Monday, January 31, 2011

Baked Potato Soup

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Prep time: 10 min.  Cook Time: 20 min. 
Ready in: 30 minutes.  Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 bacon strips, crumbled                              
1 small onion, chopped                                
1 clove garlic, minced                                    
3 TBS all-purpose flour                                  
1 tsp salt                                                             
1 tsp dried basil                                                
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup half-and-half cream
½ tsp hot pepper sauce, optional
Shredded cheddar cheese
Minced fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Directions:
1)       In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain, reserving 1 TBS drippings.  Set bacon aside.
2)      Sauté onion and garlic in the drippings until tender.
3)      Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well.
4)      Gradually add broth.  Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes.
5)      Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil.
6)      Garnish with bacon, cheese, and parsley.

Notes:
For a family of 5, I double the recipe using 7-8 medium potatoes.  I buy and use the “Ready Bacon,” so all I have to do is cook it in the microwave until crisp.  I then crumble it into a bowl.  I sauté the onion and garlic in vegetable oil instead of bacon fat drippings.  (Makes it a little healthier!)  Good served with thick slices of homemade honey wheat bread.


Blessings,
Ellen

This post is linked to:
Delectable Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Tuesday Night Supper Club
Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Full Plate Thursday
Seasonal Sunday

This Week in US History

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January 30

1835   In the first presidential assassination attempt, Richard Lawrence, a mentally ill man, tries to shoot Andrew Jackson in the U.S. Capitol.

1862   The Union ironclad USS Monitor is launched at Greenpoint, New York.


Monitor Civil War Ironclad Ship

Notice the dents from cannon balls sustained later during the Civil War

 
January 31

1958   The United States enters the Space Age with the launch of its first satellite, Explorer I.

Launch of Explorer 1 on January 31, 1958

1961   Ham the Chimp becomes the first chimpanzee in outer space when he blasts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a Project Mercury rocket.

February 1

1790   The U.S. Supreme Courts convenes for the first time in New York City.

1960   Four black college students begin a sit-in protest at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, where they had been refused service.



A section of lunch counter from the Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth's is now preserved in the National Museum of American History. 

2003   The space shuttle Columbia disintegrates during reentry, killing all seven crew members.

February 1862   Julia Ward Howe pens the words that will later become one of America's most-loved hymns, "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

February 2

1653   New Amsterdam, later to become New York City, is incorporated.

1876   Baseball's National League is formed with eight teams.

February 3

1690  Massachusetts authorizes the first paper currency in America.

1913   The Sixteenth Amendment, authorizing a federal income tax, is ratified.

February 4

1826   The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper is published.


Illustration from 1896 edition, by J.T. Merrill

1861   Six Southern states form the Confederate States of America.

February 5

1918   First Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson of the 1st Aero Squadron becomes the first aviator in the U.S. military to win a victory over an enemy aircraft when he shoots down a German plane over Saarbrucken during World War I.

1937   President Franklin Roosevelt proposes increasing the number of Supreme Court justices, leading critics to charge that he is trying to "pack" the court with justices to his liking.


Blessings,
Ellen

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Scripture Sunday

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"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

~  Philippians 4.11-12


Dear Lord,
Please make the above prayer reality in my life.  Help me to seek after You, and You alone.
Amen


Blessings,
Ellen

Frugal living with coupons and sales

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I know I am not the only one trying to save as much money as possible.  I stopped putting my weekly savings on the blog, but I thought this might encourage myself and others to continue couponing and searching out the sales.

If you do the math, I saved 42% at Publix and 65% at CVS.  Now who can resist DiGiorno Pizzas for $2.50 each!  I love it when my cost is way below what I saved! 

My Publix total was higher due to the fact I bought 2 mellon-ballers to use for cookie dough and meatballs.  Each was $6.49.  *sad face*.... *sigh*...


Happy Couponing! 

Blessings,
Ellen

Monday, January 24, 2011

Tuna Noodle Casserole

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Ingredients:

1 lb. sea shell pasta
1 can cream of celery soup
3/4 can of milk
1 11 oz. package of tuna in water
salt and pepper to taste


1.  Cook pasta and drain as directed on the package.
2.  Mix together soup, milk, and tuna.
3.  Add pasta and mix well.
4.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5.  Spray casserole dish with Pam and pour mixture into it.
6.  Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
7.  Enjoy!

This post is linked to...

Divine Appointments - A Book Review

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Divine Appointments by Charlene Ann Baumbich carries you into the world of corporate restructuring through the eyes of a 47 year old consultant.  Josie is smart, talented and at the top of her game - helping  businesses restructure during thecurrent economic downturn.  She is living a dream life of no financial concerns, no day-in day-out boss telling her what to do, the next work site just around the corner, and thriving on her independence.  Yet, can anyone truly live happily in their well-ordered solitary existence?

While working a job in Chicago, Josie simultaneously battles hot flashes and a mid-life crisis.  After picking up a mysterious snowglobe while on a trip, she slowly sees her life as it is - lonely, loveless, and transient.  But is it too late for her to make relational connections so late in life?  How?

Charlene Baumbich has invited us into the lives of the characters - many of whom I can relate to!  Grab a nice cup of tea, a warm blanket, and curl up and enjoy Divine Appointments.

Click here to read Chapter 1!

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Scripture Sunday

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"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."  ~  Philippians 2.3

Saturday, January 22, 2011

This Week in US History

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January 23

1849   Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman in America to receive a medical degree.

1973   President Nixon announces an accord has been reached to end the  Vietnam War.

January 24

1848   James W. Marshall discover gold at Sutter's Mill in northern California, sparking a gold rush.

1984   The first Apple Macintosh computers go on sale for $2,495.00 - and revolutionize the personal computer industry.


January 25

1915   Alexander Graham Bell makes a call from New York to San Francisco, inaugurating transcontinental telephone service.

1961   President John F. Kennedy holds the first live televised presidential news conference.  Click here to watch.

January 26

1861   Louisiana secedes from the Union.

1970   Navy Lt. Everett Alvarez Jr., the first American aviator shot down over North Vietnam, spends his 2,000th day as a prisoner of war.

January 27

1785   Georgia becomes the first state to charter a state-supported university, the University of Georgia.

1967   Astronauts Gus Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee die in a fire aboard their Apollo I spacecraft at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Chaffee, White, and Grissom

January 28

1878   The first commercial telephone exchange is installed in New Haven, Connecticut, serving 21 subscribers with eight lines.

1986   The space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral.


January 29

1861   Kansas becomes the thirty-fourth state.

1900   The American League is organized in Philadelphia with eight baseball teams.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Word-filled Wednesday

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"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." 

~  Isaiah 40.31 (NIV)

Monday, January 17, 2011

Cinnamon Raisin Bread (bread machine version)

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For a 2 pound loaf:

1 1/2 cups water
2 TBS margarine or butter, softened
4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp bread machine or quick active dry yeast
2 tsp Bread Enhancer (Optional)
1 cup raisins

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except raisins in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add raisins at the Raisin/Nut signal.

Select Sweet or Basic/White cycle. Use Medium or Light crust color. Remove baked bread from pan, and cool on wire rack.

* Note: Measure cinnamon carefully as too much will cause the yeast to slow down rather than grow. If your machine doesn't have a Raisin/Nut signal, add the raisins 5 - 10 minutes before the last kneading cycle ends. Check your bread machine's use-and-care book to find out how long the last cycle runs.
** I made this over the holidays and it came out of the oven about the time we were finishing dinner. Can I tell you, no one waited until it cooled! I enjoyed it toasted the next morning... of what was left!

This post is linked to:
Delectable Tuesday
Tuesday at the Table
Tuesday Night Supper Club
Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Full Plate Thursday

Sunday, January 16, 2011

This Week in US History

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January 16

1920   Prohibition begins, outlawing the sale of liquor, as the Eighteenth Amendment goes into effect.
1991   The Persian Guld War begins as the United States and allied nations launch Operation Desert Storm to drive Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

January 17

1893   American sugar planters led by Sanford B. Dole overthrow Hawaii's Queen Liliuokalani.

1994   A magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes Southern California, killing at least 61 people.

January 18

1782   Statesman and orator Daniel Webster is born in Salisbury, New Hampshire.

1919   The post-World War I peace conference begins in Paris, ultimately resulting in the Treaty of Versailles, which sets the terms for the end of the war.

January 19
1861   Georgia secedes from the Union.

1955   Dwight D. Eisenhower gives the first presidential news conference filmed for  TV.
January 20

1892  The first official basketball game takes place at a YMCA gymnasium in Springfield, Massachusetts.

1949   Harry Truman's inauguration is the first to be televised.

January 21

1789   The first novel by an American writer published in America, The Power of Sympathy by William Hill Brown, is printed in Boston.


1950   Former State Department official Alger Hiss is convicted of perjury regarding allegations that he was a spy for the Soviet Union.

January 22

1939  The uranium atom is split for the first time using a cyclotron at Columbia University in New York City.

1973  The Supreme Court hands down a decision of Roe v. Wade, legalizing abortion.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Voices of the Faithful - Book 2

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Voices of the Faithful - Book 2, Inspiring stories of courage from Christians serving around the world published by Thomas Nelson and compiled by Kim P Davis.
This is not your ordinary book of daily devotions.  Yes, each day begins with Scripture and ends with a prayer, but then the similarities end.  Voices of the Faithful takes you into the lives of missionaries serving around the world.  Each one gives a glimpse into the world where they minister. “You’ll witness moments of looming danger and crushing heartaches, moments of shining hope and pure miracle.”
One missionary’s wife serving in an African village tells of her day of constant interruptions including loss of electricity and a torrential downpour while trying to homeschool her children.  She reminds us that our “idea of ministry may not match God’s definition.  His goal for me is to bring Him glory in the little things and not just in the big things.  Being reminded of this goal has changed my outlook on the interruptions of each day.  Each interruption is an opportunity to serve the Lord by loving the people God brings my way.”  Her outlook and insight on God’s plan helps me to see “interruptions” as a chance to serve and love others.
Each month focuses on a different aspect of the Christian walk: Prayer, the Priority; Divine Appointments; and Making Him Known.
I would recommend this book for anyone who wishes to grow in their faith and pray for different people groups around the world.
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson as part of their Book Sneeze Blogging for Books Program. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are strictly my own.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Monday, January 10, 2011

Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce

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1 can tomato soup
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 can water
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 pork chops



Mix all ingredients except pork chops in a bowl.  Place pork chops in a baking dish.  Pour mixture over pork chops.  Bake at 350 F for 45-60 minutes.

Good served with rice and a green salad.


Ellen

This Post is Linked To:
Delectable Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesday Twister
Dr. Lauras Tasty Tuesday
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Tuesday Night Supper Club
Hearth and Soul Hop
Tuesday At The Table
Full Plate Thursday

Saturday, January 8, 2011

This Week in U.S. History

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January 9

1776  In Philadelphia, Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense, a pamphlet that set the American colonies afire with a longing for independence.

1788  Connecticut becomes the fifth state to ratify the Constitution.

January 10

1753  Poor Richard predicts "wind and falling weather, then very cold" for the second week of January.  Other Franklin proverbs from Poor Richard's Almanac.... "Little strokes fell great oaks," "Laziness travels so slowly that Poverty soon overtakes him," and "Well done is better than well said."

1861  Florida secedes from the Union.

January 11

1785  Congress relocates from Trenton, New Jersey, to New York City, the nation's new temporary capital.

1861  Alabama secedes from the Union.

January 12

1773  The first public museum in America is established in Charleston, South Carolina.

1906  The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 100 for the first time.

January 13

1910  In an early radio demonstration, opera star Enrico Caruso is broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

1990  Douglas Wilder of Virginia is sworn in as the nation's first elected black governor.

January 14

1784  The Continental Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the Revolutionary War.

1914  Henry Ford introduces a moving assembly line for cars, reducing production time from more than 12  hours to about 90 minutes.



January 15

1892  The rules of basketball are first published in Springfield, Massachusetts.

1929  Martin Luther King, Jr., is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

3 in 30: Week 1

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Wow! The first week of 3 In 30 has already come to an end!



How did you do? Did you accomplish all you had hoped and planned to? If not, what held you up? Do you have any encouraging words for the others who are joining in?

January 2011
Goals and Accomplishments: Week One

1.  Drink 3 - 16 ounce glasses of water each day.  YES
2.  Lose 5 pounds this month... shouldn't this coincide with the water, yes?!?!
  NO (SIGH... I didn't go up either)
3.  Update our computer checkbook every week.  YES


Well, 2 out of 3 isn't too bad.  I guess I need to start moving even more!

To myself and everyone else, habits don't begin and/or change overnight.  Through Patience and Perseverance, we can and will make the positive changes we desire.

 
We are going to have a weekly link-up. Nothing fancy, nothing required other than us hearing from you. The link-up will go live at 9pm CST on Thursday nights.

Link Up Schedule:
  • 1st Friday of each month: "Roll Call"
    Who's in for this month? Let us know!
  • 2nd Friday of each month: "Check-Up"
    How did this week go for you? Check in!
  • 3rd Friday of each month: "Encouraging words"
    Let us know what quote, Scripture, or encouraging words got you through this week?
  • 4th Friday of each month: "Closing Comments"
    Overall reaction to this month's goals. Also, include what your goals are for the following month.
  • 5th Friday (occasional): "What blogs did you visit this month?"

How Do You Link Up?
  1. OPTIONAL: Add the 3 In 30 button to your site or Facebook page. {You can find the code on either hostess' blog.}
  2. OPTIONAL: "Like" our Facebook Page
  3. OPTIONAL: Follow us on Twitter
  4. MANDATORY: Comment on at least the person above you in the link-up and let them know you're coming by from 3 In 30. Comment on & follow as many participants as you'd like!

Got questions? We'd love to hear them! Email us: threeinthirty (at) gmail (dot) com


Making our goals a reality 3 at a time.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

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Sammy

... one pampered pup!
Ellen

12 Days of Christmas

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Day 1 – December 24:  The Visit.    “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man names Joseph, a descendant of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary.”  Luke 1.26-27
Day 2 – December 25:  The Birth.    “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them.”  Luke 2.6-7
Day 3 – December 26:  The Shepherds.    “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.   When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…”  Luke 2.8, 17
Day 4 – December 27:  The Sacrifice.    “When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him (Jesus) to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord…”  Luke 2.22
Day 5 – December 28:  The Man and Woman.    “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.  He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.      There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.  She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”  Luke 2.25, 36-37
Day 6 – December 29: The Return Home.    “When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.  And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”  Luke 2.39-40
Day 7 – December 30:  The Wise Men.    “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’”  Matthew 2.1-2
Day 8 – December 31:  The Escape.    “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’”  Matthew 2.13
Day 9 – January 1:  The Threatened and The Weeping.    “When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.  Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and a great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’”  Matthew 2.16-18
Day 10 – January 2:  The Remembering.    “…but his mother treasured all these things in her heart.”  Luke 2.51b
Day 11 – January 3:  The Baptizer.    “…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.  He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”  Luke 3.2b-3
Day 12 – January 4:  The Baptism.    “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.  And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.’”  Luke 3.21-22

Monday, January 3, 2011

Honey Wheat Bread

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1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup honey
2 TBS shortening
2 1/4 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 TBS dry milk powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp bread machine yeast or quick active dry yeast
2 tsp dough enhancer (optional)

Directions:

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.  Select basic/white or whole wheat cycle.  Use medium or light crust color.  Do not use delay cycles.  Remove baked bread from pan and cool on wire rack.

** If your machine has a dough cycle, follow the above directions and set the machine on 'dough' to mix and run through the first rise.  Remove dough from machine, punch down, and place in bread loaf pan.  Cover with a tea towel.  Let rise in a warm place for an hour or when doubled in size.  Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes.

Servings: 16    Yield:  2 lb. loaf

I began baking my own bread January 2010.  I no longer use the bread machine to do all the baking because the loaves come out much lighter letting them rise and bake in a regular oven.

Enjoy!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

The Power Based Life

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The Power Based Life by Mike Flynt is written to help Christians discover what God created them to be and the work the were designed to do. Learning from his own life, he writes to help the reader "realize your life's goals and dreams by strengthening your body, mind, and spirit. He incorporates 12 strategies to assist the reader including focusing on positive attitudes, believing God for who He is, turning adversities to your advantage, and the benefits of practicing mercy and giving.
His points are well thought out and written to the average reader. But due to the amount of stories and examples, I would lose sight of the main point and would need to reread to refocus myself.
For someone who has a dream and wishes to focus himself, this book would give him steps and actions to take to help realize it while keeping God in the center of his life.
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze Program. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are strictly my own.

This Week in US History

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January 2

1777  George Washington's army fights the Second Battle of Trenton, New Jersey.

1942  During World War II, Japanese forces capture Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

January 3

1870  Construction on the Brooklyn Bridge begins.


1959  Alaska becomes the 49th state (with 663,267 sq. miles!)

January 4
1896  Utah becomes the 45th state.

2004  Spirit, a robotic rover, lands on Mars to explore the planet.


January 5

1892  US immigration station on Ellis Island in New York Harbor opens.  Annie Moore, 15-year old lass from Ireland, entered the United States and history when she passed through its doors, becoming the first immigrant to be processed there.



1914  Henry Ford, head of the Ford Motor Co., introduces a wage of $5 a day in his automotive factories.

January 6

1838  Samuel Morse conducts a successful demonstration of his telegraph near Morristown, NJ.

1942  The Pan American Airways Pacific Clipper arrives in New York City to complete the first round-the-world trip by a commercial airplane.

January 7

1782  The Bank of North America, the first U.S. commercial bank, opens in Philadelphia, PA.

1789  The first presidential election is held as Americans vote for electors who, a month later, choose George Washington as the nation's first president.

January 8

1790  President George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address in New York City.

1935  Rock 'n' Roll king Elvis Presley is born in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

3 in 30

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3 in 30
January 2011


1.  Drink 3 - 16 ounce glasses of water each day.


2.  Lose 5 pounds this month... shouldn't this coincide with the water, yes?!?!


3.  Update our computer checkbook every week.  I've been known to have to key in 3+ weeks in all at once.. no fun.  : (





The first link up will be Friday, January 7th to share our lists of what we want to accomplish this month.  So, won't you join in and encourage yourself and each other in accomplishing just 3 things this monght that you have on your list of things to do?  ~ adapted from  The Tuckers Take Tennessee
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