Throw It Out Thursday!

Last Thursday I started purging the mess in my house. I still have most of my children's clothing since they were born. Yes, I was able to yard sale a few items and I also gave away a bit. For the most part I still have it all. That is a lot of clothes. Especially with having a boy (5 almost 6years old and 3 years old) and a girl. Last Thursday I placed all the winter clothing in a Rubbermaid container (1 for Big E clothes, 1 for Princess E clothes). I packed both containers full. The lids barely stayed on. I did have to rearrange and take a few items out of the containers so there was at least a chance that the lids would fit. On Sunday my Mom came to visit and she hauled the containers (and a few boxes and a bag of hangers) back to her house. There is a children's consignment shop near her that is fantastic. She has dropped the containers off there and I hope to see all the items go to a good home and maybe in return I can get a little cash to go and by new clothes for the weeds.

Today, Thursday, I returned to the clothing situation. This time I loaded 4 boxes and 2 bags full of children's clothes and some of my old 'after pregnancy, a.k.a fat clothes). Actually, Princess E put all items in the boxes, one by one. (She had to do something.) Then took them to Good Will. Another load OUT OF THE HOUSE.

I received an email from a neighbor yesterday asking for clothing and jewelry donations for 'Dress For Success". That is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing them with professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to thrive in work and in life. I am making a donation!! She is going to come and pick the stuff up too. Can't beat that. Easy and hopefully the clothes will go to good use.

The house is getting lighter!! Finally! After all these months of storing mess I am finally getting rid of some of it. I am in the mood to get rid of a ton of things. It would almost be worth moving just to 'spring clean' everything. With having 2 young kid's I can't see the point of saving anything that isn't absolutely necessary. The have so much stuff all by themselves. Why do I need a whole cabinet of cookbooks? I have my recipe box with all the staple recipe's in it. I also have a ton of recipe's in a file on the computer AND I normally GOOGLE for everything else. Why should I waste a whole kitchen cabinet? I am not!!!

I urge everyone to throw something away on Thursday's. It is a way of breaking free of all the crap that seems to cripple my mind. You don't actually have to throw it in the garbage, but ya could if ya wanted. Throw it in the garbage, donate, consign, sit it by the road with a FREE sign, give to a good neighbor....just get it out, out and away!

You will sleep better.

Let me know how it works.

Still need

Still need a laptop....

Boy's will be Boy's

Kid's were out of school all day today. It was kinda nice. We stayed home. I figured everyone else would be out and about. I invited some friends to come over. Baked a frozen pizza for lunch and forced the kid's to play outside. Even put the Fisher-Price tent in the backyard to help lure the kid's to stay out and play. The trampoline was put to some use. I can not say good use...but use.

The saying, "Boys will be boys", is a saying that I do not care for. I don't know if a trampoline represents a boxing ring to all boys or just to the one's that come over and visit us. I am including my own Big E. {I do not want anyone to think that I am excluding him from this occurrence. He is just as bad as any of them. No one is worse than the other. I am placing no order whatsoever on any of these boys. I really like all of them. Yes, I feel as if I have to cover my butt as to not 'offend' anyone. Of course, neither one of the Moms involved are naive to their offspring's actions. Nor are they overly sensitive. Neither one of them have time to be. That makes it all good. Big E and Juicy Fruit were outside on the trampoline and they were having an OK time. They were jumping a little but yes, they were doing wrestling, power ranger, ninja moves...making contact. They had to be called down several times and told to separate. We asked them to jump because that was what the trampoline was for. Then another kid, Jones, came over and I thought it was nice. They were getting alone pretty good and it is nice to have new folks around to keep things interesting for Big E. He had already been playing with Juicy for a couple of hours. I had to come inside with Princess E and tend to her and warm up. Ms. CatBird (Juicy Fruits Mom) came in to. We just knew the boys would be fine. They are old enough... When we went back out I saw Big E pulling on Jones shirt. He had the arm. The shirt was stretching. This act to me, is like finger nails on a chalk board. I hate stretched out shirts. Yes, hate is a BAD word, but dislike does not cover the disdain that boils in my blood when I see an article of clothing stretched. When I saw this going on I called him down. At which time ALL the boys start telling me that Big E, and Juicy Fruit were essentially 'ganging up' on Jones. They had their reasons. I don't really care. The matter was taken up and dealt with with both Big E and Juicy. A trampoline is made for jumping and a few tricks here and there. As long as no one is in the way of the person doing the tricking at the time. I just don't understand why this consistent rough housing goes on. Little Jones should have a) come and told me, b) gone home when all this started happening. But then again I see why a) and b) did not happen. I guess there was a little element of fun. Don't see how. Unless there is such a thing as "BOYS WILL BE BOYS."

This is a warning to Big E regarding the trampoline. They can either jump or treat it as a boxing ring. The choice is his and his friends. However, if they choose the later, the trampoline will be picked up by the garbage truck. It is a shame. Why can't they just jump? I hate to take the thing away (and I know a few other parents that don't want me to destroy the trampoline because it makes a great babysitter for them) but I will not condone/accept these actions. I hate the eyesore anyway. It is supposed to be here for the kid's to have fun.

Plus, Big E is going to learn that 'ganging' up on someone is not accepted. Neither is all this 'play fighting' going to continue. This fighting stuff is going to stop. Don't know where it came from to begin with. To have a friend and keep a friend you have to be a friend.

Dinner!!

Greetings!

Ok!! Just had a fantastic dinner. Granted it was nothing fancy. When I say fantastic, I mean the kid's ate everything I put on their plate and Tree Farmer went back for more. He actually commented that we could have this once a month. I have to add that I did not find it complicated at all. It took maybe 40 minute's to put together. That includes browning the beef and chopping onion AND chasing Princess E. Cleaning is also included...

I put it all together at 12:30 today and then baked it at dinner time.

By the way, I used my Pampered Chef stoneware casserole dish. I think it is 12 x 9 ish. I don't know exactly. I just tried to measure it with the ruler and that is what I got... It is pretty big.

I was planning on having leftovers for tomorrow night. BUT there is not enough left!!! That never happens here. Normally there is so much left that it sits in the frig and well, takes on a life of its on. So, now there is nothing for dinner tomorrow night. AND the kid's are home all day for the holiday SO I KNOW THERE WILL BE KNOW DINNER TOMORROW!!!

Maybe you can make it one day.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Cindy's Baked Spaghetti


Ingredients:

6 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta or spaghetti (I used angel hair)
1 lb. hamburger, ground chuck...
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
3/4 cup beef broth
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to directions. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook hamburger and onions in a large skillet, stirring until meat is brown and crumbles. Drain well.

Stir the salt, pepper, chili powder, 1/3 shredded cheddar, the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and mustard into the meat mixture. Simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in spaghetti and beef broth.

Spoon mixture into a baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar and the shredded mozzarella.

Bake 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned slightly.

Laptop

I need a lap top computer