Goal for January!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.... we sure enjoyed our time with our family!

I have set a goal for January and a New Year's Resolution... I will start by sharing the New Year's Resolution....clean my house. Not just clean my house, organize my house, clean out cabinets and closets... I want to feel like I have decluttered and dejunked by January 1st of 2011... yes, we have that much stuff...

the goal for January....


Eat From the Pantry Challenge

Check out the moneysavingmom.com site for the details... but basically the scoop is to clean out the pantry... spend the month grocery shopping as little as possible. Most of the moms are hoping to only pick up eggs and milk... I think the goal for her is to spend only $75 the whole month on groceries.... there were over 100 moms signed up on her site. All are supposed to blog about their experience...

My goal is to not eat out more than 4 times in the month and I am upping my grocery bill to $30 a week so $120 for the month. Which would save me about $400 for the month! Wow - that would be exciting! I think it will be okay the first two weeks of the month... it's the last two weeks that could be challenging!

Join me on this adventure! Let me know if you are going to accept the challenge!

Happy New Year! I look forward to sharing the details of this challenge with you!

white christmas?

it isn't looking like a white Christmas this year here in Kansas City... what a bummer. It is the only time of year that I like a little snow.... and actually, what I like more than those wet, cold flakes falling from the sky... is the sound. I am not sure I have the words to describe the sound... and you don't get it during the day.... usually Christmas Eve is best because there isn't much traffic... but I love to open the front door and hear the sound of snow falling. Such a peaceful tranquil sound.

So, Ginger had her tonsils taken out on Friday (today is Tuesday). It has been a very very long 5 days. In fact, I texted my husband today and told him to please choose a nice insane asylum for me...she is lucky I love her because she has been pushing my patience the past couple of days.

But you all do not tune in to hear about my children woes....I think you all come to read about new recipes.... which alas, I do not have any. But you will have to check in after Christmas! Christmas Eve I am trying bread pudding recipe... it is a lower calorie version of Paula Deen's Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding....I would love to hear if you are making anything special for the holidays! Love new recipes!

Thank you all for your friendships the past year... I wish you the merriest of Christmases! Love to all!

ah... the kids have gone to school

one of my favorite times of the day... the kids have left for school, the hubster has gone to work... I have a cup of chai tea latte... life is good!

What has happened in the 12 days since I last posted....the son had his 12th birthday! Seven boys came over, ran around, had a firepit in the driveway, made smores and did "boy stuff"... spent the night... apparently they did not go to bed until 5 a.m.! Yikes!

Since we made smores... we did not have a birthday cake.... so in the goodie bags, I included Cake Balls. Cake balls are truly a little piece of heaven.... ohhh yummm... and a gazillion trillion calories!



I think I made mine a little too big... they were falling off of the lollipop sticks... which you do not have to use... I just thought they would be a little easier to dip in the white chocolate...I will definitely include the recipe - you have to try making them at least once!

We spent Thanksgiving up in Minnesota with my husband's family - and had a great time, of course! Now we are back trying to play catch-up and get ready for Christmas! I really wish there was more time between Thanksgiving and Christmas... I don't feel that I really get to take the time and appreciate each holiday... rush rush rush....

Speaking of rush, rush, rush.... off to clean house I go!

Cake Balls

Will need to refridgerate a couple of times throughout the process so it takes a little time. Not a last minute recipe.

Cake Mix
Frosting
Almond Bark

Make your favorite cake according to the recipe or the box...I made a confetti cake in a 9X13 pan. Let cool about 45 minutes... won't be 100% cool but will be cool enough to not melt the frosting. Break up the cake into a bowl and add a can of frosting... (I used the confetti frosting). Mix all up well. Put in the fridge for about an hour. Scoop into balls onto wax paper. Can stick lollipop sticks in if desired. Put in the freezer for about 2 hours. Melt the almond bark - can use either vanilla or chocolate (can use those colored chips you can get at Amish stores or in the cake area of Michael's or JoAnn's). Dip the balls... can add sprinkles or such... let the almond bark harden and enjoy!