It's my BLOG and I'll cry if I want to

I just ordered this canning kit from Amazon this morning. Last year I wanted to try canning some things from the garden but our garden didn't fare so well last year. I am hoping for better results this year and to put this canning kit to the test. I want to go strawberry picking within the week and hopefully make some strawberry jelly. With prices getting so high canning may be a big part of our future! So tell me do you do any canning? Have any good recipes or tips to share?

Serenity was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia on May 24, 2008. Lifting Up Serenity is dedicated to her recovery and supporting her family throughout their journey through childhood cancer. Serenity is only 22 months old.
Check out Serenity's Blog. If you feel inclined I have a link on the right side to help the family with medical costs.

Just because you have to play in the cold doesn't mean you have to play cold. Tight muscles restrict your movement and leave you vulnerable to injury. The double-sided fabric of Under Armour ColdGear disperses heat from the hotter areas of your body to deliver the ultimate base layer to keep you dry and allow your body to maintain its core temperature. And, of course, Under Armour Cold Gear features Under Armour's signature moisture transport system. Great for use in all cold weather sports like skiing, ice skating, hunting, fishing, snow boarding, and more. Under Armour my kids love this stuff for football season! Under Armour ColdGear features a double-sided fabric that wicks moisture from the skin and circulates body heat. It accomplishes the impossible by keeping you warm without weighing you down. Right now you can get free shipping on Under Armour and other tactical gear at lapolicegear.com Be sure to sign up for the email offers!!!

Someone send me some Calgon! Whew, today was a stressing day. My little guy is a bit under the weather and was super clingy and whining today. Add to the fact he was so upset he made himself throw up, which of course went all over me. I think I need another vacation!! Maybe one myself this time. Where should I go? LOL! At this point I will settle for the bathtub and some Calgon! So send me all you have!!!!

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when major retailers around the country discount products to help kick off the Christmas shopping season. I love Black Friday shopping. There are tons of great deals to be found that day. Most sales start at 5am and there are long lines to get in the store. Black Friday ads are usually kept secret until you receive the circulars in your Thanksgiving Day newspaper. However at Black-Friday.net, we give you the advantage by showing you all of the Black Friday 2008 ads before anyone else. They also offer direct links to each product so you can purchase the items online on Black Friday without having to stand in line at the store! Personally after the last 2 years of going to the stores on Black Friday I am thinking about doing things different this year. I really want to shop online. The people where I live are so physical and pushy to get these items. 2 years ago I got my oldest a desktop. I almost got beat up in the process. This past year was a lot better the people were a bit nicer. I ended up with lots of great deals including 2 of those video recliner chairs for the boys. What's great about Black-Friday.net is that you can sign up for email alerts so when they find out the ads you get an email. Sign up now so you can be prepared this year! Black-Friday.net has all the great stores too. I usually hit Target and Walmart for their deals. ToysRUs in my area is a forget it to enter the store. You literally spend HOURS in line to get anything. Even trying to walk through to shop is a pain. I will definitely be shopping their store from online this year. And don't forget cyber monday. The big online only shopping event the following Monday. More great deals and savings!

It's been a few days ok a week since I last posted. We took a family trip over the holiday weekend to Atlantic City. We visited the aquarium they have there and also went to Storybook Land and ate at Rainforest Cafe. The kids had a wonderful time. At the aqaurium they had touch tanks and the kids got to hold different creatures and there was a shark/string tank they got to feed the sharks and sting rays. Here are some pics
Noah holding a starfish

Stingray the kids fed. This bugger was crazy, he came up the side on time and just soaked us all with water.

Shark in feeding tank

Holding a sea urchin

Moon jellies

After we came home Noah had his first dental visit, he has some issues with his teeth and we needed to have them looked at. The dentist his insurance sent us to wants to do surgery next month. That isn't happening....I set up an appointment for a second opinion with the guy hubby is doing work for right now. He didn't seem to think Noah needed surgery but wasn't ready to work on Noah himself so sent us to yet another dentist who cannot see Noah until October. So now today I have to call this man back and see what he thinks we should do. It has been a crazy week with all the dental visits and stuff. Noah sure does love the dental chair though. Climbed up and sat there like a champ. Guess after having 3 open heart surgeries and a barium enema all before turning 2 makes the dentist office a piece of cake.
Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

Here is a recipe I thought I would share. Sounds very simple and cheap. Although I think I will use sausage in the place of meatballs and will have to double it for my family.

1 can (18.5oz) ready to eat french onion soup
1 can (14.5 oz) sliced potatoes drained
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen mixed veggies
12 frozen cocktail size meatballs halved
in large pot combine soup, potatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, tomatoes with liquid, veggies, meat and 1/8tsp pepper. cover; over high heat bring to boil. cook until meat is heated though and flavors have blended. 15 minutes. if desired sprinkle with chopped parsley.
servings 4

Last week Madi turned 5. Here is the cake she had on her birthday.


Saturday I went to a yard sale and picked up a toddler race car bed for Noah. The boy is in love! He thinks this bed is the coolest thing ever.
Sunday I got a great deal on Madi's birthday present....a bike. ToysRUs had the bike I wanted on sale for 40.xx and I had a 5.00 off coupon to use. So for about 35.xx I got her a 60.00 bike!
Here is a pic it's not the best though

here is a picture of this cool fort thing my sister got her. you can build all kinds of things out of it.

here is her mermaid cake not one of my better cakes at all. i didn't have any black to do the outlining....ugh!

oh and my adorable nephew who is about 8 weeks old.

Lastly my target deal....target last week had gatorade marked to 84 cents a bottle. They had a bunch of strawberry kiwi rain....Noah's favorite thing to drink. This is a picture of some of the bottles I got.