Im back

  Just as I was getting into the blogging somehow I could not access my google account which meant I could not access my blog.Finally go the issue resolved now.It has been so frustrating because I was thinking about so many things to write about and couldn't.

  Wouldn't you know it as of right now,I cant think of any of those things! Oh well,just glad that now when I get an inspiration I can now share it.Writing is such good therapy for me and I have so missed my blog no bigger than it is.

The Beginning of my weight loss.Day 1

  Well, today is the day I am going to get serious about weight loss.I have been very discouraged about it the past few months and had pretty much give up.After I had Gabriella, I really assumed it would come off as easy as it did with my son.Big mistake in thinking that!

 
  When she was 3 months old I began to realize it was probably going to take some effort on my part this go around, so I just began eating healthier foods and cutting back on junk.Thought it was going great when I lost 4 lbs, but then although I still was eating healthy, for some reason it came back.

  I joked about it with my hubby who had been doing the same trying to lose weight and was actually working for him.Deep down though,I felt really discouraged and beginning to feel depressed.

  For the most part, I have been 115 lbs since I was a teenager which is a good,healthy weight for someone that is only 5 ft tall.I need to lose 23 lbs to get back to that and I am pretty sure it will take some major exercise to do this.I have a plan in mind to make it more fun by making it more about play than work.Being my life is pretty much centered around my children it will include them.So we will see how it goes.This mornings work out was fun but I could tell I had a work out.Gabriella had a blast and thought I was the funniest thing she ever saw.I just want to feel better and get back into my clothes.

                        This is my most recent picture that really opened my eyes and has inspired me to give it another shot.

      Philippians 4:13   I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Easy Chicken and Tortilla Dumplings

Yummy and easy recipe I came up with.I have been hearing how you can make dumpling with flour tortillas so decided to give it a try and add a few experimental ingredients as well.This would work well if you just did not have time to make the traditional dumpling.To make even quicker, boil chicken the night before and refrigerate until ready to cook.This way your not trying to remove hot chicken from the bone or waiting for it to cool so you can.Also,a great way to use up some of that left-over Thanksgiving turkey!

• 4  chicken breast or chicken of choice
• 14 ounces of burrito size flour tortillas
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can of cream of celery soup
• 2 tbl.spn butter 
• 1/3 cup cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• couple dashes of basil

1. Fill 4-quart pot half full with broth
2. Boil chicken until tender.
3. While chicken is cooking, slice tortillas with a sharp knife 5 slices across and one slice through the middle.
4. Remove cooked chicken,take off bone and cut in cubes,shred or however you desire.I like to just pull mine apart into big chunks
5. Place chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, butter, salt, pepper,basil into boiling broth.May need to add a little water if much evaporated while boiling chicken.
6. Bring to a rolling boil.
7. Drop tortilla strips into pot one at a time.
8. Stir gently around the top, not bottom of pot
9. Boil medium/high heat for 10 -12 minutes.
10. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream and move the dumplings around gently to mix the cream,then remove from heat

  

The Things I have learned about Kindergarten

I am amazed how much Kindergarten has changed since I was in school.There is such a big difference in what is taught now days and what is expected of our kiddos.Then there is the stuff that has not changed for the parent and child but you just don't expect or know until it's your little one starting school. Here is what I have found out in the last 2  1/2 months.

1. You will cry on their 1st day no matter how hard you try not to.
2. Your child may not react the way you have thought they would.Mine didn't even want a hug before I left.Almost acted as if he did not know me.A real heart breaker!
3. By the end of the 1st week most teachers really don't want you walking your child to class.WHAT!? Are they crazy? Just drop him off at the door of the school and let him find his own way? Which leads me to # 4
4. They really are capable of finding their way to class and other places in the school right by themselves.This horrified me, thinking about him wandering the halls of the school alone.Really took some getting used to for me.
5. What we learned in Kindergarten is what they are expected to know when they arrive the 1st day.
6. They do not take a nap.This is a good thing for us.I am quite positive his teacher would not want to see how much more energy he has after getting rested up.
7. They actually start some algebra now.This really blew my mind and also frightened me.When told this,I thought I may need to go back to school myself so I will be able to help with homework.
8. They will have homework everyday.I don't remember doing much at all.
9. Homework is not hard but boy the directions can really be confusing.Once you spend an hour calling all your friends with kids in kindergarten and figure it out it only takes about 10 minutes to do.
10. Your kid will probably know how to read 3-4 letter words by the 2nd month of school.Now they can read you some of the book.This part of school really excites me.Listening to my little man read is the coolest thing!
11. You really begin to realize just how much more your child is capable of.Don't let them fool you! They can do far more than they let on.If you knew they were smart before school, you might feel like they are near geniuses after you see what they learn in such a short amount of time.They really just make us feel like we have to do everything for them.Its not a fact of life.They are so much smarter theses days!
12. When they get home, it is possible they will try to eat everything in the frig and cupboard.Even though my son eats breakfast at home and school,then lunch,he walks through the door as if he has not ate all day.
13. Last but not least,no matter how grown and independent they now seem, they need you.They need to know you are interested in their day and are proud of all of their achievements.We always talk about what Joseph does at school.I ask a lot of detailed questions, like what did you eat for lunch?Who did you play with on the playground and what did you play? He kind of acted like this irritated him after a while so one day I only asked one question. Did you have a good day? He said,yes.When I did the same the next day he said,"Mama,you don't want to know what I did at school anymore?"He really sounded disappointed.I said of course I do.Then I realized he really did appreciate my interest in his day and I guess it took a day or two without it for him to realize that himself.

Very excited about his 1st day

Getting a bit nervous once at school

 These are just the things I have learned in 2 months.No telling whats in the future for the rest of the year!

Getting to work and totally ignoring my existence!

Saving Money and Having Fun

Living on a tight budget can be stressful but you don't have to totally deprive yourself of a fun shopping trip to do it.What woman does not like to go shopping once in a while? It can be done even if you don't have $100.00.I am a thrift store lover and it saves me money and my sanity.I know some people that would not be caught dead in one.Everything has to be brand new and name brand.Well, I like new and name brand myself  but I choose not to pay the new and name brand prices for it.I would rather pay $2.00 for a Vera Bradley pocket book than 50.00 or more any day.I did just that, not long ago too.Don't get me wrong, you can over spend in thrift stores if you walk in with the wrong mind set.I know a lady who goes from store to store buying up things she is never going to wear or use just because its cheap,but this is not a way of saving if you don't need it! When I walk in I have things in mind I'm looking for that we need or maybe a special toy my children would like.I only buy the things I know I can use.I have been needing to get Joseph some new dress shoes for church,and he needed a belt.At a normal store I knew this was going to cost me at least thirty to forty dollars, if I found a sale, so I have been keeping my eyes open in the thrift stores.Today I found what I needed and more.
   Here's what I got for $12.00!

There is the belt and shoes I needed.The shoes were $2.00 and were brand new and the belt was $3.00 and I have never seen one a Walmart for less than $7.00.Joseph had a good report card and my husband and I were talking about getting him some of those tiny Lego's he loves.A small box of 60 pieces is $5.00 and today I got a lg. box of 600 for $4.00! That was the most expensive in the picture above.A lot of times I make out better than this but I felt pretty satisfied anyway, and had a lot of fun too.

How to Brine a Turkey

With Thanksgiving coming up, I thought I would share how I made the best turkey in the world one year.It was extremely moist and yummy.My family still talks about that turkey!

what you will need

• two cups of kosher salt
• two gallons of water.
• include sweeteners

1. Dissolve salt (and sugar, if using) in two cups of hot water. Stir in remaining gallon plus 3 ½ quarts of cold water.               
2. Remove giblets and neck from turkey. Immerse turkey in brine and refrigerate for at least eight hours but no longer than 24 hours.               

 Cooking the Turkey

 When you're ready to roast, pour off the brine. Rinse the turkey well with cool tap water, and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips behind the back and place the bird, breast-side up, on a roasting rack. Proceed with your preferred recipe, but remember that the turkey has already absorbed a significant amount of salt--any drippings that you use for gravy will already be salty, and no salt should be added to compound butters or spice rubs.

Wednesday Wisdom

Proverbs 27:1
Boast not thyself of tomorrow;for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Make the best of today! Do all the can,love all you can and enjoy all you can because none of us are promised tomorrow..I sure don't want to waste today thinking on my troubles and hardships but rather think on all the Lord has blessed me with.Enjoy all the precious moments my children bring to my life.The laughter,the hugs and I love you mama moments.Feels much better to smile than frown. Sometimes we will let one little problem rob us of so much joy, when all the while there are so many great things happening all around.We can not see the good because we have magnified the problem until it has blocked our view of the things that really matter.Right now is all I am promised and I refuse to let anything steal that from me.

                    Too Blessed To Be Stressed