About Me
My name is Tami and I live in central Illinois with my husband, Larry and three children, Caleb (6), Camden (4) and Emma Grace (2). I hope you'll enjoy reading about my life as a wife/mother and about our family's adventures.
Menu Plan Monday – November 24
Monday – Grilled Cheese, tomato soup
Tuesday – Beef and Noodles, peas
Wednesday – Macaroni and Cheese, vegetable
Thursday – Thanksgiving Dinner at the in-laws – I’m taking Deviled Eggs and Pumpkin Pie
Friday – Pizza
Saturday – Breakfast – Oatmeal, fruit – Dinner – Thanksgiving Dinner with my family – I’m taking Cornbread Stuffing, Sweet Potato Casserole and Pumpkin Pie
Head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.
Tags: 
recipes, 
Menu Plan Monday
He is the Gift
This past week, a few ladies from church, and myself, decorated a tree for the annual Festival of Trees fundraiser. This was the 2nd year we decorated a tree. We had a great time and it is a great way to kick off the holiday season. The Gift was the theme of the Festival this year. Our tree was called “He is the Gift”.
The trees are auctioned off and all of the proceeds go to The Baby Fold, a great organization in our community. Besides the decorated trees, there is a gingerbread village, celebrity trees, a cookie shop and a gift shop. The highlight for the kids is the Jingle Bell Junction. They have a lot of different activities for the kids to participate in and a train the kids can ride.
I got to go with both of my boys on their school field trips and then we went as a family on Friday night. Caleb and Camden had to show Larry all of the things they had seen the day before. We had a lot of fun and it is a definitely a highlight for our family.
Tags: 
Festival of Trees, 
The Baby Fold, 
Christmas, 
He is the Gift
Menu Plan Monday – November 17
Monday – Maple Glazed French Toast, bacon, fruit
Tuesday – Sloppy Giuseppes, chips, raw veggie tray, Cold Stone Creamery
Wednesday – Classic Baked Ziti, salad, garlic bread
Thursday – Hamburger Casserole, vegetable
Friday – Family Night at Festival of Trees
Saturday – Breakfast – Cinnamon Rolls, fruit – Dinner – Cheddar Corn Chowder, bread
Head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.
Tags: recipes, Menu Plan Monday
Menu Plan Monday – November 10
Monday – Spaghetti, caesar salad, garlic bread
Tuesday – Oven Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls
Wednesday – Grilled Cheese, tomato soup
Thursday – Macaroni and Cheese, vegetable
Friday – Chili, honey cornbread
Saturday – Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, bacon, toast, fruit – Dinner – Out to dinner
Head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.
Tags: recipes, Menu Plan Monday
Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style (3rd Edition)
Overwhelmed With Joy is hosting her 3rd Annual Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style. Here are a few of my favorite tried and true holiday recipes.
This is a great stuffing recipe to cook out of the bird.
Slow Cooker Stuffing
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 12 cups toasted bread crumbs or dressing mix
- 1/4 – 1 cup butter, melted
- 2 (8 ounces each) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
- 1/2 – 1 cup dried cranberries and raisins
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (omit if using seasoned dressing mix)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 cups chicken stock
- dash of pepper
Saute onions and celery in butter. Combine bread crumbs, onions, celery, mushrooms and dried cramberries. Add parsley and seasoning. Combine eggs and chicken stock; stir into stuffing mix. Pour into slow cooker on high 1 hour and on low an additional 3 hours.
Category: Side Dish
This is requested a lot by my children during the winter.
Hot Cocoa
- 6 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup half and half
In heavy 2-quart saucepan, whisk together cocoa, sugar, salt and water over low heat until smooth. Simmer, whisking continuously, for 2 minutes, making sure whisk gets into the edges of the pan. Add milk, increase heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally with whisk, until steam rises from surface and tiny bubbles form around edge, 12-15 minutes. Do not boil. Add vanilla and half and half. For foamy cocoa, beat hot cocoa with hand mixer or transfer to blender and blend until foamy. Divide between four mugs, top with whipped cream or marshmallows if desired and serve immediately. If you want to increase or decrease this recipe for hot cocoa, the key ratio to remember is 1 1/2 tablespoons of cocoa and 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar per cup of liquid. If you use whole milk, omit the half and half.
Category: Drinks
My mom always made this around the holidays and it is my favorite.
Divinity
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 eggs whites, room temperature
Cook until sugar spins a thread. Pour half of the sugar into egg whites; beat until stiff. Cook the rest of the sugar until it hardens in the water. Mix all together. Beat until creamy. Working quickly, drop mixture by teaspoonfuls on wax paper. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Category: Dessert
Head over to Overwhelmed With Joy to check out other Holiday recipes.
Tags: recipes, 
holidays, 
hot cocoa, 
slow cooker stuffing, 
divinity
Vote
Tags: 
Election Day, 
vote
Menu Plan Monday – November 3
Monday – BLT’s, chips, fruit
Tuesday – Cheesy Chicken and Salsa Skillet, tuscan salad
Wednesday – Open Faced Grilled Cheese, chips, cottage cheese
Thursday – Bacon Cheeseburger Potato Pie, vegetable
Friday – Pizza, salad
Saturday – Anniversary Weekend in Chicago with hubby
Head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.
Tags: recipes, Menu Plan Monday
Halloween 2008
This Halloween was so fun for the boys. They couldn’t have had more fun. They really scored on the candy and had to tell us about what they got at every house. What they don’t know, is that most of it will be going with daddy to work on Monday.
Emma was content to sit in her stroller and watch her brothers.
Caleb was so excited, that he was running from house to house.
We kept reminding the boys to say thank you after they got their candy. Camden usually was halfway down the walkway by the time he remembered.
Tags: 
Halloween, 
trick or treating
Miscellaneous
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