tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68856542799186120752024-03-13T09:37:46.268-07:00Chasing ChickensA journey towards living a simpler, happier and more productive life.Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-57417240701599442202014-07-19T14:49:00.002-07:002014-07-19T14:49:54.212-07:00Sometimes Less Is MoreI really do love it when just fooling around with very little ingredients creates something delicious.<br />
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We're not in the best financial situation right now. It's going to get better soon, I just got a great promotion! (yay!) But for now, money is incredibly tight. Like there's never enough money for all the bills at the end of the pay cycle tight.<br />
<br />
So, needless to say, there are times when the fridge is fairly bare.<br />
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Last night was one of those times.<br />
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I had:<br />
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half a tray of ground beef<br />
2 cans of mushroom soup<br />
half a container of sour cream<br />
a bunch of green onions<br />
garlic<br />
egg noodles<br />
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That's it.<br />
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So, it all went in together. I cooked up the ground beef with some salt and pepper and the green onion, then combined the rest of the ingredients (after cooking the egg noodles of course) and voila! A very delicious, very inexpensive meal that fed my entire family of four, one of them being a 14 year old, terminally hungry boy with leftovers.<br />
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All together, the meal was just over $5.00.<br />
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I'm so sorry, I don't have a picture to share. It was devoured rather quickly.....Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-58402354017036701302014-05-10T13:00:00.002-07:002014-05-10T13:00:31.430-07:00You Know What They Say About Plans, Right?Don't you just love the first of the week?<br />
<br />
It's like a brand new start every 7 days, don't you think? A whole week filled with possibilities, opportunities, and expectations of great things. Monday comes around and we sit down at our computers and we plan out 7 days of odd jobs, things we've procrastinated on, errands to run and more.<br />
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And then life takes a look at that list you so diligently printed out and laughs it's freaking head off.<br />
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You've had weeks like that, right? Tell me I'm not alone?<br />
<br />
I'll say, the week started out so well. Monday and Tuesday were amazing. I was put together, I was organized and my schedule was working out beautifully!<br />
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I should have known it was too good to last.<br />
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The good part of it all is that what derailed all my plans is actually a great thing career wise.<br />
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In a nutshell, I work from home, training the people you all talk to on the phones when you call into a call centre. So, the person you are speaking to, working out a schedule to have your furnace or water heater repaired, or to change the plan on your cell phone? Well, in the company I'm contracted with, I'm the one who listens to their calls and tells them what they need to do better. That's the short story.<br />
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This week, I received a message from my Supervisor asking me to lead a refresher course. That means that I will be teaching, in front of the client, to over 140 agents.<br />
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That may not sound like much to you, but I have to tell you, it's huge. Huge.<br />
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It's an opportunity that I've been waiting for, for about 2 years now. And it's finally happened.<br />
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That does mean that all my very carefully laid out plans have to take a backseat once again. Sigh...<br />
<br />
So, good news really. Very good news. Just another wrench in the plans that I need to work around. I guess that's my normal life now. :)<br />
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I'm going to be staring to post some frugal but delicious recipes and meal ideas. Soon. I promise.<br />
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Tonight we are having Chicken Wraps and Caesar Salad. Easy peasy dinner. It's just breaded, precooked chicken fingers, wraps, ranch dressing, lettuce, cheese and diced tomatoes, served with a Caesar salad. It's inexpensive, healthy and quick and easy. :)<br />
<br />Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-14537291372514515212014-05-04T05:26:00.001-07:002014-05-04T05:26:11.458-07:00Getting Back on TrackWell, as you all know by now, I have seriously let life get in the way for me.<br />
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This has affected all areas of my life, not just my blogging. Most notably, keeping any kind of schedule.<br />
<br />
So, my goal this week, with it being a brand new week is to start working on a schedule that is functionable for my new lifestyle.<br />
<br />
I work from home now, and while I love my job (no, seriously, guys, I love my job) working from home has a tendency to seep into all aspects of daily life. There aren't clear lines between work and home life, and I have allowed that to dictate my entire existence.<br />
<br />
I'd like to say that will change, but I'm realistic enough to know that I would just be lying to myself. So, what I need to do is figure out a way to have a happy marriage between the two.<br />
<br />
So, I've started by strictly mapping out my work week. As a supervisor within the company I now work for, I am required to have several meetings during the week. Those are very easy to schedule and have been done already. Where I find it difficult is in the scans I need to do. I have a set number that need to be completed in a week and if the system isn't cooperative, then it puts me back. So, I have set aside 3 hours per day to complete this task, 7-10 am.<br />
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The rest of my day will be spent in meetings, enhancing my group, meeting with my supervisors, etc.<br />
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The big sticking point for me is working out a schedule for the home. In between all of this I need to find time to get this house reorganized and back on track.<br />
<br />
This is where I'm looking to all of you. I need someone to help keep me accountable. Is there anyone out there that would be willing to work with me on this? Be accountable with me? It could be fun!<br />
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Either way, that is my goal. It's spring, and with spring, there are new beginnings. This is my fresh start. Would you like it to be your fresh start too?Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-75609944553758203022014-05-03T09:09:00.001-07:002014-05-03T09:09:15.650-07:00I Win The Award For The World's Worst BloggerI'm not so sure that's something I should be bragging about, but it's the truth.<br />
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So, what happened, you ask? What could have possibly been so important that I let Chasing Chickens go for so long?<br />
<br />
It's simply a matter of allowing life to get in the way again.<br />
<br />
So much has happened since the last time I posted. Too much to even try to cover. What I do want to say though, is that I am going to make a concerted effort to post here. I won't say more frequently because, lets face it, I couldn't do any less frequently.<br />
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What I will say though, is that I'm not going to abandon you all again.<br />
<br />
Thanks so much to those who have stuck around. I'll make it up to you, I promise.Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-61300790897017083592012-10-17T04:46:00.002-07:002012-10-17T04:46:43.482-07:00What Happened To My Cake?We have had the loveliest fall so far this year. The weather has been warm, the nights cool, the leaves have been stunning. There hasn't been a single thing to complain about after such a long, unbearably hot summer.<br />
<br />
A few days ago, though, it started turning cold. I knew it was going to happen, it's the same thing every year, and quite frankly, I've been looking forward to it. I love the colder weather, especially this time of year, when it's cool, but you can still get away with wearing just a sweater and jeans.<br />
<br />
One of my favourite things to bake in the cooler weather is Apple Cake. So, one of the first cooler days, I donned my apron, pulled out my recipe and made a delicious easy Apple Cake. I'll share the recipe with you here.<br />
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<u><b>Apple Cake</b></u></div>
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1 cup white sugar</div>
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1/2 cup margarine</div>
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1 egg</div>
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1 1/4 cup flour</div>
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1 tsp cinnamon</div>
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1 tsp baking soda</div>
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1/2 tsp salt (I always leave this out, but it is part of the recipe)</div>
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2 cups peeled and diced apples</div>
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1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)</div>
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Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan. Cream together sugar, margarine and egg in a large bowl. Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Fold in apples and walnuts. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until cooked through. </div>
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Easy, peasy. And when it comes to baking I'm all about the easy!</div>
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So, after it was all done, I took it out and placed it on the counter to cool. After about an hour, I decided to go out, take a photo of the finished product to share here with all of you and get myself a nice fresh piece of freshly baked apple cake. </div>
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This is what I found waiting for me.</div>
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My children absolutely decimated my cake! I'm so sorry I don't have a decent photo of the finished product to share with you, but at the same time, this does go to prove that the cake is delicious!</div>
Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-7077672228692300602012-10-11T03:27:00.001-07:002012-10-11T03:29:45.829-07:00A Frugal Recipe for Today - Asian Beef Noodles<div style="text-align: left;">
Today I am sharing with you not only one of my family's favourite recipes, but also one of my best kept secrets. I found this recipe in a one dish meal recipe book, and after preparing it for the first time, of course I've modified it for my family. </div>
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It is delicious, and oh so very inexpensive. Lately, we've been having it with rice, rather than with the noodles, which makes it go even further. I'm sorry I don't have a photo to share with you, but I'm hoping to have one the next time I prepare this meal. I hope you enjoy!</div>
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<u><b>Asian Beef Noodles</b></u></div>
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1 pkg stewing beef *</div>
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2 carrots, chopped</div>
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1 onion chopped</div>
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6 packets Mr. Noodles Beef or Oriental flavour</div>
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1 tsp ground ginger</div>
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2 tsp Teriaki sauce</div>
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Stir fry beef, ginger and Teriaki sauce until beef is partially cooked.
Add carrots and onions and continue cooking unitl veggies are tender.</div>
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Cook Mr. Noodles according to directions, except drain the water after
cooking. Add noodles to stir fry, sprinkle with seasoning packets. Mix
well and serve.</div>
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This is a wonderfully quick, very easy and rather delicious meal. Mr.
Noodles, regular price are only about .$.33 each. If, however, you watch your flyers, you'll be able to pick up cases on sale, which will lower
your costs. For instance, I was recently able to pick up a case on sale,
which made each packet only $.22!<br />
<br />
Also, if you watch your meat prices, you will be able to buy a full
roast, either pork or beef, which you will be able to cut up into
stewing size. For instance, I purchased a roast that was in the
clearance meats, for only $6.00. I cut that roast into three different
pieces, which means that there is only $3.00 worth of meat in one
dinner.<br />
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If you are able to have a vegetable garden, you can grow and freeze your
own veggies, which will mean that you won't have to pay a single cent
for that part! If not, you can often purchase carrots on sale. On my
last trip, I picked up 1lb of carrots for only $2.00. I will get 9 meals
from this, which is a total of $.22 per meal<br />
<br />
When I make this meal, my highest cost is:<br />
<br />
meat - $3.00<br />
carrots - $.22<br />
onions - free from garden<br />
Mr. Noodles -$1.32<br />
spices - unknown at this time<br />
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Total $4.54 to feed my family of 4. That's $1.14 each. :)
Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-49789937104411680352012-10-08T05:25:00.002-07:002012-10-08T06:16:13.306-07:00A Photo or TwoI'm sure everyone has heard about the launch of the new iPhone. You really couldn't miss it, seeing as it practically dominated the news on September 21. <br />
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Well, I have to admit I fell prey to the hype. I didn't purchase an iPhone 5, but I did upgrade to a 4s. <br />
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One of my favourite new toys on my new phone is Instagram. With this app anyone can take photos like a pro, just with the built in camera. Of course I've been snapping away and I thought I would share a few with you. <br />
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This is my newest baby, Fenton. He was quite seriously the ugliest kitten, but boy did he grow up gorgeous!<br />
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My hubby and our dog, Charlie. <br />
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This is a kind of cool shot of some fungus growing on our tree. <br />
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My daughter and my puppy, Sammy on her 18th birthday. <br />
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And finally, a very rare photo of yours truly. <br />
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I have a ton more, but for now, I'll end it here. I hope you enjoyed them!<br />
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Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-24827497661476392032012-09-16T14:34:00.002-07:002012-09-16T14:35:13.561-07:00Where DOES The Time Go?I know, I know, the last time I posted I said I was going to be a better blogger and start posting regularly. Well, as you can see, I'm a dirty little liar. I didn't stick to my word at all, did I?<br />
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I swear, I'm trying. The days just seem to be passing quicker and quicker on me I get up, I get the kids off to school, I go to work, than it seems like an entire week has gone by and I haven't found any time at all to spend time here, with all of you.<br />
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So, I'm not going to make a single promise to you that I'm going to be a better blogger. I'm just going to make a concerted effort to actually do it.<br />
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As my way of saying sorry, I'm going to share with you one of my family's absolute favourite fall treat.<br />
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<u><b>Apple Cake</b></u><br />
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1 cup white sugar<br />
1/2 cup butter<br />
1 egg<br />
1 1/4 cup flour<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
2 cups apples, peeled and sliced<br />
1/2 cup crushed walnuts <br />
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Cream sugar, butter and egg. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add to creamed butter and mix well (mixture will be crumbly) Fold in apples and walnuts.<br />
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Bake in greased and floured 9 inch cake pan at 375 for 30 minutes or until cooked through.<br />
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Such an easy, easy recipe and it's absolutely delicious! When it's warm, it's wonderful served with ice cream or whipped cream.<br />
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I know, I don't have a photo to go with the recipe, but unfortunately my camera is broken. I'm hoping now that I'm working that I'll be able to get it fixed.<br />
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Take care everyone!Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-10394285546047830862012-07-10T03:52:00.005-07:002012-07-10T03:52:54.657-07:00When Life Get's In The WayIsn't that the most annoying thing? You're going along, minding your own business, the all of sudden, you realize that life got in the way of the things you love to do? You don't even realize it's happening until it's too late, either. You wake up one morning and think "you know, I just to really enjoy blogging, I wonder why I stopped?" Then you remember, life got busy and as bad as it sounds, you neglected those things that used to mean so much to you.<br />
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So, what have I been up to for the many months I've been away? Working, mostly. I started a cleaning business to bring in a bit of extra money and that actually was a fantastic job for me. I was making lots of money, which is always good and keeping busy. But then, my legs gave out and now I'm not cleaning anymore. I really don't like getting older. :)<br />
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So, now I'm in a course to become a Rogers phone help specialist (fancy way of saying I'm the one who will answer the call when you have a problem with your bill). The wonderful thing about this job, is it's work from home. Yup. I'll be able to sit right here at my computer and make money while still being available to my children and my husband, keep house, and be a mom. What more can a girl ask for? If you're interested in a job like this, go to Arise.com and read more about it. You can't go wrong, it's all legit and above board and within a few weeks, if you do things right, you'll be able to work from home. Isn't that wonderful??<br />
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My daughter graduated high school last month. I'm not sure when she got all grown up, but there it is. Isn't she beautiful?<br />
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Finally, my daughter and I have started on a new venture. It was her idea, and since she's getting older and I'll do just about anything to ensure that we still have a relationship and do things together, I said yes immediately.<br />
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She wanted to try her hand at making jewellery. So, I stretched the budget, purchased some supplies and started twisting some wire. Here are a few things we've come up with.<br />
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Blue Spiral Pendant</div>
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$8.00 </div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aeon-Designs/150126881778322" target="_blank"><img alt="jewellery, jewelry, pendant, blue, wire, necklace" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GWcw4bq5FcE/T_wHuEL5VQI/AAAAAAAAAM0/JjXLEx-guEc/s320/blue+spiral+pendant.jpg" title="Blue Spiral Pendant" width="199" /></a></div>
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Blue Sprial Drop Earrings</div>
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$10.00 </div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aeon-Designs/150126881778322" target="_blank"><img alt="earrings, jewellery, jewelry, blue, wire" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-i7iqrVOIc/T_wIcFe7e9I/AAAAAAAAAM8/q6Pz4iS2tN8/s320/spiral+drop+earrings.jpg" title="Blue Spiral Drop Earrings" width="213" /></a></div>
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Blue Spiral Necklace</div>
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$15.00</div>
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That's just a few of the things I've made. If you're interested and would like to see more, we have a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aeon-Designs/150126881778322" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page. If you like the page and want to order something, you'll get a nice little surprise in the package! Just message me on Facebook and let me know you're a fan.</div>
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Well, that's about it, really. I'm very happy to have found this again. I can't wait to reconnect with all of you!</div>Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-18191332474295226052012-02-28T11:48:00.001-08:002012-02-28T11:50:45.792-08:00My Top 5 For The Garden<div class="MsoNormal">Spring is in the air! Can you smell it? Can you feel it? The end of winter may not be here just yet, but as the months move alone, the end of February reaches us and I start itching to throw open the windows and welcome warmer weather. Not the smartest idea yet, I know, but temping all the same. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One thing we can be sure of, though, is that spring will be ready to great us soon and for those of us with green thumbs, it’s time to start dreaming, I mean thinking about our veggie gardens. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I love, and I do mean love my vegetable garden. I’m not much for flowers, but my vegetable garden is like an oasis for me. The warm earthy smell as the dirt sifts through my fingers; the victorious feeling of yanking those nasty little weeds out of my neat little rows of green goodness; the sun warming my back and face as I work, are all wonderful feelings, to be sure. However, that’s not what draws me outside all spring and summer long. The best part of having a garden in my mind can be summed up in two four letter words. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Free food!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, that’s right, free food. Now, before you say it, I know, it’s not really completely free. The seeds cost money (unless of course, you’re like me and save as many seeds as you can for next year, in which case, yes, they are free). You will burn electricity if you start your seeds yourself. Fertilizers, watering, herbicides (if you choose to use them, of course. I don’t, but some do choose to). The costs, however are absolutely minimal when compared to the harvest you will reap. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Do you know, I haven’t had to buy anything more than vegetables that can’t be grown in this area? Imagine the savings!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, as I sit here on a bright February afternoon, dreaming of the day I can start up my rototiller again, I’ve decided to share with you a very basic list of veggies that anyone can grow with ease. If you are short on space, not all of these will work for you, but I do promise, that you will find more than enough to fill both your freezer and your belly from this list. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-ZFnsLx-gE/T00uGJk7o2I/AAAAAAAAALs/t1Hkr1dM88E/s1600/potatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-ZFnsLx-gE/T00uGJk7o2I/AAAAAAAAALs/t1Hkr1dM88E/s200/potatoes.jpg" width="200" /></a>1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span>Potatoes – A person can find a large variety of potatoes to choose from in any gardening supply store or even your local Walmart or Canadian Tire. With potato prices getting as high as $4.99-$5.99 for a 10 lb bag, growing your own only makes sense. The biggest drawback to these is that they don`t freeze very well. If you have a cool basement or a root cellar, however, you will be able to keep your potatoes for quite a long time. </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MsF7DIavRJI/T00tveTpsMI/AAAAAAAAALk/XHJhx_oz0ZI/s1600/peas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MsF7DIavRJI/T00tveTpsMI/AAAAAAAAALk/XHJhx_oz0ZI/s200/peas.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Peas – So very easy to grow, delicious and freezable. Peas are an absolute must for any garden and freezer. </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XnHSZQwc-fE/T00vuCm8nWI/AAAAAAAAAMc/R5M19spcUw8/s1600/green-beans-nutrition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XnHSZQwc-fE/T00vuCm8nWI/AAAAAAAAAMc/R5M19spcUw8/s200/green-beans-nutrition.jpg" width="200" /></a> Beans – Yellow and Green – Again, very , very easy to grow and they freeze quite well. In fact, I`m still eating beans from last year`s garden and they</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"> taste just as good as the day I harvested them.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sJqdpT5klr0/T00ubJfvYxI/AAAAAAAAAL8/dtOPvHkTpwQ/s1600/tomatoes-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sJqdpT5klr0/T00ubJfvYxI/AAAAAAAAAL8/dtOPvHkTpwQ/s200/tomatoes-01.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span> </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"> Tomatoes – The ultimate have-to-grow for any garden. Tomatoes are extremely versatile, they freeze, they can be canned, made into salsa, chili sauce, tomato sauce and so much more. Honestly, the list of what you can do to keep tomatoes is longer than I have room for here. And again, there is an amazingly large variety of tomatoes that you can choose from.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQ5vXIIPcJk/T00wAjDLhDI/AAAAAAAAAMk/v9Idmprxa9I/s1600/Carrots.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQ5vXIIPcJk/T00wAjDLhDI/AAAAAAAAAMk/v9Idmprxa9I/s200/Carrots.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> Carrots – They`re not just for bunnies, you know! Not only are carrots generally incredibly easy to grow, it`s fun for the kids too, which just might help to grow another generation of avid gardeners. You have to get them young, you know! I always freeze my carrots. They don`t work overly well as a side dish, but they are still great in soups and stews. </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is of course, a very short list. My garden includes so much more than what I have room for here; zucchini, squash, pumpkins, corn, watermelon and son. I have simply listed my top 5 must haves if you are gardening to help save money on groceries. With these in your freezer or cellar, you will be very pleasantly surprised at what you will save every week. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you`ve never had a garden, don`t worry, it`s really not all that hard. I highly recommend you give it a try. You never know, you may just end up loving it!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-79373029263965577392012-02-18T07:47:00.000-08:002012-02-18T07:47:18.444-08:00Easy Peasy Cake in a CupOk, I have a new recipe for you. Actually, it's not really a "recipe" in the traditional sense. But, it is delicious and it is very, very, in fact incredibly frugal. And easy. So, so very easy.<br />
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What you need:<br />
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one angel food cake mix<br />
one cake mix of your choice<br />
water<br />
coffee mug<br />
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Mix the 2 cake mixes together thouroughly. Store in an airtight container. Add 3 tablespoons of the mixture to your coffee cup and mix with 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave for 1 minute and voila! You have one serving of cake in a cup! You can top it with whatever you like, fruit, icing, cool whip, whatever your little heart desires. It's so tasty!<br />
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I have a mixture in my cupboard right now. It cost me about $2.00 for the two mixes and since I only use a very small amount to make the cake, it's costing me less than a penny a cup. Can you believe that? And because it's in an airtight container, it won't spoil. So, now, whenever I have a sweet tooth (which is often, I must say) I just go to the cupboard and in less than 2 minutes, I have a tasty treat that makes me feel good inside because it cost so little.<br />
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Sorry there's no photo's. My camera is on the fritz. :(Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-1365597215538592302012-01-24T06:09:00.000-08:002012-01-24T06:09:09.557-08:00Repost With Pics - Creamy Baked Ziti<div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Creamy Baked Ziti</b></u></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ttpO4hmfT0I/Tx67Oq3hjdI/AAAAAAAAAK4/M2qhu-hpnvk/s1600/creamybakedziti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ttpO4hmfT0I/Tx67Oq3hjdI/AAAAAAAAAK4/M2qhu-hpnvk/s320/creamybakedziti.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups uncooked noodles (ziti or pasta of choice)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 - 700 ml can of spaghetti sauce</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 - 250 g package of cream cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 can diced tomatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup grated mozzarella cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Combine spaghetti sauce and cream cheese in pot. Heat until cream cheese is melted. Add diced tomatoes and pasta. Pour into casserole dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 350 or until cheese is melted and bubbly.</div><br />
This is one of the most delicious and cheapest meals I cook. It's a definite family favourite, too. This meal generally costs me less than $5.00, if I have a good stockpile of sale items. It also lasts more than one meal. Most times, unless the family is especially hungry, we get two meals or at least a dinner and lunches from one batch.<br />
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A general breakdown looks like this:<br />
<br />
pasta - no more than $1/pkg<br />
spaghetti sauce - $1/can<br />
diced tomatoes - $.99/can<br />
cream cheese - $1.99<br />
mozzarella cheese - approx. $1.00 (this is a bit harder to determine, but I pay no more than $5.00 for a brick and use about a fifth of the brick.<br />
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The main thing here is to really watch the sales and stock up on the basic ingredients when they are cheap. I have about 20 packages of $1.00 pasta and spaghetti sauce in the pantry. Mozzarella cheese and cream cheese both freeze fine if you're going to use them for cooking.<br />
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Add a loaf of homemade bread to this dinner or a nice salad and you have a meal your family will love and ask for again and again!Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-12629705734883370802012-01-23T06:56:00.000-08:002012-01-23T06:56:30.267-08:00What a Wake Up Call!And I really do mean that!<br />
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I was sleeping away this morning, tucked warm and snuggly in my bed at about 6:15 am. I still had 15 minutes before I had to get up, so I was very much enjoying the extra time, knowing that it was a dark, dreary, rainy winter morning.<br />
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My daughter was up, getting herself ready for the bus, as she always does (her bus comes at 7:45am, so she's up every day at 5:30am.) I could hear her roaming about, showering, drying her hair getting her lunch ready......<br />
<br />
Suddenly, the blaring sound of the smoke alarm ripped though the house, completely ruining my slumber!<br />
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I knew what the problem was, so I wasn't in a big hurry to get up. I knew the house wasn't really on fire.<br />
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No, sadly, it was my fault.<br />
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The oven desperately needs cleaning.<br />
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Why, oh why do I always leave this job until it's this bad?<br />
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Why, oh why is this such a horrid little job that I would gladly pay money to have someone else do? That's if I had extra money and if I weren't the one that people pay to do it for them.<br />
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So, now, my oven is coated in Easy Off, just waiting for me.<br />
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Sigh....<br />
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I really, really don't want to do this today! But I guess when my daughter can't cook Pizza Pops for her lunch without setting off the smoke alarm, it's truly time.Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-75380504900746944602012-01-21T05:48:00.000-08:002012-01-21T05:48:54.015-08:00Chasing Chickens Wild Weekend Blog Hop!Welcome everyone to the very first Chasing Chickens Wild Weekend Blog Hop!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ttt_BBo--Y/TxrB9R_8fvI/AAAAAAAAAKw/DScHXUclMBs/s1600/bloghopsmaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ttt_BBo--Y/TxrB9R_8fvI/AAAAAAAAAKw/DScHXUclMBs/s1600/bloghopsmaller.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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The rules are simple; <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Add your link below (please no Etsy shops or advertisements)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. Keep it family friendly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Add my blog hop button to your blog somewhere. You can find it along the sidebar. </div><br />
That's it! Be sure to take some time to visit some other fantastic blogs and give them a follow too, if you like. <br />
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Of course, I would love it if you would follow my blog, but that's not a hard and fast rule. <br />
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So, with no further ado, here is the link form!<br />
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Enjoy! And be sure to spread the word. The more people that know about this hop, the more traffic to all of our blogs. <br />
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<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=126609" type="text/javascript">
</script>Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-7664185146815256302012-01-15T08:29:00.000-08:002012-01-15T08:29:04.282-08:00Homemade Nutra Grain Bars<div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Homemade Nutra Grain Bars</b></u></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M2yuH54ZyH8/TxL9YusBrPI/AAAAAAAAAKY/-xRf5Hyvw8M/s1600/nutrigrain+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M2yuH54ZyH8/TxL9YusBrPI/AAAAAAAAAKY/-xRf5Hyvw8M/s320/nutrigrain+bars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
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1 box yellow cake mix<br />
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 cup melted butter, plus<br />
2 tbsp melted butter<br />
1 large egg, beaten<br />
2 tsp vanilla<br />
2 cups strawberry jam (or jam of your choice)<br />
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Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.<br />
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In a large bowl combine cake mix, oatmeal, cinnamon and brown sugar; mix with a wooden spoon.<br />
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In a small cup whisk egg with lemon juice and vanilla. Add to crum mixture along with melted butter.<br />
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Using wooden spoon, toss to combine, then use fingers to finish mixing until crumbly.<br />
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Add a bit more than half the crumb mixture to bottom of pan. Spoon jam over crumb mixture in pan and spread evenly.<br />
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Top with remaining crumb mixture and pat gently.<br />
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Bake for 20 minutes until top is light golden brown.<br />
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Cool completely before cutting into bars.<br />
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This recipe is incredibly inexpensive to make, serves approx. 16-20 bars, and freezes wonderfully. Generally, I will slice into bars or squares, then freeze everything. I take out one bar for my son's lunch and by the time he's ready to eat, it's thawed.Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-23530911828960381432012-01-14T14:50:00.000-08:002012-01-14T14:50:28.278-08:00Squeeeeeeee!!!!!!!Oh my goodness, the cuteness meter in our house just went through the roof!<br />
<br />
Last July, a bedgraggled, dirty, underfed female cat showed up on our doorstep. I started feeding her, and planned on fattening her up and finding her a new home. Well, before I could do that, I discovered that she wasn't just dirty and underfed, she was also pregnant. So I brought her in so the babies would be safe and we could find them good homes. You can see photo's of the kittens <a href="http://chasing-chickens.blogspot.com/2011/07/what-wonderful-surprise.html">here</a>.<br />
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My plan was, find homes for all the babies and for Mama cat (aka Lucy). We had no problem rehoming the babies, except one, who we decided to keep. Lucy, however was a different story. So, I figured, I'll get her spayed, then find her a home.<br />
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Unfortunately, before I could get her in for her spay, she got out.<br />
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Three days later, she came home and guess what? You got it, she was pregnant again.<br />
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So, I bet you can guess what I'm about to show you, right?<br />
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Kittens!!!!<br />
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She gave birth this morning to 6 adorable little babies. Are you ready to squee?<br />
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This is Grey Kitten. Good name, right? LOL! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VcikauQw2NA/TxIE4EFthWI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5r_uWDGO2pg/s1600/grey+kitten+day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VcikauQw2NA/TxIE4EFthWI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5r_uWDGO2pg/s320/grey+kitten+day+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Joe Bob (named by my son)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1RFRORFcM2Q/TxIE7qnB2iI/AAAAAAAAAJw/eZJN84gKJxE/s1600/joebob+day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1RFRORFcM2Q/TxIE7qnB2iI/AAAAAAAAAJw/eZJN84gKJxE/s320/joebob+day+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For now, I'm calling this one Porky because before he was completely dry, he looked like a porcupine. :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHU4tq6qqQY/TxIE_A4jxQI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/ppkyjRPArUw/s1600/silverbutt+day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHU4tq6qqQY/TxIE_A4jxQI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/ppkyjRPArUw/s320/silverbutt+day+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is my personal favourite, Stanley<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MKTYL2kMV9I/TxIFCOhoujI/AAAAAAAAAKA/MWN3VFhQv7I/s1600/stanley+1+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MKTYL2kMV9I/TxIFCOhoujI/AAAAAAAAAKA/MWN3VFhQv7I/s320/stanley+1+day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is tortie #1<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5_Xo_flunb4/TxIFFbC8YjI/AAAAAAAAAKI/_GiSqtcJXe4/s1600/tortie+1+day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5_Xo_flunb4/TxIFFbC8YjI/AAAAAAAAAKI/_GiSqtcJXe4/s320/tortie+1+day+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
and tortie #2<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DBcZIBgY-U/TxIFI6D1kJI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/cy_pDM4Nnds/s1600/tortie+2+day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DBcZIBgY-U/TxIFI6D1kJI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/cy_pDM4Nnds/s320/tortie+2+day+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Aren't they just the cutest things you've ever seen?? They all have such unique markings now, I can't wait to see what they look like as they grow. Everyone is already so much in love with all of them, I can forsee some tears when they find new homes (myself included!). But that is still at least 2 months away, so I'm going to love them and enjoy them while I can.Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-62266641279453952012-01-13T10:56:00.000-08:002012-01-13T10:56:47.433-08:00I've Lost Track Over The YearsMy grandmother taught me how to crochet many, many years ago, when I was about 5 years old. Other than a few times in my life where I've lost my taste for it, I have been crocheting steadily since then.<br />
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I've made so many afghans, doilies, items of clothing, home decorations, etc, etc. I can't even begin to count what I've made over the years.<br />
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I realized the other day how much of a problem that is for me. Seriously, I have no idea how many items I've made and given away, sold, or used in my life. Not a clue.<br />
<br />
So, that got me to thinking that I need some sort of a journal for myself of completed items. A place where I can have a photo, description, what yarn I used, any alterations I made to the pattern, where the pattern can be found, or a copy of the pattern if it's one of my own.<br />
<br />
Now, I just need a form. I've looked a bit online, but haven't found what I need. So, you know what that means, right? I have to make my own. I'm going to have to design it myself, which isn't a huge problem, I just need to get around to doing it. And of course, I'll share with all of you what I come up with.Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-5809473740032928682012-01-12T05:11:00.000-08:002012-01-12T05:11:41.269-08:00Free Crochet Pattern - Daisy Baby-ghan<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Daisy Baby-ghan</b></u></span><br />
Copyright Sunshine and Whimsy, 2011</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOKwHPtlfiI/Tw7bGOrc-VI/AAAAAAAAAI8/JqbMufycKz4/s1600/daisyghanfull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOKwHPtlfiI/Tw7bGOrc-VI/AAAAAAAAAI8/JqbMufycKz4/s320/daisyghanfull.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<b>Materials:</b><br />
<br />
18 oz (approx) light yellow Red Heart Comfort Sport<br />
Small amount white Red Heart Comfort Sport<br />
Hook Size: 4.5<br />
<br />
<b>Special Stitches:</b><br />
<br />
V Stitch: Work dc, ch 1, dc in space indicated<br />
Shell: Work 5 dc in space indicated.<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions:</b><br />
<br />
Row 1: Ch 117, dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn.<br />
Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as first dc here and throughout) dc in next 2 ch. *sk next 2 dc, Vstitch<br />
in next dc, sk 2 dc, shell in next ch. Repeat from * across to last 5 dc, sk 2 dc, dc in<br />
last 3 dc. Turn.<br />
<br />
Row 3: Ch 2, dc in next 2 dc. *shell in ch 1 sp of next V stitch. Sk next 2 dc, V stitch in<br />
next dc, skip next 2 dc, shell in ch sp of next V-stitch. Repeat from * across to last Vstitch.<br />
Dc in next 3 dc. Turn.<br />
<br />
Row 4 – 50: Repeat row 2 and 3 alternately.<br />
Row 51: Ch 2, dc in next 3 dc *(sk next dc, dc in next dc) 3 times. Dc in next dc, ch 1 sp<br />
and dc. Repeat from * across. Turn.<br />
<br />
Row 52 & 53: Ch 2, dc in each dc across. Turn.<br />
Row 54: Repeat row 2.<br />
<br />
Row 55-70: Repeat row 2 and 3 alternately. Finish off.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Flower (make 5)</b></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hCK5YVaf39w/Tw7baMBmMKI/AAAAAAAAAJM/3dr1hDUP8cs/s1600/daisyghanflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hCK5YVaf39w/Tw7baMBmMKI/AAAAAAAAAJM/3dr1hDUP8cs/s320/daisyghanflower.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Row 1: With yellow, ch 4, join to form ring. 8 sc in ring. Join with sl st to beg sc. Finish<br />
off.<br />
<br />
Row 2: Join white with sl st in any sc. Ch 7, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch (6<br />
hdc). Join with sl st in sc.<br />
<br />
Row 3: Sl st into next sc. Ch 7, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in ach ch (6 hdc). Join with sl<br />
st in sc.<br />
<br />
Repeat row three 6x (8 petals made). Finish off and sew to afghan as shown in photo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yASaDrkwaqc/Tw7bv993kLI/AAAAAAAAAJc/LIQAuTOsqZ4/s1600/daisyghanfolded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yASaDrkwaqc/Tw7bv993kLI/AAAAAAAAAJc/LIQAuTOsqZ4/s320/daisyghanfolded.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
It is my sincere hope that you enjoy this pattern. Please do not sell or distribute this<br />
pattern on a blog, website or in any other way without my express permission. </div>Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-51186218682212300862012-01-08T06:01:00.000-08:002012-01-08T06:01:11.668-08:00Looking Ahead To The WeekThis year, our school board decided to change the way the Christmas holidays work. Instead of one week before Christmas off and one week after, the kids both stayed in school until December 23. That meant two weeks of holidays after Christmas.<br />
<br />
That meant, for me, two weeks of not being able to keep a schedule the way I like. But, they go back tomorrow, thankfully (I know, that sounds horrible, but I really want to get my schedule and home back the way I like it! LOL!)<br />
<br />
And, not only do they finally go back to school, this week coming is my short week, which means that I have a whole day off on Tuesday. An entire day of just me and the house. I really can't wait! I'm going to clean in the morning, and lounge in the afternoon, crocheting. It's going to be wonderful!<br />
<br />
I'm also able to get back to scheduling our meals for this week. No more snacking and eating on the run. The kids need set mealtimes and healthy eating again. And it will cut down on the grocery bill drastically as well. I have $100/week to spend on groceries and household needs for a family of four, so it's essential that I plan out everything.<br />
<br />
Our meal plan for this week is:<br />
<br />
Monday - frozen pizza (they were on sale last week, $2.97 for two pizza's. Two feeds my family, so it's a $3.00 meal.)<br />
<br />
Tuesday - salmon loaf<br />
potatoes<br />
corn<br />
<br />
Wednesday - cottage roll<br />
potatoes<br />
carrots<br />
<br />
Thursday - pork chops in soup<br />
potatoes or rice depending on what the kids prefer<br />
brocolli if the prices is ok<br />
<br />
Friday - beef and rice<br />
<br />
Saturday - leftovers<br />
<br />
Everything for next weeks menu we have on hand, other than the fresh veggies. So, that will help cut the grocery bill down substantially.<br />
<br />
I will be getting back to using my morning, afternoon and evening routines this week as well. This way, I can get my house back in order and actually feel ok with surprise guests. Honestly, it's not too bad, but with as many pets as I have, things do tend to get a bit dusty and hairy. I have a couple of rooms where I don't ever want people to go or see, so they will be my emergency room rescues for this week.<br />
<br />
One is my den/computer room/craft room/music room. It's a smallish room that has to fit all my quilting and crocheting supplies, my computer, books and two piano's. Oh and it serves as the office for my cleaning business as well. As you can imagine, it's a bit crowded. And it's getting messy and out of hand as well. This room is a definite challenge.<br />
<br />
The other big job for this week is tackling the mountain of laundry that is threatening to take over my laundry room/washroom. It won't take all that long, it's just a matter of getting to it.<br />
<br />
So, that's my week. I promise my next post will be more interesting. :)Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-37027843680427419882012-01-06T13:33:00.000-08:002012-01-06T13:33:25.501-08:00SUPER Easy Upside Down Pinapple CakeMy grandmother was one of the most frugal (some called her cheap, but I plan on learning from her) people I have ever known. Having lived through the Great Depression as well as WWII, that lady knew how to stretch a dollar, let me tell you.<br />
<br />
One of her biggest treats for me when I visited was her pinapple upside down cake. It wasn't like what my mom made, which was fancy and not something I ever really enjoyed, this was simple and to me, absolutely delicious. And knowing my grandmother, I knew it would be very inexpensive to make. I have one cooking in the oven right now, and it cost me $1.50 to make.<br />
<br />
Are you ready? You're going to want to have your printer all primed for this one. :)<br />
<br />
You need:<br />
<br />
1 white cake mix<br />
1 can crushed pineapple<br />
<br />
Yup, that's it. You make the cake mix according to the directions. Pour the can of pinapple into the bottom of a greased cakepan, then pour the cakemix on top. Bake at 350 and voila! You have a very cheap, very delicious dessert that your family is sure to love. You can of course, serve it with icecream if you have any on hand, but that's up to you and will increase your cost.<br />
<br />
My cost:<br />
<br />
cake mix - $.99<br />
pineapple - $.50<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-34771257210550116192012-01-03T04:19:00.000-08:002012-01-03T04:20:55.632-08:00I Got My Geek OnYesterday, my daughter showed me a quiz that she had taken on <a href="http://thefandom.net/">TheFandom.net</a>. It was so cool, I had to go take one of my own.<br />
<br />
Now, here is where I have to admit my shameful secret.<br />
<br />
I am a geek.<br />
<br />
My favourite channel on TV is the Space network. I watch Stargate and Star Trek every day. Yes, you read that right, every day. Well, every week day. Over the weekends, I go into withdrawl, moping around the house, wishing that Stargate was on. Seriously, I miss it. My favourite books to read are fantasy, and I have a very large collection of them. I can beat just about anyone in a Star Trek or Harry Potter trivia game. And you know what? I'm kind of proud of that.<br />
<br />
So, when my daughter told me I would have a chance to answer a series of 50 questions to find out answers like which Hogwarts House I would belong too, and what charactor I would be on Doctor Who, I of course, ran to the computer.<br />
<br />
I poured over the questions, aswering each one as honestly as I could. Here are my results<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bo5g3RBrbQA/TwLwyhWGRlI/AAAAAAAAAIs/-c01PEi-_uQ/s1600/fandom+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bo5g3RBrbQA/TwLwyhWGRlI/AAAAAAAAAIs/-c01PEi-_uQ/s320/fandom+card.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The absolute coolest part of my results? I'm The Doctor! I mean, who wouldn't want to be a two hearted Time Lord? I know I sure would!<br />
<br />
So, anyway, if you're like me and you love to get your geek on, head over to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_535677420">TheFandom.net</a><a href="http://thefandom.net/"> </a>and click on the get your identification card. Choose the 50 question quiz, it's more indepth and will give you better results.<br />
<br />
Have fun! And if you do go, stop back here and let me know. I want to see your card. :)Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-52137280523003929932012-01-02T05:16:00.000-08:002012-01-02T05:16:45.438-08:00New Frugal Recipe - Creamy Baked Ziti<div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Creamy Baked Ziti</b></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups uncooked noodles (ziti or pasta of choice)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 - 700 ml can of spaghetti sauce</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 - 250 g package of cream cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 can diced tomatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup grated mozzarella cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Combine spaghetti sauce and cream cheese in pot. Heat until cream cheese is melted. Add diced tomatoes and pasta. Pour into casserole dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 350 or until cheese is melted and bubbly.</div><br />
This is one of the most delicious and cheapest meals I cook. It's a definite family favourite, too. This meal generally costs me less than $5.00, if I have a good stockpile of sale items. It also lasts more than one meal. Most times, unless the family is especially hungry, we get two meals or at least a dinner and lunches from one batch.<br />
<br />
A general breakdown looks like this:<br />
<br />
pasta - no more than $1/pkg<br />
spaghetti sauce - $1/can<br />
diced tomatoes - $.99/can<br />
cream cheese - $1.99<br />
mozzarella cheese - approx. $1.00 (this is a bit harder to determine, but I pay no more than $5.00 for a brick and use about a fifth of the brick.<br />
<br />
The main thing here is to really watch the sales and stock up on the basic ingredients when they are cheap. I have about 20 packages of $1.00 pasta and spaghetti sauce in the pantry. Mozzarella cheese and cream cheese both freeze fine if you're going to use them for cooking.<br />
<br />
Add a loaf of homemade bread to this dinner or a nice salad and you have a meal your family will love and ask for again and again!Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-32211262390915598522012-01-01T04:52:00.000-08:002012-01-01T04:52:35.228-08:00A New Year...Well, I have to say that things haven't been the best around here the past few months, but we're getting through it. Because of the stress of the situations, and the fact that I've had to start working again, my poor blog has been completely abandoned and neglected. The poor thing... :(<br />
<br />
I'm not making resolutions this year. I refuse to. Or, maybe that is my resolution. Either way, I promised myself that I wasn't going to set myself up to fail this year by making an unrealistic resolution that I was going to forget about in a week. <br />
<br />
I do have a couple of things I want to try to refocus on, however. (ok, am I fooling myself? Is this a resolution in disguise??) <br />
<br />
I am going to get this house in order. It's not bad, it's just..well...messy. I need a new schedule to get things done. Returning to work really threw a wrench into my life and my house has suffered horribly because of it. <br />
<br />
So, I've decided to retry Flylady, even though it hasn't worked for me in the past. I'm hoping to be able to take a bit of her method and mix it with what really works for me, to come up with my own way of doing things. I'll be sharing my progress and/or lack thereof here on the blog. <br />
<br />
Finances...oh my Lord, the finances are a mess!! We've been dealing with so much the past few years that rather than dealing with things, we just used the credit cards and pretended they didn't exist. Big mistake!<br />
<br />
But, the credit cards are gone. Gone! Yay!!! We got rid of them the first of December and paid cash for Christmas. So, we're starting the New Year off right, with no bills to worry about. What a fantastic feeling. We even have a very small start on a savings account. It's not much, but I'm planning on putting a bit into it everyweek. Once we have a base of about $1000, we're going to start saving for a new tv. Imagine that, saving the money rather than just charging it and paying it off. I'm actually going to feel like I've earned something rather than feeling like it's owed to me. I can't tell you how great this feels already. <br />
<br />
So, those are the two things I'm not resolving, but am planning on improving. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these, as well as hear what your non-resolutions are for 2012. <br />
<br />
Have a fantastic New Year! I hope the year is filled with enough of what you wish for to keep you happy and satisfied, and leave you wanting just enough to keep you motivated to improve.Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-3469158407160436242011-09-11T04:17:00.000-07:002011-09-11T04:17:34.182-07:00It's Been Too Long......I know, I know, it's been forever since I've updated. I'm so sorry for that. But without getting into anything at all, lets just say it was a horrific end to the summer and leave it at that. I'm just now getting things back on track somewhat. Hopefully a new normal will be coming and I can get used to things again. <br />
<br />
But, in the meantime, there's no reason at all why I can't get back to some of the things I really love, one of them being blogging. I didn't realize how much I missed it, until I started thinking about it again. So, here I am!<br />
<br />
A quick update, the kids are back in school and very, very happy to be. I've been trying to get some quilting done, but I haven't been able to finish anything. I do have all the material cut up for two full quilts and a table runner, so I'm working on those when I find the time. <br />
<br />
I recently signed up for the real estate course here in Ontario which is very exciting. I did take it once before, back in 2005, but I wasn't able to get registered due to a family crisis similar to what is happening now. But, this time, I will be finishing it, and I will be going back to work. I'm not letting anyone tell me I can't do something anymore. I'm much stronger than that, and it's time that I took control of my life back into my own hands, don't you think? :)<br />
<br />
Yesterday, I signed up for the Holiday Grand Plan to help me get organized for Christmas. Every year it's a big muddled mess with no clear focus. This year, it's going to be different. You can go to Organized Christmas and sign up for it yourself, if you're like me and need help getting things on track. There are a ton of printable sheets and lists to help you with your planning, plus there is an email group you can join to interact with others who are following the plan. Well worth it, if you ask me. :)_<br />
<br />
So, that's really about all there is to tell for now. I'll be back tomorrow though with something new!Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885654279918612075.post-91852898529398304672011-08-14T06:56:00.000-07:002011-08-14T13:10:16.152-07:00Our First Summer TripI am so sorry I haven't been posting as much lately. Things just tend to get busy sometimes, don't they?<br />
<br />
We had such a fun time on Friday, though! We decided Thursday that we were going to take the kids to Canada's Wonderland. If you're not familiar, it's a huge amusment park with roller coasters and the like. Lot's of fun for everyone.<br />
<br />
We got a bit of a late start, which meant that we didn't get to the park until around 2 pm, but since it doesn't close until 10 pm, we still had lots of time to play.<br />
<br />
Our third ride in, we decided to go on the Bat. This is my son's second favourite roller coaster. Basically, you get on the train and a machine comes and attaches to the back car. It pulls you up the track, backwards to the top of the track then lets you go. Then you speed through the track until you reach the opposite side where you are grabbed, dragged frontwards up the track, let go and you repeat the coaster, only this time it's backwards.<br />
<br />
This is an image I found online to give you a visual of what I mean<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/thebat1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/thebat1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It's such a fun ride. We all love it so much.<br />
<br />
So, we waited in line for about an hour (it's a very popular ride) until finally it was our turn. Yay! Hubby and our daughter got in the very front seat, my son and I chose the middle. It's safer there. LOL!<br />
<br />
At about this point<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/thebat2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/thebat2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
at the very beginning of the ride, it stopped. There was some sort of malfunction and it wouldn't move. We hung there for about a half an hour before they were able to get us down. They had to shut the ride down, tell everyone in line to leave and then move us down, inch by agonizing inch. I'm not afraid to tell you that I'm terrified of heights and this was one of the scariest things I've ever experienced.<br />
<br />
Everyone who was on the ride at the time it broke down was able to pick any ride in the park and jump to the front of the line.<br />
<br />
Hubby and daughter chose the Behemoth. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/behemoth.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/behemoth.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is Canada's biggest roller coaster. It climbs 270 feet straight up, then drops you down, 75 degrees. Hubby said it's terrifying. You're not even strapped in, really, just something across your lap. So, with no shoulder restraints, you feel like you're actually falling. Or flying as our daughter describes it. Either way, that's far too terrifying for me.<br />
<br />
My son and I chose a much smaller, but just as much fun ride for us called the Fly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/thefly.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/thefly.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Much more my speed. LOL!<br />
<br />
And then my family dragged me onto the Windseeker. I swear, either I love them too much, or they hate me. Seriously!<br />
<br />
You know those really fun swing rides that you see at every country fair you go to? You get on the swing and it rises slightly into the air and you enjoy a fun little swing around in circles? Well, this is just like that.<br />
<br />
300 feet in the air.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/windseeker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g368/SunshineandWhimsy/windseeker.png" width="256" /></a></div><br />
Seriously. 300 feet. It was terrifying!!!! I had my eyes closed the entire time, white knuckled on the bar. Thanfully, I'll never have to do that one again. Myself and my son found it far too scary, hubby and daughter were bored. Bored!! At 300 feet in the air, they were bored.<br />
<br />
I think there is something terribly wrong with them.<br />
<br />
All in all, it was an amazing day. It was long (3 hour drive one way) and late (didn't get home until 2 am) but more than worth it. I can't wait to go again!Deonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489195661027038794noreply@blogger.com2