It's here folks, the warm weather is here.....

It always makes me smile, the days when I throw on my flip flops, a pair of shorts and a tank top and I am able to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

There's so many people out and about, walking their dogs, walking with their families, sunbathing, watering the yards and just enjoying the gorgeous warm temperatures.

We're also enjoying Spring Break this week so it's been a good lazy few days, waking up late, indulging in whatever our hearts desire.  My heart has been enjoying gardening, crocheting, cooking and baking and just doing the normal housework that is part of our daily lives.  Some may find it annoying, a chore, frustrating and repetitive but I love it, I love doing this, love cleaning and fixing the place up and taking care of it for my family.

Before we even go any further, help yourselves to a cupcake in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Aren't they adorable?

It feels like spring around here, the back door is open, the radio is on and the kids and I just dance and have fun.  

This is my newest baby and I've been having SO much fun, just way more fun that I probably should but truth be told, it is with me everywhere I go and that is not easy because it's quite bulky, but darnit, it's an amazing camera and I've yet to figure it all out :)

I've been planting up a storm and usually everything dies, but this new house gives us a lot of shade during the day, especially on the patio and my plants seem to not only love it there but thrive.

This is my garlic that I just planted two days ago, it's growing like crazy.

My basil is doing splendid, I can't even believe it and the best part....having fresh basil to cook with.  My word what a difference it makes.

Sitting outside, doing some crochet while watching the day go by.

Watching these two sweet ladies enjoying the warm weather.  They are so happy out there.

We are also preparing for the Air Show that is happening this weekend, here on base.  It happens every 2 years and I always feel like it's the first time I'm seeing the jets.

The Thunderbirds always show up two days before and start practicing right above our homes, there is nothing like seeing them fly so low that you feel like you can touch them.

Little boys make me happy, MY little boy makes me ecstatic.  He has such a zest for life and he's a true Military Brat and darn proud to be one :)

Curt and I have also been spending time fixing up the front yard.  It's not easy when you live on a military base, you really are limited to what you can and can't do, so it's a good feeling when we can get in there and just put a few things in that say Home but also Proud Military Family.

This is our last addition, we just HAD to have this bench, not only because we're military but also because it goes with our American theme outside. 

So as you can see, I've been busy but busy living life to the fullest and enjoying every single moment of it. 

Tragedies like Japan have a way of making us stop to smell the roses and to realize that life is too short to spend it worrying about stuff, it's time to live it, enjoy it and document it.....make memories and save memories.

Cooking Thursday - #10 March 17

This recipe is also featured at Presto Pasta Nights.  Go on over and take a look at all the other yumminess going on.

Here's an easy way to prepare Baked Ravioli without just opening a jar of spaghetti sauce and warming some cheese ravioli.

It is DELICIOUS!

Baked Beef Ravioli

Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

2 9-ounce packages refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 10.75-ounce can condensed tomato soup
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook ravioli according to package directions; drain. Return to pan; cover and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook ground meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender.

Drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes, soup, basil, and oregano. Gently stir in cooked ravioli.

3. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Dezign with a Z Giveaway

I was recently given the opportunity to do a review or giveaway for Dezign with a Z, who specialize in Wall Decals.  I could have picked to receive a sample OR I could do a giveaway in which one of my lucky readers would get a $30 gift certificate to use on any of the products at the Dezign with a Z website.

You may be wondering what exactly Dezign with a Z is all about, so let me enlighten you a bit.

"Our decals are easy to apply, removable and are able to be washed. All of our wall designs are created by young and talented designers from the United States and all around the world.

Our catalog showcases hundreds of different models of decorative wall graphics. With this many choices, there is something for everyone. From our animal and floral wall stickers, to our more modern and contemporary murals, you will find the perfect look for your walls.

We also recommend our contemporary digital canvas, wall clock decals, resin acrylic mirrors, or super sized decals to give your home a dramatic make over. Try our glow in the dark decals, our chalkboard and whiteboard stickers to add excitement to any kids' room. Customize your own decal with your favorite quote or sentence through our custom lettering section, or send in your favorite photos to have a unique sticker or digital painting made."

I went through a took a look and I see SO many cute decals that I would just love to add to my home.

Living on a military base, we are pretty limited to what we can do to our walls and it gets a little hard trying to turn a house into a home when you can't really put your touch on it.  I think though that using these adorable wall decals may just be the key.

For instance, how cool is this????  I think my Nicholas would be thrilled to have it.

I'm thinking Jasmine being the preteen she is and loving to draw and write, would go NUTS if I added these to her room.

I'm sorry, but are you KIDDING ME????  Being from South Africa I literally drooled at this one, I think I'm in love.

With amazing categories such as Abstract, Kids Rooms, Floral Art, Glow in the Dark and so many many more, I think you will find yourself drooling along with me. 

Did you know that they are easy to install, easy to remove and you can even WASH them?  Which if you're a mama like me, you know that having little kids and pets in the house, there's bound to be hand prints or tongue prints from my pugs on there.

So here's what I want you to do.

#1 - Visit Dezign with a Z and tell me which decals you like
#2 - Become a fan of Dezign with a Z on Facebook, let them know that Diary of a SAHM sent you
#3 - Leave a comment, make sure you include your email address

Rules:  Must be 18 yrs old to enter. U.S RESIDENTS ONLY (No P.O boxes)  Giveaway ends On March 23, 2011 at 11:59p CST.  Winner will be drawn using random.org and emailed and given’ 72 hours to respond. In the event of no response a new winner will be chosen.

Thank you to Louise at Dezign with a Z for this great giveaway!

Fashion to Figure - Fashion for Plus Size Women Giveaway

I was recently contacted by Jessica from Fashion to Figure about doing a giveaway on my blog. 

As with all my other giveaways and reviews, I take into consideration whether it's a product that my readers would be interested in and seeing that most of my blog readers are women, I agreed to do the giveaway.

Beautiful women come in all shapes and sizes. For plus size women and full figured women there’s Fashion to Figure. Fashion to figure carry’s fashionable plus size clothing to help you look your best at very affordable pricing.

About Fashion to Figure


FTF provides a trendy full-fashion shopping experience exclusively focused on ladies sizes 12-26. FTF is style by anyone’s definition – a place where you will find the latest fashions at the very best prices. New fashion arrives in stores every day and personal service is provided by FTF Fashion Stylists. FTF is dedicated to making people’s lives better through providing the ultimate full-fashion shopping experience and was founded by the great-grandsons of Lena H. Bryant, the revolutionary businesswoman and visionary dressmaker who invented full-fashion more than 110 years ago.


I went through and looked at the items and was happy to find that not only are they very reasonable but Fashion to Figure carry an assortment of clothing but also accessories.  If only they had my size.  I do think I may just go back and get some of their cute tops and maybe jewelry too.

Ahhhh I just love that dress, it's SO me.

I love that ;)

Yep, I think I would like definitely like this one.

Whatever you may be looking for, I'm sure you can find something to your taste at Fashion to Figure.

Now here's the best part, Jessica has offered a giveaway.  The winner will be allowed to choose something off their site for $30 or less.

All you need to do is this:

- Leave me a comment (PLEASE make sure there is an email attached so that I can contact you)
- Visit Fashion to Figure and take a look around, let me know which item you would choose if you won
- If you are on Facebook, then Like the Fashion to Figure page


That's all!

Rules: Must be 18 yrs old to enter. U.S RESIDENTS ONLY (No P.O boxes)  Giveaway ends On March 22, 2011 at 11:59p CST.  Winner will be drawn using random.org and emailed and given’ 72 hours to respond. In the event of no response a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer:  I was not compensated for this post, all opinions are mine alone.

Victorian Pharmacy

You all know how much I love a good UK show, matter of fact, I think that the shows from the UK are amazing and way more interesting than anything I could watch here on our local TV's.

I'm always looking for the latest dramas, tv series and productions from BBC or ITV and I've been extremely lucky in finding some treasures.

When I found out about this one, I immediately went in search of it online.

Victorian Pharmacy is a historical documentary TV series in four parts, first shown on BBC Two in July 2010. It was made for the BBC by independent production company Lion Television. It was filmed at Blists Hill Victorian Town in Shropshire.[1] It is a historical documentary that looks at life in the 19th Century and how people attempted to cure common ailments. Since some of the ingredients of Victorian remedies are now either illegal or known to be dangerous, Nick Barber often uses his modern pharmaceutical knowledge to produce similar products without those ingredients. The other main presenters are Tom Quick, a PhD student, and Ruth Goodman, a domestic historian who also appeared in Tales from the Green Valley, Victorian Farm and Edwardian Farm.

I've just got my hands on the first episode and I'm about to watch it, but I thought I would come by and share it with you all in the hopes that maybe one of my UK readers has watched it already or to give the rest of you a heads up on a good show to watch.

 You can find the episodes on You Tube as well, here is the first episode - part one:



Part two:



Part three:



Part four:



What do you think?  It's just up my alley, I love the fact that it's kind of along the lines of the great PBS shows like 1900's House and Manor House and all those other great ones.

I also found out that there is a Victorian Farm series too, so that one is definitely on my list to watch :)

So there you are, just a little drop by and run post to share something with you, oh and do keep an eye out on the blog the next few days, I have some great giveaways coming up :)

Happy Homemaker Monday - #10 - 2011

The weather in my neck of the woods:
We've been hitting the 80's and loving all this warm weather :)


Things that make me happy:
Homeschooling


Book I'm reading:
A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer - For an upcoming review, it's very interesting already.


What's on my TV today:
Pretty Little Liars

Being Human on Syfy
Creation


On the menu for dinner:
Not sure, it needs to be something light, we've been pigging out a bit lately and I'm starting to feel it.

On my To Do List:
Iron and put away laundry
Enjoy my Spring Break with my kiddos


New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Baked Beef Ravioli

In the craft basket:

Mini Hexagon pillow
Crochet Flower Pictures


Looking forward to this week:
Spring Break with my kiddos and Air Show this weekend :)


Tips and Tricks:
Still drawing a blank, sorry about that.




My favorite blog post this week:
Didn't get much reading done last week, will try to catch up this week since we're on break :)


Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Same goes for this one, hoping to find some good blogs to read


No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
That family means everything in the world.  That you never know what is going to happen tomorrow, next week or even next year, so take every chance you get and let them know how much you love them, make every single moment count.


On my mind:
So many things, some creative, some sad, some happy, just a little hodgepodge going on in my mind.


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ That is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”
-Matthew 27:46

I miss this little corner

I truly do.

I feel like I've been out of touch with an old good friend and just dying to sit down with a cup of coffee and catch up on everything that has been going on.

Life has a way of turning things upside down sometimes and you get dealt some blows that you wonder how to get through, how to recover, how to come out on the other side.  Add in the fact that you are a mom, a military wife and a homemaker and sometimes it's all you can do to keep your face above water and keep plodding through every day.

I'm been busy folks, really super busy, and stressed and happy at times and sad at others, I've laughed and I've cried more than I've done in a while and all this stress has caused me to break out in cold sores, not only on my lip which is where I usually get it, but actually on my cheek.  It's awful, makes me feel so cruddy and I can't go out anywhere without getting the feeling that everyone is just staring at my face.

Stress does that to me, it throws me out of whack so I have to counter balance it all out with some good relaxing fun with the family.

It's what I've been doing today.  We set out early morning to Petsmart to get some fish for our Aquarium

Got a few cute little Tropical guys and even a little crab who the kids have named Mr Krabs from Spongebob  Hahaha

I just find Aquariums so relaxing, I could literally sit and watch these fish all day long.

Before the fish stop though, we stopped at Fresh & Easy for some goodies.  Don't know about  you all but it's one our favorite places to shop at, it's usually very quiet, not a lot of people around, the prices are pretty cheap and they always have the prettiest fresh flowers and delicious produce.

Picked up some Gardens in a Bag, already started the Lavender and will get the Oregano under way tomorrow :)

Also went ahead and got my garlic planted, they were ready to go :)

Picked up a Lasagna and some garlic cheese bread and we had ourselves a very tasty and healthy lunch for about $12.  Much cheaper and healthier than grabbing fast food don't you think?

After lunch we got to work on the yards again, mowing, watering and adding a few more things, like my new favorite feature, a fountain well that I just adore :)

And this is how it looks at night.....

Beautiful isn't it?  And I find the trickling sound of the water very therapeutic.

The kiddos enjoy being out there was we work, they run back and forth, ride their scooters, or just plain sit on the truck and enjoy the fresh air.

And after a long days' work, we step inside right as the sun starts setting

to enjoy a delicious dinner of grilled steaks, mushrooms and onions and some steak fries. Enjoyed with a cold beer of course, which I have to say I really enjoyed :)

So now my dear friends, I'm going to finally sit down and go and visit all the Cooking Thursday participants and then catch up on some crochet.

Hope you all have a wonderful night. :)

Cooking Thursday - #9 March 10

Had this one last night and it was amazing. You really need to try it :)

DELICIOUS and super easy to make.  The prep time is a little long, about 40 minutes and then it has to cook for another 45, but it's well worth the wait.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE PIE

Credit:  Better Homes and Garden

1 1/2 lbs sweet or hot bulk Italian sausage
1 C red pepper, chopped
1/2 C onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 – 16oz pkg hot roll mix
5 eggs
3 C shredded mozzarella
1/2 carton (15 oz) ricotta cheese  (I accidentally forgot and added the whole carton and the world didn't come crashing down)
1/2 of a 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese


In an extra large skillet, cook sausage; sweet pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until sausage is brown;  drain off fat.

Prepare hot roll mix according to package directions through kneading.  Cover;  let rest for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large bowl, beat the five eggs.  Stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese and spinach.  Stir in sausage mixture.

On a light floured surface, roll three-fourths of the dough into a 15-inch circle.  Fit into bottom and press up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan.  Sprinkle dough with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. 

Spoon sausage mixture over cheese.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese;  press into sausage mixture.

Roll remaining dough into a 9-inch circle;  place on cheese.    Fold edge of bottom dough over top dough;  pinch to seal.

In a small bowl, combine the one egg and the water.  Brush over top of pie;  allow to dry for 5 minutes.  Using a sharp knife, score top of pie in a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut all the way through the dough.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Using a small spatula, loose pie from side of pan;  remove side of pan.  Cut pie into wedges.

Makes 10 servings.

The Shelter of God's Promises by Sheila Walsh

Talk about a book you don't want to put down.

How often do we forget God's promises to us as his children?  How often do we forget what He has done for us and promises to do in our lives?

The author talks about her personal experiences and she backs everything up with scripture, she reminds us that God is looking out for us, that He is always there no matter what, through the trials and tribulations of daily life, through the ups and downs and the good and bad times.  It's so easy to get caught up in daily life and to forget what matters the most, it's so easy to point the finger at Him and blame HIM for when things go wrong without ever stopping to think that maybe we are the ones straying.

What a great book, a reiteration of what being a Christian is, of the benefits, of the perks, of the rewards that await us not only as we go through our crazy life but once we go home.

Highly recommend this jewel of a book to anyone that is currently needing that reminder :)

The book is geared towards women and it is written in 10 Chapters highlighting each promise but chock full of scripture to back everything up.  You know how it is, when you read a Bible verse and you kind of sort of understand it but it's so much easier to truly take it in and comprehend it when it's laid out to you in simple man terms, in how it correlates to the here and now.

Provision- I Don't Have Enough
Peace- I'm Afraid and Feel Alone
Confidence-I Can't See God's Plan in this Pain
Love- I Don't Believe that Anyone Could Really Love Me
Grace- I Have Failed
Hope- I'm Broken
Strength- I Feel Things Are Crashing Around Me
More- I Know There's Something Better
Home- I have a Future

And if that is not enough, it brings an in-depth Bible study included in the back of the book, which I am really looking forward to doing.

Thank you Booksneeze for such a wonderful review copy, it's enriched my life at a time when I really needed to hear some of these words :)

Sir Rowan and the Camerian Quest Book Review

* Format: Trade Paperback

* Other Formats: eBook

* On Sale: Oct 5, 2010

* ISBN: 9781601421296

* Categories: Juvenile Fiction - Religious - Christian

Sir Rowan is the most decorated tournament knight in Cameria, but when he is attacked and left for dead, his world collapses. Betrayed and lingering at death’s door, only a bizarre vision of his Prince and the help of a woman dedicated to the King keeps him alive. As Rowan heals, he finds new purpose in life through service to his King.

But his beloved land of Cameria has fallen victim to the tyranny of the Dark Knight.

Rowan’s countrymen need his help taking their cities back from the enemy, but all is not as it appears. The mysterious Sir Lijah insists Rowan’s purpose lies elsewhere—far away from Cameria, in an ancient city and for an ancient cause.

Rowan’s destiny is greater than he ever imagined. The final battle with the Dark Knight approaches, and he must choose where he will fight. Will he discover his true identity and purpose as a Knight of the Prince, or will the Dark Knight claim victory for eternity?

My thoughts:

I think this is a great book for teens and tweens and one of the things I like about it is that you don't need to read them in a certain order, it's not like you'll get lost if you read one first and the other.

I handed the book over to my daughter who is 11 years old and she loved it, she was kept interested, she thought the book was fun and she enjoyed the characters and the story.

This book is written in such a way that it not only captivates the young mind, but even a mom of two.  It talks about life lessons and it encourages us to use the gifts we are given by God. 
Here are all six of the titles in the Knights of Arretthrae series -- all suitable for tween/teen boys and girls:

1.  Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione
2.  Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court
3.  Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart
4.  Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue - review here
5. Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor
6.  Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group (Blogging For Books) for review purposes only.