I've been MIA haven't I?

I know you probably haven't missed me much, with all my babbling and run on posts about nothing in particular, but I've missed blogging.

It's not like there's been anything interesting going on that has kept me away, I've just been busy with life in general and no matter how much I will time to slow down, it's no use, it just keeps flying by.

You can tell when the tv commercials start showing Christmas stuff...it's great and all, unless it's the newest toys, like that new big dinosaur that moves and reacts to kids. You know the one? The one that costs $299.99?!?!?! So frustrating, I wish there was a way to block commercials from the tv when the kids are in the room LOL

So what exactly have I been up to, well, let's see, I am almost done with Season 3 of Mcleod's Daughters and OH.MY.GOODNESS, did this last episode have me in tears. I won't spoil it for you but I don't recall crying this hard since I watched Sam and Jason on General Hospital when she was dying and he was at her bedside willing her to live. Yeah, THAT much. If you haven't yet started watching McLeod's Daughters you really really, and I mean REALLY don't know what a good show you're missing.

I've also been knitting, working on a scarf for Jasmine using the "My So Called Scarf" pattern which I love. I'm sure I've mentioned it before here but for those that don't know, you can watch this video on YouTube for a tutorial. You won't believe how easy it is and how good it looks.


The kids had school photos taken and we just got them back today, they turned out so good and I'm excited about these because they're Nicholas first School Photos.


In the meantime, Curt has come down with a cold, Nicholas is starting to get it again, Jasmine is trying to slide by without it touching her though her sniffling is increasing and I'm getting the whole congested head thing...AGAIN.

It doesn't help that there is some sort of chest virus going around the area, lots of coughs and the like. I've already started gulping down orange juice and making sure I remember to take my vitamins but sometimes no matter what you do, you STILL have to fight the cold right?

So that's what's been going on around here, I am about to go visit all the lovely SCT participants, I am sorry I'm so late coming around today, but I can sneak in quite a few visits while dinner cooks. After that it's dishes and kitchen clean up, homework with the kids, baths, books, cuddling and bedtime....some knitting might get sneaked in there too just depends on how I'm feeling after they're asleep, with this cold coming around I may just get under the covers and call it an early night.

For now I'm about to go enjoy my dinner....Sausage Rice just like my greatgrandma used to me :)

Slow Cooking Thursday!

All my slow cooking recipes are now online and starting today, I will add all the recipes shared weekly to my online del.icio.us site too. So if you're wanting to find ALL the slow cooked recipes that have been shared since the first SLOW COOKING THURSDAY, here is the link for you.

Don't forget to add your name to Mr Linky and a link back to your SCT post so others can come by and see your recipe too.

As always, share your slow cooking recipes but if you REALLY REALLY don't have one and still want to participate, then you can share any kind of recipe.

Breakfast Quesadillas

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced cooked ham
1/3 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onion
4 flour tortillas

Place ham, tomatoes and green onion in slow cooker. Cook on Low for 2 hours. Add in cheeses and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes to an hour until cheeses are completely melted.

Remove and place inside flour tortillas. Roll up and garnish with more cheese and green onion if desired.

Serves 4.

Tips on Tuesday and whatever else pops to mind

It's been a pretty crazy last couple of days, weeks. I feel like I've been in a marathon without an end in sight, where the heck is the finish line?

I also realize that I've been horrible at staying in touch with family, emails, chatting, blog visiting and all that other goodness. What can I say to make it better? Other than I'm sorry and I hope to slow down a bit to smell the coffee.....ooohhh coffee would be great right now. See, easily distracted, I do that all the time.

Have you ever walked into the kitchen to put a dish in the sink and realized you had to load the dishwasher, only to open it and realize you need to put the clean ones away, then reach for the baking pan and realize you forgot to put out the meat for tonight's dinner and go to the freezer only to realize that you need to clean it out, so you pull out the meat and then proceed to clean the freezer and while you're at it, might as well do the whole refrigerator.

Then while you're doing the refrigerator you see the whipped cream that you bought for the dessert you wanted to try and set that aside, so you finish cleaning, start making the dessert and put that away then go back to the sink with the dirty bowl only to REALIZE you never finished the dishes??????

Please say I'm not the only one. Sometimes it's a wonder I'm so organized and get so much done, you would be surprised at how many days I have like what I just described above. Fly by the seat of my pants days, is what I call them.

I didn't get around to telling you that last week I had no cable tv, did I? A WHOLE WEEK without cable, only 3 channels on the tv's and that's because I found some weird computer cable that works as an antenna, then it took a couple of hours of holding these ends up in the air and moving to the right and the left and turning upside down and shoving it on the curtain rod and then taping it to the wall......yeah, so much excitement just for 3 channels. LOL

And there wasn't even anything interesting on.... *shake head*

I did get a jump start on my scarf though, when you have no television to distract you, you have to find other thing to do, like reading and crafting, knitting, bugging the kids, playing computer games, mopping and cleaning.....bugging the kids......doing laundry and bugging the kids. Did I say bugging the kids? By the time the cable people got it fixed on sunday, I think the children were happier than I was, they could finally get peace and quiet and not have to put up with an annoying mommy. In MY defense though, I was just trying to keep the boredom away and I guess, in some way seeing if I still HAD it. Whatever that means, turns out I don't HAVE IT, maybe I never did LOL

But I think I've bugged you enough for today, I'm going to go post the recipe for last night's dinner at the food blog....and maybe get myself another cup of coffee.

Do you have a tip on cooking, cleaning, homemaking, kids, marriage, travel or anything that you would love to share? Feel free to join in!

One thing I deal with a lot here in Arizona is the ants....ugh, the ants, ants, ants, ants, ants....everywhere.

Here's some tips I found the other day to control these pesky little things.

♥Spread some ground cinnamon where you think the ants are coming in to the house.

♥Basil repels flies and mosquitoes. To deter ants, use catnip. Sprinkle it in their paths.

♥Make a mixture of 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, and 2-3 Tablespoons dish soap. Spray where the ants are marching

♥Perk up soggy lettuce by soaking in cold water with some lemon juice. To store place in a zip lock bag with paper towel to absorb moisture. ♥

♥For a fresh smelling fridge, keep a box of baking soda, a can filled with charcoal or dried coffee grounds or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract inside of it. ♥

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The Simple Woman's Daybook!

Hi everyone, come on in and see what's in my daybook!

If you want to join in, just go visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman, read the guidelines here and then add your name to Mr Linky. There are so many other participants sharing their day, I'm sure you'll enjoy looking through them :)

FOR TODAY

Outside my Window...
a light breeze is rustling the trees. Military men and women are making their way to work and some returning home from a long night.

I am thinking...
that this weekend went by too fast, I'm not ready for it to be monday.

From the learning rooms...
Absolutely nothing

I am thankful for...
the moments we get to spend with hubby, he's on a weird schedule so we only see him on the weekends.

From the kitchen...
For breakfast cereal, lunch for hubby and I will be leftover Turkey Breast Tenderloins with cream, mushrooms and bacon.....dinner will be Pork Chops with a cheese bechamel sauce.

I am wearing...
pink jeans and black and pink top

I am reading...
Sanctuary by Beverly Lewis

I am hoping...
to get a rush of energy so I can push through with the Advent Calendar

I am creating...
a clean, happy home.

I am hearing...
Absolute silence, the children are still asleep, so are the dogs, so is hubby. My coffee pot just finished so not even the dripping sound is coming through. I LOVE these moments of silence.

Around the house...
Clean laundry to iron and put away, floors to be swept and mopped.

One of my favorite things...
a big bowl of ice cream with whipped cream, nuts and caramel sauce

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
nothing at all planned for this week

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Candy, Costumes, Children and a Crazy question!

What a night we had. It started with the fact that Curt is working swing shift and his work had given an hour to come home and take the kids trick or treating. Well, this is the military and we already know not to ever expect plans to be set in stone, 99% of the time, they change....and last night was no different, after waiting until around 7:30pm, we found out that he wouldn't be able to come home because one of the jets was broken.

The kids were extremely disappointed but I explained that daddy wanted to be home with them too and he was sad that he couldn't and that I would take them trick or treating alone. Before we set out, we handed out candy and it was a blast watching the cute costumes and the little kids. You could tell which ones were doing it for the first time because they had the whole confused, amused, scared, excited emotions written on their faces. There were the ones that walked right by you to the candy bucket and helped themselves, even though you were standing there with the candy in your hand LOL

Then there was the little boy who refused to come up to us, he kept saying that I was scaring him. "That lady is scary"..... and here's the kicker....I wasn't even dressed up as anything. *shakes head* How's THAT for a self esteem booster LOL

Go ahead and laugh, my husband and kids did.

And not 30 minutes later I had another little boy, about 6 or 7, ask me what I was supposed to be. Again people, I did NOT dress up. I was in jeans, tank top and flip flops. So I answered "I'm a frazzled mommy". He seemed to accept that explanation and moved on. Honestly, I wonder if it was the lighting or what, but something was making me scary to the kids LOL

I took the kids around for about an hour and half and by that time they were both tired and ready to come home. Again another Halloween comes and goes, such a huge build up, so much anticipation for weeks and months on end and within a few hours it's over and done with. Is it bad that I've already removed my decorations? I'm like that, I don't leave stuff up for a while, as soon as the holiday is over everything comes down LOL

Here's some pictures, not many, taking photographs at night is frustrating and not to mention blinding to those around, nothing like a dark street and then a bright flash in your face.