Budget Friendly DIY Halloween Candy Holders

I came across these adorable Halloween Candy Holders and just had to share about them! It is an easy budget-friendly Halloween craft to do with the kids, and they make the perfect candy or popcorn holder at Halloween kids parties. Plus, this craft makes use of old white t-shirts you may have laying around.

If you don't happen to have any t-shits, there are other items you can use like white sheets, white construction paper, white tissue paper (this might not hold up as well, but heck how long will the cups be getting used for really), and really just about any white material you can come up with.

All you do is cut the white t-shirt into strips, glue them onto the cups (small paper or plastic cups will work)using a glue stick. Start at the bottom of the cup, wrap a glue lined strip all around the cup, and then just keep repeating until cup is fully covered.

Cut a bow out of felt--whichever Halloween color inspires you-- and for the boy cups glue the bow on the bottom of the cup, and for the girl cups glue the bow on the top of the cup.

Add some wiggly eyes using white craft glue, and you are done!

Edited to Add: Picture and idea originally from Amanda Formaro for Kaboose/Spoonful Kaboose.com. Get the full directions at Fun Family Crafts.

Talk More and Type Less

Because I work at home and on my computer, I am typing on the keyboard for what seems like countless hours. And believe me when I say I am not good at typing in the least. What's more, I make so many spelling mistakes I probably end up spending twice as long as I should when I am typing. So when I came across a NY Times Review of Dragon NaturallySpeaking I got pretty excited. This is software that you install on your computer that lets you use your voice to do what your hands would normally do. How cool is that? I am imagining the time I'd save with Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard. Not to mention the hair on my head that would be saved from being pulled out everytime I make yet another typo, LOL. Of course the Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 Preferred version would be awesome as it offers even more, but it is geared more towards offices and businesses than personal use, so I would be more than happy with the standard version.

Check out this video about Dragon NaturallySpeaking and see what you think.

It's Fall Break From School Already??

It seems like my daughter just went back to school and already she is on a Fall break. That means no school for this week. I do not remember having so many days off school when I went to school (I know...that was an eternity ago..but I'm just saying). Needless to say my daughter is happy. Saturday we all went to see Igor. My 23 month old was definitely not impressed and actually was scared and crying so I left with him rather quickly while my hubby stayed with the other two kids. Btw, the reviews were mixed...my daughter "loved" Igor, my 4 year old thought it was "OK" but not great, and my hubby...a thumbs down. Then Sunday my daughter went to a sleep over. Now she is home and the strains of "Mom, I'm bored!" are starting up. Sheesh. And my 4 year old is stuck on going to of all places...Coney Island! Where on earth he got that I don't know. But this is all he has talked about all day.
I think it's going to be a long week.

A Perfect Day

A perfect day for me I think would be a day spent with my kids and my hubby. I can picture us having a wonderful breakfast together with coffee, juice, fruit, pancakes and eggs. And I know the restaurant we'd be at (because a perfect day for me of course means no cooking,lol). There is a great cafe in Malibu that sits right on the sand. The couple of times we've been there we had a great time. The kids can actually play in the sand right by the table as hubby and I sip our juice and watch all the people on their various beach bikes go by. The ocean is still quite a bit away, but you can see and hear the waves from the restaurant. The seagulls call out as they fly about looking for left over morsels of food, and the whole setting is simply and gloriously relaxing. If I could, I'd start my day everyday this way. Of course then it probably would not feel as special any more, and I would probably never get anything accomplished except getting a sunburn!

Number 18 is a Girl For The Duggar Family!

I didn't realize until today that the Duggar family is having another baby! I guess this newest little baby, due about New Year" Day, will fill the void that that is left by the oldest Duggar son who just got married this past weekend.

When the newest little Duggar arrives, the count will be 10 boys and 8 girls. And mom says they would love to have more babies still.

The family also has a new reality series that starts tonight...17 and Counting on TLC.

I could never ever imagine in my wildest dreams being pregnant 18 times! I just don't get how these kids can each feel loved and special. Hopefully they do, and according to the parents they are a very happy close family. But I wonder how hard it will be for Michelle Duggar when the time comes that she can no longer get pregnant. Her whole life centers around pregnancies and babies. I have a feeling this woman will be severely depressed when there are no more babies on the way.

picture courtesy of TLC

Fertile Waterfalls Helped Nicole Kidman Get Pregnant?

Yes..according to Nicole Kidman. In an interview Kidman gave to The Australian Women's Weekly for the magazine's 75th anniversary edition, released Wednesday, the actress says:

"Seven babies were conceived out of this film and only one was a boy. There is something up there in the Kununurra water because we all went swimming in the waterfalls, so we can call it the fertility waters now."

Wow. Is that a coincidence or could there be something in the water as Nicole believes? And of the seven pregnancies, six were baby girls and one was a baby boy. Hmm...very interesting for seven women to get pregnant while on the same trip...maybe Nicole is on to something after all.

Window Blinds....Meet My Two Year Old

My almost two year old (*sniff*)has been doing battle with my window blinds lately, and he is winning. My bedroom blinds have taken the hardest hit because we have a big window that overlooks the street below us and our garage. My little guy loves to look out that window and watch people with dogs walking by, garbage trucks, and most especially watching for daddy coming home. The blinds are now bent, twisted and pretty sad in appearance overall. I am hesitant to have them replaced just yet because I fear the new blinds will meet the same fate, lol. I figure I will wait a little longer until my little one is a bit older and less destructive (do boys get less destructive?)
I cannot wait though to get my custom blinds blinds ordered at No Brainer Blinds (gotta love that name!) and actually bring some semblance of order into our home. We'll get a lifetime warranty with their blinds, which is a very very good thing with two little boys around.

Knock Knock...It's That Time Again

Schools are all back in session, holidays are approaching, and Fall has arrived. It is time for what all parents either dread or love--school fund raisers.

We have already been getting the little knocks at the door the last week from nervously smiling children holding out the all too familiar glossy brochures. I dread this activity every year. I hate turning those eager little smiles into sad frowns, and I hate almost more digging into my wallet to buy yet another tin of candy or over-priced wrapping paper because I feel so guilty.

Not to mention that my own daughter is counting on her loyal parents to buy enough loot that she will soon be selling in order to get her to the prize level she has her sights on. Yea--buy ceramic figurines, chocolate covered peanuts and the whatnot so she can claim her prize of a glow in the dark yo-yo. Or some other such amazing toy.

By the time we get past Girl Scout Cookie season and School Fund Raisers, I either am full of guilt and am convinced I am a horrible mother, or upset with myself for spending money we certainly shouldn't be spending on some fancy foil wrapping paper that will soon end up in someone's trashcan.

How do you handle school fund raisers? Buy from every cute kid that comes knocking or stay strong and say no to that happy smiling face?

All I Want For Christmas Are Some Firm Sexy Abs!!

It's true--I do want some sexy tight abs for Christmas. Heck, I'll settle for just a tighter stomach-- one that doesn't require me to hold my breath to get pants buttoned. But I need some serious motivation. It's too darn easy for me to come up with excuses not to exercise and to just cover my not so firm body with a large t-shirt. Sigh. What is a mom of three kids to do? Join a gym? Too expensive. Buy a larger collection of large t-shirts? Yuck.
But there is some hope for my "missing-in-action" abs in the form of a work out video. Now this I think I could do. I love dancing and this workout incorporates dance as well as martial arts and power yoga. Plus the fact that the instructor is the gorgeous celebrity trainer Eric Paskel certainly doesn't hurt! Watching this guy gets my heart rate up right away. Go ahead, take a look and see what I'm talking about. I really think XFLOWSION looks like a perfect way to exercise this saggy old body of mine and get it into at least a little better shape for the holidays.

Dinosaurs R Us This Halloween

So my wonderful imaginative 4 year old has made a very important decision. He will be a dinosaur for Halloween. Decision done. Costume search will now commence. I love Halloween. And I love 4 year olds. I especially love my little 4 year old.
He is nuts about dinosaurs right now which is cool because last year at this time he wanted to be a worm for Halloween. Dinosaurs are way better than worms, in my opinion anyway,

So my son says he wants to be a red and green T-Rex dinosaur which is currently his favorite among all dinosaurs. I must admit I prefer green and red as opposed to purple (Barney ring a bell?) for dinosaur colors, but I am thinking he will look like a Christmas dinosaur.

My son also wants his little brother to be a mermaid or a Barbie. Which just seems to be fine with my 23 month old. He smiled his drooly huge smile when his older brother informed him of this decision tonight. I won't tell you what my hubby had to say about this however. I'll just leave it to your imagination.

Wormy Halloween Jello Treat

Make a fun Halloween treat using a couple packages of Jello and some gummy worms.

Make one package of jello (use Halloween colors like green or orange)and let it set.

Toss some gummy worms on the jello and let some worms dangle over the bowl(use a clear bowl for best effect!)

Mix another flavor/color jello, and pour the mixture over the set jello and gummy worms. Put the bowl back in the refrigerator and let the jello set.

Easy-Peasy!

Christmas Cards

We are in the midst of deciding on the kids' Halloween costumes, and yet my thoughts are already jumping ahead to Christmas. How does time fly by so quickly? Someone please tell me. I love this time of year though, just wish it didn't all come and go so quickly.

Anyway there is no denying the holiday season is just about upon us, and so I guess that means getting my to-do-lists ready. One of the first things I like to get done are our christmas cards. Vista Print is wonderful for shopping for holiday cards (as well as for so many other cool things!). They have a great selection on all kinds of personalized holiday cards, and very quick delivery turn around, but the best part is their low pricing. Really, I think it's hard to beat their prices. And right now there is even a sweeter deal than normal on holiday cards--just enter the code XmasFree when ordering, and you will get 10 extra free holiday cards. Free is always a word I love hearing, lol. Being frugal this holiday season is going to be especially important in our family, so deals like this are really important to me, and I figured it is a deal worth sharing about with anyone else who may be interested.

Deep breath. Now then...I'm ready...bring on the holidays!!

Make Your Vote Count

I just received an interesting email from my sister in law about voting regulations and making sure your vote is counted in the upcoming election.

I am maybe one of the few who realized this, but when I vote, or anyone else goes to vote for that matter, if you wear a shirt, hat, pin, etc. with a candidate's name or picture, you can be turned away from the polling location. That is considered campaigning, and campaigning is not allowed within a certain amount of feet from a polling site.

I thought I would pass this information along in case anyone (like me ) was not aware, or even just forgets about this regulation. In light of the unprecedented aspects of the upcoming Presidential Elections, it is so important that everyone who can vote, does so, and gets their vote counted!

Not sure if you have registered to vote? Check out http://www.canivote.org/.

Do You Believe In Spanking Your Kids?

There was a spanking debate of sorts going on at a playgroup the other day. For the most part, the moms seemed to not believe in spanking their kids at all. But there were a couple who firmly believe a good spanking on their child's bottom is a solid form of discipline that they feel really works. Then there are some of us moms that do not believe in spanking but confessed to the occasional butt swap that happens almost spontaneously when nerves have frayed beyond repair, so to speak.
I personally don't believe a child should be spanked as a consequence. I remember a childhood friend of mine being purposefully spanked by her mom as a punishment for what I don't remember, but some minor infraction I'm relatively sure. It was embarrassing for me as her friend and a kid to have to watch my friend being told to bend over so she could be spanked. I cannot imagine how humiliated my friend must have felt. From that day on I promised myself that when I became a mom I would NEVER spank my kids. But I have on occasion swatted a butt, but more out of a sense of urgency like when my now 4 year old started to dash out into the street one day when he was 3. And when I grabbed him and was shaking in my feet, I did swat his little rear end and loudly told him to never do that. Does that count as a spanking? I didn't think so, but it does make me feel badly when I think back. Anyway, I do know that never ever would I deliberately plan to spank my child, any of them, as a punishment. We do time outs, toys taken away, etc., but no spankings.
How do you feel about spanking? Yes? No? Sometimes depending on the situation? Or undecided until you have kids?

Halloween Costume Contest At Parenting.com

Halloween fun is underway at Parenting.com. They are having a cutest Homemade Halloween Costume Contest. All you have to do (besides making the cutest costume ever for your little one!) is send an e-mail to halloween@parenting.com with a photo of your child in his fabulous costume, along with your name, address, e-mail and daytime telephone number. Parenting.com will post galleries of the most awesome outfits, and the lucky winner will receive an Amex gift card for $500!

So if you are already planning on making an outrageously cute Halloween costume for your little one this year anyway, you should check out the contest rules and see if you'd like to enter your handiwork!

Cherishing The Fun Of Halloween and Halloween Costumes

I cannot believe how fast September is flying by. I say this every year about this time, but I never get used to it. Once school starts again it's like a blink of an eye before the holiday season sets in. Halloween is in the air (as well as the shelves at our local CVS store!), and I'm loving the beautiful Fall colors I am beginning to see. As I mentioned before, the main topic in our house these days is Halloween Costumes, and who wants to be what. We really have no strong contenders yet in the costume department however, and I am curious to see what my daughter will finally zero in on. Of course much depends on what Halloween costumes her friends will be wearing. The choices of costumes is such a bittersweet reminder of how quickly my little girl is growing up...long gone are the days of fairy princesses and animal characters. And soon enough will come the Halloween where my sweet daughter will decide that dressing up in a costume is too childish for her. So I plan to enjoy every minute of this Halloween, and cherish the fact that all three of my kids will be giggly and happy in their costumes of choice as they prepare to ravage the neighborhood for candy!

My Boys Are Fighting Over Me!

I love my two little guys but they are going through some "mini-men" hang-up right now that while seemingly cute and flattering, is in reality driving me NUTS. Seriously, they have each decided (coincidentally at the same moment in time) that I belong exclusively to them. Meaning I belong to one but not the other. It was cute the first day, and still kind of cute on day two. But we are now into day 3 of "MY Mommy" and it's getting a tad irritating. Not that any of my kids could ever really be called irritating...don't get me wrong (smirking as I type). But it's like every time my little guys see me walk by, they both instantly stop playing and run and throw their arms around my legs like forlorn puppydogs pleading with me to pick them up. My 23 month old is heavy...and catching up quickly to his 4 year old brother and by no means is he afraid of his big brother anymore. So we now have pushing, shoving and pinching being added to the desperate pleas (loud shrieky pleas,) from each of them begging me to pick up him and only him. And if I am looking for my car keys or a hairbrush or whatever...and they get wind of my search, all h** breaks loose as each of the mini men race around trying to find the item first and give it to me. And if one of them succeeds and gets it to me first, the other cries broken heartedly.
I know I shouldn't complain. I need the extra help loading the dishwasher at night from two fighting little boys that are pushing and shoving each other. I really do. And I need two little squirmy munchkins climbing up on me every time I sit down..yelling at each other to get off of his mommy. I really do. Going alone into the bathroom would just be silly of me when I can now be accompanied by two shrieking little boys afraid of losing sight of their mommy, wouldn't it?
I'm a lucky mommy. That's what I tell myself. And I really know that I am. What's more, I already know that so soon the day will come when these two little loves of my life will want nothing from me but some food. And maybe some money. And clean clothes. And a ride somewhere. Sigh. Too soon I will be loading the dishwasher by myself and wishing for the days of the two little men in my life fighting over who gets to help me.
Think I will go walk downstairs now. I need some serious leg clinging.

Treasuring The Magical Things Your Kids Say

Brooke from Inchmark has shared a really cute idea for remembering all those funny wonderful things that your kids say to you during the day. My 4 year old is in his prime, I think, when it comes to off the wall bizarre remarks. Some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth is hysterical, and others I must admit I am either beet red because he has shared his thoughts in public or thanking my lucky stars we were in the privacy of our home. It is amazing the things kids will come up with, and I definitely want to remember these spontaneous remarks from my kids that gave me pause during a hectic day and warmed my heart or made me laugh out loud. Brooke's idea is simple but so cool...write down the funny stuff your kiddos come up with on a piece of paper and put the notes in a jar. Keep that jar nearby, like on your desk, kitchen counter, bedroom dresser, etc. Whenever you need a laugh or just a pick-me-up on a tough day, reach inside that jar and read one of those treasured sayings. Instant smiles guaranteed!
picture courtesy of inchmark.squarespace.com

The Jonas Brothers

Have you been bitten by the Jonas Brothers bug in your house yet? I bet you have if you have a daughter age 9 or over. My daughter is 11 and she is crazy about these boys, particularly Nicky. If you are not familiar with the Jonas Brothers I'll fill you in...no worries! The band consists of three brothers..Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas (my daughter's favorite), and Joe Jonas. Think of them as something akin to the Osmond Brothers...except much cooler music. But from what I see of these brothers, they seem as polite and nice as can be. Something that makes a mom with a daughter feel better. There are many dubious contenders out there in the entertainment world that can become role models for our kids, so I'm quite happy my daughter is so enamored with The Jonas Brothers right now.
Ellen DeGeneres had the Jonas Brothers on her show the other day, and did these boys ever come across as grounded and well mannered. Their mom was there also, and she made me smile and cry at the same time when she said that sometimes as she watches her sons perform, she is remembering them running around in their diapers. Aw.

And when Ellen asked them how they stay grounded given all of their fame at such young ages, Nick Jonas, the youngest of the bunch, replied, "We're living every day as it comes and we're trying to do our our best to make our mom proud." Double aw.

So if my daughter continues to "wallpaper her room with the Jonas Brother's posters, and wants to buy every 'tween magazine out there just to get more Jonas Brother's posters, it's ok by me.

American Baby Cover Contest

Thanks to Deb from Just a Mom's Take On Things for the reminder about American Baby Magazine's Baby over Contest! There is only one more week left to enter your cutie-pie.

You can submit up to six nonprofessional pictures of your child, taken after Jan. 15 2008. Also, your baby has to be under three years old. And the lucky little winner will be on the cover of the December 2008 American Baby Magazine.

So head on over and check out the details at American Baby if interested....contest ends Monday September 15th!

I'm Annoyed With Oprah Winfrey

Ack...I am really ticked off about the Oprah thing with Sarah Palin. I'm upset that Oprah would decide to not have Sarah Palin on her show --I mean how many women would want to hear more and learn more about the potential next Vice-President of the United States? I would. How obvious can Oprah be? That would be a ratings coup I'm guessing for Oprah, and yet Ms. Winfrey declines to have Ms. Palin on. Hmmm. Couldn't be that Oprah, who happens to be a strong supporter of Obama, could be reluctant to give air time to the competition, could it?
I know it is Oprah's show, and of course her right to pick guests to be on it, but this just sounds so childish and immature of Oprah. Democrat or Republican, this is undoubtedly an historic election and Oprah just seems to be acting petty. If Oprah were to have stayed completely quiet about her Presidential Election views, then it would make more sense. I could understand how she might want to stay out of the media as regards to her preferences. But Oprah didn't do that; Oprah let everyone know that she was supporting Obama, which is great. But now Oprah is looking silly and petty by reusing to have Sarah Palin on her show. I am sure heads are rolling over at Harpo Studios because this story leaked out. Wouldn't want to be in the path of hurricane Oprah right now, that's for sure.

So that's my vent for today. I humbly step down from my soap box. What do you think?
Should Oprah have had Sarah Palin on her show, or is Oprah doing the right thing by not having any candidates on until the election is over?

Sweat Away Cancer?

Have you read the new blog, Sex in The Sauna, Sweat in the City? It is a pretty new blog written by Sauna Shauna, and it is really interesting. There is a post on there about the effect sweating has on cancer. Basically, Shauna Shauna discusses a report on the benefits of sweating by a Biochemist from Germany, which notes that marathon runners don't develop cancers because they sweat out the toxins daily that cause it. Now I can't say I get much sauna time right now, but this report makes me want to run out and shop for Infrared Home Saunas asap! You really should take a look at Sex in the Sauna, it is very interesting. Just a note though, it is a blog intended for mature readers, so tuck the kiddos in bed before checking it out.

Feeling Sick Today....Sigh

I did not get anything accomplished today. I have the flu and my voice is almost completely gone. I know my kids are kind of enjoying mommy not being able to say much, lol, but it sure as heck is bugging me. And I need to get some stuff done--laundry for school tomorrow, lunch for school, dishes from today are sitting in my sink,and my living room floor is presently covered with assorted toys, clothing, discarded diapers my littlest guy insists on taking off every time I turn my back it seems, pillows, books and who knows what else. Ugh. I hate being sick. There is always sooo much cleaning to do when I finally feel a bit better. Oh well. I am feeling a bit better this evening, but boy would I love to just curl up in bed and watch tv while my hubby took care of the kids and the house. Sigh. That is just not going to happen so I guess I will start trying to get a few things done before I feel really bad again.

A Possible Move in The Making

My husband has relatives in England that are actually considering a permanent move to the United States. They have come to visit on vacation a few times over the years, and like it more and more each time. So of course we are all getting excited and hope they will make their final decision soon. My kids would love having some more cousins to play with! I have been checking out internationalmovers.com to get ideas on the cost such a big move would really cost. There is so much to organize in making an international move like this that just thinking about it gets overwhelming. But with a trusted and experience company to help with things like international shipping, getting cars transported, and storage of items, I think I would be a lot less stressed. Well, maybe not a lot less, but at least a little bit less stressed!

Make Fun Bathtime Books For Your Toddler

Fun "books" for toddlers to look at in the bath tub are easy to make at home and can be made with drawings, family photos, magazine pictures, etc.

Glue selected pictures on cut pieces of construction paper that fit inside the plastic baggies you are using. Glue pictures on both sides of the construction paper for two-sided pages. Then sew the baggies together by sewing sew along the inner side of the zip lock. Now the book is waterproof. Have your toddler make a cover for the book and place that in a baggie as well.

There are so many variations that can be done. ABC books, farm animal books, numbers, shapes, colors, family pictures books, and on and on. They are so easy to make and little ones love helping to make the books too.

What Could Be Better Than a Free Vacation?

Wow--talk about a great way to save some money! Winning a free vacation somewhere would be just about the ultimate way to save money. And there are some very smart companies out there that actually offer free vacations to their employees as incentive rewards. I would so love to work for a company that did that for their employees..I know the thought of winning a free vacation with travel expenses included would definitely inspire me. And with a company like Bellwetherrewards.com, that provides incentive travel based vacation rewards, it's easy for companies to offer corporate incentivesto their employees. Bellwether is a top incentive travel company and their travel rewards programs have helped companies such as Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, First Tennessee Bank, Siemens ICN, Frito Lay and other highly successful organizations. Oh yea--would I love to win a free vacation--if only I worked for a company that offered me the chance.

Vitamin D and Kids

Kids need Vitamin D to help absorb calcium, which of course helps bones. And research is showing there could be possible connections between Vitamin D defeciency and some conditions like Type 1 Diabetes, the second most common chronic disease in children. So it is really important that kids get enough Vitamin D but how to make sure they are getting it can be tricky.

The sun actually provides most of the Vitamin D needed, but sunscreen completely blocks the UVB rays that bodies convert into Vitamin D. Parents can always let their kids go out in the summer sun without sunscreen for 10-15 minutes (but babies should be at least 6 months old), say some experts, in order to soak up some UVB rays, but at the same time the potential skin damage from the sun's rays may make many parents reluctant to do this (include this mommy in that category). So what else can we do to make sure our kids get the Vitamin D they need?

Some foods are fortified with Vitamin D, but it can be tough to make sure kids take in enough of them, such as milk and some cereals, OJs, and yogurts. So some kids may need a supplement to make sure they are getting enough Vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that kids get 400 IU of D per day, and specifically recommends a supplement for:

* exclusively and partially breastfed babies until they're drinking at least 32 ounces of milk or formula a day
* bottle-fed babies who drink fewer than 32 ounces of formula per day
* older kids who don't get 400 IU per day through other fortified foods. To get an idea, there are 100 IU of D in a cup of milk.

So if you are not sure if your child is at risk for a Vitamin D deficiency, you might want tocheck with your pediatrician.

The Heat Is On!

It has been so hot here the last couple of days it is making me wish it were winter all ready! When I went to pick up my daughter from school today, those poor kids waiting in the valet area were sweltering. Seriously that school needs some shaded areas for kids to wait on days like today. Thank goodness the auto air conditioning in our car is working well--my daughter was sooo happy to get inside with her little red face, poor baby. We just had the compressor checked before the hot weather set in, and I am so glad we did. It will probably stay hot here through most of October. And now is not the time for an a/c compressor to go out while driving around in the car. Discount AC Parts.com is a great site to visit if you are in need of some ac auto parts or repair for your car. Check them out!

"Meatless" Meatloaf

This is delicious (Really! Don't let the "meatless" part scare you!)and healthy and best of all--economical. When we make this meatless meatloaf, I sometimes use a muffin pan to make individual "meatloaves" for everyone. My kids love it when dinner is served with bite-sized food for some reason, lol.

What you need:

2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup lentils
1 cup chopped celery (appx.--add or tke away to your taste)
1 small onion, diced
1 cup quick-cooking oat
3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, jack or american)
1 egg, beaten
4 1/2 ounces BBQ sauce or tomato sauce (personal preference is the BBQ Sauce)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

To Make:

Add lentils to boiling salted water and simmer covered 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft and most of water is evaporated.

Drain and partially mash lentils.

Scrape into mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Stir in onion,celery oats, and cheese until mixed.

Add egg, bbq sauce, garlic, basil, parsley, seasoning salt and pepper.

Mix well.

Spoon into loaf pan that has been generously sprayed with Pam (non-stick cooking spray) or well-greased. Or divide mixture into muffin pan using non stick spray or muffin liners.

Smooth top with back of spoon.

Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30- 45 minutes until top of loaf is dry, firm and golden brown.

This usually makes about 4-6 servings. It's yummy, full of fiber and protein and low in fat!

Carpal Tunnel Relief

I am on the computer much of my day, and I have started to worry about developing carpal tunnel syndrome. I have an Aunt who has such a debilitating case of carpal tunnel syndrome that she had to leave her job and go on disability. Ugh. I really do get worried about this as being on the computer so much and doing the repetitive keyboard typing is a big cause of carpal tunnel.

I am trying to take more computer breaks and am watching for symptoms as well.I know the tingling and numbness that starts with carpal tunnel relief can develop into a very painful condition involving the wrist area. Yuck--who needs that? But Imak has a great product I'm checking out--the Smart Glove. I think it actually looks kind of cool, lol, and it is supposed to be very good at giving carpal tunnel relief if you already have it. I can imagine my kids thinking I have some super cool glove on when I'm working on the computer and wearing the Smart Glove! And IMak offers a guarantee that makes me feel more comfortable in trying their Smart Glove. If it doesn't help with carpal tunnel relief, or is uncomfortable, I can return it. No problem. So I really think I should give it a try before I do get carpal tunnel--because if you ask my Aunt, it is really painful!

Waiting To Hear Sarah Palin Tonight

I am so anxiously waiting to hear what Republican VP Nominee Sarah Palin has to say tonight. I am hoping she really sticks it to everyone who has been bashing her and her family the last several days. I mean, who are we to judge some one else? Life happens. Her daughter is not the first 17 year old to be pregnant, nor I am sure will she be the last. I get so tired of people criticizing others when they have never walked in their shoes, kwim?
I don't mean to suggest that no one is entitled to their opinion, I understand this affects people differently and raises concens. But what I think is uncalled for are the snarky tabloids and late night fodder that basically hurts their whole family. As Obama says, I think the families, especially the kids, should be off limits in the election.
I know some say then Ms. Palin should not have entered the election at all, if she wanted to protect the privacy of her family, and that is true enough. But maybe if Sarah Palin hadn't accepted McCain's offer to run with him in the presidential elections, Palin's daughter would always feel that she kept her mother from potentially being vice president of the United States.
I see Sarah Palin as having a lot of courage to stand up and face a criticizing public, and I believe she is a strong woman and a strong mom.

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day to all!! We will be relaxing and just hanging out today. I will be trying to avoid the computer today for the most part (may sneak on and check emails later...shhh...) and just enjoy a nice family day. My daughter does have to work on a report for school (already?!), but we will work on it together a bit later.
I can't believe we are actually in September now. That's it--time to get ready for the holiday season--yea!! Ok--I'm off to be with my family. Hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day!