FFFF # 24: Anything April

Well we're on our last week of the Anything April over at Diana Rambles and I'm going to take this one to show off my winnings. I have been so bad at posting these, I'm very sorry everyone! So I'm sharing them now, and please except my apologizes on the delay. I'm so excited about all of these and especially these amazing little photo books.

Check these out they rock, you have to pick up one or two!

These Rockin Albums are from www.smalltownlouisianagirl.com

And a HUGE shout out to my Girl Amy

@ Escape Into My Thoughts & Snap To It!

Thanks my Poser Girl Amy, I was one lucky girl

and one these amazing treasures!

I can't choose they are all my favs.

The Day at zoo is so Cool, look at all that detail and work!
A different zoo one, cool huh?

And the Pirate one!

ARGH ... rock on huh?

Inside the Pirate one!

Banana Nut Cheerios giveaway!

Thank you Lisa @ Like a Valentine

And I suck I saved all my emails but I've seemed to lost on.

This is a very cool Spa basket.

Family Movie Night Giveaway Package from Briana.

And Check out my new pearl bracelet

Thank you to my dear friend Allie!

She rocks all the giveaways and reviews!

Check her out at My Mommy Said & Misadventures in Baby Raising

Up Close pic ;)

Well there it is girls, I think I'm all caught up I'm sorry if I've forgot to list a few (just remind me nicely and I'll do list it with an apology). Love ya all! Stay tune tomorrow I have some reviews and a REALLY cool giveaway for Saturday, Rick even was a poser showing it off!

Weekend Wrap Wednesday ~ Cole's Party Weekend

Wow I can't believe it finally came and gone, it's like your wedding you do all this stuff and then the day comes and goes so fast. But it was fun, hectic and I have the photos to prove it. So hold on it's going to be a fast ride. Let's count down the party day fun ;).

5am up to work a few hours before everyone gets up. Spend a 1/2 having to download new software to let calls come into me. Yup the IT guys ears must have been ring, I was swearing like a sailor. Finally got it up and running (mind you with out pay for that 1/2 hour). Do a few calls suppose to end at 7am, finish up around 7:15am.

7:30 get everyone up and tell them it's a cereal day, bunch of groans. Get the boys bathed and into clothes. Try to wake hubby up who is not getting up. Why does he need to get up we are going to a place that has the party for us. Hello the kids need to get ready and so do I. What you do that everyday. If looks could kill, he would be toast!

9am get out the door and run to the dollar store because of course I don't have enough plates and oh yeah need a few balloons. Run in thank the lord they open at 9am! Then off to the museum, this year I made it their a 15 min early yup I was there at 9:45am, last year I arrived late! (mental head slap). A parent from Cole's school arrived early with me, while I ran around setting up he sat there and oh yeah kept telling my kid to calm down. He actually said "Cole dude you need to settle down". I did the ok it's time to settle down, but deep down I wanted to scream! Dude!!! I just met you, you are here at a children's museum it's a party stop telling my kid to calm down and stop telling him to pick up! It's HIS party! And I don't even know you, so BACK OFF!!! Off my mental scream I went about finish setting up. The girls at the museum where great they set up the face painting section and then took the kids upstairs to play for an hour before they came back down.

10:30am my husband shows up! URGH ... he went to get the pizza's it was closed. Sent him and dad to pick up the pizza's. 11am the kids start coming down, we open presents. Talk about a free for all, all the kids helped open I have no clue if I got who was who with the gifts, so early apologize if I don't know all that you got him. 11:15am yes it only took 15min for presents, I told you it was a free for all. 11:15am at first I thought I would have to start with cupcakes and just when I'm about to open the cake I turn and see Rick and my dad with the pizza. Ok wow some adults really chow hard on pizza ... LOL. 6 pizza's gone in 15 min flat. 11:30am we do the cupcake cake (Dad took the pictures with his camera, so I'll have to post later), Rick also leaves to go to work at this time. 11:45am and everyone is running around on a sugar high ... it was GREAT! by 12pm we are all cleaned up and my car was loaded thank you to my wonderful friend Amy who actually took my keys and loaded up all the presents and everything in my car! Doesn't she rock!

1pm home everyone is taking a nap but me, back to work I go! Finish up some emails and I'm ready for a nap but of course not everyone gets up and we start the cycle all over again! Did I mention I have to work again at midnight ... LOL

We had a great turn out a few didn't show that were suppose to, and others either gave their lame excuses or none at all and others at least let you know they couldn't come and had a good reason. Now mind you I'm that crazy person that really tries to make it to all of the parties. I've even done 3 in one day! But I run myself ragged and try to make it to them all and then when it's my kids party they don't show and most times don't even call. So Rick told me just stop Alexis if they don't show to yours don't go to theirs it's only fair. So I guess I may just have to enforce that, because I think I'm running a little too thin these days. As they say you know you're true friends when you have a party. So that's what I have to say ... LOL

So here are a few of the pictures from the party, my camera wasn't working so most of the pictures are on my dad's camera that will arrive in months! LOL

Ok I'm ready for the party.

Check out my new shirt.

Oh wait forgot lipstick and jewels.
Bapa reading a book to Caden before everyone showed up.

Bapa and Caden playing hide and seek.

Rick swinging poor Caden

Cole and his fav toy!

Yummy Food!

The cool kitchen area for the kids to play in.

Yes she's pretend washing the dishes.

Only if you knew her mom my friend Amy (OCD girl) you would be laughing.

My cousin Jenny and her little boy Ryan

Caden and the cupcake!

Fishy lips :P

More play time!

Bapa with the kids that stayed to the end.

Bubbles with Bapa

Cole and Me at home

Look at all the fun things he got.

Even a homemade blanket, yup he's slept with every night. Thank you Auntie Tarra.

And presents for mommy were delivered at the party.

New Pampered Chef roller.

Makes rolling pizza dough out.

Look at it in action.

My new Measure cup.

All cups in one!

Flip the dial to what cup you need!

Yup it rocks!

Up close on the dial.

Cool, huh?

Well that was a quick wrap up, there was more but my brain is fried and I can't think of anymore.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Pampered Chef's Taco Ring

One of my best blogger friends Debra @ Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History told me about this amazing recipe. The boys love taco's and you know me and my casserole and wrap themes. Rick actually asked me when I would stop with the casseroles ... LOL I told him when he comes home to do the dinners. Yup casseroles live on!!!!

This one was real easy and super yummy now the ones on the Internet of course were all fancy and done up with a salad and carved out pepper in the center. In my house I go for easy and quick and yummy! So I added the onions and black olives in the inside, to make it an all in one wrap. Then added Salsa and Sour Cream to the finished products, it was all gone by the time the boys got done. You'll have to try this one and let me know what you think!

All you need:

Add Taco Seasoning to the browned meat
Add the water so you don't have chunks of seasoning

Fan out the crescent rolls

Yup not pretty but it worked!

Add the ground beef

Again not pretty come on what do you expect from me?

Add the Cheese

Come on you know the theme by now!

Here is where I added the onions and black olives

Fold over the edges

Out of the oven!

Ingredients
2 can Refrigerated crescent rolls
1 lb Ground meat or turkey
1 pk Taco seasoning mix according
1/2 Head lettuce
1 Tomato cubed
1/2 Onion or 3 or 4 green onions
1 c Sour cream
8 oz Cheddar cheese
1/2 c Black olives; sliced
1 Bell pepper; (sits flat)
1 c Mild salsa

Instructions
Cook meat, drain, add taco seasoning and cook until liquid is absorbed. Add cheese. Arrange crescent rolls on a flat baking stone in a circle with bases overlapping in center and points to the outside - (unroll the crescent rolls and place the pointed triangle part on the stone overlapping each one) Spoon meat around in a circle and pull the square part of the crescent rolls over the meat, sealing it to look like a wreath. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cut lettuce with garnisher and use v-shaped cutter to cut pepper. Chop onion and tomato with food chopper. Slice olives with egg slicer. Fill pepper with salsa and place in the center of the taco ring. Put lettuce around the pepper and arrange tomatoes, onions and olives on top. Add sour cream if you like. Cut with pizza cutter and serve with mini serving spatula.

Make Something Monday ... White Bread (ABM)

Well Cole has sworn off sandwiches for lunch, so I haven't been making bread every Sunday like I was doing. This week was different since Roy (our exchange student) school was having half days and his extended care doesn't provide lunch I had to make his lunches. I thought cool I'll make some bread and the left over bread I'll use for French Toast (check out Make Something Monday next Monday for that). So Girls here is a super easy recipe, you now how I love the Semi Homemade way! I love fresh bread but not doing it all myself, so this is where the bread maker comes in handy!

Simple all the stuff you need Warm water

Add Sugar
Fast Acting Yeast and let sit (this is the first time I had to do this)

Add Melted Butter (check out what the yeast looks like after sitting a while)

Add Oil

Add Flour

Add Salt

Wow it raised so much the lid came up!

Look at it went up and over the pan

Yummy I must taste it right?

Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45degrees C)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 (1/4 ounce) package bread machine yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons oil (can use 4 tablespoons of oil or melted butter)
3 cups white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
1Place the water into the bread pan.
2Sprinkle the sugar then the yeast over the water; allow the yeast to foam for 10 minutes.
3Add in the melted butter, oil, flour and salt.
4Select the BASIC or WHITE BREAD setting and press start.