Month: August 2012

Pinterest

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Have you heard of the new addiction? Pinterest.

It’s a fun website where you can keep all these ideas that you find on the internet into one organized site. It’s a M~ADD mom’s memory. At least for me it is.

But has the thought~ Does that really work? ever crossed your mind.

ME TOO!

Which is why I am putting some of the things I see to the test.

So here are things that have worked!

 

Growing your own celery using the bottom of the celery that you usually throw away. This did work as you can see here I stuck mine in a cup of water and within a few hours it started growing. My mistake was getting so busy that I didn’t get around to replanting it in a pot. So don’t make that mistake.

 

 

 

Putting a wooden spoon over a pot really does keep it from boiling over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making my own vanilla with Vanilla beans and a (free, thanks to one of hubby’s customers) bottle of Vodka.

 

 

 

 

 

More will it work projects coming soon. Until then you can follow me on Pinterest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOT Back to School week 1

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As homeschoolers we have the luxury of doing what we want, when we want.

With my oldest heading off to school this week, I decided to give my homeschoolers a couple of fun weeks. Yes they are filled with learning experiences but my kids wouldn’t know it. They think it is all about hands on activities.

Take a look at our week in pictures….

He was cold so he had to wear Mommy’s jacket. Getting up early is hard to do, you know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

School time or so he thought. He wasn’t thrilled that there was no school and that I was also taking his picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First day picnic lunch. Because of rain we had to do this indoors with a movie.

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting for our homemade bouncy balls to be ready.  The kids thought it was fun how I could capture them in movement with the Sport setting on the camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crazy kids! I am convinced they get it from their father.

 

 

 

 

 

I honestly love this picture. They are so happy and carefree and young. Gosh how I miss that.

 

 

 

 

 

By the way the bouncy balls were a dud for us. Instead of bouncing they went THUD.

Cheeseburger Pizza

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With my homemade pizza dough, I made this cheeseburger pizza. I was a little unsure of how my family would react to it. But it is definitely a keeper.

Start with your rolled out pizza dough. I spray my pan and sprinkle some cornmeal so the crust doesn’t stick.

Next add the sauce, which in this case is Ketchup and Mustard. I used more ketchup than mustard but it’s whatever you prefer.

Now your ready for the toppings.

Sprinkle a little bit of cheese. I used shredded Cheddar. This just helps to stick the toppings to the crust. Then I piled on the hamburger that I cooked in a skillet.

Now comes the fun part. Stop and think about what you love on a cheeseburger. Is it pickles, onions, or tomatoes? Great now get those items out. Chop them up and sprinkle on top.

My family is a little picky and were skeptical of the idea of pickles on pizza, so I just used pickles this time.  Next time I am gonna add some tomatoes and maybe sprinkle some lettuce after the pizza has cooked.

Then finish with some more cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. If you prefer you can add some extra ketchup or mustard on top but my family didn’t request any.

YUMMY!

First Day of High School

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Well it has officially happened. Yes I knew it was coming all summer long. But it was still a bit sad.

My oldest started her freshman year of high school  on Tuesday.

How depressing!

That means I am getting old.

And that also means that in 4 years she will graduate and go to college, become an adult and start living her adult life without her Mommy there all the time.

So sad, yet bittersweet to know you had a hand in creating someone amazing for the whole world to see.

Homemade Pizza Dough

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A few days ago I tried my hand at something I have dying to make. Homemade Pizza Dough. I see it ready made at the stores and have always wondered can I make it at home cheaper. And the answer to that is YES!!!!

I have this wonderful machine called a bread machine. A lot of people have complained about theirs but I love mine. I have had it about 10 years and have never had a problem with it. And it makes homemade yummy bread easy.

I used a recipe for a 2 pound pizza dough. And this was enough for 2 pizzas for my family of 7.

The dough process takes about 1 1/2 hours.

Ingredients:

3/4 tsp salt

4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 3/4 cups water (it called for 1 3/8 and I don’t have a measuring cup with that measurement. LOL so I used 1 3/4 cup and it was fine)

3 Tbs oil, olive or vegetable

I put liquid ingredients in first.

Then comes all the dry ingredients except the yeast.

I then make a little hole in the center of the flour and put the yeast in there.

Put the machine on Dough setting. And go about your life until it beeps.

I then flour my cutting board or countertop.

Knead the dough a little.

Cut in half and roll out half of it until it somewhat resembles a pizza.

Now at this point you can use both halves to make 2 pizzas or you can freeze the other half for another day.

Don’t fret if it’s not perfect it will still taste good.

I spray my pizza pan with cooking spray and sprinkle some cornmeal to keep the crust from sticking.

Not add toppings and bake at 400 degrees for 15- 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Crazy weather

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So as I was enjoying my relaxing first day of “NOT back to school” week. We had storm pop up and wreck havoc on our little piece of heaven out here in the boondocks. And I say this storm popped up because I texted my mom and she was getting nothing and she is only about 20 miles away.

We had massive rain, swirling wind, lightning and thunder. I mean it came down in buckets. The best part was it really didn’t look extremely bad outside when all of this happened. Our power was going off and on. Trees were swirling in circles and rain was coming at all directions. Our yard is perfect for mudding right now. I have never seen it this bad before.

So once it had stopped I decided to jump in my truck and drive back to hubby to see if he wanted some homemade cookies. I walked out the front door, glanced over towards our front gate and freaked out!

Our tree snapped in half and was completely blocking the road. We live on a dead end road so this wasn’t good. I jumped in the truck drove back to hubby horn honking and screaming about the tree. Almost got stuck twice trying to drive up for him to get in without soaking his feet.

So let me go back and say this tree blocking our road was not just a huge problem because I live on a dead end road but also because it was 3:20pm and the school bus for high school comes at 3:40 and it was raining. Thankfully the bus was almost an hour late and we were able to clear a path on the road before then. And there was no way around the tree because our rain came so much, so fast and so heavy that everything is a swamp and the one car that tried to get around got stuck and Hubby had to pull him out.

Anyways our power line got knocked out to our yard lights. Our fence got smashed along with our very expensive mailbox.

Here are some pictures….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is after Hubby pulled it over the fence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This our fence. LOOK at all the standing water!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my backyard this morning. Can you say waterfront property? Now I understand why I needed flood insurance even though I am miles and miles from the water. Oh and By the way more rain expected today with a possible Hurricane on Monday. YIPPEEE!

 

 

 

Hubby going to work. Needless to say we are now proud owners of rain boots. Just bought them this morning at Tractor Supply. Cashier said they were open for 15 minutes and have already sold 4 pairs. Geez I wonder why?!?

 

 

 

 

Momma Let’s her hair down

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Last night I had a rare night out with no kids and no hubby. I went to the Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan concert with my grandma, aunt and cousin.

The night started off with me getting into an argument with a bunch of drunks. And I was really worried that I was going to be miserable because drunk and crazy is not my scene.

But once the music started playing and all of my favorite songs came on. I loosened up and actually felt like a 30 year old. Which is extremely hard when I have a daughter going into high school and I feel like I have to set that example for her. But last night I was with my younger cousin and just acted like a young woman who loves music and dancing and having a good time.

That is me in the teal! Shaking my ass, singing and having a good time. And though I didn’t literally let my hair down (it was HOT), I did let my guard down and relax.

Something I think every mom needs once in a while.

Jeanette

M.ADD~ Mom’s Attention Deficit Disorder

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Everyone has heard of Mommy Brain or Pregnancy brain. This is the common excuse for forgetfulness.

But by a certain point you really can’t use that excuse.

Like if you kid is 15, you can blame your forgetfulness on Mommy Brain or Pregnancy Brain because IT”S BEEN 15 YEARS.

But what you can blame it on is M.ADD~ Mom’s Attention Deficit Disorder. This is when we have so much going on and our to do list is as long as The Nile River that we begin to forget things.

Like let’s say your on Facebook and you see it’s your Uncle’s birthday. You think to yourself that Oh I need to wish him a Happy Birthday. BUT then the kids wake up and the phone rings and the dogs need to go out and the kids want breakfast and then there is a dirty diaper to change and your girls are pulling each other’s hair out over the bathroom. And then it is 3am and your in your quiet comfy bed when you sit straight up and realize you never went back to the computer to say Happy birthday.

I would have to say that every Mom suffers from this and it has come a time to put a name on it other than Mommy Brain.

M. ADD  just sounds perfect to me.

By the way the story told in this post was not exaggerated or made up by me but happens daily in the chaos of my life with 4 kids, 3 dogs, 2 old ladies (a cat & a Grandma) and 1 hubby (thank god, could you imagine me with 2?!?) SOOOOO…..

Happy Birthday Uncle Gary! LOL

Holidays have begun for us!

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We usually start the holidays much earlier than everyone else. We usually start in July. Why? Well let me give you the break down.

July~4th of July party, Cailin’s Birthday and then Dakota’s Birthday

August~ Beginning of school

September~ Homeschool begins and Dad’s Birthday

October~ Alissa’s Birthday and Halloween

November~Thanksgiving and Mom’s Birthday

December~Brianna’s Birthday, Christmas, New Year’s

Beginning of January~ Grandma’s Birthday and finally my birthday

So as you can see in my family most of the birthday’s fall right in the major holiday time. And that is why I say my holiday season starts in July because I have to hit the ground running and keep going until I crash on my birthday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy birthday to my big 13 year old!

 

And Happy 3rd Birthday to my lil man!