Things I don't do.....and things I do do

Things I don't do..


I was thinking as I cruised around wal-mart tonight and this little random thought came to me. Okay things I don't do.....

1. I don't do mini skirts... I do wear a fancy dress or skirt every once in awhile only on fancy occasions.

2. I don't wear glasses, but wished i did so I'd look pretty tailored when I am all fancied up.

3. I don't wear any jewelry at home, only when I leave the home.

4. I don't get to spend nearly enough time with all those friends that have moved away, but I do get to spend quality time with some great ones here.

5. I don't get to spend lots of time with the husband at the dinner table, but I do get to eat 100 miles hours and get all the kids foods and drinks.

6. I don't do bikinis but I do do takinis

7. I don't do the Ipod, but I do love the mp3 player and my new touch screen.

8. I don't look good in purple or red, which happens to be our school color. I do wear purple during football season and red during Christmas only.

9. I don't do well with ticks, but I do well picking out good chick flicks

10. I don't do well with negative people, but like to attempt to cheer them up with sarcasm and my attempted wittiness.

11. I don't tell people enough how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I am truly thankful for all the precious people God has placed in my life.

I'm really alive

I haven't been in the bloggity blog land for well, a long time. I have been taking my blogcation and I think I may be back. He he, this is the part you laugh. I just love summer, although it takes me awhile to get use to the change from spring, I warm up to the season well. I love to warm up to the things like homemade ice cream, Popsicles, fun days at the pool where you get some color on the pasty white legs. I love the crickets and how they sing at night to me with the windows open. That brings me to the best part of summer: fun with the family, all my perennials coming back, air conditioning. Cool mornings to go exercise, not really cooking lots but grilling a bunch. I love to walk barefoot in the grass, be sporadic, not be so scheduled.

Things I'm looking forward to this coming Fall: routine of knowing what we are doing most of the time, my husband on a routine :), School resuming and all the fun with back to school beginnings. For MOPS starting up again, Foot ball Fridays and cool weather. Sweatshirts, Sweet fall candle scents, Wednesday night church starting.


I'm loving each season I'm in... and don't want to rush to the next. I do like to look forward to something though!

My Thankful list

1. I'm thankful for a wonderful girls night out five course meal by my father-in-law. What a treat for all us ladies.

2. I'm thankful for a wonderful weekend helping get all the schulte girls makeup done. What a fun day for me and lindsey to be able to help out on their special day.

3. I am thankful for 9 years of marriage to chad this past week. So neat to attend a wedding this weekend and the song at our wedding was played at the schulte wedding. I had lots of tears going as it was a sweet reminder of my special day as well. Not the typical wedding song so that was special.

4. For some great workouts this week.

5. That is rained lots so I wouldn't have to spend lots of time watering all my flowers.

6. For a fun Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Saturday. What a fun week it was.. so much to do.

7. For Lindsey pretending to be a teacher in the van with some older kids and me enjoying her funniness.

8. The A/C. off all week.

9. Chad home lots and us accomplishing a big project of cleaning the basement together and getting rid of lots of stuff.

10. For all the fun text from you all.

11. My new bible study with lots of neat ladies this summer.

12. For a cool prayer I prayed on a run and me thinking it couldn't be answered right away and then it was answered on the run by a person who stopped me. Wow, that's about all I can say.

13. I am thankful for my family, for days we get to sleep in and that is so much fun.

Hugs,
Tara

I am thankful for...

1. I am thankful that school is out. I have really enjoyed the all the kids home from school and having conversations with Lindsey and the neighbor kids. I've had so much fun learning from them and really feel blessed to live where we live and who we live by.

2. I am thankful for sweet reminders of God's grace from my children.

3. I am thankful I have been married to Chad for 9 years on Wednesday! I grow to love him more and more. I am so thankful he is just mr. right for me.

4. I am thankful for all the free perennial flowers I've received. What a wonderful treat. Took over 4 hours to plant them all and it was so worth it! I still have some work to do to find some a little home in my yard.

5. I am thankful for my morning doves, cardinal pair, and all the little chickadees and finches that find a home in our backyard. My kids now know their birds.

6. I am thankful for simple summer days of playing checkers, board games and all the Nintendo DS' turned off!

7. I am thankful for free lunches at the high school for the kids.

8. I am thankful for friends and how each friend is such a gift to me.

9. I am thankful for spending great time with 3 different couple friends! I am thankful my husband is starting to be social.. Yippee! I am loving that!

10. For new recipes, paper plates, a/c, finding out a friend may be pregnant, planning stuff, a new women's study starting soon, a farmer's tan of my feet, not having the air on everyday, the TV off and kids playing all day with all the kids, slip n slides, did I mention planting flowers...

I am thankful for so much this week. I am so thankful for so many of you who confide in me and share your heart, your joys and even your pain this week. I am praying for you in all your circumstances.

Hugs,
Tara

Play day with some friends!

We enjoyed a play day with some friends the other day. This is their sweet park like playsets. It was so much fun. The rubber chips were super hot and drew enjoyed throwing them.


Watch out, crazy driver coming!

Lindsey had a blast riding this. Drew liked her driving it around too!

Can't beat the boys and frogs. Drew has a facination with frogs. We go to rand park pond lots now and watch all the frogs jump in the pond.

Drew not sure about this slide.

Laura and Me

My little princess

Hopefull we can have another play day with the boys and Laura again. We sure had fun and love to get out of the house.

Snake man!

This is me holding some big boa. Isn't this what every good mom does for their kids.. hold a snake so they won't have too?


This snake really wanted to cuddle with me they said. I'm not much into cuddling snakes.. I do children and hubby. Mr. Snake kept trying to get close and coil up to me. I would of let it but I asked girl (katia) if the snake would bite.. she said just don't touch it's mouth. What does that mean... husband thinks I shouldn't of held snake just in case I died... not a very good thing to do since I have children.

Here the snake is... all trying to cuddle and stuff!

I was brave! Drew wants to hold it I think.

This is mr. snake man himself with his albino snake.

drew loved all the snakes

Thought this was a funny picture.

I wouldn't of wanted to see this big snake alive!

Drew really wanted to hold the snake by himself. Cracked me up!

Drew and Brandon enjoying their snake time with animal rings!

" You think we can hold this Brandon" ----Not

Drew's first chance to touch mr. snake

He's not getting on as a pet though. We will just go visit Ms. Dawn's house.

This is as close as lindsey wanted to get.

Can you believe these 2 are only 9 months apart?

t to

Taste and see Thursday

Taste and see is back!

I have a yummy recipe for taste and see thursday. It is a favorite of mine.

It's a Ham and potato bake. It seems like we always have ham leftovers from the neighbors or my mom. This time it's leftover ham so I thought, why not make the potato bake. My husband calls it my "depression era cooking ". I tend to think of it as being resourceful with what you got.

Ham and Potato Bake

1 can cream of celery, chicken or mushroom. I like chicken have used all of the others though

1/2 to 3/4 c milk

4 c sliced potatoes ( i use mandolin slicer)

1 small onion ( I use slicer again)

Paprika

Dash of pepper ( i use more than a dash)

1 c diced cooked ham

1 T butter

Combine soup, milk and pepper. In greased coated 2 qt casserole, arrange layers of potatoes, ham, onion and soup mixture. ( Be sure ham is covered to prevent drying.) Dot tip with butter. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover. Bake 375* for one hr. Uncover. Bake 15 more minutes or until potatoes are done. Makes 4 or more servings. Try topping grated cheddar cheese during the last 15 minutes.

Enjoy the comfort food like grandma use to make.

Here are the ingredients, I like to cook neat. It makes me feel like Rachel Ray or something!