Bad Things Come, but Life Keeps Flowin'

ME

2011-05-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

Simple things you didn't know about me....

1. I was the first baby born in Jackson, MI in 1953
2. I received my Bachelor's degree 40 years after I graduated from high school.
3. My only goal in life when I was young was to be a mom
4. I am related to Jackie Kennedy.
5. I am writing a book that is 1/3 completed.

Love This Website!

2011-04-27T13:29:00.001-07:00

http://lifekeepsflowin.blogspot.com/2011/04/lovin-give-every-night-new-flavor.html

Lovin' the Give Every Night New Flavor Website

2011-04-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

I am not much of a cook, and I don't like to take alot of time to prepare meals, so I was excited when the #giveeverynightnewflavor website was recommended to me. Being unemployed, and needing to watch my grocery budget, I was pleased to find not only a variety of recipes, but the website was full of coupons which I could load right on my #krogers card!

The #giveeverynightnewflavor website starts out by giving you various cuisines to choose from: Asian, Italian, Tex Mex or American. After that you can choose how much time you need to prepare your meal. This is perfect for busy famiies. Then you can choose how many servings that you need. Again there is just my husband and I, but I am watching my weight and he is a diabetic, so if there is too much food-we EAT too much food, so that was a great option! I also like the fact that it lists nutritonal value for each recipe.

My granddaughter was visiting, so I included her in choosing the recipe, the shopping trip, preparation and of course the enjoying!

We decided to prepare Tex Mex Bagel Bake! We both agreed it sounded so good, I promply posted it on my Facebook page to share with my friends!

The website offers the option to print off a prepared shopping list and coupons!

We headed out to Kroger to buy our ingredients.

Home and ready to get started!

Ingredients

PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

2 plain bagels split horizontally

1 carton (15 oz each) Egg Beaters® Southwestern Style

1/4 cup fat free milk

1 cup frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed

5 frozen Banquet® Brown 'N Serve Turkey Sausage links, cut up

1/2 cup shredded reduced fat Colby Jack cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8x8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Cut bagels into 1-inch pieces. Combine Egg Beaters and milk in large bowl. Add bagels, pepper blend and sausages; toss to coat. Place mixture in dish; press bagel pieces down into Egg Beaters mixture.
Spray underside of aluminum foil with cooking spray; cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Uncover dish and bake 10 minutes more or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand 5 minutes.

The Tex Mex Bagel Bake was great! Even my fussy pre-teen granddaughter ate two helpings and took some home for her family. I am so happy to find this helpful and fun website!
http://www.giveeverynightnewflavor.com/

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All statements and opinions are mine.

I Hate to Pat Myself on the Back but.......

2011-04-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

Comment from my instructor:
Judy- these poems are really VERY good. Your images and your rhythm are top-notch. The little monkey poem breaks my heart. Great job!

My Name is Smith

My name is Smith, he spat at me
My spectacles are poorly
Been wandering ‘round this town all day
I demand you to please help me.

I am old and so very feeble
I am crotchety, and oh so slow
I have no family around here
And that is what I am told

If you could help to my lair
I will reward you most greatly
Please hold my arm and lead me through
I live here to our rightly

The door swung open and I stepped back
The smell was quite distinct
Many animals rushed towards me,
And I had no time to think

A cow, a lamb, a duck, a cat
Welcomed us most gleefully
I helped him to his little chair
And he flopped down on the settee

An envelope on the table with
Edges yellowed and tattered
He pulled out some brand new bills
Several twenties, they did scatter

I have no more time for you, he said
Guess he was no miser
Quickly I ran down the street
A little richer, but no wiser.

Four Little Monkeys on my Butt

What a lonely child I thought I was
One sib already grown
Lots of family here and there
So many out of town

How I longed for a little sis
Someone I could show my wit
I begged my parents to oblige
A TV is all I get!

Many, many years had passed
And I knew the time was right
Somewhere between happiness and sorrow
Four little monkeys came to light

Oh, how they loved their mom,
Upstairs, downstairs, in the basement
They were always, always by my side
I was their source of entertainment

Four little monkeys on my butt
Always happy to be about
Through naughtiness and sickness
I never had doubt

Today they all have left me
One by one they’re on their own
So very far from my tree,
My little monkeys have flown.

Murphy USA Cheap Gas Shop

2011-04-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to get selected for the #MurphyUSA Cheap Gas Shop Shoppertunity! The nearest Murphy USA was in another county, but I thought it would be fun to go for a road trip to compare some gas prices.

I woke up to find we had some snow overnight, but I checked the weather maps and saw that it wasn't actually that bad out.

I packed up my husband, Mike and my dog, Gretchen and headed down to Adrian, Michigan.

#MurphyUSA was an unique gas station. The pop, chip, and candy machines were outdoors. There was also a small rack for auto supplies. There were some good deals!

Mike filled up the gas tank while we were there.

The price was $3.909 per gallon! #MurphyUSA was very busy, and it was almost difficult to get near the checkout!

Right down the street, Meijer's price for unleaded was $3.939. MurphyUSA was 2 cents cheaper per gallon! Since we did our checking for cheap gas prices in Lenawee County first, I was anxious to see how much different the gas prices were in the neighboring county.

Mike walked Gretchen (or Gretchen walked him!), we got something to eat, then headed back to Jackson.

Flying down the highway, I happened to see this Sunoco station, and their prices were even cheaper-$3.859!

Coming back to Jackson I decided to check two more gas stations. One by the highway, in the country, and one right on Michigan Avenue in the downtown area.

Shell Station in the country: $3.999

Speedway on Michigan Ave.: $3.959

It was an interesting and fun day. I was glad to be able to visit a #MurphyUSA and see first hand what everyone is talking about. Since this particular MurphyUSA was more of an "oasis", I would like to visit some of the larger gas stations as well.

Disclosure: This whrrl/blog post has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and MurphyUSA. All opinions stated are mine.

My Vitamin Shopping Trip to Meijer

2011-04-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

It is time to get healthy again. Last June I joined a weight loss group at work and lost almost 25lbs. I stopped eating beef, then I stopped eating poultry. I endulged myself with an occaional BLT, but now bacon has been banned too. I allow myself fish or seafood, but that's so I can eat at Red Lobster!

On September 30th I got laid off from my job at a community college. I kept up my exercise routine, even walking in a 5K and doing WII Fit, but eventually I stopped doing that as well.

Like everyone else, I had a New Years Resolution not to loose weight, but to start "Getting Healthy!" I know because of my age and the fact that I no longer eat meat, I need to supplement my diet.

I used to work at Meijer Pharmacy, so I knew they had a cool website where I could take a survey to see what vitamins best suited my age and lifestyle. http://www.meijer.com/content/content.jsp?pageName=vitamin_finder. The survey was easy to take and gave me the answers I needed to begin my vitamin shopping trip. I had also noticed a 40% off sale on Meijer vitamins in the Sunday morning adds this morning, so I was ready to shop!

I really didn't want to go as it is unseasonally cold and snowy/sleaty/rainy here in Michigan today, but I knew once I got out I would feel better. and started on my way.

The vitamin aisle was busy, but I knew pretty much exactly what I needed, so I didn't think it would take long. I was wrong! Between my list of what I needed, the mental note of what I already had at home, the "Buy 3 Get One Free" coupon, and the 40% off "letter" vitamins was enough to make me loony.

I ended up buying the basics: Calcuim, Vitamin C, and the Vitamin B12 that I have heard so much about. I got some great deals, and was very happy with my purchases.

http://whrrl.com/e/jvSE0

Driving Miss Daisy

2011-03-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

I was never much of a movie watcher, but sometimes a movie comes around that I just want to crawl into the screen and live it. One of these movies is Driving Miss Daisy. I'm not for sure if it's because I am doing my genealogy or it's just my age but I could watch this movie over and over.... and I do. Life seemed so simple then. Seemed 'clean'. We don't see the hardships of the past, we only see the simpleness of it all. As I watch this movie, I want to smell the fresh air, feel the rain on my face, and the feel of being in one of those old cars.
I bought the soundtrack to Driving Miss Daisy. Sometimes when I'm in my Jeep all by myself and play this CD, I can imagine my Great Grandma Wilson driving down the street with her pretty little hat and gloves on, running her errands. Sometimes I see myself at the age I am, not the age I feel as I putt-putt down the street. I try not to see this scene too much though!

Driving Miss Daisy
http://youtu.be/5I5MkrMzAs8