tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30555682043132306192024-03-05T17:28:40.711-08:00Kimberlee's CornerKimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-7215832154276904552017-02-02T07:51:00.002-08:002017-02-02T07:51:31.243-08:00Birthdays, birthdays, and more birthdays!January for our family might be as crazy or even crazier than December. Somehow we happen to have lots of birthdays in January. This year, my dad turned 60 years old. For his 60th, my sister organized a surprise birthday party for him, and boy was he surprised. It was a sweet time to get together and celebrate him. I was able to get some cute pictures of him and my mom and their grandkids pictured below. I think my favorite one is of my dad, Nolen, and Julia blowing out the candles on his cake. <br />
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The biggest celebration of birthdays in January was Julia's 4th birthday on the 20th! It is so hard to believe that she is already 4 years old. Next year, we will be looking towards her starting kindergarten, which I truly can't fathom at this point. Julia has grown so much during this past year... I dare say that this past year has so far been the year that brought some of our tougher parenting moments, but also the year that brought some of our proudest parenting moments. This past fall, we started doing preschool at home, so we have truly gotten to watch Julia's mind at work on a daily basis, which has been a true blessing. Julia is so smart and asks some crazy thought provoking questions. She is also one of the most stubborn, strong-willed little girls (I totally claim this personality trait). Julia loves fiercely and to witness this is so very cool. I love the way she loves her baby brother already and the way she loves others. We can't wait to see the plans that God has laid out for her life. She is destined for great things.<br />
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To celebrate this not so little little girl's birthday we had a couple of fun-filled days. On her actual birthday, Jordan took off work and we went to Pin Stack and went bowling. Julia loved it. We also at lunch there and for dessert, Julia had a cake pop! On our way home, Julia thanked us without prompting for such a fun day, so we know she must have liked it. The day after her birthday, we had a Daniel Tiger themed birthday party. It turned out very cute. Julia enjoyed spending time with friends and of course getting to eat way more sweets than she usually gets to. Below are some pictures from her birthday and birthday party.<br />
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So, for now, we are going to embrace every day that Julia is 4 and not think too much about the fact that shortly, in a blink of an eye she will be 5 years old.Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-71815408883960246822017-01-08T13:25:00.000-08:002017-01-08T13:25:38.320-08:00Rocking and PrayingOur family has had a busy start to the new year. Last weekend, we actually welcomed in the New Year from Louisiana. We went to Columbia, Louisiana to visit my grandma and her husband. It was a very special time. It was the first time for Joshua to meet his great grandma. There were many snuggles and kisses had by all. Below are some precious photos that we were able to get. It was rainy for most of the weekend, so we enjoyed staying indoors and visiting in the warmth. Saturday evening we were treated to some amazing fried catfish! On Sunday, we went to church with my grandma and Alton and then we headed back home to Wylie. <br />
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Now, on to the title of this post. Of late, I have had such a heavy heart. I have dear friends that are going through so much pain. I have started writing down prayer requests so that I keep up with who I need to be praying for. Honestly, sometimes it feels like the list keeps growing and nothing is getting answered. I know in my heart that this isn't true, but it really feels that way at times. I have a friend, who is as close as a sister that is battling some really tough and ugly stuff in her life, and it seems at least so far that nothing that she is doing is working in this situation. It hurts so bad to watch her go though these deep, dark waters. This friend is a strong Christian, and I can tell that this is wearing on her. I have another friend who is now watching her husband battle health issues, and not small issues. These are just two of the numerous situations that are going on with people that I know personally. We are talking hard, scary stuff. My prayer list just gets longer and longer. I believe that God is good. I believe that that everything works for good for those that love the Lord. Man, sometimes, it is impossible to see this though. Honestly, it isn't promised that we will ever see it at least not here in this life, which really, really stinks. In the past weeks, I have found myself, crying over these dear friends that are in so much pain over things that are COMPLETELY out of their control. <br />
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Joshua is 7 months old. He wakes every night between 2-3 am. I am blessed with a husband that takes turns with me on who gets up with Joshua when he wakes. On my turns, I get up with Joshua and I make him a bottle and I feed him and wrap him and rock him back to sleep. This process takes about 45 minutes, and while I am doing this, I silently pray over each person on my prayer list. I shed a few tears and pray hard. I don't exactly enjoy waking up to feed a little one in the middle of the night, but I feel such peace as we rock and pray.<br />
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<br />Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-76382627359221699962016-12-28T15:54:00.001-08:002016-12-28T15:54:34.704-08:00Blogging again...It has been a little over a year since my last blog post. I am hoping that I am more frequent with my posts this go around. I would like for this blog to be a small window into mine and my family's daily life, whether exciting or mundane. <br />
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A whole lot has happened since my last blog post. The most noteworthy change has been the addition of Joshua, making our family of three a family of four. Joshua was born on Saturday, May 28th, 2016 at 12:49 pm. He is super sweet and his smiles truly do light up a room. <br />
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Julia has an innate talent of being the best big sister to Joshua. She loves being "mommy's little helper," and she often thinks of Joshua as her own baby. You can tell by the way Joshua looks at Julia that, at least for now, she is one of his very favorite people. I pray that over time that I am able to cultivate this very special bond that they have with each other right now and that it only continues to grow.<br />
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<br />Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-43406553088994301562015-04-13T06:15:00.001-07:002015-04-13T06:22:47.149-07:00Stitch Fix It has been quite awhile since I have done a blog post. I thought I would do a blog post with all of my thoughts regarding my recent Stitch Fix experience. I have been seeing so many Facebook posts about Stitch Fix, and I wanted to see what all of the hype was about.<br />
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For those of you who have never heard of Stitch Fix, here is my definition of it in a nutshell: Stitch Fix is a service in which you have a personal stylist. You fill out a very, very detailed style profile about yourself, and based upon your likes and dislikes, body shape, and if you choose Pinterest board, your personal stylist sends you a box with five items in it. You can keep and pay for any items in the box or you can send them back. There is a $20 styling fee, which can go towards an item in the box, however if you decide not to keep any of the items, it is non-refundable.<br />
If you want to see what it is all about, copy and post the below link...<br />
https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4842300<br />
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Sometimes I feel like my dressing/style gets in a funk, and I thought this would be a fun way to mix it up a bit. It is important that you keep in mind that the goal is to get some great pieces to add to your wardrobe - it is seldom that you receive your first box and absolutely love every piece. Some things that I love about the Stitch Fix process:<br />
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1. You can decide if you want this to be a reoccurring subscription (you get a "fix" every month, every two months, or every three months) OR you can decide that you do not want this to be a reoccurring subscription (you can just go in and pick an available date that you want your first "fix" to arrive and then decide in the future if you want to do it again).<br />
2. The very detailed style profile that you fill out. It might seem a little daunting, but it is worth it. There are even questions about how much shoulder, cleavage, etc... you like to flaunt. While that might be an odd question, I would rather it be asked and be happy with the items that I receive than be unpleasantly surprised.<br />
3. The ability to link a Pinterest board to Stitch Fix. This was huge. I was able to go and pin outfits I liked and then in the comments for each pin, I could be very specific about what it was that I liked. I even pinned three pictures of myself. I pinned a picture of me dressed up for Easter Sunday last year, a picture of me going out for my husband's work's Christmas dinner, and a picture of me out at a park. I wanted my stylist to have a good sense of me. In case you are curious what to put on your Pinterest Board, here is mine...<br />
https://www.pinterest.com/kimberleepowell/stitch-fix-inspiration-board/<br />
4. The ability to leave a note to your stylist. I was able to leave a note about my style to my stylist. I let her know that I am a full time stay at home mom, who is chasing a 2-year old around. The clothing that I wear needs to be practical and something that I can get up and down in over and over again throughout the day. I also made a request. I requested that there might be a Maxi Skirt and/or cropped pair of pants in the box. I have read quite a few reviews where the customer requested an outfit for a specific occasion. How convenient is that ?!?<br />
5. You get three days. You get three days to try on every item that you receive in your box. You can pair the items with things you already own and decide which items you really want to keep. Whatever you don't want to keep you return in the included prepaid mailing bag. If you decide to keep all five items, you will get 25% off your total purchase.<br />
6. Feedback. You can give specific feedback about each of the items you receive - why you like it or specifically why you do not. This feedback will help your stylist with your future "fixes" if you decide to have any.<br />
7. You receive a handy dandy little card with clothing combinations for each item you receive with great ideas of how to best wear the item. Here is one of mine.<br />
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Here are some pictures of the items that I have received...<br />
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This gray shirt was super soft, but it wasn't in the budget for the month, so I sent it back. I did make sure to leave feedback that I did love the shirt, but it wasn't in the budget so that my stylist would know that she got the style part right.<br />
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The cropped jeans were everything that I wanted in a pair of cropped jeans. I mentioned to my stylist in the note that I left before I received my Stitch Fix that I didn't want any jeans with holes in them. I know for some that seems silly, but in this household we are good about naturally getting holes in our jeans. I was thrilled with these, and I kept them.<br />
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The dark jean jacket was cute, but I already have something similar, which fits me better, so I sent it back.<br />
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So, the orange shirt was a much brighter shade of orange than what I would normally wear or want to wear. I wasn't a big fan of the tie front bottom. I would also have to wear a tank underneath this one to really feel comfortable in it. Needless to say, it too went back.<br />
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The navy and gray maxi skirt will get much use. I love it. I wore it on Easter, which worked out great because what I originally was planning on wearing wasn't going to work with the rainy weather. The maxi skirt really fit the bill. I think there will be more maxi skirts in my future.<br />
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Overall, I really enjoyed my Stitch Fix experience, and I plan on having more "fixes" in the future. If you haven't checked them out, feel free to copy and paste the below link and see what all of the hype is about. <br />
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https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4842300<br />
<br />Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-12589220973268504662014-01-20T07:23:00.001-08:002014-01-20T07:23:54.857-08:00The "Due Date" vs the "Birth Date"So, I haven't posted in a very long time -sorry. Before I forget all of the details leading up to the birth of Julia, I thought that I would do a blog post. If you aren't into reading about another person's birth story, please feel free to stop reading right now. So, why am I writing this today? Well, today is Miss Julia's 1st birthday. Time has truly flown by, and it amazes me that she at one time fit and grew over the course of nine months (give or take) in my belly. In the midst of cleaning up from her Classic Winnie the Pooh 1st Birthday, I am going down memory lane and remembering all that led up to her birth. By the way, I will try to do a post on her 1st Birthday Party shortly...<br />
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Let's start at the beginning of the end of my pregnancy. On January 10th, 2013 Jordan and I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at one of my favorite (now non - existent) restaurants; Restaurant AVA. The waiter couldn't believe that my due date was the very next day and that we were actually out eating. Jordan and I knew that the chances of Miss Julia arriving on her due date were slim to nothing, especially since our goal was to have this birth all natural, which mean no inducing. Needless to say, January 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th rolled around, with no action. I was feeling quite comfortable for being that far along. I wasn't too concerned about being past my due date. I had taken some fabulous Bradley classes and learned that the average 1st time mom is pregnant 8 days past her due date, and that the average 1st time mom was in labor for 17 hours. To be honest, I was not wanting to speed up the whole 17 hours of labor. While I was excited about eventually meeting Julia, I wasn't so up on the whole birth part.<br />
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Let me stop right here for a sec and answer a question that I have gotten in the past. If I am not up on the whole pain of labor for 17 hours, why not use a hospital with pain meds? That is a great question. I will be the first to tell you that I don't like pain, and I will also be the first to tell you that I don't like the idea of staying at a hospital with sick people. I also know that sometimes when you add in pain meds, you can actually slow the birth process down. It can also be harder push and to know when to push if you are on pain meds. While this isn't the case with all births involving pain meds, I know it is with some. Jordan and I talked about it, and we both decided that it would be nice to be able to be home sooner than later. I knew that I would be more comfortable recovering from the birth in my own home, my own bed, etc... For these reasons we decided to have a baby at the Allen Birthing Center and to trust my body to know when it was time to have a baby. <br />
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Back to the story... The evening of Wednesday, January 16th rolled around, and I had 6 hours of back labor. It started around 8:30pm. We truly thought "this" could be "it." Because my contractions were not at consistent intervals, we stayed put for the evening. We knew that the next day I would have an appointment at the birthing center. At the appointment we were told that I was at a 4 and 80% effaced. We were given the option to take measures to speed the process along and actually have Miss Julia that day. Jordan and I were both exhausted and I felt as though I had no energy to labor. We decided to go home that evening and let my body decide when Julia was to be born.<br />
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Jordan stayed home from work that Thursday and Friday, and I caught up on some sleep knowing that I wouldn't have many more days of a full nights rest once Miss Julia made her grand entrance. Saturday rolled around, and I went and had a manicure, and then Jordan and I met up with his parents for an early celebration lunch for Jordan's birthday on the 22nd. We had a relaxing evening at home.<br />
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7:30am on Sunday, January 20th my labor really started. There wasn't a buildup because the labor that I had the previous Wednesday night was the buildup. I went from nothing to my contractions lasting a minute and being five minutes apart. Jordan called my doula and let her know and she encouraged us to call the midwife to see what she suggested. My doula was pretty sure that the midwife was going to want us to head to the birthing center and not wait around. Sure enough, the midwife jumped in the the shower changed into her scrubs and called Jordan as she was leaving and had him load me in the car. I know that at this point my brain wasn't working. I was actually very frustrated and was nervous about going to the birthing center because I was afraid that I wasn't far enough along and that they would send me home. It was like I had forgotten that I had already progressed on the previous Wednesday. Needless to say, I wasn't the easiest person to convince to get into the car... Jordan had a time of it.<br />
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We pulled up to the birthing center, and my doula met us at the car and helped me get inside. I was checked upon arriving - I was a 7 1/2, so I was staying put. We went upstairs to the birthing suite. Candles were lit, lights were dimmed, and relaxing music was played. I labored on a birthing ball for a bit. Jordan and Shannon (my doula) applied lots of pressure on my lower back, and Jordan made sure that I was getting plenty of apple juice, yogurt, apple sauce, etc... (Yes, at a birthing center or home birth, you eat food as you labor because you need energy to birth a baby.) After awhile, I moved into a birthing pool/tub. I wanted to relax if at all possible in the water. As soon as I hit the water, I entered transition. If you know anything about birth, this is the part for many that can be very hard and painful. It was definitely very painful for me. Jordan would say that transition was when he would have gladly taken me to the hospital; for him it was very scary. Luckily we had a great doula, midwife, and birthing assistants. Their calm demeanor really encouraged him.<br />
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When the birthing assistant suggested I could push whenever I felt ready, I thought she was crazy. I knew that statistically I should be in labor for at least 17 hours. It was no where near 17 hours at that point. She checked me in order to reassure me that I could push when I felt ready. I was a 9 or 9 1/2. When transition ended, I got up out of the tub and moved to the bed. Twenty minutes later give or take a few, and Julia made her grand entrance at 12:26pm. <br />
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So today, I celebrate not only Julia's birthday, but also my "birth date," which was not on my due date. In a matter of seconds, I went from being a wife to being a wife and a mother. We went from two to three. Our lives are very richly blessed. <br />
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<br />Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-16244541354058371842013-08-23T08:43:00.002-07:002013-08-23T08:43:30.805-07:00There is a light at the end of the tunnel...This blog post is not intended to make you think that I dislike being a mom, but rather to support those that have or are going through the questioning as to whether or not there is a light at the end of the tunnel when is comes to raising little ones. <br />
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My sweet Julia just turned 7 months (as of August 20th), and to tell you the truth up until two weeks ago I would be lying to you if I said "I love motherhood." This doesn't mean that there weren't moments during her first six month of life that I didn't love, I mean who can resist her smile and giggles :) But truly, up till about two weeks ago, her temperament was soooo unpredictable. For the most part, she was semi-happy or screaming (no, I don't think that she had colic, I think that she is/was a baby...). Those of you who know me and her, are probably sitting there aghast - "How can Kimberlee say such things?!?!" I remember speaking to a dear friend in years past, and her describing this same thing. She mentioned that she wouldn't mind skipping the first few to six months and moving right into the fun times. I think what happened (at least with Jordan and me) is Julia was very busy growing and it wore her out and the only way she could express herself was to scream. I mean, she started army crawling two-three months ago and then all she focused on was how to crawl. She started crawling a few weeks ago and is now pulling up on anything that she thinks is stable. Not to mention, right now she is cutting two teeth. That is A LOT for one little body to take. So, why am I writing this? It isn't to complain, I promise. Instead for two reasons:<br />
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1. For those of you with little ones. It will get better. I know that you hear this all the time from people and you also here that time flies and you are sick of hearing these things and probably want to step on the toes of those that tell you this stuff. But, they are not lying... Time does fly, I was looking at Julia sitting up and playing with a teether and I pulled open a video on my iPad of her just maybe three days old. In this video, she was as stable as a rag doll and needed me for everything. She still needs me for almost everything but what a difference today is compared to January 20th, 2013 (when she was born). It will get better... when you are in the midst of the screaming call someone... find someone that will just listen. I remember expressing frustration to someone during this time, and they didn't realize that I was just venting and they actually somewhat chided me for the way I was feeling. If you are the person that someone is speaking to, don't chide them unless you think that they would harm their little one.<br />
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2. I am writing this because one day IF Jordan and I decide to add to our family through birthing a baby, I have a feeling my brain (what is left of it that is) will not remember any of this, at least not to the extent that I do today. I will need to read back on some of these thoughts and remind myself that it will eventually get better.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">So,
there is a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. I am getting to
see rays of it daily with Miss Julia. She is very smart. She smiles so
much and loves getting kisses. She is even trying to kiss others.
We have fun playing a rendition of "peek-a-boo." She sits at
the dinner table with us every evening and is trying new foods (whatever we are
eating). Some of the things she has
tried includes: buttered dill carrots, pasta, pizza crust, green beans, artichokes,
etc... I have a horrible feeling that
she will be walking before I am ready. My favorite time of the day is first
thing in the morning with her. I am blessed with an amazing husband that
does her evening and morning feedings and gives me a break. After her
morning feedings, Jordan comes downstairs with her and sits with her on the
couch, while I load or unload a dishwasher and get my coffee ready (MUST HAVE
TWO CUPS to get through the day!!). What I love about this time, is
watching her with her daddy. She snuggles up to him - she puts her head
on his chest and has her little arms wrapped around him, and she just lays
there contently for 15+ minutes. I need to get a picture sometime (Jordan
would kill me - he is in boxers and a T-Shirt). </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">I will end with some fun photos of Miss Julia.</span></div>
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Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-34568833735664058662013-07-23T10:57:00.000-07:002013-07-23T13:54:38.681-07:00Adoption Funds Needed!!I am sure that the title of this post really grabbed your attention. I am sure that you are sitting there thinking, "Didn't they just have a little one... are they now adopting??" Well, to answer your question, at this moment in time, Jordan and I are not adopting. Instead, I am advocating (which is a nice way to put "begging") for you to help out a friend of mine that is more like an extra sister to me. This post will not begin to do justice to how amazing this family is - I hope that you read on and truly consider helping them.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Meet the Adams' Family</span></b></div>
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Rebecca and her husband, Luke are in the process of adopting two beautiful girls. To tell you the journey that the two of them have been through in the past, would bring many of you to tears (both joy and sadness). They have been married for a little over eight years. After three miscarriages, they were blessed in 2008 with the birth of one of the smartest little boys I have ever met - Micah. When Micah was almost four months old, Rebecca was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She underwent chemo, surgery, radiation, and Herceptin (a breast cancer drug). She went through all of these things with the amazing, never-ending support of her husband. Because of the treatments that she underwent, the chances of her being about to be pregnant again were slim to nothing. After much prayer and time to absorb this new information, they decided to adopt. On August 18th, 2011 they brought home a sweet, very energetic little boy named Levi. Levi's story and and how he became part of the Adams' family truly has God's handwriting all over it. So, skip a few years, and you are here. Rebecca and Luke are now in the process of adopting two more children... that are 11 and 16 years old. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Meet Stella</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Meet Lily</b></span></div>
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I know that many people are probably wondering why they aren't looking at adopting younger children. They are adopting older children because when children in the country that they are adopting from hit 16 years of age, they are "aged out" of the system. So, what does that mean? It means that if you are 16 years old and you aren't adopted, you really don't have much to celebrate on your birthday because you are "sent packing" with the clothes on your back. That is it - no financial aide for these kiddos. The saddest thing is that about 60% of the girls turn to prostitution to make money when they are thrown out. Rebecca and Luke feel called by God to adopt Stella and Lily.<br />
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This adoption is a blessing and a curse. They are adopting from a country that is pretty speedy with the process. The blessing is that they will have their girls pretty quickly - we are talking 5-7 months. The curse is that there is less time to raise funds for this. So, I am asking you to consider helping them out. There are sooo many ways that you can help the.<br />
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The first way and one of the most important things that you can do for them is to pray for them and this journey that they are going on. Pray that God blesses them with the funds needed. Pray that the transition the two girls will be making when they move to this country are seamless. Pray for patience for Luke and Rebecca as they quickly add two more people to their home in the near future. Pray that these two girls see the love that God has for them through Rebecca and Luke.<br />
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Secondly, you can give your money to them. I am going to be very blunt about this. They have a bunch of fundraisers below which I will highlight, in which companies are giving them part of the funds from your purchases. Yes, it all adds up, and I will tell you right now that Luke and Rebecca are two of the most gracious people and appreciate every single penny. BUT, if you have the funds and can actually just write a check - that money will go 100% towards their adoption. You can mail them a check directly (email me and I will send you their address) or you can contribute through Reese's Rainbow (the link is on the upper left of their blog page beccaleigh80.blogspot.com). If you go through Reese's Rainbow, you will get a receipt for your taxes next year. It is costing them over $26,000.00 for the two girls, so every little bit helps. Think about it, if you cut a weekly Starbucks run, you could donate $18.40 (if you get the grande caramel macchiato with extra caramel like me).<br />
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The other options are the actual fundraisers they have going on.<br />
If you shop with Amazon, use the below link to do your shopping and they will receive 4-6% of your purchase.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/ref=as_li_tf_sw?&linkCode=wsw&tag=helpithehelpl-20">http://www.amazon.com/ref=as_li_tf_sw?&linkCode=wsw&tag=helpithehelpl-20</a><br />
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They are also selling bracelets made in Haiti here.<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.147280045457681.1073741828.131818133670539&type=1">https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.147280045457681.1073741828.131818133670539&type=1</a><br />
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All commissions from her Usborne Books business is supporting this process as well. If you need any great children's books for your kids or a gift for a birthday party, they have great stuff.<br />
<a href="https://w3768.myubam.com/">https://w3768.myubam.com/</a><br />
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This month she is also doing a Thirty-One Online show.<br />
<a href="https://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/eventhome.aspx?eventId=E3432979&from=DIRECTLINK&verify=true">https://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/eventhome.aspx?eventId=E3432979&from=DIRECTLINK&verify=true</a><br />
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So, that is my super long post about some amazing people. My next post will be more light-hearted :)Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-75080222396686570512013-07-17T12:54:00.000-07:002013-07-17T12:54:00.726-07:00Yummy Grownup Mac 'N CheeseI feel like this week I have finally recouped from Jordan's and my trip to North Carolina, which I will be doing a post about this weekend. This week, I tried a new recipe out of a cookbook that Jordan and I received for our 9 year anniversary from his parents. We received the fabulous cookbook and a gift card to Central Market, which was absolutely perfect for us. The cookbook is "What's for Dinner" by Curtis Stone. Jordan and I really enjoyed watching all of the reruns of "Take Home Chef" on Netflix (if you haven't seen these and you like cooking shows, make sure that you check them out). Of course the chef on this show is Curtis Stone; so, when we received this cookbook we were super excited.<div>
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All of that being said, his recipes are somewhat labor intensive if you are juggling an almost 6 month old. They are super yummy recipes though... As you can imagine, I did some of the cooking and prep work during various naptimes. Below is the recipe. Also below the recipe, I put some fun finds while out today. I hope that you enjoy!</div>
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<b>Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Pasta Bake with White Cheddar</b></div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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6 TB olive oil, plus more for the baking dish</div>
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1 head of cauliflower (about 2 lbs), cored and cut into large bite-size florets</div>
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper</div>
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18 oz (about 8 cups) broccoli florets</div>
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1 1/2 cup (about 5 oz) penne</div>
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4 oz pancetta, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)</div>
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1 small yellow onion, finely chopped</div>
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1 TB finely chopped fresh thyme</div>
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1 TB all-purpose flour</div>
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2 cups whole milk</div>
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1 cup heavy cream</div>
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1 1/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (5 oz)</div>
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1 cup very coarse fresh multigrain bread crumbs (I cheated and used basic bread crumbs in a canister)</div>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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1. Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly oil your baking dish.</div>
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2. On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 TB of the olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet. On a second baking sheet, repeat with the broccoli florets and 2 more TB of the olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir each sheet of vegetables and switch the positions of the baking sheets from top to bottom. Bake for about 10 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tinged with brown. Set aside. (Leave the oven on.)</div>
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3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, for about 7 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta.</div>
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4. Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add 1 TB of the olive oil and the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until the pancetta is browned and crisp. Add the onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, or until the onions are tender and slightly browned. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture, then stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, or until it is very pale golden brown.</div>
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5. Gradually stir in the milk and cream. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, or until the sauce is lightly thickened and has no raw flour taste. Remove from heat, add the cheddar cheese, and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.</div>
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6.Add the vegetables and penne to the cheese sauce and fold together. Spread evenly in the baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs and the remaining 1 TB olive oil to coat, then sprinkle over the vegetable mixture (I just sprinkled with the breadcrumbs from a can). Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.</div>
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Now on to some good deals...</div>
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Today, Julia and I made a trip to Target and to the Dollar Tree (they are right next to each other in the same shopping center). Below are some of the goodies that we purchased.</div>
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<b>Target</b></div>
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Planters Nut-rition peanut butter is B1G1 free. Right now it is $3.29. There was a coupon recently for $1.00 off of two Planters products, but when I got to Target there was even a better deal on the peanut butter itself. There was a coupon on the peanut butter for $1.50 off when you buy two. So, I bought 4 peanut butters for <b><u>$0.90 each</u></b>. Jordan eats peanut butter and honey sandwiches almost everyday for lunch, which makes this a FABULOUS deal. Plus the flavors sound like fun ... Berry Nut and Cinnamon Raisin Granola Crunch.</div>
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As many of you know, I am a Pampered Chef Consultant, and this is the time of year when I purchase items like pens for my cooking shows (people always walk away with my pens). Bic 10 count pens were $1.47 each. I bought 4 packs with two coupons for $1.50 off of two packs, which makes each pack $0.72.</div>
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<b>Dollar Tree </b></div>
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<b><i>Did you know that the Dollar Tree accepts coupons?!?</i></b></div>
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I purchased 2 boxes of Lugi's Frozed Italian Ice Cups for $1.00 each. I had 1 coupon for $1.00 off two boxes. So, I paid $0.50 per box. Nice deal for this warm time of year.</div>
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I purchased two boxes of Hefty Slider bags for $1.00 each. I had 1 coupon for $1.00 off two boxes of Hefty Slider Bags. So, I paid $0.50 per box.</div>
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On a side note, the Dollar Tree has fabulous gift bags and tissue paper in bulk :)</div>
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Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-41541179495437731512013-06-26T07:20:00.001-07:002013-06-26T07:20:09.732-07:00Homemade Vegetable Broth - YUMMY!This week, I ventured into making "Homemade Vegetable Broth." I can't take credit for the original recipe. I did find it off of Pinterest, and I made a few adjustments to fit my taste. I have included the link to the original recipe at the bottom of this page.<br />
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Making the Vegetable Broth wasn't a random idea that I had. I have actually been planning it for a bit, I just never got around to it. I even had in my freezer, a freezer bag full of random vegetable pieces (you know the stalk of the broccoli, ends of the onion, tougher part of the celery, etc...) - anytime I would make something with vegetables I would just throw the ends into this bag. One day, Jordan and I want a compost for our backyard to use on our vegetable garden, until then, I was trying to utilize and save scraps for a broth "one day."<br />
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So, when I decided to make my super easy crock pot Roast (Wedge 1-2 onions, peel and chunk up some carrots, chunk up some celery and wedge some red/new potatoes. Put all veggies on bottom of crock pot. Place 1.5-2lb roast on top. Salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 can beef broth and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup. Cook for 8-10 hours), I decided that the broth would be easy to pull together that day as well. I knew that I would have more veggie peelings and I also knew that I wouldn't have to do much with the roast. <br />
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Side Note: Miss Julia didn't nap after her first feeding (usually we eat, play hard and then nap), but she was literally falling asleep as I was doing her second feeding. All of that being said, I had a good 2.5+ hours to do all of the above. Yes, it can be done w/o a sleeping child, but boy it helps when she is out :)<br />
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So back to the recipe...<br />
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In a stockpot bring 2TB extra virgin olive oil to heat. Add 2 sliced onions, 2 roughly chopped carrots, & 2 ribs of celery roughly chopped. Saute 3-5 minutes until the onions just start to become transparent.<br />
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Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and sweat for 30 minutes or until onions caramelize and turn a nice golden brown. I actually would stir this occasionally...<br />
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Add 3 quarts of water (12 cups) and all of the random vegetable pieces/peelings that you have accumulated. Cover lower the heat and simmer for 1.5-2 hours. I was stirring this occasionally as well... mainly, I was scraping the bottom of the stockpot to get all of browned pieces to loosen and combine.<br />
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Turn off the heat and then add your herbs. I added some spicy oregano and bay leaves. AND, for me MOST IMPORTANTLY.... SALT!! I know, crazy, but the recipe didn't call for any and I tasted and tasted this and I wasn't happy. I added salt and WOW what a difference. <br />
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Once cooled, strain the stock from the vegetables, making sure to compress the vegetables to get every ounce of stock out of them.<br />
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I then divided it among some freezer containers. I was able to get 3 portions of 3 cups each out of this<br />
recipe. <br />
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<br />
What do you like to do with broth/stock? Jordan and I use it in soups, risotto, in replace of water when making rice, etc...<br />
<br />
Here is the link to the original recipe.<br />
<a href="http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2013/03/rich-and-flavorful-homemade-vegetable-broth-recipe/">http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2013/03/rich-and-flavorful-homemade-vegetable-broth-recipe/</a>Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-22531302092562698762013-06-21T12:26:00.003-07:002013-06-21T13:44:11.247-07:00Frugal Finds and a Fabulous Recipe...As you can tell from previous posts, I really love a great deal. So today, Miss Julia and I went to Wal-Mart on search for some great deals. One important rule that I always follow, "If I am not going to use it, then no matter if it is even FREE, then it isn't a great deal." That being said, I purchased a few things that were not on sale because they were items that I was out of. Some of my hot deals are below...<br />
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<br />
2 Simply Lemonades ($2.00 each)<br />
2 Coupons for $0.75 each<br />
Total $2.50<br />
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4 packs Kraft 3-pack String Cheese ($1.00 each)<br />
2 Coupons for $0.75 off of 2<br />
Total $2.50<br />
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2 pkgs Pull-Ups Big-Kid Flushable Wipes ($1.64 each)<br />
1 Coupon for $1.00 off<br />
1 Coupon for $1.25 off<br />
Total $1.03<br />
<br />
2 lbs Strawberries ($1.98 per lb)<br />
Price matched with Aldi's for $0.99 per lb<br />
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I am thinking that will be making some strawberry muffins with 1 lb and then dehydrating the other 1 lb for a quick snack.<br />
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Julia had fun on this trip. This was her first time to ride in a cart.<br />
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Now, the below is a frequented recipe in my house. "Country Chicken Pot Pie" is one of those recipes that even tastes better the next day microwaved. What I love about this recipe is the fact that one batch makes two pot pies, and I frequently double it (just as simple to double as to make one batch), which makes enough for four pot pies. Tonight we will have one pot pie for dinner but there will be three other bagged pot pie fillings in the freezer. I will say that this recipe does take a little prep work but it is sooo worth the effort. I did most of the prep work while Julia was napping. The below recipe is for one batch. The pictures that I will be showing you are of the double batch.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Country Chicken Pot Pie</u></b></span><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 cup chopped onions<br />
1 cup chopped celery<br />
1 cup chopped carrots<br />
1/3 cup butter/margarine, melted<br />
1/2 cup flour<br />
2 cups chicken broth<br />
1 cup evaporated milk<br />
4 cups cooked and chopped chicken<br />
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (we use green beans)<br />
1-1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp pepper<br />
4 total pie crusts; folded type like Pillsbury (You will only need 2 per pie)<br />
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<b>Assembly Directions:</b><br />
Saute onions, celery and carrots in butter in a large skillet over medium heat until tender. Add flour and stir until smooth (really it is a little lumpy). Cook one minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, and evaporated milk. Cook stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken, peas, salt and pepper.<br />
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<b>Freezing Directions:</b><br />
Cool and divide filling in half. Place in one-gallon freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze. Keep frozen pie crusts on hand in their original packaging.<br />
<br />
<b>Serving Directions:</b><br />
Thaw filling. Bring pie crusts to room temperature. Shape bottom pie crusts. Add filling. Cover with top crust. Pinch edges of the two crusts together and then flute or crimp. Make a few slits in the top crust for the steam to escape. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Then bake covered with foil for 30 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.<br />
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Yes, those are onion goggles that you see. I purchased them awhile back from Sur la Table.</div>
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What is it about melted butter and veggies that makes you go "YUM!"</div>
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Complete! Now all that is left is to bag it up, cool it down and freeze it. Enjoy!</div>
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<br />Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-959046985274946842013-06-17T06:26:00.001-07:002013-06-17T06:26:52.680-07:00Fun Weekend & Taking InventoryI hope that everyone had a blessed Father's Day weekend. I had the privilege of getting to celebrate Father's Day twice. On Saturday, Jordan and I went to his parents and celebrated with some fabulous BBQ and then on Sunday we made steaks, grilled potatoes and a Caesar salad. For dessert we split a red velvet cupcake from Central Market - YUM!<br />
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So the title of this post is "Fun Weekend & Taking Inventory." The "Taking Inventory" is the part that I want to really write about today. What I am talking about when I say "taking inventory" refers back to number 3 in my previous post. When I decided to really focus on "shopping from my pantry and freezer," I literally took inventory. Below are some of the items that I found and I added to the stockpile over the weekend...<br />
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1. Thin Spaghetti<br />
2. 1 full box Orzo<br />
3. 1 whole bag Egg Noodles<br />
4. 2 new boxes Whole Grain Penne<br />
5. Half box Whole Wheat Rotini<br />
6. Box of Ranch and Bacon Pasta Salad<br />
7. Whole new container of Arborio Rice (used for risotto)<br />
8. White Rice<br />
9. Macaroni Shaped Noodles<br />
10. 4 BBQ Sauces<br />
11. Large jar of Chunky Salsa<br />
12. New bag of Strawberry Granola<br />
13. Chocolate Family-Sized Brownie Mix<br />
14. 2 Holiday Funfetti Cake/Cupcake Mixes<br />
15. 9 packets of Pancake Mix (each makes about 3 pancakes)<br />
16. Bin of onions (pulled from garden)<br />
17. Bin of red potatoes (pulled from garden)<br />
18. 1 bag frozen Cranberries<br />
19. 1 loaf of frozen Honey Wheat Bread<br />
20. 11 frozen meat pies<br />
21. 4 servings of frozen Tamales<br />
22. 2 bags frozen pasta sauce<br />
23. 10 lbs frozen chicken breasts<br />
24. 1 bag frozen green beans<br />
25. 1 bag frozen blackberries<br />
26. Half bag of frozen peach slices<br />
27. Garlic Cheddar Biscuits frozen<br />
28. Frozen Pumpkin Pie Drop Cookies<br />
29. 1 lb frozen Ground Beef<br />
30. Half a bag of frozen Pitted Cherries<br />
31. Frozen Chopped onions<br />
32. 1 can Frozen Apple Juice<br />
Added over the weekend (We received for our 9 year anniversary a gift card to Central Market as well as a new cookbook by Curtis Stone, and we decided to stock up on some beef - usually something that I skimp on because of cost.):<br />
33. 5 lbs frozen Ground Sirloin<br />
34. 3/4 lbs Ground Bison<br />
35. 2 lbs frozen Rump Roast<br />
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So you might be sitting there thinking "Gosh, she must hoard food!" I really don't there are pictures below to prove it. Sometimes I will buy things in bulk when there is a really great deal (like the chicken) because I know that we will use it. The meat pies and tamales are left over from me filling our freezer before we had our baby. Just to prove that the above doesn't "look like" as crazy amount, I have the below pictures as proof.<br />
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As you can see, things don't look too overly cluttered. After I had the list of food items that are in my pantry/freezer, I created a list of food ideas that I could make for meals. Some of the ideas were pretty obvious. Below is the list that that I came up with.</div>
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Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce (thank you Miranda Johnston)</div>
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Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken (thank you Miranda Johnston)</div>
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Yogurt with Granola for Breakfast</div>
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Pancakes with blackberry or peach sauce</div>
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Homemade potato chips for a snack</div>
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Tamales with Cilantro Lime Rice or Spanish Rice</div>
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Homemade Mac 'N Cheese</div>
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Homemade Pot Pie</div>
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Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup</div>
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Garlic Lime Chicken</div>
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Cranberry Muffins</div>
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Honey BBQ Meatloaf (thank you Miranda Johnston)</div>
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Pasta with homemade sauce</div>
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The above are just a few ideas that I came up with. My main goal is to really try to clear out the fridge/pantry so that I am not wasting. Yes, I will still have to go shopping for side dishes for meals and for some of the ingredients needed to make the recipes (example: I don't have the pretzels for the Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken). And, if there is a great deal on something that is a staple around our house, then I will be purchasing it as well. The goal is to spend less when I do go grocery shopping. Knowing what is in your freezer/pantry/fridge can really help you reduce your grocery bill. Are you doing anything to reduce your bill or do you do something similar to this? I will post my recipe for Chicken Pot Pie later this week. It is on the menu for Friday...</div>
Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-32349653077451419252013-06-13T10:21:00.000-07:002013-06-13T10:21:22.046-07:00Saving on Groceries...So if you are like me, and cook most of your meals, you will have noticed that the price of groceries over the past few years has gone up. Jordan and I try to eat at home (meaning he or I or the both of us cook) at least 5 nights a week. We tend to splurge a little on the weekend.<br />
Jordan and I try hard to stay in budget and we personally allocate $80 per week for groceries (this includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks). We get this amount for the whole month at the beginning of the month in cash and then once it is gone, it is gone. <br />
It is so hard these days to do what is considered to be "best" for your family. You hear so much about how organic is sooo much better. Or you hear about which diet is best - no carbs, paleo, weight watchers, etc... Now that I have a little one at home, I am becoming more conscious about the things that I am eating. I want her to have a well rounded diet and not be addicted to snacking all the time. So what am I willing to do and what am I not willing to do at this point? Jordan and I purchase some organic, however the majority of our diet is not organic. I am trying to limit red meat intake to once a week, except with special occasions (i.e. Father's Day and our Anniversary fall in the same week - we love steak...). I am also trying to get away from so many processed foods. <br />
All of that being said, I wanted to write down in one place the steps that I am taking to try to cut our grocery budget. <br />
<br />
Here are the things I try to take into account when planning a menu:<br />
1. Meal plan around circulars and personal schedule<br />
-Check the weekly grocery adds for the best deals. Compare sale items across grocery stores and pick one or two stores that work for you and shop for them for the week. Also, think about your personal schedule - if certain nights are busier than others, you may need to have something for the crockpot for those times.<br />
2. Eat seasonally. Know what vegetables are in season for your area and eat those things during those seasons (i.e. you think of butternut squash and pumpkin during the fall, whereas right now corn is at its cheapest).<br />
3. Shop your pantry, fridge and freezer first!<br />
-Look at what you have and try to get creative. Lots of leftover vegetables? Make a pot of soup or stir fry with some noodles or rice. Canned green beans and corn? Add a meat and call it a meal.<br />
4. Set a monthly budget instead of a weekly budget.<br />
-Jordan and I allocate $80 per week. So, a the end of the month, we count up the number of Sundays in the following month and multiply that times $80 and that is what we take out in cash for the month. Why a month instead of a week? Some things go on sale that are a really great deal and you don't necessarily buy them each week so some weeks are going to be more costly and some weeks will be very cheap. If you do this, then it all balances out. For example, it seems that I always run out of paper goods at the same time (toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels... same goes for cleaning supplies) and if I see a great deal on these products, I will stock up on them for the month.<br />
5. Not every meal needs to have a meat.<br />
-Some things that I love that have no meat this includes pastas and homemade pizzas. We love to grill pizza this time of year.<br />
6. Be willing to shop at two places.<br />
- For some, this one is tough. You are busy and you want to get in and out and be done with it. I get that, but there are places that just have better deals. For instance, you can go to Aldi's and get a bunch of your grocery list taken care of for cheap but you aren't going to find everything there.<br />
7. Buy ONLY what is on your grocery list.<br />
- This is tough but if you are trying to save some "dough" then you have to do it.<br />
8. Consider designating certain nights with a theme. <br />
- Examples could be baked potato bar, pizza night, breakfast for dinner night, etc... This makes planning easy. Maybe there is something that your family really loves to eat, throw it in the mix once a month.<br />
9. Cook larger batches of some items and freeze half. This is huge. There are just certain recipes that it is so much easier to make a double batch of and then freeze half. So nice to have a few nights a month in which cooking dinner involves NO PREP WORK! Casseroles and soups freeze great. I have a chicken pot pie recipe that I make in batches - it is one of Jordan's favorite recipes.<br />
10. Consider investing in a Seal-A-Meal. When meats go on sale, I really stock up and you want to make sure that your meats that you freeze don't go bad due to improper freezing.<br />
11. Shop without your children. Right now, this isn't a big one for us. Julia is little right now and really doesn't have an opinion on what I should or shouldn't be purchasing. Give it a bit, and I bet that will change.<br />
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Okay, so that was a long post. I am going to try to post frequently on what steps we are really focusing on and what is isn't working. What do you do to save money at the grocery store?Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-66888461321831079592013-06-12T08:40:00.000-07:002013-06-12T08:40:27.047-07:00So, a LOT has changed...I always admire those who actually keep up their blogs, and I really enjoy reading the blogs. So often with a busy life, reading blogs is one of the quickest ways to feel somewhat connected to people. All of that being said, I thought that I would try again to work on a blog. As you can see, my last blog post on June 11th, 2009. Would you believe that date is exactly 4 years ago yesterday! <br />
So, a LOT has changed since that post. Jordan and I are still the owners of two furry friends - Mollee & Buddy. However, they are no longer hold the center stage around our house. Nope, in January of this year, we welcomed into the world Miss Julia Anne. She was born on January 20th at 12:26pm at the Allen Birthing Center, and since then our lives as we knew them, have never been the same.<br />
Now, I am in the process of doing what many of my friends already seem to do quite expert-like. I am a full-time stay-at-home mom. I still do cooking shows a couple nights/days a week and run my Pampered Chef business from home. But now, I work when Miss Julia allows me the time. I try to cook at least five nights a week; I would like to do better on the weekends... I am hoping to blog more about money saving tips as far as eating goes, and I hope that blogging helps to keep me accountable to theses principles. <br />
So this blog post is a little mish-mashed; the posts in the future should be a bit better... So for fun, below are some pics of our little girl from the past few months.<br />
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<br />Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-70102869023343298882009-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:002009-06-11T11:59:25.941-07:00A Fabulous Deal...So, if you are like me, you are on the lookout for great deals. Well I just received an email from a friend letting me know about this deal- Thank you Lisa :) I just got done placing an order and saving a bunch of money.<br /><br /><br />This is true! I just ordered some stuff, and the $7.50 coupon code worked too!<br /><br />Nordstrom is changing the logo on their makeup, so they're selling everything for one dollar on line. The make-up line E.L.F. (eyes-lips-face) has been bought out by Nordstrom and will be re-packaged with the Nordstrom name on it. They are getting rid of the entire make up in the ELF packaging. They are selling everything for $1. You do have to pay shipping. They have everything powder,mascara, lipstick, a mineral line, brushes etc. The website is <a title="blocked::http://console.mxlogic.com/redir/?BQjqbbbOabypI05VrW7OmEXJLVva4WHs3Pt-Ky-ZtdZ6UUTsTivH4ZxbBE-oBeoaQ-Ro7WgFOVJYQsTvdEFIc3CrLe9CS4PoK0GhEw1BoEkD6GFEw6Za-SJNEw6zfNbj9Owhd44G6y0Qi8Cy4QgCy4QgCV-7PM76Qjq9J5MsqekS1RPrBKR_oOKvCN5" href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/shop.asp">http://www.eyeslipsface.com/shop.asp</a><br />When you check out there is a space for a coupon code. Use " CAROLINA " and save an additional $7.50 if your order is over $15.00.Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-43691378142404881342009-06-02T07:25:00.000-07:002009-06-02T08:06:55.212-07:00Sorry, I haven't been around...Sorry, I haven't been around much, at least in the blogging world. I thought that I would try to do a bit better. I have a little free time on my hands and thought that I would update my blog. I know that it has been awhile, so I thought that I might do one long blog post.<br /><br /><br /><br />Last night was my first night of packing before Jordan and I move. My dear friend Courtney came over and helped me pack- such a great help! We were able to pack up a bunch of specialty cooking items that I will most likely not need during the next month as well as a whole bookshelf of books. We packed up at least eight boxes. I realized after she left how much work this packing business is going to entail. Jordan and I have moved one other time. It was from our first apartment in Dallas to our current apartment in Plano. That was a difficult move but I think this one is going to be a bit harder. Jordan is in grad school, we both work full time day jobs, and I do Pampered Chef parties in the evenings... Packing doesn't easily fit into this schedule. So, all of the above being said, let's get on to some fun pictures...<br /><br /><br /><br />Living in Texas means that it is imperative that everyone of your children and in our case dogs must have their pictures taken in the Texas Bluebonnets. After taking what felt like 100 pictures these two were what we thought were the best ones...On a side note, Buddy and Mollee are in Dog Training. We take them every Thursday and will be continuing these classes through the second Thursday in July. I think that Buddy and Mollee especially like the treats for trainning aspect of this.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioop5wuxgkWliBk1QnzUXmCaeyEJVxdh6TxHrQ0icHQo5KuTc3CNams3l4YWsBo2fbfY9VpL0pUApXcCBP7IxTCblc3IQ_40RDVW6NFOOeSNxBKWuZTiDeIEdNxMK4DhZfnpxFowo5nyZz/s1600-h/buddy"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342745270438768754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 195px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioop5wuxgkWliBk1QnzUXmCaeyEJVxdh6TxHrQ0icHQo5KuTc3CNams3l4YWsBo2fbfY9VpL0pUApXcCBP7IxTCblc3IQ_40RDVW6NFOOeSNxBKWuZTiDeIEdNxMK4DhZfnpxFowo5nyZz/s320/buddy" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWMivoiMonyWRoZIgnxIjQ6rSjGD9C3RCAReNr29eZRND568cQkF5Jonjxo4F9KiZoV64xUg6Q3K8GYZ5YKyledzxS2f8MJEeSLopAF1lCAj1VbLqK_4JPXkzAP0HQ-porVdnstx4w9ge/s1600-h/mollee"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342745191301188546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWMivoiMonyWRoZIgnxIjQ6rSjGD9C3RCAReNr29eZRND568cQkF5Jonjxo4F9KiZoV64xUg6Q3K8GYZ5YKyledzxS2f8MJEeSLopAF1lCAj1VbLqK_4JPXkzAP0HQ-porVdnstx4w9ge/s320/mollee" border="0" /></a> As many of you know, Jordan and I are building our first house. Below are some more recent pictures of the progress. We are very excited about our first house! The lastest that we could close would be July 10th and earliest that we could close would be June 24th. The days are really sneaking up on us. The first picture was taken on May 24th. Lonna took this picture of Jordan and me in front of the house. The second and third pictures were taken on May 29th. The granite had been installed and the lot had been grated.<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6m2pvHPFQrGjF9Sj4bMgYIimvh7FeirNACH2gJ0A8HTvAZiUSAVOdXiyq0KDTXSPab1W3nrFqrlgkN95U2yUDl7EySKtQ_vLu6pWB3nHlugnKXcn3iCXZwJuW0vEAeMUul4ZiIHPhhH8/s1600-h/house+52409.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342745103526298210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 166px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6m2pvHPFQrGjF9Sj4bMgYIimvh7FeirNACH2gJ0A8HTvAZiUSAVOdXiyq0KDTXSPab1W3nrFqrlgkN95U2yUDl7EySKtQ_vLu6pWB3nHlugnKXcn3iCXZwJuW0vEAeMUul4ZiIHPhhH8/s320/house+52409.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoR175gdXVQlq6hDBS4er7v6LIv2ZHj9apXiurn_Kfjjcl6HOI_eDbl3uH7kaJU5OZAQxC26I9RXGfMdibaEnEK4M_zCmidv2gy7QkU2yOOhcNeNQZxFbSrrws_MWGhtUdQl-QhM0Z6EQu/s1600-h/house52909.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342744977638742674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoR175gdXVQlq6hDBS4er7v6LIv2ZHj9apXiurn_Kfjjcl6HOI_eDbl3uH7kaJU5OZAQxC26I9RXGfMdibaEnEK4M_zCmidv2gy7QkU2yOOhcNeNQZxFbSrrws_MWGhtUdQl-QhM0Z6EQu/s320/house52909.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNrAbW6kqSdKNvnfoanyBsJK3H6DyfkvuVHk0OGNIBY9AGwxnn3fz96UhF0OY18iXUhy6y7-x3u-VS1H6rWbPb-p21FskPzLyCUG1ucaoJ-qVz7tF28vlW1UScVvV866-401q-PQKkeqK/s1600-h/kitchen52909.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342744879397666146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNrAbW6kqSdKNvnfoanyBsJK3H6DyfkvuVHk0OGNIBY9AGwxnn3fz96UhF0OY18iXUhy6y7-x3u-VS1H6rWbPb-p21FskPzLyCUG1ucaoJ-qVz7tF28vlW1UScVvV866-401q-PQKkeqK/s320/kitchen52909.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This week, the tile is supposed to be done in the entry, dining, and kitchen areas. Also, the fence-posts are to be put in. Preparations are to be started for the sprinkler system as well. Everything is coming along sooo quickly.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Lonna & Milton (my in-laws) celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary on May 27th. As our gift for them, we set up a table on their back patio and cooked and prepared for them a beautiful dinner on the following Saturday. After this experience, Jordan and I decided to keep our day jobs and not go into the catering business...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghs938cxihhulp1NdhMRRPT2P0pxfZ0Nd7QaxYV-l_aNdbhpT4WMNQe6Kq5DqcE3AvK6CQDnxI7oXdv7hLShB4uG4iQ-nrLqkAam674RUYGmJ0GUMELDVcyULnCftOJ9Zcr2JlJN5xl1nX/s1600-h/happy+anniversary.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342744737991512594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 124px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 166px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghs938cxihhulp1NdhMRRPT2P0pxfZ0Nd7QaxYV-l_aNdbhpT4WMNQe6Kq5DqcE3AvK6CQDnxI7oXdv7hLShB4uG4iQ-nrLqkAam674RUYGmJ0GUMELDVcyULnCftOJ9Zcr2JlJN5xl1nX/s320/happy+anniversary.jpg" border="0" /></a> I will try to do better and post more often...we will see how long that lasts.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-4595264400430669712009-01-21T08:02:00.000-08:002009-01-21T08:10:06.829-08:00This Crazy Mixed Up World...As many of you already know, Jordan and I are in the process of building a home. See if you can see the craziness of my story.<br /><br />So, here is my story from yesterday. Jordan and I have been pre-approved by the preferred mortgage company that the builder we are using recommends. We were a little disappointed with the closing fees, and so we decided to look at the bank that he has been banking with for 8+ years and I have been banking with for 4+ years, thinking that we could get better closing fees through them.<br /><br />We are COMPLETELY debt free. We don't owe a penny to anyone. We both have amazing credit (I have a 788 credit score and his is 786). We never miss a payment on any bills, etc... We will put down in cash at least 10% upon closing of this house. We can swing all of the bills including the mortgage on his income alone. In other words, we are doing really good. We have budgeted most of our almost 5 years of marriage and we don't buy things that we cannot afford.<br /><br />So, all of the above being said. Jordan and I were denied the loan at our bank yesterday because my husband has never had any credit. That means, he has never had to pay any loans. He was fortunate to have parents that paid for his education and his used car, which we are still using (we don't buy new things). His parents really planned for their kiddos. They don't live above their means; they actually live below their means.<br /><br />The bank would love it if it was just me they were considering on the loan because Jordan and I have completely paid off all of my student loans. I had to get one every semester for four years of college. I also have a store credit card which I haven't used in over a year, but I paid it off when I did use it. We only have one credit card to our name and we pay it off every month (we like using it to get points for hotels and plane tickets). Anyway, they are saying that we will be able to apply for a FHA (which is for people with bad credit or no credit at all) loan and not just the standard loan through them.<br /><br />For those of you who have kids and are planning on paying for college and their cars etc... Do this, somehow, have them pay (have them take out a loan) and then pay it back immediately in their name. If you do this, they will at least have some lines of credit. When they are ready to purchase their first home, etc... at least they will have some established credit.<br /><br />So, we are being "punished" for my husband who has not ever had any debt to his name. It is a mess. We are definitely learning through all of this.Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-53723258136972269352009-01-13T06:09:00.000-08:002009-01-13T06:16:07.917-08:00Project Build Picture...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5o4dbsggE-90A_4GT7uwyNOQPR_LOXNJ3ExHdSvpDFFEKUkf4s2b7OneAFJpy24RItVLiCFQqxVsZvB_z6ZWTWftlLds_85hbIqOuBsygdbmxx_BDsU31Op8aWSVtmW9NDG3ZIY3niEW/s1600-h/100_2269%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290781538904503858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5o4dbsggE-90A_4GT7uwyNOQPR_LOXNJ3ExHdSvpDFFEKUkf4s2b7OneAFJpy24RItVLiCFQqxVsZvB_z6ZWTWftlLds_85hbIqOuBsygdbmxx_BDsU31Op8aWSVtmW9NDG3ZIY3niEW/s320/100_2269%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a>Above you will see a picture of Jordan and me on our lot of dirt. It is amazing to think that a house will supposedly be in this picture in just 5-6 months! One thing that was pretty cool about the day that was captured in this picture, is the fact that we got to meet our neighbors. Let me rephrase that, "We got to meet our only neighbors." Since this is a fairly new area we only have one set of neighbors across the street from us. They were super sweet! They are a young married couple with a little daughter.<br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-19204243746498647112009-01-12T08:10:00.000-08:002009-01-12T08:44:01.303-08:00Project BUILD!!Time for some big news! Jordan and I took the plunge! Yesterday, we put down money on a plot of dirt... Don't worry, it won't be dirt for long! We are building a beautiful home in Wylie that we will have plenty of room to grow into. We have been looking into doing this and saving for quite some time. We are very excited about this new adventure! It is estimated that it will be about 5-6 months for it to be finished; so, we should be in the new house by June or July! It is so crazy; I don't feel old enough to be getting house... We are already scheduling meetings to choose our bricks for the house, and we have to know by today what upgrades to the building process we need to make. I can't wait till it is built!<br /><br /><br /><br />Click on "K. Hov" under "My Favorite Places to Go" to see the house that we are building. Once you click on the above link, do the following:<br /><br />Click on "First Floor." Click on "select your options" in the right area of the screen and choose: study, corner fireplace, covered patio<br /><br />Click on "Second Floor." Click on "select your options" in the right area of the screen and choose: Bedroom 5/Bath 3, Bath 3 Window<br /><br />Now you can see what our home looks like on paper!Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-12856242339509329282009-01-12T07:58:00.000-08:002009-01-12T08:09:56.005-08:00Denver, COLast Wednesday, I got on a plane and headed over to Denver, CO. As you know, I am a Pampered Chef Consultant. This year, our Leadership Conference was held in Denver, CO. Traveling to Denver was so much fun! I learned some wonderful news about some up and coming promotions that the Pampered Chef is offering! I also got to see all of the fabulous new Spring/Summer product that will be available to purchase on March 1st! I can't wait till March. I will be doing a "Last Chance, First Glance" party in February for all of my past hosts. This will be an opportunity for everyone to purchase any soon to be retiring products as well as sample the new recipes and look at all of the new products! It will be great! I will post pictures soon of some of the wonderful sights in Denver.Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-7352022089559588952008-10-30T06:09:00.000-07:002008-10-30T06:30:33.329-07:00Must share...Ok, so you know when you find that wonderful easy recipe that you just feel the need to share with the whole world? Well I found one, actually it was given to me. As many of you know that are reading this post, I decorate cakes for various celebrations. I have a fantastic recipe for the icing on my cakes! It is the perfect consistency for icing a cake for a celebration. It is a beautiful white color, which makes it wonderful for dying. Now, saying all of that, there are times when you just want a yummy icing to slather on a cake. This icing need not be decorator's icing; the only requirement is that it must taste amazing. Yesterday for Bible study, I was making a gingerbread cake out of the box. Oh my, did I say out of the box! If I am in a hurry, out of the box is the best way to go, and who in their right mind doesn't like gingerbread?!?! Of course it is important to note that gingerbread cake mixes are usually only around during the fall season; if you like gingerbread, you better stock up. Anyway, sorry for digressing, I needed a quick and easy frosting recipe. So, below is the ingredients to the recipe that I literally whipped up in a jiffy.<br /><br />1 (8 oz) block softened cream chesse<br />1 tsp vanilla<br />1 tsp cinnamon<br />1/3 cup sugar<br /><br />All I did is put the above four items in a bowl, and grabbed my hand held electric mixer and went to town. So simple and so yummy at the same time. It is a fabulous recipe!! Hope you enjoy!Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-74690924651087389682008-10-29T07:01:00.000-07:002008-10-29T07:41:26.596-07:00Happy Birthday to Me!Today is the day! I am 27 years old today. While I know that I am still young, I am constantly amazed at how quickly times seems to pass me by. I have been married for almost 4 and a half years and sometimes I still feel like I am "playing house." I have been very blessed in my 27 years of life. I am thankful for this birthday and the people that surround me on this day. Now for a history lesson. Below is a list of things that were going on during my birth year, 1981.<br /><br />The TV comedy "Gimme a Break," starring Nell Carter, made its debut on NBC<br /><br />Bill Giles Becomes CEO of Philadelphia Phillies.<br /><br />In October of 1981, an unknown rock preformer named Prince opens for the Rolling Stones at the Los Angeles Coliseum<br /><br />In October of 1981, President Reagan, in an address before the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, outlines his policy on world economic development. After saying that "development and economic freedom go hand in hand," he notes that a mere handful of industrialized countries that couple "personal freedom with economic reward now produce more than one-half the wealth of the world."<br /><br />On October 28th, 1981 the U.S. Senate gives President Reagan a stunning foreign policy victory when it approves 52-48 the sale of $8,5 billion worth of sophisticated aircraft and other military equipment to Saudi Arabia.<br /><br />On October 28th, 1981 the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series, defeating the New York Yankees four games to two.<br /><br />Oh what an exciting month, and to top it off I was born!Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3055568204313230619.post-7948551373185241952008-10-28T07:29:00.000-07:002008-10-28T09:54:58.069-07:00So I finally did it...So, I finally did it...I have taken the plunge. I am officially a blogger. I guess you could say that I have been a "lurker" for a little over a year now. I have been lurking about looking at everyone elses blogs and refusing to start my own. I am not very computer savvy so bear with me. I am definitely going to take a little while to get the hang of this.<br /><br /><br /><br />If you are reading this, welcome to my blog. Hopefully this will be a place where you can catch up on things that are going on in my life as well as my opinions on various subjects. I hope that I can post occasional recipes that I find and fall in love with. I love to bake and tis the season to start baking! I did it! I did my first entry!!Kimberlee Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04300246994758410075noreply@blogger.com2