Sunday, August 26, 2012

Switcheroo

My little sister came over for some help with a painting project and since it went so quickly, I pulled a switcheroo on her and she ended up helping me. The 2nd floor of our house was added on while I was pregnant with #4. I can remember my belly touching the ground while I painted baseboards. Needless to say, the decorating got put on the back burner. I saw a picture years ago and knew it was something I had to do. Since then I have seen similar ideas on pinterest.

This is the beginning. I found it beside the barn at my in laws house. It had several pine needles all around and maybe a spider or two. My sister insisted that I spray it with lysol and since she was helping me I decided to do whatever she wanted to get her to stay.
So, we hung it above the kids couch after scrapping some paint off the walls and striping some screws. I feel like it was all worth it. What do you think?


 
I made these canvases of the kids bestest stuffed animals for christmas last year.
Bacon & Moo


 


 Stole the license plates from my father-in-law. They have been placed behind a wood post of yet another barn.



 Who knows how old this is. It was packed away inside one of five boxes full of the plowboys tractors in the attic area. (We don't have a real attic.)

Scrapbook paper covered tin can.
 
On the other wall is my pinterest hack!
I named my kids perfectly, just so that I could have this one day. And in some of the photos you can see my ombre (just learned this word) wall. I love the wall and am glad I did it, but it was alot of taping and moving and brush rinsing and measuring. I intentionally picked colors that we would not outgrow or get tired of.

This is what their playroom looks like now.


Places I've linked to:
http://todayscreativeblog.net/back-to-school-party/#more-12158
 
Mondays @ All Things Fee!
The Girl Creative

Friday, August 24, 2012

Fresh as Frost


The kids came running into the house this morning before school and told me they saw a new baby calf.  I thought they had seen a stray puppy by mistake because we weren't expecting any calves for at least a month.  
Sure enough! Ain't she cute? Fresh as frost. Not even 24 hours old.
 
And this is the proud mother.
What an exciting way to start the day. I had the most fun riding the four-wheeler with  #4 and looking at the new baby. Hope you find her as nice and refreshing as I did.
 

Monday, August 20, 2012

More tomatoes. really?

I still have tomatoes coming out of the garden. Plowboy got a little excited and added some more plants this year. But I guess that helped out this weekend because we had a family reunion and a little get together with some church buddies and I made SALSA for both events. I also did a little pinterest hack with Steppy D ( my step daughter or #1) and #2 while #4 was sleeping and #3 was farming with his dad. Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars from .the-girl-who-ate-everything. Hop on over and try those out. They are one more delicious treat.
 Back to the salsa. I am gonna give you the recipe that once again is simply a guideline, cause we all know unless I am baking, I do not follow recipes that closely.

Fresh Salsa:
 3 large chopped tomatoes
 1/2 cup diced onion
 1/2 can green chilies ( of course  some of you may like a little more heat. throw them all in)
 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
 1 tsp salt
 2 tsp lime
Here we go!





 Alrighty, so I didn't use lime juice. Lemon juice worked fine.


 I decided to throw in a little garlic, we liked it.
 In 2009 I grew some serrano chiles. They are so strong  I still have some and that it what I have been using in my salsa.



Yum Yum, Y'all enjoy!

Plowboy's Birthday

Last Tuesday was The Plowboy's birthday. I did some computer research and found some recipes for a cake I thought he would like. Rootbeer, nutella, etc.. When I asked him what he wanted he asked for carrot cake. So much for trying something new but at least I didn't think I could go wrong. I mean creamcheese frosting can never be bad. Pinterest had some different recipes listed but I decided to use the family's tried and true AUNT POLLY'S Carrot Cake.  Aunt Polly is my mother's aunt. She was one of twelve and is the "salt of the earth." I am sure she will be glad to know her tasty treat is being featured on my famous blog. HA HA
   Now the pics may look a little off because I doubled the recipie. I had a birthday to recognize and a nurse and P.A. that needed to be thanked for seeing my sick baby #4 at the last minute the other day.

The recipe is as follows:

Cream together 2 cups of sugar and 4 eggs.
             Helpful Hint: Did you know that eggshell attracts itself? If you ever drop a piece while cracking eggs, as you know it will run away from a spoon but it will not run away from itself. It's true. I use this all the time. Use the half of the cracked egg to scoop the shell out.

Mix with:
  1 1/2 cups of oil (I used canola)
  2 cups of all purpose flour
  2 Teaspoons of cinnamon
  2 teaspoons of baking powder
  2 teaspoons of baking soda
  1 teaspoon salt   (I put everything but the oil thru the sifter)



Add 3 cups grated Carrots
1 Teaspoon Vanilla (ever made your own vanilla? I do. It is the stuff. Is that another post? I think so)
 You can add 1 cup of chopped pecans here but I didn't cause I wasn't sure if the girls would like them.
 My mother-in-law has this little handy dandy grater that came with her  cookware she purchased when she got married. I am actually doing research to try to find one of these puppies or anything close. I fell in love.  This ain't "no woman trying to find a diamond mind, in this world."(name that song and I'll be your biggest fan) I am simple enough that a carrot grater makes me happy. Seriously grated 6 cups of carrots in less than 2 minutes. But once again I digress.



Another little happy. Ice Cream scooper thingies make for the perfect size cupcake and speed that process up.


 Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes and get started on your cream cheese frosting. Make a double batch. You are gonna lick it alot. I mean like it alot. Yea right!

Cream Cheese Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

 These are little mini cupcakes because I had extra. I think I will push the icing in the center of them and dip the tops in white chocolate. The white chocolate will harden and hold the icing inside and we have one handed, low mess, feed 'em in the combine carrot cakes. YES, that will make me happy some day when I am running late and want to treat plowboy and his family to a extra treat. They will be waiting in the freezer.


This is what I dropped off at the clinic for my hardworking buddies while I picked the kids up from school. Then it was back home to finish the birthday cake and supper.

I always put a dollop of icing on the cake stand to keep the cake from shifting and then start layering.


 Layer 1 and some pecans. I know the birthday boy likes'em

Layer 2 and kid #2 in the background with a homemade afterschool popsicle treat.

 And Layer 3 and a few finishing touches!

I served the carrot cake after this.
Grilled, chilli rubbed, bacon wrapped, bbq pork loin
twice baked, sour cream cheddar potatoes,
bacon wrapped, catalina green bean bundles
and sister schubert rolls.
By the way, big surprise, but I have been bummed this week because I have gained weight. At least, I don't wonder why.

 Happy Birthday Big Man! I have enjoyed celebrating your last 13 Birthdays with you.