home~

• Refrigerator drama… mine broke, and then was replaced.
• The kids all have friends staying here this weekend and it is a madhouse! I am getting ready to look for a hiding place… if I can get them full long enough… or find enough towels for their many trips to the pool! ugh. Did I mention Emelia handed out my towels to the neighbor kids last week. Since then towels are a precious commodity around our house.
• School is officially out, although Izzy will go on Wednesdays for therapy starting next week.
• We continue to do therapy and lots of standing with Izzy. She is doing very well.
• I finally did a little update on Izzy’s blog!
• Lunch was fun with my brother Mike. I had “evelyn’s pasta” in memory of matt’s grandmother who I loved and who also died recently :o). It was penne with lots of grilled veggies along with hot bread. YUM. Mike had marsala chicken which also had penne pasta and shitake mushrooms. We shared so it was fun to try both. Can you believe we didn’t get cheesecake at Cheesecake factory? Hello! I meant to get a slice to go but it was so crowded I just wanted to get out of there.
• Amanda still hasn’t received her passport. Hopefully it will come soon since she leaves next Monday!
• I taught Emelia to do counted cross stitch. She is making a frog. She is doing really well for a 9 year old! She is counting it out and it looks really nice so far.

kitchen~

• the chicken cacciatore was delicious. Everyone loved it. *****
• the crockpot meatloaf was delicious too! *****
• the coconut lime chicken was a HUGE disappointment! It was bland and not very good. I thought it would be so good too!*
• the kfc twisters were wonderful! That sauce that you make with them (mayo, sugar & pepper) made them! I made a big batch and then sliced them smaller and they were gone in a flash. Better than kfc in my opinion… *****
• I made that breakfast casserole last night so breakfast would be done for all the kids this morning. I bought a loaf of jalapeño cheese bread in the bakery at walmart and it was really good. A little spicy, but Matt said it was perfect. Everyone had salsa with it. I also skipped the bacon so I wouldn’t mess up the kitchen last night and just used canadian bacon. It was just as good.

blogville~

• I got some good mail this week! First from Tori, she sent the cd her husband made of beautiful instrumental music. Then a package from Elastic Waistband Lady. She sent ME stationary and post it’s they are so cute! They say “anything is possible” and then she even sent Izzy her own good mail of goodies. So sweet! That envelope alone was good mail. Catherine sent a postcard from the museum of Automobiles! Thanks guys, these were so much fun to get, I love good mail! I have some packages ready to send out too!
• TTT went well last week, remembering our first dates, although most of us remembered or traveled back to our first dates with our husbands… makes it easier I think, especially for those of us whose husbands read our blogs.
• This week for TTT we will travel back to special times with our fathers since father’s day is around the corner and then the next week we will travel back to our favorite vacation (Julie thought of that one!)
• Haley sent a package today, it actually just came so I haven’t taken a pic of it yet… but if you remember she had a coach purse giveaway? Well, she mentioned she found something else and sent it (it was a purple dooney purse & wallet) and she made some adorable flower pens, and there was beads for izzy and bracelets and keychain for amanda and post its that are so cute and body spray. It was a plethora of goodies. Thank you Haley and fyi, Amanda has claimed that purple purse as hers! I didn’t have a chance :o)
• I’ve really been getting to know some blog friends better this week. Blogging is deeper than just silly little memes, I love a meme… don’t get me wrong. But, I have met some of the neatest people from so many places it amazes me. The encouragement I was given when I spoke my beliefs the other day was such a blessing.

i’m thankful for~

• God’s love.
• God’s promises.
• My children.
• My parents.
• My friends.
• working appliances.
• YOU!

Visit my friend Judi over at Mommy of Two to see more weekend refections and sign up to write your own.

Guess where I’m going in a little while??? To Cheesecake Factory, courtesy of my brother! Yea. I’ve never been there before. I hope the cheerios I just ate for breakfast haven’t spoiled my appetite… or maybe it would be good if they did.
Several people made mention of those baskets on my fridge. I put those there a year or two ago and each has a purpose. The first basket holds 100 calorie snack bags and low fat snacks. The second hold junk food or candy. The third is for chips that will be used for the weeks recipes or are left from the last recipe. Behind the baskets I hide put away my styrofoam cups I’m so fond of.
I can’t tell you what a lift all your comments were yesterday. It reminds me of the fibers of a rope, when bound together they gain strength. I feel strong knowing I’m bound with such a wonderful group of Christian ladies. Thank you.

Now, on to FIF! This week is freezer edition. To see others or sign up click on the button below. It is perfect timing for freezer food since I got a new freezer. When I was shopping for the fridge I noticed a small freezer online that got rave reviews for it’s size (small) but, more for the amount of stuff it will hold. It was really cheap inexpensive! It isn’t hooked up yet. I have to do a pantry clean out and reorganization first (help Marcia :o)… but, it will be wonderful and there are so many neat recipes I will make and freeze now!