Pineapple Marinated Pork Chops

6 pork chops
1 20oz can pineapple chunks, including juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Put pork chopes into a plastic zip type bag. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over pork chops in bag. Store in refrigerator overnight. Put everything into a crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until done.

Yum

Herbed Garlic Bread

1 Stick butter (1/2), at room temperature
2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt and extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 loaf crusty baguette
Extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For bread, stir together with butter, mashed garlic, and herbs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Tear open the loaf of bread lengthwise, spread the herb-garlic mixture over both halves and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

The Story of Brian.....

After the allergy test, we met with the doctor again. He told us to immediately stop all medication. The pills, the 7 different inhalers that he was currently on, and the breathing machine. In his opinion, Brian did not have asthma.

We could remain at the clinic and go to the scheduled appointments the balance of the week....but he did not feel it necessary. With everything that we had been thru and everything that Brian had been thru...we packed our bags and headed for home.

We could not have been more thankful for this doctor and for The Mayo Clinic. We were very hopeful and very scared. He concluded that over the past couple of years, the many doctors and specialists, that Brian was being over-medicated. He never did want to see any of Brian's medical records. He did not want to be influenced by the past couple of years and the fact that Brian slowly got worse, not better.

So we started our journey home....

The cough...........The Story of Brian....

We arrived in Rochester Sunday. We had appointments with a doctor on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The Clinic was incredible. First was signing a ton of paperwork. Most of the tests that they would run would not be covered by our health insurance. The insurance company would not ok duplicate testing to be done. Whatever the cost, this had to be done.

There were lines 20 to 50 people long for bloodwork, x-rays, etc. Everything ran with complete efficiency. First was Brian's bloodwork, which we got done pretty fast. Next we went to our first appointment with the doctor.

I had a huge bag which we carried all Brian's medical records, x-rays, and cat scan. The doctor was very nice. We were very overwelmed, but he made us feel very comfortable. As we started to talk about the problems with Brian, I reached for my bag of information and the doctor said "no". I don't want to see anything yet......tell me about your son.

For the first time ever, Jack and I talked to this doctor for hours about Brian. When all the problems started and what had taken place in the last year or so.

Next would be an alergy test on Tuesday and another appointment with the doctor.

The cough...........The Story of Brian....

Even with all the medication, the cough persisted. The doctor felt that if we got a breathing machine for our house and we gave Brian breathing treatments a couple of times a day it would help.

We did this for a couple of months. Brian was on a total of 5 medications, including the 3 inhalers.

Nothing helped. We were completely helpless.....

So we picked up all of the x-rays, copies of Brian's files at all of the doctor's he had been seeing and left for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Buy Now

Now is the time that you should buy---

Anything for summer-summer clothes, beach items, lawn and garden items.

These should be marked down at great savings.... Take a day to get out and search for what you need. Buy now instead of in the spring!!

The cough...........The Story of Brian....

After a couple of weeks on the added medication, we went back to the doctor because Brian's cough did not change. He suggested that we see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. We made the appointment that day.

The ear, nose, and throat specialist could add nothing. He had no answers for us. After a couple more weeks, we were back to the doctor again.

The Story of Brian

The Pediatrician suggest that we see an allergist. We made an appointment for Brian that day. The allergist had him blow into machine twice. Brian also went thru 70 pricks on the back, the usual test to see what you are allergic to.

The time with the allergist was very short. He also concluded that Brian had asthma. He perscribed 3 different inhalers to be added to the medication he was already taking.

The Best BBQ Ribs.....and the Easiest.

Here is the easiest and best BBQ Rib Recipe. Even if you work all day or have plans this is it.

Ribs---any amount, any kind
BBQ sauce

Place ribs in crock pot. Pour in a bottle of BBQ sauce of your choice. Add maybe a 1/2 cup of water. Cook all day on low.

Grill on med heat for 15 minutes before serving.....unbelievable and hardly any work!!

The Story of Brian.......

After the medication ran out, the cough persisted. So once again we were off to the doctor.

Since the medication did not work, the doctor suggested that we have Brian see a Pediatrician. So the appointment was made. During this time Brian was being teased at school for the cough that would not go away.

We went to the appointment at the Pediatrician and after looking at Brian's medical history, family history, and doing a check up on him, he concluded that Brian had Asthma. A condition that Jack, his father had when he was a child. Now what?????

The cough...........The Story of Brian....

It was one of the times that the kids were sick. When one got sick the other got sick. It was funny.....when I was young and had a very used car, it only ran good when I went to school or to work. It always broke down on Friday night. That was the way it was when my kids were babies. Every Friday or Saturday night was spent in the Emergency room.....and I always worked Saturday and Sunday mornings....very early......

After a visit to the doctor, we started Brian on the usual. A perscription for the cough and a antibiotic.

Asparagus recipe that is sure to please!!!

This is a easy and great recipe for asparagus!!

asparagus
peppercorn ranch dressing
ritz crackers (crushed-about a handful depending on how much asparagus you use. Enough to cover.

Wash and break off ends of asparagus. Place in shallow baking dish. Drizzle and roll asparagus in the dressing. Cover with crackers. Bake in a 450 oven for 15 minutes.....

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

Brian was moved to Shield's Elementary for first grade. His special education was down to speech therapy two hours a week. He continued with speech therapy until his fourth grade year. He was now emerging as one of the top students in his class.........

The came the cough.........

Celebrate Everyday!!

You don't need a special day to celebrate your marriage. Dress up and enjoy everyday. Make plans to keep your life exciting. Ever sit back and wonder why 'they are always doing things'. 'We never do anything' Why are they having fun...'

They are making their fun and you have to make your fun too. What you do with your time is up to you. Get out there and make it happen. It doesn't take tons of money, just a little planning. Maybe you and your significant other can take turns doing the planning and have fun.

Super Easy BBQ Ribs

These turn out wonderful!!

Ribs
2 bottles (keep 1/2 cup for the end)
1 cup water

Rub ribs with salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder. Put in crock pot. Add BBQ sauce and water. Cook on low all day. Throw ribs on grill for 15 minutes before serving. baste with remaining sauce.

You won't believe how great they are!! Enjoy!!

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

Brian was equally determined to learn everything he could. Once he saw how much he was advancing, he amazed us all. By the end of kindergarten, he read an entire book to the first grade class at Shields Elementary School.

We continued to have meetings with the Principle, Teachers, and Child Psychologist each semester to determine how much special education vs. general education was needed. There seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Best Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This is a great recipe for as many people as you want. Just add and subtract ingredients. This recipe serves 6.

1 can cresent rolls
------
2 pieces of chicken cooked and diced
2 potatoes cooked and diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables

---------
1 cup bisquik
1/2 cup water
1 egg

Unroll and line a greased casserole dish with the cresent rolls. Pinch the slots closed. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 min. Press dough down with a spoon a couple of times to keep it flat. Mix the next 4 ingredients and pour over cresent roll. Mix the next 3 ingredients and pour over top. Bake in a 400 degree oven for a half hour until brown. Let it rest for about 10 min. Yummy....

The Best and Easiest Stroganoff Recipe

This dish is so easy, can feed a ton of people, and it is a winner!!

2 pds. stew meat (browned)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of french onion soup

Heat oven 275 - for 5 hours in a covered casserole dish

This could also be made in the crockpot on low all day!! (thanks Margo!)

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

Over the next 2 years we were determined to get Brian caught up with the rest of the kids. This was not easy. As any parent knows that raising children is a difficult task, but raising a child with a learning problem is much more challenging.

Weekends were filled with homework. Even on vacations and summer break, a stack of homework came home with him. He never complained. He just did what he had to do.

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The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

We now began a series of meetings with teachers from Swan Valley and Hemlock Schools along with a child psychologist. It was determined that Brian would be placed in the special education program along side the general education program in the Hemlock School District for a period of 2 years to start.

Instead of waiting at a bus stop.....a little yellow bus that was 1/3 the size of a normal bus, drove in our driveway twice a day for 2 years.....

Saving money on electronic accessories.......

The next time you need accessories---cords for computers....laptop cords..
phone covers.....wall mount for a TV....amazon.com has what you need to 10 percent of what you would pay at a retail store. Save Big Money!!

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

To any parents heartbreak...we were told that looking over all the tests and history, Brian probably would not progress past the 3rd grade level in life....

Then comes the unbelievable feeling of nausea, pain, sadness.....the feeling of having to scream as loud as you can without it helping a bit. The horrible quilt.......what did I do.....did I do something wrong during the pregnancy.....This was my baby....

Keurig Coffee Maker---another great buy!!! Here are some great deals on k-cups

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

With medication, Brian started getting better. It was determined that he had a reaction to the DPT shot.

So the doctor decided to start with a hearing specialist, and the second possibility was that Brian had suffered a series of stroke's while he was in the hospital after the baby shots. That could be the reason for the learning difficulties.

Kindle

I can not comment enough about owning a kindle......you will not regret it.
LOOOOOVE IIIIIT.!

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

After getting the routine baby shot, Brian got very sick. We spent a week in the hospital with him. The doctor's were trying to figure out what was wrong with him. The scariest part was when they took us into a conference room. Just Jack and myself, a hugh conference table, 2 residents and the doctor... They wanted to do a spinal tap on Brian. They thought he has spinal meningitis......

A Fresh Smelling Sink.....

Any time you have a lemon that you are cooking with or that is going bad.....put it down your sink for a fresh smelling sink.....

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

After a medical examination and a look at Brian's medical history a couple of idea's surfaced. First, we needed to go to a hearing specialist and have Brian's hearing tested. There was also another possibility from Brian's medical past. The baby shot drama.......

Special Day in the Week

When my children were younger and in school, one day a week I would leave something special on their bed. It could be a new book, their favorite candy, or something as simple as a new pair of socks......It just gave them something to look forward to. Later in life they did tell me that they really liked it!!

The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

....make sure that you do everything possible. The problem came to our attention one day when we were all watching home video's. The video was of the day Brian was born. Jack and Chelsea came to the hospital to visit. Chelsea was 20 months old. We realized that Chelsea was speaking perfect english and Brian was now around 3 years old and was not......

Our first journey took us to our family doctor to get his input. Jack and I were young and unsure of what to do......

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The Story of Brian-for any parent that has a child with a learning problem....

Brian was born on 11-13-1986....An amazing baby boy...we had our girl and boy.....both kids had their fingers, toes...and all was well.....until....

(I will tell this story a few lines at a time)...and I hope it will help any parent that has a child with any problem in this world.......That no matter what you are told...you never, ever give up or think that what the doctors tell you is a fact...it is your life, your children, and only you will take the time....to......

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Organize your jewelry

A great way to organize your necklaces and bracelets is to use a sewing thread holder. Paint it the color of your wall and hang all your jewelry on it. It is a great way to see what you have and make it easy to make the most of what you have. It is also easy to put your jewelry away at the end of the day.

Steak in Mushroom Gravy----Easy Crockpot Recipe

2 1/2 lb. round steak
2 tbsp. oil or shortening
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Brown meat on both sides. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Cook on low in crock pot all day!!!

A kindle is a great way to save on the price of books!!

For my Birthday this year I recieved a Kindle. What an amazing device. There are so many choices of free books from Amazon.com that you really would never have to buy any more books. Of course if you wanted to read new books you can purchase them cheaper than the actual book. I love it and consider it a great buy!!

Something everyone should look into!!

So............

Why.......after I cooked a great dinner do I feel quilty that others do the dishes....
Why.......do I feel quilty if I sit in the chair on a Saturday afternoon and doze....
Why......do I feel quilty if I take a nap....
Why......do I feel quilty for not wanting to stay home....
Why......do I feel quilty for not wanting to work........

Stop asking why and enjoy all of it.....

Date Night

At least once every week have a date night.  One week you plan it and the next week your spouse plans it.  It doesn't have to be an expensive night, just you two getting out together.  Make sure you take the time to get dressed up and look your best.  This is a night you can look forward to all week.  Make it very special or just dinner out.....Either way it is time to celebrate you.

Crockpot recipe

Here is a super easy recipe to throw dinner in the crockpot before work and have a great meal waiting for you.

Can can use :  boneless chicken, pork chops, or a roast.

1 package dry onion soup mix
2 cups water

If you use a roast, brown it.  Otherwise put your choice of meat in crockpot.  Pour in onion soup mix and water.  Also you can add potatoes, carrots, etc.  Cook on low 8-10 hours.  If you want to make gravy, before serving pour liquid in a saucepan over med. high heat, add water and flour mixture to desired thickness. 

Ice cube trays

A great way to organize you earrings----use ice cube trays.  They come in great colors at the dollar store.  Just put 1 pair per cube slot and you are all set!!

Patio Garden Salad

Ever want to plant vegetables, but you do not want the work of a garden.  Or maybe you don't have the space in your yard.  Last year I planted a garden on my back patio.  I used flower pots on the patio and I planted everything I needed for a good salad.  Lettuce, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and radishes.  It was great!!  We also had tons of green beans.  It was fun and we had fresh produce all the time.

Weekend Dinner Planning

Take time on the weekend to plan out your meals for the week.  You are more likely to eat at home and save some cash, if you have a plan.  I decide on the weekend our meals for the week.  I get the recipes out for each meal and make sure we have all the ingredients.
Sunday---Roast beef
Monday ---pizza night (eat out)
Tuesday --Chili (crock pot, get ready monday night)
Wednesday--Chicken on the grill
Thursday -- (leftover night)
Friday -- Salmon
Saturday -- Chicken skewers
I always make sure I have a bag of potatoes and fresh vegetables on hand for sides!!
If I feel like going out any certain night instead of cooking, I accidently drop the food on the floor----(just kidding, we have it for lunch on our day off.

Coming in the next few days!!!

What you can do with a cheap bag of potatoes........

A crock pot is your best friend....

Coupons - coupons-coupons

Never buy anything from the grocery store without

1.  A sale price in front of it.

2.  A coupon for it.

My kids would stand in the middle of the cereal and say---"Mommy, do you have a coupon for that?"
if not, we moved on.....

Do not shop at a grocery store because you have to have something.....you will pay the wrong price for it.

Don't tell about the stupid things you do.

Ok---sometimes we all just need to shut up.  When your kids are really little, you don't have to share every stupid thing you do around them.....they will throw it in your face for life.........

I am terribly afraid of bee's.....I was with my children in our van.  There was a bee.  IN THE VAN.
WITH MY KIDS.  The first thing I could think of doing was jump out of the van and shut the door.
So I did.  Yep---my kids were still in the van...I have heard about this for 22 years.....

So Sorry Kids!!

Make your children work!!

I know everyone has a different opinion on raising kids.....but here is mine when it comes to work.
MAKE YOUR CHILDREN WORK.  I am very lucky that both my children have good jobs and I like to think it is because they worked at a young age.  Both my kids had jobs at (of-course) McDonald's when they were 14 years old.  It wasn't easy for them.  Their friends stayed up late Friday night and I would have them out of bed at 4:00AM to hit the road to work.  But they did it.  I think it really helped them get a since of earning their own money and getting out on their own.  I know there are times when you have to help them, but just help them-don't do everything or pay everything.

Organzing will save you big money

The more organzied your home is, the more money you will save.  It will keep you from spending money on things that you already have, but have forgotton that you have it.  Start with containers and 1 area at
a time.  Even start with 1 cupboard and try to do one every day.  No one has a whole day to spend on organizing.  You won't believe how much difference it will make in your home if you just spend 15 minutes a day.

Get the best prices on air fare

Tuesday is the best day of the week to book your trip on line.  Airlines fill their empty seats and you can save a bunch.

Easy Roast Beef

1 Beef Roast
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 cups water


Brown beef.  Put in roasting pan, add soup mix and water.  Bake 350 for 2 hours or throw it in  a crock pot all day on low.

A great night out.......

Shop for clearance.......Head on out shopping and make a promise to yourself that you will not spend unless it is a great deal........

Never, ever buy things in season.......buy at the end of every season.

I Wish I would have...........

If I look back at the past - a couple of things I wish I would have done....

.....teach my children to really cook good foods for themselves......
.....teach good financial planning and checkbook management (They both do great now, but there were some trying times in college)

A couple of things I am glad we did......

....Traveled...Our goal was to get both kids to all 50 states by the time they turned 18 years old.  One ended up at 36 states and the other 34 states.  Both went to 2 different countries and 1 cruise to the Bahamas.
.....Made sure they went to college!!!

Set up your kitchen cupboards for success....

To save tons of money on your grocery bills, stock your cupboards with everything you need to start out.  Then every Sunday you will take your ad's from all of your area grocery stores and match coupons to items you use.  Then go to the store's and only buy exactly that.  Nothing more.  Jack and I would have a shopping night and hit all the stores in our area.  We would come home with $150.00 worth of groceries for $25.00.

Also when you find something at a great price, but it by the case.

A Great Recipe

Here is a fantastic recipe from my mother's collection.  I have made it and it never disappoints!

1 Eye of Round Roast
4 cups of water
5 Beef bouillon cubes

Brown the Eye of Round.  Place in covered roasting pan.  Add water and bouillon cubes.  Top with a lot of pepper.  Back in 275 degree oven for 4 hours.