It's Monday again

I didn't get as much accomplished like I wanted, I'll blame it on the yucky weather.

Some of the blogs I read share their Menu Plans for the week. I shop on Fridays. So that's as far as my menu goes to.
Monday-hamsteak, french fries and vegatable
Tuesday-Longdon Broil with potatoes and vegatable
Wednesday-Pork Chops with french onions
Thursday-Spaghetti
Friday-pizza - I don't cook on Fridays

I'm trying something this week from Ali Edward's blog http://www.aliedwards.typepad.com we'll see how it goes.

I'm busy this week preparing for a bake sale at work. I have a dear friend who has lupus and there is a walk Columbus Day weekend in New York City that a few people from work participate in. I haven't made it to the walk yet, but I do give a donation and make goodies for the bake sale. We were really fortunate last year and made about $200. We have new tenants at our workplace this year. We are hoping they make that number go up. I'm making the following: Triple Layer Peanut Butter brownies, Coconut Bar cookies w/Macadama Nuts, Cheesecake cookies, mini monkey breads and maybe some Irish Soda bread. Doesn't that all sound yummy. If you want to check out the team I put a link to the right. 100% of the money donated goes to research. Check it out.

Catching up on the Countdown of Christmas

Day 100-make a binder-done

Day 99-print out calendar pages-done

Day 98-list of who you need to get gifts for-done

Day 97-budget-started

Day 96-family members wish list-working on it

Day 95-get out fall decor-done

Day 94-celebrate fall-will do next weekend

Day 93-Who are you voting for-I think it's a hard decision yet again! done

Day 92-Christmas Cards- I usually make about 30 and then buy store bought for the rest of the people. I actually try to buy my cards after christmas on major clearance sales. I checked and I have some but might need to buy another box or 2. And I have the ideas on the cards I'm making and I am just waiting for the supplies to start them. done

Day 91-I have a great little book I like to use for Sending my cards it's from Current http://www.currentcatalog.com/600189.html?AS=1&keyword=christmas+card+book - done

Day 90-Verify addresses for those on your christmas card list. I am updating this as well.

Day 89-Plan a family outing for fall. My family goes to http://www.danielpiercelibrary.org/pumpkinparty.html every year, it's great fun. - done

Day 88-Get your kids to pick a halloween costume. I always have to have their costumes ready early because the Pumpkin Party mention in Day 89 is the first Saturday in October. This year we are seriously saving money. My son has a John Deere toolbelt w/tools and a hat. So I'm going to dress him up as he says: "worker Greg" and Julia is going to be an Olympic Athlete. I have a sample medal from a High school coach that is red, white and blue so I thought. This will be an easy one. I do however need to get the sweatsuit in red, white and blue. That I'm doing this week.

It's here, it's here

my beautiful purple ipod came today. I was able to play a bit with it at lunch and check out the games, but I have to go home and put some songs on it!

Open house last night felt like speed dating. They had three sessions each one about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour. I didn't think that was enough.

In just a few short minutes my weekend will start. And here is my list

Things to buy this weekend:
1. food for the week
2. birthday present for the little girl's party Greg got invited to
3. ice cream cake for Kev's bday
4. card for Kevin
5. Pizza- we always have pizza on Fridays

Places to go this weekend:
1. BJ's house
2. Walmart and the bank
3. Grocery Store
4. Pizza Hut for the birthday party
5. Sunday School

Things to do this weekend:
1. go stamp at BJ's house
2. Watch some things on the DVR
3. Watch the rest of the Bones episodes I have on DVR
4. Grocery shop
5. laundry
6. pull out clothes for Gregs that don't fit
7. wash kitchen floor
8. if it's not raining too hard I wouldn't mind pulling some of the weeds that I let over take the garden this summer
9. pull out clothes that I won't wear again 9. work on some cards
10. regular cleaning and organzing of our stuff.

It's Friday...

and I have a lot on my list of things to do. Hopefully the cold will let me. So I've made list.


Things to buy this weekend:
1. food for the week -done
2. birthday present for the little girl's party Greg got invited to -a Hannah Montana doll
3. ice cream cake for Kev's bday -forgot, will get Tuesday
4. card for Kevin -got
5. Pizza- we always have pizza on Fridays -yum!


Places to go this weekend:
1. Grocery Store -twice-I forgot cat food
2. Pizza Hut for the birthday party - it's interesting to see other people's family dynamics
3. Sunday School - done


Things to do this weekend:
1. Watch some things on the DVR - haven't done
2. Watch the rest of the Bones episodes I have on DVR nope
3. Grocery shop -yup
4. laundry -still working on it
5. pull out clothes for Gregs that doesn't fit - maybe
6. wash kitchen floor -uh no
7. if it's not raining too hard I wouldn't mind pulling some of the weeds that I let over take the garden this summer - it is raining too hard
8. pull out clothes that I won't wear again - nope
9. work on some cards - I did this!
10. regular cleaning and organzing of our stuff. - working on

Good morning blogland

I do have a cold, but so far it's not too horrible. Let's cross my fingers on that one. My kids were in bed by 8:30 I was in my bed by 9:15. I had rented Season One of Bones - as I just got into this show this year. So I watched the pilot episode and the beginning of the second. I fell asleep before it was over so I'll have to watch it again.

Countdown to Christmas for today is to make a list of who the Christmas Cards go to. I have a book, I believe I bought it from current, that has everyone's address in it. I like it because it has columns for each year and you can check off who you sent to and who sent to you. It lasts about 5 or 6 years.

Tonight is open house, now I've already met Greg's teacher because we went in the day before school starts (he's a kindergartner) Julia's teacher we haven't met yet. I like to meet the teachers to see how they structure they're class room and try and get a feeling for them. We've been lucky so far and all her teachers have been enjoyable. Luckily Julia loves school so that helps tremendously.

Oh yeah and my ipod is Indiana currently. Hopefully it will make it NY by tomorrow.

Please let it not be a cold...

Last night as I sat at my desk sorting through some recipes, I found that my throat was sore and getting worse. My hope was that it was allergies so when I went to bed I took a Zrytec. Unfortnately these make me a bit groggy in the am. This morning I woke up and got everyone ready and I still don't feel that great. I did however use a Zicam swab, it's helped my nose which was runny. It hasn't done much for my throat. But I've only had one dose so far. We'll see what happens after my second dose.

So what else is on my list for today. I go see my frind Melinda today, she does my nails. I've been getting acrylic nails for years. It's really the only vain thing I do. I usually don't give that much thought to my hair or if I am wearing makeup but I do get my nails done every two weeks.

100 days to Christmas challenge-today's is about christmas cards. I actually need to see if I have any left. I usually hit the after christmas sales to buy my cards, or the dollar store. As a crafty type person I do make some cards, but I only give them to those I think will appreciate them. I have a couple of ideas for cards to make, now I just have to do it.

Good Tuesday!

It's not morning so I can't say good morning. So good Tuesday. Not sure it was a good Tuesday for me. I had a 9am dentist appt. Fillings. Ugh. Which I think is the first time in 2 years that I've had work done other than cleanings, so for me that's pretty good. The weather lately has been perfect fall weather. Sunny not too warm, I'd love to take a day off work to do some stuff around the house. However, I can't take a day, I need to save that time. In fact myhusband just asked me about taking his birthday off with him to go for one last boat ride before putting the boat away, but I just don't have the time. I might check to see if I squeek out a few hours though.

100 Days till Christmas daily to do is Day 93: making sure you are registered to vote. Well I am so that's already taken care of. But what are you to do if you aren't sure of either candidate. I'm leary of both so it's like pick the lesser of the two evils? I don't know. I don't like to get into politics so that's enough on that topic.

House organizing, still working on it. Not getting very far, I have great lists made, it's just the carrying them out ya know. Friday can't get here fast enough. For two reasons. One my ipod should be here - side note on the ipod I ordered yesterday as you know and I went online today to see if it shipped (it does say with in 24hours) and it says it shipped from Shezhen, CN - that's not Canada that's China. Any way I'm also going to my friend BJ's house, she's a Stampin Up demonstrator. And I'll be making stuff. I love making stuff.

See what I just ordered...

Third one from the left. Isn't it pretty. I should have it by Friday. So you know what I'll be doing Friday night.

It's Monday

Well it's Monday again, on another of my fav blogs/websites they have Menu Planning Monday. I shop over the weekend so my menu is usually made up by Friday. But I'll play along and post mine.
Monday: Rosemary Dijon Pork chops, and oven potatoes w/ carrots
Tuesday: Bruschetta Chicken Skillet
Wednesday: Chop Meat Casserole
Thursday: Spaghetti
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: venison stew with pasta and salad

I'm going to give you the recipe to the chop meat casserole my 8 year old loves it.
Chop Meat Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1 box of elbow macaroni
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
Approximately 2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese (more if you really like cheese)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Brown up the ground beef, meanwhile boil the water for the pasta. Once the water has boiled and you put the pasta in, let it cook for only ½ the time as the package says.

Drain any fat from the ground beef and then put into a casserole dish. Drain the water from the pasta and then put into the casserole dish. Pour in the spaghetti sauce. Add mozzarella cheese and stir so it is mixed into the casserole. Then take the remaining cheese and sprinkle it on top.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Also I'm going to do a little catch up on the 100 Days till Christmas Countdown.
Day 100-make a binder-done
Day 99-print out calendar pages-done
Day 98-list of who you need to get gifts for-done
Day 97-budget-started
Day 96-family members wish list
Day 95-get out fall decor-done
Day 94-celebrate fall
I didn't ask my family members what their wishes are yet, because my husband will tell me nothing, and it's too early to ask my kids. I have some ideas for them, which I noted down.
I don't know how we could celebrate fall. I'll have to see if the kids did anything in school. But we'll talk about it at dinner time.

YAY IT'S FRIDAY!

Some weeks just drag on don't they? Anyway it's Friday. If all things go well in school today for Gregs we go to Burger King for dinner. Who says bribery doesn't work? lol

Anyway, the next step in the countdown to Christmas is the budget. And I already mentioned that I have a Christmas club, so over the weekend I will sit down and review that and my gift list.

This weekend I hope to move some flowers into a new home, some garden clean up. We were supposed to have a heavy frost last night, but it was 36 degrees this morning, so yes it was nippy, but no major frost. Bummer too, because I know my husband would love to see the lawn stunted at this point.

As far as organizing goes in my plans to get it together, I made a menu plan for the next week. And I have my shopping list ready, we’re really watching our spending so I’ve really been going over coupons, sale items and what not. It took me awhile last night to get it all together, but if it saves us money, then it’s okay.
There is also this site called www.ocpnet.org. It’s a site that guides you in sending expired coupons overseas to our military families, where they are allowed to use expired coupons. Check it out.

I also went around the last time I was in Walmart, Dollar General and Shoprite and wrote down prices of items we always use. I’m shocked at the difference in all the stores.

I think I’m going to follow the tip of http://smallnotebook.org/2008/09/17/a-solution-for-lost-papers-and-late-bills/ and I’m going to make the bill paying notebook. This way I can leave it on the counter in my kitchen where most of the mail comes in and just slide upcoming bills into it. First to find the items I need to make it. I already have a binder, just need to hunt down the rest.

Counting down

So the other day I mentioned 100 Days till Christmas. I love countdowns, not sure why, but I do. Over the last few years I have created something like 100 Days till Christmas suggests. A holiday binder/book of sorts. Some things have worked out great, others have not. So I'm a little excited to see where this one will steer me. In about another month I will be receiving a Christmas Club check. I've been putting away $40 a week since last October, you usually works out to be about $2000 and it's really great. In the past we have gone over that amount. But this year, I really have to work at staying at this amount. As we all know everything is expensive so we need to save where we can. I'm thinking some homemade items this year. I'll have to see what I can come up with.

100 Days til Christmas!

Don't panic after all it is 100 days. I just found this site and I'm always looking for help to get me organized so here's one more.
http://www.100daystochristmas.com/ looks like fun.

Let's see what's going on.
Hurricane Ike blew through, windy and some rain but he lost all his bluster by the time he made it up here.

My birthday was Saturday. 35, it was okay, kind of hard, first one without Mom, so it wasn't much of a happy one. My kids made me cards, and Kevin took us out to dinner. We went to Albert's Liberty House. One of our favorite things about going there is all the nostalgia of Liberty's past. It's pretty cool.

Our cat Locky, managed to be around when the skunk sprayed over the weekend. He was a little stinky until Kev wiped him down with this stuff: http://natures-miracle.petmountain.com/home?gclid=CNaw5NHj4JUCFQIyxwod-HG2IQHe smells much better.
The kids are enjoying school. Open House is next week. I can't wait, I love talking to the teachers after a couple of weeks. See how the kids are falling into a routine. And with Greg, I'm very anxious. This has been a big adjustment for him. He tells me everything is good. But I want to hear it from the teacher ya know.

I need to get a picture of my garden, the black eyed susan's have taken over. I'll have to try and take a picture this week.

I made a good fast pasta/shrimp recipe last night. I got it from Kraft Foods website: Shrimp Pomodor Pasta
1/2 cup KRAFT Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1 lb. cooked cleaned shrimp
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
HEAT large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add dressing, onions and garlic; cook 2 min. Stir in tomatoes; cook 12 min., stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package.
ADD shrimp to sauce; cook 2 min. or until heated through. Remove from heat.
DRAIN pasta; toss with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

This is too funny

I found this on Cathy Zielske's blog. How much fun is this

I know the sizing is a little off, but it was the 1990 page and since I graduated in 1991 I had hair close to this at one point.

Here's the link : http://www.yearbookyourself.com

Quick and Easy Dinner

The other night I made a chicken in the crockpot, I don't remember where I got that recipe from, I'll have to check on that. But it was good. It was a whole chicken (and my dad had raised some and gave it to us.) And was it ever good!
But I had leftover chicken so I made this last night:
-2 cups multigrain penne pasta,
-uncooked 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
-1-1/4 cups TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
-1 cup frozen corn, thawed -1 large green pepper, cut into short thin strips
-1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Four Cheese Mexican Style Cheese
COOK pasta as directed on package.
MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 2 min. Stir in salsa, corn and peppers. Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
DRAIN pasta. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 1 min. or until cheese is melted.
It's from www.kraftfoods.com Some of their recipes are quite tasty. And since the chicken was already cooked it took even less time.

Blogging

I love it, I love that other people blog, I love that they let you into their lives. You can learn neat new stuff. I just can't seem to accomplish it. There are a few things going on that makes me want to try again. I've found some great website/blogs lately about getting organized. It all started when I was directed to http://www.orgjunkie.com/ and it has snowballed from there. So for anyone who is reading this blog that does not know me, I am married to a great guy Kevin. He works super hard to support our family. He works all day as a mechanic and then night and weekends at a garage here at our house.The kids went back to school last week. Julia's in 3rd grade and Greg started kindergarten. So far they are both enjoying it. It's only the5th day of school but so far so good. So it's come to the fact that I need to get organized. As a family of four with parents who work outside the home (and a side business) and 2busy kids, things have gotten out of hand. And organized I am definitely not. I've tried http://www.flylady.net/ but can't seem to stick tothat. I'm a member of http://www.clutterdiet.com/ which I like because I can ask professional organizer questions and they are more than helpful. I've found this great blog/website http://www.simplemom.net/ love her familybinder ideas. For other websites I enjoy check out the list on the sideof my blog. The other reason I want to get organized is I want more time to be crafty. I like to rubberstamp, I'm a hobby demo (for now) with http://www.stampinup.com/ I've been using their products for 8 + years. My friend BJ is a demo http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/mcstamper This blog will serve as many things, showing my progress on getting things together. I'm not expecting to be like Martha Stewart. But I don't want to cringe every time someone shows up unexpectedly at the house either.I want it to show my creative side, different projects I make. And maybe I'll even share it with my family so they can see updates about everyone.