Time Out for Theta Mom Thursday ~ Mommy got a break and a DATE night!

Guess what yup, I'm finally going to play along. Don't laugh I finally have something to post about that is s time out for momma! It doesn't happen often but when it does we must post and share :).

As many of you know I rarely get a break or just a few minutes by myself and this past week I was blessed with a few! I know knock me over with a feather ... well it would have to be one large and heavy duty feather ... Oh wait off track ... sorry :).

Last Wednesday the 23rd my dad gave me a call that he'd pick the boys up from daycare. Well being the guy he is he was doing his Christmas shopping for mom and when I called at 6pm to check on the boys, let's just say I was making a mad dash to the daycare to pick them up. So Cole of course had his feelings totally hurt that Bapa didn't pick him up. So he asked to call Monnie and tell her he was sad. Nothing worse then a 5 y/o calling to tell you how sad they are that Bapa didn't pick them up. So at 7pm at night we head up to there house so Cole can spend the night! Well hey it's one kid down, and it was fine because Caden fell right to sleep and Rick was working late! Hallmark Channel and I had a date! He returned the next around 11am, it was a short visit but oh so loved!

Fast Forward the the 3 glorious hours that Rick took the kids to his friends house on Christmas night! You got to be kidding me you're taking both kids! LOVING it I'm taking a nap and that is just what I did. Ok I know this isn't a glorious use of my time but darn it I'll take what I can get :).

Check me out in my comfy Cozy Clothes

Crying at Hallmark and eating every cookie in the house

Yup the way I roll!

Guess what Sunday night Rick and I had a DATE NIGHT! You know that is our first date night out together in about 2 years! VERY over due, but thankfully with Rick's friend coming to watch the boys we were able to hit the town! Not only did we have a free babysitter (well I bought him a $9 piece of chocolate cake) my AMAZING bosses sent us a gift certificate for dinner. Since I work virtual and not in the area as them I wasn't able to go to the Christmas Party, believe me one day I will go there ... LOL :). So they sent us a VERY generous gift card to Anthony's. We have a great one right on the waterfront in Tacoma, it's an amazing fish house that is usually FAR FAR out of my price range! But thanks to the caring heart of my bosses we were able to go out.

Dinning room talk with two adults that never go out:

A: So what's new?

R: hmmmm I think we already covered this in the car (insert crickets here)

A: How's work?

R: It's work.

A: Well I could tell you funny things the kids did this week.

R: Oh please don't I already saw the writing on the wall (no really there was writing on the wall)

A: I guess we can enjoy the silence?

R: Yup

Oh joy adult time, darn if that glass of wine wasn't $10 I may have to have one ... LOL

Getting ready for date night.

Check me out even did my hair up in a french twist

Well as much as my short hair could!

Now onto dinner!

It was delish and check out these prices I almost died ... LOL

Small Caesar $3.75 x 2 ~ Yum we each started with this

Bowl White Chowder $6.95 (Rick had to have soup & salad)

Coffee $2.95 (come on like I wouldn't have coffee)

Coke $2.95 (Rick and his pop)

Top Sirloin $16.95 (Rick - He's usually the expensive one)

Crab & Shrimp fettuccine (minus shrimp and mushrooms)

What no discount or extra crab ... LOL $17.95 (darn by $1)

Burnt Cream $4.95 (it was small but oh so yummy)

No I didn't share :)

And the Extreme Chocolate Cake $8.95

Thank you tip generator on my new phone $11.34

Total $86.92 ~ Wow that went fast

Time out even though silent: PRICELESS

Plus we even have some left over for another date night.

Now to have my parents take both boys for a night :)

And the topper of this week, Rick was on the way to drop the boys off at Daycare Monday. Mom working from home and both boys home not a good combo! When my dad calls to say he's heading over to the island to work on my grandfather estate. My dad is the executer of the will and has to go check on the house often it's about an 1 1/2 hours from my house (add a 1/2 hour on from their house). So he meet up with Rick picked up both boys and took them to the island. It's on 11 acres with lot's of deer and LOT's of DIRT perfect for the boys. Yippee no paying for daycare and a quiet house for the day! He returned the boys right as I finished my calls for the day and was onto the data entry. Now I know technically I was working all day but not to have to worry about picking up the boys or have to do lunches for anyone was a dream come true! I was able to hang in my business casual all day you know my PJ'S :).

Wow that was my first Time Out For Theta Mom Thursday and I must say it was a heck of a dozy, now it may not happen for a VERY long time so enjoy ... LOL

The Mayo Clinic Diet Book Review

Tis the season to eat and then make a resolution to then loose that weight we put on over the season! It's no secret here that weight is something I struggle with all the time. I'm the first to hop on some new craze and I'm the yo-yo diet queen. I've also been very successful at loosing weight, now not so much on the how to keep it off for good. I'm currently at the end of needing to loose weight again. I've been in a funk and in need of some guidance how to get myself motivated again to get back down to a weight I'm comfortable with, you know the weight that you can sit in a chair with out having to constanlty pulling down your shirt to make sure your back fat isn't showing! Or the best fitting comfortably in a chair when you go on a date night with hubs, what sitting sideways isn't fun?

Ok enough about me and on to a new book and journal I came across that I'm going to give a try! So here we go the goal is to help you LOSE 6 to 10 lbs in 2 weeks. Wouldn't that be nice, I'll take whatever little bit I can these days! Follow threw this book to help create healthy habits and keeping the weight off. Walk threw the these Chapter to help you lose it. Start with adding 5 habits, breaking 5 habits and Adopting 5 bonus habits. Ok so we know it won't be EASY but we can do it. My goal is not to be that person that I always am making the goal to loose it and then not doing it. I have a plan and I'm going to work on it hard this time :).

This book is a great read and I'm going to work on living it! Read up on changing behaviors and even don't worry they have a chapter on slipping. Oh how I know this one well, oh to well! And you know this girl they have ideas for cooking at home and for those ones of you that actually get to leave the house and eat at a restaurant (did I mention I hate you) they have tips for that also.

A little about the Mayo Clinic. I've worked previously for a doctor that started there and it's a big honor to work there. The Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy that the needs of the patient come first. Over 3,600 physicians and scientist and 50,000 allied staff work at May. Collectively, Mayo Clinic treats more than 500,000 patients a year in their sites in Rochester, Minn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Scottsdale/Phoenix Ariz. For more than 100 years, millions of people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic! Yours and my turn to take their advice and strive forward!

You'll truly enjoy this book , it's a great read and can help many with it's insight and a fresh way of thinking! Thank you to FSB Media Book for another wonderful book this one hopefully will be the wake up call I need.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Mayo Clinic Diet
by Mayo Clinic

Published by Good Books

Currently you can pick up The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat Well, Enjoy Life, Lose Weight for $25.99 or on sale for $15.20 at Amazon. They also have the The Mayo Clinic Diet Journal for $14.99 or on sale for $10.19.

Weekend Wrap Wednesday ~ Christmas Day & Bloggy Friends Meet

Well Christmas was just us and the boys it turned out to be very nice. NO having to worry about comments about my weight (oh wait had those the day before). Well guess it's better coming second hand from my husband then having it said to me ... LOL. But over all really it was a lot of fun, after I got to thinking of it I was of the opinion that is was their loss and I'm not going to be down about it.

The boys of course too little just thought it was fun unwrapping gifts. As you can see I'm crazy and each person has there own theme paper .... LOL. Caden loves Dora so he got girly paper that Rick almost died over and Cole had Sponge Bob. Yes Cole is "helping" Caden open up his presents apparently he wasn't going fast enough. Who knew there was a time limit for opening and throw your presents. Cole had it down to a science ... Rip, Scream, Toss and move to next! Then when You run out of yours go for brothers!

The boys made out like bandits!

Hot Wheels the hot item at our house!

Great Pick up on Black Friday, who would have thunk it!

Wow what a mess! Guess what Cole actually picked up too!

My MIL made the boys workshop aprons ... too cute!

She Also crochet a really cool dino blanket I'll post later.

Rick was under the impression we weren't doing gifts.

Silly boy I may say this but really come on you had like 20 gifts!

I did get really cute PJ bottoms

(since working at home this is my new business casual)

And a cute pair of boots

Funny Story:

I asked for Chocolate brown ones, he found black first so picked them up and then found the brown. He made a comment about not finding brown only black. I being the silly person I am I guess made a face. So he returned the black. I was so bummed! So he went back yesterday and picked me up the black pair too! LOL

PLUS: the best part of Christmas Rick took the boys to his friends house! YES you read that correct he LEFT the house for 3 hours! Guess what I did? Yup took a nap ... LOL! OMGosh my first break in months! Thank you sweetie that almost makes up for my 3 gifts vs your 20 ... LOL just playing ;).

And Sunday I had a chance to meet a bloggy friend I'm so excited that I got to meet Robyn at An Alaskan Family she was in Portland visiting family and I live close to there. Well at least I thought it was close ... LOL Nahh really it wasn't that bad about 2 hrs and 45 min drive. Thank the lord I picked up those DVD players for the car, kept the boys from going to crazy. But Caden has learned to unbuckle himself, oh great surprise on our drive!

It was so nice to sit and talk with Robyn, Rick took the boys for an little over an hour and we had a great time sipping coffee and just enjoying adult time (that would be on my part). Thank you so much Robyn for the great time, I'm sorry we couldn't sit longer and chat. I had to get back on the road, Rick and I had a date night! YUP you heard that right Rick got his buddy to come to the house to watch the boys so we could go to dinner! More on that tomorrow! Thankfully we left when we did there was a HUGE accident that we were able to get off the highway and go a back way, no worries it only added another 45 minutes LOL. We left the house at 10am and returned at 6:15pm and I must say the boys actually did pretty well for so long in the car. The only bounced on couches and screamed a little at Robyn's friends house .. :) Oh love my boys!

Me and the Boys waiting for daddy to get in the car!

Robyn and Myself!

Ok not liking my new sweater too much, LOL

Our drive home!

Caden just chilling! And Cole intense on the movie!

Rick intent on looking forward, good job dude!

Momma tried to get daddy to crack a smile!

Anyone else coming to the Washington Area? We can make another trip ... LOL! Happy Wednesday everyone :)

A Christmas Carol Special Addition Book

I'm sorry I'm behind on posting some of my favorite Christmas books. I'm also a believer of keeping the spirit alive the whole year. Being good to others is never a bad thing.

I had the great opportunity read a wonderful book that we actually would read each night a little to the boys! What impressed me was the versus they had with the chapters. Perfect book for year round to read to the kids or yourself. Sometimes we get wrapped up in our world and may not mean to but may become a little shelfish or wrapped up in our own world. Enjoy this book a great tradition of Charles Dickens story from 1843 to our current word times!

Here is a great excerpt that I enjoyed. Make sure you check out this book!

Stave One introduces Ebenezer Scrooge -- a man so self-centered, not even Christmastime can put him in a giving mood. In this discussion we'll examine how selfishness is really our attempt to control our own lives, rather than allow God to lead us. We'll see how selfishness can cut us off from others, putting us in prisons of our own making. We'll also witness the freedom that selflessness can bring. And we'll discover what Jacob Marley laments: that selfishness can not only cheat people out of enjoying an abundant life on earth, but it can also rob them of the greatest treasure anyone could ever have -- eternal life with God.

A. How did Scrooge show his selfishness in the way he acted toward his clerk? toward his nephew? toward the two gentlemen?

B. When his nephew wished Scrooge "A merry Christmas!" Ebenezer replied with "Bah! Humbug!" In other words, he was calling Christmas a bunch of nonsense. Considering what was said in the story, why does Scrooge think Christmas is nonsense? For what other reasons would you think Scrooge might not want to celebrate the birth of Christ?

C. What connections do you see between Scrooge's material, emotional, and spiritual selfishness? How do you see each of these impacting Scrooge's life in Stave One?

D. Jacob Marley tells Scrooge that "no space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunities misused." What opportunities did Marley misuse? What opportunities do we see Scrooge misuse due to his selfishness?

You'll truly enjoy this book , it's a great read and can help many with it's insight and a fresh way of thinking! Thank you to FSB Media Book for another wonderful book that hit close to home and touched my heart!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
A Christmas Carol Special Edition: The Charles Dickens Classic with Christian Insights and Discussion Questions for Groups and Families
~ Charles Dickens (Author), Stephen Skelton (Editor)

BUY IT: A Christmas Carol Special Edition for $7.99

A Victoian Christmas Book Review

My second Christmas book that I love to share with you. This book had a great Christmas theme but really it's one that you would enjoy any time of year. It is four novellas about love and joy at Christmastime.

As you know I love books and to get 4 stories in one book is a dream, they were just the right length with a wonderful Christian theme that will warm your heart. I love review books from Tyndale House they are by Christian writers that always have a wonderful style plus a great moral story always with them. It's so hard to find a good book with a moral you agree with these days. Don't get me wrong I love books, but every once in a while you just like to have that heartwarming kind!

Along with great Stories guess what you'll find recipes! LOL everyone that knows me is shaking their head knowing why I really enjoy this book. It's a toss between the Biscochitos and the Brackenhurst Scones. I believe these scones will be showing up here very soon!

These stories are from a simpler time that will touch your heart with it's faith-filled collection of love stories that are beautiful and not on the TMI list. Catherine Palmer is a wonderful author with more then 50 novels that you must check out!

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers I truly enjoyed this book for the wonderful stories and the writing style that had me staying up late to find out what happens next.

You can buy your own for $12.99 on sale right now at Amazon $9.35

Tempt My Tummy ~ Ham and Stuffing Casserole

Ok my non ham lovers turn away (or yes you can do this with turkey) ... Yes Amy I'm talking about you :). As many of you know I love ham (yes almost as much as pumpkin) and love to use all the left overs as much as I can. I came across this one for dinner and just had to try it. I love stuffing also, hmmm these do explain my waist but we won't go there had enough of that on Christmas. My dad smoked a ham which was great because the one I did Christmas day turned a little on the overcooked side. My mind just wasn't into it this year :(. I used the box Cornbread stuffing and it turned out great. Since we don't have a big family (at least plate size .. big in other terms ... LOL) I made a half of this recipe. It was super easy since I had a later night doing data entry for work and needed a quick and easy recipe. Enjoy ... P.S. pumpkin haters I held off on making my pumpkin scones ... LOL Oh but don't fret it will be showing up VERY soon. Oh come on I found a knock off of the Starbucks ones :).

Enjoy I know we did :)

Ham & Stuffing Casserole

Ingredients

• cooked ham slices (enough to cover the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish)
• 3 cups packaged dry cornbread stuffing mix
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

• 1 (4 1/2 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, undrained
• 1 cup cooked corn, drained
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
• 8 ounces shredded cheese (I used a mixture of Colby and Monterey Jack)

• Alexis Note: I took the ham and sliced it up into cubes and mixed it in! I used one box of the stover's cornbread stuffing mix and only the cream of mushroom soup, left out the mushrooms and used the shredded cheese I had in the fridge :). Instead ob butter I just used some cooking spray. And in my throw it together fashion I threw it all into the baking dish and mixed it up!
• 
  

Directions

1. 1

   Spray skillet with cooking spray and add about 2 tbsp.

2. 2

   butter and saute onion and celery till almost tender.

3. 3

   In large bowl add the corn bread stuffing mix, the two cans of soup (undiluted), mushrooms with liquid, corn and the onion and celery mixture; mix thorougly.

4. 4

   Spray a 13x9 casserole dish with cooking spray and put enough ham to cover the bottom.

5. 5

   Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the ham.

6. 6

   Spoon the stuffing mixture over the ham and cheese spreading the mixture evenly.

7. 7

   Bake at 400 for approximately 30 minutes.

Make Something Monday ... Christmas Recipes

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and enjoyed the time with your family. Ours was different but fun! The kids had fun opening all their gifts and I even got some down time! Dinner wasn't anything special but I did try two new recipes and thought I'd share those with you along with one more that I posted a while back but thought I'd share also.

Enjoy!

Dinner Is Served. Simple but Yummy!

And some recipes to share:

Here are my mom's Famous Green Beans

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Fresh Green Beans

1 pkg Bacon

1 Large Onion

1 can of Chicken Broth

Snap of the ends of the green beans, wash them and let them sit aside. Brown up the bacon, I usually take the scissors and cut them up into the pan. It makes it really easy! Add in the chopped onion and brown both up. Add in the green beans and broth (this time the box was on sale and it was the organic kind ... score). Let sit over medium heat until beans are tender.

Now for a new Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

This was very rich I wouldn't say to make this one every time.

But VERY yummy!

Ingredients:

5 Tbs. (45 g) all-purpose flour

1 lb. (450 g) elbow macaroni

3 12-oz. cans (1 L) evaporated milk

5 oz. (140 g) American cheese

8 oz. (225 g) extra sharp cheddar cheese

3 oz. (85 g) Monterey Jack cheese

1/8 tsp. (0.3 g) ground nutmeg

1 tsp. (3.3 g) ground mustard seed

2 tsp. (12 g) table salt

4 Tbs. (55 g) melted butter

1 teaspoon (5 mL) of hot sauce

No of course Christmas day I only had one can of evaporated milk so we made a quick dash to the corner store and yup they had ONLY 2 cans, saved!! Again this is very yummy but with all that evaporated milk it's very rich, I suggested eating a little and savoring it!

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bring four quarts of water to a hard boil. Dissolve at least 1 Tbs. (18 g) table salt into the water and add the macaroni. Prepare a roux by heating (over medium heat) 4 Tbs. butter until it foams. Then stir in the flour and cook while stirring until light brown (about 1 minute). Slowly add evaporated milk while stirring until all the evaporated milk has been added to the pot and no clumps of roux remain. Stir in the hot sauce, nutmeg, mustard, and salt. Cook the mixture for about 4 more minutes on medium heat. The mixture (a béchamel sauce) should have thickened up. Move the pot off the heat source and stir in the grated cheeses and 1/2 cup reserve water. Keep stirring until the cheese completely melts into the bechamel. Stir in the cooked macaroni so that the sauce completely coats all the pasta. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a 9x13-in. baking pan. Cover the top of the macaroni and cheese with the bread crumb mixture. Bake for 25 minutes (when the edges begin to bubble). Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into it to serve.

*Note you can make your own bread crumbs or use store bought. I found some Panko Bread Crumbs at the bulk store cheap so I used them. I found this recipe over at cooking for engineers.

Baked Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding (Gluten Free, Lactose Free)

For the love of Pete I of course had to throw in another pumpkin recipe. I did use a sugar substitute in this one and for next time I think I'll use the normal stuff. It was good but I think it could be a LOT better if it had a little sweetness to it! I so wanted a tapioca and pumpkin so I was on a mission to find something ... LOL.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup tapioca pearls (the quick kind, not the really big pearls)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. clove

3 extra large whole eggs (or 4 large)

1 can (29 oz.) pure pumpkin

3 cups water

Preheat your oven to 425. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and tapioca in a large bowl. (Or you can be lazy and do as I do and mix it right in the casserole you will bake it in. Just be sure to clean the sides first. Once it gets baked on in a thin film, it's really hard to clean off.) Beat in the eggs. Add the pumpkin and mix it all really well. Carefully stir in the water. Pour into a large casserole (I use one with a 3 quart capacity) and bake at 425 for 20 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for another 60 minutes. I got this recipe off search Swap.

Hope you enjoy these recipes :).

What shall we do now that Christmas is over?

I say we eat some cookies and go meet a bloggy friend!

I'm so excited I've been truly blessed to meet some amazing friends and I wanted to share two special ones that I am honored to know.

First is Laurie at GUESSING ALL THE WAY....... she so innocently one day sent me an email about cookies and haha wouldn't it be fun to do a cookie exchange .. LOL. She didn't know this crazy woman would jump on it like a hot flash. What I get to bake for someone else. She was so super sweet and agreed to do an exchange with me. Christmas Eve I received this special package of delish cookies. Cole of course was the most excited about the cupcakes. Let's just say my stashing place didn't work I found that he snuck out of bed and got another. My dad found the left over (you know you only eat the frosting and filling) under the couch when he stopped by. Oh great, thanks Cole they already think I don't clean enough!

And today I'm so excited I get to meet to meet Robyn at An Alaskan Family is visiting the Pacific Northwest from Alaska! She's about 2 hours away so I'm going to run go get the boys and myself dressed so we can get on the road! I'm so excited and don't worry I'll have my camera because of course you'll want to see pictures of me in new sweater .... oh wait of me and Robyn ... LOL.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas an are enjoying your time with the family. More on that day later! MUAH!! Now go check out my friends and say Hi.

P.S. Thanks so much to my bloggy friends that sent me a Christmas Card you made my heart swell with joy that you thought of me. I'll post those soon!

Merry Christmas to All and Hope there are Little tears!

LOL Christmas usually involves me busting into tears ... I know as my parents would say stop being so sensitive. So this year will be different right? Oh come on it's family it will lead to tears even when they are not here to celebrate with you. I'm going to be calm and serene and enjoy the peace, yeah right what house do you think I'm in?

So I'm thinking it's all behind me we'll do Christmas in the morning with my parents then they will leave and we'll do our Christmas dinner. Well at least that was the plan then it was switched to them stopping by Christmas eve after Rick is off work. Well there goes going to church for Christmas Eve. And during all this Rick tells me the reason my mom thinks I don't want to got to Christmas at her cousins house is because of my weight! Merry Christmas to me queue the tears. Ok little back ground I've always struggled with my weight, I lost 80 lbs for our wedding then of course got pregnant on our honeymoon, finally lost most of the weight and guess what pregnant again. So here I am baby #2 and far from where I would love to be. No sob story just the way it goes, so fast forward to now. I still go to parties mind you I even went to this persons house last year at the same weight I am now! So no I am not avoiding the party due to weight I'm choose not to go to someone's house that is not my immediate family. I want to enjoy my Christmas with the people close to me and I'm not sorry you wont be here but I'm going to enjoy my day so please no more hits!

The Christmas Sasuage Breakfast is ready to go, we've opened up our Santa Gifts. The kids are enjoying some leapfrog gifts, all the DVD's and Dad is going back to bed before he enjoys the Wii. How come they can go back and lay down while we stay up with the kids taking care of them? Hmmm yup the hits keep on coming and I seem to be the whacking tree!

KYS I know you're locking yourself in your bathroom please make room, mine is too small and doesn't have a window for easy escape. I need to go hide, no more hits please I really want to have a nice day. I'm taking my over-sensitive fluffy arse to go sit on the couch. Yup I'll have a coffee and cookie with that and anybody that has a comment well I have a cookie you can chew on instead .... LOL just playing sorry been one of those days and it's only just begun.

P.S. Just because it would be fun mom bought the boys slinkies! Oh joy metal that you can swing around your head and throw at people link a slingshot! Oh joy my world is going to be wonderful right?

Santa Presents out ~ Check

Presents wrapped yes each person has their own theme

Come on you knew I was crazy like that!

Christmas Eve

Monnie and Bapa stopped by to exchange gifts

Cole is in love with his new DS!

Santa Cookies are out~

Thanks Rachael for the premade dough she rocks!

Santa loved his cookies and milk and his cool plate!

Opening Santa Gifts!

Big thanks to Kmart Layaway for our Wii.

And of course black Friday, Santa loves Black Friday!

And I leave you with my Christmas morning tradition

Sausage Casserole (recipe below)

Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

6 to 8 slices egg bread, crusts trimmed
2 lbs. link sausage, cooked and drained
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lg. onion, sliced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 c. milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
5 eggs, beaten

Alexis Note: I buy a loaf of french bread and tear it up. EASY. I buy the sausage rolls, I use dried onion flakes, since there is more bread I use 10 eggs and skip the mushrooms! It's up to you experiment!

Bake:

Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan or casserole dish with Pam.

Line the bottom with bread. Arrange cooked link sausages on top.

Sauté onion in oil over medium heat until clear, about 2 minutes. Add mushroom and sauté until limp, for 4-5 minutes.

Arrange over sausages. Whisk together eggs, milk, and soup.

Ladle over the onion mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 40 minutes.

Serves 4.

Things I've Learned this Week

Really sometimes you need just a kick to reality, yup my life often does this for me!

A) When going to a birthday party for your husbands distant cousin. Make sure you call and ask an age. You may think they only have one kid, but surprise her man has a son from a previous relationship. Yup that bubble bath set you bought for the 2 year old not so Cool for the 8 YEAR OLD!!! {insert head slap}

B) When a friend calls turn off the Halmark Channel. Tears and unbearable talking making you friend go into a panic thinking the "he left" (the man on the TV of course) is not the he in your life. And her rushing to your house in a panic can cause for some quick explaining!

C) When you work from home or "home during the day" your the target for projects others think will be so easy for you put in the mix of your day. Also not being able to say no can cause problems too. Somehow you'll get yourself volunteered to help with the church newsletter each month. Oh no worries I can whip that out each month for you! Oh please don't make me come in with a 2 year old for 4 hours! Let me take it home, I promise I'll bring it back the next day!

D) When my husband says hun I'll drop off your car and walk to work, you take the kids to daycare. Realize that the same sarcasm that you use everyday your husband is using now on you and you're getting sucked into doing double duty of dropping the kids off coming back home to only find out that you also will be taking him to drop the car of and drop him off at work. Crap how did I get dupped by my own trick?

E) You can always ask for a discount and when you have a cold and use your sexy sick husky voice you can get $100 off your tires! Then when you walk in mind you not knowing you were taking your husband there with your semi combed hair and no make up you can shock the heck out of them. Then bust out with your $20 off an oil change also you can just see the look on there face of really this is the girl? Don't worry they get so busy and mess up and do a alignment on your car instead of the other Kia Sorento yup $185 improvement for FREE. Let's recap that would $100 of tires, $20 of Oil Change and $185 alignment for FREE. Yup you added that right $305 saved that day, take that for no hair done and make up day!

F) Stop listening the Christmas Miracles that the radio show is doing, when they come on turn the station. Sitting in your car crying at a stop light makes you look a little on the crazy side that and talking to the radio about what happened also can strike people as a nutty person in the car next to them and they then feel the need to speed up and get as far away from you as possible!

Phew I think that is enough for one Christmas Eve! I'm off to work a bit then clean the house and get the last presents wrapped and figure out what I'm missing so I can run to the store like a made woman who has watched Hallmark all day and is now crying to the Christmas Station. Oh lord be with me, the people around me are loosing it they just don't get it! :)

Merry Christmas Eve everyone, I'll be back with a post about my Christmas Sausage Casserole pictures and recipe to share! Oh yes and Santa Cookies too on Caden's new plate! XOXOX