Finding stuff we didn't even know we had

I got a letter on my door Monday informing me of a garage sale that our neighborhood is having in a week.

Friends you may not know this about me, but I love getting rid of junk in my home. It drives me crazy. Sometimes when I even visit other people's homes I envision decluttering their lives for them. It's so wrong I know. Now, boy could on the other hand live quite comfortably as a pack rat. He is insistant on keeping everything because ,well, you never know when 25 screw drivers may come in handy one day.

When we got married many of his items "accidentally" fell off the moving van when moving to our new apartment. So tragic it happened to his and not mine.

So over our married years he's adapted well to my "if you don't use it in a year, we sell it" policy. Our dining room has now happily turned into Operation 2007 Garage Sale.

I feel so light already.

How many more hours?

Y'all. You know I love me some t.v. I really don't know how I'm going to get through the day with these old friends on my mind. I've desperately been waiting 3 long months until we could be reunited.

Ads Part 2

Thank you all for your comments. I love hearing what you sweet ladies have to say. I menitoned in my previous post, in case you missed it, that I have stumbled across some negative comments on blog's where the owners have advertising columns. I was a little shocked to read such comments. I personally feel that there is nothing wrong with advertising on your site, just as long as it is appropriate and tasteful. I think when you do advertise you have to take into the risk that you will have more feeds and so more strangers viewing your blog and you may want to be more cautious of what you say. I think it is an amazing opportunity that bloggers are being paid to blog. Many of the well-known bloggers even inform on their site that this income as allowed them to stay at home. More power to them. I think it's great that women have the ability to stay at home with their children and support their families doing something that enjoy.

A lot of the negative comments I've found have been on extremely popular mom blogs. I guess these reader's feel that what once was just a fun read is now basically a business (or maybe do we sense jealousy) of the advertisements. It's up to the individual as with anything I think you will find people for and against it.

For me, even though I feel there is nothing wrong with it, you will not see an advertising column up anytime soon.

UPDATE: Tam! brought up a good question, how much do you make. I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I sort of dug around www.blogher.com and found a calculator that ask you to punch in how many visits you have a month. Then you press calculate and it will tell you your estimated income. So if you have 5,000 hits you're looking at around $25 a month. I don't even know how to find out my hits a month, maybe 50...So I'd be making maybe a buck! :-) Anyone know anything about google's?

Crocodille tears and blogging advertising jeers and cheers

I'm just finishing up Francine River's "The Atonement Child".

And mascara is dripping down my face.

This book needs a major mascara alert.

Friends this is an amazing book, but I will not lie to you. You will be bawling your eyes out as you go on this emotional journey with the main character. I would not read this while traveling on an airplane. You might freak people out.

I'm really going to try to finish it tonight because it is just that good.

Next up,

I've been pondering some comments that I have read on numerous blogs about people allowing advertising on their blogs whether it's through www.blogher.com or even google's program. And no I'm not doing that; I'm just opening this post up to your feedback on advertising. I have my opinion which I'm going to hold back on because I don't want you to feel persuaded. I'd love for everyone to comment. If it's easier to go by a discussion question then use this: "If you were offered to get paid for blogging by adding an advertisement column to your blog skin would you? Why or why not?

This outta be good and please remember this is just for fun...be kind!

See ya' tomorrow.

Cheap Couture Cuisine- Teriyaki Noodles and Veggies

"Yummy yummy yummy I've got love in my tummy!" (is that a jingle or a song?)

It's Cheap Couture Cuisine day! Whoa! I've got something delicious for y'all today...Teriyaki Noodles and Veggies. Remember y'all the Cheap Couture Cuisine is made for under $12. I'm on the hunt to find good meals that cost less than taking the family out for fast food. If you have one to share...do let me know.

Now you're going to have to mentally picture the dish in your head because due to my lack of computer skills and the randomness of my mac a picture is going to be coming soon...I promise. I'm thinking it's the usb cord so after I banged it a couple times on the desk and found no results I got frustrated and gave up. Trust me though you will dig this meal.

You need:
1/2 lb. of lean ground beef $3.99 (I bought a lb. and used the other half for another meal or you can double the receipe to feed more)
1 9oz. Green Giant Frozen Veggies in Teriyaki sauce $2.99
1 1/2 cups water
1 3oz. oriental flavored ramen noodle soup mix (a whooping .28)

1. Cook gound beef, drain.
2. Add water and veggies to a boil. Break noodles into 4 pieces and 1 tsp. of the seasoning that comes with the ramon noodles.
3. Simmer 5-6 minutes.

My total: $7.26
See, rockin' dinners don't have to break the bank. Now I'm back to watching the Bachelor!

*Receipe from Pillsbury

Maybe we should stop licking the Walmart shopping carts?

I hate being sick. I can tolerate a sinus infection, strep, and even a cold but not the stomach bug. Yuck. Nothing worse than that. oh wait!! yes there is having it 2 weekends in a row.

I kid you not on that.

We don't have kid's, we're really only around kiddos on Sundays and because I'm such a germ-a-phob I always drench my body in Purell coming out of any germ infested place.

I sort of feel like blaming someone for my misery...I'll blame Walmart. That's probably were we keep getting it. A few weeks ago at Walmart I was checking out and usually when I go to slide my debit card through, a question pops up asking "was your cashier friendly today?", this question was "Was your Walmart clean today?"

I immediately responded "no" and busted out loud laughing because when I think of Walmart the word clean doesn't necessary pop up with that. Sorry Walmart for dissing on you, but I don't think I'll ever lay down on your floors to take a nap.

So yesterday, I basically flopped on the sofa and stayed there all day flipping through the channels trying to find something decent on to make my misery go away. Poor boy has been hit with it twice also and he unfortunately had to go into the office that day. So it was just me and the pug all day watching HGTV.

What did y'all do this weekend?

Is this wrong that this is so funny?

Tam over at InProgress had a post this week about what makes you laugh. The first thing that came to mind was this stinkin' hilarious scene from an episode of Just for Laughs I remember watching. I had to go see if I could find it and sure enough youtube.com had it. I felt it would be so selfish of me not to share it with y'all. So enjoy...

Junk is Junk

Earlier this week we headed out to my parent's home aka "the lakehouse" aka "the inheritance" according to my mom.

She said it not me.

We had the house to ourselves since my parents are whisking through the great state of Maine. I'm so jealous. Why is it parent's take cool trips after we leave the house?

On day 2 boy and I headed out for lunch and a little shopping adventure, or as I told him sightseeing. I found this incredible blog/site that has given me the redecorating bug. She has amazing taste and so I want her home. So I thought a quick trip to an antique store would be in order. I told boy there was this great flea market that I wanted to check out. Flea market seems to be more manly then antique mall, so I substituted a word. What women won't do to get there husbands to go shopping with them. He agreed and we headed over there. As we pulled into the parking lot I get this.

"This is NOT a flea market...this is an antique store. You tricked me!!

"Oh so what, there is no difference. Junk is Junk!"

He begrudling followed me after telling me there is a huge difference and then proceeded to ask every 5 minutes if we could go now. I fear ladies that I have lost all shopping trust with my husband and will now have to photograph each store's exterior and interior to seek approval the next time we go shopping. If there is a next time.

Oil and Vinegar

I own my own business. I don't know if I've shared that with you all before. I won't go into to much detail because that's not the point of the post. God's hands have truly been wrapped around the business from the get go. He's lead me where I need to go, not maybe where I want it to go, but where He needs it to go. I just have to listen closely.

My business is Christian based. I love having God as my CEO and being totally free to share that. Although I thought it would be easier than it is. I mean who doesn't love Jesus...amen? Well I've had a harse dose reality of the beliefs around us, particularly in the last few months. The more the business grows the more challenges I am faced with.

I've received numerous comments that the "the God thing needs to be turned down" if it should make it. But most recently, I received an stab you in the heart sort of e-mail where you are just shocked that they call themselves a Christian when they say such hurtul things.

Honestly, it's never a side of life I wanted to ever witness. But I have and it's there. Now let me clarify that these were all comments made by individuals from their own opinions. They are intitled to say whatever they want, but what I am getting at is how careful we have to be when we combine our faith with our words. When step up the plate to accept His Grace, it doesn't mean that tomorrow we can go out gossiping to our best friend. When we call him our Abba Father it doesn't mean we can turn and yell at the cashier behind the desk for her mistake.

It's like oil and vinegar the two don't mix.

We are all guilty of it, I am no saint sitting behind this computer. I encourage you to not slake on your faith and be proud that you can worship such a righteous Lord.

Cheap Couture Cuisine- Taco Lasagna

Y'all I absolutely love finding and cooking new receipes...and when I find something we can't get enough of I love sharing it too. I always get such great response when I do, so I'll keep on keepin' on. However, I'm gonna add a twist. I get so frustrated with receipes that get so outrageous in price...amen? A while back I posted about a dish that literally cost $45 to make. It's crazy and although I don't think there is anything wrong with bringing bling to your meals I think you can get the same effect just cheaper. On Mondays I'm going to add a new receipe each week that costs under $12 to make. I promise it will be yummy, that it's not just a box of mac and cheese and that it's feedable for a family of 4. Here's out first Cheap Couture Cuisine. Do enjoy! If you have one you think fits the bill, do e-mail me the receipe at aboyagirlandapug at gmail dot com (please substitute the words for symbols) and I'll give you the kudos for it. So let's feed the fam without breaking the bank so we can spend it on other stuff...like Gap or those awesome shoes at Banana Republic.

Taco Lasagna
I actually found this receipe on the back of the Old El Paso Taco Bake kit.
Hubby thought this one was rocking!

But first here's a tip. If you can weigh out the cost and buy it in a package do! Many a time the price of the package will come in cheaper then buying all the items separately. For instance, this Old El Paso box cost only $2. To buy everything separately would cost well over $5 and if you have a small family you may not need all those tortillas. I only buy a separate thing of flour tortillas if I'm making a meal for more than 4 or the dish calls for a lot of tortillas it.


You need:
1 box of Old El Paso Taco Bake (in it will have 4 flour tortillas, cheese sauce and seasoning) on sale $2.00
1 Jar of Salsa $1.74
Shredded Cheddar $1.98
1 lb of beef $3.68
1 can of kidney beans $0.44
1 cup of water Free (well sort of)

TOTAL COST: $9.84*
Whoa made it way under!

Brown beef and drain then add with the meat HALF of the cheese sauce in the box, 1 cup of water and seasoning. Bring to a boil and lower temp. simmering for 4 minutes. Then add drained and rinsed kidney beans, rest of cheese sauce and stir for a few minutes. In a small baking dish add 1 tortilla top with some salsa, meat mixture, and sprinkle with cheese. Continue layering and finish with salsa, meat and cheese on top. Bake at 400 for 17-20 minutes.

Total does not include tax.

I AM Bible Study Part 2- City Girl

Friends you are seriously missing out if you are not doing this awesome bible study with The Preacher's Wife. Such great scripture that is being laid before us. It's only every other Wednesday (and yes I know it's Sunday) but you can post whenever or if you don't want to post I encourage you to read the lesson anyway.

Here's my questions:
1. What is your inital response when anyone suggest you are beautiful? I honestly shrug it off like "oh don't lie" or I come back with a negative on myself.

2. Do you find you engage in a lot of negative 'self-talk'? How much of your thought life does this form of thinking consume? Oh yeah, it seems so easy to get sucked into that with our culture being molded to these ridiculous standards of botox, plastic surgery and diets. It honestly consumes a lot.

3. What is the most radical transformation you've witnessed in an individual after they were born again? It was actually one my sunday school kids. It was truly remarkable to witness the joy and esteem in this reborn child.

4. The image of being a City Girl has absoultely changed the way I perceive my worth before God. Does it yours? Will you receive this truth and let it boost your righteous confidence? Oh I'm boosting now!

TiVo is back to work

Sorry I couldn't resist another post on t.v. Even the words Fall make me think September which makes me think new shows on T.V. It's sad really I know. I thought I'd share with you all what I'm looking forward to checking out since you all so graciously shared with me.

Let's start with FOX. I'm always a little weary about tuning into their new sitcoms, cause well they just don't last. That is except for Simpsons and American Idol. But, Patricia Heaton is back to tv this season with her new show "Back to You" on Wednesday nights with Kelsey Grammer. Again rather shocked it's on FOX, but I do have hopes for this show with such a strong cast and the previews look really funny.

The one I'm really looking forward to in the comedy department is "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS. How hilarious does this look? 2 nerds and a chick always scores comedy points. So far loving the previews and can't wait to watch on Mondays.

Also, another comedy I'm ready to check out is "Carpoolers" on ABC.

Here's my predicition for biggest comedy flop...."Samantha Who?" It has a great cast with Christina Applegate and Barry Watson, but come on ABC you've got to be pretty talented to make a show about someone coming out of a coma last a couple years. I see this not making it to season 2.

Now onto the Dramas.

I'm just going to go ahead and give a big huge flop rating to "Bionic Woman" in hopes that someone from NBC will happen to read this post, take my advice and save their career and take it off the air. This shows looks awful.

I am super excited because my favorite drama "Grey's Anatomy" has a spin-off this year called "Private Practice". So brillant to do a spin-off while the show is going. Keeps us viewers watching both. I love Kate Walsh and the cast is amazing. Tim Daly, anyone remember him from "Wings" and then we have Amy Brennan who is a fabulous actress and was in "Judging Amy" a great show that ended a few years ago. Very excited about this one that will be on ABC Wednesday nights.

And also in the drama shows is the "Women's Murder Club". I've read some of James Patterson's books. He is an extremely talented murder mystery author and so I'm excited to see what this show will do. It's got Angie Harmon in it, who I think is so talented. My only negative speculation on the show is that it will be on ABC Friday nights. Friday night shows have a hard time staying a float. I don't seem to watch too much tv on Fridays not like I used to when we had T.G.I.F's and "Full House" was on. Will see though, I'll still TiVo it.

And last but not least...Reality TV.

Pumped about "Biggest Loser" although Allison Sweeney will be hosting it instead of Caroline Rhea. Not sure why yet. This show inspires me to work out, so 2 thumbs up for that.

Also, I've never watched "Survivor", but I will check out this seasons. I'm curious to see how the Christian Radio Host from South Carolina does.

And the ultimate flop EVER... "Kid Nation". I do not like the idea of young kids without mom or dad. Not a cool idea folks.

Snacks, hair cuts and well Lasagna all in one post

I've really got nothin' to blog about. Life is sort of in boring mode. Which is good because well boring is better than super chaotic. So I felt I would share the randomness of my mind with you all because I'm sure you would enjoy to hear it.

1. I forgot tomorrow is my night at bible study for snacks, DOH!, so I'm scrambling trying to find some wow factor receipe and then head over to the grocery store to get the stuff and make it all tonight. Any suggestions cooks out there?

2. Big Brother 8 is coming to an end this coming Tuesday. I believe I mentioned before that we are loser fans that rework are schedules around as much as we can to tune in each Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. And when we absolutely have to miss because someone just does not understand our Big Brother love we rely on our pal TiVo. TiVo is such a good friend. So next week are schedule will open up and we can maybe go back to socializing with real people. But I do have to say I'm very excited about the new shows coming for fall. I am a tv girl so tell me what show you are looking forward too?

3. I've waited too long to get my hair cut and highlighted. It looks horrid. If I were my husband I'd be so embarrassed to walk around with a wife that's roots are so stinking long. I can't get in until the 26th and it just may send me over the edge. Speaking of hair I'm wanting a new do. I like it long and bangless, but I see all these cute sassy hair cuts like Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama. I'm just too chicken to go that short.

4. Because I'm feeling so lazy I will leave y'all with my super easy Lasagna that rocks! You have to make it the night before, so I usually make it Saturday night because Sundays I like to be lazy after church and watch Lifetime tv and nap.

1 lb. ground beef
1 Jar 26-28 oz of Pasta sauce
1 cup of water
Box of Lasagna noodles (don't cook them)
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 package of sliced mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1 egg

Cook ground beef. Then add in pasta sauce to a bowl with water. Mix together ricotta, egg and oregano. Put off to the side. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the pasta/meat mixture in the bottom of 8 x 13 pan. Top with uncooked lasagna noodles add half of the ricotta mixture. Top with half the mozzarella slices. Pour another 1 1/2 cups of sauce/meat mixture, followed again by noodles, then ricotta mixture and topped with the remaining mozzarella slices. Pour the rest of the sauce/meat mixture on top. Cover and place in the fridge.

Next day: Preheat to 375 and cook for 50 minutes.
So stinking easy, but so stinking good. We had it Sunday night and Monday night for dinner this week and I completely forgot to take a picture to show you.

FaithLifts

Hey Y'all,

Come visit me over here today where I'm a guest contributor!

Now for our intellectual post of the evening...

I found this article here that list's what Time Magazine views as the Top 100 Novels from 1923 till now. I was a little surprised that Ernest Hemingway's works did not make the list. I am proud to say that I have read some on the list (or even saw the movie). I'm curious though what would be on your Top 5 or even better Top 10 list?

Sometimes when we're feeling blue we put pug's old costumes on him for laughs.

Pug is a giraffe in case you couldn't tell.

Put away all white clothing day!

It's Labor Day. Uh, what a bummer. I hate to even admit this to y'all, but I better get real and admit that I hate fall. Sorry fall loving folks, but it's true. I'm just such a spring and summer girl that it's hard to walk into gap and see sweaters without shedding a tiny tear.

So I'm to go and follow the fashion rules and put away all white clothing for now. I'll weep a little over the next few days, but I will survive. But I will leave you all with this you tube clip. Boy and I recently watch "Thou Shall Laugh". Y'all we were rolling on the floor and even better it's super clean. Better be since they filmed it at a church, right?

Enjoy!

Can't put 'em down...

I have a gazillion other things I should be doing, but I can't put these books down. Tell me what you're reading today!

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Mandy actually recommended this and I'm ever so glad she did because it is an amazing read! I just started, but the author immediately pulls you in and before you know it you're lying in your bed at 2 am still reading. Funny story on this book too. I made a special trip to Family Christian the other day looking for this book. They were out. I come home and later that night when boy got back from seeing a football game with his dad he handed me this. My sweet in laws loaned it to me. How cool is that?




Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
He is a great speaker and an equally outstanding writer. Just started this one so I'll let you all know what I think of it when I finish.