National Coffee Day

Today is National Coffee Day. Are you a coffee drinker? What do you like in your coffee?

I still prefer tea over coffee, but I can now say that I AM a coffee drinker.

I prefer Folgers Custom Roast as my drug of choice. I am not willing to pay a ton of money for coffee, but I have tried some of the higher priced brands, and I just seem to keep coming back to this one.

I cannot drink my coffee black. That is just nasty! I HAVE to have sugar, and lots of flavored creamer. I prefer to have a mixture of International Delights Southern Butter Pecan and French Vanilla. Hubs prefers Coffee-Mate Coconut Cream.

My friends at Folgers have an awesome site I have discovered. I was looking around there today, and found some delicious coffee recipes that only take 5 mins. to make (I am all about quick and easy!) so I thought I would share some of them with you.

Here are some coffee recipes I found that are going to be making an appearance at our house in the very near future.

Caramel Cream Coffee

Creamy Vanilla Coffee

Creamy Sweet Coffee

Triple Berry Cafe Mocha

Hot Mocha Sipper

Marshmallow Cream Coffee

The good folks at Folgers did not pay me to post this, nor did they provide me with any free coffee. However, should they want to send some my way, I certainly would be willing to accept it :)

Happy Coffee Day!

Nuts About Hodgepodge

1. It is officially fall here in North America...I realize not everyone who participates in the Hodgepodge lives in North America but if you do, what's your favorite memory of Summer 2011? If you're not in North America, what's your favorite memory of the season just ending on your side of the world?

My favorite memory would have to be when my niece was here visiting us. She lives with her mother, so we only get to see her twice a year. She and my youngest daughter are the same age, and are very good friends. It's sad that they don't get to see each other more often.



Most of the cousins eating cake on the porch. Notice my youngest daughter's wonderful "acting" skills with her piece. Yet, she doesn't want to be in plays. Go figure.





2. Your favorite nut? You know I mean the edible kind, right?

My favorite nut is an almond. They are good eaten plain, but are super delicious when you add them to desserts!


3. What activity puts your sense of balance to the test?

Going on a carousel. It just makes me feel absolutely sick anymore.


4. How would you describe your sense of humor?

Sarcastic and witty ;)


5. September 28th is National Ask a Stupid Question Day...what's your stupid question?

I found this site and took one of the questions I found from it.

Q: Is it raining outside?
A: Does it ever rain inside?


6. Roller skates~hula hoop~jump rope...which activity would you most enjoy? Yes, you have to choose.

I still love roller skating. I'm not as good as I used to be, but I can still hold my own at roller skating parties. I really prefer roller blading though.


7. What's your most sentimental possession?

I have so many! That's really the main reason I have for keeping something around. If I have a hard time getting rid of something, it is usually because it has sentimental value.

One, is my daughters' hospital bracelets from the day they were born. I like to take them out and look at them once in a while. It's hard to believe they were ever that tiny!

Second, would be the letters from Hubs from when we had a long distance relationship. They are so sweet, and when I look at them, it brings me right back to that time in my life.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

We just celebrated my oldest daughter's 15th birthday with an "80's" themed party. You can read all about it here.

80's Party

My oldest daughter just had a birthday. She is now 15.




To celebrate, we had an "80's" themed party. With 19 girls.




Like, fer shur we did!

We asked everyone to come dressed up in "80's" wear. It was neat to see what everyone wore.







We even gave a prize for the best dressed. The lucky prize winner received a can of hairspray, so she could make her hair "big", and a pack of scrunchies.

The girl on the left is the big winner. I'm sure she is putting those scrunchies to good use.



We had a dance contest on the Wii. We were rockin' those "80's" tunes! Here is the family room that I mentioned got a makeover.




We had a bonfire and jumped on the trampoline. (It's now fixed!)

We played with glow sticks




And ate rainbow cake.




Pretty on the outside



But, also pretty on the inside. Just like my daughter :)




We played "Never have I ever" which is always entertaining. Especially with so many people.

Howie was the hit of the night. He absolutely LOVED all the attention! He is such a flirt. He kept wolf whistling at all the pretty girls.



Not to be outdone, Benji had to give everyone kisses.

Right up the nose!



The oldest opened up her presents. She had to wait until the family party to get the present from Hubs and I. Like we would give it to her during her friend party? As if!




We watched a movie, and ate popcorn, and talked, and talked, and talked some more.

Well....the girls did.

Anyways, the party was a blast! I hope we didn't annoy the neighbors too much with all the loud music.

Seriously.....

Cliche Hodgepodge

1. Do you like chili? Red or white? Beans or no beans? Spice or no spice? Toppings?

Whenever I think of chili, I always think of beans. I HATE beans!

Tonight, I ate chili at a friend's house, and it is the first time that I can say that, I may like chili after all. She made the most delicious chili I have ever tasted! It wasn't very spicy, and she didn't mind that I picked the beans out. Once again, NOT a fan of the bean. It was a red chili, so I guess I like red? We ate it with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese, and Fritos.


2. Red~Orange~Gold...your favorite fall color?

I love red the most, but they are all pretty! I have always wanted a red tree in my yard. We only have trees that have yellow and brown leaves. Someday....


3. Who did you idolize when you were growing up?

I am seriously drawing a blank here.....

4. When was the last time you did something 'arts and craftsy'? Share please.

I like to make my own greeting cards. I have a ton of Stampin' Up stuff, and the girls and I like to make cards for family and friends.


5. What's a place that makes you really nervous?

The lab at the hospital. After all, there are needles involved. Needles make me VERY nervous!

6. Horseback riding...yay or nay (neigh?)

Yay! I have fond memories of horseback riding. I don't really have very many opportunities to go though.

7. What is your favorite cliche?

I like "madder than a wet hen". Not that I have ever been madder than a wet hen. I am always the picture of patience and self-control. Ahem.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I love watching the show, "Chopped".



I am watching the "Champions' Tournament: Part 4". For the appetizer round, they had to use something called "lamb fries". I had no idea what those even were, but they looked rather......squishy.

Apparently, lamb fries are lamb testicles.

I'm still feeling a little sad about the fate of Amiee, but now, I am wondering if the people who bought her "partner" Doug, actually ate his.....fries.

Things that make you go hmmm......

Girls vs. Guys

You all know that I have three girls. Three very girly girls. Poor Hubs. Not a sports lover in the bunch.

Needless to say, that when you have all girls, you get drama. Lots and lots of drama.

The other night in the car, one of my daughter's was discussing why she thinks so-and-so doesn't like so-and-so, and why. She thought it was because of the way this friend "looked" at that friend, and even though that's not what they meant, they now didn't like each other. Oh brother.

Hubs chuckled a bit and mentioned that this was not something he had ever discussed with his two brothers. There was NO drama in his house. The only girl was his mother.

The poor woman was outnumbered with all of that male testosterone in the house.

I'm sure the toilet seat was always up. Sigh.

I decided to come up with a list of things, according to Hubs, on how Girls and Guys are different.

*Girls think too much. When they think about things too much, they tend to get their feelings hurt.

Guys take things at face value, and if they are upset with someone, they just hit each other, and 5 mins. later, they are back in the "game" playing with each other again. He mentioned that this was how it was back when he was a little boy. He wouldn't actually hit another guy now. Well....unless it was absolutely necessary. Like if they were in the middle of an MMA ring or something.

*Girls blow things out of proportion. If there is a negative side, girls are sure to find it.

Guys let things roll off their backs, and if they do get upset with each other, it is over quickly. And they definitely don't talk about it forever. What's done is done.

*Girls actually care what they look like. Sometimes they need to try on several different outfits before they can decide on what to wear.

Guys....not so much. So what if you're going out in public and your clothes are dirty and don't match? People won't notice anyway.

*Girls are a lot more social. Girls hang out and talk. In fact, most of them never seem to run out of things to say to each other!

Guys more or less need to be active in order to interact with each other. It is tough for guys to just start talking to each other if there is not some activity involved. And their topic of conversation when they do talk? Sports, the newest gadget, charcoal verses gas for a grill, you know....truly life changing things.

Girls will talk about their problems, their family, their family's problems, their friends, their friends problems, and any other drama going on at the time.

In order for a guy to share about his "problems", someone needs to be either in the hospital or dying. It just doesn't happen all that often.

*Girls avoid pain at all costs.

Guys actually enjoy inflicting pain on each other. Hubs mentioned that he can remember being hit so hard with a "rat's tail" (a wet, twisted towel) in the locker room, that he actually bled. WHAT?! Sorry, I can't remember a time when my girlfriends and I ever made each other bleed....on purpose anyway.

*The Girls in this family like sports for the "extras". We like hearing about the players and their families. We also like hearing the player's "song" that they choose to play when they are up to bat in baseball.

Guys like sports for the stats. They are all into those. And if a fight breaks out, or there is blood involved during the event? Even better.

*Girls will cry for no reason.

For a guy to cry, the world needs to be coming to an end. Even then, it may not be worth crying over.

*Girls do not try to "fix" things. They are good listeners. They understand that they may not have the answer to your problems, but will listen to you talk about it anyway.

Guys? They want to fix it! It's a challenge. Bring it on! They WILL come up with an answer!

*Girls can do multiple things at one time. They can watch TV, check their email, fix dinner, and talk on the phone, all at the same time.

Guys can only do one thing at a time. They cannot listen to you, while they are watching TV. It just can't be done. Especially if sports are on. Remember that ladies.

I found this video from Toby Keith that always makes me chuckle. I love how the girl's mouth never stops moving, and the guy's eyes are constantly rolling as he is shaking his head....

Pumpkin Recipe Hodgepodge

1. What do you do at the first sign of a cold? Will you get a flu shot this year?

If I start getting sick, I immediately start taking extra vitamins, drinking more OJ, try to get more rest, and just generally try to take it a little easier. Sometimes, that is easier said than done though.

No, I do not have any plans to get a flu shot.

2. What advice can you give about how to conquer fear?

Pray! I can't think of anything else that would help you more.

3. Share two good things about your life right now.

I have a family who loves me, and compared to five years ago, I am relatively healthy. What more could I ask for?

4. A hot fall fashion trend in 2011 is a return to sixties style...tunics with pants, shift dresses, pencil skirts, cinched waists, bold prints, high necklines and short lengths to name a few. How does this fashion trend fit with your wardrobe and personal sense of style?

Well, I guess it's better than some styles, and worse than others. I currently don't own any of these things, so I guess I have some shopping to do?

5. Were you involved in scouting as a kid? How about as an adult?

I was involved with Brownies. I don't remember very much of it, as I was quite little at the time. I remember selling cookies, and going camping. I have not been involved as an adult, and so far, my girls have not been interested in being involved in it.

6. Apple, pear, plum, pumpkin...your favorite fall flavor?

It would have to be pumpkin, but only certain things. I don't like pumpkin pie, but I like pumpkin bars or pumpkin roll with cream cheese frosting.

One of our favorite recipes to make with pumpkin is pumpkin chocolate chip mini muffins. I made these the other day, and my oldest daughter told me that she actually liked these better than cake, and maybe I could make THOSE for her birthday instead? Yeah....they are THAT good!

Since I know you are all patiently waiting, here is the recipe. Don't say I didn't warn you. They are like potato chips....you CAN'T eat just one.

I doubled the recipe, because that is how I always make it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

3 c. flour (for my friends who are also GF, I replace this with Pamela's Baking Mix)
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. milk
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients together. The original recipe called for preparing the wet and dry ingredients separately, but I found that it really didn't seem to make a difference, and since it saved time if I just combined everything together at once, I just do that! Stir together, but be careful not to stir too much. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Grease mini muffin pans with non-stick spray. Pour batter into pans. Bake at 400 for 10-12 mins. or until toothpick comes out clean.

You can also use raisins instead of chocolate chips if you want to. I have no idea why in the world you would want to do that though, since chocolate chips taste SO much better than raisins, but it is certainly an option ;)

7. What characteristics do you think are essential in a good teacher?

You need to have an unending supply of patience, good organization skills, love children, and be willing to deal with the PARENTS that come with those children. From talking to some of my friends who are teachers, I have heard that THAT can be the most challenging of them all.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My oldest daughter's birthday is in just a couple of weeks, and she is planning an "80's" themed party. Does anyone have any great ideas that will entertain 20-30 teenage girls for 5 whole hours? Any games or fun "80's" ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks!

National Celiac Awareness Day

Five years ago, I found out something that changed my life. I have Celiac disease. What is Celiac disease? You can go here for more info.

For close to 7 years, I had been suffering with symptoms so severe, I really thought that I must be dying.

I had been to several doctors, and none of them could figure out what was wrong with me.

Part of the problem was, I think they just didn't believe me when I told them what was wrong. Every symptom I gave them, there was an explanation for.

I started experiencing symptoms after my 2nd daughter was born, but since I had just given birth, it was attributed to that. My thyroid was failing. That is not uncommon after childbirth.

By the time I was pregnant with daughter #3, I was in full blown thyroid failure. I was very sick. But, once again, since I was pregnant, it surely must be from that.

I had horrible pregnancies. Each one was worse than the last. So sick that I couldn't eat anything but crackers and pretzels, and drink Sprite. With daughter #3, I was sick for the entire pregnancy, though it did get better as time went on. I only gained 18 lbs. with her.

After she was born, things went downhill fast.

Over the next couple of years, I just got sicker and sicker. I was miserable.

My hair was falling out. I was so exhausted, I had to take naps just to be able to make it through the day. I was anemic. Even though I was on massive doses of thyroid medicine, it just wasn't working. My memory was awful. I was depressed. Who wouldn't be? I was cold all the time. It was like my body couldn't regulate my temperature. I had severe intestinal issues. Severe. I won't go into detail, but you can imagine.

Once again, it didn't seem like doctors took me seriously. I had gotten to the point where I had basically given up. I couldn't get anyone to listen to me. Something was very WRONG. I knew it. Why wouldn't anyone believe me?

Then, God placed into my life two wonderful doctors, who became my friends. They realized that the symptoms that I was experiencing were NOT normal, and sent me to a rheumatologist. There, I was tested for everything under the sun.

I'll never forget the day that I got the call. What was wrong with me? Cancer? Lupus? Was I dying?

The doctor on the phone told me that a test had come back that showed I had positive anti-bodies for something called Celiac Sprue disease. He told me that, although this was not something he specialized in, he did know that if I DID have the disease, the only thing that would help me is to eat a totally gluten-free diet. The only way to test for sure if I had the disease was to do a "scope" of my intestines, but I could try the diet for 3 months and see if it would help me.

That was it. There was some irreversible damage that had been done, but if I would just adhere to a strict gluten-free diet, I would gradually get better.

With that, I began my journey into the land of "gluten-free" living. And what a journey it has been!

Today is National Celiac Awareness Day. For many people, eating gluten-free is not just a "fad" diet, it is a way of life. I am one of them.

How do you know if you or a loved one may have this disease? Here is a checklist that shows some common symptoms. It is not just intestinal issues, like many people believe.

Do you see any of YOUR symptoms on this checklist? If so, it's time to start asking questions...