have helped to get this project back moving again. I am so grateful to all of them. I need to explain about my grocery budget though.....

While having 3 grown extra mouths to feed I have busted my budget unexpectedly! I had wanted to keep the target goal but haven't been able to. I appologize for not doing this. I wish that I had been able to but I didn't see us having 3 grown men for meals. I wanted them to have a nice home cooked meal for all of the help that they have given to us. We really appreciate their help.

I will post pictures later of the work. They have done most of the drywall, moved some electrical, put in the vent fans for the bathrooms, moved some plumbing so that we could create a closet in one room, moved the doorway creating a hallway, done some insulating under the addition w/regular insulation and with the foam boards onto the block foundation to help keep underneath warmer. I know there is more but I can't think of it right now. I have helped insulate around the windows to keep the cold air from coming in and the heating bill sky rocketing! I was cramming those spaces full of insulation. I also helped DH clean up after the drywall mess was coming to an end. We only have the little bathroom and the closet I believe to get done. Oh, and one piece in the kids room needs to be hung. We started this project over 3 1/2 years ago.......we will be so glad when it gets done!

So, I hope that I didn't disappoint you by failing to meet my own challenge. I didn't expect to need to feed 10 people at our meals (5 of which are bigger eaters!) Oh well. I will have to do better for us this month. It's really hard to put a cap on something like this though not knowing what the future holds I know that for sure. We still have plenty of chicken that's for sure.

Hugs to you all. Get out and vote next Tuesday! I am ready and know who I'm voting for.....Do you? If not then give me a call and I'll tell you who to vote for and why!! BIG BIG GRIN!

I tried my hand at decorating a cake. I'm no professional....

Here's the cake that I decorated for Little Missy. It's a chocolate cake and I made the icing and added some pink coloring to it. I made two 9" cakes and iced in between them. I'm hoping that it will taste good. I did forget to cross my "t" in Birthday, Bulldog pointed that out to me. LOL It takes a 7 year old to let you know you've done something wrong! LOL

Anyway, I didn't think I did too bad considering that I don't normally do this. I got the edible image from my friend that works at Dairy Queen-it cost me $3.18. Not too bad for something like that I thought. Considering going to Wal-Mart and getting a cake it a min. $20! If I would have gotten the ice cream cake there at DQ it would have been like $30! So....$3.18 is ok for me! I made the icing and had the cake already so it was CHEAP!

I need to subtract that $3.18 from my last bit of food money for the rest of the month.

Well, I just wanted to post my cake. Not professional but at least I can tell her when she grows up that I made her 1st Birthday Cake myself. DH said just go buy her the cake! I said no, I want to do this!! I really felt good making that today. I wish that I would have done this with the boys. No reason why I didn't I just didn't. I wish I would have.

Well, it's someone's bedtime so I'd better get her ready. The boys need to get in the bed too. We have church in the morning.

Hugs to all. Hey-if you've read anything on my blog.....don't be afraid to post a comment. I LOVE COMMENTS! That tells me SOMEONE is actually reading!! LOL LOL

God Bless.

Challenge Update!

I went by the store today. I picked up 2 cake mixes and a package of butter cookies for little Missy. She had to go to the Dr. today. She's not feeling well. We were up most of the night. She has an ear infection and coughing so hard it almost makes her get sick to her tummy. So, I was thinking of her birthday which is Sunday and thought I'd better pick up some cake mixes if I'm going to make a cake. Really only needed one but now I'll have an extra.

Anyway, I spent $2.74 on the cake mixes and butter cookies. This leaves $17.55 left for the rest of the month. I still have bread, flour, meats, veggies, tea, sugar, eggs, milk, cereal and juice so we're good to go....I hope! LOL As long as DH doesn't spring anything on me. Then I'm good.

Next month I want to do a challenge with extras. You know toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste, paper whatever, soaps, dish soaps, detergents, razors, the list goes on and on and on! This kind of stuff really gets my budget too. Actually I think we spend more on the extras than on food. That really stinks! So, I hope to come up w/a figure for next months budget for extras.

Hope you'll take my journey with me next month too. We'll see how that goes too.

My Work For Today....

Today I made some more bread. It turned out wonderful! I will be making this again soon. I'll post the recipe for you. Please do yourself a favor and try it sometime. DH and the kids loved it so did I. The color is dark but very pretty and the taste is good. I got the recipe from The Taste Of Home.


Shredded Wheat Bread
Best of Country Breads
Try a FREE ISSUE of Taste of Home!

The recipe for this low-fat bread came from my grandmother. It's now my husband's favorite. Nothing makes the house smell better than the aroma of molasses as this bread bakes.

SERVINGS: 32

CATEGORY: Breads

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 20 min. + rising Bake: 30 min. + cooling

Ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup crushed Shredded Wheat cereal
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
5-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter, optional
Directions:
In a large bowl, pour boiling water over cereal. Add the molasses, shortening and salt. Let stand until mixture cools to 110°-115°, stirring occasionally.
In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add cereal mixture and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Brush with melted butter if desired. Cool. Yield: 2 loaves (16 slices each).







This is the Poppy Seed Chicken that DH requested for tonight's dinner. It was very yummy once again. Just wanted to share the final picture with you. Here's the recipe for it as well. Hope you'll try it and the bread. These are both winners in my book!




Poppy Seed Chicken


4 C. Chicken Breasts, cooked 16 oz Sour Cream

2 Reg. Size Cans Crm Mush. Soup 8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 SleeveRitz Crackers 1 Stick Butter

1-2 tsp. Poppy Seeds (optional)



Spray bottom of casserole dish. Shred Chicken and put into casserole dish. In a bowl mix together the sour cream, soup and poppy seeds. Sprinkle cheese over chicken. Cover with soup mix. Top with crushed crackers and pour melted butter over crackers.



Bake at 350* for about 25-30 minutes.

Menu for the week.....

I don't really assign a day for the food. I just pick it the night before. This is also subject to change because of different things. The kids don't have school on Thursday, Friday or next Monday. So, that will also have a little to do with it too.

We are having camp meeting at church this week so we may eat at church too. Everyone brings different things to contribute to the meal. So, I have to get that stuff together and take by Wednesday. I'll be making a cake to take as well. It's a German Chocolate Cake. That is my FAVORITE!! YUM! (I think I'm suppose to have that for Friday so I'll wait on making that....I don't want to take it on Wednesday and it sit there.) I'll post the cake recipe. It comes from a regular cake mix but it's made different. Very moist! You'll have to try it. I'll make the cake, take a picture and post the recipe.

Here's the menu.

Veggie Soup and Grilled Cheese
Tacos w/lettuce and cheese, chips and refried beans
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole, mashed potatoes & peas
Pork Loin Chops, baked potatoes w/sour cream, corn
Chicken Sandwiches, mac n cheese and chips
Chicken....Chicken.....Chicken......since we have a ton in the freezer!

I don't put what day because I never know what day we'll have what. I just decide the day before.

Challenge Update!!

Here is what I bought at the grocery. I still have some $ left over to buy a few things toward the end of the month. I'll tell you what all I got and how much I spent for each then my total and my leftover $ for the month. I think I did pretty well.






4-4 lb bags Sugar 4/$5
5 lb bag Flour $2.88
Sour Cream $1.38
Butter $2.50
Dale's Seasoning $2.68
Store Brand Corn 2/$ .88
Store Brand Peas 2/$ .88
Store Brand G.Beans 2/$ .88
Store Brand Crm Mush Soup 2/$ .98
Stove Top (treat & Sale!) 2/$3.00
4-Loafs Store Brand Bread $ .83 each
1-Kraft Singles $1.66
Santitas Chips (very good!) $2.08
Steak Buns for lunch tomorrow $1.58
______
Total Amount Spent $29.71

Amount Allowed for the Remainder of the Month $50.00
Amount Spent So Far $29.71
______
Leaves This Amount For the Rest of the Month $20.29

So, what do you think? Think I can do it? I bought the four & sugar so I can make bread & tea. That will help out a lot. I'll keep you posted on what I spend the next time I have to.


Dinner tonight was Mummified Chicken, Corn and Stove Top. It was very good. I forgot to take a picture. I wish I had, but we were quite hungry...so it went on the plates as fast as it came out of the oven.

Until next time, stay safe. Oh! Speaking of staying safe, we went to pick up the van yesterday & they are going to have to fix some things that were not right so week 3 without it!

Hugs!

Friday Night Dinner In.....

Here is our dinner from last night. We had Grilled Pork Loin Chops (they were so good!), Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans w/potatoes (didn't think about having double potatoes-it was good anyway)




I was trying to figure this up to see how much it cost for the meal and how much per person. I figured it to be appox. $11.45 ( $7.20 for chops for 8, $.50 butter, $.25 for milk, $2.00 potatoes, $.50 green beans, $.12 1/2 slice bacon and $.88 for marinade (Tomato, Basil and Garlic-Grill Mates) This breaks down to $1.91 per person (for 6 people) Not too bad I think.

Here is a picture that is worth a thousand words. My husband got the idea to write on the twins (we call them Bear and Bull Dog) when they were about 3 years old. I love that picture!! So, I had it put on their cake for their 7th birthday. Can you see why I love that picture so much? I just had to share it with everyone. My little guys are just growing up on me now! This is them on their birthday with their new bikes in Feb. They're still acting silly!






This is our oldest son we call him Bub sometimes or LT. He loves the New England Patriots! He got this hoodie for Christmas and just loved it. He is such a big help to us and we really appreciate that he does like to help out.



This is our youngest one we call him Lo Lo or DH likes to call him Biggest Guy! My friend made his cake for him and he just loved it! He turned 4 in March and he said it was his best birthday ever! He was so happy that day. So sweet!



We love our boys. We didn't know what it was like to have a girl for over 10 years! Now it's really nice, we have our boys and our girl and they all love to do things for her. She will never have a date.....never get married......they'll take up for her forever I believe! HA!


I have to get started on our Christmas gifts shortly. I think Bub and I have decided to do something for his teacher. We are going to do a Scrap-Cookbook of his favorite recipes for her. This is his last year in her class. He has had her for a teacher for 3 different years. She's an awesome teacher and I wish everyone could have a teacher like her. He had her for 1st grade, 5th grade and now 6th. Just a great teacher!

Bull Dog and Bear and I will have to come up with something for their teacher. Not sure what to do for her. Lo and I well, he has 3 different teachers so I'm not sure what to do for them either. I know I need to get going on it thought that's for sure.

Gotta run and get some things done.


Hugs!

Just 10 days till our Sweet Baby Girl turns 1 year old!!

I took some pictures of her after church tonight and had to add them here. I just loved them. She's just so pretty. DH and I look at her all of the time and are just amazed at how pretty she is. We went through so much while I was carrying her that we truly know that each one of our children are a blessing from God. Please hug your kids and let them know you love them. One day one of you won't be on the other end of that hug. When you talk to your children/parents/loved ones let them know you love them by telling them. Don't just think they know I love them, tell them and show them by just a hug......a hug that they will remember you gave them. It means so much.



Anyway, sort of got emotional there. Here are pictures of our sweetest baby girl. Can you tell she likes the remote? Let me tell you she loves the telephone too.

I have been accepted to carry the Foodieblogroll on my blog!!

I signed up to add the Foodieblogroll on my blog and they replied yes. So....that was something I was very excited about! YIPPY!!

If you don't know what I'm talking about go and check it out. It's just awesome! If you blog you may want to add them to your blog as well.

Just had to spread the excitement!! That's http://www.foodieblogroll.com/ So, go and take a look and you'll love it just like I do.

Big Hugs!

These pictures are of our addition that we started 3 1/2 years ago. It is going to be our master bedroom, bathroom, another small bedroom for one of the kids and a 1/2 bath. So, DH (pictured in the middle), my Dad and my Sister's boyfriend have been working on the drywall recently. I will take some updated pictures this weekend and post those too. Just wanted to show the semi-before pictures. We just can't wait until this project is behind us and we have our room on the mail level of our house. At the moment the we are using the bedroom in the basement and the boy's bedrooms are on the main level. Anyway, enough of that......

The Bread that I made.....looks pretty-I think! Recipe included.

I got my bread made. I wish I would have let it cook as long as the recipe said. Our oven usually cooks things faster and of course I got very anxious to see and taste the bread. So, I pulled it out too early. So, I had to put it back in the oven. The kids really liked it. They love bread I think as much as their Dad and I do. I'm adding the recipe to the bread here so if anyone wants to make it they can. Just remember to let it finish baking....don't be like me and be impatient! I got it from Sugar n' Spice that posts over on the Taste of Home bulletin board. I have other recipes that my friends over there have posted for me to try. I can't wait to make them all.


Basic White Bread

2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups water
6 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons shortening, softened
Dissolve yeast in water, in a large bowl

Add half the flour, and the sugar, salt,and shortning.

Blend at low speed, then beat 2 minutes at med speed.

Mix in remaining flour by hand.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Stir the batter hard for 30 seconds.

Spread into 2 8in greased loaf pans (batter will be sticky).

Let rise until doubled, about 20 minutes.

Bake at 325 for about 45 minutes, until golden brown and done.

Our Doings for The Day!

This morning I got up and made Omlets for breakfast. Took the kids to school w/their lunches in tow. Had to run by the bank for my Dad, which is over helping DH hang drywall in our addition. (I have pictures to post later) Ran to Lowes for the screws they sent me for. Came home and made DH a Chicken Patty for his breakfast-he doesn't care for omlets and my Dad had already eaten an omlet!

I just got the baby to sleep so I am going to go put her in her bed and hope she sleeps for a bit. I have Rolls to make, Tacos for the boy's lunches to make and dinner will be Chicken, veggie and rolls.

I hope to get the rolls made, take a picture and post the recipe w/the picture. I have lots to do in the kitchen so I had better get going if I want to get it all done before the boys get out of school. We have Karate starting at 5 tonight so it's rush rush rush!

Need to make some bread of some sort. I used 2 pieces earlier for DH's sandwich and I'm getting antsy about running out! So, I'll be looking for a good bread recipe. When I find it I'll post it on here along w/a picture.

Hugs!! I'm off racing.....

A challenge for the rest of the month.

I was reading in my Reader's Digest an article that really set my wheels turning!! "My Family's No Buy Experiment" So, here's the jest of it. This family set a $100 budget for one month (for have to have items) to live on. You only pay the things that have to be paid, lights, house payment etc. No extras! They didn't even pay their internet. I'm not going to go to that extreme though. We've got a package deal with our internet, cell phones and house phones. We have to have the phones for our business. This family saved more than $2000.

So,I am challenging myself to spend only $50 on groceries for the rest of the month. I just went to the grocery last night. I only have 1/2 a loaf of bread left but I can make some-hopefully. So, keep reading and see what we're doing and how it's going. I am starting this as of today. These two shopping trips are not included. I'll post my next trip to the grocery. Hopefully it won't be for a while. (unless I break down and buy the bread! LOL)


Here's my groceries for this week. I did spend more that what I wanted to but I hope to not have to buy anything else except maybe some bread if I don't get some made. This picture is for Thursday. I didn't take a picture for my shopping visit last night. Too tired, I came in and put it all away without even thinking about taking my picture! Whoops!

Thursday Oct. 2, 2008: $26.31 for a few groceries. Was right there and picked up a few good deals
2 cases water (not shown) $2.98 each
8 cans chili beans $.50 each
1 can pumpkin $.79
bag of grapes $1.18 lb
8 lbs potatoes $3.98
6 cans biscuits $.78
1 jar Ragu Spaghetti Sauce $1.68
3 boxes of Velvetta Shells and Cheese 3/$5.00

I think I did pretty good to have only spent $26 and some change and gotten all of that. Everything that I got except for the pumpkin was on sale and I got the store brand that was only $.78 compared to $1.xx so still a good deal!! Planning out my menu with what I have and need to get just a couple of things.


Saturday October 4, 2008: I still needed to do a grocery run for some things that we so needed like toilet paper, Tide and toothpaste. If you run out of either of those in our house it would be such a tagedy! LOL So here's what I spent $64.87 (this is with a $2.00 off coupon for the toothpaste that I got)

Here's what we got:
2-Bags Santitas Chips $2 each (these are so good, and much cheaper than other kinds)
Orange Sherbet $2.64 (a treat that we normally don't get)
2-Big Bags of Popsicles $1.50 each (yet another treat)
1-Loaf Store Brand Bread $1.16
1-Large Roll of Sausage $5.18 (2 lb roll)
2-cucumbers $.64 each
2-Roma Tomatoes ($.98 lb) $.35 (for both)
Celery $1.48
Kraft Cheese 24 slices $4.58 (the kind DH just has to have!)
2-GV Kidney Beans $.64 each
2-GV Peas $.50 each
2-GV Green Beans $.50 each
3-Field Thick Slice Bacon $3.34 each
Tide Liquid $10.00
Toilet Paper $6.57
Glad Plug In Refills $5.12
Toothpaste $4.23 (amount without coupon applied)
100 Count GV Snack Size Ziploc Bags $2.48 (I put all of the kids snacks in these for school lunches and it saves us from having to buy chips, cookies and things at school)

So, I got all of that and that should do for quite a while. I have plenty of diapers for at least 2-3 weeks, we have the necessities I do believe. So, I hope to not spend more than $50 on groceries for the rest of the month. Can I do it? Yes, but will I do it??? That is the question. We have plenty of food in the frig and the freezer so......we shall see. I'll keep an update of what I spend. So, care to take the journey with me? Do it if you dare......!

I'll post what I am planning on cooking later.
Hugs!

Busy Weekend.

Hello. On Friday we dropped off the van to get it fixed. He said there was a lot of damage! LOL I knew that!! Today my dear husband talked to them and we should get it back this Friday. He said there was $3400 in damage! So...now we know there was plenty of damage!

On Sunday on our way home from church Larry was driving and at the same spot another deer ran out in front of our other van! Can you believe that?!! I had just said the deer came out right about here and right after I said here one came flying at us!! He slams on his breaks and the deer runs right in front of us. We just barely missed that thing! It was smaller than the one that I had hit on Wednesday. I was shaking so bad after that happened. So, for a while we are not traveling that route! We'll take the parkway and pray that we don't see any of those beautiful creatures there.

Well, time to get dinner going. We're having Ham and beans and maybe some cornbread. Hugs to you and please watch out for the deer that are running wild!
Angie

Here are the pictures of our poor van that got hit by the deer.

Here are the pictures of our van that got hit by the deer yesterday!! $500 deductable!! What a rip off! Use to it was you didn't have to pay a deductable when you hit a deer but now you do. It goes on your collision and not comprehensive. So......we'll get it fixed when we come up w/the $$$. This just stinks! I had just got it washed and the gas tank filled up yesterday then this happened. I am thankful to God that none of us were hurt.

Angie

I HIT A DEER!!

Well, today I did something that I've never done before. Definately not something I'm proud of that is for sure. I picked the kids up today from school and on my way home a deer came running out of the woods. I tried to stop but the deer ran right into the front of our brand new 2008 van that DH got me for my birthday last year. I hadn't even had it for a year yet. It only has like 5800 miles on it! It mess up the front headlight, bumper, hood and shoved it all back to where I can't open the drivers door. I still can't believe that it actually happened! I'm so thankful that God took care of us and none of us got hurt. I was just a bit flustered. I couldn't even tell the Sherriff what our youngest son's birthday was!

Anyway, that was my wonderful afternoon. I hope that everyone is doing well.

Hugs,
Angie

Tiny Frogs

Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs....who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants....

The race began.... Honestly: No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: 'Oh, WAY too difficult!!' 'They will NEVER make it to the top.' or: 'Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!' The tiny frogs began collapsing.

One by one.... Except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher.. The crowd continued to yell, 'It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!'More tiny frogs got tired and gave up.... But ONE continued higher and higher and higher.... This one wouldn't give up! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!

THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal? It turned out .... that the winner was DEAF!!!!

The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic.... because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have.

(There's life and death in the power of the tongue - Proverbs 18:21.) Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore: ALWAYS be .... POSITIVE! And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams!

Always think: God and I can do this!

Pass this message on to 5 'tiny frogs' you care about. Give them some motivation!!!

Most people walk in and out of your life.......but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart.

You have been Tagged by the Froggy, which means you are a great friend!!

If you fall down 10 times, stand up 10 times!!

Wednesday.....hump day....a little of this and that

Today is hump day. YEAH! What does that mean? Well, it's the middle of the week it's down hill from today. Two more days of school for the kids after today. DH will be home and it will be back to work on our projects.

We've been so busy these past few weekends. Which really doesn't make sense. HA! Both of us have been suffering with our backs but we've been busy little beavers. We got insulation in. Boy does that stuff make it look different in our addition! I'll be so happy to get this project done. We actually started on this addition over 3 1/2 years ago!!! Whew! Time flies!

Our project is our addition that we had added to our house. It consists of our master bedroom, kid's bedroom(whichever child gets it-lol-it's a toss up between the 2 little ones), 1/2 bath and master bath w/hook ups for 2 washers and 2 dryers. We have electric, we have plumbing....still not totally finished, insulation in, tub/shower combination in. When we got our tub in I just had to call my person (my cousin-that's just what we call each other-she's the one I call when I need to tell someone something and she calls me! We're just special like that! LOL!) Anyway, I called her and was so excited!! I've got a tub!! I've got a tub!! She was like OK YOU'VE GOT A TUB! LOL One of those things where you have to be there I suppose.

So, this weekend, Lord willing we will get some drywall and do some drywall. DH thinks that we might be able to do the entire ceiling in the small bedroom with 10 sheets of drywall. I guess we'll see.

Over the weekend we also got our front porch pressure washed and stained. It looks so much better now. You don't realize how dirty something like that is until you go to clean it. Our neighbor even got the notion and pressure washed his too. So, we're cleaning up the neighborhood I guess. lol Need to get the other neighbors involved too!! Better yet, lets get them to round up all of their pets and keep them out of our yard! Since our fence got crushed we've had dogs and cats doing their business in our yard! YUCK!! We don't own a pet and we've got their yucky suprises in our yard. I've not been happy going out and smelling that!

Fall is coming quickly. The leaves are starting to turn so pretty. The weather has really started to cool down. In the mornings it is actually quite chilly. Pretty soon the kids will have their Fall Festival at their school. They really enjoy going to that. The games, the fun of running around with their parents and seeing all of their friends, eating foods that you normally wouldn't eat.

We've already started our Christmas shopping. We know that with 5 kids we have to start early or we'll be frantic come time for Christmas. The kids haven't ask for a whole lot, other than wanting new game systems which I have already veto'd! They have Playstation 2's and I just can't see them getting another game system when they have one. I don't like for them to play those things that much as it is. I want them to still play with the toys that they are asking for. Those games are ok when it's raining out or just every now and then, but not all of the time.

It's going to be different shopping for a little girl for Christmas since we've always bought cars and trucks not babies and Barbies. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited! I've alreayd looked at the different kinds of baby doll out there. She's still a bit too small for them right now but soon she'll be playing with them.

Well, now that I have written about everything under the sun I guess I'll hush up.

Angie

An Eventful Weekend!

Our weekend sure was eventful! We had my nephew spend the night with us Friday night. Saturday was our little cousin's birthday party. Saturday night the nephew left. Sunday was the WIND from IKE!!! It was terrible!! The kids still aren't back in school!!!!! It's Tuesday!! There are still people without power. Some were without water as well. We were out of power from about 10:30 am until after 3pm Sunday. We were very blessed to have gotten it on that quick. I kept praying it would come back on. I was worried about all of our meat in the deep freezer.



Well, DH is working out in the yard and needs my assistance. So.....I'm off to help.

Hugs,

Angie

40 Minute Rolls

Here's the picture of the rolls. I put them in a muffin tin. On a few of them I rolled them into 3 balls and put them in the muffin tin. It made them look like clovers.


I forgot to post this the other day. I used this recipe. Actually I have used it twice now. We really liked these rolls. They didn't last long at all. After I made them I put them in a muffin tin for them to take the form of muffins with the rounded top too. They are so good warm with butter. YUM!





40 Minute Rolls





2 Tbsp yeast

1 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1-2 cups white flour



Combine the yeast and warm water. Add the oil and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and knead until a soft dough forms. Shape into balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Rest 10 minutes. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes until done. Makes 12 rolls.

Today is Sept. 11, 2008

I remember 7 years ago when American changed. I feel so differently about things in this day and time as to before. Things are just different. My kids won't ever know how things were before 9-11. Our oldest was only 3 when it happened so he won't remember. I hope that we will all take a moment and remember those loved ones that were lost during 9-11 and those that have lost their lives since fighting for us. God be with their loved ones during the 7 year mark.


Last night while sitting on the sofa talking to my oldest son our dear sweet daughter took two steps and astonished us! We both looked at her then looked at each other with our mouths dropped open! We were in shock. It was so cute. The other boys came running in the room to see what was going on and they wanted to see her walk too. She did it a couple more times and would just laugh! It was definately a sweet moment. On the 19th she'll be 11 months old. Time flys that is for sure.


School pictures were today. I hope that they turn out well. I took the baby and had her put in a group picture with the boys and had her individual picture done too. They put her in a little white wicker chair.......it was so cute! Can't wait to get them back. I was able to do that where they go to school because it's a private school. They always send a note home letting everyone know that they will take group pictures if anyone would like. I didn't get in the picture but wanted all of the kids together. They all had yellow on. I thought they looked very handsome and of course our daughter looked so pretty. I can't wait to get to see them.


The weather is really starting to cooler. I really don't like cold weather but there's really nothing I can do to keep it from changing. I would be happy for it to stay at about 75 year round! My husband would probably rather it be around 60-65.....I'd be bundled up like that little boy in that movie, 'The Christmas Story'. The part where his mom has so many layers on him and he fell over & couldn't get back up!


Speaking of Christmas, it's almost that time again. I have had the kids already making out a Christmas list to give ideas of something that they might like to get. You know, kids just aren't afraid to ask for the moon and stars. It's amazing how every year they could fill up a page of things they would like. Knowing they won't get all of these things but at least it gives an idea of what they wouldn't mind having. The list does make it so much easier to know what you need to look for to see them have a HUGE smile on their face come Christmas morning. So, we have begun our journey to trying to shop early. Well, I can't really put on here what we found or our oldest might see and know that we're getting him a ..........LOL really did you think I would put it here?!!


Until next time I hope all is well. God Bless you and Keep you.
Angie

Sept. 3, 2008

I haven't posted much since I went to Aldi's. I finally got everything put away. That was a chore in itself. I have the cabinets packed out. They could open up and start shooting out at any given moment. HA! I went over the inventory the other night and realized boy do we have a lot of stuff! I went through our freezer and got a count on how much we have in there too. I shouldn't have to do much shopping for a while. I will just have to pick up things here and there as we need them.


Today would have been my Uncle David's birthday. He died before any of my children were born and actually before I got married. I know that my husband and my uncle would have really liked each other. My boys would have loved teasing and picking at him just like he would have loved to pick on them. I remember one time he snuck in behind our house and we were watching a scary movie. He started making noise behind our house where the woods were and scared us so bad!! He laughed and laughed about that! He was also the first person to take me to a movie. Uncle David loved racing. He took us to see 'Days of Thunder'. It was him, his daughter, my sister and myself. I really enjoyed it. I think he did too. So today is a tribute to my funny and big hearted Uncle David. I will always remember him laughing and joking with everyone. I will miss him until I see him again some day in Heaven.


I ran across a recipe that I really like today. I'll post it so that you can use it if you get the notion. The kids love these cookies and they make a ton of them. The kids like to help making them too. The only problem is that it could get real messy if you're not careful. Powdered sugar and kids don't mix too well.


I'm not sure if I mentioned about the incident/accident that we had last Tuesday evening. Our neighbor's car rolled down the hill and ran over our fence! Boy was that a shock!! I was thankful that the kids weren't out in the yard. No one got hurt and I'm thankful of that. The fence will eventually get repaired by the neighbors insurance when they get the ball rolling. Hope it doesn't take too long.

We are having breakfast for dinner tonight. The kids enjoy having this every now and then. We'll have some omlets, biscuts, sausage and bacon to go with or in the omlets. Hope the night is a cool one. Here is the cookie recipe that I mentioned. Hope you'll try them and let me know how you liked them.



Cake Cookies

1 box cake mix (any flavor)
1 egg
1 (8 ounce) coolwhip tub (use the whole tub).

Mix all together, then by spoonfull roll in powdered sugar. Then put on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes

A Woman's Work is Never Done!

Do you ever wonder how they made it back years ago with 10 + children, no washing machine, no dryer, no dishwasher? I am just baffled! We have 5 and I have all of these things and still seem to be pressed for time! Sometimes I think we just have too much scheduled! We seem to be on the go way too much! Boy, I sure do use that exclamation point a lot. LOL :0)


Yesterday was our sweet baby girl's doctor appointment. She has sure grown. She is now 18 lbs and 30 inches long. She has a cold and an ear infection. So, she's a bit cranky. (I say like her mama!) LOL


I found a new blog to visit and she had a nice recipe posted there. I have written it down and plan on using it next week. I don't have any beef broth right now. I'll have to work it into a menu. I have just been winging it here lately. Going to Aldi's tomorrow and will see what I can pick up for a good price. With feeding so many of us I try to have healthy, good but cheaper meals. Is there really such a thing anymore? Seems like every time I turn around something new isn't good for us! Then in a couple of years it's oh, not so bad for us. I never know what to cook. LOL


Tomorrow while I'm gone I will have some Taco Soup going in the crockpot. Our oldest has requested this. It is very yummy with Tortilla chips. So, that will be a good dinner tomorrow night. Tonight is a chicken casserole. I have some cooked chicken in the frig and need to use it up so that it doesn't ruin. So, I'll run and get the kids in a bit and start dinner. Yummy, creamy casserole. I'll probably make biscuits to go with it. The casserole makes a gravy that is so good and the biscuits will complement it very well.



Well, that's it for today. Kind of a gloomy looking day today. Cloudy and looks like we're going to get some rain. There isn't rain in the forecast but we all know how that goes.....


I'll update after I get back from the grocery tomorrow if I got any good deals. :0)

Toodles,
Angie

Busy, Busy, Busy...

I have been crazy busy here lately. Haven't had much time to devote to writing. The kids, DH and I have all been running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Hopefully the routine will kick in and it will all be better soon.


I actually have 2 scrapbooking pages done. With the help of Mrs. Buffi!! Hug! Hug! She was so enthusiastic with helping me with my first page that I am so very greatful. I will have to post a picture of it and of the other page. I still have to do one more page to have at least all of the kids on a page. Our youngest little boy needs his picture on a page too. I have something I am wanting to do on his so I'll get to that hopefully this week.


Tomorrow DH and I have some errands to do and hopefully lunch out together. Seems like we're so busy that we don't get much one on one time together. So, we'll do lunch just us and the baby.


Uncle Mike-if you are reading this I chuckle at the thought!! We had Pork Chops for lunch and Chicken for dinner! LOL (sort of an inside joke) Oh, I mailed you a picture of MG in her camo.


I haven't really planned out our meals for this week. I am sure it will be simple as can be. Our oldest has requested Taco Soup. We really like that~!!


Well, the kids are all in the bed now and I think we are going to sit back, take a deep breath and watch a movie~if we can stay awake long enough.


Night.
Angie

I have officially been tagged. So I am suppose to tell 6 things about myself. So, here it goes.

1. I use to draw while I was in school. I actually framed one of my pictures and it is hanging in my stairway. It's the first thing you see when you start down the stairs.

2. I love, love, love recipes! I probably like them WAY too much.

3. I had a rabbit when I was a little girl. It got out one day and I tried chasing it to get it back & it died!

4. I too like to sing in the shower & the car. I also know that it just has to sound terrible but I do it anyway. LOL

5. I really enjoy going to church with my husband and our children. It means so much to me. I got saved 3 years ago. I pray daily for God to save my family because I know that so many are not.

6. I enjoy cooking for my family. I feel like I'm always in the kitchen though. lol

So, there is my info and now I have to tag 6 others. Here are some....I hope that no one minds.


http://www.mycountrycupboard.blogspot.com/

http://prairiebluestem.blogspot.com/

http://grace4gayle.blogspot.com/

http://thechickenscoop-lindachicken.blogspot.com/

School Starts Tomorrow!

It is so hard to believe that school is going to start tomorrow. It seems like the kids just started their vacation. We went to orientation today and the kids seemed to be all excited about seeing their friends. They were all giggles and laughs.

This year our youngest son will start Pre-K. He didn't seem as excited about staying in the classroom while Mom was busy listening to the new rules and special dates and things they had to tell the parents. He came downstairs and said, "Mom, I don't really feel like staying up there right now!" So, I had to take him back to his class. He knows now that he has to stay in there and not leave. He acts like he's a grown up for sure. He's only 4.

I uploaded some pictures today and wanted to post them for everyone that visits to see. I have given out this blog address so that family and friends can come and see pictures without me having to e-mail everyone. I will post some pictures on here tonight before I finish my post.

I have to show you our baby girl's hair when her big brother-our 4 year old-fixed her hair! He just loved it! I do have to say she looked so cute that I had to take her picture for proof when she gets older. She may beat him up over these pictures but they're cute anyway.

I need to get in the bed and get some sleep. I have to get them all up and going in the morning. Lunches are made and in the frig, clothes are set out, baths are done and they have their teeth brushed and are in the bed.

I think their lunch tomorrow will be a good one (it sounds like a ton of food, but its small amounts of a variety of foods, you can add a slice of cheese to our youngest's box-he's a cheese lover):

Spaghetti Pizza

Carrots, Celery and Broccoli

Grapes

Watermelon

Wheat Crackers

and either Water or Tea (whichever they prefer)

Well, now for the pictures. I'll post the one of the spiked hair and of her in her camo. I'll post later on the picture that I take of their 1st day of school. I try to always do this that way from year to year we can see what they look like. Just a memory/Mom thing I guess.

It is a beautiful day today!! I am so glad. It is just awesome!

I have a few things that I need to do today so I can't write a whole lot. The baby is taking her nap, the kids are playing and being quiet-maybe I shouldn't type that because that may ruin it! HA! I have a few things that I need to pick up at Wal-Mart today, so I'll be running out later.

Lunch today is: Chili and Cornbread (simple but good)

Dinner is: Melt in Your Mouth Chicken, Velveet Shells and Cheese and Rolls

Here are the recipes for the Chicken and the Rolls:


Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

1- 3lb. chicken (boil until tender)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups chicken broth (I used the water the chicken cooked in)
1 stick melted margarine
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup self rising flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cube chicken and place in greased casserole dish. Combine the cream of chicken soup and the chicken broth and pour over chicken. Combine margarine, buttermilk, flour, salt and pepper and pour over above to make crust.Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.


I've not made the rolls before so this will be an experiment for me. I'll post my review later after we have tried them. The chicken is very good. I have made it before and we love it!

40 Minute Rolls

2 Tbsp yeast
1 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1-2 cups white flour

Combine the yeast and warm water. Add the oil and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and knead until a soft dough forms. Shape into balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Rest 10 minutes. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes until done. Makes 12 rolls.

That is all I have time for right now so until next time be good and be frugal!

I was ask to post the recipe that I use for Refried Beans. These are by far the best beans ever! First off what I do is I take my Pinto beans and soak them over night in water. The next morning I drain the water and put the beans into my crockpot. I add bacon, salt and pepper to them and cook them until dinner (for some of you that's supper) time. I will make them just beans for dinner then the next day I will make Refried Beans out of them. You can do it the same night as well, I just choose not to. If you aren't going to use them right away to make your Refried beans freeze until you are going to. You will want to make them Refried Beans and eat them right then. They will loose all of their juice if you freeze them.

I will post the link to one of my favorite places to visit. She has a wonderful collection of recipes here and it's just awesome! I don't really want to take her recipe and put it here, so I'll just link it for you. I hope that you make them and enjoy them like we do.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/refriedbeans.htm

Also, you can eat them as a side or make Bean Burritos. My boys love Bean and Cheese Burritos! Which I guess my boys like most beans that I have made. That is such a plus. They are very good eaters. We have had several kids over at the house that really don't eat a wide variety of foods and I'm so thankful that my kids like different things. I would say that son #3 is the best about trying new foods. He will try anything to eat! It's funny because if I'm making something new I always have him try it first. He's also the skinniest! HA! HA!

Hope your day is a blessed one.

Today has been a filled day. The baby had a check-up today. Boy has she grown! She is up to 17 lb and 14 oz. I think she was 29" long, maybe 29 something. She is doing good. They checked her iron and all is well. Hard to believe that she will be a year old in Oct. Time just flys!



I made up my menu for next week. I really need to stick to it. Here it is in case you are interested. It will help me keep track of it putting it here too. I also have my grocery list made out so that I can make sure I have all of the things that I need. I have meat in the freezer and will pick some up if it's on sale.



Friday:

Chicken Alfredo and Salad



Saturday:

Melt in Your Mouth Chicken (has it's own gravy)

Mashed Potatoes

Corn

Rolls



Sunday:

We will be eating dinner at church. I will be taking Cream Corn and a dessert.



Monday:

Oven Cooked Pork Loin Chops in a bag and season

Salad

Baked Potatoes

Stuffing

Cooked Carrots



Tuesday:

Bean Burritos

Salad



Wednesday:

Spaghetti Pizza

Green Beans

Garlic Bread



Thursday:

Meatballs and Brown Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Corn

Rolls


Lunches will be:

Homemade Pizza (Italian Sausage and Pepperoni)
Taco Soup
Tacos or Taco Salad
Chili with cornbread
Buttered Noodles (from grace4gayle)
Pb&J, Tuna, Grilled Cheese etc.

I would love to hear from anyone else what they do for meals. Do you plan them? This seems to help save money because you know exactly what you need for the week and don't have to run out and get something quick and or frozen.

Hugs....

A few of my favorite blogs that I visit.

The summer break is almost over for the kids. Our kids will go back to school on Aug. 14. Public school has just started today. I know there are a lot of kids out there that just were not ready to go back. It seems like every year they go back to school earlier and earlier.

On another note I made Buttered Noodles last night with our dinner. They were very good. I got the recipe from http://grace4gayle.blogspot.com/ She has another site that I just love to visit-it's wonderful! http://grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/ You will find that I am totally an addict to recipes. I love to find new recipes to make for my family. I like having different things to eat all of the time instead of the same ol same night after night.

I have other blogs that I love to visit so I will be posting some of them as well. It's nice to have a place to go and read and learn about how others do things. It's interesting to see how much a family of 6 or 7 can get by on only spending $50-75 a week on groceries when I know that we are spending well over $100 and feel like there's nothing in the frig!

My friend Miriam just started a blog and has some wonderful pictures over there of a cake that she just made. You should go and check it out. Miriam always has something baking..... www.mycountrycupboard.blogspot.com

I also visit another blog that has some really good stuff to read about. Genevieve also has some great recipes there too. She's out of Christian County, KY. She has pictures of lots of pictures
and things of area places. Here's her blog..... http://prairiebluestem.blogspot.com/ You should
check it out sometime.

I have rambled on enough so I'm going to go and make some lunch. I need to get a menu together for next week since the kids will be starting school I'll have lunches to prepare.

Hugs to you all,

Angie

Karate Friends

Here is a picture of our twins and their friend at Karate. Ours are the ones on both sides of their friend.

A few pictures of our family.....

I just love this picture of these two sweet little faces!

Here is our sweet baby girl. She is so sweet. Just growing up too fast.

Here is a recent picture of all of the kids. Of course the only girl in the picture is crying! Those boys!! They hate wearing shirts around the house.

I just thought I would share. They may not be the best photos compared to professional photos but these are photos of my kids in real life, not all gussied up and in their Sunday best. Just them being them photos and those are my favorites!

My very first blog.....

Hello. I am very new to the blogging world. I have been reading several and have become an adict to them. There are several that have recently become my favorites. I can't imagine having such a wonderful selection that these blogs have to read. I hope to just share what goes on with my family to anyone that may be interested.

I am a wife of a wonderful man that is very loving, funny and a great provider. We have had so many funny days along with lifes ups, downs and many turns. We do so well I believe because at the end of the day we can tell each other where the other went wrong or what bothered us in whatever was going on. We can laugh at each other and know it's because we love each other that we are laughing!!

We are so very blessed to have 5 beautiful children that are full of energy and funny as can be!

Our older four are boys and our youngest is a girl. It's so different having a girl. I honestly wouldn't have thought it would be but it is. It's wonderful having our children. Like I said, we're very blessed. I thank God every day for my husband and our children and everything that he has done in our lives.

Now, I'm not a perfect housewife. You could come over at any given time and see dirty laundry in the basket, dirty dishes in the sink or toys in our living room-which are suppose to be in the kid's bedrooms. You could see any of that, but you'd also see that my kids are

happy, healthy, fed and clean. We are just normal everyday people.

We are not out to impress anyone, just trying to live day to day the way that we should.

If you stick around you'll find some recipes that I like to use and maybe a funny story here and there. Just give me a little bit to get use to telling what is going on in my life and I'll be glad to share with you.

Hope you'll check back.

Hugs,

Angie