Money Matters

It really does. I've never been one to care too much about money, material stuff is just not that important to me and doesn't impress me all that much. But ever since we have been working aggressively on finances, I have become well aware that money matters much more than I had hoped.

I am really happy with the work we have done and the fact that hubby and I have not killed each other in the process! Not even close. I am grateful that finances is one thing that we agree upon and as we all know, that's huge in the realm of marriage.

Yesterday I sent off what I feel is a gigantic cashiers check to purchase years of college for the kids. The bank teller told me "you are doing the right thing, Mom" as she saw the anxiety written on my face. I wish I had a video camera to document all of this and the long discussions with hubby, trusted friends that brought us to the decision of college funds.

We also worked on our 401k so monthly income is trimmed back . But there is a certain peace in knowing we will have that security later in life and that we are "doing it right".

Home Improvement

I love to work on home projects when the hubby is away. This time I picked a large one that involved hiring someone to help. I am so excited to see his reaction when he gets back.

As I type, the tilers are putting in our new tile in the entryway. It's called "black grotto" but it's kind of a dark gray with some brown accents. It looks fabulous so far! They will also be replacing all the trim (which was 1970's original) and they took out the entire door jam leading from the entryway to the downstairs hallway and are replacing it with an open entry type doorway, no door. Nice and neat. They are also doing all the trim in the downstairs hallway.

I have been working in the yard and on getting ready for growing season. I built a 6 foot by 3 foot raised bed for tomatoes and lettuce, filled it all up with soil. Ready for my starts which are looking hardy and strong! I also thatched the yards and re-seeded. It's going to look great!

Look at me!

I have a new blog design! It's custom made...oooooo, ahhhhh! Do you love it? Give me some feedback!

Easter Menu

My final Easter menu is in the works. Here are the ones that definitely made the cut:

Costco Ham
Mashed Potatoes with a little cream cheese and chives
Scalloped Pineapple
Steamed Green Beans (fresh and plain)
Apple Pie
Julie's Famous Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Topping

And some others that I will choose from once I get to the grocery store:

Bourbon Pecan Smashed Sweet Potatoes
Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Raisins

Homemade Tortilla Chips

These are so quick and easy, plus they are a much healthier alternative to store bought chips.

You can do this with corn tortillas, flour tortillas, pita bread. I used corn tortillas for mine that were just hanging around after we had tacos.

Cut them into chip sized triangles and arrange on a baking sheet. Spray with Pam and sprinkle with any seasoning you wish. Garlic, seasoned salt, onion powder, kosher salt. Then you pop them into the oven which you have pre-heated to 350 or 400.

I baked mine for about 7 mins at 350 and turned them for an extra couple minutes. Be sure to not let them turn brown too much, then they will taste burnt. These are just so good and fresh when you pull them out of the over. I made some homemade guacamole while they were cooking.

If you do this with pita bread, you can use them for dips like spinach dip, hot artichoke, or my famous buffalo chicken dip!

Closing in on 11

We've been married almost 11 years. And it's funny because it has taken me about 10 1/2 years to figure something out about how my husband works.

Things have not always been rosy. I am not embarrassed or shy about saying that and my friends whom I trust all know it. I am one of those people that wears my emotions on my sleeve so trying to hide my feelings or pretend is not my strong suit. I am also a strong believer in not secret keeping with those I trust. It stresses me out. My friends are my friends for a reason...because I trust them and want them to be part of my life, good or bad.

Anyways, this year really has been great for us and it has been especially good recently. It's that little secret I figured out that has been great. What is it? Well, I figured out that if I don't take everything on myself and actually ASK for help, I get it.

AMAZING!

I recently told hubby that the laundry was taking me over like a bad monster and laundry is not something I cherish. I said "Honey, the laundry is consuming me. Can you help me fold on weekends?". BAM!

So I tried it again. "Honey, the kitchen clean up after dinner, it comes at the point of my day where I am just kind of done." BAM!

You should try it.

Smart Puppy

I was speaking with a fellow puppy owner about the wonderful parts of having a smart puppy. She has a shiba inu cross. Shibas are the national dog of Japan so I am particularly in love with them. They are very smart, very cute and active dogs.

Boston Terriers are also known for being smart and clever and Baxter is no exception. I was thinking about all the stuff he knows, all the commands and he really does understand much of what we say. Here are some of the cute, clever and funny things he does:

-when I say "Go to your room" he goes into his crate

-I can ask him to "go kiss Ellie" and he will hunt her down and kiss her. Same with any member of the family, even the cat! If I say "go kiss Cooper" he will look for him and kiss him on the face.

-He just learned how to "drop it", a feat I'd never thought he would learn.

-He can "shake" but usually he just swats my hand. But if I tell him "nice shake!", he will rest his paw on my hand gently. This one is so cute!

-If I say "Do you want some lovin'?" he will stand on his hind legs so I can pick him up and snuggle. Awwwwww!

-If I say "so you wanna play like that, huh!!!" he will run and grab his rope toy so we can play tug

-he can cat wrangle. If I tell him to "go get Cooper" when Cooper has escaped, he will chase him down and herd him back into the house.

-when he has done something naughty like chewing on something, we simply have to show it to him with no words at all and he gets the look of guilt. The ears go back and he slinks over and sits at my feet. Then I ask "did you do this?" and he looks even more guilty. After I scold him, I tell him to say sorry and he gets up on his hind legs to "hug" and kiss me. If I show him the same item hours later, his ears will go back again and the guilt shows. He is so funny!

The thing I love most about him is that he really does see the kids as his "pack". Not just our kids but the kids of the neighborhood. When they are in the backyard, he must be out there playing too. When we go to the dog park, he runs ahead with them. I really think he views himself as one of our children. And we love him like he is.