*Sigh*

So much going on I don't even know where to begin!

I will say that I am *so* glad that it is the end of January. My Valentine red goes up tomorrow. Maybe it will pull me out of my funk.

I did make an awesome roast the other night. Here's the recipe.

Food ingredients:

1 chuck roast (a size to feed your family)
1 cup hot water
1 tsp beef bouillon (or a beef bouillon cube)
1 tsp instant coffee (must be instant!)
1 envelope of onion soup mix

Other useful items:

Glass baking pan (I use a 9x13)
Aluminum foil
Additional water (from the tap is fine if you're not picky)

Pat the bottom of your roast with some of the additional water. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the soup mix over it and press in with your hand. Put bottom side down into your pan. Repeat with the top and the sides of the roast. Mix the beef bouillon and the instant coffee in the hot water. Pour around and gently over the roast. Cover tightly with the foil. Place in a preheated 325 degree oven (okay, the recipe still works if you don't preheat!) and cook for 4 hours. Fall apart tender and oh so good!

Tackle It Tuesday

Today I thought I'd get those little areas that need to be straightened but that, for some reason, I keep putting off. The top of my desk. The top of the entertainment center. The area under my desk. The top of my sewing cabinet. Little things like that.

Winter White

It's hard to believe that January is almost over. A few short weeks and we will be welcoming February, a nice short month before we can embrace the coming of Spring. Recently we had a small snowfall, about an inch. It dusted the lawns and trees, the patio table and the grill. It frosted the tops of cars and covered windshields. It was beautiful to see the swirling flakes fall, pure white against the blue gray sky. By the next morning the snow was all but gone. A few patches remained on the deck and a few icicles clung to the undercarriage of the van. I think that was all of our Winter though. If we get anything else I'll be surprised.

I can't stand the bleakness any longer though. Everything looks and feels so drab. I want to drag out my meager Valentine's Day decor just for a splash of color. I know if I do it too soon I'll be despising it mid February, so I will just bide my time and think of Spring.

Menu Plan Monday!

It's that time again-menu plan Monday.

Monday-Pork roast, fried cabbage, mashed potatoes, applesauce, chocolate cream pie
Tuesday-Hamburger steak, leftover potatoes, green beans
Wednesday-Chicken and Dumplings
Thursday-Beef and Broccoli
Friday-Leftovers
Saturday-Spanish chicken, rice
Sunday-German Beef Skillet

For more menu ideas, go here!

I'm back!

And nursing a cold. DH and I had a fabulous weekend away though. I admit I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things, especially with this nasty cold.

It's the middle of January and we are finally getting our Winter. The temps are getting low at night and hover around 50 degrees during the day. We actually had some snow flurries the other day! That was a sight!

I'm so very ready to brighten things up with the reds of Valentine's Day though. I'm itching with impatience. I will have to content myself with preparing my Valentine's for the swaps I'm in and be patient!

Going away for a few days. I'll be back!

Darn It!

I have the most awesome, cool, fantastical ideal for my as yet unknown swap partner and I can't find the main component for it. Why? Because it's after Christmas and no one has what I need! Wahhhhh! (my best Lucy Ricardo imitation :D) Why oh why can't craft stores keep them all year round. What's a crafter to do?

Update:I found the main part of what I need! Yeah! Now I just need to find the rest :)

Well, here it is Dear Readers. The first official week of 2008 and my renewed dedication to blogging. You'll note that I've started off the week with my menu plan. As noted I will be gone from the blogging community Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but I may try and post something before I leave.

I think I may have mentioned this before, but I am a voracious reader. I read anything I can get my mitts on. Truly. I save the dry, boring, really-not-interested-in-it-but-it-will-do-because-it's-something-to-read for those time when I am desperate. Luckily I don't have to rely on those dry reading materials too often. One of my favorite venues to read is mysteries. Specifically, murder mysteries. I think I may have mentioned some of my favorites before...Diane Mott Davidson and Joann Fluke. Both include a good selection of recipes along with a satisfying mystery. However, I was recently turned onto a new-to-me writer, Leslie Meier. While she doesn't offer recipes in all of her books, she does offer a quaint, entertaining Maine town and a pretty good mystery. I heartily suggest all three authors if you're looking for something new. If you're interested but don't want to invest in case you don't like them, may I suggest this site?

Now, Dear Reader, I am going to confess something I've never told anyone. You will probably think I'm silly and maybe I am, but you don't know me from Adam so I don't really care! Sometimes, especially after I've spent several hours with a good book, my thoughts go into "story mode" *giggle*. That is, I'll find myself thinking something like "She decided after vacuuming the living room that she was due for a break. She got herself something to drink and sat down at the computer to blog." Do you ever find yourself doing silly things like that?

My break is over. It's time for me to get on with my work before my older kids get home from school. Enjoy your day!

Monday-Beef Stroganoff over mashed potatoes

Tuesday-Garlic Lime Chicken, salad

Wednesday-Kielbasa with fried cabbage

Thursday-Swiss steak with broccoli and salad

Friday, Saturday, Sunday-DH and I will be out of town!

For more menu ideas, check out this site!