Just another Thursday...

As I sipped my first cup of coffee this morning, I glanced out the kitchen window. Finally, the sun is shining instead of another day of wind and rain. I flip the switch on the radio, grab my sweater and coffee, and headed out back. This is my favorite part of the day. I gave a quick look at the blueberries and raspberries along the fence. Full of blooms and babies, they reminded me of my good friend that gave me these when we first bought the house. It hasn't even been a year, and I am amazed at how many berries I see starting. I'm thankful for my friend's giving heart. As I walked further along the fence, I sipped my coffee and heard Sixx A.M.'s "Life is Beautiful" through the window. I can't help but chuckle at how fitting the song is for my morning. I glanced at the blossoms on the upside down strawberry plants on the clothes line. I'm happy to see that the little guys are doing well. It's amazing what you can do with a few ice cream buckets and scissors. Underneath the strawberries sits our baby apricot tree. He's not much to look at yet, but I can see evidence of blossoms coming soon. I glanced up at the apple tree. The poor thing was almost dead when we moved in, as was the orange tree. They hadn't been watered in a year, so the story went. Now, months later, they are both beautifully full of thousands of blossoms. I can't wait to share the harvest with friends. I walked over to check the peach tree. He's had a rough week. The wind from our last storm snapped him almost in two. We've done an emergency tape job, and five days later, I'm thankful to see he shows signs of life. I know he needs all the help he can get, so I tell him "C'mon little dude, you can do it," and continue with my walk. We've dug up most of the lawn along every outer wall of the yard and replaced it with rows and rows of corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapenos, artichokes, onions, peas, green beans and herbs. We also dug up the flower bed outside the kitchen window to make room for zucchini, lettuce and spinach. As the morning sun warms my back, it reminds me of how much work and love we've put into this garden. A jolt of relief combined with panic come over me as I think of all the food we'll have this summer....and all the canning, pickling, peeling, chopping, freezing and pitting that comes along with it. I hear "Psychosocial" by Slipknot start playing through the window. My coffee up is almost empty, and the dogs are chasing each other at my feet. I know my morning ritual of checking the garden is almost done for today. A final check of the tomatoes reveals about half a dozen new blossoms on Mr. Stripey, a new flavor this year. After I reposition a couple of the vines from the peas onto their poles, I stood back up and gave a long look at the whole yard. I can picture what it will look like in another month. Full of colors and bushy vegetable plants, these babies will soon be feeding my babies. What else can I say? It's just another Thursday for the Headbangin' Housewife. Life sure is good. Until next time, rock on my friends!

Thinking About Christmas!

I know it's only mid April, but I can't help thinking about Christmas. Even though I'm up to my rear end these days in our garden and planning end of the school year events, our annual camping trip and who knows how many concerts and road trips, Christmas is always in the back of my mind. It'll be here before you know it...happens every year.

Spring time is the perfect time to try any of those new Christmas cookie and candy recipes you came across last December. You know, all the ones you clipped and put in the "I'm so going to try that next year" pile. Why on earth would make these now? Well, because it's better to find out in April that a recipe is a total flop, than during your last minute baking (you know we all do it!) throughout Christmas week. I usually try at least one new holiday recipe on my baking days, during spring...before it's 110 degrees outside and I don't want to bake at all in the summer. This saves so much time, money, energy and stress during the already hectic holiday season.

I also plan for any homemade gifts that I'll want to give. I already know that I'll need jars for gift mixes. I'll be looking for these over the next several months at the thrift shop and yard sales. Plus, they are on sale during the summer months, so I'll be stocking up as I find the deals. I definitely want to try making this salt scrub and this sugar scrub in the near future. If they are keepers, I'll be set for the girls this Christmas. I think the guys will be getting this drink and these goodies. I'm still on the look out for simple additions to these gifts, but at least I have a head start.

Getting a head start on Christmas during the spring Works For Me! For tons more rockin' tips and tricks check out Works For Me Wednesday!

Until next time, rock on my friends!

Menu Plan Monday

I'm excited to be participating in my very first Menu Plan Monday! We had a great time with our friends this weekend, and even though there were eight people here instead of the usual five, I managed to make way too much food. The good news is, dinners will be super simple this week as a result.

Monday: Homemade Macaroni & Cheese with steamed broccoli and carrots, french bread

Tuesday: Wendy's Chili burrito supremes (I mix the chili with cooked brown rice and add cheese, veggies and sour cream)

Wednesday: Slow Cooker bean soup with ham, corn bread muffins

Thursday: Chicken stir fry

Friday: B.L.A.T.'s (Bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato sandwiches) with Jojo potatoes

Saturday: Pizza using this crust recipe

Sunday: leftovers aka anything night

Breakfasts: Breakfast Casserole, cream of wheat, cereal, and Baked Oatmeal

Lunches: Grilled Cheese sandwiches, PB&J, leftovers and baked sweet potatoes...all with fruit, yogurt and Carrot Cookies

Desserts: Peach Cobbler, Chex Muddy Buddies, ice cream and Banana Boats

For plenty more great menu plans, visit Orgjunkie. Have a great week everybody!

Until next time, rock on my friends!

Free National Park Week Coming Soon!

The Headbangin' Housewife loves camping about as much as concerts, so when I found this freebie I just had to pass is along! The National Park Service will be waiving entrance fees from 4/17/10 to 4/25/10 for National Park Week. You can find out more information here. A big thank you goes to Free Sample Freak for this awesome heads up! Until next time, rock on my friends!

Baking Day 4/10/10

Happy Baking Day! I usually do my baking and get a head start on cooking for the week every Saturday. What did I do today?

A batch of chocolate chip bar cookies, made with holiday M&Ms

A batch of carrot cookies

A peach cobbler

A batch of corn dog muffins, although these are totally gone already lol

A batch of Chex Muddy Buddies

not pictured is a huge pot of Wendy's Chilli for tonight's dinner and then the leftovers will be used for burritos for tomorrow night's dinner. I'll also make banana boats for tonight's dessert.

It was another small list this week, but we have friends staying with us for the weekend and had a "make up" Easter egg hunt since we were all together.

I'll finish up the baking later in the week.

What did you bake today?

Until next time, rock on my friends!

Another Great Freebie at Walgreens!

Today only (4/9-10) over at Walgreens photo you can get yourself a free 8x10. Just put in code BIG8X10 at checkout. Shipping will also be free if you choose in store pickup. I know just the picture I'm going to enlarge. Have fun!

Until next time, rock on my friends!

Fun on a Budget Friday!

Happy Friday! We all need a little fun from time to time, right? Friday seems like the perfect time to talk about fun. So, how in the heck can you afford to have fun when you're living paycheck to paycheck? Let me throw in my two cents! This Headbangin' Housewife loves concerts and road trips. I always get asked how on earth we can afford to go to so many shows (the record is 18 concerts in one summer). Well, honestly, we win them. Not all, of course, but as many as we possibly can. See, the radio is always on at our house. Always. So we have signed up for every newsletter or Twitter or Facebook that we can find for every radio station we listen to. Then, when we find out about a contest or give away, we simply try. Yes, that's all folks...we try. We get the redial ready on every phone in the house and when it's time to call in...woo hoo! It's true, you don't always win, but you'll never win if you don't try. Another way I get our concert tickets is through programs like My Coke Rewards where you simply enter codes from soda bottles and boxes. Then, you redeem your points for Ticketmaster gift cards, or gift cards for whatever you happen to be into. My new favorite way to earn Ticketmaster gift cards is through Swag Bucks where you do your internet searches through them and earn points for all sorts of prizes. My Points is another great way to earn points for gift cards as well. These are the easiest ways we make our concert adventures happen without breaking the bank. But getting our tickets is only the first step. How do you get through the rest of the trip when money is tight? Stay tuned next week! Until next time, rock on my friends!