tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60941609318290819792024-03-14T01:26:32.709-07:00Blessed on the NetAn opportunity to find and give inspiration by sharing the blessings we all have in our day-to-day lives.Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-46821286923662452082020-04-15T14:03:00.001-07:002020-04-15T14:04:46.537-07:00Veg-All CasseroleHello to all my fellow food eaters out there! I have an awesome heritage recipe from the good old days in the 1980's. :) It is a potluck special casserole and you can make this as side dish or a main dish depending on your needs. Here is a link to the recipe that reminded me of my old favorite.<br />
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<a href="https://www.tasteofsouthern.com/veg-all-casserole-recipe/#comment-107890">https://www.tasteofsouthern.com/veg-all-casserole-recipe/#comment-107890</a><br />
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If you want a yummy vegetable side dish, you can make it just like her recipe calls for. However, if you want a more substantial side dish or main dish, check out my recipe below. I will mention substitution possibilities as we go since this dish tastes amazing with many variations.<br />
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Recipe:<br />
pre-heat oven to 350 degrees butter 9x13 pan<br />
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1 large can (or 2 small cans) Veg-all casserole (prefer the brand name, can use the store brand)<br />
1 can creamy soup (any kind will work)<br />
1 cup mayo (do not use salad dressing/miracle whip)<br />
1 sm. chopped onion (finely chopped if you are not a fan of onion) (or sub 1/2 tsp onion powder)<br />
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar<br />
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1 bag Pepperidge Farms stuffing divided <br />
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optional: 2 stalks celery, sliced thin<br />
2 cups chicken (canned or shredded/chopped<br />
left over chicken)<br />
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(Special Note: Use 2/3rds of bag of stuffing for this recipe, place remaining 1/3 of bag into a baggie and seal for use in another recipe. Then, divide the 2/3rds of a bag into 2 portions, 2/3rds and 1/3rd. Sort through the 1/3rd to remove larger pieces and return them to the 2/3rds pile. You will use the 1/3rd portion for crumbs on top. You will not like the larger pieces on top.)<br />
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1. Mix soup, mayo, onion, cheddar and celery in large bowl.<br />
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2. Add cheddar and 2/3rd portion of stuffing to bowl and mix.<br />
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3. Finally, add veg-all and fold in gently.<br />
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4. Put mixture into 9x13 pan and spread level.<br />
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5. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 portion of stuffing on top and put in oven for 30 minutes.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWMBbBdz9KE/Xpd0ligf64I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/mLf-r__oSKEkunwzYy2vXGfOS6aDkaBSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWMBbBdz9KE/Xpd0ligf64I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/mLf-r__oSKEkunwzYy2vXGfOS6aDkaBSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_1204.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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This recipe goes great with any meat you are serving. You can serve with pork chops, BBQ, ribs, Steak, chicken, etc.<br />
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If you are looking for a complete meal, here is a great idea:<br />
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Chicken Breast<br />
Casserole <br />
Green Veggies or Salad<br />
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My poached chicken breast was yummy, but looks terrible here. :) Sorry for the presentation issue. This is really a complete meal without the green veggie, because your carbs and veggies are in the side dish, but presentation and health wise, you are better off adding some green. :) So I added the celery leaves for color and texture.<br />
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Also, I just want to address the Mayo/salad dressing issue. As a food person, there is very little food that I do not prefer to eat. In this case, I love both Mayo and miracle whip, although for different purposes. In this recipe, you need to use mayo only. Trust me when I say that Miracle Whip or any salad dressing will not make a pleasant dish. However, there are many dishes where I prefer Miracle Whip, probably because that is what I grew up using so the flavors are what I expect. You can choose to use whichever you prefer. However, realize that you will get a VERY different flavor profile and it may not be what the originator of the recipe intended.<br />
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Have a GREAT DAY!<br />
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-84477393709803001302020-01-04T09:07:00.000-08:002020-01-04T09:07:58.970-08:00Hello Fresh, after the game interview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was our most recent box from Hello Fresh. We are finishing another discounted run with them and we are trying Happy Chef starting Monday. <br />
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I thought I would share some more info we have collected/learned since we began this. These----> are Poblano Pork Tacos. They were substantial enough on their own that none of use went hungry (family of 4). We were worried that we might want more, but 3 tacos worth of ingredients were perfect. <br />
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They were not super spicy, but definitely flavorful. Shannon made this meal on his own and really enjoyed the process.<br />
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These are Hoisin Meatballs with rice and green beans. The hoisin meatballs were super delicious and fulfilled my urges to have Asian food. I was worried that we might feel hungry after this one, but it was not a problem. <br />
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The green beans look a little stingy and they are. The reason for this is that the green beans were in sad shape. This was the first time I was unhappy about a food item in these boxes. This is after 8 boxes of meals form Hello Fresh.<br />
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I think the reason that the beans were not good is because they are not in season right now. It looked like they got frozen, but also the ends were gross. I only used about half the beans after I cleaned them up, half of them were fine.<br />
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This meal looks a little smaller because the plate is LARGE.<br />
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This meal also had the green beans (this was the following week.) The beans were again bad, so bad I just threw them out. I roasted brussels sprouts instead. The chicken and the sauce were delicious. The potatoes were great. However, I will be sending them in a complaint about beans two weeks in a row being bad. For 8 weeks of meals, the green beans were the only thing we have been unhappy with, that is not too bad.<br />
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-3217015037832746632019-09-13T18:27:00.001-07:002019-09-13T18:41:09.762-07:00Try HelloFresh at a discount with a discount code...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">#DaveRamsey, #TriumphRadio, #HelloFresh</span></td></tr>
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Hi! I tried Hello Fresh after hearing about it on Triumph radio MANY times. My blog is tiny and insignificant and no one has ever paid me to post about anything, so here is an unbiased, un-paid for review. I have no problem with people who do get paid to review things, as long as they are transparent about it. I just want to be clear that mine is not being sought out or paid for. <br />
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Hello fresh is meal service that delivers a box of food to your house once a week according to your choices from their website. The first thing I experienced was their web site, and I was did not like that I had to pay for the first week before I could see the menu choices or recipes or anything. It felt like "buy it to see what is in it". However, I found out later that my daughter could go see the menu options without signing up. I guess it was because she did not click a link to buy it, she just went to their home page. If you want to look everything over, go to the home page and navigate from there. There is a drop-down on the upper left side of the home page that lets you see everything.<br />
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One of the most important questions is whether this is WORTH it. Well, it totally depends on your budget and your family. If your family has 4 or less people, if your budget is not rice and beans/beans and rice, if you eat out too much and need to cut the cost of that, if you work out side the home and still try to cook and homeschool your kids, then I say YES! This is worth it. The per serving cost runs about $7.49 per person if you buy for 4 people, a little more per person if you buy for 2. The servings are adequate, we did not feel like we had skimpy meals. However, during the initial discounted offer, with adding the shipping and everything, my per person cost is about $5.35 person and that is WAY better cost than almost any fast-food meal for our family. And yes, we eat out too much.<br />
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What does Hello Fresh offer our family? It is pre-planned, pre-bought, pre-selected and provided recipes. We can cook, we just aren't strong in the planning stage which would make things work better. We are working to get out of debt, so this is a way to get us home more often for 1/2 the cost of other eating-out options. This is a win-win for us. However, it is NOT cheap, especially considering that someone still has to cook it. Feel free to comment or message me fore more specific details for your family. I am happy to answer any questions.<br />
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We chose to make the Sesame Beef Tacos first. (see photo above) The ingredients are fresh and everything was in good shape. One cucumber was a little less than perfect, but still usable with a little trimming. The recipe showed how to make pickled veggies (one of my favorite things ever!) and now I know how to do it on my own. WIN! The taco filling was easy to prepare, the cabbage was already shredded. I picked out a couple pieces of cabbage stalk, but that was MUCH easier than cutting and shredding it on my own. WIN! The girls helped with a couple smaller tasks like making a creama and heating the soft taco wrappers. Dinner was served! This meal definitely will be ordered again.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby made this yummy dinner while I made the sauce.</td></tr>
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The second meal was Cherry Balsamic Porkchops with herb infused couscous and roasted broccoli. This was a simple basic meal. Protein plus carbs plus veggies. We would have made this for ourselves here at home from scratch, but I learned how to make a balsamic reduction and we used shallots which are something I never get unless my CSA basket has one in it. My pickiest eater enjoyed everything, even the couscous and was able to leave off the shallots from her porkchop so she was happy. The rest of us (Camille and I) loved the whole meal as it was intended.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUM! Camille made dinner.</td></tr>
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We enjoyed Camille's homemade offering, Maple Mustard Baked chicken with potato wedges and roasted carrots. The maple mustard drizzle was AMAZING and we drizzled it on our potatoes as well as our chicken. The drizzle recipe made PLENTY to layer on the chicken as well as the potatoes and we still have a little bit left over. Yay! This chicken looks like it was fried, but in reality it just has a layer of panco herb breadcrumbs onto of the maple mustard drizzle. This was YUMMY as well as less carb-heavy than I imagined form the picture.<br />
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We enjoyed all three meals form our Hello Fresh box and we look forward to the next one arriving. The experience of cooking meals together and from scratch reminded us how nice it is to have home cooked meals as well as saving us money. Tonight we went to Sonny's BBQ after the swim meet and I paid $40+ for 3 of us to eat. :( See what I mean?<br />
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Final thoughts on Hello Fresh: When you get the recipe cards, they are specific to the box, but you can go out and purchase the ingredients and make the same meal again and again. So now I also have 3 new recipes that I can add to my repertoire and I will have 12 before this trial is over. Good recipes that work are always a good thing, and my kids are familiar with these now which makes them more likely to make them and eat them. Including picky eaters in food prep gives them ownership over meals and that can be a good way to get them trying new things. #parentingHack<br />
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I hope this helps someone make up their mind about trying Hello Fresh. If you want to try it, let me know and I can provide a discount code. These are limited from me, but many radio talk show programs offer discount codes that you can look up online so that you don't have to use my discount code.<br />
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-42555463420110484352019-08-10T21:45:00.001-07:002019-08-10T21:52:56.557-07:00How can I teach the big kids when the littles need me so much???Teaching your older kids with busy little ones underfoot...Classical Conversations<br />
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I have rarely been in the position of needing to educate older kids while little ones needed my attention since I am an unusual home school mom who has 3 kids but spread out in age. However, some of my personal coping skills might come in handy on this topic of "What do I do with toddler and baby while I attempt to teach my older children to read and do math?"<br />
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Here are some ideas that might work for you and your little kids.<br />
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1. Sling your baby! Get a sling and put baby in it from day one. They will adapt and learn to enjoy it. Your sling will become a safe refuge from the world around them and will give you many hours of hands-free baby care. If you dance quietly behind your older kids, baby will go to sleep after eating and then you can sit down and put your feet up while working quietly with the older kids. Also great for making meals and doing other chores. <a href="https://mommyhood101.com/best-baby-wraps-and-slings" target="_blank">List of great slings to try</a><br />
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2. Get a BIG refrigerator box from the appliance store. <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f9/c2/f6/f9c2f6c84d0900113b513ec02cf0093b.jpg" target="_blank">corral the baby</a> Cut the top down so that you can see into the box and baby can see out. This is like a play pen but baby will crawl in willingly. Once baby is corralled in the box, have a variety of toys that they are allowed to play with only in the box.<br />
A. You could allow them to have washable markers (if you take off all their clothes and leave them in their diaper) and color on the insides of the box.<br />
B. Give them mega blocks to build with<br />
C. Give them plastic bowls and spoons, rubbermaid containers with lids, pots and pans (if you can stand the noise), or any other thing they can play with but not stick up heir nose, in their ears, or injest.<br />
D. If you have a banger, give them drum sticks and allow them to tap away on the box. It is not too loud.<br />
E. Make some fun-to-play-with attachments to the sides of the boxes, or make a board you can hang on the side that will entertain the little ones who like to fiddle with things and take things apart. The blessing of the fridge box is that they will only take apart the items you allow them to.<br />
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Some things you can add to the sides of the box would include short yarn with a ring on either end, that baby can get hold of and pull inside with them. When you walk by you can pull them all back out to "reset" the fun. You can have dad or older sibling make a busy board. On a piece of plywood, you can attach all the little fiddly pieces of hardware and allow the baby to work on getting them open/closed. A bolt to screw in and out, a hinge to open and close, an eye hook, a caster to spin, many fun things to try. <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AQRz65XmLDrU1xC8x6WD2AjMaSLsjRIbTsanrnLI6MPrMEHvW-u7100/" target="_blank">busy board ideas</a> <br />
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F. Finally, assign older children time with baby/toddler. If they can play nicely together (even if they don't do it all the time), set up appt. with baby and older sibling so that each child gets at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with Mom before lunch and after lunch.<br />
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Using all of the tactics on a rotation will keep things fresh and interesting all school year long and will allow you time to get schooling done with the older kids in your home. You can multi-task while caring for baby and your older kids.<br />
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Do you have any good ideas I can pass on to my friends? Share in the comments!<br />
<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-73518625423766880862015-03-04T06:00:00.000-08:002015-06-13T17:48:54.997-07:00The first post I prepared for my blog (but never published). I am going Retro!<div>
Wow, I am blogging! Joining the multitudes of millions of people who are years ahead of me. I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">surprised</span> to find blogs started as long ago as 2002. I had not heard of blogs back then. So, of course, in trying to find a name for my blog, I realized that the name I wanted had been taken 5 years ago. It is not active. It is not being used, but it is still sitting there on the net, useless to someone who wants to actively blog it. It seems kind of like a derelict building in town, an eyesore. I feel bad for the great name they chose and it being sentenced to oblivion. </div>
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So, if you have an old blog out there with a GREAT address or even just a mediocre one, get out there and blog it and help <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">resurrect</span> some of these old buildings on the net that no one but you can occupy!<br />
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Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-54378333450340831562015-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:002015-03-01T06:00:05.125-08:00That is all the "Things"Thanks for watching my blog as I shared all the things I have been enjoying for the first 2 months of the year. I have more stuff, but I will spread it out a little more. I hope you enjoyed hearing about the things we are up to, the good food and good fun. Check back next week for more fun stuff and goodies from here.Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-74942538925788392332015-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:002019-09-13T19:06:54.548-07:00Delicious Food "Thing" for February 2015I made the YUMMIEST Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup the other day. <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/04/25/lemon-chicken-orzo-soup/" target="_blank">Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup</a><br />
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This recipe is SOO easy. You can put all your own fresh vegetables in it, and it still only takes maybe 45 minutes to make. It doesn't get much easier than that.<br />
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Adding homemade chicken broth is a GREAT idea, so if you have some, use it here. The additional flavors will make the soup delicious. Canned broth just does not have the depth of flavor you will want for this soup, but if that is what you have available, go ahead, it will still be yummy.<br />
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Let me know what you think of this recipe, our whole family loved it. :)Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-9733446231444894382015-02-27T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-27T06:00:04.962-08:00New "Thing" #5 - MovieThe movies I enjoy enough to share with others are few and far between. Now, here I am sharing 2 movies in one week.<br />
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The latest movie we watched is "How to Train Your Dragon 2" If you have not already seen "How to Train Your Dragon", you should definitely watch that one first. This is very kid friendly but with enough mature laughs for adults without seeming weirdly creepy (like Shrek 2 with the gingerbread man)<br />
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There is adventure, war, loyalty and love without gore or any sexual innuendo. The main characters are lovely young people who are finding their way in the big world. Their idealism is refreshing and framed positively by the writers/producers rather than being treated as something to be FIXED. I really enjoyed this, even as an animated film, it made me feel the feels! I even cried at a couple points.<br />
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If you enjoy a good rollicking fun movie with some serious conflict thrown in, where redemption comes in the end for those who deserve it and grasp the helping hand offered to them, you will LOVE this movie.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646971/" target="_blank">How to Train Your Dragon 2</a><br />
<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-66327247812916644572015-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-26T06:00:02.192-08:00Another new "thing" for 2015<br />
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I made this really cute little gift item for a teacher we know. It is just a pencil cup, but it looks very festive and spring-y. I will add it to a gift basket at the end of the school year to add a homey look to the gift. It is basically just cross-stitched yarn in the holes and it is easy enough that anyone can do it, but it is still cute!</div>
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-86342977987616277732015-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:002015-02-25T06:00:05.024-08:00New Thing #3 for 2015We watched a movie the other day and I loved it. It is called The Hundred-foot Journey. It is a sweet and lovely movie about being neighbors and being kind to others because they are human. It has a number of threads in the story running together. It is a good movie for families because it brings the opportunity to talk about jealousy, hard work, commitment and there is no cursing! I was so impressed with the quality of the movie and how the conflicts were handled. I think your family would enjoy it too.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2980648/" target="_blank">The 100-foot Journey</a></div>
<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-56958770965583919462015-02-23T21:21:00.000-08:002015-02-23T21:21:57.136-08:00Thing #2Camille and Ruby participate in an amazing program on Thursdays called Classical Conversations. Camille has learned so much and grown so much in her spelling and writing abilities, her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds, and she has developed a good stage presence. Here is a video of Camille talking about the life of Mary Jemison, the White Woman of the Seneca. Mary settled with the Seneca in Western NY which made her interesting to me since I spent many years there myself. Mary Jemison's story was recorded by a professional writer/interviewer while she was still alive at 80 years of age, so it is her story, told in her own voice.<br />
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I highly recommend her story as an interesting tidbit of history, especially for those interested in some history of Native Americans in Western NY. Many young girls might enjoy the story, although maybe 13 and up due to graphic reports of violence committed against captives and victims of the Native Americans. This was not a prejudiced/stereotypical view of the Native culture, but a factual telling of the events as she remembers them, while living with the Seneca people over 80 years.<br />
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I posted the video on my facebook page. Hopefully, I will figure out how to load it here on Blogger soon.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-64596341266737597832015-02-23T19:52:00.000-08:002015-02-23T19:52:08.028-08:00New "Things" for 2015Well, I have been trying so many new things lately and making things and cooking things and seeing things and I just want to share it ALL with you, my loyal followers. I am going to post a new "thing" for 2015 each day for a while so I can share all the goodies with you. Please keep reading to see what I have been up to.<br />
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First thing I will tell you that we tried a new local restaurant, Mariachi. The food was really good. It was served pretty quickly and it was HOT. Shannon and I went, just the two of us. We tried the Molcajete Loco and a pork dish I can not remember the name of. Both were yummy! I can highly recommend the restaurant, although the bench seating is a little weird so get a nice booth or a table. They had a live Mariachi band from Atlanta there for Valentine's Day.<br />
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Check back tomorrow for another exciting new "thing".<br />
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-26678993191037535992015-01-13T15:36:00.002-08:002015-01-13T15:40:44.590-08:00Yummy Vittles!I am typing this on my touch screen because my wireless keyboard is dead! How frustrating! Well, I really enjoyed this dinner which I made in my fried-chicken cooker. just wanted to sgre it with all my followers. :) Go check it out! <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2015/01/13/chicken-and-brown-rice-recipe-a-one-pot-healthy-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-50836" target="_blank">Chicken and Rice Dinner</a></div>
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I hope you like it as much as we did. I will add a picture when my keyboard is back to normal. :)<br />
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Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-65773270519678093452014-12-06T21:39:00.002-08:002014-12-06T21:39:49.258-08:001-minute Christmas CenterpieceI know, you find this hard to believe. That is understandable, but if you have the pieces in your craft area, it could be as fast as 30 seconds. I am not claiming that this will last forever. I am not saying you can start with nothing and do this in 1 minute, but I am saying that once you have the pieces, it takes mere moments to put it all together. :)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhOk7t0pvxg/VIPnqEBB5OI/AAAAAAAAATg/04wsAEgOsvk/s1600/IMG_1379%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhOk7t0pvxg/VIPnqEBB5OI/AAAAAAAAATg/04wsAEgOsvk/s1600/IMG_1379%5B1%5D.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/1-minute-Christmas-Centerpiece/" target="_blank">Instructables Christmas Centerpiece</a><br />
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These are wonderful for Church Christmas events where you need inexpensive centerpieces for each table. Place it on a small round mirror or covered cake boards and you will be amazed how lovely they can be.<br />
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These could be AWESOME for a wedding, even if it is not a Christmas wedding. They have bulbs out of ALL colors this year and you can grab them now at Family Dollar or Dollar General, Walmart, etc. You can make this for a wedding by adding the names of the bride and groom on pics in the arrangement.<br />
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There are MANY ways to use these, on an accent table, in the entryway, on an end table, in a bookcase, on a shelf, on your mantle. They make nice little spot perker-uppers. :)<br />
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-55464446084859977122014-11-03T20:47:00.000-08:002014-11-03T20:48:37.977-08:00Chili Bubble-up<a href="http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/2014/01/bubble-up-chili-bake.html">From Sweet Little Bluebird Blog</a><br />
(click this link for the recipe)<br />
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Here is a YUMMY recipe we tried tonight with left over chili. It turned out so good. I highly recommend that you try it. We have made another bubble-up recipe in the past and I liked it, but the kids were not too fond of it. All of us enjoyed this one.<br />
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It is a good reminder to make SURE that the biscuits in the center are cooked all the way through. It took an extra 15 minutes in my oven (your oven may vary). Also, do not worry that your chili is wet and that the biscuits may be soggy. Just jump in and try it. You will see.<br />
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Carol <br />
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-62369151115000231252014-01-10T13:49:00.003-08:002014-01-10T13:49:39.919-08:00<a href="http://www.parentingmiracles.net/2014/01/repurposing-shot-glasses/">Here is a fun little idea...</a><br />
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A blog I read, called Parenting Miracles, posted an idea today about re-purposing shot glasses to give their kids a little snack. While I have no shot glasses to re-purpose, I do have cutesy little containers that are cute but not good for much. Even the tiny Rubbermaid containers that come with the storage kits I find puzzling. If that is all I have left, I just eat it.<br />
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So, this idea of presenting my kids a snack in a cutesy little container is so fun and I have been brain storming. I am going to list some other ideas besides the ones Jessie mentioned:<br />
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Peanut Butter and Teddy Grahams<br />
Peanut Butter and pretzels<br />
Peanut Butter and celery<br />
Peanut Butter and Goldfish<br />
Yogurt and pretzels<br />
Yogurt and Goldfish<br />
Yogurt with fruit<br />
Yogurt with Granola on top<br />
Hummus and pretzels<br />
Hummus and cracker sticks<br />
Hummus and pita strips<br />
Maple Syrup and french toast sticks <br />
Broccoli and ranch dressing<br />
<a href="http://www.cooks.com/recipe/tu4ue4b4/smokies-in-sauce.html">Grape BBQ Sauce</a> and little smokies<br />
Marinara Sauce and a breaded cheese stick.<br />
Honey mustard and veggies<br />
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Here is a fun one: Frosting and pretzels (for shame!!!)<br />
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Now, for a birthday party, you could make a sprinkle bar with little bowls of different sprinkles and give each kid a little container of frosting with pretzel sticks. They could then dip their pretzels in sprinkles for a fun and interactive snack. How cute!<br />
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<a href="http://cleverpinkpirate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/DSC06050.jpg">Here is another example of a cute way to serve the sprinkles. </a><br />
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If you can think of some other cute snacks that can fit in the small containers like a shot glass or a tiny Rubbermaid, please share them in the comments!Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-60944673485823198932014-01-02T20:38:00.001-08:002014-01-02T20:39:59.883-08:00Sweet Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Cinnamon sweet rolls are a SUPER easy and relatively cheap dessert that are ALWAYS appreciated. You only need homemade dough, brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and melted butter, although other ingredients can be added. Prepare your round pan (layer cake size, 8 or 9 inch) by melting a stick of butter in the pan in your preheating oven. You will use this butter to rub on your rolled out dough.<br />
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You need a nice fluffy yeast roll dough recipe. Any recipe for roll dough can be used if it is light and fluffy, prepare dough according to your usual process and after 1st rise do the following:<br />
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You roll out a rectangle to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Rub melted butter across the surface, leaving about 1/2 inch of space around the edges. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins onto the melted butter. Roll the dough across the shorter width, sealing the overlapping edge (no butter on it) to the outside of the roll. Now you have a long roll, layered dough with brown sugar and raisins in it. Use a piece of floss or thread, wrap it around the first 1.5 inch of the log, cross it, and pull firmly. This will cut your rolls perfectly without crushing them.<br />
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Now, you have some butter left in the bottom of the pan. It is very important to add some more brown sugar to the melted butterand you can add chopped nuts if you wish. Next, put the roll ends with the cut side up. Then put the rest of the cut rolls into the pan, leaving a scant amount of room between. They will rise more and fill pan and cook against each other. <br />
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Bake in oven according to directions for regular rolls, adding some time for the filling. (Sorry, it depends on dough and filling and oven as to how much extra time you will need). Once they are beginning to brown nicely, they SHOULD be done. You MUST let them cool on a rack for a while before taking them out so that the caramelized sugar in the bottom has time to set up and cool a bit. Turn the whole pan over onto parchment or waxed paper. YUM! They will pull apart nicely and you do NOT need a glaze or anything because the butter and brown sugar in the bottom glazes them beautifully. <br />
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My grandmother has been making these for 60 years and they are family favorites. Enjoy!Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-15132581375017593892014-01-02T12:26:00.001-08:002014-12-06T21:44:23.137-08:00Birthday Party Day!June 14th was my middle child's 12th birthday party. She wanted a beach theme since we are having a pool party and I was up for that. I decorated the ice cream cake and I wanted to share it with you. <br />
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For this project, the best deal you can find is Dairy Queen large round ice cream cake for $21.95 plus tax. Just ask for a blank cake. They come that way from the factory to your local store in a plastic bag. They will have it in the back deep freeze and be happy to hand it to you and collect their $22.<br />
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After you get the cake home it goes in the freezer until you are ready to decorate. Get the blank cake out and cut off plastic bag. Do not remove the paper sleeve around the edges until you are ready to apply the kit-kat bars. <br />
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I used blue food spray paint to paint the blue on the top of the cake. The sleeve keeps your spray from overspraying the cake. After I sprayed the blue onto the cake, I poured the Nilla wafers crumbs I made around one side of the cake to make a beach. The sleeve will keep the crumbs from falling all over the side and serving tray. I also added blue writing gel to the blue area to give the ocean some wave texture. I just moved up and down in a kind of zigzag pattern while I squeezed the tube firmly. I made sure that the "water" went up onto the edges of the sand.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5_MgILqyNsU/UsXI3WbdIZI/AAAAAAAAASU/ZLNCit-z7s0/s1600/P1160393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5_MgILqyNsU/UsXI3WbdIZI/AAAAAAAAASU/ZLNCit-z7s0/s200/P1160393.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next step is to decorate the beach scene. You can make an umbrella from a Q-tip and a cupcake liner. You will need to trim about 1/2 inch (or a little more) from the ruffled edge of the liner and then fold it in half, flat. Find the center of the liner and hold it there while you open the edges into 3D. Just trim one end off the Q-tip and stick the cupcake liner to the other end. You will want the cotton there to glue onto as it is larger and longer than a toothpick.<br />
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The umbrella went on over the bears laying out on the beach. I made beach towels out of fruit roll-ups and I laid bears on them. Then I used gummy Lifesavers as floatation devices and teddy grams in the rings. I also put goldfish crackers in the water. There are SOOO many cute ideas on Pinterest using fruit and candy items to decorate these cakes, you should DEFINITELY go check them out.<br />
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See picture below for the concept, mine was a little different. I will post my picture as soon as I can find it. :( <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz-ER--5OT4/UsXKAHfFYmI/AAAAAAAAASk/LYZJa9ZH9kc/s1600/kit+kat+beach+bears+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz-ER--5OT4/UsXKAHfFYmI/AAAAAAAAASk/LYZJa9ZH9kc/s320/kit+kat+beach+bears+cake.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;">This is not my photo. If it is yours and you want me to remove it, please just let me know.</span><br />
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The final task is the kit-kat edge. I like this because it gives a nice finish and you don't need to feel like you have to do any other decorating of the cake. See above that they kept the bars together, I did not. I think theirs looks more like a barrel and a privacy fence which is cute too. First tip, use a sharp knife and cut between the bars, this prevents damaging the chocolate coating. I held my first kit-kat stick up to the cake and decided how tall I wanted them to be. Once I decide on the height, I then cut all the rest of the bars the same. You save this until last because the cake will start to soften and you can stick the kit-kats to the ice cream. I put them all the way around (it took two 6-packs to do the entire outside of the cake. Tie any ribbon around the kit-kats and pop it back into the freezer quick to solidify.<br />
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Being able to do this on an ice cream cake made my daughter's pool party in June extra special. I was so glad it turned out cute. It has taken WAY too long to get this posted. Too much nursing school and not enough time for other stuff.<br />
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-27900350210180973012013-03-06T17:18:00.001-08:002013-04-14T11:41:56.550-07:00Dolce and Gabanna for Babies?!?!Here is a disturbing new design from Dolce and Gabbana's new Fall READY TO WEAR line. This means that they think this fashion will actually be worn in it's current design. It is not some run-way only design. WHAT?!?!?! I once accidently wore my baby doll nightie bottoms to school under my clothes and I was MORTIFIED by the thought that someone might find out. This takes those nightmares of showing up at school in your pajamas to a whole other level!!!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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I just want to say that I LOVE the top, absolutely FABULOUS! but the "bottom" leaves a LOT to be desired, literally.Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-31993504860952265132013-02-15T20:35:00.000-08:002014-01-02T20:43:13.725-08:00Decorate your Flowers<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zlAHSBwEhOo/UR_lOT9jZ8I/AAAAAAAAARU/IqCZwnQ4Ev8/s1600/P1150763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zlAHSBwEhOo/UR_lOT9jZ8I/AAAAAAAAARU/IqCZwnQ4Ev8/s320/P1150763.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
Daughter #1 is a creative soul. She came up with ANOTHER great idea that will save you money, perk up your tired table, showcase your flowers, dress up your vases, recycle, and generally make you feel better. How's that for a spectacular idea?!?!<br />
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See these flowers, they are so hum drum and lacking, same old tulips, same old vase and throw away paper packaging. Does this look like the last bunch of flowers you received? <br />
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Along with your pretty flowers, you probably got some very pretty tissue paper/plastic paper that they were delivered in, like this.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1nMAJnjo1ng/UR_j4ZTanKI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/2v6zumFKYcc/s1600/P1150768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1nMAJnjo1ng/UR_j4ZTanKI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/2v6zumFKYcc/s320/P1150768.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
The great idea Daughter #1 had was to use the paper and ribbon from the flowers to dress up the vase. A plain vase is sweet and pretty, but some flowers are not gorgeous in the vase and some vases are HO-HUM and sometimes you are just sick of the vase you have. This project delivers on solving any of these problems and all the things mentioned above. :)<br />
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1. Wrap paper around vase loosely and see how tall it is and how much you need to fold up. I found I needed to fold approximately 1/3rd of the paper.<br />
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2. Fold the excess to the inside at the bottom of the vase (not under the vase). This will allow you to customize the height of the paper decor at the top of the vase and adjust for the height of the flowers. If you fold the excess paper inside, it will look fuller and you can use it as a whole piece for something later, instead of cutting it up.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpinWE5Heuk/UR_kJzdbciI/AAAAAAAAARM/c5qqE5LMj2A/s1600/P1150771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpinWE5Heuk/UR_kJzdbciI/AAAAAAAAARM/c5qqE5LMj2A/s320/P1150771.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
3. Once you have the paper at the height you want it at the top of the vase, tie a ribbon around the vase at the narrow part to hold the paper on the vase and then adjust the paper so that the bottom of the vase is covered. (unlike when we forgot the check and had to take the picture 3 times to finally get it right).<br />
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4. You can also artfully fold the paper to give it more character after you get the hang of this basic idea. Folding back the top corners where they overlap to make an opening like a shirt collar is very cute. You could even make a "tie" for this design to make a masculine bouquet cover.<br />
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5. A nice balloon tied on the bouquet in the back steps up the bling another notch. See? <b>V </b>My flowers are SOOO much prettier now, than they were sitting on the table in the clear vase.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-agUoWeC8u3s/UR_jjYexFZI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/umDBXmeXaZY/s1600/P1150762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-agUoWeC8u3s/UR_jjYexFZI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/umDBXmeXaZY/s400/P1150762.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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I hope you enjoy this and try it next time you have a nice bouquet of flowers that can use some "dressing up". :)<br />
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P.S. Husbands, you will get EXTRA brownie points if you use this technique to spruce up those lovely grocery store flowers you are going to bring home for the wife! (you are bringing her flowers, right?!?)<!------->Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-12384711997974226522012-11-13T14:42:00.001-08:002012-11-13T14:50:42.245-08:00I want a Kindle Paperwhite!!! <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/">Money Saving Mom</a> is giving one away!<br />
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She just published a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A62H3CA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00A62H3CA&linkCode=as2&tag=ereagirl-20">wonderful book</a> about keeping the holidays simple this year which of course also keeps down the costs. You are a winner, if you buy the book, even if you do not win the paperwhite.<br />
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ME~Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-52695857753871094882012-11-13T13:52:00.000-08:002013-01-16T19:04:06.738-08:00Flouncy T-shirt scarfI found some tutorials online for the flouncy T-shirt scarf and I HAD to try it. Here is a link to my favorite tutorials and a picture of Daughter #1 wearing the one I made.
What I love about it is if I have a Tshirt that ends up with a stain on it in an obvious place that makes it unwearable, I can STILL use it for this craft. Since you are cutting out circles, you just work around it. It does not get any simpler. Please check out the following.
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<a href="http://tidymom.net/2011/how-to-make-a-scarf/">The first tutorial I found.</a>
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<a border="”0″" href="http://www.blogger.com/”http://frugallysustainable.com/”" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="”_blank”"></a><a border="”0″" href="http://www.blogger.com/”http://frugallysustainable.com/”" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="”_blank”"></a><a border="”0″" href="http://www.blogger.com/”http://frugallysustainable.com/”" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="”_blank”"></a><a border="”0″" href="http://www.blogger.com/”http://frugallysustainable.com/”" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="”_blank”"></a><br />
<a href="http://hautetosew.blogspot.com/2011/10/ruffle-scarf-2.html">GREAT how-to pics</a>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xfuKZhYB1Fc/UKLC7zqBSFI/AAAAAAAAAQM/eJtthw_WVlk/s1600/P1150252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xfuKZhYB1Fc/UKLC7zqBSFI/AAAAAAAAAQM/eJtthw_WVlk/s1600/P1150252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xfuKZhYB1Fc/UKLC7zqBSFI/AAAAAAAAAQM/eJtthw_WVlk/s320/P1150252.JPG" width="240" /></a>The scarf is just the right size for me (plus size model) but not so great on a littler person. If this was for her I would adjust to make the scarf shorter. Cut wider spirals if you want it shorter and narrower spirals if you want it longer.<br />
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One thing I did that was a little different, was to wrap the middle/knotted area with embroidery floss. It makes a nice little colorful area that I can use as a feature of the scarf or It hides in the back. Either way, it is nicer than lumpy knots!
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Enjoy making these, it is SOOO simple.<br />
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<a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2013/01/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-62/">Shared at: Frugal Days Blog Hop</a>
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<br />Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-45083650040218456652012-06-22T14:34:00.001-07:002012-06-22T14:35:16.738-07:00Writing Help for young writers<a border="0" href="http://krazee4kindergarten.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k547/dmastand/blogbutton.jpg"/></a>
Check out these CUTE Writing Offices. It helps new writers to have a reference place to access commonly used words so that they don't have to ask over and over again. These were designed by a teacher for her students but I thought Home School moms might be excited by these as well.
She has them for K-beginner, K-Advanced, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade.
I don't have a picture, but trust me, you will like them. :) Click the link above and it will take you directly to the Writing Offices. They fit in a pencil box!Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-424658201794478512012-05-02T08:16:00.000-07:002012-05-02T08:16:58.912-07:00New Skirt, #379A new skirt, #379. Not really, I am just making a LOT of skirts for little girl #2 this summer. She likes them and they are SOOOO easy. I upcycled a COOL skateboard printed T-shirt. I am amazed how EASY it is to use polos and t-shirts to make skirts for little girls. FUN
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This was a nice HEAVY knit T-shirt/polo cross. It had a collar but the knit was not really polo shirt-type knit. I am sure some of you know what I mean. :) So, I cut off the Tshirt under the arms. I folded over the top edge to make a casing for the elastic but this time, I folded it to the front. I stitched it down with a decorative leafy vine stitch (stitch #34 on my inexpensive computer-controlled brother sewing machine)and then stretched the edges to make it ruffled. See detail photo here.
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So, Little Girl #2 likes her skirt but not the "hot" porch floor in the sunshine.
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We enjoy making these skirts from discarded t's and polos. For our younger family members, they are just the thing to wear over shorts or leggings this summer. I hope you like them.Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094160931829081979.post-74467838440515012062012-04-19T21:36:00.004-07:002012-04-19T22:03:36.832-07:002012 Home School High School PromHome School High School Prom 2012:<br /><br />There were many young people in attendance at the annual Home School High School Prom on Friday April 13th, 2012. The prom committee consisted of three dedicated moms who wanted their children to have the time of their lives while providing an opportunity for all the home schooled kids in the local communities to experience a special event usually reserved for their public and private school peers. <br /><br />We are very blessed to have this kind of occasion for our children in the Augusta area. There are homeschooled children all over America who do not have access to an event of this magnitude and I, for one, would like to say thank you to Mrs. Jacqueline Griffin, Mrs. Gail Pendergrast, and Mrs. Christy Bolineau. Without these three wonderful women, we would not have had a Prom these last two years.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNPYXPKE9Yw/T5DpQj4O_aI/AAAAAAAAAPE/-FuhFPo42i4/s1600/That%2527s%2Bmy%2Bboy%2521.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNPYXPKE9Yw/T5DpQj4O_aI/AAAAAAAAAPE/-FuhFPo42i4/s320/That%2527s%2Bmy%2Bboy%2521.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733338796360924578" /></a><br /><br />If you have not seen pictures yet, I can assure you that our children had a GOOD time. There was food and dancing and door prizes. Each Senior who wished to participate got to walk the red carpet and be recognized for their accomplishments. There was a nice slide show, showcasing the seniors throughout their lives. <br /><br />The dresses were beautiful and ran the gamut from longer to shorter. I did not see them all but some really stood out. The outdoor-themed dress with tree branches and leaves with hot pink satin trim definitely was memorable. The young lady wearing this dress looked very happy and so did her date. The lovely white dress with black accents was my favorite. It reminded me of Audrey Hepburn for some reason, very elegant.<br /><br />The dress with fairy wings definitely takes the prize for most unique and the young lady in the hot-pink ball gown absolutely glowed with happiness. I thought that the couple in the kilt and renaissance-inspired garb were very courageous. We really enjoyed their formal dress. There was a lovely blue dress in ombre, which means it transitions from a dark to light color seamlessly and it was breathtaking. There were so many dresses and so many girls. The dresses ran the color palette but it seemed that variations on blue and purple were very popular. Of course the traditional black and white combo is always a classy choice. <br /><br />The young men were equally charming in their tuxes, suits, and kilts, with the Kilt winning the prize for most unique. The top-hat and cane were lovely accessories for one young man and the blue and gold vest on another fellow was quite a bold choice. The guys usually go for their color in smaller doses with ties and handkerchiefs or vests, but one hot pink shirt, which matched his date’s dress, was another bold idea. The grey suit and pink shirt went together very well. <br /><br />The location this year, First Baptist Church of Augusta, was a WONDERFUL choice. With such an extensive campus they were able to provide a first rate venue for this happening which made it even more enjoyable. <br /><br />The work that goes into making this prom happen means that some wonderful people are sacrificing their every spare moment to get this done each year. I am always amazed at how these very busy women find the time and energy to plan and execute this exciting occasion for our teens. If you see one of the moms listed above, please take the opportunity to thank her for her hard work and dedication. They deserve it.Carol O.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07814933876360800422noreply@blogger.com0