Perfect Crock Pot Roast

Good Tuesday morning!

HAPPY 100TH POST... TO ME!!! That was kind of pathetic, wasn't it? And shameful. But, it just let's you know I am not perfect... by any stretch of the human imagination! Be sure and comment or e-mail me today to register for the prize. See yesterday's post for all the rules.

(And to answer RO's question... No. Just because you enjoy reading magazines while you eat does not entitle you to the RESTAURANT prize AND the MAGAZINE prize if you win. Nice try though. Sounds like something I would have suggested!)

Has anyone guessed the challenge for next week? I'll give you a hint. Everyone's five answers to the challenge will probably be totally different. (And there is no wrong answer. That's the best kind, isn't it?)

I've decided since I'm not sharing stories (yesterday or today), and I have something thought-provoking to share tomorrow, on Thursday and Friday I will be telling you the stories of how I met John Glenn (the astronaut) and Bill Bolen (our local newscaster). Mr. Glenn's story on Thursday. Mr. Bolen's story on Friday. These are not serious stories. These are not even thought-provoking stories. Actually, they fall in the "pathetic" category mentioned above.

And I know what you're thinking... If she tells a "story" on Friday, what will happen to Weekend Happenings and the TV Review and the Book of the Week. Let's just say Friday is going to be a very long post. I'll put little titles above everything so you can skip the stuff you're not interested in reading.

Moments Matter

Okay. I had two "moments" on Sunday and one on Saturday, but I couldn't use them for Monday's moment because of the cheating thing. So I kept my eyes and heart open all day Monday and picked the best one.

Remember I told you about our special service Sunday morning? When I got home from church, I sent Jackie, the woman who gave her testimony, an e-mail telling her how much her part in the service had meant to me. I let her know how inspiring and touching her words had been. I received an e-mail from her bright and early Monday morning encouraging me, lifting me and my family up, letting me know how much she appreciated ME. She turned the whole thing around and focused unselfishly on someone else. She made my Monday. She made me appreciate my husband more... my family more... this day of life more. This was a pretty big moment for me. I imagine the rest of the week's moments will fall under the "ordinary" category... but that's okay. Jackie made me appreciate "ordinary" much, much more, too.

Quarterly Family List

I'm sharing my March/April/May Quarterly Family List today since that is where we are season-wise. Again, everyone would have a different Quarterly Family List depending on size of family, activities you enjoy doing together, etc.

Date Roxie (3 times) *
Date Josh (3 times)
Date Austin (3 times) *
Date Mikie (3 times) *
Fishing (5 times)
Family Movie Nights (5 times)
Family Game Nights (5 times) *
Family Date (1 time)
Camping (2 times)
Drive-In (2 times)
Backyard Campouts (3 times)
Friends over for Roxie (5 - 10) *
Friends over for Josh (5 - 10)
Friends over for Austin (5 - 10) *
Football Parties at Lot (3 times)
Company for Me and Mike (3 times)
City Adventure to Nashville (1 time)

This is my list for the Spring. I will not accomplish everything on this list. However, it is a "go-by" and having it in front of me for the next three months will help me do a great deal. I've already put some stars on a few of these items and it is just March 10.

By the time we go camping over Spring Break, I'll be able to mark off one of the camping trips, as well as two or three fishing outings and a Family Movie Night in the tent.

We're planning on going to Nashville to the Grand Ol' Opry and the Renaissance Fair (I'll have to tell you about the Fair closer to time) in May. That will take care of the trip, as well as another Family Movie Night and/or Game Night at the hotel.

As I stated yesterday, if the list isn't completed, it isn't the end of the world. It just allows me to have a visual so I don't let three months slip by without "dating" or having enough friends over or playing football in the lot. I will have a new list for June/July/August. While some of the things will remain the same (dates, movies, drive-in, games, etc.), we always add tubing and extra fishing, but we take out camping until Fall. (Tent campers... remember?)

But for now, let's cook so I can mark that off my list for today!

Perfect Crock Pot Roast

If you live in the South, you probably have a Perfect Crock Pot Roast recipe. Is Crock Pot Roast a northern dish, too? If for some reason you do not, this one has served me well.

You will need the following:

1 large sirloin tip roast (The bigger the better. I like leftovers.)
2 jars Heinz beef gravy (in a jar)
2 tablespoons flour
1 package Lipton onion/mushroom dry soup mix
2 whole sweet onions
1 carton whole mushrooms
1 small bag baby carrots
5 - 7 peeled and cut golden Yukon potatoes

1. Pour gravy, flour and dry soup mix in crock pot. Mix well.

2. Wash and put meat on top of gravy. Salt and pepper meat.

3. Peel onions and place one whole onion in each corner of the crock pot.

4. Wipe off mushrooms and add to crock pot. (The cooking shows say never hold a mushroom under water to wash off dirt. I can't help it. I hold it under water. You will have to make this choice for yourself.)

5. Two hours after the meat has been cooking, add carrots and chunks of potatoes.

6. Cook for 7 to 8 hours on low. Check the meat to be sure it is fork tender. If not, check every hour or so until the meat tears with a fork.

Serve with rice and sweet tea and rolls (and a nice buttermilk pie you made the night before), and you have a meal fit for a king. You can add other vegetables if you like, but you already have carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and onions in the mix. It's up to you!

Tomorrow we will have a very festive Seasonal Tradition. I will also announce the winner of the 100th Post Contest and list my Tuesday Moment.

Have a terrific Tuesday. Enjoy this warm weather while it lasts. Remember, in Alabama it can be 80 degrees one day and snowing the next. Do not take a spring-like day for granted!

Talk to you tomorrow.