Green thumb? I think not.

Apparently I don't have the attention span necessary to grow a great garden:(

I've always dreamed of having a yard of food-producers set up in a beautiful way. Grape vine with a trellis thingy doubling as a shady spot for a hammock. Fruit trees bordering the woods, and strategically placed berry bushes and vines. And then the traditional veggie garden, using the square foot method to save space. In this dreamland, I would also have a few chickens and the cutest little henhouse.

What I actually have is a patch of dirt with a little clover creeping in and a couple of dead plants that I just never got around to planting. Every year I say I'm going to do better...and then I don't. Perhaps I need a mentor? Someone to help me map out my garden according to plant/harvest times and what we can freeze and so forth.
And
I think I'll invite my sister over to watch me plant-kinda like an appointment-so I'll actually do it. I'll let you know how that works out:)

Easy Freezy

My new thing: freezer meals. I've done a few things for years: cooking beef and freezing in baggies (huge time saver), pureed veggies for adding into unsuspecting food, and I've canned and dried as much as I could before I get sick of it.

Thus far, I have in my freezer:
8 large waffles, 24 pancakes made from 8 cups of Krusteaz mix- best guess $3
9 slices Apple cinnamon french toast- under $2
4 meals worth of pork chops- $13
Chicken breasts(honey bbq, alice springs, teriyaki strips, and 35 nuggets)- 5 meals for $12
3lb ground turkey in place of beef-8 baggies (2 for spaghetti, casserole, tacos, and 1 each for mex dip and pizza hoagies) meat for 5 meals for $6.
Teriyaki beef strips -$5 only 1 meal
chicken drumsticks- under $3 only 1 meal


All my meats were in the freezer in about 40 minutes- just FYI.

My next step will be dinner breads and snacks along with potatoes and other veggies. Super excited!

Cell Phone Daze

Okay, so it's been a while...not having internet has obviously taken a toll on my blogging.  Our home computer crashed quite a few months ago, but there was no obvious reason for fixing it since we mostly use it for time-wasters like games and Netflix.  I do miss Netflix, though.  Now that we have the 360 console, we could use that--I'll have to get right on that:)

Now I'm thinking that all I really need to do is make the switch to a Smartphone.  Problem is, I don't know which one to pick!  I went into Verizon expecting to just tell them how I wanted to use the phone and they would tell me which phone suited me best.  WRONG!!!  All the phones have miniscule differences that make choosing next to impossible.  I'm so frustrated.  And besides that, now a friend tells me that WalMart has a plan that's $40 unlimited everything--more options!  We've been with Verizon for forever so I hate to leave, but I seriously doubt they'll price match. If anybody has a plan from WalMart, give me some feedback please.

Not a Resolution

While I do not make New Year's Resolutions, I would like to better myself as often as I can.  Right now, I resolve to have a better self-image.  I will tell myself as often as possible:

IT'S OKAY TO NOT LOOK LIKE A MODEL!

If you hear me say or see me write something that is contrary to this statement, please chastise me.  As a matter of fact, anytime you hear someone you love (or like a little) say something that hints at a negative self image, please tell her she's crazy and that her beauty is unmatched because...(insert a true statement here).

We're gonna kick this negativity to the curb--watch out world:)

Chillaxination

Well, the kids are super stoked about their new XBOX 360 w/Kinect:)  We ended up going to GameStop Monday and bought 10 games (!), but they are having an awesome sale-buy 2 get 1 free; we also had a $100 gift card that came with purchase.

That stop was after we hit WM and Sam's.  BUSY morning:)  After that, we went home and the kids got started super-cleaning their bedrooms-yay!  My darling husband installed a new bathroom light/fan--THANK YOU!!!

Overall, a great holiday filled with some great people and gifts...now on to "real" life--with a little room to breathe.

Holiday Cheer--or not!

I know Christmas isn't here yet....but I'm ready for it to be over. Rude people at the store, pressure to BUY, the ever-present list-making (list-checking, list-rechecking).  In addition, there are obligations that are fun but time-consuming like the school and work parties and other holiday shindigs.  I really enjoy those, but you still have to shop for Dirty Santa and get a babysitter.

I'm ready for some quiet time!  A weekend without multiple functions to attend sounds so nice.  Maybe we can get a household project done or actually clean my house:)

All about Ivy (or at least a little) . . .

As I sit here beside my biggest blog fan (aka Ivy, my sister-who funnily enough hasn't signed up as a follower!), I listen to shrieks from the bathroom and I think, "THESE KIDS ARE CRAZY!!!"  Poor little heathens...they just  can't help themselves.  I believe this set of cousins bring out the worst in each other.  But they sure do have fun:)

My wonderful sister invited us down for my favorite dinner-Potato Soup.  YUMMY!! Thanks Ivy:)  Then she let me use the computer since mine's still sick...Thanks Ivy, again:)

I will be very glad for this weekend to come, although it won't be particularly relaxing.  Christmas Party for Adams & Garth in Charlottesville Sat. night, and we're walking in the parade with the Maddox Air & Electrical float *very excited* on Sun. night.  I will need to grocery shop, paint my toenails, and do laundry somewhere in there as well...not fun.  But I WON'T have to call 22 people by lunch to tell them that they do in fact have to work today.