I'm Just Sayin'

Teach Me Thursday

As many of you already know, one of my fave sites is Tip Junkie. I love it. I am addicted. I absolutely have to check it each and every day. How many of her pool of ideas have I put into action? Doesn't matter. Who are you- the project police? ;)

Each Thursday she does a post entitled, Teach Me Thursday. It is a post dedicated to tutorials. Lots and lots of glorious tutorials! (another of my addictions) -- someone get me a 12-step program, STAT! --

Well, I submitted the tutorial of Lilly's Flower Blossom Cake, and she featured it today! What a rush. Yeah!

So, if you have a tutorial posted on your blog, submit it to Laurie at Tip Junkie. ;)

Question:
Does anyone know how I could have deleted comments to posts, without realizing it??

Holy Fagioli!

A great recipe from my friend Sandy! Olive Garden, eat your heart out!

Pasta Fagioli
(a hearty italian soup)

2 T Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 cans italian-style Stewed Tomatoes, undrained **
3 cans Chicken Broth
2 cans Cannelini Beans (white kidney beans), undrained
1 T Basil
1/4 t. Pepper
1 can Tomato Sauce
8 oz. tiny Shell Pasta
8 - 10 sprigs Cilantro

In food processor -chop on fine - onion, garlic, tomato sauce and cilantro.

Cook this blended sauce with olive oil for 5 minutes.

Add stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, beans, basil and pepper.

Heat to a boil; simmer 10 minutes.

Add pasta and cover for 10 - 12 minutes or until pasta is done.

Serve with mozzarella garlic bread.

Yumm-O!

** I put the stewed tomatoes through the food processor. My kids hate chunks of tomato- so do I really- it made it really nice.

Heartier Alternative: Brown 1 lb. ground beef and add it to the soup. Delish!

Enough of That!

Okay, Pity Party is over! Shake it off; shake it off. ;)

What a difference a day makes. I was feeling so yucky, it really felt better to get it out. Thanks for all of the super-sweet comments and words of encouragement. I wasn't fishing for compliments, but it sure was nice to hear your uplifting words.

Hey, I guess I should have taken a picture of my hair on Sunday, eh?

Sniff, sniff

Do you ever get the feeling that everything you ever do is wrong?

Do you ever feel like your life is a series of choosing? Do this; do that. Go here; go there. These people are counting on you; those people need that. Decide; decide; choose, choose choose!

And then when you make the decisions that you think are best for your family, or are the "right" choice, you feel it is at the expense of yourself? (this sounds awful- but this is one of those moments where my blog is my journal)

Not to mention feeling that nothing that you do is good enough. No matter how hard you try- and even when you think that you have done an okay or I daresay 'good' job, there is a standard out there, and you are just NEVER going to measure up. That really stinks.

I have had a horrible week. I feel as though I am drowning. I feel sad and frustrated and very blue.

Doggie Woggie

Yes, we have a dog! Her name is Pepper and I have yet to get a good picture of her. Think Benji meets Schnauzer.
She is a sweet little thing and has fit in very well. More to come. Complete with a picture and heartwarming story. :)

Gee Thanks!

Special thanks to my sweet friend, Summer at The Crooked Curve for giving me this delightful award! What a fun way to finish off a super-crazy day. I heart her blog, too!
And do you know how I came to find her blog? Well, let me just tell you...
We were at Girls' Camp and I just knew that she looked familiar. Since I knew that I would remember meeting a girl with a beautiful name like Summer, my only other reason for knowing her would be if I happened to have seen her in BlogLand. So I asked her if she had a blog, and she confirmed that she did! Strange, don't you think? I was a lurker on her blog. :)
Anyway, you have to stop by because she is an amazing baker and has such delicious looking things that I am always meaning to try. Check out yesterday's Orange Juice Cake recipe. Scrump-dilly-icious, I am sure. I am trying it this weekend!
Wow, a quick re-read let me know that I sure was rambling!

As a recipient of this award, there are rules to follow. I have to answer the following questions with one word answers and one word only! Then I must pass it on to seven others! The questions are as follows:

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Where is your significant other? Upstairs
3. Your hair color? L'Oreal
4. Your mother? Talented
5. Your father? Funny
6. Your favorite thing? Classic Movies
7. Your dream last night? Crazy
8. Your dream/goal? Write
9. The room you're in? Family Room
10. Your hobby? Blogging
11. Your fear? Sharks
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Italy
13. Where were you last night? Church
14. What you're not? Organized
15. One of your wish-list items? Wii Fit
16. Where you grew up? Canada
17. The last thing you did? Put kids to bed
18. What are you wearing? Capris
19. Your TV? Panasonic
20. Your pet? Pepper
21. Your computer? Mac
22. Your mood? Good
23. Missing someone? YiaYia
24. Your car? Toyota
25. Something you're not wearing? Shoes
26. Favorite store? Hobby Lobby
27. Your summer? Fantastic!
28. Love someone? Lots!
29. Your favorite color? Red
30. When is the last time you laughed? Yesterday
31. Last time you cried? Last week

The bloggers that I'm nominating:
Lauren
Nicole
Jamie
Lisa
Aubri
Chel
Chell

Now, for you recipients of this award, here's the deal:
* Display your award.
* Link back to the person who gave you the award.
* Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
* Put links to those blogs on yours.
* Leave a message on the blogs of the people you've nominated.
* Enjoy your award!

Family Sticker

Some blog fun for you. Any observations?

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Nicky's First Day of Preschool

Nicky is so excited to go to school! He is having a wonderful time.

After clicking play, click the pencil for the next photos.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Steffi's 14th Birthday

I can't believe that Stephie is 14! She is now in high school. She will be going to her first dance next weekend. (though she says that Maddy will have to drag her kicking and screaming...)

Well, with birthdays comes growth and change. Stephie was definitely grown, and her name is now being spelled 'Steffi.' Just in case you were wondering...

Hoops and Yoyo are some of her favorite characters, so this slideshow is picked especially for her. Click the 'party on' button to change pictures.

Love you, Stephie-Bug! (I mean Steffi!) :)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Yes, You Can

So I read on a blog recently (and I am so bad about remembering who, what, where, when and why) that you can use hair conditioner (or creme rinse as we say in Canada) as shaving cream.
Interesting thought.
I tried it. And it works!
And did I mention how silky it leaves your legs? No need to buy fancy shave cream. Yay!
And it's already in the shower. Double yay!


Well, then comes yesterday. Sunday. Basically your 'getting ready nightmare.'
Terrible night's sleep, tossing my cookies, followed by headache, broken flat iron, confusion on the meeting that I was supposed to attend (sorry Bishop) etc.
So I am getting ready and I go to put lotion on my STUBBLY legs!

Could I have forgotten to shave? Yes.
Was I already dressed? Yes. Make-upped? Yes. Hair straightened? Well... sort of.

So there you have it, Girls.

Yes, you can apply conditioner to your dry legs (that are sticking out of the bottom of a skirt) and shave! Yes, you can.

And are there razor bumps? No. No, there are not. :)