The view from my kitchen window last night! A long-awaited spring storm on the horizon. It immediately had my adrenaline pumping, even though the storm was 50+ miles away to the south. : ( 

time change

I wish I could remember where I copied & pasted the following news story from. Well, you can Google to find related articles if you wish. It's about next years time change. I found it to be very interesting.

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Next year daylight savings time will be pushed back on the yearly calendar by a law passed last year.

Currently daylight savings time begins on the first Sunday of April ending the last Sunday of October, according to a press release from Astronomical Applications Department.

However in 2007, the dates will be modified due to the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The act will start daylight saving time on Sunday, March 11, and end daylight saving time on Sunday, Nov. 4, in 2007.

Daylight savings time was started in the United States with the Act of March 1918, also called the Standard Time Act. Standard time was the instituted in the U.S. and Canada by the railroads in 1883 but not established as law until the Standard Time act passed, according to the release. Repealed in 1919, daylight savings time was re-established nationally in the United States during World War II and continuously observed from Feb. 9, 1942 to Sept. 20, 1945. Post war, daylight savings time's use varied among states and localities until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided standardization in the dates of beginning and end of daylight time in the U.S., but still allowing for local exemptions. The Uniform Time Act stated daylight time would begin the last Sunday in April and end the last Sunday of October, with the change over to take place at 2 a.m. local time, according to the release.

The energy crisis years saw congress enact earlier dates for daylight savings time. In 1974, daylight time began Jan. 6. Just a year later, in 1975 it began Feb. 23. After those two years the starting date reverted back to the last Sunday in April. In 1986, a law passed that permanently setting the start date to the first Sunday in April to begin in 1987. The ending date remained the last Sunday of October, the release stated.

Recipe of the Month - April

This post has been sitting in my drafts folder since 4/2. I really need to get with it.....

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Here it is April already! Can you believe it?

Flower beds to prepare, windows to wash, winter clothes put away, outdoor toys to be brought out of storage.... Oh the list could go on & on. Enjoy every minute of it because before you know it the oppressive heat & humidity will be upon us.

Today was such a fun day! We enjoyed lunch with the Dahl family and then gametime for the adults, while the kids played. We really need to do that more often! Thanks guys!

Well, on to the recipe of the month....

This time it's Taco Seasoning Bulk Mix. Now, even if you buy the generic packets it adds up to be about 35 cents a packet. I know, I know. That's pretty cheap. But have you ever looked at the ingredient list? The sodium amount is unreal! I believe there are preservatives too. Now either of those two is reason enough to find an alternative.

So, I came up with this, and our family prefers it over the store bought. I've never done the math to compare this to the packets, but most of the ingredients are things you probably already have and you can play around to find the taste you like. You could even take the salt out completely if you like.

This recipe is for one batch, but a double batch will fill a quart jar.


Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix
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3/4 C dried minced onion
1/8 C salt
1/4 C chili powder
1 T. dried oregano
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. crushed dried peppers
2 T. dried minced garlic
2 T. ground cumin

Mix all ingredients together to blend. Store in an airtight container.

To use: Add 2 - 3 T. of mix to 1 lb. of ground beef, turkey, or shredded chix. Add 1/2 C. water and simmer before serving.
Yield: almost 2 cups

ALL CAPS

This is for all IE users. I've tweaked my blog template some. I hope it helps with the readability of my blog. It still wants to display in all caps, which I DO NOT like, but I can't seem to change it.

If you're not using Firefox, get on board! It has proven to be way faster, and easier to use. Not sure about compatibility with Macs but you can find out for yourself at this link.

Have a great evening!

What? You'd like a real post you say?

Seriously? Like a real story or some cute anecdote? Well, okay. I'm a little rusty though.

First, I just want to apologize to all of you IE users. I had NO idea my blog went haywire, with the huge fonts and all. I will try to fix it asap! I use Firefox(it rocks!) and never test my blog in IE. So I'm on it, soon to have it fixed (I hope).
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Yesterday was a topsy-turvy day of emotions. We laid to rest a dear, sweet lady who I'll always remember as "Char". She was always smiling and helping or encouraging her friends. She always told it like it was, but was so gentle and sweet. She SO loved the Lord, and you could just see Him pouring out of her. Char, I will miss you so much, and just cannot wait until I get to heaven and hear what you've been up to and the fun you've been having in your new body, free of that horrid cancer that took you too soon from us!

I had a steady stream of tears from the time we left for the funeral until we picked the kids up from the sitter's. Steve would look at me and say, "how you doing" and then the floodgates would open. I'll tell you, by the afternoon I was exhausted. How does crying make you so tired? What a mystery.

When we got home we had lunch and put Mudge down for a nap. The older two behaved so well, and let me just go to my room and shut the door. Solitude. I really needed it. Did I sleep? Nooooo. I sat at my desk, coffee in hand, and slaved over our blog header. It's still not what I wanted, but I am learning so much. Plus it's so fun to play with the kids' pictures.

Later in the day the phone rang. I hesitated answering it, as I just didn't feel like talking to anyone. I did answer, and who was on the other end but my DH. He struck up enough courage to call me to ask me out on a date! (His words, not mine.) He'd even lined up a sitter. Now 2 sitters in a day is a rarity, but we really needed to spend some time together. So off we headed to the big city to the north for some supper. We had 16 minutes to decide where we were going to go. I really had no preference, but a little Mexican sounded good. (Side note: I cannot say "little Mexican" without picturing a stout little guy with poncho & sombrero)

For those of you who don't know, Casa Mexicana in R.L. has the best Mexican food! And reasonably priced too! Their walls are painted a guacamole green, they have handmade Mexico-themed crafts hanging all over, and there's authentic Mexican music playing on the radio (loudly). It was so fun. We devoured the chips & salsa, ate Chimichangas, laughed, and drank a Dos Equis each. It was just like old times. Just what my exhausted-self needed. Thank you honey.

We then came home, tucked in the kids, watched a rotten movie, and got to bed too late. The end.
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We love cheese around here. It's a killer to the ole weight loss plan, but oh well. Steve loves pepper-jack, and has been known to eat a whole bag of pepper-jack cheese curds all by himself, in one sitting. Just imagine that a moment.....

Well the other day Bud said, "I know what kind of cheese Dad likes best! It's spicy lumberjack!" Ohhhhh, you've got to love him.
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I need some serious strategy tips on dealing with a strong-willed child! (Are you listening MD?) Mudge has decided that it's okie-dokie to throw herself down on the floor/mattress/table and flail, all while throwing a verbal fit when she's told "no". YIKES! I have no idea how to deal with this! Yesterday she repeatedly threw herself against me because I wouldn't let her in my lap to read a book. I was right in the middle of searching the bookcase for Bud's book and she thought she should have priority. I finally took her upstairs to her crib this morning when she wouldn't stop with the verbal barrage. This after she was told to SIT DOWN in her high chair. I haven't heard anything up there for awhile now, so I'm assuming she's snoring. She most definitely was up too early, a-la Junior at Cartoon Living.

So send your ideas, pronto.
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And now I leave you with some photos. Have a great day, weekend, etc.!


What would you guess is Bud's favorite pastime?





Just turn your back for a second.......



Peek-a-boo



Canoecopia 2006

The Canoecopia DH so graciously let me go to meant a solo trip to Madison to lose myself in everything kayak. It meant a long round trip. No kids. Loud tunes or no tunes. Uninterrupted prayer time. Watching a sunrise & a sunset while listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Eating breakfast while reading the newspaper; again, uninterrupted. So many things that day were a treat in themselves.



I never THOUGHT to do this with my kayak. I mean fishing?!? For pete's sake.



This is called an Adirondack boat. It's like a hybrid canoe/rowboat. Very beautiful. Handmade.



BIL Chuck escorted me to lunch at The Red Robin. We ate well, talked smart, and had a good visit.



Yum. That's a Freckled Lemondae in the funky glass, dinner salad, and Baked Potato Soup w/ Foccacia. Chuck had unlimited fries and a jumbo burger.



Chuck & Red Robin himself.



Steve would recognize this from our detour. (Inside joke)



And finally..
My girls.... each who loves the other dearly.