Check this out....

http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Three-Wolf-Short-Sleeve/dp/B002HJ377A

Scroll down and read the comments! They are too funny not to pass on!!!!

Mission Monday....

A DAY LATE:::::::

SO, your mission, if you choose to take it on..... is.....

ORGANIZE YOUR FAVORITES/ BOOKMARKS!!!

YES, take the time to delete the "WHAT THE HECK ARE THESE DOING HERE?" the "WHEN DID I VISIT THAT SITE?" the "HUH?" and the "WHAT WAS I THINKING BOOKMARKING THAT?" Then organize the good ones, make folders, condense them down......

I am doing this right now because it takes way to long to SCROLL to the very bottom and PULL up a NEW one that I FEEL must be ON TOP so I can click it all the time!

Remember to make a FAVORITE BLOGS folder and then ADD MY BLOG...LOL!!!!!

This message will self destruct in 10 seconds!

My Baby Turned 8 today!

OH LUCAS, my dear son, Lucas! My how you have gotten so old so quickly....

As some of you may know and some of you may not.... Lucas was our defiant one from the VERY beginning!!!!
You see, his due date was January 26th.... Of course my first born came 3 weeks early, so Lucas was due to arrive anytime in January....
I begged my body to NOT allow him to come on JANUARY 19th, of all the days in the month!
BECAUSE today was my oldest brothers birthday.... He was killed in a accident in 1998 at a very young age of 26.
I knew having a child on this day would be hard on my mother... SO I begged the baby inside to NOT be born on the 19th!
Well, wouldn't you know it... that defiant baby just had to NOT LISTEN! And that was the beginning of our son Lucas!
Needless to say, he is our VERY VERY SPIRITED child! I just know he will be the next Donald Trump....
So happy birthday to my son, who is turning my hair more grey and who has me praying for patience daily! I LOVE YOU, and wouldn't ever give you away for a calmer, less spirited child.... You are what keeps are family on it's toes!

Butterscotch Oatmeal

BUTTERSCOTCH OATMEAL

1 egg, beaten

1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 cup brown sugar (can use less)

1 pinch salt

1 cup rolled oat

2 tablespoons butter
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the egg with milk, brown sugar, pinch salt and cinnamon (if using). Mix in the oats; bring to a simmer. When the oats begin to boil, cook and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Serve immediately.

Dreaming, dreaming, dreaming.....

Of picking these babies! ONLY 5 months until that dream can come true....

and Picking these yummy Peas......

and 7 months until we can enjoy all of this......

BUT for now I will enjoy all the garden food that we PUT UP for the winter months! Peas, Corn, Green Beans, Strawberries, canned Tomatoes, dried onions, broccoli, carrots, the list goes on and on!!! YUM!

25# OF OATS!!!!!

SOOOOO What do you do when you get your Co-oP order of 25# of Oats???You start start searching high and low for recipes to use it up! At .09 a Cup, it is a great deal!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is the first of many OATS recipes to come!!!!!!

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oat

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup strawberry Jam

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix everything together but the jam. Measure out 2 cups of this mixture. Leave the rest in the bowl and set aside. Take the 2 cups of the mixture and press it into the bottom of an 8 inches square pan, coated with cooking spray. Using a large spoon, distribute jam on top of the mixture in the pan. Spread it evenly all over. Take the remaining mixture and spread it over the jam. Press down lightly. Bake 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into bars.

The Christmas Story....

Shayla the littlest donkey!

Lucas the Angel and Trevor the Inn's Keeper!!!

(don't worry Lucas, being an angel for an hour won't hurt you!)

THURSDAY CHALLENGE!!!!

Here is your first

THURSDAY CHALLENGE OF THE YEAR.....

MAKE A BUDGET ....

Yes, make a budget if you don't already have one!

You can make it easy, with just a few catagories...

Or you can make it more complex with many catagories....

I used to do ours very complex, but each month I was frusterated figuring out each catagory, breaking receipts down to put in each catagory and then throwing that month out the window because I was too frusterated!

SO now I go EASY....

A few catagories

Gas

Household

Food

BILLS (all bills added up go here)

Clothes

Out to eat

OTHER

(in the other catagory is things like: Kids sports, birthday gifts, parties, all those OTHER expenses that come up each month!)

I do ROLL OVER left over money in a NUMBERS ON PAPER sense!

Say I only spent $15 on clothing and our budget is $50....

The following month I have $85 in our budget for clothing!

Some people like to take the extra and put it twards debt reduction... that is also a very good idea! I just roll ours over because I keep everything so low... I have to.... We can go 2 months without needing anything in the clothing area, and then BOOM, we all need new socks, and 2 kids need new shoes, and hubby needs jeans, ETC.....

Thus the reason we ROLL OVER!

The best advice I heard about a budget was....

"MOST people do not go into debt buying little everyday things.... they go into debt with their BIG purchases, so make sure that if you budget anything... BUDGET THESE PURCHASES!"

OK, now grab a notebook, make some sort of budget and stick to it for the next few months.... DO NOT STRAY FROM IT.... TRY HARD TO NOT purchase anything you DIDN'T budget for..... After 3 months, if you didn't enjoy it, I give you permission to quit and go back to your old ways!

OH, I almost forgot.... Our family theme this year is.....

THE YEAR OF SIMPLICITY!!!!!

Keep things simply; use what we have, borrow what we need, lend what others can use, sell what is of value that we no longer want, and give away all that we can that is just sitting around!

A Look Back At Me....

I got this from Beth at "not a bow in sight"
1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? I started running and LOVE IT... I even ran my first 5K in 29 min!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make one....
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? UMM... My neighbor/friend had her second baby girl in june!
4. Did anyone close to you die? A Family friend died at a young age of 38... So Sad
5. What countries did you visit? I didn't leave the country, but I did take a Girlfriend trip to FL!
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? More Patience
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The end of Feb. When my husband and I went on a second honeymoon to celebrate our 10 yr anniversary! Of course it was just a weekend trip to the cities... but still!!!!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Working out an average of 5 times a week!
9. What was your biggest failure? Not getting my moods under control
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I got a really bad Posterior Shin Splint in my right calf while training for my 5K.... It still aches to this day, just not as bad!
11. What was the best thing you bought? A grain mill
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Kaylins, for waking up on her 3rd birthday and deciding she was a big girl! NO MORE DIAPERS... and no accidents....
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? OH, there is just tooo many to mention
14. Where did most of your money go? Our house....
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My girlfriend trip to FL!
16. What song will always remind you of 2009? "YOU BELONG WITH ME" By Taylor Swift... only because all of my kids love to sing this while we dance around the kitchen!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer? a) happier b) the same c) richer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Take time with each of my kids
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? worrying about stupid stuff
20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas Eve- Jims families Christmas Day- My families.... like always
21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Everyday.
22. What was your favorite TV program? 1) "BIGGEST LOSER" 2)"CSI:NY" 3) "CSI:MIAMI" 4) "THE OFFICE" 5) "PARKS AND RECREATION" 6) "30 ROCK" 7) "COLD CASE" 8) "SVU" These are really the only shows I watch.... and I am usually on the elliptical...LOL, oh I also love to watch DR.oz and The Doctors/dr.phil when I workout also... (LOL, that is a lot of DR. TV!)
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Hate no... but dislike... a few
24. What was the best book you read? Love and Logic books
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I love to just search around on ITUNES, and find music I wouldn't have thought I would ever like....
26. What did you want and get? To be accepted into college!
27. What did you want and not get? Better ways to deal with inner anger
28. What was your favorite film of this year? "Up"
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I hung with my kids and husband and I turned 33
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? There is so much
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? "mommy chic"
32. What kept you sane? Running
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? HUH???!!!
34. What political issue stirred you the most? Healthcare And bailouts.
35. Who did you miss? I really missed my Dad this year... even though he has been gone for 7 yrs now....
36. Who was the best new person you met? My oldest sons, BEST FRIENDS, Parents! They are Great! It is so much fun getting together with them... all the kids playing (they have 3 boys, 12,9, and 8...., their youngest has Downs... he has so much fun hangin with the girls!) We have been so blessed by their friendship!!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. "Be calm, take a deep breath and PRAY!"
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "be your best friend, tell the truth and over use I love you, go to work do your best dont out smart your common sense, never let your prayin knees get lazy and love like crazy"

Is it love....

AH, it is always nice when your YOUNGER sister (even if it is just by 19 mo.) can wrestle you to the ground! OH, and it is always nice when your YOUNGER sister (even if it is just by 19 mo.) is now TALLER than you...... AH, Lucas, don't worry, someday you will be bigger.... SOMEDAY!

Many posts... Much to say.....

OK, so it has been WAY TO LONG since I have undated this thing... A WHOLE MONTH... UGH!

SOOO, here is the update from the LAST update a month ago....


#1- Lucas saw the ORTHO and they wouldn't do anything for him... they wanted him to go to the oral surgeon, but when I called them, they said they would do nothing also.... SO I told the boy if he PULLED the tooth himself.... I would pay him $10... ALAS, the tooth was pulled out yesterday... NOW I HAVE TO COUGH UP $10! BUT our next move is to now go back to the ORTHO and and have them decide on a spacer!

Crazy news is, Shayla had to see the ORTHO also and ended up having to head to the Oral Surgeon... poor thing is now missing 7 teeth.... and she is ONLY 6!

#2- Speaking of Shayla... Her surgery for her tubes is set for January 14th! She is very much looking forward to is... as she will not hear as if she is underwater all the time! Her hearing test showed that she hears as if she has her fingers in her ears all the time! The great news is, that she hears perfect BEHIND the fluid and her drums!

#3- Jims back was feeling better, and then on new years eve some time... he hurt it again... woke up on the 1st with back pain..... I don't know how much longer I can hound him to GO SEE A DOCTOR!!!!!

#4- LOL, praying didn't work! I took all 4 kids to the YMCA on Wed. last week (because it was my only option!) I thought her having a sister and 2 brothers there to play with would help... NOPE, she screamed for a few minutes, hit the head woman, kicked the door over and over and threw her shoes.... She finally stopped and just cried quietly for the rest of the 45 min!!!!! MAYBE PRAY AGAIN, OK!

#5- In 2 days I head to school for a finacial aid meeting! I am nervous and excited at the same time! I am sure we will get some help.... and that makes me happy, but I am scared of the LOANS we will have to get also! PRAY PRAY PRAY.... and then PRAY again!OK, that is just the update on the last RANDOM STUFF post!

For this new year; I am hoping to get in connect with some old friends, keep in contact with my present friends, and maybe in the course of the year, make some new friends!

OH, and my goal for this BLOG this year is to post more family friendly recipes, post more thursday challenges, and a few monday missions! OH, and I guess over all, JUST POST MORE OFTEN!!!!!!!!!!

Here is hoping everyone has a wonderful 2010!!!!!

PRAYING that the VIKINGS WIN!!!!

Lucas is a HUGE Vikings Fan!!!!

They have the chance to go to the SUPERBOWL this year... !

Here is hoping they make it ALL THE WAY!

Aren't they CUTE????

I know this is late.... BUT.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Trevor 9 1/2

Lucas turns 8 this month

Shayla 6

Kaylin turns 4 in March