Progress.slow.progress.

Progress is slow

But it is sure

My living room with the BIG cabinet in its new place.

Yes, that would be the back of my fridge on the left

and the back of my stove on the right

No, I am not a hillbilly.

{smile}

I'm really happy with how it looks

even if my appliances are in the way

Isn't this special?  Not everyone gets to have their fridge in their living room

completely covering up their fireplace.

And you can just throw a load of clothes in as you grab the lettuce!

Today.

The tile man came.  I {heart} the tile man.

I {heart} my new tile.

I am {happy}how my kitchen is looking!

This is looking just like I wanted it to.

That's always nice.

I've had that NOT happen before

{smile}

Tonite supper was a salad for me

CB and JB ate frozen burritos and chips.

CB and I ate on the kitchen floor

It was really hot and windy tonite

No patio supper.  But it's been our supper table for about a month.

In the middle of all this craziness.

We went to the lake

I thought everyone left their homes in messes and went on vacation?

What?  They don't? 

We did.

It was nice~but this momma was ready to come HOME

CB catching a washer...he played a lot of washers at the lake

It's pretty fun.

I didn't even see that washer when I snapped that pic...probably couldn't

do that again if I tried!

Another kitchen picture. Oh how I can't wait to see the FINISHED product.

A stack of wood

As if you needed that explained

ha ha ha

I just thought the colors were neat

Missouri hills & foilage are gorgeous

I took this on a beautiful deck, overlooking TableRock Lake

on a high bluff.  I got some cool shots.

Beautiful

Simply Beautiful

Remember my #3 recommendation?  Be Joyful and Thankful in ALL circumstances?

I'm still working on it.

We finally turned on the A/C.  The condensor hose backed up~had a blockage. Water~lots of water in the CARPET. Yea. Thank goodness for shop vacs. and fans. and electricity.  Since the Friday before we left...we have had a lot of crazy and unforseen things happen.  Like...losing one of the boys' show lambs. Unexplained death. NO IDEA.  My van quit.  When we got to the lake...the boat quit.  Anywhoooo.

JOYFUL

THANKFUL

That's my goal!

messes, Fifteen and other stuff

First of all

Today is ZB's birthday!

15th

Birthday

WOW

This is what he loves to be doing.

This picture is several years old..

I can't believe how he's changed.

He is on the right

He really can't get enough fishing in!

He's growing into such a handsome young man

I still want him to be little.  I have to look "up"

to talk to him.  I'm so proud of you ZB

I love you!

Happy 15th birthday!

On another note...this is why my blog is neglected.

Recommendation #1  Don't live in the construction zone.

It's soooo NOT fun.

I'm certainly not a Neat freak, but...

this is starting to wear on me a bit.

I went without my washing machine for 7 days.

It was nice not doing laundry every day.

Recommendation #2

Don't go a week without doing laundry

Our lives have been consumed with activities with the boys, work and then

working on the house in the evenings and weekends.  Priming, painting, tearing up flooring,

more priming and painting. {ick}

Not a lot of good cooking going on in my kitchen. 

It's been sandwiches and frozen burritos.

Not my idea of good cooking, but. 

Life happens.

I had more pics, but they won't download.

No recipe Fridays and probably no posts for another week or two.

Yea.  Ya'll don't need a recipe for a sandwich do ya?

In the midst of this...we are going to the lake.  I'm not sure whether

to be happy or cry.  Oh well.  I shall be joyful regardless.

Oh...and my van quit yesterday too. 

Recommendation #3

Be Joyful in all circumstances.

Enjoy your day....have a wonderful weekend friends.

As always, thanks for stopping by to visit!

What a Messy Weekend

It was a messy weekend...but productive.

I have sore arms from all the destruction,

I mean construction we did!

We are living in a HUGE mess but I am

trying to keep my eye on the big prize

A FINISHED HOME!

This is how mid week began(last week)

JB and ZB yanking off the paneling

in the living room.

This is the narrow hallway looking toward the kitchen.

This wall went from end of the house to the other.

It's very dark and ugly.

On the back side of the wall is a HUGE built in cabinet that

we are keeping

ZB and I went to OKC Thursday morn and when we returned

that evening this is what I saw!  OPEN SPACE~

YES!

Terrible pic but you kind of get the idea.

The big cabinet we are keeping will move right~

against the wall

What do ya think, either of these better than the green bean carpet?

{grin}

I'm certain, carpet in a kitchen must be a sin

yes you already saw this pic but I can't seem to delete

the previous one.  We had about 450 sq feet of this stuff to SCRAPE up.

here is another duplicate..I hate new blogger, can't find my way around and can't delete pics.

Recipe Friday

Homemade Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flax seed

1 cup flour

3/4 cup choc chips

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup canola oil

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together-(i mixed mine with my mixer), make a well, put in all wet ingredients and then mix all together.  Place in greased 9x13 pan, pat down evenly and bake at 350 for 18-22 mins.  Let cool and cut to desired size.

I have been looking for a granola bar recipe for awhile now...my boys LOVE choc chip granola bars and I HATE buying them.  So.  I proceeded to find a recipe that would suit my family.  I feel good, first recipe I tried was a HIT!  These are so easy to make and they are delicious.  The original recipe called for 1/2 cup wheat germ which I did not have so I decided to try flax seed(new ingredient for me) and I liked it...alot.  I also had vegetable oil, not canola. 

These are going to be great to cook up and take to the lake for snacks.  Or for anytime.  I seem to have a couple of boys that are boTTomLeSs PitS and constantly GraZiNg. 

I have MANY pics to share, my folks are cutting wheat and we are in MAJOR destruction/construction right now at my house.  Oh Boy.  Going to be good...eventually, but not so fun to live in right now...and it's 95 degrees and we can't use the attic fan or A/C ;) 

More later, have a wonderful Memorial Weekend! 

Recipe Friday

I'm sharing a recipe I made for my Mother's Day supper last weekend.  Everything was yummy and I will be making all the new recipes again!  The dessert Lime Bars were YUMMY~I got this recipe off the Food Network, Down Home with the Neely's. 

Neely's Lime Bars

Cookie Crust:
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of kosher salt
*i didn't have unsalted butter, so i eliminated the pinch of salt*

Lime Topping
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
6 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice(i used bottled)
2 tsp grated lime zest(don't have a zester)
confectioners sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch cake pan with non-stick spray.
To make the crust, combine the butter and confectioners sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 mins, until light and fluffy.  Add the flour and salt, and mix another minute until well combined.*cook's note:  you can prepare the dough up to 2 days in advance, then wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge.  When you are ready to bake the bars, simply bring the dough to room temperature and pat out into pan.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, and pat out to an even thickness over the bottom of the pan.  Bake the crust for 20-25 mins, until lightly golden.  Remove from oven, and cool on baking rack.
To make topping:  whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add the flour, and whisk until just combined, then whisk in the lime juice and zest.  pour the lime topping over the cooled crust, then bake for an addtitional 25 mins or until the filling is set.  Allow the bars to cool completely.  Generously dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.  Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days at room temp or up to a week in the fridge. 
*my personal note:  Next time I make these(i will make again!)  I would use a little green food coloring just for sake of being pretty~and I would refrigerate leftovers since it's getting so warm out.  Also, I don't have a mixer with a paddle{sad face} but I used my mixer anyway...it was fine*

Have a great weekend!!

Sunday

I want to have another Sunday.

In fact I think it would be nice to have a week long weekend once in awhile.

But, I don't forsee that happening.

Here are a few pics of what the last week has been like for me.

My handsome ZB.  We had our first FFA banquet this week.

 

Nothing more sharp dressed than the blue jackets!

 

CB got his braces on Tuesday.  I now officially have all 3 guys with braces.

I don't think I mentioned that JB had to get them too.

That's a whole other story itself!  ha ha

ZB is on the downhill slide with his, but JB and CB are just beginning.

It's been an experience already {grin}

These ladies were happy to see us.  We fed late today.

CB filling the cake feeder. 

 

CB didn't wear sunglasses, that cake dust is terrible!

Dad helping him out.

This wheat field is across the road from our house.  Harvest is just around the corner.  I honestly don't remember ever cutting wheat in May.  I'm sure it might have happened when I was a kid.  The wheat is absolutely gorgeous this year.

 

The heads are big and beautiful

They are more green up close, but as you look over the fields, they are lightening up.

My folks live about 30 miles southwest of my house and they will probably cut wheat Memorial Wknd.  They always start cutting about a week before anyone in this part of the country.  I can't wait.  There is something about harvest~it's exciting, it's dirty, it's fun, it's beautiful.  It's nice to know my dad is a small part of something much bigger.  The county I grew up in(my neighboring county to the west) is the Wheat Capital of the world!

 

My home.  I am so very thankful to be out of town. 

We love living in the country and

we enjoy every minute of being home.

Which brings me back to the whole

Need a week long weekend thing!

Recipe Friday

I am  having our mom's over for supper on Saturday night to celebrate Mother's Day.  I will be trying several "new to me" recipes and wanted to share one with you.

Fresh Corn & Avacado Salad
4 ears of sweet corn
1/2 red onion, diced
2 very firm avacados, diced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1/2 hot chili pepper, seeded and finely diced
juice of 1 lime
salt, to taste
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Slice kernels off the corn, combine with all remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate before serving.

I will change this just a bit...I'm going to use frozen corn and maybe a combo of canned corn with the red peppers already in it.  I won't use a hot chili pepper and I'll make this a double batch!  I am sure this will be a hit...we like EVERYTHING in this salad!

My menu for Saturday night is:
Chicken Enchiladas(sour cream)
Spicy cole slaw
Corn & Avacado Salad
Lime Bars for dessert

I'll let you know how it all turns out. 
T.G.I.F.
Today is my oldest boys' last day of school...he will be a sophmore next year.  EEEKKK.  Am I that old??? lol  Last night was the FFA banquet.  He was so handsome in his dress clothes even though the first words out of his mouth were...."I don't want a job where I have to wear a tie everyday!" lol

Monday is my youngest boys' last day...then Tuesday, the 6th grade class gets to go on an overnight trip to OKC and visit the Zoo and Science Museum.  They actually spend the night AT the museum.  I got to go with ZB and it was pretty fun...won't get to go with CB.

Have a wonderful weekend~I'm looking forward to it and will be cooking away tonite so I can relax tomorrow!