friend makin' monday - soup!

Today for Friend Makin' Monday, Amber is asking us to share our favorite recipes of the winter.

When I think winter food...I think soups!
Baking is actually my ultimate favorite thing to do during the winter (holiday goodies!), but I also like to get warmed up with a yummy bowl of soup.

Here are my top two favorites:
(did I mention they are super easy?!)

Taco Soup

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups hot water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can kidney beans
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Brown meat. Drain.
2. Dissolve bouillon cubes in hot water (3 minutes in microwave).
3. Put everything into a crockpot and simmer until heated through.
4. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.


Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can green chilies


1. Place chicken broth, cream of chicken, and taco seasoning into crockpot. Whisk together until blended.
2. Place everything else into crockpot and stir.
3. Simmer until heated through.
4. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

ENJOY!

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There are still 4 days left to show us your
photo projects for this month's craft challenge!

it's been awhile...

You probably haven't seen me around in awhile for Friend Makin' Monday...but I'm back!! I'm so happy to see you and I'm glad you stopped by to say hello!

Kasey at All That is Good gave us this quick and simple task for today: Copy and paste these questions to your blog and give them your own answers. (Go check out her blog for more details and rules.)

Let's get started!!

You wouldn't be caught dead where? in a bar (not that there's anything wrong with that)

Do you have any hidden talents? I can whip up a pretty mean batch of chocolate chip cookies (sorry, I got nothing else!)

Name two things you consider yourself to be very good at: organization & keeping secrets

Name two things you consider yourself to be very bad at: keeping my bathroom clean (in our room) & going to bed at a decent time

Have you ever won a trophy? no (sad!)

Name one thing not many people know about you: I have to have the noise of a fan to sleep the best.

Name your earliest memory: Holy smokes! I have a terrible memory when it comes to this. My sister can always whip out a memory from our childhood, but most times I don't believe her because I don't remember any of it!

What was your favorite musical group in jr. high? I'm a Debbie Gibson & Tiffany wannabe from those early days. No actual musical group stands out to me...anyone want to share one from the early 90's that might ring a bell? (Remember that whole memory thing from the previous question?)

What was something the worst roommate you ever had did? I've had THE BEST roommates! Except for my freshman year in college when my roommate was never around and would stay out way past curfew (I went to a Christian college). I should probably add that I am a huge rule follower, so this was really hard for me. She and I had really different personalities and I thought that it was going to be the hardest year living with her. Then, one day about a month or so into school out of the blue she tells me that she wants to move out (and by the way...I NEVER said anything to her about breaking the rules. I'm not like that.) All in all, it was the best thing that happened to me because the second semester of my freshman year I had another roommate and we are still good friends to this day! Oh, and my former roommate? She literally moved a couple doors down the hall with an exchange student from Japan where she could stay out late as much as she wanted to and smoke up a storm.

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher and that's what I did.

What was your worst dating experience? I didn't date much, so I think I was saved from a lot of dating nightmares. My first kiss was actually with my now hubby. Isn't that sweet?

If you were about to die what would your last meal be? A good old Thanksgiving meal full of turkey, heaping pile of mashed potatoes, corn, roll with butter and jam, stuffing, should I go on?

Who is the most important person in your life? my husband

If your house was on fire what 3 things would you grab on your way out? Besides my family... my purse, our external hard drive for our computer (pictures!!), and my scrapbooks if I had extra time (I've got a whole lot of them!)

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I'm in the middle of answering some more "getting to know you" questions from some of my readers, so come on back if you haven't visited my blog yet before, and would like to get to know me just a little more! My first set of answers about my creative inspirations can be found here. Coming up you'll learn a little bit about love and marriage!


And, I was so excited to see that I was featured on Tip Junkie today with this post (originally posted on my HB Creative Design site).

a whole lot of random all mixed into one

It's Monday! A start to a fresh new week. Time to get back into my weekly schedule that I desperately need for me to get productive once again!

And, well....I woke up to a couple piles of throw up in my son's crib. The week is starting out not so fresh anymore.

For me to have a little bit of "normalcy" on a day where it's anything but normal, I thought I would do a little housekeeping and get some things in order. A little random, but in order nonetheless.

Muffin Tin Monday
visit Her Cup Overfloweth for more!
One of Mikayla's favorite meals these days is meat, cheese, and crackers. I love how she wraps her cheese and cracker up in her meat and eats it like a sandwich.
Today's muffin tin includes meat, crackers, carrots, yogurt, grapes, and cheese.


Friend Makin' Monday
Kasey at All That is Good asked us this question:
What is the best advice someone
has ever given you?
Snuggle with your little ones as much as you can. They don't stay little forever. If that means cuddle in bed on a lazy morning, do it. Or read some books with your babes in your lap, do it. Let them fall asleep on your chest when they don't feel good (like today!). Just BE with your kiddos and enjoy those little moments...while they last.


Menu Plan Monday

This will be my third week IN A ROW that I have successfully planned our menu. It has saved me so many "what's for dinner?" headaches...and a little in the pocketbook, too!

This week's menu:
Monday - Chicken Tortilla Soup (similar to this one)
Tuesday - leftover Chicken BBQ from last week (yummy for sandwiches!)
Wednesday - Steak Fajitas? (anybody have a good recipe??)
Thursday - Chicken Pasta Pesto (changed the name to this one)
Friday - Take Out (busy, busy, busy day!)
Saturday - MIKAYLA'S FAMILY PARTY
Sunday - Slow Cooked Corn Chowder & Grilled Cheese


Recipe Swap
Anissa at Learning Together Hand in Hand
is having a recipe swap today.

Here's a favorite in the Boos household:

This is a great dish that can easily make two meals for two families of four. I usually freeze one of the square dishes or make the other to bless another family with dinner.

Taco-Stuffed Pasta Shells

16-18 jumbo pasta shells, prepared
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
1 can refried beans
1 cup shredded cheese, divided
1 jar salsa, divided

1. Cook beef in large skillet until brown; drain. Add seasoning mix and water; cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened.
2. Add beans and 3/4 cup cheese; mix well.
3. Spread 1/4 cup salsa over bottom of each two 8-inch square baking dishes.
4. Fill pasta shells with beef mixture; place half of shells in each baking dish, filled side up. Spoon remaining salsa over shells.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve with sour cream.

**To bake frozen shells, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap; re-cover with foil. Bake 45-50 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve with sour cream.

And, oh, how we tried to get the
perfect picture of the kids on Easter.
Seems to get a little more difficult each year!

thankfulness

Kasey at All That is Good is encouraging us to be THANKFUL for today's Friend Making Monday!

My TOP TEN things I am thankful for...

1. God, the ultimate provider of all my blessings! He has lead me through an amazing journey thus far and I can't wait for what else He has in store for me.

2. These blue-eyed blessings...my sweet babes and my wonderful husband who is an amazing father and loving husband. I can't say enough how blessed I am to have such a wonderful man that I can call my husband and the most precious little ones that I adore!


3. My extended family that includes, of course, my mom, dad, brother and sister! I am so lucky to be a part of such a wonderful heritage of believers and two sets of grandparents that are rock solid Christians and have shown me what it means to love others as Jesus would.

Christmas 2007...I suppose it's time for another family photo!

3. My love for creativity! I love so many things that use the creativity that God has blessed me with, including, but not limited to...scrapbooking, card making, decorating, kid crafting, creating photo cards, and so much more!


4. A house that I can call a HOME...a place where we can play, have fun, and be a family who loves each other!


5. Friends...new, old, and everyone in between! I am honored to call the people that I have met in my life my friends. Some of them go back almost 13 years! And we're still going strong. Some of them are new friends who are making an impact on me at this phase in my life and I look forward to where those friendships will take us!

Leanna, Linsey, Heidi, Alex, & Natasha
March 2009

6. My local Mother of Preschoolers (MOPS) group. I have been attending this group for three years and have grown so much in different ways, and have met some amazing people! I thrive off being part of a group! This past year I volunteered to be on the MOPS leadership team and I am so glad that I did. It has given me a place to use my leadership skills and creativity. I am currently responsible for the monthly creative activities, birthdays, babies, and pregnancy celebrations, the monthly newsletter, and updating the blog. It sounds like a lot, but I thrive off of keeping busy, so I love it!




7. My love for organizing...I enjoy keeping my house in "working order" by having the places (even the nooks and crannies!) in our home organized. There's just something about my need for having things organized.


8. My education and teaching experience...I was thankful to have 4 years of college education graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. During my six years of teaching experience, I continued on with my education and received my Masters in Education about 4 months before having Mikayla. Since having Mikayla, I have not been back to teaching, but I am so grateful for that experience. I made some amazing relationships, especially in my years at Portland Christian Elementary.


9. Being a stay-at-home mom...something that I had always hoped I could be! I love being home with my kids and to be able to do the fun things that we do. I can't say it's all "fun and games" because it is difficult, stressful, tiring, and frustrating. However the joys definitely outweighs the struggles. I love being able to go outside together, work on a craft, play games, go to library story times, play dates, and so much more!


10. Prayer...It's amazing what prayer can do! Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."


Head on over to Kasey's for more of Friend Making Monday!

come on, let's be honest here

**Don't worry my Friend Makin' Monday friends...you're in the right place. Just keep reading...

Blog awards! I love these things. They make me smile and help me to know that my blogging addiction is being enjoyed by others and not just me!

Thanks to Kasey at All That is Good, I have been given the "Honest Scrap" blog award. She's such a cute mom who has an eye for fashion, an amazing love for her family, and who has the best outlook on life. Thanks, Kasey!



The rules of this award are simple:
1. Write 10 honest (and hopefully interesting) things about yourself.
2. Pass this award onto 7 bloggers who you find brilliant in content and design.

1. I actually enjoy washing dishes. I find it therapeutic. I also find it necessary to actually wash the dishes off before putting them into the dishwasher. Don't worry, I still have piles of dishes on the counter at times. I schedule my own time for these "therapy sessions".

2. I love making lists. I write a list for everything (right now I have 5 running lists) and if there are more than 5 things crossed off a list, I have to rewrite it.

3. Give me a bag of popcorn, red licorice, Diet Pepsi and some DVR'd shows, and I'm quite content. This is my kind of "down time" after the kids go to bed.

4. I am so NOT a morning person. Just ask my parents, siblings, former roommates, and husband. It would be a good idea not to ask much of me in the morning before I get a shower. I like to say that I'm working on it, but I'm not sure that would be true.

5. I always have to be doing something. I can't sit still. Even when I'm watching TV, I have to be working on some sort of project.

6. I'm a perfectionist. To the point that if I can't do it right, I won't do it at all. Sometimes that's a good thing because I do it the right way, and sometimes I drop the ball...usually it involves disappointing myself or my family.

7. I rarely say no when I'm asked something of me. I enjoy keeping myself busy and love taking on multiple roles. It keeps my brain sharp and my creativity alive! I get stressed out when it gets down to the wire, but I do best working under pressure.

8. I got my Masters in Education, and a few short months later had my first child and haven't gone back since...and I'm not sure I ever will. I really loved teaching, but I love staying home and using my creativity for other things.

9. My husband and I were married a year to the day that we first met. We met at a Christmas party at a friend's house on the 2nd Saturday of December, started dating the first part of January, got engaged in August and were married the 2nd Saturday of December. A lot can happen in a year!

10. I love cracking jokes and making people laugh! This doesn't mean that I'm hilariously funny or anything, but I try to pretend. It makes me smile when people laugh at my jokes. Even if it's just one person.

So....if you haven't had enough of me yet, READ ON! Plus, you'll have to keep reading to see who I give the "Honest Scrap" award to!

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Speaking of Kasey. Did you hear? She's back! And I think blog land can now take a huge sigh of relief!! (Just kidding, Kasey! We just all love you so much!)

And, she's all set to go this week with Friend Makin' Monday. She tagged all of us to play along in this question and answer game. Join in, why don't you??

What is your blogger name?
Heidi @ Blue Eyed Blessings

When is your birthday?
February 21st

How long have you been blogging?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 (my 1-year anniversary is coming up!)
Check out my first post.

Who tagged you?
Kasey from All That is Good

Tell me your five most favorite body parts.
Oh my! Do I have to answer this? Prepare yourself for cop-out answers.
1. My teeth/smile
2. My ears
3. My hands/fingernails
4. My eyelashes
5. My lips

What do you wish most for your birthday?
To be with my family and friends and for me to choose whatever I want to do!

What color are you nails right now?
No polish...nothing unusual.

Have you had any depressing thoughts lately?
Unfortunately, yes. I won't go into detail.

What’s your plan for the next month?
To get back on track losing weight, make a decision about becoming a Stampin' Up! consultant, plan preschool activities for Mikayla, stay on top of my weekly menus, work on MOPS stuff, and try to fit in some blogging time! Whew! I'm exhausted already!

At what age did you have your first crush?
5th grade..it continued through junior high until I finally realized he wasn't worth it. Stupid boy.

Have you attended any school reunions?
My 10 year highschool reunion...no fun. Thankfully, I didn't spend any money to go. I chose to just attend the family picnic.

Have you ever passed gas in public and pretended like you didn’t smell anything?
Kasey told us to be honest, so yes, I have. I just walked away very quickly. Thankfully it was silent...I don't know if it was deadly. I didn't stick around!

Are you a clean freak?
Obsessively!! Although I might say more organized than anything. Although I do like to keep things clean. I can't stand a messy floor!

What era do you wish you were born in?
This era...I'm quite content.

Are you a vegetarian?
Heck, no! That would be impossible for me...sorry.

How many pillows do you sleep with at night?
One regular pillow and a small accent pillow I've misshaped with shoving it under my arms and head for a little more support.

Are you a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper?
Both. I'm a light sleeper and always the first to hear the kids. But I'm also a heavy sleeper because I never hear Ryan's alarm in the morning...even with it going off at least 4 times.

Do you secretly wear granny panties when your man is not around?
No comment.

What is your ultimate dream job?
Oh my! Anything crafty and creative and not stressful? And that makes lots of money? Is that possible?

What does your husband do that annoys you the most?
When he intentionally does things that push my buttons "just for fun". And those little electronic gadget do-hickey thingies...are they really necessary? (I suppose you're saying the same things about my crafty thingamajigs...so I guess we're even! Love you, Babe!)

What is your dream car?
Don't have one. Anything that can haul around my kids and their friends. I'm good with my Honda Odyssey.

Do you wake up easily in the morning?
I'm not one you want to mess with in the morning. I depend on my husband to entertain my 3-year old for just a little bit longer while he is getting ready for work. I need those extra minutes. Trust me.

Do you like hairy men?
I can't stand hairy necks!

How about a man with a goatee?
Depends on the goatee...I don't like it long and bushy. Although, I do like my man with some scruff.

Which would you prefer: a two-hour spa massage, a two-hour Thai massage, or a two-hour foot massage?
I'm a wimp, so I'm going to go for a 2-hour foot massage. Although a 2-hour spa massage sounds good, too! What would that include?

Have you ever wished you had a different name? If so, what name?
I'm quite content. Thanks, mom!

What is the most extreme sport you have ever done?
Ha! Do you know me? Cross country skiing is probably the most extreme.

Do you prefer traveling in Europe or Asia?
Neither thanks. I'll live vicariously through others.

What is your favorite food?
Pizza!

What is your most embarrassing moment while out on a date?
Is it lame that I can't think of anything?Although it doesn't take much to embarrass me!

Tag! You're it! Head on over to Kasey's and link up!

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And now onto the award...

I would like to give the "Honest Scrap" award to some new blogging favorites.

Katie - A Listmaker's Life
Amber - {ae filkins}
Missy - Simply Red
Sarah - I Blame My Mother
Sarah - Mrs. D. Lightful
Amanda - My Fragrant Life
The Diaper Diaries

P.S. Katie at Katie's Nesting Spot...I would have given this to you, too, but I see that you already received it!

And a long overdue thanks to Tammy at Raising Angels for this creative, inspiring, and friendship award. It's been fun getting to know you "in real life", Tammy!

day dreaming

Nothing like coming late to a party! Kasey at All That is Good is hosting her weekly Friend Makin' Monday! Usually I'm one of the first to arrive, but in our household these days, our little man is needing a little extra care...

Doesn't he look so miserable??

Kasey's question for us today was:
If you had a $1,000 and a babysitter in a period of 24 hours, what would you do?

Can someone say shopping spree? As much as I would love to "drag" my husband along, I'd spare him the agony of the first 12 hours of my freedom.

The day would not start until 10:00 AM, but the babysitter would be here at 7:00 to get the kids up and ready. Because you know what I will be doing? Sleeping in!

Then I'd head out to a beautiful place with beautiful things...


A good chunk of my money would probably be spent there, but I'd save a little and hop next door to one of my new favorites...


Of course, I'd squeeze in lunch, which I wouldn't really care where I ate as long as it didn't involve fast food and picky eaters.

I'd like to take a break after my shopping spree and maybe relax at a day spa with one of these...


And a little manicure/pedicure wouldn't hurt, either.


Let's see? What time are we at? 6:00 PM, maybe? This would be the time to call on the hubby and head to dinner and a movie, or movie and dinner.

Afterwords, I'd love to check into a fancy shmancy hotel, maybe like the one we stayed in the first night of our honeymoon?


Where the rest of the night would go? Well, wouldn't you like to know...

Head on over to Kasey's...it's never too late to join the party!


**For those of you who read my weekend woes, I didn't find my missing photo card work on the computer, but I did whip it out this morning in less than an hour and my friend LOVES it! No sweating the small stuff around here. I'll look forward to sharing it with you soon!

a few of my favorite things

Today is Friend Makin' Monday over at Kasey's place. She has asked us to share 10 of our favorite things. I wanted to go beyond what I might normally choose, so I tried to get a little creative!

10 (out of many) of my Favorite Things

MY KIDS AND HUSBAND
OK, this one wasn't extremely creative, but it should be extremely obvious! I couldn't live without these 3 blessings in my life! I am one lucky woman!

SCRAPBOOKING
I really enjoy taking some "me" time and using this creative outlet as a way to have fun and enjoy some time with friends. I use to be able to scrapbook at home, but not anymore with 2 kids! We have a scrapbooking store in our town that holds weekly crops, so I try to get in there once a month.

DEALS ON CLEARANCE
(especially at 50-75% off!)

REALITY TV TAPED ON DVR
Whenever I have some down time (usually at night with my computer on my lap), I like to look through some of the shows taped on my DVR and enjoy a lazy couple of hours of reality TV, like Amazing Race, Survivor, Biggest Loser, The Bachelor...but don't worry, I'm not a crazy reality TV junkie!

HAM, TURKEY, AND CHEESE SANDWICHES ON WHEAT BREAD
There's nothing like a yummy sandwich like this, with a side of Baked Lay's and some delicious fruit. My favorite is with REAL deli meat from the deli...it's a rare treat!

PICTURES
I love taking pictures, looking through pictures, anything with pictures! It's such a wonderful way to document life...what would we do without it?

NEW HAIRCUT AND COLOR
I love the feeling of a new hair cut and color after coming home from the salon. I usually feel like a million bucks and so I usually plan my hair appointments on a day where I'll be going somewhere (anywhere) that evening!

ORGANIZING
Give me something to organize and I'm all over it...junk drawers, closets, you name it, I love it! Check out some of my organized projects here, or all of my organizing madness.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD
I really enjoy country music, and right now my favorite artist is Carrie Underwood. I was able to go to her concert back in November, and she was amazing! Carrie Underwood's CD Carnival Ride is nicknamed "mommy's music" by my daughter Mikayla.

SLEEPING IN
LOVE THIS!! My husband is such a great man...he lets me sleep in often on the weekends (we try to trade off for each other, but I often get more spoiled...thanks, babe!)

Come and join us at Kasey's and meet some new blogging buddies!

the mother bag...and a whole lot of other stuff about me!

I love Mondays! You never thought you'd hear me say that, did you??

Kasey at All That is Good helps me love Mondays just a little bit better by hosting Friend Makin' Mondays each week. This is such a fun way to get to know fellow bloggers!!

This week's task is the THIS OR THAT game. For each line, I have two choices, and I have to choose which I would prefer. So, here goes...

1. jog or walk: walk
2. coffee or tea: umm, can I say neither?
3. Pepsi or Coca Cola: Pepsi (diet)
4. flats or heels: flats are a must!
5. fries or onion rings: fries
6. cats or dogs: dogs
7. skim or whole: skim
8. small purses or large: large
9. van or SUV: van
10. winter or summer: summer
11. 1 piece bathing suit or 2: ONE...no question!
12. sit down restaurant or fast food: sit down, but definitely kid-friendly
13. McDonalds or Burger King: BK
14. white gold or yellow: white
15. fish or chicken: chicken
16. Edward or Jacob: never seen it!
17. pizza or burger: can I say both?
18. apple or orange: apple
19. spend or save: save
20. 1 story or 2 story house: 1 story

Head on over to Kasey's and make some new blogging buddies!

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And, since it's all about getting to know me (each other) today, I thought I would share a little more...

My "tried & true" friend, Kim at Caldwell Cuties, tagged me last Friday in a fun game called "What's in Your Bag?" She always knows I'm up for these kinds of things.

Because I play fair, when she tagged me, I took a picture right away of my purse and the contents, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to get to my post until later. And, so, here is later...

Here are the rules...

1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are using today - not last weekend when you and your hubby went out to that fabulous restaurant. No cheating!!!

2. Tell us how much it cost. This is a no-judgment zone -- there will be no ridiculing or eye rolling here. And, if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I'd love to hear it.

3. Now tag some fellow bloggers and link back to this post so people know why you are posting pictures of your bag.

This mother of a bag came straight to me as a birthday gift from the hubby a couple years ago. I had my eye on this beauty at Target for a good couple of months, and thankfully he snagged it in time before it left the shelves. It's actually a diaper bag/purse. I knew I needed something that would hold a whole lotta stuff, since I like to be as prepared as one can get, and at the time when I got it, I had a newborn and toddler. As the kids have gotten older, the contents have gotten less (believe it or not!). I do have an "out and about without kids" purse, but when Kim tagged me, this mother was the one I had been using that day.

this is what it looked like inside...
I clean it out often because I can't stand a mess!

here are the contents...
I told you it holds a whole lotta stuff

*my wallet
*booklet that holds gift cards, business cards, misc. shopping cards, etc.
*name tag for my Bible study
*mechanical pencil
*small container of Purell
*lip gloss
*Mikayla's chapstick with a missing lid (nothing new)
*small bottle of diaper rash cream
*small bottle of baby lotion
*cell phone
*container of goldfish crackers/cheerios
*container with toddler forks & spoons
*Austin's hat
*fabric case of diapers for Austin
*fabric case of one Pull-Up for Mikayla (with an extra pair of panties & pants inside)
*wipes container (stocked with wipes, of course!)
*3 packages of extra "one-sheet" wipes (samples...just in case I'm caught without my wipes!)
*scented dirty diaper sacks
*Curves bar for me
*snacks for the kids (today I happened to be quite prepared...2 baggies raisins, 2 bags Yogos, bag of fruit snacks, granola bar, baggie of goldfish crackers)
*clear zippered organizer full of "be prepared" items, such as calculator, notepad, pen, sample thing of floss, shout wipe, JoAnns flyer, baby coupons, eating out coupons, misc. non-grocery related coupons, gum, Tylenol, 2 things of lipstick...I don't even wear lipstick!

And, if you haven't gotten to know enough about me yet today, check out the 10 Things I Like that start with the letter G. Let me know if you want to play!

just a little glimpse of me...

Kasey, over at All That is Good, is ready to get to know her blogging friends some more! After skipping last week because of an ice storm, she's back sharing some getting to know you questions, and here I am ready to share!

1. My favorite book is anything written by Karen Kingsbury. I wouldn't be able to narrow it down.


2. I drive a 2007 Honda Odyssey mini van.


3. My favorite type of food to eat is Chinese, particularly sweet & sour chicken with pork fried rice, and barbecued pork.


4. My favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

5. My favorite movie is The Notebook. I'm a big fan of chick flicks, so I could make a pretty long list of favorites... My poor husband!


6. When I go to Starbucks I get a strawberry frappucinno, hot cocoa, or ice water. I don't drink coffee and therefore, I don't go to Starbucks.


7. My favorite vegetable is carrots.


8. My favorite thing to wear is jeans and a sweatshirt.


9. My favorite color is PURPLE.

10. I decorate my house in this style: a mix of everything, maybe? - slightly contemporary, somewhat classic, but pretty simplistic, and who knows what else...kind of my own style?

11. Right now I am reading Summer by Karen Kingsbury.


12. If I could vacation anywhere I would go to Nashville, Tennessee. I'm a big fan of country music!


Now, it's your turn! If you'd like to participate, head on over to Kasey's blog to check out Friend Makin' Mondays.

get to know me and my menu

** For Menu Plan Monday, see below, but feel free to take a minute and get to know me...

Every now and then I come across a blog that I can easily get sucked into because of the fun personality I can pick up from the things they share. A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon Kasey's blog, All That is Good, and have enjoyed coming back to visit time and time again. She is a mother of two (like me!) and someone who undoubtedly loves God and her family (like me!). She has started a weekly blogging activity on Mondays where you share just a little bit about yourself, so that other bloggers can get to know you. This week's activity is to share 10 random things about yourself. I have to admit this was rather hard for me, but here they are in no particular order.

10 Random Things You May Not Know
(or even want to know) About Me

1. The kitchen has to be clean before I can go to bed.
2. I've never had a cup of coffee before...not even a mocha or latte.
3. Once, I rewrote all the entries in my checkbook register because it looked too messy.
4. I don't like breaking the rules. At all.
5. I slept with my baby blanket until my daughter took it away for herself, about 2 years ago.
6. I will never eat peanut M & M's again because of a bad run-in with the toilet.
7. I have to have a fan on to sleep at night.
8. I label almost everything. You name it. It's labeled.
9. I've never left the country, and probably never will. I'm a wimp, and live vicariously through others who travel.
10. I only use one color/kind of pen on my calendar, and only I'm allowed to write on it.

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And, in other random news...

I was finally able to get my menu planning system up and ready to use. I bought this weekly dry erase board from Target back when school supplies were still heavily on the shelves...was that really 4 or 5 months ago?

I had originally planned on using it on the back of our pantry door, but only after a short few hours, it fell down. So, I set it aside because of frustration and forgot that I had even bought it. On Sunday, during my cleaning up frenzy, I found it and my husband engineered a new way to hang it. So now it sits sturdy on the wall. I decided to put it around the corner in my kitchen where I keep my calendar. Out of sight for most, but not for me. I added the ribbon to the eraser so I could hang it, and I love that it comes with a couple of magnets, so I can place the recipes on it for quick reference.


If I continue to get my menu planning act together I hope to be able to add not only the main dish, but the side dishes, too, but I can't go too crazy all at once, can I?

Sidenote: After organizing my recipe box last week, I decided to try a new recipe that I got on a website (non-reviewed). It was a complete flop...absolutely disgusting and from that moment have decided that I will not attempt a new recipe unless a) I've had it before and I ask for the recipe, b) A trusted friend gives me the recipe because they've made it before, or c) The recipe has been given good reviews by many (such as AllRecipes). Plain and simple. Easy as that. I've learned my lesson...unfortunately the hard way. Yuck! I think I still have the taste in my mouth.

And, here's what you've been waiting for...

My Menu For the Week

Monday - a variation of this Barbecue Chicken Salad
Tuesday - Baked Potato Bar with homemade chili
Wednesday - Chicken & Cheese Stuffed Shells
Thursday - Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas
Friday - friends in town - out to dinner!
Saturday - Family Pizza Night
Sunday - Superbowl Goodies!!


Head on over to The Organizing Junkie and see what others are cooking up for Menu Plan Monday!