MOVING!!!

It's moving day!

Sorry to be a pain, but I've been wanting to change my blog address for awhile now and thought that this would be a great time...

Come visit me over at my new blog: http://pinklittlenotebook.blogspot.com/! I have lots of fun posts coming up as well as some giveaways! Today I posted about our St. Patrick's Day activities as well as an awesome family night treat we had last night!!!

See you there!

Book Review: The Goose Girl

Can I just say that I LOVED the book The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale?

I borrowed this book from a friend almost two years ago and JUST got around to FINALLY reading it! I wish I would of done it years ago!

I liked it so much that I had to tell my kids the story line as I read it because I knew they would LOVE it too since it was about princesses and bad guys! And they even had me read it to them towards the end!

I can't wait to read the next one in the series!!!




Books on My List: (BOLD - Currently Reading; Purple - I finished it!)

Books on my bookcase I REALLY want to read:

• The Goose Girl - Shannon Hale


• Fishers of Men - Gerald N. Lund


• 101 Powerful Promises from Latter-day Prophets - Wayne Brickey


• God Wants a Powerful People - Sheri Dew


• Daughters of God - S. Michael Wilcox


• If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard - Sheri Dew


• Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey


• How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie


• Saving Kristen - Jack Weyland


• Please Pass the Scriptures - John Hilton III


• 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know - Brent L. Top & Bruce A. Chadwick


• The Christmas Sweater - Glenn Beck


• Life of Joseph Smith - George Q. Cannon


• The Five Thousand Year Leap - W. Cleon Skousen


• The Peacegiver - James L. Ferrell

Book Club Books:

• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows


• Gracie: A Love Story - George Burns


• The Wednesday Wars - Gary Schmidt


• A Train to Potevka - Mike Ramsdell


• Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale


• Fine Old High Priests - Donald S. Smurthwaite


• Three Cups of Tea - Gary Mortenson


• Warriors Don't Cry - Melba Pattillo Beals


• Mayflower - Nathaniel Philbrick


• The Host - Stephanie Meyers I've read this one before and LOVED it but will do a quick review before book club

Other Books I'd Like To Read:

• Overcoming Under Earning - Barbara Stanny


• The Undaunted - Gerald N. Lund


• The Great and The Terrible Series (vol. 1-6) - Chris Stewart


• My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult


• Sarah's Quilt - Nancy E. Turner


• Forest Born - Shannon Hale


• The Best of Times: A Dickens Inn Novel - Anita Stansfield


• The Silence of Snow - Anita Stansfield


• The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks


• Dear John - Nicholas Sparks (NEW on list: 3/7/10)


• Open: An Autobiography - Andre Agassi (NEW on list: 3/710)

Honey Mustard Chicken

I got this recipe from church because they served it at a dinner activity just over a year ago and everyone raved about it (I wasn't at the activity). I picked up the recipe and finally gave it a try a few months ago and the family LOVED it! It's definitely a favorite in my house!

Book Review: The Wednesday Wars

I finished reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it, although it wasn't until the last couple chapters that it really grabbed me.

The chapters were long - which for me is hard because I always look ahead to see how long the chapter is and if it's too long to read in the amount of time I have, I will wait to start it - and this makes me take longer to read it... I know, kind of ridiculous, but I do like shorter chapters in my books! lol

I have never been one to understand Shakespeare and enjoyed reading of a boy who learns to read and enjoy and UNDERSTAND it!

As I said, it didn't really grab me until the last couple chapters (meaning I had a hard time putting it down) but the last chapters were awesome and I LOVED the ending!

And although we haven't met for book club yet, I've heard others LOVED the book and it definitely sounds like a favorite for many of them!

Books on My List: (BOLD - Currently Reading; Purple - I finished it!)

Books on my bookcase I REALLY want to read:

• The Goose Girl - Shannon Hale
• Fishers of Men - Gerald N. Lund
• 101 Powerful Promises from Latter-day Prophets - Wayne Brickey
• God Wants a Powerful People - Sheri Dew
• Daughters of God - S. Michael Wilcox
• If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard - Sheri Dew
• Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey
• How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
• Saving Kristen - Jack Weyland
• Please Pass the Scriptures - John Hilton III
• 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know - Brent L. Top & Bruce A. Chadwick
• The Christmas Sweater - Glenn Beck
• Life of Joseph Smith - George Q. Cannon
• The Five Thousand Year Leap - W. Cleon Skousen
• The Peacegiver - James L. Ferrell

Book Club Books:

• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
• Gracie: A Love Story - George Burns
• The Wednesday Wars - Gary Schmidt
• A Train to Potevka - Mike Ramsdell
• Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale
• Fine Old High Priests - Donald S. Smurthwaite
• Three Cups of Tea - Gary Mortenson
• Warriors Don't Cry - Melba Pattillo Beals
• Mayflower - Nathaniel Philbrick
• The Host - Stephanie Meyers I've read this one before and LOVED it but will do a quick review before book club

Other Books I'd Like To Read:

• Overcoming Under Earning - Barbara Stanny
• The Undaunted - Gerald N. Lund
• The Great and The Terrible Series (vol. 1-6) - Chris Stewart
• My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
• Sarah's Quilt - Nancy E. Turner
• Forest Born - Shannon Hale
• The Best of Times: A Dickens Inn Novel - Anita Stansfield
• The Silence of Snow - Anita Stansfield
• The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks
• Dear John - Nicholas Sparks (NEW on list: 3/7/10)
• Open: An Autobiography - Andre Agassi (NEW on list: 3/710)

Works For Me Wednesday: Fast-n-Easy Shoe Polish

I am the WORST at taking care of my shoes! I must drag my feet or something when I walk because my boots and dress shoes are ALWAYS needing to be polished! The toes are always worn out and scuffed...

I remember watching my dad polish his shoes all the time growing up and there has been MANY times that I have thought to myself that I need to have him show me what to do, but to be honest... I have NO idea how to polish shoes and don't have any shoe polish - even if I did know how!

Well, I have some black boots that I LOVE but haven't worn for awhile because the toes are SO bad it's embarassing! So this week I decided I'd try to take a black sharpie marker to them...

I LOVED the results! Why didn't I do this MONTHS ago?!?

Yeah, if you look real, REAL close you can tell that it isn't the same color - but who's going to be getting down on the ground looking at my boots?

Now to find a brown marker that will work on my brown boots...

Menu Monday: 3/8/10

This past week I tried the Parmesan Asparagus (it was delicious) and the Orange Chicken & Ham Fried Rice - which will be added into the menu rotation!

Monday: Alfredo Mac-n-cheese/Breadsticks/Veggies

Tuesday: Sloppy Joes/Homemade Fries/Veggies

Wednesday: Cafe Rio Salad/Key Lime Bars

Thursday: Lasagna Rolls/Salad/Garlic Bread

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Shrimp/Grits/Salad

Sunday: Tif's Chicken on Egg Noodles/Veggies/Fruit Salad

Treats: Banana Bread / Key Lime Bars / Fruit Pizza

Inspirational Sunday: Tender Mercies

I am SO thankful for the Tender Mercies in my life and when I saw this video, it encouraged me to be more aware of those little blessings in my life.

Book Review: God Wants A Powerful People

I was a little slow reading God Wants a Powerful People by Sheri Dew because I enjoyed reading a chapter - or even part of a chapter - and pondering it for a while... I have a whole notebook of notes on this book!

I REALLY enjoyed this book and there were SO many things in it that touched my heart. I have been going through some family issues this past few weeks and truly believe that I was suppose to read THIS book at THIS exact time because the subjects in the book were SO relevant to me in my life at this time.

It is an amazing book and has inspired me to be a better person!


Books on My List: (BOLD - Currently Reading; Purple - I finished it!)

Books on my bookcase I REALLY want to read:

• The Goose Girl - Shannon Hale
• Fishers of Men - Gerald N. Lund
• 101 Powerful Promises from Latter-day Prophets - Wayne Brickey
• God Wants a Powerful People - Sheri Dew
• Daughters of God - S. Michael Wilcox
• If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard - Sheri Dew
• Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey
• How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
• Saving Kristen - Jack Weyland
• Please Pass the Scriptures - John Hilton III
• 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know - Brent L. Top & Bruce A. Chadwick
• The Christmas Sweater - Glenn Beck
• Life of Joseph Smith - George Q. Cannon
• The Five Thousand Year Leap - W. Cleon Skousen
• The Peacegiver - James L. Ferrell

Book Club Books:

• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
• Gracie: A Love Story - George Burns
• The Wednesday Wars - Gary Schmidt
• A Train to Potevka - Mike Ramsdell
• Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale
• Fine Old High Priests - Donald S. Smurthwaite
• Three Cups of Tea - Gary Mortenson
• Warriors Don't Cry - Melba Pattillo Beals
• Mayflower - Nathaniel Philbrick
• The Host - Stephanie Meyers I've read this one before and LOVED it but will do a quick review before book club

Other Books I'd Like To Read:

• Overcoming Under Earning - Barbara Stanny
• The Undaunted - Gerald N. Lund
• The Great and The Terrible Series (vol. 1-6) - Chris Stewart
• My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
• Sarah's Quilt - Nancy E. Turner
• Forest Born - Shannon Hale
• The Best of Times: A Dickens Inn Novel - Anita Stansfield
• The Silence of Snow - Anita Stansfield
• The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

Menu Monday: 2/22/10

I did some MAJOR grocery shopping this week and am excited for the menu! If there are any recipes you want, just ask!

Monday: Chicken Rice Broccoli Casserole/Rolls

Tuesday: I will probably be out of town so the fam will probably have frozen pizza or leftovers

Wednesday: Steaks/Funeral Potatoes/Parmesan Asparagus

Thursday: Orange Chicken/Ham Fried Rice - I use Lindsay's recipe for the Fried Rice except I do ham instead of chicken...

Friday: Ribs/Potato Salad/Corn

Saturday: Homemade Pizza with Alfredo Sauce for mine!

Sunday: Tif's Chicken on Egg Noodles/Green Salad/Fruit Salad

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

This is a easy, tasty dish that my mom used to make us and now I make for my family...

Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs - Betty Crocker

Meatballs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 T cornstarch
1 can pineapple chunks
1/3 cup vinegar
1 T soy sauce

Cook meatballs in skillet; remove. Drain fat from skillet.
Mix brown sugar & cornstarch in skillet. Stir in pineapple (with syrup), vinegar & soy sauce.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Add meatballs.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.