10..9..8..

I came to work today to rest.


I am so tired.  Staying up late working on the Ball & Auction is just about to catch up with me.  Only eight days to go....

ARGH!

I'm in fundraising Heaven!

or Hell.

It changes from moment to moment.

Not What I Thought...

Have you ever thought you knew something, and then realized you didn't?

I thought all my children had blue eyes.  They don't.

His are the color that make me melt.

What I've been doing. Take 2.

Or, another post on that fundraiser.

Each year the different classes (at the kids school) make a "class project".  Being the big ticket item that is, there is a little pressure to make them good.  tad.  not much.

Once again, I used Pinterest to gather all my inspiration:

They all are in the last stages... feels good!

I cannot wait to show you the real thing!

My Rainy Monday

In the spirit of finding something good in everything, I'm going to post random things about my day.  And hopefully find the sunshine amongst the rain.

Dark, rainy Monday.  Blech.

Smooth morning with the kids.  Pleasant even.

Chance meeting with one of my bestest at the coffee shop? LUCKY!

Driving an hour in the rain. Ugh.

Three hours in the Sprint store.  Really folks?

New phone!  A smart one.  Smarter than me.

I got totally soaked putting my Hobby Lobby purchases in the car.

A crappy conversation with someone who will remain unnamed. Offended me, and made me angry. Angry enough to cry.

Forgot a good friend's birthday.

William and Isabelle ruined the school pants they were wearing today.

Ryan took Elizabeth to her soccer game.  In the rain.  Let me stay home and make a decent dinner and do a little pick-up.  They lost. 2-1.  Elizabeth was responsible for the "1".

Kids to bed in good time, with little complaining.

Ryan stayed home while I ran into town for a few necessity's.  Mountain Dew and Ice Cream. I grabbed some toilet paper while I was there.  It wasn't necessary, but we were out.

I'm eating my ice cream now, while I watch Castle.  So happy to have new television.

Homemade Taco Season

Taco Season

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Mix together!  When making multiple recipes, store extra in an air-tight container.  Use scant 1/4 cup for 1 pound of meat.

I've been wanting to make this for awhile now, ever since I found out my friend Heather makes her own.  I never got the recipe from her- because I found it on Pinterest!  We eat a lot of taco-ish dishes, and I always forget to grab the little packets at the store. It's been really nice to have it on hand.  All mixed up and ready to go!

Her photo is WAY prettier than mine. Same dishes though! You can check out the recipe and her blog by clicking here: link love


I multiplied the recipe by 4 so I would have some on hand.
I used ground red pepper instead of flakes.
It's a little hot for my kids, so I will probably cut back on the red pepper next time.

Jack Is Back

He was so excited to be back, he was up until 12:30 am last night....

What I've Been Doing.

I think I mentioned it here before... but I'm coordinating a fundraiser for the kids school.  It's finally coming together, and I'm getting really excited about the whole thing.

In years past, the decorations have been phenomenal.  Way, way above my skill level.  Even though I am scaling them back, I'm pretty happy with the way they are all coming together.

Thanks to *Pinterest* I've been able to keep all my ideas and inspirations in one spot, and I'm showing them to you today!

For the tables, we are having cream and a soft green candles in clear glass hurricanes with dried split peas and coffee beans. Like so:

Did you know that coffee beans are a little pricey? I'm on the hunt for cheap ones... they are going to end up in the trash at the end of the night anyway!

Burlap.  For table runners and perhaps around the perimeter of the room, to cover unsightly brick!

Grapevine and twiggy things with twinkle lights!

I spent at least 4 hours in Hobby Lobby a few weekends ago picking things out, comparing prices.  Oh my.  That staff was glad to see me go... with all four of my carts!

I feel like I have a good handle on it, and cannot wait to see the finished product.  *I'll post pics*

Time Out

Jackson is spending the week with my parents.  Even though he looks incredibly sweet in this photo, we all are enjoying the "time out" from his 2 year old antics.  Even the rabbit.

Welcome!

I became an Aunt for the 7th time today!

Welcome to the world Lucas Benjamin...

...I love you already.

Freezer Corn

How to freeze Corn.

Or, "How I freeze corn." 

Ryan usually plants our sweet corn on the edge of one of his field corn fields.  Good thing, because our garden was non-existent this year.  Due to the crazy spring we had, the first planting yielded nothing. Not one single  ear.  Got me a little worried.  Fortunately, the second planting was much better, and we got to it before the coons did! 

Ryan usually takes care of picking, with help from the kids. 

I enlist them to help shuck.  It's a painful process that usually ends up with more monkey-ing around...

As soon as we get enough shucked to fill my two largest pots, I get cookin'!  I use my canners.  It seems to be a great size - meaning: I can usually get on pot cut off in the time it takes to boil the next. Keeping me busy with very little or no down time waiting on water to boil.  I fill each pot with corn, then hot water.

I bring the water to a full rolling boil,

place it in my sink and cover with ice water until it is cool enough to handle.  I reuse the boiling water at least twice, makes the second and third pot cook faster!  I usually have to add a little water each time to cover the corn.

Let it drip dry in a shallow tray, and start cutting!

I like to use this cutter:

The cob slides along the "canal" and the double blades slice the kernels right off.

My friend, T. and Ryan can never get the corn cutter to work for them, so they use a regular kitchen knife.  Elizabeth helped me this year, and she used the knife as well. I think the knife is messy.  The blades on the cutter are pretty sharp, and I usually end up cutting myself at least once every season, but not this year! Progress!

I like to use freezer boxes for my corn, and they are easier for my little helper to navigate then a freezer bag.

After cutting it off the cob, she scoops about 4 cups in each box,

Tapping it down with the scoop, or her hands.

And then we had a talk about food sanitation...

Even with the crappy spring, and strange weather this summer, small, irregular ears, I froze 49 quarts.  I was hoping for 52, but that is close enough!

Celebration!

Saturday was our 17th wedding anniversary.  Ryan brought me these beautiful roses on Friday, and Saturday evening we celebrated with a delicious dinner here.

God has truly blessed our marriage!

Friday Night Pizza

"Friday night" has taken several different meanings over my life. I'm sure it will continue to change as the "seasons" of our life change!

This summer, "Friday night" means pizza. Sometimes ordered in. Sometimes homemade. And sometimes, at the neighbors. With friends. My personal favorite.

Tonight was the last night of the season. We arrived early and stayed late.

Beautiful evening, wonderful friends, delicious pizza. Perfect.

It's a Dog's Life

Jackson has really been using his imagination with his play lately.  It is so fun for us to listen in on his conversations with his animals.  The conversations usually have a lot to do with them staying in the fence.  I think he's overheard a conversation or two.  About a particular goat I'm sure.

He's also has been pretending he's a dog.
He crawls around on all fours, yipping in a quiet little voice.  We pat his head and tell him: "Good Dog!", and off he goes.

He tries to play with our other dogs- I think they scare him a bit.

We've caught him licking water up off the porch.  And drinking out of the dogs water dish.

More than once.
See his little hands on either side of the dish? Behind the dog? Through the dirty garage door?

Big Bag Syndrome

I have Big Bag Syndrome.

The symptoms snuck up on me.  All of a sudden I realized my bag weighed four hundred pounds.

Who knew receipts weighed so much? Toy tractors? Maybe it was the six lipsticks.

It certainly was not the money.

I have a big bag and I cannot lie...

Labor Day

Labor Day.  Or, as I like to call it: "The Super Bowl of Farming".  For Ryan any way.

This post, like this one, and this one, and this one, has all the same photos. Different people, same photos.

Ryan chopping, and Tyler in the truck.

A view from the truck with Zach.

Ryan.  Chopping is fun.  Don't let anyone tell you any different!

Nick in the packing tractor with Isabelle.  She had a really hard time deciding who to ride with.  Nick, Zach, Nick, Zach, Nick, Zach.  Good thing the two of them are patient! She went back and forth so many times.  Sharing the love!

Nick, Holly, Ellie and Miss Isabelle.  It was a full cab! Especially when William and Elizabeth got in!

William decided he wanted to pack with the gator.  Ryan and I decided he would not.

Jackson was in his glory!  Choice of equipment rides. All day for three days!

In the truck with Zach.

Dump!

My brother, Reuben came out on Saturday evening with my nephews, and got right to work.  I think they had a good time working on the pile.  Wesley even got a lesson in the dump truck!

Unfortunately, not all the corn is ready to chop.  Ryan is going to cover it up, and wait until more corn is ready.  Uncover, hopefully finish it off, and cover again.  Ugh.  As much fun as he thinks it is, He does kind of like to get it done!

Square Hamburgers

Square Hamburgers

Ingredients:

Burgers: 

2 pounds ground beef

2/3 cup fine bread crumbs

2/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup chopped onion

Sauce:

1/4 cup onion

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup catsup

1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions: 

Stir sauce ingredients together, set aside.  Mix burger ingredients together; spread in a 11"x17" inch jelly roll pan.  Top with sauce.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, cut into squares and serve on your favorite buns.

*This is my Aunt Pam's recipe - she submitted it to a church cookbook that I use all the time

*This is my go-to recipe for a hot "field" sandwich

*I never use the bread crumbs.  Never remember to buy them.  I use bread on hand, or even oatmeal!

*Keep in mind that the meat will "shrink up", depending on how lean your hamburger is. 

* Take a napkin.  They're juicy!