I am considering not taking Tommy to preschool this morning.  It is so cold and I hate to take him in and out alot.  I think i will jsut drop him off at daycare and head to do the shopping for the cooking session at church this morning.   I would like to get it out of the way and pick up Tommy early from daycare. 

It is suppose to be very cold all weekend, so we will probably stay around home.  I think I will make cookies with the boys and play some games!   Maybe we will rent a movie..we will see. 

I will be cooking on Saturday so hubby needs to take the boys to the library alone.  He probably will stop by the church afer that.   Well I better get my day going.  Take care!

FRIDAY TO DO:

Ltr/pkg Dawn and Kari
Shop for CookingSession
Miake Sign up sheet
Make cooking list and to bring list
Pay bills/paperwork day

Tired and getting ready to head to bed!   We jsut got done plasticing the last of the windows.  I had the boys room left and hubby help me finish that tonight.   It is suppose to get very cold this weekend....like 18 below zero!    I have alot of errand to run tomorrow so I hope it holds off a bit!   Well off to read.....good night!

THURSDAY TO DO:

Finish Lambs - DONE
Calendar Update - DONE
Clear Dining Room Table - DONE
Set Up File Box - DONE
Clear Corner - DONE
Ltr/Pkg to Dawn and Kari
Household BInder -DONE
Church Cooking Binder - DONE
Church Cooking Shopping List. - DONE

Today is a more mellow day for me I think.  I plan on cleaning out the filing system for the new year.  So I can sit and watch TV and shred!   I also have alot of paperwork stuff to get done.  My hubby wants me to fnish our household binder so he can find all the information in my absense, so I will work on that some more today.   I also have to get my shopping list ready for my big shop tomorrow for the church cooking session.  It will be a huge shopping trip to Aldi!  

Last night was a nice evening.   Everyone liked the Swiss Steak I made.   Tommy stayed dry all day yesterday and did very well.  In the evening he had one accident or BM..that was fun!  ARGH.....Hubby and I spent the rest of the evening playing with Tommy.  When I was going through the preschool stuff downstairs I founds some alphabet things to work on.   We have a large wooden puzzle with the alphabet.  So we picked a letter, then Tommy would run to the fridge and find the matching letter that goes to his Leap Frog Phonic Letter Magnetic.  He would put it in there to see what the letter is called.  Then we would run back and tell us the letter and do a dance.  He is really starting to notice letters.  When I am reading before bed at night he will look at my book and pick out letters.  Last night he said "Mom there is a "I" in your book" and he proceeded to pick out the "i" on the page.   It is great to see his interest.   He loves to play games so we are making up more games with letters for him to play.  I might have to check out Lakeshore Learning again.  I want a Letter Bingo I think.   We have a couple of matching games.   I still need to make a few phonics buckets too.   These early years are to most important up to the age of 5 in my opinion.  

Tommy actually even was alseep last night by 11:00...WOW....of course he was in bed with us.  Oh well....I put him in his bed around 1:00 when I woke up to use the restroom.  He slept through the night in there then.  

Tonight I think I will work on writing with Tommy.  He doesn't like to write, but maybe if I make it a game with letters he might do it!   Hmm....I should look what is for supper tonight!

I am hungry for stuffed Peppers, but doubt it will go over that well.  Too Bad!

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

4 large bell pepper's
1 Med. Onion
1 1/2 cups cooked wht. rice
1 pound Hamburger meat
20 oz. spaghetti sauce

Cut tops off the pepper's, clean pepper's and chop up the tops. chop onion.
Mix chopped pepper tops and chopped onion in bowl with cooked rice add  raw hamburger and most of the spaghetti sauce. Mix well, stuff  the pepper cups. place in baking pan that's been slightly oiled with olive oil. Cover with tinfoil. Bake in pre-heated oven 3:50 for 45 min. or until done. When half way cooked pour the rest of the spaghtetti sauce on top of the bell peppers.  TAKE THE TINFOIL OFF THE LAST 15 MINS. OF COOKING.
                                                              From  Vennie's Kitchen
  

Well the finally count is in.  I am doing a cooking session at church with my committee and we have 12 people signed up.  We are making Chili, Meatloaf, Pizza Pasta and TaterTot Casserole.   I have to do the shopping for all the cooking on Friday.   We charged each person 28.00 to participate so I hope that covers all the groceries!   This is our first attempt at this, so we will see how it goes.  

I have to update my spread sheet for shopping and print out a few copies of the recipes.  I also will have to make tags for the entree's too.   Then on Saturday morning we will be cooking up a storm!!   I hope all goes smoothly.    It is definitely a huge planning event!  I am making the grocery shopping list and stuff and someone else gets to do this next time!

UPDATE

WEDNESDAY TO DO:

Finish Making Lambs
Calendar Update
Find Recipes for Church Cooking Session _DONE
Ltr/Pkg to Kari and Dawn
Laundry - IN Process
Return Movies  - DONE
Fill Gas in Blazer - DONE
Kitchen:  

1. PLastic Cupbaord  -DONE
   
2. Pots and Pans -DONE
   
3. Pantry - DONE
   
4. Snack Cupboard -DONE
   
5. Island Cupboard  -DONE
   
6. Under Sink -DONE
   
7. Wash Curtains
   
8. Wipe walls
   
9. Clean floor on Knees
   
10. Wipe down Fridge - DONE
    
11. Wipe down outside of all cupboards - DONE

Supper Tonight....

SWISS STEAK

Makes 6-8 servings

2-lb round steak, cut into serving pieces
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 large onion, sliced or 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
16 -oz can tomatoes

1.  Combine ingredients in slow cooker.

2.  Cover.  cook on low for 6 to 10 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. 

Note:  You may want to  omit the salt if you use the onion soup mix.

**Fix It and Forget IT Recipes for Entertaining**

Morning....hubby let me sleep in today.  I didn't get up until 7:00.  Oh well...I needed the rest.  I can't believe how sore my arms are today.  I wiped down all the walls in the living room and hallway yesterday.   I was surprised how dirty they were.  They didn't look dirty, but the water was!   I suppose since the living room is next to the kitchen it gets a film of stuff from cooking. etc.    I also did the floors in the living room and hallway on my hands and knees to get them good and clean.  I cleaned them with murphy's oil soap and then treated them with lemon oil!   I love how they look when they are done, but it is alot of work!!!  

Today I have a long list again.  I am going to work on the kitchen today and wipe out all the cupboards.  

Tommy is doing better with his potty training we haven't had him in pullups since last weekend.   Last night he was in the tub and he yelled he had to go potty.  I ran in there (since he never gives much warning) and put him on the potty and he went poopy.  YEAH!!   He really is trying so I hope when this vacation is done he will be potty trained.  I am still nervous about taking him to stores, etc.  He won't sit on a regular potty yet.  He is scared of it.   That poses a problem.  We don't have plan for this weeekend, but next weekend we are going to Sesame Street Live!  

I just realized it is less than a week to my birthday!   We are hoping to do some kitchen remodeling so I asked to not have any gifts.   I really want a new oven, jsut have to see if we will be able to financially swing it!

Well I best get Tommy up and ready for daycare!   I have a kitchen to conquer!   I really am glad I am able to get to each room and really disenfect the walls and stuff with lysol, I think it will help with illness and stuff too!   It has been a couple of eyars since I washed the entires walls.  I do spot cleaning every month though. 

WEDNESDAY TO DO:

Finish Making Lambs
Calenday Update
Find Recipes for Church Cooking Session
Ltr/Pkg to Kari and Dawn
Laundry
Return Movies
Fill Gas in Blazer
Kitchen:  

1. PLastic Cupbaord


2. Pots and Pans


3. Pantry


4. Snack Cupboard


5. Island Cupboard


6. Under Sink


7. Wash Curtains


8. Wipe walls


9. Clean floor on Knees


10. Wipe down Fridge

Off to get busy!!

To answer your question....we usually set our temp in the house around 68 ir 70 at the most.  We have to keep it that high to make sure the basement is warm enough for the boys.  Ifwe weren't using the basement I would keep it at 65.....I don't think that is too high.   I have a feel next month will be better now that I have most of the windows plasticed!   We have an older house with original windows! We can't afford to have all new windows put in yet.....maybe in a few years!

OH MY WORD!!  I just opened my heating bill and it was jsut under $400.00  OH MY!!   I have been procrastinating on plasticing our windows...I have jsut finished doing the living room and ours and Tommy's bedroom.   I have to redo the dining room and the one window in the kitchen.   I will have to do the boy's room downstairs later this week.   I guess sticker shock is one way to get me to do the windows!  YIKES!