Basketball and Train rides.

Tired would be an under statement. Yesterday was very full of excitement and friends. The day started off slow since we decided not to go in service since we had a 1:30 meeting and Laneybugs would have never made it through 3 hours in the car then sitting still for 2 hours in the meeting, for laneybugs 30min of whispering and only getting out of her chair 3 times is a miracle. It is odd to have a Saturday bookstudy and theocratic school meeting, but for the past 2 or 3 years we have had 5 congregations in our hall and when someone else gets their CO the only day left is Saturday and not even Saturday morning because another cong has their Public talk and Watchtower meeting at that time. So we have the privilege 8 times a year of going to Saturday afternoon when the CO visits other congs in our hall. But a HUGE thank you to the Weddington cong who so lovingly offered to share that privilege with us this year. I'm not sure how it's going to work but I'm told we will only have 2 Saturday afternoon meetings a year YAY!!!!!!!

Back to yesterdays events. We got through the meeting with little trouble and candy (we try anything and everything to get her to sit but it always resorts to bribing with candy) Once we got home it was a mad dash to get everyone dressed and out the door.

Laneybugs was so excited to be going to her very first basketball game. Sorry for the bad pictures I meant to grab my camera but as always I forgot it, at least I had my I phone so all was not lost. There was quite a long warm up for the players before the game (scrimmage) began. Laneybugs was all ready cheering for both teams enough that our whole section and 3 over could hear. When the game started she kinda lost interest a bit. Until she saw the big bob cat, from far off taking pics with other kids. She was waving at him and saying "HI BEAR" as loud as she could. So he came over.......Laneybugs took off in the other direction crawling over people to get to me, she was terrified poor thing. He "hung" around for a while seeing if she would warm up to him. I wish I had gotten a pic because he was standing on his head in the chair next to the hubby for like 3 minutes. Laneybugs didn't warm up to the idea of him till he was half way across the arena. The "game" ended we were all pleased that the bobcats actually won a game (b/c they were playing each other) This year has been a bad year for them. Next we decided to go get some food and thought that the new charlotte tram would be fun for the kids (and for me too I had not be on it yet) We waited a while for it but for Laneybugs the anticipation of ridding the train was just as fun.











Dinner was a bit of melt downs as everyone was tired. So we ate fast and got back on the train. The kids ran around the station having a great time, really they were just happy to not have to sit any more. We got on the train to head back to our cars. Laneybugs skipped the whole way. We stopped in to McDonald for a happy meal on the way home and ice cream for the hubby and me. Finally got home at 8:45????? it felt like 12. I was in bed and asleep by 10. Laneybugs slept in this morning. Yay for small miracles.

Getting a head start on 2012

It's December already? Where did 2011 go? What did I actually accomplish this year? Do I even remember what my goals were for the beginning of 2011?

Lose weight. (That is the same goal I have every year) Well I'm going to not look at this one as a big fail for 2 reasons. 1. I didn't gain any weight Yay! and 2. I'm eating much healthier, thanks to some much needed help from friends. This year I met some new wonderful people who are so supportive and am so happy to know them. We have a great group of girls on M.E. (facebook group) It's for mom's and it's all about getting fit.

I also joined Weight Watchers and it was working well, I lost 5lbs. I know this doesn't sound like much, but when your 5'4' and 128ish lbs. (oh my did I just tell my weight) It's very hard to lose the last 15lbs. Like I said I was doing well then my knees started hurting from jogging on the treadmill. When I went to the doc for something else I found out I had "runners knee" ROTFL are you kidding me!!!! Me with something called runners knee (I'm the farthest thing from a runner/jogger (let's just call me a lazy walker) So my recovery took 2-3 weeks and by that time I lost my inner push to work out that I had surprisingly got after working out for 2 weeks. I love that "inner push" I had always heard other people talk about it and thought it was an urban legend for those crazy happy hyper people who well let's just be honest they don't spend 5+ hours watching tv living vicariously though their fictionally fun lives the way I do. So back to the "inner push" you feel when you've been working out for a while, I have to tell you it's REAL, it dose exists. I've been so wrong for so many years. Don't get me wrong there is a catch to this inner motivation......you have to start working out with out the "inner push" and not just once or twice but for a while. It's will come though you just have to make it through all by your lazy self to get there. This is something I haven't been able to push thought is my laziness. I seem to always have some excuse, Didn't get enough sleep, laneybugs has been too much to deal with so I'm to tired, It's a meeting night, or spent the day in service/shopping/errands to have the energy to work out. Really they are just excuses but I always let them get the best of me.

So I've started Dec 4 (the day I turned 30) I wonder if there is a mental connection between the two :P I've started on P90X and back on the treadmill again. Today is day 3 and still no inner push that's for sure. I keep telling my self I had it I just need to stick with it.

Wow sorry I went on for so long about my weight loss.

Getting out of the hole.....as in those nasty things called credit cards. Has been in the back of my head nagging me all year. So this Dec 1st I talked it over with the hubby and he gracefully let me take over the finances. Not that he was doing a bad job (in no way is he responsible all by himself for our finances, I do a wonderful job of not controlling myself when shopping) I've known the biggest problem to our lack of savings was our eating out. I won't go in to too much detail but we have never budgeted for anything over the last 10 years so when we have been hit with those unexpected bills and the birth of our daughter (with no maternity ins) it all went to credit cards. My dear hubby has always done well making sure all of our bills were paid, but who has the time to watch every cent in our account I mean the guy has 2 jobs and is always working. Oh wait that's right ME the mom who is on facebook and reading blogs all day and now currently addicted to Pinterest that's who. I mean I really need to grow up, I used to be a controller of a manufacturing company. Managing money is a passion of mine, I love coming up with plans to fix/pay things. The problem my dear hubby had in the past with me doing the finances was I have a tendency to pay off everything and well leave no money for food Oops.

Along with watching our account I've had to start making breakfasts and lunches. I know I know, who doesn't make these things already. I admit my laziness, I have worked for the past 7 years (before the arrival of our laneybugs) and was always used to just having the money to pick up my breakfast and lunch at work and then coming home and ordering take out. Since having laneybugs I have made more dinners at home. But that isn't enough to get us out of the hole. Over the past week in watching our money that we spend on food I've discovered that we can easily get out with in a year. YAY! This is one goal I am determined to keep.

So I have 2 goals this year I hope I stick to at the very least one of them if not both (I would love to be in a two piece bathing suit this summer) I think to keep my self accountable I'll do a monthly progress report on here. Sorry not very exciting stuff.

Oh and I forgot the most important goal of all.......more post of laneybugs this year.

Apple Cake

Bring on fall! I don't know how you feel about the warm weather that we have had this summer but I think it has been just too hot and am ready for a change. The heat kept my family in doors to much this summer and I'm ready to brake out. Bring on the jeans and light sweaters, the changing of the leaves, apple picking and bonfires, the warm cinnamon spice smell that comes from the kitchen and all that yummy comfort food.

I have a confession, I'm addicted to those cooking mags at the grocery store check out and blow my food budget by tossing them in my cart. But can you blame me when you see pictures like the one in the Sept issue of southern living.

I couldn't help myself, I try not to make these yummy treats unless we are having company or going to someone house. I can't have that stuff just sitting in my house with out eating the whole thing in one sitting, I just don't have self control when it come to sugar. When I found out we were invited for dinner to some friends house in Mount Holly I knew I had the perfect excuse to make something sweet. Of course this magazine caught my eye this week and I just couldn't help myself.

Hands On: 40 Minutes Total: 4 Hours, 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• APPLE CAKE BATTER:
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 1 1/2 lb.)
• PRALINE FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

• 1. Prepare Filling: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended.
• 2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350º. Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.
• 3. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.
• 4. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).
• 5. Prepare Frosting: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake.

Sorry for the photo of my dirty oven. I wish you could capture the smell on a camera, my whole kitchen smelled like Autumn.


I'm always surprised when my cake come out of a bundt pan perfectly and not in pieces.

I wished I had let the icing cool longer then it said b/c it was still a little runny when I poured it on.


Laneybugs face when I told her she could lick the icing spoon.


Laneybugs licking the icing spoon.




I hope to go apple picking this week freeze some yummy deserts (if they're frozen maybe I won't gobble them up) Anyone have any good recipes that will freeze well?

Banana Phone

Laneybugs new phone.

The Coupon Extravaganza

Extreme couponer I am not, but this week was double coupons at Harris Teeter.  Boy did I rack up on the deals, yup I'm saying it I TOTALLY ROCKED THE COUPONS! Here are the deals I scored.

4 Reynolds Foil
3 Tetley tea bags
4 Chex Mix
2 Kraft dressing
2 Pringles
1 Frenches Mustard
2 Triscuts
4 Zatarains rice
2 Hillshire farm  Kabassa
4 Kettle Chips
1 Mrs T's Pierogies
3 Cheemo Pierogies
2 Johnsonville  Sausage
3 Xtreme disposable razors
2 Lysol toilet bowl cleaner
1 Lysol kitchen cleaner
2 Lysol wipes
1 Dawn dish soap
1 Gain dish soap
1 Finish Dishwasher cleaner
1 Colgate toothpaste
1 Scope
1 Always pads
1 Secret clinical deodorant
1 Crest toothpaste 
1 Neutrogena mens face wash
2 Mitchum deodorant
1 Band-aids
1 Neosporin
2 Herbal Essences
1 Pepto Bismol
1 Flinstone Gummy Vitamins
1 One a day  Gummy Vitamins 

Originally   $231.17

Drum roll please............

TOTAL ACTUALLY SPENT  $100.79

YUP I SAVED $130.38 (I'm going to say it again I TOTALLY ROCK!!!!)

Next time I'll take a picture all though I have enough supplies to last me 6 months. So I won't be shopping for a while.

Schedules

Most people like relaxing day's of reading ( I chose to read blogs)  and catching up on your fav tv shows that you dvr'd a month ago, a bit of food shopping some service. That's what I dreamed of when I worked full time and brought my work home with me on nights and weekends. My schedule back then was

7:45 get up put on the coffee and shower
8:15 get dressed run out the door with coffee in hand
8:55 ish  park my butt at my desk and start looking at the stack of paper work on my desk and die a little.
12:30 Gym or shopping
1:30 eat lunch back at desk while still looking at the now 3 stacks of paper on my desk while I wonder if bosses wife remembered to change the tape in the recorder they have hidden in my office (they think I don't know)
3:30 Get all packages labeled and out back for UPS to pick up while grumbling to myself I'm not the shipper why am I doing this again
6:00 ish Pack up the now 7 stacks of paper work and laptop to drive home.
7:00 Order take out
7:30 Spread stacks of paper all over the living room (hubby rolls his eyes while saying they don't pay you enough)
8:00 Still working but put on LOST and have a drink.
11:30 Finally reconciled to the last penny then realize I need to go to bed.

THEN........ the last thing in the world I thought would happen.  I got pregnant and then fired (Yup my boss was an @$$)

So now I'm home, and I'm living the dream! Right?  I have no set schedule. My day kinda goes like this.

8:30 Get lanebugs out of her room go down stairs and get her breakfast and turn on the coffee.
8:45 Get on facebook check mail and read blogs.
9:30 Get a list of food together
10:00 Get dressed and head out to do food shopping
12:00 Get lunch
1:00 Arrive at home put on a video or two for Laneybugs and let her play around the house.
1:10 Get on facebook check mail and read blogs (hey didn't I just do that already ya I'm addicted)
2:00 Clean something
4:30 Start dinner
6:30 Get Laneybugs ready for bed
7:30 Park butt on couch
11:30 Realize I have wasted my whole day and go to bed.

I wish my day's were more productive. I feel better when I have done something other then eat and facebook all day.  Of coarse I'm being a little over dramatic not every day is like this. I do have day's where I do service and a full day of cooking for freezer meals. I like to imagine that once Laneybugs starts kindergarten in 2 years my day will be more regimented. I picture after dropping laneybugs off in the morning then going to the gym and then getting a mani/pedi and meeting other mommies for lunch you know something glamorous like that.

So the question is what do I do in the mean time before Laneybugs starts school?

Water table fun.

I'm sure it isn't a surprise to anyone that kids love water, Laneybugs is no exception. A year ago we saw a water table on sale at wal-mart for $15 and snatched it up.

Photo from target.com

We had no idea how wonderful this product was until we got it home and laneybugs went nuts playing with it for hours. Then hours turned into long day's of endless entertainment. If your a parent you will appreciate the joy we both found in this for two reasons, laneybugs was happy and content to play by herself, and this gave me a chance to have long periods of time to get things done (while still watching her) and to even just sit down and enjoy a cup of tea while watching her play. Really I'd spend a ton of $$$ to get that same result. It's worth it's weight in gold. Then winter came and the table sat outside while we tried to find good substitutes, the bath tub was a good try but just wasn't as good. Then finally spring was here! We uncovered it to find something icky growing in it.  I was a little mad at myself for letting such a good deal go down the drain by not storing it in the garage. So we went out looking for a replacement. We did find some very cool water tables.

Photo from kidsplaygroundset.com

But when you find such a good deal you get kinda spoiled by it. We searched all day for a really nice one for a good price. Finally my mom asked if she could try and clean it up before I spent a bundle on a new one. You really have to love mom's. My mom and a bottle of bleach and it came out looking new!

So today is another beautiful spring day and laneybugs is playing with her water table and tea set. She spent the afternoon serving me "tea" (water) out of her very clean almost new water table, when our neighbor TD comes over to see all the fun we are having. This is how the conversation went:
Laneybugs yells out "Hi TB,
TD: Hi Laneybugs what are you doing?
Laneybugs: Whew, mommy drinks a lot.
TD: Oh really? Then walked away laughing.

So now laneybugs has her nice clean water table and I have a drinking problem.