Wounded Warrior Regatta Honolulu, HI

James will be in the Wounded Warrior Regatta today.

Check out more information on it at:
http://ourohanastory.blogspot.com/

If I get any pictures, I will post here.

Last day of Preschool

Just thought that I would let everyone know that today was J's last day of preschool. It was kinda sad for all of us. She was worried as we left for school, her tummy "didn't feel right." I think she had fun today as she didn't cry while I was there like some of the other kids did. I believe she is excited to be able to ride the bus and go to school "with" M next year.

Gotta go.

Aloha Friday Recipe!!

I decided for a change of pace today, instead of a main course, I would list a bread instead.

Bacon Cheddar Bread
Ingredients
1 Homemade Gourmet® World Vision for Life Basic Bread Mix
1 Homemade Gourmet® BLT Seasoning Mix
1-3/4 cup milk (or substitute 12-ounce can of beer)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 1 stick butter/margarine, melted

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, blend first four ingredients. (Batter will be lumpy.) Spoon batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Pour melted butter over batter. Place loaf pan on a baking sheet to catch any spillover.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Times
Cook Time 45 minutes
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

By Kimberly Wilson - jwilson001@hawaii.rr.com
www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson

Logan Playing the Wii video

Here is Logan in the garage where we have our Wii set up. It moved there during spring break! He is sitting on the Wii Fit board, with the Wii remote in his hands. Before I started to record him, he was using the remote the way you do when you are playing one of the racing games.

Isn't this adorable? He got the Wii on all by himself and everything!! I was looking for a broken Wii remote so he can "play" without breaking anything important but it doesn't look like it is going to happen!

The Toy Society -- REALLY NEAT!!

I heard about The Toy Society a few minutes ago through the Hawaii WAHM Blog. I think this is an amazing idea! I just had to share with everyone here!

This is what The Toy Society is all about:
The Toy Society spreads the love throughout the streets of the world. Nothing to it really just a bunch of handmade toys looking for a nice home. What started as a small street art project in Australia is slowly spreading around the world. Should you come across a member of The Toy Society on your travels collect them up and take them home with you! But don't forget to let them know about it at their blog or this email address: thetoysociety@gmail.com They are also on Facebook with the name - The Toy Society!

Imagine someone working so hard to make handmade toys then giving them out for free to anyone who may stumble across them. The toys could go to a little child or to a collector or anyone else who needs love from a stranger and the company of a sweet toy -- how inspirational and fun! Take a look a The Toy Society's blog and see what items have been dropped off. There was a drop off in Hawai'i a couple days ago. To see about it see info on this drop off see Darth Mama's blog at Softie Happiness.

Since Spring Break is next week, I think the kids and I are going to have fun with this one! We are also going to Maui on vacation during spring break so maybe we can make a couple drops there! I will keep everyone posted as to what we do!

MY CHALLENGE TO ALL OF YOU!!! I challenge each of you to make one Toy Society Drop!! When you make the drop put the information about The Toy Society in the bag so whomever the person is who gets it can post they received it!

With much Aloha,
Kimberly
http://bubbleheadfamily.blogspot.com/

March Madness Sale (until March 20th)

Homemade Gourmet Home Office is having a March Madness Sale that will be good until March 20th! I thought I would go ahead and share it.

This week (March 16-March 22, 2009): Get Maria's Salsa Pantry Staple for half price this week! That's the equivalent of 12 individual mixes for only $8 retail! The Maria's Salsa Pantry Staple Combo with container and recipe card set is $16.00.*

Of course, Maria's Salsa is an affordable alternative to jarred salsa for your corn chips at your basketball playoff parties this month, but you can use this versatile mix for everything from meatloaf and pot roast to cranberry salsa, too (check out the Key to the Kitchen recipe database). Or how about this creamy chicken entrée in honor of one of the 2009 NCAA Tournament venues:

Phoenix Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Homemade Gourmet® Maria's Salsa Mix, prepared
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Mexi-corn, drained
1 10.5-ounce can tomatoes with green chilies
8 ounces cream cheese, cut in cubes

1. Combine all ingredients, except cream cheese (can be frozen in a gallon-sized ziptop freezer bag at this point).
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
3. Stir in cubed cream cheese and cook for additional 15 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
4. May also be prepared in a slow cooker (4-6 hours), adding the cream cheese when only 1 hour cooking remains.

*This sale does not include direct ship orders, so you would need to order through me.

By Kimberly Wilson - jwilson001@hawaii.rr.com
www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson

Aloha Friday Recipe!!

Here is another 4 meals in 4 minutes™ meal! I have three children (age 5 and under) and being able to get my meal prepared and cooking quickly is the best thing in the world to me. I really value being able to provide my family with a home-cooked meal and everyone sitting around the table to enjoy it. Homemade Gourmet has allowed me to do this with the 4 meals in 4 minutes™ meals. I also get my children to help. My 5 y.o. son can measure the ingredients. Then both my 5 y.o. son and my 4 y.o. daughter can mix the ingredients together for me using the method below! Plus there is NO MESS to clean up that usually happens when little ones get in the kitchen.

Mahalo & enjoy!!

Hawaiian Pork Chops

Ingredients
3 pounds pork chops*
4 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® BLT seasoning (or one package)
1 15-ounce can pineapple tidbits
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 gallon zippered bag

Directions
This is another great 4 meals in 4 minutes™ meal!

Place all ingredients into the freezer bag. Seal and SMOOSH!

Before freezing, label as Hawaiian Pork Chops and list cooking options:

BAKE: Thaw and bake (covered) at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

GRILL: Thaw, discard marinade, and grill over medium high heat until chicken juices run clear.

SLOW COOK: Defrost enough to empty contents into slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

*You may substitute the chicken with 6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts for a variation on this recipe . . . make both and fill your freezer twice as fast! This has about 150 calories per serving if using skinless chicken breast!

Brought to you with much aloha by Kimberly Wilson
www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson

Our little artists!!

Well, we told the kids that if they were good today for Auntie Latanya and took pictures without goofing off that they could paint. Yes, Auntie Candice, this is because they are so excited to paint that they can't wait until you get home! Jordyn thinks that we are hiding you from them! So the paints that I bought for Auntie Candice to paint with them/for them, plus some extras got put to great use today!! Here are their wonderful creations!!
By Morgan, here is Diamond Head in brown, surrounded by a gray outline. Then he painted decorative corners and pink border. Then came the tahitian blue ocean with waves. The pink zig zag with dots and the lighter pink at both sides of the painting even with Diamond Head is a pretty pink sunset, he described! Then because it has been raining so much (and because mom didn't have any yellows for the sunshine) he made gray clouds and light blue rain drops. There is green sailboat on the last wave and two little dark brown birds flying beside Diamond Head. I think he did a wonderful job!!

Here is Jordyn's masterpiece. She said she couldn't leave any white on the canvas. Yes, they are canvas boards that I bought for them! She started with a quilting hibiscus stencil. She has two pretty blue flowers on the left and a hot pink one on the right, under that is a dark green flower. Then the gecko green (the light, bright green) is her leaves and the rest of the colors around it is here pretty decorations to cover all the white. Auntie Candice has no white on her canvas so Jordyn had to color all her's too!

Aren't they the most amazing paintings that you have ever seen?

They are to me!! Wonder who will be the lucky person who gets to hang these on their wall? They were still deciding that as we were off to Ben Franklin's to get more supplies for next time!!

Aloha Friday Recipe!!

Aloha Friday!
I love great food and amazing food, even though I don’t feel I am a great cook. I also love spending time with my family and not slaving away in the kitchen over the heat to cook great food! So this week the recipe I will share with you will be a 4 meals in 4 minutes recipe! Plus, I will give you 3 options in how to cook the meal!!

Garlic Lemon Chicken
6 Boneless skinless chicken breast (3 pounds)**
2 Tablespoon Homemade Gourmet Garlic Lemon Marniade
1 14- ounce can chicken broth (or 2 cups liquid HG Margarita Mix)
1 Gallon sized zip top freezer bag Place all ingredients into the freezer bag.

Seal and SMOOSH!! You can freezer at this point if you would like. If you are freezing please label as Garlic Lemon Chicken and list cooking options. Be sure to defrost completely before cooking.

Cooking Options:
Option 1) Bake – 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Option 2) GrillOption
3) Slow Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

**You may substitute the chicken with 3 pounds of pork chops for a variation on this recipe.

Suggested sides: Cole Slaw, Baked Potato, Cobbler for dessert.

EXTRA! Make extra and make this “extra” meal fast and easy! Slice chicken or pork chops and place on mixed salad greens and top with ½ cup of your choice of dressing, for a light and tasty meal.

Brought to you by Kimberly Wilson
www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson

Logan videos

Here is Logan falling asleep as he is eating!!

Logan somehow got James' itunes playing! Don't ask me how because I don't know how to do it!! LOL!

Different song!

Jordyn's Haircut

Jordyn cut her own hair so we got it all cut off. She picked out the hairstyle. This was done in December. (I may catch up!! LOL!)

Homemade Gourmet
I am very excited to announce that I am a new independent consultant for Homemade Gourmet ! I am currently the only consultant in Hawaii!! This is very exciting to be able to bring such a wonderful company to the islands!! There are 1,600 Homemade Gourmet Consultants nationwide who help people make great-tasting meals fast. I am committed to the company motto of striving to bring families back to the dinner table by providing quality, affordable, easy-to-prepare meals for both those on the go and those who have time to plan out a weekly menu. I also teach families how to make these affordable and delicious meals at in-home Gatherings of friends and family. Homemade Gourmet has a new product line called Homemade in a Hurry that helps busy parents get dinner on the table fast so they can enjoy meals as a family.

To let you know a little about the company: Homemade Gourmet ® was founded in 1997 by Tami VanHoy, a Texas mother of four. “I believe with all my heart that God created this company to give us all an opportunity to share our gifts with others, make a difference in the lives we touch and to inspire dreams in those who would join us,” said Founder Tami VanHoy. The Texas-based Homemade Gourmet offers a line of more than 100 food mixes and beverages distributed through a network Consultants nationwide. Dedicated to its mission to inspire families and friends to gather around the dinner table more often, Homemade Gourmet unveiled a number of new easy-to-prepare entrees, side dishes and desserts with the spring catalog and tastings across the country, including one here in Honolulu that I was able to do.

Contact me, Kimberly Wilson, at jwilson001@hawaii.rr.com today to learn more about how to make 4 meals in 4 minutes™ for your family dinners, how to host a Homemade Gourmet Gathering or to learn more about a career with Homemade Gourmet. Or you can find more information at www.homemadegourmet.com/kimberlywilson.

Local contact:
Kimberly Wilson
Honolulu, Hawaii
jwilson001@hawaii.rr.com

Some Pictures from September

This is the blowhole that we always go to. It is wonderful to watch.
This is what Bellows AFB Beach looks like in the military only section. I just though this was a great view!

Aunt Linda making sure her hat doesn't blow away while James poses and Logan tries to figure out what is going on.

James with Sylvia and Linda at the Admiral's Boathouse in Pearl Harbor. They took a tour of Ford Island from the water. It is a really neat trip. (James took me later when we had a sitter since children under 8 or 10 can't go.)

This is in front of Rabbit Island. We loved exploring out on the rocks and found out that Aunt Linda did too! Morgan followed her around the entire time -- he is our little explorer!!

SO LONG

It has been so long since I blogged, I can't believe it! We have had company come - twice! James' mom, Sylvia, and Aunt Linda came out in September. They were actually here when I posted last the field trip posting. We have some amazing pictures from there trip that I will post. Then in November, my parents came out to visit -- and I posted the Giving Grammie Lovin' video. It was Logan's first bithday on Thanksgiving. We had Thanksgiving dinner with great friends of ours - yes they let all SEVEN of us come!!! Kevin and Candice have become like family to us - the kids have asked their permission to call them Auntie and Uncle. We also got amazing pictures while mom and dad were out here. The waves on the North Shore were huge! Oh yeah, we went to a Luau for Logan's first birthday -- we went to Germaine's in Honolulu instead of throwing one ourselves! Christmas was rather quiet. We had Kevin and Candince over on Christmas eve for dinner as they were going on vacation the next day. We got a Wii for the whole family and the children got Ukes from Santa. The Wii was a family gift from James' parents and us to all of us! LOL! It was easiest for James' parents to send us gift cards which we used to purchase the Wii, Wii Fit and controllers and such we got with it -- we paid the other half ourselves. The kids break from school was really long! Jordyn is still having a hard time adjusting to being back at school. Oh we have hiked to Makapua lighthouse and we have hiked to Kapena Falls (during which our van was broken into and we returned to shattered drivers window, diaper bag and all it's contents, leapster battery pack only, and our entire library of 500 children's movies gone). At least the falls were nice and we got some decent pictures, right?!?! LOL! I will work on posting pictures of these past things and trying to keep up -to -date with blogging!