Popcorn Santa

How Cute Is This Popcorn Santa !!!

I going to use this for Colin's class this year! The instructions are on The Woman's Day website.

Menu Plan Monday ~ Dec 8th

This Week I am trying to be a little frugal, the Whole Menu should run about $65.


December 8-12, 2008

Monday

Cheesy Meatloaf
Macaroni
Cheese Green Beans

Tuesday

Honey Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
Mashed Potatoes
Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce

Wednesday

Vegetable Burritos
Spanish Rice
Mexicorn

Thursday

Pie a la Italian
Broccoli

Friday

Cabbage Beef Soup
Crusty Bread

What are you making? Check out what others are making and get some great ideas at Organizing Junkie'e Blog. By the end of today there will be over 200 Menus posted! Awesome!

Scrumtious Sunday Swap: Cherry Coke Jello

Cherry Coke Jello Recipe

We make this every holiday! We ALL love it!

SERVES 10

1 can cherry pie filling
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 (6 ounce) package cherry Jell-O
1 (12 ounce) can Coke
1 can pineapple chunk, cut in half or pineapple tidbits

Place pie filling, sugar, water, and juice from the pineapples in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Add Jello and Coke.
Simmer over low heat until all foam is gone.
Add pineapple to top mixture Chill until set.
Remember to use a large pan the Coke fizzes up.

For the next two months Happy to be at Home will be hosting a virtual recipe swap Check them out.

2 Minute Tuesday(Cleaning)

This is a cleaning routine I use that is loosely based on the Flylady system.



2-MINUTE TUESDAY CHALLENGES:

Don't forget to set your timer for 2 minutes, just work you way down the list as fast as you can


Or you can read through the list and set your time X x 2 = ___ and work from there.
For example if there are 10 items to do set your timer for 20 and try to get them done before the timer beeps.



LAUNDRY AREA

1. Gather All the Clothing Hangers and put them in one placefor more efficient laundry time.
2. Wipe Down the Washer and Dryer
3. Toss the old and empty bottles and all the other trash.
4. Clean out the dryer vent.
5. Sweep the laundry area.
6. Put away any stray laundry hanging around
7. 2-minute fling session!
8. Take a 2 minute break


BATHROOM AREAS

1. Empty the trash
2. Sweep the floor
3. Wipe down the tub
4. Wipe Down the shower
5. Swish and wipe the toilet
6. Declutter the medicine cabinet
7. 2-minute fling session
8. Wipe down the counter
9. Shine the sink
10. Shine the mirror
11. Take a 2 minute break

BEDROOM AREA

1. Vacuum the floor
2. Make the Bed
3. 2 minute fling session
4. Quick Dust the room
5. Straighten the closet
6. Sort socks and mate them up
7. Clean all the debris from under the bed
8. Tidy the end tables or bedside tables

KITCHEN AREA

1.Organize the spices, remember just 2 minutes
2. Empty the trash
3. Wipe down the large appliances.
4. Sweep the Kitchen
5. 2 minute fling session!
6. Quick Mop the Kitchen
7. Organize the pantry
8. Clean out old stuff from the fridge.
9. Empty the dishwasher
10. Load the Dishwasher
11. Wipe down the front of the cabinets, just 2 minutes
12. Wipe Down Ironing board
13. Clean iron

LIVING AREA

1. Vacuum or sweep the room
2. Quick Dust the Room
3. Tidy the table tops
4. Two-minute fling session
5. Water the plants
6. Quick Pick up the floor
7. Tidy up the place your store games
8. Tidy up the videos or DVD movies
9. Tidy up the music compact discs

THE GREAT OUT DOORS

1. Sweep The front porch
2. Sweep the back porch
3. Shake the door mats
4. Sweep the cobwebs off the door frame
5. Tidy up the garage
6. Two- minute fling session

THE AUTOMOBILE ZONE

1. Quick declutter inside of car
2. Organize the glove compartment
3. Quick wipe down of inside dash
4. Quick vacuum of front seat area
5. Declutter trunk of car


MISC.

1. Check the Mail
2. Check first aid kit for supplies
3. Write up grocery list for this week.
4. Make Doctor appoint for checkup
5. Make Vet appointment for pets.
6. Write TO DO list for tomorrow
7. Write your exercise goal for the next week.

Have a great day

Menu Planning Monday: Dinner Menu Dec. 1-5

This is my first time to post my Weekly Menu plan. I typically plan for the week and go shooping on Mondays. Even though this is my first week to post I have been menu planning for years. This week is one where I took a short cut. I am using Menus 4 Moms pre planned basic weekly menu. Also to aid me in my meal planning I use This Menu planning sheet from Abby at Simplify 101. I post this baby on my fridge and use the shopping list to jot down what I need through out the week for my next shopping trip.

So here's My Plan for Dinner this week:

Dinner Menu for Dec. 1-5

Monday

Gobble Good Turkey Casserole
Bacon Ranch Green Beans
Cooked Apples

Tuesday

Baked Fish
Couscous
Sugar Snap Peas

Wednesday

Crockpot Enchiladas
Black Bean Salad

Thursday

Pepperoni Pizza
Salad
Pineapple Parfait

Friday

Chicken Barley Vegetable Soup
Crusty Bread
Salad

Phriday Photo Phinish Phiesta

This one of my phavorite pictures of my daughter Claire and my niece Piper. This was one of the moments before the fights. Being so close in age they are prone to wanting the same toy at the same time, thus fighting occurs. But in this picture you get to bask in the glow of Cousinly love captured in one of my Phav Photos!

If you liked my little PHiesta and wanta play along visit

Candid Carrie every Friday.

If you love the Word Art visit Bethany at Elegant Word Art give some love!

MELISSA

Tu Tu Cute and Easy

This year for Christmas I am making a few of my gifts. One of the first ones I have made is little girl's Tu Tus. They are soooooooooooo cute. It only took me 45 mins and I am getting faster the more I make.

Here is a tutorial that tell you step by step how to do it, if you want to try. ( I didn't make this video). Let me know if you have any questions.

Hope you have a great Friday and I hope to start posting more frequently so keep checking in!

Melissa

I was tagged!

My new friend Nina at Juggling Mama tagged me with a survey! I am supposed to share a few random facts about me and pass the honor to 6 of my Blogging Buddies Here are my six random things about me you may not know.

1. My favorite candy is Andes Candies.

2. I LOVE to read Trashy Romance Novels.

3. I am a Cub Scout Den Leader. Love it

4. I am utterly addicted to CafeMom.

5. I love office suppy stores, I could stay in there for hours

6. I heart Chai Tea

Now 6 of my friends, please don't feel as though you have to play along. This is for fun and I understand if you don't want to do this.

1. Erica at The Cisneros Family

2. Sarah at The Martians...oh I Mean Martins

3 Mandie at tadsmama

4. Susan at Macy in the Middle

5. Becky at Anderson House

6. Melissa at Holloway Family

Melissa

Talk to Me Tuesday: Halloween Show and Tell

Talk to Me Tuesday: Show and Tell

Since I am just starting out on my blog, I thought I'd do this Tuesday exercise that that I have been reading on my favorite blogs for weeks. My son Colin recently had his 8th Birthday. After much coxing I talked him into doing a Halloween Costume Party. We transformed the living room in to a black light lit room of doom, but as usual we didn't get any pictures of it since Mom is the designated party planner, gracious host, chef, dresser, all around lackey, as well as the picture taker. No sweat we had fun in the room anyway.

Colin 8 Where has the time gone?

We were blessed with warm weather and hardly any wind.

Colin was Indiana Jones.

He has become obsessed.

He wants to watch each movie.

He as started many times but I'm not sure he has made it through one whole one yet.

Claire was Hannah Montana.

This is the only time we got her to wear the wig that she HAD to have.

She is a Diva in training with or without the wig.

For the party we decorated cupcakes, there were sprinkles flying everywhere and when all was said and done I don't think anyone eat their "masterpieces". Too gross! lol

The highlight of the party, to me anyway was when we played Halloween Hullabaloo a game I found on MeckMoms blog. The kids had a ball jumping and slithering around.

Here is another pic of Claire with my niece Piper. Aren't they adorable?

On the day before Halloween I found Bakerella, who has the cutest little cake pops and guess who got a wild hair to try it out. After many excruciating hours (just kidding it wasn't that bad) I came up with my own version, not a beautimous as Bakerella but not bad for my first attempt.

My Door was my favorite decoration this year and I will do it again next year. It was rather simple. I found a black wreath and Googly eyes at Michael's and took a hot glue gun. I glued pairs of eyes all over the wreath, which turned out cool, then I decided to take it one step further and hot glued the rest of the eyes all over the door. Thanks to my sister Julie for doing some of gluing( those little suckers get HOT).

On Halloween Claire and I went to the MOMSClub Halloween Party and a ball. Then later that night Claire, Colin, and I went with some friends to a Carnival at a local church. Wouldn't you know it my camera was acting crazy and not working so I didn't get pic from that night. My friend Ginna did so I will have to get them from her. Now where was Nathan during all these mountains of fun events you ask? He was and still is hunting with his dad. I'm not sure where I am going to house all the deer meat he is getting and have forbidden him from bringing home and wildlife to adorn my walls.


Hope you had a great Halloween, too!

Melissa

Getting Started

Colin and Claire

Oct 08

I'm new to this but wanted to jump on the blog wagon. I am hoping to keep family and friends updated on the events happening with with us in our little canyon. As well as pass on some interesting useful tips I fall upon. More to come...
Melissa