Not Me Monday!

This is my first time participating in Not Me Monday!  You can join in the fun too, visit McMama to play along.

Here are my list of things I did not do over the past week...

I did not make a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies just so I could eat the dough...Nope not me!

I did not look at The Princesses filthy dirty feet last night and say..."Oh, that's fine you can take a bath in the morning!" and then put her to bed....Nope not me!

I did not forget about a load of laundry in the washing machine for 3 days!  Nope that certainly was not me!

I did not laugh hysterically at a news report about owls swooping down and grabbing chihuahuas in a local town. Nope not me!

I did not make a finacial blunder causing our checking account to become overdrawn.  Nope that was not me!  Sometimes people do pay their mortgage twice right?  Right!

I did not tell The Contessa she was dreaming when she saw me go in her room to deliver tooth fairy money.  Nope not me!

I did not tell my son he couldn't have a pet lizard, using our dog as the reason, and not the fact that they creep me out.  Nope not me!

Friend Makin' Monday

Go to aefilkins to join the fun and make new friends!

I am....at peace.


I think....every cloud has a silver lining.

I should...be folding laundry.
I dream....every night.  Makes for very restless sleep at times.
I want....enough money to go to Europe this September on a family girls trip with my sisters.  London, Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome...14 days...PLEASE!!!!!

I know...everything will be OK.

I don't like....bananas!  NASTY!!!

I smell...like vanilla.

I hear....Regis & Kelly.

I fear....being lonely.

I usually...take a HOT shower to relax at night.

I search...genealogy sites for long lost ancestors.

I miss....my first dog, Adeline everyday.  She was my first baby.  She was given to me by my Mom on my 17th birthday.  She passed away at the age of 16.....that was 5 years ago and I still miss her everyday!

I always...drink milk with dinner.

I regret....not having a better relationship with my Stepdad while he was alive.

I wonder....what the day will bring.

I crave....SALT!!

I remember...everything.  I have a REALLY good memory and can recall, in detail, events that took place when I was barely 2years old.

I need.....a housecleaner.

I forget....very little unfortunatly!  There are alot of things I wish I could forget!

I feel....blessed.

I can....do anything I set my mind to.

I can't....dwell on the bad stuff.

I am happy....in my life!

I lose.....my sunglasses frequently.

I sing....very loudly in the car, even when I'm not alone!

I listen...to country musice 90% of the time and classic rock 10% of the time.

I shop.....way to often.............Hello, my name is Hillary and I'm a shopaholic!

I eat....all the wrong things.
I love.....my family & friends.

Recipe and Shopping Guide Binders

I love trying new recipes and frequently tear recipes out of magazines and print from online sources. I rarely use a store bought cookbook. But with all of those pieces of paper I needed to find them a home. What better then a BINDER!!!

First let's talk about my Recipe Binder. Here I put all the recipes I tear out of magazines or print off the internet. I keep a calendar at the front for monthly menu planning and I have a section for meal ideas. The recipes themselves are sorted into the following catagories: Main Dish, Side Dish, Breakfast, Baking. Each recipe is slipped into a sheet protector.

Next I have my Price Guide Binder. This is a handy tool when planning my weekly shopping trip. To be honest this has taken me some time to build, but is worth every minute spent.

This binder is divided into the following catagories: Fresh Fruit, Fresh Veggies,Breads, Dairy, Condaments,Can Fruit, Can Veggies,Can Food, Box Food, Pasta/Rice, Meat, Cereal, Frozen Food, Baking, Beverages, Paper Goods, Toiletres, Cleaning, and Snack foods.

At the front of this binder is a zipper pouch that holds reciepts I need to go over. I have a printed "Cheat Sheet" at the front that list the abreviations I use for each store; LK for Lucky, SW for Safeway ect.

In each section I have a sheet for each food item. On the sheet I list the size of the item, the store abreviation and the price. So for example I buy Jar Applesauce so on that sheet I have noted that a 47.8oz jar of TreeTop cost $3.99 at Safeway and $3.49 at Lucky. This helps me to try and save as much as possible on my weekly shopping runs because I ALWAYS compare the listed price with the sale adds.

5QFriday....

I've been reading this blog for awhile and decided to join the 5 Questions Friday. 



Here are the questions for today...

1. How much time do you spend on the computer a day?  Maybe an hour, sometimes alittle more.  It really depends on wat's going on in my real life that day.


2. Will you pay for your children's college or raise them to pay for their own way? Just this last fall Hubby and I opened 529 College Funds for each of our kids. 

3. Have you ever been in a car accident? Yes, Three.  My mom and I were hit at low speed when a car was backing out of there driveway and didn't see us; no one was hurt.  Another one when I was 7 or 8 we were in an accident on the freeway.  The car infront of us ran out of gas and we hit it an da car hit us from behind.  No one was seriously hurt, aside from my aunt splitting her lip open. And the last was when I was in my early 20's I was rearended at a high rate of speed when I was at a dead stop at a red light.  I ended up with severe whip-lash.

4. What is your favorite book?  I LOVE the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

5. Do you make your bed everyday? I attempt to.  I'd say it actaully gets done 4 out of 7 days.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Cookies are taking over my life........Girl Scout Cookies that is.  I am the "Cookie Mom" for two, yes TWO girl scout troops, so currently I have CASES and CASES of cookies in my garage.  I (heart) Girl Scout cookies!

2. I'm really, really tired of our crazy weather........Saturday HOT, Sunday warm but windy, Monday HAIL, Tuesday FREEZING and WINDY!!!

3. For two nights in a row my son has slept on my bedroom floor.  He's afraid sharks will eat him if he stays in his bed.........hmmmmm, it's a mystery to me as to HOW sharks will arrive in his bedroom, but if he wants to sleep on my hardwood floor, Okeydoughkey.

4. It is currently 5pm and I have no idea what I'm making for dinner.

5.  I am on to my second round of Amish Friendship Bread.  This stuff is YUMMY!!!

6. What do you say to a close relative that has recently had a stillborn and tells you she WANTS to talk about it.  I know listening is best, but I feel so sad and helpless.

7. I have a family reunion to attend this weekend.  This is the side of the family I see only once a year and always feel awkward going in.  Each year I think I won't feel so awkward, but as I approach the door it hits every time!

8.  Baseball season is upon us and we will be spending MANY days at the ball field.  My son is on a great team this year and is very happy to have his Daddy as one of his coaches.

9.  My washing machine just bit the dust, and by JUST I mean JUST NOW as I was typing this!!!  Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10.  Don't worry, Be Happy! :-)

Forever altered.....

For the past several months I have been reading this blog.  In recent days she has been blogging about her trip to Kenya.  I encourage everyone to visit her blog.  I am forever altered by what she is writing and showing us through her amazing photographs and her from the heart comments.

By reading her post I have realized how much I have and how little I appreciate it!  I'm ashamed to admit that, but it's the God's honest truth.  I will be continuing to follow her journey in Kenya and in hopes of doing so I will be able to change my thought patterns FOREVER and learn to appreciate how wonderful my life truly is!  Thank You McMamma for opening my eyes!   

My Design Style--FMM

Join Friend Making Mondays hosted by Amber at aefilkins.

This weeks topc...................What is your design style?

According to Sproost my design style is.....

50% Wine Country Style

50% Mountain Lodge Style

I must say..........100% accurate!

I love dark warm tones.

My only wish is that my home looked like these!!!!!!!!!