Apple Picking 2016

Every fall, we try to take the kids apple picking at least 1 time. Usually we go towards the middle or end of September. Last year we waited until mid October due to our schedules, and the apples were not the best quality. They were soft and didn't seem to last very long. So we wanted to make sure that we didn't wait this year. 

 
So Saturday afternoon we decided to take the kids to Legend Hills Orchard to go apple picking. They had many different varieties in season. I love golden delicious apples, and they were in season! 

We met up with my parents who live near the orchard and the kids had a blast. 

I picked a couple, but the kids did the rest. We ended up filling 4 bags with apples. Each bag held 20lbs of apples! 

We ended up bringing 3 of the bags home with us (60lbs of apples!) and my mom took 1 home with her. The u-pick apples were $15 for one bag, so they worked out to about $0.75 a pound. That is a great price for fresh apples! 

Yesterday, Benjamin and I started processing some of the apples. We made a pot of crockpot applesauce for dinner. That used up 12 of the apples so I still have a ton more to use up and eat. My kids love apples though, so none will go to waste!. 

Has anyone else been apple picking? 

Do you have a favorite recipe that uses apples?

Happy Homemaker Monday (9/26/2016)

Happy Monday!  

Where did time go today? It is now 6:19 pm and I am just now sitting down to do this post...

This past weekend was busy, busy. Saturday Rebecca had a softball game in the morning, then we met up with my parents in the afternoon to go apple picking. We also had dinner out with them at a local Mexican restaurant. It was a lovely day. However, I unfortunately overdid it physically and so ended up in bed most of the day on Sunday. Oh well, it just meant that I am not at the point where I am completely healed yet...   

Anyhow, now we are at Monday. Let's see what else is going on in my little area of the world (as well as other's if you want to follow along with Sandra's "Happy Homemaker Monday" theme).

On the weather front:::
It was rainy for most of the day, which kept the temperatures down in the mid 60s. I turned off the a/c and opened windows. It is supposed to be in the 60s and low 70s all week, so maybe fall weather is really here.  
  
On my bedside table::: 
I have a mirror, lotion, tissue box and a hairbrush. 
 
On my TV::: 
The kids are currently watching "Mythbusters." As for me, there is really nothing on that I want to watch right now. I have been watching episodes of "The Pioneer Woman" on Food Network. 

Thinking and pondering:::: 
About ways to save money since I am not working right now. About things I want to get done this week. About what my schedule will be like when I return to tutoring. Thinking about Jacob and some major focus issues we are having with him.
 
Listening to::::  
The TV, the hum of the laptop, the ping of spoons hitting bowels as my kids are eating homemade applesauce. 
 
On the menu for this week:::
For the third week in a row, I actually have somewhat of a plan for the weekdays. This coming weekend Rebecca has her softball tournament so not sure what we will have :)

Monday: Grilled steak, baked potatoes, sliced tomatoes and cucumber, homemade applesauce and crescent rolls
Tuesday: Sandwiches, apples, and chips

Wednesday: Crockpot chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes, apple pie?

Thursday: Manwich sandwiches, green beans, corn (leftover chicken and noodles for me!)
Friday: Pizza and fruit
Saturday: ?????
Sunday: ????  
   
On my To Do List:::

• Balance checkbook
• Pay bills
• Clean out purse
• Post tutoring ad on facebook walls
• Start work on our vacation photo book
• Read part of a book for review
• Post at least 5 things on facebook sell wall
• Declutter our bedroom closet

 
What I plan on doing for myself this week:::   
Planning on going through my clothes to get rid of what I don't like or doesn't fit so I can feel good about what I wear. 

Looking Forward to::: 
Fall like temperatures which means the opportunity to try new crockpot recipes. Looking forward to getting back to work in October. 
 
Favorite photo::: 
We took the kids apple picking on Saturday afternoon. We met up with my parents. They had an absolute blast! They picked 80lbs of apples! 
 

Lesson learned the past few days::: 
That I need to learn to listen to my doctors and my husband and realize that I am not healed totally yet. There is a reason that I needed to be off for 6 weeks and I learned that if I overdo it then I will be off my feet for 24 hours.   

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses::: 

So there you have it. A little bit of homemaking stuff for today. If you would like to read more, please go visit Sandra and all the other blogs that have linked up with her! 

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT MONDAY!!

Happy 8th Birthday Travis!

Travis' footprints that the nurses made us.

Dear Travis:

 

Happy 8th Birthday! 

8 years ago, at 12:35am on Sept. 21, 2008, 

you came into our lives.

Your were born silently into Heaven at a mere 20 weeks. 

I know that you are in Heaven now playing and having a grand old time

with your Great-Grandparents and relatives who have gone before. 

Missing you greatly today and wishing you a very happy birthday!

With Love until we meet again, 

Mommy

 

Update On My Recovery and Sausage and Broccoli Skillet

Today marks 4 weeks since I had my total abdominal hysterectomy! Time is flying by!  I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during my recovery. 

I am definitely in a better place now than I was 4 or even 6 weeks ago. My incision is healed and the yeast infection that I had developed around my incision is gone. I still have a little bit of internal pain especially on my left side, but it is more annoying than painful. 

I am slowly starting to do more things around the house. I am able to go grocery shopping at 1 store without getting tired (I am still not up to marathon grocery sessions where I hit 3-4 stores in one day). I have started to do laundry again. And I notice that I am not as tired as I used to be, which is a good thing! My body tells me if I have done too much and there have been a couple busy days where I have been dog tired by 9PM. But I have come a long way toward recovery. I see my doctor again in 2 weeks where hopefully he will lift all my restrictions!! 

One of the things that I have been doing during my recovery is sharing recipes on facebook that look really good. I like to try making new recipes, but a lot of time I find that I don't have time with how our schedules are. However, since I have been home, I decided to break out of our rut and try one....

Sunday night for dinner I made Sausage and Broccoli Skillet, (the recipe can be found on "Fun Learning Life"). The only thing I did different was I used turkey smoked sausage instead of the kielbasa. I had everything on hand, except for the tumeric. I served it with pear slices on the side.

Overall, my family's reaction was 2 thumbs up! Rebecca even had a second helping! I will definitely be making this again. 

Hope everyone has a happy Tuesday! 

Happy Homemaker Monday (9/19/2016)

Happy Monday!  

This weekend was as busy as I have been in the last 2 months. Maybe this is a sign that I am healing from my surgery?!!....Anyhow,  Friday night I had to take Rebecca to her AHG session where they were assembling "blessing bags" for our local law enforcement. The girls made 104 bags, enough for every police officer in our county! Then Saturday, I had to take Rebecca to her softball game as Bill had to work in Columbus. Saturday evening we went out to my parent's house as my sister was home from college for the weekend and we were going to watch the Ohio State game, until it got delayed due to weather and we headed home. Yesterday, I took the kids to PSR, then church, then I was doing some things around the house, including making a new recipe that my whole family liked!  

Anyhow, now we are at Monday... I have taken the 2 older ones to school. Benjamin and I have been to the grocery store and we have made lime jello together. Now he is watching cartoons and I am going to share what else is going on in my little area of the world (as well as other's if you want to follow along with Sandra's "Happy Homemaker Monday" theme).

On the weather front:::
It is warm and humid here again this week. I had to turn the a/c back on over the weekend as the humidity went high again. It is supposed to be in the upper 80s all week and very warm. 
  
On my bedside table::: 
I have a mirror, lotion, tissue box and a hairbrush. 
 
On my TV::: 
Ben is currently watching "Miles from Tomorrowland."

I have several episodes of "Chesapeake Shores" on the DVR to watch. We have been watching a lot of football. 

Source

  
Thinking and pondering:::: 
About ways to save money since I am not working right now. Thinking about how to change up my resume.
Brainstorming places to apply to.
 
 
Listening to::::  
The TV, the hum of the laptop, my phone dinging with an alert. 
 
On the menu for this week:::
I actually have somewhat of a plan :)

Monday: Pork chops, julienne potatoes, green beans and crescent rolls
Tuesday: Quesadillas, carrot chips and salad

Wednesday: Sandwiches, fruit and chips
Thursday: Hamburger helper and peas
Friday: Pizza and fruit
Saturday: ?????
Sunday: Baked chicken and broccoli alfredo pasta.  
   
On my To Do List:::

• Balance checkbook
• Update resume
• Clean out purse
• Put in 4-5 resumes
• Start work on our vacation photo book
• Read part of a book for review
• Post at least 5 things on facebook sell wall
• Declutter our bedroom closet

 
What I plan on doing for myself this week:::  
Planning on trying to stay positive that things will work out as they are supposed to. Planning on going through my clothes to get rid of what I don't like or doesn't fit so I can feel good about what I wear. 
 
Favorite photo::: 
 

Ben really wanted lime jello, so I bought a box at the store this morning 

 

and he helped me make it when we got home.

Lesson learned the past few days::: 
That I need to learn to listen to my gut and that my husband will support whatever I decide I need to do for myself and for our family. 

I also learned that I need to give my kids more credit than I do. I made a new recipe last night for dinner and I didn't think the kids would eat it as it had rice and broccoli in it. I even told my husband beforehand that they probably wouldn't eat it...however, all 3 ate it and Rebecca even had seconds! Lesson learned to this Momma.  

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses::: 

So there you have it. A little bit of homemaking stuff for today. If you would like to read more, please go visit Sandra and all the other blogs that have linked up with her! 

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT MONDAY!!