Thanksgiving

Psalms 105:1
Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.

I am thankful for the life he has given me. I have a husband who provides for our family. I have three healthy and happy children. I have parents who have always been here when I needed them. I have in laws who have been here through the good and tight times. I have brothers who still crack me up. I have sister in laws who love my children. I have a sister who knows me and all my quirks and bad habits. I have a roof over my head and a warm bed to sleep in. There is always food in my cabinets. According to most we don't have enough. I feel blessed with what I have. The Lord provides you with what you need. Maybe not always what you want, but what you need. God Bless the United States of America, I am blessed to live here.

My tip is to delegate chores. Even small kids are capable of setting the table or helping with the dishes. It builds confidence and will eventually help relieve the stress of having too many things to do.

Just have a Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving. May you fill yourself with good cookin, and still have room for pie. May you laugh and see beauty in others laughter. May you stay all warm and snuggly, even if it's only on the inside. God Bless.

Cockpot Macoroni and Cheese

I was on my way to krogers last night to search high and low for deals for Thanksgiving when a opossum ran out in front of my blazer.(don't worry he's not supper) He was fine, only cold. It made me think about all the animals that are out foraging for food after dark. I thought of rabbits because we see them all the time a night. I imagine they come out at night because it's safer to forage under the cloak of darkness. During the day a dog or hawk may have them for lunch. So I thought about how cold it was and all the poor animals who were out in it looking for their supper and I realize that I am doing the same thing. Of course I only had to be cold while the car was heating up and when I was loading groceries so who am I to whine right. Well we are going to a church Thanksgiving tomorrow after Sunday school and I will be taking macaroni and cheese. Yes! We haven't had this in quite awhile, maybe even last Christmas. Here's the directions.

1. 2 sticks of butter or margarine
2. 2 cans evaporated milk
3. 6 eggs beaten well
4. 16 oz box of macaroni
5. 6 cups of cheese

So you put your butter in the crock pot and turn it on so it will start to melt. Then boil your macaroni for the length of time it recommends on the box.(I think it's like 7-9 minutes) Shake your milk and add to the crock pot. Drain your macaroni and stir into crock pot until all butter is melted. Stir in eggs well along with 5 cups of cheese. Salt and pepper to taste and stir again. Add remaining cup of cheese to the top. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. You can leave it in the crock pot for an extra hour to keep it warm without having to worry about it burning though.(depending on your crock pot it works with my old one but my new one cooks hotter) Share with everyone. This makes a whole lot of macaroni. You can half the recipe with the same cook time. Hope someone enjoys this. Kroger has their cheese 3 for $5.00 so that worked out great for me. Have a great Saturday night.

Cold cold cold

I guess you've figured out the fact that I am cold. The wind is howling outside and we try to keep our thermostat down to 64 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night. It's fine if I'm up cleaning or cooking or even sitting under a blanket with a youngin on my lap. Unfortunately not so warm when I am looking up recipes for Thanksgiving and checking out all my favorite blogs. I do have a lovely new item that I love. I had April at http://enchanteddandelions.etsy.com/ make me an adult size owie bag. It's a heating pad that you just stick in the microwave and then get warm with it. I use it for my hurting everything and sometimes just to warm my feet. This would make anyone an awesome gift for Christmas. I am totally in love with it and I have also bought a small one for my niece for Christmas. I'll post pictures of that one later. I hope to go to Kroger tomorrow and stock up on everything for the big feast next week so if I get anything at a great price I'll let you all know about it. Hope everyone has a great Friday!

Wordless Wednessday.

Christmas picture take one. Notice the underwear? Notice the cocoa mustaches?

Snapfish deal!!

Well I normally wait until we get our Christmas tree to take our yearly Christmas card picture. However I got an email from snapfish telling me that if I order before November the 23 I can get 20 cards for 1 penny each. That's 20 cents!! That rocks. So while doing some snow day crafts with my kids yesterday I said gather up and lets take a picture for our Christmas card. So the heat was on. The kids of course aren't really worried about anything. I on the other hand get all frumpy and when I was ready to have a temper tantrum I said O.K. I got one I'll choose out of what we got. So after praying for more Patience and inner peace and telling myself repeatedly that in the big picture it doesn't matter and the people who will receive one will just be glad to get it, I calmed down. Why is it that I let myself get all crazy over nonsense? I really am crazy sometimes. I get all stressed every Sunday morning. I hate to be late. I really can't stand to walk into a building full of people and interrupt. My husband is always late. It really doesn't seem to bother him and that also drives me crazy. I reality we usually aren't that late and no one seems to mind. They are just happy to see us. So my new goal is trying to not freak out over everything all the time but to take a deep breath and let it out and look at my wonderful children. It seems to calm me. Don't forget to check out the snapfish deal and hurry!

Meatloaf beetloaf.

Well my husband and my sister had a birthday yesterday. For as long as I can remember I have cooked for them. I have cleaned the house, cleaned the kids, baked a cake, and cooked whatever their little hearts desired. My sis called a week ago and put in an order for meatloaf. She didn't have a preference for the sides but meatloaf was ordered. So after church I will be baking a cake, making meatloaf, and trying to bake fresh bread that I found at www.leavingexcess.com. The house will have to suffice and the kids can wash their faces. I've been home with all three of them sick most of the week so I probably won't have the whole family like normal. Anyway I found this recipe in a kraft magazine and it rocks. It's a favorite of my family.

• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 pounds ground beef (I sometimes half it with deer burger)
• 1 pkg 16oz stuffing mix for chicken (I use store brand I think it's a little smaller but works)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce divided
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take 1/4 cup of your sauce and set it aside. Combine all other ingredients and mix well. Form into an oblong oval shape and put in a pan. Pour remaining sauce over the top in a pretty pattern. Bake 1 hour. Serve with mashed taters, and green beans. Hope you enjoy and it's plenty to have friends over so have a meatloaf party!!!

Well I did the copy and paste thing but not really sure where to put this so I'm testing it and I'll see if it's working

Helpful tip for drying blankets.

I don't even remember where I read this or how long ago it was, but I've been doing this for awhile. When you need to dry blankets or sheets fold them before putting them in the dryer and they don't get all twisted around everything. Of course you should always hand them out but here lately it seems that blanket day ends up being on rainy or very windy days. Hope someone tries this and loves it.

Yummy bread...

This is a recipe my mama made awhile back and I tried it and love love love it. She saw it on a Paula Dean show but neither of us know the name so just try it and they will melt in you mouth. These are so moist they just crumble. All this thought about these sour cream biscuits is making my tummy grumble so here we go.

1. 2 cups of selfrising flour
2. 1/2 pint of sourcream
3. 2 sticks of melted butter

Preheat you oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients and pour into 6 muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Take out of oven let cool enough to devour. You can also serve these with dinner.(if you can help yourself) That's all I got for today. Hope everyone has a great day.

Kitchen tip Tuesdays.

Well I have been so busy since Sunday that I almost didn't remember it was Tuesday. My mama has been having some health issues so I've spent more time that usual buggin her. My tip is to use kitchen scissors. I use them for everything cutting meat, opening wrappers, cutting peppers, cutting coupons, this list goes on and on. Very handy things to own. Go out and buy you a pair and don't feel guilty about it they are worth their weight in steak!

Try a different site

I flubbed up on the previous post so try www.littlehouseinthesuburbs.com. I hope that one works.

Good aftenoon folks.

I just wanted to let you all check out a couple of cool sites. Go to www.heavenlyhomemakers.com and alsohttp://littlehouseinthesuburbs.blogspot.com I hope these work cause I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do. Last night for dinner the kids had mac-n-cheese with hot dog octopus on top. It was a very big hit and next time I make them I will be sure to get a picture. I believe I originally saw these in a Kraft magazine. I had Tuna and Rice with a can of cream of chicken soup mixed in. Very yummy but later I was starving and up a midnight standing in front of the fridge pouring a glass of milk to wash the pb&j down before I choked to death. I very rarely buy junk food anymore so I have trouble finding snacks. Does anyone have any ideas? Anyway have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine.

What to do about Christmas?

After just trying for fifteen minutes straight to download a picture of my big boy sledding down a hill I hate to inform you all it ain't gonna happen. Sorry because I know on a beautiful 76 degree november day you want to be reminded of what is to come.(hopefully, I mean who doesn't love to sled?) Well anyway I wanted to ask you a question what are you going to do about christmas? We have 3 small kids and I just want to let you in on a little secret. Kids get waaaayyyy to much stuff. We buy each child a gift, santa brings each one a gift, and they get their stockings stuffed. When they get up they can go straight for the stockings but they must wait for mommy and daddy to sit down with coffea and then each person takes a turn opening a gift. It builds excitement! We have fun just talking and taking guesses at what's inside the wrapping paper. Then the kids have about an hour or two to play with the new gift and get dressed. Then we go to my parents where it starts to get wild, then on to my inlaws where the party is happening. They rack up so much stuff that it take me all day to get everything out of boxes and put away. We haven't charged anything for Christmas in two years and we won't this year. I think it's more important to be with your family and have fun than go broke on stuff that you don't really need or can't afford. I think the kids have just as much fun at home with only 1-2 new toys as they do anywhere else. I am all about getting back to the meaning of the season not the rush of life in the fast lane. I would love to hear if any of you have any special traditions that mean more to you than stuff so please feel free to leave a comment. That's all folks have a great thursday.

How to save money on gas, food, clothes, ect.

The answer is DON'T GO ANYWHERE! If you stay home you won't burn gas or spend money or have to look nice for other people. Although if you lose your sanity does it matter how much money you saved? Just some stay at home all the time humor. Anyway I made porkchops for dinner. I coated them with honeymustard and baked them at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. I also smashed some taters with butter and sourcream. I'll add some coleslaw that my momma sent home with me yesterday and toast a bagel and have a feast.

Wordless Wednessday.

Kitchen tip Tuesdays.

My tip isn't all that glamorous, but I roll my biscuits out on a cutting board. I cut them, bake them, and then just wash the cutting board. No big mess on the counter. Hope this helps someone.

Tips from a momma of three.

So here goes my advice on Help for growing families. Which is blogged about on Ship full O'pirates. I have a 5 year old boy, a 4 year old boy, and a 1 year old girl. Most days there is so much to do I can't seem to get it all taken care of. My advice is not to freak out. There will be a day when the kids are too old to want you to read to them, or play with them, or just sit and hold them. Put the children first. I am now finding that my boys are helping more and more and I expect that soon enough the house won't be so out of control. Now I'll give you a small list of things that I found helpful when we came home with our third.

1. Let your mother or mother in law come help. It's nice to have another woman to talk to and help with the cooking and taming of the older two.
2. Give your kids chores. Depending on age they can be most helpful.
3. A good spanking never hurt a child that really needed it.
4. If one of your youngins bite their tongues or the inside of their mouth give them a Popsicle. Have them rinse their mouth out with cold water and then give them the Popsicle. The bleeding will stop.
5. Read to your kids everyday.

Well I guess that's all for now. Good Luck.

Good morning on a Monday!!!

Well I really haven't gotten anything to blog about today. I have been sick and the baby is stuffy and my house is a wreck. My oldest is out of school today and tomorrow so today the boys are going to earn some money scrubbing different parts of the house. My sister in law gave us a carpet cleaner and I think today is the day to put it to it's much needed use. Tomorrow is my very first teacher conference. The kids will get some much wanted time with granny and I hope to see my little niece and just hold her and stare into her beautiful brown eyes. There is nothing in this world like a baby. I have to go vote and boy is that a hard thing to do. I also told the boys if they make enough money I would take them to mamaws to meet their daddy after work and we would go to gander mountain to buy the wooden guns they have been earning money for. I hope everyone has a great Monday.

Life in general

I just caught myself staring at my sleeping husband. Well to be exact at his wedding band. His parents gave us their bands when we got married. We had his dad's cut down for my finger and since his mothers was wider we had gold added to it so it would fit his finger. So my husband wears a big gold band around his finger. It glistened in the light that was coming through our bedroom window and caught my eye. I couldn't seem to take my gaze off of that ring. I wondered to myself what does that ring mean to him. That in return made me look at my own hand with my simple gold band and shiny diamond and ask myself the same question. What does this ring mean to me? We've had a rocky time with each other lately. I guess it comes from years together and just rubbing each other the wrong way sometimes. We have different needs when it comes to our budget. I don't like to use credit. It tears my stomach up to know that we owe someone. Even if it is our parents. Doesn't bother me if my sis wants to buy me something though. (she has my name for Christmas) We want different things from our marriage. I want my kids to grow up seeing two people madly in love. We have the power for that. I want to find balance between being a good wife, a good mother, and myself. I want to know God. I want to feel better about death and raise my children to believe. Sometimes life gets in the way of what we want or need. People let you down, break your heart, and your spirit. Loved ones die. People move. I just wish everyone worked on their relationships with each other. It isn't hard to be nice to one another. It's not hard to walk the line. I'm just asking that you think before you speak and that actions speak louder than words. Please pick a good action because bad ones also speak louder than words.