I Got Nothin...

I have been MIA lately. I feel like I got nothin' to say, yet even as I type that I know it's ridiculous. I have been reflecting on the past year and realize that I have more than enough material! I am grateful for all the people, both family and friends, that I am fortunate enough to know. Maybe it's because I am on the down side of my 30's or maybe it's because by baby boy is graduating from high school this year; not sure what it is, but I have been counting my blessings lots more these days. I have always been unconditionally loved by my family, supported by my friends, and have had more than any person needs to live comfortably, however I can say the road hasn't always been an easy one. I am in an especially comfortable place right now and I feel lucky that I am aware and present in these moments. These are the top 10 things I am grateful for right now:

1. My children are beautiful, happy, and healthy.
2. My husband loves me in a way that is hard for me to comprehend.
3. My parents are healthy.
4. My children will carry memories of the relationship with their nana and papa with them long after nana and papa are gone. Some of my BEST memories are of my mam-ma and papa.
5. My sister and I have become best friends.
6. I'm thankful for those few extra pounds I have put on because it means I have enough to eat.
7. I'm thankful for that gym membership that will help me take those pounds off when I stop making a pig of myself.
8. I'm thankful for my messy house and the laundry that piles up because it means we are living life.
9. I'm thankful that when I start freaking out about the messy house and the laundry that piles up, people get to work before momma freaks out.
10. I'm thankful that TCC offers free tuition so I get to keep my boy home with me a little longer...he will most assuredly not be adding this to the list of things he is thankful for.

Happy Day

Crockpot Lasagna

I like to eat dinner at home. I like to be in charge of what goes into what I'm eating; not because I'm a health freak, but because if I ate out as often as I "need" to, I would be as big as a barn! With work, kids, and an altogether crazy schedule, a healthy dinner at home isn't always easy to pull off. I took out the old crockpot this weekend and tried this recipe. It was actually better than I expected and the family liked it too. I substituted cottage cheese for the ricotta, 'cause that's just what I had on hand. I also added onion and garlic to the meat as I browned it.

On the down side, it wasn't great leftover. The noodles got a little mushy for me, but it was still edible. If you are looking for a new way to get dinner on the table quick, try this recipe. I will definitely make it again.

Who is That Masked Man?

Do you dress up for Halloween? I haven't dressed up in years, not since I was a kid. For some reason I am itching to go to a costume party! We have been invited to several over the years but for one reason or another it never works out for us to be able to go. I am always so envious of those creative folks that come up with cute costumes that are simple to put together. You know the ones I mean, they throw together a few things they already own and bam...they have the costume contest winner. The funniest one I have seen this year was a picture on Facebook of a couple that were both dressed in pink sweats. One had H1 and the other had N1 on the front of their shirts and they wore pig noses. Do you all have any funny ideas for dressing up? If so, please share!

Pumpkin Love

Pumpkin soup...don't knock it 'til you try it! There are lots of variations, try one and see what you think.

How cute are these? I found these on Bakerella


Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, makes me feel like I am "being bad" at breakfast.






Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, I have it done "skinny" style and only use 2 pumps of syrup for a Grande.




Pumpkin Pancakes...enough said.

Pumpkin Ravioli, and you thought it was only for sweet treats.

Pumpkin Roll, a little something different to replace pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner.

I am to pumpkins like Bubba Gump is to shrimp. I love all things pumpkin! I always anticipate this time of year and I do my best to get enough pumpkin between now and Thanksgiving to last me until next year!

My New Kitchen Philosophy

I found this on another blog I read. It was originally printed on a restaurant menu, I happen to think I should make it my new kitchen philosophy...

Deletions of a specific ingredient of a meal are time consuming and error-prone due to the volume we produce daily.
Special requests and deletions cause a large back-up which means everyone has to wait longer.
Remember each meal is made fresh from scratch and we want each meal leaving the kitchen to be “the” meal we created.
We ask that when we are very busy (almost all the time), accept the meal “as is” and then YOU pick out what YOU do not like; that mushroom, tomato, onion or raisin- if consumed-will probably NOT jeopardize your health, but MY health is jeopardized when exceptions are demanded.
Please remember this is my kitchen and I’m the cook. I am not your personal chef. If the items aren’t the ones you want to eat, looks like you are out of luck.

Play This Game

Have you ever played Whoonu, as in WHO KNEW? It's a game made by the peeps that make Cranium. It is the perfect game because it's fun for kids and adults. The box says it is for ages 8 and up, but don't let that fool you. We have played this at adult only parties, and also played it for family game night. I picked it up on a whim a few years back and it is by far one of our best games. We took it to a dinner party last night and we played for hours! We ended up wanting to stay later to play so we had my son come play when his curfew was up so that he wouldn't have to be home alone. He played a few rounds with us before we finally called it a night. Since fall is here, and 'round these parts that means it will be time to hunker down with the family for a cozy night by the fire, I suggest you add this to your arsenal of entertainment. You won't be disappointed!