I'm suffering creators block LOL

I've been working on the design for a friends blog. And I get it done and it doesn't look right. So I've been stumped. So what do I do when I get a brain freeze? I join in some challenges from the groups I am in.

Well this challenge I took part in, the rules were to create a page layout that showcased your valentine. Any way you want.

I think I did pretty good. And now I am ready to get working on designs again :)

Here's what I created: (betcha can't guess my valentine?? LOL)

I made this....

On OneTrueMedia. I love it. I can add pictures, songs,....whatever. And it makes a little film. LOVE IT.

Anyways heres the one I made. Shows how crazy it is around here :)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Conversations from the car....

Yep it's time for your next installment of conversations from the car...


(man in car on side road pulls almost into the road in front of us)

Nana: STOP the car FOOL!
Madison: Nana, it's impolite to call people a fool
Nana: Sorry
Madison: Well, at least you didn't call him a jackass or something

I'm a winner!!

So you know I was obsessively entering all the blog giveaways last week.

Well I won. Two things actually.

First I won some chocolate. Now who can beat that??? I mean seriously.....chocolate has got to be the world's perfect gift. And it wasn't even what I was entering for! LOL. I got chocolate for making the blog owner laugh :) How cool is that?? And the funny part.....she lives right near me. She could have just driven the chocolate to my house LOL. It arrived today and could NOT have been better timing. I was in need of a chocolate fix and viola...it came in the mail!

Here is the link to the giveaway that I won chocolate from!


And second...I won this totally awesome pair of shoes for Madison!! I am so excited. I can't wait to give them to her and see her face. And all I did was tell just how awesome Madison is! That was easy.

Here are the shoes I won:

Now go check out their awesome blogs! And be sure to show em some love.

Update!

I updated my blog links (to the right-->>)

I added a BUNCH of new links. Some are blogs I ran across during the blog carnival. Others are scrapbooking blogs. Some are Paint Shop Tutorial Blogs.

I now need to organize them by category.

Mom survey

This is all about your first born.

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?

not exactly lol

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?

engaged but not married...was suppose to be married 9/12/98

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?

O-M-G I am pregnant

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?

no way

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?

22

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?

I took a test....it was positive....then Brian made me take another more expensive one...it was positive and we started driving and on the way I took a third and it was positive lol

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?

aside from Brian, my aunt

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
absolutely...im too poor for surprises

9. DUE DATE?

9/15/98

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?

very little.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?

taco bell and long john silvers lol

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?

the heat KILLED me. It was the hottest year I can remember in SC

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?

she's ALL girl

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?

no way

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?

i'll keep that a secret

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?

yep sure did

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?

I knew about it

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?

at the end I did

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?

Greenville Memorial

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?

omg...they induced me at 6am and it started right away....she was born at 7:03

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?

Brian

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Brian

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?

c-section

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?

heck yes! lol

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7lbs 4 oz

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?

9/12/98 (see question 2 for the irony of that)

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?

Madison Ashleigh

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
10 going on 23 LOL

Time for a Recipe...

So today I was cooking.

Yes that is right. I was cooking. I know I know....it's hard to believe. But every now and then I venture to the kitchen for more than a diet pepsi.

So today is my mom's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANA. And since we are homebound because of the car, I decided to make my homemade manicotti bake. It's not the average manicotti. But it is VERY popular here in our house.

So I thought well why not share. Maybe some of you will get as much enjoyment from it as my family does. It's actually pretty easy to make. So here is the recipe for Jenni's Famous Manicotti Bake.

Well maybe not famous...but I am all about embellishment.

Ingredients:
1 Box of Manicotti Noodles
1 Small can of spinach (you can use fresh but I am cheap)
2 8 oz bags of cheese- now you don't HAVE to use this much. But we LIKE ours extra cheesy. And I typically use the 6 cheese italian blend. It has parmesan in it and saves an added expense.
1 15 oz container of Ricotta cheese
1 Egg
Your Choice of Spaghetti Sauce

Now on to the instructions:

Put noodles into a pot of water to cook. *TIP* Use a little oil to prevent sticking *ADDITIONAL TIP* if you use oil do not spill the boiling water on your foot or it WILL cause 3rd degree burns

While noodles are boiling, mix 1 bag of cheese, ricotta cheese, egg and spinach in a bowl. mix well.

Open spaghetti sauce.

Once noodles are cooked, cool them. Now I am impatient. So I replace the hot water in the pot with ice cold water so I can move along.

Take each noodle and stuff it with cheese mixture. Now this can be difficult. And the noodles make break. Thats OKAY. You can just fill it and stick it back together. It doesn't matter because this isn't traditional manicotti.

Once noodles are stuffed place them in a baking pan. You want one with some depth because you will topping the noodles.

You will probably have some cheese mixture left over. Now you can trash it, save it or use it. I usually use it. I top the noodles first with the mixture that is left. Then I pour spaghetti sauce over the top LIGHTLY. You don't want it too saucy. After that top with remaining bag of cheese. Again you don't have to have that much cheese. This is FAR from a healthy recipe. But oh so good.

Once you have topped the noodles, stick in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or less depending on your oven. Be sure to watch it.

And another tip: Don't forget you are cooking and burn the top layer LOL

Let cool. Eat and enjoy!