Thankful Friday.

I woke up this morning feeling overly thankful for so many things. A roof over our heads, Marty's job (which seems to be getting more secure by the minute), clothes on our backs, food in our bellies, the bills are paid, etc etc. But really what I am most thankful for are days like today.

The sun is shining, Addie and I got out for a nice long walk, my car is clean both inside and out (and has gas!) my house is clean (not immaculate but certainly clean enough), I have a new book from the library to read, I'm making a big pot of soup to enjoy while we veg out at home tonight (hopefully we can catch up on some movies). And a fresh pot of coffee is brewing as I type.

To me these are the days that make life enjoyable. These are the days that matter most. The days where it's all about the little things. Not the size of our bank account. Not the name on the tag of our jeans. Not the kind of car we drive.

Days like today are about all the little things put together make life so sweet. So enjoyable. Days like today are the days that make everything worthwhile. And days like today are what make you realize what's truly important.

I am signing off now as my coffee is done brewing and I'm ready to veg out with some Creative Memories You Tube Videos. (yes, I still like Creative Memories~ dated or not it's what works for me) Hopefully you're having as good a day as I am.

Just in case you were wondering what soup I am making for dinner, here's the recipe.

Hamburger Soup
3 Tablespoons butter
1 med onion chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
2 cans beef consomme’
2 cans of water
4 carrots chopped
4 celery chopped
½ cup barley
Salt & Pepper to taste

Sauté onions in butter; add beef and brown. Drain meat. Add rest of ingredients.
Simmer covered for an hour or more.

Addiction.

All right, so I had previously posted this recipe under the name Sweetheart Crunch. I had originally found the recipe at Jeanette Lynton's website and that's what she had called it. However, I couldn't stand the name so I pulled the post. A bit lame? Maybe. But really, what a totally dorky name for a snack recipe! Especially when guys probably wouldn't even touch the stuff. I can so hear Marty now...."Oh, so it's girly food." Anyway, chic food or not, I pulled the post thinking it most definitely needed a better name. If only I could think of one......

Oddly enough, just when I was about to say screw it and repost the recipe with the Sweetheart Crunch name, I had the same recipe emailed to me, from someone totally unrelated to Jeanette Lynton, with a better name~ Addiction. It even came with a picture! (it just looks addicting doesn't it?!) So alas, I am reposting. I guess some things are just meant to be posted!

Addiction
1 large box Corn Chex
1 large box Golden Grahams
1 bag of coconut
2-3 cups slivered Almonds
red hots, optional

2 cups Karo Syrup
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups sugar

In saucepan combine Karo Syrup, butter and sugar and heat to boiling. Let boil 4 minutes. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. When syrup is ready, carefully pour over the dry ingredients. Toss till well coated then evenly spread out on wax or parchmant paper to cool.

And yes, I knew this post would be published! You're always going to question that now, aren't you?!

Hunh.

Want to hear something funny???

I decided to check the old blog today (hadn't checked it for a couple days) and low and behold I had a new post! I was surprised. No, no, no, no. I was shocked! I totally forgot I had even written this particular post! But what's worse is I can't remember where I found this recipe. I have to say, the Carmel Corn sure sounds tasty......and I since I posted about it I should probably make some.....if only I had the ingredients on hand...... but I'm out of butter.....I know, you would think I maybe didn't have the Karo Syrup on hand, or maybe a full bag of brown sugar, but no, it's the butter I'm out of!

All right, I admit it, I tend to predate my blog postings. If I am really in a groove, I will write tons of posts then pre set dates for them to post. That way if I am busy or I can't think of anything to write about, I know I have something all set and ready to go. Now, for the most part this works well for me. Except for today obviously.......Guess I should go through and edit my scheduled posts, huh?! I have a whole slew of them set till the middle of December. And for the record......I have two bottles of Karo Syrup on hand and two full bags of brown sugar. It's all about priorities I guess!

Carmel Corn.

We are a house filled with popcorn eaters so I tend to get excited whenever I see a new recipe involving popcorn.....Especially when it's this easy!

Carmel Corn
1 16 oz package of brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup Karo Syrup
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Popped Popcorn, salted

Combine brown sugar, butter and Karo Syrup in a pan. Bring to a boil. Add milk and boil for three additional minutes. Pour over popcorn and mix gently until well blended.

Paper Pumpkins.

I posted this paper pumpkin picture last week on my first Thankfullness post. However, I have since thought I should post the directions on how to make it just in case someone feels inspired. The one pictured was made by Jennifer McGuire so I am not taking any of the credit but I am taking the liberty to share her talents because, well, she's just so darned talented and these pumpkins are just so stinkin' cute!

Here are the directions:
Cut 16 1" x 6" strips of paper. Then punch a small hole in each end of each of the strips. Next, put a knot in the end of a ribbon and thread it through one end of the paper strips. Push the same ribbon through all the other holes. Finally, push all of the strips down so they bow out, and finish with a knot at the top. Add a bow and twine to finish it off along with a rolled piece of dark brown cardstock for the stem.

Little Known Fact.

Just for fun thought I would share a little known fact about myself. Everyone knows what a big fan I was of Michael Jackson.....but I'm willing to bet you didn't know that I am a HUGE Russell Crowe fan. I mean huge! I don't know how many times I have seen Gladiator. Or Proof Of Life. Or Master And Commander. I have even watched him on Martha Stewart. (now you know how & why I got interested in Australian wines!) Anyway, that's all. Just thought I'd share a little known fact about myself!

Ultimate Comfort Food.

Who doesn't love Macaroni and Cheese? Seriously, it has to be one of the all time best go-to comfort foods, right? Anyway, I saw this recipe on Ali Edwards blog and decided I needed to add it to my list of "need to try someday" recipes.

I know, I know, I'm getting quite the recipe collection going. And come the middle of January, when it's too cold to do anything else, I'll get around to trying all of these recipes. However, in the meantime, I'm going keep posting them as I come across them. That way I don't have to try to remember where I saw what recipe. I can just browse through my own blog to quickly find them thus saving myself a lot of frustration (and time!) down the road. Besides, maybe you'll be able to get to them sooner than me and if I don't post them you'll never see them!

Macaroni & Cheese
2 ½ cups macaroni noodles
4T butter
4T flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
½ pound processed cheese (velveeta) cubed
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cup cottage cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar grated
1 ½ cup soft breadcrumbs
2 tsp butter
paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and drain macaroni then pour into a 2 ½ quart casserole dish. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in flour and mix well. Next, add milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. (This part takes a while~ be ready to stand at the stove for a bit) Once thickened, add salt, sugar and cheese; mixing well. Add the sour cream and cottage cheese into sauce then pour entire mixture over the noodles mixing well. Sprinkle grated cheddar and bread crumbs over top, dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

This meal can easily be frozen. Assemble per directions but freeze instead of baking.

Chicken Noodle Soup.

I'll admit it, Paula Deen isn't exactly my favorite Food Network personality. It's the continual finger licking that gets me. yuck. But I do really like Chicken Noodle Soup. So even though this is a Paula Deen recipe........I'm more than game to try it!

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 rotisserie chicken
2 32-oz boxes of chicken stock
2 cups water
1 small onion, diced
2 cups carrots, sliced
2 cups celery, sliced
2 1/2 cups uncooked egg noodles
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional
Seasoning salt
Ground black pepper

Bring the stock and the water to a boil. Add carrots and onion, cook for 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook according to directions on package. While the noodles cook, remove the skin from the chicken and shred. When noodles are done, add chicken, parsley, and rosemary. Next, add Parmesan and cream, if using. Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning, if needed.

The 10-10 Project.

Here's a challenge for you......accomplish 10 projects in 10 days.

I came across this challenge on an organizing blog a couple days ago and instantly thought "what a fabulous idea!" Since my To-Do list is always a mile long, I am hoping that this challenge will help me to quickly knock, well, ten things off my list before I get into the throws of the Christmas season.

If you should decide to challenge yourself, keep in mind, the size of the project isn't important. It's actually doing the project that counts. So, make your list and challenge yourself! Hopefully we'll all be amazed at what we can accomplish in just a short amount of time.

Monday Morning Caribou.

Seriously folks, how can you not love Caribou on a Monday morning? A mere $1.00 for a medium size coffee.......what a great way to start out the week! Gives you something to look forward to Monday morning. It's an inexpensive treat even if you're trying to scale back your spending. But best of all? It's coffee shop coffee....for a dollar....enough said!

Better Luck Next Time.

More Amazon Music.

So get this, Amazon has 100 more free mp3 cd's you can download right now. Click here to check them out for yourself. Granted they aren't super great, but I managed to find another classical one that I am really loving. Maybe you'll find something too??

Also, I heard it through the grapevine that they usually do a Christmas download as well......that could be fun! Who doesn't love Christmas music?!

More.

There has to be something more. Something more than two loads of laundry a day. Something more than sweeping my kitchen floor 5 times in a day. Or picking up the messes everyone leaves in their wake. Or running to Target just to escape for 20 minutes. There has to be more than that. But what?

Working isn't the answer as the cost of daycare and gas would exceed my income unless I made $40,000 to $50,000 a year, but as we all know, retail management is not where the money is at!

Crafts aren't the answer as the reality is I simply don't have the time. During the day I am too busy with Addie, at night we're too busy with homework and activities. And by the time we get everyone to bed, it's time for me to go to bed.

I'd like to volunteer somewhere.....but again, during the day I have Addie and to pay $65.00 a day to put her in daycare just so I can volunteer for an hour or two somewhere?

There has to be more than this.......

Made One.

All right so my pencil isn't nearly as cute or as polished as Jennifer McGuire's but at least I made one! I did hit Walmart for pencils, ribbon and buttons but I opted to make my own flowers with my paper punches and leftover papers~ kept my costs down and used up what I already had on hand. I'm thinking these would make great teacher gifts for Christmas once I have them mastered.......

Now What?

Lately I've been struggling with what to do with my life. I'm feeling restless. I'm feeling like I'm at a crossroad. To sum it up, there are so many things that I am just not sure about. As I keep telling Marty, I am having growing pains!

Out of my circle of friends I am the only one not working. And after being a stay at home mom for the past twelve years, I feel ready to go back to work. However, the cost of day care for Addison would eat up the bulk of my paycheck. Gas for my mom mobile would eat up the rest. In the end, it'll cost me $25 a week to work. Hmmm........not quite the outcome I was hoping for so back to the drawing board I go.

I'd really love to open a store. What kind of store? I have no clue. I guess my dream of all dreams would be a paper crafting store. But I have seen so many of those independently owned stores close over the years. I have seen my friend Julie struggle with hers. And let's face it, we're not exactly in a booming economy here. Besides, what would I do with Addison all day? Oh my gosh, can you imagine her in a scrapbook store for more than three minutes?! I shudder to think about the damage she could do!!!! So......back to the drawing board I go.

I'm still struggling with not having any more kids. I can just hear my mom now! Reminding me in her motherly way about all the issues I've had with just being pregnant and how it takes it's toll on everyone involved. I can also hear her ask me what in the world I could possibly be thinking as we watch Addie clear the entire living room with one fell swoop of her hand. But that doesn't take away the desire for just one more. Yes, the house is crazy at times. Yes, the house gets loud. But for some reason our family just doesn't feel complete yet. I feel like someone is missing. But as we all know, the only way we'd ever have more kids is if we adopt. And well, now is not the time for adoption. So.....moving on.

I'm still struggling with church. Where to go, what religion to follow. That is most definitely not an easy decision.......while you would think after a three year journey things would be clear. Alas, they are not. If anything, they're more muddled. big big, big sigh here.

I'm still trying to figure out how to squeeze projects into my day. My list of projects I'd like to complete (or at least attempt) just keeps growing and growing. But for some reason they just don't get done. Be it time to do the projects, time to get the materials for the project, time to do the projects, remembering where on earth I even found such a project to print off the directions.....

So.......growing pains........gotta love 'em! And yes, I know, I am sounding like a broken record these days. But this is the list I am struggling with these days.....this is what is on my mind right now.

Two Easy Recipes.

I don't know about anyone else, but I love quick and easy recipes. While I may love to cook, realistically I don't always have the time. So when I saw this first recipe on Jennifer McGuire's blog, I thought I'd share. I'll admit I haven't made it yet as I just found it, but it sure sounds good! Not to mention way easy. Add a fresh loaf of crusty bread and yum!!!!

Crockpot Taco Soup
1 1/2 cans corn (do not drain)
2 cans red beans (do not drain)
2 cans diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 1/2 lb. ground round
3 1/2 packages taco seasoning
1 1/2 packages Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Dry
2 small cans tomato sauce

Brown meat and drain well. Combine everything in the crock pot and cook for 4-6 hours.

Now for dessert.......

In keeping with the theme of quick and easy meals I thought I'd share this dessert recipe. It's another dump it all in kind of recipe. Not to mention oh so tasty! We discovered this recipe about 4 years ago and have loved it ever since.

Quick Peach Cobbler
5 (15 oz.) canned peaches, drained
2 boxes yellow cake mix
1 c. melted butter

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Spread peaches on bottom. Next, mix melted butter with dry cake mix then crumble over the peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Under Construction.

Please excuse the mess today..........The Schires Five is under construction.

Muffins.

I've seen many different versions of this recipe but thought I would post this one......Regardless of the version, they're always a favorite of mine.

Mormon Muffins
2 cups boiling water
1 T plus 2 tsp baking soda
1 cup Crisco
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
4 cups 100% Bran Buds
2 cups 40% Bran Flakes
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Add the soda to the boiling water and let cool. In large mixing bowl, beat together shortning and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well. Then add the flour, buttermilk and salt and mix well. Slowlt add the soda water. Finally, fold in the bran cereals and add the nuts.

Bake in greased muffin tins @ 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Batter keeps in fridge for up to six weeks.