Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our family to yours, we hope you have a Blessed Thanksgiving Day!


Monday, November 25, 2013

MUPPETS MOST WANTED NEW TRAILER!!!! YAY!!!

Our family loves the muppets! I remember watching them when I was little and have tried to grow our kids up on them as they are a great family friendly show/movie. My kids love to watch the Ma-na-ma-na video OVER AND OVER AND OVER......they laugh every time and can of course sing it all together too! It's sad to think we have to wait until March 21, 2014 to see the movie! I am really happy they have started making them again!








Also, in celebration of the trailer release, each of the Muppets have also published their own "most wanted" guest blogs. Read them now:

·       KERMIT'S Most Wanted Trailer Cameos: http://di.sn/rJI 
·       MISS PIGGY'S Most Wanted Relationship Advice: http://di.sn/gPi 
·       MISS PIGGY'S Most Wanted Advice for Celebrities from a Screen Legend: http://di.sn/hQR
·       FOZZIE BEAR'S TV Shows He's Most Wanted to Guest Star On: http://di.sn/gPj
·       ANIMAL'S Most Wanted Drum Solos: http://di.sn/sJX
·       GONZO'S Most Wanted Disney Poultry: http://di.sn/ePl 
·       WALTER'S Most Wanted Moments from the New Trailer: http://di.sn/bPf 


Even More Great Information About Muppets Most Wanted!:

Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” is directed by James Bobin and produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Bobin co-wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller, who is also executive producer with John G. Scotti. Featuring music from Academy Award®-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, “Muppets Most Wanted” hits the big screen March 21, 2014.

Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey, Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour where they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper.

NOTES:
·         Director James Bobin returns to Muppets mania. For his work as Disney’s “The Muppets” director, Bobin was nominated for BAFTA (Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer). He co-created HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords," which he wrote, directed and exec produced.

·         Bret McKenzie, who won an Oscar® for best original song for “Man or Muppet,” returns to the Muppets stage as music supervisor. McKenzie created, co-wrote, executive produced and starred in the hit HBO television series “Flight of the Conchords,”

·         Ricky Gervais is the creator of “Derek” and the Golden Globe®- and Emmy®-winning series “The Office” and “Extras.”

·         Ty Burrell is an Emmy® Award winner for his role in TV’s “Modern Family.”

·         Tina Fey is a Golden Globe®-, Emmy®- and SAG Award®-winning actress and writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock,” “Mean Girls,” “Date Night”).

Monday Freezer Meal Recipe- Stuffed Shells

Last week I shared my spaghetti sauce recipe. This week, I will share Stuffed shells! I like making these together and usually double the recipe. In doubling, I can usually get 5 to 6 9X9 pans full of stuffed shells and 2 to 3 bags for spaghetti sauce.

Now for the wonderful pictures to make your mouth water, followed by the easy recipe!








Stuffed Shells
Adapted from Once A Month Cooking Family Favorites By Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg 

12 oz package jumbo shells (MANY to choose from, I like looking in the Italian section at Dillons as they seem to have less ingredients in them AND same price or even cheaper than the cheap ones!)
1 15-oz carton ricotta cheese (reason to double recipe is that usually cheaper to buy the 30oz)
1 16-oz carton small curds cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbl chopped fresh parsley (can be omitted)
2 eggs
Spaghetti Sauce from Last Week's Post
2 to 4 9X9 foil pans
Aluminium Foil

To Make:
1) Cook the shells according to the package
2) Combine all the remaining ingredients in a big bowl
3) When the shells are done, rinse them and cool them off so that they are easier to hold
4) Fill the shells with the cheese mixture. Can be done 2 ways. 1- take spoonful and put into shell. 2- put the mixture into a plastic bag and cut a corner off then squeeze it into the shells. I find the bag harder if done alone but if you have someone else helping, then it will make it go a bit faster.
5) Place each shell into your pan until full.
6) Put the spaghetti sauce on top to your liking.
7) Write on your foil what it is and the date (just in case you may forget or make a lot of different recipes!)
8) Put into freezer and clean up!

To Serve:
1) Thaw a pan overnight in the fridge
2) Preheat oven to 350
3) Place pan covered in oven for 45 mins
4) Take the foil off and bake for an additional 15 mins.
5) Pull out and serve!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!


My poor husband came home to this yesterday. That's right, I dug out some of the Christmas decorations! Yesterday was in the 60s, today is 20s and 30s with icy/snow/rain/yucky stuff. I thought I would be nice and get it all started for him and he could finish. I even took the kiddos to Lowe's and got him some light clip things. Well, this is as far as it got. He says he is fine doing it in the cold and rain and snow so we will see. All  I know is, I'm so ready for the Holiday season!!!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Disney's Frozen Activity Sheets!

I am really getting excited about Disney's new movie Frozen! The good news is that it comes out IN 8 DAYS!! It has been a while since any movies have come out that I have wanted to see. AND that I can take the kids to makes it a big plus!

















Allied Shirts Review

I received an email the other day asking me if I would like to try Allied Shirts.com and to write a review. I just had to jump on it! Allied Shirts is a company that makes custom T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, and Hoodies. I love customized shirts but have never thought about getting my own because I thought they would be too expensive and cheaply made. Not true!! 

The process to make the shirt was easy from start to finish! I got to pick the text and clip art. I got to design the shirt all by myself! The nice thing too is if there is anything wrong with the design or if it might not work, they will email you and let you know! 

The shipping was fast too! I ordered on November 5th and it was here in the mail November 12th! When I opened it, I was just so impressed!


The colors are so bright! It looking at it, I'm not afraid of washing it and the letters coming off.

 (Please excuse the mess,  I have kids!!!)

I got an XL shirt and I was impressed how well it fit. Yes, I am still currently working on losing weight so I will look even better in the shirt in a few more pounds, but the fact it fit was nice. It also is a preshrunk cotton shirt, so I know that it will continue to fit even after I wash it!

I definitely recommend Allied Shirts.com to anyone looking to make a customized shirt! Right now they are also having a HUGE sale! All T-shirts are 30% off! The discount will automatically be taken off at checkout. You will have to hurry because it ends November 28, 2013 at 11:59PM Central time!

*Disclaimer: I received a free Custom Gildan Tee from AlliedShirts.com in return for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.



Allied Shirts Recommends:

Monday, November 18, 2013

Maleficent Teaser Trailer Released!

I don't know about you, but I love movies. I especially love Disney movies, hardly any that I don't like. I am enjoying lately that producers and directors are coming and making stories from the "other" side. Mirror, Mirror starring Julia Roberts and Lily Collins last year was amazing! Next year on May 30, 2014, Maleficent will get to tell her side of the tale from Sleeping Beauty! It will star Angelina Jolie as Maleficent and Elle Fanning (Dakota Fanning's younger sister) as Princess Aurora. It will tell the tale from Maleficent's side, which will show how she became the way she was. I can't wait to see how they accomplish this!







OFFICIAL BOILERPLATE:

From Disney comes “Maleficent”—the untold story of Disney’s most iconicvillain from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.

The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.

“Maleficent” is produced by Joe Roth and directed by Robert Stromberg, with Angelina Jolie, Don Hahn, Matt Smith, Palak Patel and Sarah Bradshaw serving as executive producers. Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay. “Maleficent” opens in theaters on May 30, 2014.

Monday Freezer Meal Recipe- Spaghetti Sauce

I have been trying to think of ways to get myself to keep getting posts up. One thought is to have a post scheduled for a certain day of the week and then hopefully I will keep up with it. I have decided that I am going to try and do Freezer Meal recipe on Monday! I like making freezer meals and I think it would help me to make one once a week so that way we would have food in the freezer so it would be less likely for me to make the excuse to go out to eat!

Hopefully I will be able to take the pictures and process all out for you too but it depends on 1) If I remember and 2) If I don't have complete help from all three of my kiddos! This week, I am going to share one that can be used and made very easily, Spaghetti Sauce! I love using it to make stuffed shells, which I will share next week!

First the wonderful pictures, THEN I'll tell you how to do it all :)









Spaghetti Sauce
Adapted from Once A Month Cooking Family Favorites By Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg

1 onion, chopped
1 lb mild Italian Sausage
1 6-oz can tomato paste, then fill half full with warm water, stir then dump it in
1 28-oz crushed tomato in puree
1 cup tomato sauce (if you don't have any or forget it, just add a bit extra water)
2 tsp chopped or minced garlic (add more if you like the flavor!)
2 bay leaves (I crush them up so that they are harder to find when eating if you don't take them out)
1 tbl sugar
2 tsp fennel seeds
1-3 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tbl fresh parsley, finely chopped (this can be omitted too if you don't have it or forget)
1 tsp salt
2-4 1-quart freezer bags

To Make:
1) Start by browning the sausage in a large pot.
2) While it's cooking, chop up the onion, then add it to the sausage
3) When done, drain then put back on stove
4) Add in all the other ingredients and stir.
5) Bring to a boil.
6) Lower the heat and simmer for 30 mins while partly covered.
7) Allow the sauce to cool.
8) LABEL your 1 quart freezer bags.
9) Fill the bags as full as you think you will need
10) Put into the freezer

To Thaw:
Put a 1 quart bag of spaghetti sauce in the fridge overnight.
Heat thoroughly and serve!

Weekly Menu Through November 24th

It's going to be another busy week! Hopefully we are able to follow through on our menu this week as we have been seeming to lack or I just get lazy and decide to order pizza! It's so much better when we eat at home, that's for sure!

Monday: Out to eat (The oldest wrote to 100 on her paper, so we went to celebrate!)

Tuesday: Stuffed Shells

Wednesday: Church Night

Thursday: Potato Soup

Friday: Beef Enchiladas

Saturday: BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Sunday: Southwest Soup

Weekly Winnings Through November 17th

This week I won:

* Care Bears The Great Giving Holiday DVD

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

I decided to start in on the craze of Wordless Wednesday. I figure this way I KNOW I will have to blog at least once a week :) I'm sure you all will enjoy the random pictures, too! I'm a couple weeks late, but Happy Halloween!



Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Weekly Menu for November 11-November 17th

Monday: Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

Tuesday: Potato Soup

Wednesday: Church Night

Thursday: Mentor Meeting Night

Friday: Chicken Enchiladas

Saturday: Out to Eat

Sunday: Frozen Pizza

Weekly Winnings Through November 11, 2013

In the last week, I have won......

* Dove Self Esteem giveaway package
*Funbites and other goodies

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Weekly Winnings Through November 4, 2013

This week I have won:

  • Flatten Me personalized Book
  • Fold And Go Tablet Stand

Weekly Menu November 4 - November 10, 2013

Monday: Eat Out

Tuesday: Pancakes and Bacon

Wednesday: Church Night

Thursday: Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

Friday: Chicken Enchiladas

Saturday: Potato Soup

Sunday: Small Group Meal

Playing Catch Up

I apologize for the lack of posts again. Between life and everyone getting sick, its been a busy time in our family! We had a wonderful Halloween! Our kids got to do our church's Fall Festival and then we went around some of the neighborhoods in town so they could get that experience too. Of course they were cold and tired so not much of that was done, so I'm sure next year they will be fine with just the festival part!

We had a wonderful game night at our house over the weekend. I had fun making lots of snacks including BBQ pork sandwiches and Cheesy hamburger dip. It was only 8 of us and 2 of the guys got stuck on child care duty BUT still a lot of fun! We decided next time we need to find a sitter or some unsuspecting teenager to take care of our 8 kids so the guys could be included! The Game Night was from House Party. It is where you can go and apply to host parties. I have done some in the past, but this game night was by far the best ever! I am hoping we can turn this into a monthly girl's night or monthly's family night!

With the weather changing and school in session, the kids have been bringing home the crud. I have never heard so much coughing in the house! The noses are running like faucets and the voices are all raspy. I can hardly wait for this to be out of the house. Luckily the hubby does not have it this go around so he can take care of all us sickies.

I am hoping this week will be great and full of many blessings for everyone! Have a great week!