Recipe to try….

Olive Garden Fettucine Alfredo

8 ounces Cream cheese — cut in bits
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese — grated
1/2 cup Butter or margarine
1/2 cup Milk
8 ounces Fettuccine; cook — drain | In large saucepan combine cream cheese, Parmesan, butter and
milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Toss pasta lightly with
sauce, coating well. Leftovers freeze well.

The Great Garage Clean: End of Day 3

Well, it is the end of day three of the great garage clean.   I am very happy with our progress today and I even left to a Dr’s appointment this afternoon that took way too long.   I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful hubby and kids.  Grateful they are willing to help me!  I don’t know what I would do without them. 

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Josh thought this would help sell the pool….I think the slide is a better option!  LOL!

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We took a little break and rode the scooter up and down the street.  It was great way to too cool off.

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Yep, that is right I am in the garage and can put my arms out and not touch anything!!!  WOO HOOO!

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This is our sell pile – two rows deep.   We are only doing a one day sale, but I don’t know if I have room to get it all out at once.  We will see!

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Take a good look at this one.  This is not a trick photo that is actually a car in the garage.  I can’t remember the last time that happened.  Could be years ago…….

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Relaxing after a long, but very productive day!!!!  It feels so good to have it all sorted and priced! 

Tomorrow – we will go through some things in the house and price them.   Should be a much shorter day. 

Friday – set up for the sale…..hopefully particpate in the Manitou Days Parade.

Saturday….the big sale – hope a majority of the things find a new home!

Blessings,

Our Vacation: The Great Garage Clean Out – Day 2

Hello, my friends!   Yep, you are not getting much more than garage chat this week.  I am doing nothing else.  I woke up sore and tired this morning, but this is worth it.   I am going to be so happy to have things leaving my house. 

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What the garage looked like at the beginning of Day 2!  (Left Side)

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What the garage looked like at the beginning of day 2!  (Right Side)

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The Coke Machine we were storing for a friend.  I can’t believe my hubby decide he was taking it to his friend yesterday.   I think he just needed a break from cleaning the garage!!  LOL!!

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The sorting and pricing area. 

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What the garage looked like at the end of day 2!  (Left Side)

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What the garage looked like at the end of day 2!  (Right Side)

Today, I need to make sure I figure out supper and do the prep this morning before i get busy in the garage.  Yesterday, I was too tired by the time for supper and didn’t really want to cook.  I threw together a taco salad, but I was not motivated to do it. 

We are trying to save money this week, but not eating out.  When you get busy it is so easy to just say, “let’s run through McDonald’s”, but so expensive.  

Tommy slept over at the neighbors last night so I don’t anticipate I will see him until noon.   He stayed busy yesterday playing “dictectiv” ( that is how he spelt it).  He had his notebook to write clues and give tickets to family members.  He also had a digital camera to document his evidence.   Last night I took a look at his camera and he must have wanted to make bloody hand prints or something.  He must have gotten into the ketchup while we were busy outside to make some clues.     he might be doing a guest blog later in the week as he wanted to share his pictures.  You have been warned!  

Blessings,

OUR VACATION……..

Well, I am on vacation with my family.  Where are we going, you ask???  This is a working vacation.  Do you have a list of projects that you need to complete and no time to get them done?  We are trying to tame that list a bit.   The first few days of the vacation only I was off so I took care of some projects of my own….I have been staying very busy.

Thursday – First day of my vacation – to Tommy’s school to pick up stuff and figure out what is left to do for the “End of the Year Picnic” for the school.   Lost my car keys in the church that morning..GRRR.   Snuck in my dental cleaning since I was off for the day.   My Dr canceled my appointment so only had to sneak in the dentist.   Then off to Sam’s to pick up the last of the supplies for the picnic.   Delivered to the church and home to take care of some treasurer business for the parent organization and make a deposit to the bank.  Still have one more to do.  Back to help set up for and enjoy the “End of the Year Picnic” for Magnuson School.

Friday – Volunteered in Tommy’s classroom.  Stayed to watch the 2nd grade talent Show.   Home to relax a bit and then took kids to the movie Karate Kid 2 to celebrate the beginning of summer vacation!  Made Tommy’s requested meal of beef Enchiladas and Spanish Rice. Stayed up and watch “Dear John” with hubby. 

Saturday – tried to sleep in a bit….rain, rain, rain…..went to Sam’s graduation party. Stayed up late and watched a 1972 movie filmed in Duluth at Glensheen mansion called “You’ll Like My Mother”. 

Sunday –  Tommy’s Piano Recital (see video in post below). – watched “You’ll Like my Mother” again with family.  

Monday the real working vacation starts.  Project  #1 is to clean out the garage and have a sale on Saturday.  When we added the 5th bedroom to our house, we simply took everything out of the basement and stored it in the garage.  We needed move it all quickly so the contractor could start on the bedroom quickly.   We were on a bit of a time crunch as Josh needed to move back home.   So we didn’t go through a single box, just piled it into the garage.   

Now we are spending all week going through and sort all the boxes and pricing what we no longer need.   

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These are the before pictures of our garage.  I will take a picture at the end of each day to share.  It feels good to be working on this as it has been a project that really overwhelmed me. 

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Project # 2 for our working vacation –  I need to finish planting my garden if it ever stops raining.   I need to plant peas and green beans still.  I need to start weeding as well.

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Project #3 – finish Tommy’s mural in his bedroom.  I have worked on it a bit and finished the pirate ship.  There isn’t too much left.  It is just a matter of finding time to paint.  I love painting, so I will be a bit sad when it is done. 

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While it does feel very good to get some work done on these projects, I would rather sick in the outdoor porch and read with the kitty.   He is enjoying the weather and being out side. 

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Project #4 – all proceed from the garage sale will be going to FINALLY finishing the treehouse.  We will buy the wood to add the steps.  This is a project that was started nearly 10 years ago when Josh was little.  

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Project #5 – complete the deck addition to extend our current deck to the garage. 

As you can see we have grand plans.   I will be happy to have Project #1 – 4 done by the end of the summer.   I remind myself how blessed I am to have men in my family that are willing to help me with projects like that.  I would never get to any of this with out my wonderful hubby and son. 

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far!  It feels good to be back to blogging again.  I am still trying to catch up on all your blogs. 

Well time for me to get outside and get busy on the garage. 

Blessings,

Library Loot: June 12, 2010

library loot
June 12, 2010
 
 Library Loot Event is a weekly event hosted by Eva at A Striped Armchair and Marg at Reading Adventures.  that encourages bloggers to share the books they have checked out from the library. I always find many new books to add to my reserve list!
 
I have not been making time to blog in the last few months.  I miss blogging so very much.   I thought  I would share my recent Library Loot to get started blogging again.   I started a second book club, Wine, Women and Words, which I have really been enjoying.  Being in two book clubs each month does limit my ability to read what I want.  Our outdoor living room is set up so I spent alot of time outside reading.  It has been raining alot this week so that has been limited. 
 
I also have been looking at the Kindle, now that it is for sale at Target.  I am thinking about taking the plunge and buying on in the near future.   I have to save up some money first. 
 
 

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The following book found their way home with me from our local Library:
 
  I have been a on bit of a kick on reading local authors.  A few of these books were checked out because they either are set in Minnesota or written by Minnesota authors.
 
Choc Chip Chocolate Chip Cookie Murders – Joanne Fluke (born and raised in a small rural MN town) 
 
dressed to keel Dressed to Keel – Candy Calvert – A Darcy Cavanaugh Mystery
 
June bug June Bug – Jess Lourey  – Murder By Month Mystery, No 2.  (book set in Battle Lake, MN – author from Alexandria, MN)
 
whiskey heart  Whiskey Heart – Rachel L Coyne – (set in Comfort Lake, MN -Author from Lindstrom, MN)
 
funeral food Funeral Food – Kathleen Taylor – Tory Bauer Mystery – (set in Delphi, South Dakota – author from my hometown, Redfield, SD – went to school with the author’s children)
 
 
 
 
 
Happy Reading!!

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Newly Discovered Book Blogs…..

I was surfing around a bit and stumbled over these local book related blogs.   I think they warrant a look see! 

Reading Minnesota – Featuring adult and children’s books written by Minnesota authors/illustrators and celebrating Minnesota bookstores, reviewers, publishers and libraries.

Book Mania – Helping good books find readers.

Book Journey – One persons journey through a world of books.

Happy Reading!

 

** I know I need to do a little update on things around here….but I just haven’t been able to get it!   Someday my life will settle down (PLEASE) and I will again be a regular blogger!   I miss all my wonderful blogging friends. 

Friday –  May 28th – Pizza – Sam’s

Saturday – Ribs/ Cornbread/ Corn / Seasoned Tater Tots

Sunday – May 30th – Sloppy Joes, Potato Salad, ColeslawFresh Strawberry Sheet Cake

Monday – May 31st – Marinated Ribeyes (TOH June/June 2010) pg 61 / Baked Potato / Salad 
Salad Mix (1 head romaine lettuce, 2 bunches of fresh spinach)
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine, spinach, and strawberries. In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, milk, and poppy seeds. Shake well and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss until evenly coated

June 1 –  Chicken Salad Croissants/ Macaroni and Ham

2 – Pecan Crusted Salmon/(Very Good Add to Site) Garden Vegetables/ Crusty Bread

3 – Easy Chicken and Rice

4 – Beef Enchiladas/Spanish Rice 

5 –  Grilled Pork Chops (TOH June/June 2010) pg 61 /Fabulous Green Beans (TOH June/June 2010) pg 61 / Rice

6 – Herbed Roast Chicken (TOH June/June 2010) pg 57, Mac and Cheese, Carrots

7 – Taco Salad (TOH June/June 2010) pg 38

8  – Shrimp Scampi, Angel Hair Pasta, and Broccolli

9  Chicken & Rice Casserole

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 cups cubed chicken, cooked (from freezer)
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup buttered bread crumbs

Combine all ingredients except bread crumbs and cheese. Top with bread crumbs then cheese and bake at 350°F for 30 min.

10 – End of School Picnic – Make Secret Sauce

11 – Barbecued Burgers / Pasta Salad

12 – Beef Roast with Gravy (TOH June/June 2010) pg 78,  Mashed Potatoes, Corn

 

Menu for the Week of May 2nd

Sat- Taco Soup/ With Biscuits

  • 1 pound of ground beef
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 48 ounce V-8, I use low sodium
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 can of kidney beans, drained
  • 1 packaged of taco seasoning (or use homemade)
  • 1 teaspoon of beef bouillon
  • 1  1/2 cups cooked rice
  • cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips optional for serving

Cook beef, onion, and green pepper until beef is done. Drain. Add V-8, corn, beans, taco seasoning, and bouillon.

If using crockpot cook on low for about 3 hours, add cooked rice and cook on low for 30 more minutes. If using the stove top, cook for about 30 minutes, add cooked rice, and cook until heated through. Serve with cheese, sour cream, and chips.

Sun- Slow Cooked Pork Chops –  Quick Seasoned Rice  – Green Beans (Crock Low 6-8 Hours)

Mon – Mom working late – Spaghetti/Garlic Bread

Tues – Book Group
Feta Bruschetta
Spinach Artichole Dip/Tortilla Chips
Crackers/Cheese/Meat
Dip/Veggies
Chicken Salad/Crossiants
Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake
Sangria

Wed – Chicken & Rice Casserole

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 cups cubed chicken, cooked (from freezer)
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup buttered bread crumbs

Combine all ingredients except bread crumbs and cheese. Top with bread crumbs then cheese and bake at 350°F for 30 min.

Thursday – Frozen Pizza’s

Friday – Corn Dogs and Onion Rings

Saturday – Easy Baked Chicken/ Bake Potato/ Salad
Serves 8

4 large chicken breasts, with skin and bones
kosher salt
pepper
garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375°. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Place in large, rimmed baking sheet. Season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until juices run clear and skin is crispy and golden brown. Remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes. Cut each breast in half and serve with baked potato and a side salad.