Is it worth it?

Hello one & all...been a while, I know. Been busy with the little details of life...piano lessons, band concerts, boy scouts, girl scouts, AWANA, art shows, science shows, renaissance fairs. Whew! On top of that we have faced two family medical crises. My father underwent two separate eye surgeries to remove cataracts and then blood clots from inside his right eye. Modern medicine is truly amazing...he can see better out of that eye than before the surgeries! Then my Mom was hospitalized with a lung infection last week. The littlest one and I spent 6 hours in the ER waiting to find out that they were admitting her. (My two year old was an angel!) Scary stuff. Been to see her 5 days out of the 6 that she has been "stuck there." (Running here, running there, running, running everywhere.) Tonight's visit was a true pleasure as she seems more her old self and her chest doesn't pain her quite as badly. The Lord is so very good and we all feel so very blessed to have both Matriarch and Patriarch back in action!!!

Been thinking a lot about the true value of things...I am not a "things" type of person. I don't have those desires to buy big fancy "toys" or to have the latest of this or that. I do get a hankering, though, every single spring for a camper. Not a fancy high-end one. Just a med-sized pop-up to replace the two (yup, we now need two...cheaper than replacing tent #1 with a huge model!) tents that are our current outdoor gear. Then I started thinking along the lines of the greatest Frugalista of all time...Amy from The Tightwad Gazette. She compares relative values something like this. I love to tent camp...my husband and 12 yo daughter- not so much. But I LOVE to tent camp. I am one of those freaks that would canoe out to an island with no toilet and no power for a week of camping (I do not, as yet, own a canoe but I'm trying to make a point here...) My tents cost $27 (love that Cabela's card!) and $35. A decent pop-up camper in so-so condition costs around $2500. Now, would I love camping 42 times MORE if I owned a pop-up versus our tents. Just can't see it given my current over the top (so the hubby says) desire to sleep on the ground. A mattress and metal shell cannot possibly make me enjoy camping 42 times more.

So when considering an upgrade or purchase do the math...I often ask my kids if they enjoy pizzeria pizza 4 times more than homemade. They always answer no.

Blessings, Eve

Au gratin Potatoes

Hello one & all...spent a glorious afternoon at the county park with a number of friends and their families. Decided yesterday that the day was going to be too beautiful to pass on and made a slew of phone calls. 7 adults and more than 15 children aged 7 months to 13 years descended on the local playground. What a wonderful time! Fellowship, healthy play and sunshine. Everyone brought their own lunch and sunscreen and came and went as suited them. I couldn't have asked for a nicer way to spend the afternoon. Mu children asked, on the way home, if we could get everyone together like that every week come summer. Got me to thinking that it might just work to pick a specific weekday...say Wednesdays...and simply pick a new spot each week. Come if you can, skip if you must. Hmmm...looks like I just took on another project!

I am hosting my family for Easter and plan to make Au gratin potatoes. It is my son's favorite dish and so easy...so much better than Betty can ever hope to make!

Au gratin Potatoes

6 TBSP flour
1/2 cup dry milk (optional)
1 tsp onion powder (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups cold milk
4 cups potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
3 TBSP butter

In a quart jar place the flour, dry milk, onion powder (if using instead of onion) and salt and pepper. Close and shake thoroughly. Add cold milk and shake again until all the flour is dissolved. In a greased 3 quart casserole dish layer the potatoes, onions, and cheese dotting each layer with butter. Add the milk- flour mixture. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 4. **I usually double this recipe and make it with the real onion and the addition of dry milk. Adding leftover ham, bacon, even burger is wonderful. Use a 9 x 13 and plan on around 2 hours cooking time.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Coloring Easter Eggs

Hello one & all...spent the weekend preparing for the upcoming holiday. Priced store bought color kits between $.99 and $1.69, depending on what was included. Homemade color is super easy to make and very inexpensive. (Given that you do not buy your liquid food color at a supermarket for $3.00 and up! Yikes...try Save-a-lot and Dollar General type stores for low cost replacements...) Mix 4 oz. of white vinegar and 2 oz. of water. Add 15-20 drops of color and mix. Yup...that simple! Add in eggs and soak till desired shade. This recipe offers great versatility as you can create any colors your children would like. These colors are NOT neon strength but will certainly create pretty, pastel eggs for the basket. Finish with stickers, glue, glitter and sequence for a spectacular display. Happy Easter everyone! Blessings, Eve

Splash Lagoon

Hello one & all...even the most frugal among us needs to splurge every now & then. The hubby and I took the kids on a two day trip to Splash Lagoon earlier this week. Totally worth every penny we paid. (And that was way less than we had anticipated!) Every night at a participating hotel gets you 4 passes (3 and under are free) for the day of arrival and the day of departure till the park closes. In our case, 16 hours of park time. No child I know can use that much water time. They are tired out way before that! All three kids loved it. They have something for everyone...from 2 to 7 to 12. A great time was had by all and we are already planning a return trip next winter. Check it out if you are looking for a getaway. Hint: look to go on "off nights." We went on Sunday evening. Thursday would also be good. The rates are cheaper and the park isn't as crowded. Blessings, Eve

Scrumptious Chicken

Hello one & all...I was asked for this recipe by my daughter's best friend's mother. Seems she had gone home from dinner at our house and asked Mom to make it. I cannot believe that I have not shared this recipe with you all as it is a staple in our home and oh-so easy!

Scrumptious Chicken

4 boneless chicken breast halves, chunked
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use fat-free with success)
8 oz. (1/2 tub) sour cream
1 packet french onion soup mix (or a couple tablespoons powdered beef broth and either real diced onion or dried!)

Mix all the ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. (Larger chunks can take longer cooking times...) Serve over egg noodles or rice. ***Green beans and applesauce are a wonderful addition to this.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Smoke Alarm Batteries

Hello one & all...just a reminder to change your smoke alarm batteries. I have been good about this in the past but skipped a "time change cycle." Found one of my batteries (by the master bedroom) was not even in all the way. The alarm was completely disabled. (I have no idea how long this was like this and have no recollection of why it would have been disengaged.) E-gads! So, don't skip...change your batteries with every time change. Walmart has a 2 pack of heavy duty 9V for 97 cents. Now that's money worth spending...

Blessings, Eve

Rita's Sausage and Potato Skillet

Hello one & all...last Halloween my MIL made a simple and wonderful dish. Thought of it many times since then but this was my first solo attempt. Made it tonight and it was fantastic...and so, so simple.

Rita's Sausage and Potato Skillet

1 pound smoked or polish sausage (I used lite polish)
6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 large sweet peppers, sliced (I used a 1# bag of peppers and onions, frozen)
1 large onion, sliced
2 TBSP butter

In a large fry pan melt butter and add 1/2 cup water. Add potatoes, peppers and onions. Cover and cook till potatoes are HALF tender. (Add more water if needed.) Add the sausage, sliced, and cook till fully tender and hot throughout. Salt and pepper to taste.

I told you...simple. But so very good. I served this with corn and baked beans. Two thumbs up all the way around...

Make and Enjoy! Blessings, Eve