26 Days of Thanks (21-26)

At least I made the effort, right? 2 days late isn't bad to wrap up this set of posts, is it? It seems to be the story of my life right now. It seems that the good intentions don't get me into action much lately. I honestly have been absolutely exhausted the past week and have been going to bed relatively early. I've gotta find my groove again so that I can be somewhat productive over the next few crazy weeks.

So for the final catch up post for my 26 days of thanks...

21) I'm thankful for the cash I made at my yard sale and the little bit of junk I was able to get rid of.

22) I'm thankful that Bailey is full of surprises and more and more the surprises are good and really make this mommy proud.

23) I'm thankful for an odd, but great week.

24) I'm thankful for what has become a standing play date of sorts.

25) I'm thankful for new friends who have opened their homes to us over this Thanksgiving week.

26) I'm thankful for my life and even though it's not always easy and I'm not always the best at anything, I have been blessed beyond measure.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

I make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese for just about every potluck I go to. It's easy and is usually a crowd pleaser. Today's was one of my personal favorites even though I only got a few pieces off of the bottom after everyone had been through the line tonight.

To achieve Crock Pot Mac and Cheese greatness, here's what you need:

*I typically double this recipe because I take it to large pot lucks

8 oz Uncooked Elbow Macaroni

1 1/2 c Milk

1 stick melted butter

3 c Shredded Cheese

2 Eggs, beaten

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook Elbow Macaroni to desired tenderness

Spray crock pot with cooking spray

Put all ingredients in the crock pot

Cook on low 3 -4 hours

Today, I used one bag of Mexican blend cheese because it was all I had left in the freezer. I think it actually added a little additional flavor with the spices already in the cheese.

I also used evaporated milk instead of regular milk because I didn't realize until I already had the macaroni in the crock pot that I had used all my milk yesterday! I think this helped it be a little more creamy and rich.

Try it for yourself and let me know what you think. Everyone raves about this every time I take it so I guess that means it's pretty good or else they don't eat good Mac and Cheese in El Paso!

26 Days of Thanks (18-20)

For these days, I'm thankful for...

18) A Girls' Night Out of sorts at the FBC Women's Ministry cooking demonstration. It was great fun and makes me remember why I tend to be a fairly social person.

19) Afternoon naps. I stayed up way too late Wednesday night so I was exhausted Thursday afternoon and somehow managed to take a nap on the couch while the boys played. I only had to wake up a few times to break up fights or get snacks.

20) Getting rid of stuff via a yard sale tomorrow! I'm loving the space I've created in just about every closet in the house. I just hope at some point I don't regret getting rid of all the things I'm going to attempt to sell.

26 Days of Thanks (16-17)

Here's the continuation of this set of posts.

16. I'm thankful the Lord provided me a job here in El Paso that I enjoy most days and has been challenging and eye opening all at the same time!

17. I'm thankful for the days of the week when we get to stay home and just hang out! These are also catch up days for all the things that don't get done the rest of the week.

I intend to post some pictures today, too. So come back and check again!

26 Days of Thanks (9-15)

Wow! A whole week. It's not that I haven't thought about adding to my list, it's just....days go by and my few seconds to do this just slip out of my hands! I'm catching up for a whole week today. Hold on because this could get lengthy. This was a happening kind of week.

9. I'm thankful for saving money with coupons on my weekly grocery shopping trips! It's so much fun to see the total go down, and down and down some more.

10. I'm thankful for our little MOPS group at FBC. We may be small, but we have a great time hanging out and trying to do life together.

11. I'm thankful to be married to a VETERAN. (11/11 was Veteran's Day) Since venturing into this whole Army thing, holidays like Veteran's day, Independence Day, etc. have taken on new meaning. I'm grateful for the opportunity to live life surrounded by men and women who play such a key role in keeping America safe and continuing to defend our freedom. I'm glad to get to honor my husband for being an amazing soldier and Godly example to every soldier with whom he comes into contact.

12. I'm thankful that Jenna Beth has been in our lives 6 months! (11/12 was Jenna Beth's 6 month birthday) She's such a delight and has everyone in this house already wrapped around her little finger. It's so much fun to see the boys interact with her and stop whatever they're doing to make sure she notices them. She smiles bigger at them than anyone else who tries to make her smile.

13. I'm thankful that God has provided for us in such a way that major car repairs aren't a huge financial burden.

14. I'm thankful for time alone! I love my kiddos, but mommy often needs to ride in the car alone and go places that they wouldn't really enjoy.

15. I'm thankful that we are part of a church family that loves and encourages us each time we walk through the door. Without their kind words and offers to help us, this year would've been even more difficult!