Why is it...

That whenever you REALLY need something, in some way shape or form you get it totally unexpectedly? I'm not complaining at all. I've just been pondering this for today.

DH has been off work due to lack of work for 3 days now and it doesn't look promising for the rest of this week either. We are fine on food, our bills are paid, but we're running low on gas. We've made it our goal to get through these tough times without using our credit cards and we would like to stray away from tapping into savings as well. So being low on gas today, I've been plotting my week for all the driving we have to do and making trips run together.

When we got the mail this afternoon; wouldn't you know there was a rebate check we've been waiting for for $20! With gas coming down significantly here over the last couple of weeks...it's now $2.75 per gallon...I'm able to get over seven gallons of gas! WHOO HOO!! This is a big difference from a month ago when gas was almost one full dollar more.

I'm very thankful that I started couponing over the summer and have quite the stockpile of goods. I'm also thankful that we are taken care of. Our needs are met. It makes me very grateful!!

What are you grateful for?

Weekly Reflection

Penny Pinching Diva has decided to make a weekly list of 5 things she is thankful for and I think this is a wonderful idea. I'm going to do it too....that is, if I remember every week. haha.

What am I thankful for this week?

1) My husband: He is such a loving man and hard worker, I don't know what I would do without him! Even though there are days where I would love to send him to Pluto because he's driving me crazy. Love you honey!!

2) My son: His laugh and carefree attitude keeps me grounded. It really does make you realize the important things in life.

3) Coffee: I'm thankful EVERY day for coffee!

4) Being able to pay our bills: In this economy, I'm thankful every day for being able to pay our bills. I know there are a lot of people in lots of financial trouble. I feel for them daily.

5) My Mom: My Mom is my best friend aside from DH and I don't know what I would do without her. Just this morning she helped me find something in my home while she was in her office 3 hours away. She is just plain amazing!

Make weekly reflection a part of your blog too!

Make it yourself Monday. Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Let me start by saying that DH is LOVING my new Monday feature. He gets home from work and the house smells of baked goods. He's in heaven! So here's today's recipe. Go...make it yourself!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
About 24 Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Heat oven to 375 degrees F

Combine butter, shortening, peanut butter, sugars and egg in large bowl, mix until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture until blended.

Shape into balls placing two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the back of a spoon and place a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup upside down in the middle of each cookie.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.

ENJOY! With a huge glass of milk of course!

Notes: I use Pampered Chef cooking stones to bake my cookies and they took a bit longer. It was about 13 minutes for me. You just want them to be golden and pretty.

The end of an era. So sad...

We've finally arrived at the end of an era in our family. I find myself saddened and wishing it weren't so.

Yesterday I was informed of the correct pronunciation of fire hydrant. That's right my friends, the very last incorrect word from DS's vocabulary bit the dust yesterday!

Long gone are the "fra-vit" things and now we have the favorite things.

So long "gross-T store". Hello grocery store.

Goodbye "awful pop" and welcome toaster. (this one still holds my heart, because the waffles go pop!)

And as of yesterday, see you later "fire hard-rent".

I almost get choked up at the idea, but the fact of the matter is...I have an almost 5 year old!

Make it yourself Monday. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

I thought I might try a new feature to my blog. I noticed that a lot of bloggers have topics of the day that they reuse weekly. I thought I would start small with one for Monday morning.

Today's very first "Make it yourself Monday" item is a GREAT recipe I have developed over the past couple of years with trial and error and it's finally perfect! If I do say so myself...hehe.

I present you:

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray muffin cups or line with paper cups
2. Cream together butter and sugars. Add oats, applesauce, egg, and vanilla.
3. Add flour, baking soda and cinnamon and mix well until completely blended. Gently fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 20-23 minutes until golden and set.

These are a family favorite! What I have been using for the chocolate is Hershey's Bilss candies. I unwrap them and cut them into 12 pieces each. It works great and the fact that the chocolate was a freebie is nice too. This would be a great recipe to hold onto until after halloween and you could steal some of the kiddos' chocolate to use.

Decorating for fall.

I love fall! I love when the leaves start to change. I love the clean, crisp air. I especially love getting out all my candles and decorations and "cozy-ing" up the house.

Yesterday, DH came home and actually complained that the house was "hot". It was 73 degrees. Our furnace never came on once yesterday because I had my candles burning. :) Only a few...like 19. I took some pictures so everyone can enjoy them with me.


This is our side table by the couch. My grandma on my dad's side crocheted the doilly for me. ;)



This is the top of our entertainment center. The middle is actually a metal birdhouse that my mom found for me and it has pumpkins and leaves on it. It's really cute!!


This is my Global Fusion Hurricane by Party Lite. It's a mosiac, hand tiled hurricane done in burgandy, amber and bluish tiles. I have to admit that I thought this piece was ugly until I saw it in person. It has since become one of my favorite pieces!


And finally...If you come to my house, you will be greeted by Gretta my scarecrow. I love her! She's just so stinking cute! And my autumn wreath. I actually made it myself last year!

How do you decorate for fall?

Who do you side with?

My friend PaisleyPenguin sent me a great link here where you can answer a few questions and the widget will pair you with the Presidential candidate that you sided most with. It's kindof cute at the end because the person you don't side with gets catapulted off of the see-saw. :)

Just kindof a fun widget to see what they say.

Enjoy!