What I am thankful for Day 8

I am thankful for..... http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/. Without her, I still wouldnt know what I was cooking for Thanksgiving dinner!! She has many, many great recipes. The following are all of her recipes that I am cooking for Thanksgiving (Sorry, but I dont know how to "hide" the web addresses, where you can just click on the name..):

Turkey brine: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/pws-turkey-brine/
Turkey: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/10/roasted_thanksgiving_turkey/
Mashed Potatoes: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/11/delicious_creamy_mashed_potatoes/
Stuffing – probably this one: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/11/stuffing_dressing_my_favorite_thanksgiving_food/
Cranberry Sauce: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/11/homemade-cranberry-sauce/

This apple pie: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/scrumptous-and_i_do_mean_scrumptous-apple_pie/
This chocolate pie: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/the_meal_of_love_part_iv_de-licious_chocolate_pie/

If you haven't heard of Pioneer Woman ("PW") or tried any of her recipes, you are surely missing out. :)

What I am thankfor for Day 7

I am thankful for..... my Car! Seriously!! I drive a 1996 honda accord that runs amazing. This car drives my family everywhere we need to go. In the mornings, we have as little as 2 kids up to 5 or 6 kids piled in my little 2 door coupe on the way to school. What a great investment this car was 7 years ago! Yep, we bought it used. It also has about 175,000 miles on it. Too bad the body isn't as nice as I wish it was. With my kids getting their bikes in and out of the garage, the sun damage and some DIRT BAG hitting my bumper in the post office parking lot, its got some wear and tear. Thankfully the engine is still happy!

What I am thankful for Day 6

I am thankful for.... my job ! I am so thankful that I am able to have a job during these rough economic times. I work for a GREAT boss and company, who believes you put your family first. I am able to work my kids school hours and I am also able to volunteer at my kids school. I really enjoy my job and feel very lucky to be where I am at today.

What I am thankful for day 5

I am thankful for....... Tom & Shirley! Jareds grandparents, my kids GREAT Grandparents. Tom & Shirley come to our house every Friday and watch my kids for a couple of hours since it is early day at school. They always bring soda pop for my kids, bring Jared and me breakfast, spoil my kids at Walmart and just help us out tremendously. I LOVE that my kids have gotten to know their great grandparents. Most kids dont get that opportunity, especially on the level my kids are able to. They have watched Jake since he was an infant. He got to spend the night. He would get watched on Thursday and spend the night to Friday. Since Josh has come along, those sleepovers have phased out, but thankfully, 11 years later Tom and Shirley are both still able to watch my kids. Tom & Shirley both turned 80 this year. ( I think)

What I am thankful for day 4 ~

I am thankful for.....my inlaws!! Jareds parents, Derek and Cynthia, are also very nice. They spoil us rotten and buy us lots of fun things. They love our boys so much and they are really great grandparents. I also love that they dont mind hanging out with my family. We usually have one big gathering rather than two. That is so great. I LOVE big gatherings! :)

What I am thankful for Day 3!

Please note...these "thankfuls" are in no certain order. I just have to make them last for another 12 days! :)

What I am thinkful for on day 3 is...... my Mom and Dad! My Mom and Dad are a big part our lives. Though, I dont get to talk to my Mom as much as I would like, she is my biggest cheerleader and stands behind us no matter what. She is always there to help us, no matter how big or small the "help" may be. Her husband Dave, is also a great guy. We are really happy to have him as a part of the family. I know they love us very much.

My Dad, whom I do talk to very often, is also just a great, great person. He is also there to help us whenever we may need help. I refer to him as my second main man. He always steps in when Jared is away and takes good care of me and my boys. He is a wonderful grandpa and will drop anything he is doing to come to our aid.

We are so lucky to have such great, suppportive, loving parents. I just love them all so much!! We are also lucky, since my parents are divorced, that they have "chosen" to be friendly with each other. It makes planning things so easy.

* So, I was going to download pictures for this post, but apparently I have used my maximum allowed storage space for photos - unless I want to buy more space. I guess no more pics. :(

What I am thankful for - Day 2

I am thankful for....My Boys!! I am so thankful they are healthy, smart, mostly polite, funny, nice, cute and never back talk - hahahaha who am I kidding? Forget that last one.



They are sweethearts most of the time. They bring me MUCH joy. I love them so much! I couldnt imagine life without them.

What I am thankful for - Day One

There is some stuff going around Facebook where you should write what it is you are thankful for every day up to Thanksgiving - or something along those lines. I thought it sounded like fun, and wanted to participate because I am thankful for so many things. I have been blessed which such a great life.! I would rather do it on my blog than Facebook, so here goes!

I would have to start day one with..... My husband! I am so thankful and happy to have Jared in my life. Jared is sexy, smart, strong, funny, good cook, argumentive, and such, such, such a great husband and Dad! Our boys just idolize him.

When I think about him right now, I just laugh. We laugh at each other and the kids quite a bit. Jared puts up with a lot mess with the boys and me, and mostly takes it in stride. He isn't much of a romantic, but one thing I know for sure, he loves me and the boys with all his heart. He works hard for us and I am such a lucky girl to call him MINE. :)

CUTE HUH!!

(I should totally be blogging about Jake's birthday party(back in February) and Easter but I'm not....... Maybe next time! )

Check out our "new" landscaping! I love it - it is so cute! I cant wait to get LOTS more flowers to go in my flower beds. This is only part 1 of the front of the house. We have another project to the left that we need to work on - oh, and also vegetable garden. I think that is just going to be tomatoes this year....I dont have the energy right now to plant anything else.

BEFORE

AFTER

Generic or Name brand?

I have always been a food snob. Everything I bought had to be name brand. If I was asking a favor of someone, as in I forgot this at the store..would you grab some on your way? I would ask them "please make sure it isnt Western Family" or Great Value or whatever generic brand that certain store would carry. Now that my grocery budget doesn't stretch as far as it used to - I have been trying some generic brands and to my surprise I love them!! I love that they are actually yummy, and/or work the same, and they cost up to $2.00 less. My judgment based merely on the ugly packaging and name was so wrong - in most generic products. Anyway, I thought I would list some of my "favorite" generic products. I guess I am still in shock that the generic thing isnt so bad! The list wont be too long as I am just starting, but here they are:

Western Family Tuna Fish
Western Family Canned Tomatoes
Great Value Taco Seasoning
Great Value Turkey gravy ( I bought this because they were out of the McCormick brand and it made the YUMMIEST! Turkey gravy)
Great Value Garlic Bread
Members Mark Laundry Soap
Member Mark Hand Soap
Target Body Wash - this is the item that made me thing of this post. It was actually really good!
Target cereal
(that's all I can remember.....)

I dont like:

Target Dryer Sheets - they dont smell Downy enough

Lisa told me to stay away from:

Generic Cream of Mushroom
any generic Macaroni & cheese

I have to take Lisa's word because she doesnt buy anything name brand.

Some generic names still scary me, so I will stay away from those. Especially in the milk section.

I am still a meat snob - only Harmons.

Oh! All this saving a dollar stuff has even got me to go to stores that I wouldn't go to before - REAMS & MACY's - I have discovered these stores have super yummy bakeries!

Maybe this list could help someone else get started on saving a few dollars on the generic stuff that tastes the same or better as name brand!

Though this is all in food - I HATE cheap shoes :)

When one is in a goooooood mood....

Sometimes...they can be so sweet! Joshy decided he was going to set the table for dinner tonight -name tags and all! He was so proud of himself:

He also cleaned up after dinner and did a really good job too!

We had turkey pot pie for dinner, the 2nd night in a row (Well..sort of.. since last night we ate out, but we had it tuesday night and then I made it again tonight). Why did I make two times in a row you ask? Well, Joshy seems to be the fussiest eater and doesnt like ANYTHING I make for dinner. He says I "always make gross stuff". Well, with this particular meal, he had fourths. So, I thought I would make it again since i was so happy he actually ate!!!