I meant to put up a Wacky Wednesday post yesterday. Really, I did. But then, as it sometimes happens, time somehow just slipped away from me. Nevertheless, I have some good news to report!
My studio (which my husband has so generously devoted every waking moment - except those moments that he's working, of course - to for the past 5 days) is almost complete! The spackling is FINALLY finished and he started texturing last night. Unfortunately, the "estimated coverage area" on the texture bottle was....well....FAR from accurate, and what he thought would cover two sides of a wall actually only covered about 2/3 of the first side.
Lo and behold, things are moving right along and I am so thankful for my husband doing this for me. I'd love to do it myself but with being pregnant and all, manual labor isn't really "my thing" right now.
I wasn't able to make it to the hardware store yesterday as I had planned, so I'll have to make that trip tonight....probably while my husband finishes texturing our walls and possibly gets a start on the painting part of it too.
______________________________________________________
I am thankful for numerous things involved in this process:
1. I have a VERY devoted, generous husband who has hardly slept for the past week just so I can have my studio completed by Saturday. (I actually am planning to use it on Saturday. I didn't just pick a random day and demand it finished by then.) :)
2. God has truly blessed my business endeavors over the past year and therefore we've been able to build this wall with only business funds. We will not need to donate any of our personal money to the cause.
3. Our children have been going right to sleep at night (a miracle for ANY week!) so we've been able to get lots of things done during that after-bedtime time.
4. (This one has nothing to do with my studio....) I am officially halfway through my pregnancy today! So far, everything looks great. I have my ultrasound next week, but we will not be finding out what the gender of our little one is. Of course, unless we change our minds. :) But we probably won't.
_________________________________________________________
By the way, if you'd like to see the studio, you can visit my photography blog. There are a few entries, so you can just scroll down and get the latest info. :)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sometime Soon....
I know I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but I wanted to remind you again.....
This domain address will soon disappear. It has officially expired now but will remain active until GoDaddy gets around to terminating it completely.
You will now need to type in: TodaysDailyDose.blogspot.com to reach this blog.
Now, can anyone please tell me how to keep this post at the top? I know it's possible because I've seen it done several times, but......this pregnant brain is fried! Help!
This domain address will soon disappear. It has officially expired now but will remain active until GoDaddy gets around to terminating it completely.
You will now need to type in: TodaysDailyDose.blogspot.com to reach this blog.
Now, can anyone please tell me how to keep this post at the top? I know it's possible because I've seen it done several times, but......this pregnant brain is fried! Help!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tasty Tuesday - Chicken and Stuffing, Round 2
Several months ago, I posted a crockpot recipe for chicken and stuffing. While it was pretty delicious, it had a few flaws.
1. The recipe called for stuffing crumbs, which didn't exactly turn into stuffing - more like a really thick gravy. Once the recipe had become leftovers the next day, THEN there was stuffing. But you know, I like my recipes to turn out the way they're supposed to before a 24-hr period has passed.
2. (And this isn't really a flaw to most people, but...) it's a crockpot recipe. And while I love crockpot recipes....sometimes, I'm kinda bad at planning ahead. I typically prepare dinner during the afternoon hours when my kids are napping and, well, crockpot recipes don't really work if they aren't started until 2pm.
So last week I tried an oven version of this dinner, using my head knowledge of cooking (which is pretty little) and whatever ingredients I had on hand. I like my recipes to be flexible, so using what I have on hand rather than running to the store all the time is really helpful when it comes to saving money.
Over the past few months, I have become a stalker of two cooking blogs that I absolutely LOVE. One thing that their readers often express appreciation for is their PILE of pictures in each blog post. I admit, it does help to be able to see what the cook is doing. Plus, I really like taking pictures. (I guess that goes with the photographer territory?) So, in an attempt to be as cool as this blog and this blog, I have several pictures for you today!
I know you're jumping for joy on the other side of that screen. Don't even try to deny it.
___________________________________________________
Modified Chicken and Stuffing
6 chicken breast halves
4-ish cups bread cubes
2 cans cream of chicken
1 cup chicken broth
thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper (sorry, I don't measure)
4 T. melted butter or margerine
1. Grease 9x13 inch pan.
2. Chop bread into cubes. I used hot dog buns because the "best by" date had already come and gone and I had no hot dogs in the fridge.
3. Spread bread cubes into greased pan.
4. Mix chicken broth, cream of chicken, and seasonings.
5. Melt butter and pour over bread crumbs. (And let me just tell you...taking a picture while pouring is...um....a lot harder than it might appear.)
6. Pour 3/4 of the creamy chicken mixture over bread cubes.
7. Wash and dry chicken. Cut each breast in half. (This is not actually necessary, but since it probably cooks a little faster, I generally do it this way.)
8. Place chicken pieces on top of bread crumbs in pan. Add remaining creamy chicken mixture to the tops of the chicken pieces.
9. Cover and bake in 400 degree oven for 1 hr or until done.
10. Eat. This time around, I wound up with quite a bit of soggy goodness at the bottom and then more "gravy". I'm not sure what it is about this recipe, but apparently it still needs tweaked. I just cut up some more bread cubes and put the gravy on top w/ the chicken. It worked out okay, but I will keep perfecting it. My husband suggested trying it with dried bread cubes and I think that might work better.
1. The recipe called for stuffing crumbs, which didn't exactly turn into stuffing - more like a really thick gravy. Once the recipe had become leftovers the next day, THEN there was stuffing. But you know, I like my recipes to turn out the way they're supposed to before a 24-hr period has passed.
2. (And this isn't really a flaw to most people, but...) it's a crockpot recipe. And while I love crockpot recipes....sometimes, I'm kinda bad at planning ahead. I typically prepare dinner during the afternoon hours when my kids are napping and, well, crockpot recipes don't really work if they aren't started until 2pm.
So last week I tried an oven version of this dinner, using my head knowledge of cooking (which is pretty little) and whatever ingredients I had on hand. I like my recipes to be flexible, so using what I have on hand rather than running to the store all the time is really helpful when it comes to saving money.
Over the past few months, I have become a stalker of two cooking blogs that I absolutely LOVE. One thing that their readers often express appreciation for is their PILE of pictures in each blog post. I admit, it does help to be able to see what the cook is doing. Plus, I really like taking pictures. (I guess that goes with the photographer territory?) So, in an attempt to be as cool as this blog and this blog, I have several pictures for you today!
I know you're jumping for joy on the other side of that screen. Don't even try to deny it.
___________________________________________________
Modified Chicken and Stuffing
6 chicken breast halves
4-ish cups bread cubes
2 cans cream of chicken
1 cup chicken broth
thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper (sorry, I don't measure)
4 T. melted butter or margerine
1. Grease 9x13 inch pan.
2. Chop bread into cubes. I used hot dog buns because the "best by" date had already come and gone and I had no hot dogs in the fridge.
3. Spread bread cubes into greased pan.
4. Mix chicken broth, cream of chicken, and seasonings.
5. Melt butter and pour over bread crumbs. (And let me just tell you...taking a picture while pouring is...um....a lot harder than it might appear.)
6. Pour 3/4 of the creamy chicken mixture over bread cubes.
7. Wash and dry chicken. Cut each breast in half. (This is not actually necessary, but since it probably cooks a little faster, I generally do it this way.)
8. Place chicken pieces on top of bread crumbs in pan. Add remaining creamy chicken mixture to the tops of the chicken pieces.
9. Cover and bake in 400 degree oven for 1 hr or until done.
10. Eat. This time around, I wound up with quite a bit of soggy goodness at the bottom and then more "gravy". I'm not sure what it is about this recipe, but apparently it still needs tweaked. I just cut up some more bread cubes and put the gravy on top w/ the chicken. It worked out okay, but I will keep perfecting it. My husband suggested trying it with dried bread cubes and I think that might work better.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Yay! A Bread Machine!
I am so excited! I bought a bread machine WITH MANUAL (a must for this woman) at a garage sale this weekend for $5. It is currently running its first loaf in my kitchen.
I can't wait and will definitely post the recipe if this loaf turns out!
Yummm.......
I can't wait and will definitely post the recipe if this loaf turns out!
Yummm.......
Friday, April 24, 2009
Foto Friday!
Oh, how I LOVE waking up to a temperature of 69 degrees! I'm sure I'll regret saying that later today when it reaches the mid-80s, but...oh well. :)
This week, I posted a lot on my photography blog, so you can head over there for a bunch of random things if you're bored. Early in the week I posted about Reagan FINALLY learning how to walk by herself! Even though there are pictures of her walking, I really think this one is cuter. :)
This week, I posted a lot on my photography blog, so you can head over there for a bunch of random things if you're bored. Early in the week I posted about Reagan FINALLY learning how to walk by herself! Even though there are pictures of her walking, I really think this one is cuter. :)
Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy your weekend!
Oh, and one more thing: Can anyone tell me why my font is changing before and after my pictures? This has been happening all week and I can't figure it out.
Oh, and one more thing: Can anyone tell me why my font is changing before and after my pictures? This has been happening all week and I can't figure it out.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Town Hall For Hope!
Tired of hearing all the fear, doom and gloom that's filling the airwaves? Join Dave Ramsey for a nationwide town hall meeting and discover what's happening with the economy, how we got here, and where we're going. Plus Dave will answer your questions live throughout the event!
Join the masses for this free event TONIGHT, April 23rd at 8:00 EDT in one of the thousands of venues across the country as we stand together to reignite the fire of HOPE!
Join the masses for this free event TONIGHT, April 23rd at 8:00 EDT in one of the thousands of venues across the country as we stand together to reignite the fire of HOPE!
To find a venue near you, click here.
"I am an American and I am not participating in this recession."
"I am an American and I am not participating in this recession."
And Then The Car Died - Thankful Thursday Edition
Yesterday around 4:25p, my cell phone rang the sweet notes it belts out WAY too loudly whenever my dear husband calls. Him calling at this time usually means he is running late and just realized what time it was. But yesterday, he called for a different reason.
"Hi. Um....my car died."
It was no big surprise, really. We bought his car at the county auction late last winter for $500 and have recently been commenting to each other on how surprised we are that it's still around. I figured it was about time for another trip to the auction. (Yes, this is how we always do his work cars.)
"Alright, well let me get the girls up from their naps and we'll be on our way."
Sienna, cute as she is, is quite the whiner. Actually, it's ridiculous. So let's skip over the part where she screamed from the time I got her up to the time when we got to Daniel's car.
*Fast forward noises*
He was parked on the left side of the interstate right next to the median. Not my ideal location for sitting during rush hour, but what can ya do? Since he was 99% sure the car was completely unusable from this point forward, he went ahead and loaded all the stuff from his car and trunk into the back of the van. All the while I watched in my rear view mirror, just waiting for us to be run over.
It's funny how you don't think much about slowing down or moving over when there is a car on the side of the road......until it's YOU.
When all his stuff was loaded up, we backed up and managed to make it out of there alive.
*Whew*
At home, Daniel went to work on the computer searching for one of those we'll-tow-away-your-vehicle-and-pay-you-a-few-bucks-for-the-parts people. In the process, he must have decided to also search for what had gone wrong with the car and why.
A few minutes later, he reported to me that it was possible that he could switch out a fuse and change the car to front-wheel drive instead of 4-wheel drive, since the back wheels seemed to be what "broke".
So after dinner, out we went once again to risk our lives on the left side of the interstate. He quickly switched the fuse and I was confident we weren't going to die. But then he came back to the van and stated, "The battery's dead."
Well now, here's a dilemma if I've ever heard of one. But really, we had no other choice. So we backed up, waited and waited and waited for traffic to clear, and pulled a sweet circle. In two parts.
Aaaand, let's skip again over the next part of the story where Daniel connected the cars to charge the battery and I sat biting my nails, facing traffic, feeling the van rock in the "breeze" of oncoming traffic, but being unable to see it due to the hood of both vehicles being up in front of me. Oh dear.
Thankfully, the car did work after that shenanigan we pulled and Daniel was able to drive it home and has so far today had no major problems with it.
I've drawn out the whole scenario for you in basketball-like play moves so if you're completely confused (Katy), maybe this will help:
"Hi. Um....my car died."
It was no big surprise, really. We bought his car at the county auction late last winter for $500 and have recently been commenting to each other on how surprised we are that it's still around. I figured it was about time for another trip to the auction. (Yes, this is how we always do his work cars.)
"Alright, well let me get the girls up from their naps and we'll be on our way."
Sienna, cute as she is, is quite the whiner. Actually, it's ridiculous. So let's skip over the part where she screamed from the time I got her up to the time when we got to Daniel's car.
*Fast forward noises*
He was parked on the left side of the interstate right next to the median. Not my ideal location for sitting during rush hour, but what can ya do? Since he was 99% sure the car was completely unusable from this point forward, he went ahead and loaded all the stuff from his car and trunk into the back of the van. All the while I watched in my rear view mirror, just waiting for us to be run over.
It's funny how you don't think much about slowing down or moving over when there is a car on the side of the road......until it's YOU.
When all his stuff was loaded up, we backed up and managed to make it out of there alive.
*Whew*
At home, Daniel went to work on the computer searching for one of those we'll-tow-away-your-vehicle-and-pay-you-a-few-bucks-for-the-parts people. In the process, he must have decided to also search for what had gone wrong with the car and why.
A few minutes later, he reported to me that it was possible that he could switch out a fuse and change the car to front-wheel drive instead of 4-wheel drive, since the back wheels seemed to be what "broke".
So after dinner, out we went once again to risk our lives on the left side of the interstate. He quickly switched the fuse and I was confident we weren't going to die. But then he came back to the van and stated, "The battery's dead."
Well now, here's a dilemma if I've ever heard of one. But really, we had no other choice. So we backed up, waited and waited and waited for traffic to clear, and pulled a sweet circle. In two parts.
Aaaand, let's skip again over the next part of the story where Daniel connected the cars to charge the battery and I sat biting my nails, facing traffic, feeling the van rock in the "breeze" of oncoming traffic, but being unable to see it due to the hood of both vehicles being up in front of me. Oh dear.
Thankfully, the car did work after that shenanigan we pulled and Daniel was able to drive it home and has so far today had no major problems with it.
I've drawn out the whole scenario for you in basketball-like play moves so if you're completely confused (Katy), maybe this will help:
I know. You stand in awe of my mad drawing skills. What can I say? I'm just amazing like that.
We know this car won't last forever, but really, why replace it until we have to? I realize this line of thinking doesn't fall into everyone's head as logical. But we like our illogical, debt-free lives. :)
This week's "thankfuls":
We didn't die on the interstate the first time we visited the car.
We didn't die on the interstate the second time we visited the car.
We didn't die on the interstate as we did a huge circle to charge the battery of the car.
We didn't die on the interstate as we pulled another semi-circle after the battery of the car had been sufficiently charged.
Ok, maybe that sounds shallow to you, but I happen to know I'm not the only one who's terrified of sitting on the side of the interstate. Especially the FAST side.
This week's "thankfuls":
We didn't die on the interstate the first time we visited the car.
We didn't die on the interstate the second time we visited the car.
We didn't die on the interstate as we did a huge circle to charge the battery of the car.
We didn't die on the interstate as we pulled another semi-circle after the battery of the car had been sufficiently charged.
Ok, maybe that sounds shallow to you, but I happen to know I'm not the only one who's terrified of sitting on the side of the interstate. Especially the FAST side.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Works For Me Wednesday - The Laundry Table
In light on our recent decision to turn our dining room into a small studio space for me, we've been reorganizing and moving around all sorts of things in our home. One of the things we moved what a 6-ft long table from our kitchen to our loft.
My husband made the table a few years ago to match the design of our real kitchen table. It's beautiful, really. But I guess I should explain that it's more of a bar than a table. It's only 2 feet wide, but it's perfect for large group seating. Anyway, we moved it upstairs into our absolutely empty loft.
Why is our loft empty, you ask? Well, because. We have 3 small toddlers in our home and, with an open loft, you really can't put any furniture there without fear that they will climb over the edge and...well....you know. But since there are NO portable chairs upstairs, we thought it would be safe to put this rather tall table in the loft.
It's been there for 2 days and let me just say - it's been a HUGE blessing when it comes to folding laundry!
Previously (and by that, I mean, for the past 4 years), I've always just thrown the laundry on the floor of the loft until I was ready to fold it. And since it was soooo easy to just push it off to the side, we oftentimes wound up with 4 or 5 loads of laundry there on the floor, making folding time about 45 minutes long. (Eek.)
The fact that we are capable of having 4 or 5 loads of laundry in one place without folding it for a day or two is surely a sign that we all have waaayy too many clothes. But I digress.
In the past 2 days, I've folded 4 loads of laundry as they came out of the dryer on the table. No bending down. No reaching across the loft for the matching sock. And my husband's personal favorite, no falling asleep in the loft after folding clothes for nearly an hour straight. :) I'm sure my success has something to do with the fact that I'm beginning to FINALLY come out of my sick pregnant stage and feel energetic again, but I think some of it probably has to do with the ease of the table too. :)
So now I'm wondering...is having a laundry table a common thing for most Americans? Or am I the only one? If you have the space and don't have one already, I highly recommend giving it a try! It's been wonderful!
My husband made the table a few years ago to match the design of our real kitchen table. It's beautiful, really. But I guess I should explain that it's more of a bar than a table. It's only 2 feet wide, but it's perfect for large group seating. Anyway, we moved it upstairs into our absolutely empty loft.
Why is our loft empty, you ask? Well, because. We have 3 small toddlers in our home and, with an open loft, you really can't put any furniture there without fear that they will climb over the edge and...well....you know. But since there are NO portable chairs upstairs, we thought it would be safe to put this rather tall table in the loft.
It's been there for 2 days and let me just say - it's been a HUGE blessing when it comes to folding laundry!
Previously (and by that, I mean, for the past 4 years), I've always just thrown the laundry on the floor of the loft until I was ready to fold it. And since it was soooo easy to just push it off to the side, we oftentimes wound up with 4 or 5 loads of laundry there on the floor, making folding time about 45 minutes long. (Eek.)
The fact that we are capable of having 4 or 5 loads of laundry in one place without folding it for a day or two is surely a sign that we all have waaayy too many clothes. But I digress.
In the past 2 days, I've folded 4 loads of laundry as they came out of the dryer on the table. No bending down. No reaching across the loft for the matching sock. And my husband's personal favorite, no falling asleep in the loft after folding clothes for nearly an hour straight. :) I'm sure my success has something to do with the fact that I'm beginning to FINALLY come out of my sick pregnant stage and feel energetic again, but I think some of it probably has to do with the ease of the table too. :)
So now I'm wondering...is having a laundry table a common thing for most Americans? Or am I the only one? If you have the space and don't have one already, I highly recommend giving it a try! It's been wonderful!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
K-mart Double Coupons
***And don't forget that if you are in the Indy area there is free breakfast at Chick-fil-A this week. Click here to learn more!***
K-mart has advertised that they are doubling coupons up to $2.00 for this week. If you want to go to the blog Common Sense with Money, she has put together several coupon match ups on different items. Below is a small sample from her website (there are a lot more if you click on the link):
Baby
Huggies Wipes 46ct $1.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 4/19 inserts
FREE after doubled coupon
Huggies Wipes 64ct $2.50
Use $1/1 coupon from 4/19 inserts
Pay $0.50/1 after doubled coupon
J&J Safety Swabs $1.69
Use $1/1 coupon from 3/8 RP insert
FREE after doubled coupon
J&J Baby soap Bars
Use $1/1 coupon from 3/8 RP insert
Pay $0.79 each after doubled coupon
Aveeno baby Products $4.49
Use $2/1 printable coupon
Pay $0.49 each after doubled coupon
Huggies Diapers $9.99
Use $1.50/1 printable coupon or from 4/19 inserts
Pay $6.99 per pack after doubled coupon
Huggies Pull Ups $9.99
Use $2/1 printable coupon or from 4/19 SS inserts
Pay $6.99 per pack after doubled coupon
Food
Vitamin Water $1
Use 41/1 coupon from 4/5 SS insert
FREE after coupon
Hormel Completes $2
Use $1/1 from 4/5 SS insert
FREE after doubled coupon
Kelloggs cereal Buy 4/$10 and get $5 Kmart GC by mail
Use $1/1 coupon from 4/5 RP insert
FREE after doubled coupon and overage of $3 after GC wyb 4
Post Trail Mix Crunch Cereal 2 for $6
Use $2/1 printable coupon
FREE after doubled coupon
Kraft Salad dressing $2.66
Use $1.50/1 coupon from 3/29 SS insert
FREE after doubled coupon
Quaker mini Rice cakes $2.50
Use $1/1 coupon from 3/29 R insert
Pay $0.50/1 after doubled coupon
Trident Xtra care Gum $1.49
Use $0.75/1 coupon from 3/8 SS insert
FREE after doubled coupon
Sucrets $3.79
Use $1.50/1 coupon from 2/1 SS insert
FREE after doubled coupon
Sugar free Demets Turtles $1.79
Use $1/1 from 4/5 SS insert
FREE after doubled coupon
V8 V Fusion $3.99
Use $2/1 printable coupon
FREE after doubled coupon
Coffee Mate 16oz liquid $2.29
Use $1/1 printable coupon
Pay $0.29/1 after doubled coupon
Daisy Sour Cream 8oz $1.39
Use $0.50/1 from 4/5 SS insert
Pay $0.39 each after doubled coupon
Friday, April 17, 2009
Foto Friday!
Last weekend when I was home visiting my parents, I did a fun shoot with a friend of mine. I don't think I could really choose a favorite, so I'm posting one of my favorites. You'll have to go check out the full post to see the rest of them.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Free Breakfast at Chick Fil A next week in Indy
According to this post, Chick-fil-A will be serving free breakfast entrees next week. Here is an excerpt:
During the week of April 20th stop by any participating Indianapolis area Chick-fil-A for a FREE breakfast entree. Available until 10:30am. One free featured menu item per person.
Monday - Sausage Biscuit
Tuesday - the New Yogurt Parfait
Wednesday- Chicken biscuit
Thursday- the New Yogurt Parfait
Friday - 3-count Chick-n-Mini
Thankful Thursday
On Tuesday evening, we arrived home from our long 12-hour trek from Wisconsin around 6.30p. My husband and I had already decided we would do a home date (usually consisting of take-out and a movie) after we put the kids to bed. So we fed the kids and took them upstairs for baths.
The girls were in and out of the tub first. In went Keaton. Meanwhile, Sienna was getting dressed for bed and I was getting ready to brush through her wet hair. She was running through the upstairs like a madwoman. As usual.
And then I heard screaming.
It was hard to tell at first which child it was. Keaton could be screaming in the tub because he hates having his hair rinsed. Reagan could be screaming because Sienna just ran over her in her mad dash through the hallway. I could think of no reason for Sienna to be screaming. But alas, it was her.
I walked into her room where she was holding her head, her hand completely covered in blood. Oh boy, this can't be good. I whisked her up in my arms and held her against my chest to get a closer look in the light of the bathroom. As we got closer, I pulled her hand away from her head and saw - eeek - a huge gash.
Considering I've had three children, you'd think I'd be absolutely immune to the look of blood gushing from....well, anywhere. But I'm totally not. Blood makes me queasy. And that much blood reminds me of the time my dad almost cut off his thumb in the snowblower. *Gulp*
By this time, it was hair-rinsing time for Keaton so he too was screaming. Reagan was squeeling because I was trying to keep her out of the bathroom while holding Sienna - the only person in the house who had a legit reason to be screaming.
I asked - errr, yelled above the screaming - to my husband for a wet washcloth. I held it to her face as the screaming continued. After a few seconds of that, I checked again. *Double gulp*
"I might need you to come evaluate this!" I yelled to my husband. "But first, can you please put Reagan to bed?" Sure, I felt bad about rushing her off to bed w/o hugs and kisses, but you know....sometimes other things are just more important.
He returned from Reagan's room and we switched kids. I proceeded to the bathroom where I promptly DUMPED water all of my son's head and rushed him off to bed as well.
Sienna was finally starting to calm down to a whimper by the time the other two were in bed and I decided to call the doctor's answering service to see what standard procedure is for such a deep cut as this. Do we put pressure on it and see if the bleeding stops? Should we take her in for stitches? How do we know how deep is too deep?
The doctor asked me some silly questions like, "Are you sure it's a deep cut and not just a surface scratch?" Umm, HELLO. I've lived 24 years on this planet. I'm pretty sure I know how to differentiate between a surface scratch and a GASH.
"Yes, it's a deep cut," I told her. She suggested we take her to the hospital for stitches. My husband suggested Immediate Care. I honestly hadn't even thought of that since, in most cases from our experience, they are absolutely worthless and simply send you over to the ER thereby causing you to pay out of pocket TWICE.
I called over and asked if they did stitches. "Yep, we do," was the woman's reply. Wonderful.
Thankfully, we had a neighbor who was able to come over and watch the other two while we took her the Immediate Care Center. I know, you're probably thinking that just one of us could have done that. But bad things kept running through my head. Things like....What if she starts touching it while I'm driving? Or what if it starts to gush blood again? I won't be able to reach her or help the situation. Hence, both of us went.
When the treatment room finally opened, I was waiting for the needle. But when the doctor entered, she cleaned it out and announced that Derma-bond should do the trick. PRAISE. THE. LORD.
So she and a nurse glued my daughter's head back together. I love the way that phrase sounds. :)
So my "thankfuls" for this week include:
Fun trip to WI
Safe travels both directions
NO STITCHES necessary for Sienna's head
Whew!
The girls were in and out of the tub first. In went Keaton. Meanwhile, Sienna was getting dressed for bed and I was getting ready to brush through her wet hair. She was running through the upstairs like a madwoman. As usual.
And then I heard screaming.
It was hard to tell at first which child it was. Keaton could be screaming in the tub because he hates having his hair rinsed. Reagan could be screaming because Sienna just ran over her in her mad dash through the hallway. I could think of no reason for Sienna to be screaming. But alas, it was her.
I walked into her room where she was holding her head, her hand completely covered in blood. Oh boy, this can't be good. I whisked her up in my arms and held her against my chest to get a closer look in the light of the bathroom. As we got closer, I pulled her hand away from her head and saw - eeek - a huge gash.
Considering I've had three children, you'd think I'd be absolutely immune to the look of blood gushing from....well, anywhere. But I'm totally not. Blood makes me queasy. And that much blood reminds me of the time my dad almost cut off his thumb in the snowblower. *Gulp*
By this time, it was hair-rinsing time for Keaton so he too was screaming. Reagan was squeeling because I was trying to keep her out of the bathroom while holding Sienna - the only person in the house who had a legit reason to be screaming.
I asked - errr, yelled above the screaming - to my husband for a wet washcloth. I held it to her face as the screaming continued. After a few seconds of that, I checked again. *Double gulp*
"I might need you to come evaluate this!" I yelled to my husband. "But first, can you please put Reagan to bed?" Sure, I felt bad about rushing her off to bed w/o hugs and kisses, but you know....sometimes other things are just more important.
He returned from Reagan's room and we switched kids. I proceeded to the bathroom where I promptly DUMPED water all of my son's head and rushed him off to bed as well.
Sienna was finally starting to calm down to a whimper by the time the other two were in bed and I decided to call the doctor's answering service to see what standard procedure is for such a deep cut as this. Do we put pressure on it and see if the bleeding stops? Should we take her in for stitches? How do we know how deep is too deep?
The doctor asked me some silly questions like, "Are you sure it's a deep cut and not just a surface scratch?" Umm, HELLO. I've lived 24 years on this planet. I'm pretty sure I know how to differentiate between a surface scratch and a GASH.
"Yes, it's a deep cut," I told her. She suggested we take her to the hospital for stitches. My husband suggested Immediate Care. I honestly hadn't even thought of that since, in most cases from our experience, they are absolutely worthless and simply send you over to the ER thereby causing you to pay out of pocket TWICE.
I called over and asked if they did stitches. "Yep, we do," was the woman's reply. Wonderful.
Thankfully, we had a neighbor who was able to come over and watch the other two while we took her the Immediate Care Center. I know, you're probably thinking that just one of us could have done that. But bad things kept running through my head. Things like....What if she starts touching it while I'm driving? Or what if it starts to gush blood again? I won't be able to reach her or help the situation. Hence, both of us went.
When the treatment room finally opened, I was waiting for the needle. But when the doctor entered, she cleaned it out and announced that Derma-bond should do the trick. PRAISE. THE. LORD.
So she and a nurse glued my daughter's head back together. I love the way that phrase sounds. :)
So my "thankfuls" for this week include:
Fun trip to WI
Safe travels both directions
NO STITCHES necessary for Sienna's head
Whew!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Just A Note To Let You Know....
It's been about a year since I started this blog and at the start, I began blogging to see if I could make a few bucks here and there with some advertising. Well, shortly after I started this blog, I decided a photography business would be fun and so that took the primary position of "buck-making".
In the first several months of this blog, I did manage to make about $100, but then Adsense had to go and change their ad policy, taking away my main moneymaker. And my money-making capacity went way downhill without my searching out and learning how to use an entirely new ad company.
I know websites are only a measly $10-ish per month, but alas, it's $10 I don't feel the need to spend this time around.
So mark your calendar, change your bookmark, and whatever else you need to do. In a few weeks, this blog will be going back to its original address:
www.TodaysDailyDose.blogspot.com
We'll still be here, but the domain name won't be as "official". :)
Thanks to all my lovely readers for encouraging me to keep blogging!
In the first several months of this blog, I did manage to make about $100, but then Adsense had to go and change their ad policy, taking away my main moneymaker. And my money-making capacity went way downhill without my searching out and learning how to use an entirely new ad company.
I know websites are only a measly $10-ish per month, but alas, it's $10 I don't feel the need to spend this time around.
So mark your calendar, change your bookmark, and whatever else you need to do. In a few weeks, this blog will be going back to its original address:
www.TodaysDailyDose.blogspot.com
We'll still be here, but the domain name won't be as "official". :)
Thanks to all my lovely readers for encouraging me to keep blogging!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tasty Tuesday - Strawberry Shortcake Parfait
For the past few days, I've been visiting with my family in WI. Yesterday we enjoyed Easter dinner complete with this new dessert recipe that I threw together. Since I firmly believe that "secret recipes" are totally lame and, in all honesty, a pretty arrogant way of raising yourself to a level you don't deserve, I will share it with you, because...well....this dessert was pretty darn good. And of course, I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't share it.
The idea for the Strawberry Shortcake Parfait came from this super easy and DELICIOUS recipe that I made last summer. Ok, so the rough measurements for your ingredients are:
1 angel food cake, baked and cooled
2-4 lbs stawberries, each strawberry cut into fourths
1-2 tubs of cool whip
2 small packages of vanilla instant pudding
I realize those measurements are absolutely non-standard, but that's because I have no idea what size bowl, dish, cups, etc. you will be putting this in. I personally LOVE to make little individual desserts in glasses, but wasn't able to do that yesterday, so mine was made in this "vase":
When you make this dessert depends on how soggy you mind your angel food cake being. I made it a day in advance and it was, ehhh, pretty soggy. But delicious. I think I would have liked it better if I had made it JUST before eating time, but oh well.
Tip #1: If you want juicier strawberries, cut them up, put them in a bowl, and throw about 1/2 cup of sugar on top. Let sit for 30 minutes or more before layering.
Tip #2: Make sure you're READY to layer once you starting mixing the pudding. You'll have to whisk it for 2 minutes and as soon as you're done, it starts to set. So be sure you're ready when you get to that step.
Alright, so break your angel food cake into 1-inchish size pieces. Then layer your food in the following order:
1. Angel food pieces
2. Pudding
3. Strawberries
4. Cool whip
I layered this twice in the "vase" I was using, but again, how you do it will depend on what you're using. Obviously you'd probably not layer those things more than once for individual cups.
Garnish the top with a few leftover strawberries and you're set! Yummmm!
The idea for the Strawberry Shortcake Parfait came from this super easy and DELICIOUS recipe that I made last summer. Ok, so the rough measurements for your ingredients are:
1 angel food cake, baked and cooled
2-4 lbs stawberries, each strawberry cut into fourths
1-2 tubs of cool whip
2 small packages of vanilla instant pudding
I realize those measurements are absolutely non-standard, but that's because I have no idea what size bowl, dish, cups, etc. you will be putting this in. I personally LOVE to make little individual desserts in glasses, but wasn't able to do that yesterday, so mine was made in this "vase":
When you make this dessert depends on how soggy you mind your angel food cake being. I made it a day in advance and it was, ehhh, pretty soggy. But delicious. I think I would have liked it better if I had made it JUST before eating time, but oh well.
Tip #1: If you want juicier strawberries, cut them up, put them in a bowl, and throw about 1/2 cup of sugar on top. Let sit for 30 minutes or more before layering.
Tip #2: Make sure you're READY to layer once you starting mixing the pudding. You'll have to whisk it for 2 minutes and as soon as you're done, it starts to set. So be sure you're ready when you get to that step.
Alright, so break your angel food cake into 1-inchish size pieces. Then layer your food in the following order:
1. Angel food pieces
2. Pudding
3. Strawberries
4. Cool whip
I layered this twice in the "vase" I was using, but again, how you do it will depend on what you're using. Obviously you'd probably not layer those things more than once for individual cups.
Garnish the top with a few leftover strawberries and you're set! Yummmm!
(The relatively ugly, half eaten-version of Strawberry Shortcake Parfait is below.)
(Sorry.)
(Sorry.)
Monday, April 13, 2009
Easter!
I am not all that good with words, and there's really no sense in reinventing the wheel, so please go here to read what I think may be the best Easter post I've ever read. And also, if you wish to keep reading in her blog, you will find a very interesting, touching, miraculous story about her baby boy who still needs much prayer.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Specifics on Andy
If you know Andy and Cari or have been praying for them about this week's recent news, please visit their blog to find out details about the surgery and specific prayer requests. The surgery is scheduled for 9am tomorrow morning.
Thank you all for your prayers for them. It's encouraging for them to know how many people are praying, so if you are one of them, please leave them a comment on their blog and let them know!
Thank you all for your prayers for them. It's encouraging for them to know how many people are praying, so if you are one of them, please leave them a comment on their blog and let them know!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
It Appears We Can't Win Anymore
While I am vehemently pro-life, I'm not sure that this bill is the answer. In fact, I'm not certain that ANY bill is the answer. At least we know that God is in control, no matter what our government does or tries to do to take away our rights. If you have a few minutes (about 5), please watch this video and leave your thoughts and comments. I'd be curious to hear what all of you have to say about it.
Regardless of which side of the abortion debate you are on, I'll bet this law is not going to please you....
Regardless of which side of the abortion debate you are on, I'll bet this law is not going to please you....
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
He Works ALL Things Together For Good
For those of you who have been following my blog for several months now, do you remember Cari and Andy? They lost their sweet precious 8 month old baby girl last September and shortly afterward found out they were newly pregnant with a baby boy! I have cried for them and rejoiced for them, prayed over them and blogged about them, requesting others to do the same. And now it's time again for me to ask you, God's people, to pray on their behalf.
I don't think they would mind me sharing this information since they are coveting prayers right now....
Andy had a seizure this morning and an MRI found that he has a large brain tumor. He is scheduled for surgery on Friday morning. Please be in prayer for their family during this time. We do not always understand the ways of the Lord, but we know that He works all things together for good.
"And we know that God causes ALL THINGS to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8.28)
If you wish to leave Andy and Cari words of encouragement or if you want to let them know you are praying for them, please visit their blog.
I don't think they would mind me sharing this information since they are coveting prayers right now....
Andy had a seizure this morning and an MRI found that he has a large brain tumor. He is scheduled for surgery on Friday morning. Please be in prayer for their family during this time. We do not always understand the ways of the Lord, but we know that He works all things together for good.
"And we know that God causes ALL THINGS to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8.28)
If you wish to leave Andy and Cari words of encouragement or if you want to let them know you are praying for them, please visit their blog.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Tasty Tuesday . . . Twice Baked Potatoes
I was searching for a side dish that would freeze well to do for my cooking club. I came across this recipe. It is so good! I made it tonight and I had some filling leftover so I just put that in a casserole dish and baked it to go along with our meatloaf and green beans! I thought I would post the recipe for you with my changes (because I always have some). This recipe calls for 10 lbs. of baking potatoes which are on sale at Aldi for $1.99. If you don't want to do this many than just cut the recipe in half. If you practice the pantry principle (always have your pantry stocked or try to) then you should have most of this on hand. I always try to have cream cheese on hand in case I want to make my Alfredo sauce or something else yummy.
Kell's Twice Baked Potatoes
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream, divided
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2-1 cup milk
garlic powder parsley or chives
salt
- Scrub the best sized 12 potatoes in the bag. Poke each with a fork and bake in oven at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
- While those bake, peel the rest of the potatoes and boil until soft. Drain.
- Cut baked potatoes lengthwise and scoop insides into a bowl. You should end up with 24 shells. Place these on cookie sheets.
- In mixer with wire whisk, combine one package cream cheese, one stick butter, and 1/2 cup sour cream until blended.
- Add scooped insides of baked potatoes and a little less than half of the boiled potatoes and mix on low speed.
- Add some milk and mix until it is the consistency you like.
- Add garlic powder, parsley or chives, and salt. I just add it until it tastes good. I think about 1 1/2 teaspoons of each.
- Fold in half of the shredded cheddar. You can use more or less, whatever you like.
- Fill shells heaping and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until tops start to brown.
- While those bake, repeat the recipe with the rest of the boiled potatoes. Place mixture in two baking dishes (foil bread pans work well) and freeze for later. ***To bake, thaw completely and bake in oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until top starts to brown.
- I freeze 8 of the baked filled shells individually for lunches, 8 more get frozen in a foil pan for later, and 8 end up being a side dish to dinner!
For more kitchen tips and recipes please check out Kitchen Tip Tuesday at Tammy’s recipes and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.
Crazy, Wonderful, Busy, Beautiful Chaos
Happy Monday! It's almost Easter and I love ham! Ok, I know that Easter isn't about eating ham. I know it's all about Christ coming to die for me to cleanse me of my sins, and for that I cannot even really think of how to express my gratitude. So for the time being...I will express my gratitude for ham. :)
This weekend proved to be a little crazy. But really, when is it not? I honestly don't remember Saturday. At all. Yesterday, we spent the day toting the family around to church, a birthday party, and a relative's home. We usually do ONE thing per day. Not three. One. Hence, the craziness.
This week is exciting as we are drawing near to a trip to visit my family, but it's also completely yuck because my husband is working some sort of crazy training shift on top of his regular workload, allowing him to be home at totally abnormal times of the day and leaving the kids and me to...well....find things to do when he's not here. I have a list of things we're going to make, create, shop for, purchase, and pack. So we have no shortage of things to do. It's just how and when to get them done that should be exciting.
I will try to post regularly, but I may resort to pulling up old archives (for my newer readers) to fill in the gaps for a few days. Have a great week, everyone!
This weekend proved to be a little crazy. But really, when is it not? I honestly don't remember Saturday. At all. Yesterday, we spent the day toting the family around to church, a birthday party, and a relative's home. We usually do ONE thing per day. Not three. One. Hence, the craziness.
This week is exciting as we are drawing near to a trip to visit my family, but it's also completely yuck because my husband is working some sort of crazy training shift on top of his regular workload, allowing him to be home at totally abnormal times of the day and leaving the kids and me to...well....find things to do when he's not here. I have a list of things we're going to make, create, shop for, purchase, and pack. So we have no shortage of things to do. It's just how and when to get them done that should be exciting.
I will try to post regularly, but I may resort to pulling up old archives (for my newer readers) to fill in the gaps for a few days. Have a great week, everyone!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Thankful Thursday . . . Silence
It is almost complete silence in my house tonight. The only thing I hear is the sound of the washer going. It is barely 8 o'clock and both of my children are in bed sleeping. The TV is not on. On this wonderful night I am thankful for the silence. I am thankful for my two sweet children who went to bed without a fuss (this is not always the case). God is good.
What are you thankful for?
What are you thankful for?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)