So Much To Say....

I hope my fingers don't fall off!! Let's get to it:

First things first: Food
I found this AMAZING cheese at Wegman's:



Apple Pie Cheese. Oh.My.Goodness. I bought apples to eat with it, but when I sliced the cheese to taste it, it didn't need any company. It tasted like Apple Pie Cheesecake! It was sooooo good! I can't wait to get some more! I'm glad I snagged a picture before it was gone!

Next Up: This weekend

What a weekend it was! So busy! On Saturday we went to the PotatoFest. We tried (and liked A LOT), sweet potato ice cream. Yum! It was so buttery and creamy, I can't wait to try it in my ice cream maker. Here was my view:



Then Mason had a game! It was a real nail-biter! They did win 12-8, but in the last few minutes of the game all of the parents were really sweating it out!! Now we are just one step closer to the coach putting on a dress!!

Sunday:

We got up early to go to get pictures, I have been wanting to get up-to-date photos of Mason for awhile, now. So, I thought an old railroad theme would be nice. He was very cooperative, and the photoshoot ended up being one of the funniest days in a long time! Mason is such a goofball, so it was nice to see him actually enjoying himself! So without further ado, here are the best (out of 100 photos) shots:
















I really liked how they turned out, I guess it helps that the subject is as adorable as can be (not biased, or anything!)

Then....
We went on a hike. I have to admit, I came up with the idea to go hiking, but deep down I had a fear of meeting someone (or something) in the woods that was not friendly. We got to the hiking destination and I put on the backpack that I had packed full of water, lunch, snacks and (a knife for protection). We started up the hill and within 4 minutes, Mason stops and [huffing and puffing] says he needs a snack and water to refuel himself--WHAT?? We could still see the car from where we were at!! So, I deny the snack, but of course, let him get the water. Making our way up, there was a half-way bench. Mason and all his drama, sits down and once again says he needs a snack. This kid could eat 24/7 if I let him! So, we decided to take the trail to the bottom, I'm going to be honest, at first I wished we hadn't! Parts of it were SO steep that Mason was crawling backwards!! Ha, it was so funny!! We found a bridge and we had lunch and we made it to the top:



It was so worth it! And you are never too far from a Sheetz:



I gave Mason a tin to collect 'goodies' in the woods and he found this:




Isn't that cool looking?? It looks like a baby Flamingo hatching!! Pretty cool!

And finally, I have been wanting to get a picture of this street sign for awhile now, but apparently someone else wanted the actual street sign because it was down for a long time, and then a new one popped up. So, I thought I'd get a picture before someone else "takes" it:

Ahhh, some free time!

What very little I have has been replaced with Ice Road Truckers and texting! I love, love, love my new phone and the ability to text is AMAZING! I never saw the big deal in it, until I actually got it. So, by switching cell phone plans, I'm saving money and getting extra, can't beat that! I am determined to stick to a budget next month, I am a huge Dave Ramsey fan, so I decided to write up a budget for October. I can't wait for the bills to pour in!! Sounds strange, doesn't it?? Everything is working on paper, so lets see how it goes in real life. I think my biggest problem is going to be the grocery store, I am a foodie, and therefore like to try new things, most of which are not on the cheap side. But I am determined to work this through, get my life on a plan and live debt-free! I know it will take a few months to actually get the budget working perfectly, but this is a start. I have never been good at managing money, so I have the time and patience now, so I plan to stick with it. Plus, I forgot how fun coupon clipping can be, the thrill of the bargain is always worth the time of searching for deals. So, that's all I've got for this post, how exciting was this??

[lAzY sATuRdAy]

As I lay on the couch watching nature shows, I thought I'd get these pictures out from the football bonfire that was held for all the football teams on Thursday night:



Me and Mason:

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It was a beautiful night, cool and clear and the fire was HOT!! Mason has his first football game on Sunday--Can.Not.Wait!! I'll share pictures later!

Comfort In A Bowl

I stopped into Weis Market on Saturday to pick up a few limes and they have a free magazine with all kinds of goodies (and coupons) inside. I came home and read it and it had a recipe for Potato Soup. Nothing new, but it sounded sooooo good for these chilly days we have been having! I, of course, could not follow the recipe to a T because it called for chicken broth and bacon. Problem solved: Veggie Broth and Facon to the rescue! I had no idea how simple it really was to make this. I did add one more twist, instead of getting potatoes and baking them, I had a half a bag of hashbrowns in the freezer--Genius! It worked fantastic, tasted amazing and now have enough leftover for another bowl for tomorrow night. I paired it with a warm, crusty roll, yummy! Adding a can of corn would really add pizazz, also!



I've got a sick kid on my hands. It never fails, as soon as all the kids go back to school EVERYONE gets sick! He has weigh-ins tomorrow for football and I am sweating it. I don't think he's going to make the cut off weight limit. I've been feeding him low-fat chicken noodle soup all day and pumping him full of water, for two reasons.

1. I know both of those will help with his cold.
2. I know both of those will shed water weight!

Keeping my fingers crossed, I don't want him to sit the bench for the whole season. Well, I have to pack lunches, it has been nice enjoying a 3 day weekend, but back to the regular routine.....

Note To Self:

DO NOT BUY A CHEAP BLENDER. Shall I explain? Mason was not going to be with me this particular Saturday evening, so I decided I wanted to make some frozen margaritas. So, I pick up a blender at Walmart and since I had other things to buy, I thought I'd go cheap on the blender to balance the final bill. Well, well, well. I won't make that mistake again! Picture this: Quiet, a horror movie all ready to be watched, triscuits with olive dip in a bowl, the couch is piled high with blankets to snuggle in, did I mention "Quiet"? Then I poured the margarita mix into the blender and followed all the steps that ensured I would be enjoying this adult beverage within minutes, got the salt rimmed glass all ready to go, I place the ice into the blender......

DEAD. Motor burned. No margarita.



Oh well, so the lesson is to never buy a cheap blender. I guess I will be going smoothie-free also for a little longer. On the same note, I had to say my final goodbyes to a very dear friend. One that goes by the name of C.I. Skillet. I wept a tear and tried to save her life, but it was too late. Let me back up a little. While my life was plummeting into the depths of hell at full speed (a little dramatic, eh?) I had made my famous mushroom bake one last time. I baked it with love, like usual, and when dinner was over, I placed it in the sink to soak for only 20 minutes before I was going to hand wash it. 20 minutes, 5 days what's the difference? I did not forget about her, I just couldn't bring myself to look at the remains of what was a meal that was requested often by a person who remains nameless. He had left and all I had was dirty dishes. I tried to scrub, soak and beg that wonderful baking friend, but at last, I had to part ways. So, until we meet again, Ms. Skillet, it was great knowing ya.

I went to Panera last weekend with Lee Ann and we had a fabulous time! Talking, food, drinks, it was just great to get out of the house and relax. While I was there, I tried the veggie sandwich for the first time ever! SO good. So good, in fact I decided to re-create it at home:



Hummus spread, sliced cucumbers, roasted red peppers, thinly sliced red onion all stacked up on tomato basil bread. Need I say more??

Football is in full force:




I don't think Mason is into it like he has been in past years, but that is to be expected, I guess because he has a lot of memories attached to football season.

Some random pictures that I took:

A beautiful flower:


Mushrooms growing along a tree:


Mason enjoying a slushie:


That's All, Folk's!