My Favs List

We all got them the things we cant live with out, or blogs we are addicted to or things we think everyone should check into because its just so awesome. So here is my list of Favs (sorry no freebees like Oprah did ).

This List will Continue to Grow!

Blogs
Ironically these 3 women home school there kids and I so wish I could (seriously I couldnt if I had the time to )but i just love these ladies for everything they post.

Jill Craft www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com
Ree Drummond www.thepioneerwoman.com
Kassy Suggs http://fiveboysandonegirl.blogspot.com/

Products

Melaleuca www.melaleuca.com
Scentsy.com http://carolyngift.scentsy.us
Thirty One www.thirtyonegifts.com
Pistol Packin Pretties - Google

Mystery with OUT Romance

I grew up with Dyslexia and so reading was kind of hard for me. Kind of is being nice! I hated it!! I know I know hate is such a strong word but seriously I hated it.

One day in high school I found one of my moms paperback romance novels and from that moment on I was hooked! While I enjoy a good paperback romance every once in a while I perfer mystery. James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark & David Baldarcci (spel?) have quickly become my favs but in these great mysterys there is a romance involved. Sometime...just sometimes I want to read a mystery and nobody gets busy on page 120. So my mom the Superfan or Romance novels sent me a book via "Lend Me" on my nook. Ironically I had read another book by this author and found the book hard to start but throughly enjoyed it. No Romance. Katia Lief. Simply put her book One Cold Night was great! I read in one sitting and really enjoyed it.

Hope you all are suggled up today (its only 65 degrees out here) reading!

First for Everything

My kids have showed Dairy goats for quite some time now and now we are making our way into Market Goats. If you dont know Market goats are shown for their meat abilites at the end of the show season the animals are sold at an auction and the meat either goes to the buyer or most donate the meat to a local childrens home or womens shelter. Dairy goats are shown for their breeding and milk abilites and at the end of the show season they get to come home to be shown next year.

So we are use to always brining our goats home. This is going to be a tough year for our girls, they know full and well that these animals are going to be meat soon and they both agreed to it. That dont mean it isnt going to be easy knowing that but I did it when i was there age and it was hard then. Its going to hard for the both of us.

I have said hard alot this article. I dont have much to talk about today...too sleepy but I know if i dont post....I will get out of the practice and quit. So bear with me!

Easy Peasy Chicken & Dumplings in the Crock Pot

Another awesome recipe from Jill at www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com

1 1/2 Chicken breast per person, Frozen state.
(so for us it was 6, 4 large , 2 small
1 bag of frozen mixed veggies
2 jars of Gravey, I perfer Turkey ( its cheaper)
2 small can of uncooked bisquits


Place Chicken, Gravy, Veggies into crockpot
Cook on Low for 6-8hrs or High for 4-6hrs

When chicken is done, I thicken the sauce up some with some flour. I pull the chicken out and shred, with the chicken still out i try and thicken the sauce up. Then place chicken back in.

Cook the bisquits, when done I shred them and place them in a bottom of a bowl and cover with chicken and veggie mixture.

Enjoy

Rocking Chicken Ranch Tacos...In the Crockpot

If you know me....you know I love my crockpot and anything I can cook in it. Over the years some recipes have been a sucess and other a total mess. Here is one of my new favs from Jill over at www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com


Chicken Ranch Tacos

2 lbs of Chicken, raw
(i used a package of drum stick I had)
1Package of Taco Season
1 Package of Ranch Dressing (Dry Mix!)
Taco fixings, shells, lettace, sourcream....etc.



Mix the taco and ranch seasonings together in a bowl...mix well :)
Place your chicken inside the crockpot and sprinkle with mixture...coat well
Then flip chicken and and coat other side.

I at this point placed a small amount of water in the crockpot and turned it on.

High for 4-5hrs Low 7-8hrs. I did 6 hours because when the timer shuts off the crock it goes into "warm" setting and it slowly continues to cook. A good way not ti dry the chicken out.

Since I used drumstick I just pulled the bones out and it kind of shreeded its self. But for those not as lucky as i (watch it will never happen that way again) shred your chicken and then fix your tacos.


Your world wil never be the same again....yes they are that good. Kid Approved too!!

Makeup Tips for the Not so Rich & Famous

Tips are EVERYWARE online, in Cosmo and all your girls friends have there own.

So that being said I have complied a list of my fav ones from over the years ( ones I use all the time!)

1) Loose powder - LOVE LOVE LOVE this product but hate powder everyware! Enter in packing tape! Place a small piece over all but two holes. When you get ready to use, shake it ( with lid on) and like magic there is only a little and it's all in one place! You may have to shake a few times in the morning but it's worth it. You loose less product and you save money.

2) Running Dry?
I love mascara, my fav brand is They're real! About 25.00 a tube on average. This product is awesome and so worth the money but in the same token you want to get your moneys worth. So when your mascara is getting clumpy....add 2-3 drops saline solution (contact solution) and put the wand it , tighten the lid and shake! Then take the wand and go around the sides as best as you can. I wouldn't do the saline more than once but seriously this works! In average I get another month out of the tube ( depending on how much you use)

3) oily skin? Corn Starch!
You can get a small plastic container , or I use an empty cover girl loose powder container. ( use the packing tape method!). If I am only wear powder that day I will grab a powder brush and lightly brush my face with corn starch, you don't want to see white ( unless your the Cullen's) and the put your powder on as normal, wait a few mins and dust your face again with corn starch. You don't want to see the white! If Your going to wear foundation...put on your foundation, then cornstarch, powder and your done! It will give you all day shine control ( some days better than others), no heavy feeling on your face, or cakey look....you won't even notice its there!

So that's all for today! Enjoy!!

Meatball Stew

I originally got this recipe from Jill at
Www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com
It's simply scrumptious and the Italian Southern housewife in me had to put a twist on it.
Meatball Stew

1 pkg Frozen meatballs
(cut in half)
1 pkg Frozen mixed veggies
3 packets of Beef Stew Seasoning

Throw all into the crockpot then fill with water about 3/4 full.
Cook on low for 4-6 hrs or High for 2-3hrs

When it's about 30mins to turn off I add 1tbs of flour and 1tbs of corn starch....stir well and put lid back on.

That will make the sauce thicker, at this point I make some instant mashed potatoes ( about 1- 1 1/2 cup per person). I put the mashed taters in the bottom of a bowl for each person. Top with meatball stew And serve with corn bread. ENJOY!!

Labor Day....I am truly laboring with love

Vacation day? What's that?! Tomorrow is back to the grind stone with our school schedule and that means today is my Sunday.

Sunday's around this house starting at 3 are cleaning and get ready time! Several things have to be done by 7 pm

1) Laundry....all of it washed, dried & put away
2) Menu for the week
3) Grocery shopping for said week
4) backpacks in order & lunches made
5) livestock fed and worked
6) House cleaned top to bottom

At 7pm the cell phones, iPad, nooks & tablets go off. We sit down to eat & watch tv as a family. 8pm we start the bed time bath routine and everyone is in bed by 9.

To make this house run like a well oiled machine we have to do the oiling before hand.

This family is a family of believers so we spend the morning with God and the rest of the day is spent with just family. We raise and show livestock so our weeks are filled with meetings, vet appts and many long hours preparing. This is done as a family as well. Then we have the normal stuff, doc appts, dentist, teacher meetings etc.

Now that I took a break from vacuuming ( because my back hurt! A goat hurt it....long story) to blog ( which I vow to work better on) I must get back!

Will post a recipe tonight! So check back!!

Amazed

New School, New Friends, New Town and the awful Unknown. I watch my girl go into school each morning and every day I wait for the "Dont make me go". Shes new and has ADHD and is country as the dirt on an old cow pie so to say that she sticks out is the understatement of the year. She wears her pretty Justin boots and dresses with a bow in her hair but almost every word that comes out of her mouth has to do with country life, farming and livstock. She opens that mouth and you just know that girls country. So when she hops out the truck full of excitement for the unknow it completely amazes me! I would be so begging to stay at home! Each mom thinks there kid is something special but I promise you my Child handcrafted by God is pretty darn special. You jsut know her for a few moments and you know that there are great things in life in store for her. Maybe I am just mom so I am biased? I dont think so. Everything is Bigger in Texas, that includes my girls heart. She wants to save every animal, feed the hungry, give homes to the homeless, pray for everyone, recycle and go green, and most importantly she wants to cure every diease. My girl inspires me to be a better person, work on my relationship with God and to overall have a different outlook on life. Mark my words...Chandler one day will be a house hold name for the wonderful things she will do later in life.

ADHD & MommyHood.... Its NOT for sissys!

I am exhausted!! Its a 3 day weekend and since we dont medicate on non school days....I feel as though I need a drink! LOL Ok Not really a drink but I am exhausted. ADHD...How about we Celebrate it instead of Ridicule it? I am so tried of getting parenting advice from others who do not know the daily struggels of raising an ADHD child. Yes I know you dont understand, and yes I know you believe you have all the answers and yes I know you think ADHD is a lack of good parenting.... but seriously shut the hell up. I am honestly mad, I mean come on! Get off of it already!! The worst part is...its my own family (not my hubs or other children) who are sayin these things. Yes I realiize you think Medication is a bad option, and you had your chance to voice your opinion 4 years ago when we made that decision. No you dont get rehash it every time you feel like it, No you dont get to tell my child to hide her medication instead of taking it, No you dont get to tell my child not to listen to me. Yet they are mad at me! I have enough challanges durring the day and I dont have time to put up with your narrow mindedness. I didnt judge you when you didnt get your child the braces she so muchly needed and now walks different and is made fun of. I didnt judge you when you didnt get your son medication for his ADD and it took him 6 years to graduate high school only to drop out a month before graduation and get his GED and now i am pretty sure has been on a shallow end of the Austim spectrum all his life. So if I dont judge you....why do you get to judge me. I think my kid is something special and will one day change lives for the better and until that time I am going to do everything humanly possible to see she has the support and help she needs. Dont like it....quit coming to family functions! Yep I am a little mad. This job isnt for Sissys and I am doing the best I can, and I am making decisions that are best for my kids.