And The Winner Is....

Sorry... waiting for Handy Hubby to wake up. Will post this evening! Thanks to all who entered a chance to win my Blogger-Birthday prize package.


Drumroll please...............................................................................................

The Winner is Amy at I Think I Can I Think I Can! I'm emailing you now. I'm going to need your snail mail address!

I have enjoyed Amy's blog this past week. She's really into saving, budgeting, and the like AND she participates in Menu Plan Monday just like me! So Congratulations to Amy. I am delighted to be sending out your prize package in honor of my Blogger-Birthday!

And a special thank you is also due for all my other fans... I'm not over-flowing with comments, but I am making my rounds and getting to know a few. Thanks so much for all the birthday-wishes!

I LIED But I Can Make It Up To You

This will stay at the top until March 31st.

HAPPY BLOGGER-

BIRTHDAY TO ME!

MARCH 31, 2008

Ok so a while back I made a mistake. I haven't been blogging for THREE years, only TWO. (Thanks Mom) SORRY. I'm really not a liar. It was a simple mistake. I must not be very good with arithmatic!

To make it up to ya'll, I'm going to give away a little prize package to one lucky winner. What's in it?

• An awesome PINK journal. It's cover is textured like alligator skin or something, but it's not the real thing. I love it because its... PINK! Click on the photo to get a closer look. Saweet... isn't it!?
• A devotional "Sharing Your Faith" from The Discipleship Series by Carolyn Nystorm.
• A PINK candle by Cottage Hill Soaps... Cotton Candy flavor... I mean scented! Smells OH SO GOOD!!! I could just eat it!
• Something from Starbucks... either a pound of coffee or a box of Tazo Tea - YOU PICK!!! Let's face it... who doesn't love Starbucks!!!
  

I see it now... light the candle, waft the sweet scents while kicking back in your big cushy chair to complete a lesson in your new devotional and write your thoughts in your new awesome journal for a lifetime of safe-keeping... all the while sipping a delectable cup of tea or coffee! LOVE IT!! It's so me! And so appropriate for a birthday prize pack.

How to enter:

LEAVE A COMMENT - One per person. Comment must include the following:

1) Your email address or a way to contact you.
2) An interesting fact or comment about anything COUNTRY.
3) If you prefer tea or coffee.

Anyone is eligible... near or far, with our without a blog. If you make more than one comment, only one of them will be counted. Game closes at 12PM March 30, 2008 EST. On March 31st, my handy-husband will select a random number between 1 and however many entries are made. The number of that entry wins the prize package. I will contact the winner via email for a mailing address.

Menu Plan Monday

Serving up at the Vulhop Homestead this week... In no particular order...

• Beef Tacos



• Roast Pork with veggie and potato



• Chicken with rice



• Grilled Ham & Cheese with chips



• Cheese Tortellini with side salad

Do you plan your weekly meals? Want to share? Head over to Menu Plan Monday and link-up! It's early Monday and there are over a hundred people already linked up! WOW!

Blessings Monday

This week I'd like to share that I am thankful for a closet full of clothes. I am as cheap as cheapy-cheap gets when it comes to clothes. I will NOT pay full price for anything other than socks, undies, and bras and even then I will look for clearance if there is any. I work in a professional environment. I don't have to wear a suit every day, but I do need to dress in a presentable fashion. I have some outfits that are fancier and some that are more casual.

I was shopping for some tops and the one I found in a catalog that I really liked was FIFTY DOLLARS!!! That's highway robbery for a simple top! Heck - I can make my own for that price! How frustrating!

I have recently received some really great hand-me-downs! Thanks Wendy for a box full and Rene'e for passing on several bags overflowing with dress clothes! Skirts, blouses, slacks, sweaters... EXCELLENT!!!

I'm really blessed to have a lot of really nice hand-me-downs and if you hang out long enough... I might just hand-down some of my own!

If you'd like to share or read more blessings, head on over to Amazing Graze Farm and join us!

Sneak Peak Sunday

Not a whole lot to tell this weekend, but here's a re-cap so far...

• Picked up car from collision shop
• Visited shortly with Mom & Dad while returning Re-Re's car
• Shopped for deals at Rite-Aid
• Shopped for groceries
• Prepared the menu for the upcoming week
• Made a breakfast casserole
• Went to church - what a beautiful day!
• Was asked to lead a ladies Bible Study
• Made a list of items we could do without
• Started sewing a denim purse. It's nearly finished. (quite proud of myself on this)
• Laundry Laundry Laundry
• Set up the bird-bath
• Swept the living room and kitchen
• Researched Cafepress.com - interesting
• Working on some other research
• A little R&R.... maybe a nap to come and a walk at the park???

Saturday's Savings

I didn't save so much today. I actually SPENT a pile! I picked up the car at the collision shop and my deductible was $250. That's it... quick... easy... and out the door... $250 gone with the wind! And not something we budgeted for although we do have some back-up funds available. Thank goodness.

There weren't as many super deals this week... or maybe it's just that I lacked the enthusiasm to dig for them. I did pick up some Glade scented oil candle refills for cheap. Sale, rebate, and coupon yielded $1 each for 3. Not bad considering they are usually $2.99. Also picked up a Renuzit Pearls Scents. I had one before and LOVED it. It smells so wonderful, clean, and lasts for a long time. With sale, rebate, and coupon I paid all of 49 cents for a $3.59 item that I LOVE. Well worth it.

I splurged on a bird bath that was on sale too. I always wanted one but am too cheap to spend $50 plus. This was $12 and is actually quite nice. I put it together and it's on display in our flower-bed infront of the big window. The kitties are gonna LOVE this!!!! Although...Re-Re says that someone will probably steal it. That's what happened to my mega-cool bird feeder a while back. I'm still sore about that. Oh well... I'm loving my new bird bath for now.

So this week we really did NOT need much in the line of groceries. Being that the car was an added expense, I successfully shaved the budget a smidge. I did not use any coupons at the grocery store, but bought items that I would normally not have coupons for anyway - including meat. Less than $35 later, we have multiple meals for the week and enough for other weeks too.

I got 3 pounds of lean ground meat and browned it already. I packed it into 1 pound bags in the freezer for easy meal making later. I also learned from reading someone elses blog that if you rinse your ground beef after browning it that you can shave a couple fat grams per serving. I've done this a couple of times. Don't tell my hubby though... what he doesn't know doesn't hurt! HA! Oh and also don't tell him that I did the same thing with the ground sausage! I'm telling you - it's worth it. It tastes the same but is healthier. That's awesome!

I also signed up for savings perks with CVS and Walgreens although I hear that it will be about a week or two before my card arrives. I've read a lot about others saving big there... and will be scouting for the best deals all around in the weeks to come.

So that's about it for Saturday's Savings... I may not have saved a lot of money, but by browning some meat I am saving a lot of time on future meals.

Another Chance For Prizes... and Celebration!

Chandra over at Keeping It Sane is having a give-away with a 100th theme. Very cool... great stuff! Entries are free... and who couldn't use some of these fun items?! You'll have to go to her blog to see them! Good luck!

Fridays C.O.W. Coupon Of Wisdome

A few nights back I opened my Bible and what did I see but the following verse staring back at me...


Psalm 81:8 "...if you would bust listen to me..."



Listening requires focus. This might carry on as a life-long theme of mine. It seems that where I fail the most in any area of my life is primary the result of having a lack of focus. If I would FOCUS on God, I would listen to him.

Of course in this verse he is speaking about the Israelites. Gosh they were like block-headed people... I mean just like me. You've got to give God a ton of credit for putting up with them/us for so long. I mean, when does he finally grow so weary of us that he forgets us? NEVER! Now that's LOVE people.



If only I would listen... So what practical ways can I put efforts into cashing in this Coupon Of Wisdom this week?

• Pray


• Study the Word


• Ask for Wisdom


• Exercise Discernment


• Post this verse somewhere to be a constant reminder

Sometimes I read over these simple yet profound tidbits of wisdom and fail to embrace them. Just as clipped coupons that are not redeemed are wasteful, so are portions of scripture/biblical teaching when we read them and fail to respond. Thus... I have developed the concept of clipping "Coupons Of Wisdom" to help remind myself to exercise discernment of the wisdom the Lord so freely offers.

Thankful Thursday

It is Thursday and I am especially thankful for how perfect God's plan is. He sent my handy-husband into my life at the perfect time, an event only God could have orchestrated. He filled a gap that only God knew how to fill. Isn't it grand to recollect how God has worked in our lives? Think of all the events that had to occur to create both myself and my hubby. How each of our parents had to meet and how their parents had to meet and so on. Think of all the life-long particulars that had to pan out in order for us to be able to connect in a special way. It's all part of God's perfect plan and I am eternally thankful for it.

Why don't YOU stop over to Sting My Heart and participate in THANKFUL THURSDAY!

Works For Me Wednesday

Inspired by someone else's post about socks last week... Is It Just Me? and well there was another one but I can't seem to find it now.

We have a TON of socks. Most of them are plain black or white. We share our socks. Yes we each have a few particular pairs set aside for only ourselves, but the bulk of them are simple everyday socks that either of us can wear.

I don't match our socks. I put them all into a large basket in the corner and we match them as we go. I gave up trying to get him to turn them inside-right when he takes them off. Now days I just toss them in the washer however they arrive in the laundry room. He does have a point when he says "You sweat on the inside anyway. Why not wash them inside out?" I can't argue with that. One thing though, I always know which are his and which are mine because mine are the ones that are inside-right all the time.

So... sharing and not matching socks is what works for me! Do you have a tip to share? Head on over to Rocks-In-My-Dryer and link up... share the wealth of knowledge!

A Dozen Country Thoughts

These are simple things I learned growing up on the farm:

1. I learned to shake the milk. The cream rises to the top of raw milk and can be skimmed to use for other purposes. If you're going to drink it... ya gotta shake it! (or stir it) To this day, I still shake the milk, even though I'm not drinking raw milk anymore.



2. Shaking the cream makes butter! Yummy, pure, unsalted, butter!



3. I learned to french braid by practicing on my horse.



4. I learned to give a cow a shot of penecillin. The needle was so big I could see down the barrel of it. I had to stick her three times before I got it in. Man their hide is tough. They said that cow had been 'down' for several days, but having been stuck with a gigantic needle three time, she was up and moving in no time!



5. I learned about butchering chickens. Mom did it several times. I'm not sure if it was a novelty type thing, or if we were poor and needed food. I remember the hatchet, the flopping, and the plucking. Not a pretty sight, but was purposeful. I also remember that Grandma was quite learned in this area. Once I shoed a rooster away from flogging my little nephew. She caught wind of that and the next day there was chicken soup at her house!



6. I learned to develop a taste for REAL vegetables. There is nothing like a fresh tomato or green beans right from the garden! When the tomatoes are ripe, one could take a salt shaker to the garden, pluck a nice big plump and juicy one and eat it warm... Mmmmm... And when we snap the beans I tend to eat a few too many! Got to love that home-grown taste!



7. I learned to ride a horse and have been riding all my life. Still love it!



8. I learned to milk cows. Yes I can milk by hand or with the machine and still do from time to time. I was even the Dairy Princess for a year in my youthful days.



9. I learned to cherish the cycle of life... from the miracle of birth as animals are born into this world to the cycle of letting them go when their purpose has been served. My pony was born right into my arms and took her first breath there. I helped deliver numerous calves. For a time I was the calf-walker-feeder-lady. When it was time for them to go, big or small... it was sad.



10. I learned how to make "Ferd-bergers." You call the steer 'Ferdinand' and when the meat hits the freezer you can make Ferd-bergers. HA! I also recall a story about "Lucy" but you'll have to ask Mom about that one.
    


11. I learned to drive a tractor. Dad made me disc the garden continuously until I was ready to get my permit. I have a tractor I inherited from Mom. It was her Dads. It's a Farmall A. My friend fixed it up and is using it, but one day it shall fall back into my hands. Every time I drive it I think... Grandpa would be so proud!



12. I learned to chew timothy hay and eat purple clovers! Thanks to my Grampy.

Tuesdays With Jen -- My Memoirs

How I Met My Hubby - Part III

Need to catch up?


Part I and Part II




So as it goes, we were up bright and early that Saturday morning. K was prepping his Army-duds for the wedding. His cousin was getting married and K was in the wedding! No tux, just Army-official-dress. I had a half of a cheese sandwich for breakfast. Take note - that comes up later. (pun intended) After breakfast I decided that I didn't feel well. I had HORRIBLE back pain. I went and rested a while. Called my insurance company and told them I was not near home, could not see my PCP, and would be going to the local Emergency Room. YES - it was that bad!

DISCLAIMER... those with weak stomachs... SKIP THIS SECTION!!!! K took me to the emergency room at St. Lukes. I was less than impressed with the registration clerk. I told her I thought I had kidney problems and she went on and on about how her daughter had a kidney infection last week and yadda yadda yadda. Seriously, I was in so much dyer pain that I didn't actually hear much of what she was saying. She was asking questions and I was relying on K to answer most of them. Did I tell you yet that I was in P-A-I-N? BAD!!!! A couple times I asked how long it would be. Wait wait wait. Typical ER. I could not get comfortable, not sitting, not standing, not laying on the floor. I went to the rest room and vomited. They gave me a little dish and made me wait some more! Oh good gracious!!! I was SO SICK!!! What seemed like hours later they took me to a room. The docs figured I had a kidney stone. I vomited some more. I think the cheese sandwich came back up in a lump. TOTALLY GROSS!!!! They stuck me with needles, ordered an x-ray, and gave me some pain meds. Meanwhile, times a tickin... He needs to get to the wedding already!!! I heard him on the phone with his mom "I can't just leave her here!" When he came back to the room I told him that he should go. I would be fine and he could pick me up later. Reluctantly he kissed me! On the lips!!! Yes, he kissed me right after I vomited some disgusting cheese lump! ACK!!!! That's when I decided he was worth hanging on to.


Hours later the doctors released me with pain meds and instruction. K's dad came for me and took me to the pharmacy to get my prescription. I changed into my dress clothes and he took me to the wedding reception. I knew absolutely nobody. Now remember... K's dating history was that of many cancelled dates. When K had told his family what happened they figured it was just a story to cover up the most recent cancelled date. When I found him in the reception hall he was elated and hugged me. He introduced me to his family and his sister proclaimed "Your for real! And she's pretty too!" HA!!! We had a grand evening of dancing!


Throughout the days that I was visiting, we saw some local sites. He took me to the city, which was well out of my element. We walked along the banks of the river on the Serpentine Wall. There he stopped me, brushed my hair away from my face, looked me in the eye, and told me I was beautiful. Then he kissed me. That was a serene moment.


One day after lunch he asked if I wanted to go to Eden Park. Now I thought he was asking if I wanted to go to Eat n' Park, which is a restaurant in Western PA. I couldn't figure out why he wanted to go there right after lunch, but none-the-less I agreed. When I saw the road sign pointing towards Eden Park I said "Ohhhhhhh...." and proceeded to explain what I had thought. We both had a good laugh. We spent hours walking through the park. It was lovely.




The end of my trip grew near and we said our goodbyes. And that's the last that I saw my soldier-boy for about a month. The trip home was horrendous at best. There was a massive flood in the Columbus area and after sitting in traffic for THREE hours I was forced to re-route. Motels were completely booked. I had no choice but to get out my map and pick my way through an alternative route. Every few miles I would be stopped by police or firemen telling me that I had to turn around or head further north. Somehow I found my way home by way of Steubenville, OH. I arrived safe and sound NINE hours later. This was supposed to be a 5 hour trip! Ugh.


Tune in next week to hear about our next encounter.

OCD

My boss says I've got OCD

• I have to make the bed before getting into it. I can't stand getting into an un-made bed. If I'm the last one up, I make it right away. If I'm the first one up... I'm usually the one making it at bedtime.
• I eat my jelly beans one color at a time. I just realized that.
• I do the same thing with M&Ms!
• I wash the dishes in groups... all the plates together, all the cups together, all the silverware together.
• I eat one entree at a time... all my veggies, then all my starches, then all my meat... and then drink most of my drink. Not always in the same order, but each part one at a time.
• I wash my clothes by color... doesn't everyone? All whites, All Reds, All darks??? See, that's not weird!

I think I'm just orderly or organized, but he's got a point... I am a little compulsive at times.

Sting My Heart » Blog Archive » It is My Bloggy Birthday!

Sting My Heart » Blog Archive » It is My Bloggy Birthday!

Someone else is having a birthday! More prizes!

Menu Plan Monday

Meals this week include the following, in no particular order:

1. Beef Roast, mashed potatoes, and veggie


2. Beef Vegetable soup with barley


3. Country-fried chicken with biscuits and veggie


4. Breakfast Night


5. Roast Pork with potato and veggie

I'm An Organizing Junkie hosts Menu Plan Monday... I'm only like the 200th and some person signing on. This is a great way to get meal ideas!

Blessings Monday

I have been blessed with the presence of horses in my life. That might seem like a silly thing, but they are true blessings... creations of God... and have been a great source of companionship and learning opportunities over the years.

Sugarfoot was the pony we had when I was a child. She was a grey Welsh pony. I have but ONE photo of her somewhere. There was a time that I rode her almost daily. One time we were riding in a forbidden place... the CORNFIELD. Wendy was on the pony and riding the length of the rows that towered well over our heads. I reached through the row and gave the pony a good smack on the rump and she took off like a rocket! ACROSS the rows of corn and galloped through the neighbor's yard (another forbidden place) with Wendy screaming for her life. I laughed really hard! WOW, whatta ride! Sorry, cant' find the photo. It's here somewhere.

Storm was a gift from Dr. McKelvy. She invited me to her place to ride for a summer day and I glady soaked up every minute of it. There was a huge pasture field behind the barn where I would ride down down down to the bottom and gallop him through the valley and up the hill towards the barn. A few bags of carrots later he was mine for the rest of his life. Preparations were made. Dad put in an electric fence and he and Paul built an A-frame shelter. I was in business!

As Storm aged, I was afforded the opportunity to acquire Magnium. He was probably the most impressionable of them all. There are years of stories to tell of my Magnium. We traveled the world... well, the local world. We went places my parents would have never dreamed I would be. I crossed the 4 lane highway and rode to Saxonburg. I rode from sun-up to sun-down as far as Mars, Evans City, and sometimes Renfrew. Yes that horse had MILES on him. Once he was in the school play "Camelot." I took him in the building and he walked across the stage with a knight on his back. How cool is that! I bid him farewell after a good many years, sending him off to bigger and better things with other people. Rumor has it that he now resides in Poland, OH. He's the horse all the kids argue over who gets to ride him and occasionally he gets out of his fence and walks the streets of Poland munching on the neighbors flower gardens. I miss him.

Then came Penny... She was born right into my arms! That was the most awesome thing. I will never forget. She grew fast and strong despite not having consumed enough colostrum (mother's first milk) in the beginning. The vet said she had about a quarter of the antibodies that she needed, but she soon recovered. I handled her much and bathed her often as a youngster and too this day she LOVES water! She'll even let you spray her face and will try to drink from the hose. She is quirky. She gets way down and scratches her belly on the ground like nothing I've ever seen. It's borderline obscene! When I moved to KY, I sold her to a lady that told me (upon delivery) that she knew the moment she saw her that her name should be "Dixie." Hmph. I told my friend on the way home that I suppose if she paid for her she can call her whatever she wants. It's kind of like me calling up K's mom and saying I'm going to start calling him Bob. What gives!?! Anyway, it didn't work out and she gave her back... that's when she came to Kentucky. She has lived at various stables but is currently at Asbury Equine Center in Kentucky. I have high hopes to bring her home this summer.

Horses are such unique and wonderful creatures. They are habitual and affectionate. They each have their own personalities. I learned to put their needs before my own. One has to feed and water and care for them. I learned that they long for attention just like little girls do. I became a responsible adult as a result of some of the things I learned.

I dream of the day when I can have my own stable. Nothing huge, just a little place. I'd like to have 2 or 3 horses or ponies. I'd like to share them with children that need something to do to keep out of trouble and who need an outlet to learn about God and to teach them how to become responsible individuals. Something like Crystal Peaks. Read about it. It's awesome! I want to do that! AND... I'd like to have a cute quiet little pony for my nieces and nephews to ride when they visit. Joyce used to enjoy visiting the stable and I know Essie is head over heals for it! I wish I could share that with them more.

And yes... I have a "thing" for palominos!

I am so blessed and look forward to a lifetime and an eternity of blessings. God is so good! Marcie over at Amazing Graze farm hosts this weekly forum to share our blessings. Post yours and then head on over and join in so we can all read of your blessings.

Back-woodsy Cookin

I found this book in the basement "Southern Living The Deep South Cookbook" published in 1972. That's before I was born!

I was perusing the pages and immediately turned my nose up at all of the fish-related dishes, namely "Festive Fillets with Sauerkraut." Um, I don't like fish to begin with but pair it with sauerkraut... that's just wrong!

It seems that the South must be big on alternative meats... you know... rabbit, dove, quail... they really like squirrel... and even raccoon & opossum! Here's some of what I found: (click on the recipe if you are really interested in it)

Apparently squirrel is like chicken! You can make it a thousand different ways! I don't think I'll be using this cookbook any time soon but it sure has been amusing!

Sneak Peak Sunday

Ok so the weekend has been rather uneventful except for the moment that Crystal got into a shopping bag that I put some trash into and left in the kitchen. She somehow slipped her head through the handle and of course the bag was stuck around her body. The moment she moved she was trailing trash and OHHHHHHHHHH the drama. It startled me and I ran downstairs to find the commotion in motion. Quickly I scooped her up to console and her little heart was going pitter-patter way faster than usual! I actually had to cut it off of her. Now I'm not in the habit of leaving such hazardous situations in our home. As frightful as it was... it still brought a smidge of a chuckle. Silly kitty... shouldn't be getting into the trash! And not actually something of her general character either. Hmm...

Anyway... some sneak peaks of our weekend:

• Saturday we both slept in - for once! It was fabulous!


• He worked Saturday afternoon


• I did my weekly shopping spree Saturday afternoon


• Got a call from Rene'e about a POSSIBILITY of bringing Penny home to a new location. Hasn't been confirmed and trying not to keep my hopes up in case it doesn't pan out. Still praying for a good spot to keep her.


• Laundry Laundry Laundry


• Dishes Dishes Dishes


• Yes laundry and dishes at our house mostly wait for the weekend to be done. That's life when we both work full time plus. Oh well.


• Made the menu for the upcoming week


• Cleaned the bathrooms - scrubbed the toilet, sinks, mirrors, etc.


• Cleaned the kitchen - scrubbed the counters, sink, stove, microwave, etc.


• Took out the trash


• Cleaned the litter boxes


• Exercised (both days)


• Cooked - Maple Ham and scalloped potatoes with green beens.


• Cooked - Beef roast with mashed potatoes and peas.


• Cleaned the dining room table and washed the table cloth (needed done badly)


• Shredded some documents


• scanned some photos


• Pre-wrote some blog posts for the upcoming week


• Devotions - prepping for my next Girls Group night

It's been a good weekend. I cannot complain. The sun was shining and we were both in good spirits. That makes it all that much better! So here's to another week of fun and frolic and more to come...

The Lord has risen! Enjoy the Easter season.

My Favorite Easter Funny

HAPPY EASTER EVERY-BUNNY!

7 1/2 Inches Later

I'm not overly happy with these photos, but for the sake of change...

BEFORE

AFTER

And now I shall re-commit to my diet and exercize plan because obviously... I NEED IT!!! Someday when Isaac draws my picture, I won't have a double chin! YIKES!!!