My Husband Sold Our Van For $1850

A couple of days I wrote a post that my husband didn't know if he had sold our old van for $1,850 or $1,500.  We had it advertised for $1,850 and had a few calls about it.  He was so anxious to sell it that he had told someone on the phone that he would take $1,500.  He couldn't remember who he had told it to.  So when someone wanted to buy he didn't know for sure how much we were going to get.  They didn't even talk about the price when the person came to look at it.  I let my husband do the business because I don't know anything about vehicles and all that stuff.  Well, I thought for sure that we were going to get $1,500.  I was kind of tiffed at him about lowering the price on the phone right away.  When the person came to pay she had cash.  So I started counting it and there was $1,850.  Yeah!  The van was well worth it.  You wouldn't get a deal like that at a car dealer.  So everything turned out okay.  If we would have gotten $1,500 it would have been okay too; but we can use the extra $350 for gas and groceries! 

Potato Salad

8 Large Potatoes Boiled

7 Hard Boiled Eggs

1 Medium Onion Chopped

2 Stalks of Celery Chopped

Miracle Whip (about 2 cups to get everything coated)

1 tbsp. sugar

Salt and Pepper 

Boil the potatoes with skins in large pot till tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain and put in refrigerator in bowl to cool.  Put eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to a full boil; then turn off heat and cover pan.  Allow eggs to sit in hot water for approx. 15 minutes.  Then rinse the eggs with cold water.  Put in refrigerator.  I do this the day before you want to make the potato salad or early in the morning. The potatoes are easier to peel and firmer when cold.   Cut in quarters then slice thin.  Peel eggs and cut in slices and put in bowl with potatoes.  Add onion and celery.  Mix the sugar with Miracle Whip in a large cup or small bowl.  Put on the potato and egg mixture.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the top to your taste.  I really didn't measure the Miracle Whip so it might take more to get everything coated good.  You can sprinkle some paprika on the top also if you'd like.  I didn't have it on this picture.  Mix all together and enjoy!

You Sold Our Van For What?

We've had our old Mercury Villager van for sale for about a month.  It's been a good van for us but it has 198,000 miles on it and we have gotten a newer one.  We have three vehicles and the kids take two of them to college.  The one we have for sale is in good condition, clean, and only has a little spot with rust on it.  We've had some callers here and there but not a buyer.  Yesterday a woman came with her dad to look at it.  We were asking $2,100 when we started to advertise,  but went down to $1,850 after a few days.   My husband always goes down with the price right away.  He's always in a hurry to get rid of a vehicle when we get a newer one.  He showed the women and her dad the van and they decided to get it.  They are coming today to pay for it.  After they left yesterday I asked my husband how much he sold it for.  He said $1,850.  Then later he said he didn't know if he had told her on the phone that he would take $1,500 for it or not.  He had talked to a couple of different people on the phone about it lately.  When they left no one said anything about a price.  I was in the house and let my husband do the business.  So today we'll find out how much he sold it for.  I hope it's $1,850!  That's not much to begin with!

Old Pyrex Bowls Memories

I have two Pyrex bowls that are very old.  They are part of a set of four which includes a red and blue one.   I got them at a garage sale years ago.  My mom has a set of them which she got for a wedding present over 60 years ago.  I remember her making goulash, baked beans, German potato salad and so many other dishes in them.   I use them for everything also from mixing cake or cookie batter to storing leftovers.  You don't see bowls like this any more.  I would love to get the smaller red and blue ones too, just to have a set.  I have other bowls but these are the  two that get most of the use.  I know they have the ones I need on E-bay but maybe some day I'll find the other two at a garage or estate sale.  These bowls bring back lots of memories of mom cooking when I was growing up.   Do you have any bowls or kitchen items that bring back memories?

Ten Things That Make Me Smile (In No Particular Order:)

1   Seeing My Kids Have Fun

2   Watching Kittens Play

4   Looking At Old Family Pictures

5    Seeing Old Friends

6    Having A New Recipe Turn Out

7    Watching The Snow Fall

8    Going Out To Eat

9    Watching A Good Movie With My Kids

10   Finding An Antique At A Garage Sale

Striped Delight Dessert (Oreos, Chocolate Pudding, Cool Whip)

35 Oreo cookies

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

 2 Tbsp. cold milk

1 tub (12 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed, divided

3 1/4 cups cold milk

2 pkg. (4-serving size each) chocolate instant pudding & pie filling

Place cookies in food processor and process to form fine crumbs.  Transfer to medium bowl.  Add butter; mix well.  Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish.  Refrigerate 10 min.  Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk in separate bowl with wire whisk until well blended (I use an electric mixer).  Stir in 1 1/4 cups of the whipped topping.  Spread over crust.

Pour 3 1/4 cups milk into large bowl.  Add dry pudding mixes.  Beat with wire whisk 2 min.  or until well blended.  Spoon evenly over cream cheese layer.  Let stand 5 min. or until thickened.  Spread remaining whipped topping over pudding layer.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours.  Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Today is Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter.  Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God.  

The priest, minister, or officiating layperson marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes in the sign of the cross, which the worshiper traditionally retains until it wears off.  The priest or minister says one or both of the following when applying the ashes:  Remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return (Genesis 3:19).  Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel (Mark 1:15).  This practice is celebrated by Catholics, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodists, Presbyterians, and some Baptist denominations. 

7 Facts About Fat Tuesday

Mardis Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten  season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.  In many areas, the term "Mardi Gras" has come to mean the whole period of activity related to the celebratory events, beyond just the single day. In some US cities, it is now called "Mardi Gras Day" or "Fat Tuesday".

Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other European languages sharing the Christian tradition. In English, the day is called Shrove Tuesday, associated with the religious requirement for confession before Lent begins. 


Paczki "pronounced "poonch-key" is a favorite to eat today.  Pączki are made from especially rich dough containing eggs, fats, sugar and sometimes milk. They feature a variety of fruit and creme fillings and can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar.

President's Day Trivia

Happy President's Day!  Here's a little trivia about our Presidents!

 The third Monday in February is designated in the United States as Washington's Birthday, more commonly known as Presidents' Day. 

The most common religious affiliation among presidents has been Episcopalian, followed by Presbyterian.

 President William Howard Taft  gained 50 pounds his first term.

 Eight presidents were left-handed.

 The first to have a Christmas tree in the White House was Benjamin Harrison.

 President Obama is the first president to write email as president.

 President James Madison, the county's fourth leader, who stood at 5-foot, 4-inches tall, was   the shortest president.

The term "First Lady" was first used in 1877 in reference to Lucy Ware Webb Hayes.

Showers or Baths? What's Your Preference?

I know many people like to take showers these days.  It is quicker to jump in the shower for a few minutes when you don't have much time.  I prefer to take a bath most of the time.  I looked up the history of showers and bath tubs and found these interesting facts.  The ancient Greeks were the first to have showers.  They had aqueducts and sewage systems made of lead pipes that allowed water to be pumped into large communal shower rooms.  Early plumbing systems for bathing go back as far as 3300 BC.   Evidence of the earliest personal sized bath tub was found on the island of Crete where a tub was found made from hardened pottery.  It was probably the forefather of the claw foot tub.  In the latter half of the 20th century, the once popular claw foot tub morphed into a built-in tub with a small apron front. This enclosed style afforded easier maintenance and, with the emergence of colored sanitary ware, more design options for the homeowner.  So there you have it!  A little shower and bath tub info for you!

Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 and 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 and 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.  Add egg.  Beat until blended.  Combine baking soda, salt and flour. Add to creamed mixture at low speed.  Drop by rounded tbsp. 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet.  Flatten slightly and use a fork to make a criss cross pattern.  Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until set and beginning to brown.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Easter Candy Commercial the Day After Valentine's Day

I can't believe it!  I saw an Easter candy commercial on television already!  Well, the Easter candy is in the stores so I guess they can start advertising the Easter candy.  I saw the commercial the day after Valentine's Day.   I guess it's not really surprising though.  They put Halloween candy out in August already.  Time flies so fast the way it is.  Everything is all about money and commercialism.   Easter is on April 8th this year, so it's a little way off yet.  I wonder when the candy companies make the candy for each holiday.  They must start months before each holiday.  It doesn't seem like it would be very fresh when the actual holiday comes.  It  seems like the stores put out the holiday merchandise earlier each year.  Christmas stuff is out right after Halloween too!  Maybe before that in some stores.  We live in a fast paced society so I guess this goes along with it!  

Smiling Is Good For You!

I like to smile!  I don't smile when I get up in the morning though, because I'm not a morning person.  I don't know how people can be cheerful so early in the morning.  Some people don't like to smile I guess.  Did you ever see a person with a frown on their face a lot of the time?  I always think that they are unhappy with their life.  I read that smiling  is a positive emotional reaction which indicates happiness, joy, love and affection. When you frown you are expressing negative emotional reactions like frustration, anger, fear, worry and anxiety.  I love to see people smile!  It's a simple thing to do and it's catchy.  Try it some time! 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I remember when I was in grade school and we had a Valentine's Day party.  It was so exciting and every one exchanged Valentines.  We decorated a shoe box with colored paper and cut out hearts and glued them on the box.  You could color it too or decorate it any way you wanted to.  Then we exchanged Valentines and put our cards in the box.  We played games and exchanged candy too!  It was such an exciting day!  When I got home I loved to look at my cards.  They made such cute cards in those days.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day and gets something from their sweetie!

I'd Rather Cook Than Clean House

I really don't like cleaning the house a whole lot.  I'd rather cook than clean.  I have to be in the mood to clean the house.   My sister and I used to share a room when we were little and she says her side of the room was always clean and mine was kind of messy.  Well, I don't know about that.  I like things looking good but I'm not a neat freak.  It seems like she's always cleaning and her house always looks the same.  I do a little here and a little there and my house is clean.  I'm just wondering how many people really like to clean their house?  I mean like major housecleaning!  Like I said, I have to be in the mood.

Daily Clothes Washing Blahs!

I do laundry every day.  I like to keep up with it so it doesn't pile up.  With five in our household there are always towels and washcloths to wash daily.  Add the clothes with that and it's a lot to wash!  I'm not complaining though.  Just think of years ago when they didn't have washing machines.  They had to scrub by hand on a washboard.  Most people probably have never seen one.  I have a miniature washboard hanging in my laundry room for a decoration.   Can you imagine how raw your hands would be from scrubbing dirty clothes!  Then you had to go outside to hang up the clothes.  In the winter the clothes would be stiff when you took them off the clothesline.  Then they had to iron everything also because there weren't permanent press clothes back then.  I'm sure they didn't have as many clothes as people do today, but it was still a lot more work for sure!  Thank goodness for washers, permanent press clothes, and dryers!

Enchiladas

1 lb. hamburger

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1-16 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 (10 count) pkg. tortilla shells (soft)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Brown meat; add taco seasoning and tomato sauce.  Cook 5 minutes.  Spread meat mixture in shells.  Roll up shells and place in 9 x 13 baking dish.  Mix sour cream and mushroom soup in medium bowl.  Pour over shells.  Top with cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 45 minutes.

Shop at Good Will and Save Money!

When I go to the city I like to occasionally go to the Good Will store they have.  The one I go to is very clean and they have lots of items to look at which are reasonably priced.  They have colored tags on each item and each week they have half off on a certain color.  I just like to browse around and see if anything catches my eye.  I have found a nice jacket for my daughter for $5.00 which looked like new.  She didn't even know I got it from there.  They do have an aisle of new clothes also.  I like to look for things I might be able to sell on eBay.  Yesterday I found three coffee cups which I knew were old because they said Fire King on the bottom of them.  I thought they were jadite which are a light greenish color.  I bought them for 69 cents each.  I looked them up on eBay when I got home and found out that I got a great deal.  Some like I bought were selling for $26 for four of them.  So now I can put them on eBay and hopefully make a little money!

Making Money Having Estate Sales

My sister started having estate sales for over ten years.  She calls her company The Wonder Women!  My sister thought of the name like this.  When someone's parents pass away or go into a nursing home and you don't know what to do with their household belongings you "wonder" what to do!  Hence you call The Wonder Women!   My husband and I started helping her with estate sales last fall because the other women who had been with her group got into other ventures or jobs.  I had helped her through the years when she needed help occasionally.  The owners take whatever they want and leave the rest for us to organize, set up tables, and price the items.  Then she advertises in local newspapers.   She charges 30% of whatever is made on the sale.  She usually has the sale on Thursday and Friday.  Sometimes if there is a lot of merchandise it's on Saturday also.  Everything is always 1/2 off on the last day.  It's a lot of fun but it is work!  Some people's houses are quite clean, while others are so dirty you have to wash items before you can display them on tables.  We provide all the tables also, and have too many to count.   I usually am the cashier when the sale starts.  There is always a long line up of people waiting for the sale to start.  It there is a lot of people we give out numbers and only let in so many at a time so it's not so crowded.  It's kind of like having a glorified garage sale!  My sister just called me and said she had three calls about having sales.  So we are going to start next week on a sale.  I'll update on how it goes!

Does Anyone Teach Their Kids To Say Please and Thank You Any More?

I help out at our school in the cafeteria occasionally.  I have done it for about ten years or so.  Anyways, I help serve the lunch to the kids.  I've noticed that most kids do not say thank you when you hand them their tray of food.  There was one girl that did say thank you today out of about 40 kids.   I did notice that many of the kids are quite demanding.  We had spaghetti, corn and bread sticks today.  Some of the kids were saying "give me that one" or "give me a big one" as they were pointing to a bread stick.  One day one of the kids said "hurry up, I'm hungry".  These are kindergarten, first and second graders.  I really don't think a lot of kids are taught manners today.  Little kids grow up to be adults and then it's too late for most to change.  What do you think?

Honey Apple Pie (It's Delicious and My Mom's Recipe)

Pastry For One Crust
One 9" Pie Shell
1/2 Cup Sugar
3 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
4 Cups Tart Apples, Peeled, Cored and Cut in Thick Slices
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1 Tbsp. Butter

Roll our pastry and line a 9" pie pan.  Make a fluted edge.  Sprinkle bottom of pastry shell evenly with 1 tbsp. each of sugar and flour.  Combine remaining sugar and flour; stir in honey and cream.  Pour mixture over apples; mix gently until slices are well coated.  Spoon into pie shell.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg; dot with butter.  Bake in a hot oven 375 degrees or 350 degrees depending on your oven about 45 minutes or until apples are baked.

Cherry Cream Pie (Great for Valentine's Day and President's Day)!

I won a baking contest with this recipe.  I was a runner up!  I just made it and took this picture before putting the crumb mixture on top.  So rich and good!  

1 cup of flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
21 oz. can cherry pie filling
1 cup whipped cream, whipped, sweetened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine first four ingredients.  Pour into 9x13" pan.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  Stir once during baking.  Reserve 1/2 cup crumbs for top.  Using spoon, firmly press remaining warm crumbs into ungreased 9 or 10" pie pan.  Chill.  In medium bowl blend cream cheese, almond extract and powdered sugar until smooth.  Spread over cooled crust.  Fold pie filling into whipped cream.  Spoon over cream cheese layer.  Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.  Chill several hours.


Note:  Do not substitute whipped topping for whipped cream.  It will not have the right consistency.

My Prizes From Coke Rewards Club

I've been collecting Coke brand codes for the Coke Rewards Club for about 3 or more years.  The program was supposed to end at the end of 2011.  It has been extended for another year and I'm very glad about this!  I have gotten quite a few prizes since I've been collecting the codes.  I have gotten a three piece frying pan set, a toaster, another large frying pan, and a set of ceramic bowls of different sizes.  You don't have to drink soda pop to collect these points.  If you drink bottled water you get the points on Dasani water.  They are also on Powerade.  If you buy a case of pop the codes are on the inside of the carton.  When you buy a single bottle of pop they are the inside of the cap.  I buy pop for my kids occasionally so I just get Coke brands so I can get the points.  Sometimes when I go to a grocery store I look in the bottle return bins and there are cartons from Coke products with the codes on them.  If you like to get free stuff start collecting Coke codes!

Stay At Home Moms

I've been a stay at home mom since my children were born.  I am so fortunate to have been able to be at home with my kids while they were growing up.  Just 12 days after my daughter's 2nd birthday my twin sons were born.  She was no longer the baby in the house.  My twins didn't sleep much.  If I was lucky they would maybe take a half hour nap each day.   They always woke each other up.  When one cried the other would start crying.  I didn't have any help and was always so tired.    I remember one time I went to a garage sale looking for clothes for the kids.  The lady who lived there thought I was their grandma and I just went along with her because it was rather embarrassing.  Now that I think of it, I was ticked off!  My husband worked on the day shift then and I couldn't wait until he got home to help me out taking care of them.   Now my daughter is 22 and the twins are 20.  It seems like yesterday they were running around in diapers.  I recently  looked at an old family picture that we had taken when the kids were little.  I do look tired!  I showed my daughter and we both laughed!  I really do think I look better now.   We didn't have a lot of money then or now but I would say we raised some good kids.  They are all going to college right now and commute to school so they still live at home (and I'm still a stay at home mom)!  I applaud all moms!  I know some people don't have a choice if they stay at home or have to go out to work.  My sister had to work and had to send her kids to babysitters when they were little.  It wasn't easy for her either.  So every person's life is different and you can't judge anyone if they work or stay at home.

Save Money! Make Your Own Popcorn In A Bag!

I love popcorn!  I eat it just about every night.  I don't eat the brand names microwave popcorn but make it myself in a paper lunch bag.  My husband used to make it like this at work.  You just get a paper lunch bag and put regular popcorn (I like white the best) in it.  I don't measure it but just put a few handfuls in the bag.  I fold the bag on the top.  Then I put it in the microwave and press the popcorn button.  You have to get used to how much you need according to how strong your microwave is.  When it's done popping I pour it in a bowl.  Then I use spray butter to flavor it.  I don't put salt on it because I don't like much salt and it's not good for you anyways.  I keep the spray butter beside me when I eat it and keep spraying it on as I eat.  The Parkay spray butter is my favorite.  It has zero calories and it tastes good!  Try it for yourself if you like popcorn.  It's cheaper than the popcorn you buy already in the bags to microwave.  I think it tastes better too.

Pajamas or Nightgowns?

I love to wear pajamas!  They are nice and warm to wear in the winter here in Michigan.  I used to wear night gowns years ago but that wore off.   I don't like silky things like that any more!  They don't keep your legs warm and I don't like the feel of night gowns when you're lying in bed.  I like something on my legs and they are nice and comfy.  My husband always gets me pajamas for Christmas now.  He doesn't care what I wear!  We've been married for 28 years so by that time it doesn't really matter what you wear to bed.  Does any one else like pajamas? 

School Cafeteria Sub and Smiley Faces

I am on the list to sub for our Lutheran school cafeteria.  Our school makes a list for the month for mothers to work and if they can't there is a list of people to call and they have to pay them $25.  I do it once a week or occasionally.  I help out by serving food to the kids and washing dishes.  The school has kindergarten, first and second grades.  It's fun to see the little kids and see their different personalities.  Today the meal was hot ham and cheese sandwiches, green beans and tater tots.  I watched the kids as lots of them put ketchup smiley faces on their sandwiches.  Some put mustard smiley faces.  Some couldn't get the ketchup out of the bottle and I had to tell them to shake the bottle a little.  It was quite humorous! 

DENTIST ANXIETY

I am really nervous about going to the dentist.  It never really bothered me years ago.  I always trusted dentists and thought they all knew what they were doing.  About six years I broke a tooth and had to get a crown.  I called my dentist and he had hired a new dentist to replace him because he was retiring soon.  I got her (lucky me) to do my new crown.  She was so unprofessional and I could tell or feel like she didn't know what she was doing.  She kept telling me to open my mouth wider and wider.  Then she said "boy you have a little mouth".  She was cocky and I didn't feel good about the whole experience.  I must have been in the chair over two hours.  After I left my gum area around the temporary crown was very sore.  I knew I didn't want her to put my permanent crown on when it came in.  I told the receptionist that I didn't want her the next time.  A few weeks later I got a call that my permanent crown was in and I had the older dentist that was going to retire.  He said he'd have to make it all over because it didn't fit right.  To make a long story short, my gum area still hurts around the crown.  I went to another dentist and a specialist to see what they thought and they said it was because where the tooth broke off.  They all stick up for each other I think.

I've changed dentists since that experience and am still afraid of dentists.  I get really nervous and have lots of anxiety.  I have an appointment in March and I'm dreading the day already.  If you get a new dentist make sure you check him or her out first.  I looked on the internet and found out that this dentist who worked on me has since had to pay some fines for negligence.