Its Time to Start the Christmas Shopping List!

OK its the beginning of the school year. Time to make your list of who you need to buy for. Then decided what you are going to buy for them. Then look for just those things on sale and stick to the list! It will keep you from over buying, and don't make impulse purchases - you cant buy too much!

Christmas is about giving, it not about the cost of the present, its the thought. Time to teach our children that now.

I am in charge of all the shopping and wrapping in my house. My husband doesn't get into the shopping, so I do his share. The kids are too small to do there shopping so its all up to me. Here is what we do.

Everyone gets some thing from Santa
Everyone get something from the parents
Everyone gets something from the rest of the kids.
We get something for my brother and his wife (they have any kids so that simplifies it)
We get something for both our parents

Just those things add up. When I was growing up my parents had more money then we do and it was only my brother and me so everyone got something from everyone else. I tried doing that and if we have time and money this year we will do that again. But I don't expect to have the money to do that. And that is OK. We will just teach the kids more about the given then the receiving at Christmas time.

Also this Christmas will be a lot less toys and more things they need. Like we all need a new sheet set, that will probably be arranged by Santa. My husband needs more work pants. My girls will probably get something to play with outside in our backyard. If we can we will get a toy as well, but they have enough really, and hardly play with what they have.

Then about a week before christmas we spend 2 days cooking treats and divide them up on Christmas plates and drop them off at friends homes on the second night.

OK so sit down and make you list - check it twice and have a happy Christmas season and don't spend more then you have. (the list helps A LOT and keep it in your wallet or purse until its all checked off)

Aunt Lisa's Meatloaf

OK I have to start by saying I detest Meatloaf. And this one I was able to eat for dinner. I can't say that its a favorite of mine, however it is my husbands favorite (and his Aunts recipe). So I made this for him. I hope that our children grow to love it too, its really easy and not to expensive, I got the lean ground beef so it cost a bit more, but I think lean beef just taste's better. One of the problems I have with meatloaf is whenever I have had it its always dry and people tell me to put catchup on it. This is moist and has so much flavor on its own there is no need for any catchup!

Aunt Lisa's Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 1/2lbs ground beef

2 eggs

2 T water

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 envelope Dry Onion Soup Mix

Breadcrumbs (add till you get the right texture)

Combine eggs, water, Worcestershire sauce, soup mix and mix together. Add bread crumbs (stirring into the mixture) until the mixture becomes the same consistency of the ground beef. Add ground beef to the mixture and mix well with hands.

Spray and glass loaf pan (I use one with a lid) and put the mixture in the pan. make sure its about the same height all around.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hrs (until the thermometer shows the middle of the loaf is at 170 degrees or above.

You may want to drain it 1/2 way through (if you are not using the lean meat). If you are not using a pan with a lid and you notice the top getting too done they you may want to put tin foil on the top.

Leftovers!

My husband loves leftover meat loaf sandwiches. 2 pieces of bread, spread a little mayonaise on the bread and slice the meatloaf for the insides! Poof, another meal done!

Texting and Driving

This is a PSA (Public Service Announcement) made in the UK. Its to wake people up to the danger to texting while driving. Please everyone, watch it, share it. And most of all don't text while driving, or talk on cell phones while driving. Concentrate on the road and get home to your family safe that night. Everything else can wait.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF0_7qC6YFo

I listened to a new broadcast about this, in the film 4 people died including the baby, while the driver lives to remember it.