This simple housewifes contribution to the world

Good-bye AOhelL!

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:40:59 GMT

Well today I received my little official blue letter from AOhelL giving me the link to transfer my journal to blog spot. So I got that all done and this will be my final post here. I'm not sure if I'll keep up the old journal at my new location, the address is This Simple Housewife's Contribution to the World (http://thissimplehousewife.blogspot.com/) or just go with my new Fryin' Up The Bacon blog (http://fryinupthebacon.blogspot.com/).

I don't know. I may be as ready to let go of the old journal as AOhelL was to let all of us go. I hope I'll see many of you at my new home and be sure to send me links to your new journal/blog when/if you get a new one started. Just because we may end up at different blog homes doesn't mean we can't still visit.

Take care and much love to everyone who has visited over the years. Especially those who followed from my original journal (His, Hers and Ours).

HUGS!
Jill Marie

Let me know...

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:56:33 GMT

Hey ya'll, be sure to send me an email with your new blog address. And stop by over at my new "head quarters". I'm (for the time being) calling it "Fryin' Up The Bacon". Yeah, kind of lame...but I couldn't think of anything else. Let me know if you think of a better name for my new blog.

The blog spot is okay. Something are easier and some things are just a matter of figuring out, I think. Loading a picture seems to take forever...or it could be just because my computer seems to be a bit slow lately. I think it's because of all the downloading Ray is doing on his computer. It seems to steal my speed. There has to be a way for me to get around that. Oh well...

Take care,
Jill Marie

Trying it out...

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:46:28 GMT

Well, I'm giving it a try. Here's a new address for anyone interested:
Fryin' Up The Bacon.

AOhelL!!!!!

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:51:14 GMT

I am so confused and annoyed and getting more so as I try to learn more about this whole AOhelL mess. I just got this reply from Magic Smoke...

Hi,

AOL won't transfer your journal, you've got to take action yourself. You will be notified when that can be done.
All AOL Journals will be deleted by November 1st.

The journal will look different at Blogger, although you can tweak it.

I have put a few more entries on Magic Smoke which are useful.

Guido

If AOhelL is NOT going to transfer my entire journal then why did I read the following at Magic Smoke...

In case you haven't been reading my comments..

Some of my responses to users comments

To Paul, yes a copy of your journal will be made on Blogger. Your journal will still be available till Nov 1st. Also, the migration will be opened up to Journals users starting on or after Oct. 7th. We will be using this week to iron out any kinks in the process.

To Sherri - I would not worry about the migration too much. It should be fairly straightforward. Blogger will also have a helpdesk that you can send email to, if you have any issues and a live real person will respond and help out. So, all efforts have been made to minimize the pain.

To Yasmin (cayasm) and everybody else - Your journals will be copied over in its ENTIRETY (entries, comments, about me). So, anything else you hear is not true.

And no, your email account is not affected by this at all as some have been suggesting.

I understand that people are upset and that is okay. However, I request you to be patient and understanding as we work thru this process.

Vish

I am beginning to think that NO ONE at AOhelL knows what the heck is going on! Surprise...NOT.

Tags: AOL hell

GOTTA PEE

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:24:38 GMT

Thanks for the giggle mom. The following is copied from an email that my mother sent me. I just love when I get one that makes me giggle out loud.

GOTTA PEE

Two women friends had gone for a girl's night out.
Both were very faithful and loving wives, however They had gotten over-enthusiastic on the Bacardi Breezers. Incredibly drunk and walking home they needed to Pee, so they stopped in the cemetery.

One of them had nothing to wipe with so she thought She would take off her panties and use them.
Her friend however was wearing a rather expensive Pair of panties and did not want to ruin them.
She was lucky enough to squat down next to a grave That had a wreath with a ribbon on it, so she
Proceeded to wipe with that.

After the girls did their business they proceeded to go home.
The next day one of the woman's husband was concerned That his normally sweet and i nnocent wife was still in bed hung over, so he phoned the other husband and said:

'These girl nights have got to stop! I'm starting to suspect the worst. My wife came home with no panties!!'

'That's nothing' said the other husband, 'Mine came back with a card stuck to her ass that said...

'From all of us at the Fire Station. We'll never forget you.''

Home Remedy--Bee Stings

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:42:08 GMT

Good morning. Here is are some tips to relieve Bee Stings.

Bee Stings

Use meat tenderizer
Mix water with cornstarch into a paste and apply. This is effective in drawing out the poisons of most insect bites
Make a paste with crushed aspirin and water and apply liberally to the sting.
When you get a bee sting spit in some dirt and make mud. Apply the mud for 15 minutes this helps bring the stinger quickly and helps the pain go away. Great idea to try if your away from home, camping, hiking or whatever.
Sprinkle an alka-seltzer tablet with enough water to make it fizz and lay it directly on top of the sting. In a couple of minutes the pain should go away and the swelling should go down.
If you have a cigarrete nearby. break it open, wet the tobacco & apply directly onto bee sting, it relieves the pain and avoids swelling.

But before doing any of that you need to remove the stinger if it is still in the skin. I've heard that the best way to do that is to gently scrape a credit card across the site of the bee sting.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with this journal. If anyone knows of a good blogging site, please let me know. Keep in mind I don't know much of anything about HTML, so it has to be one that is easy to work with. Thanks for any places you can give me advice about.

Have a good day,
Jill Marie

Tags: home remedy, bee stings

AOhelL

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:58:31 GMT

Okay...this really sucks lemons! Why in the heck would they close down AOL Journals? This makes no sense to me at all. I mean I could understand no making Journals available to those who have a FREE aol email address. But we are still paying $24 for our AOL membership every freaking month.

I am going to have to look into other E-Mail providers and see what they offer. This really sucks...we've been members since 1999 and I really don't feel like changing all my stuff. This would mean changing my email address with all my family and friends, copying and emailing all saved email to a new address, including all business related items. GRRRRRRRR @ AOhelL!

Well, if you're a reader of this journal I don't really know what to tell you. They say to go here and read this to find out how to transfer your journal, etc. But so far all I've found are dead links, or entries repeating the fact that AOhelL is sticking it to us in the bum, but no real information. Who in the heck are the idiots running AOhelL these days?!

Later...if I'm still able to make entries.
Jill Marie

Tags: AOL hell

For Grins & giggles

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:37:04 GMT

Here's a fun little thing a friend sent me...

Subject:
New Presidential Candidate... It's someone we know!

Hi,

There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know! Watch this online video about the surprising new nominee:

Election Coverage

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=370743&altf=Kjmm&altl=Dpssbm If the link doesn't work copy and paste this address.

Jot back a note to let me know what you think!

Hehehehehe.
Jill Marie (Corral)

Tags: New Presidential candidate

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:26:05 GMT

Grrrr! Let's try this again for the third time and see if I can get it all saved before AOL closes my journal before I'm ready.

Okay, first things first. A quick cleaning tip for clean drinking glasses.

Cloudy Drinking Glasses: Soak them for an hour or longer in slightly warm white vinegar. Then, use a nylon-net or plastic dish scrubber to remove film. Still there? The damage must be etching (tiny scratches that occur in the dishwasher) and is permanent, sorry to say. To avoid this altogether, hand-wash your best glasses.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone watch Dr. Phil? I watched yesterdays show, extreme mom's, and was blown away by the lack of insight of mothers. Especially the one who appeared on the show for the third time in 4 years.

There was one mother who lives in NY city and gave her 9 year old son a subway map and let him find his way home from a store. She writes a blog called Free Range Kids. Luckily she and her husband had brought their child up to be an independent and responsible child. I may have secretly followed just to be extra safe the first time, but I totally understand her reasoning. Of course, it depends on the child and how they've been raised. I know some 18 year olds who wouldn't be ready for that.

On the other hand, there were mothers who are what are being called "Helicopter Moms". They're called that because they constantly hover over their children. I'm pretty protective of Rylie Jo, but I don't think I hover. I let her go to her friends house to play, she's stayed the night at her sister's house, etc. She's allowed to play outside and ride her bike and I don't feel the need to be at her side constantly. I want her to be independent but still feel like there is always that safe place in our arms.

I wonder if these Helicopter Moms feel the need to keep their children reliant on them for their own selfish needs, because as long as that child depends on them, they feel needed and loved. How sad for those children. The one returning mother tried to turn it around and blame Dr. Phil for the fact that her daughter was now rebelling and doing things she didn't want her 17 year old doing. DUH! The girl is behaving exactly as Dr. Phil predicted 4 years ago the first time he talked to the woman and warned her of the consequences of being overly involved in her child's life.

I remember back when we were kids. We'd ride our bikes to the public pool and be gone for hours with no contact with Mom or Dad. They just wanted to know where we were going and what time we would be home. We'd play with the kids in the neighborhood and be outside all day long. There were no cell phones or GPS devices for our folks to keep track of us. Mom would open the door and say "get out and play". If Dad was really annoyed with us he'd tell us to "go play in traffic", he was joking of course...I think.

Me? I truly believe in the phrase I cross-stitched about 15 years ago.

"Give your children two things,

One is roots,

The other wings."

I can only pray that I am giving my children the right balance of security and independence. If not, I'll feel as though I've failed as a parent. I want them to be able to fly on their own, but always feel like they always have a a safe place to return to if need be, not matter where their life may take them.

(This is where I tried to put a poll in but AOL lost my entire entry by closing the page so I'll try saving before doing the poll.)

Actual poll is at the bottom of this entry.

So, if you had to label yourself as a parent, what would your label be?

Helicopter Parent--constantly hovering and not realizing your life and your child's are two different things.

Dunno Parent--dunno where my kid is nor do I care as long as I get to take a nap and they aren't bleeding.

Tightrope Walker--doin my best to maintain that balancing act & raise a healthy child that will grow up to be an independent adult.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Last night was a really good evening. Steph's birthday was Sunday so we had the kids over for a Ham dinner. I cannot even begin to explain how wonderful it feels when all our kids are getting along so well. It took 11 years to get to this point and it's just a peaceful kind of feeling. I love having all the kids over and having them all get along. It's what Ray and I have always wanted and longed for. We love all thekids and it just feels great to reach this point. I always wondered what true contentment felt like...and I think I felt it for a few minutes last night. Then I realized I had still had to clean up after everyone left. LOL

~~~~~~~~~~~

Last, but certainly not least, does anyone know what that banner up top is all about? Does that mean all our journals are going to close down? Or are we just going to lose all past entries? What the heck is going on around here?!

I clicked the link and all it said was that AOL Hometown is closing down. It also included another link to read how to save all your stuff. However, when I clicked it I got a blank page. Thanks ever so much for the important information AOL.

Have a wonderful Tuesday,

Jill Marie

Tags: cleaning tip, cloudy drinking glasses, AOL shutting down journals, helicopter parents, range free kids, parenting styles

Casserole Recipes

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:48:11 GMT

Good Monday morning ya'll! I'm feeling really good this morning...like I just wanted to get up and "hug" the day. Weird, I know...especially for me. I'm not usually a morning person. Oh well, here are some Casserole Recipes to look over and maybe give a try.

Tuna Noodle Casserole
Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients
3 cups medium noodles (4 oz.)
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 to 3 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
2-1/4 cups milk
1 12-oz. can chunk tuna, drained
1/2 cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, chopped
Potato chips, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large saucepan cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; return noodles to pan.
2. For sauce, in medium saucepan cook celery and onion in hot butter until tender. Stir in flour, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add milk all at once; cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly, whisking to remove any lumps.
3. Gently fold sauce, tuna, and peppers into noodles. Transfer to lightly greased 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Top with chips. Bake, uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes. Serves 4.

Chicken Alfredo & Rice Casserole
Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 50 minutes

Ingredients
1 10-oz. container refrigerated light Alfredo pasta sauce
1/2 cup milk
2-1/2 cups cooked white rice or wild rice
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red sweet peppers
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl combine pasta sauce and milk. Stir in rice, chicken, peas, sweet peppers, nuts, and basil. Transfer to 1-1/2-quart baking dish.
2. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover and stir. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle atop. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes more or until heated through and crumbs are golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Nacho Casserole
Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients
5 cups slightly crushed tortilla chips
4 cups cooked cubed or ground turkey or you can use chicken or hamburger
2 16-ounce jars salsa
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers or mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Lightly grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Place 3 cups of the tortilla chips in bottom of dish. In a large bowl combine turkey, salsa, corn, sour cream, and flour; spoon over tortilla chips.
2. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups tortilla chips and the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes more or until heated through. Makes 8 servings.

Upside-Down Pizza Casserole
Prep: 20 min.
Bake: 15 min.

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 15-ounce can Italian-style tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
1 10-ounce package refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet cook beef until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce; heat through. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle mixture with cheese.
2. Flatten each biscuit with your hands; arrange the biscuits on top of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven about 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Makes 5 servings.

Bean & Beef Encilada Casserole
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Prep: 25 min.
Chill: up to 24 hours
Bake: 40 min.

Ingredients
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream or light dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 6-inch corn tortillas
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce or one 101/2-ounce can tomato puree
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Directions
1. In a large skillet cook the ground beef, onion, chili powder, and cumin until onion is tender and meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir pinto beans and undrained chili peppers into meat mixture; set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl stir together sour cream, flour, and garlic powder until combined; set aside.
3. Place half of the tortillas in the bottom of a lightly greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish, cutting to fit if necessary. Top with half of the meat mixture, half of the sour cream mixture, and half of the enchilada sauce. Repeat layers. Cover dish with plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
4. To serve: Preheat ovento 350F. Remove plastic wrap; cover dish with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Creamy Macaroni & Cheese
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients
4 strips bacon
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
6 oz. dry elbow macaroni
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 to 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning once. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble. Reserve bacon drippings in skillet.
2. Cook onion in reserved bacon drippings for 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and golden brown. Set aside.
3. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain and place in a 1-1/2-quart casserole. Add the crumbled bacon, onions, 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the blue cheese, half-and half, and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir gently. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes more or until top of casserole is brown and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.

This morning I finally discovered the way to get Ray to do his one little bitty chore around the house. Yep, he only has one chore that I expect him to do every week. Take out the trash. Usually it sits and sits until I get so frustrated that I take it out myself. Well, this morning as he was on his way out the door, about to walk past 3 bags of trash, I just said "I'll have Rylie take out the trash today." You should have seen his face, he said "No, no...I'll take that out for her." And he did. YEA!!!! He actually took out the trash and I only had to say one little thing.

Of course, before he left I told him I'd have to think of a few other "chores" for that baby girl to do. Hmm, the flooring needs replaced by the shower, the tiles I bought for the bathroom, 9 months ago, are still in the box...LOL. I now know the secret to getting him to do something, and it only took me 11 years, 11 months and 7 days to figure it out. Yeah, I can be a slower learner sometimes.

I thought the following, from Daily OM, was an interesting little article. During these economic times I'm sure we could all use a bit of insight to help us get through each day.

September 29, 2008
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Nothing Is Insurmountable

When our next best course of action seems unclear, any dilemmas we face can appear insurmountable. Yet there is nothing we cannot overcome with time, persistence, focused thought, help, and faith. Whatever the situation or problem, there is always a solution. And if you remember to look within, even as you search around you for the “right” course of action, you will be able to center yourself, clear your mind, and see that nothing has to be impossible.

The first step in overcoming any obstacle is to believe that it can be overcome. Doing so will give you the strength and courage to move through any crisis. The second step is to make a resolution that you can prevail over any chaos. Enlist your support network of family and friends if necessary. The more minds there are to consider a problem, the more solutions can be found. Don’t discount ideas just because they seem impractical or “unrealistic,” and don’t keep searching for the “best” alternative. Often there is no “best” choice, there is only a choice to make so we can begin moving beyond whatever is obstructing our path. At the very least, making a choice, even if isn’t the ideal one, can give you a sense of peace before you have to figure out what your next course of action will be.

If you feel overwhelmed by the scope of your troubles, you may want to think of other people who have turned adversity into triumph. We often gain a fresh perspective when we remember others who have overcome larger obstacles. It can be inspiring to hear of their victories, helping us remember that there is always light at the end of every tunnel. It is during our darkest hours that we sometimes need to remind ourselves that we don’t have to feel helpless. You have within and around you the resources to find a solution to any problem. And remember that if a solution or choice you make doesn’t work, you are always free to try another. Believe that you can get through anything, and you will always prevail.

Have a great week!
Jill Marie

Tags: casserole, recipes, daily om