Help the environment

Another giveaway on the Shopping with Cents blog I check out. They're giving away a set of two reusable shopping bags to some lucky follower. So I am shamelessly trying to win by posting about their giveaway. The bags are cute! I don't know abut you but I prefer using these kind of bags anyway- not only does it help the environment but the bags don't break like the plastic ones do and they hold a LOT more stuff which means less trips back and forth from the car!! Getting this for free is a fabulous deal!

Want a new recipe to try??

This 30 recipe challenge made me realize that my selection of recipes is really quite small. I came across a blog that has lots of yummy recipes on there. I made the chicken enchilada recipe from her blog and it was so yummy! It looks more like the kind you get at a mexican restaurant, pretty easy to make and it actually has color! (I don't know about you but the recipe I already had has no color and has too much creamy stuff). The most time consuming part for me was cooking a whole chicken (because it would give me more meat for less $$ than buying packaged skinless/boneless breasts.) There's a ton of other recipes on there too. Go on- check it out !! You won't be sorry.

My techie husband...

I told my husband about this 30 day recipe thing I want to do, explaining that this will help us to stay on budget a little better since there will be less trips to the store. I had downloadeded some fabulous looking 4x6 recipe cards from a link on Nannygoat's website and was typing in my 3rd card when my husband tells me there's got to be a computer software that will compile all my recipes, allow me to schedule meals and produce a shopping list all with a push of a button. So he researched the Net and found some software that does all this. He found one but it costs $80 (Cook'n) so he looked some more and found Bigoven.com for less (can't remember the amount now). He said that's my Mother's day gift. LOL! Now I'm in the process of trying to learn how to use the program and also entering 30 recipes. I was excited when it said I could post my recipes on a weblog but I can't quite figure it out. It's also supposed to allow me to print them so I can compile it into a book (remember the book I want to make for the foster girls we had?) When I figure out how to post to a blog, I'll post a link on here so you can get some more recipes!

Anyone have a good recipe for smoothies? Fruit ones? I saw a recipe book thing at Walmart yesterday full of smoothie recipes but it was $5. I'm hoping to find some free ones from family and friends (tried and true!) and maybe some on the net before caving in and getting the one at Walmart. (Chances are, by the time I go back to get it, it will be all gone anyway!)

Inspire your walls contest

Hi everyone! I heard about this drawing for free vinyl rub ons for your walls through my sister's website. She co-blogs for Shopping with cents that has all sorts of tips and coupons for getting the best deal around. And in these hard times, getting something for less is always a good thing!

Check it out and maybe you'll be interested in winning a $50 gift certificate to use for yourself or give to your mom for Mother's Day! Click here to read more details...

Gotta start somewhere!

Ok- it's time to come out of retirement.

I just got busy with focusing on getting our foster kids (Destiny and Raivyn) ready to leave in January then enjoying the calm and freedom that came when they left. The calm lasted about a month and a half when on March 3 we got a call asking if we could take two little boys in our home, ages 5 1/2 and 18 months. We had heard that Health and Welfare wasn't getting very many cases (which is a good thing!) so things were slow. So when the phone rang and they asked if we could take them, we jumped at the opportunity. We brought them home, gave them baths, went shopping for clothes and diapers and basic necessities (they didn't have anything but the clothes on their back) and in the midst of all this, we discovered that Jared and the oldest boy weren't getting along at all. And that's putting it mildly. To ease strain between Jared and the older boy, whose name is Caleb, we put the foster kids in day care from 8:30-12 M-F. It has been a life saver! After a month, things improved because: 1) the boys got used to each other, 2) everyone got used to the new routine (the foster kids adjusted to having a schedule which they never had before), and 3) Eric and I went to a parenting workshop that taught us a few new techniques (and reinforced quite a few things we already knew and applied in our home). Things improved so much that Caleb and Jared now call themselves buddies!! It totally shocked me when they announced one day that they were going to be buddies now (I think my eyes jumped out of my head like it does in the cartoons). That doesn't mean there aren't "moments" when there's crying and hitting but I feel the relationship they have now is more like brothers.

Anyway, I was looking at a link for a recipe card idea that my sister sent me the other day called Nannygoat. I'm not much of a fan of recipe cards but I love the idea of gathering 30 of my family's favorite recipes and choosing my menu (and compiling a grocery list) from the dinner recipes I select for the week. It's all in one place, not in 20 different books. I was already in the process of putting together a recipe book (and taking pictures of all my meals to add to the recipe book) to give to Destiny and Raivyn because they loved all the things I made while they were here. When they knew they were leaving, they asked me for the recipes so I thought I'd put together a 5x7" recipe book for them. Since I'll already have it made, I might just give it to other foster kids that come into our home and like the cooking. (I'll only give it to them if they ask, I don't want to offend any parents :o) )

So, here's a few of my family's favorite recipes. (Some might have already been posted previously, sorry!)

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned with onion (opt.)
1 can each: corn, pinto beans, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes,
green beans, corn
1 packet Taco Seasoning
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

Brown burger in pot, add cans of veggies (DO NOT DRAIN), taco seasoning and water for desired consistency. Warm soup mix. Garnish with shredded cheesed, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 12-oz jar of Salsa Verde (or use combination
of green enchilada sauce and salsa)
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
3 cups chicken broth
1 15-oz can of corn
1 can of black beans (drained)
1 15-oz can of kidney beans
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
2 green onions, chopped
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
blue corn chips

-Empty the Salsa Verde into a large saucepan. Cook 2 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the chicken, beans, broth, and cumin. For a soupier dish, increase broth to 4 cups. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkling of green onions and grated cheese. Serve with blue corn chips.
-NOTE: if you substitute green enchilada sauce and salsa for salsa verde, use about 1/3 cup of salsa and the rest of the amount of enchilada sauce to make 12 ounces.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C. sour cream (8 oz.)
3 C. cooked fettuccine noodles
3-4 C. cooked cubed chicken
Stove Top Stuffing mix- Chicken Flavor
¾ cube butter or margarine
2 C. chicken broth or bouillon cubes

Mix first soup and sour cream together in a 9x13” pan. Stir in cooked noodles and chicken. Sprinkle Stove top stuffing mix over top (bread and seasoning). Pour melted butter and chicken broth over top of stuffing mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

1 pound ground beef
1 16-oz jar thick and chunky salsa
2 cups Cheddar cheese
10 flour tortillas

Brown meat and drain off fat, if necessary. Stir in 1/2 cup of salsa and half of the cheese (1 cup). Spread 1 cup salsa into the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish. Fill tortillas with 1/4 cup of the meat mixture and roll. Place tortillas seam side down in the pan. After all tortillas are rolled, top with 1 cup salsa and remaining cheese. Bake at 350ْ for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve while still hot with sour cream and remaining salsa.

Serves 6-10

I think that's enough for one day. I'll post pictures soon so this boring blog will have variety. :o)

Spreading the word...

Hi everyone! I know...it's been a long time since I posted. I promise to do it soon. This post is dedicated to my cousin-in-law who has great talent. She designs blogs and I have to say her blog designs look fabulous! Hop on over to her site to see for yourself! I'm sure you'll find something you'll love!

You can also find her cute button called "Designer Blogs" on my sidebar.

My favorite day...

While I was listening to the lesson in Young Womens today, I pondered on the fact of how much I LOVE Sundays! I love getting ready for church and listening to church music on the radio while getting ready. I LOVE listening to Primary songs in the car, belting out the songs (out of tune probably) and waiting for church to start! I love singing the sacrament songs, taking the sacrament, and listening to the speakers (getting only half of it sometimes because of a particularly restless and distracted 4 year old!) I love the silly comments Jared sometimes says that almost makes me laugh out loud. Almost. I love that warm fuzzy feeling the spirit brings, telling me I'm where I'm supposed to be. I love catching up with friends and other members of the ward in between meetings. I LOVE serving in Young Womens! I love hearing/teaching the lessons and the fact that I still learn things that can help me improve myself! I LOVE that sometimes Eric comes in to interpret for me in Young Womens. (The girls developed a relationship with him since he went to camp with us all week this summer so they enjoy it when he's there too!) Even he says that he enjoys the Young Womens lessons more than High Priest's (shhh...don't tell them he said that)! I love helping to plan weekly activities and I really miss the girls when they don't come. I LOVE Heavenly Father and I want the girls to be able to develop those same feelings and their own testimony about Him and our savior, Jesus Christ. I LOVE that Sunday is a day of rest because that allows me to indulge in a guilty pleasure- having all my family together for a while; no friends over, no phones ringing. Nothing but pure family time. Sometimes the occasional meeting is necessary, but for the most part we all enjoy time together as a family. This afternoon we worked on Caleb's Duty to God (he's almost done with the Deacon portion!) and a little bit of record keeping for Scouts. Kaitlyn started preparing her lesson for Family Home Evening tomorrow night. I think it's so neat that our foster kids currently with us look forward to FHE too, though for them I think it's mainly because of the treats. (They do say they like the stories too but I wonder...) The only thing I don't like about Sunday is that it ends. It was nice to enjoy a day of spiritual nourishment that will sustain me throughout the week.

My Facebook Discovery

I finally discovered Facebook (some of you might laugh at this- the fact that I just now notice it) and can I just say "Wow!" I have renewed so many friendships through Facebook that I thought were gone forever! Or at least until the high school reunion that will hopefully happen someday. No more wondering (while I'm in the shower) what a particular friend is doing at this point in their life and just wishing I could sit down and chat and just catch up on all these lost years.

I lived in El Paso, Texas before I went to Ricks College. It was the only place I lived in the longest before I left for school (I think it was 7 years??). I haven't been back since except for my wedding reception. But when you're newly married, you don't pay attention to much other than your brand new spouse.

If you haven't already done so, join Facebook! It is amazing the friends you'll find on there!