All American Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe

Perfect for Labor Day weekend!

This is a fast and easy recipe that has been passed down in my family. My grandmother made them and her mother made them. I always get compliments and requests for them.

1 lb. lean hamburger

shredded leftover beef roast (optional, if you have it)

1 can chicken gumbo soup

1 C. ketchup

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

garlic salt, pepper, oregano to taste

Brown hamburger, drain. Mix meat and all other ingredients in a medium to large saucepan and heat on low until warm. Serve on buns and enjoy!

Excited to be back! Updates and Wedding Pictures

After a great summer with family, I'm super excited to be back! I hope you all enjoyed summer and that things are going well! Many of you have stayed in touch via email and facebook. You are all so awesome! So much has happened since the wedding.......

Most of you may know that Scott, my husband, lost his job last February, just before the wedding. It's been tough in some ways and it's been a blessing in other ways. He's been playing with photography and will be going back to school in the next few weeks. I'm really proud of him for going back to school! He's had a great summer hanging out with Haley every day!

Haley's doing great! She's growing up too fast and amazes me everyday with her love for life, kind spirit and loving heart. I love being a mom! Wow, I can hardly believe that she's going into 3rd grade this year. I'm excited to be on the parent club board this year and hope to volunteer in her classroom again.

My grandmother, who is near and dear to me, suffered a severe stroke about 6 weeks ago. She has been recovering in the nursing home since and we are all praying that she will regain more of her speech, walking, etc. My mother has been staying with my grandfather all this time and caring for him. Our entire family has pulled together to help out and there have been many blessings along the way. In the midst of trial, God always lets us know that he's taking care of everything. In all - I know He will be glorified!

My sister and her family stayed with us for a week in July. They came to be with my grandmother after the stroke. It was so awesome having them and spending time with the kids, although I wish the reason for the visit had been different. We can't wait to see them again!

I was recently blessed with a new job. I'm now working for a large non-profit organization in the medical field. This has been the greatest and most rewarding opportunity for me. I work with a great group of people and I know this is my calling! I'm also going back to school this fall.

So.....as you can see, we've been a busy family these past few months.

My Special Day

Today I marry my best friend. I feel so blessed to have him in my life, to share my wonderful daughter with him and to make the commitment of spending our lives together as a family! I'll be sharing wedding photos and photos from our honeymoon in the upcoming weeks. Thank you all for your warm wishes, thoughts and prayers!

My sister, who is my best friend, will not be able to make it to our wedding since she recently moved 17 hours away for her husband's job. She will be in my heart! She did the most amazing thing before she moved. She gave me a sweet card with money enclosed to buy my wedding dress .It still brings tears to my eyes when I think about her thoughtfulness. The card read: "God has blessed us with this money. It is God's money and we want you to have it for your special day". Sarah, you have touched my life in so many ways and I am truly blessed to have you as my sister! I love you!

Kids New DVD Release - HIT Entertainment Playtime Pals

HIT Favorites: Playtime PalsSwings Onto DVD May 5, 2009 From Lionsgate And HIT Entertainment!

Get ready for playtime fun with your favorite preschool pals! Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment bring together preschool favorites Thomas & Friends™, Barney™, Fifi and the Flowertots™, Bob the Builder™, Fireman Sam™ and Kipper™ for HIT Favorites: Playtime Pals, a lively new collection of six exciting adventures arriving on DVD May 5, 2009.

Thomas & Friends™ get together to watch a dazzling fireworks display, Barney™ plays out in the sunshine with his friends, and Fifi stays cool by transforming her garden into a beach! Join your favorite friends because the fun never ends in this collection of playful outdoor adventures.

Episodes include:

Thomas & Friends – In “Thomas and the Lighthouse,” it’s time for the Harvest Festival, complete with clowns, a choir and fireworks. But the local lighthouse needs a new light bulb first and it’s up to Thomas to deliver it. The job calls for slow and steady care, but when his excitement and impatience get the better of him and jeopardizes his assignment, Thomas learns a valuable lesson.

Barney – In “Summer,” it’s the first day of summer and a super-dee-duper day to be out in the sun and having some fun! Barney and his pals show the many different summer activities to enjoy, from hiking and baseball to fishing and simply watching the green grass grow. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Fifi and the Flowertots – In “Life’s a Beach,” it’s too hot to do much of anything – except head to the beach! The problem is, Fifi and her friends live in a garden. No worries, they’ll just make their own! All it takes is a little “sand” and a giant leaf to hold lots of water. Surf’s up!

Bob the Builder – In “Splasher’s Two Stops,” the job of the day is to construct two brand new stops along the river where Splasher the water bus can pick up and drop off passengers. Leave it to Bob and his Can-Do Crew to build the perfect “Splasher Stops.” But can Splasher’s enthusiasm be tamed by a timetable? After all, even he can’t be everywhere at once!

Fireman Sam – In “King of the Jungle,” with Norman having a Tarzan complex, twins James and Sarah fighting medieval enemies and haystacks spontaneously combusting in the heat, Fireman Sam certainly has his work cut out for him!

Kipper – In “The Swimming Pool,” Kipper, Tiger, Pig and Arnold are off to beat the heat at the local swimming pool. But something is up with Tiger – he’s avoiding the water because he can’t swim. Once “armed” with handy water wings, though, it’s “everyone in the pool!”

Pretend and Play Giveaway from Learning Resources

As many of you may know, I am a HUGE fan of educational toys for kids! I absolutely adore all the great toys from Learning Resources! Learning Resources offers these great Pretend and Play sets that kids really enjoy. Do you ever find your kids mimicking what mom and dad do? These sets are great for pretend play and are an All American Mommy top pick! Learn more about Learning Resources by clicking here.

Pretend & Play® Fishing Set by Learning ResourcesReel in the big one with the Pretend & Play Fishing Set! Little anglers can hook the catch of the day, and an adjustable vest makes play even more realistic. Perfect for outdoor vacations and more. Play a size matching game with worms and fish. Features 6 pages of write & wipe, fishing-themed activities. Plastic pieces include pole with magnetic hook, 3 magnetic fish, 3worms, net and vest (plastic, nylon and canvas). All magnets are embedded for safety, and the plastic tackle box stores all pieces. Ages 3 and up. SRP:$27.99

Pretend & Play® Bakery Set by Learning Resources Stir up the fun! Little chefs fill pies, roll cookies and more. Perfect for involving children in baking for special occasions, holidays and more. This set invites kids to imagine holding a pretend bake-off, making special treats for company, running their own bakery or entering the school bake sale. It offers realistic, hands-on play experience with an egg that cracks open to release the yolk, cookies in four shapes to cut out and more. The Pretend and Play Bakery Set introduces parts of a whole with slice able 3-piece loaf of bread and pie with three 2-piece slices kids can fill with the included fruit.It comes with a total of 31 durable plastic pieces, including favorite baked goods, a measuring cup and spoon to be sure kids have added all of the right ingredients and all the other utensils a baker needs! The rolling pin(the set’s largest piece) measures 8.5” L. Ages 3 and up. SRP: $27.99

Pretend & Play® Birthday Set by Learning Resources Party Time! With the Pretend & Play Birthday Set, kids can design custom invitations for special guests, and decorate the cake and three presents. The five cake pieces feature candles numbered 1-5 to help with counting. Also included is a birthday crown, a pretend camera, birthday cards and more!Ages 3 and up. SRP: $27.99

Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive Pretend & Play Birthday Set! Post a comment telling me how you feel about educational toys for your kids and who you'd like to win this for. Please leave your email address so I can contact you. Ends 5/30/09.

Betty Crocker Mixer Basket Giveaway

Are you ready to get inspired in the Kitchen? Looking for something new to spice up that same old meal? Well look no further than The Mixer, a new online cooking club from Betty Crocker.

When you join The Mixer online (IT'S FREE!) you will be learning the ins and outs of cooking and baking, while interacting with Betty Crocker Kitchens experts LIVE during a class and connecting with an entire community of people just like you. What's great is that you can do it in the comfort of your own kitchen whenever it best fits your schedule.
Each week for six weeks, The Mixer will feature a new class line up complete with recipe demos, tips & techniques, flavor secrets and much more.
Week #1 - Kickin Chicken Recipes and tips for making juicy, mouthwatering chicken Week #2 - Pastabilities Secrets of building flavor that will allow you to create your own signature sauces Week #3 - Greens with Envy Recipes for go-to salads Week #4 - Viva Tortilla Taking taco night to a whole new level Week #5 - Wok it Out Stir-fry techniques and recipes for easy flavorful sauces Week #6 - Small Bites-Big Flavors Dips and appetizers that are easy and flavorful and guiltless desserts Classes are held three times a week. Chat live with the Betty Crocker Kitchens Experts:
Tuesdays 7 p.m. ET Wednesdays 9 p.m. ET Saturdays 4 p.m. ET But don't worry if you miss it, you can always go back to watch the class on demand and get in on the conversation. For complete details on each of the classes simply go to www.bettycrocker.com/themixer and register to become a member.

Giveaway: Enter to win this lovely basket of goodies by posting a comment about the one kitchen gadget that you just can't live without. Please leave your email address so I can contact you. Ends 5/20/09.

BRIDE WARS DVD and Paper Shouts $25 GC Giveaway

Bride Wars starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson is being released on April 28, 2009!

Synopsis: Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway), best friends since childhood, are always there for each other, through good times and bad. They even become engaged to be married within a few hours of one another. Together they plan their respective weddings, each to take place at New York’s ultimate bridal destination, the Plaza Hotel. But a clerical error and subsequent clash in wedding dates pits the two brides – neither of whom will step aside – against each other, in a competition that quickly escalates into all-out war.

A wedding would not be perfect without the most wonderful invitations. Now you can get the most beautiful wedding invitations from Paper Shouts! Check them out for the most fabulous "shouts" on paper! Great for birthdays and holidays too! Best of all, Paper Shouts are printed on recycled paper!

One winner will receive a copy of the BRIDE WARS DVD and a $25 Gift Certificate to Paper Shouts!!
The winner will also be entered into the Grand Prize drawing on the Paper Shouts website. Prizes include movie memorabilia such as the sunglasses worn in the movie by Kate Hudson and a movie one-sheet signed by Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. The Grand Prize is a great Mexican vacation—6 nights at the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort and airfare for 2 on AirTran airlines.
To enter the giveaway, you will need to post a comment about which characters style you relate more to—Emma’s traditional, romantic style or Liv’s couture, “only the best” approach as well as which Paper Shout card you like best. This giveaway ends May 8, 2009 so hurry and tell all your friends to enter too!

Special promotion from Paper Shouts: Use code AllAm to receive 15% off your Paper Shouts order!