Do you know those days in summer that you go outside and you could swear that it's fall already? This recipe is perfect for those days! Personally, I'm not a soup/stew on a hot day kinda girl, but I love them when the weather is cool. Nothing seems to work better to warm you up! Luckily for you (and for me!), this one will be in the freezer just waiting for you to thaw it out and to toss it into the crockpot! Plus, this is the perfect way to get rid of those odds and ends that we all find in our crisper drawers!

Beef Barley Stew:

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds stew meat
2 c baby carrots, cut into bite size pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
3/4 c. pearl barley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. basil
1 bay leaf
4 c. beef stock

Place all of the ingredients into a gallon size freezer bag. Squeeze out remaining air, seal and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:
Cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove bay leaf prior to serving.




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Rob Elliott's Laugh-Out-Loud joke books have brought laughter to more than half a million households. His last book invited kids into the action as he teamed up with cartoonist Jonny Hawkins to create "Laugh-Out-Loud Doodles for Kids." Now the dynamic duo is back with two brand-new books for boys and girls who love to draw and love to laugh! Packed with jokes that will keep boys and girls giggling for hours, and unfinished doodles for them to complete any way they want, these books keep little hands and minds busy. Perfect for road trips, lazy summer days, or anytime the kids say, "I'm bored!"

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World's shortest review. Fantastic! Awesome! Go buy it now!

In all seriousness, if you have girls, you're going to want this book. It's perfect for travel, for family fun, or just some serious silliness. Don't let this one pass you by.




I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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I am loving prepping, cooking, and eating these meals! It sure makes our Friday's so much easier. I'm not even kidding. Here's my Friday:

7am - wakeup
7:30am - Out the door to take Roger to football workout
8am - 9am - Sitting at the Community Center and working while he works out
9am - Drive Home
9:30am - 3pm - Home and doing things around the house/with the boys
3pm - Out the door to take Ben to swim practice
3:30pm-5:30pm - Sitting at the Community Center while Ben is at practice.
5:30pm - Drive Home
6pm - Dinner, etc.

If I didn't have that dinner in the crockpot, I think we'd be eating a lot of pb&j on Friday's. I'm wiped out by the time we get home. One of the recipes that I can't wait to try out is this one!

BBQ Cranberry Chicken:

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken breasts
1/2 small onion, chopped
16 oz whole berry cranberry sauce
1 c bbq sauce

Place all ingredients in a one gallon freezer bag. I like to then squish it around to help break up the cranberry sauce into the bbq sauce. Squeeze out all extra air, seal and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw and place into your crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.




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So, if you've been paying attention, you'll realize that this post did not go up when it says it did. I'm so sorry about that. Let me give you a bit of an explanation as to why.

I just got back from a few weeks out of town and while I was gone, it seems the world conspired against me. The president of the village got up in arms about my yard (did I mention that nobody was home to mow it?), my electricity went out for 5 days and just general chaos. Since I've been back, I've dealt with a laptop that didn't want to function properly, an internet outage and the process of cleaning out my fridge and freezer (which is almost done, thank goodness!). So, needless to say, the posts didn't get done when I'd wanted. They're done now! I spent today prepping 7 meals.. 5 new ones and 2 to replace the half a dozen that I've had to throw out. Yay! So, how about this week's recipe? Beef Stroganoff! Yum!

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds stew meat
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pound mushrooms
1 c water
1 c. sour cream*
egg noodles*

Place all ingredients, except for sour cream and egg noodles, into a one gallon freezer bag. Squeeze remaining air out and seal. Place into freezer.

Cooking instructions:
Thaw. Place into a crockpot, turned on low, for 8 hours. Add 1 cup of sour cream and cook on high for an additional 10 minutes. Serve over cooked egg noodles.




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How to Blog a Book, Revised and Expanded Edition shows you how to plan a successful book that you can then blog into existence while building your platform and attracting potential publishers. Aspiring authors learn how to create a blogged book with a well-honed and uniquely angled subject, targeted posts, and a readership large enough to get noticed by an agent or a publisher.

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As a blogger and writer, this is an idea that I've seen thrown around more than once. I was thrilled when I got a digital copy of this book because I wanted to learn more and learn I did! The author takes the time to break down complex terms and gives clear explanations on everything. Every step involved in the process is laid out so there's no guesswork involved. Heck, even the legal aspects are covered! Honestly, if this is something that you've ever considered as a blogger, a writer, or some combination of the two, this would be a great book to have on your shelf. I know that I'm going to be adding this book to my Amazon wish list so that I can have it to reference, jot notes in, and just have on hand.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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Far too many people in contemporary culture feel they don't have enough time to "get it all done." The stress of this chronic overwhelm creates a disorganized mind that leads to a chaotic life. Based on her highly acclaimed "Energy Management" workshops, and drawn from over 25 years of counseling and coaching experience, professional trainer and speaker Jackie Woodside shares her breakthrough methods that lead to becoming the least stressed, most productive person you know!
In Calming the Chaos, you will learn the step-by-step skills and thought processes that lead to increased productivity and peace of mind. Jackie's approach stems from the new frontier of human performance called energetic consciousness. Part philosophy, part psychology, fully practical application, you will learn:
- Why there is no such thing as time management and what to do instead.- How to manage your energy instead of your time and stress.- The three-step formula for managing every component of your life for the rest of your life!- Why "to-do lists" are a set up for failure and what really works.- "The Three Strikes Rule" that will end procrastination for good!- How to always know that you have the time for what you want and need to do!
Many books promise to change your life. Applying these principles will make this a reality!

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Another book for the bin of books I will come back to time and time again! Honestly, this is just one of those books that you have to pick up and read for yourself to truly understand just how great it really is. There are so many principals in it that I intend on applying to my own life and so many that I already have. I love the fact that she does say that clutter in the home is clutter in the mind. It's something that I've said for years and years and that I am now very solidly applying to my own life. I always thrive in clutter free zones and it's good to see that when I came up with the theory that a cluttered home often equals a cluttered mind, I wasn't crazy.

So, kudos to the author for agreeing with me...lol! Also, tons of love goes out to her writing for being such an easy, down to earth read. The personal stories were not only easy to relate to, but often immensely helpful. Like I said, this book will be in my basket of books that I come back to time and time again.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons:

Get inspired to step out of your box and into a world full of potential. From the corporate world, to the arts, to working with the disenfranchised the message is clear. There is no such thing as a normal way to live your life and no one right solution to any problem. Selected from amongst over 100 interviews, the stories shared here open a window on the journeys of seven women and three men who have charted their own path, including Ruthie Davis top U.S. luxury shoe designer and the winner of the 2014 AAFA Footwear Designer of the Year award and Geir Ness whose perfume is a staple in Nordstrom, Disney World and on Disney Cruise Lines. Enjoy a glimpse behind the scenes into the unique ways these individuals chose to deal with life's challenges and how they define success in their careers."

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Every so often I run across a book that by the time I'm done I just know that it's going into my "come back to this" basket. This was one of those books. All ten stories were of individuals who didn't let life stand in the way of their dreams. This is such an important message for all of us. We all have challenges and struggles and there will be times that it would be easier to give up than to keep going, but I read stories like these and I think to myself, "Hey, if these guys can do it, so can I." I know that when I'm struggling, this is a book that I will come back to time and time again to remind myself to let my drive, determination and creativity flow.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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