One Month Cooking Challenge

Lately, I have had an extreme desire to cook more.  Just recently I have discovered the joyous wonder of homemade bread, and I have been craving to discover more wonderful and delicious meals that my family will enjoy without breaking the bank. 

So I have decided that from now until December 1st, I am going to be compiling a bunch of recipes that I have been wanting to try but just haven't gotten around to trying yet, writing a menu for a month, and starting December 1st, (or maybe January 1st after the madness of December) I am going to make one new meal every night for a month. 

I am hoping that by doing this, I will discover new healthy meals that my family will enjoy, and thus be able to plan meals that I know we will enjoy, and be able to better budget for my grocery shopping. 


Another one of my goals for next year is to build my food storage.  Although if I want to build my food storage, I might want to find somewhere in my house to store all of it instead of a little of this in one room and a little of this in another room.  Hmmmmmm..... 

For all of you who have food storage knowledge, is it better to store food storage items at room temperature or at lower levels of heat, like in a utility room outside of the house? (I have my water heater, furnace, and washer and dryer in a room only accessible from outside of the house, although it is attached) Would it be bad to build shelves out there and store canned goods and dry goods out there?  I am at a loss of where to put everything.

Another one of my goals is to learn and master the art of canning, and I call it the art of canning because I truly believe it is an art form. 

My question to you, is what are some of your favorite go to meals, and what are your favorite things to can?  Email me or leave a comment.  brendasue2003 at gmail dot com

The rest of the photos

OK, I need your help!! Yes, I am talking to you!! I need your help trying to decide which one of these adorable picturres of Aiden I should send out to family members.  Leave a comment with the photo number or numbers in the order of your favorites. 

Thanks!!!

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Just a sneak peak of Aiden's photo shoot from Saturday.

The photographer got lots of adorable pictures. Too bad the little stinker wouldn't smile!

This picture shows one of Aiden's regular looks that he gives all the time!!

I wonder what he is thinking when he looks at me like that!

Maybe he is thinking, "Man, you are crazy mamma!!"

I think this one could very well be one of my all time favorites.. Although I have only seen three pictures.

The photographer's comment on this photo was,

"Even in black and white, his eyes are so gorgeous!"

And I have to agree!

I am the luckiest mamma in the world!!

Three

My list of three

~Three favorite words:
1. Fantabulous
2. Mommy
3. Loverly


~Three things that won’t be allowed in heaven:
1. CATS
2. Bugs
3. Mean people

~Three crafty things I do:
1. Crochet
2. Wood refinishing
3. Baking treats

~Three things I swore I would NEVER do when I became a parent, but now find myself doing:
1. Let my baby sleep in bed with me.. (Only for the first few weeks of his life and only when he woke up at 3 in the morning)
2. Say, "You are not getting down until your plate is empty!"
3. Go to bed with dishes in the sink.

~Three favorite quotes:
1. "There are people who watch things happen, and there are people who make things happen.  You have the power to be and do anything you want."  (I don't know the author, but my cousin wrote that in a letter to me once along time ago.)
2. "Never frown, because you never know who has fallen in love with your smile."
3. "Just because the road is rocky doesn't mean your spirits should get rocky too." (Quigly Down Under)
~Three names I would never dream of giving my children:
1. Harry
2. Walter
3. Beatrice

~Three things I plan to do for Memorial Day weekend:
1. Go to a pamper shower for a friend who lost her baby.
2. Get Aiden's Blessing pictures taken.
3. Spend time with the love of my life!!

~Three blogs I love to visit:
1. My extended family blog
2. http://www.makeit-loveit.com/
3. Friends' blogs

~Three things that make my husband/partner the luckiest man alive:
1. I let him sleep as long as possible
2. I never give him any reason to be mad
3. I let him play basketball on the only night he has off.

Three Pictures:

1. I love this little boy with all of my heart!  Even though he is not with me, he is in my thoughts every day!

2. Words cannot describe how much I love these four people!! 

3. Just look at that face!! Need I say more?? I could just eat him up!!!