Who's That Knocking At My Door?

Birthday delivery?  For me?  Why Thank You!

What could be in that nicely wrapped package?
(I would show you the nicely wrapped package,
HOWEVER,
my 4 year old was very curious as to it's contents)

Beaded Scissor FOB and Fancy Scissors

I now have special scissors just for my needle work. Up until now, I just used whatever I could find.  Even the kitchen shears I use for raw chicken :-)  I think this made Bonnie cringe and she took pity on me!  I love them though and now I have no reason for losing them either.

Thanks again dear friend!  Happy Birthday to you too! 
(Because her birthday is the same day as me!)

Weird Meanderings Of Amy's Mind

So, I want to blog more

Hence....these random thought blogs

Ever have weird thoughts from simple things?

Take today:

I'm in the shower and I notice the bottle of Irish Spring Body Wash

So, I read the back of the bottle





All Of The Freshness Of Ireland, Bottled!



Fresh, crisp scent of Ireland in a bottle

Made In U.S.A



I've been to Ireland..I don't think it smelled like the soap...maybe I need to go to the Ireland in the U.S.A.?

Happy Easter

Easter was fun this year.  Kids make all of these events fun again.

I made Hayden colour eggs.

After about colouring 5 eggs:

"Mom, you do it?"

The end result with a little help from mom

I remember colouring eggs as a kid and then I would pack them up and take them to Gramma and Grampa's.  I remember one Easter my Grampa eating the eggs instead of allowing them to go in the garbage.  Pretty gross, I know, but he came from the depression era..nothing went to waste.  Those eggs had sat out for about a week, and they stunk...when he peeled them, they were the colour of the dye, blue, pink, green.  He ate them all!  I was disgusted :-)  But I never forgot that!

On that note...I realized a couple weeks ago, this would be my first Easter without my Grampa.  After my Gramma passed away, he spent every holiday meal at our table.  Then I thought a little harder....this was not just my first holiday without Grampa..this was my first holiday without a Grandparent! While that saddens me, it also makes me proud to be able to say that :-)

Just a couple photos from the joys of Easter morning in the Bickmore Home

And Just So # 2 Isn't Left Out.....

My junior artist at work.  It was a rainy day, so what better to do than paint? 

I double checked...the paint bottle said Non-Toxic!

Good Morning To You

I have mentioned a few times that my son gets up each morning before us and for the most part....entertains himself quietly.  I am usually pretty aware of him...I hear him in the bathroom, kitchen cupboards, etc.

So, it was no surprise when I heard him toddling into my room Tuesday morning.  I figured he was going to throw a package of cookies in my face for me to open.

I felt a tap in the centre of my forehead...when I inched open my eyes....this is what greeted me

"I'm Spider-man...where's the trouble..I can help!"

"Thanks Spider-man, no trouble here this morning"

And off he ran.

A few minutes later....sans the mask

"I'm Peter Parker...If there's trouble let me know, I'll get Spider-man"

"Thanks Peter..no trouble here"

Kids are so funny....What a better way to start your morning!

FYI, Hayden is OBSESSED with Spider-man and LOVES the original 1960's cartoon!

That Was Some Good Cake!

This past Saturday, Mom and Dad came over with a cake she made to celebrate Brian and I's birthday ( believe it or not, our birthdays are the exact same day and year) Hayden was so excited all day for their visit and cake and ice cream.

It was a yummy cake and the left overs got to stay in our fridge...YAHOO!!!

This was the sight I saw when I opened the fridge Sunday Morning.

"Hayden, did you have some cake this morning?"
"No"
"Well,then who was into the cake...did you want to tell me the truth?"
"It was just an assident, right mom?"
"No, I don't think it was just an accident"
"I did it on plurpis?"
"Yes, I think you did.  What did you use to get the cake out?"
(as if I didn't already know)

With a smile, he holds up a hand

"Perhaps next time we should ask for help and use a knife huh?"
"yes"

The sneaky little devil...there were no signs of cake on him anywhere....he must have licked his hand clean.  Brian was up about half an hour before me and was in the fridge, but he didn't notice.  I guess that is what can happen when you let your 4 year old get up before you in the mornings.

I Lost My Pants!

This post is exactly like it sounds!

Last week, I lost my favorite pair of pants.  I am sure some of the women out there know what I am talking about...it's that pair of pants that make you feel sexy, you like the look, the fit, the colour and would wear them EVERYDAY if you thought no one would notice.

As far as I remembered, I washed them last weekend and hung them on the line to dry.  Now, I am not always the fastest at putting my clean clothes away ( mom is groaning, shaking her head, saying..that girl is never going to change!)  I went looking for them Monday morning, but couldn't find them, despite my quick search of all the usual places.

By Tuesday, I told Brian I was missing them and asked if he could please check his drawers.  The week got busy, but I still searched for those pants, even dug to the bottom of the laundry hamper.  At one point Brian said,

"Did someone steal them?"
"Well, if they did, they took them off the line and then re-arranged all the laundry"

By Saturday, I was completely at a loss as to where they could be.  I went through EVERY single drawer in the house, including the kids and bathroom.  No luck and I made Brian go through all of his again.  We searched high and low.  He was now making fun of me for this..."How can somebody LOSE a pair of pants!"

We were crawling into bed Saturday around 11 pm, still making fun of the missing pants, and I said:

"I mean, if they blew off the line, there would have been a gap and we would have seen them."

Brian sits up and says, "Hey, that just made me remember something! Come with me outside for a minute"

The scenario had that creepy movie murder scene feel to it....I mean, up until last week, he had a hammer in our bedroom for who knows WHAT reason!

"You're not taking me outside to murder me are you?"

"Just come on"  he is still in his underwear and grabs a flashlight. 

The mystery is solved!  Last week while he was cleaning up, he saw something behind the compost, but assumed it was a coat from the neighbours.  VOILA! My pants had been behind the compost all week.  Funny, because he was raking the hedge line last week, took compost out and so on, but not ONCE did he investigate the material.

Our new rule....if you see something in the hedge line that looks like cloths...please check it out!

New Recipe Night

So, in accordance to my new menu planning....tonight was try a new recipe night. 

I was hesitant to try something new...my track record is not the best.  So, when Brian asked what was for dinner tonight and I said, "I'm trying a new recipe" his "oh no" response was not out of place.

Tonight I made Mexican Casserole, or as I have renamed it...Mexican Pasta Bake.  When I worked at the foster home, this was one of the meals on the rotating schedule.  It was one of the few meals I enjoyed and it had passed my mind a couple times to try making, but never did.  Finally tonight, I did.

I even took photos.

What you need:

-4 cups dry pasta
-1 lb ground beef
-1 package taco seasoning
-1 small container of sour cream
-1 jar salsa
-grated cheese

Cook the pasta and drain when done.  Cook ground beef and once cooked, mix with taco seasoning, according to package directions. 

Combine all the ingredients except cheese and put it into a baking dish. 

Top with grated cheese ( I used Kraft Tex Mex), cover with foil

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes. 

Broil until cheese is bubbly.

Serve

Would be good with fresh bread or a salad.

The verdict?  Brian ate two helpings and gave me permission to make it again! 

SUCCESS!!!

Helpful tip:  2 more things you need while making this dish:

A not-so-helpful helper!

AND

Backup plan for anyone who doesn't like it!


I am also joining my first "Link Up Party" with this post....so check out this blog and other crafters!

http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com/2011/04/sundae-scoop-sunday-link-party.html

H.E.K. Of A Card

Earlier this year, I joined a homemade gift exchange with some friends on Facebook.  The premise was you sign up with one friend and she will send me something homemade by the end of the year.  In exchange, I had to do the same thing for 5 other people.

So, I actually signed up with 2 different friends and the first of my gifts arrived in the mail today!

I love getting things other than bills and when it required a package notice, even better.

This woman is very crafty and from her I received a bunch of home made greeting cards.

A view of the different cards in the package

Close up of a few

A few more

So, now it is safe to say that I have no excuses for not sitting down and popping a few of these in the mail.

I knew she made cards and secretly hoped that was what I would receive from her.  I was not disappointed. 

So, all I have to say to sum this up is THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

A final snap shot of her clever product name!!  I think it's great!

A Month of Food....Almost!

Ok, so one of the bloggers I follow has just posted her dinner menu for the month of April

http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com/

She loves her meal planning the stress it takes off dinner time.  So I though, what the heck, I'll give it a try.  However, I am going to start mine after the next grocery shop, which should be April 7, so my menu starts April 8.  I didn't put mine in a fancy chart like hers, because basically, I just was eager to do this blog and didn't have time to fiddle.

So here she goes..wish me luck!

Friday, April 8 - Macaroni and cheese
Saturday, April 9 - NEW RECIPE NIGHT (a new feature, recipe to be announced)
Sunday, April 10 - Homemade Pizza
Monday, April 11 - Burgers and Potato Salad
Tuesday, April 12 - Make Ahead French Toast and Bacon
Wednesday, April 13 - Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Onion Rings
Thursday, April 14 - Spaghetti and garlic bread
Friday, April 15 - Chicken fingers and fries
Saturday, April 16 - NEW RECIPE NIGHT
Sunday, April 17 - Roast Beef with potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, corn
Monday, April 18 - Chicken Alfredo with bread
Tuesday, April 19 - Bacon and Eggs, home fries and toast
Wednesday, April 20 - DATE NIGHT (going to see Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall)
Thursday, April 21 - Pork Chops with potatoes and sidekicks, corn
Friday, April 22 - Sandwiches with chips
Saturday, April 23 - Dinner @ mom's? (Easter Weekend)
Sunday, April 24 - Dinner @ mom's? (Easter Weekend)
Monday, April 25 - Tacos
Tuesday, April 26 - Brian and I's birthday (yup, same day, same year!)  THERE WILL BE CAKE!
Wednesday, April 27 - Lasagna with salad and garlic bread
Thursday, April 28 - Club House Sandwiches with chips
Friday, April 29 - Ham Steaks with sidekicks, corn
Saturday, April 30 - NEW RECIPE NIGHT

Perhaps this will help with my hatred of dinner planning!  No more getting home and forgetting to take something out and then having crappy take out.

Any suggestions for my new recipe nights?  Want one of mine?

Did you notice how little veggies are on my list...we are not veggie people.  I will cook corn most nights with the meat. Hayden loves corn and Brian eats it too...I like it, but could care less about eating it.  I often cook Abby peas.