tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3564910936747999542024-03-13T22:34:50.893-05:00Disney Traveling FamilyAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-53711332097855224812013-06-28T11:07:00.000-05:002013-06-28T11:07:20.385-05:00Do you have a Disney Princess lover? Then this is the thing for you! Target has a FREE Disney Princess activity book download. It is 20 pages long. Though DD is just a little too young for this, I downloaded it and saved it for use later. I cannot wait to make her going to Disney packet next year!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://tgtfiles.target.com/DVM/2012/April/wk2/6650_MMBPrincess/Princess_Activity_Kit.pdf" target="_blank">Disney Princess Activity Book</a><br />
<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-2217099592367786332013-06-09T13:24:00.003-05:002013-06-09T13:24:54.744-05:00Saving for DisneyWanting to go to Disney World rather desperately but it is not going to happen this year. I am hoping against hope that next year will be the year! Even if it is a super budget trip. I am saving to go. I am saving every little penny I come across to go on vacation. Now, that sounds easy enough but I don't work outside of the home. My husband is a federal employee and is being furloughed which effectively cuts out 20% of his pay. Living on one pay check can be trying at times. So, I "find" money. I do a few rewards programs to pay for some things like a sit down meal at Rain Forest Cafe. It makes taking all those surveys worth it!<br />
<br />
When I have a few extra dollars in my checking account I shuffle it to an interest bearing savings account. This way my money will make more money for me. Free money!<br />
<br />
I do not like the school of thought that says to save your vacation money by purchasing gift cards. Sure, it makes it so that you cannot spend that money on something else. But it makes it so you cannot spend that money on something else. When a pipe breaks Home Depot does not take Disney gift cards in exchange for new tools and pipes. And yes, I have been there. Plus your money doesn't make more money for you. I would rather put it in a difficult to get to savings account. <br />
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<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-88897784273371737332012-01-01T19:56:00.000-06:002012-01-01T19:56:56.717-06:00I am such a slacker. I have abandoned my blog!!! AHHHHH!!! LOL.... 2011 was a busy year. I got a bit ill earlier this year. I have had to learn to eat healthier. I developed high blood pressure very suddenly and am having some problems keeping it under control. My father just recently was diagnosed with high cholesterol so I am incorporating that into our diet too. For those that don't know, my father lives with me. Boyfriend and I decided to set an actual date to get married. We have always known that we would, just not when. So the big day is set for June 6, 2012. Exactly 6 years after we started dating. That date works for me since I can never remember dates. LOL. Sister is getting married next month. It is going to be a very busy year this year. I can't wait!!! <br />
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Here's to hoping that everyones 2012 is just a bit better than 2011!!!! Happy New Year everyone!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-19011968610747980282011-06-20T23:09:00.000-05:002011-06-20T23:09:05.665-05:00MenuWe shop biweekly so my menu is for two weeks at a time. I have to feed two grown men, a teen boy, myself, and one year girl that doesn't stop eating. We will also have company this coming week so I have two extra mouths to feed. We eat homemade pizza every Friday. The only staple is that there is always a pepperoni pizza. <br />
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Pizza- 2 pepperoni, 2 buffalo chicken<br />
Pizza- balsamic chicken with red onion, undecided, pepperoni<br />
Stuffed Shells<br />
Spaghetti w/ homemade Italian sausage<br />
Chicken Rollatini<br />
Tacos<br />
Asian foil packet chicken<br />
mini meat loaves<br />
Alfredo pasta w/ homemade Italian sausage<br />
Roasted chicken and veggies<br />
Chicken Fajitas<br />
Chicken Parmesan<br />
Roast w/ veggies in crockpot<br />
Beef Enchiladas<br />
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We do eat a lot of chicken. My father lives with us and he has a cholesterol issue. Combined with my high blood pressure and need for low sodium, we are left with chicken. A lot. I do try to mix it up so we are not always eating the same sort of flavors. This cycle is bad. The guys must be craving Italian since we are eating so much of it. <br />
<br />
Oh....as for my diet, well, I was doing great. I was down two pounds, got a little cocky with the calories, and gained one back. For the week last week, I am down 1.2 pounds. Much better than the nothing I was doing!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-16448563551173916122011-06-17T19:59:00.000-05:002011-06-17T19:59:26.883-05:00I have had a few health issues in the last few months. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (really high!) and I am only 35 years old! I am on some meds that are controlling it. I am working on bringing it down by diet and weight loss. So far I have lose 5 pounds. Not great but better than nothing. A friend recently introduced me to calorie cycling and I am trying that. I am on my first week. Started Monday and I have already lost a pound!!! Another advantage to losing weight will be fitting in my clothes for vacation! Starting Monday, I will try to post my menus with the recipes for the week. Not all will be healthy but all will be yummy!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-30394075308745422972011-02-14T21:36:00.000-06:002011-02-14T21:36:07.759-06:00Some days are more interesting than others. Today, trying to make dinner, I put the oven on the wrong temp. It wouldn't be so bad but it is actually the second time that I have done this! Same recipe too! Thankfully, tomorrow is easy dinner. Spaghetti with meatballs! leftovers from meatball subs last Saturday. <br />
One of my side hobbies is our family tree. It started with Boyfriend being bored at work. If they don't have a class, there is a lot of down time. So he started researching his family tree which prompted me to do the same. An uncle on my father's side did a lot of the leg work for that side of the family so I was only really left with my mother's side. Ironically, I have a book that someone else did on my grandma's birth family! It turned out it was pretty easy to do our family tree for me since someone else had done all of the work! LOL Any way, I think that preserving the family history is important. It allows people to know where they came from. So, I am here to suggest to you guys to start your family tree. You don't have to go back generations. It can be as big or as small as you want it. I found a free site called Geni.com. It is very simple and very basic. Easy to use. Those are things that I was looking for. I think, though I am not sure, that Ancestry.com has a free edition also. Anyway, those are my thoughts for today. It just seems that our family just keeps growing.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-18206180306711814692011-02-12T21:46:00.000-06:002011-02-12T21:46:17.570-06:00I have been horrible with the menu this week. I hate when Boyfriend is on nights. Hopefully, after next year, no more nights. Here's to wishing! Boyfriend is an instructor for the Navy. He is civilian but teaches Navy enlisted students. At the moment, his building is undergoing major refurbishment. Like they gutted the building and are rebuilding just not touching the outer layer of building. In the mean time, he is sharing a class room and system with a different course. Fun times. Anyway. When Boyfriend works nights we have our big family meal in the afternoon while he is home. We tried the Honey Chicken recipe earlier this week. I would repost the recipe but it wasn't to our liking. We will tweek it an then I will post when it is right. <br />
Cute story... Boyfriend told me that when we first started dating that the people at work knew because he smiled and was no longer mad all the time. I love that I make him smile. I love that at the end of a long day, he smiles knowing he will come home to me. <br />
Today, life is good. I think sometimes we all just need to stop and realize the small things that make life so wonderful.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-44360292916166698342011-02-08T20:53:00.000-06:002011-02-08T20:53:01.584-06:00So we spent a small fortune in groceries this week. We had to do a Sam's run which we all know is expensive but cheaper in the long run. Unfortunately, we went to Sam's hungry so bought a bunch of crap that was not needed. <br />
$100 - at Sam's<br />
$56 - at Walmart<br />
$78 - at Pic n Save<br />
$24- Dollar Tree <br />
Total for two weeks: $258. OUCH! We did have to stock up on things and we are trying some new recipes and had to buy ingredients we didn't have. Boyfriend also went to evening shifts this week. I hate them. So we eat our big meal at lunch as a family and then leftovers or whatever for dinner. Boyfriend needs meals to take in so that is where some of the expenses came in. We have a bunch of night shifts this year. He will be on them for the next month. Anyway, we tried Cafe Chicken today. It was good and everyone liked it! This is a crockpot meal from Weight Watchers. Healthy! <br />
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Cafe Chicken (6 Points)<br />
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2 1/2 Lb chicken breast halves without skin -- cut into eighths<br />
1 Onion -- chopped<br />
2 garlic -- chopped<br />
Salt & white pepper to taste<br />
1 Green pepper -- diced<br />
1 Medium Tomato – Ripe and Peeled -- Seeded and chopped<br />
1 Cup Dry white wine -- not included w/points<br />
1 Pinch cayenne pepper<br />
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Combine all ingredients in slow-cooker. Cover pot and set at Low. Cook for 6 to 8 hours, or until chicken is tender. <br />
YIELD: Serves 6 6 points per servingAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-21127584772251092012011-02-04T22:38:00.000-06:002011-02-04T22:38:19.649-06:00I know I am a slacker. I barely posted the last two weeks. I have been working my butt off at ChaCha to make my Disney down payment!!! Can't wait to go. My bestie is meeting me there. I moved from New York in 2003. I have seen her for about two and half hours, literally, since then. I am beyond excited. <br />
ChaCha is a work at home job. We answer questions that people text in. If you have never used us, give it a try. It is FREE! Just text any question you have to 242 242 and we will answer your question! One thing, some cell networks do not work with ChaCha. T Mobile is one of them. Anyway, ChaCha is what will pay for my Disney trip. If you want more info, just let me know. We are hiring! This is a great way to make some extra money. <br />
Anyway, here is the menu for the next two weeks, in no particular order. I will report back later how much we spend at the grocery store. <br />
<br />
Foil Packet Chicken<br />
Beefy Nachos (DS request)<br />
spaghetti<br />
Honey Chicken<br />
Sausages w/ Peppers and Onions <br />
Meatball Subs<br />
BBQ Beer Ribs<br />
Salsa Chicken<br />
Steak<br />
Arroz Con Pollo ( a Weight Watchers recipe worth 7 points!)<br />
Cafe Chicken (another WW recipe worth 6 points)<br />
Wings (Super Bowl Sunday!!)<br />
and of course we always (almost) have homemade pizza on Fridays.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-29901317746897638562011-02-01T10:49:00.000-06:002011-02-01T10:49:04.829-06:00Beef EnchiladasMy sister actually showed me this recipe. It is from sparkpeople.com recipes page. This is so easy to make and is yummy!<br />
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1 pound 93% ground beef<br />
6 oz can tomato paste<br />
2 cups warm water<br />
1 cup shredded 2% cheese<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp onion powder<br />
1 1/2 tsp chili powder<br />
1/2 tsp cumin<br />
1/4 tsp garlic powder<br />
dash each oregano, black pepper, <br />
10 soft corn tortillas<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
Brown hamburger. Add seasonings to warm water, combine. Add tomato paste. Mix well.<br />
Warm up tortillas.<br />
Pour 1/2 of tomato mixture into the skillet with the hamburger. Add half of cheese. Stir to mix up the meat, tomato sauce and cheese. Scoop a large spoonful of the mixture onto each tortilla. Rollup the tortilla, enclosing the filling and place it seam side down in 13x9 pan. Pour remaining tomato mixture over tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.<br />
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Number of Servings: 10<br />
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Now, like I said, we change recipes. We use flour tortillas instead. I make the meat and add taco seasoning to it for more flavor. I also double the sauce mix since there just doesn't seem to be enough. We like our saucey. My trick to healthy cheep beef..anytime you are going to flavor your meat, like tacos or spaghetti, I buy the cheap hamburger, fry it then rinse it off really well. It saves money and I don't get the fat! I save the good stuff for meatloaf and meatballs and such.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-46782207903043299092011-01-31T14:02:00.000-06:002011-01-31T14:02:12.407-06:00Disney Deals!!!When you purchase a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Magic Your Way vacation package at a select Disney Value Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort for stays most nights Feb. 17 – April 16, April 28 – June 14, 2011 or Aug. 14 – Oct. 1, 2011, kids ages 3-9 stay and play FREE!*<br />
<br />
Offer Details:<br />
This Walt Disney Travel Company package includes accommodations at a select Disney Value Resort and a Magic Your Way Base theme park ticket.<br />
<br />
Booking and Travel Windows:<br />
<br />
* Book: Jan. 3 – Feb. 13, 2011<br />
* Travel: For stays most nights Feb. 17 – April 16, 2011<br />
<br />
* Book: Jan. 3 – March 27, 2011<br />
* Travel: For stays most nights April 28 – June 14, 2011 and Aug. 14 – Oct. 1, 2011<br />
<br />
Sample Pricing:<br />
<br />
* Book Jan. 3 – Feb. 13, 2011 and pay $503 per adult, based on adult double occupancy for this 4-night, 4-day Magic Your Way Package, at a select Disney Value Resort in a standard room for stays most nights Feb. 27 – March 10, 2011.<br />
* Book Jan. 3 – March 27, 2011 and pay $452 per adult, based on adult double occupancy for this 4-night, 4-day Magic Your Way Package, at a select Disney Value Resort in a standard room for stays most nights Aug. 14 – Sept. 29, 2011.<br />
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If anyone is interested or have any questions, please let me know and I can get you a no obligation quote! The deposit on a Walt Disney World vacation package is just $200 with the balance due 45 days before travel.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-89167936168533991352011-01-31T13:58:00.000-06:002011-01-31T13:58:51.243-06:00I am a cook from scratch sort of person though I find recipes to be hard. I can read a recipe and all but we almost always change something about it. A lot of the things that I make I do from memory. I learned how to do it growing up and neither my mother nor grandma used a recipe. So I learned without one. Tonight is Sausage Potatoes and Onions. This is Boyfriends night to cook. I love this stuff. Pure comfort food. Even better, it is cheap and makes a bunch. This is almost like hash so we have a habit of frying it in a little olive oil for breakfast sometimes. I try to make it so that we always have leftovers for lunches. <br />
Tomorrow is turkey pot pie. This is a super cheap meal since it utilizes almost only leftovers. I am a keep til you can use it sort of person. You can use leftover chicken for this recipe too. I won't call this healthy but I will say it is healthier than the stuff you buy in the store. I have learned over time that I suck at making pie crust so I just don't. I also don't like soggy pie crust in pot pie. So here is how I make pot pie. Take your leftover turkey, and the broth that you made from boiling the carcass (cuz you know you did! and you should separate that so you have turkey broth in your freezer for the turkey next Thanksgiving!), whatever leftover veggies you have in the freezer. You know those odds and ends that are never quite finished in the bag or the quarter cup that no one ate. Save those! I use whatever is on hand..carrots, celery, onion, green beans, peas. So, simmer your turkey in the broth with the veggies. When it is nice and hot you want to thicken it up. I thicken with cold water and a couple spoonfuls of cornstarch. Let that simmer to thicken. While that is thickening, turn your oven on to 425 degrees. Then I make biscuits. You can use any recipe. I am super fond of Hillbilly Housewife's recipes so I use hers. You can find it here: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/homemadebiscuits.htm Now, instead of cutting out circles, I just roll it out to 9 by 13. Put the thickened turkey mix into the 9 by 13 pyrex pan and place the rolled out biscuit dough on top. Bake until the biscuits are done. See, super easy and practically a free dinner since it uses all those leftovers!<br />
I am also fond of biscuits and gravy. Boyfriend makes the best! Instead of cutting out circles, I just use a knife and cut squares. If you have kids, you could use cookie cutters for fun shapes too. Maybe I will make Mickey head shaped biscuits! That just sounds fun. LOLAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-20212054858131658492011-01-23T11:01:00.000-06:002011-01-23T11:01:57.089-06:00It has been a while but I have decided to try to do better with my blog. I am going to start posting my menus and costs. I have recently discovered a new grocery store. It is about 45 minutes away but they sell you groceries at cost plus 10%. What I cannot get there, I got to Walmart, Winn Dixie, or Publix for. Yesterday I spent $74 at Pic and Save and $47 at Walmart. I still have a little more shopping to do. I need some more veggies but want a better price than I was seeing. We are a family of five. Boyfriend, 31, me 34, Doodle 14, little miss 1, and my father 62. This is all meals for all of us plus snacks and what not. This is for a two week menu. I am using up some stuff from the freezer this menu which is what made it so cheap. I put anything that can be saved away. We eat leftovers for lunches. I am not working so I try to save as much money as I possibly can on what I can. So here is the menu: <br />
Sun: Italian Beef Subs (left over)<br />
M: Fireman's Chicken, baked potato, veggie<br />
T: Beef Enchiladas<br />
W: Spaghetti<br />
Th: BBQ Chicken leg Quarters, side, veggie<br />
Fr: Pizza, we make pizza every Friday. at least one is pepperoni. <br />
Sat: leftover beef tips and noodles<br />
Sun: Turkey (bought when on sale at Thanksgiving!)<br />
Mon: Sausage, Potatoes, and Onions<br />
Tues: Turkey pot pie (use leftover turkey, broth from carcass and veggies from freezer)<br />
Wed: Alfredo Pasta<br />
Thur: roast<br />
Fri: Pizza<br />
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Here is today's recipe for Italian Beef Subs<br />
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it is a throw stuff in the crock pot and cook until it is done recipe, no formal instructions or amounts.<br />
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1 chuck roast (like you would use for pot roast) as big as you need<br />
vegetable oil<br />
1 jar pepperoncini peppers<br />
beef broth, a can or two, or three<br />
Liptons Onion soup mix<br />
Italian seasoning<br />
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Brown the roast in the oil on all sides in a pan on the stove. Transfer to the crock pot. You can deglaze the pan with a little beef broth and add all that if you want. Add beef broth to cover. You can add water if you need a little more liquid. Add the onion soup mix. Pour all of the liquid from the pepperoncini peppers in and a few of the peppers depending on much heat you like. Dump in a bunch of Italian seasoning, I usually use about half the jar, maybe 3/4.<br />
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Cover and let it cook for about 8 hours. It should be falling apart. Remove the peppers. Shred beef in the juice and serve on really good quality sub rolls warmed. You can add extra juice to the sandwiches or serve on the side. Add Provolone or mozzarella cheese if you like, and also serve some more of the peppers.<br />
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This is really almost better made a day ahead of time and then refrigerated overnight. You can also make it on the stove in a large pot. Cover it and let it cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. <br />
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I found this recipe on Disboards.com. Thank you to whomever posted it! Even picky Doodle ate this and loved it. My roast was rather large so it ended up making two meals. Today is leftovers from the last time a few weeks ago. One thing I did was took the juices in a separate pan and thickened it up a little with some corn starch.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-54506327393147579832010-10-26T16:13:00.001-05:002010-10-26T16:13:07.181-05:00And she weighs.....Olivia weighs 16 pounds 9.8 ounces!!!! She has gained almost two whole pounds in the last month and a half! This is fantastic. And she barely cried when she got her flu shot.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-20650210903517977272010-10-26T09:00:00.000-05:002010-10-26T09:00:44.584-05:00We find out how much Olivia weighs today!!!I am so excited. My 10 and half month old, Olivia, has a doctor appointment for a flu shot today. I know, who gets excited about giving a baby shot? I am not mean. I swear! But we get to find out how much she weighs. And THAT is super exciting!<br />
Pregnancy does not agree with me. I had a horrible pregnancy with my son. It was better with Olivia but still, I had lots of complications. Olivia is our little miracle baby. Robbie was not supposed to be able to have children. His ex wife and him had tried. He was checked. Three (3!!) doctors told him that he would never have children. He was sterile. Yeah, doctors know so much. Anyway, she was born sick. Not super sick and, thank God, never went in the NICU. But her pediatrician said she had never seen white blood cell counts that high. Astronomically high were her words. This is a doctor that used to be a professor of medicine and is the second in the Florida panhandle for the Pediatrics Association. She is a great doctor. So, they did spinal taps and took blood. I had no infection. They tested me. Her cultures never produced anything. They gave her some really strong antibiotics and when her white blood cell count came down, they let her come home. She weighed 7 pounds 13.2 oz when she was born last December. She was a good sized baby. Then, she just didn't gain weight. She grew and got longer but her weight percentages kept dropping. We finally leveled off a couple of months ago and no longer have to go in for weight checks every two weeks. At her 9 month appointment she only weighed 14 pounds. She is just now fitting into 3 to 6 month old clothes. It is very frustrating. But, she has decided that she won't eat baby food but loves table food. I can just tell that she has gained weight. I keep hoping for big jump, like two pounds. We will see.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-54025640118385266222010-10-25T14:02:00.000-05:002010-10-25T14:02:43.367-05:00Monday MusingsLast Friday Robbie came home from work with a story about a coworker. It seems that his wife and him got into an argument about disciplining his stepdaughter. The wife didn't like the way he handled it so they argued and then she gave him the silent treatment. Coworker knows that Zach is not Robbie's biological child so he was asking how we handle things. Robbie's only child is our daughter Olivia. Zach is 14 and has Asperger's. We do not always agree on punishments and whatnot but I refuse to argue about the kids in front of the kids. I feel that is undermines authority and teaches children that they only have to listen to one parent. And I don't do the silent treatment. I want you to know how I feel whether you want to hear it or not. Zachary has to listen to Robbie just like he has to listen to me. Now, my older sister believes that Zach should not have to listen to Robbie because he is not his biological parent. She doesn't make her teenage daughter listen to her fiance. I think that would cause problems. I know that I would not live in a home where the children did not have to listen to me. It just would not happen. \<br />
<br />
So my question is, are you a blended family too? And how do you handle it?Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-36758071476935544292010-10-21T08:19:00.001-05:002010-10-21T08:20:15.073-05:00A cheap ball pitI am always on the look out for a good deal or a way to save some pennies. The more pennies I save in every day life, the more pennies I have to go back to Disney World! Anyway, I saw this a couple months ago and decided to give it a try. We bought an infant pool and then some ball pit balls. The pool was $10 and the ball pit balls were $10 at Walmart for 100 balls. So, we spent a $20 for a ball pit! Now, tell me why I really really want to buy the oh so cute Mickey Mouse one at Toys R Us for $50? I am resisting!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-42631435821165697162010-10-20T11:59:00.000-05:002010-10-20T11:59:12.761-05:00I did my bloggy rounds today. A few posted of losses in their life. My twenties were rough. I got very ill and came very close to dying. My ex has Mesothelioma. He was not supposed to live to see 35. He is doing good and will be 35 in a couple of months. But, coming that close to death and watching one you love get sicker give you a whole new perspective on life. I try my best not to let the little things in life get to me. I try to look for the good. I do my best to believe in Karma. And if it can get someone else, well, it can get me too. So I watch for that. I have a wonderful 14 year old son and a beautiful 10 month old daughter. My son has high functioning autism. It is not always and easy thing to live with. Some days are great and some are not so great. My sister told me a story about something she witnessed at the grocery store. She saw a boy, too old to be in a cart, banging and making noise. He was loud but she said you could look at him and clearly tell 'something was not right'. Sometimes you can look and tell, and sometimes you can't. Anyway, at some point some man decided to complain about him to the parents. When they tried to explain, he then told them they shouldn't take him out in public. (!!!! really?) She stepped in and asked why they were explaining to an idiot? Good job sister!!! Now my son is 14 years old. He knows how to behave in public. Does he always? no. But that is the nature of the beast that is autism. We cannot control the good days or the bad. We can only go with the flow. We can only hope that at 14 he doesn't start crying in the store for some odd reason. And, yes he does sometimes. I don't drive so Robbie has to take me and that means both kids have to go. I am sorry if having my child in public bothers some people. How do these people expect these kids to learn appropriate behavior? It takes practice and you have to do that in a real environment. So please, the next time you see something like this, have a little patience. Though I do not excuse bratty behavior. Just the honest ones. Have you seen the article about the restaurant in North Carolina? http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/strange/news-article.aspx?storyid=166140 I love it!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-36370510996720171192010-10-19T09:45:00.000-05:002010-10-19T09:45:49.120-05:00Muellers Pasta- $1 off two couponI just got an email from Muellers pasta. If you are signed up for their email, or you sign up, you can print a coupon for $1 off of 2 Mueller's pasta. Today is the last day of the Publix sale for the Muellers BOGO pasta at $1.29. My store allows me to use one per item so you get two dollars off $1.29! That is FREE pasta today only!!! I did this earlier this week and it allowed me to get the whole wheat pasta too! Free is my absolute favorite price!!!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-62780317419076800882010-10-19T09:07:00.000-05:002010-10-19T09:07:04.275-05:00A great deal on body wash at Walgreens and a great deal on cereal at PublixFirst, I had to get a prescription filled at Walgreens yesterday. I noticed they have Nivea body wash on sale 2 for $5. In Sundays paper there were coupons. I have one for $3 off any one bottle Nivea body wash, one for $1 off any one bottle Nivea body wash, and one for $3 off any body wash. When I do my math, you can get two bottles for as little as $1! That is 50 CENTS each for body wash! Or you can use all three coupons and get three body washes for 50 cents TOTAL! <br />
<br />
Ok, on to Publix. Publix has/will have depending on where you live, General Mills cereals BOGO for up to $3.89. My store allows you to use one coupon for each item. There are some $1 off coupons at www.target.com www.smartsource.com and at www.coupons.com. When I do my math, I am getting a 16 to 17oz box of cereal for 95 cents. At this price, I plan to stock up!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-64626018080306845102010-10-18T09:34:00.001-05:002010-10-19T11:18:10.088-05:00Some Fantastic Disney World deals!Free dining when you book a resort room and ticket package at Walt Disney World resort. Most dates available now through Sept 29, 2011! There are black out dates and you do have to book before December 20, 2010! There is a three night minimum stay and two days ticket purchase. <br />
This is a great deal. My family loves the dining plan. If you would like details or a no obligation quote, please either send me a message or an email at adisneytravelagent@gmail.com or give me a call at Fairytale Journeys at 850-366-2709.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-20158727313927561552010-09-26T06:58:00.003-05:002010-09-26T19:08:29.045-05:00Recently, like in the last two weeks, we have started menu planning. So here is the menu for the week:<br />
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Sunday: Roast, potatoes and gravy, vegetable, rolls<br />
Monday: Pork Chops, sides to be decided<br />
Tuesday: Dirty Rice<br />
Wednesday: Tacos<br />
Thursday: Fried Rice<br />
Friday: Pizza!<br />
Saturday: Chili <br />
Sunday: Brats and fries<br />
<br />
Ok. Not a very healthy week but it will be yummy. Dirty rice is good but comes from a box. I cannot make it cheaper from scratch because of some of the spices involved. Tacos are tacos but I will be making the tortillas from scratch! I would share the chili recipe with you guys but Boyfriend would kill me. It is his prize winning recipe. Well, one day. He has yet to enter it into a contest. Brats and fries are a cop out too but I have the stuff in the freezer and it has to be eaten! <br />
I make my roast in the crockpot. I put a frozen roast in, toss in an onion (or two) that has been quartered and separated (YUMMY!!!), some minced garlic, some gravy mix, a dash of beef bouillon, and a little pepper. I cook it on low all day. I start with a frozen roast because my slow cooker cooks rather fast and this is the only way I have figured to use this one. I use the broth from the roast to make the gravy using a corn starch slurry. The rolls I will make are the 30 minute rolls from the Hillbilly Housewife website. They are so good and super fast to make! I hope you enjoy!<br />
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My tip for the roast...when dinner is over and you have some leftover roast but not enough for a meal or lunch, put it in a bag with the leftover broth. Throw the veggies in too! This will make a great stew one day! Then you have a "free" meal since it was just leftovers.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-12060187368804991572010-09-25T14:53:00.001-05:002010-09-25T14:57:36.004-05:00Fireman's ChickenThis is a recipe that Boyfriend got from his dad. It is very good. The best piece of advice I can give on this is to make sure that the chicken has the skin still on it. If it doesn't, the flavor will too strong. We use this marinade on chicken leg quarters. We used to cook it on the grill but found we like it better in the oven. I can get a better crisp on the skin in the oven. The chicken only needs to marinade for about a half hour. If you marinate for too long, the flavors will be very strong. <br />
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Fireman's Chicken marinade<br />
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2 cups white vinegar<br />
3/4 cup vegetable oil<br />
1/3 cup kosher salt<br />
1 tbsp poultry seasoning<br />
1/2 tsp pepper<br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
Mix all ingredients together well. Pour over chicken and let marinate for 30 mins.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-43935403677470920762010-09-24T14:16:00.000-05:002010-09-24T14:16:58.782-05:00Tortilla ChipsI love tortilla chips. I love them with cheese, with salsa, or just by themselves. I do not love the salt that comes on them though. So I learned to make my own. All you need is some tortillas. Cut them in eight equal pieces. Ok, mine aren't really that equal but it makes 8 pieces. I use a pizza cutter for ease though scissors would work too if you have a kitchen dedicated pair. Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet. place the tortilla pieces in a single layer. Spray with some cooking spray. I use olive oil spray. I love that stuff. I sprinkle just a little bit of salt on them. Then bake at 325 for about 7 mins or until slightly brown. Babysit these until you know how long it will take in your oven. They go from fantastic to burnt is just a minute.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356491093674799954.post-69609860101080034642010-09-24T06:21:00.001-05:002010-09-24T06:21:00.453-05:00Chili MacSince I have decided to brag about my mad shopping skills...I decided I will also share my recipes. Now, please keep in mind, I do make a lot of things from scratch I will post the recipes for those too. This recipe, not a thing. This was completely out of boxes and tasted oh so yummy!<br />
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Chili Mac<br />
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1 pound hamburger<br />
1 packet chili mix seasoning (I used some Skyline my dad picked up up north!)<br />
1 box macaroni (1lb box)<br />
2 cans of Campbell's fiesta nacho cheese soup<br />
2 cups of water<br />
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I browned the hamburger, drained it and rinsed it well. Put back in the pan, add chili seasoning, and water. At the same time, start your pasta. Add the soup to your meat/chili mix. I let the meat/chili seasoning simmer down while the pasta cooked. This will look very runny. When the pasta is done, drain well. Add pasta to the chili meat mix and stir well. Serve!<br />
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This was very easy and very good. It was one of those recipes that we came up with on the fly. We make our chili very different than the standard chili. Dad and Boyfriend both added hot sauce to theirs. Son and I did not. This made enough for all of us to eat dinner and for two of us for lunch.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511221416296592222noreply@blogger.com0