A RAFFLE, ONCE A MONTH COOKING and COPICS

Hello! I do not have a picture to share today because my husband has my camera. I, of course have the digital card safely tucked into my computer, so he will be disappointed when he tries to use it. (OOPS)

Yesterday, I worked on making some card boxes for a Fund Raiser for the Contenders of the Faith Boys Club my son is involved in. This was the photograph I was going to take and share with you today, it was very simple. I am donating a 10 boxes of 5 cards, a Child Of God stamp set and 2 - $10- gift certificates. If you are interested, the raffle tickets sell for $1.00 and 100% of the funds will go to the Boys Club If you are interested, please e-mail me at chrissyd723@gmail.com and I can let you know my paypal information.

NEW COPIC GROUP for SWEET 'n SASSY STAMPS

Here is a note from Korin...

Are you a Copic Junkie?

I sure am and so are many of the SNSS DT members. Chris, Faith, Deb and I will be Copic Certified soon and a few other DT gals already are. We'd like to offer helpful tutorials, tips and classes but we also want to make sure you can get your hands on these fabulous markers without breaking the bank. Soooooo, coming soon....the Copic Junkie Club!!! Many of you have been requesting this for some time, so we are thrilled to finally oblige :).

I have started a yahoo group for this club which will be a our sole means of communcation. Even if you are not ready to join a club just yet, you are welcome to join the group to see what it's all about. The address to join is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/snsscopicjunkies/

More details will be coming soon, but for now, please vote in the poll to the right so I can get an idea of how many people are interested in joining and what their needs are.I can tell you that each club will run for 6 months and upon completion you will receive a FREE set (5) of markers! How awesome is that?? If you have any questions, please feel free to let either Chris (me) or myself know. ~Korin

ONCE A MONTH COOKING

For more information on this, click on the labeled section for Once a Month Cooking and scroll down. There are several posts with a variety of information on this subject.

I had a question the other day about our Once a Month Cooking. One of the first things you can do is pick the recipes you want to try. When choosing recipes, I try a couple of new recipes, but we also incorporate some of our families favorites. If your family really doesn't like a particular ingredient, then do not choose that recipe or try to think of an alternative ingredient to substitute.

Another thing to think about is, do you want to do this on your own or with some friends? When I did this by myself, I didn't necessarily cook 30 meals in a day, but I would take a recipe and multiply it x's 2-4 and then we would eat one in the evening and freeze the remaining.

Baked Potato Soup
Makes 4 servings.
3 bacon strips diced
1 small onoin chopped
1 clove garlic minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatos peeled and cubed
1 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
minced fresh parsley
In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1
tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic
in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper;
mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2
minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat
through but do not boil. (Note: Freezes well at this point. Can
be put in crock pot and cook on low all day – no need to thaw
if frozen) Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

Basic Meatballs
Makes 12 servings.
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup fresh parsley choped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 pinch nutmeg
1 cup beef broth
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup beef broth
3 egg
1 tablespoon garlic minced
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds ground chuck
Combine meat with mixture, stir through rally with fork. Oven
at 450. Golf ball size meatballs. Don't touch. Bake for 25
minutes. Keep juices for sauce.
7 points

Beef & Chipolte Burritos
Makes 6 servings.
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef round steak cut 3/4" thick
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup onion chopped
1 can chipolte peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic minced
6 flour tortilla
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 6 pieces. Combine first 7
ingredients and put into ziplock bag to freeze. Thaw, remove
peppers. Place the rest into crock pot. Cover and heat on low
for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Remove meat from
cooker. Using 2 forks, pull meat apart into shreds. Place
meat in a large bowl. Stir in cooking liquid to reach desired
consistency. Divide meat amond warm tortillas, spoon it just
below the center. Top with cheese, salsa, roll up tortillas.

Beef Chimichangas
Makes 8 servings.
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano crushed
1/2 cup taco sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup butter melted
9 7" flour tortillas
1/2 cup canned green chilis
Cooking Day:
Sprinkle salt in medium skillet. Place over medium heat. Add
beef, garlic, and spices. Cook until meat losses pinkness. Stir
in remaining ingredients. Remove from heat and cool. Freeze
meat mixture, using freezer bag.
Serving Day Instructions:
In skillet, melt butter. Dip both sides of 1 tortilla into butter,
drain off excess. Mount 1/3 cup filling on center of tortilla. Fold
tortilla in envelope fashion. Place seam side down in
ungreased 11x17 baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas
and filling.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Bake until crispy, about 15
minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and return for a few seconds.
top with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and aditional
sour cream.
14 points

Betsy's Chicken Enchiliadas
Makes 8 servings.
3 cups chicken cooked
1 can green chiles
1 7oz jar salsa
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 dozen corn tortillas
2 cups monterey jack cheese grated
vegetable oil
Preaheat oven 350 degrees. Mix chicken, chilis and salsa. In
separate bowl, mix cream and salt. Heat about 1" oil in fry
pan. Dip each tortilla in hot oil for 3 sec to soften. Drain on
paper towel and lay into bowl of cream to coat with cream. Fill
each tortilla with chicken mixture and roll them up. Lay in
greased bake dish. Pour extra cream over the top and
sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 min.

Bird's Nest Pie
Makes 8 servings.
8 ounces spaghetti
2 eggs beaten
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons margerine or butter
8 ounces sour cream
1 pound Italian sausage (bulk)
6 ounces tomato paste
1 cup water
4 ounces mozzarella cheese (sliced)
Break spaghetti in half and cook as directed on package until
al dente, drain. While spaghetti is warm, combine with eggs
and parmesan cheese. Use a spoon to press spaghetti into
bottom and up sides of a well greased 10 inchpie plate. Saute
onion in margerine, mix with sour cream, and spread over
crust.
At the same time, brown sausage in a large skillet; drain fat.
Stir in tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Spoon
over sour cream mixture. Cover dish with foil and freeze. put
cheese slices in a 1 quart bag; attach to side of dish.
To preparefor serving, thaw pie and cheese and preheat oven
to 350. Bake pie, uncovered for 25 minutes. Arrange
mozzarella slices on top; return pie to oven until cheese melts.
4 points

Cajun Chicken Strips
Makes 4 servings.
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cut into strips
2 tablespoons butter
In a large plastic bag, combine the first six ingredients. Add
chicken, one half at a time. Shake to coat. In a large skillet,
cook chicken in butter 8-10 minutes or until done.
Serving suggestions:
Over lettuce or salad w/ salsa
Tacos
Roll-ups

Chicken Breast Piquant
Makes 8 servings.
8 chicken breast
1 1/2 cups red wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup salad oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Mix all ingredients; add chicken, put in large gallon baggy and
freeze. To prepare, put in large baking dish. Bake at 375 for
1 hr or until chicken is done.

Chicken Broccoli Divan
Makes 6 servings.
4 chicken breast cooked, shredded
1 pound broccoli cooked and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 package cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 cup milk
1 box seasoned croutons
Combine all ingredients except croutons in 2 quart baking
dish. Add extra cheese on top if desired. Cook at 350 for 25
minutes, adding croutons to the top 10 minutes before
removing from oven.

Chicken Cheese Lasagna
Makes 8 servings.
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese fresh, grated
1 medium onion chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
9 lasagna noodles
2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups chicken cooked, shredded
1 package frozen spinach thawed and drained
Melt butter and garlic stir in flour and salt cook constantly until
bubbly remove from heat stir in milk and broth. Bring to boil
stirring constantly boil stir 1 minute. Stir in Mozzarella, 1/2 cup
parmesan, onion, basil, oregano, pepper cook over low heat
stir constantly until cheese is melted. In ungreased dish place
1/4 cheese sauce, 3 or 4 uncooked noodles, then 1/2 of
cottage cheese then repeat this once. Top with chicken
spinach and 1/4 of remaining cheese sauce, the remaining
noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan bake
at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes (until noodles are done) let set for
15 minutes.

Several of you asked about my husband's job. I added it to that same days post, but will let you know we are PRAISING GOD that his job was spared (for now). At this time, we are also saddened by the many friends who were let go. Please keep this in your prayers - the company he is working for has been GREATLY impacted by the auto industry and our economic state. There is a trickle affect going on - the company he works for builds radiators, conductors and other parts and when Chrysler laid off their employees - this trickled down to other facilities and affected their work volume too.

On a positive note, we serve an ALL POWERFUL GOD who is in control of all of these things. HE does NOT promise that things will be easy or pleasant for us in our daily lives, but He does promise that He will never leave nor forsake us. He is ALWAYS here to give us the strength we need to get through each day. All we need to do is trust in Him.

If you read your Bible, God's Word tells us in various places that you are LOVED, BLESSED, CHOSEN, ADOPTED, ACCEPTED, REDEEMED and FORGIVEN. (taken from Beth Moore's study, I'm Believing God.)

There is no such thing as trust and faith unless you have some unanswered questions in your life. If you know everything there is nothing to trust God about. That is where FAITH comes in.

I hope you have a blessed day! Thank you for stopping by.

God Bless You-

MY SON AND LEGO LEAGUE

BE ALERT! General Grievous is here to attack! General Grievous has escaped the CLONE WARS!!!! HELP! heehee

This is a General Grievous Noah built with out a kit - just regular Legos he had laying around.

My son LOVES the Clone Wars and General Grievous is his favorite character. I keep telling him to pick a GOOD GUY - but he likes General Grievous - he draws General Grievous - he took an Art class and drew General Grievous when everyone else was drawing Still Lifes. I listen to stories about General Grievous and find scrap papers through out my house with drawings of General Grievous.

Ok- these next 2 photographs are of Java the Hutlet and a Republic Gun Ship...oh yes and my son. LOL

This is a robot made of legos - the Lego Team had certain missions they had to complete to get a certain number of points.

Each team had to have a theme that had something to do with the Climate - it became an involved Science project - Noah's team chose STATIC - and their team name was ELECTRO-FRIED.

This is the competition board and the two video screens so everyone could watch as the teams competed. There were 26 teams and about several hundred people there.

Here is a video of a team on their mission!

FLL: FIRST LEGO League.
FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology

Climatology
is the study of world climates at the Global scale - Climatologists engage in a wide range of atmospheric research. Studies include climate variability, cloud physics and numerical modeling, atmospheric dynamics, synoptic meteorology, air pollution meteorology, and nonlinear dynamics, global warming and solutions to protect world climates on the global stage.


Performance
Robots have 2 minutes and 30 seconds to complete missions on a 4' x 8' playing field. Teams earn points based on the robots performance in each of these missions.

Technical Judging
Team members interact with judges to explain robot design and programming approaches. Judges ask questions to determine team member roles and their individual understanding of the technical process.

Presentation Judging
Teams research and prepare a presentation to execute in front of a team of judges. Judges ask a variety of questions to determine their understanding of the research topic. Teams are also judged on their teamwork skills and interactions. Communication, respect, responsibility, and problem solving skills are central goals part of this competition.

The FIRST LEGO League mission is to inspire youngsters around the world to work together, use their creativity, and engage in hands-on, minds-on activities.

For more information you can check out First Lego League

Thank you for stopping by! Have a nice evening!

FLAT STANLEY PROJECT

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE POSTS! THIS IS STUCK TO THE TOP! :)

Dear Friends-

This year as part of our schooling process, we have been reading a funny book called FLAT STANLEY by Jeff Brown. The book is about a young boy named Stanley who is accidently squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley is very, very flat, but otherwise fine. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California for an exciting vacation.

Normally, people send out paper dolls that we call FLAT STANLEY to visit cities all over America and the WORLD.

I am proposing something a bit different. I uploaded a Flat Stanley that my son Noah has colored. I am wondering if anyone would be willing to print one of these off and cut it out and be FLAT STANLEY's "host family"and do a few of the following...

1. Tell us what exciting things FLAT STANLEY saw or did while he was visiting you.
2. Tell us what city, State and Country FLAT STANLEY went to, so we can calculate the number miles FLAT STANLEY travelled in cyber space!
3. Please dress FLAT STANLEY to reflect the season you are in, or an activity that he did or other clothing that would tell us more about where you live.
4. Please e-mail me any photographs that you may take of FLAT STANLEY doing the activities you and your family does.

The project for Noah is completed on November 6. I may do this again after Christmas just to give my children a bit more geography and other skills.

Thank you for considering this project! Scroll down for more projects - this will remain towards the top for a few days!

Science Experiment - Day One

My children and I are doing a Science experiment and a Unit Study on Butterflies this summer.

I will keep an online diary of it here, every day with details my children found out about it. Then I will have them make a lap book too and once that is complete I will share the pictures of that!

This was a kit we bought from an infomercial.
These caterpillars will double their size every day. Then they will form into a chrysalis and in time they will turn into butterflies.

I think these things are UGLY. My son thinks they are CUTE. He would. Last summer we did tad poles and now we have 3 large slimy frogs. I think those things are disgusting. They go flat when they are out of their water.

Yes, in case you were wondering, I am crazy. LOL Thank you for stopping by. I have more to post (not caterpillars either), so keep an eye out for more....