Life 365: Week 30

Monday, July 19, 2010


I don't know if it is just that its hot or what, but I really haven't wanted to cook lately. I usually don't mind the cooking (but I do HATE HATE HATE the cleaning up part). Joey will be working really late all week as they have a project deadline and they will be getting dinner brought into work each night, so I won't have to feed him this week. So today, I just decided we were going to have McDonalds for dinner and the kids were so excited to get a happy meal!


Tuesday, July 20, 2010


The best part about summer is getting wet! And the kids enjoyed over an hour of sprinkler fun in the yard today! I just love seeing those big smiles on their faces.


Wednesday, July 21, 2010


I had a bad case of indigestion/heartburn today. I couldn't even drag myself out of bed. I even had to cancel my crop and it was just a bad day. I was able to get up a few times and actually feed the kids, but mostly they were on their own today. Moms should never be sick. Anyways, what better thing to occupy your kids for the day than play dough! I got it out with the cookie cutters and it lasted them all afternoon. I'm very grateful for independent children today!


Thursday, July 22, 2010


My friend Amber on her blog today referenced education.com and I am so glad she did. Now that the kids don't have school/camp - I have not been doing so good with entertaining them. But this is a wonderful site that has so many fun learning activities to do! We have decided to make a goal to do at least one of them daily and it will help starve the boredom and make me feel like my kids are actually learning something and staying active for the rest of the summer! Today we read the story "The Boy who cried Wolf" and talked about honesty. Then we played a little game that they had that went with the story. It was a lot like Red Light, Green Light but we created some number cards and they had to use the numbers and also reading to see what they had to do. The kids had a blast and since Joey actually got home early tonight he got to play a round with us too! Joey also got our automatic sprinklers fixed tonight so no more having to drag the hose around - yay!



Friday, July 23, 2010


We got to tend cutie patootie Mallory again today and it is just such a delight. She's getting so big and the kids love playing with her. It was the kind of day where we didn't have to go anywhere - so we didn't even get out of our pjs today - okay maybe that was just me. Yep, the kids got dressed, but I stayed in my pjs all day and loved every minute of it!



Saturday, July 24, 2010


Today, we celebrated the 24th by attending the Pioneer Day Extravangaza in Provo. We toured the Pioneer Village and listened to stories, they had all kinds of fun activities for the kids from pony rides to making your own butter. The kids loved making harmonicas out of popsicle sticks and creating their own dreamcatchers out of paper plates. We had lunch at McDonalds and the kids got to wear themselves out playing on the playground. It was a fun day and nice to get out of the house for awhile!


Sunday, July 25, 2010


Last night we hung the kids' dreamcatchers up that they had made yesterday and told them how they would catch their bad dreams. This morning Beth told her daddy that she didn't remember any dreams, so the dreamcatcher must have "accidentally took her good dreams" too!

We had church and then we had "magic ravioli" for dinner along with watching Matilda for the first time!


And here is my weekly layout:
coming soon

I used my to create this layout!

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Recipe Thursday - Cheddary Pasta Casserole

Each Thursday, I am going to be sharing a recipe with you!I will pick a recipe from my collection and I will be sharing where I got the recipe and everything. But I am going to include my own photo of the finished food, the original recipe, and try and share the things I changed when I made it!

I would love your help too! If you have a great recipe, especially week-night dinner recipes (but I would love all kinds of recipes) - please share it with me, by emailing me at dedesmith32@gmail.com. I will try it out and feature it on my blog! If you have cooking tips or anything else in regards to cooking and food - please email me!


This week's Recipe:
This is another favorite casserole at my house! It's quick to put together, it freezes well, and its very tasty! Try it and let me know what you think!

Cheddary Pasta Casserole
by DeDe Smith



1 lb. hamburger
onion, salt, & pepper
16 oz of your favorite shaped pasta
Lots of Grated Cheese
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can corn
1- 2 Jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce (depending how much sauce you like) - (I actually like to use a combination of Ragu's Sauteed Onion and Garlic Spaghetti Sauce and Newman's Own Marinara Sauce - the mixture of these 2 make the perfect sauce in my opinion.)


Brown your hamburger with the onion, salt, pepper, and any other spices you like to use!

Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Drain.

Immediately put your pasta in your casserole dish and add as much grated cheese as you like. Mix it so the hot pasta melts the cheese and is mixed together evenly.

Add the cheddar cheese soup to the pasta and mix well.

Then add your corn and hamburger to the pasta. Mix well.

Lastly add your sauce and mix well.

Bake at 375 degrees until all bubbly and heated through!

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Designer Spotlight with Tallula Moon

Please join me tonight for another designer spotlight! Tallula Moon will be with us for chatting, freebies, and fun! Please come!

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Wednesday Sayings - 7/28/10

Each Wednesday, I am going to be sharing a quote/saying with you!
I am a collector of quotes/sayings/scrapbook titles, etc. and I love to hear new ones! So, each week, I will share a quote/saying with you that I hope will inspire you and make your day a little better! If you have any great quotes/sayings - feel free to send them in to me at dedesmith32@gmail.com - I would love to use them!


This week's quote:

"Life is like photography, we develop from the negatives."
- Unknown

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Family History TuesdayZ | Favorite Summer Activities

Here is this week's journal prompt :

Each Tuesday, I am going to be offering prompts or ideas. If you don't write in your journal regularly - I am going to encourage you to write just ONCE A WEEK and answer the question/idea that I give on Tuesdays. These ideas hopefully will spark a memory and you will be able to capture that in what you write/record so that it can be left for your children/grandchildren/family/friends. Give as much detail as you can when answering.

Will you do this for me? Will you do this for your families? You can write it down in a journal, you can type it up on a computer or journaling software, you can take a recorder and talk, you can videotape your answers, you can even scrap a page with the journaling. It doesn't matter how you do this - it's just important that you do it. The memories, the dates, the information is the only real thing we can leave to our families when we are gone.

If I come up with other family history ideas - I will be sure to share it here too - and if you want to share with me your ideas - that would be wonderful and I'd be glad to share them here too. Just comment here or email me at dedesmith32@gmail.com.

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Show-OffZ Challenge | Week 7/20/10

Thank you to the wonderful ladies who participated in my Show-OffZ Challenge this week, your bonus will be arriving via email shortly! Thanks!

This week's challenge was:

I want you to scrap about your flower garden. You could incorporate your use of herbal products or just the beauty of the flowers in your garden or flowers that you have seen this spring/summer! You must use MY PRODUCTS ONLY to create your layout! (You can use ANY product by me!)

by dekek

by Kristin

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New Release Monday + Show-OffZ Challenge 7/26/10

Join me every Monday for my new releases! Also on Mondays I will be posting a Show-OffZ Call for your layouts - so please don't miss that at the bottom of this posting!

Today is catch-up day! I have had several clusterz stackz & scatterz kits that have been bonuses for my challenges and in my NSD Grab Bag, and other things and I just have not gotten them together for the store yet - but I did today! So today I am releasing 8 products!!!

















SEE THESE PRODUCTS IN MY STORES NOW:
Blog
3Scrapateers
Digitals
ScrapWow





Here's how it works:

Each Monday with the New Releases, I will be posting a Show-OffZ Challenge. You will have until Friday to do the challenge and if you get your layout sent in, you will receive either a coupon to my store or a specific product (each posting will tell you what you are getting)! I will share all the Show-OffZ of the Week on Saturdays!


THIS WEEK'S SHOW-OFFZ CHALLENGE:

Another easy one this week - your layout can be ANYTHING AT ALL! You must use MY PRODUCTS ONLY to create your layout! (You can use ANY product by me!)

Email me (dedesmith32@gmail.com) a copy of your 600x600, 72dpi Layout(s) by 10pm EST on Friday, July 30th and your layout will be shared on July 31st on my blog (it might be later, depending on my time)! Please include the name that you want listed with your layout.

This week you will be receiving your choice of the 8 products that I released today! Make sure you tell me which one you want when you submit your layout!


Thanks and I hope you will join in the challenge and come back next Monday for new releases and a new challenge!

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Life 365: Week 29

Monday, July 12, 2010


Over the weekend I realized that my drivers license had expired on my birthday - OOPS! So today while the kids were at their schools, I headed off to spend some time at the driver license office. An hour later and I was done and had my temporary license in my hand (until the permanent one gets mailed to me). I am thankful that it was shorter than I thought it would be and glad to have it over for another 5 years!


Tuesday, July 13, 2010


Beth is loving science camp and I think we'll have to get her in every year. They made paper rockets today and got to shoot them off! We made up some red velvet cookies today - some for us at home and some to take to the Relief Society Dinner in the park. It was fun to leave the kids home with dad and go visit and play games with the ladies in my ward!


Wednesday, July 14, 2010


Today was Beth's Science Camp field trip to the Planetarium and Bean Museum at BYU. I was so glad that I was able to go with her. She made a buddy at the camp and it was cute to see Beth and Rose together. We went to the museum first and then got to have a live presentation with some of the animals and then walked over to the planetarium. The kids thought it was an awfully far walk and I was very glad to get my "orange group" there safe and sound. We got to sit and watch the stars overhead while the lady showed us constellations and fun things. It was a fun day!


Thursday, July 15, 2010


This summer has truly been the busiest one that I have experienced since becoming a mom. My kids are old enough now that they have things to do and places to go and so I guess I am now an official soccer mom/chauffeur. My hardest thing about being on the go so much is that it has been all in the MORNINGS. I would much prefer it being stuff in the afternoon/evening, but I guess that's how life goes! This is the last week that I will have to be on the go in the mornings until school starts - and I truly am glad that my kids have had the opportunity to do fun learning things!



Friday, July 16, 2010


Beth's last day of science camp and she was pretty sad about it. She loved Mrs. Peterson and we had to get a photo at the end of camp with her. I'm glad that Beth enjoys being in the classroom and learning. I can't believe she is going to be in Kindergarten this coming year!


Saturday, July 17, 2010


Today, was my monthly dinner exchange. I made Cheddary Pasta Casserole last night and had it all ready for today. I had planned on just going up to Salt Lake City and back, but I decided that I really didn't want to be without my family today. So I impromptly planned a trip to the planetarium at the Gateway mall. So we dropped the food off at Brandon and Sabrina's house and went to the Trax station and had a ride on the train that took us right to the planetarium. The kids loved exploring all the fun things they had there and Joey bought them some fun spiral balls. We also planned to go to the movie theater and see Despicable Me. Unfortunately, during the movie, Beth got sick and threw up all over Joey. They got cleaned up and then Joey and JJ finished the movie while I stayed out with Beth. We were hoping to also go see the children's museum at the Gateway, but Beth was not doing so well. She also threw up at the Trax station while we were waiting for the train and also in the van on the way home. But even though my poor Bethie didn't feel good, I think we had a good time.


Sunday, July 18, 2010


We stayed home from church today because we weren't sure if Beth was still sick and JJ was having a really hard day. Sometimes JJ just has days that he is really overactive and it doesn't really mix with people. Beth was feeling good all day though - so we decided it must have been heat exhaustion and we got plenty of fluids in her today. For Family Movie Night we did Pete's Dragon and had Dragon Eggs (Baked Potato Bar) and Corn on the Cob.


And here is my weekly layout:


I used my JUST BEEZ CUZ & DIGITAL 365 to create this layout!

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Recipe Thursday - Chicken Burritos

Each Thursday, I am going to be sharing a recipe with you!I will pick a recipe from my collection and I will be sharing where I got the recipe and everything. But I am going to include my own photo of the finished food, the original recipe, and try and share the things I changed when I made it!

I would love your help too! If you have a great recipe, especially week-night dinner recipes (but I would love all kinds of recipes) - please share it with me, by emailing me at dedesmith32@gmail.com. I will try it out and feature it on my blog! If you have cooking tips or anything else in regards to cooking and food - please email me!


This week's Recipe:
This is something new I tried, but my husband loved it and it went over pretty well for the kids too, so it is something I will be making again. I loved how I could just put everything in the crockpot all day and come home and just stick it in a tortilla - so it was definitely easy! I think you could also use this to make a taco soup too!
Chicken Burritos
by DeDe Smith

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 big cans refried beans
2 cans black beans
spanish rice
sour cream
cheese
tortillas


Put the chicken breasts, cream of chicken soup, refried beans, black beans, spanish rice in your crockpot and cook it for 6-8 hours. The chicken will be really tender and you can just take 2 forks and shred it right in the crockpot. Then place in tortillas, top with cheese and sour cream and roll the tortilla up and enjoy!

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Speed Crop Canceled for Tonight

I'm so sorry everyone, but I have to cancel tonight's (7/21) Over the Hump Speed Crop. I'm afraid that some kind of bug has hit me pretty hard and I'm not feeling well at all and I just need to spend a day away from the computer.

Please join me next week for a Designer Spotlight with Tallula Moon!


Thanks,

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Wednesday Sayings - 7/21/10

Each Wednesday, I am going to be sharing a quote/saying with you!
I am a collector of quotes/sayings/scrapbook titles, etc. and I love to hear new ones! So, each week, I will share a quote/saying with you that I hope will inspire you and make your day a little better! If you have any great quotes/sayings - feel free to send them in to me at dedesmith32@gmail.com - I would love to use them!


This week's quote:

"A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?"
- Ernst Haas

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Family History TuesdayZ | Close Family Relationships

Here is this week's journal prompt :

Each Tuesday, I am going to be offering prompts or ideas. If you don't write in your journal regularly - I am going to encourage you to write just ONCE A WEEK and answer the question/idea that I give on Tuesdays. These ideas hopefully will spark a memory and you will be able to capture that in what you write/record so that it can be left for your children/grandchildren/family/friends. Give as much detail as you can when answering.

Will you do this for me? Will you do this for your families? You can write it down in a journal, you can type it up on a computer or journaling software, you can take a recorder and talk, you can videotape your answers, you can even scrap a page with the journaling. It doesn't matter how you do this - it's just important that you do it. The memories, the dates, the information is the only real thing we can leave to our families when we are gone.

If I come up with other family history ideas - I will be sure to share it here too - and if you want to share with me your ideas - that would be wonderful and I'd be glad to share them here too. Just comment here or email me at dedesmith32@gmail.com.

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New Release (Tuesday) + Show-OffZ Challenge | Apothecary DreamZ & Good EatZ

So sorry that I'm late - I just didn't get this kit done yesterday, but I'm so excited to present to you my latest kit! This is the Book ScrapZ Kit Bonus this month. We read The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen and this is the kit that I created inspired by the book! I hope you enjoy it!

APOTHECARY DREAMZ

And I have a few coordinating products that you can find in my stores!

ALSO, I put the Good EatZ: ChefZ, Good EatZ: CSS, and Good EatZ: Kitchen BrusheZ in all my stores today too!

SEE THESE PRODUCTS IN MY STORES NOW:

Blog - Apothecary DreamZ & Good EatZ

iScrapbook

I created a 2-page layout that will be featured in tomorrow's Speed Crop with my Apothecary DreamZ kit and I'd like to share it with you as your creative inspiration today:

Here's how it works:

Each Monday with the New Releases, I will be posting a Show-OffZ Challenge. You will have until Friday to do the challenge and if you get your layout sent in, you will receive either a coupon to my store or a specific product (each posting will tell you what you are getting)! I will share all the Show-OffZ of the Week on Saturdays!

THIS WEEK'S SHOW-OFFZ CHALLENGE:

I want you to scrap about your flower garden. You could incorporate your use of herbal products or just the beauty of the flowers in your garden or flowers that you have seen this spring/summer! You must use MY PRODUCTS ONLY to create your layout! (You can use ANY product by me!)

Email me (dedesmith32@gmail.com) a copy of your 600x600, 72dpi Layout(s) by 10pm EST on Friday, July 23rd and your layout will be shared on July 24th on my blog (it might be later, depending on my time)! Please include the name that you want listed with your layout.

This week you will be receiving the APOTHECARY DREAMZ: ALPHA:

Thanks and I hope you will join in the challenge and come back next Monday for new releases and a new challenge!

Join me every Monday for my new releases! Also on Mondays I will be posting a Show-OffZ Call for your layouts - so please don't miss that at the bottom of this posting!

Read More