My friend thinks I'm AWE-SUMMMM!!!

My sweet blog friend Deb from Life with Birk crowned me the Queen on all things Awe-Sum award!!! Isn't that the sweetest! I love Deb and her blog. She has some of the funnies post~ you have to check her out here. Thanks Deb! You are Awe-Sum to me also!

Here are the award rules:
List 7 things that make you Awe-Summm and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers you love. Make sure to tag the recipients and let them know they have won! Also link back to the Queen that tagged you.

Here goes.....

1. I love my kiddos and hubby and put all my energy into them. I am their Mom, Wife, teacher, cook, taxi service, launderer and all around slave!

2. I am addicted to clipping coupons. My kids think I am crazy, my husband thinks I awesome! My son cannot stand when I hold up the grocery line because I have like 16 coupons to use. Kids, aren't they great!

3. I always try to look on the positive side of things. Sometimes this drives my hubby crazy. Things could always be worse.... right honey?!

4. I like to be around positive people. Negative people put me in a bad mood!!

5. I love to garden. This is our first year to have a big garden since we moved. Hopefully it will produce a lot of veggies. Trying to save on that grocery bill!

This is hard.....

6. I try to keep up with my blog friends.... I love comments and I know they do also. I look forward to reading all the post!!! I feel like I have known some forever!

7. I love Jesus and I love sharing his love with my children.

There.... boy these things are hard. I am going to crown 7 queens.... but if you do not have time, please do not worry!!!! Just take the crown and run!!!

My 7 Queens:

1. Alicia @ Confessions of a Snowflake

2. Carrie @ Martin Manor Happenings
3. Sherry @ Lamp unto my Feet
4. Kim @ The Un-Gourmet

5. Stephanie @ The Hanes Family

6. Paula @ Paula's Place
7. Kim @ Homesteaders Heart

Have fun ladies.... I have now idea how I got this to underline... and no idea how to get it off!!!! Hope yall have a great day!

Pizza Hut Book It

It is time for homeschoolers to sign up for Pizza Hut's Book It! program for the 2009-2010 school year! You can register for grades K-6 here. Also check out the website for reproducibles for use in your homeschool classroom. Thanks to http://lifenurturingeducation.com/ for the reminder!

Tip for Tuesday~Clean that shower head!

I came across this tip on how to clean your shower head and had to pass it on to my blogger friends. I don't know about you, but the shower head in this video could be mine!!! I am going to give it a try tonight and see how it goes. Go here for the video. Doesn't get much easier than that! I wish all cleaning chores were that easy!!

One month left..... of school that is! I am so excited to be finished! I do not know who is more excited.... me or the kids! They have worked so hard this year and deserve the break. Last week my dd had her CRCT testing and boy are we glad to have that done with. Now we are racing to the finish line!

Hope you have a great Monday!

Hello, remember me?

I feel like I need to introduce myself... it has been a while since I last posted! My DD had her CRCT this week and it has been very hectic around our house!!! The end of the school year does a job on my nerves!!!! My little family is taking a much needed break this weekend so I will plan on seeing you back on Monday!!!

P.S. Thanks to all of you who have voted for my bag design. I really appreciate you taking the time to vote!! Hugs to you all!! Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Sweet Reminder

Hey blog friends.... it me one more time!! Just wanted to remind you about my shopping bag design!!! You can vote once everyday! Thanks to all that have voted! I really appreciate it!

xoxoxoxox

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have been wanting to try my hand at making homemade Laundry detergent and finally did it. I LOVE it!!! It was so easy and quick. The hardest part was grating the bar of soap. If you are interested in making you own laundry detergent , please visit Little Birdie Secrets and read their tutorial! You will also find other tips and household ideas at Little Birdie Secrets!

As far as fabric softener, I took a cheap wash rag and soaked it in my favorite liquid fabric softener, rung it out (pour the excess back in the bottle) and put the damp wash cloth in the dryer with my clothes. I use the washcloth about 3-4 times before I soak it again. So far it has worked fine. You can faintly smell the fabric softener and my clothes do not have static cling. I would go through a bottle of fabric softener fast! I bought a new bottle a month ago and it hardly looks like any has been poured out! Just a tip that works for me!!!

Have a great Thurday friends!

Mother's Day giveaway

Happy Thursday everyone! I have been out of it this week.... my husband's Aunt died Monday and the funeral is today. Hopefully I will be back next week!!

I wanted to tell you about a great Mother's Day giveaway hosted by my friend Alicia at Confessions of a snowflake. It is awesome! Check it out here.

Wordless Wednesday

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday! It was also my husband's birthday so we had 2 reasons to celebrate! Here are a few pictures from our day.

He is RISEN!

Have a wonderful Easter!

Happy Birthday Honey!

This Sunday happens to be my husband's birthday! My daughter has the day all planned out! We are going to make him a bunny birthday cake and hide lots of Easter eggs just

for him! I have known my husband since he was 17. When I stop and think back on all that we have shared, I could not have picked a better husband! God has blessed me beyond measure!

Here are a few things that make my husband so special to me!

1. He takes his family to Church and he loves the Lord.

2. He is such a hard worker, both at home and at work.

3. He sacrifices a lot so that I can be a stay at home mom and home school mom. I have been home with my kids since they both were born and I truly feel blessed to be able continue to do so.

4. He is very romantic when he wants to be!

5. He always puts other people and their feelings ahead of his own.

6. He loves his Momma!

7. He loves his children!

8. He is a pack rat..... don't love that one so much!!

9. He loves to watch Nascar and the Braves with Josh.

10. He takes Annalee on Father/Daughter dates and wears what ever she picks out for him to wear.

11. He encourages me whenever I am down on myself.

12. He likes to have fun!

13. He has the best laugh! I love to watch funny movies with him!!!

14. He puts up with me and my moods!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Sweet Friend Award

It's that time again ...... time for my SWEET FRIEND AWARD of the week! (I personally cannot believe how fast the weeks fly!) This week my Sweet Friend Award goes to .............

my friend Alicia @ Confessions of a Snowflake!

Alicia has a God given talent for writing. You will want to read her blog for hours!!! She always has an encouraging word to share from the Bible, is always so positive and she loves the color purple! I encourage you to visit Alicia. You will be glad you did!

So, here's to you Alicia! Thank you for being such a Sweet Blog friend!!!

To find out more about the Sweet Friend Award please visit here.

Easter cookie recipe

My brother emailed this to me this morning and I had to share it. I have heard of this but never tried it! Looks really neat way to share the message of Easter with you kids!

EASTER COOKIE RECIPE

Making cookies with your children
to teach the true meaning of EASTER!
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
You Need
Help & permission from Parents!
1- cup whole pecans
1-teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1-cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible
EASTER COOKIES
Preheat the oven to 300 (this is important-don't wait 'til you're half-done with the recipe)
1. Place the pecans in the baggie and let the kids beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3
2. Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl. Let each child smell the vinegar. Explain that when Jesus was on the cross and He became thirsty, He was offered vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30
3. Add the egg whites to the vinegar. The eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life so that we could have life.
Read John 10:10-11
4. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand and let them taste it. Put the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27
5. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16
6. Beat the egg whites with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3
7. Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus body was laid to rest.
Read Matt. 27:57-60
8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off.
9. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the door. Explain that Jesus tomb was sealed.
Read Matt. 27:65-66
10. Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight and that Jesus followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20-22
11. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. the cookies are hollow! ON THE FIRST EASTER, Jesus' followers were amazed to find His tomb empty.
Read Matt. 28: 1-9

THANK YOU!!!!

Just a quick THANK YOU to those who have taken the time to vote for my Kroger reusable shopping bag design!!! Thanks for showing me your love!!!! If you would like to see my bag design please check here.

Sweet Priceless Memories

This week my Wednesday's Walk down memory lane is related to the pictures I posted on Wordless Wednesday. I love looking back through my old pictures and finding ones that bring back special memories.

The Easter bunny picture is of my daughter this year. I posted this one because I wonder if this will be her last year of hunting eggs and getting an basket on Easter Morning. She fully understands the true meaning of Easter but I am talking about the innocence of a child on Easter morning. She is my last baby so I guess it is more sad for me to realize that I do not have babies anymore!! She will be 10 next month and has grown up so fast!

The next picture is of my son and his 4Him tickets that he won from a local radio station. This memory will always be so special to me. This was about 3 years ago when we lived in N. Augusta. The Christian group called 4Him was coming to town on their fair well tour. We listen to Christian radio all the time in the car and my son had heard their music and loved them. Well, on the last day of giving out free tickets, my son decided he wanted to try. I have never won a thing in my life so I didn't think the odds were very good. God had other ideas!! I was homeschooling him but not my daughter at the time. We had dropped her off at school and headed to the Walmart parking lot. The DJ on the station told us what time, what song and what number caller to be so we sat and waited. I had programmed the radio stations number into my phone so all I had to do was hit the button. Finally it was time..... be caller #1 for 2 free tickets when you hear this certain song. Having heard these songs so much we knew exactly what the beginning of the song sounded like. We sat and waited and then there is was!!!!! I pushed the auto dial button.....ring...ring...(at least it is ringing) ring...ring....(answer!!!) my son is on the edge of his seat! more ring...ring... then.... "WAFJ! " "Yes, I am calling about the 4Him tickets, my son has been dying to go." " Well tell your son not to worry, he is GOING!" Joshua had won 2 tickets to the 4Him concert!!! I squealed like any momma would have when her son had won something he really wanted!!! The whole conversation was taped and was replayed after the song was over. We sat in the parking lot and listened to it and just died laughing. We went right over and got the tickets from the radio station and not only the tickets but a 4Him CD. We still listen to that CD today!

We bought a 3rd ticket and the kids and I went that night. Hubby had to work. I have to say it was one of the most moving concerts I have ever been to! We had a blast and it will always be such a special memory to me... my son also, he still talks about it!

For more Wednesday's walk down memory lane, visit Lynnette Kraft's blog by clicking on the button at the top on the post!

Wordless Wednesday

Show me your love!

Alright blogger friends, here is you chance to show me some love! Please click on the green "vote for my Design" box above and vote for my Kroger recycle bag!!!!! ( That is if you like it!) It was so fun to design! You can design one and get a free Kroger recycle bag here. Please let me know if you design one so I can vote for you also!

If you have trouble with the link to vote above, my design is #2932 and you can log in here and click on the Vote button! You are allowed one vote each day until May 15th!

Thanks my sweet friends!!

Weekend Recipes

This past weekend I decided to try a few new recipes. I went on line and found several recipes on allrecipes.com.... if you love to cook you need to check it out! I wish I had pictures.... but honestly, I forgot to take them!!! They all turned out great!

BBQ Chicken Pizza II

1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust

1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

1/2 cup diced grilled chicken

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 450*. Spread barbecue sauce on pizza crust. Scatter chicken, red pepper, green pepper and onion. Cover with cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cordon Bleu Casserole

2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

4 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

1 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

1 large onion, chopped

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teas. ground mustard

1/8 teas. ground nutmeg

1 3/4 cups milk

Topping:

1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

In a nonstick skillet, saute ham for 4-5 minutes or until browned; drain and pat dry. In a greased 2 at baking dish, layer the turkey/chicken, cheese and ham: set aside.

In a saucepan, saute the onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, mustard and nutmeg until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil: cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over ham. Combine topping ingredients: sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350* degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Apple Dip

1 8 ounce package cream cheese , softened (we used the reduced fat)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Stir together the cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved, and the mixture is smooth.

My daughter LOVED this recipe!!!!

Sorry, I tried to space these out but blogger would not work with me!!!!!!!!

Busy Weekend

This past weekend my hubby started working on our garden. The weather has been so wacky in middle Georgia that we have held off on planting. We have had the plants and seeds for weeks but have not felt safe enough to put them in the ground.... glad we didn't.... it is going to be in the 20's tonight!!!!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend

Annalee supervises her Daddy

Josh dug the hole for this post, boy, was he proud.... then he went inside!!!

We have not had a garden in years, wish us luck!!! I will keep you posted on our progress!

Rain, Rain go away!!!!

For those of you who do not live in middle Georgia......Would you like some of our rain!!!! We have had so much rain in the last week that the unfinished part of our basement has sprung leaks!!! Thankfully they were caught before the water reached the wall to the finished part where our carpet is!

For the last 3 hours I have been vacuuming up water with our NEW shop vac! We do a little school then break for water pick up (as the kids call it!) It has been a wild day so far. Now if only my back yard would stop washing away!!!

So, As I said in my Title..... Rain, Rain, go away... come again when we need it so bad in the summer!!!!!

Hope you stay dry today my friends!!!

Rise and Shine

I am up early again this morning! I have several more things that need to be made for Easter. Several people have brought me sweet little Easter dresses to be monogrammed. They are the cutest little things...... I sure do miss that age. I had the best time dressing my daughter up when she was little! What fun. She is now as the stage where everything has to have earrings, necklaces, bracelets, you name it! I am glad though. There was a time not long ago when she didn't want to brush, let alone, wash her hair. Thankfully, she has moved on.... hopefully for good! She turns 10 in May and says it is time for her to "take care" of herself! I can't believe my baby will be out of single digits and into double! Where does the time go?

Enough rambling!!!! Have a great day my friends!

Sweet Friend Award

Each week I will take the time out to thank one of my sweet blog friends! I have met so many wonderful women who have inspired me in so many different ways.

My Sweet Friend Award this week goes to my friend Deb @ Life with Birk. Deb's blog is always full of funny stories about her life as a mom and wife. She leaves me the sweetest comments and I always look forward to keeping up with her on her blog! I highly recommend you check her out here.

So, here's to you Deb~ Thank you for being such a sweet blog friend!

For more info on my Sweet Friend Award, please visit here.

Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane

I wanted to explain the Wordless Wednesday picture. My parents have a little get away home in Smokey Mountains. My kids have been going ever since they were born and absolutely love it. One of our many traditions when we visit it to go eat at the Dairy Ace. The Dairy Ace is an old little dive that serves great hamburgers and ice cream. You sit at a oval shaped bar and the place only sits about 9 at a time. In the picture the kids are finishing off the ice cream cone that their Gdaddy bought them. Don't they look happy?! This is one of the many memories that I will cherish forever!
You can visit Lynnette Krafts blog here for more Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane.

Wordless Wednesday