The New That Friday Blog Hop!

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Welcome to the new That Friday Blog Hop.

With your hosts: Rebecca @ Let Them Eat Cake and Chrissy @ A Lil' Dash Of Diva. Hop around, have fun, and find lots of fun blogs to enjoy!

So here is what we ask from all of you lovely people.

1. Follow the two hosts
2. Follow the week's special co-host
3. Grab the button, share it everywhere to spread the word

<a href="http://to-calm-insanity.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Let Them Eat Cake" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v324/satinxoxo/blog%20buttons/ThatFridayBlogHop21.png"/></a>

Hosts:

     

Our co-host this week is Michele from Michele's Place Of Learning & Earning Online. Stop by her blog and show her some love! You can find her blog by clicking on the button below. Don't forget to leave a comment there as well. We all love comment love!

If you are interested in being a co-host, please contact either myself or Chrissy.

We would love to have you. So link up all your social networks and have a wonderful Friday and weekend!

Surgery on Friday...

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I am so sorry that I have been absent. I am scheduled to have out-patient surgery on Friday and I have been trying to get everything lined up.  I had doctors visits and of course I had to register with the hospital and get all of the necessary blood work done beforehand. After all of that then came the hard part.... I needed a sitter for the kids. Fortunately, Keith's sister is going to come and stay the night on Thursday and will watch the munchkins Friday. We have to be at the hospital by 7:30 am. That is going to be hard on Keith since he will be coming off of a 12 hour shift. My poor baby. He is working very hard these days. 

 Since I am having guests stay over, of course I  wanted the house to be spotless. I have been working like a mad-woman getting things done. Keith says that I am paranoid about having the house clean. Which in all honesty, I think I am just a little bit! I also needed to get the laundry all done before Friday. The washer has been running quite a bit!

I must get back to cleaning. I thought I needed to drop by and give a shout out to everyone reading. 

Join Smiley360

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I am a part of smiley360. Smiley360 is a community of people who love to try products and give their opinion on the products. You will share these opinions online and offline. After trying the product and sharing the information with other people you will give the feedback to the product manufacturer. 

Join Smiley360 Today!

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Liebster Blog Award! I am so excited!

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I am so excited! I have received my very first Liebster Blog Award!  I was nominated by Christina. Thank you so much Christina!

Now, for anyone who does not know what the Liebster Award is the description is below.


"The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who 

have less than 200 followers. What is a Liebster? The meaning: 

Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, 

beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and 

welcome."

The Rules:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

2. Answer the questions that the person who tagged you created

 and then make 11 questions of your own for the people you tag.

3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them.

5. No tag backs!

11 Things About Myself:

1. I love to read

2. Listening to music can greatly improve my mood.

3. I enjoy spending time with my friends.

4.  One of my favorite music groups is Big & Rich.

5.  I have 3 grown children & 3 children under the age of 3.

6.  My favorite movie types are comedy & action.

7.  I love yard/garage/rummage sales.

8. I am addicted to the internet!

9.  I love fresh flowers from my garden for my table display.

10.  I crave Chinese take-out & Mexican food often!

11.  I love to travel & take road trips. 

Now for Christina's questions.

1. What is your favorite color?

1.) My favorite color is purple!

2. Do you have any pets? 

2.) Yes our family has a dog named Sandy.

3. If you could go out from house wearing only one makeup 

product, what would it be ? 

3.) I never leave the house without some sort of lip moisturizer... 

whether it is just plain lip balm or has a tint to it. 

4. What's your favorite nail polish (brand & color)? 

4. OPI is my favorite brand and the color is Excuse Moi!

5. What's you favorite eyeshadow (brand) ?

5. My favorite eyeshadow brand at the moment is Avon. 

6. What do you enjoy about blogging ? 

6. The things I enjoy the most about blogging is meeting so many 

new people, making friends and of course learning from them all. 

7. Favorite eye makeup ?

7. Would have to be mascara. I don't like to leave the house 

without it.

8. Favorite book ? 

8. I have too many of them to count. 

9. Favorite snack? 

9. My favorite snack is plums. 

10. Favorite actor?

10. My favorite actor is Johnny Depp!

11. Favorite movie?

11. My favorite movie is the Pirates of the Caribbean. 

My 11 Questions:

1.) Who has influenced you the most in your life? 

2.) What is your favorite pasttime? 

3.) What kind of music do you like? 

4.) Do you have any siblings?

5.) How do you destress? 

6.)  What is  your favorite ice cream flavor? 

7.) If you could vacation anywhere in the world where would it be? 

8.) Who is your favorite actress? 

9.)  What is your favorite type of food? 

10.)  Are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person? 

11.)  Are you the type of person who would rather cook a good meal at home, dine out or purchase take out? 

My Nominations Are:

1.) Jenifer @ Feeding Nine on A Dime

2.) Rachel @ Journey of An Awakening 

3.)  Lisa @ Life With Us

4.) Camille @ CrazyMamasBlog

5.) Melody @ CountrifiedHicks

6.) Dawn @ DawnsWorkatHome

7.) Gwen @ A Little Unhinged

8.)  Amanda @ Temporary Waffle

9.)  Zaira @ Living Loving Learning Naturally

10.)  Leia Maria @ My Scatterbrained Life Exposed

11.)  Claire @ The Secret Notebook

Manic Monday Mania!

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It has been a long day! I almost did not make it online to post my Manic Monday Mania! It has also been a very good day so I cannot complain today. Coming off of a good weekend. We enjoyed our time together this weekend as a family. 

I also got some very good news today at the doctors office. I went back to my OBGYN for my test results of my biopsy.... Thankfully, no precancerous cells turned up! I am so happy because of that. So today I cannot complain that the house looks like a mess because of all of the weekend happenings or that I have not been getting sleep. I am a happy camper. 

Celebrating today we are going to listen to a classic from the
 Go-Go's. "We Got the Beat" was released in the U.S. in January of 1982 on their Beauty & the Beat album. 

See the people walking down the street
Fall in line just watching all their feet
They don't know where they wanna go
But they're walking in time

They got the beat
They got the beat
They got the beat, yeah
They got the beat

See the kids just getting out of school
They can't wait to hang out and be cool
Hang around 'til quarter after twelve
That's when they fall in line

They got the beat
They got the beat
Kids got the beat, yeah
Kids got the beat

Go-go music really makes us dance
Do the pony puts us in a trance
Do the watusi just give us a chance
That's when we fall in line

'Cause we got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat, yeah
We got it

We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Everybody get on your feet
We got the beat
We know you can dance to the beat
We got the beat
Jumpin',get down
We got the beat
Round and round and round
We got the beat
We got the beat..

Mail Haul & Sleep Deprivation

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I have had a super busy week. The twins are teething right now and everything is out of whack with them.  Elijah now has 3 teeth on the bottom and 2 on top, while Adam has 2 on the top and bottom. Their sleep schedules are also out of sort. As soon as I get one to sleep the other one wakes up. In the past 72 hours I might have gotten 25 hours of sleep myself. 

They look so sweet & innocent.... What? We didn't do anything!

Twins teething coupled with the fact that Keith started lots of overtime this week and went to 12 hour shifts 5 days a week with a possible half day on Saturday has really hit my sleeping pattern hard. 

Now on to the fun part. This week I received a great mail haul! I can't remember the day (sorry) they all sort of run together! In my mail haul I received the following:

Lil Keith's Disney Cars mail box I scored from Disney Rewards!

Front View

Back View

Lil Keith is so happy with it!

Free SD Times, Free Woman's Day, Free Sample of Goodnites 

SlicethePie, Earn while you listen & rate music!

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One of my favorite sites to earn from is SlicethePie. At SlicethePie you will listen to up and coming artists and rate the music that you hear. You can rate each song within 90 seconds. (If you like you can listen to the entire song) but the rating can begin within 90 seconds. 

Payout is $10 via PayPal. It normally takes five business days to get your pay. 

Hot glitters

Sign up here: http://www.slicethepie.com/?wyd=317668

Manic Monday Mania!

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Ok since last week's Manic Monday Mania was such a great stress reliever that I would look up some old 80's music from my childhood and do this every Monday! 

I had a decent weekend for the most part. On Saturday my oldest son Michael come to visit with one of our old neighbors. His roommates Mom and I have not seen each other in almost five years. He called me to see if we were home and wanted to know if he and Dale could stop by. I was so happy to see her. We spent all day long catching up on work, kids, life in general. It was a great day. 

Sunday was a normal day. I let Keith cook and I had to wash the dishes afterwards.... the food was good but the mess took away from the great taste! LOL! 

Now it is Monday again and I need musical inspiration! So here is a great 80's hit to get me and you moving!

This song is "Burning Down the House" by the group Talking Heads. It is a hit from 1983 off of their album "Speaking In Tongues".   I hope you enjoy!

Mates Gate is Social Networking That Pays!

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Matesgate is a social networking site designed to earn money for its members. You make friends, post blogs, create groups or join other groups, upload photos or videos, chat with other members, watch matesgate tv, or play games. You will earn credits for each of these activities. One thousand credits is equal to one cent. You easily earn one thousand credits by logging in and clicking on the sponsored links daily. 

Admin at the site has detailed blogs that will explain to you how to earn the most credits daily as members. After a member becomes a full member (100,000 credits) they will then share in the bonus pot that is divided up every three months. 

Payout is automatically on or immediately after the 16th of every month. I get my PayPal payment like clock work every month. I am now a full member so I will also get to share in the bonus pot. 
They also pay via Alert Pay as well. 

Matesgate is International! So all of my International friends and followers feel free to join!

For more FAQ's click here.

To join, click on my banner below and when you get to sign up page use my name Shellyann36 as your referral.   Please let me know when you join and your user name, so that I can assure admin credits me with your membership. 

Click Here

Taco Seasoning Mix

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Making your own Taco Season Mix is so easy and it taste so good! I got this recipe from my "Make-A-Mix" cookbook by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward & Madeline Westover.  These days if I buy a package of taco seasoning in the grocery store I feel disappointed after eating. They just don't have the same zing that this recipe does. 

Taco Seasoning Mix

2tsp. instant minced onion (I have used onion powder too)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper
1/2 tsp. instant minced garlic
1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. ground cumin (I normally use 1tsp.)

Taco Seasoning Mix

Just mix all of these together and then mix it in with your meat the way your normally would the store bought packages. This seasoning will cover up to 1.5 lbs of meat. 

Enjoy!

What's For Supper Ya'll? Chicken Enchiladas!

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These Chicken Enchiladas are so good! They have a very distinct salsa that will just rock your tastebuds! I always double or even triple my recipe (especially the sauce).  This recipe comes from the "Betty Crocker Simple Winter Meals" magazine.

Ingredients:
1 cup mild green sauce (salsa verde) or salsa
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
1/4 cup parsley sprigs **
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 cloves garlic
2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey ***
3/4 cups shredded cheese
6 flour tortillas (6 to 8 inches)
1 medium lime, cut into wedges

Heat over to 350 degrees. Spray rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Place green sauce, cilantro, parsley, lime juice and garlic in blender or food processor. Cover & blend on high speed about 30 seconds or until smooth. Reserve half of mixture. 

Mix remaining sauce mixture, the chicken and 1/4 cheese. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Roll tortilla around filling; place seam side down on baking dish.

Pour reserved sauce mixture over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot. Serve with lime wedges.

Now this recipe is delicious. I added a bit more spice to mine when I added my homemade taco seasonings. You can find the recipe for that here. 

Serve with Guacamole, sour cream and tomatoes. 

**  I omit the parsley and just use more cilantro. 
*** Any meat will work. Tonight I used hamburger instead of chicken and added rice as a filler. 

Cilantro

Green Salsa Verde

All mixed together... YUMMY!

My taco seasoning mix!

Finished product

This was good!

Manic Monday Mania!!!

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Ok I am admitting defeat! My house is a wreck! I have dishes stacked up that need to be washed, laundry loads that need to be folded & put away & the living room floor looks like the twins played roller derby over cracker crumbs with their walkers.  My MIL will probably be bringing Lil Keith back today and I pray I get this place clean before she gets here with the crew. I swear I hate it when they come here and I don't have everything at least half way decent. 


The twins are teething now like crazy (they each have two buds on top and on the bottom showing with lots more coming in) & they are literally being teething infants. I am getting no sleep.  I swear they are taking turns sleeping.... one will sleep while the other one is awake and vice versa. There was a 48 hour period that I got about 8 hours total of sleep. 

So anyway, once my MIL gets here and sees the house in such a mess her first words will be: " I don't know why the twins give you such a hard time, they sleep like little lambs for us..."   Ok folks, the key words there are US... she has numerous cousins from the age of 10 up to the age of 20 running around her house just dying to hold these cute little monsters, not to mention their Aunts come by and play with them and take them to their house for hours on end... so you can see how they are not crying or whining, they are being spoiled rotten! I don't have that luxury!  Most of the time it is me, Lil Keith and the twins day in and day out all day long. When Keith gets home from work he plays with them for a little while but then he is off to bed and it is just me and them again. 


Right now it is 3:30 am I am trying to get Elijah to sleep.  I am suppose to be up and on a phone conference at 10 am.... It's Just Another Manic Monday for me here @ LovejoyJunction!  In order to commemorate that, here is the Bangles singing Manic Monday from YouTube land!!

Pork Chops with Glazed Apple & Onion

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This is a quick and easy recipe that is great in the Autumn when apples are fresh and aplenty. I found this recipe in "Better Homes & Garden: Meals Made Easy With Grey Poupon Mustard".  It cooks up in one pan so no need to dirty too many dishes. 


Ingredients Needed:
4 pork lion chops, cut 3/4 inch thick
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large apple, sliced
1/2 cup Grey Poupon Honey Mustard
1/4 cup apple juice


In large skillet, over meidum-high heat, brown pork chops on both sides in hot oil. Reduce heat to medium, cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until chops are done. Remove to serving platter & keep warm.


In same skillet, over medium-high heat cook onion in pan drippings for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in apple; cook for 5 minutes more or until onion and apple are tender. 


Stir in mustard and apple juice; heat through. *Spoon sauce over chops.


*In the end, I added the chops back to the skillet and just heated them up a bit and let them soak in the juices while warming.*


** Several different apples can be used. My favorites are Gala, HoneyCrisp, WineSap & Pink Lady.  I have also used Red Delicious & Yellow Delicious as well. That made a very pretty dish. **


This recipe is easy and tasty. I always increase the apples, onions, honey mustard & apple juice to make a double serving. The extra I use as a gravy base on the rice I serve with it. Its very good.  I served this with  long grain brown rice, green beans and corn on the cob.  Enjoy the pictures!

Onions cooking

Apples, apple juice & honey mustard added

Pork chops added back to the skillet. 

Extra onions & apple mixture over long grain brown rice. 

Weekend Family Visit

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This weekend my youngest sister Emily had her 18th birthday party. It is hard to believe that at 40 years old I have a sister that is 18! She is 7 months younger than my 18 year old! She is growing up. Her plans are to become a Paralegal. She starts a local community college this fall. We had fun visiting with the family and all of the little cousins playing together. Not all of the family could make it but we are glad we went. Here is a picture of my little sister! She just seems to have so much fun!

Emily with Blake Shelton contest picture.

Emily at Graduation 

Emily as Cookie Monster

Emmy Love

My Camera Died...

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 My Kodak Easyshare C195 stopped working. I tried to find info on how to possibly fix it myself but no such luck... So I got a new camera over at Amazon.com using my gift cards earned via Swagbucks, MyPoints & CrowdTap! I ended up having to pay for shipping myself.  Considering how expensive camera's are, this is a great deal!  I never knew how much I depended on my camera until it died on me. My Canon Powershot A1200 will arrive in 5 to 7 days! 

Good Housekeeping Subscription Reward!

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Good morning everyone, I got a decent night's sleep last night and my day is starting off great. It's not even 5 am yet and I just cashed out for a Good Housekeeping Subscription over at Recyclebank! I am really liking this program. This will make my second magazine subscription from them. Below is the confirmation sent to me by Recyclebank.

View as a web page here.

Hi Michele Rowles, Thank you for order number 121343811065001867059883. Below is a summary of all the rewards included in this order along with any special instructions pertaining to your order. Online Rewards Reward Code Good Housekeeping - One-year subscription Redeem Now NOTE: To shop now with your instant online reward(s), please click on the "Redeem Now" link next to each reward. total points 100 If you are interested in joining Recyclebank just click on my referral link below!  Recycle Bank