Project: Domestic Bliss

Nikki's secret Holiday Blog!!

2009-11-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

so if you read my blog last year, you would know I was one of the selected ladies to participate in the Thrifty Under $50 sponsored by youcanmakethis.com

I made a secret blog that you had to email me to get the address, but lately, I have had tons of requests to see it since we are so close to the holidays that I thought I would just post it here!!

So if you are looking for cheap hand made gifts that dont look cheap and hand made (lol!!) check it out here:

http://nikkisthriftyunderfifty.blogspot.com/

Heaven...

2009-11-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I know it has been a while, and I want to try to keep this blog up as much as I can, but a lot of changes have been going on in my life the last few months, so I am trying to adjust!

But I got this beautiful email from my sister today, so I thought I would share it with you all!!
Have a blessed day :)
****I know its long, but WELL worth the read!!!****
---------------------------------

17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject was what Heaven was like. 'I wowed 'em,' he later told his father, Bruce. 'It's a killer. It's the bomb. It's the best thing I ever wrote..' It also was the last.

Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted.

The Moores framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room. 'I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it,' Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. 'I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in heaven. I know I'll see him.'

Brian's Essay:
The Room...
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read 'Girls I have liked.' I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named 'Friends' was next to one marked 'Friends I have betrayed.' The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird 'Books I Have Read,' 'Lies I Have Told,' 'Comfort I have Given,' 'Jokes I Have Laughed at ' Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: 'Things I've yelled at my brothers.' Others I couldn't laugh at: 'Things I Have Done in My Anger', 'Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.' I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.

Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked 'TV Shows I have watched', I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked 'Lustful Thoughts,' I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.

I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!' In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

And then I saw it.. The title bore 'People I Have Shared the Gospel With.' The handle was brighter than those around it,seemed newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.
No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.

He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. 'No!' I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was 'No, no,' as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.

He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, 'It is finished.' I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. '-Phil. 4:13 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.' If you feel the same way forward it so the love of Jesus will touch their lives also. My 'People I shared the gospel with' file just got bigger, how about yours?

{Awesome Day......}

2009-09-13T14:46:00.001-07:00

Today was AWESOME....I went to church this morning and guess who our guest for the day was??

RICARDO SANCHEZ!!

That's right, the man that wrote that beautiful song, Moving Forward. (I featured it here a few days ago)

I felt like the Spirit was totally moving today, and it was amazing to see him perform it live, as well as lead our praise and worship time this morning!

Thank you Ricardo for joining us!!
(side note...I was so mad I didn't get to go get a photo with him, but I was volunteering after service to pass out booklets for our church wide bible study! But he was standing right across from me! lol)

{Recipe of the Day: Easy, kid friendly, pizza!}

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

this pizza is so easy, your kids can even help and its all done in UNDER 30 minutes! No Kidding!!

Here is what you will need:
2pkg. popcan type biscuits
1 1/2C. prepared pasta sauce
2C. grated cheese
1/2pkg. sliced pepperoni (or any type of toppings you would like)

Here is how to make it:
1. pre heat your oven according to the brand of biscuits you purchased

2. place parchment paper or a silpat onto a baking sheet and spray lightly with PAM type spray. then open biscuits and place on sheet, sides touching.

3. push biscuits down so they start to form a crust. Don't worry if there are gaps between them, they will fill in as you cook the pizza.

4. spread top with pasta sauce, then sprinkle on cheese, pepperoni, and any other toppings you would like.

5. bake according to the biscuit's that you purchased PLUS 5 minutes to make sure they are cooked through....make sure to keep an eye on them because ovens vary! :)

{Menu Planning: Tips}

2009-09-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! Long time, no blog! But I have so many blogs planned, I hope I don't have a very long pause!

Anyway, I wanted to give you all a post today about something I get asked about ALL THE TIME....Menu Planning!

I think sometimes we are at a loss with menu planning and just don't know where to start. We all know we should do it, but we just don't! So I wanted to put all of your questions together that you have sent me and tell you what I do! :)

Q: How long does it take you to plan a menu?
A: Well, I plan 3 meals a day for 4 people, so it takes me about an hour and a half to plan a menu and get a shopping list together.

Q: How do you decide what you will eat?
A: First, I search through all the local store ads and write down all the good deals, so I know to make my meals out of those products. Then, I ask everyone in the family if there is anything in particular that they would like to eat this week, and try to take those suggestions into consideration.

Q: Where do you find recipes?
A: Well, I don't really use "recipes", but I use ideas from them, more as a guideline I guess. I love searching other blog's, my old site, Gourmet Momma, the girls over at cook it, blog it (another cooking site I run...I think I am seeing a pattern here) I also use cook books, books from my culinary school, and sometimes, I just make stuff up! GET CREATIVE!!!

Q: do you use coupons to determine your meals?
A: yes and no. If I have a coupon that is for something we will eat, I will save it, if its for something I know we wont like or that is really bad for you, even if it makes it free, I don't use it. So I write down my coupons along with the sales flyer info so I know what to use.

Q: where do you keep your menu plan?
A: Well, on that little pad up there at the top, its on my fridge!

TIPS WORTH NOTING:
--make sure you plan our side dishes with all your meals
--have plenty of fruit and healthy snacks on hand so people dont eat things that are supposed to be cooked into dinner!
--look through your fridge, freezer, cabinets, pantry, etc. BEFORE you shop, so you know that you have three bottles of dressing already and you dont need anymore for that salad you want on Tuesday.
--HAVE FUN...this is menu planning, not brain surgery! If you try something new and your family doesn't like it, keep some pasta and sauce in the pantry at all times to whip up a simple meal you know they will all love! :)

I hope this helps! If you have any menu planning strategies, let me know in the comments section below! :)

{Banana Nut Waffles}

2009-08-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

So, I LOVE me a good waffle, but add in some mashed up banana's and some walnuts, and I am in waffle heaven!

Check out my latest creation:

Banana Nut Waffles-
What you will need:
4 eggs
1C. milk
1T. baking powder
1/2t. salt
1 1/2C. All Purpose Flower
1/2C. wheat flour (you can use all wheat or all AP to taste)
1/2C. (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1T. sugar (I used all natural!)
1T. vanilla
2 over ripe banana's, mashed
1C. walnuts, chopped

In a bowl, beat your eggs until fluffy, then add in butter, sugar, vanilla, and milk.

Sift in dry ingredients, and mix just till combined (there will be some lumps, this is ok!)

Fold in mashed banana and nuts
(I left this step for last, because if you have picky eaters, the waffle recipe is perfect by its self, so you can make your kid's waffles first, then add in the banana and nuts for you!)

Cook on your waffle iron until done! :) ENJOY....

I know Lagan did!!

{End of the Grocery Challenge!}

2009-08-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

The All You grocery challenge is over!!!!! I'm so sad...but I had an amazing time blogging recipes and food posts and sharing money saving tips!

Thanks to everyone for putting up with my lack of decorating and projects while I was food crazy! hehe

I have posted my final totals on the side bar if your interested. All of my receipts are in a baggie and labeled for safe keeping! :)
Gosh, I hope I win!! hehe

As to everyone who asked if I would still be making recipe posts...YES!!! Just not every day! :) But I will be posting recipes and more food photos, so stay tuned.

{Sunday Inspiration...Moving Forward}

2009-08-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

Today in church, I witnessed Christ in work, right before my eyes!

One of our amazing Pastors was talking about the Bible stating we are all Priests, a Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-12). Priests are there to help people when they need it, cry with them when they need someone to cry with, pray with them when they need someone to pray with, etc. We should all be able to do this as the body of Christ. Not because we are perfect, but because God calls us to as His people.

So, Pastor Earl asked for everyone who has lost their jobs due to the economy to raise our hands. Many, many, many hands went up in the air.

Then he asked, who will not be able to pay their rent this month? A lady sitting a few seats away from us raised her hand, and Pastor Earl asked her to come forward. The lady's name is Ann.

Ann said that she left New York and a good job to move here to take care of her 6 month old grandson, because his parents are in jail!
Pastor earl asked her..."how much is your rent?" "$890.00" Ann said.

Pastor Earl then said "Can anyone in here be a Priest for Ann?" I stood in awe with tears running down my face as 3000 people walked to the front to hand cash to Ann. Some with $1.00, some with $100 or more. Adults, Children, people in wheelchairs, Christians, and those that had not yet given their life to Christ...all being Priests for this woman. I stood there thinking...Jesus...you are here right now! I can feel you, I can see you, I know you are here!

I am crying right now writing this because I know there are so many people who have lost hope. They are living in the world and don't have anyone to give them direction. They don't have a Priest to go to. As Ann left the church, she told my step dad that this was her FIRST time at our church! God had a plan for her, and He has a plan for you!

So I want to share this song with you as a reminder....we are all Priests to someone. What can you do, big or small to help someone move ahead with their life?

Let's all....Move Forward! :)
Blessings

I'm not going back
I'm moving ahead
I'm here to declare to you
my past is over
In You old things are made new
Surrender my life to Christ
I'm moving moving forward

What a moment
You have brought me to
Such a freedom
I have found in You
your the Healer

You make all things new
Yeah Yeah Yeah
I'm not going back
I'm moving ahead
I'm here to declare to you
my past is over
In You old things are made new
Surrender my life to Christ
I'm moving moving forward

You have risen
With all power in Your Hands
You have given me
A second Chance
Hallelujah Hallelujah

Yeah Yeah Yeah
Yeah Yeah Yeah

I'm not going back
I'm moving ahead
I'm here to declare to you
my past is over
In You old things are made new
Surrender my life to Christ
I'm moving moving forward

You make all things new
You make all things new
I will follow You forward

{I NEED YOUR HELP...YES...YOU!!}

2009-08-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! So....I need your help!! I was surfing around blogs about a week ago, and I found this BEAUTIFUL kitchen that someone had redone with the bead board wallpaper, and she had painted the whole thing red. She also had a beautiful island and her dining table had a modern drum-shaped light hanging over it that looked almost like burlap!

Has ANYONE else seen this blog? If so, could you PLEASE let me know what the address is in the Comments below?! Thanks so much awesome readers...and don't worry, I will be back with some recipes soon!!!! :)

{How To: Spruce up a bulletin board}

2009-08-05T22:06:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to finally get this posted! I have been so stuck on food, I had forgotten about my DIY projects I have been working on! :)

Today I am going to show you how to take an UGLY old bulletin board (or a new one if you want, hehe) and make it FAB-O!!

Here is what you need:

a bulletin board

fabric (enough to cover the front)

spray adhesive

ribbon (enough to go around the edges)

hot glue gun

scrapbooking paper

glass marble things from the floral department of your craft store

modge podge or school glue

pushpins that are almost flat

Craft paint (optional)

ok, here is what I did, I started by painting the edges of the frame so they are white. Then I measured and cut the fabric BACKWARDS to make sure it fit:

Next, I sprayed it down with spray adhesive:

then flipped it over CAREFULLY, make sure your sides don't stick (you might want someone to help you on this step) and press down fabric so there are no gaps or bubbles:

next, you want to cut your ribbon to fit each side...make sure they are separate cuts, not all one long piece, then use your glue gun to glue down to the sides:

Then you will want to make your push pins.
I started with these large glass thingys

and I cut our scrapbooking paper to fit the bottoms, glued it on using modgepodge, and then hot glued a push pin to the back:

Then you can push them into your board, and its ready for hanging! :)

Dont forget to check out all the awesome DIY projects at Kimba's Blog:

http://asoftplacetoland-kimba.blogspot.com/2009/08/diy-day.html

{Meals from Monday: Week 4}

2009-08-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

Wow...week 4 is already here, I can not believe we are almost finished with the all you grocery challenge! I have had a really fun time being creative with a budget and what I already have on hand! Its been really fun blogging about it with all of you as well!

On a quick note...to everyone who was praying for us on Sunday, Lagan is just fine, doctor said everything was normal...no cancer or anything! Thank you Jesus!!! :)

So, on to food...
for breakfast this morning I made my awesome oatmeal with apples and biscuits. (just click the names to be taken to the recipes)

lunch was spaghetti...Lagan's fave!

Dinner, I made turkey meatloaf. If you have a larger family, you might want to double this recipe...after all, if you have leftovers, you can always make meatloaf sandwiches tomorrow!

What you will need:
1lb ground turkey meat (extra lean if possible)
1C bread crumbs
1/2C ketchup
1T. dried onion
1/2t. each salt and pepper
1/2t. garlic powder
1 egg
1/2C milk

stir all ing. together and mold onto cookie sheet (make sure you spray it with cooking spray REALLY well!) until it looks like a loaf and bake at 400 for 1 hour.

I served mine with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli :)

{Meals from Sunday, Week 3}

2009-08-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday was busy with church and having the family over, so meals were simple! :)

Breakfast was sweet rolls (pre made from the store...not as good as mine, but ok!)

Lunch we picked up Jack in the Box's new meals that are $2.99, pretty good value! (added about $14.00 onto my bill though...)

Dinner was BLTA's...Bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado sandwiches with baked chips. These were really great!

{Meals from Saturday, Week 3}

2009-08-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry readers, I know I am behind, but I am catching up now to the grocery challenge!! So check back through the last few posts to make sure you didn't miss anything!! :)

Meals from Saturday included:
yeast donuts made easy! WOW...these were SO much easier than my other donuts, and I have to say...a lot better tasting and CHEAP!

All you have to do is take a pop tin of biscuits (the ones in the dairy section) and push your thumb through the middle gently and stretch out a small hole. Then drop them in the fryer for a few seconds until golden brown on each side! SO GOOD!!!
(for frosting I just mixed powdered sugar and milk until it was as thick as I wanted it)

lunch was egg salad sandwiches...mmmmmmmmm....
and for dinner I made cheese enchiladas, per my own recipe here, and faux fried beans, recipe here.

It was SOOO good! And my brother in law and sister were here all day helping us with the house, so I was feeding 6 people all day and still stayed on budget! :)

{Meals from Friday, Week 3}

2009-08-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

Wow, I cant believe Week 3 of the grocery challenge is almost over!

Here is what we ate on Friday:
Breakfast was my version of the "Shack" Taco served with strawberries

This Taco has eggs, chorizo, potatoes, and cheese all in homemade tortillas! MMMMMMM.... These were made famous by a little taco place called, duh, The Taco Shack!

We had lunch @ my sister's because my daughter was in a play from Music and Drama camp this week! :)

For dinner, we had our bible study group and I made homemade baguettes and served them with spinach and artichoke dip. I didn't get a photo before it was all gobbled up, but I did get the recipe! hehe

Baguette Recipe
Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

{Meals from Thursday, Week 3}

2009-08-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Breakfast on Thursday was oatmeal with apples and toast.
Lunch was leftovers from the week, and for dinner I made tuna cakes served with broccoli cheese rice and peas!

Tuna Cakes recipe here: TUNA CAKES
these were SOOOO good!!

{Meals from Wed. of week 3}

2009-08-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was fun and easy...pancakes and sausage for breakfast, cheese quesadillas for lunch, and Migas for dinner! YUM!

Migas for 2:

4 eggs, scrambled
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
1 corn tortilla, torn into bite size pieces
1C. shredded cheese

In a small skillet, cook tomato, jalapeno and onion until onion turns clear.
Add in tortillas and cook 1 more minute.
Add in eggs and scramble all ingredients together.
Top with cheese and serve with tortillas! :)

Meals from Tuesday of week 3!

2009-08-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning I made omelette's with fresh spinach, leftover black forest ham and cheese...yum!

Lunch was tuna salad sandwiches...we love these!

For dinner, I made a southern fave...fried catfish, now this can be baked really easily, since it has a cornmeal crust, it will get nice and crispy in the oven! :) I also made hush puppies (recipe below) and coleslaw with low fat dressing. Dessert? Yeah...Peach Cobbler Baby! Got to take advantage of those fresh Texas Peaches that you can pick right off your tree in your backyard and throw into a cobbler!! :)

Hush puppies (all measurements are an estimate...I don't measure these!)
1C. yellow cornmeal
1/2C. flour
2T. baking powder
1t. salt
pinch of sugar
1/2C. chopped onion
enough milk to make it all come together about the consistency of pancake batter.

Put all ingredients together and let set about 15 min...mix will rise up and consistency will look like mousse.

Drop spoonfuls into your hot oil and fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

For cobber, check out this recipe: Salt Lick Peach Cobbler

{Week 3: All You Grocery Challenge}

2009-07-27T22:21:00.000-07:00

So week three started today, and I wanted to give you all a recap on the meals from today. Also, I am going to update the sidebar with my total so far for this week, so watch for that in just a moment! :)

For breakfast, we had rice crispies with bananas...didn't get a picture, but my mom used to make this for me all the time when I was a kid and I still am loving it!!

Lunch was black forest ham sandwiches on homemade bread (which was still warm!! YUM!!) and we had fruit and Frito's with it.

Dinner, I made baked chicken with a BBQ flavored Rub, DELISH...these leg 1/4s were already in my freezer, part of my meat stockpile, so they were totally free! We also had baked beans and I made my FAMOUS cornbread. (I take this to my bible study group all the time and I have never brought home leftovers!!)

Here is how to make the cornbread:
(before you make this, let it be known that this is super sweet, cake-like, super moist cornbread...not southern style dry crumby cornbread!)

you will need:
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350º.

In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the oil, melted butter, honey, eggs, and milk.

Pour into a greased 8-inch square pan.

Bake for 35 minutes.

{End of week 2, All You Grocery Challenge}

2009-07-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

So it's the start of week three!!
I have all my groceries, so I will be updating my tally on the sidebar in a moment! But first I wanted to get you caught up on the meals from the end of last week!

Saturday:
Breakfast was a healthier version of eggs Benedict. I made whole grain English muffins, poached eggs, sauteed black forest ham, and sauteed tomato slices...SOOO good!!

Lunch we had smashed potatoes like what I made the other night. My sister was here, so I thought she would like them....they went over REALLY well!

Dinner was eggplant Parmesan...yum! Simple, easy, and when baked, not fried, healthy!

Then Sunday,
for breakfast we had cereal and toast
lunch was another huge salad, but we tossed on some extra shrimp from the other night and some hard boiled eggs!

for dinner I made Chinese noodles and egg rolls that were baked. I just mixed cooked noodles with Asian toasted sesame dressing, a little bit of teriyaki sauce and water then added in some steamed broccoli.

{Sooo....what do you think?}

2009-07-26T22:21:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I changed the blog again! I just couldnt leave well enough alone! I wasn't happy with the last design, and I always wanted a retro 1950's housewife theme going on, so I did it!

Let me know what you think in the COMMENTS SECTION!!
Should I keep it, should I go back to the old design, do you even care? LOL!! I would LOVE to know your thoughts!

{shrimp, burritos and cookies?}

2009-07-24T15:16:00.000-07:00

So the title sounds like an odd combination, but I assure you, I did not eat them all at once! lol

No, just a recap of yesterday and today's meals!
So yesterday, Thrusday, we had eggs and leftover bacon for breakfast (not picture worthy! lol). For lunch, my sister came over and we went to the store to pick up some stuff for lunch.
I made more home made tortiallas...but this time I rolled them out with a rolling pin instead of the tortilla press...much more thin and DELISH! They were gone in seconds! At the store we picked up supplies to make Chili con queso with ground beef in it and chips! SO GOOD! Lagan wont eat that, so I got her a frozen kids meal...a special treat for her! And we got some soda..which I dont drink, but good for the crowd! lol
I FORGOT TO TAKE A PIC!! DARN IT! :)

Dinner, I DID get a pic of... I made baja shrimp with shrimp I got on sale like 4 weeks ago and put in the freezer, a baja seasoning packet I had in the pantry since we moved here I'm sure, and some orzo pasta that has been in there just as long! :) So a totally free meal...which made up for the $15 I spent at the store for lunch! but we are still under budget!! YAY!! Here is the shrimp:

AND...if your still with me after this long post, If your interested, I have posted my running totals on the sidebar for the grocery challenge from All You Magazine, as well as a link to their blog so you can follow other frugal chicks along the way! :)

Now, TODAY...FRIDAY, we woke up and had the rest of the bagels from the baking day last week, as well as some yogurt that we needed to finish! (However, I still have yogurt in the fridge...I never buy yogurt, yet there always seems to be a never ending supply in the fridge! lol)
Lunch was burritos:
just take some flour tortillas (homemade is awesome!), leftover refried beans from last week, some taco bell sauce packets {just grab extra on your next trip!}, onionn if you wish, and the rest of the cheese at the bottom of the package! lol Roll all together and microwave about 1.5minutes. YUMMY!!!

Dinner, we are going to bible study and its sort of potluck, so I am bringing Oatmeal Rasin Cookies: RECIPE HERE.

{Steakhouse at Home}

2009-07-22T23:10:00.000-07:00

Today's meals were really good! We started the morning off with Lagan's Favorite, FRENCH TOAST!! MMMMM!!!!!

For lunch I made a tossed salad with ing. that we had left over from all of our meals, plus some odds and ends from the fridge. It was a major hit! I also served the rest of the rolls from the other night, and I made the croutons from the heels of the bread I made earlier in the week.

For dinner I decided to make a steak house at home. After all, going to a steak house can cost upwards of $20 per person or more! So I grabbed some meat I got on sale about 3 weeks ago that I had in the freezer and marinated it like so:

then I cooked it in a pan that was REALLY hot just until it turned brown so it wasn't tough. Then I sauteed some mushrooms that I had in the fridge with some steak sauce and water! Makes a really wonderful sauce!

I also made "smashed potatoes". I made the baked potatoes in the microwave, then smashed them with a plate! Then topped them with bacon, cheese, and dried chives and baked them for about 10 minutes on 350.
(these were SOOOOOO GOOD!!)

I also made wedge lettuce salad with an iceberg wedge and Russian dressing I already had. And made a bag of mixed veggie steamers!

So there you have it, take simple ingredients like this:

and make them into this:

Steak house on a budget!! :)

{How to save money on HEALTHY foods!!}

2009-07-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

As you may know by now I am participating in the All You Magazine grocery challenge to feed my family of 4 for under $100 a week ($25/person/week for 4 weeks) but we have to be healthy and creative!

So we all know how to get less than healthy foods at the store for cheap, or even for free! But how do you feed your family whole, real, healthy foods on a budget? I have 10 tips to share with you that will get you on the right track without busting your budget!

Budget saving tip #1: Purchase Seasonal Produce
this is really easy! Only buy whats in season and you wont pay for it! Do a search for "seasonal produce" in google and print it out with you when you go to the store.

Budget saving tip #2: Go vegetarian...Kinda
meat is expensive, so save yourself some cash by going meatless 2-3 times a week. But don't just subtract the meat, make sure you fill in the gaps with healthy protein sources, such as beans, tofu, boca, etc.

Budget saving tip #3: Be your own prep Chef
sure its easy to buy those onions in the produce section that are already chopped, but have you seen how much you are paying per pound? Best idea is to get your produce, such as onions, bell peppers, etc. when they are cheap and buy a ton. Take them home, prep them all at the same time and freeze in large bags. If you cook the peppers and onions after they have been frozen, you wont even notice that they weren't fresh!

Budget saving tip #4: Proportion your portions
meaning, buy a large sack of what you want and divide into your own bags instead of buying snack sizes. Take a trip to your local Club or Warehouse (such as Sams or Costco) and buy the large bags of chips, bagels, oreos, etc. and some baggies, your cost per serving will be way less!

Budget saving tip #5: Season yourself
pre seasoned rices and noodles can be tasty, but they are also loaded with sodium! Buy your spices in a bulk section so you only get what you need for very little $, and season your own foods...no added health risk needed!

Budget saving tip #6: Don't shop on Empty
Make sure you eat something before you go shopping so everything doesn't look as appealing! Your craving for popchips will be a lot less if you had an apple with peanut butter before hand.

Budget saving tip #7: Beware of liquid sugars
sure our kids want juice and sports drinks, but beware that they are liquid sugar with very little nutritious value compared to their sticker price. Instead, check out the frozen juice section, where you can find more healthful juices for a much lower cost.

Budget saving tip #8: Don't bulk up on everything
Sure some buys are great in bulk, but others are not. Make sure you are checking the cost per serving and comparing that to a smaller size package of your favorite foods. Only purchase the larger one if it is a better value.

Budget saving tip #9: Don't be wasteful
So the heads of lettuce were 20cents this week, so you bought 4, but if you don't eat them before they go bad, then you wasted the money, no matter how little it was. Instead, only buy what your family needs to insure there will be no waste!

Budget saving tip #10: Put your focus on the Food
other household items can sometimes be cheaper at discount stores such as the dollar store, walmart, or even Costco. So do a price comparison to see if you can save money by picking these items up on a different trip, not your grocery day!

So I hope these helped you out! Remember to also plan your meals ahead of time, make a list, and stick to it! Your on your way to feeding your family the right things at the right price!

{Playing Catchup with Recipes!}

2009-07-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

So sorry everyone, I finally found my camera battery charger and got everything up and running again! But you will have to excuse some of these images...they are from my other camera that is REALLY terrible since I cant control the focus or the manual settings like I can on my Rebel! :(

But here is catchin' up for you! Also, I decided to do a total of all my ingredients at the end of the week instead of by the meal! :)

Saturday: we had Oatmeal with Apples and toast for breakfast

we went to a family Birthday for lunch, so lunch was free!

and I made BBQ chicken pizza for dinner!

Sunday: we had home made bagels for breakfast with jelly

for lunch we had turkey sandwiches on home made bread with chips (I love adding tons of veggies to mine!)

and for dinner we had baked pasta with meatballs made from leftover turkey meat. I also threw in some canned spinach that I have had sitting in my pantry for ever, and I grated up some zucchini into it as well...SO good! I also made some garlic toast on our homemade bread! YUM!!

Monday: breakfast was scratch made waffles with turkey sausage

lunch was tuna salad sandwiches and fritos (the kind with reduced salt...they are SO much better!!)

dinner I made hamburger soup and buttery bread machine rolls... these rolls are OUT OF THIS WORLD!! If you have never tried them, you HAVE to! Your family will thank you!! :)

Then Today, Tuesday: we had grits, toast, and peaches for breakfast
lunch, we had pizza (its always good to keep extra sauce and cheese around if you dont have leftovers and whip up pizza anytime!) and for dinner I made 8 layer tortilla stack..not bad! :)
{sorry I didnt get a picture...I was starving and forgot to take one before it was all gone! lol}

So that catches you up for now! :) Thanks for tuning in!!!

{Food Coming soon!}

2009-07-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! So I have my photos of the food from the last 2 days and I will upload them, but my battery died in my camera and I cant find my charger!! lol So as soon as I find it and get that uploaded, I will have it up asap! :)

{Who is this girl we call Nikki?...FAQ}

2009-07-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

So I have been getting tons of new readers from the All you challenge and all of my awesome blog friends sending people over that I thought I would do a little FAQ session with you all!

These are all questions I have had from people over the time that I have had from this blog, so I wanted to put them all together in one place.....HOWEVER, if you have a question for me that I am not answering here, please feel free to leave it in the comment section below and I will answer it for you! :)

So...HERE WE GO!! (this is so exciting! hehe...I'm SUCH a dork!)

ok, so #1...
Q. How old are you?
A. I am 25 believe it or not!

Q. Is your real name Nikki or is that an Alias?
A. No, my real name is Nikki, but most of my family calls me Nic.

Q. What kind of camera do you use for your pics?
A. I use a canon digital rebel XT with a 50mm fixed lens (the 1.8 one). I LOVE my camera, we will never part...well, unless it breaks or I get a better one or something like that! :)

Q. What do you do for a living?
A. I am a graphic designer. I own my own business, Expressive Style Graphics, and mainly design blogs, but I also do websites and logos and things. I also design free lance for companies when I get the chance! :)

Q. Who taught you how to cook?
A. Growing up, everyone! I learned a lot from my mom and my sister. My grandmother also taught me a lot when I was growing up, BUT cooking is in my genes! My Dad was a chef, so was my uncle and the women in my family are amazing cooks! However, I tuned my culinary skills when I went to culinary school and I hold a degree in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts.

Q. You never mention you husband, what does he do?
A. lol, you tell me! When I meet him, I will tell you! hehe I never mention my husband because I am not married, nor am I dating anyone. I just have not found that special someone yet...praying he gets here soon! :)

Q. Where is your favorite place to shop?
A. That's a mean question because I don't have just one place! I LOVE to shop at Goodwill, Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Walmart, Target, I could go on and on! I'm a total bargain shopaholic!

Q. Who designed you blog?
A. I did...see 4 questions up! lol

Q. When do you find the time to do it all? (I love this one!)
A. I don't! I'm just like you...I don't have enough time! I don't work during the day when my daughter is at home, so I only work at night after she goes to bed. The rest of the day I work on my craft projects, cooking, etc. So I try to fit as much into my day as I can!

Saving the best for last:
Q. Have you always been a Christian?
A. NO! In fact, I was not raised with God in my life. We went to church on holidays and that was about it. I started my relationship with Jesus about 4 years ago when we started attending Shoreline. I was living a very wreck less life (if you want to hear a true testimony of how God works, email me and I would love to share his miracles with you!) that would have either really hurt me or killed me, literally, that bad. A very self indulgent life. And My brother-in-law and sister had found Jesus and went to church all the time, so I thought I would give it a try, and I have never looked back!
I got saved about 6 months into attending Shoreline and my life is so full and rich now, I cant even imagine my life without Him in it!

So there you have it, but like I said, if there is something you would like to know about me, I would be more than happy to post it here! Don't be shy...ask away! :)

{I finally made Biscuits!!}

2009-07-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, so if you know me at all, you know that I CAN NOT make biscuits! I failed at making them in culinary school, I can not make them at home...I have tried EVERY recipe and technique that I could think of. I have had friends try to teach me...even my baking teacher in Culinary School offered to train me on a weekend! I'm THAT hopeless.....but never the less, I STILL keep trying! It just bugs me that I can make anything BUT freaking biscuits! I'm from Texas for goodness sakes!!

So, I came across this recipe this weekend and I was determined to make it! The technique was to make them in the food processor...which I thought would make them too tough, but NOPE, they were AWESOME!! So I will let the pictures do the talking....

Pretty cool huh? I almost cried! NO JOKE!! :)
So we stuffed them with sausage patties, eggs and some all natural cheese...YUM!

Cost for breakfast:
Cheese: .71, sausage 1.00, eggs: free, already had them, Biscuits: free, already had everything, so $1.71! AWESOME!!

We did however eat out for "linner". We went to the funeral for our Pastor's son this afternoon and went out with our family after it was over. It was a beautiful service!
Dinner was at Jason's Deli and cost $36.00 for 4 people.

So our daily total was $37.71
bringing our weekly total to: $47.47! Not Bad!! :)

{A day in the life of a foodie}

2009-07-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

Another day of the challenge! I went grocery shopping today for the first time since the challenge, but I mostly bought supplies for next week (with next week's budget) since I knew I wouldn't have a chance to get to the store until later next week!

So here is today's meals...mostly free, I think lunch is the only thing I picked up from the store!!

Breakfast: Homemade Glazed Cake Donuts(recipe for donuts here, recipe for icing here)
these were SOOOOOO good!
Breakfast Total: FREE, already had everything on hand!

Lunch: "Steak" fingers (turkey "steak", so much better for you!), mashed potatoes (from yesterday's batch), green beans, and peaches. I also made homemade cream gravy! YUM!!
Lunch Total: $7.88

Dinner: Chicken stir fry with Asian peanut sesame sauce
this doesn't look very pretty, but it sure did taste awesome!
Dinner Total: FREE, I used the last part of the chicken I roasted, plus stir fry veggies I had in the freezer, Asian toasted sesame dressing, peanut better, and get this...RAMEN NOODLES!!! YEP! :)

Total in the challenge so far: $7.88!! Whoo Hootie! :)

Oh, I also had a baking day when I got home! I made flour tortillas, bagels, and 3 loaves of sandwich bread. (I found an amazing recipe for it on the coupon queen of corning's blog. She is also following the challenge and her recipes are awesome!! Check out the recipe HERE.)
(I forgot a photo of the bagels!! lol)

So with the baking day, all I used was a bag of flour, I had everything else on hand, so that was $1.88 bringing the challenge Total to: $9.76!

{Pancakes and Tacos and Steak, Oh My!}

2009-07-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

So today I thought it would be fun to show photos from all three meals! Today was another FREE day for us in the challenge! I had everything on hand for our meals, but I will be going to the grocery store tomorrow, so stay tuned for that!

For Breakfast we had Mini Pancakes with turkey sausage links.
This pancake recipe is THA BOMB!!! Try it! They make great mini pancakes or full size pancakes.

For Lunch we had crunchy tacos with some leftover home made "faux-fried" beans. YUMMY!!

And for Dinner, we had chicken "fried" steak with mashed potatoes and corn!
Simple enough, just crush up some butter crackers, coat your cube steaks in flour, eggs, then the cracker crumbs and bake on 400 for 15 min. PERFECTION!

{recipe of the Day: Chicken Chimichangas with Green Sauce}

2009-07-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight's recipe is so simple and easy, you might be like me and already have all the ingredients in your pantry.

I made this with one of the containers of chicken I had from the whole chicken I roasted the other day. I also already had all the other ingredients, so this was another free recipe for me!

To make these you will need:
1 1/2 cups chopped chicken
8 flour tortillas
1 pkg cream cheese
1/2 pkg taco seasoning (I made my own)
2C shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1 small can green enchilada sauce
sour cream (optional)
oil for frying

Here is how to make them:
1.) In a bowl (I used my kitchen aid with the paddle attachment) combine cream cheese, chicken, taco seasoning, 1C shredded cheese.

2.) Scoop mixture evenly into tortillas, then fold up ends and sides, place seam side down for a few minutes to secure.

3.) Heat enough oil to just barely cover the bottom of your pan. Place in 2-3 chimichangas at a time, seam side down, until golden brown, about 45 seconds - 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels

4.) Warm green sauce in the microwave and top each chimichanga with sauce and sour cream.

I served mine with white rice and it was delish!!

{Thank you for Prayers}

2009-07-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

First of all, I wanted to say thank you all so much for praying for the Koke family! Tonight our church had a prayer time for the family and tomorrow night they will have a church wide time of prayer and celebration of life for Caleb! I read in our online newspaper that he fell asleep when he crashed because it was very early in the morning, so we find peace knowing he probably didn't know what happened and woke up in the arms of Jesus!

So, again, thank you all so much for continuing to lift this family up in prayer!

{Tears of Sorrow}

2009-07-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog Readers,

it is with great sadness that I come to you to ask for prayer today. Last weekend our church learned of the sudden death of our Pastors father. He fell overboard while sailing. As a church we mourned with our Pastor on Sunday.

This morning we all received an email that our Pastors son, Caleb Koke, had passed away in a car accident last night. Caleb was a Junior in High school.

If you could please take a moment today and lift this family up in prayer. These two deaths were both sudden and tragic and I can't even imagine what they are going through.

Father God: I ask that you cover the Koke family in your love and grace. I ask that you comfort them in this time of sorrow and heal their wounds. In Jesus Mighty name, Amen.

{three meals...one chicken}

2009-07-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! Ok, so I am really excited because I am going to be sharing meals everyday on the blog because I joined the All You Magazine Grocery Challenge!

So what it is, is for the next 4 weeks, I will attempt to make my meals for my family for no more than $25 per person per week. For my family of 4, that is $100 a week. Well, you all know I LOVE a bargain, so I am totally up for this! Blogging about your meals is optional, but I thought, we could all use some help with making cheaper, healthy meals that are quick and easy! So I thought I would share mine with you! :)

I was inspired by The Happy Housewife a few months ago to use one chicken to make meals for my family! I have done this once before with the meals she shared, but I figured I would try some thing new this time!

**NOTE: before we get started, I wanted to say that the meals at the start of this week will all be made from things I already have around the house, using my stockpile of meats in the freezer, pantry items, etc. I will go shopping on Thursday or Friday when I run out of milk and eggs. But until then, these meals are all made from things I ALREADY HAD! So NO Money there because stockpiles don't count towards your total if you already have them! :)

Meal #1: Chicken Pot pie!
First you want to start with a roasted chicken. I just coated it with some cooking spray, salt, and pepper and cooked it on 400 for 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown and cooked through!

Then peal the meat off of the entire chicken!! You can use the skin also if you would like. I made a pile of white meat and then separated it into two containers, also a container of dark meat. These will be used for three separate meals!

For the POT PIE:
you will need:
chicken (I used one breast and one wing's worth of white meat) cut into chunks
1 family size can, cream of chicken soup
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (get these free with coupons purchased from eBay!)
1 prepared pie crust (you can make your own, but for time sake, I used one from the store brand...the kind you find in a roll by the cookies!)

Here is how to make it:
1.) In a large bowl, combine soup, veggies, and meat.
2.) Spray down a regular size pie plate with cooking spray and fill with soup mixture (no bottom crust!)
3.) Unroll crust on top of soup mix and fold over the edges so there is none hanging off the edge. Crimp with a fork and poke a few holes in the top.
4.) place the pie plate onto a baking sheet so if any filling spills out, it will catch it. Bake at 425 for 20-25 min

Here is the beautiful outcome! Tasty!!! :)

Be sure to check in the rest of the week to see the other two meals made with this chicken!! You wont believe how far you can stretch your money on this one! :)

{Garage Sale}

2009-07-11T15:39:00.000-07:00

(lol, I couldn't help myself with this picture!)

We had a garage sale today. Wow, now I remember why we only have garage sales once a year! lol We woke up this morning at 6am to set everything up for our 8am sale, only to find out that the neighbors across the street had already set their entire sale up (didn't know they were having one!) and were already selling!! At 6:30! So we hightailed it to get everything out and got tons of traffic at 7! That was a blessing in disguise because in the Texas heat, garage sales are not much fun! lol

Anyway, we got a ton of junk out of the house (surprisingly though, not the stuff I thought would sell!) and I even brought some decor stuff back inside and decided to re-purpose it or re-do it! So I am hoping to share some of those projects soon! Also, we made almost $200, so that will go towards our "fix the house to sell the house" fund! Did anyone say new flooring for the kitchen and bathrooms?!?! YEAH BABY!! :)

A little note that I found really strange about our sale today. We decided to hang all of our clothing up on a rack and give it all individual prices instead of everything $1 like we normally do....we sold SO MUCH CLOTHING it was crazy! My sister made almost $70 just in clothing! Talk about awesome!!

{Im Back...I think!}

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

HEY EVERYONE!!! Wow, I haven't posted here in forever!!! I miss you all so much! I am hoping to pick up the blog again because I have tons of DIY and decorating projects on my to do list, recipes, a contest and so much more! So I am hoping to actually get my butt in gear and get working on those!

For now, you will notice some changes around here soon! I am redesigning the blog...again. I am hoping to make it a little more user friendly!

If you were wondering where I have been, I am still blogging, but I do a lot of it over on The Bargainista, my beauty and fashion blog. I also have youtube videos over there with make up tutorials, hair styles, how to tie scarves and much more! Be sure to come check it out!

I hope to see you all real soon!!!!! :)
Love,

{Trapped}

2009-05-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

Do you ever just feel trapped by the world, the enemy, and life? Well, that's how I feel lately. I feel trapped. So I was watching this movie last night, Spirit, and when this song came on, its exactly how I feel right now...check out the video and the lyrics under.....

Got to fight another fight - I gotta run another night

Get it out - check it out

I'm on my way and I don't feel right

I gotta get me back - I can't be beat and that's a fact

It's OK - I'll find a way

You ain't gonna take me down no way

Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it

Dont' push me - I'll fight it

Never gonna give in - never gonna give it up no

If you can't catch a wave then your'e never gonna ride

You can't come uninvited

Never gonna give in - never gonna give up no

You can't take me I'm free

Why did it all go wrong? - I wanna know what's going on

And what's this holding me?

I'm not where I supposed to be

I gotta fight another fight

I gotta fight will all my might

I'm getting out , so check it out

Ya, you're in my way

So you better watch out

{Happy Mom's Day!}

2009-05-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hope your day is filled with soggy cereal (hehe!), warm hugs, lots of kisses, and joy from your little ones! :)

{....time is NOT on my side!}

2009-04-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

As you may have noticed, I have not posted in FOREVER!!! I really do apologies for that. I have so many ideas for blogging, but I just don't have the time with both of my jobs and all of my other projects I have going on. So I am not saying good bye, I just wanted to say that I will stop in and post as often as I can. I post pretty often (with the exception of this last week) on my Cheap Fashion Blog, which I will be renovating very soon with tons of awesomeness!

I want to thank you all for following me so loyally, even when I am not around. But when I do have new recipes or craft ideas, you all will be the first to know! :)

Talk to you all very soon!!

{SALE!}

2009-04-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, don't you just LOVE spring cleaning? You get to clean out all the stuff you don't need anymore so you can get new stuff! So I am offering you the opportunity to buy some of my goods so I can go to Goodwill and get more! LOL!!

If you see an item that you are interested in, just email me at CAIDENCEFAIRE@YAHOO.COM so I can get an invoice together for you. All payments will be done through paypal and shipping is $5.00 for each item. (If you want more than 2 pairs of shoes or 3 or more other items, then shipping will be $10.00 for anything that can fit in a flat rate box)

So, lets shop shall we?!

HAND BAGS:

Black bag from Old Navy $6.00

Louis Vuitton Vintage $60.00

Gold Chain Bag $6.00

Bible Cover Bag with cross $10.00

CLOTHES:

Black and white shirt (Layne Bryant) size 22/24 (runs small) $6.00

Red Hoodie (Liz Lange) size XXL $7.00

Cranberry Hoodie (Lane Bryant) size 16/18 $8.00

Jeans (NWT Lane Bryant) size 18, $15.00

BOOKS: (all books $3.00 EACH)

The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer

The Other Woman by Jane Green

Swapping Lives by Jane Green

Name Dropping by Jane Heller

The Devil wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Memoires of a Geisha by Arther Golden

A total waste of makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder

OTHERS:

Jewelry Forms: Great for designers! Necklace and Earrings for $10.00

Louis Vuitton (copy) sunglasses $3.00

Greeting Cards designed by Creative Cards by Adrianne (assortment of cards, 8 cards, 8 envelopes)

{Mexican Style Salad}

2009-04-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! I wanted to pop in real quick and share what we had for dinner tonight. This recipe is so easy and everyone just loves this salad! Its filling, low fat, and delish!

Mexican Style Salad
What you will need:
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into bite size pieces
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 C red onion, diced
6 TBSP. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can ranch style beans, drained and rinsed
1 C Kraft FREE Catalina Dressing (more if needed)
1 C. Frito's (I crush them in my hand before tossing)

How to make it:
Throw all ing. into a large bowl and toss!
See, SO simple! :) Enjoy!

{It's the most wonderful time of the year....LOL!!!}

2009-04-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah...you say its your birthday, Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah...it's my Birthday too!

That's right folks, another Birthday is here! :) I am officially in my MID 20's today! Good bye 24, hello 25 lol

I have a full day planned too. Sushi with the family, game night with the friends tonight...it's going to be very fun!

Have a great day, and I will see you all soon!

{Faux-Fried Beans (my version of refried beans)}

2009-03-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I shared a recipe for enchiladas and mentioned I was making refried beans to go with it! Well, the emails and comments poured in....how do you make refried beans from scratch?

So I decided to do a photo tutorial with you on how to make them because they are so easy and taste so good, you will never want to buy them out of a can again! Plus, mine are not actually fried so they are even better for you!

Here is what you will need to start:
1 bag dried pinto beans (sort through them and make sure there are no stones or dirty beans)
1Tbsp chili powder
1tsp. cumin
1tsp. salt
1tsp. black pepper
water to cover beans by 1 inch in crockpot
1 onion chopped
*bacon grease (I just save it in a clean coffee can every time I make bacon)
*this is completely optional, but it does add to the flavor and makes them more "restaurant style"

first, add all ingredients EXCEPT for onion and bacon grease into your crockpot and turn to high for about 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours until beans are soft. You might have to add more water depending on your beans. If they start to look dry, just add about a cup of water at a time.

remove your beans and place in large bowl.

Reserve cooking liquid for thinning out the beans

Saute the onion until just see through

add the onion to the beans and start to mash together. I am using my hand blender here. If you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one so you get that smooth texture. If you cant get one right now, then use a regular potato masher! :)

keep mashing until you are at the consistency you want. If they get too thick, this is where you can add in your cooking liquid a little at a time.

Stir in 4-6 Tablespoons of bacon grease (or to taste)

And that's it! Beautiful faux-fried beans! Now, this makes a TON of beans, so I usually use half of the batch for dinner and freeze the other half for another time.

{Tomato Cheese Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese Dippers}

2009-03-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

YAY! A recipe!! This is what we ate last night, and boy was it good! The soup reminded me of the tomato basil from La Madeline....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......*drool*

Here is what you will need:
3C V8 Juice (you can use regular or spicy...I used regular from walmart)
1 can (10 3/4oz) cheddar cheese soup
1 can (10 3/4oz) tomato soup
1tsp. Italian seasoning

1 french baguette
1C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2C butter

How to make it:
For soup, combine V8, Italian seasoning, cheese soup and tomato soup. Whisk together and bring to a slow simmer on medium heat.

For sandwiches:

slice the baguette on its bias into 1/2in. thick slices

spread butter onto one side of the bread slices

on a hot pan, place butter side down on half of the bread slices and top with cheese

top with second half of bread, buttered side up.

grill these until the cheese inside is melted, then flip over and cook on other side until golden brown.

Dip your cheese sandwiches into your soup and enjoy!!

HEY EVERYONE!!!!!!

2009-03-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I feel like I have been gone forever! I wanted to catch up with you all and let you know why I am so slow to post!

First off, my Internet got cut off about a week ago! So I have been making trips to my sisters house and bouncing off any signal I can get anywhere else....its not working too well! And a $300 bill to get it turned back on is a LITTLE out of my price range! LOL So until I can afford that, this is going to be my life....bouncing off signals.

In other news.... I GOT A PROMOTION AT MY WORK!!!! I will be working 5 days a week instead of 2 MAYBE 3 if I was lucky! So this should help for the bills....no so much for the blogging, but I am going to try. I love this job so much, I am really excited to be at it everyday!

I also have some projects coming up that I want to share with you all and I still have that furniture re-do that I haven't posted! Its all coming soon enough, I promise.

So please don't hate me while I am trying to still get in the grove of having two full time jobs and a life, its a little more than I thought it would be, but I am making the most of it! I hope everyone is doing well, let me know what I am missing by not being able to catch up on your blogs! I MISS YOU!!!! talk to you all soon......I HOPE!!

{Menu Plan Monday and GCC Roundup}

2009-02-24T18:12:00.000-08:00

So I didn't get a chance to post my menu yesterday, so I thought I would post it today with my grocery round up! :)

Menu this week:
Monday: We had chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes with corn (HEALTHY!!! LOL)
Tuesday: SHROVE TUESDAY! We had pancake dinner!! With bacon and strawberries
Wednesday: Dutchess Soup and rolls
Thursday: Baked Spaghetti (I didn't get to make it last week) with salad and bread
Friday: Bible Study Night, I'm taking turkey chili and cornbread again, it was a HUGE hit last week!
Saturday: (Celebrating my sister and BIL's wedding anniversary) Turkey and corn pudding with green beans. Cake for dessert.
Sunday: turkey Panini's with sweet potato fries.

Now for my shopping today:

Sun Harvest:
Celery $.77
Spinach $.47
Cilantro $.33
Fuji Apples $.63
Cameo Apples $.62
Red Grapes $1.54
3 Lg Potatoes $.83

Store Total: $5.19 w/tax

New Flower Farmers Market:
3 hearts Romaine $.99
10 grapefruit $1.00
Hot House Tomatoes $.85
Baby Carrots $.99
Bananas $1.71

Store Total: $5.89 w/tax

Walmart:
Rolls $2.50
Pretzels $1.18
Swt. Pot. Fries $2.68
Deli Turkey $3.01
Paper Towels $1.86
Bacon $1.88
Corn bread mix (for the corn pudding) $.44
Tea Bags $1.00
Cake Mix $.88
Oatmeal $1.18
2 Pringles $1.90
3 doz. Eggs $3.84
2 loaves Bread $1.76
5lb sugar $1.76
Coffee $2.22
Vegetable Oil $1.94
Juice Boxes $1.82
Creamed Corn $.57
Canned Corn $.57
Pam Spray $1.46
Baking Powder $.81
20 Tortillas $1.36
Tomato Sauce $.46
Granola Bars $2.00
Frosting $1.26
Green Beans $1.14
Chili Seasoning $.32
Mayo $1.57
Ground Turkey $1.38
Q-Tips $1.34
Nasal Spray $1.98
Excedrin Migraine $.94
Excedrin Back and Body $2.97 (a new must have for my job!)
Deodorant $0.94
Greeting Card $.44

Store Total: 55.94 w/tax

Sams:
2 Gallons of milk $4.78

Store Total: 5.17

GRAND TOTAL for the week: $72.19
a little over, but still not bad! :)

To see more Menu Plan Monday's Click here: http://orgjunkie.com/
To see more GCC Roundups, click here: http://grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/

{Im NOT DEAD!!}

2009-02-23T05:59:00.000-08:00

...Just busy! CRAZY busy!! I never thought having 2 jobs, being a mom, having a life, cooking dinner, blogging, networking, etc. would be so hard all at once?!?!?! lol But I will have a menu plan Monday up today, hopefully a shopping trip tomorrow! I also have a furniture makeover that I wanted to share and a few recipes!! So stick with me during this transition!! Talk to you all soon!!!!

{I've been working on the...ULTA!}

2009-02-18T18:33:00.000-08:00

Some of you wanted to know how my new job was doing,so just a little update....Today was my first "real" day of work and I LOVE IT! It was so much fun getting to meet all the girls, learning the registers and all that goodness!

Now I'm just excited to use my employee discount! LOL

{Grocery Cart Roundup: Feb 16th}

2009-02-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

This is so exciting! I have wanted to join Gayle for the longest time on her Grocery Shopping Roundup, but never took the time to do it! I don't know how often I will post, however, I hope to do it pretty often! :)

Here are all my goodies!
regular stores:

farmers market:

Here is what I purchased this week:

Walmart:
Sandwich Bread: $0.88
Rolls: $2.50
18 eggs: $2.12
French Bread: $1.43
HI-C boxes: $1.82
Chicken Nuggets: $3.97
Coffee Creamer: $2.58
Saltines: $1.06
Breakfast Sausage: $0.98
Half and Half: $0.97
1lb Ground Turkey: $1.38
2 pkg. Hot Dogs: $1.40
Instant potato flakes: $2.28
Beef Broth: $1.48
Rotel $0.79
Cream of Mushroom soup: $1.12
Green Olives $1.38
Tomato Sauce $0.46
Egg noodles: $1.44
Chili Seasoning: $0.32
Deli-black forest ham: $2.49
Deli-roast beef: $2.78

Farmers Market:
3 pints strawberries: $2.64 (.88ea)
3 pineapples: $2.64 (.88ea)
Edamame: $1.99
iceberg: $0.77
Romain $0.77
bananas: $2.00
blue cheese: $1.71
tomatoes $0.65
onions: $0.71
tangelos: $1.53
red grapes: $1.63

Sams:
2 gallons of milk: $5.24

H-E-B:
small water bottles: $1.59
butter: $0.75
margarine sticks: $0.59
foil: $0.99
Deli-Provolone: $1.15
Deli-Munster: $1.56

Weekly Total: $64.54

To check out other grocery cart roundups, check out The Grocery Cart Challenge!

{Menu Plan Monday: Feb 16}

2009-02-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

Wow! Monday already? Lagan had the day off, so it was really nice to be able to go shopping and not worry about what time she got out of school. I made a visit to a new farmers market today and was SOOOO excited to see the AMAZING deals I scored there!

In addition to my Menu Plan Monday, I am going to be sharing my grocery buys for the list on Gayle's Shopping Roundup! So look for that post next! :)

Monday: Tetrizini (I will have this recipe up soon!) with iceberg wedge salad with homemade Russian dressing, tomato wedges, and bread

Tuesday: Brown Rice and Lentil Casserole with green beans and rolls

Wednesday: Pancakes and Sausage

Thursday: Baked Spaghetti with garlic bread

Friday: Bible Study Night, I am taking turkey chili

Saturday: Bean Burritos with homemade refried beans (I will share this recipe asap too!!) with chips and homemade salsa.

Sunday: Sweetish Meatballs with rolls, romaine salad and blue cheese

To see More Menu Plan's check out Menu Plan Monday on the Organizing Junkie!

{Anti-Valentines Day?}

2009-02-14T20:58:00.000-08:00

So I wasn't going to do a Valentines day post, because, well...Valentines isn't really a holiday for me since I'm single. But then I saw this little photo on another blog for Anti-Valentines day, and I thought it was pretty darn funny!

So Happy Anti-Valentines Day to all the Single Ladies out there! :) lol Maybe next year we will get to celebrate too! hehe

{Job Report...}

2009-02-13T18:53:00.000-08:00

All is not quiet on the western front, because I just got a call from the place I had an interview with on Monday and...

I GOT THE JOB!!!!

I am so excited! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to everyone who prayed for me to get this job! It is going to be an amazing opportunity for me to work in an industry that I LOVE and get to learn new techniques!
So I know some of you are DYING to know where I have a new job?
But first, the reason I didn't share the company was because I didn't want to jinx it or anything. But now I think I can share!!

ITS ULTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I freakin' love this store! Its like THE BEST! I get to be around make up and hair care all day long, its like total heaven to me!

I have training on Sunday and start work next week!
Wish me luck!! I'm going to need it! hehe :)

{Notice anything missing?}

2009-02-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

Lagan officially has a lisp and a whistle when she talks! :) She lost both of her front teeth last week and raked in $11 bucks for it! I guess the tooth fairy didn't realize we are in a recession! lol

{Sitting in Suspense}

2009-02-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

I'm waiting anticipation now.....
I think my interview yesterday went really well. I am hoping to get a call by next week! This is like a total dream job for me, and it would be able to use a lot of my talents! I just keep praying! :)

Also, for my outfit that I wore, I am getting ready to put it up on the Cheap Fashion Blog! :)

but for now.......I am sitting in suspense! I will let you know if I hear anything soon!!!

{Bad News, Good News}

2009-02-10T04:08:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

Today's post is exciting and a downer at the same time! (Isn't that always the way!!)

First the bad news....Last night when I was cooking dinner, I drained a pot of pasta into the sink. I guess I tilted the pan the wrong way, and boiling hot water ran down my hand causing a pretty bad burn on my index finger on my right hand! This is bad because I am right handed and couldn't eat, write, type, basically do anything last night! So I put some ice on it for a while and decided to what I always do when I get burned (which, being a former chef, it's pretty often!), I put some aloe on it and put my finger in front of a portable fan, then fall asleep! It works every time!!
So I woke up this morning with a VERY sore finger, that still burns a little, so I know it must have been pretty bad :( But I am hoping I can put on my make up today because it will be VERY IMPORTANT.........

Which leads me to the GOOD NEWS!!!
I have an interview today at my number one job pick! I am SOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!! I prepared all day yesterday after I found out! If you could, say a little prayer for me around 1:00pm (CST) for me today that I get this job! It would mean a lot to me!!! :)
So I will be back later today to let you all know how to interview went!!! See you real soon...

{Mega Cinnamon Rolls}

2009-02-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I am so sorry I haven't blogged in a few days! Who knew that looking for a job and then working full time took up your entire day?!?! lol But I REALLY want to thank each and every one of you that is praying for me and the others out there looking for a job right now. I have applied to about 40 jobs! Let's hope I get ONE!!!

But in the mean time, since I am still working from home right now, I decided for dinner last night to make Cinnamon Rolls! Now down here in the south, we call these Sweet Rolls, but some people call them cinnamon rolls, cinnamon buns, hot buns, harvest rolls, etc.

The recipe is really super easy to follow and produces a nice solid sweet roll. Now this is a new recipe, so I am still tweaking it. Read the review after the photo to see what we all thought! :)

JUMBO CINNAMON ROLLS
(makes about 15-18 large rolls)

(this recipe can be made three ways....in the bread machine, in your stand mixer {the method I chose}, or in the food processor)

What you need to make them:
1 cup milk (heated approximately 1 minute in microwave)
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
5 cups bread flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Cinnamon Filling
1/2 cup butter, melted or softened
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Soften the butter; set aside. In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon; stir in chopped nuts

Butter Frosting
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon until well mixed and creamy. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use and then bring to room temperature before spreading.

HOW TO MAKE THEM:
Method 1: BREAD MACHINE
Add all the ingredients, except the Cinnamon Filling and the Butter Frosting, in the bread pan of bread machine. Process according to manufacturer's instructions for a dough setting. When the bread machine has completed the dough cycle, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. (I use a nonstick cooking spray). Form dough into an oval, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

METHOD 2: STAND MIXER
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a 5 quart stand mixer, combine all the ingredients in the order given except the Cinnamon Filling and the Butter Frosting. Using a dough hook, mix everything together until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface (I use a nonstick cooking spray), and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

METHOD 3: FOOD PROCESSOR
Food Processor Method: Put dry mixture in processing bowl with steel blade. While motor is running, add liquid ingredients, butter, and egg. Process until mixed. Continue processing, adding remaining flour until dough forms a soft ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface (I use a nonstick cooking spray), and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

NEXT....
1. Butter a 9x13x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. After dough has rested, roll and stretch the dough into approximately a 15x24-inch rectangle.

3. Brush the softened butter over the top of the dough with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Cinnamon Filling over the butter on the prepared dough.

4. Starting with long edge, roll up dough; pinch seams to seal. NOTE: Rolling the log too tightly will result in cinnamon rolls whose centers pop up above the rest of them as they bake.

5. With a knife, lightly mark roll into 1 1/2-inch section. Use a sharp knife (I like to use a serrated knife and saw very gently) or slide a 12-inch piece of dental floss or heavy thread underneath. By bringing the ends of the floss up and criss-crossing them at the top of each mark, you can cut through the roll by pulling the strings in opposite directions. Place cut side up in prepared pan, flattening them only slightly. The unbaked cinnamon rolls should not touch each other before rising and baking. Do not pack the unbaked cinnamon rolls together.

6. Cover and let rise in a warm place for approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled in size (after rising, rolls should be touching each other and the sides of the pan).

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Baked in a regular oven approximately 20 to 25 minutes in a regular oven until they are a light golden brown.

8. Top with frosting and ENJOY!
Here are how mine turned out:

BEFORE FROSTING:

AFTER FROSTING:

REVIEW:
So I thought these were really good! I think the outside over baked just a little, they were a little hard, but the flavor was really good. I am going to keep searching, because I like a light, fluffy sweet roll and these are a little more dense and sticky! :)
All around TWO thumbs up!

{Needing some Prayer}

2009-02-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

First off, I want you to watch this music video. This song has CHANGED my life. I used to pray for myself and my family and our prosperity, but now, in my time of need, God has put it on my heart that when I care for others, they reach their hands out to me. Once you have watched it...THEN read the message below! :)

So this weekend I went to San Antonio for a conference. I wish I could tell you it was an awesome conference full of amazing bloggers and I got to learn all kinds of great crafty stuff...but that's not the case!

I went to an amazing seminar, don't get me wrong. And I learned some really great "projects", but I wasn't there because I really wanted to, I was there because I NEEDED to be! I went to go see Dave Ramsey. I have messed up BIG time when it comes to money. And to be candid....I am bringing in WAY less a month than what the bills add up to! I try as hard as I can to live on a very strict budget, we have taken out things that we don't need. I don't go shopping anymore, we cut our food budget...if you haven't noticed, there haven't been any craft projects on this blog in a while. I just simply can't afford it. BUT....it's not the death of the blog...OH NO! It is the start to something entirely new.

I have decided to go back and get another full time job, so I am hitting the pavement full on this week. I will be learning to balance this blog, a new job, plus my graphic design! It should be a whole new adventure! Hence the merge of Gourmet Momma with PDB.

And to tell you the truth, I am really excited! I am pumped about getting to go back to work. (well...I have a FEW hesitations, but not many!)

But the best part about it is, I am getting out of debt so I can give Lagan a brighter future. Because as it stands now, she doesn't have one. She wont be able to go to college, she wont be able to get a car when she is 16, etc. I want her to do those things and not pay for it, literally, for the rest of her life!

So here is where I am asking you all for your help. Please pray that God will direct me and use me in a way that will impact my life and the lives of those around me in a positive way. That I be put in a position that I really like so I have good work ethic and that I am able to get out of this HUGE cloud of debt I have hovering over me.
And also, please pray for everyone out there that is job seeking in this terrible economy.

However, I am not worried about the economy or a bad job market, or a slow hiring process. People that say it doesn't look good.....They don't know MY GOD!!! :)

I love you all and thank you SOOO much for your prayers!

{A new look...a new idea!}

2009-01-29T20:53:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!! You may have noticed I gave the blog a little face lift! I am SOOOOOOO excited about this, because it's something I have been praying about for a few months now!

So let me fill you in...if you don't already know, I run a blog called The Gourmet Momma. Well, Gourmet Momma just turned a year old and I realized that I didn't keep up with her as much as I would have liked to. However, I was posting lots of recipes over here! So God and I had a little chat over where I should take this, and I came to the conclusion that I will keep Gourmet Momma up, but I will not be adding new recipes. Instead, I will be posting them over here with all my tips and photos and whatnots!

SOOO EXCITING! hehe I just feel like this is the right thing to do for my time and for my blog readers. Now you don't have to jump from blog to blog to blog to find my recipes! I have so many more to share! And lots of you have requested that I do simple recipes that are cheap...I am all about that! So you will be seeing LOTS of "real" food that is easy on the pocket book, easy to make, and delish!

So I hope you like the new look, the layout may be changing a little over the next day or so also, so don't freak! :) I have it under control...after all, I am a professional at this! hehe

See you all real soon!!!!

**Oh, and I gave Gourmet Momma a PINK makeover for the blog...doesn't she look spiffy?!

{Cheese Enchilada's Recipe}

2009-01-27T15:27:00.001-08:00

WOW, it feels good to be back! I am so happy to be here sharing again, I have missed you guys!!

So I thought I would come back with a bang and share one of my families FAVE recipes...Cheese Enchiladas! These are SOOOOO easy and fast, you will be making them all the time too!

What you need:
(for sauce)
2-3 cups chicken broth (to the consistency you like, start with 2C and add more if needed)
4 Tbs Chili Powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 heaping tsp. garlic powder (with no salt added)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon (less than 1/16 tsp.)
1/3 tsp. sugar (helps cut the bitterness of the chili powder)
5 Tbs. cold water
5 Tbs. white flour

(for enchiladas)
1 onion, chopped
2C. cheddar cheese, shredded (keep some on the side for TOPPING!)
1C. Monterrey jack cheese (this is VERY important!)
Corn Tortillas (I usually make about 8-10)

How to make it:
1.) To make sauce, mix flour and water together until there are no lumps. If there are lumps now, you will have lumpy sauce. (add the water to the flour a little at a time!) Then, combine all ingredients, except water and flour mix, in a sauce and bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 3 minutes.
Slowly add in the flour mix with a whisk and cook another 3 min. until thick.

2.) For Enchiladas, heat corn tortillas in the microwave, wrapped in a MOIST paper towel, about 1 1/2 minutes, just until hot.

3.) Take a tortilla and add about 1/3C cheese and a few chopped onions. Roll and place in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

4.) When all enchilada's are rolled...

cover with sauce and top with cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven about 15-25 minutes just until cheese on top is melted and a little brown.

We serve these with homemade re-fried beans and Spanish rice! YUM! Top with just a little bit of sour cream and some fresh chopped onions and they are PERFECT!

{Im baaaaack....I think!}

2009-01-24T20:45:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I am so excited to report that Lagan is doing SO MUCH BETTER! Thanks to all your your wonderful thoughts and prayers, she is healing! She finished her second round of meds today and her cough seems to be going away. She hasn't had any asthma attacks in 2 days! PRAISE GOD!!!

I went to her school yesterday and her wonderful teacher said that his family had been praying for her. He is such a wonderful man!! I also picked up all of her work from the week, and the amazing student she is, she finished it all today!!!!

She is very excited to go to church tomorrow and get out of this house. She hasn't left since last Sunday except for the 10 minutes she was at school on Wed. and then the doctors office! Shes really feeling stir crazy!

We will be taking it easy over the next couple of days, but I think she will be all better and ready to go back to school Monday!

Thank you all again for your amazing comments and notes! Lagan got to read all of them too and she feels very loved by mommy's "blog buddies"!

I hope you all have a great weekend because Monday I have a REALLY AWESOME QUESTION FOR YOU ALL!!!! So get ready!!

{Update on Lagan}

2009-01-21T18:28:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I thought I would come on and give you an update on Lagan. We thought she was getting better yesterday and she was all ready for school. But this morning her cough sounded different and was very violent, so we took her to the doctor and it turns out that she not only has her asthma bothering her, she still has croup, and she has pneumonia!

So we have to keep her home the rest of the week and monitor her closely! It really sucks for her because she wants to be up and playing and at school, but she's stuck here with me all day! (POOR girl! hehe)

Anyway, I just wanted to drop in and give you all an update! When she starts to improve, I will let you all know!

{What a night...}

2009-01-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

**UPDATE: Hey Guys! Its Tuesday morning and Lagan is doing much better. She is staying home today because she was upset that she wouldn't be able to participate in P.E. or W.O.W. or recess, so she's hanging with momma today! But she should be back at school tomorrow. She is doing her breathing treatments much better today and isn't coughing nearly as much! PRAISE GOD!!! I want to thank you all, you have no idea how much your prayers mean to us. We are truly blessed to have so many amazing friends, both in real life and in blog land! :)

Hey Everyone! I just wanted you all to know that I might not post for a few days. We had a long night...

Yesterday after church we went to visit some family out by the lake. On our way home around 6:30, Lagan started coughing and wheezing really bad, so we figured she was having an asthma attack. I didn't have an inhaler with me, so we stopped at a fire station close by and they put her on their nebulizer. They called an ambulance to come check her out.

The paramedics gave her 3 breathing treatments and didn't notice her getting much better so they took Lagan and I to the hospital in the ambulance (which Lagan thought was pretty cool, and I thought was REALLY scary!). We arrived at the Hospital around 7:00 and had a flood of nurses checking on Lagan. Her breathing was getting better but her heart rate was really high, so they kept a close watch on her.

We saw two doctors throughout the night that said she was having a really bad asthma attack and they think she has croup. So she got a dose of steroids and some Tylenol and albuterol to get her fever down, control her cough, and stop the wheezing. We left the hospital about 11:00 and got home around 11:30 to find that our dog had broken out of his cage and was running free! (Just what we needed!) So after eating something and getting the dog settled and getting Lagan comfortable we went to bed around 2:30am!

Lagan is doing a little better this morning, we already had to check with the doctor because she was having some new symptoms this morning, but her voice is coming back and she isn't coughing as much. I am getting ready to go pick up all of her prescriptions from the pharmacy and tend to her today! Thank the Good Lord that it's a Holiday!

Anyway, I just wanted everyone to know why I wasn't here, not to worry, I will be back soon! Thank you to everyone who has already called, texted, and emailed with your prayers for Lagan!! See you real soon!!

{BBQ Chicken Pizza and Spaghetti Sauce Recipes}

2009-01-17T19:09:00.000-08:00

Hey Chicadees! So, Ashley left me a comment and asked if I would share a couple more recipes, so I am more than happy to do that. But I want you all to stay tuned because next week I have a BIG QUESTION for you all that I am really excited about!! So don't forget to check in next week!!

So, Ashley, here you go! My recipes for BBQ Chicken Pizza and my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce!

BBQ Chicken Pizza:
What you need:
1 pizza crust (I use Pillsbury)
1/2 bottle BBQ sauce (what ever is cheap! lol)
1/2 whole shredded chicken (I use the other half from the chicken and dumplings)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced in 1/2 moons
cilantro, chopped
2C shredded cheddar cheese
(1C Pineapple - Optional)

how you make it:
1.) Pre heat your oven according to your pizza crust directions.
On a pizza pan or a baking sheet, roll out your pizza crust. Poke holes in the middle of the crust with a fork..everywhere you don't want the crust to rise up then put it in the oven about 3-5 minutes, just to start cooking.

2.) Take crust out of oven and spread BBQ sauce over the top. Next put on chicken, red onion, cilantro, and cheese. (and pineapple if your using it)

3.) Put pizza back in oven and bake according to the directions on your pizza crust. (This is usually around 15-20min. on 350)

4.) If you want the pie to look extra special, you can fill up a squirt bottle with BBQ sauce and a little water and drizzle it over the top when it comes out of the oven!

SOOOOO SIMPLE! :)

Next...Pasta Sauce!
Now, I get my ing. for this at SAM's because it's cheaper! But if you don't get it at a warehouse store, then just get as close to the measurements as you can from the grocery store.

Here is what you need:
102oz. can diced tomatoes
102oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 cans muir glen fire roasted tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1lb. mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small can tomato paste
2Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1Tbsp. onion powder
1Tbsp. garlic powder
2tsp. salt
1tsp. pepper
2Tbsp. Olive Oil
Water as needed for consistency

how to make it:
1.) In a large stock pan, saute your onion, garlic, and bell pepper (and mushrooms if using) in the olive oil. DO NOT BROWN as this will cause a bitter taste.

2.) Add in tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly about 1 minute. This will eliminate the need for sugar!

3.) Add in all of your other ingredients and bring up to a light simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook on a low simmer about 10 minutes then turn off heat and enjoy! (add water if needed to make it the constancy your family enjoys)
**If you want a less chunky sauce, you can use a hand blender after it is cooked to mix everything up and eliminate any large chunks of veggies or tomatoes!

This sauce makes a ton, I can usually make dinner plus about 5 gallon size baggies to freeze. I have frozen it up to 5 months and it's still perfect! To freeze it, cool it down over night in the fridge, then ladle into baggies and lay flat to freeze. To thaw, just stick the frozen sauce back into a sauce pan and bring up to heat!

{Recipes}

2009-01-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys! Wow, is it Friday already? This week has been loads of fun, and I hoped I could help some of you with your money saving. Today I thought I would post some of my recipes from the week. Several of you asked for my chicken and dumplings recipe, so I thought I would share it, but if you saw another one that you would like to know how to make, just leave me a comment on this post and I will make sure that I post it! :)

My recipe for Chicken and Dumplings is really very easy. Here is what you will need:

Chicken and Dumplings:
1 whole chicken
1 family size can cream of chicken soup
3-4 cups chicken stock (I use my own)
2-3 cans of refrigerated biscuits, each biscuit cut into 1/4's
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Optional:
Celery, carrots, and potatoes all diced and boiled until soft.

Here is how to make it:
1.) The day before I will take a whole chicken and stick it in the crock pot and cover it with water. Set it on low all day (around 8-10 hours) until it all falls apart.

2.) Shred the chicken off the bone and place to the side. I only use 1/2 a chicken for one recipe. (I use the other half for another meal that week).

3.) Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large pan. One by one add in the dumplings. Don't over crowd the pan. Do this in shifts to avoid the dumplings from sticking together.
When dumplings float to surface, allow to cook 2-3 minutes until they are no longer like biscuits, but more like a hard dumpling.

4.) Strain out dumplings and hold to the side.

5.) Add chicken soup to the remaining chicken stock, then add water until the soup is the consistency you desire. Add back chicken and dumplings and seasoning.

That's is, all done! It takes about 30min from start to finish! :)

{Saving Money Week: Smart shopping tips!}

2009-01-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

So, have you learned a lot this week about saving money? Well put on your seat belt kids, because this post is about shopping wisely so you can REALLY save some dough! Coupons are great, but if you don't know how to shop wisely aside from them, you are going to fail.

So I wanted to show you all some tips that have really helped me, and others, to achieve our money saving goals at the grocery store!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS AT THE GROCERY STORE...

Tip #1: MAKE A LIST! This will help you stay organized and ONLY buy the things you have on your list, not the things you want...like that bag of Oreos that's almost $3 bucks!

Tip #2: TAKE CASH! Set a budget and stick to it. I don't even take my credit card to the store, I just take $60 in cash so I am forced to stay on budget.

Tip #3: SHOP ALONE! It's a fact...the more people that shop with you, the more hands there are to put junk in the basket. When we shop with others, we are easily convinced to add things that are not on our list to the cart. Plus, when you shop alone, you get a few hours of "ME" time!

Tip #4: AVOID CHECKOUT HOOKS! All that candy and magazines and junk for who knows what! You don't need these things, and more than likely, they are marked up more here than they are in the store!

Tip #5: USE A CALCULATOR! This is without a doubt the most important tip I can give you. When I put something in my cart, say bread, then on my list where it says "bread" I will write down how much it is. I do this for every item that goes into my cart. Then as I shop, I occasionally tally up my total. This way, I know what I have bought, how much it is, and how much I am spending.
This also really helps you to form your grocery list down the road. You can see how much items are usually priced and then you can estimate how much your grocery bill will be before you even shop. This helps me so I will know if my meals I chose were too expensive so I can change them out!

**Now, you need to also stay organized at the store. This is how I usually do it. If your new to the blog, this will be new for you, but if you have been here for a while, here is a refresher course on how to keep your coupons organized!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO!

{Saving Money Week: Using coupons the smart way!}

2009-01-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

Segment two of our Saving money week! I am so excited to hear every one's comments and get your emails about how you use coupons, or how you don't but you want to! So today's post is about using coupons wisely!

We already chatted about using coupons to create your stockpile, and today we are going to talk about how to get coupons for the items on your grocery list. This also has to do with price comparisons.

To save the most money on your grocery bill, first shop the front page of your local store's add. These items are what they call "Loss Leaders". I used to work at a grocery store, and they put these in there so you will get enticed by these items and then come in and shop for everything else at the store. DON'T BE FOOLED BY THIS TRICK! If you see something you would like to try or something you ALREADY buy (more about this in a minute...) then circle it and plan it into your menu. These loss leaders are items that the store actually looses money on to get you in there. But if you only shop these items, then you are getting the best deal for your money!

Now, once you have planned out your meals and made a list for that and anything else you need to pick up at the store, go online! That's right, some of the highest value coupons are available on line.
What I like to do is Google each item individually. For example, if I need taco shells, I will search "Old El Paso coupons" on google. If I find a coupon, I will print it out (*HINT..most online coupons allow you to print up to 2 coupons, so print them both out, you never know when you might need it!)

You can also find coupons at the following sites:
- Coupons.com
- Smart Source
- Pillsbury
- Betty Crocker
- Eat Better America
- Coupons Inc. (also known as Bricks Coupons)

You can also chat about coupons and sales at your specific store at websites like A Full cup, or MY FAVE, Hot Coupon World!

So, you have your list, your meals planned out, and your coupons in hand and your ready to go to the store.
Now, BE SMART! Look at the item your buying and ask yourself these questions...

1. Is it something your family really needs and/or eats fairly often?

2. Does it fit into your budget?

3. Is the price for the name brand with the coupon still more expensive than the store brand?

These are really good things to keep in mind when using your coupons. Often people get carried away just because they use coupons and they end up spending even more than they normally would!

Stay tuned tomorrow to find out how to stay on budget while your at the grocery store. Commonsense strategies that most people DON'T do! Plus, now that you have all of these coupons, how do you keep them organized?

{Menu Plan Monday: Jan 12}

2009-01-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

Menu Plan Monday already? This week is really tight around here, so we are eating more vegetarian or meals with meat we already have around in the freezer!

VERY Frugal Week! I also didn't plan breakfasts because I am making muffins and bagels tomorrow.

Dinners:
Bean Burritos with chips and homemade salsa (I made homemade refried beans the other night and I have tortillas and tacobell sauce, I also already have chips and everything to make salsa except cilantro and a jalapeno!)

Panzanella salad

Tortilla Soup with cheese quesadillas
(I have everything to make this except the cheese)

Chicken and Dumplings (I am roasting a whole chicken and spitting it between this and the next meal! HUGE money saver!)
(I already have the biscuits and the chicken in the freezer)

BBQ Chicken Pizza (I already have the red onion and pizza crust)

Spaghetti with homemade sauce and garlic bread (sauce is already done in the freezer, and I already have pasta, as you saw in my previous post! lol)

Hamburger Soup with french fries (already have fries in the freezer, and I also have everything for the soup except the meat.)

To see more Menu Plans, check out Organizing Junkie!

{Saving Money Week: Creating a Stockpile with coupons!}

2009-01-11T15:35:00.000-08:00

As our economy gets tighter and tighter, more people are trying to cut costs in their daily lives. Many have canceled their cable, quit going to Starbucks, buy clothing from thrift stores, shop craigslist, etc. But the one huge change I have seen is a surge of households using coupons!

Over the next week, I want to be able to share different ways to use coupons, and how to save money at the store. These might be some long posts filled with tons of info, so grab a pen and paper and get ready to save! (And, I am also going to show frugal cooking techniques to get the most from your money!!)

Now, lots of people think of using a coupon and think its a waste of time. Having to buy a paper, look through it, clip coupons, all to save 30 cents? Well, for small amounts, your right, they are a waste of time!

But couponing is all about being smart and knowing how to use them correctly. Yes, there is a right and wrong way to use your coupons.

First, you need to know where to find coupons. I find a lot of my coupons in the Sunday paper, in All You magazine, online printables, peelies on packages at the store, or blinkies...those little machines on the isle at the store that push out coupons.

Now, there are two different ways to use a coupon.
First is for Stockpiling, second is for savings.

I will be talking about both of these this week. But I want to start with creating a stock pile, because this is the main way I use my coupons.

Granted, you wont be able to stockpile everything your family eats, it just wont happen, but you can get a significant stockpile that will keep your grocery bill down.

The way I create a stock pile is by purchasing coupons. Yes, you heard me right, I buy coupons. But not just ordinary coupons. First I look at an item that I use quite often, then I will go look and see if there is a coupon available for that product that will make it free or close to free.

HOW TO USE A PURCHASED COUPON:
For example...I purchase Muir Glen Organic canned diced tomatoes (we like the fire roasted) and use them in lots of my recipes. Now, at $1.14 a can, these can really add up, especially when the store brand is $0.68. But I have stockpiled these by purchasing a lot of coupons from Ebay. (www.ebay.com)
What you need to do is search for the type of coupon you want (i.e. muir glen coupons) and any coupon available will come up. I usually purchase the $1.00 off any muir glen product (make sure the expiration date gives you enough time for the coupon to arrive and for you to use it). I will buy a lot of about 20 coupons for around $2.00 with shipping.

Then I will take those coupons to the store and purchase 20 cans of tomatoes for $0.14 a piece, totaling $2.80 plus the $2.00 for the coupons is $4.80. Buying these tomatoes at regular price would cost $22.80, so that makes a savings of $18.00!! That's huge!

A couple of other products I stock pile are:
White cloud 4 roll toilet paper: Regular price $2.00 minus coupon $1.00= $1.00 for 4 rolls

Smart Taste Pasta: $1.50 minus coupon $1.00= $0.50 per package

Starkist tuna creations pouches: $1.48 minus coupon 1.00= $0.48 per pouch

Bagelfuls: $1.50 minus $1.00 coupon= $0.50 per package

Green Giant Vally Fresh Steamers $1.00ea. minus $1.00 coupons= FREE!
(We eat these all the time, and anytime I can get these coupons, I buy them!!! They make great side dishes and they also cook well into meals, plus, free veggies!!)

These coupons are not always available, but when they are, I buy as many as I can! Remember to search for the HIGHEST VALUE of coupon that you can find. I RARELY purchase a coupon that is under $1.00!

So, I hope this helps you to create a sufficient stockpile for your family! Tune in the rest of the week for more money saving and coupon tips!!

{A NEW Blog}

2009-01-05T11:12:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I am totally crazy and decided that I don't have enought on my plate so I should make a new blog!!! LOL (I really think I need therapy!}

After looking over my 2008 reflection post, I realized that a lot of it had to do with fashion. I LOVE fashion. I love to read fashion magazines, read about it online, and go shopping. Then about 5 months ago, I found several blogs that are written by some awesome ladies who show off their daily digs. They all inspired me to look outside my fashion box and it really opened my eyes to new ways to dress.

But there was just one problem...looking good is really expensive. Or so I thought! Turns out that we can be bargain queens and still look fab!

So come along and check out my new blog, Fashion is NOT a luxury, and see what I'm wearing day to day. Make sure to bookmark me so you don't miss out on some great fashion finds! Who knows, I might even do some giveaways or something :)

{Why I was and wasn't cool in 2008}

2009-01-03T09:16:00.000-08:00

I know everyone has already done their new years posts, but I thought it would be really funny to look back on 2008 and see what we did that was "cool" and what wasn't! :)
I can defiantly say, no matter how young I am, I am still not on point with a lot of the trends that this past year had to offer. So I thought I would make a list and feel free to make your own and link back to me. After all, I don't want to be the only loser from '08! lol

What I DID DO that was cool in 2008:
I wore footless tights
I wore high waisted belts (A LOT!)
I got side swept bangs
I did the "Posh Spice" hair cut
I bought 20 pairs of ballet flats
I joined facebook and sent "flair"!

What I DIDN'T DO that was cool in 2008:
I didn't buy an iPhone
I didn't wear skinny jeans (yikes!)
I never bought Gladiator Sandals
I didn't go "Green" (I bought some reusable grocery bags, but that's about it)
I didn't read any of the Twilight books (or see the movie!-GASP!)
I never caught on to Bikram yoga (or "Hot" yoga, where you do your moves in an 80+ degree room! NO THANKS!)
I didn't see "The Dark Knight"
I never bought leg warmers

So, it's YOUR turn now! What did you do or not do in 2008?

{Apple spice oatmeal}

2009-01-02T08:43:00.000-08:00

The lovely HeathahLee asked if I would post the recipe to the photo in my 2009 Goals post, so I am more than happy to oblige! :) I actually don't have a "recipe" per say, I really just wing it, but I put together what I put in it so you can make it too!

Apple spice oatmeal
(2 servings)

What you need:
1C rolled oats (I use the quick cook steel cut)
2-3 gala apples, peeled and diced
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C brown sugar (light or dark, doesn't matter)
4 Tsp. butter (I use blue bonnet light in sticks)

How you make it:
1. Cook your oat meal as directed on package.
2. In a small pan, melt butter and add in apples. Cook apples until they are soft to the touch, not mushy, but soft.
3. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and add to pan.
4. Add in brown sugar and stir all together.
5. Remove from heat and top oatmeal with apple mixture.

Voila! Breakfast! :)

{A New Year...What now?}

2008-12-31T11:45:00.000-08:00

Wow, another year has come to a close and a new one begins. Lots of people thing of New Years as a day of champagne, resolutions, and black eyed peas. For me this year, its more about setting goals that I can actually reach. Our pastor shared a message this past weekend about being honest with yourself about where your priorities are. This is where I get this list...

My goals for 2009 are:

Continue my weight loss. I am not setting a specific goal, I just want to fit exercises into my day and still eat healthy!

I want to have more family dinners. I love having everyone over and cooking a big meal, I defiantly need to do this more this year.

Post more recipes!!! I get emails and comments from you all to post recipes over here of food I really eat, and honestly, when I cook, I take the photos, but I forget to load them up and post them! So I really will try to do more of that this year.

Repurposing. I love to buy new things and go shopping, but repurposing things I already have around my home is way more fun..and when I do this, I will show it off to all of you!

I don't want to list so many things that I don't get around to them, but I think this is a good jumping off point for me!

I want to thank you all for reading and subscribing to my blog, I LOVE blogging and have met some amazing women here, learned more about decorating and cooking than I ever thought I could. But most of all, I have learned a lot about myself! So thank you all for that!!!
God bless and have a wonderful and safe New Year!!
SEE YOU IN 2009!!!

{Menu Plan Monday: Dec.29}

2008-12-29T21:11:00.000-08:00

Last menu for this year!!! YAY! :)
I did the menu a little different this week. I didn't plan specific breakfasts for each day, I just got a few things that I could make over and over to make it easier!

Breakfasts:
biscuits with egg and sausage
everything bagels with cream cheese
English muffins with poached eggs and bacon
cereal and fruit
oatmeal with sauteed apples and brown sugar

Dinners:
Monday - Crock pot Pot Roast with root veggies and sweet potatoes (save half the roast for later in the week)
Tuesday - chicken pot pie**
Wednesday - BBQ with my sister and BIL for New Years!
Thursday - Mexican skillet with cream cheese added served with crock pot pinto beans**
Friday - TX Cowboy pie made with leftover pot roast
Saturday - chicken noodle soup**
Sunday - Chicken Alfredo pizza with broccoli and mozzarella (made with morning star "chicken" strips)
Monday - crock pot potato chowder with buttery bread machine rolls

**The Mexican skillet, chicken pot pie, and chicken noodle soup are all made from ONE chicken! Click here to see the recipes: http://www.5dollardinners.com/2008/12/frugal-food-for-large-families.html)

To see more Menu Plan Monday's check out Organizing Junkie!

{The Secret is out}

2008-12-26T07:13:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a WONDERFUL Christmas! I have so many photos to edit and put up on the blog, I will do that very soon, but for now, I wanted to FINALLY list my secret blog over here so if you never got to see it, or just wanted to bookmark it for future use then you are more than welcome!

I sent out over 100 invitations to you wonderful blog readers for the secret blog, and have decided to LEAVE IT UP so that you can come to it year round!

So here it is! http://nikkisthriftyunderfifty.blogspot.com

Even better, whenever other occasions come up, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. and I make gifts, I will be sharing them over there as well! I am hoping this will be something really fun to keep up and help me be more inspired to create instead of buy, buy, buy!

Thank you all so much for supporting me and all of the other "Thrifty 50"!

{The true meaning of Christmas}

2008-12-24T21:02:00.000-08:00

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

”Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
~Luke 2

GOD BLESS! HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

{Don't Panic..your can still have a beautiful Christmas!}

2008-12-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

If your anything like me, you wait until the last minute to do EVERYTHING! I am the queen of procrastination!
But this year I had actually seen and idea for my table on Christmas that I just died over! So I bought the little balls and the candles and the candy and I put it all together, and I HATED IT!!!! So, a quick trip to the dollar store, and some creativity with things I already had, and I have a table fit for 10 in less than an hour. And the best part...it cost UNDER $30!!!

Here was my first table. I had purchased all of these items at Hobby Lobby and the Dollar store for this table. (There is a price breakdown at the bottom)

So I grabbed some garland that I still had in a box...

Still not enough.

Throw on some gold balls from the $1 store

getting better...

"Hey Mom, don't we have some of those paper mache letter that we can paint gold?"

Now, just a touch of ribbon on the candles and it's done!

Don't forget to fix the Chandelier to match!

and look, even Cuddles decided to get in on the red and white theme!!

So how did I do all of this for under $30?
(everything that is $1ea. are from the dollar store!)
Table Runner: $1.00
Crystal like candle holders: $1.00ea. X 4= $4.00
Taper Candles: Already had from IKEA
Small Red Candles: $1.00ea X 2= $2.00
Large white candles: $3.99ea. on 50% off sale= $3.99 for both
Garland: already had
Red Balls: $4.99 on 50% off sale= $2.49
Gold Balls: $1.00 ea X 2pkg= $2.00
J-O-Y Letters: $1.99 ea on 30% off sale= $4.17 for all three
Gold paint: already had
Glass Jars: Already had (From walmart $1.87 ea!)
Candy: Already had red hots and peppermint sticks, peppermint rounds were $1.00
Silver Charger Tray: $1.87 with 40% off coupon= $1.12
GRAND TOTAL: $21.77

Oh, and HOP ON OVER to my Secret Blog, I have one more LAST MINUTE gift project that you can do TODAY!!!

{Menu Plan Monday Dec.22nd}

2008-12-22T08:57:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to join in on Menu plan Monday for FOREVER but never got around to doing it. I have been menu planning for years to save money and my sanity at dinner time! So now I get to share my meals with you! I am going to try REALLY hard to do this every Monday.
Here is our Christmas Menu for this week:

Monday:
Breakfast - Gingerbread Pancakes with fat free whipped cream
Dinner - Pork chops with baked potatoes and apple slices

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Amish baked oatmeal with rasins and cinnamon
Dinner - Egg salad sandwiches with lowfat chips

Wednesday: Christmas Eve
Breakfast - Breakfast Tacos with black beans and salsa
Dinner - Chinese Takeout

Thursday: Christmas Day
Breakfast - Sticky Buns (these are SOOO good!) and Sausage Kolaches
Dinner - Mexican Feast including: Cheese Enchiladas, Homemade Tamales (we made these a few days ago), charro beans, spanish rice, queso, quacamole, salsa, and Chocolate Cake for Jesus! :)

Friday:
Breakfast - english muffins with turkey sausage patties and cheese
Dinner - Meatball Sandwiches and salad (I'm using my own pasta sauce for this to save $)

Saturday:
Breakfast - Cereal and Toast with fruit
Dinner - Grilled Chicken leg 1/4's with chicken flavored rice and salad

Sunday:
Breakfast - Leftover muffins from last week
Dinner - Spaghetti with homemade sauce and garlic bread

for more menu plan monday's check out The Organizing Junkie!

Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :)

{mmmm.....popalicious!}

2008-12-21T18:49:00.001-08:00

As you all know, I was challenged this year to make all my gifts for under $50.00! Well, the challenge ended before I could add this on, but I thought I would share it over here so everyone could get the recipes to make for Christmas! :)

I did this as teacher gifts, boxed them up in fun little tubs from the dollar store, simple, and cheap! But most important, DELISH!!!

First up is Macadamia Butter-Crunch Popcorn. This one is a BIG hit in my house! :)

Here is what you need:
25 cups (from about 1 cup kernels) popped popcorn
4 cups raw whole macadamia nuts, toasted (about 1 pound)
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

here is how to make it:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put popcorn in a large bowl. Add the nuts; set aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a gentle simmer, about 4 minutes. Stop stirring; continue cooking until mixture lightens in color, 5 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda.

Pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts; toss to coat. Transfer to rimmed baking sheets; bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until almost dry, about 1 hour. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Next is Chocolate-Almond Popcorn! Its soooo good!
You will need:
25 cups popped popcorn (from about 1 cup kernels)
3 cups unsalted whole skin-on almonds, toasted (about 1 pound)
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt

and you make it like this:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put popcorn in a large bowl. Add the nuts; set aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, butter, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.

Pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts; toss to coat. Transfer to rimmed baking sheets; bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until almost dry, about 1 hour. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

If you make them together at the same time, you can be done in about an hour and a half. I blogged in between stirring times! :)
I hope you like these! If you want even more holiday recipes, visit http://www.marthastewart.com/

{Something strange is going on.....}

2008-12-20T14:28:00.001-08:00

I think something is up at my house.

Because I think we have all lost our minds...

There is something running around that wasn't here the other day...What could it be?

That's right, we got a NEW PUPPY!!! This is Lagan's Early Christmas gift that she has been waiting A YEAR for!!! She is so excited!

She named him CUDDLES! :)

He has been here with us for two days now and we just love him to pieces! He is a Yorkie-Pom (one of those "Designer Dogs" they are making now! hehe You know, mutts they charge an arm and a leg for because they custom breed them!)
He is so well mannered! Cuddles is three months old and weighs 2 and a half pounds! He's a tiny little monster! :)

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas...even if you don't get a dog as cute as mine......I mean, Lagan's! :) hehe

It's a sad end...

2008-12-15T18:21:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not going to stop blogging! Its just the end of the Thrifty for under Fifty Challenge tonight! I have had the most amazing time crafting my Christmas gifts this year. I hope I am giving some gifts that will really mean something to my family! :) Plus, I made all of my presents for a GRAND TOTAL OF:

Drum Roll Please.....

$25.34!!!

I have posted all of my gifts onto my secret blog. If you don't yet have the address, let me know by leaving a comment on this post with your EMAIL ADDRESS so I can send it to you!

Also, don't forget to check out the YCMT blog for updates. I am on TEAM KRIS!! We have really been knocking out these gifts! Some amazing girls on there!!!!

I just want to say thank you to Kim, Kris, and the entire staff over at YCMT for letting me participate in this opportunity. I had a blast!!

{Masquerade...every face a different shade!}

2008-12-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen Phantom of the Opera? Well, its my FAVORITE musical of all time. I used to read the book when I was a child, then I grew up and saw the Broadway play, then when the movie came out, I went to see it on Opening night. I have the DVD, both the regular and collectors addition. I also have the soundtrack, both the regular and the extended collectors addition! lol

Anyway, my point. The woman's ministry at my Church hosted a Masquerade this week. It was a BLAST! We had an amazing message, great music, and masks galore! The Masquerade scene is my favorite in Phantom, and I felt so awesome in my mask. Not to mention...

I wore a dress for the first time in my adult life WITH a high waisted belt thank you very much!!

lol!!! I loved every minute of it! I went with my mom and my sister, here we all are before we left. (I must have been tilting my head back here, because my face looks huge! lol)

And here is my lovely sister, Brittany, in her mask.

And me in mine!

It was a night to truly remember!

{It's my Business' Birthday!}

2008-12-04T17:04:00.001-08:00

**I just noticed, this is also THIS BLOG'S 100th POST!!!! YAY!
This is so exciting! One year ago I set out to work from home and I was determined to be successful at it! The only skill I could sell was Designing graphics. I had learned all about designing blog's while designing mine. And I had been making graphics since I was 12! So that was my mission. I told my mom I would give it 3 months and if it didn't take, I would go back to work.

Needless to say, it took, and it took well! Well, so far so good anyway! :) I have been in business for a year now designing blogs, websites, logos and splash pages for people ever since!

I just wanted to share with you all because I was just so happy that I finally succeeded at something other than being a Chef!! hehe
If you have never been over to my site, you are more than welcome to visit here: EXPRESSIVE STYLE GRAPHICS

{The incredible shrinking woman....well, sort of}

2008-12-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! So its been a while since I have updated my Live Well Wednesday! I am still working out and eating healthy and loosing weight slowly but surely. I have lost about 18 pounds to date!!! But why take my word for it when a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Below you will find the first photos that I posted when I weighed 237 pounds!! Next to them you will find me TODAY weighing in at 219 pounds! Can you tell the difference?

Oh, and here is my leg in my jeans. I wore the same ones from the first pictures. They are almost a whole size too big in the waist and they are about 3 sizes too big in the leg!

I want to thank everyone for your continued support in this battle to loose the weight. I hope I can get back into posting more often on this subject, because I know a lot of you all are going through this too! Thanks for letting me share my success thus far! :)

{Im sharing my secret...}

2008-11-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a Fun Black Friday seeking out amazing deals! Yes, I was one of those crazies! I was up at 4:00 to be at Walmart when they opened at 5:00am!! I went and got everything I had planned on buying. Tomorrow I will be doing my "craft" shopping for my Thrifty under Fifty challenge!

Speaking of Thrifty under Fifty. I have had so many of you wanting to see my "Secret Blog" so guess what....I'm going to let you!!!!
Just leave me a comment on this post, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS so I can send you the link and you can all keep up with my projects, get inspired, and make some of your own. Plus, I might even feature YOUR projects!!
Just don't send the link to my mom or my sister!! :)

**Photo found here: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_organizing_storage/article/0,1801,HGTV_3142_5741723_01,00.html isn't that an AWESOME room?!?! WOW! I would love to craft there!

{A Christmas Project}

2008-11-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen something in a catalog and wanted it so bad, but you just couldn't justify the cost?
Well, I saw this in my Ballard Catalog a few weeks ago, and thought just that. I mean, $49????? I don't think so!

So what's a girl to do? Make her own of course!
And that's just what I did...and I'm going to take you along the journey with me so you can make your own too! :)

Step 1: Create your template.
Ok, so I used the same silhouette from their website by searching through istock. Its actually in sections so you will have to look for all three sections! I actually lost the links, otherwise I would share them! :(
Once you have your template, print it out in sections and trace around it onto a piece of white poster board.
**TIP: trace it backwards on the WRONG side of the paper. This way, you can cut it out on the back and not see your cut lines or any pencil lines that you miss.

Step 2: Cut out your pattern
Now you will want to cut out your design with an xacto knife.

Step 3: Make your Frame
Now you want to make your frame. I bought these frame pieces at Hobby Lobby on the isle with the canvas. They are SUPER cheap!
Then I painted them with black craft paint and allow to dry.

Step 4: Cutting the Background
Once your frame is dry, you will want to trace it's size onto a red piece of poster board. This one I am using is like a textured paper, not shiny like regular poster board.
Once you have measured the frame, then cut along that line.

Step 5: Connect the Dots...Glue Dots that is!
I LOVE these! I used glue dots on the back of the silhouette (remember, you cut it out backwards, so make sure you are putting the glue on the correct side for it to be able to flip over and be right!)

Step 6: Stick it to 'um
Once you have all the glue dots on the back, you want to line up the bottom and stick down the silhouette onto the red paper.

Step 7: Prepare the frame
Now you want to put the glue dots all along the back of the frame.

Step 8: Last step
Now you want to stick the entire background onto the frame, making sure to line up the sides and top and bottom. Once the glue sticks, you cant move it around, so try to be as accurate as possible!

Now flip it over and find somewhere awesome to put it for your holiday!

Here is the cost breakdown for you!
(I got EVERYTHING at Hobby Lobby)
White poster board: $0.49
Red poster board: $1.89
Glue Dots: $3.99 (plus 40% off coupon)= $2.39
Frame: 2 long pieces $1.69 ea.
2 short pieces $0.69 each
Total: $9.53

Ballard Design Inspiration:
$49.00 plus shipping= $60.95!!!!

Wow, that's a savings of $51.42!!
Now get to crafting!!!

{I am so thrifty...I got this one in the bag!}

2008-11-24T19:02:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite websites, youcanmakethis.com is hosting a really awesome opportunity. They had a contest of sorts to see who could be Thrifty under 50. That is, they chose 50 people to make the vast majority of their Christmas presents for under $50.00 TOTAL in about a months time.

So I thought to myself when I saw the opportunity..."I think I could do that!" So I applied. And guess what? I GOT CHOSEN!!

So now I am part of this ultra secret society of 50 awesome women and we are all currently working on awesome projects for our friends and family. I am having the best time and really getting some great ideas! We have all also started SECRET BLOGS that no one can see so that we can show each other our progress...but not the people receiving the gifts!

I just wanted to say thank you to all the girls over at YCMT that put this together. I am having the best time!
I cant wait to show you all what I made...since I cant show you here. My sister and my mom read my blog and I am doing some projects for both of them! :)

YAY TEAM KRIS!! We are totally going to win!

{Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!}

2008-11-20T21:41:00.001-08:00

We have a winner folks!!
Thanks to Random.org the winner of the One Year WOMENS DAY Magazine subscription is.....

DRUM ROLL....

Comment #19, Lacey from Lacey in Love

SUPER CONGRATS LACEY!!! Email me at expressivestylegraphics@yahoo.com to claim your prize!

Thank you to everyone who entered my first ever giveaway! I was BLOWN AWAY by the awesome comments everyone left and people posting in on their blogs! Just sooo cool!
I mean seriously...someone wrote a poem to enter! How cool is that?
Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I will see you Monday!!!

{Seven}

2008-11-19T21:13:00.000-08:00

Lagan, today you turn 7 years old. I cant even believe I am saying that. We have had quite a life together already. A life that I did not think would ever happen, but has been the most wonderful blessing God could ever give me.

I remember the night you were born. I had been in labor almost 14 hours. It was cold and rainy. I knew that you would always be a girl who knew how to make an entrance! We were all so captivated by your beauty. And now, I am captivated by your love. Your sweet soul and fun loving spirit are what keep me going through my day.

Your hugs are warm and comforting when I most need them. Nothing makes me happier when you never want to let go!

So here's to you baby girl. I can wait to see what the next 7 years will be like! I love ya boo!!

Love, Mommy

(Here is a journey through the last few years. Thanks for letting me share such a special day with you all!)
Lagan still in my tummy! :)

{cooking the trash}

2008-11-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

**WARNING! This post is very wordy, but SUPER helpful with saving you money!!!!!!
LOL! I thought I would get your attention with that title! Let me explain...I have been on a quest to save my family as much money as possible in the food department. So, while I was making a recipe the other day, it donned on me that I waste a TON of food when I cook, and I don't even notice. I also purchase things at the store that I could easily make myself for just pennies, but end up buying them out of sheer laziness. But no more!

Which takes me back to the title, cooking the trash. I decided to dig up some of my old restaurant habits and apply them to my home to save some $$! First up, chicken stock...

Now, a box of chicken stock is about $2.50 here and contains around 4-6 cups depending on the brand. So that's roughly about $0.42 a cup.
That's way too much in my opinion. Especially when I go through 2-3 boxes A WEEK!!
So how did I make 3 GALLONS of stock for FREE? Simple...I cooked the trash!
Whenever I make dinner, if I cut up veggies like onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, bell peppers, etc. I take the part I would normally throw away, like the tops of the carrots and the skin that you shave off, or the top and bottom root ends of the onion (minus the paper and "root" part that I just BARELY slice off, or the center of a heart of celery and the leaves too as well as the ends that you cut off when serving it. All of these things get tossed into a HUGE ziptop freezer bag after every meal I prepare. When the bag gets full, I make stock.

So this week, I had a chicken that I roasted, so I took all the meat off the bones and threw that in a pot along with all of the STILL FROZEN leftover veggies, an entire head of Italian flat leaf parsley that was about to go bad, fill with water to the top, Italian seasoning, and 1 head of garlic, and let it boil to town for a few hours, until all of the veggies were about to fall apart.
Then you just drain all of the liquid into another pot and let it cool. Then, pour the cooled liquid into ice cube trays and allow to freeze. Next, take the cubes (enough to equal 2 cups) and put them in freezer safe bags with a label. The next time you need chicken stock for a recipe, just pop the cubes into a small sauce pan over high heat until it's melted!

I also made breadcrumbs, which I use in SO many dishes! I make Lagan a peanut butter and jelly sandwich EVERY DAY! lol She LOVES them, but I always cut them into fun shapes with my gazillion cookie cutters. So I take the extra bread and throw it in a zipper bag, and freeze it. (I also throw in the leftover bread from all of our meals.) Again, when it fills up, I chop it up into small cubes and toast it in the oven for a few minutes. Then I grind it up the the food processor until its in crumbs, then stick it in a air tight ziptop bag, label it, and throw it into the fridge for safe keeping.

So what do you do to save your family money in the kitchen? I would love for you to share your ideas!!

Oh...and here is a little preview of a project I will be sharing very soon! Any guesses what this humble little frame I built will become?....

***Ohhh...and dont forget to keep entering the Contest below until Thursday to win a 1 year subscription to Womens Day Magazine for FREE!!

{Christmas come early!}

2008-11-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

Wow! My very first giveaway! This is so exciting!!
We all know how hard the economy is and its hard to afford the "luxuries" that we are used to getting. And this Holiday season is defiantly harder for most of us! So I thought, "Why not give away something that every woman likes and she can either keep it for herself, or give it to someone she loves?"

So, I am giving away...

A 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO WOMAN'S DAY MAGAZINE!!!

This is one of my most favorite magazines and I buy it EVERY single month! I never miss an issue. This magazine gives me inspiration for Home decorating, parenting advice, recipes, and tons of eye candy!

Would you like to win a year for FREE? I mean, who wouldn't right?
So here is what you have to do.
Just leave a comment here with your email address so I know how to get in contact with you! That will get you one entry!
If you post about my giveaway on your blog, that gives you an ADDITIONAL 2 entries!! So that could be three entries total.

I will be drawing a winner on Thursday the 20Th at MIDNIGHT (CST)!
So get your entries in, spread the word to your friends and let the gift giving begin!

{"Excuse me...Are you Jesus?"}

2008-11-14T05:34:00.001-08:00

My sister Brittany just sent me an email that I HAD to share with you all. This is truly how I want to live my life, to Glorify Him!

EXCUSE ME.
ARE YOU JESUS?...

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional
sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their
wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush through the terminal, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in
touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of
compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been
overturned.
He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight.
Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.
The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying,tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and
said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister....' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?'...

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would.

Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

Sometimes we just take things for granted, when we really need to be sharing what we know.

{Im trying...}

2008-11-12T20:08:00.000-08:00

I am trying to get all caught up on my life and this poor blog has been neglected for a few days! But no fear my faithful blog friends, both of you will be hearing from me soon! :) hehe
No, I'm just kidding. I have some amazing readers, and I love all of you!!!!
I haven't been around because Lagan has been very sick. She was diagnosed with Asthma when she was 2, but it hasn't acted up in 3 years! So this past week she was having severe attacks of dry coughs and she couldn't breath. So I took her to the doctor and got her a new inhaler and some new nebulizer meds, and now she is taking it slow, but is doing much better. But, as fate would have it, its getting colder in the morning, then it's blazing hot later in the day, then freezing all night, so its not doing much to help her! I pray over her every night and I know that God will bring her through this so she can return to her normal life and not have to be on these treatments 24/7!

So as soon as life slows down, hopefully in a couple of days, I will be back with some AWESOME projects I have been working on, a couple of tutorials and lots of holiday decorating DEALS!!!!
Until then, oh faithful readers of mine, enjoy a photo of poor sick Lagan doing her "bweeving tweetment" as she used to call them!

Milking it for all it's worth.....

{...and everything in it's place}

2008-11-06T18:42:00.000-08:00

I found somewhere to put it!! :) On the top of an armoire!

{FALLing for Autumn...}

2008-11-06T08:58:00.000-08:00

This really isn't a "project" that is original or creative, but it was cheap and fun to do! I have TONS of projects coming throughout the holiday season though! So keep your eyes peeled for that!! :)

But before I share, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who posted a comment on my previous post. We had communion at church last night and 4 people that are members of our congregation all prayed for President Elect Obama in their native tongue, then we sang some of the most beautiful worship songs ever! One being "My Nation Healed" and the other was "He Reigns".
I truly believe that God's people will come together in every tribe, every tongue, and every nation to say that HE REIGNS, no matter what the situation!

Now, on to what I was talking about! :)
I was in Hobby Lobby the other day getting some materials for some upcoming projects, and I happened to spot this little wood sign and the fall colored paints in the "Fall Decor" section. They were both $2.99, but were on 50% off sale! So I got them BOTH for $2.99!
Now THAT'S a deal!! So I came home and painted the sign! I LOVE it! Its so "fall" and warm! I cant wait to find a spot for it! hehe

Oh, and did you spot my dollar store candle holder there behind it?! I LOVE those!!

2008-11-05T05:23:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a long hard road. And now we have a new President.
First I want to say congratulations to President elect Barack Obama. Also a congratulations is in order for his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, as well as the entire Democratic party. They truly ran a solid campaign and won fairly. His campaign manager really needs a raise because he truly ran one hell of a campaign!

I was sitting here last night and watching the TV when Obama's win was announced. I have to admit, the first thing I thought was sadness. I shed a few tears. I prayed for Obama and the US. I prayed for my family. I prayed for our futures. Not because I think Obama is going to rip all of that apart, but because I think prayer is our most powerful weapon against the enemy, and I know that Obama is going to have to fight off the enemy in his job day in and day out. I might not have voted him into office, but I will stand behind this country. The election is over and people can either get on board or jump ship. I love living here and would never leave just because of the president.

Now, I have to say, when Sen. McCain came on the TV to concede his run in this race, I was so disappointed. Not in John McCain, but in the people in the crowd. When he mentioned Barack Obama's name, people booed. I was so ashamed to call myself a republican at that point. I could not believe that these people were booing a man that won not only the popular vote but the electoral vote fair and square. We may not agree with his topics or his values, but that doesn't mean that we stand up against him by demeaning both him and ourselves by booing. I pray that the hearts in all of those people are softened. The Lord says, love thy neighbor. I am choosing to take the higher road here, and I can only hope that everyone else will.

Lets see what the next 4 years hold...

{Get out and VOTE!}

2008-11-04T04:56:00.000-08:00

Its Election day 2008. The most influential day in our time thus far. This day decides how our children live for the next 4 years. It determines what constitutes a marriage, or life, or "change".

I am not here to push my beliefs on anyone. But after seeing my friend, Melissa's post on her blog last night, I too feel the need to say my beliefs, because they are at the core of who I am.

I too, believe that God mad Man, and then he made Woman so that man would never be lonely. He knew that relationships were so important to us as humans, so he gave Adam someone to love. And I believe that marriage should stay just that, a man and a woman, joined together by God.

I also believe that life begins at conception. I have personally seen life inside of me! Its a beautiful thing. Anyone who is pregnant should see that. You feel the baby kick and have the hiccups. You can see it suck it's thumb and wiggle around. If that isn't life, I don't know what is. I know that it's hard to be in a place where you think you have no where to turn. But if you made a "mistake", killing the most innocent party doesn't make it better! A baby truly does change a life. If your not ready for that change, there are plenty of other options. Death, however, should not be one of them.

I hope these matters don't make you hate me, I don't hate anyone who sees things from a different perspective. I believe that it is the true beauty of being an American, that we are allowed to have, and share, our views with others.

No matter who wins today, I will stand behind my country. My church will be having a prayer ceremony tomorrow for the winning Candidate, no matter who it is. I believe that either candidate will need a good amount of prayer to run this country, so that is exactly what I am going to do. Will you pray with me for the next president and our country?

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

{Trunk or Treat}

2008-11-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Halloween! Our church had a "Trunk or Treat" this year, and I tell ya, it was SOOOOO much better than going trick or treating! Everyone that participates gets to dress up their cars, some had some really awesome themes and games, and then hand out candy to everyone. Its a safe and fun environment for the kiddos to have fun at!

I even saw a familiar face! :) My buddy Amelia and her family, who just moved to Austin and now go to the same church as me, were there also! It was so good to see you Amelia! :) Her girls were so cute, you have to head over to her blog to see some pics of them!

I got to hang out with everyone from our Bible study too, so that was great fun! I just love a night with friends and family...especially one that involves candy!

So here is a run down of our families costumes this year! Lagan was Hannah Montana for her school costume. They had to be book characters, and Lagan has a HM book, so I thought, why not!

Then at trunk or treat she was a Hula Girl!
I was a chef, surprise, surprise! lol My sister, Brittany, was an 80's girl!! Her costume had me laughing so hard...ahhh the memories! And her husband, Joey was a tourist! This costume is SOOOOO him! It was great! :)

My mom and her husband, Scott, were there too, but didn't dress up, so I don't have any photos of them! :( But here are some photos from the night! :)

All in all it was a great night had by all, and I really enjoyed the extra rest that we got this weekend!
How was your Halloween?? Get any good candy? Want to share? ;)

{Thats a Deal Thursday, Baking, Baking Baking}

2008-10-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Baking, Baking, Baking!....Baking, Baking, Baking! (I'm singing in my best conga line voice)
So many of you know that I am always on the hunt for a good bargain, and lately that bargain hunting has transferred to the grocery store. I have been trying to find more ways to stretch my hard earned dollars and still feed my family what they like.
This can prove to be some what of a challenge, but most of the time it's really fun!

One of the ways I have learned to save money is by making things in LARGE batches. Like soup, I made 5 gallon sized Ziploc bags of baked potato soup the other day for the freezer. I also made three bags of homemade pasta sauce, and this weekend I will be making chicken stock. But the one meal I always have trouble with is breakfast! I despise having to get up at 6:00am and not only make Lagan's breakfast and lunch, but then make breakfast for everyone else and I haven't even worked out yet! So my breakfast is always cold and gross and I'm the one that made it! (Can you see my frustration here?)
So I read on several blogs about baking, and freezing, muffins.

Brilliant Idea! Cheap and easy muffins that last for months! So Mom and I put on our aprons, rolled up our sleeves, and baked FIVE different kinds of muffins all on one day! And ended up freezing over 30 muffins for future use!!

Here is a glimpse into our "Baking Day"...

We ended up making banana nut, zucchini and nut, pumpkin chocolate chip, apple spice, and blueberry muffins! YUMMMM.....

So what's a girl to do with 1/2 a can of leftover pumpkin? Well, make pumpkin pancakes...duh!

All in all, I had a great time spending the day with mom and baking! We will defiantly be doing this a lot! And since this was a "That's a deal Thursday" I will let you know that the supplies to bake over 7 dozen muffins cost about $10.00!! Now, I defiantly think that's a deal!

{FINALLY....a new project!}

2008-10-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

I promised I would post a new project, and I FINALLY got pictures of it! This project is SOOOOO easy, your going to wonder why you never thought of it!

This idea came to me when I was in the middle of the scrap booking supplies isle. I love to embellish my clothing and make it my own. So I saw the supplies to make this project and it was like a light bulb! So follow along and make your clothing one of a kind!

**For prices, I forgot. I bought these a few months back, but it is very low priced to do this! :)

Materials Needed:
1 package fabric flowers with large and small sizes
(I threw away the package so I don't have a photo! sorry!)
1 package fabric covered brads
Safety Pins
Here are the brads so you can see the brand and what the packaging looks like. The flowers are made by the same company! :)

Step 1: Gather all of your materials.

Step 2: Layer a small flower on a large flower.

Step 3: Push flowers through the brad (the flowers have a small hole in the middle)

Step 4: Flip flower over so brad is sticking up

Step 5: Push brad sides down so they are flat against the flower back.

Step 6: Next, take your safety pin and gently push it through the flower so its not visible on the other side

Step 7: Flip the flower over and make sure the pin is not visible

Here are a few that I made up ahead of time. You can make large ones with the small flowers on top, or without them. You can also make just the little ones.

Once you have made all of your flowers, then you can pin them onto your clothing. I love them on a t-shirt or even on a belt or my hand bag for the day. Today I decided to put them on my pea coat since its pretty chilly out today! :)

And speaking of embellishing your clothing, try some other ideas that make your clothing all yours. I LOVE buttons and use them quite often. I have had this cardigan since middle school!!! But it was getting a little dated, so I brought new life to it with a cluster of black and grey buttons of all different sizes! This is about $5.00 worth of buttons, and it makes it look like a whole new top!

{Pumpkin Patching}

2008-10-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

Can I just say that class field trips are so much fun? I'm not even joking, I really had a good time. But there is something totally bazaar about me going on field trips. No matter what, I sign up and I feel great, I can't wait to go! Field trip day comes, I am totally sick! Last year, I had the flu. I had had the flu for 4 weeks, then I got better, then I lapsed and got it again for 2 more weeks. Needless to say, I thought I might die! Then this year, I got a really bad cold/sinus infection, but I went anyway because I told Lagan I would be there! (I know tons of moms are out there saying, "OMG! I can't believe you went on field trips with a cold or the flu!" But in my defence, both times I was totally hopped up on meds and when I had the flu I got the green light from my doc to go! hehe)

Anyway, back to what I was actually posting about! So this week, Lagan's class got to go to the Pumpkin patch and pick a pumpkin, plus learn all about different kinds of pumpkins and how to carve them and eat them! VERY cool! I even learned a few things!
It was a great time had by all and an awesome reminder that Fall is here, even if you can't tell in the 90 degree weather! :)
So I thought I would share a few photos from the day! Lagan was so proud to have her mommy there taking pictures, she told her teacher "She's taking them for her Blog"........do you think that's bad? lol
**Oh, and I do have that tutorial coming, Im just a little behind on posting!! hehe

Here is Lagan picking her pumpkin. The kiddo's got to pick a pie pumpkin and bring it home to decorate it for a class project, then we will get to make a pie! YUM!

there were sooooooo many pumpkins!

Lagan had a blast!

{An award for Reading...}

2008-10-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to pop in real quick and say that my awesome buddy Anne over at Cupcakes and Sunshine sent me an AWESOME award!

I LOVE to read. I don't get to do it much, but I do really enjoy it. So this award was perfect for me!
The award is a reading award. This award requires I open the nearest book to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences...The CLOSEST BOOK, NOT YOUR FAVORITE, OR MOST INTELLECTUAL!!

So the nearest book to me at my desk is The Bible (KJV). Its always near by! :) So I turned to page 56, and it read:

"Judah, thau art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee."
Genesis 50:8

Wow! An award and a little piece of the good Word all in one! You just can't beat that!
So now I get to pass this award along, so I am going to pass it to my buddy Kyley! Love ya Ky! :)