Daybook...

My Daybook, you can go to Simple Woman's Daybook to make up your own Daybook!

FOR TODAY...
Outside my window....It's dark out now, we're expecting some snow and sleet...I still have twinkling lights in two little trees that I'll leave up for the remainder of Winter!

I am thinking.....about alot of stuff, I'm sorta melancholy today...thinking about alot of things that seem overwhelming for others around me, and praying alot and humbling myself ....

I am thankful for.....a warm home, and cars, and food whenever we need it, and a great family!

From the learning rooms.....reading fiction, starting Fudge-a-Mania tonight with Grace! so funny!

From the kitchen....Rosemary chicken, roasted potatoes and carrots.

I am wearing....Black track pants, pink turtleneck and a hoodie.

I am creating....a centerpiece for an upcoming registration table for a Parenting seminar our church is hosting in February!

I am going......to watch Grace and Mike play Wii and then sit by the fire and read and watch the Walton's!

I am reading...This Side of Heaven, by Karen Kingsbury...I wanted to start her books this Winter since so many friends recommended her for years!

I am hoping....to CHEER up and get out of this frumpy slump today! ha

I am hearing....the fire crackle, the Wii and the shower!

Around the house....Jordan is overwhelmed with a homework load tonight and upcoming exams to study for, Wii, showers, and "night time" stuff!

One of my favorite things.......SNOW DAYS! we've had a few recently and would love another!! haha and a nice heavy snow during the day when I can curl up with a book on the couch by the fire and watch the snow fall!

A few plans for the rest of the week...HAHA this makes me laugh because our week is very busy, bible study prep (I set up the snack table/coffee and do the opening game on occasion and that's tomorrow!), meetings for Mike, church activities, we NEED Toilet paper ha so I will have to do a Target run, getting things for the upcoming parenting seminar to decorate , track meets, and hopefully a longggg awaiting date night!! I think on our last date night we were Christmas shopping!! haha

A picture to share of my sweet friend Leanne...TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY! she is a treasure, I can't tell you how many times that little sound of "bling" on my phone announcing a text from her, or how many times I text her during a yucky moment or a good one....She's that friend you always hope for, that you can cry with, laugh with, share private jokes with, complain about weight with, sigh over children who won't cooperate, share touching scripture with, prayers with and just a special someone to call friend!!! I love her so much!!!

Give Away....

My bloggy friend Marcia is having a very cool give away at her blog here. Plus even if you don't win, her blog is really fun to read, she's a neato mama!! hope you win!

Lasagna...

I have a new favorite tip for making Lasagna very easy! I was watching Ina Garten on Foodnetwork, ie Barefoot Contessa and she put this great tip for making Lasagna on her show one day. You put a whole box of Lasagna noodles in a 9 x13 pan. Turn on the tap water until it runs as hot as it gets, fill the pan of noodles with the hot water just enough to cover them and let sit for 20 minutes.(I will warn you NOT to soak more than the 20 mins. or they turn to MUSH! I learned the hard way, more is NOT better here ha) They are partially cooked, easy to handle, they don't stick and they cook up beautifully in your Lasagna! No more boiling and broken noodles! I do like the NO Boil noodles on the market but my dear Mike the true Italian doesn't like how "pasty" they taste in that!















My recipes for Lasagna very greatly, depending on if I feel like making a homemade pot of sauce or not and what I have on hand but this recipe has become the fastest of all recipes for me to put together!

1 box Lasagna noodles

1 Large Jar Prego

1 Jar Lite Alfredo sauce (I use this in place of Cottage cheese sometimes)

1/2 C. Parm. Cheese

8 oz bag Shredded Mozzarella

Drain noodles that have soaked. Coat bottom of a different 9x 13 pan with some of the Prego, place a layer of noodles and then layer noodles, sauce, cheeses (saving 1/3 of the Mozzarella cheese for the top) until finishing with a layer of sauce only and the remaining Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 for 55 mins. covered with foil. Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is bubbles and melted. Add a salad and some bread and voila! Another great tip for cutting your Lasagna, let it sit 10 minutes before cutting so the sauces thicken.

*SECRET: I put 2 Cups of shredded Zucchini I pulled out of the freezer and thawed in the center layer...NO one knew until they saw it but they were several bites in before they noticed! great way to sneak veggies in without a strong flavor!! I LOVE to layer in chopped Spinach as well, that is a great addition to this dish! enjoy! You know this tastes better the next day!!

Chicken and dumpling soup...sorta!

I've tried several times to make chicken and dumplings but it's quite time consuming and I like fast when I'm making soup for dinner so I thought of an idea and it worked out great and tasted yummy...using cheese filled Tortellini as the "noodle" in chicken soup. It was a 5 out of 5 that liked it our house....It was very reminiscent of Won Ton soup at the Chinese restaurant as well! enjoy!

11 Cups water

10 Chicken bouillon cubes (you can certainly use broth)

2 Cups roasted chicken (I made a roast chicken the night before but you could use a store bought cooked whole chicken or 2-3 chicken breasts boiled and shredded/cut up)

1 bag frozen crinkle cut carrots

1 Can cream of chicken soup (I used the gravy from the roasted chicken I had made instead of the soup)

1 Tb. butter

Salt and pepper as desired

1 bag cheese filled Tortellini

4-5 green onions, washed and sliced even the dark green parts

Bring water to a boil, add bouillon cubes and lower to a simmer. Stir on occasion until dissolved. Add chicken, and carrots. Simmer for atleast 1/2 hr. Taste to see if you want salt added and pepper. Turn heat up and bring to a slow boil on med. heat, add Tortellini and butter and simmer 15 minutes....Add green onions and simmer 5 more minutes.

This served 5 with leftovers! Serve with your favorite bread or crackers! a very filling meal!

New Year.......

It's a new year......I don't have any real big resolutions necessarily this year! Of course I always think I need to be "nicer" to those I love...but that tends to be a theme EVERY year! haha

For the last few years I've read this book over Winter as my devotion time at night.....A few years ago a friend inspired me to keep a devotion journal.....I am VERY visual, I always need to write out lists or write things out, see them on paper etc. so writing in a devo. journal has turned out to be a GREAT growing experience in my spiritual life over the last few years.

I use a Composition notebook (since we always have a great supply of them in the school supply box) and after I read a few pages of the book, sometimes a chapter depending on how tired I am, ha I try to write out a verse that was in that section of reading and how it applied/applies to me or how I would like it to apply to me! ha

I think being a positive mom has huge affects on your kids, your relationship with them.......and let's face it, it's alot easier to pick out the negatives for some dumb reason than pick out those positive things they do! So I wanted to share about this book! I've had it for years......and I remember the first time I struggled through reading it, my kids were very little, thinking Grace was even a baby and I KNOW that stage is a hard time for a tired mom of "littles" to work on being more positive....But I also know HE KNOWS the stages we're going through in life, He knows we're tired and He knows our hearts are longing to be a better "prayer" a "nicer" mom or wife.......So I hope you might look for this book and enjoy it......HAPPY NEW YEAR'S WEEK ALL! We've had a lovely snow with a few new inches ....everything looks so nice and clean (outside anyhow! ha)........

Daybook....

FOR TODAY....
Outside my window....gray overcast sky....dry ground...no snow yet...all melted and dirty!

I am thinking....how surprised I am that I'm not more tired after being home with the kids for two weeks and sleeping in, back to reality today and it wasn't too bad!

I am thankful.....for a WONDERFUL Christmas with friends and my precious family, we had a ball!

From the learning rooms......back to school today!

From the kitchen........Roast chicken tonight!

I am wearing......track pants, red turtleneck and black hoodie.

I am creating........cleaning up, putting some Christmas stuff away, less clutter hopefully!

I am going........to get the chicken washed and ready, put away laundry, take Jordan to an eye
Dr. app't and hopefully fit in a trip to the library there somewhere!

I am reading......Sisterchicks go to Mexico

I am hoping.......for snow!

I am hearing........Bing Crosby...I'll keep my Christmas music out for a week or so yet!

Around the house.......less clutter, beginning to look a bit cleaner and organized!

One of my favorite things........reading in Winter, with the kids, myself.....especially if it's snowing and Grace still loves to read Winter/Snow books with me in Wintertime....

A few plans for the week......bible study, church Weds. night, taking down the remaining trees, groceries, laundry...the usual....back to the routine!

A picture to share........that special Christmas project I was keeping secret is done and given! It was scrapbooks for each child done up until present day.......they loved them and I loved watching them look through them. I hope to sit with each of them and look through them....hard to imagine only a year and a half left in Jordan's. Time is going fast and I wanted to catch some of the special moments!
You can go to the right of my blog roll to Simple Woman to make your own daybook! or read others! enjoy!
HAVE A BLESSED AND FULL OF LIFE NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Grace...

"Mom....can I have one of aunt Roz's "footprint" cookies......?"

"Do you mean...thumbprints?"

LOLOLOL