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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

My non frugal day

Yesterday was one of those days, Utterly non frugal!!!!

Hubby decided he would change the plug and wires on the car himself and change the oil. Oil changing went well. Plugs went well. Wires not so much. He put them in wrong and then did not know how to put them in right. Today at 2:30 I have to take it in to have it done right and I don't even want to know how much it is going to cost. There are some things I don't like to skimp on when it comes to money. My car is one of them. We opted for just one car, Which means I have to take him to work and pick him up 15 miles from home at all hours day or night since he could get called at 2am or 2pm. I wanted a nice car, a car big enough for all of us. Since it was a bit more then the usual $1000 we pay for a car ( a lot moreeeeee) I did not want to skimp on car repairs or maintenance. I want this car to last me forever and one more day. He tried and it is fixable but darn it!!!! There goes my new crockpot ( mine just broke, the crock actually cracked!!) and my new sewing machine I was saving up for. Gotta start over again.

I know I said I would take pictures of the garden and post, But this will have to wait yet another day I will hopefully post them tomorrow!!! Wish me luck and maybe the mechanic will feel sorry for me, Yeah right!!! Michelle

Monday, April 26, 2010

Mcdonalds caramel frappe

Forgot to add this earlier, My oldest daughter is in love with Mcdonald's caramel frappe's. She was going broke with these until I saw in the newest issue of All You magazine a recipe for one. She says it tastes exactly like it.
Here is how I made it

Fill blender 3/4 way up with coffee ice cream. Add 1 cup milk. Add 4 Tablespoons of caramel ice cream topping. Mix up, Pour in glass. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with some more caramel topping. It really was good and I am not that fond of these things. Good Luck Michelle

Pregnancy update/ Dr. visit today

Went to the Dr. today to listen for the heartbeat again and got the pants scared off me. First of all I lost 4 lbs this past 2 weeks, But he did not seem that concerned about it. My blood pressure is also up 150/100, I have never had high blood pressure before in my life. He said we would watch it for a month and see. Then went to listen to the heartbeat and nothing. He spent a good 10 minutes looking for it. I was okay then he said ok I need to go check the ultra sound room and we need to check and see if the baby is ok. I freaked then and there. I remember I just kept saying I FEEL the baby move and I have never had this happen before. Went to the ultra sound room and had a quickie ultra sound. The baby was moving about and heartbeat was great, WHEWWWWWWWWWW. He did not know why he could not pick it up on his portable Doppler, I really don't care as long as I know that everything is ok and it is. I go in on June 1st to do measurements and find out the sex. I am feeling so much better now that I saw the baby moving around and the heartbeat but am still a bit worried about my blood pressure. Dr. said I could cut salt from my diet and that might help it go down but being that I have never once not even during previous c-sections had high blood pressure that it is probably pregnancy related. Thanks for the prayers to everyone!!!!!
I wanted to mention today that I did a guest post over at TheCircusMcGurkus.blogspot.com. I did the post on how I home school unschool my children. I love her site she has some great thought provoking posts and I am trying to learn more about gluten free eating since I read about the link between gluten free and ADHD. I would suggest checking out her site especially to get a peek at her son who is the cutest ever!!!!! I like how she writes from her heart. Take a peek, I bet you'll love it as much as I do.
I promise tomorrow to post some pics on my garden and how things are going. I also planted a blueberry tree and a peach tree my kids bought for me. I really pleased at how my garden is growing. Although I planted basically the same as I did last year and did not do too well last year, this year I grew from seeds and the seeds were all heirloom and GMO free. Have a great night all I know I am much calmer now that I saw the baby moving around!!! Michelle

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Times like these.....

It is times like these that a mother would be nice to have. I always get like this when I am pregnant. I am not really completely sure what I am missing, Just from what others say. I don't dwell on it too much just crosses my mind here and there. I know what kind of mom I am. The kind that irritates my teenagers with cards and little gifts for special occasions ( Don't let me miss one little thing though and they are irritated I missed it hahaha). I think it will be awsome to be a grandma. I will bake cookies, do crafts with them, spend as much time as I am allowed with them, probably suffocate them with attention. My oldest has already decided that I will homeschool her kids when she has them while she goes to work. I can't wait to be there for my kids when they ask for advice or want my help or I just notice that they need me, Which I do now. So where did I get this from???? How did I turn out this way?? Both of my parents are cold as ice. I have seen my dad once since I was 9, I am 39, and that was ugly. My mom has never been able to stand me. She calls me a low class breeder to other family members. SHe could not stand me as a child or an adult. We split when I was 23 and I did not speak again to her until she was found homeless in 2007 and I brought her to live with us for a year and then she had to go. She was awful and mean to my kids, They begged me and I mean begged me to make her go away. She went to live near my brother and is causing him problems too. It is funny because he is alot like me with his son. So how in the world did we turn out so different from our parents? Don't get me wrong I am glad we did. It just makes me mad sometimes that she is the way she is. My kids do not have a grandma, Hubby's mother passed years ago. I do not have a mother, I really never did, I just missed what I saw others had. I know this feeling will pass it always does for long periods of time. A mother's instict I guess some just have it and other's don't. Give your intrusive, showering when not even asked for advice, sometimes bossy and irritating mother an extra hug this Mother's day because if you have that kind of mother you truly have no idea what life is like without it and you don't want to know, Michelle

Friday, April 16, 2010

Thanks for the Prayers

I wanted to thank you ladies for the prayers. I was really worried the first day or two, I still am a little bit. I was excited last night that I was a little nauseated ( can't believe I said that hahaha). I feel like everything is ok. I don't know how to explain it, I just feel like everything is fine.

I have been working in the garden alot!!! Although I decided to just plant directly into the ground this year again instead of raised beds, Things are growing well. I did not buy plants this year like last year. I bought heirloom seeds this year and did a lot of research this past winter on gardening. I let the twins bury the potato seeds or chunks as I call them, and the plants are about 5 inches high now. The boys go out every morning and afternoon and pick the leaves that fall from the trees out of them and water them. They are really excited about their plants. I can't wait to see them get to dig up the potatoes!!!! I still have some watermelon, squash and more beans and pea plants that are ready to be transplanted to plant. I am hoping to get to that today. The only thing that I am keeping in a pot is the tomato plant. It is huge and has about 8 tomatoes on it already. I noticed this morning that my plant looked messed with. So I am going to have to barricade it today. The squirrels just won't leave the tomatoes alone. I just want one one little tomato this year and I will be happy!!!! I have had so much fun with my dehydrator. I can't wait to harvest some things from the garden to dehydrate. I made jerky last week and the kids gobbled it up in 2 days!!! It was so easy to make. I am definitely going to make more of that. They have eaten everything that I dehydrated. Jerky, strawberries, bananas and kiwi. They pass up the cookies to eat the dried fruit. Yeah!!! I can't wait to get a vacuum sealer so I can make bigger batches to have on hand. Have a wonderful weekend Michelle

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Baby update

I had a worrisome Dr. appointment yesterday. He could not find a heartbeat. We saw the heartbeat and heard it on the last one. I have never encountered this problem with any other pregnancy. To say the least I am a bit worried. I thought it was funny that I had so much sickness constantly then all of a sudden last Friday nothing. It just stopped. Which going by my other pregnancies is strange for me. He said for me not to worry, Ok sure, not. He is having me come back in 2 weeks and if nothing then he will do another ultrasound to see what is going on. I am a little worried like I said, but I have never had any problems with any other pregnancy not to say I couldn't. I am just going to go with the notion that everything is okay and wait until the 26th to see. I will let you all know when I get back on the 26th what is going on. Have a blessed week all Michelle

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Dehydrating away

I have been dehydrating like crazy. I watched a video over at Dehydrate2Store.com for making kiwi-strawberry-banana candy. I put that in the dehydrator last night and it is doing well this morning. Still has a few hours to go. I also have 3 trays of strawberries and bananas drying. For the candies you take a slice of kiwi, Squirt a little lemon juice on that. Put on top the kiwi a slice or two of strawberry, Squirt with lemon juice. Put on top that a slice or two of banana and squirt with lemon juice. Then sprinkle on a tiny amount of sugar. These come out like candy. I will let you know when they are all done and how the kids liked em. I know my oldest son can't wait for the bananas. He never has liked bananas unless they were dried ones, Go figure. I have asked the kids and hubby to pool together for Mother's day and maybe get me one of those food storage sealers. That would really help with storing longer term.
As soon as the fruits are done, I have been marinating steak in the fridge since yesterday and will give a go at beef jerky. I am not a fan of beef jerky but the kids and hubby love it.
My garden is up and running. In the end I chose to just plant in the ground like last year. With exception to a few that I planted in large pots. One being my tomatoes. I have to keep a close eye on tomatoes. I planted 3 tomato plants last year and never got one tomato off of them. The squirrels took them all. I have 4 tomatoes growing on one plant already. And if squirrels take them, atleast with the pots I can take drastic measures hahaa. It will be easier to secure the pots I think. I can move them to the corner of the front porch where full sun comes in and baracade them in. I am determined to have tomatoes this year. I can't wait to make sun dried tomatoes!!!! Happy gardening and Happy Spring, Michelle

Friday, April 9, 2010

kids getting "Growed up"

I know I know "Growed up" was just a funny I said, not to worry my children won't be illiterate because I wrote in a post "Growed up". Now on to my post.
Most of the time I don't feel old enough to have a daughter who is a grown up. She is only 19 but out on her own and grabbing hold of life and making it what she wants. She is doing really well at her job, it appears she will be up for a management position next year and they are giving her more responisbility. She has been given the responsibility of taking over for the bookeeper while she goes on a 2 week vacation. They are teaching her the 10 key and she will have to do payroll etc. She is very excited to say the least. That kid absorbs everything really fast so I have no worries. She is definetly a lifetime learner she never wants to stop learning. Everytime something new comes across her she finds a book about it gets to work learning all she can about it. This makes me happy. Then they decided to give her another task this last Tuesday. They wanted her to help with the monthly radio spot on our local radio broadcast on 102.9 rocks. I was nervous for her. I went out to the car at 8am Tuesday morning to listen to her ( There was silence in the car hahahaha) She did amazing, never faultered. She did 3 5 minute sets with the co-director. She was clear and concise. When she was done I turned off the car and sat there for a moment, I came to realize that she was "Growed up". I felt my age for a moment, Yuck. Feeling my age was quickly gone when I went back in the house and danced around the livingroom to Imagination Movers on disney channel with my 2 year old. I have decided I must lead 2 lives. I must be "Growed up" too for my 19 year old, Then I can live in total denial for the rest of the time and be a big kid. Yeahhhh. I refuse to grow up too much, What fun is that??? Get out there and dance with your babies and have some fun, there is still plenty of time before they are all "Growed up" and you will have no choice to be a big people. Have fun being young, Michelle

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

I got a new toy!!!

I have been wannting to get a dehydrator for a few years now, But kept putting it off. I have been researching dehydrating foods for a few years now. It would be a great option for stockpiling and storing good fresh foods.
I just received my Aroma dehydrator from amazon yesterday. I had 4 $5 gift cards won through swag bucks, the dehydrator was 34.99 with free shipping. I am going to this years first farmers market this season this Saturday. I have a folder full of tips and tricks and ways to dehydrate. The best website I have found for dehydrating is www.Dehydrate2Store.com The videos are excellent and thorough. There are much more expensive dehyrators that are better then the aroma one. But I was satisfied with the comments on this particular brand and the price was right. I gave it a quick try last night with some plain bagels to make bagel chips. I mixed the pieces with cinnamon and sugar. Woke up this morning and they were done. Two full trays and they are gone already!!!! I am going to spend this weekend drying fruits and veggies. I hope next week to venture into some beef jerky. If you have to cook have fun atleast, Michelle

Monday, April 5, 2010

Spring day-Spring cleaning-Spring dessert

It was so nice today, Not alot of sunshine but warm and breezy. I had the doors open early this morning to let in the fresh air. That fresh air went straight to my head and got me in the cleaning the mood. So I got everyone up and told them about my plans for the day, they were not amused or happy one bit but did it anyway. We cleaned everything, every little nook and cranny. Stored heaters away and stored blankets away. Cleaned out drawers of winter items and replaced with spring/summer clothes. We are all set. I also felt in the mood to make a cool treat. So I made a peachy cheese-cake.
Recipe
1 large can peaches
1 1/2 bricks cream cheese
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup butter
1 yellow cake mix
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 container cool whip

Cut butter into cake mix until crumbly. Press this into greased cake pan. In bowl mix softened cream cheese with egg whites. Fold in 3/4 of can drained peaches. Spread this mixture on top of cake mix. Sprinkle 2 teaspoon of cinnamon on top of cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min or until cheese mixture is set. Cool completely. Spread cool whip on top of cooled cake, and top with rest of can of drained peaches. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours and serve. Enjoy!!!!
( I never throw away fruit juice when the recipe calls to drain it. I either let the boys drink it, Or I fill up my set of popcicle molds with it).
Have a great week all and enjoy the weather!!!!! Michelle

Friday, April 2, 2010

Happy Easter to All

I am saying Happy Easter to you all now. We are not going to be using the computer or watching T.V. this weekend. We never do the Easter bunny type Easter. We do resurrection eggs and we use that same concept to have a Jesus egg hunt. But mostly we just spend time together. I have caught heck from family for years over not doing Santa Claus or the Easter bunny but we are much too weird for them to even give us the time of day now so we don't have to deal with that. I remember our Holidays growing up as miserable, It was always about show, how we looked. It has never been about that with us, I made sure of that. We don't fuss about what we are wearing. Whatever clothes we have we wear. It so much calmer then any holiday growing up and I love it. My mom was here 2 years ago for Christmas. We were worried it was going to end up like past Christmases when we were around her. It was. It was horrible, nothing was perfect enough for her and she ended up throwing a huge fit, freaking out and screaming and left to go to a hotel. My kids were left with their mouths open and wondering what the heck happened. It was hard for me to explain to them when I really did not know what the problem was other then it was not perfect enough like a magazine. That will never happen again. None of our holidays are like that. And I wish for you this Easter a calm no fuss Sunday. Happy truly Happy Easter to all of you , Michelle