Our pictures are in............

We took pictures with Lil Miss "H" while we were in Ohio! Here they are:

Pensieve's Snackalicious Super Dishes

In honor of Pensieve's Snackalicious Super Dishes 2008, just in time for Super Bowl XLII (even though I could care-a-less about either team....Boooooooooooooooooooooo Giants,
may I present these 2 FABULOUS dishes:

For those of you that are on a diet (including me) we all know Super Bowl Parties are NOT about diets...I thought I would think of "US" this is a GREAT recipe...I've made it and I love it!!! It's only 1 point per cup on weight watchers!!! It's very hearty and filling...so the "FOOTBALL BOYS" will love it too! It's also very QUICK & EASY to make..something we all love! I also figured this time of year is cold (even for us Texas people) something warm would be nice!

Taco Soup
1lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 lg. onion, chopped
3 - 16 oz. beans (any variety) I use ranch style beans with jalapenos, undrained. (I like it spicy)
16 oz. corn - undrained
5 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 c. water
4.5 oz. green Chile's (optional)
1 pkg. taco mix
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

In a LARGE pot, brown beef/turkey with onion. Drain. Stir in rest of ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Makes 3 1/2 quarts or 10-1 cup servings. May be frozen up to 3 months.

(Above is the way the recipe came)

These are my changes:
I added:
Fresh Chopped Cilantro at the end
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes - undrained

I also cooked a batch of Jiffy Corn Bread to top it off!!!! =)




I know we were only asked to provide one recipe but I couldn't help myself...I L-O-V-E cheese balls...this is the first thing I dive into at a party....so here is our famous ball!!!!

Cheese Ball
2 (8 oz) Pkg Cream Cheese
1 Lg Bunch of Green Onions (tops too) chopped fine
1 Tbsp Hellman's Mayo
3/4 Tbsp Mustard
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (1/2 tsp if you do not want it too spicy)
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Accent Seasoning
1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 Cup Pecans Finely chopped

Combine all ingredients except pecans. Shape into one large ball or two small balls. Roll in chopped pecans. Chill overnight, serve with assorted crackers. YUMMY!

(You can even shape it like a football!!!! =) I seen that on the Kraft Foods website...my cheese ball is different than there recipe though!)

Note: You need to use the exact brand of ingredients!

REMINDER........

I just wanted to remind everyone about a few things:

#1
Snackalicious Super Dishes You stil have a chance to sign up if you haven't already....if you have already signed up.......Pensieve says, January 25, post a recipe for your favorite crowd-pleasin' dish--it can be a main course, appetizer or dessert, but I'm thinking anything that would make for a tailgating good time--Super Bowl Sunday or at your next pot luck. On January 25th, link your recipe post to the Mr. Linky that will be displayed on Pensieve blog!!!!

I can't wait to check them all out!!! =)

Good Luck!!!


#2
If you haven't already signed up for the 2008 Valentine's Day Swap go here and do so!!!! =) The clock is ticking...you have till January 31st to sign up! I think this is a GREAT idea! I can't WAIT to find out who I get!!!

I wanted to give yall an update on my crazy list....
The only thing left I have to do is....1099's! I rock!!! =) I've already completed all my reports, mailed out the W-2's, etc....I feel like a million pounds has been lifted off my chest!

I know it's not an exciting post today, but it's a post!

HAPPY THURSDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.............

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR FRANNIE...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!

& MANY MORE!!!! =)

LOVE YOU & MISS YOU!!!

I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!

We bought an Elliptical!!!! =)

Last night Mr. "S" and I went shopping for an elliptical....I think we bought the machine that we both wanted!!! =) We never made it to Sears....Wal-Mart and Academy had just what we were looking for! Academy was a little higher than Wal-Mart so this is the machine we walked away with: Image 9.5 Elliptical!!! I hope the stride is big enough for us...we are both tall! The guy at Wal-Mart wouldn't let me climb up on the display to check it out...dang him!!! I read the review after we got home...they are very mixed! Some people LOVE the machine and some people feel that it's not very sturdy! So guess what Mr. "S" gets to do tonight when he gets home????? He gets to put the elliptical together!!! =) I can't wait to jump on this thing and go to town!!

That's my boring post for now!!! I couldn't wait to tell yall about it!



Giveaway:
Uncommonly Cute has generously offered a shirt/onesie of your choice to 1 lucky winner. To enter, just stop by and check out all her hip baby clothes before January 29th. Then come back and mention which saying is your favorite. That’s it! A random winner will be selected and notified on January 30th!!!!!!

As usual, you may earn extra entries by subscribing to An Island Life or by blogging about this giveaway with a link back to An Island Life and to Uncommonly Cute. Make sure you let her know if you’re doing/did the extra credit so I can make sure you’re entered properly.

This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only.

Good luck! =)

It's Monday and the list goes on....

First off I would like to say: BOOOOOOOOOOOO-WHO for my packers and BOOOOOOOOOOOOO to the yucky Giants!!! I just knew the Giants kicker was going to miss 3 in a row but I guess....3rd times a charm! =( Dang it!

I hope everyone had a FUN & RELAXING weekend! I know we did! Saturday as planned we went to the lake house and put out grass seed!!! Hopefully in a few weeks we will have grass sprouting up all over the place! We had a 50 pound bag and that is usually good for a few acres from what dad was saying?!?!? We don't even have an acre but we put out the full 50 pound bag!!! =)

Saturday night we went and rented a few movies Balls of Fury which wasn't that impressive...it had a few funny parts but that was it. The second movie was 3:10 to Yuma which I really liked...pretty good "western" story line!!! We were also looking for Mr. Woodcock and Good Luck Chuck...guess those will have to wait till another night! The weekend was pretty boring but very, very relaxing! It was cold out (or at least what us Texas people call cold) so we stayed in! Sunday I cooked breakfast and took a nap...it was GREAT! So very peaceful! After that I woke up and watched football for a sad ending to my weekend!

Nothing exciting to blog about...sorry!

How could I forget my list....lol...I wished I could forget my list!!!

• Reconcile Petty Cash
• Finish the payroll quarterly reports (941, TWC & 940)
• W-2's & 1099's
• A/R Report...complete the write-offs from 2007...thanks to our non-paying piece of crap customers! (I couldn't hold back any longer)

Tonight Mr. "S" and I are going shopping for a "NEW" Eliptical!!! I can't wait...I'm soooooooooo excited! We are going to shop at Academy, Sports Authority, Wal-Mart and Sears! Hopefully we will find what we are looking for! We need one with a stride of at least 20"...we are both tall people! Wish us luck!

Thankful it's Friday =)

I don't have much to blog about...I just wanted to say T.G.I.F!!!! =)
I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooo THANKFUL it's Friday! This has been such a L-O-N-G week!!! UGH!!! I still have TO-DO's on my list!!! Whatever...there is always Monday and I think that is what I'm going for!!! Not that I even want to think about Monday yet!!! UGH!!!

This list will have to wait! "C" that I work with (you will probably hear me talk a lot about her)...she is one of my best buds...she has been out yesterday and today...her little girl is sick! So that leaves me with her dispatch and answering phones...JOY, JOY, JOY!!! That is why the TO-DO list will have to wait!!! I need "C" in here so I can concentrate on my reports! I can't answer the phone and concentrate at the same time...our company will have some screwed up payroll reports...lol

So does anyone have any BIG plans for the weekend...if so I want to hear all about them! Even if there not BIG plans comment me...I would love to hear what's going on!!! Mr. "S" and I will be at the lake house planting grass!!! Woo-Who! I hope the weather warms up a little...it's rainy and nasty...which we need the rain so the grass will grow but the heck with the wet yucky cold!!!!

I must sign out on this note:

I HOPE GREEN BAY KICKS THE CRAP OUT OF THE GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The list must go on....UGH! =(

Well, lets just say I didn't even get HALF my list done from yesterday...it's just always one thing after another!!! You have it all planned out...what you are going to do then BAM...something else comes up!!! I'm guessing that is why I'm not much of a TO DO list type of person!!! Just a GROCERY list type of person! I love to grocery shop and spill yogurt on people...just kidding! lol Any ways...back to my list:

• 3 Bank Statements to Reconcile


• Petty Cash to Reconcile


• Payroll Quarter Reports (940, 941 & TWC)


• Print the A/R Year End Report for write-offs...our non-paying JERK-OFF customers


• Payroll insurance deduction forms for each employee
  
• Oh yeah and the dreaded W-2's and 1099's! (this WON'T get done today)

So that's it...My goal today is to get at least 3 or 4 of the above....DONE!

Wish me luck! =)

Well, it's Thursday as most of you know...lol...I just wished it was Friday!!! I'm tired...I want to sleep in! Which I doubt we get to do this weekend! I think we are going to the lake house to plant grass! I can't wait! Grass and no more dirt!!!

Here are some pictures of the land, the process of clearing it, burning HUGE piles of trees, hauling dirt in, dad spreading the dirt, the house being moved on our land!

This is what the land looked like when we bought it! Boy -o- Boy we didn't know what we were getting our self into! Welcome to the Jungle!!!! Just saying that takes me back to my Guns N Roses Days...lol!!! =)

This is our lake view! We are 1 street back from the water!

This is dad on the tractor...he's deep in the woods...our first day clearing the land!

This is dad 5 hours later on the tractor! He NEVER got off the tractor...he worked and worked and worked! I don't know what Mr. "S" and I would do without him!!!!

Here we are burning a HUGE pile of trees and tree branches!

We had 22 loads of dirt brought in! We still need more! UGH

Dad leveling the dirt (this tree got in his way)! =)

After dad was finished leveling the dirt...this is the dirt pad the house is going to sit on!

This is the house being moved to our property! I'm sure A LOT of you have never seen a house being moved!

Another picture of the house being moved!

This is the house on our land all blocked up!

Now do you see why we need GRASS!!! =) We are hoping to have everything ready for summer!!! This will be our RELAXING weekend getaway! I didn't plan on this post being about the lake house but one thing lead to another so here ya go! We got such a GREAT deal on the house we couldn't pass it up! It's 936 sq ft, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, nice size living room and a nice kitchen! The lady who owned this house just had the vinyl siding put on, she just remodeled the kitchen cabinets and the bathroom!! We want to get new counter tops, new appliances and a larger sink! I can't wait to invite everyone over to PARTY, PARTY, PARTY!

I hope I didn't bore you with the post and pictures! It's something we are sooooooooooooooooo very proud of and can't wait to enjoy it this summer!

Today.....

Today it's cold rainy and dreary outside...BLAH! I wished I was still in bed! I've got a BUSY day scheduled at work...BLAH! I wished I was still in bed! I'm going to give you my Wednesday run down:

1st thing 1st Payroll...everyone loves me for this...except when I screw there hours up and that does happen occasionally! I've worked here 11 years...sometimes I think I can do thins job with my eyes closed and sometimes I screw up! =)

After payroll this is the rest of my TO DO list:

• Close out Petty Cash
• Reconcile 3 bank statements
• Print out our A/R Report...go over it to see what we are writing off for the year end
• Work on my 4th Quarter Payroll Reports (940, 941 & TWC)
• I still need to get W-2's & 1099's out! That won't be today!

I'm tired just writing this TO DO list! Did I mention I wished I was still in bed! This is sleeping weather! To top it off I woke up with the WORST headache...probably because I knew what my day was going to be like!

To answer the question on alllllllllllllllllllll my comments from yesterday's post:

The lady was sooooooooo nice about it! She wasn't mad at all! She was very kind and knew it was a TOTAL accident! I was even down another isle after it happened and she walked by and waved and laughed!

Have a HAPPY Wednesday!

PS - If you haven't already signed up for the 2008 Valentine's Day Swap go here and do so!!!! =)

PSS - If you have signed up for the Snackalicious Super Dishes go here and do so!!! =)

PSSS - Go check out MOMSATIONAL to win several cool prizes she is giving away!!! I just entered to win a complete organizational system from Day Runner to help you get your New Year started on the right foot!!!! WOO-WHO!!! Mr. "S" and I could use this...I always have something planned! Just like tonight...my buddy "C" is hosting a Tastefully Simple Party...YUM YUM!!! I hope my Alli pills don't upset my tummy! I don't think I will be tasting much...I've have already tasted it all at the party I just hosted a few months ago!

Grocery Shopping Last Night....

I had to run to the grocery store last night to get a few diet snack foods! I just started the Alli pills yesterday so I needed some good, yummy, healthy fat free snacks..... that wouldn't make my tummy go CRAZY!!!

Well, I was in the yogurt section looking at all the different fat free flavors...I went to grab a few of the fat free boston cream pie when I went to grab them I knocked about 4 cups of yogurt off the shelf and there was a lady standing to the right of me....OH MY GOSH...one of the strawberry yogurts splattered all over her jeans and shoes! I wanted to crawl under my shopping cart but I couldn't fit! I was sooooooooooooooo embarrassed and VERY apologetic! I had Hooters wet wipes stowed away in my purse from a beer and buffalo wing night out...I immediately started ripping open every package that I had! I can't believe that happened to me!

Yes, it was my fault...I take FULL responsibility BUT whoever the stocker is for this store needs NOT to stack the FREAKING yogurt a MILE HIGH!

2008 Valentine's Day Goody Swap!

Check out:

2008 Valentine's Day Goody Swap

I'm in! I think it's GREAT! I can't wait!!! I love getting mail, packages, magazine's, coupons, anything besides the dreaded bills!


FUN FUN FUN!!!

Questionnaire:

• What is your idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day? A romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant, chocolate covered strawberry's, rose peddles leading me into the bedroom and on and on and on =)

• In reality, what is your Valentine’s Day really like? Last year was our first Valentine's Day together! It was GREAT! I did a romantic dinner at home! For starters I did cute little shrimp cocktails in a dessert dish, for the main dish I pan seared Salmon then baked it in the oven with some yummy spices, I made crab cakes with a yummy honey Dijon sauce, I cooked rice and some veggies to go with it...I made our plates look like it came from a fancy restaurant! For dessert I made heart shaped brownies with powered sugar and chocolate wine fudge sauce!!! What you do is buy any type of brownie mix instead of using water you add dessert wine and you get a rich, delicious brownie! Take a heart shape cookie cutter cut them out and drizzle with a chocolate sauce and power sugar!!! You also have enough wine left-over to enjoy with your heart brownie!

• If you could have a lifetime supply of your favorite sweet indulgence, what would it be? Blue Bell Rockey Road Ice Cream!!! Snickers, anything with caramel, nuts and chocolate...YUM!!!

• Is there any sweet treat you absolutely do not like? I don't like ANYTHING with Cinnamon! YUCK!

• If you fell into a pool of chocolate, how would you get out? Eat my way out!!! lol
  

booooooooooo-whooooooooooooooo!!!! =*( TEAR TEAR

Short Post.....

I'm in tears over my DALLAS COWBOYS!!! =(
Booooooooo-whooooooooooooooooo

For the record...they played like CRAP!

I would like to add that I'm now a Packers Backer and I would like to see Bret go allllllllllllllllllllll the way!!!! =) He deserves it!!!! He is such a GREAT player!!!

I want to say THANK YOU to all of you that commented about my niece!!! I really appreciate it...I will keep you up to date on her pregnancy! I'm throwing her a baby shower the 1st weekend in march...I can't wait!!! I love parties!

I feel like I've been M.I.A. =)

I'm here...I'm back...it feels like I've been MIA (missing in action) but I'm back!!! I'm still trying to get back in the swing of things from the holidays and our Ohio Trip! I've been CRAZY BUSY at work!!! UGH!!! I do payroll at our company...so I've been CRAZY BUSY doing our 4th quarter payroll reports...once those are done I can get the W-2's and 1099's out!!! JOY JOY JOY!!! My favorite time of the year...NOT!!! I will need another vacation after all this is said and done!

I hope everyone had a WONDERFUL holiday season! I know I did!!! I'm also glad it's over and I life is somewhat back to normal!

Thanks to everyone for all the comments on my snow pictures!!! I know how some of you feel about this time of year and this weather but when you NEVER have it...it's GREAT! It was such a TREAT!

I have soooooooooooooooo much blogging to catch up on...
I cant wait to read about every one's Christmas and New Years and whatever you have posted about!!! Trust me...I will get to you all...at least all of you that have left me comments and you know who you are =) Thank you!

I was checking our Frannie's blog...she posted about some really cool contest she's entered! There was one I couldn't resist so I had to join in! So feel free to do the same! Go to Momsational and enter to win a COOL Nikon CoolPix P5100 12 Megapixel digital camera! The folks at MyPicTales are sponsoring this GREAT camera!!! So good luck to you all!!! =) I just hope I win!!!

I'm also blogging about another contest Win a boatload of fabulous products for parents and children just check out Momsational!!! As all of you know I'm not a parent but my niece is pregnant and she is in MUCH NEED of everything!!! I feel so bad for her!!! L-O-N-G story...I will try and make it short...this girl has had a ROUGH life...she is trying to make the best of things now! My brother (her dad) past away with cancer when she was 2 years old...her mom didn't care to much about her...she was to busy running the roads and hooking up with new men every other weekend...SAD, SAD, SAD life for this kid!!! Well, she is grown now but not to me...I still see her as a hurt little kid...any ways...she got married and she is 7 months pregnant! Her and her husband are both young and in need!!! So I will post contest on my blog to try and win things for her to help her and the baby out! I didn't mean to go in to all this, but I felt the need to explain myself for entering baby contest...lol =) I just wish her the VERY best and the little baby girl the VERY best and I will to do anything in my power to help her!!!

OKAY OKAY OKAY....last contest...this would really really help her out Win an Evenflo Triumph Advance Deluxe Convertible Car Seat!!! Yall know where to go by now =) Momsational she's got the hook-up!!!! =)

I wanted everyone that likes to cook and loves super bowl sunday to go check out PENSIEVE We are going to have some fun with this!!!

Later my gators!!! =)

I got my "S-N-O-W"

Real quick I wanted to post some snow pictures! Mr ."S" and I are still in Ohio...we leave out tomorrow morning...we will be back in Texas by Saturday afternoon!

This is what I woke up to New Years Day!!! Isn't it GREAT!!!!

Mr. "S" and I at the Snow Trails...we had a BLAST!!!

Little Miss "H" making a snow angel


Me and Little Miss "H" in our tubes

Mr. "S" and his Little Miss "H"

This is the tube trails we went down!

A picture I took driving down the road!!! To me this is amazing!!!

This is a snow plow...they plow and salt the road...thank goodness for these people!!!

A big tree in Mr. "S" grandma's yard!!!