Household Notebook

Being a busy mom can sometimes cause me to forget a lot of things. I call it pregnant brain that has never went away.... To help me with things to remember, I have a 3 ring notebookwith everything in it that I could possible need to get in a hurry. It is a very simple thing to do and it could help husbands during those times that mom is sick or away (which hardly has a chance to happen here. I am still waiting on my "sick" days and "vacation" days). But, if something were to happen my husband knows that this notebook has every piece of info that he would need to "carry" the family until I was back to running this well oilled machine.
In the notebook I have divided it up with simple tabbed dividers into these catagories..
Bill- in this section I have a chart of the monthly bills and a section that has the date it is paid.
Budget This is where our household budget table is.
Important Phone Numbers Just the numbers that I would need at moments notice.
Family Medical Info There is a health info form for each person that list meds, doctors numbers, and any allergies or surgeries.
Birthday and Anniversary List
Misc. This tab has any info I need without having to search for it. Mine currently has a page of room paint colors (we are currently trying to paint the rooms in the house and I have a page that list the paint color, room, and where the paint is bought from).
Website info This contains websites that I visit on a regular basis with the password and user ids on it. Like I said my memory is very little....
PaperThis tab has notebook paper for emergency doodling...
I hope that this will help someone. It doesn't have to be nice just a notebook that keeps everything handy and easy for someone else to grab and take over the family if needed. It is a manual for the running of our home. This is my frugal way of doing this instead of having to buy one of those "too nice to write in" fancy books with dividers in it that I do not need.
If you have a family notebook I would love for you to share your ideas.

See ya'll later
Jennifer

Recipe Monday (April 27th)

My recipe today is again a Southern Comfort Food. I give you CROCK POT MAC AND CHEESE. This is so good the day after also. I love it because you can make it and forget about it. This is my variation that I tinkered with to get it to the way my family loves. This is also a great dish to take to pot luck dinners.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
1 (8 oz.) box of large macaroni noodles
1 Can of evaporated milk
1/2 stick of butter
4 1/2 cups Freshly shredded charp cheddar cheese
2 cups regular milk
2 eggs
2 tbsp. oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook macaroni until almost done (do not overcook). Mix all other ingredients together. Take a paper towel and dip into the oil and grease the inside of crock-pot. Mix macaroni and mixture into crock-pot. Cook on low for about 3 hours. Stirring occasionaly during so it doesn't stick to crock-pot. Enjoy!

See y'all later.
Jennifer

Miss California

I just have to give props to Miss California. I did not watch the Miss USA pageant (I am not a fan of the Miss USA organization), but I did catch her on the Today Show. I am glad she stood up for her faith values. I think that took a lot of courage and faith to step on that limb. I am a conservative Christian and believe the same way she said it. I do believe that the sacred commitment of marriage should only be between a man and a woman. So many times people in competitions of that nature are "coached" to say what will get the most votes and she believed her faith was more important than the "earthly" crown she might have own.
She may not have won a crown on this earth but I can tell you she knows her real crown awaits her in Heaven..... That is what it all comes down too. I love to iron and when I do, it reminds me that in this world everybody has their wrinkles and our God is such a loving God that he forgives us of our "wrinkles". One day we will get to Heaven and no one will have the wrinkles of our life. God presses us new and the wrinkles fad away. My only goal on this earth is to be a servant through the Lord and tell about his everlasting love for all of us (our wrinkles and all).
So, with all that venting over, I stand and applaud Miss California for saying it like it is...
See y'all later.
Jennifer

Blue Plate Monday

This is my first "Blue Plate Monday". I found this on the site http://deniablydomestic.blogspot.com/. I thought I would share my, what I call, "Cornbread
Plus" recipe. I took my regular cornbread recipe and added mayonaise.

My husband likes cornbread but a couple of years ago he was getting choked on it because of its texture. After a couple of years of battling what doctors called reflux, he was diagnosed with Achalasia. Achalasia is when a virus attacks the nerves and muscles is the esphogus and kills them. He will never regain the nerves and muscles, so it is very hard for him to eat certain things. So, this is how I came up with the recipe to add mayo to the cornbread.

The mayo keeps it a little more "together" than grainy. Cornbread is such a southern staple. You can cook cornbread and eat it with beans on top or you can have it as muffins with your meal. I usually have black eyed peas or pintos with ours. We crumble up the cornbread and spread the beans with some of the bean juice on top of the crumbled up cornbread.

If you love southern food, this should be a recipe to try. It is extremely easy. As I say, "If I can make it, anyone can".

2 Cups of Self-Rising Yellow Corn Meal Mix
1 ¼ cups of Whole Milk
1 medium Egg
¼ cup All Purpose Shortening
1 Heaping Tablespoon Mayonaise

Preheat oven to 400 degreees. Measure out shortening and put into an iron skillet. Place skillet in hot oven for about 5 minutes or until shortening is completely melted. In a large bowl crack egg and into it add the milk. Mix together. Then, add corn meal mix. Mix until smooth. Lastly, add the mayo just until mixed in with the mixture. Add to hot skillet. Place in oven and bake for about 25 minutes. When done add butter to top for delicious Cornbread.

Hope you enjoy and see y'all later.
Jennifer

Apron

I can't believe it. I made an apron that is to die for and it was SOOOOO easy.... I almost don't want to wear it and chance it getting dirty.... HAHA.

Here is where I found the tutorial on "An apron in a Hour"at Stop Starting and Start Sewing. She has really good things.

http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00e54ecc898888330105365d56db970c

Well thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a good weekend. It should be a nice Southern weekend with warm spring air, birds singin, and flowers blommin.

See ya'll

Jennifer

I just found this and had to share it. I have sat here and cried. It reminds me that we all have come from something and God can forgive us from anything if we ask for forgiveness. Oh how he loves me!!!!!!! What a wonderful thing...

Sewing crazy

I am so glad Spring Break is over. It was a long week. Easter was a very nice peaceful day with the family. I went on a sewing frenzy Friday night and made "mini me" an Easter dress and a Clemson shirt to wear the following day for the Clemson football spring game. I still can't believe of all people, I can sew. Who would have ever guessed, me "a Martha Stewart" housewife. Well, I have included the pictures.

GO TIGERS!! Also to add----ALL IN! (Coach Dabo's Motto)

See ya'll

Jennifer

Spring Break

My children are on spring break this week. It has been a full week so far. I have been working on getting things up and running on my business blog (Princess Doodle Designs). So I have not been able to get very much done. I have not done any crafting this week either. I have become a craft addict. I "found" crafting about 6 months ago and I can not stop. It's bad when your 3 year old knows that my favorite store is Hobby Lobby and she knows the ladies that work there by name....
Well, going to clean and try to make this chaos a little bit nicer.
Jennifer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k&feature=player_embedded

This is really neat. It makes you stop and think a little.
I saw this and just had to post it.