Shape O Toy

Don't forget the Classic Shape O Toy from Tupperware for Christmas for the special infant, toddler or preschooler in your life ~child, nephew, niece, or grandchild~. Classic rattle, shape sorter and counting toy.

There's other great deals for your Christmas baking and storage. Just go to Tupperware, then either email me with your order or order from the site. If you are in AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, ND, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY, orders must be submitted by noon on December 15, 2009. All other places in the Continental US have until noon on December 18, 2009 to order for regular Christmas Delivery.

Merry Christmas!

Special Grocery List

Here's a sweet story to remind us how powerful GOD is.

SPECIAL GROCERY LIST

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.

She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.'

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that they would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'

Louise replied, 'Yes sir.' 'O.K' he said, 'put your grocer y list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries..'

Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:
'Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store.... The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; 'It was worth every penny of it.
Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs..'

Warm & Creamy Bacon Dip

1 16 oz container sour cream
1 3 oz pkg Real Bacon Bits
2 cups shredded cheese
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup chopped green onions

Combine all ingredients and pour in oven safe container. Cover and bake for 23-30 minutes @ 400 deg. You can also put in a hollowed out bread bowl, then wrap in foil.

Hot Spinach Dip

1 box chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 box cream cheese, softened
1 can Rotel, drained
8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Mix spinach, cream cheese & Rotel; then add cheese. Place in 350 deg oven for 10 - 11 minutes or until hot.


I usually double the recipe and use 1 can Hot Rotel & 1 can Mild Rotel.

Restaurant.com Deal ~Save 80%~

Restaurant.com is a great way to treat yourself and others to a night out. They sell gift certificates to local restaurants @ a discount. $25 gift certificates for only $10. However, now until December 14, you can get $25 gift certificates for only $2. Just use the Promo Code SHARE to get this great deal. Awesome for stocking stuffers or Christmas Gifts!

Not only can you get $2 gift certificates, but you can earn 15% cash back if you shop thru Ebates.com.

I'm headed to get some Gift Certificates for Shoguns and some Mexican places.

Happy Eating!

Merry Christmas!

We are in the midst of the Christmas season. 2009 has been a tough year for most, if not all, of us. Some of us have lost our jobs, lost family members, or had other family crises. Financially and emotionally it's been a hard year, BUT no matter what has happened in 2009, Christmas reminds us that we are important to God. He loves us so much, that He sent the Perfect Gift to us, Jesus Christ. While I love all the Christmas fun ~shopping, baking, getting together with friends and family~, what I love about Christmas the most is WHO we are celebrating.

One of my friend's daughters wrote this to Santa. "DEAR SANTA, I LOVE CHRISTMAS WHEN YOU GET TOYS. BUT THE BEST THING OF ALL IS JESUS. HE IS THE ONE THAT GAVE US CHRISTMAS. HE WAS THE ONE WHO WAS BORN ON CHRISTMAS. EVERY BODY LOVES CHRISTMAS. BUT THE BEST THING OF CHRISTMAS IS JESUS. I THINK [JUST THINK] THAT SOME PEPOLE LIKE CHRISTMAS BUT HATE JESUS."

As we go about the hustle & bustle of Christmas, let's remember that the best gift we can give is the gift of God's love to our family and friends ~and strangers~.

Merry Christmas!

Tupperware Sale!

Tupperware Must Haves for Holiday Get-togethers!

Save over 50% on these great Servalier and Wonderlier left-over storage bowls.

Fantastic deal on the Rectanglular Cake Take ~the base flips over to hold 18 cupcakes.~

The Fix 'N Mix bowl is an absolute must to make your stuffing or rolls in. Also great for popcorn.

Check out the following flyer, shop from the Holiday Catalog for other Tupperware must haves, then email me with your order and I will have it shipped right to you. You can pay with Paypal or Credit Card. Orders need to be to me by Friday @ 5:30 p.m. Central Time to take advantage of the Sale.

Moist Turkey Tips!

Sorry I haven't been around for a couple of weeks. Busy life. ~like none of you have busy lives~ Anyway, I was hoping to add a few recipes for Thanksgiving, but hadn't had a chance. I do want to post a couple of tips for a moist turkey.

Cook turkey in a cooking bag.

Stuff your turkey. Even if you don't like "yankee" stuffing, do it. Just feed it to your dog.

Cook your turky upside down. Yes, you heard me. Cook it with the breast down.

My hubby never liked his mom's turkey. It was too dry. He loves mine.

Happy ThanksGiving!

P.S. I promise to add some recipes for Christmas. My hubby's mom has a fantastic roll recipe I'll share.

Tupperware Sale!

PreHoliday Shopping Sale from Tupperware!

Thru Friday, November 13, 2009.

Get ready for the holidays with 25-75% off great Tupperware items.

Keep your veggies fresh longer with FridgeSmart containers, keep cold cuts and cheeses ready for quick sandwiches, and be ready for those delicious leftovers with the Refridgerator Storage Set
Save 60%

For those little baker's Kids in the Kitchen Set. Real Tupperware Mini Scraper, Mix-N-Store and Thatsa Bowl.
Save 40%

Plus other great deals.

Check out the following flyer, shop from the Holiday Catalog for other Tupperware must haves, then email me with your order and I will have it shipped right to you. You can pay with Paypal or Credit Card. Orders need to be to me by Friday @ 5:30 p.m. Central Time to take advantage of the Sale.

Gymboree Sale! Now Thru Sunday, Nov 8, 2009

As a mom with three girls, it's hard to find clothes that are age appropriate and modest. I cannot believe the styles that are supposed to be for girls. I love Gymboree! They are a bit pricey, so I have to wait for their sales, but they are definitely worth it. Since you all are my Circle of Friends, I'm passing along this Gymboree sale to you. 30% off entire store. November 5-8th. Online code is GYMCLUB. If you want to shop in the stores, email me and I'll send you the coupon to print.

Here's the link. Gymboree

Happy Shopping!

November CHAOS Project

Good Morning!

It's a beautiful Fall day here in Memphis. We just got back from visiting my parents in NW Arkansas. My husband had a couple of days off, so we headed to see Grandparents. We had a great time! Now it's back to work and school.

Since I was gone the first day of November, I'm going to start my November projects today. My goal this month is to have a shiny sink every night. My extra room that I will spend 15 minutes on a day is my bedroom/bath. Wish me luck!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

This is one of my family's favorite cakes.  It is so easy.

Ingredients:

1 box Butter Recipe Cake Mix

1 lge box Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding
½ c sugar
¾ c oil
¾ c water
4 eggs
8 oz sour cream
1 12 oz pkg chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Mix cake mix, pudding, water and oil; add eggs one at a time. Beat 1 minute. Add sour cream; then chocolate chips. Pour into greased Bundt cake pan. Cook 55 – 60 minutes. Cool 30 minutes, then flip onto serving plate.

Click Here to Print Recipe:   

Microwave Chocolate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 can of Coke
1 can of frosting

Mix cake mix and Coke. Spray Tupperware 6 ¼ c Round Heat ‘N Serve Container with non-stick spray. Pour batter into Heat ‘N Serve Container and microwave on High for 7-9 minutes; rotating half way through if you don’t have a turntable. Let cool slightly and flip onto serving plate. Heat can of froshing in microwave for about 30 seconds and drizzle over cake.

Variations:

• White Cake Mix with Orange or Strawberry Soda
• Chocolate Cake Mix with Cherry Coke.

Not only is the Tupperware 6 ¼ c Round Heat ‘N Serve Container great for steaming veggies, it's also perfect for brownies and Rotel Cheese Dip.

Grammy Lou's Chicken Pot Pie

2-3 chicken breasts
1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables
2 small potatoes, cubed
¼ cup chopped onion
4 Tb butter
4 Tb flour
½ lb Velveeta Cheese, cubed
Salt & Pepper to taste
Pie Crust


Preheat oven to 450 deg. Place bottom pie crust in pan and brown in oven for 12-15 minutes.

Boil chicken breasts. Remove chicken from pot; debone & shred. In stock, cook vegetables and cubed potatoes for 8 minutes. Strain out veggies, reserve liquid. In pot, melt butter and add flour and cook for a minute; add 3 cups chicken stock. Cook until bubbly. Add veggies, chicken and Velveeta cheese. When cheese is melted, pour into browned pie crust. Put top crust, cut slits to allow steam to escape and bake until crust is browned ~about 15 – 20 minutes~.

Tips:

I use my large baker from Pampered Chef. Otherwise this recipe makes enough for 2 pie plates. Some other must haves from Pampered Chef are the Mix ’N Chop and Whisk.

I also use prepared refrigerated pie crust and frozen chopped onions.

Tupperware Sale!

Great Tupperware Sale!

Now thru October 30, 2009

Bake a Cake in the Microwave in 7-10 minutes with the Heat'N Serve Container. Also great for brownies and Rotel Cheese Dip. Sale $12.50

Here's a recipe for Microwave Chocolate Cake.

Save money by buying cheese when it's on sale, grating it and freezing it in FreezerMates. Sale $14

Shop @Tupperware.com, then email me with your order and I will have it shipped right to you.

Fall PayDay Snack

Here's a favorite snack of my family for Fall. Combine Candy Corn and peanuts. It tastes just like a PayDay candy bar. Add M&M's for a chocolate twist.

Rainy Day in Memphis

It's a rainy day here in Memphis. I think I'll make Grammy Lou's Chicken Potpie for supper. I'll post the recipe later.

A couple of weeks ago, my yahoo email contact list was hacked and someone used it to send obscene emails "from me". Yahoo's customer service is non-existent. I spent 2 hours one morning trying to actually talk to someone and get some help. Did you know that they have no phone support? I finally had to close the account, so I've been working on getting my contacts into another email account. Not fun! There's light at the end of the tunnel though.

I started the day with a shiny sink. It was a joy to walk into the kitchen this morning. Thanks FlyLady.

Have a Great Day!

Daily Chaos Project

Hello! My husband had a work conference last week, so my daughters and I went to see my parents in Northwest Arkansas. We also went with our church to Tom's Farm yesterday for a hayride, bonfire with hotdogs and smores, and playtime with the kids. We also came home with pumpkins. We had a great time, but now we've got to get back into the swing of things. My main project today is get laundry caught up and the house back in order ~well, semi-order~.

That's my project, what's yours?

Have a Great Day!

Daily CHAOS Project

What a beautiful day to start October. A little bit of sun and a high of 81 deg. If the rest of Fall goes like the beginning, it’s going to be one of the best I’ve had here in Memphis. I’ve lived here for 20 + years and it’s one season that I long to be back in Michigan for. Cooler days and cool nights. I love the change in seasons.

Well, my bed’s made; I’ve started laundry, now it’s time to get back into my kitchen. My project for climbing out of CHAOS today is cleaning out the refrigerator. As my mom says, it’s time to clean it out when I run out of Tupperware containers to put my leftovers in. What’s your project for today?

Climbing Out of CHAOS!

Today I’m starting on my journey out of CHAOS ~Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome~. I hope I’m not the only one that suffers from this. I love my family and I enjoy a clean, organized home, but I just wish someone else would do it for me. Someday I hope to have it as a budget item, but right now, it’s not possible. My husband and I have been married for 20 years and I’ve struggled with it for all that time. We started out in a tiny, two bedroom house with central heating ~the furnace was in the middle of the house~. My hubby was in Seminary and since we had no kids, the tiny “extra” bedroom was piled high with wedding presents, books, clothes and a variety of items that neither my hubby nor I could part with. After Seminary, my husband went on staff at a church in a small Delta town and we rented a wonderful, 3 bedroom home with a sunroom, dining room, huge kitchen with a double oven, and an awesome utility/laundry room. Since, we still didn’t have kids; we could really spread our stuff out. I loved that house. Since then, we’ve lived in a series of smaller houses, ~I won’t bore you with the details~ and now have 3 daughters. Our present house is larger. We have 4 bedrooms with dining room and living room. We still have our “extra” bedroom filled with clothes, Tupperware, BeautiControl and a variety of other items that we can’t seem to part with. Our closets are full of stuff that we haven’t seen in years, and our daughters’ rooms have toys that need to be shared with other kids. Unfortunately, our daughters have same gene that my hubby and I have; hoarding. We don’t want to get rid of anything in case we might need it again.
Top it off with the needs of a busy family with never-ending laundry, dishes, homeschooling and church activities and I get very overwhelmed. Anybody relate to that? I have friends who have special needs children and children with major medical issues and their houses seem to be organized. What is wrong with me? Why can’t I get it together?
Today, instead of beating myself up over the past, I’m starting my journey out of CHAOS. It’s not going to happen overnight, ~I wish I could wave a magic wand~ but it is going to happen. I’m starting in my kitchen. Today’s goals:

• Shine my sink ~Thanks Flylady~
• Make a dent in laundry.
• Clean off kitchen counters. I’m going to shred, pitch and file.

I’ve read FlyLady and MotivatedMoms.com.
I’m going to do a little of both. Start in my kitchen, use small steps, depend on God for strength and focus. I don’t have to wait for January 1st to make a change. I can do it September 29. God has blessed us with a new day; we can use it to make a new start.

Have a Great Day!

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

I've had several people ask me for this recipe, so it's going to be my first to share.

Hash brown Breakfast Casserole

6 cups frozen shredded hash browns

1/2 c butter, melted

2 c diced, cooked ham

1/4 c finely chopped green bell pepper ~I use frozen~

3 c shredded Colby Jack cheese

4 large eggs, beaten

1 c milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 425 deg F

Thaw potatoes and use paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Press potatoes into bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9 x 13 pan; drizzle with melted butter.

Bake @ 425 for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned; cool on for 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 deg. F

Combine ham, cheese and bell pepper; spoon into potato shell.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper, blending well; pour egg mixture over ham mixture.

Bake @ 350 deg for 30 - 40 minutes, or until set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I bake this in my Pampered Chef Rectangular Baker.  The stoneware cooks the hash-brown crust beautifully and it also keeps the casserole warm  if you are taking it to a group.  The cranberry color also looks very stylish on the table for serving.   

The Grocery Game

The first site that I want to recommend is TheGroceryGame.com. It is a site that I found through a friend at church.

TheGroceryGame.com is a service that matches sales with coupons from the Sunday papers. Their premise is that grocery stores are on about a 12 week cycle. They keep a database that lists product prices. Every week, they come out with their lists that divide products into 3 categories:

• Green = Free
• Blue = Stock pile items
• Black = Buy if needed

If the item is green, then it means that it’s FREE. Get it! If it’s listed as Blue, then it’s a stockpile item. The goal is to have a 3 month supply so that you only buy products that are at rock bottom prices. If it’s listed as Black, then that means that it’s an ok price and buy it if you need it.

The Grocery Game lists the original price, the sale price, what coupon used ~including date from paper~ what, if any, store coupon, price w/discounts and percentage saved.
You can print out a list customized for what you want. You can try The Grocery Game for FREE for 4 weeks. Just go to TheGroceryGame.com for more info or to sign up.

For me, it’s worth the price of the subscription for the time savings of not having to look thru all the sales and decide which are good and which are not. I probably save an average of 40-50% by using The Grocery Game. The Grocery Game is for busy moms who don’t have time to spend hours searching thru sales & coupons. They do the research for you and tell you where to find the sales & coupons.

My husband says that I don't need to buy anymore cereal, toothpaste or mouthwash for awhile. I think we could live for a week on my stockpile of cereal. Maybe that's what I'll serve for supper tonight.

Welcome to TNWAHM

A little bit about me. I am married to a wonderful man and we have 3 beautiful daughters. I am presently homeschooling the oldest two. We live in Memphis, TN; hence the homeschooling.

As a mom, I face many challenges; not the least is time management. What I envision this site to be is a gathering place for moms to share their tips on how they do their jobs as moms, wives, employees or even bosses more efficiently. I’ll post recipes, as well as the tricks and tools that I use to make my time in the kitchen most effective. I’ll also share some of the sites that have been a great resource for me for saving time and money. Please share some of yours also.

Another challenge that we have as moms is staying informed on issues that affect our families. We are busy and so don’t always have time to research issues that impact our lives. I hope to be able to share info on issues that I believe are important to our families. If you disagree or have another opinion, please comment and let me know. Iron sharpens iron and as we discuss different opinions, we all learn.

I’m looking forward to starting this journey. As moms, we need each other. We need each other’s encouragement and friendship. With all the technology we have that is supposed to make our lives easier, I think in some ways it has made our lives more complicated. Let’s use this technology as a way to connect with each other to enrich each other’s lives.