Project DIY: Fall Letters

When I first made these fall letters several weeks ago, I wasn't too sure if I thought they were adorable (as I had, of course, envisioned they would be) or if they were just another craft fail. When I decorated our house for fall this past weekend I used these letters as part of our living room vingette (that sounds fancy-really it's just the stand under our TV in the living room that serves as one of my main decorating areas throughout the year).

This cost project cost me about $8.00 at Hobby Lobby, but I already had the glue gun and glue sticks on hand. Also, I purchased the letters when they were 50% off, which is usually every other week. To check what products they have on sale currently visit their website here.

 

 

What you'll need:



• 8" chipboard letters
• 1 roll of natural jute twine
• glue gun
• glue sticks

How to:

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get pictures of the process of how I did this (I've only got two hands!), but it was relatively easy. I started on the back side of the letters. Put a small strip of glue on the letter and then place the jute on top of it, holding it for a few seconds to secure it in place. Then begin the process of wrapping your letter, using small strips of glue to secure the jute as you work your way around. There may be times when you need to cut the jute (for example, the triangle part of the 'A'). All I did in those spots was cut a small piece of jute, the depth of the area you need it to cover, and glue it to the letter. Continue this process, with small pieces of jute, to cover that part of the letter. I hope that makes sense! It was easier to do than explain =)

Linking up here:

The Inspired Room
The Frugal Girls
Elizabeth & Co.

Just Stick With Me!

So, I'm aware I don't have quite a following yet, but I just wanted to let those of you who do stop by often know that I've got great news!

I've been very unhappy with my current work situation for quite some time and hubby and I have been praying and talking for months about what our next step should be, in particular with my career.

Well, God has opened a door for a new opportunity for me that will allow me to be home much more frequently, (like I'll only be working two days a week now) and I am so thankful! This will give me the opportunity to be the wife I've always wanted to be, and more time to follow my passions with crafts, cooking and photography.

He truly does answer prayers! Not always in the way we imagine, but in this case, in a way that is better than I ever could have expected. So, just hang in there with me, because I'm hoping that this new opportunity will also give me more time to focus on my blog, which is something I've wanted to be able to do for over four years now, ever since I started my first one.

If you think of us often, we'd appreciate all of the prayers we can get throughout this transition and are so grateful for your support! Thanks for being patient with me! I can't wait to have the time to share our life and projects with you more frequently!!

Cool Ranch Dorito Casserole

This recipe is on our weekly dinner rotation because it is so good and so easy!! If you like chips, chicken and cheese and enjoy having a delicious dinner on the table in under thirty minutes then you might love this recipe just as much as my husband and I do!!

Ingredients:

-1 can white chicken, drained

-1 (large) bag Doritos (you can use whichever flavor you prefer, we love it with Cool Ranch Doritos but it's just as tasty with Nacho Cheese Doritos)

-1 can Ro-tel, drained

-1 can cream of chicken soup

-3/4 cup frozen corn

-1 TBSP ground cumin

-1 TBSP garlic powder

-1 TBSP dried minced onions

-2 cups shredded cheese, divided

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Pour your canned chicken in a medium bowl and smash/stir it with a fork until it's in small pieces and shredded. Season chicken with cumin, garlic powder and onions, mix well. Add Ro-tel, frozen corn, cream of chicken soup and 1.5 cups shredded cheese. Stir well and set aside. 

2. Pour 2/3 of your chips into a 9x13 baking dish (or just enough to cover the bottom). Using your hands smash the chips so that they lay flat on the bottom of the pan. 

3. Cover chips with your chicken mixture then top it with your remaining chips and shredded cheese. 

4. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese in melted and it's heated through. 

Easy Homemade Potato Soup

I don’t know about you, but I’m completely 100% beyond ready for fall. The colors, the smells, the decorations, the food, all of it. I’m smitten and already struggling with not setting out my fall decor! (That’s a joke…kinda). So, instead of pulling out all of my decor I decided that a simple favorite comfort food of ours would hold me back, for at least a little while longer.
I’ve used this recipe for awhile because it’s easy and doesn’t involve peeling potatoes! There’s something about peeling those babies that I’m not fond of, unless it is absolutely necessary, and for this recipe it’s totally not necessary!


Ingredients:

• 2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
• 1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup onion, diced into small pieces
• 1 bag (30 oz) frozen hash browns (I use cubed ones, because I prefer the texture and chunks of potato)
• 1 TBSP garlic, minced (or more, if you love it like Hubby and I do!)
• 3 TBSP butter
• shredded cheese for topping (optional)
• bacon bits for topping (optional)
• ground black pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot mix together your chicken broth and hash browns, let cook over medium heat stirring occasionally.
2. Melt butter in a small skillet and cook garlic and onions until tender (3-4 minutes, or until onions are translucent).
3. Stir onion and garlic mixture into stock pot with your potatoes and broth. Allow to cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Add cream cheese to soup, mixing well. Allow to cook until your cream cheese is melted and mixed in thoroughly. Season with pepper (if desired, sometimes I add garlic salt, or sage as well). Top with shredded cheese and bacon bits!

If you’d like to make this in the crock pot, it’s definitely possible and turns out just as tasty! To do so just place all of your ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 7 – 8 hours or high for 4 – 5 hours!

Our Honeymoon {in Review} pt. 1

Our honeymoon was the trip of a lifetime. While we were in San Diego over Christmas in 2012, Graham and I decided that we would take a road trip for our honeymoon, knowing we would enjoy the freedom it offered, and give us the ability to see so much. We figured that once we have A LOT of babies, a road trip won't be as appealing and that a tropical vacation could be taken at any time.

Our planning didn't begin until mid-March (yes, we're last minute, we know), and even then, we didn't plan much. Our goal was to make it to the Pacific North West, but enjoy as many places as possible on our way there and back.

The result of our honeymoon was 12 states in 13 days, and well over 5,000 miles.. America is beautiful, and this is how we explored it.

June 1, 2013 - Our Wedding Night

 

Sunday, June 2nd - We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at our hotel that morning, and then decided to take a few shopping trips before heading back to our house to pack (last minute, remember?)

 

 

 

Before we left town we stopped and saw both of our parents and got on the road, headed north towards Kansas by about 7:00pm.



We stopped in Wichita, Kansas for dinner at a fantastic diner downtown... we definitely recommend it if you're ever passing through!

Recipe: Simple & Delicious Ranch Pasta Salad

My husband isn't a fan of the boxed pasta salad mixes you can buy at the grocery store, he says they're bland. I grew up eating them (and love all things pasta) so I had to figure out a way to make one that he would like. Pasta salad is a great side dish to any meal, and this version is super easy and delicious!

 

 

Ingredients:

• about 3 cups of uncooked pasta (we used spirals and a little cheese tortellini)
• 1 cup of corn, frozen
• 1/4 cup bacon bits or pieces
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• *Dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning mix (packaged from the grocery store, just one pouch. I hardly ever by the premade kind when I'm at the grocery store, my favorite homemade dry Ranch mix is below).

*If you chose to make your Dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning from scratch, you will also need these ingredients:

• 1 tbsp dry Parsley
• 1 tbsp Dill
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp onion flakes or dry minced onion
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

 

 

Instructions:

 

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. About 3 or 4 minutes before your pasta will be done, add your frozen corn to the water. Strain pasta & corn mixture, set aside.

 

 

2. Mix your ranch dressing seasoning mix or package in a medium bowl with mayonnaise. Pour over pasta and corn mixture and stir until well blended. Mix in bacon bits.

 

This pasta salad can be served immediately after preparing or you can refrigerate it for a few hours and serve it cold.

 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.





Recipe: Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

My husband LOVES almost anything barbeque. I, on the other hand, am very picky about eating meat. I like chicken, but most other meats are really not my thing. This pulled pork is something we both love and it's a simple (only 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep!) dish that is perfect for summer cooking, when it's just too hot to want to spend any time in the kitchen.

 

Ingredients:

• 2lb. pork roast
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 2 TBSP. garlic, minced (or more, if you love the stuff like we do!)
• 1 can Dr. Pepper (12 ounces, ignore the jumbo size one in my ingredient picture below, I didn't use the whole can in this recipe)
• approximately 2 cups BBQ sauce

 

 



Instructions:

1. Place diced onion inside crock pot, in a single layer. Stir in minced garlic and spread evenly over the bottom of your crock pot.

 

2. Place pork roast on top of the onion and garlic mixture, then pour approximately two cups of your favorite barbeque sauce over the meat, covering it completely. Then pour your can of Dr. Pepper around the outside edges of the roast.



 

3. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or high for four to six. Either way is fine, I've yet to have mine be over cooked. About four hours in I shred the pork with two forks and recover it, allowing the meat to soak up even more flavor. If you can't do this during the cooking process because you're at work or out of the house try to do it at least 30 minutes before you'll serve it.

 

We toast our hamburger buns in the oven and top it with even more barbeque sauce!

 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.