I think I scored big at Goodwill yesterday.
First of all, since going through the Dave Ramsey FPU I have only shopped with cash so everything is a well thought out purchase.

 

I bought these beautiful cut glass cups, six, for $3. I think I "need" to get atleast six more because my best freind's family and my family together total 12 people! (Paris helped me set the table with homemade napkins to make the picture pretty :o)  

I also picked up this small crockpot for $6. Mine broke, the insert cracked and I had juices flowing all over the counter. Now I have two small crockpots instead of one large and one small. So far I'm happy with it.

I have been looking for an affordable RED bag for some time now. I found this Kenneth Cole bag, $6. I also bought five pairs of jeans and a pair of shorts (kids are grownig fast!) I think my total was around $35!! At Wal-Mart the jeans alone would cost $50 and all that money I saved gives me a reason to carry this pretty new bag.

Hummus is What's For Dinner

Tonight's dinner was FANTASTIC!!! There was no cooking involved only grilling of the Naan. I love hummus and I have a couple different recipes I use, both very easy and simple. I didn't measure so everything is an "about". Also, I used canned chickpeas this time, I really wanted hummus and didn't have any dried chickpeas.

Hummus Recipe:

1 can Chickpeas

1 garlic clove

1/4 onion

olive oil

water

lime juice from 1/2 a lime

salt

I started by adding garlic and onion to the food prosseser and pulsed a couple times. Then I added the chickpeas, salt and oil then blended. While the prossesor was still running I added water, little bit at a time. I stopped a couple times to check consistancy and flavor. Then I scraped the hummus into a pretty bowl and placed it into the fridge to chill and frim up a little bit. 

I served with the hummus:

Naan grilled on the George Foreman grill

Apples slices

 Cauliflower, broccoli, celery, mini red, yellow and orange peppers

 Aged 24 month extra sharp cheddar cheese and spiced mix nuts.

I wanted to pack everything up and have dinner over at Betty Stradling Park but Hubby had plans last night and tonight so it was a night in forthe kids and me.

How do you capture a good day?

 Well, first you add some really cute kids, give them unexpected milk shakes and snap away! I didn't have my camera so I used my cell phone.

Four kids drinking milk shakes on a beautiful, warm, breezy, sunny South Florida winter day. I'd say that's a good day :o)

Good Day... Great day!!

   Today is a good day. No, today is a great day! Oh who am I kidding, today is a dance, spin and throw arms in the air day!! Every week for the past two months I have been trying on this pair of jeans I bought before my trip to Colorado and every week I have, in a fit, taken them off and put them back in the closet. Mind you, I bought these jeans knowing they didn't fit... but now they do!! WOOHOO!! Without tugging, without pulling, without crying or throwing myself on the bed in a crying fit, I slid the jeans on and they effortlessly zipped AND buttoned.

I didn't even like this picture when I first took it, I had it on the wrong setting. I had another one I was going to use, this is, until I started playing around with editing. The other picture is a good picture but now this one is a favorite.

This one he just looks so sweet with his Barnsie, books in the back ground. This is reading time and after he looked through the pages in all his books he fell asleep.

I love how this one came out. It looks so dreamy and wispy. You can almost feel a cool breeze and sun streaming through windows.

Christmas Day in South Florida

   The past couple years we have really struggled with Christmas. Financially we were stretched to the limit and then some. Thank God for family and friends who have blessed us more then they even know but there was a guilt that I couldn't shake.

   This year Jacob and I broke free of the typical Christmas traditions of gift giving and I have to say, it was the best Christmas I think I've ever had. Stress free and full of memories.

  ( Let me stop and say this first before anyone thinks I'm picking on gifts. I love giving and receiving them, I think gifts are good and I think they are a symbol of God giving the greatest gift of all.)

  We got up around 5, stopped to get some hot chocolate at 7-11 and drove out to the beach to watch the sun rise. We got there just as the sun was peeking above the horizon, the sky was purple, blue and still dark with streaks of gold and orange. The kids ran to mess up the smoothed out sand after every pass of the tractor. Some of them even made sand angles. The weather was perfect. Cool with a warm breeze. 

   We stayed for about an hour or so then left with only one thing on our minds... DOUGHNUTS!!! We ordered our favorites and each one of us devoured one before we left then finished them at home.

   When we did get home the kids had stockings with little goodies in them and a gift each. Simple gifts, a book, a game, tea cups that we given to me that I gave as a gift and a book, stuffed mouse and mug combo for the little one. We gave a deck of cards and Uno cards as a family gift and after eating real food the kids and daddy played games while mommy took a nap!!
   Later on in the evening we went to our friends' house for dinner. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
   Now, over a month later and the kids are enjoying their gifts. Malachi reads his book, Zion will read it when he's done. Zion plays his game with his siblings. Paris sets up a tea party often that everyone can enjoy and Jakey snuggles his mouse while I read his book to him, almost daily. He now has the book memorized.

  

Dinner; Simple and Delicious

I started this blog yesterday, while sick in bed. Today I felt just as bad, maybe even worse. OK, definitely worse! Hubby bought and made hot dogs and mac n cheese for him and the kids. (Thank you!!)

I made soup for me. (I know he would have made it for me if I had asked.) It was very good, I love blended soups. I don’t have a name for this, maybe “Blended Cauliflower Chicken Soup” or “Silky, Smooth Cauliflower Chicken Soup”?

I cooked about 8 oz cauliflower in ½ cup chicken broth until soft.  Add more broth if needed.

Add cooked cauliflower and broth to a blender with cooked chicken breast, about 3-4 oz and blend until smooth. I also added salt, white pepper, and garlic powder then blend again. It's thick, kinda like potatoes, you can thin it with more broth if you'd like. Also you can add baked potato toppings if you like. Enjoy!!