Good-bye {bipolar} 2011!

Today is it! The last day of 2011! I can honestly say, I am NOT sorry to see it go. It has just been an up and down year full of personal struggles, financial struggles, and sometimes it was just plain aggravating! I won't say that there haven't been up sides but it has definitely been filled with it's fair share of down sides. I even took the time to write out the ups vs. the downs but that turned into a book so I'll save you the agony and just tell you that it's been rough.
I hope everyone has a great night tonight, ringing in the new year. But please remember, BE RESPONSIBLE!

See you in 2012!

Pinteresting

I wish I had an awesome post about the neat things I've been doing this week but the sad truth is, I don't. I did do a few small projects but they are only "mostly done". However, I thought I would take the time to show you where I got the ideas from.

Chicken Taquitos

I'll admit it, I am a taquito junkie. I could buy the {crazy expensive} frozen packages from the store and eat them in one or two sittings. I doubt they'd make it to three. Whenever my husband is coming home from work...and I think I'll be up at 3am...I have him stop at Quik Trip to get me one. Luckily, I have an awesome husband who is at my beck and call  loves me.

A home-made Christmas

This year, like many other families, we barely eeked through. That's just one of the sacrifices we make so that I can be a stay-at-home mom. We probably would have done really good ~ if the vehicles hadn't kept breaking down. With barely eeking through the last month of the year, that meant that we couldn't really afford to do much for our kids for Christmas.

Winter Birthday Cake

As I stated previously, Monday was Alex's birthday party. I knew we wouldn't be doing much in terms of games and decorations because he wanted to donate his gifts to Children's Hospital. To me it would seem a little silly to request donations and then spend $40-50 on decorations that will get tossed. Instead, we bought extra toys to put in the donation bag. So essentially, the only thing we did for his party was provide dinner food and cake. (Click here or here for those recipes.)

White Chicken Chili

Yesterday was my son's 8th birthday. Usually I hold off celebrating it until January when we can combine his party with his brother's and people are less busy. However, this year he decided he wanted to donate his gifts to Children's Hospital...for children who can't be home for the holidays. I loved the idea and the fact that he wanted to do it. But, like everyone else at this time of year, we are cash strapped. Something BIG goes wrong every week....alternator goes out in the car, tensioner pulley flies off of the truck, ignition switch breaks, fridge stops working...you get the idea. So we decided to do just food and games at our house.

No Bake Cookies

I grew up calling these No Bake Cookies but they are known by several names: Boiled Cookies...Missouri Cookies. No matter what you call them, if you like chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal these are the cookie for you.

5 is 'Dino'mite!

A few months ago, someone contacted me through my husband's facebook page. They wanted to get ideas for their son's birthday party that was still 3 months away. I sent over an idea I had seen and soon a business relationship was formed.

Ham & Potato Soup

This is quite possibly one of my most *famous* dinner items. I use the term famous loosely as not many people outside of my family have tasted it...because we don't share {this} very nicely. It's not because we don't want to but...my entire family loves it. And that might be an under-exaggeration. You see, my family (even though slightly large it consists of mostly young children) can consume an entire STOCKPOT full of this soup in two days. My kids will ask for thirds and fourths...when they ask, "What's for dinner?" and I reply, "Potato Soup" there are usually squeals of delight from my girls and the boys are shouting, "Score!" And my poor husband, who works the evening shift, always lectures us that we need to same him two bowls.

Biscuits and Gravy and Slave Labor

Tonight was a special night at our house - we had breakfast for dinner. This is always a special treat for the kids (and us). You see, my kids have to get on the bus at 6:50 am every day. That means that they get up around 6. And their dad works the overnight shift so he doesn't get to go to bed until 4am. We very rarely have the chance to sit down to a family breakfast. They usually eat breakfast at school for two reasons: 1) Even though they get on the bus at 6:50 and school doesn't start until 8, they arrive at school at 7am. 7am! They have to sit down there for an hour so eating breakfast in the cafeteria lets them mingle with friends and waste a good 30 minutes. 2) I do not function properly before 7am.

A Castle Fit For A Princess

Today is the day! The day that I need to finish two birthday cakes that will get delivered tomorrow afternoon. Okay, correction, today is the day that I need to START two birthday cakes that will get delivered tomorrow afternoon. Excuse me for a minute while I brag about myself: I am the perfect procrastinator. I NEVER start anything before the last possible minute: 10 page essays for college - I start them the day they are due. Putting up my Thanksgiving/Fall decorations - I did it the night before we hosted our dinner. Cleaning out the downstairs room so my mom could move in - I did the morning she moved. Huge cake orders - I start them the day before delivery.