Thankful Thursday

Today and everyday I am thankful for many things. God has blessed me beyond anything that I could have dreamed of.

I am thankful for my little family and all of our little quirks, Little Bugs 1 toothed grin, Little goose's joy at cranking the radio to sing at the top of her lungs, the way that upon entering and leaving the house my hubby always has a "hey babe" and a kiss for me :)

Luke 1:37 - For with God NOTHING shall be impossible!

Wordless Wednesday

Babies do grow on trees!!!!

Getting to know You

I came across this and thought it would be a nice way for you readers to get to know me a bit better. If you fill one out leave me a comment so I can get to know you too:)


1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE ?
No, my mom actually opened up a book and pointed to a name. I ended up being the only one in my town for 21 years with that name

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? The other night because my hubby had worked night and day for a week and I was frusterated at not seeing him or spending time with him.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It could be better

.4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Two little blessings

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would like to hope so, my friends mean the world to me

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Only with the hubby and close family

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I want to buy I'm not sure my nerves would let me.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Honey Nut Cheerio's

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes, strong willed, minded my body is a little soft

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?I don't eat icecream

.14 WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Smile, eyes and shoes

.15. RED OR PINK? Pink

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? temper and my weight

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my dad

.18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? blue jeans and brown mules

.19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Fried rice I made at lunch

.20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My hubby and daughter watching cartoons

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Pink

.22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Lilacs, wood burning, fresh cut hay

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Mom

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Colt's football

.25. HAIR COLOR? Auburn

26. EYE COLOR? green

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no

28. FAVORITE FOOD? homemade taco salad

.29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?Both

.30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? The Game Plan

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Brown

32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer

33. HUGS OR KISSES? Both

. FAVORITE DESSERT? Strawberry Shortcake

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I am listening to Brother Odd.

36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? don't use one

.37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? I believe we finished up watching Last Man standing on the Tivo.

38. FAVORITE SOUNDS?Thunder storms, my kids laughing, the ocean

39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Stones.....

40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Key West, Fla

41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I wish :)

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? In the mountains of WVa

Toffee-Top Cheesecake Bars

If you love cheesecake brownies you will love these. Every since my hubby bought me my first standing mixer we sit down each week and pick out a tasty treat to bake. In our home when little goose finishes her lunch or dinner without being asked to she gets a small treat. Plus my husband loves having yummy homemade treats in the house instead of spending money on products that dry up, taste terrible and are horrible for your health. I know there are times I make things that could possibly put a person in a sugar induced coma, but at least I know what is going into the product. One of my fav's to make is a Vegan Pumpkin bread that is extremely delish!






Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (10-ounce)package English Toffee Bits, divided





Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa and baking soda; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press into bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add EAGLE BRAND®, eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup English Toffee Bits. Pour mixture over hot crust.
Bake 25 minutes or until set and edges just begin to brown.
Remove from oven. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup English Toffee Bits evenly over top. Cool completely. Refrigerate several hours or until cold. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Wordless Wednesday

My little goose laying on her back smelling a rose from my vase. :)

Valentines Day Swap :)

I am participating a Valentines day swap, and I am SOOO very excited! This will be my first swap but very eager to brighten someones day or put a smile on their face :)

Valentines day is special to me not only because of it being V-day but also my Anniversary. In the last 4 years my husband has been here in the states for 2 of our anniversarys this year being number 5 he will actually get to be here! Last year we had the pleasure of going to a really nice upscale dinner, even 8 months preg I was able to enjoy myself. This year I'm not sure what we will get the chance to do, maybe nothing but he's in the states safe and sound so if we just make dinner together and watch a quiet movie I will be happy. What will you be doing this year?



Questionnaire:

What is your idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day?
Valentines day is also my anniversary so a nice, fun night out with the hubby is always great!

In reality, what is your Valentine’s Day really like?
We give the kids a little treat, and I bake my hubbys fav brownies for him. Last year we actually had a nice dinner out.

If you could have a lifetime supply of your favorite sweet indulgence, what would it be?
oooooohh White Chocolate Lindt Bars YUM or even the balls you pop em in your mouth and the white chocolate inside melts with the temp of your mouth SOO yummy!


Is there any sweet treat you absolutely do not like?
Black liquorice, Marshmallows, Dark Chocolate (hubby loves it I don't)

If you fell into a pool of chocolate, how would you get out?
I would yell for my Husband and Daughter they would eat the chocolate and free me.

An Island Life give a way!

If you get a chance "surf" on over to an island life, not only does she have a blog that rocks but she has several rocking give-a-ways going on just in time for V-day or otherwise known in my household my anniversary awwww :)


January 17, 2008
giveaways
What’s one item that goes perfect with Valentine’s Day? Bling, of course! And if you’ve never checked out Twisted Silver before, now’s your chance.
From the site:Twisted Silver is the imaginative trailblazer of the “convertible jewelry” movement. Belts become necklaces…become chokers… become multi-wrap bracelets! Rare is it to find a piece of jewelry always outside of the box, yet instantaneously fashionable and recognizable.
Because Twisted Silver lets you define how to wear the jewelry, your imagination is your only limitation. Give free reign to your individuality. One piece of jewelry…..SO many options! It’s great to be a girl!
After browsing through the site, I found so many things that I would love to have! There are beautiful necklaces, bracelets, rings, belts, and earrings which have been worn by celebrities such as Brooke Burke, Nicolette Sheridan, and Ming Na.
Twisted Silver has generously offered to give away their gorgeous Align Convertible (value $100) which can transform from a belt to a bracelet to a necklace and back. How cool is that? To enter, just stop by their site before midnight, January 23rd and view all the great pieces they have. Then come back here and let me know which one is your favorite. That’s it! A random winner will be selected and notified on January 24th.
As usual, you may earn extra entries by subscribing to my feed or posting about this giveaway at your blog with a link back here and to Twisted Silver. Please let me know if you’re doing the extra credit so I can make sure you’re entered properly.
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. Good luck!
If you’d rather not wait for this contest to end, Twisted Silver is offering everyone a 20% discount off a minimum purchase of $100 and will even ship it anywhere in the U.S. for free! Just use the code “ISLAND” during check out. Hurry! This promotion ends on January 31st.

5min for mom giveaway

January 18, 2008
Win an Insignia Bluetooth MP3 PlayerWritten by Janice
Have you got an MP3 player yet?
Or maybe a more fitting question for your family is, how many MP3 players do you have in your household?
With every family member wanting to get into the fun of technology, one MP3 player per house doesn’t always cut it. Everyone from toddlers (Julia used one to watch Dora videos on her flight to Italy) to Grandmothers (my mom enjoys hers) is in the market for a good MP3 player.
So if someone in your family is waiting for an MP3 player, maybe this Valentine’s Day you can surprise them with an Insignia® MP3 Player.
Or if you don’t have one to call your own yet - then this one is for you!
Thanks to Best Buy, we are giving away an Insignia® - Pilot 4GB Video MP3 Player with Bluetooth Technology just in time for Valentine’s Day. So you can slip on some headphones, open up some chocolates and feel the love!
Oh - did I forget to mention our winner will also be getting a pair of Insignia® - Bluetooth Wireless Behind-the-Head Headphones? Yes - Best Buy is in a loving mood!
The Insignia® - Pilot 4GB Video MP3 Player with Bluetooth Technology is on sale at Best Buy for $109.99 and includes these features and more:
Plays music, videos and photos
Built-in Bluetooth wireless audio
Built-in FM RDS tuner (shows Song and Artist)
2.4″ wide viewing angle display
Easy set-up, CD ripping and audio/video synch with included software
and more…
If you want to win this MP3 player and headphones, all you need to do is:
Publish a post on your own blog linking back to this giveaway post and also linking to Best Buy.

Paint paint and more paint!

We have now finished up painting about 40 percent of the house. WOW was that a undertaking!! But now the living room, hallway, kids bathroom and kitchen are all painted. I am loving small amount of red in my kitchen, it actually goes very well is all my chrome and black appliances. Which I have upgraded and all I have left to upgrade is my bread maker, hang a wine glass rack and my hubby is hanging me a Pot and Pan rack over my bar. That is all we have decided to do with this house because We will be moving in a year or so. If everything goes right (Pray for me that it does) We will be moving a short distance but it will make a huge difference for us. If things dont work out we will be moving in about 3 years anyway, Thats just how the military work.

Those of you out there with 3 and 4 year olds what is the wildest things they have said to you? My little goose has told a few that just make you laugh but blow you away. I have recently heard my daughter ask her daddy "daddy, does my boogers know just how big I am?" and on one occasion while stalling to go to bed she not only told us she couldn't go to bed because her legs had ran out of gas, and she was hungry for a snack and if we didn't give her one she would starve and we would find a little skeleton in her bed!! Where in the world do kids come up with these things???

5 minutes for Mom :)

January 16, 2008
We Want To Give Your Child Their First Car…Written by Janice

We’ve got a Red ‘65 Mustang Pedal Car just waiting to be signed over to a lucky preschooler.
Some of you may not know that Susan and I, along with our mom Joan, have two online stores, www.pedalcarsandretro.com and www.a-rocking-horse-to-love.com. Our experience as work-at-home moms - and living through how tough it is to make it all work - is the inspiration behind 5 Minutes for Mom. It is why 5 Minutes for Mom is committed to bringing mom-entrepreneurs exposure and credit for the amazing work they do.
Today we are offering from our store, Pedal Cars and Retro Collectibles, one of our favorite pedal cars. This AMF Mustang Pedal Car design is completely authentic and has been re-manufactured using the original AMF tooling.
It is identical in every way to the original ‘65 Mustang Pedal Car. It is an incredibly popular pedal car and we are giving it away to one of you!
This car is CHILD SAFETY TESTED and APPROVED and conforms to ASTM

The biggest Loser

I have watched several seasons of "The biggest Loser" and they always seem to amaze me in the amount of weight they drop in just a few weeks alone. Before little goose I was in wonderful shape and felt like I could beat the world but alas two babies later I am surprised I have enough energy to make it to the gym 3 times a week. One day I do want to get a personal trainer and try to sculpt back some of my more problematic areas instead of just losing baby weight and maintain afterwards.

Workout Mommy is doing a great give a way over at her blog, maybe it will inspire you to become more fit :)


Reduce your waist while reducing waste! Brita, FilterForGood, and The Biggest Loser
By workoutmommy January 9, 2008
Did you catch “The Biggest Loser” last night?
I think if I was forced to go into a room and see on big screen TVs just how much sugar I eat in a year (or even a month) it might just help me kick my habit. What do you think, would it help you?
And have you seen the contestants carrying around their fancy water bottles?
Brita and FilterForGood are partnering with “The Biggest Loser” to eliminate bottled water from the ranch in efforts to help contestants reduce their waists and their waste. Bottled water waste has become a very real environmental concern, with more than 38 billion disposable bottles sent to U.S. landfills last year. Trainers and contestants will pledge to use FilterForGood reusable bottles in an effort to take positive steps toward a healthier body and a healthier planet. You can check out the FFG bottles and take a pledge to reduce bottled water waste at FilterForGood.
Now grab yourself a giant glass of water and have a seat because I have a Brita faucet-mount filter and a reusable FilterForGood bottle to giveaway to you!!

Wordless Wednesday

My view while belaying DH while he top roped a path to the top of the climbing area

Wordless Wednesday

Look mom I think the Duck got me!