This is a quick and easy recipe that we turn to often in the winter. Enjoy!
Tomato Soup
1 can tomato soup
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
garlic salt
paprika
basil
oregano
Melt butter in saucepan. Add milk and soup. Heat together, but do not let boil. Add three shakes of garlic salt, two shakes of oregano, two shakes of basil, and three shakes of paprika.
Enjoy with crackers or grilled cheese.
This weekend we took Friday off and went on a trip with the family. It was great to have a few days off from working. Brooks had fun with his aunt and uncle, and he took his first steps! He is growing up so fast (sigh).
Last weekend we went to a chili cook off and pumpkin carving. I brought my award winning Five Bean Chili. I will share the recipe later, it is so good (if I do say so myself!).
Isn’t our pumpkin carving great? Mr. Nikki Made came up with the design. In truth I did not do any of the work. I break out in a rash if I touch pumpkin. Strange, I know. I did save the pumpkin seeds -
Wash the seeds and remove the strings the best that you can. (I used a colander, and that worked fairly well.) Soak in salt water overnight. Place the seeds in in a baking pan in the oven at 300 for 20 minutes. Seeds should be golden. Enjoy.
Last week I went through my address list, decided on size of my Christmas card, and purchase stamps & envelopes. View last week here.
Week 4 (Oct. 23-29) – decide on treats, snacks, and meals surrounding Christmas and make shopping list.
This is mostly done. I need to sit down and make the list, but I have everything in mind that I want to do.
Treats and snacks: hot chocolate, apple cider, gingerbread house, sugar cookies, chex mix.
Meal: ham with honey mustard glaze, twice baked potatoes, green beans, sweet potato fries, home made bread, pecan pie, home made ice cream.
This is an easy week, which will leave extra time to solidify my list of gifts and pick up the remaining items and supplies I need.
Have a great day!
I am now on week 3 working towards a stress free Christmas. View last week here.
Week 3 (Oct. 16-22) – go through address list, decide on size of Christmas card, purchase stamps & envelopes, address envelopes
This will probably be the hardest week for me. I usually procrastinate as long as possible when I do not want to do something, and going though my address list is definitely not something that I want to do! I do know that it will save me a lot of time in the future and save me a late night in December trying to round up my addresses. I am planning on working on this for 20 minutes everyday to make it easier to bear. I will find all my addresses, put them in a pile, and start typing them out to store on my computer and print out a copy for quick reference. I am going to print out the addresses on labels this year and I am happy about that – my handwriting is not that great!
Deciding on the size of you card is not absolutely necessary, but I want to go ahead and decide on it so I can buy my envelopes and print out the labels so I can check that off the list. It will be so nice to simply stuff and place in my mail box in December.
• Crisp fall weather. Time to get out the jackets, coats, scarves and mittens!
• Putting out fall decor. I cut out some leaves from scrapbook paper and added some pumpkins to the mantle.
• Picking up some pumpkins.
• Boston iced tea. Iced tea with a splash of cranberry juice.
• Popcorn.
• A little voice saying “moo”. A new word he learned today at lunch from Mimi.
• The smell of new candles.
• A possible trip in November. More on that later…
Happy Thursday!
Last week I discussed my list to accomplish what I want for Christmas and still enjoy the season. For week one, I created a budget and a list of gift recipients. I also researched gifts to get and/or make for each person on my list.
Here is week 2 (Oct. 9-15) – inventory holiday decor and make list of what to pick up; make list of items needed to make gifts, pick up
Last year I made an inventory list of all my ornaments, decorations, etc. I also made a note of what I needed when I was putting it all away. I know that I need new tree lights and a string of outdoor lights. I am doubting that they are in stores yet, but when I am there and see they are out, I have the list in my purse and can pick them up. I will also make a list of all items, craft supplies, and non-perishable food items I need for gifts. I can pick them up in stages or all at once.
If you need some ideas of gifts to make, here are a few ideas:
What does the recipient enjoy in their spare time? If they like to journal or sketch, make them a journal. Are they into running? Get them a subscription to runners world.
Coupons are always a great idea – Give your mom a coupon for a day of cleaning, give your dad a coupon to wash and vacuum his car, a coupon for your friend for a night of baby sitting, a coupon for your grandma to file and paint her fingernails. The options are endless. Create a coupon by using scrap book materials or use your computer.
Picture gifts are a no-fail idea. Make a picture calendar, a photo charm bracelet or necklace, a photo book, or bookmark with a photo and verse or saying.
Food gifts are usually an inexpensive way to cover several people. Make homemade salsa, BBQ, or vegetables from your garden and can (Canning is actually much easier than you would think. Just place the jar in boiling water.) Give a jar of layered cookies – layer dry ingredients, sugar, m&m’s or chips. Make cute tags and attach to the jars. Are you known for a particular dessert? Is your dish requested over and over for functions? Make a batch and give a few to each person in cute packaging along with the recipe.
Next Friday – go through address list, decide on size of Christmas card, purchase stamps & envelopes, address envelopes
Have a Great weekend!
I know he is still a baby, but he is turning into a little boy. He is now in the big boy car seat and he is drinking milk from a gallon jug. He is saying “Ah-oh”, “Amen”, “Please” and others. He is brushing his seven teeth (with a little assistance of course) and waving good-bye. His new favorite game is shutting the door. He laughs and it begins again when momma opens the door. He likes to give “high fives” and he can point to his nose. He is fascinated with the vacuum and wants to explore everything. I love the way it feels when he cuddles into me with his head on my shoulder to go to sleep. His little feet are dangling longer, but it still feels so good.
Welcome fall! I am so excited when I step out into the crisp air of fall. It is so refreshing. Am looking forward to carving pumpkins, carmel apples, bonfires, marshmallows and snuggling with my guys.
Click on the image above to print and share!
Have a Great Weekend!
I know what you are thinking, it’s October, why are you talking about Christmas? Well, it’s crazy, but it is only three months away. That’s only 12 weeks! Every year it sneaks up on me, even though it comes around every year at the same time.
I have these grand ideas: making a gingerbread house so spectacular it would grace the cover of gourmet magazines, making all my gifts by hand inciting “oohs”and “ahhs” from the receivers, creating over the top gift tags suited to each particular person and gift… I could go on and on. This year, I may not accomplish everything my imagination dreams up, but I will enjoy Christmas. I will not let it sneak up on me. I will take it all in, relax and enjoy this celebration of Christ’s birth.
Here is my “Accomplish What You Want and Enjoy Christmas” plan. Each week I will accomplish something towards my goal.
Week 1 – create budget & gifts to give list; research and decide on gifts to get and/or make
Week 2 – inventory holiday decor and make list of what to pick up; make list of items needed to make gifts, pick up
Week 3 – go through address list, decide on size of Christmas card, purchase stamps & envelopes, address envelopes
Week 4 – decide on treats, snacks, and meals surrounding Christmas and make shopping list
Week 5 – purchase or make Christmas card, pick up non-perishable baking items (they are almost always out of at least one ingredient when I get around to going to the store in December.)
Week 6 – make gift tags, decide on gift wrap colors
Week 7 - schedule Christmas party and plan, make invitation and send; help husband hang Christmas lights
Week 8 – decorate house, mail Christmas card
Week 9 – decide where to volunteer (food drive, angel tree, etc.)
Week 10 – catch up week
Week 11 – make food gifts, make cookies & desserts
Week 12 – clean for company
This week:
Week 1 (Oct. 2-8) – create budget & gifts to give list; research and decide on gifts to get and/or make.
I have included a blank version of our budget for you to fill out and use here. I hope it will aid you in remembering all the items you may want to budget for. You can make your budget as frugal or extravagant as you want. It helps me to remember even the little things like stamps or replacing tree lights, because those are the items that add up quickly. I will also make a list of people who I need to buy or make a gift for (mom, dad, husband, sister, aunt, etc), then decide on the gifts I want to purchase or make that fit within my budget. I will be sharing a few gift ideas to make and buy at a later date.
Welcome to a planned ahead and stress free Christmas! Hooray!
image via Andrea on flickr
coming soon...
