I got these at Babies R Us for free. Spencer's was from the birthday club. And Emma's was them "practicing." Gotta love Freebies!
Zoo time
Today was a beautiful day to go to the zoo. We got to see the cute baby lion cubs. We also took a walk through the "bat cave"! It was lots of fun!
Rantings & The Upsides
Ok so warning I will be letting off a little steam in this post, nothing to terrible just some little frustrations.
1. I have been up since 4:30am. My little boy got up at this time (he is cutting more teeth) and so I have been cleaning all morning.The upside is I have gotten a lot done and my house is pretty clean.
2. I have had the itch to create something. For some reason I wanted to make a teddy bear or doll for Emma. So today I got out my sewing machine and whipped one out. You might be thinking, "oh how creative she is" well before you let your imagination run away from you, & your jealousy over take you, let me assure you it is horrific!!! I am too ashamed to even post a picture of it because it is sooooo ugly. Well the upside is that Emma said, "I love my teddy bear, I am going to name her Simbalee" & she is playing with it right now. She is happy!
3. All morning there has been this loud car driving back & forth by my house. I just figured out it is the neighbor about 3 houses down. I am sick of hearing a really loud engine. It is driving me CRAZY! The upside is when I put my headphones on I don't hear it!!!
So tell me about your rantings and then see if you can find an UPSIDE to it all.
Hope everyone has a beautiful day!
The SERIOUSLY YUMMY Lasagna
Friday Night we went to Cliff & Michelle's for dinner. She made this lasagna & it is SERIOUSLY YUMMY!
The Lasagna Recipe:
What you need:
1 Package Lasagna Noodles
1 Packaged Ground Turkey or Ground Beef (Your Choice)
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Large Can of Spaghetti Sauce (Your Choice)
1 Large Can of Olives
1 Large Can of Mushrooms
1 Package sliced Provolone Cheese
1 Package sliced Swiss Cheese
1 Package sliced Cheddar Cheese
1 Container Ricotta Cheese
1 Package shredded “fiesta blend” cheese (optional)
Powdered Garlic
Vegetable Oil
Preparation: Pre-heat your oven to 400
Lasagna Noodles: Bring large pot of water with about ½ cup of vegetable oil to a roaring boil. Place about 7 – 8 noodles into the pot. Boil the noodles until tender (they will turn white when ready). When the noodles are ready, you will pour them through a strainer and place them in a bowl of lukewarm water.
- You will need to complete this process once more in order to have enough noodles for one pan.
Ground Turkey Meat: In a skillet, place completely thawed turkey meat and brown. Use garlic salt to give the meat flavor.
In a separate bowl you will place:
Diced tomatoes (undrained)
Can of spaghetti sauce
Ground Meat
Sliced Olives
Mushrooms
- Mix this together as it will become the filling in your lasagna.
Layering your lasagna:
On the very bottom of your pan, pour about a tablespoon of vegetable oil and spread around with a paper towel. (This will keep the noodles from burning in the oven).
Layer 1 – 3 Lasagna Noodles – Spread Sauce Mixture on top of the noodles. Then, place a layer of cheddar cheese.
Layer 2 – 3 Lasagna Noodles – Spread Sauce Mixture on top of the noodles. Then spread ricotta cheese with a spatula and top with sliced Provolone Cheese.
Layer 3 – 3 Lasagna Noodles – Spread Sauce Mixture on top of the noodles. Then, place a layer of swiss cheese.
Layer 4 – 3 Lasagna Noodles – Spread Sauce Mixture on top of the noodles. Then, spread the cheese blend on top.
Bake in the oven for about 35 – 40 minutes.
General Conference
I was excited to hear there were 5 new Temples were announced at conference. One of which was the Philidelphia, PA Temple. Steve's parents live near there & will be blessed because of this.
Some of my favorite quotes from conference:
~ Not to allow the stress & stains of life get the better of us. -L. Tom Perry
~There are Spiritual Benefits of living a simple life ~ L. Tom Perry
~This is our one & only chance at mortal life, opportunities come & then they are gone. ~ Thomas S. Monson
~If you are the parents of young children, remember that the messes of the house will all to soon be gone & you will miss them. ~ Thomas S. Monson
~Say I love you more, Always express your thanks. ~Thomas S. Monson
Since I teach sunday school I liked the talk given by William D. Oswald (2nd counc. in SS Presidency) he said: Let us learn 3 principles in being a good teacher (from Joseph Smith's experience with Moroni) 1.Show love to those you teach & call them by name. 2.Teach from the scriptures. 3. Encourage the pondering of Gospel truths.
There are so many more but you will have to watch to find your own jewels.
I am thankful for those that were inspired to share these uplifting messages.
VP DEBATE
Ok I watched the Vice Presidential debate & I just want to express my thoughts.
~She urged the American person to get out of debt (the prophets have told us that)
~She supports marriages between one man & one women (the prophets told us that)
~I agree with their Iraq plan which is we are not done there until Iraq can govern themselves.
There are many more reasons. I just wanted to share. Please take it upon yourself to watch the Vice Presidential debate and decide for yourself.
VOTE NOVEMBER 4, 2008
Apple Day at Pre-K
Today we were invited to my friend Colleen's in home PreK. She was doing a special unit on APPLES and thought it would be fun. And it was! Spencer liked playing with BIG kids. Emma especially loved playing with children her age. She did really well until it was time to leave, then she threw a fit. Thanks Colleen for having us.
Snack time
Spencer playing during outside time.
This was so cute. Emma & Sofia were playing doctor and they did this for like 20 or 30 minutes. 
Story time
Emma letting me read her a book, she had to pick out one that was about a MOUSE (for those that don't know- that is my worst fear! the MOUSE not reading to Emma)
Spencer doing a puzzle
Spencer & Mya doing puzzles
Emma & Mya listening at storytime
Today Holly & I took the kids to story time at the Library. I think we were the only ones not in a day care.
Another Baby Shower
Sondra(LaVonda's sister), Lavonda (my sister in law), Christina (my sister in law), Kathy, Kelly (my sister)
Nevaeh, Kristen (kids)
Saturday we went to Sondra's baby shower. It was at her house, which is beautiful! We had a great time. I was glad we got to spend time with everyone. I wish we all lived closer! Just a side note: Sondra married Sam who is my younger brothers best friend. Sondra's sister Lavonda is married to my older brother. Is that not funny that we are all kinda related through marriages.
Father & Son Campout
Friday was the father and son campout and Steve took Spencer. They roasted marshmellows, ate hot dogs & had a treasure hunt! Fun times!
Potluck Lunch
Today we had a potluck lunch at Lana's house for her mother Natalie. Natalie & her husband are leaving soon for their mission. I have loved Natalie from the moment I met her. She is easy to talk to and a thoughtful friend. We have been book club buddies and I have loved the time I have had to know her. She is a wonderful mother, grandmother and friend!
Thanks Jessica for this recipe. This is for everyone at the potluck today that wanted this recipe.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Melt 2/3 c. butter/margarine in a big bowl. Add 1 cup each of brown and white sugar.
Stir.
Add 2 eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla, 2/3 c. peanut butter, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. soda.
Stir.
Add 2 1/2 c. flour.
Stir.
Add about 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips
Drop by the TBS spoonfuls (I used a tablespoon measuring scoop & all my cookies turn out very uniform.) onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Let cool.
I mixed them in my Kitchen Aid Mixer and just added the ingredients in the right order.
Emma got to play with friends. This is Grace and Emma. And she got to dress up like a mermaid. She put the mermaid flipper on and said, "my dreams come true!" I thought it was too cute.
Thanks Lana for hosting a fun get together!
What we have done this week
Free Stuff
I have been thinking about this post for a while. I am going to share with you all the tips I know about getting FREE STUFF. Some stuff is totally free and some is free when you buy something.
-The Ace Hardware on Saginaw Main Street has free popcorn all the time.
-The Fresh Lane Store on Saginaw Main Street gives your kids free chocolate milk when you make a purchase.
-I get $10 off of a purchase of $10 or more at The Avenue. (2 wks ago I got some stretch pants for $2)
-Kohls sometimes mails out $10 off $10 or more. (A month ago I got a pair of Sunglasses for $0.88)
-Look for Grand Openings of Places such as the bank we went to this Saturday. Everything there was free. Also the week or so before the actual party they were open and when I went inside to cash a check they had a table with free change purses one day, & free highlighter markers the next.
-Albertsons right now has a deal when you spend $10 you get these stickers and when you fill up the page you get a free set of dishes (3 piece- I think). But the cool thing is the lady told me just ask if you have any extra stickers and they will give them to you. I have been to Albertsons twice & I already have enough stickers for some free dishes.
-You can go to Cold Stone.com & register for the birthday club & get a free icecream on your birthday.
-You can go to Babies R US (if they have a Kiddie Kandids photo place) and sign up for the birthday club and get a free 8x10 on your child's birthday (the good thing is you can go up to a month before or after your child's actual birthdate.)
-Go to walmart.com & have them send you free samples.
To cap off this special month, don't miss the 7th Annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social at participating Cold Stone Creamery locations nationwide, a special night to join together and share the simple pleasures of life with a FREE ice cream and family fun. On September 25th from 5:00 - 8:00PM, guests will be treated to a 3 oz. serving of Jack or Emily's Creation. All donations will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
I will let you know as I come across any more freebies.
Share with us any free things you know about. (Sorry some of these were only valid where I live)
A Family Saturday
Saturday we decided that we would have a family day. We would forget about most of our chores and spend as much time together as a family. Steve was out of town 2 days this week on a business trip & because of seminary and work we did not see him much.
So Saturday morning we went to Buffalo Trails park. We let the kids ride their bikes and walk along the trail. Then they played on the playground. Then after that we came home & let Spencer take a nap.
Then we headed out to the Grand Opening of the Credit Union Service Center (near Walmart) and had fun. They had lots of games and free prizes for the kids and they had a bounce house with a slide. The fireman also showed us their truck and we ate free hotdogs, popcorn, & snow cones. It was awesome cause everything was free. We had a great time and went home tired.
This is a picture of Emma with one of the Dog Characters. She kept hugging it. It was too cute. Spencer on the other hand was so scared of it.
Kids fall asleep in the weirdest places.
Although I think Spencer picked a great place to lay his little head. I have had that Winnie the Pooh for a long time and I know how soft it is. He was tuckered out! I guess so since you have been up since 5am this morning. No really it was so cute. We went in there and he was not waking up for anything. So Cute!
Happy Birthday Dad!
Today my dad is 58 years young! His name is Michael and he is the best dad! I love him and have looked up to him my whole life. He works hard and plays hard. He loves to hunt, campout, go down to his land and spend time with his grandkids. He is very smart and has a cheesy sense of humor that makes all of us laugh. He is very musically talented and has a strong passion for the things he loves. Hope you have a great day~ Love your daughter, Kathy
Have you done it?
So this was on a friend's blog so I stole the idea.
I saw this while I was blog browsing and thought it would be fun!! You should do it too! Just copy and paste the 200 statements then bold the ones you have done!! Hope you enjoy it!!
The idea is to highlight the things you have done out of the 200 items on the list. The things I have done are in bold print!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone - verbal not physical
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe.
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter
The Office
Ok so for whatever reason I had never seen "The Office" but today I was resting after cleaning all morning and I was on www. hulu.com and decided to watch "The Dinner Party" episode. Well all my family & friends that have told me The Office is so funny, they are................right. I could not stop laughing! Thanks I can't wait to watch more!
A Night of Scrapbooking
Angela, Kathy, Holly, Colleen
Last night we had a fun night of scrap booking at Heather's house. I am glad we have started this tradition. I look forward to many more fun nights like this. By the way anyone interested in doing this you are all welcome to join us. It is $10 a person. (pays for you food, and there is always a door prize). Heather sells Creative Memories but she is really cool about everything. Next time is October 10 from 6pm-11pm, at Holly's house. Let me know if you want to join in!
Grass is Greener on the "our" side
