My new favorite Food Network show

Y'all, I just found Quick Fix Meals on Food Network. Read my quickie review here.

WFMW - Fajita Grill

What's working for me this week is that my mom just took me school supply shopping. What a blessing! With Big Daddy changing jobs this month, we're missing a paycheck or two, so things are a little tight until we get over the hump.

But that's not my official WFMW. Today, I'm talking about how I've figured out how to make do with what I have and save energy, all at the same time.

For Christmas last year, my in-laws gave me a giant, red El Paso Fajita Grill. Not something I would have bought for myself, that's for sure. We have a small kitchen - heck, the whole house is little - and although I love kitchen gadgets, I'm finally learning to use common sense when they call to me from the end caps at Target.

But. I got one for Christmas. And I love my in-laws, so I felt guilty about taking it back. So I kept it. And it got stuck in the built-in cabinet in the living room for six months. Then a couple months ago, we were cooking breakfast for friends, and we just did not have enough burners. So I got that Big Boy out and started cooking bacon on it. Perfect. Then I cooked an omelet in the tortilla warmer section, and I thought I was rockin'. Cause I was.

And because we're lazy butts, the Fajita Grillstayed on the counter for the next few days, and so I went ahead and used it again. And again. We cooked hot dogs on it, we grilled smoked sausage on it, and I even toasted buns for Sloppy Joes on it.

We have a George Foreman grill, but the coating is flaking off so we stopped using it. And I've wanted an electric skillet or electric griddle, but this Fajita Grill works just as well for many uses!

So, while I'm not necessarily advocating going out and buying a Fajita Grill, what I am saying is this: If you have one of these guys gathering dust somewhere in your house, USE IT! And if you see one at a garage sale, go ahead and snap it up for a few dollars, cause you will use that bad boy!

Using What I Have - in this case a Fajita Grill - Works For Me! Now go on over to Shannon's and check out all the great tips!

Oh, and no, I haven't made fajitas on it. I've never actually cooked fajitas myself. Funny, huh?

And finally, don't forget to come back and check out Advice Forum Friday. Got a question? Want some advice? Link it here and see what happens!

Ditzy

Y'all, I have been checking the Lotto Texas and Mega Millions website for two hours, trying to get the results of the drawing for Tuesday, August 14. I checked my tickets twice, checked my calendar twice, yep, it's Tuesday, August 14.

"Oh my goodness," I thought, "that's so strange. I bet we're gonna win something tonight! I wish they'd hurry up and post the numbers!"

I told Big Daddy that I couldn't find the winning numbers, and his answer? "Huh."

Finally, I got my calendar out again, looked and confirmed that it was, in fact, Tuesday, August 14. "Right, Honey?"

SILENCE

"No, it's the 13th."

"No, honey, it's the 14th. Look at this calendar. Tuesday, the 14th."

SILENCE

THEN SNICKERING

"Baby, today's Monday."

"Huh."

Menu Plan Monday - Give me structure!

We've got a pretty busy week coming up, so I knew I'd better get back on the Menu Plan wagon, so I've got control over at least ONE area of my household. The theme this week is quick and easy.

MONDAY

PB&J for the kids and Italian Subs for BD and I

TUESDAY

Bacon Grilled Cheese with carrot sticks and apples

WEDNESDAY

Hot Dogs and Pasta Salad

THURSDAY

Sticky Chicken with Rice Pilaf (This time I'll use leg quarters and use the crockpot.)

FRIDAY

Life Group - we'll graze on snacks there. The girls will probably eat a sandwich before we go.

That's it for us, folks. No nonsense, fill the bellies and get through the week meal planning. Have a great week!

8 Ways Big Daddy's new job rocks + 2 more

Big Daddy started his new job last week, and it rocks. Here are some ways that it is oh, so much better than his last job.

1. New company treats everyone the same, even if they don't suck up.
2. New company pays employees for every hour that they work!
3. Secretaries are not calling BD at home and all hours of the day, "just to talk." Therefore, BD does not get discriminated against when he asks them to stop.
4. No one screams at and demeans the employees.
5. Secretaries do not withhold final paychecks out of spite.
6. In fact, secretaries are actually secretaries, and don't think they're in charge of every dadgum thing.
7. Big Daddy gets off work at the same time every day, no matter who's mad at him.
8. BD does not have to take a shower the minute he walks in the door, because he is no longer STANK from sweating his guts out all day long. He can shower WHEN HE WANTS TO!
9. BD gets to come home to his girls for lunch any time he wants to!
10. In fact, he just came home for a quick lunch and made his girls oh, so happy. Especially me!

Can you tell we're oh, so happy over here? Yeah, we are.

Serene Sunday

Not much going on here today. AT ALL. We came home from church and I napped until 2:00. SWEET.

Thanks to all of you who participated in Advice Forum Friday this week. I got some great suggestions for music sources, many of which I plan to pursue, SOON.

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Here's a great article at Faith Lifts about Living in the Moment with our children, and more importantly, with our God.

Please, oh please, oh please take a look at this post at Kisses of Sunshine, especially if you have a Blogger account. Following these simple steps will help ME respond to YOU when you comment. Thanks! Really, Thanks!

Comma rules. I can always use a refresher!

Here's a list of the Top 50 Frugality Bloggers. Something else I can definitely use!

Y'all have a great Sunday evening! See ya back here tomorrow, right?

Advice Forum Friday - Help me find my music!

Do you know the song "Strength of my Life," by Leslie Phillips? It was probably released in the 80's, and features Russ Taff on harmonies. I dadgum love this song, and I can't find it anywhere but on Music Choice on my TV sometimes.

Y'all, I love the Christian music of the 80's, even 70's, and it is almost impossible for me to find, either on CD or as downloads.

I really miss the old, original Napster, because if someone else on Napster had the song, you could download it. The fact that it was free was bonus, of course, but I just loved that you could find almost anything you wanted there. Keith Green, Petra, Larry Norman, DeGarmo and Key, Steve Taylor...the gamut of "contemporary" Christian music from the past. I don't have that kind of luck with the current music download sites.

I hope someone has some advice for me on where to find a better selection of not-so-mainstream music. If so, please leave a comment and let me know! And if it's cheap, that's even better!

Now, do you need advice about something today? It can be anything at all - just write a post about it at your site, and be sure to mention Advice Forum Friday in your post. Link back to this post, and finally, don't forget to sign the Mr. Linky down below.

Now, help me find my music! Oh, and just for fun, even if you don't have a suggestion for me, just tell me what your favorite Christian song is from the far, far past.

Thanks, y'all! Have a great Friday!

Works For Me Wednesday - Shower Curtains

I am a bargain shopper, even a cheapskate. I hate paying full price for anything, especially home furnishings. But I love to have pretty things. So I shop at garage sales and clearance racks and thrift stores.

Here are some of my favorite tricks for shower curtains.

First of all, I have almost never bought a new shower curtain. I have about 5 in my closet, all hand-me-downs or garage sale finds, and they are all gorgeous and match my master bath towels and wall color. I just switch those babies out when the mood strikes, and it's like getting a new shower curtain every few months.

Second. My friend and I were shopping at Ross a few months ago, and I found the most gorgeous twin flat sheet, but had no use for it. She suggested using it for a shower curtain, and WOWZA! It is fabulous in our hall bath. We just snipped the seams at the ends of the large top hem, so the sheet would slide on a second tension rod. The plastic curtain liner is still inside, on a lower tension rod. Did I mention that it's Gorgeous?

And Finally. I was shopping at Dollar General a few weeks ago and saw a Disney Princess plastic shower curtain for $3. What a fun $3 to spend on my girls, right? But we only have two baths, and who wants a Disney Princess shower curtain in a main bathroom? So here's what I did - I used that bad boy as the inside liner in my master bath. So from the outside of the bath, you see pretty Ralph Lauren or cute seersucker, but from the inside of the bathtub, it's Disney Princess Land!

So there are my tips for this week - be imaginative and inventive with your shower curtains, and you won't be stuck with one expensive look for the next three years. Works For Me!

Don't forget to come back and check out Advice Forum Friday. Got a question? Want some advice? Link it here and see what happens!

Now go on over to Shannon's and check out all the great Wednesday tips!

Super Sunday - Injury Report

Injury report from Sunday's Life Games:

1. One six-year-old Cheerleader with at best an ankle strain, and possibly a fracture. Cause of injury? Big old men falling on top of her while she innocently watched the Tug Of War.

2. Full-grown man with 3-inch gash on his heel. Cause of injury? Playing kickball barefoot in the dark.

3. A bunch of sore folks who thought they were in better shape, and some who knew they weren't. Cause? We're obviously not active enough!

I wish I could show you the photo that J. sent me of her poor injured daughter in the ER. Just tragic.

Y'all, it was still tons of fun, though. Even though I didn't win the Ice Cream Making Contest. But really, I'm over it.

Ancient History

I was pregnant once. For 7 weeks and 4 days. But I didn't know the pregnancy had ended until 11 weeks. It was 2001.

I happened upon another blogger's pregnancy story this afternoon, and as she recounted showing her ultrasound to the grandparents, I felt a punch in my stomach. My miscarriage is a part of our history, but it doesn't usually hit me like this. Today, I vividly remembered every detail, and it hurt.

I may ramble a bit here, but I really want to share this today. Big Daddy and I were married in 1996, and I didn't want children. He respected my wishes. My wishes changed around 1999, but we had trouble getting pregnant. To borrow what I've heard others say before, I tried to NOT get pregnant for 10 years, and then when I wanted to get pregnant, I couldn't.

We discussed how far we were willing to go with infertility treatments, and decided that we would stop short of injectible medications or IVF. We drew that line mainly because of finances and my fear of needles. So, I became a regular at my OB/GYN's office in the early morning hours before work. Ultrasounds, blood work (so much for my fear of needles), etc. Our final attempt at that point was IUI, for which Big Daddy was present. I'm a big crybaby, and when BD saw how hard it was for me to go through a procedure that's easy for others, he said, "Enough, no matter the outcome." The outcome was negative.

I agreed with BD's decision, and thank God that I never felt the crushing loss or incompleteness that so many people feel at being unable to conceive. Big Daddy and I were disappointed, but happy with our life, and resigned to the fact that that's how it would stay.

Fast forward a few months, and I was scheduled to have weight loss surgery. My surgery date was Tuesday, March 27th, 2001. On the Sunday prior to my surgery, I realized that my period was about two weeks late, but attributed it to anxiety about the surgery. Nevertheless, I dug through the drawer and found a leftover pregnancy test, and HOLY CRAP, it came up positive.

I am being completely honest here when I tell you I was devastated. It had taken a while to come to terms with the fact that we wouldn't have children, but I got there. I was excited about getting healthy and moving on. P.S., I was at my all-time high weight, and I was miserable.

BD and I went to Tom Thumb and bought 3 more pregnancy tests, which all came back glaringly positive. I remember crying, telling him, "I can't live in this body for nine more months!"

I went first thing that Monday for a blood test, which obviously came back positive. I was still in shock, but no longer hysterical. I sure didn't understand God's timing, but I couldn't argue with it. In fact, we went straight from the OB's office to Babies R Us. Yeah, I shifted gears pretty quick. We called my parents, "Yeah, don't come see me in the hospital tomorrow, cause uhm...I'M PREGNANT!" It was really an exciting time.

Four weeks later, I had an ultrasound which showed that tiny little 6-week-old heartbeat just flashing and flashing and flashing. We were sure it was a girl! I don't remember much about the next few weeks, just that the weekend before my 11 week check-up, I felt a little strange, nothing more.

We went in for our 11-week check-up, and because I was high-risk (weight and age), I was scheduled for a glucose tolerance test and another ultrasound. I drank that gross crap for glucose tolerance and then went back for my ultrasound. I was looking at the screen as the tech was looking around in there (Argh) and I knew that I wasn't seeing what I should see. When the tech did the clicky measuring thing, 7w4d is what it said on the bottom of the screen. I knew that wasn't right. The tech then excused herself and went to get the doctor. I knew then. Big Daddy wouldn't accept it, but I knew.

My very sweet doctor came into the ultrasound room and looked at the screen, and said what we didn't want to hear, "I'm sorry..." He scheduled me for a D&C, and the rest is...well, it was awful. Because not only did I lose my baby, but anesthesia makes me sick, so BONUS! It sucked.

I never did have weight-loss surgery, because I was back in baby mode. We went through all of the minimally invasive measures again, with no results. And resigned ourselves again. It wasn't for a few more years that we seriously considered adoption.

About a year ago, I realized something ironic. My Tinkerbell was born the day after my D & C, in another part of the state, to a woman who wasn't willing to stop doing drugs in order to keep her children. And three+ years later, we found her and her sisters.

And I'll tell y'all more about that another time.

Super Sunday

Y'all, we had the best day yesterday at our church's "Life Games."

Our Life Group placed in Pie Eating, Horseshoes, Kickball, Tug of War, Ice Cream Making, Ping Pong, and maybe a few "Spirit Points."

We didn't do so well in Dodgeball, Water Volleyball, or Tricycle Race.

A wonderful member of our Life Group designed and hand-printed our shirts. All our kids (mostly girls) were in matching shirts and pom-poms to cheer for the adults.

I don't think I've sweat so much in my entire life, and had a blast nonetheless. The sweating part was gross, but the rest - oh, so much fun!

I had an entry in the Ice Cream Making contest - Cherry Dr. Pepper Ice Cream (recommended by Grace at lola makes three). I thought it was the rockingest ice cream ever, and Big Daddy agreed. It had maraschino cherries in it, and did I mention it rocked? Guys, there were only 12 entries in the ice cream contest, and my Cherry Dr. Pepper Ice Cream did not place. I'm almost certain I had a jealous spirit, and was a poor sport. But I repented. I'll post the recipe later.

The good news is, my friend J placed third with her also rocking Cherry Pineapple ice cream, so we did score points in that event.

Our Life Group came in 4th out of over 15 groups, and we're one of the smallest groups. In some events, we were competing with half as many players as our opponents.

We drove home at 9:30, salty from sweat and exhausted, and oh, so happy.

We can't wait to do it again - but maybe not in August next time.

Why is that?

Why is that Big Daddy and I can sit in pleasant silence in the car, him driving and me staring at the passing scenery, and then the minute I open up my book to read, he thinks of something to talk about?

Why is that my pretty girls don't want to talk to me until they hear these computer keys start clicking? It's as if this sound brings to mind all the questions of the universe.

ah, my life! Thank goodness I love it so much!

Advice Forum Friday - Edition First

Okay, y'all, it's time for the first ever Advice Forum Friday! I'm just so excited and nervous at the same time! So excited, in fact, that I'm posting it a whole day in advance. Just didn't wanna be late.

Here's how this works: Write a post about a question or problem that you have, be sure to link back to this post, and then list your own post in the Mr. Linky below. Then, visit some of the other blogs listed, and comment away!

Please remember that the purpose of this Forum is helping and uplifting one another. Therefore, when dispensing with the advice and recommendations, please be sweet. If you can't say something nice, PLEASE say nothing!

So, without further ado, here's an issue that I'd like some advice about. You know I love my girls. I'd kick your butt if you hurt them or their feelings.

But I have a talker. A Loud Talker. A Constant Loud Talker. Sometimes you can tell that she has no idea what she's talking about, but she just has this need to hear her own voice. I want to teach her, number one, that she doesn't have to verbalize every thought that pops into her head. And second, I want her to learn restraint. I want her to stop talking when she's told to, and I want her to lower her voice when she's told to.

Now before you get the idea that I'm a mean old mom, let me explain that the main reason I'm bringing this issue to Advice Forum is that I want to be able to deal with it delicately and without hurting my Tink's feelings. Because I feel guilty every time that I ask her to stop talking, but oh my goodness with The Loud Talking!

So, my peeps, bring on the advice. (I've still got "peeps" stuck in my head and I'm trying to use it up!)

Now don't forget to LINK BACK TO THIS POST, list your post below, and visit the other participants. Let's help each other out!


Oh, and if you want to help out with a button, let me know. There was a sweet lady who offered some examples, but I think I may have offended her when I asked for a different font. So, be advised. I might ask you to change something. Hope that's okay.

Advice Forum Friday

How many times have you been stumped, by your child's behavior, or a household task, or the attitude of the guy at the phone company? And you just want to ask some advice. And maybe you posted it on your blog, but only one or two people saw it or offered any advice. I think Advice Forum Friday can help!

Here's how it works:

Every Friday, I'll host Advice Forum Friday here at Queen of Dirty Laundry.
I will set up a Mr. Linky here. (Note to self: Still need to figure out how to do that.)
You post your question on your blog.
You then come here and add your link to Mr. Linky. (The only Mr. Linky for Advice Forum Friday should be here at Queen of Dirty Laundry. Links all over the place cause confusion, don't you think? Thanks!)
After you've posted your link here, please check out and visit the other posters.
And finally, give advice when you have some.

Easy, huh? I hope so.

Here are some examples of questions that might be posted:

My 4-year-old is discontented and whiny, and nothing seems to keep her attention. Any advice?
I have way too much chicken in the freezer, and need some new ideas for how to cook it. Any suggestions?

My floor is dirty 45 minutes after I vacuum it. Any miracle solutions?

I think that does it. Now, all you have to do is post your questions on Friday, link your post here, and start dispensing with the advice!

UPDATED TO ADD: It probably goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that the purpose of this Forum is helping and uplifting one another. Therefore, when dispensing with the advice and recommendations, please be sweet. If you can't say something nice, PLEASE say nothing!

Works for Me Wednesday - The Parenting Edition

The theme for this week's Works For Me Wednesday is Parenting. We are about to pool our wealth of parenting knowledge and unite into one giant Army of Effective Parents! Of course, it's equally possible that we might just come out of the thing more confused than we already were. But let's hope for the Army.

I'll go back to the basics, when I say that CONSISTENCY is something that always works for us. When we are actually consistent. Which we aren't always, but definitely should be!

For example, we used behavior charts and stickers for a while, to help our girls improve in areas where there were problems. Worked pretty well. Until vacation rolled around and we got out of the habit. Lack of consistency = lost improvement.

Next example. Bedtimes. During the school year, we have a consistent bath/bedtime routine. But. During the summer time, things get a little willy nilly, and suddenly kids forget that "bathroom business" means toilet, hands, teeth. They're all, "Do you want me to brush my teeth tonight?" So in this case, lack of consistency = confusion.

Now, on top of consistency, I've realized we have to add persistence. Especially in our case, because our girls have had lots of changes in their short lives. But I think this can apply to pretty much anyone.

We've probably all read parenting books and blogs and forums and websites, and sometimes thought, "Oh, that sounds like a great idea! Maybe it will solve our problem with Wrong Behavior A!" So every time our kid exhibits Wrong Behavior A, they receive Correction A, and we wait for wonderful results. But we don't see immediate results and so give up and move on to something else or often times nothing. So Behavior A continues to exist, and sometimes even worsens.

Now I don't know about you, but here in the Dirty Laundry household, I'm all about the Next Big Thing. So I hear a good idea, and it's, "That's what will save us all!" But when I don't get immediate results, I start looking for the Next Big Thing. And we don't see improvement.

What I realized recently is, it's not that one method works better than another. It's that once we decide how we're going to parent, we have to do it the same way, every day, forever. That way, our children know what to expect, and we get into good habits and they get into good habits, and maybe, just maybe we can come close to happier ever after.

So, Consistency and Persistence. They Work for Me! Now, go on over to Shannon's and see all the other fabulous parenting tips!

For extra credit, here are some kid-related posts I've written in the past:

Organizing Kids' Computer Disks - Still Works For Me!

Nap Routines - We haven't been consistent this summer.

Controlling Toy Chaos - Still Works For Me!

Shopping for Barbie - Still Works For Me! And for Polly Pockets!

Summer Schedule - I swear, this one is so vital to peace in our household! The past few weeks, we've been a little loosey-goosey, and I can really tell the difference! Kids (and adults) are all a little more whiney, complaining, and restless. Our family does so much better when they know what to expect!

In closing, I want to remind you to come back and visit me on Friday for Advice Forum Friday! You can read more about it here.

First Letter Meme

My brain's a little fuzzy today, which is usually the case on Mondays, so I reached into my bag of Memes for some inspiration. And inspiring it is.

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They do not have to be favorites, but they MUST be real places, names, things…NOTHING made up!

Try to use different answers if the person before you had the same 1st initial.

You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

If you can’t think of anything, skip it.

Have fun!


Your Name: Lori


1. Famous Singer/Band: Lawrence Welk (It's all I could think of!) Oh, and Larry Norman, Christian rock from the 70's.
2. 4 letter word: Love
3. Street: Lover's Lane
4. Color: Lavender
5. Gifts/Presents: Laptop (Don't I wish!)
6. Vehicle: Lexus
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Lucky Rabbit's Foot
8. Boy Name: Luke
9. Girl Name: Lily
10. Movie Title: Lassie
11. Drink: Latte
12. Occupation: Laundry Engineer
13. Celebrity: Lucille Ball
14. Magazine: Lucky
15. U.S. City: Las Vegas
16. Pro Sports Teams: Detroit Lions (NFL), Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)
18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Low blood sugar
19. Something You Throw Away: Losing Lotto tickets
20. Things You Shout: Loser!
21. Cartoon Character: Little Lulu

Okay, so this was sort of fun, sort of difficult, and sort of silly. Which could also describe me, I guess. Anyway, take it on over to your place if you wanna play, and then leave me a comment so I can go check out your answers.

And start getting ready for the very first Advice Forum Friday, coming your way Friday, August 3.

It's a great day!

Today I'm thankful for:

A houseful of church friends eating brunch together, laughing and talking, while our kids play together inside and outside...and inside and outside.

A web of blog friends who are oh, so fun to read and send me sweet e-mails and comments when I need them most.

A new job for Big Daddy, that pays more and has better benefits. And most importantly, where he will be treated properly and with respect. It is truly a God Thing.

That God provides for us, protects us, and guides us through this life of ours.

And selfishly, I'm thankful for another giveaway!

Love Shak, Baby is giving away a $250.00 gift certificate to Gymboree!! Now who couldn't use that!! Check it out.

Finally, I am thankful for the oh, so fun title that was bestowed upon me today by dcrmom at Musings of a Housewife. I am now officially A Bloggin' Princess!

Y'all have a wonderful afternoon!

Again with the giveaway business!

I am so proud to announce the winner of my first ever giveaway, in conjunction with the Dog Days of Summer Bloggy Giveaway.

Congratulations, Debi from nothing of importance. You're the winner of Flabbergasted: A Novel.

NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS: Do not miss this wonderful, fabulous, unbelievable giveaway at 5 Minutes for Mom. I am so dadgum excited, seriously!

5 Minutes for Mom is Giving One of You a 37″ Flat-Panel LCD HDTV!!!

That's right. You are not dreaming. They are giving away an Insignia® 37″ Flat-Panel LCD HDTV!!! This prize is valued at $799.99 and is courtesy of Best Buy.

Y'all. I'm ranting like a freak, because I can not believe how fabulous this prize is! So, go on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and see how you, too, can enter the contest. Cause if I can't win it, I hope you do. Except I really hope that I do. Unless you do. But I really need a new TV. But I'm sure you do, too. But................

Okay, I'll shut up now.

Check out these other great contests and giveaways!

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And here's one from Tee at Spilt Milk. Spilt Milk is a blog about many things, including, a meddling mother-in-law, her Latino husband, motherhood, raising boys, reviews of cool products, books, funny life observations, and her struggle with religion and self esteem. The prize is a 3-pack of popular kid's computer games, and all I had to do to enter was to cut and paste this code onto my blog.

It's an honor...