Custom Made for You

Today, I jokingly posted a status on my facebook about being in the wreath-making mood and asked if anyone would let me make a wreath with their funding. Yes, they could have the finished product. You see, I don't have to make a wreath to keep it- just making one is good for my heart. In fact, it's even better for my heart if I DO make it for someone else. It's therapeutic, and it's something I've been needing to do for a while... I just couldn't justify the expense.

It did not take long before I got a response in favor of my request. I must admit, I was a little surprised to see that my MOM... the queen of artsy things... wanted ME to make HER fall wreath. Yes, that sentence needed all of that emphasis. I am no where near qualified enough for such a task. I, however, readily agreed.

I asked her what she had in mind, and I was NOT surprised at her response. The wreath she explained is the EXACT wreath I've been wanting to create. Sometimes I truly believe we have the same brain. Regardless, I was ecstatic!

First, I searched Hobby Lobby's website for their weekly deals. I was in luck!

They had a coupon for 40% off a single originally priced item! This was sure to help! Moreover, their floral stems were 50% off. This was going to be a breeze!

So, I wrote down the specifications from Mom...

Leaves

Berries

Pumpkins

Burnt Orange

Deep Gold

Burgundy

Fall Green

... and no more than $25.

Ok, I'm on it!

Oh, how I LOVE Hobby Lobby!!!

I came back with my loot. I got 10 stems of floral beauty and a grapevine wreath for the low cost of $22.74!! Am I good or what?! I got $50 worth of wreath making goodies for less than $25!!

Here's a closer look at all that I found...

Berries

Leaves and berries mixed

Picks filled with pumpkins, berries, and leaves

Beautifully round grapevine wreath

Now it was time to get to work! So...

I set up my workstation. I LOVE having a raised counter for this purpose! I made sure to have the wreath, floral stems, hot glue gun with a metal plate to catch the runny glue, extra glue sticks, and my heavy duty wire cutters.

After making sure that everything was ready to go, I started to play around with design ideas. I began with the most important item... the pumpkins.

When I had it mostly figured out, I began to secure everything with the glue. I start with one item and continuing layering with each different item until I've included all of the items selected.

Ah! Finally finished!! Or so I thought... When I looked at this picture on my computer, I did not like the placement of the berries and leaves at the base of the wreath. So...

I made a couple of snips and viola! Finished product!

I must admit, this wreath stressed me for a bit tonight, but only because I wanted it to be perfect for my momma! I love the finished product, and in person, the richness of the colors are stunning. The pumpkins are much deeper in color than the picture suggests, but it gives you a pretty good idea of what it looks like.

It's going to be hard to give this one up, but I can't pick a better person for it to go to! I have another order on my plate, and I'm so excited to create another unique wreath!

With all of this business, I need to develop a way to make a small profit! I've tossed around the idea of selling them, but if I get custom orders, that would be even better! My thoughts at this point are... $20 for the supplies (on average, that's what it cost) and $10 for my time. Does that sound fair? Opinions are very much welcome!

On the Lookout

When Andrew and I registered for wedding gifts in February, we registered for a lot of cool things. We received a good portion of what we were wanting, but when all was said and done, we realized that we did not get one item that we were REALLY hoping to get.

Glasses.

We registered for the prettiest, most sturdy drinking glasses, and we were hoping to replace the ones that I already had. But, no such luck. "Oh well", we thought! We planned to purchase them with one of the many generous gift cards we had received.

So the search began.

 The search continued.

The search took us to multiple Wal-Marts anywhere from Missouri... to Arkansas... to Wisconsin... to Colorado.

We searched and searched.

We finally decided that we just were not meant to have these glasses, and we also decided that we were content with what we already had. I mean, after all, nothing was wrong with them. We just were excited about receiving the ones we had chosen together. No big deal... it's a minor detail.

On Friday, we were in Wal-Mart getting the last of our groceries for the week. We normally start off at Aldi's and buy all that we can there for a fraction of the cost. Anyway, we were in Wal-Mart, and we make it a point to go down the clearance aisle often. We hardly ever find anything worth purchasing- even on sale, but tonight brought about the most exciting find!

Our glasses! On SALE!! We found them for $2 cheaper per box than they were when we picked them out. We were SO excited and we snatched them up right away!

This is the tall glass. We love the shape and feel of them. They are very bottom-heavy, and in a glass, this is a good thing!

As soon as they were cleansed of Wal-Mart germs, I had to try them out with my signature lemon water. Yum! I promise it's an even tastier drink from these beautiful glasses!

They look so nice in our cabinets, and I am so glad that we finally found them! It's funny what can be found when it's no longer a priority to do so...

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Andrew and I have always enjoyed cooking together. When we first started dating, my mom assigned me dinner duty one night. Luckily, Andrew and I came across a recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine that looked tastebud worthy. We decided that we would treat my family with this new dinner idea. It was so good that we ended up fixing it for his family as well.

Since then, we have enjoyed making Buffalo Chicken Pizza together, and this weekend, we perfected an already awesome recipe. Let me share...

Ingredients:

Pita Bread (Whole Wheat)

Chicken Tenderloins (Buffalo chicken tenders if wanting to fix it more quickly)

Celery

Bleu Cheese or Ranch salad dressing

Buffalo Sauce

Bleu Cheese Crumbles

Preparation:

After boiling (to leave the chicken wonderfully moist) and shredding the chicken, mix with buffalo sauce to taste. We used four chicken tenderloins (they were very small!) for our two pizzas.

Thinly slice a stalk of celery. You'll probably need more if you're making more than two pizzas.

Lay pita bread in a single layer on a non-greased baking sheet.

Top with dressing of choice.

Assemble pizzas with as much chicken and celery as your tastebuds desire. For example, Andrew likes more meat... I like more dressing. These are built to taste!

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes... or until dressing is bubbly and the pizzas are golden brown.

Garnish with bleu cheese crumbles and drizzle with extra buffalo sauce if your tastebuds insist!

Serve with an extra stalk of celery and enjoy!

These are extremely easy to make- and they are super fun to eat!

If you wish, you may use buffalo chicken tenders (Tyson makes them) in place of tenderloins. These come breaded and all you have to do is cook them as instructed on the packaging, cut them in half, and make the pizzas as instructed above. We chose to make ours with tenderloins for the first time for two reasons... it is cheaper to do it this way and it cuts down on calories to boil the chicken instead of eating it breaded. We honestly liked it much better and will continue making them this way!

Either way you go, this recipe won't disappoint!

Outdoor Activities

Over the course of the summer, Andrew and I have made it a point to live healthier. As many of you know, we watch what we eat, we limit how often we eat out, and we attempt to particpate in physical activities. Andrew is much better about working out than I am, but I do try to get out and about often enough.

Our outdoor fun lately has been particularly nice!

Labor Day...

On Labor Day, Andrew and I enjoyed a hike on one of the trails at a local state park. The weather was nice, and the trail was easy enough to enjoy, but challenging enough to make us feel like we had a good workout.

After our hike, we had a picnic lunch at the park. The area overlooked the lake, and the cool breeze blowing up from the water was a nice refresher after our hike. I'll admit, I needed the rest!

We had a great day enjoying God's beautiful creations, and we are so thankful that we are physically able to go on hikes such as these!

This weekend...

... saw the purchase of bikes AND beautiful biking weather!

We received unexpected funding (God is SO good!!), and with our budget figured out well into spring and our savings account where we wanted it to be, we decided that we could afford to purchase Andrew a bike. Andrew decided to be tricky, and he talked me into go to the bike store with him.

I saw THE bike. We had Wal-Mart bikes previously, and we both despised riding them. It was more frustrating to ride them then it was worth, and we simply never rode them. These bikes are high quality, and the guy we worked with at the store gave us an awesome deal on them. He reduced the price significantly, and we truly left with our money's worth.

We took them out for a spin last night and relished in the cool night air. After an incredible church service this morning, we went on a 12 mile bike ride on the trail through town. It was absolutely beautiful... and the weather was amazing.

The purchase was big, but with our lifestyle, it was well worth every penny spent. We've already enjoyed them so much, and we're getting ready to take them out for another ride now!

So... until next time!!!

Where Were You?

Where were you when you heard about the 9/11 tragedy? It's a memory so deeply ingrained in my memory... I remember it vividly.

I was sitting in the front row in freshman biology class... next to Nicole West. The desk was wooden with a thickly painted black top. I was sitting on the left side- closest to the teacher's desk. Behind her desk was a big screen TV.

One of the other teachers in the hallway came running in yelling for us to turn the TV on. He said that a plane had just crashed into the first World Trade Center.

We quickly turned the TV on. We had no idea that America was under attack.

We turned the TV on just in time to see the South Tower attack at 9:03.

All of us young high school students sat in silence. The images were striking... and the gravity of the issue at hand was silencing.

For the rest of the day, no matter what class we went to, we sat and listened.

We listened to the newscasts.

We listened to the sobs.

We listened to the PA system as students were told their parents were closing their offices... my dad closed his as well.

We listened to ignorant boys talk about what they wanted to do to the attackers.

We listened to history.

As the days and months flew by, we witnessed a renewed American pride.

Flags flew proudly all across our small towns.

We witnessed Americans flooding churches. It seemed like the appropriate place to go.

I'm challenging you today...

Do you remember?

Let's not let our pride in America fade.

May God bless America... all the men and women serving... and may He comfort the families so deeply affected by the 9/11 tragedy.

My Cousin, The Marine

My cousin, Kerry, and I have spent our lives being mistaken for siblings instead of cousins. We look alike (more so than my own siblings), we have a lot of similar personality traits, and we've always been extremely close. We both love children, we both have tender hearts, and we both have a desire to do what's best in life.

Kerry certainly did just this. My baby cousin left for bootcamp the day after Andrew and I got married. I didn't see him again for exactly three months. I gave him a goodbye hug on June 5th, and I was able to receive a monster hug from the United States' newest Marine on September 5th.

He left a boy and came home a man.

Kerry, who always has a huge smile on his face, learned how to look like a Marine. It must have taken a lot to "wipe the smile" off of his face, but he does it well!

Not only did Kerry's platoon receive the award as Honors Platoon, but Kerry also achieved Expert status on marksmanship. He completed bootcamp- and he did it well. Above all of these achievements, one sticks out above the rest.

Kerry was the Spiritual Leader for his platoon. He provided a Christ-like example for them to follow, and I know he struggled daily to live his life differently than most. I know that at times it would have been easier for Kerry to fall into Satan's trap... a trap filled with negative attitudes, dirty mouths, and much more. As I understand, Kerry made it a point to choose the harder road... the road less traveled. I couldn't be prouder of Kerry for choosing to reflect Christ in all that he does... including the grueling days of bootcamp.

As I said earlier, Kerry left as a boy and came back as a man. My heart bursts with pride as I think about all that he has done over the last three months. I changed his diapers when he was little (with help, of course), wiped away some tears, listened to his heart, and basically thought the world of him. We were a team- favorite cousins for sure.

Now I look up to him. I respect him. I'm honored to know him. He's still one of my very favorites. I still think the world of him.

I couldn't be more at ease knowing he's one of the honorable men serving our country and protecting our freedom.

Ephesians 6:16-18
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Toaster Strudel Art

My husband has a knack for making me laugh. He can brighten my day in so many ways, and he can almost always put a smile on my face.

One of the many ways he brings a smile to my lips is through Toaster Strudel art. He can make these ordinary breakfast items come to life. When he's through with them, these sweet pastries are picture worthy.

This summer saw the creation of these masterpieces:

The alien is my personal favorite, but really, how can I choose a favorite?!

Every girl needs a husband like mine... One who can make them laugh... One who can make them feel incredibly loved... One who will treat them as they should be treated!

Reducing Clutter... Building Relationships

Over the weekend, Andrew and I had a yard sale at our house. We have a lot of "stuff" and we are trying to simplify. So, we thought, why not make a little money while we're at it? Our sale was very successful on Friday, but Saturday stands out the most to me.

Not only were we having a yard sale, but Andrew is also trying to sell his old mud truck. On Saturday, he received a phone call from an interested buyer (that term is used VERY loosely!) and he had to leave our sale to go to his parents' house to show his truck. They live about an hour and a half away from us. So, he asked his nana to stay with me while the yard sale was still taking place so I wouldn't be alone with the goonies.

I can honestly say that those three hours that I spent with Nana Helen were awesome! I had such a nice time visiting with her, learning about her, and just enjoying some girl talk. She has a wonderful heart, and she is an absolute sweetheart. Neither one of us wanted to end the yard sale because we were having too much fun enjoying the gorgeous weather... and the fabulous company.

I hated that Andrew had to make such a long trip just for the guy to tell him he wasn't interested in less that five minutes, but I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to visit with Helen. I really got to know her better, and it was nice to have a long chat with one of the grandmas in my life! It was really good to be able to talk to her like I do with my Granny Miff or Granny Sue. It was good for my heart!

So, yes, we were able to get rid of a lot of clutter... make some money... but, I was able to make a special relationship even stronger. What a blessing!

Meet Miss Lady

Almost two months ago, I blogged about our fish friends. We were very happy to have new life around the house. At first, as you may remember, we had a little trouble with Rocket, our horribly behaved catfish. We ended up replacing him with four other fish friends.

Meet Sunny the Dwarf Gourami. Sunny was one of the replacement fish. We thought that he was a beautiful fish with his shiny orange and teal scales. Time; however, would prove otherwise. Over the past two months, all of our fish friends went belly-up. All but Sunny that is...

... and Brutus, my Beta that I've had for over a year now. When I first noticed our fish friends dying, I was scared that something was wrong with the water, so I removed Brutus from the situation. I put him back into his original container so he would stay safe.

I'm getting off-topic. Back to Sunny.

After he was the last man standing, I decided he was the culprit. After I watch him nibble... and demolish... all the fish friends that went belly-up, I decided that he was not very nice. After he killed and ate Fat Belly (my favorite), I just knew he had to go. I couldn't forgive him for that behavior.

Luckily, my adorable niece and nephew were in the market for a new fish. Since they are a bit crazy at times, they needed a fish that had some spunk. I knew Sunny was the right fish for them. After their mom said yes, I sent Sunny packing the next day.

As we were preparing for Sunny to leave our home, we began researching goldfish. We decided that we were going to only put one fish into our tank, and we were going to really watch out for its health.

Enter:

Miss Lady.

I have never seen a more gorgeous fish in all my life. I really wish that a fish would hold still long enough to be photographed. She truly is breathtaking- there is something about her markings that made me stop in my tracks at the pet store. I knew that I had to have her.

Andrew suggested that we leave for the night and research goldfish a little bit more. I was so sad- and I was afraid that someone else would fall in love with her before I could make her my pet. I even had a name for her. Bad, I know.

The next day, he knew that I still really wanted her. So, we made a trip back to the pet store. We talked and talked and talked about what fish to get. Finally, an employee kind of pushed us to make a decision. We asked how much this particular fish would cost... he told us... and it was much cheaper than we were anticipating.

Needless to say, she came home with me that night. I was going to name her Emilia, but Andrew said, "Well, I'm just going to call her Pretty Lady." I took one look at her and knew he was on to something.

I really enjoy having her... she is much more peaceful than having Sunny around. Theodore feels a bit differently though. He's pretty jealous of her, and he lets Andrew and I know how he feels when we're admiring her and not giving him enough attention. In fact, he's moped around all week... I'm sure he'll come around soon. I tell him often he's my favorite! Speaking of which, he's begging for attention now!

Until next time, my friends! : )

Tasty Taco Soup

It's official... the school year has begun. I made my first pot of soup for the year on Sunday. I love to throw igredients into the crockpot on a Sunday and have soup to eat throughout the week. It's easy, it's healthy, it's fairly inexpensive, and it works for feeding one person (which can be a difficult task).

I chose to make taco soup. I got this recipe online last winter, and I modified it to suit my tastebuds. Andrew, who isn't a big fan of soups unless they're really thick, enjoys this soup. So, in my books, it's a winner.

Let me share : )

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef (or turkey for a leaner soup)

1 onion, chopped

2 cans kidney beans

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 package frozen corn (or 1 can corn)

2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can diced chiles

1 package taco seasoning (I prefer the low-sodium kind)

1 package ranch mix

Tortilla chips

Sour cream (low-fat)

Shredded Mexican cheese

Jalapenos

Preparation:

Brown beef (or turkey) and onion in a large skillet.

Meanwhile...

Dump black beans, kidney beans, corn, diced tomatoes, chiles, taco seasoning, and ranch mix into a large crockpot.

Add ground meat and onion.

Stir well.

Cover.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Garnish with cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, and tortilla chips before serving.

I love this recipe because of how simple it is... and it explodes with flavor. It is also very colorful and aesthetically pleasing... you can't beat that! You can make it as mild or as spicy as you wish. I do not enjoy overly spicy foods, but even I add jalapenos to my bowl.

I have two containers in my freezer to pull out for lazy days, but I have been able to enjoy this soup for a week, and I even sent some back to school with Andrew. It definitely goes a long ways.

Bon appétit!!