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Monday, March 29, 2010

Hello all I am still alive!!!

Hope you all are doing well. I am still fairly tired compared to my usual unpregnant. I had to stop taking the pills for nausea because of the side effects so I am bungling through best I can. I have been sewing the boys summer shorts and hoping to be done by the weekend and will take pics. We have been getting the garden area cleaned up and are going to till tomorrow and get my poor plants in the ground. They are screaming at me to get them in the ground and get some sunshine all day!!!! I cannot waittttt until they are all set up. I am hoping to have it all ready and done by once again the weekend and I will take pics of that too. I so hope everything goes better this year. I have decided to put my tomatoes in pots and put them on the front porch and cover those with fencing to try and keep the squirrels out this year since I did get one tomato last year due to them little buggers...atleast someone liked my tomatoes hahaha. Again hope everyone is doing well and I won't stay away so long next time. Good wishes to all, Michelle

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Family Fun magazine rainbow cupcakes

I received my first issue of Disney's Family Fun magazine. I got a one year subscription for $3.21 or close to that. I saw it posted on www.pinchingyourpennies.com then go to their pyp blog and follow them and get their great deals they find. Anyway my twins instantly spotted the rainbow cupcakes recipe they had in the magazine and wanted to make them today. So we did. It was a snowy cold day perfect for cupcakes. These came out really cute but next time I will use less batter in each cupcake since ours spilled over.
Rainbow cupcakes in their Treat of the month section in the back of the magazine March 2010 issue

Rainbow cupcakes
Prepare your favorite white cake mix ( we used a homemade cake mix)
Divide the batter into six small container or bowls.
In bowl #1 add 18 drops of red food color
In bowl #2 add 12 yellow drops and 4 red drops of food color
In bowl #3 add 12 drops of yellow food color
In bowl #4 add 12 drops of green food color
In bowl #5 add 12 drops of blue food color
In bowl #6 add 9 drops of red and 6 drops of blue food color
Mix well until you have all the colors of the rainbow

Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups
We started with the red first but you could go backwards and start with purple.
We added the red, then the orange, yellow, green, blue, then purple until the muffin tins were full.

Bake at 350 until toothpick comes out clean. You will have rainbow cupcakes. Then top with Whipped topping and serve. The Boys really loved doing this and It helped them with learning their colors. And about adding colors together to get different colors. Happy baking with the kids, Michelle








Thursday, March 18, 2010

Mad mad mad and a correction

First a correction. I will not be using RR ties in the garden. I never even knew or thought about wether they were poison to use them. So many people around here use them, I did not think there was anything wrong with them. Found out different thanks to a commenter. I am going to go another route.
Now to my mad mad mad. I was at our public library yesterday around closing time. I was sitting in the car and I looked up to see one of the employee's taking down the flag, the American flag. Now I am not going to get into my political views. But I can tell you I feel very strongly about the flag. It represents so much to me. Everything that has happened, our independence, not to mention the blood of all the servicemen everyday that lose their lives. I looked up to see the person lowering the flag then letting it lay on the ground while he unhooked it. While he was unhooking it he stepped on it and when he went to grab it he noticed he was stepping on it, he took his foot off it dragged it a bit on the ground and then threw it over his shoulder and then rolled his eyes and chuckled a bit to a passer by. Know some who were in the car with me had to hold be back from jumping out of the car. They thought I was overreacting. Really??? Does that flag mean anything anymore. I have not been able to get this off my mind. Still this morning I am thinking about it. It still upsets me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, Michelle

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Goings on

Whew I think I am finally feeling closer to myself the last few days!!!!! Thank God!!!!! I did some internet research last week about vitamins to take for feeling run down and sluggish and came up with a regimen. I was taking vitamin c, D3, E, Echinaccea and a probiotic. I added to that Folic acid, B12, magnesium and Iron. The poor pharmacist spent almost an hour with me helping me pick out the best. Since I was so sluggish he suggested I take the liquid B12, Downfall it tastes fairly icky but is absorbed quicker. The iron is the one I have problems with and have had problems with in the past. But we came up with a lower dose one that is time released. And since I am anemic this hopefully will help. So far so good. I am down to taking only 1 of the nausea pills each day, Right smack in the middle of the day. I am hoping to be off those by the end of next week. YEAHHHH. I completley believe in Vitamins, They work.
I have been cleaning like mad lately, This house has gone to heck over the last month and I am feeling the crunch of spring cleaning and organizing hitting me hard. I organized the boys dressers yesterday, getting out all the too small clothes or too stained up and worn ones out. Next week I am hoping to get all the spring/summer stuff washed up and ready to go. We are hoping to get the house in order by end of next week and get the back yard ready for the raised beds by weekend after next. We had a little trouble finding railroad ties, But then last minute found someone who has around 80 of them and wants them gone....SCORE!!!!! We are going to go and dump the trailer that day and head straight over and get the ties and get them set up. Then next day get the soil done and get all my plants in the ground. My beans and peas are already a foot high. I am really excited to get them planted and growing and producing this year. I have high expectations this year and want to yeild enough to can and make baby food in preparation for the baby.
My 5 year old twins have been so cute, Every morning they want to know if the baby is here yet? I say no the baby has to grow lots more and will be here when halloween gets here. So today Joshua says to me, Can we go out to the pumpkin patch and see if they are open yet? Toooooo cute. I got a magazine from the Dr. office that shows a baby in each month inside the mother. So I think that I am going to cut out the pictures and post it up each month so they know where we are at and how far we have to go. Something to help them understand best they can. I have been thinking of names, I really like Jeremiah David or Noah for a boy. I really like Joyanna or Hannah for a girl. But that might change. I usually blurt out something completely different as soon as they are born bahahaha. I hear them cry and bammm it comes to me. A few here want to name it Luke John if it is a boy. We have Matthew Mark and they think it would be cute to say and here are Matthew Mark and Luke John, The first 4 books of the new testament. I am thinking on that one.
Have a blessed Thursday all, Michelle

Sunday, March 14, 2010

No spend month update

It is hardddddddddddd bahhahahaha. I am really ashamed of myself at how much money we have wasted. I have noticed how much STUFF we have since not spending. When I think I am out of something or don't have something, a little search has yeilded the item or something similiar. I have been cleaning out bins, drawers, and stored boxes. I still have an entire sunroom and the laundry room to go through yet. I am really quite shocked at what is in this house. I am learning a big thing about organization. I am the biggest disorganized organized person I know!!! That is going to be my biggest project this month. organizing all this stuff and realizing and tracking everything we have. For example. I use sharpie pens alot for marking everything. An older kid takes one for something, leaves it somewhere else or it gets thrown in a drawer, I can't find it and go buy another pack. I found 17 sharpie pens yesterday, 17!!!!!!!! This is going to take me awhile with all the stuff we have, But it is going to be worth it. Knowing what I have down to the last sharpie marker is going to go a long way to save money I think. At around $2.97 a 2pk for the sharpies that alone was about $25.00!!! I did a little reading yesterday and I see one big thing that we need to start doing also....Track our spending. We are starting next paycheck. I found a ledger that was never used (of course) yesterday while cleaning and have designated that for this use. We are going to write down every little tiny thing we spend money on every day, every month. From what I read this is really going to help us visually see what we are spending money on also. We will never get out of debt without knowing this. Michelle

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Mom is happy-Kids are dissapointed

I was very happy that their was only 1 baby. The kids and hubby are a bit disappointed.
Don't get me wrong I love my twins. They are fun and interesting to watch grow and develop. I think everyone should have a set just to experience it. But I am not gonna lie and say it was easy and that I am ready to jump in and do it again. These twins I have are only 5 and are still a handful. It was extremely nerveracking when they were little. #1 they were so tiny and getting them to eat was a full time job. It is sometimes challenging to console a single baby let along two crying with colic at the same time. I never felt like I got to enjoy much of their 1st year because there was so much packed into it. Yes of course it was fun alot of the time, It was new!!! Newness wears off though. The first year felt like a blurr of feedings bathings diaper changes and crying. The youngest baby was so much fun after that, Just tending to him and his needs. After the twins I realized how I was able to enjoy each day with him without all the chaos.
I would not have been upset at all if I was having twins again. But I am not displeased at all that it is 1. The kids and hubby seemed a little let down that it was only 1 though and I can understand since they got the enjoying playing part of the twins while I worked my butt off. hahaha. They will come around and get real excited just like with the last baby. The girls are hoping of course for a girl. I don't mind a girl or a boy. The kids have decided I am not allowed to tell them what I think it is. I have not been wrong yet, even when the Dr. told me she was 150% sure last time that now Matthew was a girl and I told her she was wrong that it was a boy. So I am keeping my mouth shut on this one, But I already have my suspicions. I tend to know the sex for some reason I don't know what it is around the 5th month. It is just a really strong feeling I get either way.
I have often wondered how many other mothers get this feeling and were right when the Dr. says the opposite. I won't falter this time like last time. I gave into the Dr. and gathered all girl stuff and picked out her name Maddelynn to only hear in the operating room from the Dr. ummmmm Michelle, did you get all girl stuff??? HUH??? I said, as she showed me my son and admitted I was right. She said I really did not seem shocked at all!!!!! I wasn't really but was worrying about what I had gathered for a girl. Well ladies gotta run, I have decided to suprise my family tonight with a big dinner and it isn't even Sunday!!! bahahaha Have a great day, Michelle

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Just got back from Dr.

Just got back from Dr. apt. and everything looks good he said. He said it appeared that there was just 1 baby, But that my uterus was tilted up so he would check again in a few months!!! 1 is good, 1 is easy hahahahaah. I am exhausted from the trip so gonna go lay down for a few before fixing dinner. I will post more soon. Michelle

Monday, March 8, 2010

Sunday dinner

Since I am not cooking big meals during the week I made another sunday dinner. I made a family favorite. We call it Pork and stuffing. I also made biscuits but since I don't measure out my biscuit mix it is kinda hard to give a recipe but I will tell you the ingredients. I also made a basic choc. cake with cream cheese frosting.
Pork and stuffing
Pork loin roast ( I used 4 lbs)
3 boxes of stuffing
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
3 cups hot water
4 tablespoons butter
paprika

Pour boxes of stuffing into baking dish leaving room for roast on top. Cut butter and place on top of stuffing mix. Pour hot water over stuffing and butter and mix. In seperate container mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream together. Place the pork roast(s) on top of stuffing mix.( If my pork roasts are extra bulky I have split these) Spoon on the cream of chicken mixture on top of the roast and spread around, Spoon the rest of the mixture in dollops on top of the stuffing mix. Top all with paprika. I did not put an amount of paprika because we like lots, You can add it to taste. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until roast is done through. This is super super tasty and filling.
My biscuits we love but like I said I don't have a recipe. The ingredients are self rising flour, salt, milk,6 tablspoons butter and my homemade yogurt. ( My homemade yogurt is made with vanilla but has never affected the flavor of the biscuits as far as making them vanilla flavor)I start with 4 cups of self rising flour,Then I add the butter and cut in, Then I add about 2 teaspoons of salt, a cup and half of milk and a cup and half of yogurt. I mix this up and add more flour as needed to make it easy to knead. I dump this onto the table and knead until mixed through. Then pat down and cut out with the lid from the canning jar. Bake at 400 until brown. I have tried so many biscuit recipes that my family has never liked. To be honest we only like them when they come out like KFC. This is the only biscuit my family will eat and they eat every single one. This mix of ingredients is the only way I can get them to come out like this. Only advice I have is make sure you don't handle the dough too much, Knead only until mixed.
The choc. cake I cheated on, I used a box mix from the stockpile. But I always make my own frosting. Not one of us can stand frosting from a can. And we only eat cream cheese frosting. I just take a block of cream cheese softened add 2 tablespoons of vanilla and 2 tablespoon of milk, mix with mixer and add enough powdered sugar to make a spreadable frosting. Last night I added 1/4 cup of baking choc. powder to make it choc.
Good luck and happy cooking, Michelle

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Day 6 of NO SPEND MONTH

We are 6 days in to NO SPEND MONTH. I am not gonna lie, already this is hard!! I went out yesterday to take my daughter something and I pulled into the gas station where I always stop and get a soda when I go out, pulled right back out again when I realized nope no spend. Then I argued with myself on the way to my daughters, it is only $.75!!! But that is the whole point of no spend month, we nickel and dime ourselves to death. I did not get the soda and I lived. By the time I got home I was quite happy that I did not spend the $.75 and I did not drink the soda for health reasons. I sat down last night and made plans for when we travel on the 10th to my ultrasound, we always go to eat out when we travel to bartlesville. Not this time. I packed most of the lunch last night, the non perishables. Then on the morning before we go I will pack the sandwhiches and drinks. I am doing the small amount of grocery shopping I had budgeted in while we are there at Aldi's. I have my list ready for that too, fruits and veggies and stuff I knew I could not stockpile. That is it. We are only taking enough cash for the groceries and the amount we budgeted for gas to fill up there ( gas is $.20-$.30 cheaper a gallon in Oklahoma). There won't be too big of a problem of having extra money with the 10th paycheck because most of it is already allocated to bills, With only our envelopes of cash left.....
Food-$50 ( Our extra fridge died so I can't keep as much milk on hand as I need so I bumped this up from $25)
Gas-$60
Zoo-$10 ( this is our reward at the end of the month for not spending, We have $40 saved in change and If we add $10 per paycheck we will have enough to go to Tulsa to the zoo)
Copays for medicine-$40
Just in case or if not used Savings-$50
That is it, The rest is gone to bills.
We gathered all our bills and went through them all last week. We paid $8,000 in debt last year and hope to double that this year. We have $32,000 left. If we could pay $16,000 this year we could do it one more year and be completely debt free. We would have to pay off around $1600 a month in bills for the next 10 months to hit the $16,000. I am not including the last 2 months that we have paid off. With no house payment I think this attainable. $6,500 of the first $16,000 is the balance of our car, we want to get this paid off this year so we can lower our insurance and interest. Plus we know that in November we will add another $2000 to our medical bills for the C-section copay for this baby, That is if everything goes well. Although we have thought out and written everything down, we are trying not to think too far ahead. Just living in the month. Fact is with 6 kids anything can happen at any time. Someone like last year could freakishly fall of the diningroom table chair, Hit his chin exactly perfectly on the table and split his chin wide open and need stitches ( yes Jacob you being him) sigh. This required us to go to the ER which is sickening on copay. That cost as much as having a baby. Then between my hubby's nasal polyp surgery in Novemeber and the 2 year olds thyroglossal duct surgery in January these two things added another $1800 and $1500 to our debt. There is no way to predict this stuff. But if we are debt free we could easily pay these things with cash when they were to come up.
So as for the first 6 days, Yes it is hard, I tried not to look at the grocery store ads when they come in as not to tempt me. We would never starve, I have stockpiled 3 months worth of food. I have stockpiled 2 months worth of household-paper towels, toilet paper, diapers and anything else we might need. I shopped for 2 years at walgreens with coupons and have 88,000 bottles of shampoo and personal items over the counter medicines in every shape and size, vitamins, foil, etc. I made up (3) 5 gallon buckets of laundry soap. I printed a list from online of substitues in case I ran out of something. I left myself no excuse to run to the store.
I will update NO SPEND MONTH again after we get back on the 10th and let ya know how we did!!!! Happy bill paying and being closer to debt free, Michelle

Friday, March 5, 2010

Sunshine!!!

We have had sunshine for several days now. Big bright sunshine. I was beginning to think sunshine was not real anymore!!! It is still chilly at night but around 50-60 during the day. I took down all the winter drapes and hung up the sheers. This lets in the sun from early morning till sunset and we do not need to run the heaters since it warms up quite nice in here. This saves a ton on kerosene and electric. And I personally like how pretty the sheers look. I need to make some valances for the dining room windows and I will in time. Although still fairly tired the house is wearing on me. I have been cleaning like mad lately, Well as much as possible. I used the great tutorial at www.makedowiththenotsonew.blogspot.com for newspaper pots. I made a few then had my oldest Son make me 25 of them. I planted those 25 and 10 more of the jiffy pots I had. I am hoping that the boys can get the raised beds in next weekend and get them ready to go. I am going to start hardening off some of the plants early next week and hopefully get them planted after they get the beds in. I am really excited about getting my garden growing this year.
I wanted to post a bit on NO SPEND MONTH. We are only 5 days in and doing well. No spending yet, which for us is great!!! I had to budget in a few extra things for the month that were not there when I planned this, like extra money for gas to get to Dr. appointments and the $20 copay for my medication and folic acid. Other than that doing really good. I am pretty stocked up so I don't see any major worries. Happy Sunshine to all!!!! Michelle

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Entering new 2 year old stage

With the twins being a little out of control in the morning with the ADHD. Mornings can be quite hectic. I was sitting late one night a few weeks ago thinking how in the world am I gonna manage this with the two of them, the 2 year old another baby. The 2 year old has been my best baby so far. He is a go with the flow kinda guy. But he is still quite demanding for attention. He is a 2 hour nap at 11-1 each day. But I have noticed over the past few weeks he has not been wanting to nap as long, but is a bit grouchy from it. He is still drinking a bottle when he naps and goes to bed. I never felt the need to take this away from any of my children except at a certain time I limit it to only naps and bedtime. I found at around 2 1/2 they give it up no problems. Well for the past few weeks he always asks for his bobby and his pretty (blankie) around 9 each morning, He gets up on the recliner, snuggles pretty and drinks bobby and watches disney channel. Loving trains as much as he does, he loves the new chuggington show. This is going to be very valuable when the new baby gets here to have him with this routine. It will give me an hour after I get the boys calmed down doing something to just spend with the baby. I did the babywearing with the 2 year old and really wish I had stumbled upon the thought with the twins. I really feel like it helped the 2 year old be more independent. He is not like any of my other kids. He is very content entertaining himself and is confident. I will do babywearing with this baby too, Most definetly. Happy child rearing to all, Michelle

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Soooo tired!!!

I need some energy foods or vitamins or something. I am just drained beyonf belief. I really felt like I floated through today in a fog. I am just drained and tired. Not edgy but calm if that makes any sense. I have never felt like this during a pregnancy. It could be the anti nausea pills. But I do not like feeling like this at all. I have got stuff to do, ya know!!! So tell me, my wise friends what could I add to my diet or a vitamin that might give me a little extra zip in my step. I must be lacking something. Well just wanted to see what ideas you had. I am going to sleep now, Cause I am tired again, go figure bahahaha. Good night to you, Michelle

History channel

Just wanted to let you all know that this morning on the history channel I watched a really neat documentary. It is called After Armeggedon, It starts again at 2pm today. I am not a doomsdayer at all. I just thought it had some great information on being prepared for anything. This particular one was about a flu pandemic. I thought I was very prepared but quickly learned some new things. I am actually gonna watch it again at 2pm and take some notes on some things I would like to learn more about. This was really well done, I liked how it showed the emotional effects on a person who survived. Anyway just wanted to let ya know I thought it was really neat. Happy watching and learning, Michelle

Spring cleaning

The spring cleaning bug got into me yesterday and to be quite honest, Thank God!!!! I have not done much for a week or two and this place was just gross. We washed walls, got out the ceiling duster, washed windows and just cleaned everything. I made the curtain for my daughter's room that has been sitting on the sewing machine for a month now. My oldest daughter came over and helped clean the upstairs for me, Thank you Kriztina!!!!!! We put the twins bed back together in their room, We have been working with them alot lately on keeping your stuff nice and being more gentle with your stuff. I would like to by the end of spring, be able to put the dressers back in the room also. I just have to go in steps with them. They have been showing some real progress with their schoolwork and staying on task and listening. I also have on my list before the baby comes to try again with the homeopathic meds for their ADHD. They are very interested in this baby thing and are learning to stay calmer.
My seedlings are going crazy, I transplanted my peas the other day and they are going like mad. I have transplant my beans today and a few of my tomato plants. I am planting them in the organic peat cups, then I can just plant those right in the ground when the last frost comes. I am going to try hardening off my tomato plants hopefully by mid march. I have to be honest I have about every inch of open space in the house covered with seedlings so I will be glad to get them outside and growing like crazy!!!
Today I need to work on getting caught up on some of my kitchen tasks. I am out of ranch dressing mix, cream of chicken soup dry mix and waffle mix. Those are my 3 to do for the kitchen today. For my birthday my oldest found a little soy candle shop downtown, For those of you around here it is Magnolia's downtown. He has added to his shop and now has organic spices. I think she found me everything I was looking for. The lavender smells wonderful. I think I am going to make little dryer sachets with that one. I want to do a little experiment first and soak the lavender in vanilla and see what scent I get from that. The dill smells so fresh I can't wait to try the ranch dressing recipe with it. Tonight I am going to make grilled chicken salad for dinner with the ranch. Since I can't take the prenatal vitamins, The Dr. suggested I eat tons of leafy greens along with the folic acid supplement. So I am going to get some in each dinner. I love the organic salad mixes at walmart, I have got my oldest hooked on it as well. Well I am off to start the day, Happy Tuesday to you, Michelle.
Ohhhh one more thing, I wanted to point you in the direction of www.chartjungle.com . They have some great printables for spring cleaning and well everything.