Fall Cleaning...it's almost time to get started

With 3 days left in August it will soon be September and time to get my house in order for the upcoming holidays and colder temps.

Here is my Fall Cleaning Checklist:

Outdoors:

- Wash Exterior Windows

-Touch Up Paint around windows, doors, deck, stairs etc.

-Finish New Entryway

-Organize and store away stuff in New Entryway

-Clean Gutters

-Deep Clean car ( stalk with winter emergency supplies, check anti-freeze, clean outside of car)

Inside:

-Vacuum top to bottom

Ceiling Corners

Window Treatments

Window Sills

Baseboard

-Wash Interior Windows

-Turn Mattress

-Clean Mattress Pad

-Clean and Organize Kitchen Cupboards

-Clean Light Bowls

-Clean Frig Coils

-Clean Humidifier

-Clean and take out Air Conditioner

-Get Heater fixed

-Wash Fans

-Wash Walls and Baseboards

-Disinfect Door Knobs, Remotes etc.

-Wash Blindes

-Oil Door Hinges

-Declutter Closets

-Clean Oven

-Clean Coats and Winter Boots

( Replace: bedding for warmer bedding, bed pillows)

( buy Waterproof Mat candles, and a throw)

(Go through Christmas/ Fall decorations)

( Get out winter clothes)

I also want to do some freezer baking. Soups, Muffins, Cinnamon Rolls etc.

Happy Sunday!

This is what happens when you have the cam wow app and some free time. HA!

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a saturday morning premier!

Pioneer Woman

11:30 am

Food Network

Seriously I am flipping! I can't wait!

thoughts and rambling

1.I love leggings. I really do. They are oh so soft and comfy. Like pajamas but you can get away with wearing them in the store and not look sloppy.

2.I am addicted to Big Brother. I have been a super fan of Jeff but sadly he has been voted out but only because of backstabbing floaters and girls who can't think on their own! yes, yes I do realize that it is only a reality show, why do you ask?

3. I am very much anticipating fall. A new season. I need this. I crave the candles, and pumpkins and I really really want to make apple pie, like for reals!

4. Lately I have been baking for the freezer. Have you tried it? I made oatmeal cookies the other day shaped the batter and then froze them a few days later took a few out, baked them and ta da! yummy in my tummy.

5. Oh! the terrible two's! Gosh raising a toddler is work, hard work! But so much fun!

6. I need a makeover!! SO badly :( but guess what?!! I have gotten a call from the Rachael Ray show about one!! They are working out the details! How cool is that??!

Learning to go without...

These are the top 5 things my family and I are going to try going without to become more frugal and to save.

1. Soda- this stuff is expensive! Not to mention very unhealthy.

2. Junk food- homemade snacks are much better for you and a lot cheaper.

3. Going out to eat- Fast food can really add up...in price and fat. Unless we have a gift certificate or a free coupon.

4. Christmas- NO we won't not celebrate Christmas but a few presents each and stocking stuffers is our goal this year. The holiday is about our Lord and Savior anyways not about store bought STUFF. I would much rather give homemade or spend time as a family.

5. Movies- going out to see them or renting. With the fall schedule about to begin on TV this one should be easy.

I think we all spend just too much on things we really don't need and honestly I don't think we would miss all that much.

Fall is in the air....

There's still another week left in August but you can feel in the air that fall will be here shortly. I can't wait! I love this time of year, I always have. I am ready for sweaters, roasts cooking in the crockpot, baking pies, picking apples... I could go on and on.There is just something about Fall that is just....well, cozy! I can't wait to put out all my decorations! Here is some decorating ideas from around the web...

This would be wonderful for nice napkins when dinner guests are over and for thanksgiving dinner or could even be used as curtain pull backs. And again so simple and inexpensive to make.

Defiantly going to make this for my home! Looks so easy to put together and is just so adorable and homey.

Isn't this the cutest? Using frames already around the house and switching out the photo with letters that could either be printed out or made from card stalk ( which is the way I would go because you could pick out different designs and make something really unique)

Gosh I adore this house!! Mums are so pretty and inviting. I prefer decorating as naturally as possible.

Love this idea! Looks so easy to make, and with lentils and beans very cheap to buy, this would be a very frugal decoration.

time to catch up...

Lately I have been posting about the food I have been making but not much on what I have been up to lately so here goes...

Last week for date night my handsome hubby and I went to a fancy smancy restaurant on the Island called the Seafood Ketch. My husband received a certificate from work so it was FREE! :)

First off let's talk about the best part of the night!..... well, besides spending time with the love of my life of course... the DESSERT! scrumptious, sweet chocolate goodness!!!

The restaurant sits right on the water. Fisherman were heading out on their boats, we got to watch the sun set. It was romantic and oh so very relaxing!

I got the MEDITERRANEAN HALIBUT. This was soooooo good! Such a colorful dish with so many wonderful flavors. I defiantly want to try and recreate this dish.

My husband got an 18 ounce RIB EYE STEAK no joke!

Homemade Birthday Banner

Materials:

Card Stalk in different patterns that went together well. ( found a local craft store for about 70 cents a piece)

polka dot baby blue ribbon .50 in Mardens

designed the shapes and letters myself on white copy paper, freehand

cut card stalk in index card size pieces

very simple to make, took about a half and hr and cost under 2 dollars!! win win!

easy peasy!

2 years later...

My little boy turned two.... 2 I tells ya! how did he get to be 2?! :( *sniff* ) the weekend following his big day we had a giant family get together. The theme was Toy Story. There were green streamers, balloons, table clothes. Each balloon had a funny line from the movie, there was the soundtrack playing in the background, the 3rd movie playing for the little kids to enjoy when not swimming in the kiddie pool, playing ball or driving in the little electric cars. There were replica drawings from Andys room hanging around, toys everywhere. It really did look super cute! Our little buddy love it all. He had such a fun day playing with all his many aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, great- grandparents, and his mommy and daddy. The weather was gorgeous, the air was warm. To end the party we all went swimming in the pool. Got plenty of amazing photos and lots of great memories.

a Toy Story birthday party photos

what I have made with my homemade bread dough

update on the homemade dough:

from one batch- cinnamon rolls 8 count

sticky buns 10 count xtra large

loaf of bread

made another batch today and used some for pizza :) tasted wonderful!! texure was lovely as well.

If you haven't made it yet, you seriously should give it a try :)

Homemade Bread

Menu Plan for the week and freezer baking

Life happens and sometimes I don't follow this plan in order but most of the time I do.

Here is our menu for the week :)

Today- Homemade bbq and buffalo pizza

Monday- Sloppy Joe Pie, corn

Tuesday- Roasted Chicken ( butter and herb rub ) homemade bread, veggie melody, mashed potatoes

Wednesday- Chicken Pot Pie with Homemade Crust and cucumbers

Thursday-Tacos with homemade tortillas, tortilla chips. fruit

Friday- Youth Group event ( setting up a snack bar )

Saturday ( maybe company for my sister and nieces birthday ) Spag. and Meatballs with Garlic Rolls and corn on the Cobb, cake for dessert

Baking/ Freezer:

Zucchini bread

Zucchini brownies ( yes...brownies! what?! am I crazy? perhaps ;) )

Tortilla Shells

Chicken Broth from the roasted chicken

Banana Muffins

Banana Bread

Let's hope that it's cooler this week :)

First test of the homemade bread dough

Cinnamon Rolls! yum!

took a small ball of the bread dough rolled it out covered it with little butter...lots of cinnamon and sugar ;) rolled it up, cut it and got about 8 rolls out of it. Then made a coffee glaze.

Coffee Glaze:

4 teaspoons of strong brewed coffee

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

start with 1 cup of sugar in small bowl, add milk then vanilla then coffee then remaining sugar.

pour over hot rolls

ENJOY!

note: by no means healthy but so worth it! ;)

Homemade Granola

YUM! Can't wait to try this tomorrow with some vanilla yogurt :)

Here is the recipe:

• 4 1/2 c. uncooked oats
• 2 c. chopped nuts (I used one cup each of pecans and almonds)
• 2 c. dried fruit (I used one cup each of raisins and chopped apricots)
• 1/2. c. brown sugar
• 2 T. cinnamon
• 1 T. vanilla
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 c. maple syrup (a 12 oz. jar)

mix together in bowl then spread out on a greased baking sheet bake for 40 mins on 325 :) enjoy!!

Homemade Bread

I found this homemade bread recipe on Simple Organized Living. It uses only 4 ingredience...FOUR!!!! it makes this small ball of dough then grows to fill a large plastic container... amazing! From this one container I should get 1 loaf of regular, 1 loaf of cinnamon raisin toast, a batch of cinnamon rolls and a couple pizza doughs! Is this not craaazy wonderful :) cant wait to do some baking woo!

Here is the recipe:

DIRECTIONS:

Quickly mix the ingredients in a large food-safe plastic tub with a wooden spoon.

Let it rise for 2 hours.

Put the entire tub into the refrigerator and use throughout the next 2 weeks.

That’s it — no kneading, no fancy equipment, no expensive ingredients, no sink full of dirty dishes.

The tub of bread dough now has a designated spot in our fridge, and whenever we want fresh bread, all I have to do is grab out a chunk of dough, put it on a parchment-lined baking sheet, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, bake, and enjoy.

Meal Plan for the rest of August

Breakfast-

- Homemade Granola ( first time will post recipe and photos later ) w/ fresh fruit parfait and homemade yogurt ( also first time, it will be done in the crockpot. will post recipe and photos later)

- Granola bars

- Stuffed french toast ( using homemade bread )

- Smoothies

- Breakfast Burritos

- Breakfast Sandwiches

- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls ( using the same bread as my homemade bread, very cool recipe I am excited to try and will share photos and recipe later! )

- Honey Bagels

-Sweet Potato Raisin Bread

Lunch- usually whatever we find or leftovers

Dinner-

-Sloppy Joe Pie

-Tacos w/ Homemade Tortillas

-Roasted Chicken w/ brown rice and veggie melody

-Homemade Chicken noodle soup ( using leftover roasted chicken and homemade broth )

-Chicken pot pie ( homemade crust and using leftover roasted chicken)

-Homemade Salisbury steak w/ mashed potato

- Homemade pizza

- Grilled BBQ chicken w/ mashed potato

-Chicken Stir fry

- Lasagna cassserole w/ homemade bread

-Salmon loaf w/ white sauce and baked potato

-Herb and butter roasted chicken w/ rice and veggies

- Lime and Soy porkchops w/ reg. potato and sweet potato wedges

also going to be making cookies, honey bagels, and tortilla shells to freeze for later. Easy and quick to grab