Save me from SATURDAY! OMG!

So, we got up at like -- the BUTT CRACK OF DAWN (my alarm went off at 4:30 a.m.) UGH! I didn't sleep worth a DARN because my snoring friend was a little allergy-prone apparently. :( WAAH. No good sleep and an early morning do not mix.

I got everything piled into the car and Josh and I headed to Whataburger to start out our road trip (it's a tradition -- gotta have my taquito to start out a trip in the morning.)

Where was our destination? Why, none other than Webelos Woods at Sid Richardson. Josh is in his 4th year of Cub Scouting which is the Webelos program. This program lasts for 18 months so next year in February, he'll be eligible to bridge over into a Troop and BE a Boy Scout. Webelos is when the boys start doing more things independently from their parents and actually go visit a few Boy Scout Troops to decide where they're most comfortable going. It's going to be a fun transition for him!

We get to Sid Richardson, check in and get our Camp assignment -- Cherokee. Another Pack was already near the pavilion there so we just chose another place (and we're closest to the restroom -- the "good" restroom!) No complaints here! ha ha!

Together we choose our spot, unload one load from the car, get the tarp down, open the tent... no poles.... shake out the rain fly.... no poles... apparently my poles have grown legs and walked away. I was PISSED to say the least. So, we got in the car and made about an hour and 45 minute trip to and from Decatur to the ONLY Super Walmart in the vicinity to get a stinkin' tent. I had to buy AN ENTIRELY BRAND NEW TENT! UGH! So, coming back $100 lighter (not much happier) we missed the morning flag raising ceremony and our group was already going through some of the stations. We hurried as best we could ... joined them and THEN the fun started. Josh was able to throw tomahawks, knives, climb a monkey bridge, scale a rock wall, shoot bb guns and archery. We made a cool handicraft... we missed breakfast with the group from our little fiasco but we joined them for sandwiches and chips. Dinner was provided by the camp (fajitas and baked cinnamon apples). That night we went to a campfire program and it was a good one. After the campfire program we were supposed to follow our two "Indian guides" (Boy Scouts in Native American regalia carrying torches) back to another area for story time. Unfortunately, I was quite slower than the rest of the group so by the time we made it to the place where everyone was turning off, a truck was coming to pick up a man in a wheelchair and he asked us to take another path back. So, we just went back to the campsite and finished getting the INSIDE of the tent ready... and then walked together hand in hand to the dining hall and brushed our teeth, washed our faces and then came back. I went straight to bed.

Do you know how hard it is to turn over in a sleeping bag when you're 8 months pregnant? Well, let me just say... it's QUITE difficult! LOL. Ugh! I got to sleep but was rudely awakened several times by the sound of men SAWING through petrified forests. They weren't just sawing "logs"... they were going all out dulling their blades on these pieces of petrified wood. I just started to laugh. UGH! I only made one trip to the latrine in the dark--vowed to hold it until morning after that... and then at 4am the most wonderful sound ever... raindrops on the tent roof. I could NOT have been happier. It drown out ALL the noise and I slept SO peacefully (until it stopped!) Then I was fishing for earplugs.

Man I don't know how those guys function...or how the boys in the tents WITH them were able to sleep either. YIKES!

My Fun Friday!

Friday was actually filled with excitement!  The painters were due to show up this morning between 8:30 and 9am to begin the complete transformation of my casa.  I chose a Behr paint that is a gold color.  It's called something like Rye (I'll look it up).  And you know, stupid me, forgot to go around snapping "before" photos so I'll just have to wait NOW until it's all put back together to have some AFTER photos at least to share! 

So they got here about 8:45 am and immediately started in on the main color change -- the upstairs halls (2 of them), the 2 story cathedral rounded staircase foyer (say that 10 times real fast) and my formal dining room with -- again -- the (wasted space) cathedral ceilings.  They also repainted my laundry room in the same gold AND the hallway that is an entry from the garage into the kitchen (and the playroom!)  I absolutely love this warm color.  It actually seems to lighten the color of the floors and the crown molding just POPS now! 

My dad came to my rescue this morning and helped move all the furniture and such away from the walls so that they could focus on painting!  It's been AWESOME!  Drew had school ("jungle class") and I was told that he moved up another reader level!  Way to go son!  I'm so proud of him!  He's such a smart kiddo!

Josh skipped his sculpture class as he was busy helping my dad put together the Billy bookcases from IKEA that are upstairs in the niche and that will now house the children's library! 

Then, it was time to get all packed up for Saturday's adventure!

Friday Fill Ins

And...here we go!


1. Why are you making a mess in the playroom I JUST CLEANED?

2. I want you to take a nap -- and can I join you?

3. If you want it done right, do it mama's way and then besides it being right I will feel better because then it will be on my terms. And besides, who wants to argue with a pregnant woman? Ha ha ha!

4. Mama always said just wait and see what happens.

5. I could use an extra two days in this week to accomplish all that I need to get accomplished.

6. Look first and then leap but only after prayers are said.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having my dad and Andy put the new Billy IKEA bookshelves together and then get them stocked with all the boys books so they look fantastico with the new paint, tomorrow my plans include getting up at 5am and driving to Sid Richardson to take my Webelos den camping with Webelos Woods and Sunday, I want to get home, get Josh to football practice at 2, the cookout at 4:30 and then RELAX -- I have earned it!!
I'm linked to: Friday Fill Ins

Thankful Thursdays!

It’s that time of week again! Time to list what you are thankful for. This week we are doing things that start with the letter “H.”

Happy Thursday!

• Health - definitely! I'm having a healthy pregnancy, have healthy children, healthy dogs, healthy family. Health is definitely something to be thankful for!
• Husband - He's the perfect balance for me... I'm thankful for his forgiveness, love and friendship.
• Home - Although it's a MAJOR (and I don't mean that lightly) love/hate relationship, I'm still thankfulfor my home! It's big and beautiful and a work in progress.
• Hobbies - I LOVE my hobbies -- organizing, scrapbooking, reading, cooking, photography. I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to take advantage of opportunities to indulge in them.
• Honey - My Earl Grey isn't the same without it! (And I don't know if Drew would eat a biscuit without it either!)
• Hospitality - I love the true "Southern hospitality" and love sharing my home, recipes and time with my friends.
• Hats - Silly thing I know but my noggin is usually donned with some type of baseball cap or hat if it's cold. I'm just a hat girl! I love 'em!
• Hawaii - Though I'm a TRUE mountain girl at heart, I loved spending time in Hawaii and thought the islands were a beautiful, tropical oasis. I look forward to going back.
• Hamburgers/Hot Dogs - I love this because of what they typically represent -- friends and family getting together for a cookout!
• Hugs - Who can live without them?
• Hammock - Although I can't find my hammock (just the stand) I am THANKFUL for the many hours logged in its comforting womb. It's peacful, serene and relaxing!

I'm linked to: The Mommy Files

Menu change - Gotta love copycat recipes! Come try it!

I didn't get what was on the menu plan ready in time (frankly, I was just tired!) so I did the next best thing - IMPROVISE!  Josh has football practice from 5:45 - 7:45 so I knew we'd be eating late (is it wrong to still want to eat as a family even though we're not eating at 6, but at 8pm?  Frankly, I HATE HATE HATE eating that late, but the thought of Josh just sitting at the table eating by himself makes me sad.  What does anyone else do when you have late practices?)  I'd love to know.  Because we have to leave at 5:15 to get there and he certainly doesn't want a full meal in his belly before he leaves -- so there's no alternative, unfortunately.

One of Drew's favorite meals is actually a Stouffer's dish:  Grandma's Chicken and Rice Bake.  But this is a) so ridiculously priced for the size, b) becuase of the price of one...it's even MORE ridiculous for us becuase of the appetites of the family, we would have to purchase two to feed everyone, c) It's not real healthy -- in a 9 oz serving, it's got 15 grams of fat, 360 calories, 880 mg of sodium, 6 grams of SATURATED fat and frankly that doesn't leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling.  I tried and tried and finally found a way to duplicate it at home.

SO, since we'd cooked some chicken out on the grill the other day and that was in the refrigerator -- I had the base for my improv dinner... Here's what you do to make this delicious meal at home for YOUR family:

You need: 

1. Chicken -- it can be chicken you boil on the stove, leftovers from the grill, from a can, from a rotisserie, you name it!  I typically only use chicken breasts so that's generally what we use unless they have a sale on rotisserie chickens at the store and then I'll use one of those but something about deboning a chicken just really, REALLY oogies me out!
2. bag of frozen veggies (green beans, corn, peas, carrots)
3. 2 cups of white rice
4. 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
5. 3/4 cup of milk
6. 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers (somethign we always seem to have in the house)

And here is how easy schmeezie it is to throw together.  Like I said before, I had 2 1/2 large breasts that had been grilled leftover in my fridge so I just cubed it.  I cooked the 2 cups of rice in my rice cooker.  I nuked the veggies in the microwave so they were done.  Then into a 9x13 baking dish I emptied the 2 cans of cream of chicken soup and combined with the milk.  Once the chicken was finished being cubed, it was stirred in.  Once the veggies were done, they were drained and stirred in.  Once the rice was done, it was stirred in.  If I needed a little more milk to make it a little less thick (the rice WILL absorb a little more of the liquid) I add a splash here and there.  In my hands, I crush the Ritz crackers and baked it for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.  EASY SCHMEEZIE! 

I'm serious, I wish everything I made was SO SIMPLE!  :)  If you try it, let me know what you think!  I promise you'll never buy those Stouffers ones again!

What's Up Wednesday???

Is it a Wednesday Woe or WOW? How about BOTH!

I don't really have anything to WOE about--other than my weight! Oh my GOSH I went to the doctor today for my routine check up. You know, lay back, measure the gut... blood draw... pee in a cup... and then comes the weight check. I looked... I've sworn to myself I wouldn't look one I went over 150 pounds. I actually looked! I DID! GASP! To realize that this baby is making me gain weight -- it's complete vanity but... is that fair to gain weight after I worked SO HARD TO LOSE IT ALL? Why can't I stay close to 140 and carry a baby to full term? Why can't I? I mean, I'm not THAT sad about packing on 25 pounds thus far... am I? UGH! WAAAAahhhhh!

And, today my WOW... my wow is that we did something great for someone (or shall I say -- some SOMEONES)... I had The Rainbow Room come by and pick up not one.... not two... but THREE bags of STUFFED animals to take to children that are being taken into custody by CPS... to give them something not to be afraid...to give them comfort. Most of these animals were brand new -- given a hug and then put on a shelf. It's nice to know they're not just being stuck on a shelf and left for dead...they're going to have someone to love and hug them... and be appreciated. Not that my boys didn't appreciate them, but ... they're just not always the "stuffed animal types"... they want the goods, not just the fluff. However, Drew has more of an attachment to them (being a 5 year old) so I kept his favorites for him but still got rid of SO MANY that I've reclaimed a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE amount of space in my scrapbooking room (seeing that they were in an over-flowing 22 gallon Rubbermaid tub). It makes my heart feel good, too, that Josh was there to talk to the agent that came to pick them up so he heard first hand why they were needed and he felt good letting go of some of his favorites too.

AND -- Josh made lunch for us today. Scrambled egg sandwiches and Sun Chips!

Menu Plan Monday

A hearty hi-ho to everyone this week! It's going to be a BUSY one this week so I'm looking for easy schmeezie and convenience! I've got too many irons in the fire and don't want to drop any of the 6,532 balls in the air that I'm currently juggling.

Monday:
B: Cereal
L: Lunch w/daddy and the boys
D: Burgers (I bought these AWESOME burgers from Central Market that have all the ingredients inside them... mine is a bacon cheddar burger. I got hubbs the one that has jalapeno and some other "stuff" in it. The boys like plain Jane burgers so they get that!) Lettuce, tomato, red onion and baked beans! Drew picked out some double chocolate chunk cookies to go with it for dessert. (yuck! I'm not a chocolate fan!)

Tuesday:
B: Sausage, homemade biscuits (Bisquick recipe) and gravy
L: Egg salad sandwiches, chips
D: Chicken a la king

Wednesday:
B: Cinnamon Rolls (I'd like to try The Pioneer Woman's recipe but not this week!) and Pigs n blankets w/juice
L: Leftovers or frozen dinners (Healthy Choice/Smart Ones -- cleaning out the freezer!)
D: Chili with fritos, cheese and onions

Thursday:
B: Taquitoes (flour tortilias, eggs, cheese, tater tots, sausage)
L: Subway (it's a weekly tradition)
D: OPEN (my son has football practice from 5:45 - 7:45)

Friday:
B: Pancakes, bacon
L: chicken nuggets/strips (whatever is in the freezer)
D: Nachos (big huge chips, refried beans, cheddar cheese, jalapenos, pico, guacamole, I'm in complete YUMMINESS)

Saturday:
Josh and I will be camping with our Webelos den at Sid Richardson so I'm leaving this up to the boys at home to do whatever they want. I'm sure it will be a visit to Drew's favorite breakfast restaurant "The Snooty Pig" for some pancakes and bacon or his all-time 2nd favorite -- DONUTS!! Josh and I will be eating breakfast burritoes, sandwiches/chips for lunch and then foil pack (a.k.a. "hobo burgers") at the campsite.

Sunday:
B: Breakfast at camp -- Boil in a bag omelettes (teaching the Webelos how to cook this will be fun!)
L: Josh and I will grab something on the road going home from camp as he has a 2-4 football practice to be ready for.
D: We're having a cookout with the football team.