Days #24-27

Day #24- My first purchase of a Quilt Pattern Book!! 

 Day #25 - YUM!  You must try this delicious tea!!

 

Day #26 - Trix Krispies!  I found the recipe for these and couldn't wait to make some up.  Let me tell you: if you love Rice Krispies, you are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE these!

Go to:

 spoolsandspatulas.blogspot.com

(my new blog)

Day #27 - Steak and Shake restaurant at home!  I have been wanting to go to the Steak and Shake, but it is too far to drive there.  So, I found a recipe for their mouth watering Frisco Melt, made some caramel malts, and baked up some scrumptious fries!  It was a hit with the family!

My Bargains!

On Friday I went to Savers (a favorite thrift store of mine:  clean, organized, and friendly) with $20 in my purse and a coupon for 25% off because of donating items to their store.  I found two cute skirts, two cute shirts, and a pretty necklace (laying on the shirt to the right).  It came to just under $20!  I took them home and washed them up.  Can't wait to wear them!  I love thrift store finds!  Especially when one of the shirts is from Banana Republic (left shirt) and one skirt is from New York and Co (skirt on left)!

Armed and Ready!

Today I am out girl shopping for clothes.  I am going to see if I can find a whole outfit for $20!  I will have to hunt for deals and be thrifty (another favorite thing of mine!).  I will report back and let you know what I find!

Day #23 - Olive Garden Food!

 I am a lover of the Olive Garden and could seriously eat there all the time.  I decided to make the kids and me (Jason's on a trip) some Olive Garden food tonight for supper and found the recipe for Zupa Toscana (my FAVE!!).  Pictured above is Zupa in the crock pot ready to cook all afternoon...

 Here is Zupa Toscana ready to be devoured at supper...

AND...here are homemade Olive Garden bread sticks! 

 Ser.I.Ous.Ly!  

To die for food!  The kids loved the food as well!  

Want to make some for yourself??

RECIPES:

Zupa Toscana:

1 lb sausage, browned

4 medium potatoes, washed and sliced (not pealed)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion, diced

6 c. veg broth

1 tsp Kosher salt

2 c kale, washed and cut

1 c. half and half (or cream)

Bread Sticks:

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

butter

when the dough is thawed, divide into 8 sections and roll out into logs. Heat oven to 350.  Let bread sticks raise for about 15 minutes.   Bake for 20 minutes, or until top is light golden brown.  Remove from oven and spread butter on top and sprinkle with salt/garlic mixture (don't overuse the salt/garlic).

Serve Warm

ENJOY!

Please let me know if you try this recipe, or you have made a similar one.  I am always happy to hear of others' cooking adventures!

Days #19-22

 I have the 'days' in the incorrect order. 

 Day #20 - Dehydrating Peppers

 I dehydrated green peppers that were in my fridge going 'bad' and I wanted to not waste them. 

 Day #21 - Sandwich Table Top Quilt

I sandwiched this, pinned it and started a little of the quilting.  

The binding for it is rolled up in the upper right hand corner.

 Day #19 - Airplane War

Sunday we had a blizzard here in Denver, thus Church was cancelled and we stayed inside.  Jason and the kids made paper airplanes and tried to attack each other.  *note that I am making lunch and I have burners on the stove that are nice and hot!  Flying airplanes came very close to catching fire!!  They had a great time! 

Day #22 - Wall Hanging

I had purchased the wooden frame from Hobby Lobby a while back and finally decided what to use it for.  I hung it in our bedroom and made this little heart pillow to hang on the frame.  I really like how it turned out!

Days #16-18

 Day #18 - Ironing Regularly

 I have decided to iron Jason's shirts after washing and drying them instead of leaving in a pile and the pile grows to a daunting task that I put off...

 Day #17 - Jake's Decorating Tips

Jake wanted me to post his decorating tips:  You need all your stuffed animals and pillows.  Arrange them on your couch and enjoy!

Day #16 - Sugar Cookie Bars

I found this recipe on pinterest (shock!) and made them up.  We have enjoyed them.  I think next time I'll just use my own sugar cookie recipe and frosting and make them up and see how that works.  Delish!

Day #15 - Card Making

Today I went to the store and while I was there buying light bulbs (fun purchase, right!?), I stopped at the scrapbook section to check out stickers for card making.  I found these cute ones.  The sticker on the inside looks the same, but says 'birthday'.  I think they are fun and I plan to make more...

Guess what we did????

We discovered that the more t.v. the kids watch, the less imagination they use and the more fighting they do... SO, I have made a sign to put on the t.v. that says, 'No T.V. This Week'  with some ideas of what they can do.  During the week break from t.v., their imaginations came alive!  But, eventually we would take the sign down and slowly too much t.v. was being watched (even by Jason and I).  I was asking Jason about his high school friend who did not even own a t.v. growing up.  I asked what they did.  Jason said his friend read all the time, fiction, non fiction.  The wheels got to turning.  We discussed actually taking the t.v. out of the family room and putting it away in a closet.  So, one Saturday evening Jason took our t.v. down, put it in our closet and the kids did not even notice for a couple days.  It has been nearly a month without t.v. on (except the Super Bowl, of course!) and going on two weeks with the t.v. in the closet and we can all honestly say we do not miss it!  (I haven't actually asked the kids, but they really don't talk about it much)  We read a lot more and use our imaginations!  We don't have a problem with watching t.v., we just discovered that this works best for us right now. 

Day #14 - 'Freddy' books

I was reading another good blog and she said that they enjoy reading Freddy the Pig books.  I immediately went on our Denver Library website and put a number of them on hold.  I picked them up last week and today we popped in one on disk in the van and have enjoyed listening to it to and from school.  Jake and I are reading 'Freddy and the Space Ship' after he gets home from kindergarten.  He has a reading log to fill out and we are enjoying this book.  

I love finding new (to me) authors to read and just reading in general.

How about you?  Do you enjoy reading?  If so, what are your favorite authors and/or books?

Day #12 & #13

 Day #13 - Homemade Noodles

I am making a new Hamburger Stroganoff recipe for supper and didn't have any noodles.  I decided I would make rice...but then discovered a homemade noodle recipe in a cookbook and thought I would treat us to them instead! 

 Day #12 - Gander Mt.

My first time going to Gander Mt.  It is a Sporting Goods store.  We didn't stay long, but I can finally say I have been there and know what it is like...

Day #11 - 9 Patch Quilt

I found this cute 9 patch quilted table top runner and decided to make one for myself.  On the far right are three of the blocks completed, and the rest are getting complete.  I look forward to finishing the project and enjoying it in my home.

Day #10 - Table Runner

The kids were off of school today so we loaded up and headed to Walmart and

straight to the fabric department.  I found this super cute Chicken fabric and wanted to 

make something for my kitchen to cheer it up some.  Then I discovered the coordinating fabric and 

went to the cutting counter.  1 yard of the red and 1/2 a yard of the Chickens and back to the house we went.  I whipped up this cute table runner in no time and love it in my kitchen!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

No better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with Jason!

We will have a date after the kids go to bed.  We will order Qdoba

and have a candle lit dinner in the front room...

How are you celebrating?  And with whom are are you celebrating with?

Day #9 - Strawberry Dream Cake

Another new recipe!  This cake is made all from scratch.  I wanted to make something fun for Valentine's Day so I flipped through a favorite recipe book and decided on this!  Perfectly pink and fresh.  To go with it:  Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (store bought since my brother Matt isn't here to make it!) 

 I can't wait to take a bite...

Day #8 - Horseradish Sauce

I made another new recipe tonight of Baltimore Pit Beef Sandwiches.  It called for homemade Horseradish Sauce.  I have not ever eaten horseradish, but Jason loves the stuff!

The sandwiches were a huge hit and the sauce tasted great!  Jason couldn't get enough of it. 

I enjoyed it as well, but think I've lost all feeling in my nose. lol

Day #7 - Zipper Jar

I had saved a relish jar 'just in case'.  And yesterday I spray painted the lid

with black chalkboard paint and put my colorful zippers in it!

I love spray paint...especially chalkboard paint.

Do you like to use spray paint?  If so, how have you used it? 

What is YOUR next project?

My project is a Jean Quilt.

I remember watching my Mom make jean quilts for a friend who was a Truck Driver.  The quilts were heavy enough to keep him warm in his cab at night.  I went on Pinterest and found some fun jean quilt ideas and started cutting away at my, Jason, and Jake's old jeans.  I am excited to see what pattern I will go with and how the quilt will turn out.

What is your next project, big or small?

Transformation of Family Room

 Before

(with Jake's 'Alamo War' set up)

 Before

from another angle

 After

After

Love that we had purchased a Scrabble game from a yard sale without directions 

and thus it has become my craft supplies...

Day #6 - De-Cluttering

I don't have any pictures to post right at the moment, not that none have been taken.  I've just been a busy bee today de-cluttering in the family room and moved on to our closet.  Goodness!  I am excited to post pics for you tomorrow....

Day #5 - 'The' Cupboard...

 Before

After

I do not care for the cupboard.  It is a bit messy and I am always glad to shut the door on it.  BUT, today I decided to declutter and organize it.  Yes, there is a difference between decluttering and organizing.  Now I don't mind opening it and looking in.  It took me all of 10 minutes, too! 

What have you decluttered and/or organized recently?