This post about teaching our kids to live greener lives has been brought to you by New Leaf Energy. All opinions are mine. When I was young, I couldn't have really cared less about the environment, sadly. I was careless with my actions and I didn't really think about conserving water, recycling, etc. Thankfully, I finally …
We celebrated the boys' birthdays this weekend with lots of family and fun stuff to do! The Captain turned 5 last week D will turn 3 in December, so a double birthday party is always easier on everyone, it seems. Especially since D's bday is so close to Christmas. He doesn't mind one bit though....lots …
Our family loves tuna fish. I always feel a bit guilty about eating it, however, because of the fact that most tuna fish is not responsibly caught and fishing for tuna harms dolphins. Skipjack tuna is also good for you, which I love because it's easy to get the boys to eat good protein …
Pumpkin is simply awesome. It is packed with vitamins and nutrients and adaptable for all kinds of recipes, and not simply sweets! In case you missed it, I compiled a list of 30 awesome pumpkin recipes. I didn't include this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, however, because I hadn't whipped them up yet. But …
Last night, the Captain and I were talking about dinner. I had some bacon that I needed to cook, so I thought that maybe we would have Potato Bacon Soup, since it's one of Daddy's favorites. The Captain got the idea to turn our regular, ordinary dinner into a "Fancy Dinner," where we wear fancy …
Fall is here and the temperatures are dropping across the country. Here in Texas, we take advantage of those colder nights with a bowl of warm crock pot chili! This is an adapted version of my mother-in-law's chili recipe. I'm not usually one who likes chili, but this is good stuff. Even the Captain likes …
It's hot (if you haven't noticed!) Cookies and oven baked treats are yummy, but I want nothing to do with the oven this time of year. Yet, somehow, the kids are still hungry, as am I. So, I rounded up a few no bake snacks that are delicious and won't heat up your kitchen! There are …
Do you have those awesome memories from your childhood that involve food? I have a few, but this one snack is definitely my favorite. Yes, even better than eating fresh Pizza Inn pizza in the car on the way home from a long shopping trip! My mom would make this peanut butter banana with crushed graham …
The Captain has been singing "Keep your eye on the grand old flag!!!" for a week or two now and loves this flag his Grampy gave him! Happy Fourth of July!
Do you ever wish your kids would just stick with what works? It seems like as soon as we find the perfect schedule, get the routine down to a science and everyone is well-rested, they suddenly stop napping or begin catapulting themselves from the crib. What is a tired and bleary-eyed parent to do? Whether this brings to mind …
This isn't your traditional Southern Chicken and Dumplings, but it's yummy and easy, perfect for a cold day. The whole family loves this recipe, which my mother-in-law shared with me! The tortillas make the "dumplings," and you can hardly tell they're tortillas after they cook. I have added carrots and cream of celery soup, but they're …
Last year, the West Nile Virus was a daily topic on our local news. The CDC reports that as of December 11, 2012, 48 states had reported cases of the West Nile disease in people, birds, or mosquitos. A total of 5,387 cases in people were reported, including 243 deaths. [source] While there's truly nothing we …
I began writing this blog two years ago, this Friday. Happy birthday, Life With Captain Fussybuckets! It was a simple blog back then, and it has grown into something a little bit bigger. I want to THANK YOU for reading this and any other post I've written. Readers are really what makes this blog work. So …
The Hubby and I have been married almost 8 years, and have known each other for about 12. Looking back, time has just flown. We are definitely two very different people than when we met so long ago, but we have grown together and not only do I love him more, I actually like the …
Yesterday was Easter. We don't do the Easter Bunny at our house although I see nothing wrong with him. I just was a bit obsessed with Santa and the Easter Bunny as a child and would rather my kids not be greedy little boogers like I was. I have two older brothers that were not …
I know, I'm being obnoxious writing this post, but I need to get something out and provide a Public Service Announcement because all kinds of professionals using Facebook are making silly errors this morning. The store is called "Walmart," not "Walmarts." Nor is it called "Walmart's" because well, it's just not. There are some stores …
We really enjoy trying new recipes on a regular basis. Some are "okay", enjoyed for the evening but not tried again. Others get added to the "second try with edits" pile, where we think about what tweaks would make it even better. There have even been a couple of attempts where we looked at each …
Is America headed towards healthy with a nationwide soft drink ban ? I'd say not in a million years, but things are definitely changing. Yahoo! News reports "with tax proposals, looming bans, DIY soda machines, and consumers' increasingly health consciousness on the rise, soda companies could be entering a dry spell." The article goes on …
Hey Readers! First off, I want to thank you for reading my blog. It's almost been two years since I started this little ol' blog and it has made a bunch of changes on the way. What started as a simple blog to share stories and pictures of my kids and share a few coupons, …
If you have read Life With Captain Fussybuckets AT all....you know that Captain Fussybuckets himself is a sleep challenge. He was a sleep challenged infant, baby, toddler, and is currently a sleep challenged preschooler. So, I've finally realized that this is who he is and it really is okay! Here are some random tips that I've …
Captain Fussybuckets' birthday is in November. Here in Texas, you have to be 5 on September 1st to start to kindergarten. So, while one of his cousins and most of his preschool buddies will be starting kindergarten in the Fall, he will not. He has been in the 4's and 5's class at a two …
With hubby on a low carb diet, I went out on a limb and made this Zucchini Lasagna. He said it was one of his favorite low-carb recipes to date! And, it's gluten free, too! I just replaced the lasagna noodles with zucchini and it was absolutely delicious. Ingredients: approximately two zucchini squash 16 oz. …
The other night, when Daddy and I were telling the Captain bedtime stories and Baby D had already gone to sleep in his own room, something happened that was strange....the Captain yawned. After four+ years of being the mother of this child, I realized that he doesn't yawn very often. I asked Daddy to confirm …
I haven't always been a fan of soup, but this winter, soup just seems so delicious on a cold Winter day! We had this Three Bean Taco Soup last night for dinner. It's a bit spicy for the kids' tastes, but hubby and I love it! Ingredients: two pounds ground beef (I used lean longhorn …
Yesterday was January 13th, which was the 13th day of Hubby's low carb diet. I've tried to keep things interesting and it's actually been fun! He's lost weight, I've lost a few lbs, and we plan on continuing eating fewer carbs, more veggies, and eating out less. So far, so good. Well, last night it …
Fall is upon us here in Texas, which means hot one day and cold and rainy the next! We are sure to have a couple of cold weeks during winter at least, so now is the perfect time to protect your wooden deck, patio, fence, furniture, or other wooden structure with Thompson's WaterSeal. Thompson's WaterSeal …
I have decided that cranberries are my absolute favorite fruit. I just love them, whether it's jellied cranberries at Thanksgiving, dried cranberries in a salad, or cranberries in desserts. They're sweet and tangy and just delicious and add the perfect flavor to just about anything. Plus, they are good for you! There are so many …
Today is October 1st. I LOVE October. It is THE perfect month in Texas, in my opinion. I love the Fall colors, the smells, the tastes, and more. I'm not so fond of Halloween, but it is what it is and I'll take October anyway. Halloween isn't BAD, don't get me wrong, it's just not …
"For those of us who lived through these events, the only marker we’ll ever need is the tick of a clock at the 46th minute of the eighth hour of the 11th day." ~President George W. Bush
Do you ever have leftover lasagna noodles that you don't know what to do with? I have been making a big lasagna and then a small lasagna for the freezer, and I still have leftover noodles. So, I came up with this recipe that the hubby loves! This meatless meal can also be frozen, just …
My name is Gena, pronounced "GEE-nuh." You know, like Geena Davis, only without the other "e." It's funny because some very sweet people that have known me since birth still call me "Jenna." I guess it's confusing because the typical spelling is "Gina," even though if you're going to phonetically spell it....well....you know my spelling …
When writing a new blog post, I sometimes think about it for a few days, or maybe even a few weeks, but most of the time, I just jump into it and write it the instant I can sit down and type. I admire people who can sit and make an outline, like my dad, …
Ahhhh summertime! Summertime is very bittersweet around here. Sure, the boys get to run and play outside and go swimming, but I think that we actually spend LESS time outside (unless we're in the water) than in the other seasons of the year. The reason being, it's HOT. I think it was around 104 today …
The question for today is "Would you ever go bungee jumping?" If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know that I'm a HUGE wuss, so bungee jumping would be a big fat NO. I am one that errs on the side of caution, and bungee jumping is one of the most ridiculous things …
Do I like scary movies that make me jump? Oh no. Never have and never will. What's the point, really? I may be a huge stick in the mud, but I just feel like I could be watching stuff with a purpose, or doing something with my family instead of a scary movie eating up …
I'm a cautious person by nature, so I like to think that I stray away from places that have things that would scare me, such as haunted houses, dark alleys, and even roller coasters. So, when asked if I've ever jumped out of my skin, I am quite certain the answer is..."I'm not sure." There …
The question of the day is "What do you do to cope when you are nervous?" I do a lot of things when I'm nervous, depending on the situation. I might pace the floor, bite my nails, look for a quick exit, stay quiet, or become a chatterbox. But to cope with being nervous, especially …
I have a love/hate relationship with many animals. I used to love cats, but they make me sneeze. I like most dogs, but their barking and pooping in my yard (when they're not even mine) is a bit ridiculous. And birds, don't even get me started on the birds with the annoying chirping they like …
Today's National Blog Posting Month topic from BlogHer is...."Is the proverbial glass half empty or half full?" Today, my glass is half full. Yesterday wasn't such a great day. I missed out on a great opportunity I had been waiting for, my hubby was working a lot, along with some other miniscule blips on the …
