Sign Up Saturday...

Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie

link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a great weekend!

Garden Update!!

The rain has stopped but thankfully it keeps growing!!

Here through June we have been getting some serious rain...
But in July someone shut off the water!!

I'm hopeful the forecast is right and we get some today!!

Part of my corn didn't come up the first time so I replanted it.
That's why some of it is much shorter!
The taller stalks have big corn cobs on them!
My son, Malachi, is so excited

I've been able to eat a few cherry tomatoes and the
Roma's are looking good and loaded!!

I Pray the tomato worms don't visit!!

The potatoes plants are dying and getting
ready for us to enjoy some yummy potatoes!

Oh my, what can I say about the zucchini...
It's large, In charge, and Taking over!!!

Poor beans getting bullied by the zucchini!!

Here's a tally so far.... I've gotten several cherry tomatoes, about 15 cucumbers, around 8 zucchini, tons of lettuce, 4 bowls of green beans, 2 bunches of broccoli (more ready), a couple bags of peas, and 9 big bags of carrots.

I've gotten a whole lot more by July than I did last year!! The work of is really paying off and my freezer is going to be really full of yummy veggies!!

Leave a link, I'd love to see your garden!!
What have you been harvesting???

Giveaway!!!

If you're looking to enter a great giveaway
go visit Danielle at the Gaerte Gang here and check
out her great giveaway!!

Ends July 23

Awesome Granola Recipe!!

I found an AWESOME granola recipe the whole
family LOVES!!! You can even make it into granola bars!

We eat this in place of breakfast cereal
and/or just a snack!

I love it because it's fortified with wheat germ and flax!
I figured out that it has around 6.5 grams
of fiber per 1/2 cup serving!
WOWOWOWOWO!!!

Mix in bowl...
4 cups quick rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup flax seed (ground)
1/2 - 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups mini chocolate chips (opt.)

other options (I don't use these)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup almonds

In another bowl mix
1/3 cup canola oil (maybe I'll try applesauce next time!)
1/4 honey (I've been using maple syrup)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup water


Then put wet ingredients
into the dry and mix well.

Preheat oven to 300* and spray pans with cooking spray

For this batch I spread 1/2 onto
a cookie pan loosely for cereal

and pressed the other 1/2 of the batch into a 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish.
press firmly to make granola bars.

bake the loose batch until lightly brown on the bottom.
around 25 minutes for me. Lightly stir one time

For the bars in the baking dish leave in a little longer
around 35 minutes. Until lightly brown around edges.
Once the bars cool, just cut and store sealed!

Keep an eye on it since all ovens vary.
I use a 30 year old oven!!
You can see the original recipe here!!

Have a great week!

Sign Up Saturday...

Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie

link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a great weekend!

Quick and Easy Summer Pizza

Are your kids tired of the same
ol' pb&j, mac and cheese, and leftovers for lunch?!?!

If so try this!

Take a piece of bread (I use homemade, any should work)
toast it in the toaster.

Spread some pizza sauce on it.
Pizza Sauce recipe..
1 can tomato sauce (8oz)
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
mix and serve
(double for more)

Add toppings... my son loves pepperoni

Top with a little cheese.

Put in microwave for about 35 seconds
or until cheese is melted!

I can't tell you how many times my son told me how
much he LOVES the pizzas!
Simple and easy and since I load my bread is loaded with flax
and wheat bran it's even fairly healthy!!

He's a tough kid to feed so I was
super excited that he loved this!!

What's your favorite lunch time meal?????

"Staycation" Pics!!

Last week we camped at my parents house for
our family "staycation" this year!

We're planning on going to Disney at the end of January so
we decided we needed to go cheap this year.

Turns out it was a really great time!
You definitely don't need to spend a lot of $$
to have a great time!!

Here's some pictures!

I just love this picture!!

The kids (especially Micah) lived in the hot tub, that is
when they weren't in my sister's pool!

We went to the zoo and
had a picnic one day!

Pa had lots of fireworks and Malachi
(my 11 yr. old "the Pyro")
lit most if them off!

Sunday morning we didn't go to church so the kids
had a church service. Malachi preached, my nephew led
prayer, and the girls led singing! They all did an awesome job
and had so much fun doing it!

The girls also taught Sunday School class for the younger
ones! I see some new teachers in our future!

We also went biking and hung
out a lot at my sister's pool.

The 4 days went really quick of course!

So what's your summer vacation plans??????

Menards 6-27

4 free after rebate items this
week at Menards!

This ad is good through July 11

Interior Flat paint -- FREE after $11.00 Rebate -- limit 5

Window squeegee -- FREE after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Genius Mop -- FREE after $4.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Shopper's Bag -- FREE after .98 cent Rebate -- limit 10

Other Deals
Square or level -- .99 cents after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 2 total

Insect Repellent -- .99 cents after $2.00 Rebate -- limit 3

Garbage bags -- .99 cents

House Wash -- .99 cents after $7.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Transplanter -- .99 cents after $1.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Alkaline Batteries (48 pack)-- $6.99 after $4.00 Rebate -- limt 2

Microfiber Towel (8 pack)-- .99 cents after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 2

*****
When you purchase the freebies, you must purchase an additional $10. of non-rebated items per transaction to qualify for the rebate. You can get as many freebies as you want per transaction with only one $10. additional purchase. ((**You can get a $10. Gift card if you don't need anything right now!**)) Your rebate will come in the form of a Merchandise Check. Which means you must spend it at Menards, (I just use mine for more freebies!)

***

It's been reported that you do not have to spend the $10. and you will still get your rebate. Since the ad says you're supposed to I still think we should as to not take advantage of the program. You can use your own judgement! Thanks for letting us know!

******

You do not need to purchase any additional $$ if you are only getting the rebated items that are not free.

**********

To learn all about Menards and how to send in

their rebates go here!

Just leave a comment if you have a question

or see another good deal!

Sign Up Saturday...

Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie

link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a great weekend!

My Week (Day) in a nutshell!

Here's my week in a nutshell!
(Actually all this happened today!!!)

Watched a few (one not pictured) of my nieces (2 on the right)!
Actually they just played with my kids, very
little watching involved!!
My daughter LOVES to have girls over since she's
stuck with 3 brothers!!

Picked lots of produce! I'm still loving the lettuce and
I enjoyed my first cucumber last week. It lasted 1 meal!

Pictured is 3 big bags of lettuce (had 4 but gave one to my MIL),
4 cucumbers, and a few straggling peas!

Sprouting my next batch of alfalfa sprouts!
More on how to do this coming soon!
These are SOOO Nutritious and Delicious!
Oh and EASY too!!

Figured out that the bees were huddled outside the hive because
we needed to add super to our beehive!
YAY! We might actually get some honey from this hive...
Our other hive is nearly dead...
But Hey 1 for 2 the first year... we'll take it!

Made MORE Granola.
Last Thursday I discovered a granola
recipe that Everyone not only likes but LOVES!!
I've made 4 batches in 6 days!!
I don't have time now, but I'll share the recipe next week!


We've also been spending tons of time in the pool. The
lowest high for the coming 7 days is 85*
Sorry no picture... I guess I haven't taken any pool pics
this year yet... What is wrong with me!?!?!?

And we're packing up the camper! We'll be going to my mom's
tomorrow for a sort of "Staycation"!
My mom has a hot tub and tons of room to run and play
and my sister who lives next door has
a pool with a ginormous deck.

What more could we want on vacation!!!

Have a good week everyone!
See you next week!

Menards 6-20

Menards has a few freebies this week.

This ad is good through June 27


16' Chrome Tape Measure -- FREE after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 2

14 LED Flashlight -- FREE after $6.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Strip and Clean Sanding Pad -- FREE after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 3

****
When you purchase the freebies, you must purchase an additional $10. of non-rebated items per transaction to qualify for the rebate. You can get as many freebies as you want per transaction with only one $10. additional purchase. ((**You can get a $10. Gift card if you don't need anything right now!**)) Your rebate will come in the form of a Merchandise Check. Which means you must spend it at Menards, (I just use mine for more freebies!)

***

It's been reported that you do not have to spend the $10. and you will still get your rebate. Since the ad says you're supposed to I still think we should as to not take advantage of the program. You can use your own judgement! Thanks for letting us know!

******

You do not need to purchase any additional $$ if you are only getting the rebated items that are not free.

**********

To learn all about Menards and how to send in

their rebates go here!

Just leave a comment if you have a question

or see another good deal!

Finally a Garden Update!!

Wondering where I've been?!?!?!?

Half the time I've been in the garden!
The other half!
Havin' FUN in the POOL with Hubby and the Kids!!
(I suppose I should add another half in the kitchen doing my baking...
wait is that possible?! can someone please clone me??)

And I'M LOVIN' EVERY MOMENT!!

Disclaimer.... Please look past the weeds. I decided NOT
to keep a weed free garden cuz.. well.. I need to sleep
and I like my family!!!
A garden this size (for me) is IMPOSSIBLE to keep
totally clean (unless that's all I do... EVER!!!)

BUT I'll take the weeds cuz I want LOTS of produce!!!!

Clear to the left where you see trenches, I just planted
another 2 1/4 rows of potatoes (today)!
This time I tried the Kennebec variety!
I planted another 10 pounds

Next to that is Sugar beets-- A post for another day!!
Then I have almost 3 rows of corn.
For some reason part of the corn came up and the rest didn't.
I replanted it and you can see it but it's still small.
Inbetween the corn rows I have pumpkins, watermelon,
and muskmelon!

The plants with the white sticks are tomatoes.
We drilled holes in pvc pipe to tie the tomatoes to. It's working
really well so far. I think I have 16 Roma plants
Next to those I have brocolli, peppers, cherry tomatoes, beans, and zucchini
Then I have a whole row of bush beans
By the hoses I have a row of carrots.

My cabbage is on the left and then you see
my Yukon Gold potatoes. 3 1/2 rows of them!!!
We love potatoes!
We just had a major spout of potato bugs last weekend
and it killed me but I used Seven.
Anyone have a better idea??
BTW - this was not a small outbreak that you can pick
by hand, I'm talking a MAJOR plants covered with little
tiny bugs EVERYWHERE..... It all happened in about 7 hours.
Seriously I left the house in the morning and saw NO bugs and when
I came home 7 hours later they were everywhere and 1 plant
already had Major damage.....

Strawberries I just planted 2 months ago.
They are spreading really nicely!

One of my prize items -- Cucumbers..
Last I counted they had 44 flowers on them.
Um yea from 4 plants!
They must like alot of RAIN...
We've been getting TONS of rain here in the Midwest.

Here is our biggest one. I can almost taste him...
But I'll have to wait a few more days!!

On the left is our leaf lettuce!
LOVE IT!
It's going crazy. So far I've gotten 6 huge bowls of lettuce
from them. If you didn't plant leaf lettuce look into it next year!
My $1.xx seeds have produced a TON of yummy eating!
You just break off the outer leaves and it just keeps coming!

You already saw my carrots and beans from the other side.

On the right is my 2 zucchini plants. They've gotten really big
and I should get my first one next week!!
This year I'm NOT peeling them. Last year I peeled and then
shredded them for bread but I've since learned that like much produce
the nutrients are in the peeling. SO DON'T peel!!

I had to throw in this picture of my sugar pumpkins.
I used to work in a "sweet shoppe" and in the fall they
always had iced pumpkin cookies. I'm hoping I can come close
to duplicating them this fall. They were AWESOME!!

So How's your garden doing???
If you want leave your link in the comments and I'll come visit!

Have a great week!