Boy names and girl names....

Okay, before you get all excit-er-ated... I am way to early to know what we are having.
Almost everyone who knows me knows, I want a girl...REALLY BAD!
Knowing my history with boys.... I want to be prepared.
I need these next 8 weeks before I find out to get ready for this.
Because...don't get me wrong I love my boys. Boys are fun.
But I think Emma needs a sister. Everyone in life needs a sister. I got lucky had had 3 of the best sisters ever made. Then got lucky had got 2 of the best sister-in-laws ever too.

I have a had a few girl names for a while.
Right after I had Emma it was certain I was gonna use Sarah.
I have a sister named Sarah, but it changed to Elizabeth...Lizzy for short.
Since I have been pregnant.... it just didn't seem right.
I picked a new name, but I am not sure if I will post it yet.
It is scaring me.

Well, because, with all of my boys, Jeff and I could not agree on a girl name.
I am a freak of nature and I like to pick a boy and girl name as soon as possible.
Weird I know.
But we could not agree on a girl name. But the boys names were easily agreed on.
I would pick a name with a middle name, he would say..."I like it."
It was almost like we just knew.
And we have never regretted it. The names all fit who they are.
With Emma, is was easy....he knew I wanted it for a long time.
Maybe I said it so much he just got used to it.
It was perfect for her, but when I was pregnant with Emma, there was not one single boy name I liked to even ask Jeff his opinion.
Seriously, not one.
So I come to this blog post point....And ask.... Can you please help me with a boy name?
I would really like it to flow with the other kids.
Matthew, Nathan, Caleb, Samuel, and Emma.
Simple, but not to uncommon.
Yes, I went through a baby book. Nothing!
I must be prepared.
Because if the Lord wants to give me ANOTHER boy... then I will happily....sorry, the voices in my head are laughing again....happily take on that job.
I really want a girl...really...really...really bad.
My oh-so-wise Mom says, "well it is done already! It is 50/50...it is what it is."
But I still can want right?

Tasty Tuesday - Pampered Chef Tuxedo Brownies

There is a really great thing about having a sister pregnant with you.

We crave things.

My sister Carrie was craving these delicious chocolaty morsels and it didn't take long for me to crave them too.

I have adjusted this recipe for my own needs. It is suppose to be Tuxedo Brownie Cups.

You have to buy the Pampered chef mini muffin pans.

I have 2 sets, but am too lazy.

So unless I am making them for a party, I don't even bother.

I make regular brownies and go from there.

Pampered Chef Tuxedo Brownies (Katie's way)

1 package boxed Brownie mix

3 squares white chocolate for baking (chopped into pieces) or 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

2 tablespoons milk

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup thawed, cool whip

2 pints small strawberries, sliced

Chocolate ice cream topping (if desired)

Mix and bake brownies according to directions for "cake like brownies"on box.

Set aside and let cool.

Melt white chocolate peices or chips with milk for 30 seconds in your microwave. Stirring every ten seconds until smooth. Repeat if nessary.

In another bowl, mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add melted white chocolate until smooth.

Gently fold in cool whip. Place in fridge 30 minutes.

Once brownies are completely cooled, spread white chocolate cream topping over brownies.

Spread sliced brownies over the white chocolate creamed topping.

Cut and serve. Drizzle chocolate ice cream topping over brownies if desired.

I will not worry if you will like this recipe.

It really is very , very, very good.

If you would like to make the cups. the name of the recipe book is called. "The Pampered Chef: Celebrate"

Also, any left over white chocolate cream topping is also great as just a fruit dip.

The best weekend all year

I didn't blog all weekend because we had company.

I did have the best weekend all year. (so far)
My little sister Carrie and her family came up for a visit.
We had so much fun.
Friday we made dinner, yummy cheesy potatoes and ham.
We played cards and the kids played the Wii they brought up with them.
Saturday, a nice big breakfast and off to the snow.
We went sledding on Willard Hill.
That was fun.
My sister brought up their little puppy we picked out for them here. Twilight was so cute. She loved the snow and chased the sledders down the hill.
We knew the kids would be exhausted at the end of the day, and they slept until 9am. they never do that.
We skipped church and went up to the Willard Hill again.
Luckily the only injury was Mia hitting a tree and getting a bump on her head. She was fine 10 minutes later and back on the hill.
I totally love that Carrie and I are pregnant together.
I totally love we were having the same cravings.
I totally love we get along so well.
I totally love Jeff and Brent get along so well, too.
The kids played well together, not surprised at all.
Even the dogs played well together.
We all wished the weekend would not end and hoped they could stay longer.
We are already making plans to do it again.
Maybe go fishing and hit the lake.

My favorite picture of the weekend.

Do you know how hard it is to get all these people to hold still?

We tried several times. this was the best.

Happy Birthday Aimee!!!!

My sister Aimee's is birthday today.
She is one of my favorite people.
Top ten...definitely!
She amazes me every time I talk to her.
She just is awesome.
If you know her, you know what I mean, if you don't, I feel sad for you.
Everyone needs a gal like Aimee in their life.
She is one of my best-est friends.
I am so glad we decided to be sister all that five-ever ago.
Happy Birthday Aimee!
I will post a picture of the best gal girl could ever know..... when I find it.

Grocery Shopping

Okay, My favorite day of the month is the day we get our groceries.

Today and every 1st Thursday of the month we have to go get food for our family.

We can not shop here in the town.

We have a Safeway, a WalMart, and Grocery Outlet (to me it is like a "thrift store" grocery store, too long of a story to explain), we also have a IGA grocery store that has probably been her since the town was established. They are way expensive and over priced.

I mean you probably can save money here. I am just not patient enough to figure it out.

So we clean out the van, we load up the coolers and head an hour and a half away to Reno.

They have everything you need.

If we need to hit Target, or Church book store, or scout store, any shopping that does not require getting food, we hit first.

But today Sam's club was first. (because it is the furthest from where we came in.)

Here is my Sam's club list:

1 chicken nuggets
Chicken patties
Waffles -
1 Vanilla wafers -
1 Cheez-its
Fishy Crackers -
1 Club crackers -

1 Chex Mix
1 Fruit snacks -
1 Pizza -
3 cases of Water -
4 big boxes Cereal -
2 Hamburger -
1 Ham (every other month)
1 Hot dogs -
3 Eggs - flat -

10 gallons Milk
2 Bacon -
1 Granola Bars
1 Fiber one bars
1 Oatmeal
Oreos -
Cup a noodle soup
Laundry soap -
2 Shredded cheese -
Paper cups -
Ziplock bags
Scrapbook tape

And sometimes it varies. Every other month I need paper plates, and cleaning wipes. And a few things I can't remember.

This month's budget for Sam's was $350. We went over by $18. And only because we bought Emma a dress.

Then we get gas at Sam's. Because today it was $2.07 a gallon. (here where we live, the cheapest is $2.20).
Next is lunch. Today we ate at Sam's: a drink and 2 slices of pizza is about $3 each. Emma had a hot dog. Well half of a hot dog, they were huge.

And then to Winco.

Here is my Winco list:

2 Potatoes -
4 Pretzels - (bag of pretzel sticks)
4 Frozen Chicken
2 Gram crackers

6 Green beans -
6 canned corn
1 mayo
4 Tomato sauce -

4 Tomato paste -
2 Canned tomatoes
1 black beans
1 Chick peas
Taco sauce packet
2 Italian season packet

6 Pears
6 peaches
2 Apples sauce
6 Spaghetti O’s
6 Beef stock
6 Chicken broth
Cream of celery
6 Cream of Chicken
6 Cream of Mushroom
4 Spaghetti sauce
2 Cork screw
Large Egg noodles
Spaghetti noodles
2 Brownie mix
2 White cake mix
1 Sugar
1 Flour
1 Powdered sugar
Chocolate chips
2 Oil
Onion salt
Salt
Real Vanilla
Quick oats
3 fruit snacks Emma
2 Beef sausage
4 Cream cheese
Slice cheese
Breakfast sausage
2 Tub of butter
6 Margarine
2 Sour cream
6 butter
Tator tots
French Fries
3 Frozen Corn
10 Juice
2 Tortillas
Total budget today was - 200.00. But we went over by $18. I know...not bad.

Okay, so there was of course a few things that I didn't get on my list and a few things that were not on my list that I bought. Does that happen to you?

All this food, added to what we already have in our pantry and a small budget for fresh veggies and fruit, (which is not worth traveling and hour and a half to get in Reno, I just get it at Safeway here in town).

This all has to last a month. What we don't use and what I always buy is added to our food storage. I mean, our pantry is our food storage. (I could go on and on about that)

Our budget has been shortened by a pay reduction thanks to the stupid Governor of California.

It is working out okay.

Then we hit Wendy's for a treat. A frosty.

We have been doing this for 3 years now and it is a tradition to go to Wendy's.

I even put it in the budget.

My favorite part is when I get all the food put away and I can look in my cupboards and see all the food. It is nice not to feel like Old Mother Hubbard. It is also nice not having to go to the store once a week to replenish. I also do a dinner menu for the month. It helps me make my grocery list.

These are pictures of my pantry or pantries. They are not together because of lack of a good space.

This above is our snack pantry.

You have to ask to eat the food in here and some of it is for school lunches.

This above is our main pantry.

This is where most of the food goes.

This above is the water Jeff has to take to work. He can't drink the water where he works. (he refills them sometimes) and we recycle the rest.

This above is our 2nd refrigerator.

We store our milk, bread, cheese, eggs and lunch meat.

Above we have a ton of Deer meat someone gave us. Gag me.

This is the stuff I forgot I had already and bought more anyway.

Food storage!!!!

Above is more extras.
This above is our beloved freezer.
Juice frozen veggies, chicken, meat, (more deer meat, gag!) and waffles and stuff.

Jeff said today as he looked at all our new food, "It feel like a grocery store." and I agree. But just with the stuff we buy.

If you have any questions or if you think I am insane.

Leave a comment. I would love to read them.

Tasty Tuesday - Baked Beans

I made this the other night for our Boy Scout Blue and Gold dinner.
I thought it was very good.
And my boys and Jeff were both thrilled there was some left over for us to take home.
My sister Aimee's is TONS better, but this is pretty close.

Katie's Baked Beans (perfect for the crock pot)

3 large cans of Van De Kamps pork and beans
1/4 cup mustard (your favorite kind)
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite kind)
1 lb of bacon
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Cut bacon into small bite size pieces. Cook until just crispy. Drain and set aside.
Open 2 cans of beans and drain juice. (Remove pork chunks). Add to crock pot. Open 3rd can and with juice add to pot.
Add mustard, BBQ sauce, diced onion, pepper, salt, garlic salt, and drained bacon. Mix well.
Cook in crock pot for 4 hours. Stirring occasionally.
Serve with hot dogs, hamburgers, or even BBQ chicken and steak...well I guess anything on the grill.

So yummy!

Quick Post

I posted a ton on my family blog yesterday.
I forgot to do my Tasty Tuesday yesterday.
I will post it tonight.

Oh and I got to see the baby today.
So it is real.
A heart beat and lots of movement. A little moving blob, really.
Another ultrasound is set in a few weeks.
Still unsure when I am due.
Exciting and scary all at the same time.

Be careful what you wish for...

'Cause you just might get it.
I got my snow.

I got my fluffy, cold white snow.

It was raining so much, I never thought it would actaully snow.

And when it did, I thought it would be just an inch and then it would melt.

Not melting.

Emma was so cute. she had to look out the window and "Oh Wow" over and over again.

She has yet to play in it. Maybe later today.

If you were one of the few who thought fluffy, cold white snow.... I thank you.

I love it.

It makes having to live so far from my family not so terrible.

Rain, Rain

Rain, rain, go away.
Please come again another day.
I need my boys to go out and play.

Instead come back as cold, white fluffy snow.
That would be better you know.

Okay, I have never been good at poems.
I really like the gloominess of the rain.
It makes me want to slow down and stay inside.
Get all cozy with a blanket and a good movie.
I would really, really, really like snow. (big surprise I know).
We haven't been sledding this season.
It would be nice if the boys had something to look forward to than all this muddy, wet, puddle mess.
So I ask everyone to think white, fluffy, cold snow.
Just one more time.

My husband left me

Yes, he left me, but just for a few days.
In his job, he is sometimes called and asked if he wants to take a 3 day hospital coverage in Reno.
When he leaves it is very hard on me.
He left me with 4 very bad boys and one cranky little girl.
He left me with a sink full of dishes that make me want to throw up every time I get close.
He left me to pay the bills and sleep alone. (that part is not so bad. I get the new big bed to myself.)
He left me to worry about homework and a science project.
He left me to go to my doctors appointment alone.
I am not all that upset. I mean I get to do other things while he is gone.
He left me to fix what ever I want for dinner and it doesn't have to be fancy. (eggs and toast or macaroni and cheese)
He left me to fold the laundry when ever I want.
He left me to play at my scrapbook table and not sit with him and watch TV. (I really do like that.)
He left me to sit at the computer and play on Facebook and blog as long as I want. (well until Emma screams)

There is a ton more pros and cons to this out of town thing.
But my favorite...is the overtime check he will get.