A creative mom

This baby girls mom does this while she lays sleeping using things she has around the house. How creative. I think she is going to compose these into a book.

5 teens in an RV

Four of the girls in the bed room and Joy on the couch watching a movie on the computer.

I dont know if Mollie is trying to blow a bubble or throwing smooches. I just dont know why the girls think its crowded in the bedroom. I guess they are all heading over to Kristy's to play the Wi and watch movies. And then spend the night.

This camper was rockin last night

The wind was fierce last night, so much so that you could sit in the living room and feel the RV rocking. Not enough to scare you but still very windy just the same. Its still rockin this morning. Wonder what the forecast is?

Today's list is pretty simple. I have some things to pick up from Wal Mart and I need to return the water filter to Lumber Mart that is the wrong size. I am glad I keep all receipts now. At least until I get them logged onto my book.

I am hoping my e reader comes today. I did look and find out that it is suppose to be delivered by USPS so that is good. Easy to get.

Mollie and Hannah spent the night at friends in Hardesty last night and tonight they are all coming here. It will be a fun time. I think someone will have to sleep on the floor. We can get 5 girls in the RV easy peasey. I imagine they will be eating sub sandwiches for supper or lunch. We have plenty of lunch meat.

It will be more fun when the weather is nice to have friends over because they can hang out outside more.

This is Jeff's long weekend so we will be building the risers to go under the sectional. I am excited about that. We will also be taking the shower door out from behind one part of the sectional. Jeff put it back there when we first took it down in case we would want to replace it but we are sure we will not be doing that so we can get rid of it now. Jeff also figured out an easy and light weight way to make the risers so it will be easy to accomplish.

I have found that Jeff and the girls and I can pretty much accomplish anything we set out to do by thinking about it and making plans to accomplish our goal. I tend to think about each detail while I am suppose to be sleeping. That makes it easy for us to get things done because I already have figured out each step of the process. I am so happy that Jeff can listen to what I say and process it and then make it happen. It would be awful to be married to a man who wouldn't listen to me. He finds it hard to figure out how each thing we are making or doing should be done, so he listens to me on how to do it and then he can visualize it and even make improvements on the design. Works great most of the time. I do know that its not good to do projects together when we are not happy with each other. He tends to say couples shouldn't work together and I say they should but not when they are mad at each other.

I remember when we were still living in the big house pictured on the header and were making the transition to the RV and I wondered what I would do when there were no projects left to do. So far its been 3 months and that hasn't happened yet so I think I will always find things to do and improve upon here to keep myself busy. I know one thing for sure I will be doing this spring is totally reorganizing the trailer/shed. It has been such a blessing to us and I am so glad we were able to find a large enclosed trailer and build shelves in it. I go out there several times a day. If our stuff was stored somewhere else I would probably not use it like I do now.

I think God is so awesome. For a long time we had thought that if we did end up moving that we would have to make two trips. One to haul the RV and then one to haul the shed. Suddenly the other day when Jeff and I were talking about it I got the idea that we could just rent a u haul truck, fill it up to lighten the load from the RV and trailer, use our pick up to haul the RV and the u haul to haul the shed. I told Jeff about it and it was such a funny moment. Like why did it take so long to think of it? I know it was the Holy Spirit that gave me the idea because it came out of nowhere as an answer to something we had prayed about.

Oftentimes in our lives the Holy Spirit helps us and we never acknowledge it. I know Jeff asks God for help at work if he has a programming problem and God always comes through. This has been a great testament to Jeff that God does indeed care about his job. Jeff used to think that was a part of his life that God put him in charge of or that he really didn't have time to help with. I kept telling Jeff that God cared even about little things at work. Well Jeff finally began to let God help him at work and he was amazed. One day he came home and said, you know the Holy Spirit even knows about programming. I laughed, of course he does. Now Jeff asks for help from God at work all the time. Yesterday he even said he had something coming up that he was going to have to do extra praying about. Yep God is awesome.

Getting a slow start

The girls all stayed at Kristy's last night so there was no reason for me to get up this morning. Is this what an empty nest feels like? Ick.

I got up about 8, played around on my computer for a while. I did find out that they shipped my e reader on the 22nd but I don't know what method they used. I will just have to keep my eyes open.

I made my morning oatmeal and showered. Then I made a batch of Thieves Oil. I have an order for an 8oz. bottle. That's huge and costly. 8oz. $50.00. wow. I decanted the oil into the 8oz. bottle and packaged it for shipping. $5.00. It fit into a flat rate box. yeah.

I went to the shed and refilled the oatmeal jar and got a half dozen baby food jars that Chelsey had saved for me. I soaked the labels off and washed and filled them to the brim with carrot/apple juice. I figured that way I can drink an jar a few times a day. Tomorrow I will make and jar another batch. I hope to remember to send a jar with Jeff to work. Or maybe he can just drink it at home.

I had thought I had juiced 4 lbs of carrots but it turns out the packages are 3lbs not 2. Cool, that makes it even cheaper. If I juiced 6lbs of carrots and 6 apples and a bit of ginger and it made 2 quarts that would fill about 9 of the jars Chelsey gave me. Guessing that one jar is a serving of vegetables then if Jeff and I share this over two days we only get 2 servings of vegetables a day. I think I had better juice everyday. I just read an article that said instead of the 5 servings of fruits and vegetables the government says we should eat, its more like 9 servings of fruits and vegetables that we really need. I imagine that if your body needs healing that you would want to go with the higher amount. Ok, I will definitely be making juice again tonight.

I just read another really interesting article and maybe we are getting more servings than I thought. Read the article here: http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch412.html Its all about the carrot and its history. Interesting.

I will ask Mollie to get me some more jars from Chelsey tomorrow. Maybe I will make another batch of juice this evening when Jeff can help scrub the carrots. Then I would have it all jarred up and he could take some to work tomorrow. What do you think Jeff?

Its 10am and I don't know what to do with myself. I usually don't have any problem finding something to do. I filled the dish soap foam er by both sinks and washed the dishes. Guess I could vacuum the floor and then clean the bathroom. Or not. I could go over to Kristy's and sew but I don't know what to sew. Goodness, I am not usually like this.

Church snuggy

Its December 27th and I am sweating

Joy and Mollie went to do the laundry and Joy has a doctor appt. While they are gone I decided to clean house. Its not too cold today here in the Oklahoma panhandle but who would have thought I'd be sweating? First thing I did was unplug the electric heater then I lowered the temp on the furnace. Jeff will have a fit but oh well.

I scrubbed the wall in the living area and the ceiling fan. I vacuumed the floors and carpet and scrubbed the floor on hands and knees. I don't even have a mop. I shook out the area rugs and took down the table. I also took down all the Christmas cards which were our only decoration this year as I never did find my tree.

I took the table down because the girls have been playing the Wi a lot and this way they have more room. For now we can use TV trays until the fancy strikes me to change it up again. Who would have thought I would be able to change an RV around as much as I do?

Next I cleaned the bathroom which is a bit tricky because its so small. I have to lean on the toilet to scrub around it because there is no getting beside it. I gotta do that more often, I didn't realize it was so yucky. I cleaned the tub, shower surround and the sink.

Earlier today I made a WalMart run because I had read you could get razors that are gift packed for pretty cheap. Yep. I got some packages with a Venus razor, Olay body butter ribbon wash, Satin shave cream and a puff ball you scrub with, this came in a plastic tote, for only $5.00

I also picked up a couple of Gillette gift packs for men that had a fusion razor, hydrating body wash, deodorant, and a small tube of cooling lotion for $4.44. I will remove these from their packaging to make more space and probably store them under the bathroom sink.

I have enough body wash now to last at least a year. Razors are harder to come by though.

I have a sweet potato baking for lunch which I will top with cottage cheese. I really don't like butter on a sweet potato. Cottage cheese or plain yogurt is the best. When Mollie gets home she will make some sub type sandwiches. She makes the best sandwiches. She toasts the bread and its really good.

The RV really does look a lot bigger with out the table in the middle. I think I will like it this way for a while.

Have any of you ever ordered anything from QVC? Do they have fast shipping? I am anxiously waiting on my e reader. A friend of mine got a kindle for Christmas and she is loving it.

Have a wonderful day. Its almost a new year.

Frozen this frozen that

Christmas morning we woke up to no water. Frozen lines. Had to wait a few hours until the sun thawed the lines out.

Today after Jeff showered the tank was full but the valve was frozen so when I took a shower it didn't drain just collected in the tub. No problem. It will thaw this afternoon.

Girls came to church and told us that the tub leaked into the living room. Great. Mollie bailed some of it out but not all. They had also put a towell down to mop up the water. I am thinking, huge mess.

I left church, got home, heard my phone. Looked at the message, it was Jeff, can you hurry back to church, Joy has something special for you. I had already changed my clothes. I was going to be bailing the tub ya know, so I jump in the truck and head back to town. I messaged and called Joy, Jeff and Mollie but they are all in church so of course they don't answer. Finally, when Mollie goes to take care of the nursery she calls, I am in town by then. I asked her what was going on and she says, nothing. I told her that her dad asked me to come back. She said Joy isn't going to do it now. I am almost out of gas, so I go get some gas and head back home to bail out the tub.

I get home, bail out the tub. Try to open the valve, its still frozen. The tub isn't leaking very much, thank you Jesus. Washed the dishes and am now waiting for the family to get home from church.

Its not even noon and already its been an exciting day.

Oh I forgot to say that when I was trying to text Jeff I accidentally sent the message to my niece who is in California. I asked what is going on? She text ed back that she was getting ready for church and hoped that I had had a merry Christmas.

My life. So crazy.

Easy Jalapeno Poppers

A lady at WalMart was picking out some jalapenos yesterday. I asked her if she was making jalapeno poppers because I was going to too. She said yes, but she just mixes bacon bits with the cream cheese so she doesn't have to wrap with bacon. Plus its less fattening. Win Win.

While we were at the pepper section another lady was picking out some Poblamo peppers. I asked her if she was make chili rellanos. She said no, spaghetti. My ears perked up. How? She said you roast the peppers just like you would for rellaonos, then chop them up with sour cream and add some garlic salt. Pour that over the spaghetti. She said its really good. I wanted to write it down here while I remembered what all she said. Sounds like a super simple recipe.

Wow, I learned two new things by the peppers at WalMart. How fun.

The weather is warming up here with a high of about 40. Hope you are all safe and warm where ever you are. God's blessings to you.

Edited to add: I think next time I make these I will pre-bake the jalapenos because now with not having to cook the bacon all that really needs to happen is for the cream cheese to get hot. I might boil them so they don't dry out. If you make these this way and find a better solution, please let me know. Or maybe putting a little olive oil in the bottom of the pan would help.???

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all. I found this unusual Christmas tree today and thought I'd share it with you. Maybe I can do something like this next year.
We woke up to frozen water lines this morning. When it got light out Jeff went out and switched out the hoses. He said there is about a foot of hose that wasn't wrapped for winter. He said he will change to the smaller hose and make sure its wrapped really good. Its always something isn't it?

Happy Birthday Jeff

Today is my sweet husbands birthday. I am getting ready to make french toast for his birthday breakfast. We will do what ever he wants to today. For years he tagged along to visit relatives and never complained, so a couple of years ago we changed it up to be about him on Christmas Eve.

Plus with his job he is on call for 4 of the major holidays including 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas as long as he is working there. For some reason they don't rotate the on call for holiday schedule. He doesnt not get any bonus or anything, he just cant go anywhere. Doesn't seem fair but then who said life was fair?

Thernal cooker

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I would like to buy a thermal cooker. I have been looking at them but they all want something like $35.00 for shipping. I finally found one on eBay that has free shipping. I may order this as soon as I can save up enough money. These are its features:

Just 10 minutes on the stove, leave for work or play and return home to a delicious meal. Thermal cooker saves energy costs and preparation time. Simply place the ingredients in the inner pot, cover lid and bring to a boil on your stove (approx. 10 minutes). When brought to a boil, remove from stove and place in outer thermal pot. Thermal technology creates a convection effect by using the steam produced inside to circulate and continue cooking for up to 30 minutes and warms for up to 8 hours. Food is cooked in its own moisture and steam, so nutrients are preserved. Compared to a pressure cooker, thermal cooker is 30% more energy efficient

Features and Functions

- 6 liters capacity
- Portable
- Non-electric
- Energy efficient
- Stainless steel inner and outer pot
- Continues to cook for 10 ~~ 30 minutes after heating
- Keeps cold or warm for up to 8 hours


6 liters is over 6 quarts so that should be sufficient for our family. My stove here in the RV runs on propane and the small oven is electric. My convection oven is at least. Anyway, it would really be a fuel savings to have this thermal cooker. Its like a non electric crock pot. I think I will read some reviews on it and see what others think about it.

Cracker Candy

World’s Easiest Christmas Candy

1 sleeve Saltine crackers
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips

On a baking sheet, spread out Saltine crackers. Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until gooey. Pour over crackers and bake at 350 degrees for five minutes, or until bubbly.

Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let sit for a few minutes until chocolate chips begin to melt. Then, spread over crackers evenly with a spatula.

Stick in the freezer for an hour, or until chocolate hardens. Break into small pieces and put into gift containers or baggies. Store in the freezer until ready to eat or give away.
For a full tutorial visit:
http://moneysavingmom.com/

An update

My family is so funny. Jeff said he was going to quit reading my blog because I haven't been updating it every day. Joy says reading my blog is the only way she knows what is going on in her family. Sounds like we have a communication problem here.

I got enough birthday and Christmas money that I was able to order an E-reader from QVC last evening. It looks like this.

It has lots of features including:

•Includes 4GB eReader/tablet, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, stylus, AC adapter, USB cable, cradle/stand, leatherette case, ear buds, and 100 pre-loaded eBooks from the Barnes & Noble Classics Series
•7" diagonal digital TFT LCD touchscreen display with 800x600 resolution
•4GB shared internal memory
•Google Android operating system
•Supports PDF and EPUB text files; JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP image files; MPEG-4 video files; MP3, WMA, and AAC audio files
•Built-in 802.11b/g wireless connectivity
•My Library lets multiple users customize their own library
•Audio and video player
•E-mail access
•Web browser
•Virtual keyboard
•Automatic screen orientation
•Built-in dictionary
•Word search
•Adjustable font size
•Multiple bookmarks
•Text highlighting
•Digital photo album
•Alarm clock
•Measures 7-1/4"H x 5-1/4"L x 1/2"D
•UL listed; 1-year Limited Manufacturer's Warranty
•Made in China

I am excited that it already has 100 classic books loaded on to it. I will download the Bible on to it and it will be perfect. When you live in a small space this reader or one similar makes sense. I have not been reading like I usually do because of limited space. This may be something my daughters might want to save up for, they like to read too.

Joy is here for the Christmas break and Hannah is gone to her dad's, so the house is at its usual fullness. When Hannah returns we have made arrangements with one of my dear friends for Joy to sleep at her home so she doesn't have to sleep on the couch.

Jeff's birthday is Christmas Eve and he wanted to go to a movie, but I think the one he wanted to see will not be out yet so I don't know what we will do. Christmas day we had planned to make a bunch of snacks, read the Christmas story, open gifts, then watch a movie or two and just hang out.

We have not been able to find the Christmas stockings so if we don't the girls will have to do what they used to do and just hang up one or their actual socks. They don't wear stockings. Or maybe we will have to buy some of those cheapo red and white ones. I sure hope I didn't accidentally get rid of the stockings and ornaments that are keep sakes. I thought I had them here but we cant find them. I guess its a good lesson on placing too much value on earthly things. I also thought I had a 2 foot fiber optic tree and I cant find that either so who knows. I was sure I saw the box for the tree since we have moved but who knows? I cant find the nativity either so I either just cant find it all or its all gone. I will go the day after Christmas and at least buy a new nativity. I know I had two brand new ones in boxes that I got rid of.

Todays plan is to deposit my Christmas and birthday money into the bank to cover my E-reader purchase, do laundry (that is an almost everyday thing), buy a new filter for the water faucet water filter and get some groceries.

What are your plans for today?

How to make lotion bars

Two feet of snow

This is what two feet of snow looks like.