The Sacco's - Our Life

I've Moved!!

2010-12-17T09:50:00.003-05:00

Hi Everybody!! If you are wondering where I've been, I've moved. My new blog address is:http://lovemycountryhome.blogspot.com (click on this handy dandy link to take you there.)Hope you can join me at Love My Country Home!!Pam

One more time......

2010-11-01T05:35:00.000-04:00

Okie dokie folks.....I'm going to try this one more time. I've decided to stay with blogspot, but I'm still trying to simplify things just a little bit more which means I've started a new blog with a URL that reflects my blog name. I hope you can join me at my new place Love My Country Home. See you there!

National Chocolate Day

2010-10-28T13:15:00.000-04:00

I found out this morning that it is National Chocolate Day today...and this "holiday" is repeated again on December 28 and 29. I say you can never have too much chocolate! Now if you think chocolate is bad for you, read this and think again :) * Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar content of

Love it...Hate it

2010-10-26T15:22:00.000-04:00

I've never posted about this before and it seems rather silly at my age to even be complaining about this, but my hair drives me crazy.....with a capital C. It is a major source of frustration for me at times. Here are just some little factoids about my life experience with my hair: I have naturally curly hair. Even though I have lots of hair, it's fine and frizzes easily depending on the

Ironman Excitement and Pumpkin Recipe

2010-10-22T09:38:00.002-04:00

You can feel the excitement in our house this week and it's building every day. There are only 2 more days until the boys race in the GNCC Ironman in Crawfordsville. This will be Ryan's second year racing and he is starting to get a little wound up. I really think he's more excited than what he's sharing with us, and that's ok - we just want him to have a good time this weekend. Carl is also

My version of the LA Cookie

2010-10-17T20:39:00.001-04:00

Can I just say that I love my muffin top pan? I seriously think it is one of the best kitcheny things that I own. Carl was asking for muffin top cookies again so I went back to Picky Palate to see what recipes she has for the muffin top pan - this is what I decided on...with a couple of changes. With and without the M&Ms Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies…The LA Cookie (my

Blogspot vs Wordpress

2010-10-15T09:05:00.000-04:00

After becoming frustrated with some things on blogspot, I decided I was going to buy my own domain name and switch to wordpress. I tried it, and while I received much encouragement from Carl and Janna, I have decided to make the switch back to blogspot. I feel like I missed so many great posts while I was trying to figure this out and I'm glad to be back.

Cake plates

2010-10-14T00:02:00.002-04:00

Lately I have had this fascination with cake plates or cake stands. In my possession I currently have a cake plate, a cake stand, and two tidbit trays. Let me show you what I have and what I've been *dreaming* about. This is my favorite cake plate. It's a milk glass plate in the hobnail design. Photo courtesy of Replacements.com Upside down view....isn't it pretty? Photo

Celebrating Wives

2010-10-12T08:38:00.003-04:00

Ok ladies, please feel free to share this with your husbands because it's their turn now. I found this on the same website where I found 3 Things Women Must Know About Men and this new article is 5 Things Men Must Know About Women. I totally agree with this article and while I really identify with number 2 (multi-tasking!), all 5 *things* apply to me. The Bible says we are to be a helper

Celebrating My Husband

2010-10-11T16:26:00.001-04:00

Ok everyone, I know in today’s society it’s considered more normal to “slam” your spouse, disrespect them, complain about them, etc. but I just can’t do that. I’m not saying that I haven’t done it in the past, but the more I show my husband love and respect, the happier he is, the happier I am, and the happier we are as a family. It’s really a win-win situation. Now I’m not saying that

Homemade soap update

2010-10-11T16:11:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update….I tried the new homemade soap and I really like it. If you’re not familiar with the soap post, click here to read it. I used the Duggar family recipe plus I added 1 cup of color-safe bleach. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks Janna for sharing!

It's time for a new start

2010-09-29T15:54:00.000-04:00

Hello peeps! Well, I made the jump over to wordpress and have a new blog called......Love My Country Home. Original name, huh? I'm hoping that this will give me a little more freedom in designing my blog, etc. I'm working on the finishing touches and hope that you will join me at my new blog www.lovemycountryhome.com. See ya there! Pam

Edamame Dip and Homemade Laundry Soap

2010-09-28T14:07:00.002-04:00

The last few nights have been busy at our house - homework, getting rooms ready for new carpet, and then just the normal every day life stuff. I have been on a cooking roll lately (get it??? roll...sorry, bad joke). I made stromboli 2 nights ago, and last night I made edamame dip and also a roast w/ veggies in the crock pot and used one of those crock pot liners. Have you tried a crock pot

Things are changing around here

2010-09-27T19:45:00.000-04:00

Just a few changes happening around here.....new look to the blog and a new name. The look is not that unusual. I change for seasons and holidays...or when I get bored. Now the name...that's another story. Lets just say that I wish I had put more thought into the name of my blog when I started this. Sometimes I give thought to decisions and sometimes I just plow ahead with no thought to the

My newest project

2010-09-27T19:30:00.000-04:00

For a while now I've been wanting a new purse and just cant find what I want. Don't want to pay the price for a Vera or a Donna Sharp and I can't find anything in the stores or at resale shops that I like. I've been thinking about sewing again and have been inspired by all the projects Leslie has done, so I think that I'm going to have to make my own new purse. Time to dust off the sewing

25 Things

2010-09-21T21:41:00.001-04:00

Since I'm at a loss for what to post, here are 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about me to help you know me better. 1. My favorite snack is anything chocolate - cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, etc... 2. I absolutely love being married! 3. I wish my family didn't live so far away. My mother and sister live in Florida, my brother lives NE of Indy, one sister lives in Chicago, my

XXL Chocolate Chip Cookies and Noodles

2010-09-17T18:27:00.000-04:00

Look at these cookies. Big, soft, chewy, delicious chocolate peanut butter chip cookies....pure heaven. It all starts here in a muffin top pan. I found the recipe through Kevin and Amanda on Picky Palate. I know I had a pan like this before and I think I brought it to Goodwill (silly me), so off to ebay I went to buy a new one. There are so many possibilities to what you can make in

20 Years Ago Today

2010-09-14T21:55:00.000-04:00

Happy anniversary to my sweetheart, the love of my life, my prince charming. Thank you for making the first 20 years so wonderful. I'm looking forward to the next 20 and more. <3 I was reading over the post I did last year and was cracking up at some of the things I wrote. If you would like to check it out too, click here.

2010-09-06T21:38:00.001-04:00

Wow, can you believe this weekend is over? I think we crammed as much as possible into it. What about you? Just a quick recap of what we did. Saturday: We went to Farmers Pike on the east side of Indy and I think we hit about 70% of the garage sales on the way there. We did find some treasures - another square candle holder in the amber tiara sandwich glass pattern I'm collecting, an

Espresso Shortbread Brownie Bars

2010-09-03T13:38:00.000-04:00

I finally made the espresso shortbread brownie bars that I blogged about earlier this week and I have to say that they are easy to make and delicious. I found these on My Baking Addiction and if you like to cook or bake, you need to check out this site! Here are some pictures of the finished product: All I'm gonna say is that I've had 4 - yes four - of them today. Any bets on what time

Cast Iron Cooking

2010-09-01T21:46:00.002-04:00

I have another confession....I am in love with my cast iron skillet. I love cooking in it because it makes food taste so incredibly good and yummy, and I use it almost every single day. Sometimes multiple times a day. It might even be considered one of my BFFs. This summer my favorite foods to cook in it were asparagus and brussel sprouts. Click here to learn how to make these veggies my way

Food and phones

2010-08-31T21:49:00.001-04:00

It's all Janna's fault. I totally and completely blame her. Since she started her job here, Janna has inspired all of us to bake and cook even more than before. Lets go back to the beginning.....before Janna, there was Rochella. She was (and is) a great inspiration for eating and cooking healthy foods. After Rochella, there was Rachel. She just gets plain old excited about anything new. Now

Banana Boats

2010-08-30T21:20:00.000-04:00

Tonight was the night Ryan has been patiently waiting for......we made banana boats. Have you ever heard of banana boats? I don't ever remember hearing about them and Ryan told me that he learned about them when he was in Cub Scouts which was a few years ago. Now Ryan is the quiet type...doesn't say much, but when he does talk, it's usually pretty interesting or entertaining. I just don't

More Home Projects

2010-08-29T21:21:00.000-04:00

Just a quick share with everyone - we bought this plate rack at a garage sale for $5 and Carl put the thin boards on so the plates wouldn't fall. It fits perfectly in the pantry and I have my serving platters and other plates on it. I'm so thankful to have a husband that not only likes to go to garage sales, antique stores, and thrift shops with me, but he will work on all my little

Recipes, Dirtbikes, and a Cute Little Girl

2010-08-23T22:13:00.002-04:00

Well, Sunday was another day of racing for the boys and they didn't do too bad. Ryan came in 9th overall in the 65 class, and Kyle came in 3rd place overall in the schoolboy class, and 11th overall in the 125 class. They raced at what we call their "home track", but in reality this was the first time we've been there this year to race. The track was great and everything was very organized,

Color-FULL

2010-08-17T21:43:00.000-04:00

We've been pretty busy here this last month and here's the story: Carl mentioned that he thought our house had no color and I told him that he was crazy - our house had color. What was he thinking? Our walls aren't white, we have color through the house. Then it happened. I couldn't believe it. Carl was right. (it's too late ladies.....he already knows) As I was reading other blogs,

I have the fever

2010-08-16T13:02:00.003-04:00

I have fall fever...I am longing for the cooler days, colorful, crisp leaves on the ground, bonfires, chili, pumpkin pie....I'm sure you get the idea. These are some of the thoughts that have been in my head the last few days. I would really like my front porch to look like this... this would be great too! Watch out for those killer leaves - no matter how nice

Catchin' Some Air!!

2010-08-12T15:28:00.000-04:00

As you can probably tell from this picture, Ryan was having a great day at the track. We can't wait to see him in action this weekend!

Kitchen Makeover

2010-07-30T06:27:00.001-04:00

Wow, what a busy week! My mind is always much bigger than reality - I try to cram waaaaaaay too much stuff into one week, but it's all with good intentions. I can hear my Dad calling me an over achiever right now :) How did this all start? Well, my youngest son has been in Michigan this week with a friend and I said to myself one boy + a quiet house = time to work on projects. I really

If this barn could talk...

2010-07-29T11:55:00.000-04:00

There's just something about this picture. I feel calm and peaceful when I look at it. If only that barn talk and share stories of what it has seen... Photo courtesy of Michael Tuuk.

A sunrise, garage sale finds, and a new blog

2010-07-27T22:25:00.000-04:00

Before I start, I want to wish my MIL Peggy a happy belated birthday. I hope you had an absolutely fabulous day! We are looking forward to celebrating with you this weekend. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Isn't this a beautiful sunrise picture?! My cousin, Mike Tuuk, snapped this on Fathers Day in Fredericksburg, TX. He has some beautiful pictures on his

The Fair, Dirtbikes, and a Painted Room

2010-07-22T06:34:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, the crowd, the food, the smells....hey wait.....what did I step in? All kidding aside, we did go to the fair tonight and met some friends for dinner, although Carl said he was only going to see how many different foods could be fried. Ryan did see a couple of friends - here he is with David. I only wish my son would have smiled, but I will remember this picture and pull it out when he

A new baby, a birthday, and a redo

2010-07-15T20:03:00.001-04:00

We received exciting news today! My youngest sister gave birth to her second daughter, Anna Joy. She joins proud parents Heath and Melissa, and big sister Kay. We just can't wait to see her. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * There was another big event last week - my oldest son, Kyle, turned 15 and he will be a freshman this fall. Time

Redo and Flea Market Finds

2010-07-01T15:17:00.000-04:00

Good morning!! Are you excited for fireworks? I love holidays, celebrations, parties, festivals, etc., and if fireworks are involved, that just makes it better! Well, if you've read my previous post, you know that Carl and I have been painting the shutters on our house. We're using Claret Wine by Rustoleum, and we've purchased all the paint from the two stores in town and we still don't

Need your suggestions please

2010-06-29T06:06:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday Everyone! It's so nice to see the weather forecast for this week with all the cooler temps. I'm hoping that our mowers are going to be working by the end of this week so we can mow after all the rain we had recently, otherwise we'll be bailin' hay! Well now that it's nice out, Carl and I are trying to get some outside projects finished. Carl and the boys power washed the house,

2010-06-25T06:08:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the show "The Middle"? It's on Wednesday night TV and Carl also found it on Hulu. He told me that when he watched it, he thought of our family. Well, I have to agree....I say some of the same things the mom says and our oldest son does some of the same things the oldest son in the show does (but don't tell him I said that), etc. We laughed when we watched it - laughed because

Is it a flower or a pen?

2010-06-24T20:14:00.000-04:00

I saw these at Staples a few weeks ago. Aren't these just the cutest little pens?

Hooked on Houses!

2010-06-23T07:23:00.001-04:00

I can't remember how I found this website, but I just have to share it with all of you. It's Hooked on Houses and I love this site because it has some of the cutest houses from movies. Have you ever loved how a movie house was decorated, or liked the landscape, or there was just something about a house that made you feel all warm and cozy? Well, check this baby out and I'm sure your get the

Happy Wonderful Fathers Day

2010-06-20T07:07:00.001-04:00

I would like to wish a Happy Fathers Day to my wonderful husband, father of my children, my best friend. Thank you for everything you do to take care of us. We love you! And also to my father-in-law John and my dad Hank. John knows a little bit about everything and anytime we have a problem with something, he knows what to do. And then there's my dad. If you ever needed some words

Brussel Sprouts

2010-06-17T06:50:00.000-04:00

I have a confession and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I like brussel sprouts. But, I will only (and have only) eat them if they are cooked according to the following directions because they end up a little bit brown and crispy, slightly salty, and just plain yummy. I was craving them so much this spring that I even ate them for breakfast. To make brussel sprouts my way, you need a cast iron

2010-06-15T06:31:00.001-04:00

Good morning everyone! The weatherman says it's going to be hot and rainy the next few days. Really?? Haven't we had enough of that already? I do have to say that we were very blessed yesterday when the storm came through - Carl told me that we had straight-line winds and hail, basically stuff was flying everywhere - and after it was all over, we only lost one tree. Unfortunately, my

Dirt bikes, Recipes, and Flowers

2010-06-13T09:27:00.000-04:00

Good morning everyone! How about a beautiful beach sunrise to wake you up? photo courtesy of Flickr I feel like I have so much on my mind. So much I want to share with everyone. Lets starts with the boys and their dirt bikes. They really haven't been riding very much this year because of bikes that needed repairs and busy schedules, but they did manage to go riding earlier this spring

A View of My Life

2010-06-12T23:15:00.000-04:00

THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK Outside my window...it's dark and rainy with rumbles of thunder in the sky. During the day some of my hostas are starting to bloom and the dogs are chasing squirrels all over the yard. I am thinking...that I should have exercised today. I seem to have those thoughts quite often lately and exercise consists only of stretching and yoga. I'm also thinking about

I'm baaaaccccckkkkk

2010-06-09T22:40:00.000-04:00

I'm back and ready to start posting! I have a few post ideas so get ready to grab a snack, find a comfy seat, and read my thoughts over the next few days (projects, family, recipes, gardens). Before I do anything else, I want to wish my niece KAY LOUISE a very happy 2nd birthday!! I don't have a recent picture to post of her (hint hint Melissa), but click here to see pictures from her first

You make me smile!

2010-06-03T08:42:00.001-04:00

Ok, time for some sappy mooshy gooshy lovey dovey stuff. You've been warned.... I love this song!!! It reminds me of my prince charming!

Pardon my mess

2010-06-02T08:43:00.000-04:00

While I rearrange some things and try to convert from a 2 column blog to a 3 column blog. I'm running into a few problems with it. Has anyone else tried this and run into problems with your layout?

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-30T13:33:00.001-04:00

Image courtesy of vintageholidaycrafts.com .

2010-05-24T21:13:00.002-04:00

Ryan caught a snake in the barn tonight and made a home for it in this bucket. He's our own little Steve Irwin.

5 more days!

2010-05-20T21:06:00.000-04:00

Can you guess what I'm talking about? There are only 5 more days of school until summer vacation starts. When I asked the boys what they wanted to do this summer, these things were on their lists: Go to Holiday WorldBasketball campsBeat each other up - seriously?!Busch GardensGo to Turkey Run with the dogsGo shopping for LegosGet a Purdue jerseyGo swimmingGo to the beachGo to bed late (I'm sure

It's a Mexican Fiesta!

2010-05-19T16:23:00.000-04:00

Last night I made chicken enchiladas for dinner and for I also made guacamole for a luncheon that I was attending today. The family really liked the enchiladas and my 10 year old wanted me to thank whoever "made up" the recipe. So thank you Cheryl P. for submitting your creation to allrecipes.com! The guacamole must have been good because the bowl was empty when it was time to clean up. I

2010-05-19T06:15:00.000-04:00

So I'm feeling a bit uninspired when it comes to posting on my blog. I don't feel creative or like I have much of anything to say. Don't know if it's because I've been so busy with work and now that things have slowed down, my mind just needs to rest a bit and gather more ideas? I've read about the same thing on a few other blogs, so I don't feel so bad. I think I'm going to redo my blog.

Girls Night Out

2010-05-16T07:49:00.000-04:00

It was a FUN girls night out last night. Now don't feel sorry for Carl and the boys - they had a "boys night in" and grilled steaks and watched movies. The main purpose of the evening was to celebrate Monika's graduation from nursing school. She has wanted to be a nurse for so long and decided to to go back to school three years ago and we are all so proud of her! We all went to the movies and

A wonderful Mother's Day weekend

2010-05-10T21:34:00.002-04:00

Well, the weekend is over and it's back to reality. I hope every mother had a great weekend and a very special Sunday. My husband definitely spoiled me this weekend. We went "junking" and found a really neat country home decorating store in Clinton, IN. They have some of the best smelling candles ever! Carl also bought me more plants for my flower gardens. The boys cleaned out my car, the

Christian Rap - Tamara Lowe

2010-05-04T06:19:00.002-04:00

This clip was played at church on Sunday and I just happened to find it on the web yesterday. I really enjoyed it and hope you do too. Have you visited the Proverbs 31 website lately? The devotion for today was so appropriate for what I've been feeling lately and I wanted to share it with you. So many times fear (false expectations appearing real) stop me from doing something and that leads

Flower love

2010-05-02T13:23:00.003-04:00

I really thought I killed this clematis last summer but these lovely blooms have proved me wrong. I can't wait to fill up my flower pots, finish my gardens, and see everything in bloom. I have so many favorites and I just want to see some color. What about you? What flowers are your favorites?

Peggy, look what I bought.

2010-04-30T13:22:00.000-04:00

Peeeegggggyyyyy.......look at what I bought....... My collection is starting to grow and I can't wait for garage sales!!

Pink is my favorite color!

2010-04-20T21:14:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm back after a few weeks off, and I just have to share my newest purchase. It's pink, you can use it outside, and Carl says that it reminds him of pink flamingos and it can be seen from the moon. Right now it's on the patio, but I would love to get a few more of these colorful chairs and have them out in the yard. Maybe when my friend KATE comes back to INDIANA very SOON, she can

Do You Know Him?

2010-04-04T12:32:00.002-04:00

Another sign of spring and some things never change....

2010-04-01T06:34:00.001-04:00

This is another sign of spring. The boys are starting to ride again. I love the sound of the bikes and the smell of exhaust in the morning (ok, not that much). Seriously though, hearing the sound of the bikes when the boys start riding again makes me happy and brings a smile to my face. Kyle must be eating his Wheaties because he outgrew his old bike and bought a new one. Can't wait for to

I can't wait....

2010-03-30T18:19:00.002-04:00

The sun is out, the temp is rising, the grass is greener by the day, and I can't wait to...... fill this with flowers and trailing vines... same thing here...... and here..... and here (once Carl repairs it and paints it).... and I can't wait to see the cherry bell blossoms on this trellis. Until then I can enjoy this little blooming flower... a daffodil blooming..... a Lenten rose

My Dad

2010-03-28T19:06:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone, I'm writing this post mostly for me and my family, but I would like to share some memories about my dad with all of you. Henry C. KeizerMarch 28, 1937November 12, 2009 My dad as a young boy in Chicago. The ultimate Marine. The Marines were a HUGE part of his life even until his death. He was a very active in the Illinois Jaycees, held several offices, and won numerous awards. My

Hearty Minestrone Soup Mix

2010-03-25T15:35:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm finally getting around to posting the soup recipe that I talked about earlier. My family really liked it and I will definitely make it again. Talking about recipes makes me think of food, food makes me think of veggies, and veggies make me think of having a garden. Speaking of gardens, I recently was at a luncheon at work and the owner of Tranquil Ridge Farms spoke about his farm and

Spring is finally here

2010-03-21T21:45:00.000-04:00

Spring is finally here - well, if you don't live where the most recent snowfall was. During the last week we have cleaned out flower beds, rode our bicycles, rode dirt bikes, vacuumed up even more lady bugs, threw some balls for the dogs, had a small bonfire, grilled a couple of dinners, and saw a partridge in a pear tree. Ok, maybe not the last one, but it sounded good. You know it's been a

Ladybug, ladybug fly away home

2010-03-13T21:56:00.000-05:00

Can I just say that I'm tired of ladybugs. Tired of seeing them flying, crawling or laying dead on my windows and floors. Tired of vacuuming them up every night. Tired of finding them in some of the teeniest, tiniest places - or waking up and finding them in my bed. And really, I don't know if they are lady bugs or asian beetles but guess what - I don't care. I just want them to fly away to

It was wonderful!

2010-03-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

It was wonderful, fantastic, just awesome! Feeling the warmth of the sun. The wind blowing through my hair. Hearing the birds sing. The frogs croaking and all of the other little critters making noise signaling the start of Spring. It's time that I spend with God. I felt free and alive. And it all happened on an 8 mile bike ride.

The beauty of a woman

2010-03-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

I found this poem on a blog although I can't remember which one, but I really liked it and wanted to share with everyone. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk

Spring, Exercise, Recipes, and More

2010-03-05T13:11:00.004-05:00

Well, I think spring has sprung. The sun was beautiful yesterday and it definitely brightened my mood. I was even more excited when I saw these daffodil bulbs sprouting. Tomorrow Ryan and I are going to the Shrine Circus in Indianapolis. The entire fourth grade in our county go on this field trip every year and I'm sure it will be a fun day with George. We're going to take George (Ryan) and

2010-03-03T20:18:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to . . . . Spud My youngest son My baby Spaz SuPEr spAZ Rhino-Dino Ry-Ry Ryan Gecko Little Man George Little Sac also known as . . . . Ryan My sweet little boy that can turn on the charm when he thinks he's in trouble or wants me to buy him something. A boy of very few words. And I mean very few. A little brother that loves his big brother. A son that

Wrong Choice

2010-03-02T06:31:00.000-05:00

Ok, I admit it. I've been sucked in by The Bachelor. Does anyone else watch that show? Did you watch the final show last night? What did you think? I wonder how much editing is done and what has been taped that we don't see because I think he picked the wrong person. Things must be different than what we were shown. I only hope St. Lucia hasn't been altered - it was beautiful!

The Path Not So Well Traveled

2010-02-27T21:40:00.001-05:00

Today we celebrated Ryan's birthday with Carl's parents. As you can see, they brought a cake and Ryan is acting like the dinosaur that is on his cake. They also played an old trick on Ryan with his wrapped gifts. It started with one large box, filled with three medium sized boxes. One box contained a Barbie (it's an old family joke), and in the second box were two New Orleans Saints football

Fit Friday, Recipes, and Family

2010-02-26T21:10:00.000-05:00

Wow - another week is over and I can't believe it's Friday already. Our area is supposed to get more snow on Saturday and even though it's only supposed to be 1-3 inches, it still is depressing. Like so many others, I really am over snow, winter, and cold weather. Carl's parents are coming to visit tomorrow and we will be celebrating Ryan's birthday - my baby will be 10 on Wednesday. I can't

It's Been a Great Weekend & Show and Tell

2010-02-22T21:35:00.001-05:00

Carl and I have had a great weekend - I'm just sad that it's over. Ryan went to the school sock hop on Friday and the rest of us just chilled out at home. On Saturday I clipped and filed some coupons and tried to talk Carl into doing some grocery shopping with me (actually we were gone for 4 hours before we went to Krogers). I also wanted to go to a few other places while we were out - I just

Snowman Parade

2010-02-17T21:00:00.001-05:00

You know it's been a long, cold, snowy winter when the snowmen start moving to town. The first day of Spring is March 20, so these newcomers won't be here long.

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T21:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentines Day Everyone! Carl and I celebrated last night by having dinner at Stookeys Family Restaurant. They are well known for their catfish and onion rings. We didn't have the catfish, but opted to have steak and tilapia with the onion rings instead. This is a nice restaurant in a small town - if you are looking for someplace new to have dinner, please give this restaurant a try.

Heat, Redo's, Goodwill Finds

2010-02-12T08:34:00.000-05:00

We have heat again thank you to our wonderful neighbor! The temperature didn't get terribly low in the house until Wednesday and then it was down right cold! Our house always felt "cold" before the furnace went out and now I think we know why....we were headed for a breakdown. Not having and then having something as simple as heat really makes a person appreciate the simple joys of life. The

It's going to be a cold, cold night

2010-02-08T22:53:00.001-05:00

And I'm not saying this because of the weather that is coming our way. It's because our furnace went out this morning! We received some referrals for heating & cooling repairmen and Carl started making calls this morning. All I'm going to say is that it's going to be a few cold days and lots of money until we get a new furnace. So we got out the space heaters, layered on the clothing, and did

Where is it?

2010-02-05T09:26:00.000-05:00

Where is all the snow? We were supposed to have a mix of snow, rain and ice starting last night and ending Saturday morning. Happily, it's not here...yet. Supposedly we are to get only snow - about 4 inches - tonight and I think the weather forecast calls for snow every day through Wednesday (except for Sunday). Well, if it's going to be cold, I would at least like to have some pretty snow

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

2010-02-04T09:42:00.002-05:00

We watched Lost last night and oh happy day, the new season has started! It looks to be exciting, thrilling, and somewhat confusing (for Carl). Carl said that he still has a headache from it - too many different layers for him. But for me, I am counting down the days until next Tuesday. I don't try to analyze it - just watch and enjoy. Carl made dinner tonight - thank you sweetie! He

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

2010-02-02T06:22:00.002-05:00

Well, I haven't been on here in quite a while, but things are starting to slow down a bit and slowly returning to normal (whatever that is). So, here's what's been going on in no particular order. I've been working on some of my small painting projects. On Wednesday, I'll have updates on the bookcase that I bought from Goodwill, a picture frame that I painted, and the tall window frame that I

A Wonderful Testimony and Fit Friday

2010-01-21T21:46:00.000-05:00

I posted a few days ago about one of the pastors at our church that passed away on Monday. I have been somewhat surprised at how many people's lives have been touched by Pastor Kurt. People that didn't even know him well knew what he was all about and it will be exciting to see how his death will change people -for the better - all because of how he lived his life. I can't even say that we

So many thoughts and Menu Plan Monday

2010-01-19T08:32:00.002-05:00

Well, my plan was to get my dinnner menu ready last night and posted on the Organizing Junkie site for Menu Plan Monday, but sometimes things don't always work out the way you want. I'm sorry to start this out on such a sad note, but one of the associate pastors at my church passed away yesterday morning. He was a dear friend to so many, a devoted husband and father, and he touched so many

The End of the Weekend

2010-01-17T20:50:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can't believe that the weekend is over already. Most of the snow has melted, the temperature is rising, and the fog - it's thick, really thick. Like pea soup. For three days now. But the weather is supposed to still be warm this week with a little bit of rain which is better than the cold weather that we've had recently. Basketball games were on the agenda this weekend. Even though

Fit Friday and Makeover Fruit Pizza

2010-01-15T09:53:00.001-05:00

Good morning everyone! It's been a busy week here - we've had more basketball games this week, more games this weekend, work has been busy for me and for Carl, blah, blah, blah. One good thing that has happened this week ----- it's warmer than it was last week and we are happy about that! I want to share a recipe with you that is supposed to be a healthier version of fruit pizza. I found this

Breakfast Recipe & Watcha Working on Wednesday

2010-01-13T21:39:00.002-05:00

I have to admit that I feel pretty blah and boring this week. Nothing new to blog about except cleaning house, basketball for both boys, snow and cold. At Carl's request, I'm making this recipe for breakfast (again) today and it definitely is not a healthy food but it beats eating a big chocolate donut :) Janna shared this recipe with all of us at work and I'm so glad she did. Let's see -

Fit Friday - Finding Your Motivation

2010-01-08T08:40:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Fit Friday. Last week we covered some basic good health guidelines and now we need to talk about one more piece to the puzzle - MOTIVATION. The definition of motivation is to give reason, incentive, enthusiasm, or interest that causes a specific action or certain behavior. I've been thinking lately about my inspiration and motivation to get in shape and lead a healthier lifestyle.

I'm ready for a heat wave

2010-01-06T06:28:00.001-05:00

We have had some really cold days here and now the weatherman is forecasting more snow tonight through Friday morning. I know we don't have the snow that people to the east of us have, but for me personally, I'm tired of the snow and being so cold. On a more positive note, I think this has been one of the warmest mornings lately - a high of 13 degrees. Well, tonight we'll be having 16 bean

Menu Plan Monday and Goodwill finds

2010-01-05T06:03:00.001-05:00

Ok, I have to confess.......I'm on a Goodwill kick. I'm addicted and my husband is not happy because I keep bringing more stuff home. But....I am slowly clearing out items at home to replace what I bought from Goodwill :) Here are my purchases - more Pyrex and a bookshelf that I want to paint and put upstairs for the boys - the picture of the bookshelf didn't turn out good no matter where I

For Peggy and Kate plus my Goodwill finds

2010-01-02T09:42:00.000-05:00

Oh Peggy, how I wish you were a blogger! This blog I found is perfect for you. And Kate, you might need to take a road trip. This blog is called Artsy Fartsy Junk Finds and they have soooo much cool stuff. I think I'm even addicted. Their header description reads: to all of us junk girls, trash can divers, and roadside junk junkes! And, check out this blog A Day In the life of a hillbilly.

Fit Friday

2010-01-01T10:21:00.003-05:00

Good morning and welcome to the first Fit Friday! Since it's January 1st, I'm wondering how many people made resolutions to lose weight, get in shape, start exercising, blah, blah, blah. Well, lets work on it together this year. Did you know that it takes 21 days to make/start/create a habit and most people that make resolutions to start exercising, etc., stop by or before January 21? Today

New Years Eve Treats

2009-12-31T16:12:00.015-05:00

I've been cleaning the house, putting away Christmas decorations, the boys have their friends over, and I'm making treats for us tonight. Tomorrow I'm planning on making breakfast pizza for the kids and then we (just the family) are planning on going shopping and returning a few Christmas gifts so we will have the traditional New Years Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage on Saturday. Here

Watcha Working on Wednesday (Ok, it's really Thursday)

2009-12-31T10:01:00.002-05:00

I've been finding some really great blogs lately that are filled with great stories, projects, recipes, etc. Does that mean I've been spending too much time on the computer and not enough time with the family? Probably, but don't ask my husband. Here are some of my most recent finds: Blessed with Grace. Lisa has a wonderful Christian blog, a great testimony, and she likes Pioneer Woman. You

Ho Ho Ho - Santa's in the house!

2009-12-30T15:10:00.001-05:00

I just want to share a quick post about Christmas at our house this year. I was so excited to have some of my family come to our house to celebrate the season. My mother and youngest sister and her family arrived in the early afternoon and spent the night, leaving the next morning for Florida to take our mom back home. I haven't hosted a family dinner for my side in a long time, so I was

What's for Supper?

2009-12-27T08:07:00.001-05:00

This is an every day question at our house. I can be asked by any one of us. Doesn't matter who asks. Doesn't matter what time it's asked. It's a question that is asked every day. I could have just answered the question and the next person that comes in the kitchen will ask "what's for supper?". Good grief, I can't even think about food right now after all I've been eating the last few days, but

My man

2009-12-24T12:34:00.004-05:00

I can't help but to love this man!

This Christmas....

2009-12-22T08:54:00.002-05:00

I have been finding some really great blogs lately and this is one thing that I would like to share with everyone. It is on Julie's blog and I thought it would make a good post since Christmas is a few days away, people may be getting a little stressed out and need to take a few moments to think about what Christmas is all about. "This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend.

A Christmas tree, a squirrel, and a man with a chainsaw

2009-12-19T13:42:00.002-05:00

This is Ryan and Carl's latest drawing. Carl drew the tree and put the star on top. Ryan drew the man with the chainsaw an the squirrel running up the side of the tree.

Mt. Dew Apple Cobbler

2009-12-18T09:54:00.002-05:00

Good morning all! I was going through my recipes trying to figure out what to make this weekend and found one that I forgot all about. A friend (thanks Scheli) shared this several years ago and I think the recipe has made it's way through the county we live in. Don't even ask if it's fat free...... Mountain Dew Apple Cobbler 2 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored & cut into 8 sections (use

Christmas Lights

2009-12-18T05:52:00.000-05:00

We were driving home after Kyle's basketball game last night and decided to drive by a few houses that always have a lot of Christmas lights up. The lights were beautiful again this year and one of the neighboring houses also put up lights. I only took pictures of the house with the biggest display and then I took a picture of the neighbor's house - the pictures aren't the best because they are

Lucas Oil Stadium

2009-12-17T06:13:00.000-05:00

Today my youngest son is going on a field trip to Lucas Oil Stadium and I'm so excited for him. You see, Ryan's school has the blue dot reading program designed to get students interested in reading. When students read, they choose books with a blue dot (of course) and each book is worth a certain amount of points. Once the student reads the book, they take a test on it and receive points once

Christmas Came Early For Me

2009-12-16T21:34:00.002-05:00

Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I'm soooooooooo excited!!!! I got one of my Christmas presents early. My husband made my blogging life so much easier and more enjoyable by buying me a new laptop! Isn't he absolutely wonderful?! Plus he earned major brownie points because it is P-I-N-K and I love the color pink. Even though this isn't my laptop, it looks exactly like the picture below. I think I'm