A few quick things

Okay, so Rylie has been the usual spunky 2 year old the past few weeks.  A few clean up tips that I believe I've posted in the past.  I've had to use these the past few weeks and want to pass them on, again.

Using alcohol for ink on walls, it works...to a certain degree.  It removed most of the ink from the wall, however if you look closely you can still see where Rylie thought the wall needed some art work.  When you use this method you have to put a little elbow grease into it.

A tip from my sister in law, Cathy, is to use shaving cream on carpet spots.  At first when she was telling me this I was like "okaaay, yeah sure", lol.  But it really does a great job.  I put the shaving cream on the offending stain and had a little bowl with water and a rag.  I rubbed in the shaving cream with my finger tips, and then dipped the rag in the water and continued to work the stain.  This even worked on some grape juice stains that I didn't know were on Rylie's bedroom carpet. 

The drain in the bathroom sink was really smelling bad.  So I poured some baking soda in it and followed that with a little bit of vinegar.  No more smelly sink!

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A re-post of a meal idea.  I've made this for dinner a few times now, and it is always a hit.   

CHEAP ROAST

"Cheap" Round Bone or Blade Cut Roast

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Aluminum foil, wide heavy duty

Preheat oven to 350degrees. Tear off about 2 1/2 to 3 feet of foil. Fold in half. Lay roast in middle of foil. Spread both soups over roast. Wrap and seal so juices won't drip out. Cook 3 hours at 350degrees. Be careful when you unwrap foil, so juices don't spill. Great because the cleanup is so easy!

This makes its own gravy that is really good.  I get a cheap roast at Aldi's (usually about $4 or $5) that is kind of small, so I only have to cook it for about an hour and a half.  Ialso throw some potatoes and carrots on top to cook with the roast. 

The thing is that Ray had been complaining about the roast that I was buying at Aldi's until I made it this way.  Last night after we had this for dinner he just kept complimenting me on the dinner and how good the meat was.  It is a good home cooked meal that is super easy.  Just throw some biscuits in the oven and your all set to go!

Have a great Friday!  Hugs!

Jill Marie

Home Remedy

                      

Headache:

~Eat 10-12 almonds, the equivalent of two aspirins, for a migraine headache. Almonds are far less likely to upset the stomach.
~Drinking two glasses of Gatorade® can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

Rylie is way big into the kissing thing.  On occassion now, she has grabbed my face and pulled me in to give me a kiss.  Once she even bit my lip.  Today I was making brownies and she was standing next to the frig facing the wall.  I turned and watched her because I kept hearing her say "hey, hey".  She would say "hey" and then lean in and kiss the wall.  I don't know, I have no idea...and I'm not sure I even want to know what was going on in her mind.  LOL 

Then there was the "incident" this morning.  She started to drag her little chair into the kitchen.  "Uhm, no", I said, "you are not going to use your chair for evil purposes today.  Put it back...now."  Oh mah gosh!  You would have thought I had just told her that I was going to shave her head and send her to boot camp.  She started crying and taking her chair back.  That's when I heard "Ow, ow, ow", as she kept looking over her shoulder to see if I was looking.

Okay, she SLIGHTLY bumped the chair on her foot.  When I say, "Are you okay baby?"  here come the tears and the howling.   "Aggghhh and OW" are all I can hear.  So I say "do you want me to kiss the owie and make it better?"  She thinks and then sits down and raises her leg and says "knee"...I thought is was the toe, but what do I know?  So I kiss her knee, and then she makes me kiss her foot, and all the toes, and then the ankle, then the other foot...here come all ten fingers!  LOL she was too funny.  But I guess it helped the "owie" go away.  Or rather she just forgot that she was pretending to be hurt, lol.

Have a great afternoon!  Hugs!

~Jill Marie

Tuesday Tip

                 

Trash Bag Idea: Save money on trash bags by reusing plastic grocery bags. Use them in all your trash cans. To keep them from slipping down, affix a plastic, self-adhesive hook to both sides of the inside of the trash can. Hang the shopping bag from the hooks.

By the way, I recently learned that "Goof-off" works wonders on crayons on the wall, on the freezer and on the dryer.  Yes, I have a little Picasso living in the house.  The smell is pretty terrible, but it does work great.

I had to get on here early to post this tip.  Rylie and I both have doctors appointments this morning.  First, I hope she doesn't have to get a shot.  I just hate that, me holding her tightly while they jab a sharp needle in her tiny little leg.  It hurts me to have to do that to her.

Second, I hope the doctor notices the weight loss and gives me some kudos.  Okay, okay so I'm a praise junky, lol.  I've been off the "diet" for a few weeks now and have maintained the loss.  I don't eat many potatoes and try to stick with wheat bread when I do eat bread.  I want to jump back on it for a month or so though.  I'd like to drop another 20 lbs or so.

Third, after my little trip to the ER a few weeks ago and the dose of nitro they gave me I hope he doesn't think it's time for a bunch of expensive tests and whatnot.  Hopefully, with the weight loss my blood pressure is getting stabilized.  Maybe if I lose more weight it would even get more towards normal.  Yeah, dream on girly, lol.

Well thats about it.  Have a great day and I'll see ya later.  Hugs!

Jill Marie

Birthday party

Tomorrow is Rylie Jo's birthday.  We had a pizza party for her today.  A big thank you to JB and Cathy for bringing the pizza's.  I made Rylie's cake.  Umm, there is a picture in here...it's suppossed to be a flower.  The outside petals and the leaf are strawberry cupcakes.  The double layer cake is vanilla marbled with strawberry.  It's not the prettiest looking cake, lol, but it was very moist and yummy.

Rylie got a purse and a puppy (stuffed, Mommy is allergic to the real thing).  Another purse with toy make-up and a cell phone.  A little bitty purse with a necklace and a bracelet.  (Uh yeah, she has this really awful habit of getting into everyones purse all the time.  Hopefully she will be too busy playing with her own now to mess with ours, lol) 

She also got a little fishing pole to catch magnetized fish...daddy had more fun with that than she did.  Actually I think he did some of his best fishing today.  Crayons and two coloring books, another toy cell phone.  Soap crayons and a little Nemo that swims in the bathtub.

Here are some of the pictures from today. 

 The cake.  Hey, it seemed like a good plan at the time, lol. 

  The birthday girl

       Looking like a celebrity incognito 

  Isn't she just the cutest thing?  

                    Rylie with her big brother, David.  She needed a little help blowing out the candles.  There's only 18 years and 3 months age difference between them, lol.

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Well, that is about it for today.  I think I finally got my computer all straightened out...crossing my fingers, knocking on wood, etc, etc.  So hopefully I will be able to get back on track here this week.

Have a great weekend.  Hugs!

~Jill Marie

Tuesday Tip-Spring cleaning

Good Morning!  I'm sorry I missed ya'll with yesterdays Monday menu idea.  However, I am having a wee bit of a computer problem here.  It appears that I blew up my Paint shop program when I tried using a filter program with it.  Now I can't open my program and I can't even get it removed from my computer to put it back on.  Grrrrr.

Oh well, on with the Tuesday cleaning tip.  Since yesterday was the first official day of spring today I am posting some spring cleaning tips that my mom forwarded on to me in an email.  I believe they come from a site that is called collections etc. 

             Spring Cleaning Tips

With Spring on its way, many of us are thinking about Spring cleaning. Being the season of renewal, Spring is the best time to rid your home of things you no longer use or need, to reorganize, and to redecorate. While Spring cleaning is generally not something looked upon fondly, we’ve put together some tips to help make it a little easier and much more fun. Here are five great tips for clearing up the Spring cleaning blues.


Open the windows in each area you clean. Not only will this allow the Winter mustiness out and fresh Spring air in, but it will help prevent a buildup of harmful fumes from cleaning supplies.

Make your own streak-free glass cleaner by mixing 2 cups of water, 2 cups of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 cup of ammonia in a spray bottle. Spray glass windows, doors, and mirrors, and use a clean, cotton cloth to wipe dry. The ammonia will clean; and the alcohol will speed up drying time and eliminate streaks. Never mix ammonia and bleach--the solution is toxic!

Clean it all out! Go through closets and get rid of everything you haven't worn in the last year. Make a detailed list ofitems (i.e. 2 pair ladies dress slacks, 1 man's belt, etc.), and take your items to a charity. Remember to get a receipt, and you can claim it on next year's tax return as a deduction! You'll be amazed at how much your "stuff" is worth.

Sprinkle baking soda on your carpeting and let it sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb musty odors during the night. Vacuum it up in the morning and you'll be amazed at how fresh your home will be.

Play some upbeat music to keep you going. It’s amazing how much faster time flies when you’re listening to music you enjoy.

By the way, if you have small childre like I do, give them a clean rag and an empty hairspray bottle and let them "help" you.  I usually ask Rylie (2 yrs this Sunday) to help me clean or with the laundry, and she absolutely loves it.  What a great way to teach your children to help out around the house, make it a game that they enjoy while they are young.

Have a great day!  Hugs!

~Jill Marie

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

                  

The wonderful tag was made by Brittany!  I love it! 

Well, by 9:30 this morning I had made a batch of chocolate chip scones and a loaf of Irish soda bread.  I've got my corned beef simmering away and can just rest and relax the rest of the day.  Yeah right, I wish, lol.

Just wanted to get on here quick and wish ya'll a wonderful St. Patricks.  Hugs!

~Jill Marie

Your Desperate Housewives double is Edie!

Sassy lady! You've got it going on. You know how to get what you want from men and women, whether you're sashaying around in a short skirt or convincing someone of your point of view with your quick verbal wit.

You like being in charge and getting your way, and you'll do what it takes to make sure that happens. Confident and charming, you can flirt your way out of any tough situation. It's hard to rattle a cool number like you. Lucky girl!

Oh my!  I think there may be a mistake somewhere on those results, lol.  I saw this test on Brittanys journal took it.  You can give it a try too right here...Take the Desperate Housewives Test.

Home Remedy

                    

Hang Over:  Eat honey on crackers. The fructose in the honey will help to flush out the alcohol in your system.

I used to eat a slice of bread with peanut butter on it before going to bed if I had been out drinking.  It always seemed to work for me.  Then there were those times we would hit Burger King before going home, that worked too.  Umm, depending on how often you go out drinking...that could cause you to gain some major weight, lol.

Hugs!

~Jill Marie

Pictures of Rylie Jo

Gosh I love my baby girl.  Her hair looks like it is finally starting to grow a little bit, so she looks a wee bit more like a girl. 

This first picture I took of her about a month ago.  She keeps getting into this box of old baby things and taking things out to play with.  She grabbed this little hat that she refused to keep on her bald little head when she was a wee baby and insists on wearing it now.

At least it matched her pj's.  She also likes to play with the baby doll that she got for Christmas.  Lately she keeps stripping the baby dolls pj's off of her, lol.

 

In the next picture Rylie is "taking pictures" with an old broken walkman that I've been letting her play with.  The one day she went around here "aiming" her little camera at Aimee and I like she was photographing us. 

 

In this last picture she has found another one of those little hats from when she was a bald baby.  She was wearing it and as soon as I went to take a picture she tried to stick her little toy on her ear.  I think she thinks it is an earring or something.

Gosh she has gorgeous blue eyes.  I took her to Wal-mart today.  Her second birthday is coming up on the 26th so I wanted to get a picture taken.  I put her in a denim dress and let me tell you, she looked too cute. 

She didn't take one bad picture.  The photographer even said he thought she would be hard to get a good picture of because she has so much energy.  But every single one was just perfect.  I wish I could have ordered all of them, but I only got 4 of the 7 pictures taken.  The whole kit and kaboodle would have been $250...yikes!  We went with the "cheap" package (still a pretty penny) and I picked my four favorites of the pictures. 

They will be back on the 6th.  I'll have to scan them and post them when I get them.  Don't worry Grandma's...you will get some as soon as possible.

Well, that's it.  Have a good night.  I'll see ya'll later!  HUGS!

~Jill Marie

Tuesday Tip

               

As I say on my  Web Page, these are tips that have been emailed to me, or that I have found on the Internet.  I have not tried all of them and cannot guarantee their effectiveness.  If you do try one and it works, or if you have another one that works for you, let me know.  

 

Tarnished Silverware: Line a cake pan with aluminum foil. Fill with water and add 1 Tbs. of baking soda per 2 cups of water. Heat to 150 degrees. Lay silverware in pan, touching aluminum foil. Watch the stains disappear!

 

Whew!  I love when I wake up early.  I feel like I get so much more accomplished.  Today I got up at 6am, Rylie got up shortly after me too, which is great because now she is napping.  YEA!  lol

 

I've got Rylie's bedroom, my bed and bath vacuumed.  Did a load of laundry.  Cleaned up the toys in Ry's room and the living room.  Cleaned the kitchen.  Quick sweep of the living room, even though I just vacuumed it yesterday, had to do Rylie's pathways...lot's of crumbs, lol.

 

Well, naptime is apparently over...see ya'll later!  HUGS!

 

~Jill Marie

Monday Menu Idea

Okay, I went to the grocery store on Saturday and got the groceries for the week, including the corned beef and cabbage for St. Pat's day this Friday.  Funny that a blue eyed, blonde, part Mexican, part American Indian is planning to celebrate an Irish holiday, huh?  LOL 

Well, I got to looking at the recipe that I had for my meal and realized...I don't have a pressure cooker.  Oops!  So I went and dug up a few recipes for the meal that don't require one.   This first one is from a site called the Global Gourmet:

IRELAND
Irish Ale and Stout Party:
Corned Beef & Cabbage in Ale

Serves 4
By Kate Heyhoe

2-3 pound cut of corned beef
24 ounces ale (Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale)
2 carrots, cut into chunks
12 small red potatoes
4 onions, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon dry mustard (Coleman's)
1 large sprig thyme (optional)
1 head cabbage, quartered

Place the beef in a large pot with the ale, carrots, potatoes, onions, mustard and thyme (if using). Add just enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer gently 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Halfway through, check the vegetables: when they are tender, remove them and set aside. Add the cabbage quarters and cook until tender, about 15 to 30 minutes. When the meat is tender, return all vegetables to the pot and reheat. Serve the meat in slices, surrounded by the vegetables and broth.

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This one you can make in your crock pot:

Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

The slow cooker is the perfect way to go for this traditional dish, since it must bubble away untended for hours, in any event. Be sure to serve with crusty bread, and Dijon mustard and horseradish on the side.

Ingredients

4 cups hot water
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
2tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 large or 2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1 3-lb. corned beef round or brisket, packaged with spices
8 small white or yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
1 head of green cabbage (about 1 1/2 lbs.), cored and cut into 10 wedges

Directions

1. In a 6-quart electric slow cooker, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, pepper and onions, mixing well. Place the corned beef in the mixture. Scatter the potatoes over the top and along the sides.
2. Cover and cook on the High heat setting 4 hours. Remove the lid and scatter the cabbage wedges over the top. Cover and continue cooking on High 3 to 4 hours longer, or until the beef is tender. To serve, carve the beef into slices and serve with the cabbage and potatoes, with some of the cooking liquid spooned on top of the beef to keep it moist. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

 

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And here is another recipe:

 

Corned Beef Brisket with Cabbage

3 lb. corned beef brisket
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 medium head of cabbage, cored, cut into wedges
1 cup maple-flavored or pancake syrup
1/2 cup KRAFT Pure Prepared Mustard
1 Tbsp. KRAFT Prepared Horseradish

PLACE meat in large saucepan. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves and enough water just to cover all ingredients. Cover with lid. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 1 hour. Drain, reserving meat in pan. Remove and discard bay leaves.
COVER meat with fresh water; cover with lid. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer an additional 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat from pan, reserving liquid in pan; place meat in shallow baking pan. Add cabbage to reserved liquid in pan; cook until tender. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Mix syrup, mustard and horseradish; spoon half of the syrup mixture over meat. Reserve remaining syrup mixture for brushing onto cooked meat.
BAKE 20 minutes or until meat is well glazed, brushing frequently with the remaining syrup mixture. Place meat on serving platter. Spoon pan drippings over meat. Serve with cabbage.

 

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I don't know, they all sound pretty good.  I guess I will look to see what I have in the pantry to decide which one I will prepare.  I think I bought the wrong type of cabbage though, I got a purple one, I'm not sure how much of a difference that will make.  It sure looks pretty though, lol.

 

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Have a great week everyone!  HUGS!

 

~Jill Marie

 

PS~I almost forgot...it's not St Patricks day if you don't have a good cup of Irish coffee, lol.  Here's a recipe for that too.

 

Irish Coffee

 

Ingredients 1/2  cup hot strong coffee 1  tablespoon Irish whiskey 2  teaspoons sugar    Whipped cream    Ground cinnamon or nutmeg

 

Directions In a coffee cup or mug stir together hot coffee and Irish whiskey. Stir in sugar. Top with a dollop of whipped cream; sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg. Makes 1 (6-ounce) serving.

Zen Sarcasm

Thank you Sascha for another cute email.  I hadn't gotten this one before and decided to share it with ya'll.  I especially like number 18, sounds right to me, lol. 

 

 

ZEN SARCASM

 

   1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk

ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty

much leave me the hell alone.

   2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan

belt and leaky tire.

   3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to

steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

   4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you

can't be promoted.

   5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone

else.

   6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

   7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a

couple of car payments.

   8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in

their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you

have their shoes.

   9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

   10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him

how to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

   11. If you lent someone $20 and never see that person again,

it was probably worth it.

   12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember

anything.

   13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the

windshield.

   14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

   15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in

half and put it back in your pocket.

   16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

   17. Duct tape is like "The Force". It has a light side and a

dark side, and it holds the universe together.

   18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither

one works.

   19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your

lips are moving.

   20. Experience is something you don't get until just after

you need it.

   21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

   22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and

a laxative on the same night.

 

Tgif and HUGS! 

 

~Jill Marie

Thursday Home Remedies

                    

These are home health/beauty remedies that have been emailed to me or that I found on the Internet.  I have not tried them all and do NOT guarantee the effectiveness of them.  If you try one and it works, or if you have one that works for you, please email me.  Thanks. 

Hair Color Enhancing 

Rhubarb:
To lighten hair, use 1/4 cup chopped fresh rhubarb to 2 cups boiling water. Cool, strain, and apply as a rinse.

Lemons & Chamomile:
Rinsing your hair with a mixture of water and lemon juice can help to lighten your hair color. This works best on already light hair (light brown and blonde) and can be enhanced if you leave the mixture in your hair and then head out into the sun. Don't do this if you are worried about your hair going really light! You can produce a similar effect by rinsing your hair with freshly brewed chamomile tea - just make sure it's cooled down before pouring it onto your scalp.

Coffee:
To give brown hair a warmer glow, brew one strong cup of espresso and let cool completely. Pour the coffee onto dry hair and leave it on for 20 minutes. Now rinse it out. Your hair should shine and glow like never before.

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Rylie seems to be feeling a bit better.  She really picked up when daddy got home.  I only saw her dance once yesterday though and she usually does it all the time when Disney is on.  However, towards the end of American Idol she got up and shook her booty a little bit.

I'm still keeping a close eye on her though.  She only had about 2 or 3 wet diapers yesterday, one of which was barely wet, and that is not normal for her.  If she doesn't pee more today I may end up calling the doctors office again. 

She did throw up again more last night.  But her dad gave her some M&M's and I think that the chocolate may have been too much for her little tummy.  Luckily I took the candies and put them in a little bowl for her.  About 15 minutes later she came walking out to the kitchen and handed me the bowl, with the "vile-ness" in it.  There was only one little spot of it on the hallway floor, vinyl tiled so it was a cinch to clean up.

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Well I hope ya'll are healthy and your families too.  Have a great day.  HUGS!

~Jill Marie

 

Rylie is a pretty girl

Last month Rylie got into her big sister's purse and found some lipstick.  She loves lipstick...usually she likes to eat it.  However, this particular time she decided to wear it.  Isn't she just precious?  LOL

She was not happy about having her picture taken or getting cleaned up.  Hey Grandma Blossom...do ya see a little bit of her father in there?  LOL

 

Sick baby today~St Pat's meal recipes

        

That's my baby girl resting on the couch watching her Disney channel.  She has had diarehea for about 3 days now.  Then last night she started throwing up.  Scared the heck out of her as it was the first time she ever threw up.  After the second bout of vomiting at about 9:30 last night I decided to take her to the emergency room.  I know, a litttle worry-wort, but I was scared that vomitting on top of the diarehea might cause her to become dehydrated.

They said it is gastrointestinal virus, basically a stomach bug.  Apparently it is really making the rounds here in this area.  She's been acting fine this week, but today she is just laying around and resting.  She's moaned a few times, so I bet her little stomach is really hurting.  I've got to make a run to the store here in a bit and pick up some 7-Up for her.  I've got some Pedialyte here, but she takes a sip and makes a nasty little noise like I am trying to poison her or something.

I was washing the sheets on our bed today, so the pillows and blankets were lying on the floor.  I went to look for the little peanut and she had curled up on the floor on the pillows and was just laying there.  Poor baby.  I feel so bad for her.  I hope she gets over this soon.  There just isn't a whole lot I can do for her except hold her and love her up a bunch.

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Okay, here is a St. Patricks Day meal recipe I got from Better Homes and Gardens.  I think this is what I am going to make next week.

Corned Beef and Cabbage
 

Ingredients

1  3-pound corned beef brisket

1/2  cup sliced onion(1small)

1   bay leaf

1/2  teaspoon whole black peppercorns

3  cups water

1  1-1/2-pound cabbage, cut into 6 wedges

 

Directions 1. Trim any visible fat from the meat. Set aside.

2. Place rack in a 4- to 6-quart pressure cooker. Add the meat, onion, bay leaf, black peppercorns, and water.

3. Lock lid in place. Place pressure regulator on vent pipe (if you have a first-generation cooker). Over high heat, bring cooker up to pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain pressure and pressure regulator rocks gently; cook for 50 minutes.

4. Allow pressure to come down naturally. Carefully remove lid. With a slotted spoon remove the meat and onions to a serving platter; set aside.

5. Place the wedges of cabbage in the pressure cooker. Lock lid in place. Place pressure regulator on vent pipe (if you have a first-generation cooker). Over high heat, bring cooker up to pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain pressure and pressure regulator rocks gently; cook for 2 minutes.

6. Quick-release the pressure. Carefully remove lid. With a slotted spoon remove the cabbage wedges. Serve with meat and onions. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

 

Irish Soda Bread

 

Ingredients

2  cups all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3  tablespoons margarine or butter

1/4  cup raisins (optional)

1   egg white, slightly beaten

3/4  cup buttermilk    

Nonstick cooking spray 1

/4  teaspoon salt

 

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins, if desired. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine egg white and buttermilk. Add all at once to dry mixture. Stir just until moistened.

3. On a lightly floured surface knead dough 10 to 12 strokes until nearly smooth. Shape into a 7-inch round loaf.

4. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray Place bread dough on baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make 2 slashes in the top to form an X.

5. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 30 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Makes 1 loaf (16 servings).

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Have a good day ya'll!  HUGS!

~Jill Marie

 

Cleaning! Blpppphhhttt!

I wish I had stock in this...  I have been doing so much cleaning with bleach this week, I think my skin is about to start peeling off.  I know, I know...that's what they make those big ugly yellow gloves for.

So early last week I started to clean out our bedroom closet.  Anyone remember what I found in there the last time I started to clean it?  I'll give ya a hint...it was in late November.  And it was real "ewwie", lol.

That's right, evidence of our friend, Fat Freddy.  Our winter season little mouse.  The one that would go find chocolate and then eat it under our bed.  By the way, we haven't seen hair nor turd of him for several months now.  Thank the Lord.

Anyway, this time I went to slide a box of about 30 or 40 video's across the floor.  I use to work at a video store so I was able to buy them real cheap and have a bunch of them.  But it seemed hard to move, so I tried to pick it up.  That's when I noticed it.  The bottom of the box was all wet.  Oh-mah-gosh...we had a leak.

I had to move everything out of the closet and into our room.  Which is where it stayed all week, driving this "Anal Annie" crazy, lol.  Ray thought it might be the seal on the toilet leaking and waited until the weekend to have his brother, John, help him.

In the meantime, I spent all last week keeping Ms Nosey-Butt-I-wanna-touch-everything out of all the boxes.  Boxes of videos (which had to be dried off, and I hope they still work), boxes of shoes, boxes of Christmas decorations and gifts for next year.  Yes!  I already have a box of gifts for next year...I told ya, Anal Annie, lol.

So Saturday Ray and John got in there and looked at it and discovered it was a leaky pipe going into the water heater, which is located on the other side of the closet wall.  They got it fixed...YEA boys! 

So I got a bottle and filled it with Bleach and a little water and sprayed down the walls and the carpet.  I don't want any mold to get started growing in there.  I set the fan in the closet and on Sunday when the carpet was all dried I poured carpet deodorized on and let it set up a bit and then vacuumed.  Then I organized my closet again...YEA!

By the way...yes, my clothes are organized by color.  They go black, white, beige and tans, pinks, reds, purples, blues and then greens.  Mine are on blue hangers and Ray's are on green hangers. 

Today I cleaned the kitchen floor and the laundry area floor with a spray bottle filled with bleach and water.  It would seem to be a bit crazy to get down on my hands and knees and spray the floor and scrub it by hand, huh?  But it actually seems to be the easiest way to get it really clean.  Go figure. 

I also did a load of laundry.  I went and got Rylie some diapers and butt paste (Boudreux's Butt paste is great for rashes by the way).  I stopped and got her some milk and juice. 

I cleaned up Rylie's bedroom and ran the sweeper.  While she ran and jumped on the sofa.  She still hates the sweeper with a passion.  All I have to say is "I think I need to run the sweeper" and she takes off running for the safety of the sofa. 

Oh, I also cleaned the shower and garden tub in the master bathroom.  Hmm, which reminds me, I need to go in there and clean the toliet and wash the mirror off. 

Well, that is all I've gotten accomplished today.  I just love to get everything all cleaned and organized.  It just feels like I got something good accomplished and everything is in place.  Which is soothing to me, lol.

Well, I got some time before the ol' man will be home.  He is working late tonight, and Rylie just fell asleep about half an hour ago.  So I think I will enjoy my quiet time and either play a game or work on some Paint shop things.  Have a great one.

HUGS!

~Jill Marie

                 

As I say on my  Web Page, these are tips that have been emailed to me, or that I have found on the Internet.  I have not tried all of them and cannot guarantee their effectiveness.  If you do try one and it works, or if you have another one that works for you, let me know.   

Stovetops: To prevent grease and grime from sticking to your stove top, making it easy to clean, rub it down with car wax on occasion.

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My pet peeve for the day is people talking about your children and what you're doing wrong as if they think they have raised perfect kids.  Get real!  Clean the mess up in your own backyard before you start talking crap to me.

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So since I brought up the subject of kids, I did a quick "feeling lucky" google search on the words "kids".  It sent me here PBS Kids.

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Have a wonderful day!  HUGS!

~Jill Marie

Monday Menu Idea

Okay this is another recipe I got from Kraft.  I love doing roasts because they are really so easy.  Just throw your meat and veggies in a pan and put them in the oven for the afternoon. 

Easy Roasted Pork

1 boneless pork roast (3 lb.) 3/4 cup KRAFT CATALINA Dressing, divided 4 medium each: potatoes, beets, onions and carrots, quartered

 

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Place pork in large lightly greased roasting pan; brush with 1/2 cup of the dressing. PLACE vegetables in large bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup dressing; toss to coat. Add potatoes and beets to pork in pan. Bake 15 min. Remove pan from oven.

ADD onions and carrots to ingredients in pan. Bake 1-1/2 hours or until pork is cooked through (160°F), basting occasionally with the pan juices. Let stand 10 min. before cutting pork into slices. Serve with the vegetables.

For dessert here is a recipe I just got from a friend.  Thanks Debbie, it sounds yummy!

Apple Crisp

Peel and slice apples in a bowl. Cut and slice them.

Add 1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Cup sugar

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

add little water & mix lightly

For the topping:

1 Cup Oats, 1 Cup Flour, 1 Cup Brown Sugar,1 Cup Olive Oil or Butter & mix with for until crumbly. Smooth over the apples

Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes (until apples or tender or until browned)

I don't know about any of ya'll but I love using Granny Smith apples when I am baking.  I love the tartness of them with the sweetness of the sugar in the recipes.

Have a wonderful day ya'll!  HUGS!

~Jill Marie

Home Remedy~Diet Update

           

These are home health/beauty remedies that have been emailed to me or that I found on the Internet.  I have not tried them all and do NOT guarantee the effectiveness of them.  If you try one and it works, or if you have one that works for you, please email me.  Thanks. 

Gum in hair:  Soak the gum-coated hair in Coke® and it should wipe out easily.

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I have still been trying to maintain a Low-carb diet, yet I have on occassion eaten things that I probably shouldn't.  For example, last night Ray wanted to have chili dogs, cottage cheese and cheese curls for dinner.  So I ate one hot dog (bun included) with ketchup, mustard and onions on it.  I think that was the second time in the past 2 weeks that I've eaten bread. 

So it surprised me today when, for the first time in about a week, I got on the scale and it said that I had lost another 4 pounds.  Weeeeeee!  I am about as thrilled as I could be.  A friend also gave me some clothes and I was pleasantly surprised when I tried on the size 9 pants and they fit just slightly snug.  I am getting there.

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Have a wonderful day.  Just one more day to get through until the weekend!  HUGS!

~Jill Marie