Momspiration...

   While racking my brain for new and unique fall ideas I stumbled across a long forgotten childhood fondness created by my mother... So much of who I am today is from the woman I watched with admiration for so many years. Seldom was there a time when she was not busy creating wonderful items for our friends and family.

     I remember arriving home from school nose bitten by Autumn's air and smelling such wonderful smells. One of which was due to the warm apples drying out on our porch later used to create a truly unique fall wreath.

   Wish me luck!

Little white dress II...

Just a little liquid stitch on the sash from my own wedding. A fluff of the raffia that held my bouquet. A slight stitch to hold the tulle that is still brand new. Held together by a piece of jute that once held precious memories....

Love it...

ON SALE - Photo Boxes at Michaels!

Good deal through Saturday, Sept 3 - usually 3.99 a box on sale for 1.99. I love these photo boxes! I use them for everything. I have all sorts of them to sort out scrapbook elements, sewing materials, stamps, ribbon and other crafting supplies, my pictures, decorations or other odds and ends. These will be so cute in Baby's room.

Fast Organization

Found this small shelf at Dollar Tree for a buck.

Take the little brackets off the back...

A little paint. I like gloss...

Voila! My bathroom drawer was getting really messy, so I used it for all of my hair pins and barretts as well as a bracelet. It is small enough that it doesn't take up any room but looks nice and keeps things in their place. Try it for hair accessories, jewelry, buttons, beads, etc.

Good reads!

If you enjoy Dan Brown... Angelology by Danielle Trussoni is up your alley! Awesome book! Sequel coming soon!

If you are a Hunger games fan, and Katniss Everdeen all the way! (Cannot wait for the movie!) You will definitely enjoy the adventure plight of Thomas! The Death Cure is the third and hopefully final (I cannot handle any more suspense!) book in the Maze runner trilogy by James Dashner! The wait is nearly over! This book will be released in October, plenty of time for you to catch up on the first two! Just make sure that your chores are done, family is fed and all other distractions are at bay, because you will not be able to put these books down!

Little white dress...

    In less than a week this precious little dress will have seen many special occasions. This dress is so special that I am going to retire it in style. Not down in the bottom off a box never to see the light of day. Not to the back of a closet where it will be a dress up one day....no this little dress is too special for that.

   I have been around the house collecting little mementos. The tule from Brandy's wedding. The green ribbon from our wedding. A flower from Mal...a few little things that we love so!

   After sprucing her up a bit and after Saturday's bliss I am going to build a shadow box and preserve every last bit off childhood happiness that I can...

All cracked up... A fun DIY project:)

         I have waited for well over a year to refinish our dining room table. I love this table so much! The solid oak, the claw feet, leaf and room for eight....it is just a good piece of furniture to own! We did some trade work for this table so upon arriving in our home it was gently used. The varnish on the tabletop was wearing   off and whenever something warm was set on it it would stick! Yum!

We started out by sanding all of the remaining finish from the top.

Patch test!

To create a unique look we taped off the lip of the table.

   Once we sanded, wiped the top down good and taped...Yikes! The fun began! Did you know that a bottle of woodworking glue was capable of creating "the crackle effect"? Either did we?! Apprehension was our friend for several hours!

Once the glue had dried...Quick tip! Dilute the glue down a bit with water! Not too much, but it will definitely makes the glue more workable. Here is where I wanted to run and hide!I made my husband apply the paint!

Soooo? What do you think? I LOVE IT!! After a few coats of polyurethane and several light sandings....I can't stop admiring!

                                                                 Happy crackling!

Most wonderful time of the year...

     Its almost time to begin my annual wreath hunt! This is my usual fall wreath but as of late It looks so good on our dinning room wall I am having a hard time moving it out into the elements! My grapevines look snug in their places also....Hmm?! Guess I will have to take a gander ;)

    Hate those not so attractive wreath hangers? Me too! Like how my wreath hangs invisibly from its post? Me too! Fishing line friends!! Take a thumbtack and secure it into the top of your door and then loop fishing line around your wreath and anchor the tied end around the thumbtack;0)

I don't know about you, but I am ready for orange!

Its official...

  We are now home to a too cool fifth grader and a antsy little third grader:) We are more proud than words can say! Good luck this year and much love! Betty Crocker, baby K and I will be waiting for you to return home;)

   I found these awesome fleece lined hoodies for an amazing price and although it was a hundred degrees yesterday, I am sure it was the fact that they were just too cute and had to be worn at the first possible opportunity that they made their debut!

Skin deep...

     You know you are looking too hot to handle when you pick up your six month old princess and she starts to giggle and reach for whatever that crud is allover your face! Well my sweet brand new soft supple skinned baby! Its moms attempt to keep that glowing complexion!

     Exactly what is allover my face? Just a homemade concoction from the beauty school days! An excellent toner and exfoliation treatment! Ready set glow!

1 egg white
For restoring precious collagen!
1 teaspoon cocoa
 To improve blood flow and increase hydration!
1 teaspoon of ground coffee
To exfoliate and give your skin a kick!

Mix thoroughly and apply to face! Allow to dry about 20 minutes rinse and moisturize:) Its gonna be a good day!!

Lovin Penny Chic...

So not that we need to but...I love to save my family money! I glory in the most random triumphs:) Wouldn't you rather spend money on fun things than be bogged down by bills? Me too! I love Penny Chic! I have followed this fun blog for some time and caught the tail end of an appearance on GMA this morning! I have been making discount stores work for awhile now and face it... with a growing family that seems to grow out of clothing faster than you can rip the tags off! It makes sense to be practical while shopping! 

Baby K picnic...

Roses and thorns...

   It is true! The way to a mans heart is in fact through his stomach;0) There is nothing I love more than seeing the door swing open and watching the days tension melt off of my husbands face when he catches a whiff of sweet cinnamon rolls or something delicious for dinner! Admittedly every night is not gourmet and we have begun a leftover regimen...Its my favorite part of the day!

   Last night we had Navajo tacos! And yes as my daughter pointed out "Made by a real Indian!" This recipe has been passed down for generations..... no not really! All jokes aside try this out! I found it on cooks.com! Wickedly delicious, and makes a great leftover!

3 cups flour
2 tbs sugar
1 cup water or milk
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk and knead until a firm ball has formed. Then depending on your liking...I like mine thin so I rolled them out with a rolling pin, or form with fingers and drop into oil! Dough will rise and cook until golden brown:) Pow wow at the table share your day and enjoy!

This is your block captain speaking!

It was amid grumbling that my husband and I accepted the role of our districts emergency preparedness block captains! At the time it was perceived as one more thing to add to our growing heap of tasks. We are just in that phase of life! The raising a family and constantly moving at 900 miles per hour phase:) We love this phase but have had to do some major prioritizing as to which situations were truly in need of our attention....sooo this seemed a little daunting.

   In actuality it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. That little prompting we needed to get prepared for whatever may be ahead. We are constantly working on our food storage. Adding a little here and there. Canning season is coming up and I cannot explain the satisfaction of seeing and knowing the benefits of your effort. In overseeing the preparations of others we had no choice but to look at our own set up. Would we be prepared? Without going overboard and remaining practical we now have a kit for each member of our family. I wanted to share with my family and friends the importance of being prepared. We may not see it in our lifetime, or it may happen tomorrow. Are you prepared?

One cheesy bunch!

Have you tried the new Philadelphia cooking cremes?! We love them! A certain birthday girl requested grilled cheese for dinner, and of course I cannot stick to traditions:) I used the Italian herb blend along with sharp cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese! Happy grilling:)

"There is no such thing as a bear sheriff!"

With no time for fun with fondant....I tried my hand at whip cream frosting! She loved it! A few years back I found this little bear cake mold. My kids love the silly thing! I have piped him with green frosting to create froggies, but today he was just a good old chocolate bear!

Hairy situations...

   Upon making the decision to become a full time stay at home mom I knew that some sacrifices would have to be made. While I was a bona fide working girl I single handedly kept my stylist Heather in business. I received a text recently..."You alive?!" Of course I am alive! Alive and well in fact! Just....different priorities now.

   I have been a state licensed cosmetologist since.. well looking back now to eighteen...forever;) Ask anyone of my fellow stylists, that piece of paper means trouble! It is a license to think that you may and can do anything you have done to anothers head of hair to your own......um yeah! It is also a piece of paper that saves my family hundreds of dollars each year! From my husbands monthly cut, keeping up with our kids and taking on my own color, which is an admittedly humourus process for my family!  Putting our hard earned money back into our pockets:)

   I can hear my husband snickering as he catches a glimpse of me in my frosting cap. "You just try to keep your hands off me pal!"  Laughing as I walk back into the bathroom satisfied with the fact that I am making this stay at home thing work!

The task...

Challenge: Dust off the old cake makin supplies and whip up her dream chocolate cake! EEK! The back to school crowd has long abandoned our backyard and its 10:45 P.M. on the eve of a very special little lady's birthday! My angel knows I am capable of great things and will accept nothing better than the best on her eight is great birthday cake! Can I deliver? Challenge accepted!  Stay tuned for tales of triumph and possibly despair  ;0)

Blueberry and sour cream sugar cookies...

An old classic with a few new tweaks!

1 c butter or margarine
1 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 t vanilla
3 c flour
1/2 t soda
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream
1 c jiffy blueberry muffin mix
Wilton's coarse sugar sprinkles

Mix muffin mix and sour cream together. Blend until smooth and set aside. Combine butter and sugar; add beaten eggs and vanilla. Mix until fluffy. In separate bowl combine all dry ingredients. Add to egg mixture alternately with sour cream. The muffin mix makes the dough sticky...I like to refrigerate for one hour. Preheat to 375 and on a greased cookie sheet drop rounded teaspoonful's. Bake for eight minutes. Because the dough is so sticky I also like to have my cookie cutter ready for after the cookies have baked:) Top with your sugar sprinkles and enjoy!

The dog says...

My girlfriend Kaci was looking at my husband and I as if we had lost our minds! Eyebrows raised into her hairline as she stifled a giggle....I realized we were doing it again. Doesn't everyone narrate for their dog? Add humour to the already humorous actions of their four legged family member? Our canine companion is still a pup and a silly one at that. More amusement has come from that dumb dog than any other source hands down...Sitting here at the counter tonight reminiscing over the last few days I ask my husband "Do you think other people narrate for their dogs?" He laughed a good old belly laugh and said something that always makes me realize how much and why I love him..."I don't care!"

Under construction....

Moving to a three column template:) Stay tuned for fun changes!

Lullaby for baby K....

I found myself singing this beloved song to our little angel...

Its a girl!!

 

Now that we know our bouncing bundle is a precious little girl I have been craving some color in the unisex nursery! I was feeling ambitious enough to hand sketch a design.....then I found these stencils at the bottom    of my paint box. I had bought them long ago with the intent of using them but somehow forgot. I used a watered down white acrylic paint to create my design. Now I am going back through with the stencil as my guide to create a unique look that our princess will enjoy for years to come:) Happy painting!

When in doubt get the vinyl out!

White Chicken Chili : D

This is one of my all time favorite recipes. So easy and so tasty. It is even easy to stick in the crock pot!

16 oz Chicken Broth
2 - 15.5 oz cans of Great Northern White Beans
2 - 4 oz cans of Chopped Green Chiles
Cooked, cubed Chicken (I don't really put a figure on it, how ever much I am in the mood for.)

Some onion - to your preference diced or sometimes we used dried onions
3 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 cup of Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (Half and Half works if you prefer.)
Cooked Rice - to your own preference, we usually make about 3 or 4 Cups of uncooked rice

Put the chicken broth, white beans, green chiles, cooked chicken and all of the spices in a large pot. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer. The original recipe says to let it simmer for one hour with occassional stirring. This helps all the spices blend, however if you are impatient like me, you just add a little extra water or chicken broth and let it boil for about 30 minutes and it tastes great.

At this point you might be wondering what on earth you just made! It will look dark and taste very strong....but you remove it from the heat and whisk in the sour cream and the heavy whipping cream. This will be more of what you were expecting! Taste it, if it is still too strong for you, put in a little more of one or both of the creams. You can either pour it over the cooked rice or mix the rice into. Rick and I like to eat it with chips and cheese.

Old favorites...

   I love the new post editor! I am still figuring out all the fun features! This morning while uploading photos I accidentally hit the wrong location....happy accident! I figured out that I can use photos from my other blog:) I was elated! I have put my heart and soul into my blogs and have some of my favorite photos that I would love to, and can now use interchangeably all from one location! I also love the stats feature...It is neat to see where you are all stopping by from:) Have a wonderful day!

Cute and simple one touch to change it up!

How does your garden grow...

Countdown to salsa  is sooo on!! Garden is looking awesome! My husband is giddy with excitement! He says if not for anything else in our marriage I must bottle my famous jalapeno salsa each fall;) He nearly cried when he removed the seal on the last jar from 2010! I think we are gonna take it a step further and also can jalapeno pickles! YUM! Stay tuned for delicious recipe's!


P.S. I found looking glass spray at Hobby Lobby for $12.00:) I know some of you were having a hard time finding it! I have some fun things I am working on! Will post pics soon!

Baby K goes camping...

Mother figures....

     I had not noticed that my little girl had wandered in the room as I finished a phone conversation with one of my best friends. My friend Val is old enough to be my mother. Isn't it funny how with the right chemistry age is just a number? My dear friend has worked hard her entire life and is on the cusp of a exciting new adventure...this of course would mean she would be moving far away. This is a person who has literally changed me. In being her friend I have evolved and have abilities I did not have prior to our friendship. Not to mention the mad cooking skills I have acquired! It will be hard to see her go.

    My little lady! So sweet and smart for her tender age. "I'm sorry mamma." We then began talking about our "other mothers" the ladies who have entered our lives and with their kind loving guidance shown us things we may have not seen without them. There is of course no replacing the original...moms are one of a kind and in the eyes of their children like no other.

   As I listened to her talk about her Cathy and her Tami I realized how very grateful I was to the women in my daughters life. How special their presence is to her as she grows into a undoubtedly wonderful young lady. How grateful I was more than once to be taken under the wing of a wise and caring mentor....

Voila!

I can now say I have made a sock monkey;) Isn't she cute! I found this cute pattern on HubPages posted by AHHHH. Great tutorial and pattern:)

Monkey'n around!

The next time you see these fun socks they will be transformed......

   Ever since a certain car company began using a life size sock monkey in their ad campaigns my daughter has been enamoured!

   Sock monkey? Never really given the things a second thought...enter the world wide web! The classic sock monkey has now metamorphasized into a "modern" sock monkey. How funny is that? Funny, and stinkin cute! We looked around the net and got some super cute ideas! Sock monkeys are timeless! Many people have devoted entire websites and blogs to the critters!

   Yesterday we hit the local sock outlet. The manager winced noticeably when we told him our intentions for his lovely socks, but then asked us to come back by to show him the completed project! Clearly he was as intrigued as we were...Lol!