Friday, December 26, 2014

A Great Bible for Young Girls - Review of the Plush Bible Collection (NIrV) by Published by Zondervan

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great Christmas with the family. First, we opened presents at home. Then, we went to my parents' house where we opened presents with my parents and my two younger brothers. Then, we went to my mother-in-law's house and there were still more presents at her house! The kids definitely had no shortage of presents this year!

Our tree...can you tell I have toddlers in the house?

This holiday season, I was presented with the opportunity to review the Plush Bible Collection (New International Reader's Version) published by Zondervan Publishers. I was given a free copy as part of the Book Look Blogger's program in exchange for my honest review.

My 8-year old daughter's Bible was kind of small and it was falling into disrepair, so I figured what better time to give her a new one than now? She would love this Bible! I just knew it.

A sparkly pink Bible? What's not to love?

The Bible is packaged in a nice box, which keeps it safe until you give it to its intended recipient.


This Bible is the New International Reader's Version, which is great for children who have not been reading long or just need the Bible made more simple. My daughter is a great reader, but she said she likes it because there aren't "all those thees and thous" in this version. It also has a great dictionary with some key terms at the end, so if she comes across a term she doesn't know, it could be in the dictionary. My daughter said that she loves this Bible because, "It is sparkly, fuzzy, and pink!" What more could an 8-year-old girl want? I am looking forward to reading the Bible with her and she can't wait to show off her new Bible at Sunday School!


Friday, December 19, 2014

Fun Snowman Craft Activity

It snowed a little bit yesterday. It wasn't enough to play in, make snowballs, or make snowmen. My two year old got excited when his sister got home from school. He put on his shoes and said "Doh snow balls!" (Throw snow balls!) (He even put on his shoes by himself, though they were on the wrong feet. I was very impressed!) Well, I had to let him down and tell him that there wasn't enough snow to throw snow balls. He was still asking about it today. So, after nap and lunch time, I asked him if he wanted to make snow men. Of course, his answer was YES!!

I gathered up some crafting supplies I had around. These are the ingredients for the snowman craft!
- "Woodsies" - little wood shapes (triangles, ovals, teardrops, circles, and squares)
- Pipecleaners
- Construction Paper
- Glue
- Paint

Get creative and do whatever you want with the supplies you have! T-Rex got to pretty much do what he wanted, though I placed the mouth and arms for him. Little K needed more direction, so I pretty much did his for him and let him paint and mess with the paper.

T-Rex's snowman looks like maybe he fell down. Or maybe he is dancing. I'm not sure.


And this is Little K's snowman, mostly designed by Mom.


Merry Christmas!

Sunday, November 16, 2014

The First Christmas Ever - Book Review

I got the chance to review a Christmas children's book for Book Look Bloggers.
It was nice to have this opportunity at this time of year.


The First Christmas Ever is Illustrated by Dennis Jones. It is a retelling of the Christmas story (the birth of Christ) in a way that children can understand. The illustrations are fun and colorful. I think it does a great job of telling the story of Jesus' birth in an entertaining way as well. There's extra detail added like the KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK on the innkeeper's door. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Jesus is born. It says, "All babies are special, but Mary's baby was extra special!" That's for sure! This book also has a couple of pages at the end that tell about what Jesus did as he grew up. It keeps it pretty simple, saying that Jesus started doing God's work and preaching about God's love, but that the birth of baby Jesus was "just the beginning of something wonderful for the world." Reading this book got me interested in checking out some of Dennis Jones' other illustrated Bible stories. This is a good book to read to your children for Christmas. If you have a young child and you want to teach them about the true meaning of Christmas, I suggest picking up this book. At the low price of $1.99, it's a great stocking stuffer!

I receive these books free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook Bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thursday, November 13, 2014

O is for Others

On Sunday, I attended my cousin's fiancee's baby shower. It was full of family and friends and fun shower games. My aunt always puts on great baby showers. One of the games we played was the A through Z of baby necessities. You were supposed to list something you need for a baby that started with each letter of the alphabet. When we finished, we passed our papers to someone else and if they saw anything that they thought was questionable on the paper, they brought it up to the whole group. We then raised our hands if we thought it should not be counted.

For the letter O, I put "others". Others. As in other people. I was voted down. I was told it should not be counted because, according to my aunt, she didn't need anyone. She raised her baby by herself while her husband was deployed.

Let me tell you what's wrong with that. My aunt did not raise her baby by herself. She lived away from the rest of her family at the time, but I'm quite sure she called them up on the phone from time to time for advice. I'm quite sure she talked to her mother, who had raised a very large family. I'm quite sure that, even though her husband was on deployment, she was able to talk to him or write to him. She thought about him and he thought about her. She was not "on her own".

I see this theme going with single mothers. They talk about doing it "on their own". Sure, I will give you that there are some women who truly are out there without any friends or family around. But that's my point. They are really struggling to get by, aren't they? They can't do it on their own. What about the baby sitter who watches their child while they are working to put food on the table? What about the teacher who teaches their child when she gets old enough to go to school? No one can do it on their own. If they think that they can, they are sorely mistaken. We are social individuals and we need each other to thrive. So don't ever let anyone tell you that you don't need others to help your child grow and thrive. You are the most important part of your child's life, but don't discount the contribution of others. Don't ever take it for granted.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

It's Turkey Time! - Fall Painting Craft

It's going to be Thanksgiving soon, so what better Fall painting craft to do with my boys than the classic hand print turkeys? This was Little K's first time painting, so it was an interesting experience for him. T-Rex loves to paint now, so if I ask him if he wants to paint the answer is always "Mmm Hmm!!" I am waiting for him to point to the paints some day and ask if he can paint before I bring it up!



First, I traced their hands. It was a little difficult because toddlers and babies have squirmy hands. I think I still did a pretty good job. These are T-Rex's hands.

Then it was time to paint. In hindsight, I probably should have drawn the turkey features on T-Rex's turkey first. I should have known he'd cover the whole paper. I will have to draw the face on the other turkey after it dries.


T-Rex's final product

For Little K, I just put a little paint on the paper and let him smear it around. Next time, I think I'll tape the paper to his table because he kept trying to pick it up and eat it!


Little K's final product

I sure love painting with my boys! I love how each of the paintings are so unique to them. I just let them do their own thing and it turns out so cute every time. I loathe cookie cutter art that all looks the same!
Take some time and try this old classic with your little ones. You'll be glad you did.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Review of the NKJV Study Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers


I was excited to get the opportunity to review the NKJV (New King James Version) Study Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers. This second edition is in full color with cross-references, translator notes, study notes, in-text maps and charts, articles and much, much more. This Bible is amazing! When I opened the box and saw this HUGE Bible (it's 2000+ pages), I didn't know what to think! I opened it up and explored it. There is so much to read and to learn! Each book of the Bible has a description of the book, information about the author (or presumed author), when it was presumed to have been written, the purpose, and for the Old Testament books there is also a section on Christ in the scriptures that talks about how this particular book relates to prophecies about Christ and how they are fulfilled. Knowing about the culture, meanings of words that are unclear, etc. helps to expand my understanding of the words in the Bible so much. When looking at this Bible, I started thinking about my undergraduate courses in Christianity and in particular my Old Testament studies course. A Bible like this would be excellent for a course in Bible studies, to read on your own, or for a pastor to read when preparing sermons. I look forward to reading the whole Bible in this new way. I know that I will be seeing God's Word in a whole new light! I was so blessed to have this opportunity to obtain this wonderful Bible and I suggest that you pick one up as a gift for yourself or someone else this holiday season.

I receive these books free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook Bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Smart Money, Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze - A Book Review

Smart Money, Smart Kids is a book by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze. You may have heard of Dave Ramsey and his book Total Money Makeover. This book comes from the same premise of teaching your children the principles from the total money makeover so they won't make the same mistakes that you may have when they grow up.


Ramsey and Cruze present a method for teaching your children about money called the envelope method. Your child will have an envelope for save, one for give, and one for spend. Your child will divide the money they earn among these envelopes and you will teach them that once their spend money is gone for the month, that's it. They learn by doing. I tried this for a while with my daughter and she was learning a lot about money. It also was a good way to get her to help out a little more around the house (though she had chores that were required without getting money for them). Ramsey and Cruze also discuss important issues for the teenage years like how to pay for college(scholarships, scholarships, scholarships) and saving for a car. If you want to teach your child to manage money, but you don't know where to start, this is a great book for you!

I receive these books free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook Bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Redefining Friendship

Recently, I have asked myself the question - "What is a friend?"
When I was a child, I always thought a friend was someone who spent time with you, who enjoyed being with you, playing with you, coming to your birthday parties. I always thought a friend was someone who would drop everything to help you and be with you. I expected it to stay that way when I grew up. I was wrong.

Dictionary.com defines friend in several ways. I list the most relevant here:
noun
1.
a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2.
a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter
3.
a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile

Not one of these definitions says the friend always has to be there or want to spend time with you, though you would think that if someone has feelings of affection, supports someone, and is on good terms with someone they would want to spend time with them.

I feel like I don't really have any friends except for my husband because when I invite people to come to my house, to my birthday party or a cook out, they always seem to have excuses. I have felt like I'm being rejected. I've felt like these people who say they are my friends really are not my friends.

What I've come to learn is that there are different levels of friendship. I have a few best friends. My best friends are all related to me; my kids, my husband, my mom and dad, my mother-in-law, and my brothers (especially the brother who is closest in age to me). These are friends who will drop anything to help me out, who will spend time with me, who will show up at my cook outs and birthday parties unless something out of the ordinary prevents them from doing so. These are my best friends.

But just because someone is not my best friend, doesn't mean they aren't my friend. It doesn't mean that they don't have "feelings of affection" for me. It doesn't mean that they aren't my supporter. It doesn't mean they aren't on good terms with me. If I go by this definition, I really have a lot of friends.
I desire that close, personal connection with people. I may find it with very few people, but I should feel blessed to have so many supporters, so many people who care about me. I've found a lot of these people over the past year and a half at my church. These are people who are on my side, who want me to succeed, who are there to support me and help me. I really learned the definition of this friendship when Little K was born. I have never seen such an outpouring of support from a group of people before. It was a hard time for me. I was recovering from a c-section while trying to take care of a 14 month old. My husband was out of a job and we were struggling. These friends were like family, and I now consider them my family. I am lucky and blessed and I now understand that these types of friends are just as good as the ones who come to every event you have. They will be there for you if you really need them!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Lessons I've Learned From My Father

Yesterday was my father's 64th birthday. In honor of this occasion, I would like to present the latest installment of my lessons I've learned series: Lessons I've Learned From My Father.


- Spend time with your children. My dad worked a lot when I was a child. I remember days when he would leave for work before I got up for school and get home around dinner time. But he still had time to spend with his four children. We played together. We went to the park. We went to the zoo, the Children's Museum, church functions, school functions, and spent time together at home. When I was getting older and we had "Family Life" classes at school, my dad would take me to Village Inn to get a piece of pie and talk about what we were learning. Those could have been really awkward talks. But they weren't. My dad was spending time with me. That wasn't all we talked about. We talked about what was worrying me, how school was going, etc. I will always remember those times and that is why I try to have "Mommy and K days" with my daughter as often as I can with two little boys around. When the boys get older, I will try to have "Mommy and Little K days" and "Mommy and T-Rex days" too!

- Don't let your children be concerned about your problems. As adults, we go through a lot of stuff. It's important that our children know that they do not need to be concerned with our problems. Kids have enough to worry about without taking on our issues as well!

When I would get worried about something when I was a kid, my dad would always say to me, "What kind of problem is that?"
I would respond with, "An adult problem."
"So," he would say, "What should you do?"
"Don't worry about it."

If you are going through something, sometimes it is important for your kids to know what you are going through. For example, if you have a chronic illness. Your kids will want to know what's wrong with mom (or dad). But even if it is something that you tell your kids about, let them know that it is not something they need to worry about. Let them know that mom and dad are taking care of it. If they have questions, they can ask. But they shouldn't worry about it, whatever it may be.

- Be silly with your kids! My dad loves to sing. To this day, he still sings silly songs to his dog and to his grand kids. Sometimes when he's in a really silly mood, he might even sing them to his grown kids. I caught this habit from him and I sing silly songs to my kids. My daughter says I'm crazy. My husband says I'm weird, but they still laugh when I sing my silly songs. My dad's silly songs are one my favorite things about him!

- Show your spouse affection. Don't let your kids saying "Eww" when you give your spouse a quick peck on the lips deter you from showing affection. I always knew my parents loved each other because of how they treated each other and those little kisses and pet names were one way they showed it.

There's a lot of other things I learned from my dad, but I could write a book if I kept going.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

I love you!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

My Turning Point - How September 11, 2001 Changed My Life

I was already feeling depressed. I'd been going downhill for a little while now, but I wasn't really aware of what was going on with me. Then, it happened.

September 11, 2001 is a day that will go down in history for all Americans. Mostly, we remember how we united as Americans and the signs of love and compassion in New York City where the twin towers fell. For me, it was a personal turning point.

I had a little bit of difficulty getting moving on the morning of September 11, 2001. It was after 8:30 am. My class was at 10 am and I wasn't even out of bed yet. The phone rang. It was my roommate's sister. She told me to turn on the TV. She was a jokester, so I wondered what silliness she was up to today. When I turned on the television, my annoyance at being roused from my sleep was quickly replaced by shock.
"What happened," I asked her.
"Someone crashed planes into the World Trade Center. They crashed one into the Pentagon too."
I watched the news for a few minutes and then I got ready for my class which was, interestingly enough, Introduction to Islam.
We spent the class speaking about what led up to these events. We talked about the Taliban's rise to power. The professor stressed that these actions were not indicative of Islam itself. Some of the Muslims in the class spoke about how they were feeling. It was an enlightening experience.

The next week was difficult for me. There was an overarching sense of insecurity, sadness, and depression throughout the university campus. For reasons I didn't really understand, I seemed to experience these feelings even more deeply than the others around me. Within a couple of weeks, others had moved on with their daily lives. I had moved on as well, but this sense of sadness wasn't leaving. I didn't know why. For a while, I thought I was getting sick. I went to the doctor. They said nothing was wrong with me. Then, one day in March, my professor for one of my classes said the words that broke open that shell.
"You just seem really depressed."
I cried.
Then I sought counseling.

It was a turning point for me. I still don't know if I would have started to feel depressed if the events of September 11, 2001 hadn't occurred. I still don't know if I was already depressed before these events took place. I was depressed, yes. I needed help, counseling, and medication to get over that. But when I was off the medication, when I was no longer depressed, when I opened myself up and really explored those emotions, I discovered something about myself. That something is what has led me on my current career path. That turning point 13 years ago has led me to pursue my Master's Degree in Clinical Counseling. September 11, 2001 changed the lives of so many people in so many ways. This is how it changed mine.

Monday, August 18, 2014

It Doesn't Matter What You Say...

I was an awkward child. I had "lazy eye" and wore an eye patch until the second grade. I couldn't tie my shoes until second grade and I couldn't ride a bike without training wheels until fifth grade. Because of my vision problems, my depth perception was off. I walked funny, my handwriting was messy, and I had to go to physical and occupational therapy. I was diagnosed with sensory integration disorder, which still affects me today.

That's me on the right (the younger sister).

Needless to say, I was teased quite a bit. Even in high school, a lot of people didn't treat me very nicely. I guess they remembered me as a child in grade school and couldn't let that go. And I was still a bit awkward in high school too.

This morning, on the way to school, my daughter kept insisting that kids at school look at her and think mean things about her. I told her that people are usually not thinking what you believe them to be thinking. Even if they are, it doesn't matter. She said that sometimes people do say mean things to her. We all know that kids are mean. They sometimes say things just to see if they can make you mad. I reminded her of this. I also reminded her of the one thing that I ultimately learned through all the teasing and people looking at me funny. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY SAY OR THINK ABOUT YOU! What really matters is what you think about you. So I reminded her. If someone tells you that you are stupid, or ugly, or anything else that you are not, you just tell them the truth. Tell them, "It doesn't matter what you say because I know that I am smart and pretty and you are wrong." Nothing shuts someone up faster than knowing that you have confidence in yourself. Tell it like it is and move on. Forget the haters. They aren't worth your time!


Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Why Robin Williams' Death Matters to Me

Robin Williams' died on Monday at the age of 63. A lot of people may just say, "Another celebrity killed himself. Happens all the time." But to me, it hits so much deeper. It hits close to home.

My father is 63 years old. He has suffered from depression his entire life. When I heard about Robin Williams' death and realized he is the same age as my father, all I could think about was calling him to tell him how much I love him and that I'm thinking about him. I don't know what has gone on with my father at all times. I know that there were probably times that depression had such a grip on him that he contemplated suicide. I am so blessed that my father is still here with me after all these years.

Not everyone is so lucky. I too have suffered from depression. Depression is a monster. It changes your perception of your world. You can have loving friends and family who care so very much about you, but in your mind the world is a dark and cold place. No one cares about you. You are worthless. This is what your mind tells you. People tell you to think positive, but when you are deep in that pit it is so very hard to get out.


There is a lot of talk going on about suicide as a result of Robin Williams' death. There's talk about how suicide is selfish and not considering that Mr. Williams and other depressed people who commit suicide are not thinking about the people that love them so much. The truth is, the depressed mind is selfish. It cannot think about anything about itself, and never in a good way. It is mean. It is unforgiving. It only thinks about itself and sometimes it gets to the point where it only thinks about taking this pain away.

So here's the question. What can you do? Learn about depression. Read about it. Educate yourself. Learn about the signs of suicide, especially if you know someone who suffers from depression. Talk about depression. It is an illness. It hurts the people who suffer from it and their loved ones. I hope that Robin Williams' death will open up people's minds about depression and help to bring about awareness of this condition that affects so many but still has so much stigma behind it.

Above all, tell your friends and family you love them because you never know what they may be going through inside.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Breastfeeding Mothers: Respect One Another!

Last week, Olivia Wilde's Glamour photo shoot created quite a stir. Here in my neck of the woods, a local radio station discussed the photo and breastfeeding in a less than helpful manner. I did not hear the broadcast, but according to friends of mine in a Facebook breastfeeding support group, the host stated that if women need to breast feed in public they need to use a cover, pump and bring bottles, or feed their baby in the bathroom. This upset a lot of women and prompted a nurse-in to be organized in front of the radio station.
This whole thing fueled a lot of debate and the main idea that came across is that no one respects anyone anymore and they all seem to be accusing each other of disrespect.


The radio host was being disrespectful in his remarks, not taking into consideration that there are babies who will not be covered or will not take bottles and that it is disgusting, unsanitary, and uncomfortable to feed your baby in a restroom.

Some of the comments from listeners and Facebook members were along the lines of respect as well. There were non-breastfeeding and breastfeeding mothers alike saying that it was disrespectful to others to show your breasts in public. The answer back to this from nursing mothers (like me) who have babies that will not be covered or take bottles was that is was disrespectful to deny a mother her right to feed her child and to also assume that because you may choose to cover when breastfeeding, every other mother must also do so.


This argument will continue for as long as mothers are breastfeeding their children and as long as breasts are seen as a sexual object. So in other words, this argument will always be around. As a breastfeeding mother, I will do my part to respect those who choose not to breastfeed (or cannot breastfeed), those who choose to cover, and those who choose not to cover. All I ask in return is that other nursing mothers respect that it is indeed legal for me to breastfeed in public, covered or uncovered, and I am not a bad person if I choose to do so uncovered. Nursing mothers, if we respect each other then the ignorant people who disrespect us and our right to breastfeed wherever and whenever our child needs will be silenced when we band together instead of adding more fuel to the fire.
Instead, let's be supportive of each other and that we have made a great choice for our babies. Let's help each other succeed instead of fighting amongst ourselves!


Thursday, July 24, 2014

Craft Day - Footprint Butterflies

I decided to up my difficulty level on the crafts and make footprint butterflies after I saw this picture on Pinterest:


Mine were not nearly as beautiful, but that was more due to my limited ability to draw the body of the butterfly than anything else. Also, it's hard to make these with big kid footprints. Baby footprints are much easier.

Big Sis painting her foot. I didn't get pictures of the painted baby feet because I was the one painting them. T-Rex cried while I was painting his foot because he wanted to play with the paints. Little K liked getting his foot painted, I think. He gave me a look that seemed to say, "Mom, what are you doing to me?"


T-Rex's footprints

Little K's finished product

T-Rex's finished product

Overall, this project was fun. I think the boy's turned out well. Big Sis's did not, so I don't choose to show it here. Like I said, this works out a lot better with baby feet!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Your Workout Doesn't Have to Be a Bore!

I don't like to exercise. I will admit it. Make me run on the treadmill (or speed walk is more like it for me) or walk just to walk but not go anywhere, I won't be doing it for long. If I'm going to exercise, I need to make it fun. Here's what has worked for me.

->Exercise with your children!
Especially in the summer, we can get a lot of exercise this way. I will walk them to the park. It's only about a mile away, maybe even less, but walking pushing a double stroller that weighs maybe 10 lbs on its own and has 40+ pounds of children's weight in it will sure get you a workout! Not to mention, some of the walk to the park is uphill! When we get there, I push my kids on the swings (upper body workout!) and I swing on the swings too.

Me at the park...Big Sis took this picture!

->Video games can give you a workout!

Do you have a Wii or an Xbox with a Kinect? Play one of the active/fitness games! You will be surprised how much of a workout they can give you.
My favorites are the Just Dance games for the Wii and the EA Active game for the Wii. The EA Active game bothers me a bit because you have to wear a leg strap and put the nunchuck in there. It doesn't like to pick up your moves properly every time, so it can get a bit frustrating. But when it works right, it's a great motivator and it has helped me learn how to do squats the right way!

->Use workout DVDs.
I have to admit I haven't used my workout DVDs in a while. I need to break these out. All of the DVDs I have, I actually do like doing and they give me quite a work out. It's also like having my own personal trainer there and it helps me make sure I'm doing the exercises the right way. I have Biggest Loser Boot Camp (with Bob), Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga (This one is harder than it sounds!), Ab Workout for Dummies, and Dancing with the Stars workout (with Maxim...try not to lose all your hydration through drooling, ladies...)
Matter of fact, posting about these videos has motivated me to do one of them later.

What do you do to make your workout fun?

Femme Fitale Fit Club

Monday, July 21, 2014

Craft Day!! Fun with Paints

It's time for another craft day! For this craft, we just let the creative spirits roam free. I gave my daughter and my son paints, paintbrushes, and sponge brushes and let them do whatever they wanted. This was T-Rex's first experience with paints. He did try to eat them and he did paint on his legs a little bit, but I wasn't worried. I recommend Crayola's washable kids paints. They come off of skin and clothes very easily. I didn't even need soap to clean him off at the end of our craft. He had a blast and Big Sis loves painting as well! I'll let the pictures tell the story.





Big Sis's finished products


Another one of Big Sis's paintings.

T-Rex's finished product

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Quick and Easy Taco Chili

Here it is! My first recipe blog post! I don't consider myself a great cook by any means, but I came up with this new recipe. It tasted great, so I thought I would share it with my readers.

I call it...

Taco Chili!!





What you need:

2 pounds of 93% lean ground beef
2 packets of taco seasoning
2 cans of Bush's dark red kidney beans
1 tomato
1 onion

Brown the ground beef. I used a wok the combine all my ingredients. As the ground beef is browning, add beans, chopped tomato, and chopped onion. I put two cans of beans. My daughter though it was "too beanie", so you can always put less beans or more meat depending on your taste.
Since I used 93% lean ground beef, there wasn't much excess fat to drain off as it continued to cook. If you want to drain off all the extra, you can brown the beef and then add the veggies, but this will take a little longer.

Next step is to add the taco seasoning per the instructions. It is usually taco seasoning and 3/4 a cup of water per envelope. Since we are using two envelopes we will follow these instructions twice.


This can be served with rice on the side.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Lessons I've Learned from My Cat - Photo Post

The latest challenge on Liv, Laugh, Love's July Blogger's Challenge is a photo post. I thought I'd continue my Lessons I've Learned series with a photo post of Lessons I've Learned from My Cat. This features photos of my cat, Prince. There is also an appearance by my first cat, Coco - may he rest in peace.(If you haven't read my other Lessons posts, you can read about Lessons I've Learned from My Second Grader, Lessons I've Learned from My Toddler, and Lessons I've Learned from My Newborn.)


--> Sleep when you can, anywhere you can! (And in any position that you find comfortable!)

"This car seat sure is comfy!"

Comfortable??

--> Rock your own sense of style.

Prince rocking his mane.

--> Make your presence known.

Coco was a pro at this. I think every picture I have, he is either meowing or sleeping.

--> Stake your claim.

"These pants are mine."

"This laundry basket? Mine."

"This baby swing is mine."

"You want to use this? Too bad. It's mine."

"Did I mention that this baby is also mine?"

-->You are never too old to play!

As a baby...

Or a grown-up...

I hope you have enjoyed another installment of Lessons I've Learned...
What have you learned from your cat, dog, or other pet?