I am still here

Yes, I am still here. I haven't had much time to write any postings as I have been way too occupied with my garden. canning, freezing and so forth. So, I apologize. You know how that can be. When the garden produce is ready, it really can't wait. Every year I try to can and freeze as much as I can for the winter. We never know from one year to the next about DH's job in the winter. DH is usually laid off but, I can remember the one year it took 9 weeks before unemployment paid him. This can be a nightmare if you don't have a stockpile to refer to. I am canning tomatoes at the moment along with tomato juice. I use alot of this stuff. I have canned up green beans, zucchini relish, sweet pickle relish, cucumber sandwich pickles. I froze zucchini some shredded for bread and muffins and some sliced for sauteing, green peppers, sweet banana peppers, blueberries, and strawberries. Yesterday I dried some fresh sweet basil in the oven on warm heat. I was getting a bit low on this wonderful herb. This week and next I will be making Sweet Anne's lace jelly* and grape jelly and maybe can up some peaches. I also have some sweet pickles in the making and pickled beets on the agenda. I figure this is going to all taste good this winter along with the venison DH gets every year. It would be nice to stock up on everything including your meat where in the winter all you would have to buy is your perishables like milk and eggs. It is a really nice thought, I guess it's been a dream of mine. I have been going fishing some with DH and earlier with my dad this summer I have a good quantity of bluegill built up in the freezer now as well . If the winter goes like last year, DH never found the chance to go ice fishing and use any of his 64 ice fishing poles. What a shame! Sorry honey! There is many benefits to stocking up on food and other daily needs. Some of them are surprisingly intangible. There is a certain peace that comes from knowing that your home is well enough stocked to get you through a few months of anything. I hate the cold winter and the last thing I want to do is mega shopping in a snowstorm. Here is my recipe for Queen Anne's Lace Jelly. Queen anne's lace is also known as wild carrot and you can find this weed anywhere, in your yard, along the roadside, fields, ect. This jelly is so good.
Queen Anne's Lace Jelly*
4 cups of water
18 Large queen anne's lace flower heads
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pkg powdered pectin
3 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbls sugar
red food coloring (optional)
Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the flower heads pushing them down into the water. Cover and steep for 30 min. Remove the lid and let the mixture cool. Slightly about 15 min. Strain the liquid through a dampened cheesecloth, discarding the flower heads. Measure out 3 cups of the liquid into a 4-6 quart pan. Add the lemon juice and pectin and bring to a rolling a boil. Stir constant (very important) add the sugar, stir constant and cook until the mixture returns to a rolling boil. Boil 1 min. longer. Remove from the heat. Add enough red food color (2 drops) If using to tint the jelly pink, then skim off any foam. Pour into sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch head space, with damp cloth, remove any spills from the rim and thread of the jars. Process in hot water bath for 5 min. * makes approx. 6 jelly jars

Menu Plan Monday 7/12/10

Here we go again, another Monday and another menu plan already. I hope all of you had a great week and weekend. Mine was a busy one for sure. As always, this time of year will do that to you. My garden is doing an amazing job of supplying us with plenty of fresh green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow crookneck squash at the moment. Yummy! However, I am having a bit of problem with some kind of animal, woodchuck.....maybe?....eating my beans and just leaving the end snip on the plant. Grrrrrrr......my squash seems to have some evidence of squash bugs also pooh! Anyone else having any problems with such pests? Friday I went to the blueberry farm and picked blueberries. I made a blueberry pie and blueberry zucchini bread after freezing 8- 1 1/2 pint and 3 quart containers of blueberries. This will be more than enough for DH and I considering we still have some left from last year. I also had an abundance of zucchini so I made 48 *whole wheat chocolate zucchini muffins in which I saved a few out for eating now and gave some away. I froze the rest for later. I was pooped after all that! Even though I was tired that didn't stop me from going fishing later that evening with DH. We caught 13 nice bluegill. This was good considering the fish here at the lake has had some kind of lockjaw lately. Saturday afternoon my dad joined us on the pontoon for a little fishing. We caught 38 nice ones. As for my menu this week it looks like it will have to be easy and simple. This is pretty much what I try to do every week anyways. Looks like another busy week ahead planned! Stop by orgjunkie for more menus!

MONDAY

BLT's

fresh cucumber slices

blueberry pie

TUESDAY

*summer stew ( This is very delicious and l look forward to this every year with my fresh green beans)

watermelon

WEDNESDAY

grilled pork chops

corn on the cob

garlic potatoes

THURSDAY

We will be going out

FRIDAY

grilled salmon with zucchini

brown rice

SATURDAY

chef salads

SUNDAY

On our own today!

SATURDAY

* Summer stew

This is something I basically made up consisting of fresh green beans, sliced onion, kielbasa sausage, bacon and red potatoes ( I leave the skin on and cut into bite size chunks) salt, pepper and all cooked together in fair amount of water until tender. Yum! Yum!

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thankful Thursday. Lynn over at spiritually unequal marriage is hosting this month., so be sure to visit her and be blessed! As for myself I could write a book on all the things I am thankful for. But, for Today I will make this Thankful Thursday simple and brief. The Lord has been there for my DH and I every day, every moment. He continues to bless us. Today was no exception. My DH got hurt at work. For 7 years he has never had any accidents or major sickness. Today he happened to be working with his boss cutting a piece of steel with the sawall and in a split second his boss slipped and DH's middle finger on his right hand was literally split wide open. He was rushed to the doctor and had 13 stitches, 3 inside and 10 outside. I cannot thank the Lord enough for sparing DH's finger as it just missed his tendon .It was an accident that could of been alot worse than it was. I thank the Lord everyday for my husband. DH's blood pressure was a bit high and the doctor suggested to cease the smoking. I am thinking this is going to take alot of prayer.

I am also thankful I still have my father. The time I spend with him is amazing. We have had a couple of great times fishing on the pond this past week.

I am thankful for our garden and how well it's growing this year and the food it provides for our table, the full freezer of meat and the good stockpile on the shelves.

So what are you thankful for this week? Remember, In all things give thanks!

A llittle of this and that

If I am not posting as much anymore during the week, It is because I have been extremely busy like tending my garden, Oh my....with all the rain and warm weather the garden is growing crazy and so are the weeds. I have been trying to stay on top of it all which is a tackle in itself these days. Oh..how embarrassing to have a weedy garden. Weeds are a fact of life with a garden and they need to be pulled. Seriously, I have to be attentive to them. Turn your back on them and they are back in your garden! When I am not tending the garden I have been fishing and having coffee with my Dad. In fact, I went again this morning with him and we reeled in 47 beautiful bluegill. The rest of the day was spent helping clean fish dividing the bluegill between us. I put 4 containers full in the freezer for this winter. We had so much fun that we fished again early this evening. This time, DH went with us. We took home 50 fish. HA! This time DH received the honors of cleaning them. I put 4 more containers in the freezer. We are ever so thankful the Lord has blessed us once again with a mess of fish. I must not forget the quality time spent with my father. Oh yes, and then there is our pet rabbit. Why have a pet if you never spend any time caring for it? I got this hair brained idea a couple of days ago to let little Bunny Boo in the house. I carefully spread newspapers all over the floor in one room. I can't trust the little guy after he peed on my friend from down the road. Okay, I am so glad this lady has a sense of humour! Anyways Bunny Boo and our little Yorkie/shitzu played and played...chasing each other like they were playing tag and were best buddies. It was hilarious! Now, I am not making a habit of bringing my rabbit in the house all the time. I have however have been making a habit of spoiling the little guy. Okay, No more excuses. I promise to get on the bandwagon here soon. Just know I am okay. Maybe you can relate?

Wordless Wednesday...New addition to our family

Meet Bunny Boo Rockstar! He is the new addition to the family. I am already spoiling the little guy. ummmm...I think he is a boy. I suppose it doesn't really matter considering it is the only bunny and no plans for more. He loves to be held and has a problem wanting to go back to his cage afterwards.

Fishing with my Dad

I went fishing with my Dad yesterday morning. We have been talking about going fishing on the pond by his place for quite awhile. Yep, just my Dad and I. The pond seems so different than the lake when it comes to fishing. My thinking is that the fish are dumber. Really, some of the best bluegill fishing can be found in ponds. Remember always ask permission to fish on private ponds. If you are simply wanting to catch alot of fish regardless of size, most ponds will provide ample bluegill action. I grew up fishing from a small farm pond located close enough to my house that we could walk to it. I remember many times fishing with my mom, my dad and grandma. Ponds are still a great place to catch fish! Dad and I caught 38 nice bluegill in a couple of hours in the morning. I hooked a small bass and a few young ones that were too small to keep. My DH bought me a really cute lightweight 12 ft. cane pole awhile back. I love that pole! I have hooked more large bluegill with that little gem. I gave my dad the exact same pole for fathers day. He also hooked more fish with that little gem! Bluegill spawn in spring and early summer and this is a good time to catch them. When the water exceeds 70 degrees, begin looking for spawning bluegill in shallow water on their beds. Which explains why so many large bluegill we caught were females loaded with eggs. We cleaned all 38 fish. Dad filleted with his electric knife and I cut out the ribs. As a team it seemed like we had the fish cleaned in no time! Here's a picture of my dad cleaning the fish.





All in all, It was a great way to spend the day and be rewarded with some tasty eating!

What to do if you lock your keys in the car

Have you ever locked your keys in the car? and you don't have a spare key? If so, what did you do? Now, chances are most of us have locked our keys in the car at one time or another. For me..ahem..it happened one day last week or so in the Meier parking lot. Yes, it was just one of those things that happened. Yesterday DH and I were at the bank and this poor young woman had done the same thing. Yep, locked those darn keys in the car. Did she have a spare key? nope! This obviously was not her first time doing this neither. I am sure she felt like I did, like an idiot! I was frustrated, embarrassed and mad at myself, and like a dummy no spare key! Now, it was just one of those things I put off because, I never thought this would happen. So, what did I do? Well, I had to call my DH from work and wait by the car until he arrived. He somehow found a piece of very thin metal at work and was able to somehow trigger the lock switch. This was kinda embarrassing since my car's anti theft system alarm blared throughout the parking lot until I could stop it! Anyways, Don't panic or flip out. There is some solutions we can all do. Well, just in case this ever happens to you.

1. Get a spare key or two made. For just a few dollars, you've got real peace of mind. This has to be the most simple solution to a relatively simple problem. After this incident I go three extra keys made at Menards.
2. Keep your spare key in a secure location. Place the other one in maybe a magnetic key case which can be hidden along a metal surface of your vehicle. Give a key to a trusted family member. I now keep an extra key in my purse, I also keep a spare key at home and gave a key to DH.
3. If you have On Star you can call the helpline. They remotely send a signal to your vehicle and unlock your door. Since DH and I drive older vehicles and this can cost about $200 a year this option is a no go for us!
4. Talk to your insurance company. If your vehicle is on warranty, you can call the roadside assistance line. They will open your car for free. Again not an option for us.


Don't panic! There are solutions and there are preventable solutions. The biggest mistake we can make is flipping out! Have you ever locked your keys accidentally in the car?

Menu Plan Monday

Is it Monday again already? My, how these weeks fly. I have been trying to catch up on a few things around the house and yard. The weather has been very warm and very humid, rains about every day and not to mention I don't know about anywhere else but, here at the lake the mosquitoes are many and hungry! which makes this whole working in the yard or garden difficult. In my garden my veggies are growing fast and so are the weeds. We have been eating fresh lettuce, spinach, Green onions, radishes. I planted lots of the stuff and therefor eating many green salads. But, that's okay because its all low in calories and very good for you. So, unto the menu for this week...

MONDAY

On our own! A little of this and a little of that from the weekend that needs to be eaten!

TUESDAY

chef salads, berry smoothies

WEDNESDAY

baked chicken w/cornbread dressing, green beans

THURSDAY

cabbage w/kielbasa

FRIDAY

stuffed green peppers, corn muffins

SATURDAY

grilled salmon, tossed green salad, brown rice

SUNDAY

On our own!

For more meal planning ideas visit organizing junkie!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Another yard sale over

Another yard sale of mine is over and I am so ever thankful! For now, I am not sure when I will have the third one or if I will. DH and I are thinking of setting up at some of the local flea markets maybe, possibly, a table or two of stuff but, that is a big if at the moment. Flea markets are an excellent option for those with alot of stuff to get rid of or if you live in an area with low traffic, primarily non-residential, live in an apartment or other residence that doesn't allow yard sales .You are guaranteed more customers at a flea market than at a yard sale even if your neighborhood is great for your yard sales. Most people come to find bargains but, they expect to pay more than at a yard sale.Anyways I am glad this sale is over for now. Yard sales are alot of work especially when they are as big as mine are. but, I've had alot of fun and they have been profitable for DH and I. This time when we cleaned up I got rid of at least 2/3 of the clothes and 1/2 of all the other junk. My son took it all but the clothes which I donated them. He hopes to run a yard sale of his own for some extra money. Personally, I am just so tired of dealing with all this stuff! It may sound crazy, but all this stuff just stresses me out! By having too much stuff laying around, it takes time and effort to maintain it and takes my attention away from other things I would rather be focusing on. It wastes my time because when I have all this clutter around i have to search for things I have but can't find quickly or not at all. Okay...In short I've tried more. It's awful. I want less, and I want it now!
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Menu Plan Monday 6/7

UGH! I finally have the chance to sit at my computer and get my Menu Plan Monday posted. It seems every time I thought I had a chance something would come up like company or something that prevented me from doing so. It's late, and I hope I can get this posted now before bedtime. Be sure to check out organizing junkie for many many more menus! For this week my menu is...

MONDAY

we had grilled pork chops

baked potatoes on the grill

tossed salad with fresh greens, radishes,and green onions from my garden

fresh strawberries with shortcake

TUESDAY

smothered chicken

green beans

brown rice

WEDNESDAY

fresh bluegill we caught Monday eve

baked french fries

tossed salad

THURSDAY

we usually eat out this night!

FRIDAY

goulash

garlic bread

plums

SATURDAY

omelets ( veggie for me)

strawberry muffins

fruit smoothies

SUNDAY

on our own!

So that's my plan. What's on your menu this week?

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Menu Plan Monday- May 31

Oh my! Monday is almost over with and I forgot to post my menu plan Monday. Hope everyone out there had a great memorial day weekend. DH and I stayed busy all weekend. Our town had citywide garage sales and we attempted to hit a few over the last few days....not that I needed anything because the past few months I have been overwhelmed with junk and the idea is to get rid of the junk and not make new junk. But, I was hoping I would find a few select items I truly needed and could there for use. This weekend is our lake association garage sales. DH and I are trying to get ready for yet our second sale of the year. I am afraid though the weather could be against us for this one..well we will see what happens. I really need to unload the rest of all this stuff we have accumalated this past winter. We also had the grand kids over yesterday for swimming and pontoon ride. They love to ride Papas big boat. My menu this week looks like this...

MONDAY
we had leftover burgers( we grilled yesterday in place of having tacos )

TUESDAY
goulash
garlic bread

WEDNESDAY
tacos your way
peach smoothies

THURSDAY
Not sure...out maybe?

FRIDAY
cube steak
mashed potatoes
green beans

SATURDAY
chicken and veggie stir fry
brown rice

SUNDAY
on our own!

For more really great menus, be sure to check out organizing junkie and be sure to link up with your own menu!

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Menu Plan Monday

I am sorry about my late posting. After an extremely busy, busy, day, I feel I can finally sit down to my menu plan Monday. The thermometer reads hot! The forecast calls for hot, summer like temps the rest of the week. Now I am not complaining in the least it's just a little hot! Neither DH or I have a big appetite when it's this hot and this time of year I am usually too busy with other things to want to spend alot of time in the kitchen so considering all this my menu is going to be easy, fast and light and after a really slow start......well, you get the picture.....

MONDAY

omelets with ham veggies and cheese

sweetest muffins

strawberry/banana smoothies

TUESDAY

grilled pork chops

sugar snap peas

garlic mashed potatoes

WEDNESDAY

chef salads

THURSDAY

out???

FRIDAY

bluegill

baked fries

tossed green salad

SATURDAY

taco night (build your own tacos)

Don't forget to check out organizing junkie for more great menus!

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Almost Wordless Wednesday

How do you get 2 little grandkids together to sit still long enough to snap a picture?

A new picnic table for Reese"s birthday and birthday cake of course!

Menu Plan Monday

Oh my, Its Monday again and time for another menu plan for the week. It is now slowed down after an entire weekend with our granddaughter. It was a great weekend. Jasmyne is such a smart and good girl. She growing up so fast. We ate breakfast out twice, watched her play t-ball at her practice, went yard saleing, went fishing, played computer games, ( she is smart at these), played barbies, painted our toenails, read books, gave lots of hugs and kisses, and snuggled. Did I leave out anything? It was a great time spent and looking forward we can do it all over again. Reese's birthday party yesterday was great. She and her little brother have so much energy. My, it wore papa and Mimi out just watching them run around. My menu for this week was easy to come up with as I just got groceries and my stockpile is way up again. I shouldn't have to buy anything for awhile. So, for this weeks menu.......



MONDAY



grilled lemon pepper chicken breasts



brown rice pilaf



corn on the cob







TUESDAY



egg salad sandwiches



cantaloupe filled with cherry jello (recipe here)



baked fries







WEDNESDAY



spaghetti and meatballs



large tossed green salad







THURSDAY


out?????











FRIDAY



hamburgers on the grill



baked beans



fresh raw veggies or tossed green salad







SATURDAY


ham steak


potato salad


steamed asparagus





SUNDAY


leftovers!





organizing junkie has many more menu ideas, so be sure to check her out!

Diet Plateau

As everyone knows, I have adopted a diet plan hoping to achieve weight loss and live a healthier lifestyle. I bid bye-bye to my old eating habits and given up many of my favorite foods in favor for healthier alternatives. My hard work paid off and I lost nearly 20 lbs! But, now it seems I've hit this diet plateau demon. For a few weeks now the scale hasn't moved an inch. Anyone who has ever been on a diet knows how discouraging it is. I have tried hard to try to not get disheartened. Today I decided to put on this shirt which I love but, have never been able to wear because of being waaay too tight. I couldn't bear to get rid of it because it is so darn cute. I couldn't believe it! The shirt fits me awesome with lots of room to spare! Okay, So I came up with this conclusion...A diet plateau can be discouraging and demotivating, but, don't give up! In my case, I have been exercising so much more and they do say muscle weighs more than fat. It's good to lose weight but, losing inches is great! I must be doing something right! I have made a commitment to live a healthy lifestyle, in return lose some pounds and so I will outsmart my metabolism and conquer the diet plateau!

Thankful Thursday

Counting my blessings here today! This weekend our granddaughter Jasmyne will be spending all weekend here with her Mimi and Papa. Jasmyne is such a joy and delight. She is growing up so fast, and Reese's birthday is today and just turned 4 years old. Where does the time go? They say life is short..how true I find this to be. Anyways, I am thankful for all our grandchildren, each one with a unique personality and so much love to give. They are truly a blessing from God!

I am thankful for all the work we have been able to accomplish around our house, inside and out., work that needed to be done and wouldn't have gotten done if not been the money we were able to make from our yard sale a few weeks back. God blessed us once again!

The Lord has been so good to us this year and has blessed us in so many ways threefold! I cannot thank God enough. I hope these blessing will help me become a blessing to others. I believe blessings are given to us so that we might produce more fruit. Blessings are a sign of God's grace, that is his goodness to us even though we don't deserve it, not a reward for good works, and we need to use these blessings in the way God wants. I hope I can become a blessing to others.

What are you thankful for this week? Laurie is hosting thankful Thursday this month. Take time to stop by her blog and read what others are thankful for. Don't forget to count your blessings! Be blessed!

My garden is growing!

My veggies are growing! It has only been a mere week since I planted them and they are already poking themselves out of the ground.

These are my radishes!

my green onions....

and my mesclum mix!

Do you have a garden? How is your garden growing? I can hardly wait to enjoy a fresh green salad from these veggies! I first fell in love with the idea of growing my own veggies when I was still a quite young child. My father was a farmer, my mom was a stay at home mother and raised us 6 kids on only my dads income. We always had the necessities, and with my dad being a dairy farmer we always had milk and meat. When I were really little I can remember my parents having chickens for eggs also but, they always had a very large garden in which they grew all of our vegetables. Neat rows of carrots, lettuce, green beans, sweet corn. I am so glad my parent's enthusiasm for a large garden and growing all their veggies has rubbed off on me. Having my own garden and growing my own veggies, deciding which veggies to plant, preparing the ground, sowing and tending the plants and finally harvesting the produce and eating it is an activity I will always enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday-May 10

It's better late than never! I was too busy yesterday to post my menu for this week. It seemed I no longer woke up in the morning and it was already time for bed again! To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what happened to the day. The weather here in Indiana has been so rainy, cold and windy so, that when it is sunny and decent outside I feel the need to take advantage of the situation. We are having our oldest granddaughter Jasmyne, staying for the entire weekend this week. I am excited as we haven't seen this granddaughter for a good long while. They grow up so fast. Mimi and Papa plan to spend alot of quality time with her. She loves to go out and eat and go to garage sales with us but not sure what else is on the agenda. We also have another granddaughter who's birthday party is Sunday. Reese will be turning 4 years old. So, for my menu this week I will be throwing in some kid friendly foods Friday and Saturday that I believe Jasmyne will like. Friday she will enjoy helping make the pizza. We will probably go to our favorite restaurant for breakfast a couple of times as, she always requests or should I say, tells us she wants pancakes, sausage, and chocolate milk at village kitchen. My menu this week looks like this....

MONDAY

grilled pork chops

brown rice pilaf

steamed fresh asparagus (from our patch)



TUESDAY

goulash

canned purple plums



WEDNESDAY

grilled chicken breasts

pea salad

garlic potatoes





THURSDAY

progresso minestrone soup

grilled cheese sandwiches

fresh cut up veggies



FRIDAY

homemade pizza (veggie for me)

pop



SATURDAY

garlic cheesy bread

lasagna

green salad



SUNDAY

Reese's birthday party!



Be sure to check out organizing junkie for more amazing menus!

Busy as a bee

Earlier this week I mentioned I was going to play catch up. That's exactly what I have been doing. Having many undone tasks can only make things confusing and it really feels good to finally get caught up some. I have been busy doing things all day, doing, doing, doing, busy as a bee, flying from one project to another hoping to accomplish alot in my hive of activity. DH tilled our garden a couple of days ago and yesterday I couldn't wait to dig my hands in the soil and plant. I planted 2 hills of zucchini, 2 hills of summer yellow crookneck squash, 10 hills of potatoes, carrots, lettuce(leaf), spinach, green onions,thyme, dill, mesclum salad mix, chives and regular onions. I am waiting to plant my green beans, tomatoes, green and red peppers, sweet banana peppers, cucumbers and whatever else I decide. This weekend the temps are supposed to dip down in the thirty's at night. I have some flowers I need to plant and so I will wait a few days to plant them as well. Speaking of flowers my Iris's and peony's are bursting with blooms. I am afraid the lilacs around here are about done. It's a shame, they smell soooo.....good and they are here today, gone tomorrow. Who doesn't love fresh asparagus or a homemade rhubarb pie. I picked another bunch of asparagus from our bed and have enough now for dinner someday next week. I also picked some rhubarb and will make a fresh rhubarb pie tomorrow morning for our dinner tomorrow night. yummy! okay, I know I am on a diet, but, I can have a tiny piece maybe? This pie was to be made yesterday but, I never got to it. Our three sheds are just about all painted. We have just one more to. It's starting to look pretty good around the place now. DH says this weekend sounds like a good weekend weather wise to start painting inside the house. As you can see, it's been buzzing around here! Here is the recipe I use for my fresh rhubarb pie. It is absolutely delicious especially with a cup of coffee. Enjoy! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fresh-Rhubarb-Pie/Detail.aspx
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Menu Plan monday

How was your weekend? There is one thing about this time of year and its that there is always something to do or that needs to be done. DH and I have been painting our sheds. Tonight we should have the two out of the three done. It's looking good! Nothing like a splash of color on the otherwise unpainted wood. As for our garden, I have my plants and seeds ready to plant. DH will till the garden tomorrow night. We sure are lagging behind this year. Perhaps this week we will be able to play catch up.For this weeks menu we are having......





MONDAY


cabbage with polish kielbasa sausage


whole wheat bread


tapioca pudding





TUESDAY


ridiculous easy beef roast (in crock pot)


red potatoes


carrots





WEDNESDAY


beef and noodles ( made with leftover roast)


green beans


rhubarb pie ( for the DH)





THURSDAY


grilled lemon pepper chicken breasts


brown rice


tossed green salad





FRIDAY


chef salads


purple plums (canned)





SATURDAY


chicken and veggie stir fry





MOTHERS DAY


????Hmmm don't' know what DH has up his sleeve





For more meal plans check out organizing junkie

Thankful Thursday

This weeks Thankful Thursday is hosted by Lynn at spiritually unequal marrige. Wow! Another Thankful Thursday. Where does the time go? I swear the older I get the quicker time passes! This week I am thankful for so many things. We had an awesome yard sale last week which in turn helped us buy some river rock for our driveway. Yea! no more mud and dirt! I am also thankful it bought paint for our sheds. Our one shed was bare and had never had any paint or nothing. It was in dire need of a good coat of paint not only to look good but to keep the wood from rotting. I painted the little shed today and what a difference a good coat of paint did. My eyes are going to have to get used to this! We also got some paint to paint the inside of the house. The last time we painted was in 2005. Its not real bad but, it could use it. We have that thing if you take a picture down off the wall you can see the outline. No problem unless you hang something in its place and it doesn't cover the outline. Oops! It bugs me! I am also thankful for my health. I am 52 years young, Now I admit I am no spring chicken but, I don't do too bad. I am trying to eat right and exercise, and get plenty of rest and hope to ward off any big health issues like heart problems, diabetes and so forth. Oh, and I am so very thankful and most thankful and blessed to have such a great husband and family. DH is very good to me and the past couple of years I have never been as close to my father as I am now. I cherish the time I spend with him drinking coffee and talking. It is something I will always remember. It is good! So what are you thankful for this week?

Wordless Wednesday

Our grandson's birthday party was last Sunday. He turned 2 years old.

I can't tell you how glad I am this weekends over! My yard sale has been fun but, I am soooo.....very tired. We will be finishing the clean up from the sale today as it has rained all day the past 2 days. Yesterday was our grandsons birthday. He has turned 2 years old. We spent all afternoon in Michigan for that. Anyways, for the menu this week it is back to our normal routine except Saturday and Sunday which will be spending the day in Shipshawana, IN and a little granddaughter who turns 4 on Sunday with yet another party to go to. This week looks like this...

MONDAY

grilled ham steak

fresh steamed asparagus ( from our own patch)

potato salad

TUESDAY

spaghetti and meatballs

tossed green salad

WEDNESDAY

grilled chicken breast

garlic potatoes

fresh steamed broccoli

THURSDAY

out!

FRIDAY

chicken and veggie stir fry

brown rice

SATURDAY

we will be out and about all day!

SUNDAY

granddaughters birthday party!

For more plans visit orgjunkie

A Fantastic Yard Sale and Pics

My yard sale is over for now. Maybe in a couple of weeks I will have another but, not right away. I am pooped! It was a fantastic sale. Again we were blessed. The weather except for Saturday was beautiful and the people came in mobs steady all day on Thursday. Friday was just a steady flow of people all day. Time went soooo......fast. It was crazy for awhile but there was 3 of us and it all worked out great. Saturday it was rainy all day. The stuff was getting wet, but the people still kept on coming. We still have alot of stuff but we sure made a good dent. As I promised, I am a little late but, I am posting these pictures of my sale. See? I told you it was huge! It took almost all my yard and I had so much alot of stuff had to stay in tubs as I didn't have room. We made it work though. Most everyone that came said "gee, you have alot of stuff" What do you think?