Why are boys so hard to shop for???? Trying to come up with ideas for Dart for Easter has been horrible. He's not a lego kid, he doesn't play with toys anymore really(no action figures or Pokemon or any of those). He likes sports, video games and reading. Video games are so expensive so that knocks them out for Easter. He doesn't need anything for any sports right now(last year I did a baseball theme for him and he loved that, but he doesn't need anything). And as for books, usually he checks them out from the library. He has a few series he likes, but he's got all the books for those right now. So what does that leave?
I finally decided to get him a few packs of baseball and basketball cards. He does have a collection started and mentioned he'd like more. However, those are small. Audrey is getting colored bubbles, sidewalk chalk and a jump rope so I feel like I need a couple more things for Dart. I'm thinking a gift card to I-Tunes so he can download some music or apps. I need help people!! What do you get a 10 year old without breaking the bank, but also without it being junk just to get something?
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Chicago Dog Salad
We have been eating this for several years now. Saw it on Rachael Ray's show 30 Minute Meals and decided to give it a shot. It's good, quick, and easy. Love meals like that. It doesn't look like it will fill you up, but it does and it's light so it makes for a great summer meal and you don't have to heat the house up with the stove for it!
Chicago Dog Salad
Mound up the salad on plates, top with seared dogs, and serve.
-We use whatever pickles we have on hand. We also cut our hot dogs into bite size pieces and just mix them in with it all and then serve.It is even good the next day if there is anything left. The dressing doesn't make the salad soggy which is nice!
Chicago Dog Salad
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons vinegar, eyeball it
- 1 rounded teaspoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 of a 16-ounce sack shredded cabbage blend for slaw salads
- 1 romaine heart, shredded
- 2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
- 3 large half sour or garlic pickles, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 8 pork or beef hot dogs, cut into 1-inch-thick slices on an angle
Directions
In the bottom of a large bowl, combine
mustard, vinegar, sugar, and about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add
the onions, cabbage, romaine, tomatoes, and pickles and toss the salad.
Season with salt and pepper, adjust seasonings, and reserve.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in
remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (1 turn of the pan) then arrange
the sliced dogs in a single layer. Sear them a couple of minutes on each
side. Remove to paper towels to drain.Mound up the salad on plates, top with seared dogs, and serve.
-We use whatever pickles we have on hand. We also cut our hot dogs into bite size pieces and just mix them in with it all and then serve.It is even good the next day if there is anything left. The dressing doesn't make the salad soggy which is nice!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Tuesday Tops
Changing from 10 on Tuesday as half the time it takes me all day to do and the other half I'm pretty sure I'm repeating myself from things I've said other times.
Tuesday tops will be a mix of things. Maybe things I've pinned, articles I've enjoyed, random stuff. Who knows!!
This image is a top for me:
Not so much because Kentucky won(although them being part of the SEC is nice since that is where Mizzou will be July 1), but because kansas LOST!
Although this one won't apply to very many of you, it is still a top for me today:
There are 2 issues on our ballot this month for schools. One will add 25,000 square feet to Dart and Audrey's school. Although Dart will not be there once it's complete, Audrey still will be. The addition would mean the elimination of 12 trailers! 39% of our students are in trailers. That is just crazy!! It will also mean 2 new elementary schools which our district NEEDS!! Most of our schools are well over capacity.
I figured out a way I can do Project Life. I have always loved the idea, but some of it just didn't feel like a fit to me. I thought the price for the page protectors which don't come with the core kit was more than I wanted to spend. It dawned on me one day that baseball card protectors would work better for me. I also love making my own journaling cards and things like that. I'm going to start with April. Still trying to figure out how I'm going to do my pictures because I don't print at home and I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart's prints. I may just mark sections with post it notes and then print the pictures through Shutterfly or Winkflash and add them at the end of the month.
Having ideas that come out the way you picture them in your head! I have a new grad banner I'm excited to get finished and a few mini books getting to the point of being finished. Also have a couple of orders to get finished.
What's tops on your list today?
Tuesday tops will be a mix of things. Maybe things I've pinned, articles I've enjoyed, random stuff. Who knows!!
This image is a top for me:
Although this one won't apply to very many of you, it is still a top for me today:
There are 2 issues on our ballot this month for schools. One will add 25,000 square feet to Dart and Audrey's school. Although Dart will not be there once it's complete, Audrey still will be. The addition would mean the elimination of 12 trailers! 39% of our students are in trailers. That is just crazy!! It will also mean 2 new elementary schools which our district NEEDS!! Most of our schools are well over capacity.
I figured out a way I can do Project Life. I have always loved the idea, but some of it just didn't feel like a fit to me. I thought the price for the page protectors which don't come with the core kit was more than I wanted to spend. It dawned on me one day that baseball card protectors would work better for me. I also love making my own journaling cards and things like that. I'm going to start with April. Still trying to figure out how I'm going to do my pictures because I don't print at home and I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart's prints. I may just mark sections with post it notes and then print the pictures through Shutterfly or Winkflash and add them at the end of the month.
Having ideas that come out the way you picture them in your head! I have a new grad banner I'm excited to get finished and a few mini books getting to the point of being finished. Also have a couple of orders to get finished.
What's tops on your list today?
Monday, April 2, 2012
Menu Plan Monday
There could be some changes this week to our house so I'm thinking a plan is going to be a huge help!!
Monday-Spaghetti Audrey is sick so this is quick and easy to deal with.
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday-
Friday-Sunday- Out of town We will be at my mom's for Easter so who knows what we will be having!
Because Audrey is sick and has been all day I have no plan as of yet. As soon as I get one I will update this post.
It was 95 degrees here today according to my car. 95 is way too hot for April 2nd. It is supposed to cool down this week. I can't believe yesterday I was saying "I hope it cools down some for Easter." Who says that? Usually it's I hope it isn't snowing on Easter or I hope it is a little warmer so the girls can wear their dresses without winter coats.
Monday-Spaghetti Audrey is sick so this is quick and easy to deal with.
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday-
Friday-Sunday- Out of town We will be at my mom's for Easter so who knows what we will be having!
Because Audrey is sick and has been all day I have no plan as of yet. As soon as I get one I will update this post.
It was 95 degrees here today according to my car. 95 is way too hot for April 2nd. It is supposed to cool down this week. I can't believe yesterday I was saying "I hope it cools down some for Easter." Who says that? Usually it's I hope it isn't snowing on Easter or I hope it is a little warmer so the girls can wear their dresses without winter coats.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
35 before 36 update
1. Get rid of 60lbs. I don't want to lose it because you usually want to find things you lose. Lost a few pounds, mostly due to the fact that I gave up pop for lent and was drinking lots and lots of water!
2. Menu plan, will save time, money and help with 1. Didn't do as good as I'd like, but it wasn't horrible either.
3. Eat breakfast everyday. I'm horrible about eating breakfast. Still struggling with this!
4. Get all recipes on cards. I might use them more if I don't have to dig through a box. Got a few on cards. Not a great month for this one.
5. Get the kids in the kitchen to help cook more. They both usually enjoy it. We have slacked here. Audrey still helps some.
6. Read "Little Women". My name came from the book and yet I've never read it. Nope! Slow reading month, read "The Help" finally.
7. Get my first mani and pedi. Nope never had one! With spring here I'm thinking this might happen soon!
8. Start going to church again. I haven't gone consistently in several years. No.
9. Watch "The Wizard of Oz" This movie scares me to death. Audrey checked it out from the library so we just might be able to cross this one off at the end of the month.
10. Get to and maintain at least 65 items in my store. I got some work to do. Had a lot expire that was all Christmas stuff.
11. Add digital cards to my shop. Hope to get this done ASAP since graduation will be upon us soon.
12. Hold a couple of sales in my shop. Not yet, but I'm thinking for sure a Christmas in July sale!
13. Find ways to cut shipping and supply costs. Shipping costs are down and that makes me happy. Now to work on supply costs.
14. Add wedding invites, programs and guest books to my shop. No, working on save the date ideas.
15. Add American Girl clothes to my shop. Started a new shop for sewing stuff, but don't have anything in it yet.
16. Get my vision of "Colorful Minimalist" into my products and shop. Will blog more about this later. I have been doing better. Working on a "non traditional" business plan which will help more with this.
17. Learn calligraphy. Maybe not the "traditional" style, but I want to explore more with handwriting. Found an awesome pen to use so I can't wait to try more!
18. Learn more about graphic design. Can't afford to go back to school now so I will teach myself some. Been playing with what I like in regards to design.
19. Teach Audrey to sew. I wish I would have learned when I was younger! Nothing yet, but she is learning to knit.
20. Make mini books for me and to sell. Working on a spring break one. I bought one from someone I've admired for a while so I'm excited to fill it up.
21. Do more DIY items. Learned to make a scarf that I love. Excited to make more.
22. Do something creative everyday. Even just something small. Didn't do too bad this month. Had several banner orders so spent time working on those.
23. Do 12 on 12 every month. Take 12 pictures on the 12th every month. 3 for 3 and they are all blogged!!
24. Give more handmade items. Even if I'm not the one to make them. Didn't have a reason this month to give, but will when I need too.
25. Send/give cards every month to someone just for fun. BAD!!
26. Project 365. There are several sites for this, but I found a site that will email me a prompt everyday. So far so good. I can't believe it!
27. Clean up external hard drive completely. Started good last year and then went downhill. Haven't done anything with this one in a while. I need to get back on it.
28. Blog at least 5 times a week. Did better towards the end of the month. I do have ideas for the next week or so so hopefully that will help.
29. Be less crazy about things like how the kids pick up their room and put away their clothes. Spent some time decluttering clothes of theirs. Maybe that will help.
30. Be more patient. I am so not a patient person. Trying, but my patience was tested a lot this month.
31. Declutter. 40 bags in 40 days! You can find lots of info on the web about it. 4 bags in the car to go to goodwill.
32. Stop biting my nails. I don't want them really long, but I want them to have a little nail to them. I think I can consider this a success. I have never had my nails long for 3 months. They aren't long, but for me they are.
33. Play more games with Dart and Audrey. We have a ton of board games and a ton of Wii games. Played basketball with them some after we got a "new" goal.
34. Keep inbox and google reader cleaned out. They got out of control several times this year. Yahoo! I unsubscribed from a lot of blogs. It was out of control. Email has 4 all of which are important and need to stay there for now.
35. Enjoy life more!! Trying hard. Had a few bad days this month, but I wake up and start over!
2. Menu plan, will save time, money and help with 1. Didn't do as good as I'd like, but it wasn't horrible either.
3. Eat breakfast everyday. I'm horrible about eating breakfast. Still struggling with this!
4. Get all recipes on cards. I might use them more if I don't have to dig through a box. Got a few on cards. Not a great month for this one.
5. Get the kids in the kitchen to help cook more. They both usually enjoy it. We have slacked here. Audrey still helps some.
6. Read "Little Women". My name came from the book and yet I've never read it. Nope! Slow reading month, read "The Help" finally.
7. Get my first mani and pedi. Nope never had one! With spring here I'm thinking this might happen soon!
8. Start going to church again. I haven't gone consistently in several years. No.
9. Watch "The Wizard of Oz" This movie scares me to death. Audrey checked it out from the library so we just might be able to cross this one off at the end of the month.
10. Get to and maintain at least 65 items in my store. I got some work to do. Had a lot expire that was all Christmas stuff.
11. Add digital cards to my shop. Hope to get this done ASAP since graduation will be upon us soon.
12. Hold a couple of sales in my shop. Not yet, but I'm thinking for sure a Christmas in July sale!
13. Find ways to cut shipping and supply costs. Shipping costs are down and that makes me happy. Now to work on supply costs.
14. Add wedding invites, programs and guest books to my shop. No, working on save the date ideas.
15. Add American Girl clothes to my shop. Started a new shop for sewing stuff, but don't have anything in it yet.
16. Get my vision of "Colorful Minimalist" into my products and shop. Will blog more about this later. I have been doing better. Working on a "non traditional" business plan which will help more with this.
17. Learn calligraphy. Maybe not the "traditional" style, but I want to explore more with handwriting. Found an awesome pen to use so I can't wait to try more!
18. Learn more about graphic design. Can't afford to go back to school now so I will teach myself some. Been playing with what I like in regards to design.
19. Teach Audrey to sew. I wish I would have learned when I was younger! Nothing yet, but she is learning to knit.
20. Make mini books for me and to sell. Working on a spring break one. I bought one from someone I've admired for a while so I'm excited to fill it up.
21. Do more DIY items. Learned to make a scarf that I love. Excited to make more.
22. Do something creative everyday. Even just something small. Didn't do too bad this month. Had several banner orders so spent time working on those.
23. Do 12 on 12 every month. Take 12 pictures on the 12th every month. 3 for 3 and they are all blogged!!
24. Give more handmade items. Even if I'm not the one to make them. Didn't have a reason this month to give, but will when I need too.
25. Send/give cards every month to someone just for fun. BAD!!
26. Project 365. There are several sites for this, but I found a site that will email me a prompt everyday. So far so good. I can't believe it!
27. Clean up external hard drive completely. Started good last year and then went downhill. Haven't done anything with this one in a while. I need to get back on it.
28. Blog at least 5 times a week. Did better towards the end of the month. I do have ideas for the next week or so so hopefully that will help.
29. Be less crazy about things like how the kids pick up their room and put away their clothes. Spent some time decluttering clothes of theirs. Maybe that will help.
30. Be more patient. I am so not a patient person. Trying, but my patience was tested a lot this month.
31. Declutter. 40 bags in 40 days! You can find lots of info on the web about it. 4 bags in the car to go to goodwill.
32. Stop biting my nails. I don't want them really long, but I want them to have a little nail to them. I think I can consider this a success. I have never had my nails long for 3 months. They aren't long, but for me they are.
33. Play more games with Dart and Audrey. We have a ton of board games and a ton of Wii games. Played basketball with them some after we got a "new" goal.
34. Keep inbox and google reader cleaned out. They got out of control several times this year. Yahoo! I unsubscribed from a lot of blogs. It was out of control. Email has 4 all of which are important and need to stay there for now.
35. Enjoy life more!! Trying hard. Had a few bad days this month, but I wake up and start over!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
March
In March we:
started walking school bus again. Love the program and love all the kids that walk with us.
moved up a level in gymnastics. Well Audrey did, not the rest of us!
enjoyed grandparents day at school.
celebrated when our Mizzou Tigers won the Big 12 Tournament.
mourned when our Mizzou Tigers lost to Norfolk State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
learned to knit a scarf and loved every second of making one.
searched high and low for the yarn for the scarf mentioned above.
interviewed for a part time job at University Hospital.
toured the Capitol and Governors Mansion on a field trip.
learned all about plants at the 1st grade share fair.
celebrated a Mizzou Tigers baseball win!!
missed our Angel Dakota on her 8th birthday!
enjoyed Spring break!
enjoyed amazing weather most of the month.
planted some plants and veggies in a container garden.
watched classic shows like Saved by the Bell!!
started spring cleaning!
All in all I would say March was a good month!!
started walking school bus again. Love the program and love all the kids that walk with us.
moved up a level in gymnastics. Well Audrey did, not the rest of us!
enjoyed grandparents day at school.
celebrated when our Mizzou Tigers won the Big 12 Tournament.
mourned when our Mizzou Tigers lost to Norfolk State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
learned to knit a scarf and loved every second of making one.
searched high and low for the yarn for the scarf mentioned above.
interviewed for a part time job at University Hospital.
toured the Capitol and Governors Mansion on a field trip.
learned all about plants at the 1st grade share fair.
celebrated a Mizzou Tigers baseball win!!
missed our Angel Dakota on her 8th birthday!
enjoyed Spring break!
enjoyed amazing weather most of the month.
planted some plants and veggies in a container garden.
watched classic shows like Saved by the Bell!!
started spring cleaning!
All in all I would say March was a good month!!
Friday, March 30, 2012
March 12 on 12
It's not April and I have March 12 on 12 done. Of course it was almost April before I got February done, but that's okay!
Top Row: Waiting for Walking School Bus to start, University Hospital where I had an interview, the makings of a banner, my new water cup(LOVE it, keeps my water cold for hours and it doesn't sweat all over everything!)
Middle Row: trip to Michaels for some banner stuff, mailing a banner, gas prices $3.59(UGH!), temp(perfect temps).
Bottom Row: new stamps that came in the mail, Dart reading outside, Audrey after an impromptu photo shoot, Venus and Jupiter(had a hard time getting it without shaking since I didn't have my tripod, but was happy I had something from when they were so close and bright!)
Trying to decide what I want to do with these when the year is over. I'm thinking I may make a book on Blurb.
Middle Row: trip to Michaels for some banner stuff, mailing a banner, gas prices $3.59(UGH!), temp(perfect temps).
Bottom Row: new stamps that came in the mail, Dart reading outside, Audrey after an impromptu photo shoot, Venus and Jupiter(had a hard time getting it without shaking since I didn't have my tripod, but was happy I had something from when they were so close and bright!)
Trying to decide what I want to do with these when the year is over. I'm thinking I may make a book on Blurb.
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