Getting all my Ducks in a Row: 2010-06-27

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Wordless and Wordful Wednesday - A Look Back at the Week.

I hope that you are all having a fun and safe summer - I am amazed at all the things there are to think about when you have little ones...hydration, sunblock and water safety.

They of course are just ready for

Some Summer Fun!

and I don't know about your kids - but mine mean business!

for more WW:

5 Minutes for Mom ~ Go Graham Go! ~ Jolly Mom ~ Look What Mom Found… ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Frosted Fingers
~ Momspective ~ Momma Findings ~ Run DMT ~ A Daily Dose of Toni ~
Keeper of the Cheerios ~

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Show Me Your #giveaway #contest

I am re-posting this - Not sure what happened - this post caused my one of my sidebars to disappear...maybe and html problem?

Thanks for entering your Giveaways!
This is a great way to spread the word about them and get more entries! If you don't have a blog - this list is a great way to find fabulous giveaways to enter!

Please include your Blog, Prize and End Date.

Tasting it Tuesday

About once or twice a month - I think it's easy and fun to have breakfast for supper!

This recipe is from Rachael Ray's Open House cookbook - this is a one of my favorites of hers! Lots of great recipes that are dressed up and down!

I wish that I had been able to find challah bread - I live in rural OK and we just don't have the access that I would like. I know that this recipe would have been so much better with a firm bread.

As it was - I had potato bread - it was still pretty yummy! I love the mix of sugary french toast and smoked cheddar/baked ham!

Hubby was quick to point out - that while he really liked it - a little Monte Cristo goes a long way!

One the day that we made it - the kids were not really receptive to eating it - they all said it was gross...but the next day when I re-heated the left over sammies...they were all over them.
I think this had a lot of do with the fact that they were a little soggy...due to the potato bread - which firmed up in the fridge.

This is a definite 5 spooner as far as left overs are concerned!!

Morning Monte Cristos
Rachael Ray - Open House Cookbook

Morning Monte Cristos

1 recipe Pain Perdu batter (recipe below)
10 slices firm white toasting bread, crusts trimmed
5 tsp all fruit apricot jam
10 slices Golden Delicious apple
5 slices baked ham
5 slices smoked cheddar
Butter, for frying
Powdered Sugar, for topping

Pour 1/8 inch batter into a 9 X 13-inch baking dish. Spread 5 slices of bread with 1 teaspoon apricot jam each and set them, jam side up, in dish. Top each with 2 thin slices of apples, a slice of ham folded to fit the bread, and a think layer of smoked cheddar cheese. Top remaining 5 slices bread and pour the rest of the batter over the tops of the sandwiches. Lift sandwiches out of batter and transfer to a dish to keep break from getting to soggy. Fry sandwiches in a lightly greased nonstick skillet over medium heat until golden on each side, adding a little butter to pan as needed. Keep sandwiches in a low=temperature oven till all are completed. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and arrange on platter. Sprinkle with a touch of powdered sugar and serve warm.

Pain Perdu: Lost Bread
Rachael Ray - Open House Cookbook

This is a great recipe for using up stale bread. The batter is soaked up nicely and brings the bread back to something that is not only edible - but also fabulous!

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 or 3 drops of vanilla extract
1 cup milk
2 or 3 pinches ground nutmeg

Beat eggs 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
Add the sugar and continue to beat. Add cornstarch and vanilla and beat in.
When well mixed add in milk and nutmeg and mix well again.
Pour batter into pie dish.
Heat a grill or skillet over medium heat.
Rub grill with a touch of butter - dip stale bread in batter and coat each side well.
Cook slices until golden brown on each side and serve with a sprinkle of powered sugar or warm maple syrup.

Monday, July 5, 2010

It Pays to Follow Blogs!!

I am participating in MailBox Monday @ A Frugal Friend. If you would like to join...click on the image below...and make sure to visit the other blogs and see what they got too!!

If you are nosy like me -- then you will probably enjoy this!!

This was a fantastic week for samples - so many new products to try!!

I was so excited to be able to get some free samples while on vacation - at the B & B these were on the bed:

I hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July - we made it back from St. Louis with just enough time to do some sparklers and watch the big show here in town.

Tonight I think we are going to go out to the Lake and set off a few of our own.

I stopped to grab the kids a few fountains, roman candles and something called Army Parachuters... Avery my middle son (who I didn't think knew anything about fire crackers - walked up to the stand like a pro requesting all sorts of things I had never heard of!!

Reading Material

Free Colorado Vacation Guide along with brochures and map.

Lucky

Freebies, Free Samples & Coupons

The Home Depot Garden Club coupons

Purina One SmartBkend with $1.00/1 coupon

3 Pampers Diapers from Vocal Point - with $3.00/1 and 3 $1.50/1

Zantac 150 sample

all OXI-Active Stainlifters with $1.00/1

Nexcare Samples with $1.00/1 coupon

Crystal Light Pure Fitness Samples in Lemon Lime, Strawberry Kiwi and Grape - with 3 $2.00/1 coupons.

$5.00/$25.00 Toys R Us coupon - I think this is for Miss Maddy's up coming birthday.

Lip Clear Lysine+, Canker Cover and OraMoist samples

Caress Whipped Souffle white peach cream body wash sample

Giveaway Wins

:) Nothing this week.

Promotional Items for My Blog's

Muffins & Mayhem - looks like a good read.

Aug 2010-2011 Busy Body Book.

If you would like to have a mailbox so full that it feels like Christmas every day...I suggest that you follow

It's Hip to Save

and

Free Sample Freak

For more Mailbox Monday and a ton of great giveaway's and freebies check out the fabulous host

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Monday Mingle - Celebrating 9 Years of Marriage in St. Louis

Each week Jennifer at 80 MPH Mom host Monday Mingle - 3 simple questions - answer them in the form of a vlog and then link up! :) It's a great way to get to know other blogger's and for your readers to get to know you!

NEXT WEEK’S QUESTIONS: Summertime fun:

1. When is the last time you went to a beach? Where?

2. What are your plans for this summer?

3. What are your favorite summer recipes (you know, those that don’t require the oven!)

We have been enjoying the St. Louis area all weekend long...here are a few of my favorite things:

The Ralph Butler Band was performing at the Concert in the Park:

We stayed at the beautiful Park Avenue Mansion: The inn keepers Mike and Kathy are such gracious hosts and their home is amazing!!

We got to see the St. Louis Cardinals play Milwaukee Brewers:

I got my first taste of Bahama Hooch (they chose the name) - it was a mix of tropical fruit juices and a whole lot of Rum!!

And the dish that I have been trying to recreate since last year - The Square One Grazing Plate:

Have a fabulous Sunday - I am road tripping it back to OK - 7 hours of driving time - thank goodness Hubby stopped to pick up some comedy cd's as there are not a lot of radio stations that come in for a good 2 hours of the trip! :)

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Six Word Saturday - What's with all the 3-D Movies?

If you would like to JOIN IN -- Click on the image above and link up your post with 6 words describing your life!!

My Six Words:

We Love Toy Story 3 Best!

I don't know what it is about these cute little movies...but if we (the parents) were forced to pick a favorite kids movie - it would so be Toy Story 3!!

The thing is - it's kind of made for adults (shh don't tell my kids) but I would have watched it with or without them!

So when we found out that Border's was doing a Toy Story 3 Event - we were so excited to take our kids.

Since we were driving an hour and a half to get there (don't worry we had other things to do that day - we are not that into Toy Story) we got there a little early and let the kids pick out a book each.

The event started off with some Toy Story 1 & 2 trivia - which I gotta say - my kids were good at - I am not sure if this more adquetly shows off my kids memory retention of my preference to let them watch movies all the time. :)

Then there was a coloring session - which Miss Maddy was all over - all the sudden at 2 - she is the Coloring Queen:

The poor ladies that hosted the Event at Border's then proceeded to read a very long book to a group of kids ages 1 - 10 - some listened - some did not - some were shushed with gum...oh was that just my kids?

The folks at Border's were so sweet to serve cupcakes and smoothies at about the point that I thought these kids were going to mutiny from restlessness...

We have seen Toy Story 3 now - and I gotta say - I was really really disappointed to find out that it was a 3-D movie.

I couldn't see a single thing that made this a must see in 3-D....it was kind of like watching one of those old toys - the tv where the background stays the same and the characters move around in front.

But the actual movie - Flippin Fabulous!

My favorite part: Buzz's Spanish mode!! :)

Have you seen the movie? What did you think about the 3-D?

Friday, July 2, 2010

Aloha Friday # 37

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link Here.

My Question:

Do leave you shopping cart beside your car or put it up when finished?

Thursday, July 1, 2010

They Truely are Angels Among Us

See where the good goes™

Meet local health workers and the children they help to survive.
www.GoodGoes.org

Each year, almost 9 million children in the developing world die of largely preventable and treatable illnesses before they reach the age of five – that equates to approximately 24,000 child deaths a day.

However, every 4 seconds a child survives thanks to the basic health care provided by local health workers.

Save the Children and the Ad Council are working together to mobilize citizen action in the U.S. to help local health workers save more children worldwide.

Help local health workers bring the good to the children who need it most.
You are one step away from helping children around the world survive.

· The campaign communicates that local health workers are critical when it comes to newborn and child survival in the developing world. Thanks to the extension of basic health care by local health workers to children and mothers in developing countries, a child is being saved every 4 seconds. “See Where the Good Goes” (GoodGoes.org) supports these local health workers.

· GoodGoes.org: Features a customized Google map application of the local health worker’s village, blog posts, video bios, and a menu of ways people can get involved in this campaign to make a difference.

· Add your photo in support of the project to The Great Wall of Good Facebook application: http://apps.facebook.com/greatwallofgood.

Thursday Morning Free Writing - One day You'll be Big Enough

Where did the time go?

I used to to 21 with a new Hubby and new baby - I remember those easy breezy days when everything was brand new and wonderful. I say easy because as compared to now they were. Only one little baby to get to sleep at night, one to feed and clean, only one to worry about.

When did I become a 31 year old Mom of 4?

Now it seems like I am living the same days over and over:

Making the choice to ignore certain things (like a tantrum) because I know better than to react.

Child not eating their veggies?

I know what to do with that too - ask them to try it - and at the next meal - put some more on their plate.

Someone took your toy? Go find another - this fight will never end well anyway -if you were born the youngest boy of 3 - just do the best you can with the hand you were dealt. One day you will be big enough to run with the big boys. This is a phrase that I have uttered to every one of my boys.

Yesterday day it happened. My youngest son is old enough, big enough, tall enough and strong enough to run with the big boys.

So while Miss Maddy and I waited on the bench that Incredible Pizza was so nice to provide this tired Mama...I watch the boys run together - I knew this moment would come - I have been talking about it for what seems like forever.

I thought that I was prepared for it too. That I would feel this tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment - and for a moment I did...but was left with a feeling of disappointment and I gotta say a whole lot of denial.

Now mind you - they are only 9, 8, & 5 - so it's not like they are moving out tomorrow - but we are moving on to a new phase in their lives...where they Mom is more of a dispenser of money, rides and pride rather than a companion.

It feels like the beginning of the end though - the end of an era of tonka, Thomas, and a child for each arm and foot on my body, a kiss making it feel better, and sitting with 2 kids on the park bench instead of just one.

Thank goodness there is still Miss Maddy - I don't know what I will do when she starts to outgrow her Mom Mom.