Cyber Monday

I had a great holiday weekend! My husband had to work last year over the weekend following Thanksgiving, but this year he was off. It was fun to have him home. He helped us put up all the Christmas decorations and he hung the lights outside the house. It was a great weekend.

Today, he is at home (he gets this whole week off from work!) and we have a sick little 7 year old. He started getting sick yesterday, sore throat, cough and just plain not feeling good. He woke me up at 4:00 am telling me his throat hurt and he had a headache. Then at 7:00 am he came downstairs saying his head really hurt (he was convinced he had a migraine, but I am not so sure it was that serious). So Mr. Man and Lefty are on the computer shopping the Cyber Monday deals while I am at work! Not fair. My day is pretty packed with meetings today so I will have no time to browse the deals. I do intend to use my lunch hour today to do a little shopping.

I better get this posted and get ready for my first meeting today. Hope you all had a great weekend and are ready to have a great week! (I am)

Friday Recipe - Sweet Potato Casserole

I love this recipe! I am not a huge fan of the marshmallow topped sweet potatoes, but like this sweet potato casserole. It works well for holiday gatherings too because it can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, then when you are ready to eat it you can warm it in the oven or in the microwave.

Sweet Potato Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
4 c sweet potato, cubed
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbls butter, softened
1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

TOPPING:
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c all purpose flour
3 Tbls butter, softened
1/2 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water just enough to cover. Cook over medium-high heat until tender; drain and mash.

In a large bowl, mix sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Thankful Jar

For the last few years over the Thanksgiving holiday we have had this tradition of taking a jar and some beads. As we eat we pass the jar and beads and everyone has to think of something they are thankful for... it is neat to watch the jar get filled up! One year I was "secretary" and wrote down all the things we were thankful for. It is easy sometimes for us to forget all that we have been blessed with throughout the year. I like to re-read the list a few times as a reminder of all the things my family is thankful for! It also impresses me what the kids come up with on their own. After the jar has been passed several times it is full of the colorful beads! We sometimes keep the jar out on the table through Christmas time as a reminder of all we have to be thankful for! It is just too easy sometimes to get lost in the hub bub of the holidays or start to feel sorry for ourselves when things go wrong and forget all the blessings we do have (such as our refridgerator and vacuum breaking about the same time - neither one a cheap replacement and both happened in October/November! Nice. But when I thought about all that we DO have it made purchasing those things a little easier to accept.)

This year, I want to continue to do the jar, but also start a journal of sorts so that year after year we can look and see what we were thankful for each year. I am thinking of decorating a journal together with the kids, maybe just using a spiral notebook and covering it with scrapbook paper. I am just tossing around ideas in my head about how to make this a better tradition than what we already have... ya'll got any ideas?

I am happy for our tradition but looking for ways to make it even better!

Tuesday ramblings...

I have been busy trying to get my house ready for company on Thanksgiving day. My mother and father-in-law will be coming over and one of my sister-in-laws and her husband will also be coming over. It will be fun.

I have the menu all planned out, grocery shopping done, well almost, I forgot a couple minor things that I will get tonight. Tomorrow I only work a half day so I plan to spend the afternoon really cleaning the house. It actually isn't too terribly dirty, but I want to give it a good dusting and vacuuming, plus a general pick-up of the whole house. I can't wait for turkey day - num num num! Good food and good company! Love it!

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Something funny Lady Bug said this morning:

She was watching Dora the Explorer show and at the end of every episode (for those of you not familiar with this show) Dora says "Thanks for helping us. We couldn't have done it without your help!"

So this morning after Dora says that Lady Bug says "Well, you did do without me. I didn't even get to watch the whole show."

It just made me giggle.

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Spirit made me cry this morning. Not on purpose, but he was asking me if he could take this cross he has in his room to school for show-n-tell. The cross was given 6 years ago to Spirit and one to Lefty also after the funeral services we had for the still born baby we delivered. The cross is gold and has the image of a small boy kneeling in prayer.

I asked Spirit how he was going to present it to the class. He said he would just say that it is a cross to help him remember the little brother he had that died at birth.

My eyes welled up and he said "I'm so sorry momma for making you cry. Are you mad?"

Me: "Of course not. I just get sad sometimes when I remember our baby."

He walked off and Mr. Man talked to him a little bit. Then I went over and hugged him.

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Not sure how many posts I will get done this week, so if I don't make it back on here I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Friday Recipe - Creamy Chicken Pasta

This is a quick, simple recipe and can be thrown together quickly. The Caesar dressing really adds a lot of flavor to this dish and it doesn't really need any other seasonings besides the dressing. It warms up well too. Everyone in the family just told me that we need to eat this more often!

Creamy Chicken Pasta
INGREDIENTS:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fully cooked and cubed (I usually just use what I have, so sometimes I am using left over cooked chicken. Sometimes I use more than 3 breasts and other times it is less.)
1 lb package of penne pasta, fully cooked and drained
1 bag frozen broccoli and cauliflower mix (I use the kind you can steam in the bag, but any kind would work)
1 (15 oz) container cottage cheese
1 c creamy Caesar salad dressing
1/2 to 1 c grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together cottage cheese and salad dressing. Add in chicken pieces and pasta.

Cook veggies according to the package (since I use the Steam Fresh ones, I just nuke them in the microwave until cooked). Add cooked veggies to the chicken/pasta mixture and mix well to cover each pasta and veggie with the cheese/dressing.

Pour this into a greased 13x9x2 casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until completely heated through (because everything is already cooked and mostly warmed it sometimes doesn't take as long as 20 minutes, so I start checking in on it after about 15 and go from there).

Ornament Swap

I participated in the Secret Ornament Swap with Its a Wonderful Life and I received my package already! I was so excited to come home to not one, but two boxes sitting on my front porch! YAY! Then when I went to take pictures... no batteries! ACK!

So after making it to the store to get some batteries then I was able to unpack the boxes! I wouldn't open the boxes until I could take pictures - do you know how hard it was to leave the boxes unopened next to the couch? It was haaaarrrrdddd I tell you!

Here is what I got:All in all I got a total of 9 ornaments, a cranberry candle, a very cute card and a wonderful wreath for my door!



Here is a close up of the ornaments:

**I got alllllllllll this wonderful stuff from Lovemy2dogs! Thanks girl!!

We usually put up our Christmas decorations on or around Thanksgiving so these will be proudly displayed next week! I will take more pictures after I get them hung up and post here again!

Thoughts...

Spirit has a girl in his class that has seizures. She wears a helmet for protection and she also has an aide that is with her at all times in case she has a seizure.

The first time it happened Spirit came home very concerned for her. Asking us why she would have those, what does it feel like to her and what does it do to her. He also admitted to being a little scared, not OF her but scared FOR her. I could see it in his eyes that first time that he was genuinely concerned for her.

Since that first time, the girl has had seizures in class probably 4 or 5 more times. Every time, Spirit comes home concerned. He wants to know if there is anything we can do for her, etc, etc etc.

The teacher has done some explaining to the class, which has eased Spirit's mind on it, but he still tells us every time she has a seizure. He knows now she has a medical condition that causes this, he knows they should turn her on her side so she doesn't choke, and he thinks it is really nice that two girls in his class hold the girls hand after the seizure to make her feel better.

For some reason last night he was really thinking about her (and wouldn't be because he wants to marry her... click here to see why!). He wanted to get online to find out more about seizures and what causes them. He also described to me what it looks when she has one. He told me how the teachers are always calm about it so he realizes he should be calm too, but he told me that he just wants to help her.

It occured to me, at that very moment, as I was looking into those big brown eyes that I might be looking at the next great doctor. Maybe that is what he will aspire to be when he goes off to college.

Have you ever read the below poem, which is for teachers, but totally applies to being a parent in so many ways as well.... I just love the poem and actually have a copy in my house that I look at often!

WITH APOLOGIES TO NONE
~Author unknown~

When I am introduced as a teacher, I am usually asked what I teach.
I reply, "I teach the little ones." So often the response is a flat "oh."

I have never been certain whether it is an expression of
sympathy or disinterest. I wish I had the time to say something like this:

Where else would life look as bright to me as it does having an
energetic group to whom nothing is impossible?

Where else could I walk into a room and see so many
eager faces turn to greet me?

Where else could I wear the same thing day after day and
still be told I look pretty?

Where else could I guide the first letter formations of a chubby little hand
and think that someday it might write a book or sign
an important document?

Where else could I so quickly forget my own aches and pains because of
skinned knees, bumped heads, and broken hearts that need my consolation?

Where else could I feel so close to my Maker as I do each day,
when because of something I've done, little children learn and grow?

Yes, I teach the little ones and I love it!

And the winner is...

The winner, which was chosen using Random.org, of the Rachel Ray cookware is...

Ruby Red Slippers

Thanks to all of you that participated!

Final Day to enter the Rachel Ray cookware giveaway

The giveaway ends tonight so please click here to enter to win this beauty! Winner will be announced sometime tomorrow.

Friday Recipe - Chicken with black beans and rice

I tried this recipe last week and it was super tasty! A quote from 7 year old, Lefty: "This chicken is the best. Ever!" He wanted it the next night too. When he saw me packing the left overs for Mr. Man's lunch he got a little disappointed that it was going to be all gone so I have promised to make this again! The rice turned out a little spicy for the kids, but even Spirit (pickiest of my kids) said as long as he ate a bite of chicken with the rice it wasn't bad. (And the only spicy thing I put in the rice was the Rotel tomatoes so I must have just had a spicy can or something)

Chicken with black beans and rice
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c flour
1 -2 tsp chili powder (add to your taste)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 - 4 lbs meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks)
2 Tbls oil
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can RoTel tomatoes, undrained
1 c tomato juice
1 c frozen whole kernel corn
2/3 c long grain rice (not instant rice)
2 cloves garlic

In a large resealable plastic bag combine the flour, chili powder, salt, & pepper. Add the chicken pieces, half at a time, and shake bag to coat chicken.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on all sides in hot oil about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice and garlic. Bring to boiling. Transfer rice mixture to a 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake covered in a 375 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is tender.

Serve with warm tortillas on the side.

**One note: We found this didn't warm up well. So, my point is that it wasn't as good as left overs, but it sure was tasty the first time around!**

Typical 8 year old boy

As I was putting Spirit to bed the other night he said "Why is it SO nasty to get married?"

Me: "I don't think it's nasty to get married. Why do you say that?"

Spirit: "It's just nasty. ick"

Me: "I'm sorry. I don't think it's nasty at all. Do you think that just because you have to kiss?"

Spirit: "That ANNDDDD you have to kiss a giiiirrrrllllll."

He is definitely at that age where he notices girls, but also thinks it is terribly gross to have to kiss, or touch. He gets so grossed out if he sees me and Mr. Man hugging/kissing. He also won't kiss me, he will hug me but no kissing!!! If I ask him to hug his sister he gets a little bothered, he'll do it (sometimes) but not without some complaining and eye rolling!

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In other news, I am exhausted these days, I have been staying up late working on crafty things... mostly Christmas gifts. I can't wait to show you all what I've been doing, unfortunately some will not get posted until AFTER the holidays since people who will be receiving those gifts read this blog! But I do have some fun things I will get to post on here as soon as they are complete! YAY!! I am also gathering up some stuff to do a little re-decorating in each of the kids' rooms that I can't wait to show you all!

Helping a hard working teacher out - WFMW tip

I am not a teacher, nor have I ever been , but I am close to some people whose occupation is teaching in the public schools. So I know from talking to them that they work hard and put in lots of hours that we (as parents) don't know about, especially during parent/teacher conference times. They sometimes are pulled away from their families during conferences and sometimes until late into the evenings for these conferences.

So this year I decided to make each teacher a little "Dinner in a basket" gift. I picked up a few baskets at the thrift store. Then I prepared some homemade chili, stuck in some crackers, a couple apples, a few biscuits (just from a can), Mr. Man made some salsa that we packaged up and I stuck in a jar of homemade pumpkin butter. I attached a note that said "With the stress of parent/teacher conferences, please enjoy dinner on us tonight! Thank you for all your hard work!"


The kids and I enjoyed packing these up and then Mr. Man helped the boys deliver them to the school Monday morning when he dropped the kids off. The boys were so excited to give them to the teachers. I immediately got a note back from Lefty's teacher saying "Thank you! Dinner is just what I needed this week! Things are going to be so crazy with conferences. Thanks again!"


Click here for more Works for Me Wednesday tips and ideas.

Please don't forget my Rachel Ray cookware giveaway - click here to enter.

Night tag

With it getting dark so early, but staying on the warmer side, the boys have been playing in the backyard until dinner time. Last night they were in the back yard playing "Night tag". They were running and tagging and laughing. It sounded like fun. Lady Bug was inside coloring but when she heard them laughing she went out to join them.

She quickly returned telling me that she couldn't play out there "with the tree that likes me so much."

Me: "The tree that likes you so much?"

Lady Bug: "Yes. The one that is right outside my bedroom window. It likes to knock on my window all the time. That's why it likes me. But I don't like it because it scares me when it knocks."

I wasn't really sure what to say. We are aware that the tree scares her. During the end of summer months when it cools off in the evenings we would open the bedroom windows to sleep, but Lady Bug would quickly call us into her room to shut the window because of that scary tree.

The tree is my favorite, in the spring it blooms these really pretty pink flowers. This is the same tree the kids like to climb, but I guess in the dark the tree is much too scary for a little girl. It made me giggle at her comment that she couldn't play outside because of the tree that likes her so much, but at the same time I totally understand why she is a little freaked out. I remember being little and things being so scary.



She was relieved when the boys came inside to play hide-n-seek inside of night tag!

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If you haven't already entered the Rachel Ray cookware giveaway, please click here to enter.

Weekend Recap

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY GIVEAWAY! Click here to enter!
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Last Friday Lady Bug woke up with a rash. It started on her face and within an hour of being awake she was covered. I kept her out of school, but had to go to work for a little bit. By the time we left my office at noon ... no rash. It was gone. Weirdest thing. So she and I ran errands. We got home the same time that Mr. Man and the boys got home, about 3:00 pm. The boys brought home report cards and both did excellent so we decided to reward them. We rode our bikes to Dairy Queen for a small ice cream cone. Then we went home, while the kids played outside for a little bit, Mr. Man and I raked leaves (the never ending leaves!!). We called my Mother and Father-in-law and decided to meet them downtown at the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. That was SO much fun! What a treat!

Saturday we went downtown again for the Veterans Day Parade. After that we headed home for lunch and more outside play time for the kids and more raking for us! Saturday night we watched movies and ate popcorn.

Sunday was mostly cleaning and attempting to fix the leaking washing machine, more raking, more cleaning! Spirit had a friend come over for a couple hours and Lady Bug and Lefty went next door to play with the new dog our neighbor got!

Overall a wonderful weekend, we had 78 - 80 degree weather all weekend! It was wonderful. Now it is time to go back to fall/winter and we may get a a storm or two this week. It was chilly and windy this morning!

RACHEL RAY COOKWARE GIVEAWAY

When I was contacted to host a giveaway for Rachel Ray cookware...how could I say NO??? I mean, seriously!?!? I think I might have even squealed with delight - fairly loudly!

I can't tell you how long I spent looking around at all the stuff I wish I had. Like the Egg Buddy.... how stinkin' cute is the name of this??? Or this oh-so-purdy 12 oz casserole dish. Please click here to view all the Rachel Ray cookware.

Now on to the giveaway.... just in time for the holidays... guess what I get the privilege of offering to you all? I can hardly contain my excitement...

Drum roll please...

This very awesome and very beautiful 4.25 Qt. oval covered casserole dish in the oh-so- fun yellow!

To enter to win I am not going to ask you to become a follower (you can if you want to) or subscribe or any of that, nope this is a super easy giveaway (that's what I'm about don't ya know) all I need you to do is click on one or all of the above links and look around. THEN, come back here and tell me how you would use the casserole dish over the holidays if you were to win it.

Good luck and happy cooking!

The giveaway is open until November 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm (Mountain time). Please be sure you leave an email for me to contact you at (so I can get a hold of you should you win!) Winner will be chosen randomly and announced sometime on Monday November 16th.

**YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A BLOG TO ENTER. JUST BE SURE YOU LEAVE AN EMAIL SO I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU SHOULD WIN!**

Friday Recipe - Pumpkin Butter

This recipe is for Pumpkin Butter, similar to Apple Butter for toast and such. This is a great fall/winter hostess gift or a gift for teachers, neighbors, etc. I usually make up a batch and we keep one small jar for ourselves. This is excellent on toast, muffins or biscuits. I usually attach a small tag tied with raffia or ribbon to my jars saying what it is and what to put it on.

It makes the house smell yummy too while it cooks!

Pumpkin Butter
INGREDIENTS:
1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin (for those of you who cook your own pumpkin it is about 1 3/4 c pumpkin)
1 c applesauce
3/4 c apple juice
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to sterile containers and refrigerate until serving.

**NOTE: I reuse jars so I don't know what size my jars are, but I can tell you that this batch fills about 3 smaller sized jars. The recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled if you want to make more. The cooking time would need to be increased as well.**

Thursday

For this fine Thursday in the first week of November....well I got nuttin' to share really. It has been a quiet week in our house.....next week the chaos begins with birthday parties, parent/teacher conferences, holiday craft making and baking, holidays, school closures for said holidays, holiday parties, etc....

But, as for this week we are all relishing in the quiet and just waiting for the storm to begin!

Have a happy Thursday!

Making your lists

I am participating in another Works For Me Wednesday tip sharing hosted by We Are THAT Family. Click here for all the wonderful holiday tips being shared.

What works for me is to have a Holiday Notebook. It starts with Thanksgiving planning and runs through Christmas planning. I have used spiral notebooks before, but the last 3 years I have used a small 1" binder.

In January I print off these pages and then I put them in the notebook. As I come across ideas for handmade gifts, or recipes I might want to try out during the holidays then I print them off (or rip out of magazines), 3-hole punch them and stick them in my notebook. I start adding in names in July to our list of who we need to make or buy gifts for (adding in teachers, new co-workers, new babies in the family, etc) and then I can start, little by little, making things or buying things as we can afford to.





This is what works for me!

The blood curdling scream...

... and I'm not talking about Halloween.

Let me set the stage for you. It's 2:40 am (that's two o'clock in the MORNING!) and I am awoken to a horrific scream from the room across the hall. It was Lady Bug. "Moooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmm" I leap out of bed as quickly as I can and go rushing in to her room. She says "Mom. You forgot to turn on my CD last night."

Me: blink, blink

Lady Bug: "So don't forgot again. Ok mom?"

Me: blink, blink

Lady Bug: "mom?"

Me: "Ok. I won't forget. Now go back to sleep"

Lady Bug: "Ok. Love you."

Me: blink, blink

I head back to bed wondering what in the world just happened. Did she REALLY need to scream like that only to point out I forgot to turn her music on some 6 hours earlier?

Getting a jump start

With all the falling snow we had last week (closed down the city for two days...) it really got my husband and I in the Christmas shopping spirit. Over the years my husband has learned not to wait until the last minute to do his shopping (thanks to all my nagging!) We (the whole family) were running errands and we found some stuff on clearance and he didn't even hesitate to throw 'em in the cart. When we got home he was commenting on how good it feels to have a jump start on the Christmas shopping and how it will be so nice to be done early! I told him if we plan to do just a little bit with each paycheck we should be in good shape.

Each kid had made a wish list a few weeks ago (yes I said a FEW WEEKS ago) and so we sort of had an idea of what we were going to get each kid already. The items we found on clearance were on our minds to get them anyway so it feels like an even bigger score for us!

THEN, Mr. Man announces to me that he doesn't know if he can wait two months... I guess that must be why he always was a "last-minute-shopper". I told him I am going to wrap the presents up and then he won't be able to give them to the kids early!

Then the other morning Spirit was laying in our bed and out of the blue Mr. Man says to him "Don't even try looking in our closet for Christmas presents!" - I looked at him and said "WHY in the world would you have even suggested that to him?" He just hung is head and said "I don't know." -- Apparently he should stick to being a last minute shopper! Sheesh! Needless to say, I am hiding the presents in a new spot and not telling Mr. Man where they are! :-)