Holiday Note-to-Self

Here is what always happens in the month of December.  I start out having a great list of projects, cleaning jobs, and stuff to organize, BUT...
due to my already chaotic existence the possibility of getting anything done other than the very necessary is brought about purely by divine intervention.
SO I stay up until Dave the Rooster starts saluting the sunrise just to feel like a good mom/wife.
After years of operating this way I have come up with my very own AH HA moment!

Fun Christmas Tree Ornaments {Paper Ornaments}

The girls and I made some fun ornaments from Christmas Scrapbooking paper I had hanging around from last year.  Here are the results:

Under Construction

Please be patient I am learning HTML/CSS and tweaking somethings.  Thanks.

The Reason why I haven't been blogging

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake {Summer Recipes}

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake Recipe

For the Cake:
3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 t. soda
2 T butter/margarine, softened
In large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. Add margarine, cut to fine crumbs.
In a separate bowl, mix together:
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. vanilla

Beat liquids together and add to dry ingredients. Spread 1/2 batter in greased 9 x 13″ pan or dish. Add filling then spoon remaining batter in small mounds atop filling.

For the Filling:

In saucepan combine 3 cups fresh or 1 – 13 oz. pkg. frozen unsweetened rhubarb (cut in 1/2 pieces, and 1 – 16 oz frozen sliced strawberries thawed, or 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced.
On low heat, cook fruit covered about 5 min. Add 2 T lemon juice. Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup cornstarch. Add to rhubarb mixture. Cook and stir 4 – 5 min. until thickened and bubbly. Cool before spreading on batter.

Spread cooled rhubarb filling over the bottom batter in pan.

For the Topping:

3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup margarine.
Combine sugar, flour; cut in margarine as before, to fine crumbs over batter in pan.
Sprinkle sugar crumbs topping over batter in pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min. Cool slightly. Serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream and devour!

Rhubarb Chutney at Scratch: This is a British condiment that I love!  Used on meats and with cheese.  

Doggie Style {Crate/House training Basics}

I breed dogs.  The first thing that new puppy owners ask me is 'How do you do house training?'  There are different ways but the most successful and logically one I have found is crate training.

Here's how it is done.  A dog will not poop/pee where it sleeps.

1. Get a Crate/kennel that is the right size for your puppy/dog.  VERY IMPORTANT!  If you think that you will just be able to get one crate that will last them until adulthood you will find that the puppy will sleep in one end and poop in the other. Gross but true.

2. Get your puppy on a feeding schedule! NO MORE FREE FEEDING!  It is how ever that the puppy have access to fresh water whenever it is not in it's crate.  The reason for not free feeding is that a puppy will poop at certain times.  When it wakes up, after it has had a play session/or walk, and about 10-15 min after it eats.  So... if you are in control of when he/she has eaten...You get the picture...right?

3. If your puppy doesn't do anything outside, put him/her back in the crate and in 20 min take him/her out again. Repeat until successful.

4. IF YOUR PUPPY NEVER IS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT IN THE HOUSE...THEY WILL NEVER KNOW THEY CAN!

5. If you have a specific place in your yard you want you dog to go on/in start at the beginning by taking the puppy there and not letting it do it's business anywhere else in your yard.  A hassle but at clean up time you will only have to go to one area to get the presents they have left for you. :)  We don't do this but people who have our puppies have had great success with it.

I used to eat chicken...then I met a Mutant Chicken

It's not unusual for Jake to Bookmark things that he thinks I would like to read.  This is how I found Antiquity Oaks Blog.  I browsed for about 2 hours!  I think I may have read most of their posts.  My kids were a bit pissed at me!
I came across a post on Cornish Cross Chickens early on in my browsage that definately kept me wanting more...it also evoked strong feelings.  Mostly of disgust.  You know that feeling when you just want to jump around waving your arms like a crazy person while chanting ew! ew! ew! ew!...Yep that was pretty much my reaction to my new found knowledge.   


I love how she has called the CC chicks 'mutant chicken'.  You know the old adage 'You are what you eat'... well these birds have many 'problems'. Well at least I think they are problems.  

"The mutant chicks are half naked because their feathers can't keep up with their body growth. They just sit and eat. They remind me of the stereotypical overweight American sitting in front of the television, mindlessly eating and drinking beer. One of them looks like his back end is going to explode. It's ascite, a common disease in these birds, which leads to heart failure. Basically, he has developed hypertension from all the eating. From what I've read, it sounds like he's going to die prematurely."

I just think that a bird that I eat should be healthy and happy when it dies!  I don't think that is so much to ask for...is it?!  I am going to get my own heritage breed chicken next spring and I can't wait!  How am I going to live without eating chicken until then!? (ew...shiver)
You have to go read this!  Although it may cause you to never eat chicken from the grocery store again!

My New House (If we win the lottery!)

 DH buys lottery tickets weekly.  This causes such a funny phenomenon that I would like to call ' spending-lottery-winnings-before-you-win' syndrome.  Jake has weird dreams and is constantly telling me what we are going to do/get when we win.  Well usually I don't indulge in such nonsense but today I think I am nesting or wanting a different new house.

I have been looking at house plans this morning and there is a tie between these two.

House 1

Main Floor

Upper Floor

Basement




OR 


House 2 (of course the den would become a craft room and the Workout room would become a dog room)

Main Floor

Basement


Just Dreamin'...until we win!

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Hot, blue skies, wisps of clouds around. Perfect day. ( 29C right now!)


Things that make me happy: 
sleeping in the shade with my Ez.


Book I'm reading:
haven't started a new one...too nice outside and too much to do!
What I'm enjoying on TV:
not much right now

On the menu for dinner:
Primavera Ravioli Casserole

On my To Do List:
Weekly Blessing Hour (Vacuum, mop, garbages, bathroom, quick tidy of house)
Soccer Practice for girls

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Broccoli Slaw from Smitten Kitchen


In the craft basket:

little girl twirl skirts for summer.

Looking forward to this week:
Our 8 year anniversary!


Tips and Tricks:
If you put a cup of white vinegar in your laundry your darks won't run.

My favorite blog post this week: 
Blackberry Jam Cafe's post on a summer dinner party idea


Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):Big Red Kitchen and House of Smith's
No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
That no matter how much I think that it's fine for me to leave things undone (dishes, laundry folding etc) It always makes me grumpy and sometimes comes back to bite me in the tooshie!


On my mind:
Money woes!  I would love to never have to think of money and bills ever again!


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
"And upon the Handmaids in Those Day Will I Pour Out My Spirit" - Julie B Beck

Women of Wisdom -Marjorie Pay Hinckley

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
 
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
 
I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.
 
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.
 
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
 
I want to be there with the children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
 
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
 
~Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Happy Friday Follow! - April 30th

Welcome to the April 30 Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!  We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs.  It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here's how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:

• * Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops. 
• * Grab the Friday Follow button and include on your Friday Follow blog post.
• * Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
• * Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you'd like
• * Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow
• * Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow

The list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed. 

The Furry Children {Staffordshire Bull Terrier}

I just realized that I don't really talk much on here about my 'other children'.  I breed Staffordshire Bull Terriers.  I am crazy and have 6.

Gracie

Belle

Claire and Myra 

RIP Jack (the best dog ever!)

Dude (my newest mouse killer!)

Tess

I'm a bit biased but these dogs are the best family dogs, period.  They are up for anything you want to do.  Want to climb a mountain they are ready.  Feel like sitting and watching a movie they will be on the couch beside you.  I didn't really know what people meant when they said that these dogs are good with children until I brought my oldest home from the hospital and she met Jack.  Jack's whole personality changed around her.  He would let her maul him and love it!  She even stuck her finger into his eye once up to her first knuckle and he just sat there and took it! ( not that I recommend this at all!)  Jack and Belle would wrestle and play HARD until Bex or Ray Ray would touch them then all would stop to give way to the toddler/baby.

I originally got these dogs to facilitate my husbands love/hobby.  Now, I'm hooked!  (I don't think I would have gotten this many on my own!)  

Jacob says that 'We breed Staffies' but in reality I breed Staffies.   

I am excited about my new boy Dude.  I think that I am going to take him to do dog shows and I would really like to work with him to do Obedience and possibly Lure Coursing.  Of course all the dogs get their share of gopher removal and mouse termination since moving out to the middle of nowhereville.

To see more of these guys and to find out if one is right for your family go to www.gamestaffstaffords.ca

Simple Woman's Daybook Entry - week 1

Outside my window...  ~pretty crappy, pouring rain and mud puddles

I am thinking...  ~I really should go switch over the laundry.

I am thankful for...  ~a warm house

I am wearing...  ~black. Black yoga pants and black maternity shirt.  pretty much my mommy uniform.

I am remembering...  ~ how much i like summer

I am going...  ~to try to get a nap today!

I am currently reading...  ~ Rescuing Wayward Children

I am hoping...  ~for a healthy baby boy.

On my mind...  ~my Bex at school. I wonder if she is having a good day.

Noticing that...   ~I finally feel like a grown up.  I haven't decided if I think this is good or bad.

Pondering these words... "God didn't intend for us to eat crap"

From the kitchen...  ~Pumpkin Muffins at the request of Ray Ray...mommy might just sneak in some chocolate chips :)

Around the house...  ~6 sleeping dogs

One of my favorite things  ~ Ray Ray's laughter...it's so unrestrained and makes my day!

Happy Friday Follow!

Welcome to the April 23 Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!  We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

If you follow me I will follow you right back.

My cooking Blog

I have officially (and finally) started up my cooking blog - Krymsen's Kitchen

Check it out for my everyday recipes.

Happy Friday Follow!

Another Week of craziness is almost done!  Now I wish that the snow would go and my kids could play outside without coming back looking like mud people.

Have a great Weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

Twenty Three

How far along? 23 Weeks 
Sleep: Sleeping is good but I wake up in serious need of some stretching!  I think it might be time for a new mattress.
Best moment this week: On the 10th (wednesday) we had our first ultrasound and the girls got to see the baby.
Movement: Most movement is happening after supper.  and after chocolate!
Food cravings: Steak, water, mushrooms, salt, and chocolate (but really when don't i crave chocolate!?)
Gender: boy!
What I miss: energy...I wish I could channel Ray Ray's energy!
What I am looking forward to: having this whole thing over with, holding my baby in my arms…

Make Ahead Monday - Peach Muffins

Peach Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups white sugar
2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 16 muffin cups (I did 18 muffins. I also lined the pan with muffin liners. If you use muffin liners I suggest spraying the liners with non-stick cooking spray, these muffins are sticky!) 
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs, and sugar. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture just until moist. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups. 
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.