I'm alive

Busier than a pack o' flies on dog poo. Mmmm, bet you're hungry now, huh? LOL... I've started an evening job on top of everything else, so I've been exhausted! Plus I lost the batteries to my camera & we all know what a camera happy hog I am. I don't like posts with no pics. I'll be back as soon as I can. THNX, Tatersmama for your message! ((HUGGLES))

I love small towns

Even though at 9k+, this isn't a very small town. We got TONS of goodies from so many different ppl here & when I RAVED about a particular cookie, I was given this:



People here are so nice, and they ROCK!!!!!

Mean Mommy

Woke the sleeping kitty.....

Whipped Topping... Non nom nommy!

Doesn't this look yummy?



With a very few simple ingredients.......


And a good mixer (or a very strong & untiring arm) you can have this nomminess, too!


1/2 c dry milk powder
1/2 c cold water
1/2 t vanilla or lemon extract
2 T sugar

Whip milk powder & water together til soft peaks form, about 4 minutes.
Add extract & whip another 6-7 minutes.
Add sugar & whip another minute.

Simple, I tell ya!!! This does NOT store well in the fridge, so use immediately or chill shortly, then use very soon! This also quadruples or more in size, so PLEASE don't do what I did & double the batch thinking it wouldn't be enough. EEK!

Girly stuff!

As you know, I have 3 boys. We do boy stuff- GIJoes, Transformers, Lego, worms, bugs, etc. Now that there's a girl in da house, I get to do girly stuff- SQUEE!!! Yesterday we did our nails. Isn't she cute? I thought I'd done a GREAT job on her nails.

And then she did mine, and I realised I have NOTHING on her.

Isn't she fabulous?!??

Foxy Brown's manicurists ain't got nothing on her!!!

Like I mentioned, neither do I.

You're just jealous because you can't have her do YOUR nails.....

Big day in the small kitchen

Today was a HUGE kitchen day! I did some OAMC/batch/freezer cooking (whatever you want to call it! LOL). Also did a little baking. The yield?

-2 pans scalloped taters & ham
-3 pans South of the border chicken bake
-3 pans baked, um..... well, it's supposed to be ziti, but they didn't have ziti, so I got rotini instead. Think anyone will notice?
-10 bags meat mix (for tacos, chili, spags, etc)
-12 breakfast sandwiches
-12 breakfast burritos
-24, um 19 (we had some for dinner) stuffed tater shells
-3 loaves Amish Friendship bread
-6 reg. sized & 12 mini-muffin sized Amish Friendship breads

I was supposed to do a few pans of mashed taters as well, but guess what? It didn't get done. My dogs are barking, I worked my patooshka off al day & I STILL managed to get a decent dinner on the table *grin* We had spiral sliced ham & the aforementioned tater shells. YUM!!!

Oh, and BTW, Happy New Year!!!

Hey Tatersmama?

I turned the cutouts to the back, hehe (I iz so 'neaky!)....You WILL blog *when* you redo your table, right?

(The above conversation- per the comments section)

Answers to the comments

Tatersmama (I think that is such a cute name, BTW!) wrote:

Isn't it a great feeling, knowing that you have all that food put away for the year?
But tell us about the meatloaf muffins - or are they just mini meatloaves?

I LOVE canning, growing, preserving, shopping bargains to provide for my family. It IS a wonderful feeling!! The most glorious feeling, though, is knowing that it is ALL for the Glory of GOD!!!

The meatloaf muffins are mini meatloaves. Make your fave meatloaf mix & scoop into muffin tins, bake about 1/2 the time you would a normal sized loaf (about 30 minutes).

And don't be envious. I'm a procrastinating schmuck, LOLOL!!!!

Wordless Wednesday- Love

A day of canning (more like 2)

December 15 & 16 was spent canning & feeding the freezer. By the time all was said & done the hard work & late nights yielded:

12 pts baked beans
5 pts turkey stock
9 pts pintos & veggies
4 qts beef stew
5 qts pork & 3-bean stew
7 24oz jars potatoes in turkey stock

In the freezer:

3 meatloaves (one we had for dinner)
24 meatballs
12 meatloaf muffins
4 salisbury steaks

Before & after end tables

We got these tables several years ago. In the move they got a bit beat up & Hubba has been complaining about them for even longer. So I decided to paint them to match the living room decor.

My CHRISTmas pressie!

All I have to say is SQUEEE!!! This next week I'll be placing an order for some seeds & peat pellets, and give this baby a go!!!