My Kinda Rain

Guess What?!

2010-01-03T19:36:00.001-06:00

I have made the jump to wordpress!

You can now follow all my blogging at my new Site!

Just click here!

News

2009-12-18T09:07:00.004-06:00

I just wanted to make my readers aware of a few things.

I plan on taking off from blogging, starting Monday December 21st, 2009 until January 1st, 2010.

There are several reasons behind this.
1. My kids are off from school and I would like to enjoy that time instead of worrying about other things. I want to spend time with them. Have some fun!

2.The blog is about to go through a new design and a new location. I know my blog wont be out of commission during that time, but I want some time to learn the new layout and to also get ready for new great things not only for me, but for you my readers. Thanks to a wonderful friend I have obtained my own domain name and hosting. I am working with Brandy at Stitchblade Designs on a new look!

3. When I come back, things will be neater, easier to find, and I plan on us having lots of fun so be ready!

I know I just posted a giveaway for some postcards from Uprinting and do not worry! You can still enter, and enter often! I will still close the giveaway on the 31st and notify my winner via email!

So...don't run off and leave me just yet! I just wanted to take some time off while we are going through a change and it's the holiday season after all!

I will be back! Bigger and better than ever!

Uprinting 100 Postcard Giveaway!

2009-12-18T07:23:00.009-06:00

I have another fantastic giveaway from the folks at Uprinting !

100 Postcards! Who couldn't use these bad boys?!

You could use them as a way to promote your business, notify someone of a important date coming up(getting married?) or announce the birth of a brand new baby! You could use them the old fashion way, just to reach out to friends to say hello!

The possibilities are endless and you could get 100 of these for your very own use! You can use one of the many post card templates Uprinting has on their site or design your own by uploading a picture of your very own.

WIN IT!

Giveaway Prize: 100 Postcards for one (1) lucky winner
Size: 4x6; Paper: 14pt Card stock Gloss; Printing: Full color both sides
Shipping: Winners have to pay for shipping

Here is how you can win!

Main Entry: Comment letting me know how you would use the postcards.

Extra entries:
1. Blog about this giveaway and come back posting the link for me to see! 5 extra entries earned!~
2.Tweet this giveaway. Tweet it twice a day, earn 2 entries. Max tweets-2. Comeback and post each time you do.

This giveaway will end on December 31st at midnight CST!

**I will be receiving 100 postcards from Uprinting for hosting this giveaway. All wording and opinions are my own.

Teacher Gifts

2009-12-17T08:07:00.003-06:00

Usually I buy the kids teachers a cross ornament from Kirkland's, but I think they might have all the designs by now. I thought I would try something different, something more homemade.

I decided to make Banana Bread, Candied Pecans, and Snickerdoodles this year. I bought the cute baskets from Michael's Craft Store for Half off. The little treat bags that are holding the pecans and cookies are from Walmart(15/$1.00), and the snowmen ornament that has their name on it I bought years ago on clearance and I just added their name myself with a sharpie.

I have not given M's teacher hers yet, but C-Man's teachers loved them!! Huge hit! I think the homemade route is the way to go! Not only is it more personal, but it was by far the cheapest gift ever! Even if I did have to buy 7 baskets and bake all day on Monday!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-16T10:37:00.003-06:00

Look at that gorgeous tree in my neighbors yard!

Who would of thought it was possible to get that kind of foliage in Houston!? And a edited version!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-12-16T10:11:00.002-06:00

Winner Winner Pancake Dinner!!!These are super yummy!!! I like to grab one hot off the plate and eat it! No Syrup needed if you ask me, but good with it too! Im posting a recipe for a Apple Cider Syrup that is suppose to be delicious with the pancakes, but I have not made it before.

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

Katie (Katiedid) from Recipezaar

1 ¼ c all-purpose flour

2 T sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp salt

1 pinch cloves

1 c 1% low-fat milk (can be any kind)

6 T canned pumpkin puree

2 T melted butter

1 egg

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and egg. Fold mixture into dry ingredients. Spray or grease a skillet and heat over medium heat; pour in ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side. Serve with butter and syrup. Makes about six 6-inch pancakes.

Katiedid's Notes: I tripled the recipe and for the 3 ¾ flour I used 2 cups whole wheat and 1/¾ cups all-purpose. I added about 1 tablespoon more sugar (7 T total) and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to spice them up a little more since the kids eat these plain. I used skim milk. I spread the batter out a bit on the griddle and these still turned out light, thick and fluffy. From a triple batch, I got 24 large (maybe 5-inch) pancakes. I froze them and they reheat beautifully in the toaster. Also delicious with apple cider syrup.

Hot Apple Cider Syrup

Katie (Katiedid) from Recipezaar

¾ c apple cider

½ c packed brown sugar

½ c corn syrup

2 T butter or margarine

½ tsp lemon juice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Candied Pecans

2009-12-15T07:34:00.003-06:00

I made these yesterday for teachers gifts. Simple and yummy(or so my husband told me, I dont like pecans)!

Candied Pecans
Michelle (MMmom) from my mom

1 tablespoon egg white
2 cups pecans or walnuts
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300. Mix egg white with pecans, stirring until pecans are coated and sticky. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over pecans. Stir until pecans are evenly coated. Spread on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Makes 2 cups.

Menu Plan Monday~ December 14th

2009-12-14T07:39:00.004-06:00

Well, we have another super crazy week! Last week of school for the kiddos for the holiday break. We have 2 class parties, a pediatrician appointment, a speech evaluation appointment and we are going out of town this weekend to my parents to celebrate Christmas. Did I mention I still have not finished my Christmas cards and I have to bake 7 dozen cookies and 7 loaves of banana bread for gifts this week for teachers? Can you say "Crazyness?!"

My menu plan this week is simple, yummy meals that will leave me with minimal leftovers. I don't want a fridge full of food when we head out of town.

So, lets get to it shall we?

Monday- Pumpkin Pancakes(new recipe), turkey bacon, and eggs

Tuesday- Pierogi Chicken Lasagna, salad, and cheesy garlic bread

Wednesday- Beef crunchy tacos with rice

Thursday- Sauteed pork chops, baked potatoes and corn on the cob

Friday- Any leftovers in the fridge.

Saturday- Hitting the road after having Breakfast with Santa at our neighborhood park to head to my parents.

Sunday- Simple grilled cheese

And my baking this week will consist of this recipe for Banana Bread.

Head over to The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans this week!

Get started planning yours today!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-09T08:03:00.000-06:00

Look at those teeth!

Need nickname help!

2009-12-07T12:26:00.005-06:00

I read a lot of blogs and some of my favorites are the ones that have nicknames for their kiddos and hubby.

I am not creative though. I need help! So, I thought I would come to you..my readers.

Let me tell you a little bit about each kiddo and hubby.

Madison is the oldest, 7 years old. She is a drama queen, but she is retro. She loves old styles, jewelery, lip gloss, cheer leading, the Jonas Brothers and music in general. She says she wants to be a singer like Taylor Swift when she grows up!

Christopher is 3 years old. He is definitely all boy! Jumping around, doing flips, pretending to be super heroes, Star Wars Characters, and more.

Jacob is 10 months old. He is my little trooper. I was on bed rest with him for 3 weeks and then he came almost 3 weeks early. He is strong. He is already walking and babbling. He loves music. He is calm. He doesn't cry unless he is hungry, dirty, or is hurt. He reminds me so much of hubby.

My husband, is a Aggie engineer. He is the calm, cool, and collected one of us. He never gets upset or angry. He is the "glass is half full" guy. He is a good sport and will do anything for the kids(see picture below). He loves sports and my cornbread. ;)

So, there you have it. A little bit about each of them. This is my family.

Now, help me give them cute little nicknames for my blog!

Sloppy Joe Turnovers

2009-12-07T11:55:00.004-06:00

This is a totally kid friendly meal!

They can help you make it and that will totally make them want to eat it! It worked for me! My kids helped roll out the biscuits and fill the biscuits up with the filling.

I found this recipe on Babycenter. Again, a trusted place for me to find great, fun, tasty, and easy recipes!

I added a tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce and a tad bit more of sour cream. We made 4 turnovers and 4 muffin variations to see which ones the kids liked best, and they preferred the turnover version.

Sloppy Joe Turnovers
~*~Sandy~*~

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
1/4 cup chopped onion (or onion powder)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sour cream (lite)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder
10-oz can Hungry Jack Flaky Biscuits (10 biscuits) (larger biscuits work better)

Preheat oven to 375º.

Brown the ground beef and onion, drain. Add the ketchup, sour cream, salt and garlic powder, stir to combine.

Roll out dough to 4” round. Place 1/4 cup (or so) meat mixture in center and fold over top. Seal edges firmly with fork. Bake 15 minutes.

Sandy’s notes: I use ground turkey, light sour cream, and reduced fat biscuits (when I can find them). Turn it into a casserole by using two cans of refrigerated pizza dough. Press one can of dough into bottom of casserole dish, spread meat mixture on top. Carefully lay the second piece of dough on top and stretch to cover casserole. Pinch together any tears. Bake at 375º for 20-25 minutes. Make sure center is done. If not, cover with foil and put on bottom rack for another 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares.

To freeze: Whenever I make this recipe I double the filling, and freeze half of it. Then when ready, thaw the filling and make the individual turnovers (or a casserole) with fresh dough. Also makes an excellent pizza topping, with grated cheddar sprinkled on top.

Muffin tin variation: Grease muffin tins and press in biscuits. Fill with 3-4 tablespoons meat. Top with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Menu Plan Monday~ December 7th

2009-12-07T06:00:00.003-06:00

Last week was so much fun! If you didnt hear yet, We had SNOW! Yes, Texas had snow and my kids LOVED IT! The sparkle in their eyes were amazing and they had a great time playing in it.

We have another INCREDIBLY busy week this week!! There is something on my Cozi calendar every single night!

So here we have a simple, fast, and easy menu plan this week. No tricks, just simple fast and good food to get us through the week.

Monday- Girl Scouts- Bakes Ziti, salad and garlic bread
Tuesday-Hubby has a guys night out- hot dogs and mac and cheese for the rest of us.

Wednesday- Girls night out for me- Grilled cheeses and veggie sticks for the rest.

Thursday- Christmas program at C-Man's school- bean and cheese tostadas

Friday- Parents Night Out at the church- nice dinner for hubby and I to celebrate my birthday(which is really on Thursday)- grab kiddos dinner on way to church.

Saturday- Cheerleading end of the year Party- Hot Dogs and Hamburgers

Sunday- Feta Stuffed Chicken with a Spinach salad.

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans!

Did you hear?

2009-12-05T11:05:00.004-06:00

Did you hear the news yet?

It snowed in Houston! Yes you heard me right! It snowed in Houston, Texas yesterday!

Crazy I know!

My kids LOVED IT! OK, Jakers didn't really care for it. And yes the hat he is wearing is C-Man's. C-Man had a ball playing in it. He was disappointed that it didn't stick long enough for him to make a snowball, but he really enjoyed tasting it. And according to C-Man, the snow tasted amazing. At one point, it tasted like marshmallows and the next pizza! It was awesome! Diva M had school. I think we were one of the few school districts who did not either cancel school or at least do early dismissal. I know she did get to go out and enjoy the snow though and the teacher even made a lesson out of it!

I am really glad all my kids were able to experience the snow. Who knows when it will happen again!

Especially in Texas!

Barnes and Noble Coupons

2009-12-03T10:35:00.004-06:00

My kids love books!

Especially Madison!
She is my reader and can read like there is no tomorrow! We plan to get her some Barnes and Noble gift cards in her stocking this Christmas so she can go and pick out books that interest her!

For now, I have found some great Barnes and Noble Coupons.

Click here for coupons to print and use in the store.

Click here for coupons for online purchases.

Coupons expire DECEMBER 6TH!

Enjoy and Happy Shopping!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

'Tis the Season!

Our Tree

Roasted Butter Herb Turkey

2009-12-01T19:13:00.002-06:00

Ever since I made this recipe several years ago, it has become my "go-to" recipe for turkey.

It is so moist, juicy and flavorful that there should be no other way to make a turkey!

It is actually the ONLY Sandra Lee recipe I like!

Roasted Butter Herb Turkey

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons garlic herb sauce mix (recommended: Knorr)
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 (32-ounce) bag celery and carrot party sticks
2 large onions, large dice
1 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken broth
12-pound turkey, thawed if necessary
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
3 (3/4-ounce) packets fresh herbs poultry herb blend (sage, thyme and rosemary)
1 lemon, thickly sliced

Directions

In a small bowl, combine softened butter, poultry seasoning, garlic herb sauce mix, and crushed garlic. Use a fork to mix together until well combined. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, until firm but not hard.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange celery, carrots, and half of the diced onions in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add chicken broth and set aside.

Rinse the thawed turkey and pat dry. Use your finger to carefully loosen the skin around the entire bird. Take the butter mixture and cut into large pieces. Place the butter pieces under the skin of the entire turkey. Rub the remaining butter pieces on the outside of the skin and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the inside of turkey cavity with remaining onions, fresh herb poultry blend, and lemon slices. (Truss if necessary.) Insert the pop-up thermometer at an angle about 3-inches down from the neck cavity and 2-inches from the breast bone, in the thickest part of the breast.

Place turkey on the bed of vegetables in roasting pan. Place in the oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast for 1 hour, then baste with pan juices every 20 minutes until thermometer pops up or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 3 hours.

Roasted Garlic-Parmigiano Broccoli

2009-12-01T18:47:00.002-06:00

Here is another favorite at my house! I have used fresh and frozen broccoli and even cauliflower!

Its always a hit!

Roasted Garlic-Parmigiano Broccoli
Michelle (MMmom) from Food & Wine

Roasting broccoli makes it sweet; topping it with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and broiling it makes it additively crispy and almost nutty tasting.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 pounds broccoli, cut into long spears and stems peeled
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425°. Position a rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. In a food processor, pulse the butter with the garlic and cheese until smooth. Scrape the butter into a small bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli spears with the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Spread the broccoli spears on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once and shifting the pans halfway through, until the broccoli is crisp-tender and browned on the bottom.

Preheat the broiler. Return the broccoli spears to the bowl and toss with the garlic-cheese butter. Transfer the broccoli to the baking sheets, scraping all of the butter in the bowl onto the spears. Broil one pan at a time 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter is golden in spots. Transfer the roasted broccoli to a platter and serve.

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

2009-12-01T18:39:00.002-06:00

OK, I have to say...I loved this! It was so yummy!!! Not too sweet at all and for it to be Weight Watcher friendly is a huge plus!
Hubby liked it, but he didn't eat any of the pineapple chunks or the sauce. He is weird like that.

Diva M didn't like it, but she likes pineapple and chicken. I guess just not put together.

C-man wouldn't touch it, but I have said before " self-made vegetarian" over here.

I added a bit more soy sauce than the recipe called for because when I taste tested it, it was too pineapple-y for me. The soy sauce mellowed it out perfectly. I served it over rice.

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

6 whole chicken breast halves without skin -- skinned and split
1 dash pepper
To taste paprika
20 ounces pineapple chunks in juice -- 1 can tidbits
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic -- minced

Arrange chicken in bottom of crockpot. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika. In a small bowl, combine drained pineapple tidbits, mustard and soy sauce. Pour over chicken. Add minced garlic. Cover and cook on LOW 7-9 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours. Makes 6 serving.

Per Serving: 194 Calories; 2g Fat; 28g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 68mg Cholesterol; 483mg Sodium.

Whataburger 12 days of Christmas

2009-11-30T13:53:00.002-06:00

Head on over to Whataburgers website and sign up for their 12 days of Whataburger promotion!

For 12 days, get a coupon delivered to your inbox for free food! It could be anything from a shake, to french fries, or a whataburger! All that matters is that its free!!

Locations vary.

Sign Up TODAY!

Menu Plan Monday~ November 30th

2009-11-30T08:05:00.004-06:00

Goodbye November, Hello December!

Its so hard to believe that we just finished Thanksgiving, Christmas is fast approaching,which will also mean a brand new year is staring us in the face!

We had a pretty adventurous Thanksgiving. I posted about it here if you are interested.

I am so thrilled to say that we survived Thanksgiving and now we have a pretty low key week to get back on track and relax some.

So let's get started on this weeks menu, shall we?

Monday- Crusted Pork Chops, Crispy Roasted Potatoes, and garlic roasted broccoli

Tuesday- Crockpot Pineapple Chicken(new recipe), rice and a veggie

Wednesday- Crockpot Famous Baked Potato Soup and hot sammys

Thursday- Crockpot No Peek Tips, buttered noodles and a veggie

Friday- Sloppy Joe Turnovers, oven fries and veggie sticks

Saturday- Homemade Pizzas

Sunday- Christmas Parade- Baked Ziti, salad, and garlic bread

Head over to The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans!

Menu plans save time, money and evening headaches!

Start planning today!

Thanksgiving Week~ ER trip

2009-11-29T19:28:00.005-06:00

If you hadn't noticed, I did not post many blog entries this week. Thanksgiving week was....interesting to say the least.

Kids were out of school, being...well...kids that had no school...which meant chaos at home. Luckily we didn't have big plans for this week. I did not make a big production of the meal. We had tacos and tamales for Thanksgiving day and on Friday I made a turkey with mashed potatoes. Simple right?

Well Friday things got crazy. We had a mishap with a stocking holder falling on my 9.5 months old head and us watching him carefully. He seemed fine all day. Then night hit, and the throwing up started. Of course this is when I turned to Google to see what it said about head injuries, and guess what one of the symptoms was? Yep..throwing up...so of course I start to panic. My husband and I agreed that if he got sick one more time we would call the pediatrician. Well not even 10 minutes after those words left my mouth, Jake projectile vomited all over my husband and my bed. Immediately we call the pediatrician and gave her the details. Of course since he is so young she said that he needed to be seen at a ER, just in case it was a head injury and not just a bug.

Hubby ran off with Jake and I stayed behind with the big kiddos. Panic and worry set in. I was literally sick to my stomach with worry. I was texting my husband asking for a play by play of what was going on. Of course most of it was simple," We r in the waiting room. He seems OK", "Wait, he just threw up again." And finally they were called back and a doctor ordered a CAT scan just to be safe. Luckily the CAT scan showed nothing! It was negative. The doctor said that he had a bug that is going around. If he was able to hold down some pedialite then he could come home to me, if not then he was getting a IV and a admission.

Fortunately, my son is a trooper. He is a tough one. He was my most difficult pregnancy, and by far my easiest baby(other than the scare we are talking about right now). So I knew that he would be the fighter he has always been, drink that pedialite and come home to me.

And he did.

Other than being exhausted, he has done wonderfully! Saturday we kept him on just a pedialite and water diet. He was not happy. He was so hungry but I wanted to make sure his tummy had settled down. Today, he has kept down oatmeal, cheerios, gerber banana puffs, and a banana. So tonight, I'm finally going to let him have some milk.

*Cross your Fingers* for me and for him! ;)

Old Navy Coupons

2009-11-24T08:14:00.002-06:00

Not a Black Friday Shopper?

Join the club! I avoid it at all costs!

Here are some great coupons for Old Navy to help you finish your holiday shopping, but after all the Black Friday Madness!

FireStone Oil Change Coupon

2009-11-24T08:10:00.003-06:00

Need a oil change before hitting the road for Thankgiving?

Here is a $10.00 off coupon for a oil change at Firestone.

Expires November 30th

Strawberry Bread

2009-11-23T11:59:00.004-06:00

I had a quart size bag of already sliced fresh strawberries that I needed to use up. I went on the hunt for a strawberry bread recipe and found this one on Cooks.com

Jake is loving on a slice of this bread right now as we speak.

My only complaint is that the nutmeg is too overpowering. I can't taste the cinnamon and the strawberries are faint. The next time I make it I will use less nutmeg and more cinnamon or keep the nutmeg out all together.

It was easy to throw together! I just wish it used more of my strawberries. I still have half of the quart size bag left!

Strawberry Bread

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1tsp. cinnamon
1tsp. nutmeg
1tsp. baking soda
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil (I used applesauce instead)
1 cup nuts, chopped(I omitted)
1tsp. vanilla
1(10ounce) box frozen strawberries, thawed to room temp (I used fresh)

Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and add the liquid ingredients. Mix by hand until moistened. Pour into bread pans that have been buttered and sugared. Bake at 350 degree for 1 hour and 15 mins. Cool on rack. Freezes Well.

*Mine only took a hour and 5 mins to cook, so check on it around a hour.

Menu Plan Monday~ November 23rd~ Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T07:12:00.003-06:00

I wish I had a great menu planned this week, especially with it being Thanksgiving but I don't. It just us this year on Thanksgiving, as it has been for several years now. I hate to prepare a huge meal for just the 5 of us when the kids are so picky it would require me cooking several different plates. My daughter still wanted a turkey, but that's easy. I plan to cook it Friday while we are decorating the house for Christmas.

This year we are going simple. Which I'm totally jazzed about!

So let's get started!

Monday- Grilled Cheese and veggie sticks

Tuesday- Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, and garlic bread.

Wednesday- Pancakes, Bacon, and eggs.

Thursday- Thanksgiving Day-Tamales, Tacos, and Rice

Friday- Buttered Herb Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, and a veggie.

Saturday- We could possibly be making a 4 hour drive to my parents. If we don't then we will have some homemade pizza.

Sunday- Any leftovers in the fridge.

As you can see, simple simple. Its nice to not have a big production planned.

Head over to The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans!

Shredded BBQ Chicken(Crock pot)

2009-11-19T12:31:00.005-06:00

I have yet to find a good BBQ place in Houston. I have no idea why its hard for me, but I'm really picky when it comes to BBQ.
My favorite place is called C&J's BBQ in College Station. They have the best jalapeno cheese sausage ever! The blackberry cobbler is awesome..and the place just screams BBQ!

Since I have not been able to find a place even close, I tend to make my own. This recipe is my absolute favorite for shredded BBQ sandwiches! Its so easy to throw together. I have even put the chicken in the crock pot straight from the freezer! No defrosting required!

Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken
Jackie (Theboysandagirl)

3-4 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
2 C ketchup
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients (except chicken) in crock-pot. Add the chicken, coating each piece in sauce. Cook on high 4 hours. Remove chicken and
shred/pull with forks. Return to pot and stir in sauce to coat. Serve on buns.

Cindy's notes: I add 1/2C of our favorite BBQ sauce to the slow cooker aswell

Stuffed Zucchini

2009-11-18T15:43:00.002-06:00

I surf the net a lot....A LOT! I came across this awesome blog called Dutch Girl Cooking.

Her recipe for Stuffed Zucchini caught my eye and I just had to make it!

You can read her hilarious entry and recipe here.

I did not use the tomato that she suggests, instead I used a roasted redpepper. And I did not use curry powder since we dont even have that in my pantry.
Not sure what it would of added to the dish, but I loved the stuffed zucchini.

My hubby and kids, not so much.

Oh well, plenty for me!

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

2009-11-18T15:36:00.002-06:00

This is another super simple way to make Tilapia and its so yummy!

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

3-4 Tilapia fillets
2.5 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
1 cup Parmesean cheese
1/2 TSP Pepper
1/2 TSP Parsley
1/2 TSP Salt
1 egg wash mixture(1 egg with a little bit of water)

Dip fish in egg mixture, then coat with the breading mixture and bake or pan fry until done. I baked mine on 350 till the fish was done, all this depends on the size of your fillets. I then turned on the broiler and got a nice brown on top.

Wordless Wednesday~ With a few words

2009-11-18T10:11:00.004-06:00

My Wordless Wednesday is going to contain some words today. It can not be helped but it must be said.

What you see before you is the Texas A&M Bonfire Memorial.

Ten Years ago today, bonfire fell. Taking 12 lives with it. 12 young lives.

Today, we remember the fallen 12.

Take sometime today, to say a pray for the families of the fallen 12 and to the Aggie family they left behind.

You can read about the Bonfire Memorial on Texas A&M's Bonfire Memorial Page.

Menu Plan Monday ~November 16th

2009-11-16T07:17:00.003-06:00

This weekend was a blur. We were home maybe a few hours total all weekend. We had football game, cheer off(cheer leading competition), friends to hang out with after, and then a big football game(Cowboys/Packers, and Colts/Patriots) to watch. To say I need a break or a nap is a huge understatement.

But of course, the show must go on. So here I am ready to plan my menu with you! We are having a low key week as far as meals. We have a few things going on at the end of the week so I don't want a lot of leftovers in the fridge.

We start playoffs for Football on Tuesday night. If we win, we play on Saturday but if not, then we are done. We are suppose to go to the in laws for Thanksgiving on Saturday as well.

Lets get started sharing our menu, shall we?

Monday- Girl Scouts- Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, couscous and sauteed zucchini

Tuesday- Football Game- Grilled cheese and veggie sticks

Wednesday- Pork Chops, baked potatoes, and green beans.

Thursday- Pancakes, bacon, and eggs.

Friday- Parents Night Out at the church. Kids will get Wendy's to take and hubby and I will go out!

Saturday- If we have football and stay in town I will have to do some last minute figuring out (pizza?) but if we head out of town we will just eat at my MIL before we drive back home.

Sunday- Crock pot Shredded BBQ Chicken and homemade onion rings.

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

We bought this house almost 2 years ago. When we moved in, we saw this poor rose bush. It looked horrible. No idea how it was alive! This rose bush is a fighter. It fights to stay alive. Even with our crazy weather, it fights and it always surprises me! Look what I found out there, in the middle of November!~

Crispy Roasted Potatoes

2009-11-11T07:50:00.004-06:00

My husband absolutely loved these! They are so yummy! The go great with the BBQ Beef Roast in the Oven.

Crispy Pan-Roasted Potatoes:
Sandy

3 lbs red potatoes, peeled and cubed
2-3 T oil, seasoned salt to taste
paprika

To prepare, heat oil in non-stick pan. Add potatoes, season and stir into oil so the potato cubes are well coated. Cook on medium to medium-high heat, do not stir, for 5 minutes (check to make sure the heat isn't too high). Stir potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Continue to cook and stir every 5 minutes until potatoes are browned and crispy.

BBQ Beef Roast in the Oven

2009-11-11T07:45:00.004-06:00

I saw this recipe on the Babycenter Cooking for your Family board and I knew I had to try it.

Only problem was, I didn't have a beef roast. So what do you do in a jam like this? You improvise! I used a pork loin in place of the beef roast.

OH.MY.WORD was this good! I mean really really good. The aroma it put off the whole time it was cooking was simply mouth watering!

You absolutely must try this recipe! No ifs, ands, or buts about it! Add it to your list and try it out now! I served this with Crispy Roasted Potatoes and roasted asparagus.

Barbecued Beef Roast in the Oven
~*~Sandy~*~
via The Big Book of Easy Suppers

Just the aroma of this meat roasting in the oven will pique your appetite. It takes 1 1/2 hours to cook, but it is worth the wait. Bake some potatoes along with the roast for a weekday family supper. Leftover meat makes good sandwiches the next day.

1 beef top round roast, 1 1/2 inches thick (about 3 pounds)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T prepare mustard
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small yellow onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place beef in a lightly sprayed or oiled roasting pan or Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Spread mixture over meat and arrange onion slices on top. Cover and bake until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

If desired, to make gravy, blend 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 cup water and stir into pan juices over medium heat until thickened.

Sandy's Notes: Caramelize the onion before adding to the pot

All Boy!

2009-11-10T09:06:00.004-06:00

I should save this pic for tomorrows Wordless Wednesday but I have another pic I want to share then.

My son is all boy! Seriously..he can barely walk a straight line without falling and hurting himself. Doc says he is just a boy. I wish someone had told me this ahead of time. Now I have to go through this twice!

Look at his eye!

I believe the story is that his eye met a scooter outside somehow!
You would think falling off a scooter you would get a skinned up knee or elbow right?

Not my son, he goes for the face!

Comforting Smothered Chicken

2009-11-10T08:29:00.002-06:00

Well hello yummy..southern...comforting goodness. It has been a while.

My husband does not like things soaked in a nice gravy....he is weird...but I love him anyways.

This dish was amazing! It made me think of home, made me all warm and fuzzy inside, and filled me up!

You absolutely must try this dish! I found this recipe on the Babycenter Cooking for your Family Board. So they get all the props on this one!

Comforting Smothered Chicken (meltort)

3-4 boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 small onion, sliced
2 cups chicken broth, low sodium

Season flour with salt and pepper and mix well. Coat chicken completely with the seasoned flour. Heat oil in heavy skillet. Add chicken and brown on each side (about 4 minutes per side). Remove and set aside. Add sliced onions to the pan drippings and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining flour continue to stir until onions and flour begin to brown. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, stir until incorporated and return chicken to the gravy, cover skillet, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until gravy is thick and chicken is tender.

** My notes: I used chicken tenders since that's what I had. I think I will use more chicken broth next time, my gravy got really thick. Love this dish!

Blueberry Coffeecake

2009-11-09T11:26:00.004-06:00

I am one of those "Can't wait to try it people". I cant wait to try new recipes and I surely cant wait for things to cool off before trying them. Which usually results in a scorched tongue! Usually, the numbing, burning pain is so worth it!

And this my friends, was so totally worth it! It will be awesome tomorrow morning for breakfast but I loved it today for my dessert after lunch! It took zero time to throw together, not very many ingredients and always things I have on hand!

You must give this a try!

Blueberry Coffeecake
from Lin at That Lin Chick

Cake
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sifted flour
2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
2 cups blueberries(fresh or frozen)

Crumb topping
1/2cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Directions
Mix sugar, shortening, and egg together until well blended. Stir in milk. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, add in blueberries last, folding gently.
Pout into a greased 8 inch round pan. Mix the crumb mixture together and sprinkle on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 mins.

**My notes- I used frozen blueberries and I used a spring foam pan to bake it in.

JoAnn's Craft Store Coupon

2009-11-09T09:56:00.001-06:00

The changing of seasons signifies the time to switch to your favorite indoor hobbies; perhaps sewing, crafts, beading or scrapbooking.

This is an exciting time in our house because it means making our list and checking it twice …no I don’t mean for Santa. I’m talking about restocking supplies for all our new craft and sewing projects.

Whether you’re making homemade gifts for loved ones, new holiday decorations or something special for yourself, this coupon will save you 10% on your in-store or online purchases .

Offer valid Nov 8 – 14th so hurry!

Menu Plan Monday ~November 9th

2009-11-09T08:49:00.002-06:00

Another week come and gone! Time to menu plan!

We have a few activities going on this week. I will give you one guess what they are?! That's right...Cheerleading!!!

I am hoping to make some blueberry cheese cake bars or a blueberry cream cheese coffee cake this week as well! Recipes for everything will be posted the day after its made so make sure you come back and check it out!

Monday- Smothered Comfort Chicken(new recipe), rice and a veggie

Tuesday- BBQ Beef Roast(new recipe and Im using a Pork Loin instead), Crispy Pan Roasted Potatoes(new recipe) and a veggie.

Wednesday- Cheer Practice- Homemade pizzas

Thursday- Football game- "Fend for yourselves" night, which will probably be something like chicken nuggets or corn dogs or even leftovers.

Friday- Fish tacos, queso, and rice.

Saturday- Football game and Cheer Off- Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches(crockpot) and homemade onion rings.

Sunday- Copy Cat recipe of PF Changs Lettuce Wraps

There you have it! Another menu!

Head over to The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans!

DIY: Pumpkin Topiary

2009-11-08T10:01:00.005-06:00

I was really wanting to get this done and posted before Halloween was over but you know how things go.

I found a fantastic craft for those neat craft pumpkins you see at Michael's every October.

A pumpkin Topiary!

Here is what we did to our 3. Leaves on the bottom, swirls in the middle, and a letter G for our last name with little holes all around to look like stars!

And here it is all a glow!

The only thing that is missing, is the garland I bought to go around it. It will be a easy add though. I just had to share this with you! I think it is the neatest and cutest thing out there! I plan to leave mine out with my scarecrows through Thanksgiving! Pumpkins are not just for Halloween anymore!

Here is the link to show you how I did it and how you can make your own!

Need a Babysitter?

2009-11-08T08:43:00.005-06:00

We moved to Houston shortly after our daughter was born(she is now 7) and we moved to this city without knowing a soul. We still do not know many people even after being here almost 7 years now. Finding a babysitter has always been an issue for us.

For the first 2.5 years in Houston, we would not go anywhere or do anything if we could not take our daughter. Once I joined a playgroup, I made friends and every now and then one of the mom's would watch our daughter and eventually our son. Now with 3 kids it is harder to ask them to watch them so my husband and I can have some time to ourselves.

So now becomes the task of finding a complete stranger to come and care for my children for a couple of hours. Just the thought of this scared me. It made me anxious and very much put me on the verge of a panic attack. I had no idea where to start or who to trust in something as serious and as precious as my children.

Fortunately I found a great website that has helped put my mind at ease and helped me realize I can find a qualified, responsible and caring individual to care for my children whenever my husband and I need some "adult" time.

NannyPro.com is just that site.

Nannypro.com is the premier online matchmaker for families seeking nannies and babysitters with the primary goal of creating a safe platform for families to connect with caregivers in the US and Canada, and obtain valuable advice and information all around the topic of childcare, parenting, and more.

Registration for nannies and sitters is free, and parents choose from various membership levels, which give them the unlimited ability to post jobs, and search, contact and hire nannies and babysitters in their areas. Detailed nanny and babysitter profiles allow families to find a caregiver specific to their individual needs.

NannyPro.com offers families 4 types of best in class background checks and pre-screens each new nanny and babysitter profile before posting it to the site. Additionally, NannyPro.com works with the International Nanny Association to offer the Basic Skills Assessment to each new caregiver upon joining the NannyPro.com community giving parents peace of mind in hiring a highly qualified caregiver.

NannyPro offers great membership options for families.

1 Month Membership - $ 24.99 USD
Plus the Complete NannyPro Hiring Guide FREE!
Full access to all of NannyPro's features

3 Month Membership - $ 49.99 USD Save more than 30%
Plus the Complete NannyPro Hiring Guide FREE!
Full access to all of NannyPro's features

6 Month Membership - $ 79.99 USD Save more than 40%
Plus the Complete NannyPro Hiring Guide FREE!
Full access to all of NannyPro's features

12 Month Membership - $ 99.99 USD Save more than 60%
Plus the Complete NannyPro Hiring Guide FREE!
Full access to all of NannyPro's features

I have been searching the NannyPro site now for approximately two weeks and I have already found at least 3 individuals that I think would fit perfectly into our family as a caregiver. It's so easy to use and I love that I have not had to put in any of my contact information. I have seen sites and joined other sites that I had to put in my contact information and I had people calling me before I was even ready to choose someone. I value my privacy and NannyPro does too!

WIN IT!

The Founder of NannyPro wants to offer one of my readers a 6 month membership to Nannypro.com! That's a value of 79.99! What a amazing deal!!!

Here are the ways you can enter:

Mandatory- Visit NannyPro.com and browse the site. Come back and tell me what features you like the best! Make sure you post a valid email address when you post! Any anonymous posters will be deleted.

Bonus Entries:
1. Tweet this giveaway-using @gutimom in your tweet. You can do this 2 times a day. Each time you will earn 1 entry. Come back and let me know EACH TIME YOU TWEET WITH THE LINK!

2. Follow me on twitter. Just click the little birdy and come back and let me know you now follow me. This will earn you 1 extra entry.

3. Blog about this giveaway and come back and post the link in a comment. Blogging about this giveaway will earn you 5 extra entries!

4. Follow my blog, come back and comment letting me know you do. This will earn you 2 extra entries.

5. Email your friends about this giveaway(BBC the email to me at gutierrezmommy01[at]gmail[dot]com) and/or post on a social networking site such as myspace, facebook,etc. Come back and post with the link if you post on a social networking site. This will earn you 2 extra entries!

Hurry before this great contest is over!

Ends November 17th at midnight CST.

Open to US and Canadian residents only. Winner will be notified by me via email(so make sure you leave me a valid email in your first post!) and will have 48 hours to contact me.

**I received a 1 month membership to review for this website. I did not receive any monetary compensation and my opinions are my own.

50 Thank you Cards from UPrinting.com Giveaway!

2009-11-06T07:27:00.006-06:00

The holidays are right around the corner! Are you ready? Have you even started your shopping?
I have not even begun! I'm still making a list!

I am notorious for never sending thank you cards for our gifts! We always "say" thank you, but I think sometimes a thank you card is more personal and really shows great appreciation for the gift received.

I just started my blog sponsorship with Uprinting.com This is a awesome site! They can print just about anything for you and at terrific prices! You can get a proof of what you are ordering before you pay, plus they have Eco-friendly printing! They also offer free online chat with a representative if you should have any questions while searching for your perfect product!

I am so excited to offer up a pack of 50 Custom Thank You Cards with envelopes, all for free from Uprinting.com! The giveaway is for 50 custom cards with blank envelopes, but they offer tons of ways to personalize their envelopes as well!

UPrinting cards are made from high-quality paper and card stock and will surely bring holiday cheer to your friends and family.

WIN IT!
*(50 ct.) 7 x 5" (folded to 3.5 x 5") Custom Thank You Cards with plain envelopes*

To Enter:
1. Visit UPrinting.com's Thank you card section and Post a comment letting me know how you plan to use the thank you cards and which design you like best. Will you use them for Christmas thank you cards or a basic thank you card for any occasion?

Bonus Entries:
1. Tweet this Giveaway using @gutimom and @uprinting. You can do this daily, twice a day. Come back and let me know each time you do so. You earn a entry every time you tweet this giveaway, no more than 2 times a day.

2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me a comment with the link. This will earn you 5 bonus
entries!

3. Email this blog entry out to friends and family, BCC the email to me. This earns you 1 bonus entry.

4. Follow me on twitter @gutimom or just click the little birdie on my blog and come back and let me know you do. 1 Bonus Entries

5. Grab my nifty button and post it on the sidebar of your blog. 2 Bonus Entries

Hurry! This giveaway will not last long! It will End November 13th at midnight CST. Open to US residents only.

**Disclosure: I will also be receiving fifty (50) thank you cards from UPrinting.com for hosting this giveaway.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-04T13:41:00.003-06:00

Luke Skywalker and a Vampire

My monkey(although Ive been told he looks like waffle and eggs)

And my good sport of a hubby, as Tigger!

Target Coupons

2009-11-03T12:11:00.003-06:00

My friend Mac made me aware of these great Target Coupons for toys!

They expire November 25th so print them out and get your Christmas shopping done early!

Just Click HERE to print!

And remember, Target will let you use one of their coupons and a manufacturers coupon as well for the same item! So check the manufacturers website for any coupon deals as well!

Happy Shopping!

Menu Plan Monday ~November 2nd

2009-11-02T08:02:00.003-06:00

OK, is it bad of me to say that I am glad October is over?! I love October because 2 of my kids were born in October, but its always so busy that I'm kinda glad when its over. Plus that means its getting closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas! I love Christmas the most, but Thanksgiving has good food and is a great time to really be thankful for all that we have.

Pretty easy week for us. We do have girl scouts, cheer practice and a game, but it doesn't seem to be all at once and a nice break in between each event. And it will be nice to be home most of the weekend as well.

So here we go, lets get that menu out there!

Monday-Girl Scouts- Mushroom Pork Chops, rice and green beans

Tuesday- Cheer Practice- Cheese Tortellini, broccoli and garlic bread

Wednesday- Pumpkin Pancakes, bacon, and eggs.

Thursday- Chicken Em pandas and yellow rice

Friday- Homemade Pizzas

Saturday- Ribs, baked potatoes and corn on the cob

Sunday-Football Game- Comforting Smothered Chicken(new recipe), Red Pepper Orzo and a veggie.

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie to see other great menu plans!

Payless Shoe Source Coupon

2009-10-29T17:07:00.001-05:00

Payless Shoe Source is excited to offer Oprah Show viewers 50 percent off their entire purchase at Payless stores in the United States, Canada, Guam and Saipan*.

This in-store offer is good from now through close of business on Friday, October 30th.

Click HERE to get your coupon!

Free Audio Book Downloads

2009-10-28T12:33:00.002-05:00

In this day and age, sitting down and reading a book can be hard to get most kids to do. Most kids have MP3 players or Ipods.

Luckily, you can get audio books, load them to your kids MP3 Player and know they are still hearing great stories.

At Great Little Trading Company you can download tons of kids audio books for free. They have great stories such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, and The Tortoise and the Hare.

Go check out the selection of great audio books right now!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-28T08:34:00.002-05:00

Halloween is upon us.
*This pic was taken before Jake was stung twice by bees* :(

Car Care Coupons

2009-10-28T07:24:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but car care is always the last thing I think of. I have so many other things going on that I guess I just think my car will run great no matter what is done(or not done in my case) to it. Luckily, I have a father who always calls and makes sure I've done this or that to it, so he is a nice reminder.

And now I have these great coupons to Pep Boys that will help make the boring task or car care eve more enjoyable by saving me money!

But hurry, one coupon expires this FRIDAY! So Click, Print, and get to Pep Boys. Check the Pep Boys website to find a location near you.

Expires: October 31, 2009

Expires November 15,2009

Halloween Entertainment

2009-10-27T07:58:00.002-05:00

Have you already carved or painted your pumpkins and you are now wondering " How am I going to entertain the kids before it is time to trick or treat?"

Luckily, I have the answer for you! I found some great Halloween coloring pages perfect to keep the kids busy!

Just click and print!

Coloring Page Creator

Witch's Brew Coloring Page

Frankenstein and Mad Scientist Coloring Page

Jack-o-Lantern Scarecrow Coloring Page.

Menu Plan Monday~ October 26th

2009-10-26T08:11:00.003-05:00

Well my son's 3rd birthday party Saturday was a success! Total Star Wars and he loved it!

This week is just as busy as last I think. Only 2 nights this week that are open and free! We have cheer practice, 2 football games, Daisy Ball for girl scouts, and a fall festival for the boys, plus Trick or Treating on Halloween.

So I have 2 questions for my blog readers today, 1. What are your kids dressing up as? and 2. Do you have a traditional meal you cook on Halloween Night?

My daughter is "Spiderella", which essentially she looks like a vampire but I am told I must refer to her as Spiderella. My oldest son is Luke Skywalker, not really shocked by this are you? And my 8, almost 9 month old is just going to be wearing a skeleton sleeper. He will not be participating in the trick or treating, just the fall festival and then he will help me hand out candy on Halloween Night. As far as the meal, no we are non-traditional when it comes to this holiday and meal so we just cook what sounds good.

So...without further rambling on my part, here is my menu plan for another busy week!

Monday- Broiled Steak, Potatoes, and green beans.

Tuesday- Fish Tacos- made with tilapia- recipe to follow.

Wednesday-Cheer Practice- Cheese tortellini and broccoli

Thursday- Football game- quesadillas, rice and beans.

Friday- Daisy Ball and Fall festival- DD and I will eat pizza at the Daisy Ball and I believe the boys and hubby will have hotdogs at the fall festival

Saturday- Halloween Night- BBQ Ribs, Baked potato and corn on the cob.

Sunday- My son's actual 3rd Birthday is the 29th, but since we have a football game we are going to take him out to celebrate today. We will probably end up at Chuck E Cheese if I know my son! ;)

There you have it, another menu plan for a crazy week. As always, check out The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-21T08:04:00.001-05:00

Mommy and Daughter ready for the homecoming game!

Menu Plan Monday~ October 19th

2009-10-19T07:23:00.004-05:00

Well, we survived Homecoming weekend....barely I think. I forgot to put sunscreen on myself and it turned out to be hotter than we all thought. But the girls had a great time, did a wonderful job and the football team won!

Now I wish I could say the busy weeks are over, but I think this one maybe the busiest of all. I have a parent meeting for Girl Scouts, Cheer practice, football game, Mothers Night Out, guests spending the night, and my son's 3rd Birthday party! I know, it sounds crazy doesn't it.

Well, lets get that menu out there. Nothing fancy, but hey, its food and its good food.

Monday- Parent Meeting for Girl Scouts- Meatball Subs and homemade onion rings.

Tuesday- Chicken Lickin Pork Chops in the crock pot, rice and veggies.

Wednesday- Cheer Practice- Sausage and Onions, rice.

Thursday- Football Game- Grab something on the way to the game.

Friday- I have a Mothers Night Out, plus my first weekend guests arrive after a concert to crash at our house. Hubby is in charge of quesadillas and rice for the kiddos.

Saturday- DS's birthday party(serving pizza for lunch) but my parents arrive and are spending the night, I think we are going to make Enchiladas for dinner.

Sunday- leftovers

There you have it, a simple menu plan for a super busy week. Head over to The Organizing Junkie for tons more menu plans!

The Entitlement Free Child Giveaway

2009-10-18T20:28:00.008-05:00

Mom Select contacted me and asked me to review a book for them. I was really excited when I saw the book and I knew this was going to be a great read!

The Entitlement-Free Child gives parents practical and easy to incorporate techniques to everything from bickering siblings to teacher conflicts and social problems.

The Entitlement-Free Child not only outlines what an entitlement is and how to avoid it, but gives you real-life situations and how you can deal with them. A situation is outlined, entitlement issues listed and then an entitlement-free strategies are given. As I would read a situation, I would think about how I would handle it. It was quite an eye-opener. Apparently, I have entitlement issues that I am inadvertently passing on to my children!

This book isn't a child-raising theory, it is more like a guide book with practical tips that will help guide you through confusing parenting situations.

The Benefits of Entitlement-Free parenting:

Eliminates the self-perpetuating stress of entitlement where nothing is ever enough
Gives you the permission and the encouragement to say "no" (a positive response to parental doubt & guilt)
Teaches children self respect and respect for others
Teaches children self control and postponed gratification
Teaches children age-appropriate problem solving skills
Gives children age-appropriate responsibility for choices and behavior

My Review:
One of the best techniques that I learned about is called "play". Play - Instead of taking kids shopping or to a movie for good behavior. Try planning a picnic and enjoying a park while asking the kids what they want to do for fun and what kind of day they had? You would be amazed at the fun you will have. The bonus: You are teaching your kids they can have fun without spending a lot. This is a wonderful lesson, especially in today's economic times.

Should You Buy?
If you ever thought - why can't my kids quit the constant "Its mine, I want it" whining? This book will help you put an end to stubbornness, disrespect and social problems by giving your child the resourcefulness to get what he/she needs and the confidence to respect the needs of others.

It's definitely worth a read for parents of all ages!

BUY IT!: The Entitlement-Free Child by Karent Deerwester can be purchased on Amazon.com for only $11.24

WIN IT!: One of my readers will receive their own copy of The Entitlement-Free Child by Karen Deerwester.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment telling me what parenting issue you feel is your biggest concern (ex: bickering siblings, allowance, bossiness, eating out, etc...)
This is required before you may use any of the extra credit options.
Please leave your email address in your comment if it is not visible in your profile.

Extra Credit! You may do any or all of the following, just don't forget to leave a separate comment for EACH one you do:

Blog about the giveaway with a link to my blog (www.txmykindarain.blogspot.com) 2 entries, leave 2 comments
Follow my blog
Add my button to your blog
Add me to your text blog roll (not button) 2 entries, leave 2 comments
Subscribe to my blog via email
Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Tired of bratty kids? Win The Entitlement-Free Child giveaway @gutimom http://bit.ly/sHtvR
Leave the link to your tweet in your comment. You can do this once a day! Just come back and leave the link each time you do.

Contest ends October 30th at 11:59 CST and a winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. I will contact the winner on October 31th and they will have 48 hours to respond. US Only

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

Look at that little ham! Don't you just want to eat him up?!

Menu Plan Monday~ October 12th

2009-10-12T10:18:00.005-05:00

Another Monday!

We had a pretty busy weekend since it was Madison's 7th Birthday, so I am ready for a toned down week. We only have 2 games this week and no practice, but we have a Halloween Party on Friday Night too. So at least there is some fun mixed in there.

Monday- French Toast(with bread I made, recipe is here), bacon, cowboy hash and eggs.

Tuesday- Famous Potato Soup and Hot Ham Sammy's

Wednesday- Crockpot Chicken Lickin Good Pork Chops, rice and veggie

Thursday-(Football game)- Spaghetti with meatballs and veggie

Friday- Halloween Party night(I will be making Sausage Stars and a festive dessert, just not sure what yet.)

Saturday- Homecoming Football game- Shredded BBQ sandwiches with french fries

Sunday- Meatball Subs and homemade onion rings.

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie for over 400 menu plans!

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower

2009-10-12T09:35:00.004-05:00

Yum Yum Yum!

That is basically all you need to say about this next recipe. Its one of my favorites! I love the combo of cauliflower and broccoli with Parmesan cheese all nice and crusty on top! The recipe says cauliflower but you can use broccoli too. As you can see from my picture I did both, plus a little red onion.

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower

from Recipezaar

3 T fresh minced garlic

3 T olive oil (can reduce depending on the amount of cauliflower)

1 head cauliflower, separated into florets

1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

salt and black pepper

chopped fresh parsley or dried parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease large casserole dish. Place olive oil and garlic in large resealable bag. Add
cauliflower and shake to mix. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway
through. Top with Parmesan and parsley and broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Pierogi Chicken Lasagna

2009-10-09T09:44:00.002-05:00

OH. MY. GOODNESS!
Talk about heavenly! This meal was just.....just......AMAZING!

Hubby and I devoured this! Another one the kids wouldn't touch, but again..I'm not surprised.

I definitely plan to make this one again! Next time I plan to use more sauce since it was a little dry for our tastes. Hubby likes a lot of sauce on his pasta!

Pierogi Chicken Lasagna
~*~Sandy~*~

Preparation Time: 10 Mins
Total Time: 40 Mins
Number of Servings: 4

A nice twist on classic lasagna! Try this creative version with layers of potato stuffed pasta and tender slices of white meat chicken baked in a traditional red sauce and lots of cheese.

Ingredients and Steps:

1 lb pierogies, frozen
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 (18 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

2. Pour half of the sauce into a 9"x 9" casserole dish.

3. Layer pierogies over sauce and top with sliced chicken breast.

4. Pour remaining sauce over casserole and sprinkle with cheese.

5. Cover with sprayed foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Roasted Potatoes and Sausage

2009-10-07T20:21:00.007-05:00

This is one of my favorite meals.

Why do you ask? It reminds me of my mom, and its always good to think of your mom, especially when its over a food that she helped teach you how to make.

This meal is not a fancy meal by any means, but its a nice hot, comforting meal sure to please any one in your family. OK, who am I kidding, my kids wont touch this, but they don't know any better. In time I know this will become one of their favorites too because it will be something I have taught them to make just like my mom taught me.

This is just a standard recipe. You can add or take away as much as you like. This was the measurement of ingredients I used tonight and it fed myself and my husband and leftovers for the both of us.

Roasted Potatoes and Sausage

4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-2 packages of Ekrich Smoked Dinner Sausage
2 packages of dry onion soup mix
canola oil (you just want enough oil to make the onion soup mix stick to the potatoes and sausage)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced or use a micro plane
1 medium size red onion, cubed
pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl till covered with the onion soup mix. Place in a greased(with Pam) casserole dish(9x13). Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Check after 1 hour, if potatoes are done(stick with a fork) then your dish is done, if not , let it go for a little longer.

I served this with Parmesan Zucchini tonight but its also fine by itself and with some nice bread!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T12:15:00.001-05:00

Ahhh..the Life of a Cheer Mom!

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

2009-10-06T19:29:00.005-05:00

So, my husband is allergic to shellfish. SIGH...sad I know. I love shellfish!

Anyways, so I still try to get him to eat some kind of fish since its better for you. Luckily, tilapia is a fish that he has learned to love! Especially when I make it this way! Even my daughter loves it! She eats a whole fillet by herself! I wish I could say the same for my oldest son, but again, self made vegetarian. I usually serve this with couscous because that is the one thing that my picky son will eat, and broccoli.

Tilapia is a great mild, buttery fish. If you have not tried it before, this should be your first recipe to try out!

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

2 pounds tilapia filets
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt

Preheat your oven's broiler, and grease a broiling pan, or line with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice and season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt, mix well and set aside.

Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over, and broil for a couple more minutes.

Remove the fillets from the oven, and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side and broil for 2 more minutes, or until the topping is browned, and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish

Menu Plan Monday~ October 5th

2009-10-05T07:06:00.003-05:00

Another busy week for us!

My daughter's 7th Birthday is this weekend so I have lots to do to prepare for it, plus tons of Cheerleading!

I am trying 2 new menu items this week and I hope they become family favorites because they sounds fabulous!

Monday-Cheer Pictures and Book Fair/Reading Night at the school- Quesadillas and Rice

Tuesday- Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, couscous, and garlic broccoli

Wednesday- Cheer Practice- Roasted potatoes, sausage and onions

Thursday- Football game- Pierogi Chicken Lasagna(new recipe) and garlic bread

Friday-(My DD is going to sleep over so its just me and the boys)- BBQ Chicken Pizza(new recipe)

Saturday- My Daughters 7th Birthday! So we are going to eat wherever she wants!

Sunday- Her party is this day so we will do leftovers to make it easy!

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie for more fantastic menu plans!

Pumpkin Gingerbread from Cyndy

2009-10-02T13:26:00.003-05:00

These are amazing!

My house smells like fall!

And if you have read my Texas post earlier this week, you know that we just don't get fall around here! So to make my house smell like fall is awesomeness!

These muffins are light, fluffy, and oh so moist! I have eaten 2 already. *blushing*

You can get the recipe over at Daily Cynema. My friend Cyndy has tons of other recipes on her site, even some awesome looking Greek cuisine!

What's the password?

2009-10-02T11:32:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but I have a ton of passwords for lots of online pages that I have such a hard time remembering! I keep tons of emails that have the passwords and it makes my inbox a big old mess!

Brandy over at Not So Average Mama has a great giveaway right now for this nifty little book organizer that can store all your online passwords in one convenient location!

It is ending tonight, October 2nd, so enter now!

Honey Garlic Chicken

2009-09-30T20:02:00.003-05:00

I tried out another new recipe tonight that I got off Babycenter Cooking for your Family. Its a winner at our house!

My daughter said this was too sweet, so next time I will use less brown sugar and more soy sauce. I also used chicken tenders since thats what I had on hand.
But over all, its a fantastic quick dish!

Honey Garlic Chicken
Niki5959

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, sliced
1 large package of cut up chicken pieces
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS

Place onion on bottom of crock pot. Place chicken on top of onion. In a large bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and brown sugar. Stir until honey and sugar are completely dissolved, then stir in the baking soda. The mixture will begin to foam. Pour over chicken and cook on low until done

NOTE: I turned the chicken about halfway through to make sure both sides were covered with the sauce.

Free Theater Tickets!

2009-09-30T16:31:00.003-05:00

WHAT? Free Night of Theater 2009
WHEN? Various dates
WHERE? All around the US
HOW?

Visit Free Night of Theater 2009
Find your city and see the listings for various live theater shows
Many options for both adults and children
Note when the sign-up begins for that particular show!
Many sign-ups begin tomorrow, October 1st!
Set an alarm....and be quick.

Thanks to A Frugal Friend for heads up on this!
She said tickets go fast so set a alarm!

I love Texas but....

2009-09-30T16:11:00.005-05:00

I'm a born and raised Texan.

I love Texas. I love the Lone Star. I love cowboys(not the football team) and rodeos. I love country music.

I love BBQ. Oh sweet BBQ.

I love the Aggie's.
OK, well I don't like" love" them, but being married to an Aggie you kind of have to take one for the team so to speak. So I "love" them in my own sort of way.

What I do not love about Texas is the weather! I want to experience all 4 seasons Mother Nature has to offer! I want to see the leaves change colors. The leaves here in Texas go from green to dead. There is no in between, no beautiful reds, yellows, or oranges. Just green and then dead!

I mean look at this picture?!

Breathtaking isn't it?!
Now, being in Texas, I do not get to see beautiful things like this. We get blistering heat and cool winters. I don't even think they should be called winters if you do not get snow!

It is autumn after all and I was sweating walking to get my daughter from school.
That is just not right!
This should not be happening! I should be able to send my kids to school in jeans and a light jacket in autumn, not shorts and a tshirt!

Please Mother Nature, please bring us good ole Texans some real fall like weather! We really are awesome people and we deserve it after the scorching summer!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-30T11:19:00.002-05:00

My 8 month old is growing up too fast! He should not be pulling himself up already!

No Peek Tips

2009-09-29T14:26:00.003-05:00

This is another Babycenter Cooking for your Family recipe. Its also a family favorite! My daughter just loves it!

We do not use the mushrooms since no one really eats them and we serve them over buttered egg noodles.

I wish I had a picture, but I forgot!

No Peek Tips
(fourwonderfulboys)

2 lbs cubed stew beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 pkg dry brown gravy mix
1 c. ginger ale or 7 up

Layer ingredients in proceeding order. Cover and bake at 300* for 3 hours.

Or Make in the slow cooker for 6hrs on low. Serve over rice or the egg noodles.

Menu Plan Monday~ September 28th

2009-09-28T07:53:00.004-05:00

Well my menu last week went out the window when I was diagnosed with the flu on Wednesday. I do not think I have ever felt so bad! Luckily I found some tamiflu so I was feeling better by Saturday and on Sunday I felt like my old self! I will disinfecting my house though today and most of the week!

We do have another busy week ahead, Math Night, Cheer Practice and 2 games this week!

So here is our menu, it looks like last weeks since I didn't get to make a lot of what I wanted last week with being sick.

Monday- Math Night- No Peek Tips(crock pot recipe), buttered noodles, and green beans

Tuesday- Quesadillas, rice and beans

Wednesday- Cheer Practice- Honey Garlic Chicken(Crock pot and New recipe), rice, and broccoli

Thursday- Football game- leftovers

Friday- Sesame Ginger Pork Tenderloin(crock pot and new recipe), rice, and veggie

Saturday- Football Game- Roasted onion potatoes and sausage, salad

Sunday- Breakfast- Sausage, egg, and potato wraps.

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie for a ton of menu plans for this week!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-23T10:27:00.003-05:00

3 Pictures for Wordless Wednesday Today

Jake Sitting up on his Own!

Madison Cheerleading

And Christopher Smiling

Crossiant Paninni

2009-09-21T18:11:00.003-05:00

So I saw Giada de Laurentis make these one day on Food Network. Obviously hers were more grand and had different ingredients but I knew I had to make them for my family! And you do not need to rush out and buy a paninni press to make these. If you have a George Foreman Grill (this is what I use) it will work, or just cook in a skillet and press down on top of the sandwich with another skillet that is pushed down with a heavy can.

There is really no recipe. You just get the crossiants from the bakery at the grocery store. Your favorite lunch meats, cheeses, greens and tomatoes if you wish. My family just wants meat and cheese. So usually we have turkey breasts, ham provolone cheese, and for hubby and myself I add pepper jack as well.

Layer all those ingredients on the crossiant and press in the George Foreman Grill. Cook until the cheese is melted. Easy as pie and yummy too! I usually serve these with a soup!

Famous Baked Potato Soup

2009-09-21T17:51:00.003-05:00

I love soup. Even when it is not cold outside, which is not often living in Texas. So to get my soup fix, I just have to make it when I want it and if its hot outside I cut the A/C way down to make it feel like its chilly outside!

Tonight we had Famous Baked Potato Soup! Its a crock pot recipe and its one of my trusted recipes I found on Baby center Cooking for your Family Board. I usually top mine with shredded cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, and if I happen to remember to get chives. This time I didn't have the chives. I also scale it down to fit our family. And this time I sauteed the onions with some garlic before putting it into the crock pot.
This is a family favorite, even my hubby who does not like soup, will eat this. My daughter loves it and I wish I could say that my oldest son would eat it, but he is weird about his foods and he will not touch this with a 10 foot pole!

So here is the recipe, add it to your must try file today!

Famous Potato Bacon Soup (crock pot)
Amy (ajays)

8 cups coarsely chopped peeled potatoes
1 small onion, shopped (1/3 cup)
1/2 pound bacon, crisped, drained, and crumbled
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 cans (14.5 oz) each reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a 4-qt. crock, stir together the potatoes and onion. Stir in the bacon. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and the pepper. Add the mixture to the crock. Cover and cook the soup on low heat for 8-10 hours or on high heat for 4-5 hours. If you like, mash the potatoes slightly for a thicker consistency before serving.

Menu Plan Monday~ September 21st

2009-09-20T15:43:00.006-05:00

Another Manic Monday! And also another Menu Plan Monday!

We have a few things going on this week : Cheer practice and our second football game. I am trying out a few new recipes. A few are not new, but I plan to post the recipe along with a picture after I make them so they can be a easy reference for my blog readers. My crock pot is getting a workout this week as well! I'm using it for 4 meals this week!

Monday- Croissant Paninni's and Famous Potato Soup(crock pot)

Tuesday- Meatloaf Muffins, Mashed Potatoes, and Corn on the Cob

Wednesday-Cheer Practice Night- No Peek Tips(crock pot), Buttered Noodles and Green Beans.

Thursday- Game Night- Honey Garlic Chicken(crock pot and new recipe), rice and broccoli

Friday- Leftovers

Saturday- Cheer Practice- Homemade Pizzas

Sunday- Sesame Ginger Pork Tenderloin(crock pot and new recipe), rice and veggie.

As always, check out The Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans!

Baby Darby needs you!

2009-09-18T15:34:00.004-05:00

I am a member of a great online Natural Parenting Community called Granola Chicks.

One of our members Janna, has 11 week old Darby who needs our thoughts and prayers!
Baby Darby has had 2 surgeries this week. She has a condition called Biliary Atresia. This is a condition of the liver and will result in her eventually needing a liver transplant.

Monday Darby had a surgical procedure called a Kasai procedure. This is a temporary fix for a serious problem. Wednesday, Darby was rushed back in for an emergency surgery due to internal bleeding, after taking care of this she quit breathing in recovery.

As you can imagine this has been very difficult for Darby's mom and dad. They live about one and half hours from the hospital. With every minute being so critical, Darby's dad has missed a lot of work. They have 4 other children, one that is just a toddler. I hope that you can find it in your hearts to help them out a little. Every little bit will help them through this difficult time.

Brandy over at Not So Average Mama has set up a donation site where you can help this family. Head on over to her site and click the donation link to help this family during a very difficult time. She also has a banner she is asking people to post on their sites to get the word out about Baby Darby. Remember every little bit helps, whether is 1.00,5.00 or more. You can help this family out in one of their darkest hours. Send them you thoughts and prayers as well.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-16T07:33:00.001-05:00

My Jake's Smile

Flu Season is coming!

2009-09-15T16:01:00.004-05:00

I love cooler weather! LOVE IT!!!

There is a drawback however.....the dreaded flu season!

I know when I get the sniffles or flu, it's hard to
remember all the supplies I need to make a speedy recovery.

Here
is something that will make shopping for flu season items a no-brainer!

Just click this LINK to get your PDF printable shopping list!

Quiznos Deal!

2009-09-14T15:36:00.003-05:00

I'm not a big Quiznos fan, but I am a big fan of FREE!

If you can not get that coupon to print, try this link.

VMA Round Up

2009-09-14T08:01:00.006-05:00

This Sunday was the MTV Video Music Awards. The only reason I was remotely interesting this year was because of Robert Pattinson and the cast presenting a new New Moon extended trailer. OK and if I am being honest I wanted to see what Kristen Stewart would show up wearing(she ended up looking amazing!) and see this strange character called Lady Gaga(which BTW I was shocked at what she wore!).

I had no idea when I set out to watch that in one night I would be appalled and then in awe of the human race.

First up was the tribute to Michael Jackson. And while I am not a MJ fan, it was very awesome to see Janet Jackson performing her duet song with her brother. That definitely brought a tear to my eye. She did a good job.

Within 10 minutes of the show starting, Taylor Swift(who I love) won for Best Female Video. During her acceptance speech, a poor excuse for a human being, Kanye West got up on stage(I'm sure he had had a few drinks) and took the mic from Taylor and said, " Im happy for you Taylor and I'm going to let you finish, but Beyonce had the best video of all time!". Beyonce was in the audience looking shocked and appalled at one of her musical colleagues. Taylor looked absolutely mortified and when the mic was given back to her she looked as if she wanted to run of the stage crying. What was she to say or do at that point?! Poor girl. I am not saying I do not like Beyonce but Taylor deserved her moment to shine and that was taken away from her by someone who is known to be a complete jerk. I was never a big fan of Kanye West to begin with, but believe me, anything that has to do with that man is now on my list of "have nothing to do with". he does not deserve the publicity he is getting for this, he does not deserve any award he might win or any money from any record sales he might have now.

After this horrible episode the night was pretty adventurous. Lady Gaga performed and well, that was very interesting to say the least. Beyonce performed and did a fantastic job.

And the main reason I watched, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner came out to show the extended New Moon movie trailer. *Swoon* I love Rob. The trailer gave me goosebumps. It was amazing and I'm literally counting down the days till New Moon hits theaters.

Next, is the moment when I began to feel like there are good people out in the world. Beyonce won her award for Video of the Year, and as soon as she took the stage she said she remembered being 17 at scared at the VMA's with Destiny's Child. She said everyone deserves to have their moment and she wants to give Taylor hers. Beyonce invited Taylor back up on stage to accept her award. True class from Beyonce. It really shows how much of a bigger person she is than Kanye and that she did not stand behind his actions. Hats off to Beyonce for allowing Taylor to have her moment during her own special moment.

In conclusion:
1. Taylor Swift is amazing. She handled the situation the best she could. Poor girl was so out of her element....a country singer at the VMA's...but she did it! She won!
2. Kanye West...well I have a few choice words I could use for him, but this is a family blog and they will be kept to myself. Do not buy any of his albums or anything associated with this so called man.
3. Lady Gaga....wow...thats really all there is to say about this one.
4. Robert Pattinson....SWOON! Ready for New Moon!
5. Beyonce....wonderful, gracious, and caring woman who reminds us that there are good people out there.

~Menu Plan Monday~ September 14th

2009-09-14T07:49:00.005-05:00

This Menu Plan is full of easy fast meals since we have something going on almost every single night this week. So, nothing too spectacular but family favorites at our house!

Monday-(Curriculum Night at DD's school)- Shredded BBQ Sandwiches and Oven Baked Fries.

Tuesday- Eggplant Parmesan (with eggplant from my garden) and salad

Wednesday-(Cheer Practice)- Hot Dogs, Mac and Cheese, green beans.

Thursday-(MNO for me at Texas Roadhouse)- Quesadillas and rice for hubby and kiddos.

Friday- Eating Out- Kids are headed to the church for a couple hours so hubby and I can have a Parents Night Out.

Saturday-(Madison's first football game to cheer at)- Sesame Ginger Pork Tenderloin in Crock pot with rice and broccoli.

Sunday- Grilled Chicken and baked potatoes.

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie to see hundreds of menu plans that could inspire you!

Jazz up Store Bought Cookie Dough

2009-09-13T15:25:00.003-05:00

We are not big cake eaters in this house. The kids just lick the icing off and throw away the cake and I do not like cake...AT ALL! So when there is a birthday we usually just do cookies or cake balls.

Today is hubby's birthday so I thought I would make him some peanut butter cookies. I would normally do these from scratch, but I'm pretty lazy on Sundays. Its my day to get things ready to start the week and just hang out.

So I bought store bought cookie dough and wondered how I could make this store bought cookie dough awesome!

And this is my creation!

All I did was melt some almond bark in a bowl in the microwave and put on the cookie. A few cookies I add Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Chips used for baking. You could do this for any kind of cookie and with any toppings you like. My hubby loves peanut butter and chocolate so that's why I went this route for my family! They are super yum and super easy!

So anytime you need to jazz up some store bought cookies, try this out!

Gap Outlet Semi-Annual Baby Sale

2009-09-11T12:35:00.003-05:00

The community at TwitterMoms.com has teamed with the Gap Outlet to bring you, your readers, and your followers an exclusive printable barcode coupon! Use it when shopping at any Gap Outlet location to receive an additional 10% off the already reduced prices during the Gap Outlet's Semi-Annual Baby Sale. Shop ahead ahead of the holidays to stock up on quality and style at value prices.

You are also invited to share this coupon with your friends and followers! Shop Gap Outlet stores and save up to 40% off the already low Factory Store prices during the semi-annual Baby Sale taking place now through September 24th. You’ll find irresistible prices on clothes for newborns, infants, and toddlers up to 5 years old. Shop any of the 200 Gap Outlet stores in the US or Canada(Find Your Local Store Here)

If you can not get the coupon posted to print, please go HERE to print.

Remembering...

2009-09-11T07:45:00.003-05:00

We will never forget!

** This is a picture I have in my home. I hang it proudly and to remember those who lost their lives on 9/11/2001. My dad is a retired firefighter, firefighters are the silent heroes among us. Please take a moment today to remember those who lost their lives today 8 years ago, remember those silent heroes who rushed in to a burning building to try to save those who were still stuck inside and remember those families who lost the ones they loved most.

Super Late Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-11T07:29:00.003-05:00

Im a few days behind, I know, but things have been crazy to say the least!

Here is my Wordless Wednesday- Jake's first Astros game!

Zhu Zhu Pets Giveaway Winner!

2009-09-08T19:45:00.003-05:00

Alright, its time to announce a winner for the Zhu Zhu Pets Giveaway!

And todays winner is.....Post Number......

17!!!

Post # 17 is...

Birdie said...: MY fav. Zhu Zhu add on is the Hampster Car & Garage....every Hampster has to have one!!! birdson@roadrunner.com

Congrats! I am sending you a email and you have 48 hours to respond. If you do not respond in those 48 hours I will choose a new winner at random!

Thanks for playing and thanks to everyone else for following my blog!

~Menu Plan Monday~ September 7th

2009-09-07T08:07:00.003-05:00

I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend! Ours was pretty action packed. Friday night, hubby and I went out to a nice dinner and celebrated 5 years of marriage. Saturday we went to a friends house for a swim and BBQ party. Sunday we went to the Houston Astros baseball game. We love baseball in my family so this was a huge treat!

Unfortunately all that fun was upset by my daughter feeling a little under the weather. We thought she was just run down from so much fun, but it turned into a fever late last night. So now, our labor day will be spent taking care of her and disinfecting my house. I have one son who has breathing issues when he gets sick and then a 7 month old so when one gets sick we have to totally de-germ the house and get the sickness out quick. So that is the game plan for this labor day. I wish I could say it would be fun, but you gotta do what you gotta do when you are a momma!

So this is my menu plan for this week. Nothing too exciting. But hopefully you can find inspiration from my menu plan for your own!

Monday- Grilled chicken and ribs, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob.

Tuesday- Pancakes, bacon, eggs and fresh raspberries

Wednesday- Whole Wheat Spaghetti and garlic bread.

Thursday- Hot Turkey and Cheese Sammy's with veggie sticks

Friday- Homemade pizzas and salad

Saturday- Grilled Sausage and Peppers(Hot Dogs for kiddos)

Sunday-My hubby's birthday. His birthday last year was pushed aside since we were riding out Hurricane Ike in our playroom. SO I plan to make it up to him this year. Grilled steak with thinkly sliced onion rings on top, corn on the cob, cornbread, baked potatoes. Instead of cake we are doing peanut butter cookies dipped in chocolate. His favorite things on the menu!

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans! There are literally hundered's to see!

Help out a great cause!

2009-09-04T11:18:00.002-05:00

Do you have a small business or make some neat crafts?

Miracle Diapers is looking for your help! They are having their annual holiday fundraiser and are looking for business or individuals to donate items to be put on auction to help out the Miracle Diapers Organization.

You can read more about the fundraiser here.

Please help out this fantastic cause! This organization works very hard to get cloth diapers on as many babies as possible!

Butter Cookies~ Coffee's perfect mate!

2009-09-04T11:00:00.004-05:00

I love coffee. I love it even more than I love sweet things. And when I can find something perfect to have with my coffee I jump at the chance!

I found a blog recently called Full Bellies, Happy Kids. Talk about a great blog! She has tons of recipes that are geared towards kids! I stumbled onto her Butter Cookie recipe and thought, "hmm what a great cookie!" They are super easy, super fast and you always have the ingredients on hand! Plus, the recipe makes a perfect dozen! I hate how most recipes make you make like 4 dozen cookies! I mean really...who needs 4 dozen cookies in their house? I know I don't!

So try out this recipe! No the cookies are not super sweet, but they are so good! Especially with a cup of coffee!

EASY BUTTER COOKIES

1 stick of butter (may use margarine)
1 cup flour
5 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix ingredients together and roll into balls.
Press down with a fork.
Sprinkle a little sugar on top of each cookie.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Easy Mexican Night~ Taco Melts

2009-09-03T19:44:00.004-05:00

Oh how I wish I was the genius that thought up this recipe!

This is a delicious flaky hot sandwich! Its a biscuit wrapped around your favorite taco ingredients! Whats not to love?! Flaky biscuit, taco fillings, and hot melted cheese!

Add this to your menu plan and you will not be disappointed!

Taco Melts

1	package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
2/3	cup water
1 1/2	cups salsa
1	lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef, cooked, drained
1	can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated biscuits (any variety)
1	cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican cheese blend (4 oz)
1	cup sour cream, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 375°F.
2.	In medium saucepan, cook taco seasoning mix, water, 1/2 cup of the salsa and cooked ground beef until thickened.
3.	Press each biscuit into 6-inch round. Fill each with taco mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold dough over filling and press to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet.
4.	Bake 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining salsa, cheese and sour cream.

Free Child Safety Kit

2009-09-03T16:16:00.004-05:00

Kids can be so vulnerable and trusting. To help you keep your kids safe, you can get a safety kit from one of the most popular home safety companies, ADT.

You can request a free Child Safety Kit for EACH child in your family at this link.

Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Labor Day= Free Chicken Sandwich

2009-09-03T16:01:00.002-05:00

On Labor Day(Monday, September 7th), wear your favorite sports team logo into any Chick-Fil-A from 10:30am to close and you get a free Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich!

Click HERE for more details

Easy Crockpot Chicken

2009-09-02T16:34:00.005-05:00

Wednesday nights are the worst right now. We have cheer practice from 6:30-8! And getting home at 8 is tough on the kiddos. So I make sure I always have a easy dinner ready and waiting for them to eat before we leave.

I had planned to try out a new recipe tonight, Chicken and Potatoes in the crock pot, but my new obsession with the series True Blood caused me to stay up way to late last night and I have been dragging all day! I couldn't even muster up enough energy to cut up the potatoes! And to top it off, I realized about 2pm today that there was no dinner in the crock pot and I needed something fast!

I remember that my awesome friend Lin(who is nicknamed Sparkle) @ That Lin Chick had told me about this super simple meal she makes her family on just such occasions.

This is her recipe. I posted my variations with * next to them.

Easy Crock pot Chicken

Chicken breasts (I used 4 tonight)
Cream of(enter the soup you like here). I used a broccoli cheese and a *cream of broccoli. Lin's recipe calls for 1 can, I used two to make more sauce
Veggies of your choice! (I used fresh broccoli and carrots)
* 1/4 cup of milk
*seasonings of pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder-to your taste
* 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Place chicken breast into crock pot. Top with soup. cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. About a hour before it is done add your veggies. Fresh veggies take a little bit longer than frozen. Serve over rice or noodles.

This is like a one pot wonder! Its got your protein, your veggies, your dairy....it has it all! it is so super tasty and simple!

And yes I'm still dieting, this is the only portion I will get! After this one I will snack on celery and cucumbers for the rest of the night, that's if I'm still hungry!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-02T14:18:00.002-05:00

First Day of First Grade

Need help counting calories?

2009-09-02T07:37:00.003-05:00

I am in a contest with a group of Online friends to see who can lose the most weight by October 30th. We started last week. I did not do too bad, lost 2lbs, but it was a struggle for me. I love my carbs! I have zero motivation to sit and write down and count my calories or even try to figure out how much 17 pretzels have.

Luckily I came across this website that does it all for me!

SparkPeople is a website that not only tracks your calories for you, it can track your fitness, how much water you have drank and more! You fill out a fitness assessment and it calculates how many calories, carbs, fats, and proteins you should have each day.
Then when you have something to eat you just go log it into your nutrition area and it calculates the calories for you! No counting for yourself!

Not only do I love that it tracks everything for me, but I love how easy it is to use and that there is a community of other SparkPeople trying to lose weight too that I can turn to for motivation and help. I also love the recipe index with healthy recipes submitted by other SparkPeople! Tried and true recipes is my kinda thing!

So if you are trying to lose weight or just trying to eat healthy and want to see how you are doing, try out SparkPeople today!

Menu Plan Monday~ August 31st

2009-08-31T07:34:00.005-05:00

This weeks menu plan is written on a whim. This means I'm sitting here typing this blog post and I'm deciding what to cook right now! I did not get a chance yesterday to do my usual little sit down to figure it out. We were out of town the weekend and we did not get home till late. And of course we had other things to hurry and get taken care of for the week ahead.
So this menu plan is probably not very exciting since I did not have a chance to really think.

Monday- Whole Wheat Pancakes, Turkey Bacon, and Eggs

Tuesday- Meatloaf Muffins(new recipe, post to follow), brown rice, veggies

Wednesday- Cheer Night- Crock pot Chicken and Potatoes(New Recipe, post to follow), Broccoli

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- Its my 5 year wedding Anniversary, so I am hoping to round me up some babysitters so hubby and I can go out.

Saturday- A friend of ours is having a BBQ and swim party for Labor Day, so we are headed over there!

Sunday- We have tickets to the Astros game. I hope we are home in time for dinner that I can cook. If we are, I plan to do Croissant Paninnis. If we are late, we will just grab something.

As always, head over to The Organizing Junkie to see other great menu plans this week!

Gift card for Groceries

2009-08-27T07:48:00.001-05:00

Groceries have become crazy expensive these days! Its amazing to see how much more things are this year then they were just a few years ago.

Brandy @ Not So Average Mama is gonna help us out with that!

She has a giveaway up right now for a $30 Gift Card to Kroger!

That's like what a gallon a milk and some eggs? I kid I kid...but seriously, you could get some awesome groceries with that baby!

So head on over and check out how you can win!

Graphics Deal at Stitchblade Designs

2009-08-26T21:11:00.002-05:00

Do you guys like my blog? I think it looks awesome myself.

The brains behind my blog design belong to Brandy. She runs Not So Average Mama and Stitchblade Designs.

I love her!

Well she is running a special on her graphics designing right now!

Head on over to her Graphics website Stitchblade Designs to see what she can do for you! This graphics special will not last long so hurry!

Also check out her blog Not So Average Mama while you are at it!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-26T14:09:00.003-05:00

I love baseball....specifically the Houston Astros. So this is me and my sweet Jake watching the game last night!

MMMM...PF Changs

2009-08-26T07:49:00.003-05:00

I love PF Chang's. I don't get to eat their often, but I love their lettuce wraps!

5 Minutes for Giveaways has a giveaway right now for a $100 PF Chang's Gift card! That's a lot of Lettuce Wraps!

Head on over there and check out how to win!

Free 8x10 Photo Collage from Walgreens~ Wednesday

2009-08-26T06:43:00.003-05:00

Walgreens is calling Wednesday FUNDAY!

Sign up for a Walgreens Photo account, upload your photos and then go to the 'Photo gifts' segment and click collages. Choose the 8x10 size, pick the photos from your album, fill in your details and key in the coupon code FUNDAY during check out. Opt for an in-store pick up (this way you don't have to pay shipping charges) and VOILA....your free 8 x 10 photo collage will be ready!

What a fun gift for somebody special!

Offer Valid Wednesday August 26th only!

Thanks to the Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports for the heads up on this great offer!

Zhu Zhu Pets Review and Giveaway

2009-08-25T10:28:00.006-05:00

"Zhu Zhu Pets are innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that talk and move around in their own play sets. Zhu Zhu Pets include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli. Over a dozen add-ons can be purchased to build an ever-evolving hamster world for your hamster to play in and explore."

MomSelect and ZhuZhu pets sent me a set for my kids to test out. These are by far, the most played with toys in our house! The kids really enjoy watching the hamsters go all over the place with just a press of the button. And it is really neat to see them change directions and get out of their hamster wheel all on their own! As a mom, I love that there is no mess! No wood chippings, no hamster dropping, no smell! Just hours and hours of fun for my kids. As you can see from my picture, my son could not wait for my husband to get it put together.

I had some issues trying to get it put together, but my wonderful Aggie Engineer husband was able to get it done in 10 minutes!

Zhu Zhu Pets can be bought at Wal-Mart, Amazon and Toys R Us.

Want One of your very own?

MomSelect and Zhu Zhu pets will give one of my readers 1 Hamster with Slide and Ramp to get your kids started!

Here is how to enter:
Vizit the Zhu Zhu pets page and let me know your favorite add on accessory! That's it!

Want Bonus Entries?
1. Blog about this giveaway and comment with the link. This will earn you 2 bonus entries.

2. Grab my button- Comment back and let me know where to find it on your page. This will earn you 2 bonus entries.

3. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Comment back to let me know you did with the link. This will earn you 1 bonus entry.

4. Follow my blog and comment back letting me know you do. This will earn you 1 bonus entry.

Giveaway Will End Friday September 4, 2009.