Something Like Life

Nothing is better on a cold day then a hearty warm casserole. I get tired of making the same old thing over and over again, so today I decided I was going to make something new. Of course as a mother of three I wanted it to be pretty fast, easy and of course something that will please the whole family. Here is what you will need to make my "Keep Me Warm Casserole." I hope you enjoy it. 1 Pound Ground meat-I use beef but you can use any meat or meat replacement. 1/2 package of taco seasoning 1 Can Cheese Soup-I use the plain but it also comes in a nacho if you want to add a little spark. 1 1/2  Cup of Water 1 Cup of Rice 1/4 Cup of Milk 1 Cup of Bisquick plus enough liquid to make a biscuit dough So as I said I like to keep things simple :O) First you will have to brown and drain the ground meat. It is best to season it while browning. I put a little pepper on mine and that is all. After it has browned then drain off any fat that is remaining. Add everything

This is such a great site for people who have children in their lives and want to fill their Holiday season with lots of Santa fun ! http://www.northpole.com/ Happy Holidays!

I really love Christmas, there is no better time of year for me. What makes it more fun is the neat programs companies put out to make it just a little more fun. Elf yourself is by far one of my favorite things :O) Have fun with your family :O) you can put up to 5 people in your dance!

Mondays are always so hard around here and I must say after a 5 day vacation hard is not even the word for this Monday! After fighting the kids to wake I had to then sit down to write a paper on ozone depletion which really was about as exciting as it sounds.lol My to do list just seems that is never ends! Certainly today it wasn't getting any smaller. While searching around the internet I found this quote that made the day seem so simple :O) "Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference. Being busy is a form of mental laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action." -Timothy Ferris That really got me thinking am I really Busy today?? Or am I really just being lazy today........

What an amazing trip Stanley has been on these last couple of weeks.  He just traveled to to meet some new friends in Ashland, Kentucky. He had great fun With Angie and her family doing all sorts of things. Boy was he glad to just get a chance to sit back and read the paper before he headed out on his next adventure. He can't wait to see where it leads him next! Next stop Fountain, Colorado.

This time of year life is crazy enough without throwing in a home cooked feast. Help save yourself some time and stress with some of these time saving tips. 1.Cut vegitables ahead of time! Vegitables can keep for days pre cut ahead of time. So cut those veggie trays, stuffing ingrediants and more the day before. It will save you from having to get up at 4 am to get that turkey in. 2.Set your dining table the night before! Instead of running incircles as your guests prepair to descend upon you simply spend a few minutes after dinner the night before to place your table cloth and set a beautiful table. 3.Make sure salt and pepper shakers are filled a day or two before hand so that does not come empty int he middle of the meal. 4.Make sure your turkey is defrosted by removing it in plenty of time. Nothing is worse then having a half cooked turley that can postpone your meal. 5.Place all canned goods that will be needed on the counter to save trips to the pantry. 6

Could there be a better way to start off your holiday week?? I think not!lol Remeber today if you are looking for great deals and don't want to brave the Black Friday crowds today is THE DAY to shop. Start by Checking out some of the sales going on. Mattel's 8 hr Sale! Amazon's Pre-black Friday sales Target Cyber Monday Sale! Walmart's Pre-Black Friday Sale

So if you are like me you love to save money where you can. Christmas can be such an expensive thing already and we all want to give our kids the best we can. If you have a Lalaloopsy lover in your family this is the perfect time to buy! I just got a full size doll for $14.57 SHIPPED! Go to Target now and look through what they have. The code TGTXT5XQ will give you $5 off plus free shipping on all purchases over $19.99 BUT it works for their $17.99 dolls to!

Did I mention I love Fridays! Not only is it the last day I have to wake up at 4:30 in the morning but it is the best day to find free samples on the internet. Here is what I have for you to grab up so far! Unfortunately so far they are pretty limited most likely due to the large amount of Black Friday sales being planned. Free samples at Walmart -There is a couple so I'll just link you to the sample page :O) Saline Soothers Kleenex Cool Touch If  you like earning free stuff check out Swagbucks   I've gotten over $200 in free Amazon gift cards plus other things like magazines. And don't forget to enter Mattel's toy a day giveaway Hopefully more great samples will come out today I'll let you know if they do :O)

It is so hard this time of year to not get into the Christmas spirit. The stores are starting to streaming Christmas music, putting up Trees, and having sales. There is no greater joy in life then seeing the face of a child Christmas morning. It is so hard to think that not everyone has the means to provide that simple joy to their children. This year I was so blessed to get the opportunity to make one child's Christmas a happy one thanks to Energizer Batteries and Cafemom. As an active participant on Cafemom I was selected to take part in the Influencer program. As part of this program I was sent 2 Coupons for Energizer batteries which I was to use on rechargeable batteries and a $20 gift card which I was asked to purchase a battery operated toy. The toy and one package of batteries was to be donated to a charity of my choosing. So off me and my children went to do something I think for them was maybe the hardest thing ever, pick a toy for someone else and not expect anything i

I have to say when I started this I was so nervous. I always find a recipe or buy it from the store, this was this first time I was going to make something myself. Now I must say I am so proud of myself :O) although they are more savory then I would have liked them to be I fixed that with a simple spread of Nuetella. Here is what you will need for these muffins: 2 Cups of whole wheat flour 1 Cup of All purpose flour 1 Teaspoon of baking powder 2 Teaspoons of baking soda 4 Tablespoons of cocoa 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon 1 Teaspoon of ginger 1 Cup of Pumpkin Puree 2 Cups of Apple Sauce This is such a simple recipe. First mix all the dry ingredients together in a big bowl. Then simply add all the wet ingredients. I used a cooking spray to make sure they did not stick. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. They are a dense muffin that taste good warm or cooled.

Nothing goes better on a cold day then a nice hot bowl of soup. I was talking to my mother this weekend and she was telling me about the wonderful soup she made this weekend. It brought back so many childhood memories from when she use to make it for me. It's been 10 years now since I have had it and decided it was time I made those memories with my own family. Here is what you need: 8 Medium-large potatoes 5 Cups of broccoli 2 1/2 cups of milk 1 can of chicken broth 1 Cup of Chesse 1/2 cup pieces of bacon bits 3 cups of water 3/4 stick butter Onion to taste pepper to taste Start by chopping up your potatoes, about the same way you would if you were making potato salad. Put them in a large pot and add water, chicken broth, and broccoli. Bring to a boil, cover and then lower the heat to medium low. You don't want it boiling a low simmer is okay. Then add your milk, butter, and spices. This will cook for a while until the potatoes and broccoli break dow

As some of my readers know we have really been trying to improve our families health all round. Well of course that means making more stuff by hand. I realized last night for some reason I had 27 apples in my fridge :OP and after talking with friends apple sauce seemed like a good plan. So this morning I set about peeling, coring and cutting 20 apples. Yep it is about as fun as it sounds.lol I put them in my crockpot and added about a cup of water, 2/3 cups of sugar(I'm going low sugar you may want more), and 2 good teaspoons of cinnamon. It is still cooking but my house smells AMAZING! He is a before picture can't wait to show you the results. So after hours of cooking and making me so hungry I finally got to taste this and Mmmm...I am so glad I didn't add all the extra sugar it usually calls for it was simply amazing the way it was.

Time to start Monday off right here are some words to think about as you get about your day! If you want to succeed in the world must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time a coming. You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until some one comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth or influence. John B. Gough  I hope everyone has an amazing day! There will be some new recipes coming up later on.

A Poinsettia in a can?!?! LMAO so everyone who knows me knows I have a thing for those weird little things in life. I went by the Dollar Tree earlier and found one of the strangest things I have seen. A poinsettia in a can. So of course I had no clue what it actually was but for a dollar how could I pass up finding out huh?!? So I bring it home and opened it. Thank goodness nothing just popped out of the can at me I would have FREAKED OUT! I was actually pretty impressed. It was a planter with dirt and seeds :O) super cute and easy to follow directions. I hope it grows! The kids are super excited to see but germination takes 10-14 days *Sits and waits*

Take some time to remember all those who have sacrificed for our freedoms. It is amazing privilege to be an American and it didn't come easy. So many gave the ultimate sacrifice so we can sleep at night.

What a great day...........there is nothing more fun then spending the day in a classroom full of 6 year olds. Ok so there are probably a lot of things that are more fun.lol but today we did a great craft and well it is cute and educational at the same time. With a paper plate, construction paper, glue, crayons and a couple marshmallows you to can have a hippo of your own :O)    We started by folding a paper plate in half. The outside should be grey and the inside should be pink. After cutting out the eyes, nose, and ears we glued them on and next were the teeth. I forgot we also use brown temper paint, although I'm not sure how I forgot that part.lol To make these an educational school craft we told about the hippo. The sentence says Because it is hot, hippos play in mud. The kids all had so much fun :O)

Now I am pretty sure that that is not what they are actually called but I found them at the dollar Tree and that is what they called them(my son just told me they are called Orbies) :O). Basically they are small beads that absorb water, but mostly they are great fun to watch! Then they can water your plants for sometimes weeks! My box came with 2 packages inside so we emptied one package into a small container. I guess it is an 8 ounce cup really. Then I filled it about half way with water. I really hope this cup is big enough as this expand :/ This is what it started out like. They were so much fun to watch. As they absorbed the water they released small bubbles. They kids found it so amazing! Best part is they are completely harmless and after they are grown...............kind of fun to play with ;o) but make sure container is about 2 cups.lol because I did end up having to move them to a bigger container.

Ok so I normally don't do a midweek freebies but there seems to be a lot of them :O) So I am here to share them. Free Downy Sample - LOTS of steps to get there.lol Free AstroGlide sample - ummm...yep.lol Free Billy Boy Condom Sample -lol why not ;o) Nature's Path Granola Bars from Ellen :O) Lacoste Perfume Sample Free Simply right Protective Underwear -SAMS Club members John Frieda Full Body Repair Sample Dove Hair Care - SAMS club members Free Burberry sample -on facebook White's Premium Dog Food Splenda Essentials - also great coupon Lung cancer Awareness Bracelett That is all I have for now but the morning is still young :O) make sure to head over the my friend Bargain Hound she is having a ton of Giveaways and Coupon Clippin' Daddy always has great deals and of course My Side of Life she has a ton of giveaways and great ideas to share. **ADDED** Free tresemme Sample

This weekend I found myself struggling with so  many things in my life. Things that seem to be so far out of reach it wasn't even funny. This morning I woke up still in the same mood, I turned on the news and the first things I heard was "Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." ~Napoleon Hill~ Sometimes things in life happen that we may not understand but if you have a true desire for something in life you will achieve it. So off I go to start my journey to achievement I hope everyone has an amazing day :O)

After his trip to Hometown, Illinois Stanley was a bit tired so he decided it would be a great idea to take a nice long bus trip to his next location instead of taking a plane like he usually preferred. Finally he arrived in a small town called Bosque Farms, New Mexico where he met his new friend Desiree. He had such a great time with Desiree he didn't want to leave. So he decided to hide out in her car for a couple of days :OP good thing it was nice and cool. Like all good things though his trip to Bosque farms had to end and he is head now to Ashland, Kentucky. He can't wait to see all the awesome things that await him and all the new friends he will meet.

I love today I won't lie.lol Especially after a long week nothing seems to be better then a good freebie. Hopefully we can find a lot today! ZAPZYT -Acne clearing treatment :O) EIB Active Kit - Free inhaler pouch and information Poise Hourglass Pads - Free sample from walmart BabyTalk - Free subscription American Baby - Free Subscription P&G Coupon Book -$35 in savings Spot's Stew Dog Food - 2 free cans sign up is on right hand side Giorgio Armani Sample OB Sample - this one is cute :O) yeah only a woman would say that. Goodnights -Free sample from SAMS Not a bad start to the morning :O)  Free 25 prints at walgreens

Roasted pumpkin seeds around here are a big favorite. The only bad side is they don't last long!Earlier I made a bunch of pumpkin puree and was left with a ton of seeds to roast. If you have never done it it is super easy. Just take the seeds you collected earlier and wash them well. You don't want all that slimy pumpkin stuff on them :op. Then I like to toss mine with about a teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Put them in a 350 degree oven for 15 or so minutes. Keep an eye on the they will go from done to burnt really fast! My picture isn't loading :O( I'll try again later

Every year for Halloween we carve pumpkins that get looked at for one night and then disposed of. This year we had so many pumpkins we didn't even end up carving them all! So I decided it was time to try something new, making my own pumpkin puree. If you have checked out the prices yet this year for canned pumpkin you have probably choked a little. I know I sure did. A small can was $1.68 at my local Walmart yesterday :/ Today ended up being the perfect day to roast my pumpkins. It's cool and crisp outside with 50 MPH winds. So all our Jack-o-laterns and extra pumpkins alike met the same fate! I started with a fairly average size carving pumpkin I then cut him in half and scraped out all of them seeds :O) I kept these to roast later. This pumpkin didn't have to many seeds though :O(   After you get them all cleaned out turn them cut side down on a cookie sheet. and add about a cup of water to the bottom. Place them in a 350 degree oven for about 90 minutes. They