Barn Wood Floors

After spending alot of time getting the wood together and laying the wood we are finally at the step where we sand the barn wood floors to make them level.  This has been a huge project but i'm super happy so far with the turn out.  These floors are going to look great and the fact that they are from a barn that was built in the 1930's is just amazing.  Love it!!

If you have not had a chance to make it down to Shenandoah Iowa to visit the Wabash Winery you should make it a point to.  They have several different kinds of wine and the place is lovely.  There is an outdoor sitting area that is just perfect for this time of year.  They have rooms you can reserve for baby showers, class reunions, special parties or for any occasion. 

My boyfriend and I like to go down on Sunday afternoons and have a glass or two and then of course we always grab a bottle or two for home. 

If you are in the area and would like a nice place to relax with a glass of wine, stop by the Wabash Winery in Shen., you are sure to love it. 

http://www.wabashwinecompany.com/

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Crockpot Chicken Tacos
1 envelope Taco Seasoning
6 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 jar Salsa (16 oz)

Dump everything into a crock pot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

For tacos, serve the chicken with soft flour tortillas, lettuce, shredded cheese and sour cream. This is very versatile and can be used for enchiladas, nachos, tostadas, etc. Any leftover chicken can then be used for tortilla soup (make it the next day or freeze the chicken to use at a later time).

Swamp Water

St. Patrick's Day is on Saturday and Toby Keith has the perfect looking adult beverage to help you celebrate.  It's called "Swamp Water".

Here's how to make it:
First...you have drink this out of a mason jar.  I don't think a Red Solo Cup is big enough.   :)
Over ice, mix
1.25 ounces of Wild Shot (Toby's Mezcal beverage...it's kinda like tequila)
2.25 ounces of Apple Pucker
.75 ounces of Simple Syrup
Splash of Midori
Fill with sweet and sour mix
Float lime juice, garnish with two limes and a cherry
You can add two drops of green food coloring to darken the green, but you don't have to.


Read more: http://www.thekat.com/pages/hossmichaels.html?article=9902564#ixzz1pCk2gVsJ

Sour Patch Grapes {Leprachaun Candy}

Sour Patch Grapes {Leprachaun Candy}

Perfect time of the year to make these delish snacks!

I love sour candy but this is a healthier way to get your candy fix! 

These candy grapes are as easy as washing your grapes, rolling them in the jello powder, and letting them chill.  About half way through I got sick of rolling and put the powder in a plastic bag, tossed the grapes in, and shook it until the grapes were completely covered.  Worked great.  

Sour Patch Grapes {Leprachaun Candy}

source: PureSugar

bunch of Green Grapes

1 pkg Lime Jello

1.  Wash your grapes thoroughly, you want them to be a little wet so the gelatin powder sticks to them. 

2.  Place the gelatin powder on a plate and roll grapes into the powder, completely covering.  Using two spoons is helpful here.  Or you can simply place the powder in a zip lock back, drop a handful of grapes in at a time and shake until covered.  

3.  Refrigerate for several hours.  

Fixer Uper

Well we just purchased a house in my hometown but it needs some fixing up...
Can't wait to post pictures to share with you and to share my ideas :)
VERY EXCITED.

Stay Young, My Friend!

We all need to read this one over and over until it becomes part of who we are!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Try everything twice.

On one woman's tombstone she said she wanted this epitaph: "Tried everything twice. Loved it both times!"

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)

3. Keep learning:

Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever...

Never let the brain get idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh,spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.

6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love: whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever..

Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health:

If it is good, preserve it.

If it is unstable, improve it.

If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.

Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second chance but you can always give one..

Crafty

I'm going to try to post some picts of some crafts on here this weekend. 
I made a burlap covered cork board! I love it.  It looks so much better in my home then just a cheap cork board with white trim.  Very excited for Spring to come so I can get into the garage and get some bigger crafts made. 

What projects are you working on right now? 

Meal planning

Meal planning is a great way to save money. Instead of going to the store and just buying random groceries you can save money buy making a list of what you are going to make for the week and only buying what you need. We buy some extras like green beans n corn, things you always have on hand but for the most part we plan our weekly meals and only buy what we need. Another great way to save is to take inventory, this way you know What you have and what you don't need to buy. Make a list of what you are going to make and what you need to make it You will also be pleased with the fact you don't have to try and think each night about what to make...you've already decided.

Chicken Alfredo pasta with rotel and olives

This recipe is so good and I haven't made it in a while. I'm really looking forward to dinner so I can see if the rest of the family likes it. I have given this out to many friends and always get great reviews. Hope you enjoy! 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Baked and cubes 8 oz. Penne noodles Cooked according to directions 1 jar of Alfredo sauce I use Ragu 1 can of rotel tomatoes I usually use original 1 small can of black olives sliced 1 tbs of Italian seasoning Cook your chicken (350 about 20-30 min) or until done Cook your noodles, and drain In a med sized sauce pan warm your Alfredo sauce and rotels, and olives Add seasoning Chunk your chicken, add pasta and sauce and serve. *you can buy chicken strips already cooked, you just heat n serve. I use frozen chicken breast, I season with seasoning salt and mrs. Dash

School activities...

I'm curious as to what other schools do and/or your thoughts and feelings.... Does your school bring your kids home after school activities? Or do you have to pick your kid up? We live in a rual community where the school is in the country. We have the regular bus right after school and then a late bus that runs but there are activities that run later than the bus run. I grew up in a small town where the bus ran one time after school and our parents picked us up after any activities. Some friends of mine say their school was different and that the bus took kids home after all activities. What do you think?

Moving so fast we miss the meaning....

So next door to my work is a Bakers supermarket. We all notice how we hardly get through one holiday and they already have decor for the next one out. This is in every store now days. Now we don't even have Thanksgiving, black Friday and then Christmas. It's all about shopping and getting the next holiday onto the shelves and as people it's about catching the deals. I realize with this economy we have to pinch pennies but do we really have to skip the holidays or the meanings? The week after Christmas at Bakers I noticed Easter candy by the checkout. I made a comment to my friend and went on about my business.... Today we go into Bakers and there is Easter stuff everywhere. Don't get me wrong, Easter is a very important holiday as I am a Christian. But is it just me or is Valentines day next? Are we really in that much of a rush that we always have to be looking and thinking 2 months ahead at all times? Live today as if it's going to be your last... Isn't that what they say? I will not do my Christmas shopping on Thanksgiving and I will not purchase Easter stuff before Valentines day!

Homework... What we forgot or never learned

Does anyone else have problems helping their children with homework? I mean really... There is something wrong with kids doing homework that I have no clue about. I have been trying to help my step-daughter with her homework and have absolutely no clue on some of it. I work in the corporate world and work with numbers every day and can't even help a 12 year old with math! I have taken college classes and am having a hard time believing we really need to know the stuff she is learning. I really hope they dont take our helpful Internet pages away as I will be at a loss when it comes to looking up ways to help with 7th grade homework. Ugh. Please tell me your tips and tricks to helping kids with homework when you really don't have a clue. P.s. We live in the middle on no where so learning centers and professional tudors are not an option.

Finding recipes

Where are your favorite places on the web to find recipes? Do you google what you're looking for? Allrecipes.co. ? Cooks.com ? Pinterest.com ? Does anyone use cookbooks anymore?

Different every time...

If you are like me some things you make taste different every time you make it. For me soups are one of these things. Chili, black beans and rice and potato soup to be exact. Tonight I made tater soup, it's so yummy but yet why is it better this time than others? Although I never follow a recipe for these things I always use the same ingredients. My sister swears it's love that makes the food good. Maybe I'm more loving today... Hmmmm. Who knows. The ingredients I use in my potato soup that I think make it so good are chicken broth and sour cream.

Adding more and more

If you have not noticed I have added 2 new pages to my blogspot.  To the right under "pages" you will see I added a "craft" page and a "my love for ladders" page.  I just started these two so it might take me a couple days to get stuff posted so keep checking back.  Also, if you notice I have my favorite places and my favorite places on the web.  If you think I need to add something or want me to check something new out please let me know. I love going new places and word of mouth is always the best advertisment.  :)

Spaghetti Bake

8 oz. Spaghetti 1 lb. Hamburger 1 jar spaghetti sauce 1/2 onion 1 green pepper 1 tsp butter 2 tbs. Milk 1 block cream cheese 1/2 pack of fresh mushrooms 2 cups of mozzarella cheese 1 tbs. Seasoning salt 1 tbs. Mrs dash (I use spicy) 9x11 casserole dish - spray with Pam Put a little sauce in bottom Cook spaghetti according to package. Place in bottom of casserole dish Put butter,Milk, green pepper and mushrooms are microwave for 4 min. Add cream cheese and put back in for 2 min. stir until creamy and poor on top of spaghetti Cook hamburger, onion, seasoning salt and mrs. Dash When hamburger is cooked drain excess grease Add sauce and simmer until warm Pour on top of veggies and top with cheese. Cook for 25 min. At 350 degrees (incase u didn't get it, layer spaghetti then veggies then hamburger then cheese)

Tacos!

I like using rotel tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes on my tacos, it adds more flavor and spice.

Sunday Dinners

Do people still make big Sunday dinners?  I always try to make something really good on Sunday like fried chicken, or homemade chicken noodle soup or chili this time of year.  Something comforting and something we can eat on most of the day.  Our weekends are often busy with activities but I still feel it's important to make family time and like I have said before dinner is a great time to sit down together and catch up.  Today is Thursday and I'm already thinking of what I'm going to make for dinner on Sunday.  I guess Fri. and Sat.  will be a last min. thing.

What do you have for dinner on Sundays?  Anything special or just another meal? 

Cost per pound.. worth the money?

So today I take a break from my corporate job and run to the store next door.  In the deli they have scalloped chicken noodles.  The lady working gives my friend and I a sample.  Tastes pretty good so I get a very small portion.  Not enough to fill me, more like a side portion.  Anyways, as she is weighing it the price is $5.29/lb.  Mine comes out to $2something.  So I bring it back to my desk and thankfully I had some leftovers I didn't finish yesterday because I say again, it wasn't enough to fill me. 

Have you ever thought about what our homemade meals would cost per pound?  I'm very curious now as I do not think the side dish was worth $5.29/lb.  that's for sure.  I may have to figure out what our next casserole costs per pound just to see. 

Note to self... remember to grab your lunch out of the fridge.  :)

Family time at the dinner table

The dinner table is a great time to catch up and see how everyone's day was. Sometimes the dinner table is our only real family time before everyone retires to the shower, homework, TV, ect. Although sometimes our day at work or school may not be interesting enough to talk about the whole time our good food usually is.

Last night I took the leftover French onion soup and poured it over a beef roast and put it in the crockpot for today. There is nothing better than walking into the house after work and smelling a roast! Potatos take just min. To throw in the pan since we don't peel them for mashed anymore and within 15-20 min our delicious meal is ready.

Not only was dinner amazing but it was a great conversation piece too!

On the menu...

French onion burgers with provolone cheese on a toasted bun.
Served with French fries of coarse. ;)

The kitchen

One of my favorite things to do is cook. It's fun when you have someone to cook for. Last night I made French dip crescent rolls. Very yummy.  Click the comment for recipe. 

Great Food - One of the best past times.

Most of us love food and it's a great way to get family and friends together!
Football parties, BBQ's, whatever the case, food is always what makes the party grand.  I love to cook and try new things.  As I try new recipes if they taste good to me I will post them.  Feel free to send me some to try.  Remember, I like home cookin', If I want hard to make recipes or ones that call for weird ingredients I'll go out for dinner.   :)

Simple Life

Simple girl

I’m a simple Iowa girl who wants simple things in life.  I want to be a soccer mom some day and I don’t ask for much. 

I love the country life and hope to live on a farm again and hope to raise my kids on a farm.  I should tell you, I don’t have any kids yet.  But I’m working on it.  J