Walt Disney World~ More excited than the kids!

     
     WERE GOING to Walt Disney World AGAIN!!! & I can't wait!! We just started planning our big vacay to Disney for a whole 7day/8night trip for the whole family to go on vacation! I absolutely love Walt Disney World, I've been now 3 times! Once as a child, Our Honeymoon, and February 2011 we took our son and daughter   (ages 6 and 3) for their first trip, and now were headed back with all of us, Grandma, Great-Grandma, and maybe Uncle for a few days (and anyone else that decides to go)!  This will be the longest that we have went on a vacation and were all really excited! We have already started planning and saving. We have the dates set now to February 8-16, 2013! Its less crowded, kids get days out for Mardi Gras, nice weather, i could go on an on! 

     Every time we have gone to Walt Disney World, we have seen new things and had different experiences, stayed at different hotels, enjoyed different parks and places to eat. This time we will be doing a lot of that too. Were going to go to all the parks and have extra days to revisit our favorites, eat at new places and have new character dinning's, take my daughter who will be 5 to the Bibiddi Bobbidi Boutique and let her have some pampering done, and allow my son to be apart of the Pirate League and get all dressed up and become a mate of Jack Sparrow! :D the more and more I type the more and more excited I get!! I am sure it has a lot to do with I can't wait to see my kids faces and spend those magical times! Our daughter who again was only 3 our last trip still talks about all the time, the only thing she really got to do was meet characters and ride about 5 rides (she really wasn't that into it) ....Shes going to LOVE it now! 


This is going to be a expensive trip,(ha... bank breaker is the better word) that is why we have decided to plan it so far off, so everyone can go and has plenty of time to save - 45 weeks to be exact! - It also gives me time to make sure we plan this also as cheaply as possible and do everything we can to be frugal and save money! I want to be able to go have an amazing trip and not come home worry about the bills! :) So from now on, look out for the Walt Disney World tips to save money, and if you have any questions or anything about your trip, feel free to ask, I have several books from last years trip , and looking to buy more soon - not to mention the list of websites! :)

COUNTDOWN TO DISNEY HAS BEGUN! :) - ( even if it is 45 weeks away)  

Homemade Sweet & Sour Chicken

      I feel in love with this, the moment I  saw it on the back of the rice box!!! 

-- While cooking Chicken and Rice Pot Pie I believe ( see previous blogs for recipe). I just had to make this. I love sweet and sour chicken like kids love mac & cheese, & this was awesome!! No One else in the house ate it - Picky Picky Picky - they are .. The kids did not like it because of all the stuff mixed in - I really can't blame them I would have NEVER ate it either as a kid, and the husband didn't like it mainly for the same reason... oh and the pineapple. So needless to say I had this all to myself, which was a lot of food, good thing I know how to portion food and I had some good lunches and dinners! :) I told my husband though their will be nights he has to eat on his own just so I can make this! Hope you all enjoy! Here's the recipe! 

Sweet & Sour Chicken 

1lb. Tbsp Oil 

1lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - Cut into small cubes 

1 bag ( 16oz) Frozen Stir-Fry Vegetables ( Or fresh Vegetables)

1 can (8oz) Pineapple chucks, in juice, undrained

1 can (10oz) low sodium Chicken Broth

2 Cups Minute Rice 

1/2 Cup Sweet & Sour Sauce ( I used a whole cup- didn't think the 1/2 cup was enough after tasting) 

-- Pour Oil in Skillet, Heat, Cook Chicken Thoroughly 

-- Stir in Vegetables, Pineapple & Juice, & Chicken Broth, Bring to Boil 

-- Add Rice, Turn heat to low, Cover until rice is fully cook

-- Add Sweet & Sour Sauce, & ENJOY 

Little League Baseball - Our kids love it & some parents and coaches take it to seriously!

     


     HEYYY BATTER, BATTER,  BATTER....  Well its that time of the year for the Little Leagues to be out playing baseball and having fun. My son joined our local community team and so far it is going amazing! I was very skeptical at first of what it was going to be like, if he was going to have a good coach, if he was going to like it, stick with it, and be successful at it .. ya know all the worries of a mom.. but there are those parents and coaches that treat it like its the majors, bottom of the 7th, and last pitch! Luckily its not like that where my son plays, but so far every team we have played has been that way. These coaches more so (that i have seen, so far) then the parents are hard on these kids who are trying as best as they know how. I do not feel a coach should yell at his team that they aren't doing a good job, or the latest that has sent me over the edge "shut up, and sit down your loosing". What good is that coach doing? None, no one could even point out one good lesson from that .. and if that is how he is treating them at a game, imagine a practice.. Sports such as Little League, Soccer, Football, Softball, etc. is suppose to be there to be fun, to teach our children good sportsmanship, how to work together as a team, respect, athleticism, a good work ethic. Very important qualities that help to mold and make our children respectable adults. Coaches and parents who act like their team and children are failures are what makes our society have the problems that they do. 
     I live in a very small town, which I must say it there are things of course that I hate about this town but as far as for my children this is the best place around here for me to raise them. I use to live in the town where the teams we are playing come from and I was telling my husband the other night, after our game, there is no way our son would be able to do anything if we lived in that town because so far all the teams are exactly what i did not want for my son.  Hopefully this will change, but from what i understand Little League Baseball will always be the same... At least I can say that our Baseball Association here is not like that and is all about our kids having fun, enjoying it, and being treated right! 
                   

     Hope all you out there with kids on teams are having FUN and a successful season so far! 

Cheeseburger Pie - new take on a cheeseburger!

     As a family of four, I am always looking for something to make for dinner that is QUICK, we save the chef - time consuming meals for the weekend around here. Our schedules are very busy especially now that baseball has started and been added to the already crazy afternoons. Some of my favorite types of meals are meals that can be prepared and then when ready can be cooked with out any effort at all, during those long evenings, and not only that but if you wanted to make all at once dinner would still be cooked in 30 min.. Some of my favorites are of course Rachel Rays 30 minute meals, i mean who could resist. I also love websites like www.disneyfamily.com, Kraft foods recipes, and Pinterest (of course). Now a days with the internet there are many ways to find recipes, just Google the word 30 minute recipe and you will find all you need! 

     I want to share one I found on Pinterest, then found out was  linked to disneyfamily.com, which made it perfect! I like to find different takes of foods and this one I thought maybe the kids would eat.    ( 1 out 2 kids ain't bad) when i first read it, I was a little uneasy but after eating it.. it was yummy and definitely tasked like a cheeseburger! Try it out and tell me what you think! C:

1 piece of pie crust or 1 can of crescent rolls (i used pie crust)

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup finely chopped onion, OR 1 teaspoon onion powder

1/3 cup chopped dill pickle slices

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups shredded American cheese, divided

     

    ~ Preheat oven to 450 degrees

    ~ Press pie crust into pie plate, carefully, set to the side. ( i used a 12 in pie plate & crust)

    ~ Brown hamburger meat, and drain well! 

    ~ Mix in onion or onion powder, chopped up pickles, ketchup, & mustard

    ~ Add flour, pickle juice, & milk, stir until  thick

    ~ Remove from heat and add 1 cup of Cheese, mix until melted. 

    ~ Pour into Pie Crust, fold edges over, Bake for 10-12 mins,  until edges are brown.

    ~ Remove from oven allow to cool... there is an extra cup of cheese left if you would like to top and allow to melt, before serving. (My husband is not a cheese person -i know, i think hes crazy too- but I did not add the extra cup)

                                                        

                                 ENJOY!

     We loved this! it definitely gave a different spin to a cheeseburger. My kids and husband are picky picky picky... my son would not even give it a thought, my daughter liked it but not the chopped pickles... she thought they were peppers (shes 4yrs old). My husband who of course is the ultimate critic of my cooking gave it a thumbs up! So this is one that will be added to our meal planning list of foods that we love and hopefully yours too!  

Don't Judge Moms until you have kids...

This is such a true article that it needed to be shared with the world! It says it all and I completely agree! Never Judge us moms until you have kids... This article also is a lot like the book ' I was a good mom before I had kids" It really is a cute book and also makes me realize that i am not the mom i envisioned my self being but i am an amazing mom because all of us moms go through stages and behaviors with our kids and believe it or not other moms can relate and do understand the hard days of mother hood and we all have them!! 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kara-gebhart-uhl/mom-judgments_b_1319775.html

Also Check Out:

http://www.amazon.com/Was-Really-Good-Before-Kids/dp/081185650X

Southern Life = Mom & Wife

Chicken & Rice Pot Pie has my Heart!

     So Earlier this week, I was planning on making Chicken & Rice in the Crock Pot as usual, however it takes about 6 hrs for it to cook and when its 6:00pm already (oops), I had to come up with something else  for dinner, but Chicken & Rice is what our hearts were set on so it was time to figure out, how to make it quickly.... and it turned into a loved meal in our house, which really is hard in a house full of picky picky eaters. My husband likes things one way, I like things another, my daughter is the same, and well my son is the pickiest of us all, so its hard to find something that at least 3 out of the 4 of us like. This Chicken & Rice Pot Pie is def. quick easy and an amazing meal! This is just the general recipe, you can always add other things to it, Carrots, Onions, Bacon, Sausage, etc..


4 Chicken Breasts
Vegetable Oil
Seasons (your choosing)
Rice (2 cups) 
Chicken Broth (2 cups)
Italian Season  ( on the dressing and ketchup isle @ Wal-mart) 
2 Pie Crust


Poor Oil into Pan, enough to cover the bottom of the pan, Cut up Chicken breast into small square pieces, Season with your desired Seasonings. Add to Hot Oil and cook thoroughly. Drain. Sit to the side. When Chicken is just about done, add Chicken Broth and Italian Season into a pot and bring to boil to cook Rice (do not add water, using Chicken Broth instead of the water. Turn stove on and Preheat to required temperature for Pie Crust. Once the Chicken Broth and Italian Seasoning has come to a boil, Remove, Stir in Rice, and Cover allow to sit for 5 min. ( Italian Seasoning will not be dissolved, it's the seasoning for the rice ( no need to add salt).  While waiting on the Rice. Unroll one Piece of the Pie Crust and place in pie plate. Once Rice is cooked, add Chicken to the pot, ( add any additional add-ins) Mix well, pour into Pie Crust. Add the top layer of the Pie Crust... Pinch the sides together to make sure it is closed, cut four slits into the top of the pie.. Bake in over according to time for the Pie Crust.  Allow to Cool and ENJOY! - YUM-O

Happy Friday! Hope you all have a amazing weekend! 

Southern Life = Mom  & Wife! 

All About Me!

Hey Ya'll!! C: 

                I am Kari,  WELCOME!! I am 26 years young. I live in sweet home Alabama, right in the woods & on the beach, my own little piece of paradise! I have an amazing husband, I couldn't have asked for anyone better! He is my high school sweetheart, we have been together for 10 years & married for 6 years. We have two amazing Children, our son 7 and our daughter 4. They are what keeps us going and on the right track in our life. We had our children young and despite what statistics say about teen parents, we did what we had to and worked hard to make sure they are always taken care of and have what they needed and wanted ( to an extent, lol), and we did it on our own with a great support system! Our family is everything to us, and without them we would have nothing, we are simply rich because we have each other! 

I started blogging in 2009, and have enjoyed it so much, some times I do get caught in family, life, functions, etc. and don't get to as much as I would like. I changed my blog several times and to several sites... At the beginning of the year I was no longer satisfied with the site I was using for deleting my "pinteresting" blogs that contained stuff I had done off of Pinterest.. my own projects.. so needless to say that site had to go. I searched and searched and got many different reviews and decided this was the best place for me to get my blog back up and going and to get my business back going the way its suppose to be. Im so excited that I have found this site and will also give me the opportunity to have the type of blog I want! This blog is going to be all about Southern Life from my standpoint of a Mom & Wife. I was raised on traditional southern values - morals, values, manners, good food, good times, good friends and family! I am looking forward to sharing with ya'll all my favorites - Recipes, Things to do, Crafts, Fun Stuff for the kids, new products, New /Reality Stuff, My products, Quotes, Randoms... etc..  

Look forward to talking with all Ya'll!