2015 Blue Jeans Week 26

Let me start off by saying that I am blessed with the best husband ever.  My kids have the best Dad ever.  He has worked so extra hard this week on our house.  He took a few days off to get it painted, and thank heavens for him!  I know he is exhausted, but it is sure looking good!  Can't show before and after shots yet because we are still figuring out what to do with the front door.  Decisions, decisions.  But here is a look at our week of painting (and other activities). . .

Happy Father's Day to the Best Dad Ever!!!  4 very lucky kids here!  Miss O gave him the shirt for Father's Day :)

And their 'funny' picture :)

And what has consumed our time the last week and a half!  

Ben and one of his cool Father's Day presents-- a water gun from Miss E.

More working on the house. . .

And we had an awesome date night.  We went up to the city to a dinner theater and saw Hairspray.  It was so good!  The food was amazing, the show awesome, and the company even better!  A nice way to end a busy week full of lots of hard work!  Sure love this guy!

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon!

2015 Blue Jeans Week 25

I know, you thought I disappeared, but we have been crazy busy this past week doing this. . . 

painting our house.  Ben took off a few days of work so we could get it done, and oh my what a project.  I have avoided the computer after long, hot days of painting and cutting trim, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  We are mainly done--just a few touch ups and need to paint the front door so I can't show you a before and after yet, but we are getting there thanks to my amazing husband who has worked so very hard and is so brave to get on those ladders because I sure can't :)  All my painting help was limited by how high I could raise my arm.  That was the extent of my reach.  I am a wimp when it comes to heights.  

Anyway. . . 

On to last week which was before we started painting, here is a look at our week. . .

We made some homemade ice cream.  Yum!  Not something we do very often, but so good!  We decided we need to make it more often!

Caught a picture of a beautiful sunset from our back yard.  So pretty!

Got some new neighbors behind us now.  They show up every few months as the farmer moves them to different pastures.  I love it when they hay the field behind us, and we have the bales.  

These awesome girls headed to church girls' camp this week.  Fun adventures there!

And this guy made a cool duck tape wallet.  He is always making cool stuff!

And my mom, who is an elementary school librarian, needed some help in her school library, so we spent some time this week helping her.  Miss A and Mr J are scrapping off sticky tabs off the shelves :)  Looks like fun, huh?

And Mr J has spent the last 2 weeks attending a children's summer theater workshop which he has loved!  To end it, they had a play.  Mr J was a narrator in his play and did a great job!  Lots of fun to see him perform!

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon

What's up Wednesday--granola bites

Yes, I know another What's up Wednesday on a Thursday, but I have a very valid excuse.  I had to get 2 teenage girls ready and off for girls camp yesterday, so it was a little crazy.  As part of their camp prep--this being the kind of camp that they have to bring everything--tent, water, food,--everything because they are out in the middle of nowhere with nothing--as part of the prep my girls requested that I make these for them to take as snacks.  These granola bites are so yummy!  Our favorite is probably the regular, but the chocolate are extra good too.  We freeze them and love them out of the freezer.  So I made a batch of each for the girls and froze them, so we will see how long they last at camp in the cooler :)  Of course I got the recipes for these from Mel's Kitchen Cafe--the amazing one and only.  I seriously make something of hers almost every day.  Great stuff there.  

No bake granola bites here--so good.  I always use the agave nectar when I make them instead of honey.  If you are wondering what else you can do with the flaxseed that you need for this recipe, these waffles are divine and I make them once a week.

No Bake Dark Chocolate Granola Bites are also extra yum.  A little more work than the top granola bites.  The top recipe you just throw everything into a bowl and scoop out.  These you have to toast the coconut and almond and heat some of the other ingredients, but it isn't hard at all and goes very quickly.  They are also sooooo good!  Only changes I make in this recipe, I never use the cacao nibs--no idea what they are, and my tiny town one grocery store does not carry them.  I also use agave nectar instead of honey with this recipe.  We just like the taste of that better than honey.

Perfect summer treats--no oven required and great to keep in the freezer to take out as a snack anytime.  Also, a great camp treat, as requested this year.  Enjoy!

2015 Blue Jeans Week 24

Busy summer week, but a good one.  Lots of things going on.  Take a look. . .

This was Miss A's family for her trek.  Super hard work, but a good experience!

Miss O's family for her trek.  She got so sunburned.  Oh my. There is a reason they wore those bonnets :)

Then about 12 hours after Miss A got home from trek she headed to Girls State with these other great girls from her school.  Busy week for her, but very rewarding!

Mr J had a cub scout day camp that he really enjoyed :)  Love the firemen that came and shared all their cool stuff!

Girls State banquet.  Some amazing and beautiful ladies!

We celebrated my dear Grum's birthday since he is no longer with us.  We let off balloons with birthday messages for him.  I know he was smiling down on us as we did it.  Sure miss you like crazy Grum!

Miss A had a crazy busy week.  Got home from Girls State and led the organization of a Interact club for our high school.  It is a youth service organization through Rotary.  Great people and a great group of kids to get it started!  So proud of Miss A and her hard work!

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon!

What's up Wednesday--O'Henry's

So I know my What's up Wednesday have been pretty non-existent lately, but we are going to try and fix that--starting off with these delicious things!  Yum!  Miss O made them for a treat yesterday.  I got them off of Becky Higgins' site in 2008, and they are here now.  Enjoy!

O'Henry's

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanuts--we used cocktail peanuts

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cups Rice Krispies type cereal

1 pkg chocolate chips

1 pkg butterscotch chips

In a large microwave bowl stir together the corn syrup and sugar.  Microwave for 2 minutes.  Add in peanuts and peanut butter to the corn syrup mixture.  Microwave for 1 minute more.  Stir in 3 cups of cereal.  Spread into greased 9x13 pan.

In another microwave bowl put in first chocolate chips and then butterscotch chips.  Microwave for 2 minutes and stir until smooth.  Spread over the peanut and cereal mixture in the pan and cool in refrigerator until set.

Enjoy!

2015 Blue Jeans Week 23

A great week.  Summer projects, my oldest girls went on a pioneer trek, we had lots of rain, and spent some fun time with grandpa!  Take a look at our week. . .

Starting our next big house project--painting the house and replacing the wood window trim with pvc trim.  Ben gets started on that this week.  It is going to be a long process, and like most house projects will cost more than you think and take way more time than you think.

My girls are getting ready to go on a pioneer trek this week.  They were giving us a fashion show of their outfits for it.

Lots, and lots, and lots of rain here.  Our yard is officially a swamp.

Had a dry evening, and Mr J and Miss E got out to do some driveway art :)

And Mr J finally had his first lesson in lawn mowing.  Here we go. . .

Today Miss O, Miss A and these other youth from our church left for a 3 day pioneer trek--3 days of no tv, phones, internet, sleeping in tents, showers, A/C, cold water, and lots and lots of walking while pulling a handcart in period clothing.  They walk in memory of their ancestors and remember them and their sacrifice.  Adventure here they come!

While the older girls and my mom were away, we spent a fun evening with Grandpa eating ice cream and watching a movie.  

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon!  Hope you have a great week!

Friday thoughts

My random Friday thoughts. . .

So Miss O and Miss A left this week for a 3 day pioneer trek--no tv, no internet, no phones.  Just lots and lots of walking and remember those who gave so much and walked across the plains generations ago.  They were nervous and excited.  I am excited to hear all about it when they get back.  

So with the older two gone, we needed something to do, so we did an Oreo taste test.  Mr J's favorite were the Red Velvet.  Miss E liked the S'mores, and Ben was partial to the cookie dough.  I think the s'mores were my favorite too.  

Any Oreo tast testing going on in your neck of the woods??  :)  Have a great weekend!

2015 Blue Jeans Week 22

A fun week of summer.  We had a birthday, enjoyed Memorial Day, fun birthday games, a cooking class and a tennis camp, plus the symphony.  Take a look at our week. . .

My baby had a birthday.  He hit double digits.  Crazy!  He was very proud of his cake that he and his dad decorated together.  Love this kid!

Continued our Memorial Day tradition of visiting the "old" cemetery in our town that has a Civil War memorial.  We enjoy walking through and remembering others who passed on and served and gave so much for us and our freedoms.  So very grateful!

Mr J got a new watch for his birthday and Ben was helping him figure out how to use it.

A fun new game Mr J got as a present is Suspend.  We have all enjoyed paying it this week.

Mr J had a cooking class this week.  Love those because then he comes home and makes extra yummy stuff for us!

Miss E had a tennis camp.  Love her instructor.  She is the best.  They had rain a few days which put them in the gym, but it was a fun week of tennis for her. 

Then lucky Miss E got to go to the symphony with Grandpa.  A night out on the town, and they had a great time!  So blessed that my kids live near their grandparents!

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon!