Our Weekend

Our weekend seemed to go by way too fast, but I guess that’s normal with good weekends.  Friday evening Adam worked on his truck until pretty late.  This was the first time he’s used his shop to work on his truck and I know it made all the difference having a concrete floor and shade! Normally he’s having to lay in the dirt, directly in the sunlight.  Well I hung out with him in the shop until around 11.  Once they get done with the interior I highly suggested we get a couch! I could have easily fallen asleep … it felt so nice out Friday with the big doors open and the breeze coming through.

Saturday morning he was back at trying to figure out what was wrong with his truck.  I made some blueberry muffins, so Lexi & I took him some out for breakfast.  Well I let her sniff around for a while because she loves being outside ESPECIALLY when Adam is out there.  I told her it was time to go in and she ran over next to Adam (he was laying under the truck).  I told her to come on, let’s go.  She crawled under the truck, layed on his stomach, licked his face, and then looked back at me with this pitiful face:

Spoiled rotten I tell ya!  Of course she got to stay outside haha!

 

After a while we went over to my mom’s so that Adam could run a phone line for her and I got to pick over some of her garage sale stuff! I came home with two big bags of yarn and some pottery.  Hey, who says you can’t shop at your mom’s garage sale? :)

 
I can’t wait to get started on some new projects with this stuff!

My father-in-law did some harvesting in his garden this weekend and look at these babies!!
 
I have never had FRESH from the garden potatoes!! I can’t wait to cut these up tonight! YUM

Sunday we ended our weekend curled on the coach watching a few episodes of Lost.  Lexi was exhausted! :)
 

 

As if this post doesn’t have enough cute … Love this little girl!

Randomness

Today’s post shall be random … because that’s all I’m capable of at the moment.

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Last weekend Adam and I experimented with a Sangria recipe and it turned out amazing!! We finished it off last night and I’m wishing I had some right now! At work! Maybe I just need more caffeine?

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Life is crazy for some reason right now.  Is it really crazy or is it just in my head?  I’m not sure but I wish things would slow down just a bit.  Tomorrow is my friend and co-workers last day :(.  I’m really sad about this.  I’m gonna miss chatting with her everyday and having her as my backup here at work.  How will I cope without you?? But she’s moving on to bigger and better things and I’m really happy for her! :*(

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Every night before I go to bed I resolve to give up diet soda.  (Last year I gave up regular soda and tea).  Every morning I end up with a diet coke from DQ because it’s only .99cents and it lasts me ALLLL DAY.

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I have new blooms popping up this week!

Knockout Rose

Climbing Rose called ‘Blaze’

Gardenia

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Hopefully I’ll get back to my regular blogging, reading, and commenting ASAP. :)

Who You Gonna Call?

When I logged on to blogger this morning I received a bit of a surprise seeing the new design.  I like change so I’m up for the challenge of figuring everything out! My only issue is … why is it so WHITE? I need some color in my life blogger! Sure I can customize my blog to my hearts content but can I not customize the dashboard page that I mostly look at?  Please give me some color back!!

It’s been a weird week around here.  Tuesday I felt like it should be Friday.  Wednesday I almost turned the alarm off because I thought it was Saturday.  Now I’m back to today feeling like Friday!

On top of my days being screwed up I’ve been having horrible nightmares every night.  Not just the weird ones but ones that seem so real that when I jerk awake I really think someone has died and my life is forever changed.  Earlier in the week I dreamed that the part time girl here at my office was killed in a car wreck.  How horrible is that!! Last night I had a dream that I was married to David Schwimmer (Ross on Friends) and we had a little girl.  Well at the end of our house was a doorway into another dimension.  He was part of a team sent in to see if there were aliens.  He ended up getting killed and we had to hide from aliens.  You know that sound you make when you’ve been holding your breath for too long?  That’s how I woke up.  I couldn’t breathe.  I couldn’t think straight and all I could hear were these aliens screaming and our little girl asking where daddy was.  What causes such vivid dreams like this?

Sometimes I go through periods like this where my sleep is interrupted by nightmares and bad dreams.  I don’t watch anything on TV that is different and I’m not eating anything weird.  My nighttime routine is still the same.  I’m ready for this to be over though so I can get a good night sleep.  I tried taking some Tylenol pm and that does help me sleep better but I still have dreams.  Also it always happens between 3am – 3:30am. 

You know after typing this out I think I may have an idea about what could be going on.  I very firmly believe in the supernatural.  Our property does have a ghost or two.  Not kidding here.  Since my in-laws moved in to their house next to us they have had a lot of weird things happen and we haven’t.  We figured whatever it was moved with them because before it always happened at our house.  Well every once in a while my mother-in-law will remark on how nothing weird has happened in a while and I will always have had something weird going on at my house.  So I’m wondering if my dreams are caused by this??  We have 4 or 5 friends that stayed the night at our house after various parties say they would never stay at our house again because they had terrifying nightmares.

Hmmmm …. writing this all out has definitely given me more to think on.  Any tips? Any experience with things like this? Too bad Ghostbusters aren’t real. ;)

Will you still be my friend knowing this about me? :)

Show Us Your Find

It’s Wednesday (i think) so it’s time for Show Us Your Find with Janette @ The Johansson Journey!

My find today is something I’ve actually been waiting on! Last week my favorite food blogger (i am baker) posted this post about Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Shortcake.  SAY WHAT?!  I was all over that!! Well my mouth was watering while I was reading the post and I’ve been waiting for her to share the recipes ever since.  Today was the day!! Now I have her yummy recipe for Red Velvet Sugar Cookies and the best (her words) Cream Cheese Frosting ever.  I can’t wait to make these bad boys!! When I make them I will share my photos. YUM!

Check out her cookie recipe post to see what else she did with these great cookies!!

Then head over to Janette’s blog to see what everyone else found this week!

Scotts Snap Spreader System!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

I've discovered a new product by Scotts called the Snap Spreader System. The spreader is on wheels and you push it through your lawn to help feed your grass and make it beautiful. Instead of bags of fertilizer that you have to pour into a spreader you just snap the bag on top, lock it in place, and GO. Easy!!

Check out their website for great details on this product: Scotts® Snap® Spreader System

Adam is VERY particular about his grass. Even though we live in a very rural area and nobody sees his lawn he is very picky about the products he uses and the look he achieves.  Now is the time of the year where we are really getting in to lawn maintenance and getting things ready for spring!  Although our lawn is usually great I can only imagine how much better it would be with the great system helping us out and feeding our grass better!  In the past he has always used the kind of spreader that you hold in your hands, crank the wheel, and walk back and forth trying to keep in a straight line. Then when he was done if he had some left in the spreader he would have to pour it back in to the bag, causing a mess, and of course the bag didn't seal. It would always get put in the little garden shed we have and end up getting water or something in it causing us to have to through the rest of the fertilizer away.

Well with this new system, not only would he be saving TONS of time but it would also be saving us money! The Snap Pacs just snap right in, no cutting bags, no pouring, and no spilling!! When you are done you just unlock the Pac and it seals itself up and is protected from the elements.

One of my favorite features of the Scotts Snap Spreader System is the Edge Guard.  You put this in place when you are next to a sidewalk so that feed only goes on the grass and doesn't get wasted all over the concrete!!

There are some great testimonials from people who have used the Scotts Snap Spreader System for their lawns:

Not only is Scotts offering a great new product but they are also offering some perks!! Check out the the Scotts Facebook page for great promotions and contests! Snap perks on Facebook

Chicken Tortilla Soup

One of my favorite (Adam’s too) things to have for dinner is Tortilla Soup! I absolute love it.  I’ve been using this particular recipe for a while now and I may have even shared it before but I thought it was worth sharing again if so.  It’s quick, easy, and delicious! (I have no idea where the idea for this came from.  I got the general recipe from a book and then changed it up.)

Ingredients:
3 Chicken Breasts (cooked & shredded)
1 envelope of McCormick Taco Seasoning Mix
1 envelope of Original Ranch Dressing Mix
1 can of Corn, drained
2 cans of Pinto Beans
1-2 cans Rotel (I use 2 cans but only use the juice)
1 Knorr Chicken Bouillon Cube
Water
Shredded Cheese
Corn Chips
Sour Cream

I use Knorr Chicken Bouillon Cube instead of broth because they are CHEAP, tasty, and very easy.  They come in several flavors but I mostly use the regular chicken flavor. 

Cook your chicken in whatever manner you like.  (I cook all of my chicken in a skillet with about a tablespoon of EVOO; healthy, quick, easy, and adds a little flavor.)  While you are shredding your chicken boil 1 cup of water.  When it starts to boil turn off the heat and add in the bouillon cube and stir until dissolved, set aside for now.  Put your shredded chicken in a soup pot along with both envelopes of seasoning.  Add just enough of the chicken broth to wet the chicken and then stir on medium/high heat until seasoning is dissolved and chicken is hot. 

Add in corn, beans, rotel, and remaining chicken broth.  Then add approx 2 –3 cups of water until you have enough water for a good soup.  Taste as you add so that you don’t water down the flavor.  Cook on medium/high until bubbly and then cook on low until ready to serve. Sometimes if we are really hungry this only takes about 10 minutes to cook once everything is in the pot.  But if we have plenty of time or I’m making it early I leave it on low for up to 30 minutes.  It’s even BETTER the next day!

Serve with Shredded Cheese & Corn Chips.  Sometimes Adam’s likes a little sour cream in his but I’m not a fan of that. :)

Tip:
I usually cook and shred my chicken in the morning (or the night before) so that when I get home from work I just throw everything into a pot and go. 

Let me know if you make this and if you make any changes that are yummy!!

Enjoy!!

Show Us Your Find!

I’m linking up with Janette for Show Us Your Find!!

Today I was trying to figure out what I could share because I haven’t really had time to FIND new things lately.  Then I remembered all the drama I’ve been through changing computer this past week.

I know EVERYONE out there has heard of Microsoft Office.  Where would we be without it!?  Last week my computer was being rebuilt (It was 7 so it went in to retirement) and I was using a computer that was temporary.  Well it didn’t have Office on it and I didn’t have a copy of the program at work.  I didn’t know what to do!! So, I called down to the computer place asking how long it was going to take because I MUST have my computer back ASAP since I was missing key programs that I have to use every single day.  My computer guy told me about a program that is just like Microsoft Office but 100% FREE!  It’s called Open Office and you can download it at www.download.com.  It’s ranked #1 in Office Suites and has had over 4 MILLION downloads.

I’m very picky and careful about what I download at work because we have to make sure that privacy is our #1 priority.  This is a website that I highly trust and recommend using if you need to download a program.  Some other favorite downloads: AVG virus protection, Malware, & Adobe.

Ok back to Open Office … You can use this program just like you would normally use Microsoft Office.  It contains a place to create Text Documents (Word), Spreadsheets (Excel), Presentation (PowerPoint), & Database (Access).  It even has options to make drawings and create formulas for your documents.  Now my main concern: Is it compatible with Microsoft Office programs?  Yes it is! When you save a file just make sure to click the drop down menu under where you would type in the file name.  It is says Save File As:. Then just click on Microsoft ____ (Word, Excel, etc) 97/2000/XP (.doc).  90% of people with Microsoft Office will have one of these versions.

If you are like me and watching your budget this is GREAT news.  The Microsoft Office Suite ranges from $149 to $499 depending upon which version you need.  Even the bottom price is expensive to me!  So if you are in need of this type of program or find yourself one day changing computers check this out!!

Now head over to Janette’s blog and see what other finds have been linked up!

Spring Planting

Yesterday after work I rushed home, threw dinner in the pot (Tortilla Soup recipe coming later this week), and got to planting!!

This is what I started with.  I had Vincas and Impatients to plant in this bed next to our back porch.

I meant to take another picture after I put the mulch down but I totally forgot.  In a month or so the Vincas will drop seeds and spread throughout the bed.  My father-in-law has pots full of them!

Up close shots.  The first is the Vinca and the second is a cluster of Impatients.  I love the Double Impatients more because they are a fuller flower but this year I couldn’t find any.
 

Sunday when we were at Lowe’s Adam bought cedar boards to make a trellis.  I had envisioned something just rectangular with cross pieces.  Well when I got home yesterday I found out that he had been working hard on this BEAUTY! Isn’t it GREAT!?!  It looks small in this picture but it’s actually 8ft tall!!! I can’t wait for the roses to grow and just overtake it!  The two rose bushes next to the climbing rose are called Double Knockouts.  Very pretty!!
 

I’m pretty excited about my roses.  I have been wanting a rose bush for the past 5 years!! I just love spring and new things.  There’s nothing better than cleaning up, getting reorganized, and adding a little color to your life. :)

Our Weekend

We had a pretty great Easter weekend.  Adam did end up working Friday, which is OK considering he was making a lot of money for working on a holiday.  I know it made the day better for him anyways :).  

Saturday night his band played at a local club and it was great.  The drunk people weren't too annoying and there were no fights so that's always a plus! We also had GREAT tippers ... well other than the girl (I'm assuming it was a girl) that put a $5 in the tip jar with a napkin that said "I want to !*%^ you" with her phone number.  Who does that!?!?! I'm assuming she had way too much to drink and just didn't have good judgment.  One of the band wives texted the number but still haven't figured it out! Don't mess with the band wives!  (That could be a new tv show ... or maybe it already is.)

We didn't get home until 2am Sunday morning so I slept in until about 11:30.  Which totally put a damper on my plans to go to a church service or do anything actually Easter related.  We ended up going in to town and having lunch on the patio at Cracker Barrell.  It was a beautiful day!  Then we ran to Lowe's so that I could get some flowers to plant around the house.  I totally forgot to take pictures of them this morning.  I FINALLY got some roses that I have been wanting FOREVER! Adam says roses are really hard to keep from disease but he finally relented and bought me a beautiful climbing rose bush.  I also got some Impatients and Vincas for the flower bed.  

I did snap this picture yesterday morning of our Honeysuckle.  It's gotten huge and smells wonderful!

As we were going through Lowe's Adam picked this flower for me:

I can't remember the name but it was so pretty! The center is actually purple.

By the time we got home it was starting to rain so we took some chairs to the shop and rolled up the back door so that we could feel the breeze and listen to the rain.  This was our view:

The picture doesn't seem all that great but it was really nice out and the woods looked so pretty.  I love where we live!

Hope everyone had a GREAT Easter weekend!!

Catching Up

Sorry about the fake temporary post!! I finally downloaded Windows Live Writer again and I guess it had to do some kind of detection to get the theme of my blog.  I’m not sure if Live Writer has made improvements since my last download or if I just didn’t set it up correctly the first time around but I’m loving a couple of new features it has! For instance, as I type this post I can click “preview” and see exactly how it will post to my blog.  Pretty awesome!!!

I feel like I have some catching up to do here in blog land.  It seems like we have been busy busy the past few weeks.  Adam and I are both pretty much recovered from our back injuries.  My hips still get pretty sore at the end of the day but nothing some ibuprofen or Tylenol pm can’t knock out.

I’m so excited that today is actually my Friday!! I LOVE three day weekends.  Adam is supposed to be off tomorrow but due to things going on at his work he MAY have to work tomorrow.  We aren’t sure yet.  The extra money would be nice (double time baby) but it would be really great to have him home too.  He’s been under a lot of stress lately because of layoffs and downsizing.  I’m hoping and praying he keeps his job but if that isn’t God’s plan then I know we will be taken care of and there is something better for him and us out there.

Adam has been working very hard with his dad getting the shop completed.  Of course the major construction (concrete, framing, siding, and doors) were done by a professional company.  Now they are doing internal framing to hang sheetrock, cutting out places for windows, and putting in electricity.  Having such a large shop came in VERY handy during the recent storms that hit us! We had all of our cars in here! Check it out:

Here are some Awwww pictures for you as well.  My sister-in-law finally got newborn pics back and they are so stinkin cute!! These are my two favorites:

I haven’t seen this sweet girl in person in at least three weeks.  Not cool!! Hopefully this weekend we will get by and love on her a whole bunch.  As of 4/3 she is 2 months old and weighs 9lbs 11oz.  :)

I hope everyone has a very happy Easter weekend!!! What do you have planned this weekend?

Show Us Your Find!

I had several posts actually planned for this past week but last week my computer decided that it was old and dead... It was 7 years old so I guess it's no surprise.  So today I got my brand spankin new custom built computer in and I'm getting everything set back up.  (If you need a great deal on a computer check out Laptops for Less in Whitehouse, TX). 

I didn't want to miss my link up today with Janette for Show Us Your Find because I have something pretty cool to share!

Last Friday I was browsing around on Pinterest and came across a picture that said "Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life". 

Of course I was immediately intrigued so I pinned it and followed the link to the blog: Modern Parents Messy Kids.  Half way through this post about organization I was thinking ... "this lady is my hero". Just read the post ... you will love it.

I've been following along with this project and I'm pretty excited about joining.  I could use some structure in my day when it comes to my home.  I have a very limited window of time to try to cram EVERYTHING in.  Structure will help keep me off the couch and getting things more organized.  This weekend we have a three day weekend and I already have a list of things to get started on:

• Getting rid of all the weeds in my flower beds.  I have done ZERO gardening this spring.
• Finding things I don't use and sell.  I have way to much clutter that needs a new home. 
• Narrow down a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule for cleaning.
• List a couple of big projects that I will be working on periodically. (Clean out closets, organize our filing cabinet, etc.)

Do you have any tried and true tips that you would share to be more organized?  Will you be following along with this project?  Be warned ... these aren't quicky reading type projects.  This is some in depth stuff!!!

Head over to Janette's blog and see what else has been shared today!!

p.s. I miss Live Writer! Next thing to download!!