whatever

more random

i think this is fabulous....isn't it???

amy jupin opened an etsy shop....i bought these pillowcases. 
so happy.

monday morning 6:15 am.

tuesday morning 9 am on my way to shop for every last detail of CW.


wednesday morning 7:45 (walmart parking lot....ate my breakfast and checked email on my phone... dork!!!)

we have tile on the walls and floor.
grout today....half done already.

uh-oh!
BAD DOG!! (but what a handsome haircut he has....)
do you like my way of fixing their broken cage?  
polka dot packing tape is not just for the post office! 

waffle really wants to eat talby and annie's hamster.
so badly.


some more fabric is ready for crafty ladies to cut into.

i like my pajamas to match my lampshades....

and my cardis to match my shower curtains.

ha ha ha

i don't need a mop refill...i don't even use this kind of mop....but i wanted to buy it because of the polka dots!
i controlled myself though... 

kind of.
happiest.  cart.   ever.

oh....and just a little more fun fabric.

i have ordered from fabric.com & hawthorne threads and bought at hobby lobby, joann's and walmart.

i didn't tell you i went to the Brad Paisley concert last weekend!
check out my (not) awesome picture!  

it was a really great show....i was so happy there.
this song was just on in my car and i cranked it and sang LOUD!
like jerry maguire kind of loud!

ok....now one last thing for you to do....

GO TO THE CRAFT WEEKEND BLOG to read about our last few sponsors from craft weekend 2010.

 

 

pretending i am a chef....

I was asked by Chef Boyardee to participate in a recipe program!

Chef Boyardee has a website full of recipes using their product.

I was encouraged to review those recipes, and then my family and I could make up a recipe of our own.

We chose to try to make Ravioli Soup!

Start by browning 1.5 - 2 pounds of ground beef in a skillet.



After your ground beef is completely browned, you should drain the grease from your pan.

Then add in 2 TBSP of minced onion and 1 TBSP of minced garlic and 2 t. oregano.

You could use fresh ingredients for this part, but i didn't have them.

And honestly...the smaller the better when it comes to things like onions with my kids.

Mix it in and cover the meat with the spices.




Cook that for a few minutes until the onions are soft.



In a soup pot begin heating up the chicken broth.

Add in a 28 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes.

This next step isn't important, but it makes the cooking more fun.

Put on a cute apron.

Because you will feel cute if you have one on!

And your husband will come home and say, "Look at how cute you are!" making him dinner.



Next I added the meat mixture to the soup.

Bring the soup to a boil and then turn down the heat, letting it simmer for about twenty minutes.

THEN you will add 3 cans of Chef Boyardee Ravioli into the soup.



Kids like the taste of Chef Boyardee but I like that I can use it as an ingredient in other quick meals.

After it cooks a few minutes it's ready to serve.

Chef Boyardee ravioli just needs to be warmed up, and it's ready to eat.

I dished out bowls for my family and added a handful of shredded cheese to each bowl.

Then I got really wild.

I took our pizza maker kit, and instead I made breadsticks with cheese,
and we dipped the breadsticks in the pizza sauce that came in the box!



My family really enjoyed this meal.

The breadsticks were devoured.

Sean said, "What did you put in the noodles?! IT's DeLiCioUs!!"  
that guy cracks me up every day. 

Here is my recipe:

1.5 - 2 lbs ground beef
2 T. minced onion
1 T. minced garlic
2 t. oregano
6 c. chicken broth
1 large can of diced tomatoes (28 oz)
3 cans of Chef Boyardee Ravioli
shredded cheese for topping
salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger, drain the grease. Add onion, garlic, and oregano. Simmer for a few minutes.
In a soup bowl add chicken broth and tomatoes. Combine meat mixture with soup mixture.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
Just before you are ready to serve, add the ravioli.
Let it cook a few minutes and then it's ready to eat!
Serve with breadsticks.

.................................................................................................................................

So here's the deal....

YOU can make up your own recipes and enter Chef Boyardeeís Make It Boyardeelicious Recipe Contest from December 29, 2011 through March 11, 2012 for your chance to win free groceries for a year as well as one of ten $500 weekly cash prizes. Then visit Chef Boyardeeís Facebook page from March 26, 2012 through April 8, 2012 to vote for your favorite recipes from the ìMake It Boyardeelicious Recipe Contest.î Each day, one voter will be selected to win a $100 cash prize.

Be sure to visit the Chef Boyardee Roundup page on BlogHer.com to check out other bloggersí recipes!

 

big week.

it's coming together....

but wow is it a mess to get there.
phew.

so yeah....

everything is in piles in every room.

but i keep thinking how great i will feel when craft weekend is HERE and all the piles have found their home.

the bathroom has painted walls....they are gray.
tile starts monday.
we have a contractor....lots of you have asked if we were doing the work ourselves....no. 
not this project.
craig is the designated painter and demo guy and finish-upper guy.
i am le décorateur (sleepless in seattle).

our house smells like spray paint......those are all empty.


kimberlee helped me set up all day today.
we took a happy hour break....instantly refreshed.

craig has been a painting machine for me.


and talby and sean made dinner for the whole family tonight!
they made Lynette's Noodles with Ham....and it was REALLY good. 
it was so helpful to me.

it is going to be an awesome week.

A W E S O M E.

 

mumbo jumbo.

when i see this post it makes me so mad that i don't make myself scrapbook anymore.
i used to get so much joy from it.
for now that outlet is filled other ways....and that is ok too.
but i want ALL of that stuff just to look at it!  
it is totally adroable!
i mean seriously???? wood die cuts?!!


amazing.

 

do you have one of these?
i found it by the microwaves at walmart and it has been a smashing success for breakfast around here.
i buy the circle shaped sauages in the big bag in the freezer section.
they can make their own egg mcmuffins!!

and how cute is this little cupcake holder?! 
what a treat for a lunch box that would be.
very sweet.
 

i got these burlap hanging shades today. (from world market)
i think with some crochet cuteness....some ribbon....maybe some mini bunting....they will be fabulous for CW.

and get this.....
these lamps were $3.27 for BOTH at our thrift shop.
they were shiny brass.
i spray painted them gloss white and bought white lampshades from target.
they are really great. 
i am smitten.

finding old wood tables instead of plastic folding tables for CW is so fun!

finding chairs on clearance is another big B O N U S.
waffle can't believe the deal i got.....
:)

 
the bathroom has walls.....almost.



something about annie's crossed legs and sitting ON the island was too cute....had to photograph it.


my friend gave me this cup for christmas.
don't you love when you receive a thoughtful gift?
i had picked up that cup so many times and then talked myself out of buying it.
and then there it was!
i can fill it up for the drive to the bus and i still have coffee on the drive back...i needed that!

 

as you may be able to tell....my brain is totally all over the place.
my thoughts jump from my kids, the house, my GIANT to-do list and craft weekend, and repeat.
over and over.
and over.
and i sneak in a thought like "mr. duerksen is a hottie"  every once in a while....
but then it jumps right back to "how many yards of fabric will i need for that" and "don't forget the light bulbs"

what is on your weekend schedule?
around here there will be painting, cleaning, basketball, more basketball, more painting and some sewing.
good times.

 

random of prettiness...

a few linkys of things i am liking,
(i am making you work for it today) 

 

wanting to make these.....but don't have the ingredients right now.

loving this shop.....can't decide which i like the best.

ordered this shower curtain for the new bathroom.

want to buy this print from kal bartenski.....and this set too!

watching this video made me miss annie being little so much and remember what a blessing her school was to us.

LIKE this collage page.  :) color color color.

i felt really good after reading this post....validated, understood and enlightened.

LOVE this cake and party...want to have one of my OWN!...for my 37th perhaps?...minus the power rangers. 

considering these shoes...
it makes running even more fun when the accessories are cute (still hitting 4 miles a couple times a week! :)

this chalkboard was begging for me to bring it home....i didn't....yet.

******************************************

this morning i was going to make the lampshades for two lamps i got from my grandma's home.
i was planning on just covering them with the black and white dot fabric
but realized the shade shape was going to be difficult.
someone left a comment yesterday saying "you are making those ripped fabric lampshades!" and i smiled because i wasn't.....but then i decided to do it once my first plan wasn't going to work. 


 
i covered the wire with strips of fabric and tiny dots of hot glue.

btw....ripping fabric is really fun.

it's loud and satisfies something in me....it's weird right?

then i just wrapped strips around and tied.
that is it.

super easy.
very happy.
and quick.
:)

i first saw this idea on the pleated poppy.....lindsey inspired me with this fabulous craft!
i want to make 10 more....it was so fun.